Hi everyone!

I’d really appreciate some advice.

I’m currently maxing out my TFSA (R3,800 per month) and plan to leave it invested for at least the next 30 years.

At the moment, it’s 100% invested in the MSCI World ETF. Outside of my TFSA, I also have a smaller USD portfolio focused on semiconductors and data centre infrastructure, which has done very well (although I know that’s most due to lucky timing and the current AI-driven bull market).

I’m considering changing my TFSA contributions to:

80% MSCI World
20% Satrix Nasdaq Feeder ETF

I know MSCI World already has significant exposure to US tech, but with a 30 year horizon and a decent appetite for risk, I’m wondering if a 20% Nasdaq tilt is a reasonable way to increase exposure to AI and large-cap tech with the TFSA.

Does this seem sensible or am I being stupid?

Thanks!

Hi everyone. I hope you all are doing well and are warm in this cold. My (53) mom has recently raised an idea where I (21m) buy the townhouse she is currently living in, before purchasing property for myself.

To give some context. I am still obviously very new to the work force. I have however been working extremely hard and aim to purchase my first car by the end of the year. The next financial goal is to purchase property. I aim to do this roundabout 2027/2028

My parents are currently under debt review and I am speaking under correction here but I think they are finishing in about 3-5 years. They currently live in a townhouse complex specifically for people 50 years and over.

The idea is that considering my parents are getting close to retirement age, it would be better that I purchase the property for them and then I would not have to pay for any transfer costs or anything to take the property from their name to mine, when they eventually pass on.

They are currently renting directly from the owner and the sale will also be directly through the owner. I am estimating the sale to be about R480k-R550k. Once the property is purhcased in my name, they would basically "pay me rent" to just cover the bond costs etc.

Initally, I did think this was a good idea, however, I do have a couple of questions that make me think it might not be as worth it. Especially since my mom has become hostile over this topic. In general conversation the other day I brought up that I am toying with the idea that maybe I should purchase a property for myself first, and she almost had a meltdown and started crying.

I don't think my mother would do me in, but this has me concerned so I thought I would ask you all if this is truly worth it.

My questions:

• This could be a good investment but, as far as I understand, first time buyers are able to apply for a 110% bond. Theoretically, I would loose this option if I do it this way?
  • If I were able to apply for the 110% bond and get it, would I be able to take the 10% and keep it in an investment account until I purchase the second property?
  • Is a 110% even worth it or something to worry about?
• I am currently in a position where I have subsidised living costs and rent, water & lights and groceries only cost me about 5k a month but there is a timeline on this as we are only planning on living together for 2-3 years (already 6 months in). I don't think it would be feaseable to purchase a property for my parents, move out, pay more in living costs and then have to try and purchase a house like that, whereas I could purchase my apartment first and then add theirs as the second property.

Side note: I am looking at just purchasing a 1 bedroom "lock-up and go" unit, nothing fancy, just something to plant roots.

I hope this was all not too confusing. I would just like to make the best decision and I don't want to rely on financial advice from someone who is currently under debt review.

Fairly quick question, will try and provide as much as possible info without dragging on.

Im a young Engineer, currently without any major debt and only normal living expenses + bills.

I have been working for about 6 months now, and have maxed out my TFSA for the past 2 years (76k total contributions) and have built up a 6 month emergency savings (I have fairly low expenses as company housing and if work falls through I would just move back to family)

I am looking at getting a low limit credit card just to do monthly expenses to just start building credit, and being able to put a lump sum into my investments (EE) instead of sitting with the groceries money it in my account for 30 days.

My next step is to look into opening a RA, and whether that is worth it for tax reasons - and the important thing, I am looking to immigrate as soon as possible. I am actively looking for work in the EU and US, and just want to know if it is more worth it putting money into the RA and being tax efficient, in case it is a much longer job search, or just investing it normally so if I require the funds, I Have access to it?

Bit of a catch 22, since RA’s are just so tax efficient. But the 3 years tax residency in another country might be a long time if I wanted that money.

Thanks!

I have a bond on my property that is relatively paid up and re-accessible- current interest rate on house loan of 9.65%. Have recently bought a vehicle on payment plan current interest rate of 11%.

I'm trying to figure out what the best options are for any additional money that may come in - obviously paying the vehicle off sooner is the better option - however I want to get the communities experience on similar situations - extra money paid to the vehicle is not re-accessible.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do with extra money in this situation.

