With unemployment at a low 3.6%, American workers have been enjoying a candidate-friendly market, and many have used it to their advantage. According to a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.roberthalf.com/blog/compensation-and-benefits/salary-negotiation-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survey</a>&nbsp;by recruiting firm Robert Half, 54% of job seekers negotiated for a higher payout before accepting their most recent position. Of those who didn’t ask for more, nearly one fifth said it was because they felt uncomfortable doing so.



“Anyone who has the experience is in demand,” says Paul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half. “Everybody should feel comfortable negotiating compensation today.”



Negotiating can be intimidating, but with a little preparation, job seekers can be better equipped to walk away with what they’re worth. Here are three keys to a successful salary negotiation, plus what to do if the hiring manager doesn’t budge.&nbsp;



1. Do Your Research



While hiring managers often discuss pay with candidates early on in the hiring process, with 35% of respondents reporting that the subject of salary came up in their first in-person interviews, McDonald advises against negotiating before an offer has been made. If salary range does come up, use that as the starting point to research industry averages for the role at hand, using online resources like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/know-your-worth.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Glassdoor’s salary tools</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.payscale.com/salary-calculator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Payscale’s salary calculator</a>&nbsp;as your guide. Another form of compensation that’s worth considering is benefits. A flexible work arrangement or student loan reimbursement, for example, may not pad your paycheck, but they are perks that could boost your bank account. Whatever you do, don’t overshoot—that could be a turnoff. Flexibility and knowing your market worth is key, he says.&nbsp;



2. Establish Your Must-Haves And Your Nice-To-Haves



Before you go into a salary negotiation, determine what you need and what you can do without. “If you’re interviewing for a new role, or if you’re going to your current employer for the annual salary review, know what your priorities are,” McDonald says. “Take the emotion out of it and be really in tune with what’s important to you.” Not being able to articulate what matters most can cost you a few extra thousand dollars, or even the position itself. 



3. Practice Makes Perfect



There’s no better way to calm prenegotiation nerves than to practice. McDonald recommends role-playing with trusted colleagues, mentors or recruiters so that you can get feedback from those who have been on different sides of the table. As you craft your pitch, remember to make liberal use of the words “we” and “us.” “It’s always good to try and join the parties when you’re negotiating,” McDonald says. Something as simple as “There are a few things that I’d like us to discuss” can demonstrate to the hiring manager that you’re a team player. For instance:  



“I’m so thrilled that you’ve extended an offer and I’m really enthusiastic about the role! I know I’d be the right fit for the [co. name] team and based on what we’ve discussed during the interview process, my background and experience align really well with the expectations of the job. I’m hoping we can discuss the offer you presented because based on my research, the salaries in our area for [job title] are typically around [number]. I’m confident you’ll be pleased with what I’ll bring to the role and organization and I’m looking forward to contributing.”&nbsp;



Next Steps



It is unlikely that your negotiation will end with you receiving an immediate “yes,” so leave by offering to continue the conversation. If the hiring manager doesn’t follow up regarding your request or just won’t budge, ask yourself if you can still afford to take the opportunity. If the answer is no, tell the company right away. “Don’t ghost the opportunity,” McDonald says. “Regardless of how it all turns out, always be professional, always be courteous, always be objective.”



&#8211;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthatodd/">Samantha Todd</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/leadership-strategy">Leadership Strategy</a>

