VEGETABLE NOODLE STIR-FRY
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp vegetable oil
½ onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely sliced
3 cups Swiss chard, torn
1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
½ head broccoli, cut into small pieces
½ cup soy sauce
To serve
4 packets instant noodles, cooked and drained
3 tbsp chilli oil (optional)
¼ cup micro herbs (optional)

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for 3–5 minutes until the onion is cooked.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the Swiss chard, pepper, carrots and broccoli.
3. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy.
4. Add the soy sauce to the vegetables and heat through.
5. To serve, toss the noodles with the vegetables and soy sauce and serve hot with chilli oil on the side. Garnish the noodles with fresh micro herbs for an extra special touch.

BEEF TACO BOWLS
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves/Makes: 6
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS
6 tortilla wraps
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
400 g beef mince
2 tsp paprika
1 tin tomato braai relish
1 tin red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
To serve
⅓ cup mayonnaise
3 handfuls lettuce leaves
1 tin whole kernel corn
⅓ cup grated Cheddar
½ cup coriander

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C and line 6 small square heatproof casserole dishes with baking paper.
2. Press the wraps into the lined dishes and brush with a bit of oil. Bake for 10–15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
3. While the wraps are cooking, heat the remaining oil in a pan over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 7 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
5. Add the beef mince and paprika and stir-fry until cooked.
6. Add the tomato braai relish and beans, heat through and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. To serve, spread the inside of each taco bowl with a thin layer of mayonnaise and line with lettuce leaves. Spoon some corn and mince into each bowl and top with grated cheese and fresh coriander.

BAGUETTE PIZZA
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS
4 small baguettes, halved lengthways
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
cup tomato puree
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
2½ cups grated Cheddar
8 slices ham
½ pineapple, peeled and chopped
1½ cups sliced mushrooms
To serve
¼ cup basil

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven grill to high.
2. Place the baguette halves cut side up on a baking tray and grill for 5 minutes until just toasted. Remove from the oven and rub with the garlic clove.
3. Spread 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree on to each half and sprinkle with dried herbs.
4. Sprinkle half the grated cheese on to each baguette and divide the ham, pineapple pieces and sliced mushrooms between each baguette. Top with the remaining grated cheese.
5. Place the baguettes under the grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 5–6 minutes.
6. Serve hot topped with fresh basil.

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Read on to find out how to enter:

Entering is easy. Each month has a theme to inspire you to create an entry that shows off how you #LiveTheHiLife

Once you created your original piece inspired by the monthly theme, upload your image or 30-second video on ANY platform, think YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, then make sure you share it to either Facebook or Instagram and tag @hi_online_ (Insta) or @hi-online.co.za (Facebook) and use the hashtag #LiveTheHiLife to create your valid entry.

Every month we’ll select a new influencer who’ll become an exclusive member of the hi team, win a Samsung Galaxy A51 + R2000 worth of goodies in tech prizes from hi, plus gain VIP access to new tech, unboxings, events and much more!

Find more details and competition Ts&Cs here

Be inspired: 

Get ideas and inspiration from the existing hi influencers @freshbycaddy @siebritztwins. Follow them on Instagram and check out the on-point content they create on the daily as well as updates and winner announcements during the competition. (Psst…they are the ones, along with hi and Samsung who pick the winners) 

The @siebritztwins Amron & Geovanna are all about fashion, beauty and realness. These hi ambassadors will give you loads of inspo for your June entries theme ‘Fashion, Beauty or Style’ and July theme ‘Active, Outdoor or Gym’

This fire content creator wears many hats as pop artist, TV presenter, model and fashion consultant. @freshbycaddy socials are packed with content inspo for the August ‘Photography, Tech and June theme ‘Fashion, Beauty or Style’

Whatever you decide to enter, just remember to be yourself and have fun!

