Black Friday has a way of bringing out the shopaholic in all of us. Suddenly we’re refreshing websites at midnight, comparing prices across five tabs, and convincing ourselves that another pair of running shoes is actually an investment. For a few days, almost everyone becomes an expert at spotting a deal. But the most valuable decision you make this season may have nothing to do with what ends up in your shopping basket.
A bargain is only a bargain if it supports your financial priorities. And for anyone with people who depend on them, few priorities matter more than making sure those people would be looked after if something unexpected happened.
While we spend time looking for ways to save money on the things we buy, it’s worth asking
whether we’re giving the same attention to protecting the things that matter most.
Protecting your financial wellbeing is about more than getting a good deal, it provides peace of mind. The Association for Savings and Investment South Africa’s (ASISA) 2025 Insurance Gap Study highlights just how vulnerable families can be when an income earner dies or becomes disabled, with existing cover replacing, on average, only 39% of the income their family would need. Across the country’s formally employed income earners, this shortfall amounts to R50.4 trillion, which is a reminder of the importance of having the right financial protection in place.
Behind that number are real families who may face difficult choices about the home, school fees, or day-to-day living costs at the very moment they are dealing with loss or illness.
Financial protection doesn’t come with flashing discount banners. But its value lies in what it makes possible: a family that can stay in its home, children who can stay in their school, and a surviving partner with the breathing room to grieve rather than panic.
The two-minute check with lasting value
One of the simplest, and often overlooked steps, is reviewing your beneficiary nominations. Life changes quickly. Marriages, divorces, the birth of a child, the death of a parent, or a new partner can all change who you feel must benefit from your policies and investments should you pass away. Yet many people only nominate beneficiaries when they first take out a policy and never look at the nomination again.
That can have unintended consequences. An outdated nomination may mean a payout goes to someone you no longer intended to benefit, while the people who now depend on you are left out.
Retirement funds work slightly different because the fund’s trustees decide how death benefits are distributed based on who was financially dependent on you. But an up-to-date nomination form still gives them valuable guidance.
Questions worth asking this Black Friday
Before you add another item to your cart, take a few minutes to ask yourself:
- Is my will still up to date and does it reflect my current family situation, assets and wishes? Have you appointed guardians for minor children?
- Are my beneficiary nominations aligned with my wishes? Check every policy, investment, and retirement fund, not just one.
- Would the people who depend on me have enough to live on? Consider whether your life, disability, and critical illness cover would replace your income and settle major debts.
- Has my cover kept up with my life? A policy you took out before a bond, a child, or a salary increase may no longer be sufficient .
This doesn’t have to be a complete financial overhaul. Often, it takes a single conversation with a financial adviser to identify gaps and make sure your financial arrangements reflect your life as it is today, not as it was five or ten years ago.
An adviser can help you assess the cover you need, what you can afford and where your existing cover may overlap or fall short. That way, protecting your family doesn’t have to come at the expense of everything else you’re working towards.
By all means, hunt for a good deal this Black Friday. But consider spending some of that bargain-hunting energy on the one purchase that doesn’t depreciate: the peace of mind that comes from knowing the people you love will be taken care of.
That’s a bargain worth making time for.
