Ashton

Arcadia Finance - Marketing

I've been diving into online marketing and content creation, with a focus on personal finance and funding. But I'm not about dull finance content – I aim to create material that not only educates but genuinely helps. My mission? "Beyond information, I'm here to inspire!" Let's explore the world of finance together!

How Existing Debt Shapes Home Loan Decisions in South Africa

How Existing Debt Shapes Home Loan Decisions in South Africa

16 February 2026

The affordability assessment is a structured evaluation of an applicant’s existing debt repayments and household expenses against net monthly income. Its purpose is to ensure ...

Confirmed SASSA Grants & Payment Schedule for March 2026

Confirmed SASSA Grants & Payment Schedule for March 2026

14 February 2026

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) continues to support millions of South Africans who rely on monthly grants for financial stability. For March 2026, ...

Three Further South African Rate Cuts

Economists Anticipate Three Further South African Rate Cuts

13 February 2026

Economists expect the South African Reserve Bank to reduce interest rates three additional times before concluding its present easing phase, although there is disagreement about ...

New Social Grant Programme

South Africa to Introduce New Social Grant Programme

12 February 2026

President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again reaffirmed, during his 2026 State of the Nation Address delivered on Thursday, 12 February, that government intends to introduce ...

Smart ID Applications Across South Africa

More Banks Roll Out Smart ID Applications Across South Africa

11 February 2026

Standard Bank has officially announced a phased expansion of its Smart ID card application and renewal facilities, confirming that more of its branches will begin ...

Housing Market

Housing Market Signals Big Moment for South African Buyers

10 February 2026

South Africa’s residential property market is moving decisively into 2026, a year that First National Bank believes represents an important cyclical inflection point for buyers ...

Rand Rebounds Sharply as Global Sentiment Improves

Rand Rebounds Sharply as Global Sentiment Improves

9 February 2026

The South African rand has staged a notable recovery after the bout of weakness seen toward the end of last week, moving back below the ...

Income for South African Households

Income Reality Check for South African Households

6 February 2026

Recent research and cost-of-living assessments paint a complex picture of what it truly takes to live a decent life in South Africa in 2026. Data ...

SASSA Halts 70,000 Grants

SASSA Halts 70,000 Grants in National Review

5 February 2026

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed that it has already assessed around 240 000 social grants as part of a wide-ranging national ...

R90 Billion in Unclaimed Assets in SA

R90 Billion in Unclaimed Assets in SA – Could Some of It Be Yours?

4 February 2026

South Africa is sitting with tens of billions of rand in financial assets that legally belong to individuals but have not yet been claimed, prompting ...

R520 Billion Revenue Gap Puts Bank Accounts in SARS Spotlight

R520 Billion Revenue Gap Puts Bank Accounts in SARS Spotlight

3 February 2026

South Africa is facing a significant escalation in tax enforcement as the South African Revenue Service (SARS) prepares to pursue more than half a trillion ...

South Africa Tax

South African Consumers on Edge as Tax Talk Intensifies

2 February 2026

South Africa is increasingly exposed to the risk of a major tax shock, as an already narrow tax base becomes ever more concentrated among older ...

Interest Rates Cut Expectations

Interest Rates Stay Put as Cut Expectations Build

30 January 2026

South Africa may still be on track for additional interest rate relief, even though borrowing costs have been placed on hold for the time being. ...

South Africa’s Housing Market

South Africa’s Housing Market Set For Stronger Recovery In 2026

29 January 2026

South Africa’s residential property market is showing growing signs of stabilisation and recovery as easing inflation and lower interest rates begin to filter through to ...

Great News For Salaries In South Africa In 2026

Great News For Salaries In South Africa In 2026

28 January 2026

South African workers are expected to see meaningful improvements in their real earnings during 2026, supported by a combination of favourable domestic and global economic ...

Fuel Prices To Drop Again In February

Fuel Prices To Drop Again In February

27 January 2026

South African motorists are heading into February with renewed optimism, as fuel prices are once again expected to move lower. Updated data released late in ...

Average Court Bills Remain Heavy

Debt Cases Ease, But Average Court Bills Remain Heavy At R29 000

26 January 2026

New figures released by Statistics South Africa indicate that a smaller number of South Africans were dragged before the courts for unpaid debt during November ...

R16 to the Dollar

Rand Shoots the Lights Out as It Eyes R16 to the Dollar

23 January 2026

The South African rand has decisively powered past the R16.30-per-dollar barrier that had capped its gains during the previous week of trading, and is now ...