Business handshake in glass reflection in office

How To Successfully Negotiate Your Salary

Earning more money than her boyfriend proved to be dangerous for Thembisa*, but it didn’t start out that way. Their relationship bloomed from a serendipitous meeting on a bus, but four years later, Bongi* was still taking the bus while Thembisa owned a car and paid for all their household expenses.
Then she bought him a laptop for his birthday. This generosity was the catalyst for all of Bongi’s pent-up frustration and most importantly, his feelings of disempowerment: it boiled into a physical fight so violent she ended up in hospital for a week.
“Often, men can experience feelings of shame and inadequacy at not feeling that they are providing,” explains Clinical Psychologist Richard Middleton. “A central aspect of masculine identity, for many men, is that of being a provider.”
Money has, and always will be, an issue in relationships: because money isn’t about the money – money is about power. Money is about freedom. Money is about choice. And money becomes a symbol of so much more than its Rand value when it’s in a relationship.
As financial advisor Lisa Linfield says: “Money isn’t one dimensional.” This becomes even clearer when there is an income inequality in a relationship, and, as Linfield explains, the money becomes a way to “express the state of the relationship”. Existing issues and dynamics will get played out in the finances. Clinical Psychologist Annette du Toit puts it another way: “The money becomes a metaphor.”
Now, Thembisa’s story may not be the norm, but the relationship wage gap is not a new phenomenon. What’s new about it is in 2017, women are increasingly out-earning their partners and becoming the main breadwinners.
Though this works for many couples, in patriarchal South Africa, both women and men struggle with a power dynamic that is against both their heritage and their expectations. Alison*, a managing director, is now, after a series of unplanned events, out-earning her husband.
She explains: “My husband and I are both Afrikaans – a traditionally patriotic culture, and the cherry on top is that he is a farmer. Although we are both modern, liberal and progressive thinkers, there are certain ingrained cultural quirks which are hard to shake.”
<a href="http://www.forbesafrica.com/woman/2017/07/31/real-cost-changing-surname-turn-mrs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Real Cost Of Changing Your Surname When You Turn Mrs</a>
One of these was directly linked to decision-making and the role of head of the household. As she told me, “I wouldn’t say it caused trouble in our relationship – but it blurred the lines of authority. My husband unconsciously started leaving all important financial decisions to me – a burden I felt too heavy to carry along with being the breadwinner. He on the other hand felt that the breadwinner had the ‘luxury’ of making such decisions. So although I am the breadwinner, I wanted all traditional roles to remain… something he felt he could not do as it was ‘my money’.”
Money, in fact, is more often than not a key indicator of a relationship’s success. “One of the best predictors for divorce is financial disagreements,” says Linfield, quoting a university study by Jeffrey Dew that “those who argue about money once a week are over 30% more likely to get divorced than those who disagree only once or twice.”
Annette says, “The dynamic isn’t any different to when women are financially disempowered in a relationship. The difference is that it’s not a social norm for men to be perceived as disempowered.” Though the wage gap is still a very real phenomenon in the South African workplace, more and more women are climbing the career ladder and secretly changing a long-standing dynamic.
Why secretly? I can only guess. What I know for certain is that of the seven sources I interviewed for first person stories, whether in good or bad relationships, cutting across the race, gender and career spectrum nationwide, all except one asked to be anonymous. My best guess is it’s probably because, as one source said, “I don’t want to embarrass my husband.”
Embarrassment is a very real fear. Franco Pellegrini, a Peruvian Italian sound engineer and stay-at-home-dad, has found the social shaming associated with having his wife as the main breadwinner an unfortunate phenomenon in South Africa.
“For men, it’s not really common,” he says, “There’s a lot of judgement, and when I say I look after the kids, a lot of men will say ‘my wife does that’.”