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GLAZED CINNAMON ROLLS
Makes: 6

INGREDIENTS
For The Cinnamon Rolls
1 cups nutty wheat flour
4 scoops (100 ml) vanilla-flavoured protein powder
1 tbsp baking powder
tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
cup milk
1 egg
2 tbsp apple puree
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp ground cinnamon
For The Glaze
cup smooth cottage cheese
1 tsp honey

METHOD
For The Cinnamon Rolls
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a small rectangular baking tin with baking paper.
2. Combine nutty flour, protein powder, baking powder and salt.
3. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Whisk together the milk, egg, apple puree and honey. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until a sticky dough forms.
5. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface.
6. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the top and roll the dough up to form a log shape.
7. Cut into 5 cm-thick pieces and place them in the prepared baking tin, cut side up.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through, then remove from the oven and let cool completely.
For The Glaze
1. Combine the cottage cheese and honey in a bowl until smooth.
2. Spread the glaze over the cooled cinnamon buns.

GRANOLA & DARK CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS
Makes: 18

INGREDIENTS
cup oats
cup coconut flakes
cup almonds, roughly chopped
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
50 g dark chocolate, melted

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a tray with mini paper cupcake liners.
2. Combine the oats, coconut flakes, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and spread them out on a baking tray.
3. Lightly toast the almonds and seeds in the oven until just golden, about 6–8 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before mixing in the apricot pieces.
5. Add the fruit and nut mix to the melted chocolate and mix until everything is well coated.
6. Spoon heaped teaspoons of the mixture into the paper cases and refrigerate until set.

LEMON & CHIA SEED COOKIES
Makes: 15

INGREDIENTS
cup oats
cup white rice flour
cup nutty wheat flour
2 scoops (40 ml) vanilla – flavoured protein powder
tsp baking powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
tbsp chia seeds
tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp apple puree
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
2. Blend oats until a rough flour forms. Place in a bowl and mix in the remaining flours, protein powder, baking powder, brown sugar, chia and poppy seeds, and lemon zest.
3. Mix all the remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix.
4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut into circles using a cookie cutter.
5. Transfer to the baking trays and bake for 15–18 minutes until just golden.
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PINEAPPLE CHICKEN DRUMETTES
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6–8
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS
1 kg/32 chicken drumettes
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp chopped rosemary
227 g tin pineapple pieces in syrup, chopped
3 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
To serve
¼ cup coriander
2 spring onions, sliced
½ lemon, cut into wedges
cup sweet-chilli mayonnaise
¼ cup tomato sauce (optional)

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C.
2. Season the chicken drumettes with salt and pepper and sprinkle with paprika. Thread on to skewers, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and bake for 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
3. While the chicken is baking, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and fry for 1–2 minutes. Add the pineapple pieces and syrup, tomato sauce, soy sauce and vinegar. Mix until combined then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened.
4. Remove the chicken from the oven and pour over the sauce, making sure to coat each piece.
5. Return to the oven and bake for another 12-18 minutes or until cooked through.
To serve
Garnish the drumettes with coriander and sliced spring onion and serve with lemon wedges and your favourite dips on the side.

FILLED SAVOURY SOFT PRETZEL BITES
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6–8
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS
For the pretzel bites
650 g store-bought bread dough
3 ½ tbsp bicarbonate of soda
5 ¼ cups water
2 tbsp coarse salt
To serve
1 cup smooth cottage cheese
3 tbsp chopped chives
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
8 gherkins, sliced

METHOD
For the pretzel bites
1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Form the dough into 6–8 medium-sized balls and set aside.
3. Bring the bicarb and water to boil in a large pot over medium heat. Working two at a time, place the balls in the boiling bicarb solution and cook each side for 20–30 seconds.
4. Remove the balls using a slotted spoon and place on the baking tray. Lightly score the top of each roll with an ‘x’ shape using a sharp knife and sprinkle with coarse salt.
5. When all the rolls are finished, bake for 15–17 minutes until they are brown and crispy.
To serve
1. Mix the cottage cheese and chives together in a bowl.
2. Cut the pretzel bites down the middle, spread with cottage cheese mixture, and fill with tomato, avocado and gherkin slices.