Less Favourable Interest Rate Outlook

Interest Rate Outlook Turns Less Favourable for South Africa

22 January 2026

Economists at Nedbank are increasingly convinced that the South African Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee is likely to keep interest rates unchanged for longer than ...

Taxpayers Exit the SARS Tax System

More Than 50,000 Taxpayers Exit the SARS Tax System

21 January 2026

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has reported that more than 50,000 taxpayers have formally ended their tax residency status in South Africa over the ...

SARB Announcement 2026

Rate Cut Hopes Rise Ahead of Crucial SARB Announcement

20 January 2026

The South African Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee is scheduled to convene next week for its first policy-setting meeting of 2026, where it will decide ...

South Africa’s Economic Outlook Shifts as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom

South Africa’s Economic Outlook Shifts as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom

19 January 2026

South Africa has already implemented cumulative interest rate reductions totalling 1.50 percentage points since September 2024. As a result of these adjustments, the prime lending ...

SRD Grant

Major Policy Shifts Under Consideration for the SRD Grant

16 January 2026

Significant policy changes are being explored for South Africa’s Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, with the National Treasury actively assessing proposals that could fundamentally ...

Confirmed SASSA Grants and Payment Schedule for February 2026

Confirmed SASSA Grants & Payment Schedule for February 2026

15 January 2026

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed the grant payment schedule for February 2026, providing millions of South Africans with clear timelines for ...

COVID-19 SRD Grant Remains in Place

COVID-19 SRD Grant Remains in Place, DSD Issues Fake News Warning

15 January 2026

The Department of Social Development has issued a clear reassurance to South Africans who depend on the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant, following a ...

Financial Strain

South Africans Remain Hopeful as They Adjust to Sustained Financial Strain

14 January 2026

South African households are increasingly demonstrating an ability to adjust and recalibrate their finances despite continued pressure from elevated living costs, according to the most ...

New Tariff Threat From the US

South Africa Faces New Tariff Threat From the US

13 January 2026

The United States has issued a new tariff warning that could put South Africa under economic pressure due to its limited but sensitive ties with ...

Interest Rate Relief

Fresh Signs Point to Further Interest Rate Relief in South Africa

12 January 2026

South Africans are increasingly poised to enjoy further interest rate relief in 2026, as global monetary developments, particularly in the United States, create favourable conditions ...

Electricity Price Hike

South Africa Hit With 10.5% Electricity Price Hike

9 January 2026

South African electricity consumers are facing the prospect of a significant new financial burden, with Eskom seeking to recover an additional R76 billion in revenue, ...

VAT-Related Tax Debt Challenge

South Africa Faces Escalating VAT-Related Tax Debt Challenge

8 January 2026

South Africa is grappling with a growing tax compliance crisis, as newly released figures from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) reveal that undisputed tax ...

New Driving Licence Card Set to Launch in South Africa

New Driving Licence Card Set to Launch in South Africa

7 January 2026

South Africa is set to receive a newly designed driving licence card as the Department of Transport continues to manage challenges linked to the country’s ...

Rand Rallies After a Year of Doubt and Volatility

Rand Rallies After a Year of Doubt and Volatility

6 January 2026

Traders appear comfortable with the rand trading at its strongest levels against the US dollar in more than three years, as reflected by subdued volatility ...

Positive Outlook for Interest Rate Cuts in South Africa

Positive Outlook for Interest Rate Cuts in South Africa

5 January 2026

South Africa is receiving encouraging signals on the future direction of interest rates, with expectations that borrowing costs could continue to ease through 2026. Standard ...

NSFAS Non-Payments Leave Thousands of Students in Crisis

NSFAS Non-Payments Leave Thousands of Students in Crisis

2 January 2026

As universities reopen for the start of a new academic year, a growing number of students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) ...

South Africans Facing Record Tax Pressure

South Africans Facing Record Tax Pressure

22 December 2025

South African taxpayers are facing record tax pressure, with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana confirming that the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio is at its highest level since ...

Seven Bills Awaiting Presidential Signature in South Africa

Seven Bills Awaiting Presidential Signature in South Africa

19 December 2025

President Cyril Ramaphosa currently has seven pieces of legislation awaiting his signature, marking the final step before they become enforceable law in South Africa. These ...

Petrol Prices Rise by 69 Cents Per Litre in South Africa

Petrol Prices Rise by 69 Cents Per Litre in South Africa

18 December 2025

Despite a turbulent year marked by both domestic challenges and international market shocks, South African motorists closed out 2025 only marginally worse off in overall ...

