It is that time of the year when many people are working hard at their New Year’s resolutions, such as losing weight, cutting down on carbs, limiting alcohol intake, saving money, letting go of toxic relationships, becoming a better person – the “fresh start” list goes on. Often, these resolutions last only a month, then […]
THE £10 note featuring Charles Darwin will cease to be legal tender from tomorrow, but its value has been eroding for years. Thanks to inflation it is worth a third less than when originally printed almost 18 years ago in November 2000. If left in a piggy bank the tenner’s spending power would be just […]
The Equivalent of Debtors’ Prison Is there such a thing as a modern-day debtors’ prison? Not literally, as debtors’ prisons were outlawed by Congress in 1833. However, a recent ACLU report on the criminalization of private debt points out that some private debt collectors are creating the equivalent of debtors’ prison via the courts. The […]
Get organized Take one hour each day this week to get both your finances and your home in order. By cutting out clutter, you may find extra things around your house to sell. You might also find duplicate items like batteries or lightbulbs that you can now take off your shopping list. It’s also important […]
It’s no secret that weddings cost a lot of money. In fact, the average price of a British wedding is £25,090 – nearly as much as the average UK salary of £27,000. Financial comparison site, money.co.uk has analysed personal finance data from over the past eight decades to predict that by 2028, the average cost […]
Whether your child is a First Year or returning to varsity, there’s a lot to get done before the academic year kicks off in February. On your to-do list should be insurance: are your child’s possessions adequately insured against damage or loss? Although there is no fixed rule about what should be insured, a good […]
The typical advice about what people should do with their tax refunds — save for retirement! pay off debt! — ignores how little wiggle room many families have with their finances. Tax refunds averaged $2,895 last year, and were the largest single cash infusion received all year by 40 percent of the checking account holders […]
The bill can haunt college graduates decades after receiving their diplomas. It can be difficult to know where to even start when it comes to digging out of college debt. Emilie Engesether graduated from an online college with nearly $70,000 in student loans. She’s made monthly payments ever since. Still, Engesether is years away from […]
Earning your first pay cheque after years of studying can be quite rewarding, but this is also a time to start charting a stable financial future. “Graduates who have just entered the job market this year will, for the first time, experience a drastic change in their finances. That’s simply because moving from a monthly […]
In his 2018 Budget speech, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba announced the annual increase in excise duties, otherwise known as sin taxes. Wine will cost you 30c more per litre, with duties increasing from R3.61 to R3.91/litre. Spirits will cost R190.08/litre, up from R175.19. This means you will spend about R61.30 in excise duties per 750ml […]
The year is off to a brisk start, with many people promising themselves that they will maintain a better work-life balance in 2018. But is it really possible in this day and age? Cathie Webb, director of the South African Payroll Association, says people talk about work-life balance as if one can interchange the one […]
IMPROVING your home can seem like a costly expense but there are cheap ways to spruce up your abode. Whether you want to get it ready for a sale or just give it a makeover, Australian interior design company, Bowerbird have offered their best budget tips. Improve your entryway Bowerbird suggest improving your entrance with […]
