Medical Aid Price Increases for 2027: What They Mean for Your Budget and Borrowing Medical aid costs keep rising faster than salaries. Momentum Health has announced an average contribution increase of 7.9% for 2027, and the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) has guided schemes to anchor their increases at 3.8%. For comparison, the industry-wide weighted increase assumption for 2026 was 8.10%, against a projected inflation… Read More »Medical Aid Price Increases for 2027

Loans for Freelancers and Gig Workers in South Africa: What Lenders Want to See Freelancers, contract workers and sole traders often assume they will not qualify for credit because their income is irregular. In practice, affordability is the main test lenders use, so the key is showing a steady track record. Banks are not against self-employed applicants, but they are risk-averse and ask for more… Read More »Loans for Freelancers and Gig Workers in South Africa

Home Renovation Loans in South Africa: Personal Loan, Access Bond or Further Loan? Home improvement is one of the biggest reasons South Africans borrow: Absa reports that it accounts for almost 24% of all personal loans it books. But the loan you choose can make a big difference to what the project really costs. With the prime rate at 10.75%, the gap between an unsecured… Read More »Home Renovation Loans in South Africa

Medical and Dental Loans in South Africa: When Does Borrowing Make Sense? Healthcare costs in South Africa are rising faster than general inflation, and even people with medical aid can face co-payments, benefit limits and specialist shortfalls. Research by DirectAxis found that emergencies are the leading reason South Africans apply for personal loans, with 28% citing emergency expenses. A loan can help in the right… Read More »Medical and Dental Loans in South Africa

Payment Holidays on Your Loan: How They Work and What They Really Cost With the repo rate up again and household budgets stretched, many South Africans are asking their lenders for a payment holiday, a short break from loan repayments. It can ease pressure, but it is not free: interest keeps building while you pause, so the total you owe grows. Lenders usually grant these… Read More »Payment Holidays on Your Loan