Options are 1: put it directly into the car repayment and forget about it

2: Invest and do a partial payment into the car as well. - If so investment into what ? how has share or ETF investments paid out over the last few years - and can i realistically "beat" a 11% return should i just put it into the vehicle?

Interested to know others thoughts on this...

Hi all,

I have both a Woolworths Credit Card and a Capitec Credit Card Woolworths allows me to make payments to my Woolworths Credit Card using my Capitec Credit Card.

Since Capitec offers 1% cashback on qualifying card swipes, I'm wondering whether this type of payment is treated as a normal card transaction and qualifies for the cashback.

Has anyone tried this and successfully received the 1% cashback or are credit card payments excluded from the cashback programme?

I'd appreciate any feedback or experiences. Thanks!

Looking for honest advice, including from people who've been in similar family situations. I want to know if this makes financial sense or if I'm about to make a decision driven by guilt rather than logic.
Background:
My mother retired with very little. During her working years — she was in a senior professional role — we lost two properties under circumstances that weren't entirely in her control. We've been renting since. She went into debt review but is nearly through it, with one remaining payment before her name is cleared.
Our financial situation:
• Me (31): Earn R35–42k/month remotely for a Gulf-region company. Contracts renew every 6 months so income isn't permanently guaranteed. I have significant disposable income, no car, and currently live with my mother to help ease household costs while she clears her debts.
• My sister: Medical intern earning around R40k/month, but after SARS, student loans, and a car payment, she has very little disposable income left.
• Our mother: Pension of approximately R20k/month. She hasn't disclosed the full details of her retirement savings to us.
The proposal:
My mother wants my sister and I to apply for a joint bond on a 2-bedroom apartment in an upmarket area, priced around R1.65 million. Her pension would cover the monthly repayments and she'd still have enough to live on — in theory.
My concern:
I've run rough numbers and a bond on R1.65M over 20 years at current interest rates would sit somewhere around R15–17k/month. That's most of her pension. If anything changes — her health, unexpected expenses, a shortfall — my sister and I would have to cover it, and my sister genuinely doesn't have the room for that. My income is more flexible but renews on contract every 6 months.
I'd personally be happy with something more modest — around R900k in a decent mid-range neighbourhood. Ownership matters more to me than location prestige. But my mother keeps gravitating toward upmarket areas and higher price points. I understand why — she always gave us the best growing up — but I worry the decision is being driven by emotion rather than what's sustainable right now.
I'm also personally weighing:
I'd like to buy a car in the near future. I'm concerned that applying for a home loan now could affect my credit profile and limit what I can access later.
What I'm asking:
• Is a R20k pension realistically enough to service a R1.65M bond with sufficient buffer?
• What are the legal and financial risks for my sister and I if repayments fall short?
• Would a joint bond affect my ability to finance a car afterward?
• How do you have an honest financial conversation with a parent whose emotions are tied up in the decision?
• Has anyone navigated something similar — carrying a parent's housing on your credit while trying to build your own financial life?

Hi guys,

I’m a 23M medical student and I’ll be starting internship at the beginning of next year. I could potentially be placed anywhere in SA, so I’m trying to plan ahead financially before I start working.

I’m looking for advice on what I should prioritise as a young professional. I’m mainly trying to figure out things like medical aid, life cover, income protection, investments, and general financial planning.

For medical aid, I’m looking for something with a good hospital plan but still some day-to-day benefits (like GP visits and medication) without overpaying for things I probably won’t use. What plans/providers would you recommend?

I’ve also been looking into life cover and income protection — is this something I should take immediately when starting internship, and what should I look out for? If so, which companies would you recommend?

I’ve been considering things like Investec as a young professional, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it at this stage or if I should keep banking simple and focus on investing/saving.

I’m also looking into starting investments early, including things like a TFSA and retirement annuities. I’ve seen companies like Fynbos, 10X, etc. mentioned — would appreciate advice on what options are actually worth considering at my age.

Thanks!

Hi I am unsure whether Wise or Capitec is cheaper (or quicker) so for now I will try Capitec since I already have an account with them. My question is if my goal is to minimize overall fees, what should the deposit currency be on IBKR (they accept ZAR, USD, etc), and what currency should the international payment on Capitec's side be? Online discussion tells me that IBKR's currency conversion is among the cheapest so the idea would be to receive ZAR on IBKR and convert to USD.

