Social and environmental pressures

HOW THEY INFLUENCE YOUR FINANCIAL PLANNING Have you ever bought something not because you really needed it, but because everyone else seemed to have it? Maybe it was the latest smartphone, a fancy car, or even an expensive dinner at the trendiest new restaurant. If so, you’re not alone. The truth is, our financial decisions […]

Behavioural biases and heuristics

HOW THEY INFLUENCE YOUR FINANCIAL PLANNING Have you ever made a financial decision you regretted, only to look back and wonder what on earth you were thinking? Maybe you held onto a losing investment for far too long or refused to explore a new financial opportunity because it just didn’t feel right. The truth is […]

Mindset, stress, and emotions

HOW THEY INFLUENCE YOUR FINANCIAL PLANNING Money may be a tool, but how we use that tool is often driven by emotions, beliefs, and life experiences far more than logic and spreadsheets. Why do some people save meticulously while others can’t seem to keep a dollar, pound, or rand in their pocket? Why do some […]

The value in procrastination

Procrastination gets a bad rap. It’s often labelled as laziness, lack of discipline, or avoidance. But what if there’s more to it? What if procrastination isn’t just resistance, but information? We’ve all done it—stared at a task, knowing it needs to be done, but finding every possible reason to delay. Maybe it’s reviewing your finances, […]

Money, Ego, and the Illusion of Security

The purpose of ego is security. The nature of ego is insecurity. The destiny of ego is surrender. (Credit: @findingawareness on Instagram) It’s an interesting paradox, isn’t it? The very thing we rely on to create a sense of safety, our ego, is inherently restless, always scanning for threats, always seeking more. Perhaps this tension […]

Is it time for a lifestyle audit?

Also referred to as an “economic reality check,”, lifestyle audits are not just for the rich and famous, and not just useful to the tax collector! Have you ever looked at your bank statement and wondered, “Where did it all go?” It’s one of those universal moments—a glance at your spending habits and the creeping […]

Are you being reasonable?

If money decisions were purely mathematical, personal finance would be easy. Spend less than you earn, invest in low-cost index funds, and let compound interest do its thing. But as anyone who’s ever faced a financial dilemma knows, money is emotional, unpredictable, and deeply personal. Morgan Housel, in The Psychology of Money, makes a compelling […]

It isn’t just about knowledge

It’s a tempting idea, isn’t it? The thought of managing your own finances, crafting your own investment strategy, and making the “right” moves with your money—all without the need for professional guidance. After all, the information is out there. Books, podcasts, courses, and countless personal finance influencers promise that with a little effort, you can […]

Context over cash

Imagine this: You’re sitting around a table with friends, and the conversation shifts to money. Someone is buying a new car, another just paid off their house, and someone else is debating whether to invest in the stock market or property. Advice gets tossed around freely—”You should do what I did!”—as if there’s a one-size-fits-all […]

Rewrite your love story with money

Every relationship has a story—a narrative we tell ourselves about how things are, how they’ve been, and what they’ll always be. And while we often think of “love stories” in the context of romance, there’s another relationship in our lives that deserves just as much attention: our relationship with money. For many of us, our […]