It’s commonplace at social gatherings for men to make snide off-hand comments that imply being the nurturer is an easy role; comments, Pellegrini says, that often infuriate their wives doing the exact same thing. And as a ‘stay-at-home’ dad, Pellegrini finds it frustrating how society and infrastructure are heavily skewed towards women as the nurturers.
Most classes are called something along the lines of ‘Moms and Tots’, few malls have gender-neutral or male baby-changing rooms, and a lot of people assume Pellegrini, as a lone male, has an illicit agenda with their children. One thing that helps with this is his group of like-minded, stay-at-home dads who meet once a week to bond, commiserate, and drink wine. Society aside, Pellegrini’s relationship with his wife works financially. His wife’s income is seen as ‘theirs’ and his contributions are valued as highly as hers – even if they don’t match Rand for Rand.
<a href="http://www.forbesafrica.com/life/2016/10/01/nails-nannies-price-women-pay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">From Nails To Nannies: The Price Women Pay </a>
Another successful relationship is Ayanda* and her husband. Ayanda finds being the main provider extremely rewarding, and loves that her husband encourages her ambition. “Practically, at the end of the day, it’s about the long-term view,” she says, “He is my best friend and we support each other, each doing what we do best for both of us.”
What both relationships are doing right is seeing the money as something practical, not linked to worth, and aligning their long-term goals with what each can contribute to the relationship. As Linfield says: “Secret-keeping, and looking at money as ‘yours, mine and ours’ can cause a lot of trouble in a relationship.”
Managing a relationship wage gap can be challenging, with a wide range of factors affecting the relationship; the main trick though is to respect and value each other.
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MONEY (IN A RELATIONSHIP WAGE GAP)
<ul>
<li>MAKE A MENTAL SHIFT: Don’t think “I am earning R50,000, he is earning R20,000”, rather think “We are earning R70,000” and plan how to use that money for your shared future.</li>
<li>MONEY EXPRESSES HOW YOU THINK: As financial advisor Lisa Linfield says, money becomes an expression of your personality. Are you a saver or an adventurer? Understanding you and your partner’s financial needs will help immensely.</li>
<li>PAY PROPORTIONALLY TO INCOME: Happy Ngale, a financial wellbeing consultant at Alexander Forbes, has this handy formula to help you work it out:Income 1 (higher income) + Income 2 = Total income 
Income 1/total income x 100 = % split 
g. R50,000 + R20,000 = R70,000 
R50,000/R70,000 x 100 = 71%. 
Therefore Income 1 would pay for 71% of the joint bills meaning Income 2 pays 29% towards the joint bill.This balances the payments and creates a fair share towards the joint bills.</li>
<li>DO YOUR FINANCIAL PLANNING TOGETHER: Transparency really is your best friend here! Retiring together one day is your long-term financial goal, so make sure your sights are aligned to the same end result.</li>
<li>VALUE WHAT YOUR PARTNER BRINGS: As Annette says, this might not be money! Looking after the children, managing the household, and other tasks all are as important as a financial contribution.</li>
<li>IF IT’S NOT WORKING, REEVALUATE: If you do feel the financial situation isn’t working – if the breadwinner is feeling too much pressure, or if you simply don’t have enough money, or if one partner is unhappy, it’s perfectly OK to have a look again at your financial agreement and come to one that makes both partners happy. This might mean one of you going back to work, or one of you working less, advises Kerri Lutz, Wealth Coach and Financial Advisor for Women.</li>
<li>CHOOSE A CARETAKER: As John Manyike, Head of Financial Education at Old Mutual, explains: “Having a joint bank account is a convenient way to manage day-to-day spending and saving, but it can be problematic if one of you is not financially disciplined. Couples must identify who the financially responsible one is and agree on who is best-suited to taking care of the household budget.”</li>
<li>BE TRANSPARENT: Don’t keep financial secrets. Know what’s happening with both of you so you can plan accordingly, for your joint future.</li>
</ul>
(*not their real names)
<ul>
<li>Written by Samantha Steele</li>
</ul>

