Understand Your MoneySimply and for Free
One place to learn how to save and invest in South Africa and work out what matters to you — your retirement fund, your home loan, your savings — without signing up, without paying anything and without jargon. All in rand (ZAR).
ZAR
Official Currency
8
Calculators for South Africa
R100k
CODI Deposit Cover
R0
Always Free
Live Market Indicators
Follow the S&P 500, Bitcoin and Ethereum in real time, updated every five minutes. Includes the US dollar / rand exchange rate, handy if you hold US-dollar savings or funds.
Learn the Basics
Short, plain-English guides to saving, banks and financial planning in South Africa — to get started without knowing anything about money.
What is a savings account and how much does it pay?
A savings account keeps your money safe and pays interest that changes over time. How the interest, the annual interest exemption and the Corporation for Deposit Insurance work — and when a savings account is enough.
Read the article →Emergency fund: how much do you need?
An emergency fund of 3-6 months of expenses protects you from unexpected costs without expensive debt. South Africa has no unemployment benefit, so it matters even more. How to work out your figure and build it.
Read the article →What is compound interest and how does it work?
Compound interest is return on your return — the engine behind long-term saving. Here is the formula, how big a role time plays, and how to use the rule of 72.
Read the article →Free Financial Calculators
Free tools in rand (ZAR), with results straight away. No sign-up, no cost.
Compound Interest Calculator
Work out how your savings or investments grow year by year, in rand.
Calculate →How Long to Save R115k?
Work out how long it takes to reach any savings goal in rand.
Calculate →Emergency Fund Calculator
Work out how much to set aside for unexpected costs based on your monthly spending.
Calculate →Financial Independence Calculator
How much capital do you need to live off your returns? Find your path to financial freedom.
Calculate →How Many Work Hours Does It Cost?
Turn the price of any product into hours of your work, based on your pay.
Calculate →Retirement Calculator
Project your retirement fund and other saving that sits on top of any state grant.
Calculate →Mortgage Calculator
Monthly payment plus the upfront cost of buying — deposit, transfer duty, attorney fees.
Calculate →UIF Benefit Calculator
Estimate how much UIF would pay if you were retrenched, and how long the benefit would last.
Calculate →Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about our guides and calculators.
- What is Save Money To Invest and what does it offer for South Africa?
- Save Money To Invest is a free platform of financial data and calculators. The South Africa section brings together personal finance guides (savings accounts, retirement funds, the UIF, credit cards) and financial calculators in rand (ZAR). No sign-up or account is needed.
- Why are the calculators in rand?
- Because the rand is the currency here. All calculators and articles use rand directly, with no currency conversion.
- Does South Africa have a state pension, and what is the UIF?
- There is no compulsory contributory state pension for workers. The state provides the means-tested Older Person's Grant from age 60 through SASSA — most people with retirement savings do not qualify. Retirement income comes from a workplace fund, a retirement annuity and other saving. The UIF is separate: it pays a benefit if you lose your job. See the UIF benefit calculator and the retirement-funds article.
- Is Save Money To Invest free in South Africa?
- Yes. All content — guides and calculators — is free and requires no sign-up. The site is funded by advertising.
- Can I see the full site in US English?
- Yes. Save Money To Invest also offers data from more than 10 global exchanges (NYSE, NASDAQ, LSE, Euronext, among others) and 17 financial calculators focused on the United States market. Reach them via the "🇺🇸 English (US) site" link at the top of this page.