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Our Editor's Note

War and peace, and assassination attempts.

The past few days have been busy ones as world markets try keep up with the ongoing rollercoaster that is 2026. 

As South Africans are trying to adjust to the recent spike in transport costs and Eskom price hikes, many have been turning to Debt Counsellors to ask for help.

That’s a great idea, especially since credit providers often make empty offers of help while actually refusing to take all your other debts and obligations into account. Instead of help, you will likely receive demands for payments that you simply can’t match. That can be stressful.

If you need help, don’t hold back. Go get advice from an NCR registered Debt Counsellor.

You may already have done that. If so, good for you. Still, that does not mean that you are magically insulated from the ongoing challenges around us.

In this issue, we take a look at several things that may make you feel like you have to give up on your debt review, and we also consider why that’s not the case. Please keep going! There are also some preventative steps you can take now to help protect yourself from things like being retrenched or dealing with car problems. Be sure to have a look.

We also have local finance news, as well as information from around the world about debt management. We continue to discuss the new CBA portal, how Debt Counsellors can get the most out of it (and overcome some issues), and an interesting letter to the industry from a reader.

We really hope that your life does not feel like a war zone right now. That no one is out to get you. We hope that despite the economy and other sudden stresses, you manage to be wise and stay true to your plans to get debt free.