So… You Earn More Than Your Husband?

In working with thousands of career women who also have children, and being a parent myself, I’ve experienced just how challenging it is to balance contributing as we wish to in the professional world, with how we want to mother, parent and care give in a present and loving way. Personally speaking, when I was forging my corporate career years ago, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I didn’t want the CEO track. My top priority in my life was to be in the fabric of my children’s lives in a meaningful, enriching way when they were young. I didn’t want to blow that or have serious regrets later in life. “Calling in” on the phone from another state (or coast) each night to read them a bedtime story or hear the highlights of their day (because I was traveling for work) was not how I wanted those years to pass.
To be clear, I’m not judging anyone who has different priorities – we all must choose our own. What’s key to your success, I believe, is to identify your own unique life priorities, and live from that knowledge each day. (Learn more about how to honor your own life priorities while balancing the needs of others.)
Most women I know want, and need, to build a fulfilling career and an enriching life outside of work. They want both, not the either/or that we’ve been told are our only options. But to do that, research has shown that women, as a first step, must adjust their mindsets, their limiting beliefs and their openness to committing to working and balancing outside life. That’s not all that’s required to modify our current competitive career model that doesn’t find a majority of women, but it’s an essential step in women taking charge of their lives. This requires women doing the inner work of overcoming key obstacles in what they believe is possible, and revising five hidden, limiting assumptions they’ve come to make. To learn more about this need to reframe the possibilities and shift away from these constraining assumptions, I connected with Jodi Detjen, co-author of The Orange Line: A Woman’s Guide to Integrating Career, Family and Life. A professor of management at Suffolk University, Jodi teaches management at MBA, undergraduate and corporate education levels, and writes and trains about the skills required, and organizational aspects related to living an integrated life. She is also a principal partner of a boutique consulting firm, the InTrinsic Group, delivering outcome-focused leadership development and coaching to foster effective performance.
Jodi explains: “In our research of 118 women (college educated, middle class), women who were successful at integrating career, family and life, had reframed five key assumptions about what it means to work and participate in family life with the highest degree of success, fulfillment and happiness.”
Jodi shares the five hidden assumptions that keep women from balancing work and home more successfully.
“I am solely responsible for home and family.”
When women in dual-parent households believe this, they feel overly-pressured and burdened to own it all: children’s development and the domestic responsibilities including the laundry, food preparation, shopping, cleaning, home repairs, etc. They may delegate some chores (e.g. garbage) but they tend to grow weary from the conflict that emerges around delegation and are often more comfortable just doing it themselves to get it done more quickly. For women with a partner at home, reframing this assumption to “we are both responsible for home and family” opens up all sorts of important possibilities. Now, we can say: “My career is important and so is yours. How do we figure out how to get the necessary chores done together?” Jodi’s interviewees hired help, shared care, switched off chores, held their kids more responsible and accountable, or gave up doing school projects. The key is to stop over-functioning and involve everyone in the family in a healthier, more appropriate way that builds self-reliance and independence.
“I’m afraid to negotiate if I don’t have permission.”
Everyone tells women to negotiate more and so many women don’t. Research has found, however, that when women have permission, they do negotiate – and often out-negotiate men. For example, if a job has been advertised that “salary is negotiable,” three times as many women will apply for the posting than they do when there’s no mention that wages are negotiable. When women believe they are invited to negotiate, they do so much more readily than when they fear they will be seen as “pushy” or “demanding” to get what they want. (Sadly, there’s some justification to their fears – research has shown that success and likability are positively correlated in men and negatively correlated in women).
Jodi’s tip: Forget permission. Women need to reframe this assumption toward, “I will be paid what my skills and contributions are worth and not less.” Tell the world what you deserve. Do this based on data you compile from a thorough evaluation of compensation trends in your field. Send a strong signal that you value yourself, and understand the importance of the contributions you’ve made, and will continue to bring to the table.
“I’m afraid to negotiate if I don’t have permission.”
Everyone tells women to negotiate more and so many women don’t. Research has found, however, that when women have permission, they do negotiate – and often out-negotiate men. For example, if a job has been advertised that “salary is negotiable,” three times as many women will apply for the posting than they do when there’s no mention that wages are negotiable. When women believe they are invited to negotiate, they do so much more readily than when they fear they will be seen as “pushy” or “demanding” to get what they want. (Sadly, there’s some justification to their fears – research has shown that success and likability are positively correlated in men and negatively correlated in women).
Jodi’s tip: Forget permission. Women need to reframe this assumption toward, “I will be paid what my skills and contributions are worth and not less.” Tell the world what you deserve. Do this based on data you compile from a thorough evaluation of compensation trends in your field. Send a strong signal that you value yourself, and understand the importance of the contributions you’ve made, and will continue to bring to the table.
“I must be perfect in all I do and I am not good enough.”
These two assumptions combined together keep women from seeking advancement, promotions, raises and embracing growth. Jodi has experienced many women sharing their beliefs that they simply were not ready for the next level or that they preferred to stay as an individual contributor. But in looking beneath these statements, Jodi found a need to be perfect and a prevalent feeling that these women weren’t living up to their perfectionistic ideals. Reframing this assumption of “I’m not good enough” to “I am a work in progress, and I am ready for growth” allows for new pathways to open and new opportunities to be embraced. Rather than berating herself for having a messy home, one woman declared that her messy home was an emblem (that she was proud of) of her commitment to her work. She believed her house was perfectly fine, mess and all, and didn’t feel “less-than” because of it.
Another woman, when asked to take on a new role, at first thought “I’m not ready for that” but then reframed her assumption. She looked around at her male peers doing similar roles and realized that she indeed had all the qualifications and experience she needed to succeed and thrive in the role. She negotiated a new title, a raise, and took the job.
“If I follow the rules, good things will happen.”
Women have learned from their school days that when they follow the rules, teachers will like them and reward them. But in business, the rules are quite different. Following these school-based rules – keeping your head down, doing all your work and doing just what’s asked of you – won’t get women promoted. Instead, they must take responsibility for themselves and their careers, and ask for what they need, want, and deserve. Create a regular forum to share with your managers what you’ve accomplished and contributed, and the value you’ve provided. Talk about your accomplishments, not in a bragging way, but as a way to let managers and teams know how the enterprise is moving forward, and how you’ve facilitated that growth. (Check out Peggy Klaus’s book Brag: The Art of Tooting Your Horn Without Blowing It, for tips.) You’re in the driver’s seat of your career. Expecting good things to occur without actively facilitating these positive outcomes is a recipe for disappointment, or worse, failure.
Reframing these five assumptions is a powerful strategy that frees women up to see and embrace growth and new possibilities. Don’t let your mistaken assumptions perpetuate self-limiting behavior. Realize that what you believe is what you will create. Don’t wait for anyone else to offer you opportunity and growth – reach out and grab it.

