Consumer Hacks with Wendy Knowler

Wendy Knowler unpacks five costly consumer mistakes to avoid. From how buying through third-party sellers can jeopardise your warranty to why purchasing a car entirely online is risky. She also explains the truth about voucher validity, your rights when a lay-by goes wrong, and an important vehicle recall affecting Land Rover Defenders. Smart advice to help you protect your money and your rights.

Wendy Knowler unpacks five critical consumer lessons that could save you money and stress. From why skipping a home inspection can cost you dearly to the importance of cancelling accounts in writing. She also explores the truth behind diamond pricing, your legal right to return online purchases, even on sale, and why companies can’t silence you for telling the truth. Practical advice to help you protect your rights and your wallet.

Wendy Knowler shares five lesser-known consumer insights that could save you money. From why short trips use more fuel to how a “Dunning Lock” can protect your utilities during disputes. She also exposes a common repossessed car scam, reveals how to decode misleading food labels, and shares a butcher’s tip about marinated meats. Practical advice to help you avoid overpaying and make smarter choices.

Wendy Knowler breaks down five simple but costly mistakes many consumers make without realising it. From a phone setting that could expose your bank OTPs to silent contract renewals, risky online pharmacy sites, and your rights when returning goods. Plus, a smart travel tip that could save you money if your luggage is damaged. Practical advice to help you protect your money and stay one step ahead.

Wendy Knowler unpacks five common ways consumers lose money without realising it, from forgotten subscriptions and hidden bank charges to misleading car safety ratings. She also shares a simple credit score hack and explains your rights if you lose a gift voucher. Practical advice to help you stop the leaks and take back control of your finances.

Wendy Knowler unpacks the latest consumer traps to watch out for. From a fake Woolworths meat box scam spreading on Facebook to hidden rental admin fees and insurance claims rejected over small details. She also explains how search engine ads can send you to the wrong business online and why romance scammers often play the long game. Practical tips to help you protect your money and avoid costly mistakes.

Find out how to improve your credit score simply by managing your card limit wisely, why lay-by might be your smartest shopping tool right now, and what to look for before buying an air fryer.

Everyday consumer realities you only learn after something goes wrong. Cash, vouchers, homes, cars, and official records - what you need to know to avoid costly mistakes.

Before you renew insurance, reply to a “bank” call, or click that email, listen to this. These Consumer Hacks expose the fine print, the scams, and the small mistakes that can cost you big money.

One small oversight can spiral into a massive financial headache. From phone security and insurance traps to legal admin gaps, these Consumer Hacks show you what to watch out for and how to shut down the risks before they hit your wallet.

Spam that won’t stop, contracts that quietly roll over, scam calls targeting older relatives, costly buying mistakes and credit habits that follow you for years. This episode flags the warning signs early so you can act before small oversights turn into expensive regrets.

From pressured warranties to illegal card fees and quiet product withdrawals, these Consumer Hacks show what’s fair, what’s not and how to push back

From gym contracts you can’t escape to furniture that fails too late, expiry dates that don’t mean what you think, and hidden costs of car ownership. These Consumer Hacks unpack the expensive lessons many only learn after it’s too late, and how to avoid them.

From banking fraud to contract loopholes and online shopping rights, this episode unpacks the week’s biggest consumer risks and how to stay one step ahead

Stay ahead this season with Wendy Knowler’s latest consumer hacks - from safer holiday travel to smarter online shopping and easy home fixes. Quick tips, practical insights, and real stories to help you save money, avoid scams, and make smarter choices every day.

Buying a bakkie? if you get a special price, check that it’s a 4x4 and not a 4x2

Brazen bank employee impersonators target the elderly face-to-face in their homes. Fraudsters are targeting elderly people in their homes and retirement complexes by posing as bank employees.

Brokers are obliged to do more than forward emails from insurers

Don’t put off getting medical aid until you’re older than 35

Educate your teens about signing contracts before they get caught

Disable SMS-es appearing on the screen of your locked phone

Small businesses listen up: if somebody calls you wanting to sell you discounted cleaning materials, just say no!

Kim wrote: “I am about to place an online order with Duck Apparel. A promotional discount has been automatically applied to my purchase. And the Ts and Cs state that items bought on sale or part of a promotion cannot be refunded. So if the item doesn’t fit me, I can’t return it?”

Food delivery apps such as Mr D and UberEats make fast food convenient, but Standard Bank warns that South Africans are overspending on takeaways, averaging R775 monthly, that’s excluding groceries.

Wendy Knowler sets the record straight on cooling-off periods

If you financed your car with one final, very large balloon payment due after, say, six years of “normal repayments” - as a means of reducing your monthly repayment amount, there is a way to make that balloon smaller as you go along.

If you buy a car from a dealership, big or small, you have the benefit of the Consumer Protection Act’s warranty if it malfunctions in some way within six months of purchase.

Looking for a service provider to come to your home? Google is not your friend

Steer clear of cellphone roaming bill shocks

Your new cellphone number could well have had a dodgy past.

Deepfake videos and fake WhatsApp groups are increasingly targeting consumers, with scammers impersonating figures such as retired businessman Laurie Dippenaar, Elon Musk, and Patrice Motsepe to lure investors.

Don’t be fooled by a car salesman into thinking that you have to pay for a so-called after-market warranty when buying a car that no longer has the manufacturer’s warranty.

No, there’s nothing stopping cellphone networks from increasing subscription fees on existing contracts.

Balloon payments may seem appealing when financing a car, but the choice often backfires on the car buyer years later.

Steer clear of travel scams with these 10 questions

Debt counselling scams are rampant in South Africa. Call centres, often linked to registered debt counsellors, cold-call consumers, falsely promising reduced interest rates or debt write-offs.

Only pre-paid vouchers must legally be valid for at least three years

Dodge visa drama: double-check your travel agent’s advice

Landlords, don’t let your tenant’s failure to pay your rent derail your finances; insure yourself against the potentially high cost of loss of rental and tenant eviction.

The WHO and UNICEF are urging local regulators to update South Africa’s Regulations Relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children to tackle the marketing of formula on social media.

Planning a holiday road trip? Your motor policy’s courtesy or hire car might not match your usual ride.

The “White Pages” directory scammers find a way to blacklist their victims

An important warning for those booking overseas accommodation via booking.com

Don’t go looking for weight loss products in all the wrong places

Never stop paying an account in protest: you don’t punish them, you punish yourself

Don’t wreck your chances of a successful homeowners’ insurance claim

What to ask before you buy in an estate, duplex or block of flats

If the bubbly on the shelf or in an ad seems like a bargain it could be a wine’s estate’s sparkling wine, rather than MCC - Méthode Cap Classique, which is South Africa’s version of champagne.

I get a lot of heartbreaking emails from people who have fallen victim to vishing - bank fraud carried out over the phone.

Don’t swipe your card at the toll plazas