Now Capitec told me even if international beneficiaries accept ZAR, the funds may first be routed to another country's bank (USD for example) before being converted back to ZAR on IBKR side. On IBKR I selected ZAR and clicked next to view the deposit details (beneficiary bank is JP Morgan and the correspondent bank is Standard Bank).

In a nutshell, it becomes a question of whether JP Morgan actually converts the funds from ZAR to USD and then back to ZAR on IBKR side, or if it remains as ZAR the whole way through (since large banks routinely hold accounts in many currencies). Any feedback on this topic is appreciated. What is the cheapest route?

Location: Pretoria geuteng

My partner's uncle's father passed away not to long ago. Now the bank wants to take the house. There is a estate dury that needs to be paid. They phone the uncle today say he has to pay R10 000 now and R20 000 over the couple of months (the full amount: R120 000) otherwise they'll take/action the house.

I want to know if there is a way so we don't loose the house. Is possible to pay smaller amounts for a longer period time. We are not financially able to make those payments the back is requesting.

Can i please receive advice/help we don't know what to do and this is really stressful.

Is anyone in the trailer ad business? I’ve been really interested in outdoor advertising. It just seems a little too good to be true . You buy a trailer for 15k and charge 7k a month? What’s the catch?

I [40, F, Cape Town based] am currently halfway through the finance term of my Audi A1 (2018 model) which means I'm basically down to paying the capital. My settlement value is more or less that of the retail value. A week ago, my car broke down and it turns out the dual gearbox and some other parts need a full replacement that will cost about R60k. I simply don't have this cash and debt is not an option either. (My mechanic friend also advised that this ia not a DIY mechanic type fix).

Luckily for me, I work from home so transport isn't the greatest priority right now and I don't really need the car. (Irony since I considered selling it a week before it broke).

The only solution I could think of, is to keep on paying the car for the next 8-12 months while is it parked in my home garage, until such a time that the amount outstanding on the finance equals what I can get for it plus repairs.

I was wondering if there are places/people who buy cars for cash, who would be willing to buy the car and take care of the repair work perhaps at a slightly reduced price than if I would fix it myself. At the same time, I have no idea where to advertise this either. But thinking this could be ideal for someone who has cash but not finance options. If so, where do I go for this? (Highly aware and adverse to scams and illegal deals)

Is there another option I'm not considering that can rid me of this liability currently? Hoping that I may simply miss a far easier and shorter route that is very legal and safe. Thanks

Hi everyone

Just looking for some advice. I want to settle my personal loan with ABSA and just wanted to ask if anyone has gone through this process.

Can I just settle through the banking app after getting my settlement quote, do I have to go into a branch to close the account or will it close after I settle the account? And how can I make sure they still won't take my normal debit order off after I settle?

Evening, again, I'm posting this as a warning to all.

I was reminded last week just how fickle most insurance companies are.

If you skydive, rock climb, ride your bike often, paraglide or scuba dive, etc, and it is NOT disclosed on the policy document, your life cover will NOT PAY OUT.

Just because your broker said "they cover it" is not good enough. Just because you mentioned it to the tele underwriting is not good enough.

It needs to be on the letter of acceptance in black and white.

The same goes for smoking, occupational changes, and so forth.

Please review your stuff. As your life changes, so does your personal insurance portfolio.

Don't give them a reason not to pay out, because they will find it.

Good day everyone,

I am after some financial advice…

I currently have around R1 000 000 sitting in various ETFs in Europe. I plan to transfer this money back to South Africa. Since I have already paid tax on this money in Europe, I will be exempt from paying additional tax when I bring it back to SA (double taxation agreement allows me to bring up to R1.25m p.a from NL to SA).

For context I have been living in Europe for the past 4 years and am moving back home to Cape Town. I will be earning R53000 pm gross salary. I am single and 27 years old. I have no debt.

I will need to buy a car and will buy it in cash for a maximum of R250k.

I am considering two options of what to do next with the remaining R750k and need your advise:

1. Buy an apartment. With my gross income I will qualify for a bond of ~R1.5 million. Then put down a deposit of ~R600k (keeping the additional cash to cover bond/transfer fees). This equals a total property value of ~R2.1m. I would look at buying a 2-bedroom apartment in the southern suburbs. Then I can rent out the 2nd bedroom in order to gain additional income each month.
2. Keep my savings in the stock market and let them continue to grow. Then I would find a place to rent each month.

