Author Archive: anthonyb@timslatter.com

Share the love with your wallet

Is it time for some romance without the rands? You can sweep someone off their feet whilst keeping yours on the ground.

Valentine’s Day has gained the reputation of being a Hallmark holiday that promotes Lindt rather than love. 

Ahead of rushing off to the shops to buy a big bunch of flowers or box of chocolates, you may wish to take a moment to reflect on the meaning behind the day and how you can best show your affection. 

THE STORY BEHIND THE HISTORY

Valentine’s Day is thought to go back to a fertility festival held on 15 February that was dedicated to a Roman god — the traditions of which were believed to guarantee fertility and ease the pain of childbirth. However, the rise of Christianity resulted in pagan rites being outlawed, and the festival was replaced with another annual highlight that revolved around the story of Saint Valentine.

He was a priest who secretly married young people during a time when it was forbidden, as unmarried soldiers were thought to be better fighters because they didn’t have the fear of leaving a wife behind. He was eventually imprisoned and sentenced to a three-part execution consisting of a beating, stoning and decapitation for his crime of defying the then-Emperor’s edict.

However, by remaining resolute in his belief about the sanctity of marriage (in spite of the risks and his eventual punishment), he is regarded by many as a martyr to his Christian cause; and 14th February — the date of his execution — is now celebrated as a day of love.

He also allegedly healed the judge’s blind daughter, and he ended a letter he wrote to her with the words “from your Valentine”, which has become a focal part of the modern love missive.

THE SAVVY OF HOW YOU CAN SAVE

Nowadays, the amorous event is celebrated in a variety of ways across the world. In South Africa, for example, some women pin the name of their sweetheart to their sleeve, and this is how men can discover that they have a secret admirer. 

For the average South African, spoiling that special someone on Valentine’s Day can become quite a costly affair, but you can still be romantic without splashing too much cash unnecessarily. The key is to plan in advance and budget accordingly. Also consider more experiential or bespoke gifting options that are personal to your relationship.

Write a list of things that your loved one loves, along with how much each thing costs —  be this a night out at the movies, or a gift of jewellery. Once you have an idea of prices, set a feasible budget and make a plan of action that sticks to this. 

Blowing all your savings on one day isn’t actually very romantic if it means you wind up begging for loans or eating plain pap for the rest of the year. It’s better to be realistic about what you can afford, and prioritise meaningful presents or experiences over sheer decadence. Alternatively, you may wish to consider skipping some luxuries now so that you can save enough to make your other half happy on the big day itself. 

You can also spread the love without breaking the bank by making a gift rather than buying one. For example, rather than getting into debt by taking your date for a seven-course tasting menu at a fine dining restaurant, try creating a romantic atmosphere in your home and cooking a delicious dinner that you both can enjoy by candlelight. 

Furthermore, if you want to do something particularly special, have a look for any deals that can make an enjoyable day more cost effective. You can still have fun at a low price, and a bit of effort and consideration can be worth far more to someone than simply picking up a large bill.

What’s the state of your budget?

Each year we are presented with our president’s State of the Nation address and the finance minister’s budget speech around the same time. The SONA is closely linked to how money is spent; it’s a powerful reminder for us to consider the close link between our lives and our budgets!

Good finances begin and end with good budgeting – when you have a good budget and stick to it, you’re often 90 percent of the way to wherever you want your money to get you. But what is it about budgets that make it so hard to stick to them?

Failed state 1: The fantasy budget

This may sound familiar: you decide to work out your new budget, so you write down your income, your monthly expenses are guesstimated and some vague savings goals like ‘get out of debt this year’ or ‘save R4000 for retirement every month’ are set.

What’s wrong with this picture?

It’s not specific enough.

Many of us don’t work with an accurate measure of what we are spending day to day. We tell ourselves we spend R250 on our morning cup of coffee at work because that’s an amount we’re subconsciously okay with, when it may be closer to R550 per month. We tell ourselves we’ll ‘get out of debt’ but haven’t tracked exactly how much is owed on the credit card, or how much our interest is costing us.