SASSA Grants Payment Schedule for January 2026

Confirmed SASSA Grants & Payment Schedule for January 2026

18 December 2025

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) plays a vital role in supporting millions of South Africans through a range of social grants aimed at ...

New Data Highlights Government Salaries Exceeding R56 000 a Month

New Data Highlights Government Salaries Exceeding R56 000 a Month

17 December 2025

Recent earnings figures from Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) indicate that certain areas of the public sector continue to offer significantly higher pay ...

Expected Fuel Price Movements for January in South Africa

Expected Fuel Price Movements for January in South Africa

16 December 2025

Mid-month data from the Central Energy Fund indicates that South African motorists are heading into the new year with fuel price relief on the cards, ...

South Africa Plans Major Overhaul of Cash and ATM System

South Africa Plans Major Overhaul of Cash and ATM System

15 December 2025

South Africa’s central bank is preparing to implement the most far-reaching restructuring of the country’s cash ecosystem in several decades, signalling a fundamental shift in ...

Positive Signals for Interest Rate Reductions in South Africa

Positive Signals for Interest Rate Reductions in South Africa

12 December 2025

South Africa is seeing increasingly favourable conditions for future interest rate cuts, as national inflation expectations have fallen sharply following Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s decision ...

South Africa Faces Fresh Warning on the End of Working From Home

South Africa Faces Fresh Warning on the End of Working From Home

11 December 2025

A recent judgement delivered by the Labour Court in South Africa has issued another clear caution to employers who are considering bringing remote working arrangements ...

South Africa Reveals Proposed Minimum Wage Hike for 2026

South Africa Reveals Proposed Minimum Wage Hike for 2026

10 December 2025

The National Minimum Wage Commission has put forward a recommendation that the wage floor for South African workers should rise in 2026 by an amount ...

Major Shift Ahead for South Africans Earning R5k to R20k

Major Shift Ahead for South Africans Earning R5k to R20k

9 December 2025

South Africa has recorded its strongest improvement in consumer confidence for 2025, with the country’s middle-income earners, specifically those receiving between R5,000 and R20,000 a ...

Extended Operating Hours for Smart ID and Passport Services

Extended Operating Hours for Smart ID and Passport Services

8 December 2025

The Department of Home Affairs has announced that South Africans applying for Smart ID cards or passports will have easier access to services during December ...

South Africans Turn to Costly Debt as Loan Sharks Gain Ground

South Africans Turn to Costly Debt as Loan Sharks Gain Ground

5 December 2025

South Africa is witnessing an intensifying shift towards credit reliance as households struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living. This trend is ...

BNPL Surges as South African Debt Hits Record Highs

BNPL Surges as South African Debt Hits Record Highs

4 December 2025

As the festive season promotions intensify across South Africa, the National Financial Ombud (NFO) has issued a warning for consumers to exercise extreme caution when ...

SARS Issues Stern New Compliance Signal to South African Taxpayers

SARS Issues Stern New Compliance Signal to South African Taxpayers

3 December 2025

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) released a draft notice in terms of section 210(2) of the Tax Administration Act, signalling its intention to introduce ...

Another Significant Economic Gain for South Africa

Another Significant Economic Gain for South Africa

2 December 2025

South Africa recorded another encouraging performance in the third quarter, as real gross domestic product expanded by 0.5 percent. This marked the fourth successive quarter ...

Government Pushes Ahead With Plans to Scrap Medical Aid Tax Credits

Government Pushes Ahead With Plans to Scrap Medical Aid Tax Credits

1 December 2025

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has reiterated the government’s position on the future of medical aid tax credits, emphasising that the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act ...

Rising Pressure on Fuel Prices for South African Motorists

Rising Pressure on Fuel Prices for South African Motorists

28 November 2025

South African motorists are facing another difficult start to the month as fresh data from the Central Energy Fund indicates that fuel prices are set ...

Experts Issue Alert as Rand Surges Against the Dollar

Experts Issue Alert as Rand Surges Against the Dollar

27 November 2025

The South African rand has enjoyed a period of noticeable strengthening against the United States dollar over the past year, yet analysts caution that this ...

SARS Outlines Major Compliance Shift for the 2026 Tax Year

SARS Outlines Major Compliance Shift for the 2026 Tax Year

26 November 2025

SARS has informed employers throughout South Africa that they should begin their preparations for the 2026 Employer Filing Season, explaining that several procedural adjustments will ...

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