INDIVIDUAL STRAWBERRY TARTS
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes: 8–10 tarts
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup caster sugar
¾ cup margarine or butter,
at room temperature
2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 tbsp cold milk
¾ cup strawberry jam
1 tbsp chopped mint
10 strawberries, sliced
To serve
2 tbsp icing sugar

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C and grease 8–10 mini tart tins.
2. Beat the sugar and margarine together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Sift in the flour, salt and bicarb and beat until combined.
3. Mix in the milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough comes together to form a ball. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll the pastry out, about 3 mm thick.
5. Using a cookie cutter, cut circles out of the pastry and cut 5 mm-thick strips out of the leftovers.
6. Carefully press the pastry circles into the tart tins and continue until all the pastry has been used.
7. Mix the strawberry jam with the mint and dollop a small spoonful into the bottom of each pastry shell. Top with the sliced strawberries and place the pastry strips in a criss-cross pattern over the top.
8. Press the ends of the pastry to seal the sides and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown.
To serve
Allow to cool completely before sprinkling with icing sugar.

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Investec Cape Town Art Fair’s annual section ‘Tomorrows/Today’, aimed at shining a light on emerging and under-represented artists, will undergo a fresh interpretation for 2020. Here you can explore African talent that has not always been included in the mainstream. Under the curation of Luigi Fassi, the artistic director of MAN-Contemporary Art Museum in Nuoro, Italy, along with Cape Town’s Michaelis Gallery curator Nkule Mabaso, expect to discover exciting new talent. ‘The “Tomorrows/Today” section is a deliberate effort to introduce artists from other regions and support exceptional talent today as they become tomorrow’s great artists,’ explains Nkule. For the investor, it also represents the opportunity to snap up pivotal pieces by artists before interest in their names piques, making their artworks unattainable. ‘This publicity can go a long way towards social interest in their career,’ says Nkule. But it is not all about buying – the ‘Tomorrow/ Today’ section is also a celebration of the growing impact contemporary African art is having globally. ‘You can expect encounters with African artists who are currently entering into the focus of institutions and collectors on a global level,’ explains Luigi, who adds that you can enjoy some non-African piecesof rising global importance, too. ‘I hope to achieve an inspiring overview of emerging artists where even well-travelled, sharp collectors can come across artists and works they didn’t know before.’

DISRUPT YOUR WORLD VIEW
For centuries, exhibited art has largely represented a Western-centric world view; showcases such as Investec Cape Town Art Fair disrupt this. ‘What is exciting is the way in which contemporary African artists are interpreting history and global transformations from a non-Western perspective, delinking our present from a Western-centred gaze,’ explains Luigi, who sees the Cape Town-based fair as critical for precisely this reason. ‘There is still a lot of work to be done to further enhance the presence of contemporary African art in the global scenario. It’s key for fairs showcasing art from Africa to act as filters, giving visibility to the best artists, works and experiences as presented by qualified galleries.’ Cécile Fakhoury, founder of Côte d’Ivoire’s gallery-to-watch Galerie Cécile Fakhoury, couldn’t agree more. ‘What’s new in contemporary African art today is its relationship to the world,’ she says. ‘There is a growing interest in the art scene and artists are expressing viewpoints that are more universal and global than solely African; they are creating a dynamic and challenging space to think and create.’

ENGAGE IN STIMULATING DISCUSSIONS
This year’s ‘Talks Programme’, a series of panel discussions, are being coordinated by Tumelo Mosaka and will see experts unpack a range of topics. Having held positions at the Brooklyn Museum and Krannert Art Museum in Illinois, Tumelo hopes the ‘Talks Programme’ will shine a light on the challenges facing African artists and galleries currently. ‘The list of topics will touch on arts philanthropy in Africa, museums of the future and artists’ dialogues,’ says Tumelo. ‘We have a broad list of specialists who will present very provocative and challenging perspectives about our arts industries.
‘The “Talks Programme” is intended to bring to light important issues currently under discussion in the field. It provides an opportunity for you to engage with some of the experts who are defining the field. Art is alive and it affects us all very differently.’ something unexpected … and exciting Tumelo is also involved in the curation of this year’s ‘Cultural Platforms’ section, intended to highlight the work of non-profit organisations and collections. ‘The non-profit sector is an important counter-balance to what could be conceived as the ‘taste of the day’, driven by financial interests,’ says Tumelo.
‘It allows for greater risk-taking because the artist is freed from commercial sales and can be selfish about their intention. Commercial success does not always mean artistic freedom, so balancing the two can be a personal struggle for artists.’ With this freedom comes opportunity for artists to become highly experimental, meaning you can expect the unexpected for this section of the fair. ‘Within the “Cultural Platforms”, I would like to see an experimental approach driven by showcasing new approaches to art practice,’ says Tumelo. ‘I am interested in works that really defy the traditional art-fair presentation.’
investeccapetownartfair.co.za

