Stock markets are scary places to invest when there are big falls in share prices. It can take a lot for us, as investors, to believe they will recover. If you are saving for something like retirement more than five years away, you should not worry about a market fall. But many of us hate to see our savings balances go down, even if it may later go up again.

Your health and how it affects your ability to work may feel like something personal, but if you have been off work with a disability, making your own decisions about when to return could have severe financial implications. A Sowetan reader who worked for a steel manufacturer was injured at work last year and spent more than a year recovering from a pelvic fracture at home.

Low-cost health insurance plans that give you access to private doctors for out-of-hospital care will be able to continue for another 18 months as insurance policies.  Beyond that it is likely that they will have to convert to a low-cost medical scheme option with benefits determined by the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS).

Funeral providers are upping their competition for business especially as people are worried about Covid-19 deaths. But before you are enticed by nice-to-have benefits, be sure you know what you are paying for.  Capitec entered the funeral insurance market just over two years ago offering what it said were premiums 30% cheaper than many competitors.

Many South Africans have nothing to show for paying life insurance premiums for years but due to income interruption can't continue to pay.