Getting started with money

The foundations — where you stand, a buffer, and getting on top of debt.

Before investments or cover, it’s the flow of money through an ordinary month that decides how much future you can afford. Start here.

Stage 1: Where you stand

The two numbers that show your real position.

• What is net worth — and how do you work it out?
• Does the 50/30/20 budget rule work in South Africa?

Stage 2: A cash buffer

Why a cash cushion comes before almost everything else.

• How big should an emergency fund be?

Stage 3: Debt

How debt is measured, and how the order you pay it changes the cost.

• What is a healthy debt-to-income ratio?
• Pay off debt or invest — how does the maths compare?
• What is a good credit score in South Africa, and what moves it?

Stage 4: Big purchases

What a car and a home actually cost once the interest is counted.

• What does a car really cost — instalment, insurance, fuel — as a share of income?
• What does a home loan really cost over 20 years?

Free and private. To keep track of your progress through a journey, create a free account and do your assessment first.

Back to the Library