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MINT PESTO BAKED EGGS
Makes: 4

INGREDIENTS
For The Mint Pesto
2 cups mint leaves
2 feta wheels, crumbled
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
cup olive oil
For The Baked Eggs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
red pepper, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tin black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tin chopped tomatoes
4 eggs
1 cup baby tomatoes
To Serve
1 avocado, sliced
2 tbsp chopped coriander
4 slices toast

METHOD
For The Mint Pesto
1. Blitz all the ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
For The Baked Eggs
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and cayenne pepper and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the beans and tomatoes, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Dollop into an ovenproof casserole or individual ramekins. Make 4 small indents in the mixture. Break the eggs into the indents. Place baby tomatoes around the eggs.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
6. Remove from the oven and top with avo slices, coriander and spoonfuls of mint pesto.

GRANOLA TARTLETS
Makes: 4

INGREDIENTS
1 cup oats
cup almonds,
finely chopped
1 tbsp sunflower seeds, finely chopped
tsp cinnamon
tsp salt
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp honey
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup plain yoghurt
1 red apple, thinly sliced
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
Handful green grapes and raspberries
2 tsp lemon curd or honey (optional)

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease 4 × 10 cm tart tins.
2. Combine the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon and salt. Add coconut oil, honey, egg and vanilla essence and mix.
3. Press the mixture into the prepared tins, using
a spoon to even out the bottom and sides.
4. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before removing from the tins.
5. For the topping, dollop 2 to 3 spoonfuls of yoghurt into each cooled crust and top with fresh fruit. Drizzle with lemon curd or honey for an added treat.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED SOURDOUGH BREAKFAST LOAF
Makes: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
cup chopped parsley
tsp paprika
1 loaf sourdough bread
1 cups cheese, grated
250 g chicken sausage, cooked and sliced
1 spring onion,
thinly sliced
Handful chives, sliced

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Heat oil over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic until soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and paprika.
3. Cut the top of the loaf into 3 cm-thick diagonals, making small diamonds. Only cut halfway into the bread and not the whole way through.
4. Separate the pieces of bread with a teaspoon. Fill the gaps with the onion mixture, grated cheese and slices of sausage.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
6. Sprinkle with spring onion and chives before serving.
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YOU’VE MET
someone special, and life’s never looked rosier. But while romance is in the air, it’s important to tackle the very unromantic topic of your finances, and what the future looks like for big-deal things such as your bank accounts, debt and savings. We picked the experts’ brains about the best way to handle decisions when it comes to combining your finances so you can grow stronger – both romantically and financially – together…

THE TRUST FACTOR
Financial infidelity is a real thing. If you’re in a relationship with someone you don’t feel you can trust 100%, pump the breaks! You shouldn’t even be near having The Money Conversation with your partner if you haven’t ironed out basic trust issues in the relationship.
‘Couples are often not very honest with each other about their income and expenses, which creates mistrust and conflict,’ says Sonja Linde, certified financial planner at InSync Financial Services. ‘It also makes financial planning difficult, as you are not working with accurate information,’ she adds. One of the most common examples of this is impulsive spending or pre-existing debt being kept secret by a partner, which then lowers the opportunity for transparency in the relationship, as Lloyd Ellis, an independent financial planner at Solutions2Wealth notes: ‘If one person is a saver and the other is a spender, this could cause issues in a partnership due to lack of trust and agreement to a common purpose,’ he says. ‘Overall transparency into each other’s finances builds a trustworthy relationship.’