A budget based on speculation is a fantasy budget.

A better budget: Get real about tracking

There’s a reason why almost every diet out there insists that you start by tracking exactly what you eat – reality is hard, but it works.

To start creating a budget, take a look at your bank statements for the last 3 months at least to determine your real expenses and the exact amount you make monthly. It’s also worth looking at the exact amount of debt outstanding on anything like credit cards or store accounts and, if you have savings goals, the exact amount you’ve saved so far.

Not only will you have a clear picture for the first time, you’ll also be inspired by the dose of reality to keep saving and keep an eye on those expenses.

Failed state 2: The too-tight budget

A super realistic budget shaped by the step above is great, but can sometimes lead to the second most common error in budgeting: a too-tight budget.

This may seem contradictory to you, but it is very important not to account for each and every cent with no flexibility. An okay budget works with exactly what you get and spend in your real life, right now. A good budget realises that life is what happens when you’re making other plans.

If you have no leeway in your budget for emergency expenses, you’re going to struggle to stick to your budget. Emergencies happen, spontaneous purchases happen and sometimes things cost more than even a carefully-planned budget can account for.

A better budget: Set up your own emergency fund

Everyone has sudden expenses, everyone has emergencies. Therefore, everyone can benefit from an emergency fund.

Whatever you can save to guard against these surprises is good, but a general rule of thumb to aim for is three months’ salary tucked away, which will cover you for many unforeseen, unfortunate events. Also, don’t undervalue the importance of insurance for your household items, income and movable assets – not just for your property and car.

Failed state 3:  The emotional budget

You’ve set up your budget and are ready to go, but are you looking at your expenses through objective eyes? Many people classify wants as needs, when in fact they could spend less on eating out, cellphone upgrades, new shoes or the work cafeteria.

Another instance of being emotional with budgeting is when we are unrealistic about how much we can save for certain goals. If our savings goals are unrealistic, we’ll struggle to achieve them and lose precious momentum we need to keep at it. 

Saving is like brushing your teeth – it’s the everyday habit that makes it effective, not a once-off effort.

A better budget: Cut back what you can

Be accurate about what you spend, then evaluate what you can do to cut that down – you’d be amazed at how small amounts add up.

Can’t see your blind spots? Give your budget to someone you trust. They may be able to see with fresh eyes and say: ‘do you really need a new car every year or a bagel from the canteen every day?’

Failed state 4: The solo budget

No man is an island, and very few budgets are either. If you’re married and/or have kids or are living with someone else, you need to take them into account. Why? Because they may well have their own budget ideas that could clash with yours, or you can be assuming something on their part incorrectly. Just because it’s your spouse who always picks up the dry cleaning doesn’t mean that they’ve got it on their budget. And they may well have decided on an aggressive savings plan you know nothing of. It helps to check.

A better budget: Talk the talk

Sit down together and compare budgets. Also, this could be a great opportunity to plan together for a shared incentive, like a holiday. If you have kids, inviting them into the budget conversation can be invaluable education for them too.

Breathe cleaner air in your home

Here’s all you need to know about houseplants!

We live in increasingly polluted environments – both inside and outside! Trees and plants remain the best ‘machines’ for pumping down carbon dioxide and supplying us with clean air.

Without good, clean air, we have less energy and are more prone to allergies and poor health. If you want to improve your home or work space, here are a few reasons why you could consider plants in your home and office.

Choose the plants wisely

If you decide to go for indoor plants, do your research around what different types of plants contain and where they can work best. You’ll find that some plants work best with pets whilst others are toxic to animals and children. Some too are better for the kitchen, others work well in living spaces and others are great for bathrooms and bedrooms.

Are you caring enough?

Caring for living things, like plants and pets, gives you a bigger sense of reward and develops your caring character. Be willing to take care of the plants when you introduce them into your home. As part of your research you can learn about the best ways to take care of the plants.

Don’t have more plants than you can manage, as you have to regularly take care of them.