FIVE Hidden Assumptions That Keep  Women From Living Larger

It’s the first day of the strike, on January 23, and a huge crowd gathers at the Wonderkop Stadium, near Rustenburg in South Africa, to listen to Joseph Mathunjwa, the chairman of the Association of Construction and Mineworkers Union (Amcu). Seventy thousand union members have downed tools at the platinum mines.
As early as 7AM, police officers and the mine’s security guards keep watch. The venue is surrounded by razor wire and armored vehicles. The stadium is a few hundred meters from Marikana, the site where 44 people died in a clash between striking miners and police in August, 2012.
<div id="attachment_2516" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2516" class="size-medium wp-image-2516" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_6885-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />The Miners are Coming</div>
“People are watching this strike, speculating it is Marikana II. That will not happen. We’re peacefully fighting for our rights as workers. We want a better life. The blood of our brothers was shed fighting for better wages. We won’t betray them,” Mathunjwa says in Zulu to the roaring crowd.
Despite the leadership’s assurance of a peaceful protest, a few strikers are seen carrying traditional weapons, sjamboks (heavy whips) and sticks.
“It is not a foreign thing for Nguni men (a broad ethnic group of South Africa) to carry their sjamboks and sticks. We are not going to war or planning to violate others rights to choose who to associate with,” says Jack Mkhoba, the chairperson for Amcu’s Lonmin branch.
Mathunjwa calls for tolerance and respect for those who continue working. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which lost its majority at the platinum mines to Amcu, is not part of the strike. There is still simmering tension between the unions.
Mathunjwa also accuses the mine of trying to make the negotiations drag on.
“The time to fool around with black people is over. The African economy must benefit Africans. We are not negotiating percentages, they mean nothing to us; we only understand the rand, our currency.”
Mathunjwa says the government, media and economists are too quick to criticize the union  for destabilizing the economy.
<div id="attachment_2515" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2515" class="size-medium wp-image-2515" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_6517-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />The Miners are Coming</div>
“When CEOs and bosses give themselves more than R21 million ($1.9 million) in bonuses, they do not condemn that. Whose side are they on?”
Mathunjwa had the crowd in stitches when he shared anecdotes of the encounters he had with the management of the mining companies.
“One Sunday afternoon, I was invited over by the employers. Upon leaving the discussion, I left them with homework to figure out how much they are spending on their dogs, which is ridiculously way over what the employees take home?”
James Nichol, the British lawyer representing the victims of Marikana, gave the workers a surprise visit in a striped red tie. He stood out like a sore thumb.
Nichol danced to struggle songs with the workers and encouraged them to fight for their demands.
“It’s your duty to get justice for yourselves and families by fighting for R12,500,” says Nichol.
Amcu’s national organizer, Dumisani Nkalityana, encouraged the strikers to not let up.
“There’s no red carpet towards achieving our demands, we need to make sure we make it for ourselves,” he says.
The union members are far from united. A faction of Amcu say Mathunjwa is a dictator and accuse him of living large at the expense of workers. Mathunjwa dismisses the allegations, referring to the group as mischievous former Amcu members.
The mines, losing a fortune every day the strike continues, are hoping a solution can be found-quickly.
On this day, Anglo American Platinum, the largest platinum company, says its losing approximately 4,000 ounces and R100 million ($9 million) per day.
<div id="attachment_2518" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2518" class="size-medium wp-image-2518" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_6411-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />The Miners are Coming</div>
