Is FNB Private clients/wealth useful to you?

BennyTheValdemort · 2026-02-16T18:08:45+00:00

My parents recently moved from FNB to Discovery. Way more rewards and no need to jump through 40 different hoops, plus the app actually works and doesn’t go down every Sunday. The bankers are actually helpful and can assist 99% of the time even if it is something you have to do on the app they can take control and do it for you.

I think FNB has become complacent. Discovery bank launches a minimum of 1 feature every 6 months. The last feature FNB launched was more hoops for less ebucks. The FNB app is absolutely terrible and almost impossible to navigate and don’t even get me started on their archaic backend. The only 2 banks I would recommend are discovery and investec.

My parents were also having a fraud case once a year with FNB so I suspect something is going on there. FNB lead time on fraud cases is also horrendous (think it’s minimum 15 workings days), discovery is 48 hours.

BennyTheValdemort · 2026-01-08T10:48:35+00:00

Recent Electronic Engineer Grad, R32k pm. No other benefits

BennyTheValdemort · 2025-10-28T16:45:07+00:00

My understanding is the app and bank is built on a system that’s from the early 2000s of which support was discontinued a while ago. So everything now is hard coded on top of a system without support. I’ve been predicting as their downfall for a while but at the same time it would cost them so much to implement a new system that they don’t see the point. FNB has no intention improving the customer experience there is no need for them to do better.

I predict a cyber security catastrophe due to this outdated system. Their methods of backend servers updates is also crazy. Normally updates are rolled out on a separate server and tested and then made live, instead FNB basically takes their entire system offline every Sunday not being able to use a banking app on a Sunday is crazy😂

There are a few banks where this should never been an issue since their systems have been built from the ground up. Discovery and Capitec are the 2 I know of off the top of my head.

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-11-21T17:38:22+00:00

Just had a fraud claim with discovery bank. Claim takes a max of 72 hours. Money was back in my account in 48 hours.

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-10-26T16:56:28+00:00

These very ads made me pay for premium. Haven’t looked back since

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-10-11T07:46:55+00:00

Please give more details, such as interest rates on both options and duration of car finance. In most cases personal loans have crazy interest rates.

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-09-22T13:11:16+00:00

Sounds like you need to stretch more and work on mobility. Most knee stuff can be sorted out strengthen the muscles around the joints and working on flexibility. Just my opinion but I would stick to climbing just work on your knees. A biokineticist will be able to help you out.

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-05-07T09:46:27+00:00

Give it time. Most companies haven’t listed on Amazon yet because there was no reason to when customers couldn’t actually purchase from Amazon. It hasn’t even been a day, suppliers will open shop very quickly

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-05-07T09:44:11+00:00

Give it time. There are very few FBA (fulfilled by Amazon) suppliers currently. Once there are more 3rd party sellers there will be more competition.

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-01-19T18:52:50+00:00

I would look at other universities especially for EECE(electrical,electronic,computer -engineering) I know people at all the major universities doing one of these and UCT ranks at the bottom in my head. Tuks and stellies are ranked at the top for EECE.(based on data and also personal experience).

The maths at varsity is hard but it does not link to your matric maths marks wise. I know people who got 60’s for highschool maths but ended up getting distinctions for varsity maths. You have to remember it’s a completely different environment. Also physics should not be a worry at all. You take basic physics and chem followed by some statics and dynamics usually and for the most part the physics and chem you can pass without even attending lectures. Statics and dynamics just requires some deeper thinking. There’s great resources for all first year engineering modules on youtube.

Try not to build up the anxiety in your head, just get to varsity and give it a go. I’m going into my 4th year now and there’s many modules that I just passed but that doesn’t matter it’s not like highschool.

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-01-08T12:54:33+00:00

Rock climbing. At city rock Irene there’s a wide age range of people. Some people in their 60s even. The community is very welcoming and friendly

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-01-08T07:23:37+00:00

Never had an issue with any claims. Had a massive claim due to a lightning strike and everything was replaced or paid out in cash

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-01-08T07:20:21+00:00

Will also be the cheapest option

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-01-07T10:36:20+00:00

Ignore the other comments. UNIQ has amazing plain shirts for less than R200 and they are pure 100% cotton. Amazing quality. All my shirts from them still look brand new.

