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Should I invest in Crypto? Investing  in Crypto or cryptocurrency is a massive buzz word. But is it all talk or is there something to consider? What is Cryptocurrency? “A cryptocurrency is a digital or  virtual currency  that is secured by cryptography, which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend.” –  Investopedia Image by  xresch  from  Pixabay So Cryptocurrency is basically like a digital form of gold that is hard to fake or steal. It gets recorded on ledgers that are based on many servers making it almost impossible to lose records and hack. if you want a more in-depth read check out  Investopedia . Can I get a return on my investment? Well, seeing as you get people known as Bitcoin Millionaires, I can assume so. With outrageous growth in short spaces of time, Bitcoin and other Crypto Currencies have shone over the last few years providing a high return for many, but a high loss for others. Make sure you do your research by ...

How to use a Zero-Based Budget? Zero-Based Budgeting is the new way of budgeting. It takes into account worldly factors and allows more flexibility than the traditional budget. But What is it? And how can I use it in my own life? What is a Zero Based Budget? A zero-based budget us “Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is a method of budgeting in which all expenses must be justified for each new period.” by  Investopedia . It stops the assumption that last month or period will be the same as the future or coming period. Everything starts at zero and all expenses need to be justified and explained. This process forces managers to review every expense and justify it. Image by  Steve Buissinne  from  Pixabay Why should I use a Zero Based Budget? Zero-Based Budgeting can help you by  cutting costs  and to be knowledgeable about where your money is going. By assuming nothing and justifying all your expenses bi-yearly or quarterly, you can find wasteful spending a...

Buy vs Rent? The Home Loans Story Home Loans are probably the most sought after loan in the world. Often difficult to get and expensive to pay. But is the extra cost worth it as opposed to renting? Let’s have a look! How long will you stay in the home? As pointed out by  Fidelity , one of the most important items to consider is how long are you planning to stay in the house? For a house to make money, you would need to have a timeline of 20 years or more. This is due to appreciation, bond costs, and maintenance costs. Over this length of the timeline, there is a benefit to owning rather than buying! Image by  Wokandapix  from  Pixabay Can you afford it? Affording a house is expensive! With most banks requiring you to have 3x bond repayment as monthly income. You or you and your partner would need around R30 000 in monthly income to be able to buy an R1 000 000 house. This high level of income has made it out of reach for a lot of South Africans! Even with our low-int...

Money Saving Tips for South Africans Saving Money is HARD! Don't kid yourself! It is much easier to just go and spend every penny in your account. I have done that! But what I have found more beneficial to have money left over at the end of the month. It almost like sitting on your couch and streaming Netflix is easy and enjoyable, but working hard and climbing to the top of the mountain can be more beneficial. Creating memories that last forever of the views that are seldom seen! But how do you do this? How do you achieve this "money in my bank account at month-end" myth? The answer is discipline and practice. Here are my money saving tips Plan out your goals "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" - Benjamin Franklin Yes, I know I use this quote too much but it is so relevant! If you don't have a plan you won't achieve the success you want, as you have not identified the success or goal you want to achieve. It is like running ...

Should I get a Credit Card? Credit Cards can be great or can be catastrophic, depending on who you ask. They have many great aspects but the Debt aspect is what scares people away! Here are 3 questions I ask myself before getting a Credit Card: What are the Fees? Credit Card Fees like bank fees can be astronomically high or fairly reasonable. But lookout for hidden fees such as Late Payments, Credit Usage, Credit Limit Fee, dishonoring fee, lack of funds fee, international transaction fee and interest. These are fees listed on the report but often ignored. But they can hit you like a ton of bricks if you don't take note of them. That being said Free swiping along with other benefits can make a Credit Card more cost-effective than other accounts. What are the Benefits? One of the main reasons people take out Credit Cards is for the rewards or benefits. Be it Discovery Miles , Ucount , Greenback's, or EBucks ; these benefits can add up! From discount...