Podcast: Understanding Money Dysmorphia

In a recent episode of the Ghost Stories podcast, host The Finance Ghost and René Basson, Head of Brand at Satrix closed off the year by diving into a financial topic that's increasingly relevant in today's social media-driven world: money dysmorphia. 

The conversation shed light on how our perceptions of money can be skewed, impacting our financial decisions and our overall well-being.

What is Money Dysmorphia?

Money dysmorphia is an internet term describing a warped or distorted relationship with your finances. It manifests in various ways - from feeling financially insecure despite having substantial savings or disposable income, to making impulse purchases while living on a tight budget. 

They discussed how this phenomenon is deeply rooted in personal experiences, childhood, and the constant bombardment of lifestyle content on social media.

The Impact of Childhood and Society on Money Perceptions

René Basson highlighted that money perceptions are influenced by childhood experiences and societal messaging or how we’re socialised. For instance, early financial lessons can shape how individuals approach spending and saving. 

The discussion revealed that gender stereotypes play a significant role, with women and men often prioritising financial decisions differently.

Actionable Tips for Overcoming Money Dysmorphia:

• Conducting a thorough self-analysis of spending patterns and behaviours
• Understanding personal financial motivations
• Setting clear short-, medium-, and long-term financial goals
• Seeking financial advice 
• Starting small with investments (even with R10 per month)

SatrixNOW Platform

They also explored key insights from SatrixNOW platform. The SatrixNOW platform, launched in 2015, revealed some compelling statistics. The average investor is 41 years old, with female investors - now representing 52% of invested clients.

For those looking to start their investing journey, SatrixNOW offers an accessible entry point, with the ability to invest with R10 - proving that financial empowerment can begin with small, consistent steps.
 

Finding Balance in Personal Finance and Staying Vigilant

The Finance Ghost highlighted how important it is to take a balanced approach to personal finance. He shared his personal philosophy of treating each expense individually, focusing on the value it brings rather than just looking at the cost. 

As the year comes to an end they reminded listeners to stay financially vigilant, especially over the festive season. They advised being cautious of fraud, avoiding public Wi-Fi for financial transactions, and keeping passwords secure.

Building a Healthier Relationship with Money Through Ongoing Learning

Personal finance is an ongoing learning journey. By understanding our financial biases, setting clear goals, and maintaining a balanced approach, we can all build a healthier relationship with money.

If you’re ready to challenge your financial biases and start taking control of your money, listen to the full podcast episode and join us on this journey towards financial empowerment.

Click here to listen.

Disclaimer:

Satrix Investments (Pty) Ltd is an approved financial service provider in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, No 37 of 2002 (“FAIS”). Satrix Managers (RF) (Pty) Ltd (Satrix) is a registered and approved Manager in Collective Investment Schemes in Securities. The information above does not constitute financial advice in term of FAIS. Consult your financial advisor before making an investment decision. Collective investment schemes are generally medium to long-term investments. In Unit Trusts and ETFs the investor essentially owns a ‘proportionate share’ (in proportion to the participatory interest held in the fund) of the underlying investments held by the fund. With unit trusts, the investor holds participatory units issued by the fund, while in the case of an ETF, the participatory interest, while issued by the fund, is made up of a listed security traded on the stock exchange. ETFs are index-tracking funds, registered as a Collective Investment, and can be traded by any stockbroker on the stock exchange or via investment plans and online trading platforms. ETFs may incur additional costs due to being listed on the JSE. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance and the value of investments/units may go up or down. A schedule of fees and charges, and maximum commissions are available on the Minimum Disclosure Document (fund fact sheet) or upon request from the manager. Collective Investments are traded at ruling prices and can engage in borrowing and scrip lending. Should the respective portfolio engage in scrip lending, the utility percentage and related counterparties can be viewed on the ETF Minimum Disclosure Document. The manager does not provide any guarantee either with respect to the capital or the return of a portfolio. The index, the applicable tracking error, and the portfolio performance relative to the index can be viewed on the ETF Minimum Disclosure Document and/or on the Satrix website. A feeder fund is a portfolio that invests in a single portfolio of a collective investment scheme, which levies its own charges and which could result in a higher fee structure for the feeder fund. International investments or investments in foreign securities could be accompanied by additional risks such as potential constraints on liquidity and repatriation of funds, macroeconomic risk, political risk, foreign exchange risk, tax risk, settlement risk as well as potential limitations on the availability of market information. A money market portfolio is not a bank deposit account. The price is targeted at a constant value. The total return to the investor is made up of interest received and any gain or loss made on any particular instrument and in most cases the return will merely have the effect of increasing or decreasing the daily yield, but that in the case of abnormal losses it can have the effect of reducing the capital value of the portfolio. Excessive withdrawals from the portfolio may place the portfolio under liquidity pressures and in such circumstances a process of ring-fencing of withdrawal instructions and managed pay-outs over time may be followed. Seven day rolling yield is calculated by taking into account the interest earned by the fund during a 7 day period minus any management fees incurred during those seven days. Income funds derive their income primarily from interest-bearing instruments. The yield is a current and is calculated on a daily basis.  Tax Free Savings Accounts: Annual limit of R36000, lifetime limit of R500 000, 40% tax penalty applicable for contributions above the limit, per individual. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance and the value of investments / units may go up or down.

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