Cacti and succulents are said to be good plants if you’re a beginner with indoor plants. Plants like Garden Mum, Peace lily and Aloe Vera are great options that are easy to grow and they come with serious health wins. Some, like lavender, release a beautiful aroma into your home whilst ferns are super for filtering the air.

Plants also jazz up your space

A nice looking plant is also a cool decoration for your home. Some say seeing greenery can make you feel more relaxed and calm – good for your everyday mood!

Group your plants together nicely according to different widths and heights. The size difference gives a more organic look than plants of the same size. Setting up plants of the same colour together can be a good idea too.

To make a well-informed decision about your plants and how best to use them as air purifiers, chat to your local nursery and remember, start with easy plants!

Breathing cleaner air doesn’t have to come at the expense of high-end air conditioners – use nature’s purifiers!

Global macro trends for SA investors to watch in 2020

Every investor has their own unique style when it comes to the rigorous decision-making process that goes into what to include in their portfolio and how to weight it. January, with the fresh perspective that comes from a break and a new financial year pending, is often the ideal time to take a look at investment decisions from a new angle.

One of the most useful ways to do that is the big picture look at trends affecting investing on a global scale.

This ‘seeing the wood for the trees’ approach can help with a far longer-term approach.

Here are some of the macro trends experts are saying will most affect investors in 2020 – and far.

Agitated agriculture

Climate change, the hot and bothered elephant in the room in most macrotrends analyses, continues to affect foresights by experts.

In PwC’s ‘Doing Business in Africa’ report, it was forecast that agricultural productivity throughout the continent could be reduced by as much as a third over the next 60 years due to climate change. This will be under even more pressure due to the fact that numerous experts have estimated the world’s biggest population growth for the next 50 years to unequivocally come from Africa. With less agricultural produce and more mouths to feed, what will happen for investors?

This is in direct contrast to the short view, outlined in the 2017/2018 PwC South Africa Agribusiness Insights Survey, which said that agribusiness drives 65 percent of Africa’s employment, with most bigger agribusiness CEOs forecasting a sunny 10 percent revenue growth for coming years.

To invest in agribusiness or not to? That is the question. It depends largely on an investor’s risk profile.

ESG excellence

One shorter-term upside for all this climate focus will likely be the continuing expansion and sophistication of ESG funds, perhaps into a formidable asset class in their own right. ESG has traditionally been seen as a ‘tree hugging alternative’ fund in SA, but has already seen a marked renaissance in the past six months.

However, the environmental ‘E’ sure to be emphasised with all this talk of climate change is likely to only further the ESG interest and value for savvy investors who are willing to look.

The rise and rise of pharmaceuticals

Less of a problem for the rest of Africa – but still a concern for SA – is the global ongoing trend in ageing populations getting older.

We are living longer, but often not living healthier. This has already led to an absolute boom in the frail care and pharmaceutical industries and this is showing no signs of slowing down. Shareholders of medical aids, established drug companies and private healthcare institutions like Netcare are still likely to be laughing all the way to the bank in 2025.

Tech takings

In October, tech thought-leader Gartner made an uncommon media appearance by announcing the findings of their 2019 CIO Survey and, as a result, their 2019-2020 technology trends, which they presented to government as the mostly likely to benefit public services in the next year or two and what their CIOs should look at investing in.

It provides valuable insights for the average investor too.

Startups specialising in digital identity protection software and ‘XaaS’ companies (software companies providing a generalist ‘anything as a service’ range of offerings through the cloud, paid for via subscription). The survey found that a significant 39 percent of government organisations say they plan to spend the greatest amount of any new funding on cloud services above anything else – which for investors means that this industry is ready to boom.

All of these pose attractive opportunities for the average investor, but remember that the savvy investor doesn’t only look at trends – they invest in what they know with the solid advice of a financial professional who knows what they’re doing.

Here’s to a good 2020!

Improve the way you invest for the year

Having an eager desire to achieve more is a key motivator for success. If you want to achieve more in your investing, why not consider setting new wealth goals and not just new health goals for the new year?

New and revised goals require a new plan, so for continued success with your investments into this year, start planning properly.

