Author: Kim Potgieter

The money lessons my children remember most

Written by Kim Potgieter on June 17, 2026. Posted in In Hindsight. No Comments on The money lessons my children remember most

Have you ever asked your children what you taught them about money? I asked my three children this question recently, and what they shared was funny, honest, and such a lovely reminder of the people they are becoming. Ryan is my eldest, 33, married, an entrepreneur and a new dad, which still feels quite surreal to say. Josh works in corporate and currently lives in London, far from home but making the most of a wonderful opportunity. Gabi is my youngest and in her third year of engineering at Stellenbosch. She is an artist at heart, and I am excited to see the creative approach she...

When does helping become too much?

Written by Kim Potgieter on June 17, 2026. Posted in Midlife Money Reflections. No Comments on When does helping become too much?

One of the most difficult money conversations many parents face is knowing how long to keep financially supporting their adult children. What begins as help through a difficult chapter can become part of family life. Before long, parents find themselves paying for rent, cars, debt, education fees, or helping adult children through financial challenges they are struggling to manage on their own. Some parents are supporting not just one generation, but several: adult children, grandchildren, and ageing parents. As parents, our instinct is to help, but that support can come at a cost....

What Losing our Parents Teaches us about Death – and Life

Written by Kim Potgieter on May 19, 2026. Posted in In Hindsight. No Comments on What Losing our Parents Teaches us about Death – and Life

The reality of grief in midlife It’s disorientating. Your parents are the people who knew you first. They hold your history and memories, and suddenly they’re no longer there in the same way. You may also be supporting your own children through the grief. In Lorna’s case, her daughter was only 12 years old. You are often trying to hold everyone else together while managing your own sorrow too. Grief cannot be rushed, but midlife often leaves very little space for it. “It’s hard because life just carries on like nothing happened. Work needs your attention, your family is still...

The conversations families need to have before it’s too late

Written by Kim Potgieter on May 19, 2026. Posted in Midlife Money Reflections. No Comments on The conversations families need to have before it’s too late

We spend so much time planning for life that we often avoid planning for death. None of us wants to imagine a future without the people we love most, but avoiding these conversations can leave families carrying confusion, hurt, and conflict at a time they are already grieving. One of the greatest gifts families can give one another is clarity, communication, and peace of mind. A legacy is never just financial; it’s also the emotional experience a family carries after a death. Here are some of the important conversations families should have while they still can. Make sure someone...

Why you feel stuck with money – and what may be causing it

Written by Kim Potgieter on April 21, 2026. Posted in In Hindsight, Midlife Money Reflections. No Comments on Why you feel stuck with money – and what may be causing it

After working with clients for many years, I’ve realised that the stories we tell ourselves about money are often like old songs we play on repeat. It’s almost like a radio station in your head, feeding you the same message over and over again, and most of the time you’re not even aware that it’s there. When your thinking feels scattered Have you ever noticed how your thinking changes when life feels stressful or uncertain? You may find yourself going around in circles, delaying decisions you know you need to make, or avoiding your finances altogether because it feels easier not...

Why a neurologist changed the way she helps people care for their brains

Written by Kim Potgieter on March 31, 2026. Posted in In Hindsight. No Comments on Why a neurologist changed the way she helps people care for their brains

There comes a point when the life you have built no longer fits in the same way. Dr Kirti Ranchod spent years helping patients as a neurologist in private practice. She could explain what needed to change for brain health, but she could also see how difficult that advice was to follow in real life. She treated patients with neurological conditions linked to stress and lifestyle, and she knew that good advice on its own was not enough. People needed support that felt practical, sustainable, and easier to follow. From the outside, her career looked established and successful. But...

It’s Not Too Late to Build Your Retirement in Your 50s

Written by Kim Potgieter on March 31, 2026. Posted in Midlife Money Reflections. No Comments on It’s Not Too Late to Build Your Retirement in Your 50s

Do you ever find yourself doing quiet mental calculations about your future? Adding up what you’ve saved. Estimating how many working years may still lie ahead. Wondering whether you started soon enough and what retirement will really mean for you. In your 50s, retirement is no longer a distant idea. It’s a date on the calendar. And when you look at your retirement investments, they may not quite match the life you imagined. It’s a familiar story. For years, contributions were something to increase “later”. Once school fees were done, university was paid for, and life felt less...

If you don’t plan your life, someone else will

Written by Kim Potgieter on February 24, 2026. Posted in In Hindsight. No Comments on If you don’t plan your life, someone else will

And the same is true for your money Here I am with my daughter Gabi and my vision board. I’m so excited to gift you my new Vision & Money Journal, so you can design your year with intention. Every year, I ask myself the same slightly uncomfortable question: Am I living my ideal life? Or am I living a life shaped by other people’s expectations? I was talking about this recently on the Life Chapters, Money Choices podcast with Michael Avery. We were discussing vision boards and why I take them so seriously. Because this question sits at the heart of it. “If you...

Kim Potgieter gazing into the distance smiling

Four Money Questions Worth Asking Right Now

Written by Kim Potgieter on January 28, 2026. Posted in In Hindsight, Midlife Money Reflections. No Comments on Four Money Questions Worth Asking Right Now

“Don’t leave your life to chance – you’ll end up living a life someone else plans for you.” That’s a reminder I come back to often, especially at the start of a new year. It’s a good time to pause and ask yourself a simple but important question: Are you still writing the life and money story you want to live? These four questions are an invitation to reflect, to notice what’s changed, and to consider whether your money is still supporting the life you want going forward. 1. Is my money still aligned with the life I want to live? Life changes us. What mattered to you ten...

Always Under Construction

Written by Kim Potgieter on December 9, 2025. Posted in In Hindsight. No Comments on Always Under Construction

The foundations I trusted shifted. Plans I held for years suddenly didn’t fit anymore. And parts of my life — marriage, work, and family rhythms — all needed reinforcing, rethinking, and rebuilding. But the cracks taught me something unexpected:Life can hold the hardest and happiest moments at the same time — and we can hold both. Unexpected Detours While I’m still adjusting to life as an empty nester, this year also brought a new role as Managing Director at Chartered. It asked me to move from focusing on my own career to creating space for my team to flourish in theirs. It...

Author: Kim Potgieter

When it comes to your money, Be inspired, Be brave, Be on purpose.

When it comes to your money,
Be inspired,
Be brave,
Be on purpose.