Being wealthy is as much a mindset as it is a measure of what you have in your bank account. It is about understanding that money is about giving you the freedom and security to live the life you want while enjoying good health, strong relationships, and having a sense of purpose. Practically, that means…
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“The biggest risk is not taking any risk.” (Mark Zuckerberg) So, what is risk, exactly? Investment risk can be defined as the probability of loss relative to the expected return on any investment. It’s a measure of the level of uncertainty of achieving the returns expected by an investor. Systematic and unsystematic risk Investment risk…
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Any good habits can be bred at a very young age. Learning positive attitudes towards money is no different. Research has found that children understand financial concepts much sooner than many of us realise. The University of Cambridge has found that by the age of seven children will have developed ideas about money that will…
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“If you understand compound interest, you basically understand the universe.” (Robert Breault) Don’t be simple One of the best ways to understand compound interest is to know what it’s not — the appropriately named simple interest. This easy example illustrates the difference between the two. Mr X decides to invest in an account that pays…
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There is a well-worn social myth that in a divorce from a heterosexual marriage it is the men that get fleeced while their ex-wives make away with the spoils. The reality, however, is very different. Research from the London School of Economics found that women who worked before, during or after their marriages see, on…
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Do you deliver better than average work at the office? Do you drive better than the average person on the road? It is likely that you answered ‘yes’ to both of those questions. There is a fair amount of research that finds that a majority of people will almost always rate themselves as ‘above average’…
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Whenever you put money into a fixed deposit you probably think that it is perfectly safe. And as long as that deposit is running, you are probably right. If, for example, you invest in a in 36-month fixed deposit, you are guaranteed a certain interest rate for those three years. You are also almost certain…
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Retirement is wonderful if you have two essentials: much to live on and much to live for. (Anonymous) As the economy struggles to get back on its feet, many clients have approached us to ask how they can save better and invest smartly. So, we thought it was a good time to introduce the topic…
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What would you do if you were given R2 million and told you had to invest it in property? You might think of buying a nice flat in Cape Town’s southern suburbs that you could rent out to students. That should give you an attractive yield in what seems like a good location. But what…
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“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” (Benjamin Franklin) Investing for your children’s education is one of the great non-negotiables as it provides the foundation for a bright future. As always, however, there’s more than one way to skin this cat. Should you opt for a tax-free savings account or an endowment fund? And…
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