Here are four strategies to get your new investment year started on solid footing and continue building your wealth.

1. Use the end of the financial year to plan for what you want from the new one

The end of the year is a great time to think about new commitments. It’s also the best time to do a full personal review of how you did on the goals you have set yourself previously.

This helps you get organized as you identify habits that are either helpful or harmful to your investing goals. You can review your spending habits, pinpoint weak areas and set clear boundaries for the next step in your journey – all of this helps you make the link between your money and what your money means to you.

2. Organize your money habits

Once you’ve identified your habits, it’s much easier to try and control them. Automate your investing where possible (with debit orders or repeat payment profiles) so that you can stick to your commitments to save money.

When it comes to spending, ordering goods online can be a good way to shop within the limits of an achievable budget. You’ll be mindful about what you’re buying, the overall cost and you’ll be less prone to impulsive buying.

Try a financial software app that lets you snap photos of your receipts so you can keep track of where your money goes each month.

3. Be mindful of your options and opportunities

If you really want to improve the way that you invest for the new year, having a mindfulness about your money will also improve your understanding of financial markets, not just the inflows and outflows from your bank account. It also helps you have a better relationship with your financial adviser as your money and how it is managed will have a deeper meaning for you.

4. Expand in a relevant way

The beauty of a diverse portfolio is that you are able to leverage multiple opportunities in the market whilst mitigating risk. When you look to expand your investment strategy for the new year, to successfully profit from diversifying your portfolio you have to map out a winning strategy that is unique to you.

Diversifying your portfolio should be done for reasons that are applicable to you; in other words, for goals that matter to you. Develop a strategy that considers your comfort levels with different market options but also has benefits for your desired outcomes, and are not simply the latest trend.

The best teams have coaches who design a game strategy that’s based on what their strong and weak areas are so that they can leverage their position to win.

Start rolling out your plan of action as soon as possible. Start prioritizing your bottom line now. Adopt a hands-on approach to managing your wealth in collaboration with your adviser.

Moving on from “summer-body” goals

Ever set yourself a goal to get your ‘summer body’ ready? On some level, all of us have moments when we’re not happy with our bodies and the way they look – whether it’s seasonal, emotional or hereditary… and we resolve to do something about it.

For many of us… these turn out to be short-term goals.

We could work at the change for a few weeks, or even a few months, but if we manage to maintain that goal throughout our life we will have managed to turn a short term goal into a bigger vision of a healthy lifestyle.

Achieving your summer body is similar to an aeroplane on the runway – preparing to take off. If the plane starts to pick up speed, but can’t actually take off – consider it a short-term goal. But, when it takes flight and leaves the ground, continuous work and attention are needed throughout the flight – and this is a long-term goal achieved!

With the right flight conditions and enough fuel (motivation and determination), you can turn small “summer-body” goals into larger life goals of healthy, wealthy living. Moving on from summer-body goals requires motivation that doesn’t have to be hard to find. It often begins with changing the way you think, and changing the way you think about happiness and success is often a good place to start!

Success doesn’t breed happiness, it’s the other way around. Instead of being frustrated with yourself as you are now, choose to be happy that you have decided to act on your health goals. Even if you relapse along the way, be happy you still remember your health goals.

Learn to be happy along the way to your transformed self, don’t wait until the journey appears to be successful to be happy. Be happy because you are already living a healthier lifestyle. Enjoy who you are becoming. Enjoy the moment.

After setting clear health goals, it is important to tell yourself that you will continue to act on them to develop a habit of making healthy decisions; this is how you keep to your vision.

Once you’ve achieved one summer-body goal, you are more likely to be better engaged with achieving your next goal – which can extend far beyond your personal health and wealth and can start to influence and support others.

Leading entrepreneurs are successful because of the way they are able to build into people around them and solve problems that others haven’t yet solved. But just as they help others, they too are supported by people who believe in them.

As you set more goals and change short-term goals into long-term goals, it’s vital to have an accountability partner, someone to offer a different perspective and encourage you.

