I have put this article together owing to the fact that I have been inundated with enquiries from people being affected by what is currently happening in the world of finance and are looking for ways to weather the storm and come out the other side relatively unscathed. Now there is no easy fix but through diligence and common sense there is a good possibility that this can be achieved. One of the main factors of the credit crunch is the fact that we have been focusing on what we can borrow instead of dealing with what we have.
The first thing that needs to be done when facing a financial crisis is to acknowledge that there is indeed a problem that needs to be dealt with. It is all too easy to just bury your head in the sand and hope that it will go away but that is obviously not the solution. Likewise, borrowing more to cover your present debts or trying to consolidate them with a loan is just extending your troubles. Borrowing more is not the solution. It is the reason why you find yourself in the position you are. The plan is to work with the resources you have and use them in the way that is most beneficial to you. This will instill a confidence in you and a greater understanding of the importance of living within your means. You will begin to see the true value of money and not just treat it as a commodity.
The reason why people are finding the going tough at present is because they have been spending what they don’t have and borrowing far more than they should. Things might be different if the markets were not so unstable but that is not the case. Borrowing is much more difficult now due to more stringent checks and if you find yourself in the position for a loan it will undoubtedly be at a higher rate.
The best thing to do is draw up an income and expenditure sheet. In one column you tally up things such as your salary, bonuses, benefits, basically anything that you have coming in monthly. In the other column you list what you pay out monthly. This will consist of things such as your mortgage, fuel costs, outstanding loans, groceries etc… but remember that it should contain only items that are necessary for month to month living. That means no fitness club membership or subscriptions to sky sports and the like. By cutting your costs you will be on the road to saving. When it comes the time that you do finally book that holiday you will appreciate it all the more because you have saved up to be in the position to afford it.
Another thing to do is evaluate the outgoings that you have at present. Maybe you could change the mortgage you have for another that would better suit your present position. Now whilst I would never recommend an interest only mortgage over a long period of time, the savings in the short term could be a boon for you. You may find that your situation is not as perilous as you fist thought and the savings could be used to ease the pressure of the commitments of your other outgoings. Then, when you are more financially secure, you can change back to a repayment mortgage and continue on from there.
Another way of cutting down costs is to change credit card company. Although many credit card providers have bumped up their rates recently, they still offer good introductory rates to new customers with good credit history. Avoid misplaced loyalty to credit companies as they are only making more money off you the longer you stick with them.
You can also consider if the need is great consolidating all your loans onto your mortgage or a secured loan. Now this is never good advice, because consolidating loans and credit cards onto any long term debt will always cost you more as you will be paying for that debt over a longer term. That said it may be your only option to reduce your outgoings to a more affordable level, but I would only consider it if it is the last resort and failure to do it would result in you falling behind, but to reiterate whilst it may be a lot cheaper each month, you will be paying more for your credit over the long term so take this option only if you have to.
Have a look at your utility bills see if there is something you can do to reduce them. Obviously using less power or turn the heating down is always a good start but also get online to see if there is a cheaper supplier for you. This sort of practice can be used for virtually anything and everything you buy so get on the internet and see if you can save some money by just changing who you deal with.
Unfortunately, as I all too aware, there are many people who have tried and exhausted all of these methods and are still in dire straits. Some people are just too far committed to their debts and simple money saving ideas after the amount of borrowing they have been doing just isn’t enough. Things are dearer now than they used to be, I admit, but the simple fact that people have bought so much with money that is not theirs means that now they are up to their eyes in debt. For some people, the debt they are in has just gotten to be too overwhelming.
The best way towards finding a solution to the problem, and I know I may be stating the obvious here, is to communicate with the people that did the lending. I know I said that this would seem like the obvious thing to do but some people would not give this idea the first consideration. The recurring problem in my line of business is that people have an innate fear of talking with the people they borrowed money from in the first place, preferring someone else, maybe more professionally qualified, to deal with the situation. I can only say that if a financial adviser makes the contact as opposed to the client then the outcome may not be favorable.
The first thing to do when approaching your lenders is to get all of your statements together along with the income and expenditure report we mentioned earlier. Go as well prepared as you possibly can and make sure all your facts are right. This way you should achieve the result you want. You must also be realistic. If you are unable to meet the required payments of 300 per month, don’t go and suggest they drop it to 10 per month. Make sure you evenly divide up your income amongst all of your lenders and be prepared to show each lender what you are paying back to the others. By being honest and transparent about your situation, your lenders are far more likely to sympathise with your proposal.
You will need to explain to them why you are in the situation you are in, above all you will need to make an agreement to pay them something and that is best done from the basis of some sort of calculation, for example get your income and expenditure worked out, tell them what you can afford to give them and why. In addition try and give them some light at the end of the tunnel in so much as a proposal, once you have cleared one of your other debts you can start paying them more. You will find that this approach will make most lenders far more receptive to any deal you offer them. Remember all a lender wants is the prospect of a full repayment and if you can give them the assurance that this is going to happen in time, they will invariably work with you.
So these are some of the ways in which you can lift the weight of financial burden from your shoulders. Reassess your spending patterns and decide what it is that you actually need, not just what you would like to have. Search for the best offers available on the market when you consider electricity, heating and your telephone bills. If you can save some money in the short term by switching your mortgage from repayment to interest only, then so be it. Consolidate those debts if you think that it is the option best suited to you. As a lifeline in times of dire financial straits, make contact with your lenders in a bid to thrash out a solution to your woes. Take our finances in hand rather than let them cripple you.
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