TALK THE TALK
Reaching an agreement about how you see your joint financial future involves honest, open conversations about your budget, setting goals together, and understanding your expenses. ‘Having financial conversations can be stressful for some parties, as they’re not comfortable talking about money,’ Sonja sympathises. ‘People tend to address needs first, which is understandable. But the problem is that those needs or expenses will always come first, which results in not being able to address financial goals, creating bigger problems in the future. There should be a balance in addressing these issues.’ Create this balance by setting aside time to talk about it. ‘These conversations should happen at a convenient time and place with ideally no distractions or time pressure,’ recommends Lloyd.
But how frequently should these conversations happen? ‘Once a month,’ Sonja recommends. ‘Perhaps just after you’ve received your salaries.’ Identify possible ad hoc expenses that need to be addressed that month – for example, licence renewals and car services – then decide which areas of your budget will be impacted by these costs, and whether this money will come out of your emergency funds. If you do tuck into your emergency funds, decide how and when that money will be replaced, going forward.

TO COMBINE…
The pros and cons of combining or partially combining your finances depend largely on the stage of your relationship, and your individual money-management styles. The great appeal in combining finances is that it solidifies the trust in your relationship – but for this to happen, a foundation of trust already needs to be in place. ‘It is not that important during the beginning stages of a relationship to disclose your income to your partner,’ says Lloyd. ‘As any relationship starts to grow and become more secure, it’s possible to be more open about each other’s finances,’ he adds. ‘If you are considering a lifelong partnership with someone, it would be valuable to learn all there is to know about your potential spouse, so it can help you identify any red flags and help the two of you to move forward in the best way.’
Combining your finances could mean saving on monthly lifestyle overheads, such as your insurance premiums and medical aid. ‘Often, insurers are prepared to offer better rates for both partners to combine their plans into a joint policy,’ says Lloyd. Depending on what you choose to jointly commit to, you could also accelerate your journey to financial freedom by paying off debt quicker, and by starting to think about accumulating assets such as property together, he recommends.
If you play to your individual strengths, leaving the financial admin to the more organised partner could mean your bills are paid on time, says Sonja, which rules out the chance of accumulating interest on any outstanding accounts. ‘I would, however, really suggest you have budget discussions on a regular basis so that both parties are aware of what is going on regarding finances,’ she cautions. ‘It’s also important to be mindful of sharing expenses proportionately according to each partner’s earnings,’ she adds.

… OR NOT TO COMBINE?
Leaving the admin to one partner has its potential downside, which is why the trust factor is crucial in making the decision to combine finances. ‘If the budget and finances are managed by one party only, this could lead to manipulation of the funds,’ she points out. ‘This could also lead to a feeling of uncertainty and exclusion in terms of decision-making for the other party.’ Think twice before merging your money with your partner if they’re known to be lax with the purse strings, cautions Lloyd. He also says: ‘Combining finances can be difficult to undo if there is a potential separation, so be sure that you can see yourself and your partner being together for a long period.’
And when it comes to debt, your clean slate could be tarnished if you decide to pool your finances. Lloyd explains: ‘If one person’s debt and credit score is in a negative position, combining finances may put your partner in a worse position, which could add tension to the relationship.’

HONESTY IS THE BEST MONEY POLICY
It’s important to acknowledge different approaches to money and manage them, to minimise the chances of trust issues and miscommunication occurring. ‘Make the decision to be fair to one another and help your partner where they might have some shortcomings,’ encourages Sonja.
‘If you spend impulsively and rack up unwanted debt, then be honest about that and ask your partner to manage the finances,’ she suggests.
Ultimately, as with other areas of your relationship and life, communication is key. If you find that money is causing a rift or tension between you, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You’ll be doing yourself and your partner a great service by tackling issues head-on so you can grow closer together and reinforce your united front.

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Summer can be such a busy time of the year when we want to take advantage of every sun-filled day, but spending time in the privacy of your own home can be extremely relaxing too. When you create a safe haven within your own four walls you make a space that is tranquil – just like a home should be! So if the summer socialsing gets to be too much, check out and spend some time by the pool or reading your book on the comfort of your own couch.