If you’ve been doing it by yourself all along and now feel you could use an accountability partner, reach out to the people you trust and start talking more about how you appreciate and value their support. Start seeing your summer-body goals as the first steps to greater things and not simply another New Year resolution that didn’t make it past January.

Goodwill to all: a closer look at ESG stock options

Swiss banks hold a certain cachet about knowing good from bad investments, and currently the hottest topic on their lips are ESG funds.

ESG stock options – or, rather, ‘Environmental, Social and Governance sustainability’ – have been steadily gaining traction among investors in the last few months, emerging into something of a buzzword.

Once considered a ‘hippie tree-hugging’ concept, ESG funds are having a moment in the sun (hopefully a sustained moment…). And, in December, they’re likely to have more of a moment still. After all, this is the season of charity and goodwill to all. Wouldn’t it be nice to ensure that our investments were in line with ethical corporate behaviour and preserving our planet?

But ESG investing is far more than just putting money behind nice people. It can make sound financial sense too, according to the big players.

Expert opinion

For Marriott’s Dividend Growth Fund, which has a solid track record, it’s less about ESG for ESGs sake and more about the fact that companies synonymous with sustainability practises and good governance tend to also have more solid predictors of success in the market.

“Marriott’s investment team monitors and reports on ESG issues on a regular basis. An area of particular importance to Marriott relates to company reporting and disclosures. Companies with a reputation for withholding important shareholder information will not be considered for inclusion in a portfolio as the future prospects of these businesses cannot be determined with a high degree of certainty. Companies which take advantage of ill-informed consumers are also immediately excluded, not only from an ethical standpoint, but also due to the unsustainability of exploitative business models. The Marriott team also carefully consider environmental initiatives undertaken by companies to ensure their products and future business prospects are sustainable.

“Studies have shown that companies which pay, and grow, their dividends tend to outperform the market over the long term. This is evident in the performance of Marriott’s local equity fund – the Dividend Growth Fund – which has won a number of awards for risk-adjusted returns,” said Marriott’s Robin Hartslief in a recent press release about ESG funds.

The charts below illustrate the dividend track records of some of the companies the Marriott Dividend Growth Fund currently invests in. As you can see, it pays to be the nice guy:

ESG in the rest of the world

Overseas too, the Financial Times noted this month that ESG tends to seriously outperform in some key areas. “ESG assets under management have grown the fastest among smart beta strategies, at a compound annual growth rate of more than 70 per cent over the past five years, according to a recent report from Bank of America Merrill Lynch,” it said. In Europe, Lipper EMEA Research noted that “we have witnessed an above average increase of assets under management driven by market performance. Additionally, a high percentage of the overall net inflows in the European fund industry are invested in mutual funds and ETFs with a sustainable investment approach.”

ESG funds offer exciting opportunities for investors. They are still a tiny portion of the market in SA with not much but the fact that they’re a buzzword known about them when it comes to the average investor.

Just like with any other change in investment strategy, this requires a comprehensive conversation before making any switches, but if you’re looking for new options – ESG funds could be a great addition to your portfolio.

Setting goals and taking stock

How you finish your year is a powerful way to create momentum for the new year. How much you achieved (or didn’t quite manage) this year can inspire how much you aim to achieve next year. In the same way that an athlete pushes harder in every game, or an artist stretches their skills with each new work, so too can we set our sights higher for the year ahead.

And, planning for it now presents us with an opportunity of walking into the new year knowing what we want to achieve, right from the starting blocks!

Here are some tips to help you set next year’s goals.

Reflect on the current year’s achievements

What you want is most effectively framed by looking at what you already have. Reflecting on the goals achieved this year gives you an idea of what you could strive for in the new year.

Take some time to reflect on your current plans and check how much progress you’ve made. Reflect on what you drew motivation from, for example; consider the books you’ve read that gave you new insights, or flip through your playlists for music that made you feel productive, creative and positive.

Reflect on your hurdles as well; this can help you know what you need to work on in order to achieve more next year and complete the goals that you haven’t ticked off your list yet.

