Money, made clearer
Better money decisions start with understanding the numbers.
Free South African calculators and practical guidance for everyday money, debt, investing, insurance, property, vehicles and retirement.
17 live calculatorsSA context0 sign-ups needed
One useful processStart where you are
- 01QuestionChoose the decision you want to understand.
- 02InputsUse your numbers and visible assumptions.
- 03ResultSee the outcome and how it was calculated.
- 04ScenarioChange the assumptions and test the trade-offs.
- 05Next stepUse the result to prepare a better decision.
The calculator library
Tools for real decisions—not just textbook formulas.
Each calculator is built around a question people actually face, with enough explanation to understand the result and test what could change it.
Live
How resilient is your plan across 10 000 futures?
Retirement Monte Carlo Planner
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Five connected areas
Start with the part of your financial life that needs attention.
01Everyday moneyIncome, budgeting, debt and spending decisions02Saving & retirementGrowth, contributions, drawdown and uncertainty03Protection & healthcareInsurance needs and medical-scheme choices04Homes & propertyRepayments and the buy-or-rent decision05Vehicles & travelAffordability, cost per kilometre and journeys
Understand the context
A calculator gives you a number. A guide helps you use it.
Explore the five foundations of a financial plan and the questions worth asking before choosing a product or course of action.
01
Save
Build breathing room for today and a dependable base for tomorrow.
Read the guide →02Invest
Give your money time, diversification and a plan you can stay with.
Read the guide →03Insure
Protect income, dependants and assets from events that could derail the plan.
Read the guide →04Preserve
Keep retirement savings invested when jobs and circumstances change.
Read the guide →05Retire
Turn accumulated savings into a sustainable, flexible retirement income.
Read the guide →HowToMoney's approach
Make uncertainty visible instead of hiding it.
Important financial decisions rarely have one guaranteed answer. The tools expose their assumptions, compare scenarios and show why timing, behaviour and risk matter.
1
Understand the question and the trade-off.
2
Estimate with assumptions you can see and change.
3
Stress-test what happens when life is less convenient.
4
Decide with your complete circumstances in view.
“The purpose of a financial model is not to promise one future. It is to help you prepare for a range of futures.”
HowToMoney planning principleFrequently asked
Know what the tools can—and cannot—tell you.
Is HowToMoney providing personal financial advice?
No. The website provides general educational information and estimates. It does not consider your full circumstances and is not a substitute for regulated, personalised financial advice.
Are the calculator results guaranteed?
No. Results depend on the values and assumptions entered. Inflation, investment returns, tax, fees, interest rates and personal circumstances can differ materially.
Are the amounts shown before or after tax?
Each calculator explains its own basis. Unless stated otherwise, salary and income figures are generally gross amounts before personal income tax.
How often should I review a financial plan?
At least annually and whenever something important changes, such as income, employment, dependants, debt, health, insurance or retirement plans.
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