‘Retail therapy’ – spending money to make us feel better – has become an acceptable cultural ritual. We joke about it and by doing so, normalise it. It is dangerous. When spending spins out of control it looks like addiction.
Category: Debt
Credit – the ultimate Russian roulette?
For some people entering into debt is a bit like playing Russian roulette. The bullet may or may not fire, it may or may not end the game. Whereas it may be exciting to live on the edge, it may have devastating consequences.
The Finance Minister has spoken – extraordinary measures, monies and circumstances
The passage of time seems to be such a fractured thing right now and it isn’t going to stop being so any time soon. As a country, we are bracing ourselves for the cresting of the Corona wave.
Undoing Lockdown – levels of business support
Some feel cheated. We were told ‘this lockdown thing’ will come to an end, and yes, we knew it would not quite mean business to usual, but THIS unusual? And for how long, THIS time? Anger and frustration, fueled by denied addictions and proclivities, are rising. Scathing memes and poisonous comments are setting Facebook and social media on fire. There are growing accusations of class and race prejudice from all sides.
How well do you know me, Honey?
Isn’t it interesting how the things that attract us to someone when we are young and in love can so often turn into the things we cannot stand, once the stars of new love fade and the light of the day-to-day make us blink?
Advice on first homes and first real grown-up debt
Buying a house is a scary prospect and may be something that you have put on the back burner. You may tell yourself that you are being wise – after all the current economic climate is dicey and you may worry about the future. However, do you know that should you buy a house, you not only save on rent (in other words paying someone else’s bond) but your asset may well make a profit after the first year? This means it is one of the better debts you may enter into in your life time. Admit it, the vast majority of us yearn for a place to call our own…
Increasing your earnings and growing your assets
Good debt leads to increases in earnings or growing value in assets. Education is a good debt, because it increases your employability and then, within your chosen occupation, it increases your ability to earn money. Another good debt is buying property.
Debt – coaxing the monster out from under the bed
Financial monsters: As a Financial Advisor, I can sense the palpable fear and desperation when some people come to see me for the first time. It takes courage to come and, like the dentist, I am avoided until the pain of debt and fear of financial ruin become too much.
The power of two – On credit scores and being twins
How is your credit rating determined? Your Credit Bureau score is calculated using a formula that evaluates how well or how badly you pay your bills, how much debt you carry and how all of that stacks up against other borrowers. The lower your scores, the less you stand a chance of obtaining a loan or other financing.
Money worries
It always takes me by surprise when I find out just how long people manage to live with their money worries before seeking help. It’s almost as though they’re hoping their financial issues will be resolved automatically.