Think about your short and long term achievements

Seeing all these goals as part of your overall life plan will give the confidence to continue pursuing them. So, as much as it is important to attach a timeframe to your goals, keep in mind that 12 months can be a short time to achieve everything. Be kind to yourself and don’t be afraid to lengthen your timelines.

Set S.M.A.R.T goals

Many people love this approach to setting achievable goals.

  • Specific – Set simple and specific goals. Try brainstorming your goals and discuss what you want to accomplish, why it matters, who is involved, where it’s located and which resources are required.
  • Measurable – Measure your goals and keep tabs on your progress. You can measure your goals by asking yourself questions like, How will I know when it’s accomplished?, How much effort do I need to put in?
  • Achievable – Set realistic and attainable goals that are within your abilities to achieve. An achievable goal is something that you can easily figure out how to accomplish within your constraints.
  • Relevant – Set goals that matter to you and align with your life goals. Just because you see your friends swimming in the deep end, doesn’t mean you should start there when you learn how to swim.
  • Time-bound – Instead of simply saying “Next year I want to learn how to swim”, set a specific timeframe for you to accomplish that goal. Attaching a time to it, is designed to prevent you from being complacent and remember your deadlines.

Create a strategy for success

Have a plan of action for your goals. Write out the next steps you need to accomplish them. Develop a map and routine for your goals.

For example, if you want to lose weight. Your plan would look something like this:

  • Your why: To feel light, healthy and athletic
  • Action 1: Drinking at least eight glasses of water per day and substituting the Friday afternoon beer with a vegetable shake, for the next 6 weeks.
  • Action 2: Go running twice a week and do more chores – learn to be busier and active.
  • Routine: Weigh yourself at least once a week to keep track of your progress.

Have someone who will hold you accountable

This is powerful! Choosing someone who you trust and will listen to will keep you motivated and remind you of what you wanted to achieve. It’s as valuable as a snooze button in the morning… sometimes you need a second alarm to wake up properly.

Even if one of the ideas above helps you, remember, these are YOUR goals. They’re not a chore or an obligation; they’re your commitment to a better you.

December-proof your investing

December should be a time of peace, cheer and goodwill to all men. But, if you’re a South African investor, it’s the month that likely brings up residual trauma of some decidedly un-jolly happenings from recent years’ Decembers. Cabinet reshuffle. Nenegate. Steinhoff. What is it about the twelfth month of the year that turns the festive season into the silly season?

If you’re understandably nervous this time of year as an investor, fear not. While no portfolio is fireproof to completely uncontrollable events like black swans and major unforeseen global macroeconomic events (like the first 2016 Brexit referendum), there is a lot you can do to limit your exposure to market-affecting shenanigans on the home front.

Here are a few ways to ensure that your portfolio doesn’t go ‘ki Dezember’ crazy this month, if the markets do:

Manage your emotions

It’s amazing how simple logic is so easily questioned when the buying of Christmas gifts, expensive holidays, Black Friday remorse and seeing far more family and friends that we usually do all play into the mix. Against this highly emotionally charged backdrop people tend to behave a little irrationally. And, when it comes to investing, emotional = dangerous.

The age-old maxim of ‘buy low, sell high’ works for a reason. And, most of the year, you may well stick to it. In December, be aware that you may try to knee-jerk sell. Don’t do it. Unless a major macroeconomic event like the actual apocalypse is happening, let’s have a quick WhatsApp catch up or a short phone call to double-check the best options.

Cash is king – in context

You don’t get much more liquidity than cash. And in times of trouble or uncertainty, people opt for several versions of the old ‘cash under the mattress’ trick, like holding cash in a standard bank account or stocking up on Krugerrands.

Cash is an option, but it works best inside of a diversification strategy. Nothing short of a very well-proven crystal ball will help you move exactly the right thing at the right time to the right place. It’s about having all your assets in different places, different classes and with different levels of liquidity that will see you through.

Don’t make any sudden moves

When it comes to investing, always remember: any change costs something. A change when everyone else is pulling the same change (like investing offshore), is also expensive. Try not to suddenly pull huge lump sums out of equities and into a different class without it being in line with your long-term strategy.

