Articles by Isabelle Coetzee
What are traveller’s cheques, and when should you use them?
When travelling abroad you will have to make use of the local currency when purchasing goods and services. However, it’s not always feasible or safe to carry cash in a foreign country.
Is there a secret to managing your overdraft successfully?
Having an overdraft facility on your credit card is a huge responsibility – especially since you can land yourself in too much debt. We have a look at whether there’s a one-step-fix-all action you can take.
What alternatives are there to a credit score?
When you apply for a credit card or a loan, your new creditor will look at your credit score to assess your creditworthiness. However, is this the only indicator they can consider?
Will your credit score decline if your credit utilisation is 0%?
The credit bureaus consider several factors when they calculate your credit score, including your credit usage and habits. But what happens if you have access to credit, and you don’t use any of it?
Boost your credit score with your internet or mobile phone contract
It can be difficult to qualify for credit, and you may not wish to take on further debt. An easy way to boost your credit score is to have an internet or mobile phone contract in your name.
6 Factors that do not impact your credit score
If you have entered the world of credit, you may have been warned that you need to protect your credit score. However, there are several things that won’t impact your score.
Does a large salary guarantee a good credit score?
If you have a large income, it may appear that you will be able to handle large amounts of debt with ease and, therefore, you should automatically have a good credit score. However, the credit bureaus may not agree.
The science behind 3-for-2 deals
We have all stood in a store aisle trying to do the math on which three items we should choose when we opt for a “three for the price of two” deal, or a “3-for-2” deal. But is there really a science to it?
Smoking neighbour driving you up the chimney
Waking up to a lungful of second-hand smoke is the wrong way to start your Easter weekend. Even with closed windows, your neighbour’s bad habit may still reach you through the cracks. So what can you do?
When noise complaints fall on deaf ears – do you have rights?
Ongoing interferences from your neighbour may eventually make your skin crawl and have you pulling at your hair. We find out what your rights are.
Forget about Day Zero – are you ready for Armageddon?
Since Cape Town’s recent flirt with disaster – known as Day Zero – average citizens joined doomsday preppers in hoarding water supplies. When this critical resource suddenly became scarce, people put aside their inherent rid...
Daring ways to dispose of a dead body
Like a gruesome scene from a popular crime-series, you need to decide how to dispose of a dead body. Should you dissolve the remains in chemicals, or remove the organs and set the shell alight? What about sinking the corpse to the bottom of the ...