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The epitome of beauty and brains, Nicolette is a South African entrepreneur and media personality on a mission to inspire and educate those around her, especially in the financial sphere. Here she shares her tips for a financially sound 2020.

What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned in managing your own personal finances?

I’ve learnt you can have acquired knowledge, but if you don’t put it into action it means absolutely nothing. I always align this with losing weight: A lot of us know what to do to lose weight. But we’ll still try to go for the quick results, try to cheat the system. So financial matters are not just about acquired knowledge, but also applied knowledge. And you can’t do a lot of things in isolation – we want to do the budgeting but we don’t want to do the saving, or we’re trying to do the saving but we haven’t budgeted. You’ve got to apply all the knowledge and you’ve got to apply it holistically. Also, the need to associate respect and status with money, to wear your wealth or drive your wealth, makes it very difficult for you to be able to reach your financial pinnacle.

What are your top tips for the following groups to better prepare for financial success in 2020

Students
My top tip for students is to really try to get in tune with your financial behavioural self, to understand what money means to you and what type of access to various
spheres of life you think money is going to give you. If you start building that financial emotional intelligence from a young age, it will be very useful to you in the future.
Remember whichever financial decisions you make today are going to have a huge impact on your future self, so it’s important that you don’t start off with a deficit when it comes to your finances. Also fostering a culture of saving – saving is going to enable investing. If you don’t know how to save it’s going to be very difficult for you to invest. Because you need to be okay with taking away that opportunity of spending money now, and putting it away for the future.

Young working professionals
Start changing your mindset about money. It’s not about how much you make, it’s about how much of it you’re actually keeping. Start thinking about the financial future and foresee the next life stage – I always speak about purposeful financial decision-making. Starting as early as possible and putting your money away will have a major positive kickback in the future, because there’s a little thing called compound interest and once it starts working, and you temper it with time, magical things will happen – and at some point you’ll stop even contributing to that account and let it grow on its own. Also, make sure that you start clearing away your debt. You don’t want a life where 75% of your total income is going to debt, because that means you’re actually broke. A lot of people think just because they’re able to pay for their living expenses and their debts, it means that they’re on a great financial trajectory. The reality is that you’re not, because if one thing goes wrong, you’re in trouble. Lastly, make sure that you’ve got some sort of emergency fund tucked away, so that when something happens it’s water off a duck’s back.

People in their mid-30s to early 40s
When you get to your mid-30s, early 40s, the most important thing is to start winding down on debt, and taking up insurances that are going to effectively protect your wealth and hard-earned money – getting income protection, getting your life insurances in place, starting to plan for your retirement and checking up on your policies. It’s difficult to make sound financial and responsible decisions in your 20s, but the beautiful thing about being 30 is that you stop caring about what other people think, you stop trying to keep up with the Khumalos or the Du Toits. You’re now focussing on you and your finances and things start to fall into place. The most important thing is you don’t want to take debt into your retirement. 6% of South Africans can retire comfortably. That’s worrisome. Alexander Forbes has done a study and we can only replace 32% of our income – and the benchmark is 75%. Retirement doesn’t look great for a lot of us. That’s when you get more sickly, when you really need your life insurance to be taken care of. I think in your early 40s you should stop taking up any type of debt, especially too long-term.

Middle-aged people
It’s too late to start thinking about retirement in middle-age. By then, you should just be checking up on how things are looking, if you have enough money saved for retirement, and perhaps starting to look at more conservative ways to preserve your wealth. Money-making opportunities start to dwindle. It’s now about starting to be smarter and preserving your income, and perhaps starting to look at which assets you can take into the next generation for your kids. A lot of us started at zero, because our parents didn’t have any generational assets to pass on to us.

What led to you becoming so passionate about helping people make better financial decisions?