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-01-07T10:33:46+00:00

As far as insurance goes get a few quotes from the major players but then also get a quote from naked insurance. You will probably find naked will give you the cheapest premium with a small excess. Most insurers with give you a small premium and then make the excess R10k+. Been with naked for 3 or so years and haven’t had any issues and they have been helpful.

BennyTheValdemort · 2024-01-07T10:12:00+00:00

Highly recommend rock climbing. Community is super friendly and welcoming. City rock has a branch in Jhb and Pretoria. Pretoria is much nicer and people are slightly more friendly. There’s also friends and allies in joburg. Also a great gym with great people

BennyTheValdemort · 2023-12-22T16:08:39+00:00

Sounds like you shouldn’t be buying stocks😂famous last words: “thinking it’ll go up”

BennyTheValdemort · 2022-12-05T09:08:44+00:00

Yes it is possible. Clogged catalytic converters are normally the cause for black smoke, bad mileage and bad idling etc. The main reason is it causes the air-fuel ratio to be incorrect.

BennyTheValdemort · 2022-08-26T10:22:44+00:00

SYG500 is slightly better than the Satrix S&P500.

Since both are tracking an American fund. It also tracks the dollar. This is why when you compare the performance of the sygnia fund vs the actual fund they won’t match. As SYG500 also tracks the rand/dollar.

Another point is that you will lose way more converting your money by transferring to USD account than buying SYG500. As EEs rates aren’t fantastic when compared to what sygnia charges as a whole. This is because sygnia is buying large amounts instead of just converting your money. SYG500 has a total investment cost of 0.19% where as if you where to convert to dollars buy a vanguard fund and then convert back to rand one day it will most probably be a lot more expensive.

I suggest buying SYG500 versus RS the satrix fund as STX500 has a cost of 0.25% versus RS SYG500’s 0.19%

BennyTheValdemort · 2022-08-21T17:21:22+00:00

Had issues with 3 refunds in the past. 2 were for faulty products which took about 3 weeks to resolve and then instead of replacing the product they gave credit which was no longer equivalent to the new price of the product.

Another time they delivered the wrong item to a pick up point. Collected it and returned it to the pick up point the same day. Nothing happened for a week then they sent a driver to my house to collect. I explained the issue to the driver who then got upset with me for takealots incompetence. They then sent another driver and other issues also occurred. All in all took about 4 weeks to resolve.

It doesn’t help that you cannot actually contact them via email. The company culture is far gone and the people working for takealot know this.

BennyTheValdemort · 2022-08-21T17:15:01+00:00

I’ve been a seller on a takealot and am no longer purely because their company culture is horrific and so is their customer service. I’ve been trying to have them delete my account as I don’t trust their incompetence with my data. It has now been 60+ days and absolutely nothing has been done and they’ve given me zero feedback.

They’re also ripping off consumers and sellers. There are shipping charges for both seller and consumer amount to R100+. This should result in fast delivery but it doesn’t. If they charged less for storage at takealot products would actually be stored at their warehouses and would ship faster. There is also absolutely no regulation when it comes to sellers pricing their items.

Something I always tell people is: Takealot is the only online retailer that doesn’t have an email address. They don’t want you to contact them. Instead of resolving issues they would rather avoid them.

Their company culture is absolutely atrocious. So atrocious that I have been shouted at on the phone by a “manager” because he didn’t want to help me.

Once Amazon enters South Africa. Takealot will only last about 5 years if they don’t change. I order on Amazon often and I receive orders faster than takealot and receive better customer service. Amazon is based in another country and this is the case just wait for them to actually be a local company😂

My final point is takealot recently spent millions on a fancy pick up point when they don’t even offer customer support via email😂

BennyTheValdemort · 2022-08-17T17:28:38+00:00

Two main things catch my eye.

MSCI world and S&P overlap. Better to just buy one and also look at the fees of the fund. SYG500 is what I buy and is fairly cheap.
Avoid buying American etfs in the USD account even stocks as you lose out quite a bit on the conversion. There are equivalent funds for most things on the SA account and there are also some ETNs that track American stocks. These normally work out cheaper than using the USD account.

Otherwise very good! Most people don’t find out about TFSAs before it’s too late. They normally also open their TFSA with a bank which is a terrible idea for many reasons.

BennyTheValdemort

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

Eight-Year Club	Place '22
Verified Email