“We are adamant that we will continue to engage with Amcu and have accepted the offer by the deputy president for a government-facilitated mediation process in order to find a resolution. Striking is not a constructive solution if we are to return the company to a sustainable financial footing and secure existing jobs,” says Chris Griffith, the CEO of Anglo American Platinum.
Griffith says the company will work with law enforcement agencies to help maintain peace and stability during the strike. His words were in vain.
Anglo American reported a 10% employee attendance rate on the first day of the strike and closed operations.
&nbsp;
DAY TWO
On the second day of the strike, South Africa’s mining minister, Susan Shabangu, brokers a three-day wage negotiation between Amcu and three of the big mining companies at the Southern Sun Hotel in Pretoria. Amcu books rooms at the hotel for its officials.
The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) is appointed as the facilitator between the union and Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), Impala Platinum (Implats) and Lonmin. The companies’ initial offer of an 8.5% increase falls short of the union’s demand of a R12,500 salary for entry level employees.
By the end of the negotiations, the mines have a new offer of 9% on the table. Amcu is unimpressed.
“How can you be satisfied with an offer that does not address the living wage?” asks Amcu spokesman, Jimmy Gama.
“The talks were cordially conducted in a positive atmosphere but I can’t say they were amicable as we are not getting what we wanted, which is R12,500.”
The companies’ response is unchanged. They say the demands are unrealistic and unreasonable.
“We are not issuing any threats to anybody at this point. We are very clear that employers can afford what the union demands,” adds Joseph Maqhekeni, the chairman of National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu)—the federation that Amcu is affiliated to.
On the last day of negotiations, union members are seen checking out of the hotel. It doesn’t look good. They are in a somber mood and are seen milling around nervously. Two shop stewards play struggle songs and the national anthem, Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika, on the hotel’s piano.
Most of the union members do not believe they will receive positive news; they are all keen to continue with the strike.
&nbsp;
DAY EIGHT
January 30 is D-day for the striking mineworkers. An offer of a 9% wage increase is on the table.
On a scorching morning, Amcu members, in their green union shirts, gather outside mine shafts around the North West province of South Africa to hear from shop stewards on the negotiations.
Striking workers at Amplats’ mine in Bleskop, Rustenburg, are among the first to turn down the revised wage increase. The mineworkers sit in the shade of a tree, talking and drinking beer. At least it is peaceful. A security guard confirms there is no intimidation.
At Batho Pele mine, another Amplats operation a few kilometers away, striking miners play cards and listen to music in their cars. Under the watch of security guards in armoured vehicles, the miners meet in the shade of a marquee.
The irate miners stand firm. They say the increase is insufficient and will not cover their bonds or match rising inflation.
Meanwhile, the mining bosses are counting the cost. Griffith says the strike halted production of around 40% of global platinum supply.
“We estimate that the daily cost to the country is closer to R400 million ($36 million) a day,” he says.
&nbsp;
DAY 15
A week later, a clash between strikers and police officers, at the Amplats mine in Limpopo, sees the death of a shop steward. A non-striking miner also was attacked near the Khuseleka mine in Rustenburg, while one vehicle and an excavator were set alight. Fourteen other vehicles were also damaged.
“It is with sadness that we learnt of the death of one of our employees. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased. We strongly urge striking employees to adhere to the picketing rules and remain within the picketing designated areas as agreed with Amcu. We condemn any act of violence, intimidation and damage to property,” says Griffith.
This violent period does not deter strikers. As of going to print, there was no end in sight to one of the most expensive strikes in African history.

