Quick answer: Financial abuse (economic abuse) is when someone uses money to control, limit or harm another, controlling all the money, preventing a partner from working, hiding accounts, or using money as a threat. It…
Quick answer: Bank charges, monthly account fees, cash withdrawal fees, card and transfer fees, and penalty fees like declined debit orders, seem small individually but add up to a real amount over a year. You…
Quick answer: The cost of living is what daily essentials, food, housing, transport and electricity, cost you, and in South Africa it keeps climbing while incomes lag. Coping means attacking the biggest costs first, cutting…
Quick answer: A stokvel is a South African savings club where members contribute a fixed amount regularly into a shared pool, then receive a payout, in cash, groceries or a rotated lump sum, at an…
Quick answer: Black tax is the real financial support many South Africans give extended family. It is not the problem; giving more than you can afford is. The way to help sustainably is to cover…
Quick answer: Winter bills spike mainly because of the geyser, heating and higher food costs. A good winter budget plans for those extras before the month starts, then attacks the biggest electricity user, the geyser,…
Quick answer: A tax refund is money SARS returns because you paid more tax than you owed, so treat it as your own money coming back, not a windfall. The smartest use for most South…
Quick answer: A default is an adverse listing a credit bureau records when you fall behind. You can remove a default in two situations: if it is wrong, you dispute it free and the bureau…
Quick answer: The Credit Ombud is a free, independent service that resolves disputes between consumers and the credit industry, wrong listings on your credit report, unfair treatment by a lender, and complaints a provider will…