Greetings – YEI members
With Budget 2024, there has been mixed reaction to the proposed NHI bill and the two-pot retirement system. There has been a bad reaction to the increase in The Old Age Grant which we discuss below. It is evident that times are tough for everyone – and SASSA pensioners have taken an even harder knock. YEI continuously sources pensioner offers, some of which we hope will alleviate the stress on your pension. We also are researching topics that are important to 60-plussers at this time, the articles of which will be published in the months to come. We urge you to listen to the Retiree Reflections video series, the latest interviewee offering sage advice on Seniors Homesharing. The Facebook page is crammed full of great 60-plus deals, savings and benefits, and we trust that the funnies will bring you a little light relief and a smile to your face. Let’s continue the mantra of being kind, helpful and loving – to anyone to whom we come in contact, especially to those who find it hard to smile right now. We wish you a March filled with love, joy, laughter and good health!
Sending good wishes to you all
The YEI Team
Editor’s thoughts on the increase in The Old Age Grant
The Old Age Grant is to go up by R100, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced in his budget speech last week.
For pensioners younger than 75, grants will rise by R90 from R2,090 to R2,180 in April and by a further R10 to R2,190 from October 2024.
The minister said that the increases are to keep pace with inflation. However, these increases are lower than the current inflation rate.
While we understand that the government has “constrained resources”, this increase is absolutely disgraceful. How can a SASSA pensioner live on R2190 per month, how can anyone live on R2190 per month? The government did say that they planned to conduct an extensive review of social security policy, but this remains to be seen, and is likely to take up to three years. Meanwhile SASSA pensioners and other social grant holders continue to live below the breadline.
This is a HUGE issue in this country. Those who are able to assist their fellow pensioners are urged to do so. If you can “adopt” a SASSA pensioner who is a family member or friend, and help, even in the smallest of ways, I have no doubt that this will be totally appreciated by SASSA pensioners in general, and ease their burden to some extent.
A YEI reader comment and YEI’s response
Hi Folks
Many thanks for the newsletter,I look forward to receiving it and read through it immediately.
I was wondering whether you are in a position to negotiate any of the following on our behalf?
Cellphone deals specifically tailored to meet pensioners need—clearly it would have to be generic in some ways. Fibre/LTE/5G etc. etc.—some guidance from a well informed individual and decent packages for the target market. Many of us do not spent hours using the internet or “game” all day so there must be a better set of choices for us
Many thanks, Peter B
Dear Peter
Thanks for your mail and for your thoughts – we always welcome YEI member suggestions in all spheres, particularly pensioner offers and benefits. We love that your read through the newsletter immediately – thank you for sharing that!
To date, we have had absolutely no luck in securing a pensioner offer from the Big 3 cell phone companies. However, that doesn’t stop us from trying – we do liken ourselves to a dog with a bone when it comes to pensioner deals. YEI does have a proposal currently out with a Fibre organisation – we will have to see if they agree to come to the party. We will continue to seek cellphone/fibre deals for pensioners – if you come across an organisation that looks interesting, do let us know, and we will follow up. Our survey series last year demonstrated that pensioners have “an itch to switch” meaning that although they like to be brand loyal, they are prepared to change to another service provider if they offer a good pensioner deal. You may like to read the results of the survey – see the You’ve Earned It Guide to the SA 60-plus consumer at https://youve-earned-it.co.za/consumer-guide
Many thanks for your input which is very, very welcome!
The YEI Team
YEI Winners
YEI competitions are very popular, so don’t forget to look out for them on a regular basis – on the WIN with YEI page on the YEI website, the YEI newsletter, the YEI Facebook page and the YEI WhatsApp groups.
The Ster-Kinekor competiton has come and gone. There were 16 lucky winners who were invited to an exclusive pre-screening of the film “Miller’s Girl” at three different venues in TygerValley, Sandton and Gateway. Thank you Ster-Kinekor for giving YEI readers to take part in such a lovely occasion!
The winners for the MammaMia! competition at the Artscape and the Teatro have been notified and sent their tickets! This will be a super-awesome production!
And here’s a comment from a happy winner of a Galileo competition:
Many thanks for the tickets I won to see As Good as it gets at Kirstenbosch gardens last night. It was a fabulous show, under a clear starry night. Matched with very tasty burgers from one of the vendors.
Regards, Wendy S
You can see all the lucky winners of YEI competitions on this link. Click here
Insights needed from those who may be sharing a home with other 60-plussers
YEI has been approached by a scientific researcher, who is doing a research project on Cohousing and Older Adults in Cape Town, South Africa.
She would like to get in contact with people who are currently doing this, and would like to interview those who are co-housing or co-living in Cape Town. This is purely information for her research. Her research question is: What challenges and constraints do designers encounter when designing and constructing collective housing concepts that promote the wellbeing of current and future older people?
If you are sharing a house with other 60-plussers, or let out a room or cottage on your property to 60-plussers, and are willing to share some insights with her, please let me know. She is working in Belgium, but has arrived in South Africa for a visit. My email address is marilyn.hallett@youve-earned-it.co.za. Please mark your email subject as co-housing and co-living in Cape Town. Alternatively, please indicate in the thread below and I will contact you via Messenger.