A move like this, which may seem simple enough, could cost you five times: the price of the fee to pull money out of equities, the setup price of moving into bonds, the loss of momentum on your equities, the loss of any compounding you may have been about to tap into or eventually attain on your equities and the price of starting from zero in the new asset class.

Switching things up in your portfolio is sometimes necessary, but it must be done inside of a comprehensive strategy, not a panicked whim. When nearing the end of an investment term, it could be a good time to change your weighting in various classes and the diversification of your portfolio. Feeling scared watching the news is not.

Be commitment wise

Don’t get involved in something you don’t know well. December is often the time of year-end bonuses. Feeling jolly, you may think: ‘hey, why not try out Bitcoin?’

Unless you’ve been studying the market history, inner workings and headlines surrounding Bitcoin for more than a year, maybe give it a little more thought.

Many tried this back in 2017 when Bitcoin was trending and either lost all that irreplaceable, untraceable investment in a hacker’s spree or waited until December 2018 to find out it was worth 80 percent less.

Ultimately, investing always works best when you have a trusted, second opinion to every move you want to make. Either knuckle down and focus on the people around you and let your money work for you, or let’s get in touch and have a comforting cup of coffee to bolster your portfolio.

How to stay out of the malls

Whilst the holiday season holds many treats and treasures, one of the most stressful errands is shopping for gifts. Finding the perfect gifts for your family, friends and colleagues isn’t a simple job. In addition to trying to find thoughtful and affordable gifts, battling the queues and parking frenzies only adds to the stress.

Thankfully you can do your shopping from the comfort of your own home – online. Finding the best online gift sites is now one of the first things that come to mind when people shop.

If you’re trying to find something awesome fast – try these sites out first.

Yuppiechef.com

Yuppiechef offers the latest leading kitchen cookware for less. Founded in 2006, this online gem is best for finding novel items to stock up the kitchen and living area or for the perpetual entertainer who ‘has everything’.

They also offer a 30-day return policy as well as a newsletter which has exclusive information on latest releases and sales events direct to your inbox.

Zando.co.za

For the fashionistas in your crew, this is where you will find an impressive selection of trendy clothing brands at affordable prices. They are ideal if you’re looking for fashion labels you can give as gifts without breaking your budget.

Zando also offers free delivery on all orders without any minimum spend as well as seven ways to pay. You get up to R200 off when you sign up for their newsletter and they also promise easy collections and returns.

Takealot.com

This online store sells everything, from the latest tech to clothing, camping gear and cookware. Consider them your online wholesaler with a massive catalogue which includes books, entertainment systems and games.

With Takealot you get free delivery with purchases over R250 and they run superb daily deals.

Exclusive Books

South Africa’s leading book retailer’s website is loved by bookworms because the wide range of book genres that they offer, from history to fiction, from self-help to spiritual gurus, you’ll definitely find international and local best-sellers all on their list.

Sure, few things beat the experience of smelling a book and perusing the aisles of a bookstore on a lazy day, but when it’s busy… it’s way less fun. You qualify for free delivery when you make a purchase of more than R350, with which you also get 21-day returns.

Makro

Another store that has a variety in their stock. You get a fantastic range of gym and sports equipment, outdoor gear, kids’ toys, necessities and groceries. If you’re looking for gaming consoles, TVs, computers and other electronics then check out Makro.

You have the choice of collecting your order in-store at your convenience or having it delivered to you. If you’re running out of time and simply want to bypass the queues, this is a good option.

Woolworths

Woolworths is another premier option for all your apparel, home accessories, food, and generally great gift ideas. They have a handy gift guide for him, her and the kids.

For first time order they offer free delivery. There’s also a 60-day return policy and food items will be available for next day delivery.

Order from Woolworths online and skip the supermarket checkout queues and get all your gifts delivered to you.

Remember, it’s the thought that counts – so if you don’t have the budget or the means, a handmade gift, home-baked goods or handpicked posey often mean so much more!