Each year, news reports focus heavily on crime during this season, which often leads to anxiety and worry. However, most of these reports provide few statistics to support their claims of increased crime, leaving you to wonder if the holiday season really is more dangerous. According to reports from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), two specific types of crime increase in December: robbery and personal larceny. These two crimes increase by approximately 20 percent during the last month of the year. However, more violent crimes like murder typically do not increase during this time. Although it hasn't been extensively studied, experts guess that the reason behind this increase in crimes is related to desperation. Some people are looking for goods to give to family members or friends over the holiday season, while others may simply be facing more financial difficulty as the year comes to an end. In addition, with more people out and about carrying expensive items, the holidays are also the perfect time for opportunistic criminals to strike. During the holiday season, consumers can reduce their chances of becoming a victim of property crimes or cybercrimes by: Constant vigilance: be aware of your surroundings whether you are out shopping or simply walking from one place to another. If possible, leave valuables out of sight. Avoid high crime areas: Avoid spending time in poorly lit areas, especially at night. It's also important to avoid neighborhoods with high crime rates. Safety in numbers: If you are by yourself, you are more likely to become a victim of a property crime. To reduce your chances of becoming a victim, try to have someone with you as much as possible. Use caution on the internet: During the holiday season, pay special attention to the signs of cybercrime, such as suspicious emails. Don't give your credit card number or any other personal information to anyone you don't know. If you are using your credit card to pay for gifts online, make sure you are making your purchase from a trusted retailer over a secure connection. Watch for signs of identity theft: If you use the internet to shop, you are always at some risk of identity theft. Consider investing in credit monitoring so that you will know immediately if any suspicious activity occurs.
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On the road and in your car
Check your tread: It’s the only thing between you and the road. Checking the tyre tread regularly is vital, especially in wet conditions. If the tread isn’t deep enough to hold a matchstick, it’s time to replace the tyre(s). Take cover: If there Is a hailstorm or heavy rain forecast its advisable to take cover and stay off the road if it can be helped. Slow down: Speeding on a wet road is a NO-NO. It is important to maintain a safe following distance when driving in wet conditions, reduce speed and keep your headlights on. Switching on your hazards in instances of low visibility will also ensure clients’ safety and the safety of other motorists. Source: Momentum Short Term Insurance & Santam
“Our Pandemic Shield policy is the first of its kind on the African continent, providing an affordable solution that pays out a lump sum stated benefit if the policyholder is hospitalised as a result of being positively diagnosed with COVID-19 – or any other World Health Organisation declared pandemic illness in the future. The benefit trigger is a hospital admission longer than 48 hours,” adds Martin. Who is Pandemic shield for? Anyone can apply. There are no medicals, and no person will be excluded. Why emplyees need Pandemic Shield Cover? Employees get a lump sum benefit and daily cash amounts if they are hospitalised because of any disease or health event declared as pandemic by World Health Organisation (WHO) What about COVID-19? Any hopitalisation longer than 48 hours, as a result of COVID-19, or SARS-CoV-2 is covered as long as you have been tested positive. Vaccinate your employees' financial wellbeing against COVID-19
*No initial waiting period will be applied but subseqient claims will be subjected to a 21 day waiting period after discharge. *Compulsory groups on Gold and Diamond larger than 50 employees will receive a discount. *Premium and benefits are not gauranteed for the duration of cover and may be reviewed from time to time based on risk factors. *This is not a medical scheme and the cover is not the same as that of a medical scheme. *This policy is not a substitute for medical scheme membership. To speak to a Medical Aid Consultant, please email service@daberistic.com,
Tel 011-6581333, Option 2 for Medical Aid.
3. Good nutrition isn't all about what you don't eat, it's often just as important to add in more nourishing nutrients. This ensures you get enough vitamins and minerals.
Try slicing up raw veggies and keeping them bagged in the fridge as snacks, far easier to grab when they're already bite sized. 4. Another simple, festive trick to up your fruit and Veggie intake. Eat as much of the rainbow as you can. At each meal, see if you can introduce one more colour to your main or side dish. 5. Some call them nature's candy - for good reason. Fruits make excellent desserts, and they are also a key part of a healthy diet, filled with disease-fighting nutrients. 6. Skipping breakfast will likely make you hungrier later in the day, and more prone to overeating unhealthy foods. Morning meal represents a prime opportunity to boost your diet with produce. 7. A good night's rest can also go a long way in keeping you on track. When you are sleep deprived, you are more likely to eat mindlessly and crave high-fat, high-sugar foods. 8. Walking is a good way to fit more activity into your day. Breathing fresh air and seeing different scenery is good for metal health and depression. Getting your blood circulating will assist in reducing your risk for chronic health conditions. South African Market Update South African equities moved sharply higher during the month, supported by strong positive moves in all sectors, particularly Financials, which have taken the brunt of the pain in 2020. Local bonds delivered decent performance, supported by the return of foreigners to the SA market (foreigners bought R12.1 billion of local bonds in November according to Bloomberg) and projections from Finance Minister Tito Mboweni in the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) which the market perceived as more realistic. Local listed property rebounded strongly in November after a torrid few months, supported by Covid-19 vaccine developments and hopes of a continued economic improvement post the virus. The rand ended the month stronger against most major currencies, supported by positive global sentiment and the return of foreigners to the local bond market. South African Economic Update The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept the repo rate unchanged at 3.5% at its meeting in November, despite 2 of the 5 MPC members favouring an interest rate cut. Both Moody’s and Fitch downgraded South Africa’s sovereign credit rating further into sub investment grade territory during the month, however, the market reaction to the news was subdued, appearing to indicate that the moves were already priced into the local market. South Africa’s trade surplus continued to be resilient, as October figures released showed a trade surplus of R36.1 billion (an increase from the revised September figure of R33.4 billion), as the prices of key exports (including precious metals and iron ore) remain elevated relative to the prices of key imports (including oil). SA headline CPI picked up to a year-on-year figure of 3.3% to the end of October (from 3.0% in September), largely driven by higher food and non-alcoholic beverage prices, which offset the effect of lower oil prices. Chart of the month: November saw a sharp rotation from growth to value outperformance, with out of favour cyclical sectors including Energy and Financials benefitting the most from the rotation. images.mp-morningstar.com/Web/morningstarMIM/%7B8cdcdbe0-2c0a-4960-b313-4740ffcd90c7%7D_2020_11_Chart_of_the_month.jpg?cid=EMQ_&utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_content=9592020_MPS%20Monthly%20Market%20Summary%20Engage%20template Source: Morningstar
The positive moves in global markets came despite Covid-19 induced lockdowns continuing across Europe and the United States, as countries implemented stricter measures to control the spread of the virus.
Source: Morningstar With the holidays coming up, and 2020 being a very tough financial year for the whole world, we Daberistitians have compiled our list of Holiday Saving Tips .
Compare prices before buying, and only buy what you need!
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