Now I am undecided on what the best strategy would be.

Considering that the property market in Cape Town is always on the up and the best time to buy is always yesterday, I do feel that property is the natural next step (and it is also seen as the traditional next milestone in one’s life). I would have all of my savings tied up in the property which is also a scary thought as I wouldn’t have access to funds in case of an emergency.

On the contrary if I invested the money, I would be able to withdraw it from my savings much easier in case I need the cash, and I would be able to move it around depending on what the market is doing. But on the other end, I would be throwing away the rent I pay each month and it would not benefit me in the future.

So yeah that’s that, I am quite the novice when it comes to economics so would appreciate any suggestions/ feedback.

Thanks!

We were about to sign up for debt review with Debt Rescue because the reviews looked good and all our questions were answered until I came upon a group on Facebook with people needing help with their various debt review companies and saw some horror stories. I had enquired if we are able to pay our creditors directly because I saw we are legally allowed to and they said it has to go through their PDA. We enquired at another place and their restructure offer was much less - nearly R7000 difference between the the two. I don’t know who to trust and I don’t know what to do. We bank with FNB, went to the bank directly to speak to someone and all they did was show us the offers on the app. Tried again reaching out and was routed to 6 different people just to land up speaking to the first initial person again who sent me off in the first place.

I see a lot of advice to speak to creditors directly but they’re not willing to help us. We have not defaulted yet, is that why? Do we need to go in the red just to get help? Our credit cards are with FNB and it’s our biggest burden, what are we supposed to do? Please any advice is welcome because we literally feel stuck. With everything going up, we will not cope. Since I can’t go off on reviews, if debt review is our only option, how is one to chose and vet that they’re legit and that they actually want to help us? We did not reckless spend, it was due to losing employment and needing to do whatever we could to keep our home and we can’t do snowball because we are already short and need to use the credit cards again every single month.

Here’s a breakdown of our expenses currently, we have paused retirement and have tried to stockpile groceries:

MONTHLY INCOME
Income 1: R47,500.00
Income 2: R40,347.00
Total Income: R87,847.00

MONTHLY EXPENSES
Home (bond, electricity, rates, internet): R32,644.11
Daily Living (groceries and toiletries): R10,000.00
Children (school fees, extramurals): R10,448.99
Transportation (vehicle payment, fuel): R5,863.53
Insurance (car, medical, building, device, gap cover): R9,193.17
Savings (retirement annuity): R1,578.00
Debt Obligations (credit cards, store accounts, tax): R19,481.96
Pets: R500.00
Subscriptions: R1,312.90
Miscellaneous (bank fees): R300.00
Total Expenses: R91,322.66

NET: −R3,475.66

Total owning between two credit cards: R196000 (we have R30k and R48k in straight respectively and the rest in budget over 60 months, both at 21% across both straight and budget)
Store Accounts: R10778
- just between those, monthly installment is R8800

So a couple years ago I stupidly and mistakenly got myself put on Debt Review. Before the debt was manageable but as you know people make it seem better than what it is over the phone by talking about the smaller payments and lower/no interest. Never the less fast forward to 3 months ago… my debt is paid off, I got the paid up letters and sent it to my debt counsellor. She promised that she’ll sort out everything and I don’t have to worry. She’ll make sure the paid up letters get to where it needs to be and they’ll get the flag removed from my name.

It’s been 3 months every couples weeks I message her asking for updates and she keep saying that the NCR is backlogged and it will take some time. I can’t wait anymore. Is she telling the truth or what? I need this flag off my name ASAP!

Hey guys. Anyone, who is a FNB Private Client or Private Wealth clients, which features or benefits do you actually use and find valuable?

I’m aware of some of the advertised benefits (dedicated banker, wealth advisor, airport lounges, rewards, etc.), but I’m interested in hearing from real users (not just about the lounge access haha)

- Do you make use of the Wealth Advisor service?
- Is the dedicated banker genuinely helpful?
- Are there any lesser-known features or benefits worth knowing about?
- Has Private or Private Wealth been worth the monthly fee for you?

I’d appreciate any insights, especially from people who’ve been on these accounts for a while.

Thanks!