‘The Time To Fool Around With Black People Is Over’

People often say “life is short” as a justification to do or buy something immediately rather than waiting. But the truth is, life is not short. Life is long. The average life expectancy for an American male is 76.2 years, and 81 years for a female. A thirty-year-old discussing a short life may actually be looking at another 50 long years.
This is good news! And, financially speaking, a long outlook on life is important, because the decisions we make early on have a significant impact on the remainder of our lives. Specifically, these decisions can make or break our retirement plans.
Here are seven important financial decisions 30-year-olds make that could come back to haunt them in their 50s:
&nbsp;
<h4>The company you work for</h4>
There are many things to consider when choosing a job, but the retirement benefits offered are vital to wealth-building in the long term. A 30-year-old who doesn’t carefully research his or her benefits and chooses to work for a company with no company match or retirement contribution could  be way behind someone who works for a company with robust benefits. For example, a 30-year-old making $75,000 a year who saves 10% of his or her income in a 401(k) and earns an 8% average return would have a balance of just under $600,000 at age 55.  Compare that to a 30-year-old who saves 10% at a company that matches 5% and adds a profit sharing contribution that averages 5% a year. He or she would have almost $1.2 million in their retirement account – double our first example’s amount – at age 55.
&nbsp;
<h4>Your starting salary</h4>
Even a slightly higher starting salary can jump start your earning potential. A study by George Mason University and Temple University showed that employees who negotiated their starting salaries averaged a $5,000 increase compared to those who didn’t negotiate. Due to the effects of compounding, the researchers estimate that an employee who starts his or her career with a salary of $55,000 instead of $50,000 (with 5% increases each year) would earn over $600,000 more in income over a 40-year career.
&nbsp;
<h4>Your choice of a partner</h4>
Who you marry is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. I’m not advocating you marry for money – quite the contrary. Marrying for love and staying together is a smart financial move. Whether the 50% divorce rate is an accurate statistic or not, we can all agree that when it happens to you, it is devastating both emotionally and financially. The divorce itself can be expensive and dividing financial assets unravels your financial planning. Just ask Robin Williams, who is returning to television after two expensive divorces!
Your choice of a mate isn’t only about love and commitment; it’s also about financial compatibility. If you and your partner are compatible money-wise and commit to setting up a financial plan to save, invest and build your future, you can enjoy life and create financial security at the same time.
&nbsp;
<h4>When you have children</h4>
Americans are delaying having children. In fact, according to National Health Statistics Report, more than one in three college-educated women will have children after the age of 30. In the past few decades, the average age of American first-time mothers has increased by four years, and first-time fathers are aging at the same rate. Since the recession in 2008, the only age group that has continued to have more babies than in years past is the “over 40” group.
In Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In, she encourages women not to pass up promotions because of plans to have children. If you have plenty of support at home, this can be a great idea. Another way to look at it is, if you plan on having children, don’t wait because you are focusing on your career or waiting for financial security. There are advantages to having children earlier.
One reason has to do with timing of kids’ expenses. Consider a couple that has children when they are 25 years old. Before they hit their 50s, their kids are past the very expensive college years. These parents, still young themselves, have 15 years to focus on their own retirement savings if they plan to retire at 65. Couples that have children when they are 35 years old may not see the light at the end of the “empty nest” tunnel until they are 60 – much closer to retirement age.
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<h4>How you invest</h4>
Investing in high-cost managed accounts can take a heavy toll on investment returns over time. According to Forbes contributor Rick Ferri, founder of Portfolio Solutions, those fees can add up to 40% of your return each year. Rick shares an example of how, with annual mutual fund management fees of 1.1% and an additional advisor fee of 1% (on the first $1 million of your assets), an investor trying to squeak out a return of 5.3% (the expected return) of a portfolio of 60% global stocks/40% U.S. bonds could actually pay 40% of that return in fees. Make sure you weigh the long-term impact of fees when investing; consider choosing low-cost mutual funds or index funds for retirement savings.
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<h4>Whether you rent or buy a house</h4>
There are instances when it is better to rent than to buy a house. If you need mobility, don’t plan on staying in your area for long or aren’t interested in potentially being a long-distance landlord, you may be better off renting. However, in the long term, owning your home can be a coup for pre-retirees. Without even taking home equity into account, a homeowner with a fixed-rate mortgage won’t have to worry about a rent increase. Having a fixed housing cost is increasingly important as you get older, since rents can increase with inflation and you are attempting to estimate future expenses. As a homeowner, the mortgage will eventually be paid off and your housing budget will only have to cover taxes and repairs, so there may be more money to enjoy during your retirement.
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<h4>How you pay attention to your dollars</h4>
If I could take back what I spent in the past twenty years on coffee, clothes I bought on sale but rarely wore and my “guilty pleasure” books, I’d be a wealthy woman. Tracking expenses to see where your money is going which you can do with your bank, Quicken, or in the LearnVest Money Center (*disclosure – I work for LearnVest Planning Services) and identifying blind spots can help you save more and spend less. First of all, when you are tracking expenses, you have a heightened awareness of your money and subsequently are more reluctant to part with your dollars.
I hear clients exclaim all the time, “I had no idea I spend $600 a month on restaurants (or $800 a month on shopping). I am shocked!” When tracking, you can more easily identify areas for cost savings and put those savings toward your financial goals.
Mickey Mantle said, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” I suggest that if 30-year-olds knew just how young they’d feel in their 50s and how much life is left to live, they’d take much better care of their finances.
Life is long. Make decisions accordingly.

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