Financial Tips & Guides

market analysis

SARB Hikes Repo Rate to 7%: What It Means If You're Borrowing Right Now

The SARB lifted the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7% on 28 May 2026, its first hike in three years. Prime is now 10.50%. Here is what shifts for South African borrowers.

RandCash Team • 28 May 2026

4 min read

personal finance

Retrenched in South Africa: The Financial Decisions to Make Before the Panic Sets In

South Africa's unemployment rate just hit 32.7%. Ford, Goodyear, Nestlé, Isuzu — the retrenchment notices are landing across every sector in 2026. If you've just received yours, here's the financial playbook: what to do first, what to protect, and what not to do while you're still in shock.

Romans • 18 May 2026

8 min read

loan guides

Student Loans and Funding in South Africa: NSFAS, Bank Loans, Bursaries and What to Do When None of It Works Out

Every year the same conversation happens in South African homes when the university letter arrives: how are we going to pay for this? NSFAS, bank loans, bursaries, private lenders — here's the honest version of what's available, how it works, and what to do when the first option falls through.

Romans • 11 May 2026

8 min read

loan guides

Vehicle Finance in South Africa: What Dealers Don't Tell You (But Should)

South Africa is a car country — public transport leaves most people with no real choice. But vehicle finance is one of the biggest commitments you'll make, and the dealership's finance desk isn't always working in your favour. Here's the full picture: deposits, interest rates, balloon payments, and what the monthly instalment number is actually hiding.

Romans • 11 May 2026

7 min read

responsible borrowing

"I Had Five Loans. Then I Had One." — A Conversation About Debt Consolidation

Nandi was managing five separate debt repayments every month — a store account, two personal loans, a credit card, vehicle finance. Then she consolidated everything into one. She tells us exactly how it happened, what it cost, and what she wishes she'd done sooner.

Romans • 09 May 2026

7 min read

responsible borrowing

Should You Borrow to Start Your Small Business? The Real Pros and Cons

Every entrepreneur hits the same wall: the idea is ready, the money isn't. A loan sounds like the answer — and sometimes it is. Here's an honest look at when borrowing to start your business makes sense, when it doesn't, and the questions you need to answer before you sign.

Romans • 08 May 2026

7 min read

responsible borrowing

Risk Policy Explained: What It Is and Why Paying on Time Changes Everything

There's a file somewhere with your financial life in it. Every payment, every skip, every late month — it's all in there. This is what lenders mean by risk policy, and here's why understanding it is one of the most valuable things you can do for your financial future.

RandCash Editorial • 07 May 2026

7 min read

responsible borrowing

December is Coming: Fast Loans for School Parties and Family Summer Trips

The matric farewell is expensive. December at the beach is expensive. And somehow it always arrives before the cash does. Here's how South Africans are using short-term loans to cover the celebrations — and how to do it without making January a disaster.

RandCash Editorial • 01 May 2026

6 min read

responsible borrowing

South Africa Q2 2026: What's Actually Going On Right Now

Repo rate on hold, fuel up 18%, rand at R26/$, and a GNU that's somehow still standing. A ground-level read on South Africa's economic mood heading into mid-2026 — no jargon, no panel of economists, just what it actually feels like to be here.

RandCash Editorial • 27 Apr 2026

6 min read

responsible borrowing

Why I Took a Loan Even Though I Had the Cash

My accountant thought I was mad. R150,000 loan sitting next to R200,000 in my account. Here's why that was one of the better financial moves I made — and the specific SA conditions that make strategic debt worth thinking about.

RandCash Editorial • 15 Apr 2026

7 min read

credit and borrowing

How to Complete an ITC Clearance Application in South Africa

"ITC clearance" means different things depending on what is on your credit profile. Here is a plain-language breakdown of the three routes — clearing defaults, rescinding judgements, and getting your debt review clearance certificate — and exactly what to do at each step.

RandCash Editorial • 12 Apr 2026

8 min read