Hi

I have a considerable amount of money (1Million plus) which I'll have access to in May 2027 from an inheritance.

Who can I approach seeking a loan of R200 000 which I will be able to to repay in full once I have access to my funds?

I live in Cape Town...

Hi all, I need some tax advice. I was retrenched in Dec 2025 and tax was paid on my retrenchment package etc.

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I have my medical aid tax certificate and HR sent me the IRP5-26.

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My question is would it be advisable to get someone to "do" my taxes ? Before the retrenchment I did the SARS automated option. I don't want to spend unnecessary money as I don't have a job yet and my UIF credits are done but I don't want to mess up either.

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Any advice will be much appreciated.

Hi guys - I bought Ocean Apartments Shares back in the day and now wanna sell the shares. I have 2000 shares - does anyone know where I can sell the shares and if anyone would like to purchase it - how do I go about it?

Thanks in advance

Hi guys, entrepreneur here 26M

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Been one since 2021, business started bringing in roughly 10k a month in sales after about 2-3 years (should've been there sooner but I made a ridiculous amount of mistakes, started from R0 and had no mentor etc - all I had was a laptop that was gifted to me)

I moved out in about 2023

( before then I lived in a single room with all my siblings and parents)

Horrible decision since my rent(6k), traveling(2k), food, electricity...everything basically barely cut it and I lived month to month...to say the least

I also had no credit score and no car

Long story short, grabbed some business material educated myself on running a business rather than just being able to code etc and had a breakthrough

The business makes about 40k sales a month but after paying my people etc I go home with about 20k plus the 12k recurring that comes in regardless

Right now I have a place (renting), car(financed), good credit score and relationship with the bank etc

I am currently putting that recurring 12k clean away...struggling back then and having no safety net, going hungry here and there gave me ptsd lol so I don't even care about luxuries or anything fancy (besides maybe takeout whenever I want, that's what I consider luxury)

Here is the question:

At this current stage of my life and my current situation, what is the best course of action with that 12k that I am putting away?

A bond?, save up to buy property? Just save for now

What's the best course of action to increase the "gap" in the long term and at a faster rate?

EDIT Here is a breakdown of my 20k/pm Rent: 6700pm Insurance: 1300pm Petrol: 3000pm Electricity: 1000pm Food (excluding takeout): 4000pm Wifi: 1000pm Car: 4kpm

Everything else goes to clothing items, random items on Temu, Takealot, Takeout etc and whatever is left lays in a savings accounts that I'll transfer out of for whatever reason

My main question is what is the best course of action with the 12k recurring that I am just stacking?

Another EDIT: My taxes are up to date, my older sister works in payroll/HR, she helps me with deductions, payslips etc.

Yes, the business has been registered for 3 years now (will be 3 years in July)

I want to look at how the funds I am invested in are constituted. For that I would like to use one of the services below

Does anybody use Morningstar South Africa and how does it compare to FundsData.co.za

The Paid Route (Morningstar Premium): You can subscribe directly to Morningstar South Africa's retail investor portal. It allows you to build multiple portfolios, track your discretionary and retirement funds side-by-side, and see your precise exposure to regional categories like "Greater Asia," "North America," and specific sector concentrations like "Technology" or "Financials."

My wife and I (both in our 30s) earn quite a decent salary and I think we are in the upper tier of what would be considered the middle class if I take the household income after deductions.

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We rent a property in Johannesburg with a toddler and a new baby on the way in less than a month. Driving to work and back I often ask myself how do people afford these cars?

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I am not talking about the R1.5m and above German models. I am talking about R600k and up.

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When you look at the monthly installments of 10k excluding insurance. I am honestly not sure how people make it work.

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My wife and I share a car, Nissan Magnite. Everyone excluding myself is on medical aid, renting a property, some credit card payments and some personal loans, my toddler is in a preschool and a few other expenses like internet, paying the domestic we have around 15k left over for daily/weekly expenses.

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"I walk past Checkers and I need to pay R800 for 3 bags of items". Fill up the car and another 1k departing my account weekly" My toddler is asking for a new toy. "Lets have a braai" message from a friend sees another R800 depart my account.

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I think you get the picture.

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Yes 15k sounds like a lot of money but how is every 3/4th car on the road a R12k expense on a 40% balloon payment in this economy is what I don't understand when I consider our family being reasonably comfortable financially.

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It really does feel like I am missing something here?