Tabla de contenidos para Issue 312 2022 en The Big Issue

Live a better life The scariest thing isn't what's under the bed. Or a fear of the dark. For millions, it's a a fear of lack of money. Take nothing for granted while you're earning Our Guest Editor in this MoneySaver edition is Maya Fisher-French. A financial journalist, author of Money Questions? Answered!, and eNCA presenter for the Money Matters segment (daily on DStv 403), Maya has a knack for explaining financial topics simply. She brings top South African financial experts and authors to The Big Issue to help you with your finances at the onset of the festive season. While all the best info may be at our fingertips, it's important to note that financial behaviour links directly to our character. Psychologists agree that pleasure neurochemicals are produced by…

In South Africa, 16 December usually marks the beginning of the summer holidays and the festive season. Many companies close over this period and often salaries are paid early. While it is a great feeling to receive money early, especially with the financial demands of the festive season, this money has to last you until the next payday, which is 40 days away! You must still make provision for end of December bills and January expenses. The feeling of ‘Janu-worry’ is usually because people have not budgeted correctly and realise they do not have the money to meet day-to-day spending for the whole of January, let alone those extra bills like school fees and uniforms. It is not surprising that January is the time when we see a spike in…

If you have cut your spending as far as possible and still cannot meet your debt repayments, you may be over-indebted. If you start falling behind on payments, your debt problems will only worsen. Once you are in default, the collection and legal fees mount and debt that you were already struggling to repay could easily double. You could even risk losing your car or home. One of the options available to you is debt counselling, where you select to go under debt review and are protected against legal action by creditors. A debt counsellor provides a court-issued agreement stipulating the repayment plan. Consumers make one affordable payment each month to an independent Payment Distribution Agency (PDA). This in turn is distributed to the creditors as per the agreement. Once…

You can purchase an ETF through any stockbroker. There are also investment platforms that offer a wide range of ETFs that allow you to invest in local and international shares. SatrixNOW: Offers a wide range of ETFs and has no minimum investment requirement, which means you could invest for as little as R10. EasyEquities: A low-cost, no-frills online stockbroker. You can buy ETFs and even individual shares with low minimum requirements and equally low costs. FNB Shares Zero: Holders pay zero monthly account fees and zero brokerage fees when buying any FNB or Ashburton exchange-traded products. There is also no minimum investment amount required. etfSA: An investment platform that provides investors access to the full range of more than 100 ETFs available in South Africa.…

The Big Issue is available from vendors in the suburbs of Cape Town, and from select Spar, CNA, and Pick n Pay stores nationwide. GET IN TOUCH! Email our social worker Tsephi at placements@bigissue.org.za Constantia, Cape Town Name: Zukiswa Piti. Vendor number: 2051. Find her at: the robots at Alphen and Constantia Main roads. About: Zukiswa is from Philippi and has three children. She's been selling The Big Issue since 2018. Before becoming a vendor, she earned a living as a cleaner. She loves watching TV and sewing. Dream: Zukiswa would love to start her own shisanyama business, braaiing meat and selling it for profit. Wish list: job opportunities such as domestic work. Name: Vusumzi Dyantyi. Vendor number: 1122. Find him at: the robots at Alphen and Constantia Main roads.…

While the festive season is a brilliant time to relax and socialise, it's also a time when it's easy to overspend. So how about switching it up this year so you don't end up with a sad bank balance and a mountain of debt as 2023 rolls in? #1 FROM TRASH TO CASH If ever there was a time when extra cash will come in handy, it's now. Get stuck in and tackle those cupboards that are jam packed with items you haven't touched for ages. Do it one room at a time and be ruthless — a good test is asking yourself, if you had to emigrate, would you pack and pay for these items to be transported? You'll be surprised at what you would keep! You can sell…

