Everything Counts | Episode 41: Global Shopping for South Africans

Loading player...
Earning, spending, investing and shopping overseas has never been easier, but it has never been more complex either. If your money is constantly moving between currencies, countries, and platforms, it can feel like you’re doing everything right on paper while still losing value through fees, exchange rates and timing.

In this episode of Everything Counts, Motheo Khoaripe explores what it really means to live a global financial life. He’s joined by Dan Buntman, Product Lead for International Banking at Investec, and Bonnie Dalglish, Private Banking Forex Lead, to unpack how South Africans are spending, earning and investing in an increasingly borderless world.

The conversation dives into the explosive growth of online and global shopping, the rise of multicurrency lifestyles, and why so many people feel their money is harder to track than ever before. From foreign income and international subscriptions to offshore investing, travel, and digital nomad life, the episode highlights the hidden costs and blind spots that can quietly erode your finances.

You’ll learn how exchange rates, fees, and payment timing impact your money, why separating currency conversion from spending can be a game changer, and how new banking technology is simplifying global payments behind the scenes. The experts also explain how multicurrency accounts and intelligent routing can help reduce friction, avoid unnecessary conversions, and give you more control when your life stretches across borders.

If your lifestyle, income, or investments are international (or heading that way) this episode will help you understand how to make your global money work harder for you, with less stress and more control.

00:00 Introduction
02:00 How popular is online shopping?
04:00 How are South Africans online shopping overseas?
05:10 Banking allows global shopping
06:10 How are South Africans living and spending across borders?
09:00 What to consider when it comes to multi currency spending
09:30 Buying foreign currency vs global spending
11:00 How banking innovations make international spending easier
12:00 What is a multi currency account?
13:00 The technology behind multi currency accounts
15:15 Benefits of a multi currency account
17:05 How many people are using multi currency accounts?
19:30 Key takeaways for international spending
21:00 Conclusion
9 Feb English South Africa Business · Investing

Other recent episodes

Macro Monday Ep129: Warsh’s hawkish speech

New Fed chief Kevin Warsh delivered a hawkish speech at the Jackson Hole symposium of central bankers on Friday, leading to a stronger US dollar and increased expectations of rate hikes this year and next year. Investec Investment Management’s Investment Strategist Osagyefo Mazwai examines what this means for the US…
31 Aug 9 min

No Ordinary Wednesday | The economics of tourism in SA

South Africa’s growth challenge is shifting from reform to delivery. Tourism is part of that test. International arrivals rose 12.3% in the first half of 2026. And phase III of the government-business Partnership now puts the sector firmly on the growth agenda, with a focus on air access, visas, safety…
25 Aug 12 min

Everything Counts | Episode 54: Protecting property wealth

Property is often seen as one of the more reliable ways to build long-term wealth. It’s tangible, familiar and, for many South Africans, an important part of their financial plan. But investing in property comes with risks that can be easy to overlook, from hidden costs and changing rental yields…
25 Aug 28 min

Macro Monday Ep128: US bond market intervention fails to bring down yields

Moves by the US Treasury to intervene in the bond market failed to bring down yields meaningfully, and the continuing worsening of the US’s fiscal position may explain why. According to Chris Holdsworth, Global Chief Investment Officer, Investec Investment Management, the US’s debt-to-GDP ratio is above 100% and seems set…
24 Aug 4 min

Macro Monday Ep127: The Fed’s difficult position

The US Federal Reserve finds itself in a difficult position. The US economy has been shedding jobs, and wage growth is soft. At the same time, says Chris Holdsworth, Global Chief Investment Officer, Investec Investment Management, government debt continues to grind higher while inflation remains elevated, mainly the result of…
17 Aug 7 min