Most South Africans service their car every 15 000 kilometres and their financial plan never.
Not judging. Just noting.
The car gets a booking, a courtesy shuttle and a very polite man called Pieter who explains what that noise was. The plan that pays for the car, the house and the school fees gets left in a drawer next to the warranty for the toaster.
Here is the funny part. A car that skips its service eventually tells you. Smoke, a warning light, a strange rattle on the N2 near Sir Lowry's Pass. A financial plan never does. It quietly drifts, and silence feels a lot like everything being fine.
Life also moves faster than the paperwork. A raise arrives. A baby arrives. The bond gets bigger. The job changes. Each one shifts what the plan was built for, while the plan keeps running on the old instructions, like a GPS that still thinks there is a toll gate where there is now a Woolworths.
A proper service is not dramatic. It is usually a short list of questions. Does what I own still match where I am heading? Do the names on my policies and accounts still make sense? Has my income moved while my savings stood still? Is anything quietly costing more than it should?
Most of the time the answer is a small tweak, not a rebuild. A tyre rotation, not a new engine. The expensive surprises tend to come from the services that never happened.
There is also a lighter feeling that comes with it. It is the same feeling as driving out of the garage knowing someone checked the brakes.
Your car has a warning light. Your money only has silence, and silence is not the same as fine.
This article is general information to help you think about your finances. It is not financial advice and does not consider your personal circumstances. Speak to an adviser before making decisions.