Back in 2016, I was working in a corporate job and I was in a high-earning position, but I didn’t feel like I was doing a purposeful job. So I started sharing my story on Facebook: I tried to buy a house in early 2016 and I found myself in a bit of trouble and had to get lawyers to get out of that deal. That was one of the biggest financial mistakes I made, because I didn’t have a reference for these kinds of financial moves, since my parents had never bought a house. I feel that a lot of us have this disadvantage of just not knowing, and we end up in sticky financial situations because of it. The thing about money is that whatever decisions you make today are going to impact the future. That’s the scary part. So it wasn’t even about educating people on finances, it was about breaking down the stigma of speaking about money, because a lot of us are afraid to speak about it.

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Trend analyst and cultural strategist for her own company Nicola Cooper & Associates as well as in-house trends analyst at 99c, Nicola Cooper is at the forefront of the South African fashion scene. The fashion industry is a tough nut to crack. It is fast-paced and essentially all subjective, so we sat down with Nicola to figure out how she does it.

When did you start your trend-forecasting journey?

Trend analysis and forecasting is a very new career and was born out of the information overload. It has become a complex science  of research and analysis in order to track notable changes that are happening at a  very fast pace.

Trend analysis did not really exist when  I was younger or even when I was studying. Growing up in a small town in the former Transkei with activist and liberal parents,
I didn’t really fit in with my white peers  and counterparts. I immersed myself in the activist, feminist, punk and skateboarding space. And during my varsity days, I became incredibly interested in researching the formation of identity in African cultures, subcultures and countercultures – specifically in how they manifest themselves through fashion, music, lifestyle and marks of identification in street style.

After working in the skateboarding industry for almost 10 years, I moved into a role as on-air producer for MTV Base. MTV Base’s creatives were located in Milan and, later,  in Poland, and this is when I began to understand the importance of something looking universal. I then went on to ‘learn’  by ‘teaching’ and taught Trend Analysis at tertiary level to 500 kids a week. Thereafter,  I was approached by my mentor Dion Chang of FLUX Trends, to head up his fashion, lifestyle and pop culture division.

Now I run my own trend research, analysis and strategy firm, as well as being an in-house trend analyst within an amazing, forward-thinking agency.

Who was your inspiration growing up?

My mom is an entrepreneur, so I was exposed to business from a young age and my dad always supported and encouraged equality and feminism. I also come from a strong working class, fashion family. My grandmother was a machinist and weaver in a factory, my grandfather was an electrician who repaired machines, my dad was a knitwear manufacturer at one stage and my mom was the Regional Manager for Foschini in the Transkei before opening her own business. I never thought
I would go into fashion, but I guess you could say it was in my blood.

What does your morning routine consist of?

A good cup of coffee, breakfast (on busy days I forget to eat – so this is vital) and going through the news and social media while hanging with my two fur kids Jimi
Bear and Bowie. I also have a daily reading that sets my mindset for the day and this usually manifests into #MyMorningMantra, which I share on social media. I am optimistic, passionate and positive by nature, which I am sure annoys the hell out of some folk. But hey, it got me this far!

How do you know which trends are the ones that will stick?

Trends are never about me, my likes or my taste. For me it is always about the consumer: who they are, what they deal with day to day, what their aspirations are, and then asking how we can give them access to trends at their price point.

Which styles and trends are you most looking forward to in 2020?

I am really looking forward to the introduction of new colours and textures. It always indicates the mood, tone or zeitgeist for the year. And I am always interested in street style, because for me that is where fashion lives in Africa.

The evolution of teen- and tween-targeted clothing, how we are going to take care of those who make our clothing, and how sustainability is going to impact us are imperative topics. Our youth market is one of the largest in the world. I am so excited to see them grow as consumers in South Africa. The youth of the world and our country give me hope.

Which factors are considered when forecasting trends?

It is really a combination of many things, from our gatekeepers, music, media, politics, technology, sociology, the economy, colour psychology, and one of the most important is how history impacts the future. In every way, we always need to understand the past to better conceive the future.

WHat does your firm do for its clients?

A lot of the time I get to present very frank knowledge in boardrooms and to have some very complex conversations. I want to make sure that our consumers are heard and are respected, and that their hard-earned money is valued. We need to view our consumers as real people, not just numbers.

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