Is Mirror Trading International (MTI) A Scam?

The Egyptians would be so
disappointed! 

With the extremely tough economy we find ourselves in, and the ever increasing number of retrenchments and pay cuts, many people are looking for other ways to generate an income. I honestly cannot blame them – loss of income (or even reduced income) doesn’t mean the bills follow suit.

Unfortunately for these people, their eagerness to try earn additional money makes them vulnerable to getting scammed. Something that has been doing the rounds lately is by a company called Mirror Trading International or MTI.

My Worst Financial Mistake

It's important to stay warm
during winter. 

Back in 2010 (wow can you believe the world cup we hosted was a decade ago!) I had just started a new job. Financially speaking it was a good time for me, this new higher salary was on top of my already low cost base – I was unmarried, childless, driving a paid off car, and renting. 

And so, despite beer being one of my biggest expenses, I was saving and investing quite a bit and this had allowed me to build up a decently sized investment portfolio.

Investing A Lumpsum - All At Once Or Over Time?

Tipping the scale in your
favour. 

It’s a question I get pretty often – I have a lump sum to invest, should I invest it all at once, or phase it in over time?

It’s another one of those questions which I love because there isn’t really a wrong answer! Either way you are getting money into the market, and with a long term view this can only be a good thing!

Saying Hello To R100k

Make sure you sterilise it after
picking it up!

I recently made an extra R100k in just 12 days.

This must be the easiest money I have made in my life (even easier than the R83,000 I recently made by sending an email).

Prepare to be amazed as I divulge exactly what I did…

Saying Goodbye To R300k

Don't you hate it when you lose your
wallet and it has R300k in it?

The numbers don’t lie!

My total investment balance:
End January 2020 – R1,577,324
End March 2020 – R1,280,113

The value of my investments went from the highest they have ever been back to where I was in January last year. Ouch!

Market Crash FAQs

The market is a wreck! 

Let’s not sugar coat it, the markets have received an almighty PK over the last few weeks. It’s been pretty brutal with nowhere to hide. Top40, S&P500, small caps, large caps, REITs, Offshore, Onshore, and every other investment-y sounding term have all been walloped.

Proper.

Position Your Portfolio For A Mermaid Invasion

They're coming! 

I am sure you have all seen headlines of the type “Position your portfolio for [x]”. And x could be anything really - from the Corona Virus, to junk status, to the 4th Industrial Revolution.

I used to devour these types articles. And why not? The experts and market commentators quoted always had solid reasons about why it was a good idea to move some of your portfolio out of this and into that. It always made perfect sense.

The Gateway Drug To Financial Freedom

Financial Freedom - it starts with the
first step. 

Okay kids, we need to talk.
Please, have a seat and listen up...

I have become deeply concerned and really worried, because I have heard there are some people going around telling you that you should try some Spending Less Than You Earn.

Now I’ve been there, and I know how it goes.

Why I'm Not Giving My Son R6 Million

Puzzling times

Consider two toddlers who are given an identical age appropriate puzzle. The only difference is that one child is given the completed puzzle, whilst the other is given all the pieces. I think it is easy to guess what each child would do?

The child who is given the completed puzzle will more than likely break it within a few seconds of getting it, and he will probably have a lot of fun doing it.

Of Monkeys And Retirement

Better at handling money than most
humans! 

At a training course which I attended a few years ago, the course facilitator told us a story which went a little something like this…

An experiment was set up by putting 5 monkeys into a room. In the centre of the room, directly below a trapdoor in the roof, a ladder was placed.

The scientists then lowered a banana from the trapdoor in the roof. Immediately one of the monkeys spotted the banana and headed up the ladder.

Why Are South Africans So Bad With Personal Finance?

Since when do they teach noughts and
crosses in Maths?

It’s an interesting question right?

But maybe before diving in, we should discuss the validity of the question. So, are South African’s bad with their finances?

Well a quick glance at the media and some recent research reports seems to indicate that South Africans are not doing the right things when it comes to debt, saving, investing for retirement, and by extension, their personal finances in general.