End the year right: festive season tips to start 2025 strong

Brenthurst Wealth's Suzean Haumann offers advice on creating a holiday budget, reviewing year-end financial tasks, and staying on track while celebrating the season.

- Boitumelo Ntsoko

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and, unfortunately, overspending. It's easy to get caught up in the festive spirit and lose sight of our financial goals. But with a bit of planning and self-control, we can enjoy the holidays without breaking the bank.

The science of self-control

The famous Marshmallow Test offers valuable insights into the power of delayed gratification. Children who resisted the urge to eat a single marshmallow for a larger reward later in life tended to be more successful.

Similarly, we can apply the same basic principles to our finances. By prioritizing long-term financial goals over short-term indulgences, we can build a more secure future.

Ensure that you can tick these boxes before you close off the year:

Review your will: As many investors depart for holidays either by the seaside or abroad, one must be cognizant that life does happen. Ensure that your last will and testament is up to date and speaks to your final wishes.