If you have multiple loans and are feeling a bit overwhelmed, debt consolidation could be an option. But it comes with health warnings. Do not confuse debt consolidation with debt review/ counselling, which is a court-ordered agreement with your creditors. A debt consolidation loan is done through a bank where you take out a single loan and use that to settle your multiple loans. You only have one loan to pay and can opt or a longer repayment period to make monthly payments more affordable. This will cost you more in interest repayments over time, but it can give you some breathing space if you are under financial pressure. You will save on monthly costs as you will only be paying a single service fee rather than fees on multiple…

What you need Cream cheese Chocolate spread Peanut butter Raisins Bananas What you do Get a teaspoon or an unused paintbrush. Dip it into the cream cheese, peanut butter or chocolate spread. Paint the shapes onto the bread. Use cut bananas or raisins to make the ears and eyes. Use a toothpick to help create the faces. Playdough you can actually eat! This recipe makes edible playdough. Measure with cups. INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS Mix the playdough ingredients in a bowl with a big spoon. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to set. Your playdough is now ready! YUM Take a little nibble; it doesn't taste bad at all. HAPPY CREATING! ! The tallest human in the world The tallest living man in the world is Sultan Kösen from Turkey, who…

[ MONEYSAVER EDITION ] [ THE BIG ISSUE ] It is 2am. 2 000 sheep later and you are trying to do everything to fall asleep! The toothache is unbearable, and you wish the dentist was on call 24 hours a day. After a few painkillers, you eventually manage to get an hour or two's sleep. As the clock approaches 8am you are on the phone to call for professional help, your trusted dentist. You call a professional to help with specific issues or challenges in your life. Most people do not, however, consult with a professional financial planner. This is evident from studies that seem to have a magic number of 70%. Most studies indicate that 70% of people do not: have a financial plan, have a retirement plan, retire…

GROUP FUNERAL PLAN FOR VENDORS Funerals are a big lifecycle expense, especially for low-income households in South Africa. This is especially true for our vendors when there has been a death in the family. In these heart-breaking times, The Big Issue hasn't been able to offer much help. Now, we have filled this gap with a Group Funeral Plan. Our vendors have the option of individual cover, where in the event of their death, a beneficiary they have listed receives some money. There's also family cover where, in the event of the loss of a spouse or child, the vendor can make a claim. These plans are R19 and R35 a month respectively. HOME IMPROVEMENTS The lack of decent shelter threatens the welfare of individuals, and we acknowledge that having…

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] We often believe that the only way to pay off debt is with a windfall like a big bonus or winning the Lotto. But this thinking gets us caught in an antiwealth trap. We spend on our credit cards all year and use our bonus or 13th cheque to settle the debt, only to start the cycle again the following year. We are using those bonuses to pay off last year's spending rather than investing and building wealth. Use your monthly cashflow to tackle the debt monster by starting a monthly debt repayment plan that combines managing your budget with a disciplined debt settlement schedule. Understand your total outstanding debt by drawing up a spreadsheet with all your credit agreement information, including the outstanding amount,…

I received an unexpected phone call from my sister telling me she had bought two tickets for a big concert the coming weekend. She didn't feel safe driving alone at night in a crowded place, so she offered me one ticket if I could drive us to the concert and back. It sounded like a fair deal, so I agreed. When I went to pick her up on the day of the concert she looked stunning. She was wearing a new outfit, a new pair of shoes, hair and nails done and holding a bottle of wine for the road. We hadn't seen each other for a while so we talked non-stop. During our conversation I asked her how often she goes out, buys new clothes, does her hair and…

The new year is quickly heading our way. With that come feelings of renewal, hope, and resolutions to either start going to the gym, eating healthier, studying further and so on. But how often do we set a goal or a new year's resolution for financial success? Remember, whatever stage of your financial life you are at, and whatever you have, you can work towards a financially successful life. Develop a positive attitude towards money and work towards your goals. SIX AREAS TO HELP KICKSTART YOUR GROWTH. 1 Fall in love with budgeting A budget is the cornerstone for a healthy financial life. You can't feel in control of your money if you don't know where it's going. Do your budget regularly and let it speak to your highest priorities.…