Banker S.A. January 2015 - Edition 12 . | Page 41

LIFESTYLE Encouraging consumers in thrift and caution In the midst of the ‘silly’ season, consumers enter into debt they can ill afford, squandering bonuses on festive specials and relaxing their instinctive caution in a holiday environment. By Gwen Watkins T he South African Savings Institute (SASI) recently launched its Festive Season Savings Campaign to curb unnecessary consumption expenditure, and the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) is currently on an awareness drive to warn bank customers about numerous bank-related crime frauds. SASI CEO Elizabeth Lwanga-Nanziri says festive season consumption patterns often lead to high levels of indebtedness: “The institute decided to undertake this initiative in order to caution consumers against reckless spending. The message during this campaign aims to advise consumers to spend responsibly, while guarding against any temptation to overspend. “While we do this, we are conscious of the pressures facing indi ٥