At Lifeforce Financial Services, we’ve fielded an increasing amount of queries around the wisdom of investing locally, or shifting all portfolios offshore, specifically in the light of the widespread media coverage and speculation regarding South Africa’s credit rating and the likelihood of a downgrade to “junk status”. Why the potential downgrade? In simple terms, South Africa […]

Nowadays, making a transaction can feel somewhat unreal. Just a swipe and a glance at the number displayed on a digital screen. Whilst this seems easy and practical, it poses a big problem that is too-often overlooked.When we stop dealing with physical coins and notes – a mental disconnect occurs between the digital numbers and […]

Many finance professionals and journalists agree that managing your finances as you would a business is the key to prosperity. Even the best business ideas can fail if the capital and revenue are not carefully monitored. Similarly, if you mismanage cash on a personal level you could find that you’re short of money by the […]

Your finances can use some spring cleaning as much as your house does. Last week we went over some budgeting and account handling ideas, this week we continue with some more ways to get you feeling financially refreshed… Review recurring costs We become accustomed to recurring fees to a point of comfort. Maybe it is […]

Clearing out old clothes and a garage full of stuff? While you might be tempted to just dump it all, there are people less fortunate that can use your second hand clothing to keep warm in the evening chill. While you are spring cleaning the accumulated clutter in your house, why not brush up on […]

Last week we discussed a lack of financial management, signing surety, sudden expenses and worrying about social status. This week we compound on that list with some more points to consider to prevent you from being put in a position that is vulnerable to accumulating debt: Lacking financial understanding Formal education doesn’t prepare people well […]

No one ever plans to fall into a spiral of debt, but sometimes challenges arise that cause the debt to build up around you before you have even realised how bad it is. This puts you in a debilitating position that can be difficult to emerge from. So, here are some points to consider to […]

Saving is a tricky financial discipline to master. Most people agree that it’s wise to save, but are unsure as how best to do it. They try one way, take a break, then try another. It’s similar to the way many people try to eat healthily. Again, we all agree to the benefits of healthy […]

With festive season celebrations now a distant memory and all of the leftovers hopefully eaten, something still remains for the majority of South Africans – a looming credit card debt! It doesn’t have to linger for long but getting out of credit card debt requires a realistic goal and a firm resolve. You will have […]

With the tax year drawing to a close at the end of February, it is worth looking into the advantages of making a supplementary contribution into your retirement annuity (RA). The National Treasury estimates that only 10% of South Africans are able to maintain the same standard of living after retirement. Here are some good […]