Several YEI members have already contacted us to ask to participate in this research – thank you, your names and contact details have already been sent on to the researcher. It’s not too late – if you would like to participate, do send your details in as per the above paragraph.
YEI in the Media / YEI Guide to the South African 60-plus consumer
Don’t forget to have a read of the fascinating YEI Guide to the SA 60-plus consumer. It makes for very interesting reading and the results all came from the YEI members who responded to the YEI Survey Series last year. Since then, we keep talking about how important SA 60-plussers are, and slowly marketers are starting to take note. Do share this document far and wide!
Click here to read some of the outcome of YEI getting this news out there.
Retiree Reflections Video Series
“Retiree Reflections” – real, raw and personal – a series of six videos, sponsored by Just SA, and hosted by Marilyn Hallett from You’ve Earned It/YEI. In this video series, YEI speaks to retirees who are living and learning in their own retirement journeys, and pre-retirees who are planning their journeys. We have SO enjoyed speaking to YEI members who are giving such great insights, speaking about their experiences and giving advice that can really make a difference to those who may travel a similar path.
This is a must-watch!! Click here!
A special note from the Editor
Engagement on the YEI platform – YEI website, YEI newsletters, YEI Facebook page and YEI WhatsApp groups
Here is a sincere request for assistance from YEI members. As you know, YEI is a media platform, valued by many clients. With a reach to 104,000 60-plussers nationwide, YEI has become a most relevant audience for clients who wish to reach a senior audience. However, what we need from you, the YEI members, and which is the ticket to YEI’s sustainability, is engagement.
We need you to engage with posts on the YEI website, newsletter, and Facebook page. We need you to comment, enquire, book, recommend, like, love, share with your friends and family – on all the articles, services, products and offers that YEI clients offer you.
One of the challenges that YEI faces is the Facebook algorithms which only allow a very small proportion of our YEI members to see the content.
So please, please – make it your mission to engage when you see the YEI newsletter or see a Facebook post. This will support YEI hugely and it takes a moment of your time, it doesn’t cost you anything and it’s quick and simple. Just one like or love or comment makes a huge difference to YEI. Tag your friends on posts that you think they may enjoy or will interest them. We know you love it, because you tell us – but you need to show you love it or like it!
Thank you all for your support over the years. And remember, comment, share, tag, like, love 
Fabulous YEI competitions
As we mentioned above, the YEI Team works hard at bringing you lovely opportunities to enjoy life, such as going to live theatre and to the cinema. Our latest super competitions can be seen on the YEI WIN page – take a look and see what tickles your fancy!
YEI Book reviews
Check up on the latest book reviews here.
The World of Seniors – news and views from around the world
Interesting news items and articles from around the World and South Africa especially for our YEI senior audience
Join a YEI WhatsApp Group!
Have you signed up with one of the YEI WhatsApp groups? We highly recommend that you do this in order to be one of the first to hear about hot-off-the-press YEI offerings, news, views and fabulous articles specifically geared at SA 60-plussers. If you would like to join one of the YEI WhatsApp Groups – all you need to do is to click here and then select the province that best suits your needs.
Ask your friends and family to sign up for the YEI newsletter
We would love to keep growing the YEI community and invite you to send the following to family and friends who will hugely benefit by being part of YEI.
You’ve Earned It / YEI is a digital media platform for South African 60-plussers. YEI serves its vibrant audience each month with news and media, retirement-relevant information, travel, and fabulous pensioner deals, discounts, savings and benefits.
Why not sign up for the FREE YEI Newsletter? Expect to find on-point, relevant, fascinating articles geared at 60-plussers, plus a newsletter packed full of great pensioner deals, discounts, savings and benefits.
The YEI platform consists of the website, fortnightly newsletters , YEI WhatsApp Groups and the YEI Facebook page.
The link to sign up for the YEI newsletter is:
https://youve-earned-it.co.za/sign-up-for-the-free-yei-newsletter
YEI’s 2024 PROMOTION
This is geared at YEI members who are also business owners out! YEI is kickstarting 2024 with a wonderful Promotion! If you would like to reach the senior market, why don’t you take out one of our special promotion packages giving you a years advertising to this wonderful niche market.
Click here to find out more.
Kind regards,
The YEI Team
Hi
You ask for readers to engage with you! Great idea! Yet you don’t say how?
Using this form? Email?
I’m an IT techie and understand the many options available but many of my friends, acquaintances and ex-colleagues find email and smart phones a little confusing sometimes so it would be nice to provide details and links…
I use many chat groups for everything from radio control airplane questions to using ChapGPT artificial intelligence and I’m sure there’s a blog or similar you can integrate into your existing website? I’d suggest NOT Facebook as so many of us abhor this platform…
Just some thoughts and hope something of interest to someone.
Dear Gerard, thank you for your constructive feedback, we really do appreciate it. You have given us something to think about. Kind regards, Angela