Articles about money
Practical guides on choosing a loan, deposit, card and home loan
How to check if a lender is NCR registered in South Africa
Before you apply for any loan, here’s exactly how to verify a South African lender is legally registered with the National Credit Regulator — and what to do if they aren’t.
Can you get a loan in South Africa if you’re blacklisted?
There is no single official "blacklist" in South Africa — here is what a negative credit listing actually means, the one situation where the law really does block new credit, and how to check and fix your own record.
Short-term loans in South Africa: how they work and what they really cost
The law caps what a South African short-term lender can charge you — here is exactly what those caps are, a worked example of what a real loan costs once fees stack on top of interest, and the one rule that limits your worst-case downside.
Your right to settle a loan early in South Africa — and when a cooling-off period actually applies
Two different consumer rights under the National Credit Act get mixed up constantly: the broad right to pay off any credit agreement early, and a narrow, specific cooling-off cancellation right. Here is exactly what each one covers.
Fixed vs. prime-linked interest rates in South Africa — and a change that might be coming
Two fundamentally different ways South African credit gets priced, what "prime" actually is, which loan types typically use which, and a real 2026 regulatory proposal that could eventually retire the prime rate itself.
How vehicle finance works in South Africa — and what actually affects your rate
Vehicle finance is not one single product: it can be structured so you own the car immediately or only once it is fully paid off, it has its own interest rate ceiling under the National Credit Act, and a balloon payment can lower your monthly cost while adding real risk at the end of the term.
Tax-Free Savings Accounts in South Africa: the real limits, and two mistakes that trigger a 40% penalty
A TFSA makes your growth and withdrawals completely tax-free — but two very ordinary-looking actions, having accounts at more than one bank and withdrawing money, can trigger a real 40% SARS penalty if you don’t know how the limit actually works.
Are your savings actually protected in South Africa? How the Corporation for Deposit Insurance works
Since April 2024, South African bank deposits are genuinely insured up to R100,000 per bank — automatically, with no claim to file. Here is exactly what is covered, what is not, and what happens to the rest of your money if a bank actually fails.