Spring is around the corner – bringing newness, freshness and invigoration. After a long winter, it’s easy to find your attitude has iced-over! Here’s how to crack the ice going forward… Remind yourself of the plan and direction you have Without a plan, we are completely lost. Having a solid strategy in place establishes our priorities. Having a plan makes the decision-making process so much easier. If all we have to do is ask ourselves, “Does […]
Continue readingMore TagCategory: Blog
Start marketing yourself
Before we can think of saving, spending and investing – we first need to make money. Almost everybody would accept more money if it were offered to them. But, as is often the case in life, we need to put something in to get something out. One of the most effective ways to boost professional offerings, find new employment or elevate a business profile is by successfully marketing yourself. Here are some easy ways to positively […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Lessons from the lighthouse
Here’s the thing about the lighthouse – it’s focus is always offshore. At the time of writing this article, the world is still flailing under the storm of the Coronavirus and the conditions have caused us all to rethink many of the foundations in our lives that we once thought secure. Just like the view from the lighthouse, the seas can go from calm to savage in a matter of hours, the visibility can decrease from […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Don’t spend based on other people’s income
The practice of storytelling is ubiquitous among cultures all across the globe. Sometimes we seem to forget the power that a story can hold over people. We use stories to make sense of our world and to share that understanding with others. When it comes to something as important as finance it is important that the stories we tell ourselves are based in reality. Yes, the stories that we tell ourselves. We can be forgiven for […]
Continue readingMore Tag
What the low interest rate means for you
In light of the difficult times recently, Southern Africa has been awash in low interest rates. When South Africa significantly cut its base interest rate from an already-low 6.25% down to 4.25%, it officially became the lowest interest rate the country has ever had. In late 2019, the Bank of Namibia’s Monetary Policy Committee reduced the rate to 6.5% from 6.75%, then lending rates at Bank Windhoek were slashed further come 2020. Interest rates, particularly interest […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Ways to save when times are tough
Most of us are chronic under-savers even in the best of times. Yet with the current economic environment, lots of previously hypothetical concepts like ‘what if I’m retrenched or have my salary cut?’ are far more concrete – and, unfortunately, more likely to happen. There’s never been a time when saving is more important, but there’s also likely never been a time when it’s more difficult. Do you want to put something away for a rainy […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Cold hard cash
Debt statistics are growing – this is very likely in part to the fact that a vast majority of us today prefer credit cards over cash. The benefits of credit cards are obvious. They are more convenient and offer more security. Cold, hard cash, however, can be the best way to organize your spending. Here are three reasons why you should opt for using cash instead of credit cards for managing your daily budget. 1. Less […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Three ways to thrash your debt
Effectively managing your debt is one of the best and most proactive ways of ensuring a sustainable financial future. It is deeply gratifying knowing that you’re doing something right when you see your debt shrinking! The journey of exploring the best ways to manage your debt can improve your attitude and enthusiasm towards settling it. Instead of seeing it as a burden to your financial goals, you’ll recognise that it’s an inspiring investment towards your financial […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Are you a savings statistic?
Most Sub-Saharan African countries are chronic ‘dis-savers’. But, you don’t have to be. Before we look at the options, let’s take a snapshot of recent events. Last July, the South African Savings Institute gave the country a wakeup call when it said that the average household rate had fallen from 0.5% per month in 2018 to 0.4% in 2019. While 2020 figures are not out yet (at the time of this blog) anywhere in the continent, […]
Continue readingMore Tag
The long haul
Saving is not just about a plan – it’s a behaviour. Part of this behaviour is rooted in our mental ability to overcome our own fears. We reduce these fears by mentally preparing for life goals and recognising that we have what it takes to achieve them. Mentally preparing for long term savings is like preparing for a long-distance race or a trip. You start exercising today so you can cope with the physical demands of […]
Continue readingMore Tag