In the light of what has happened over the last few tempestuous months, people need to take stock of not only their finances, but also their aspirations for the future. It has now become categorically clear the value and wisdom in the words, “Live within your means.”

People are coming to the stark realisation that it is no long acceptable (or possible) for individuals or nations, to continually “Borrow their way out of debt.” The idea is as farcical as “Fighting for peace.” What has happened in the global marketplace has been a huge wake up call.

There is now a mood change and people are considering the possibility they may actually have to save money for their own futures. People are “Making do” with houses, cars, holidays etc, rather than getting further into debt in such uncertain times. Expectations seem to be shifting.

Debt is the scourge (or at least a fairly major one) of modern society. It can lead to untold misery for the many and almost unbridled riches for the few. But it comes at a great cost, which goes far deeper than just monetary value. 

We all know much of what is happening in the car industry, which until very recent times was a thriving and amazingly lucrative market. Now there are plants worldwide that are idle and acre upon acre of land strewn with unsold vehicles. 

Because credit has for so long been easy to obtain, people have been persuaded that what they desire is attainable and a “Necessity.” Now it’s becoming apparent that a new car is hardly of paramount importance if you cannot afford to put food on the table, or even a roof over your head!

Attitudes are changing dramatically as people reassess their lives and priorities. What people have been taking for granted as an automatic “Right” may be a lot more difficult or perhaps simply not possible to attain. Things such as home-ownership and foreign holidays are not essential and never have been, but people have been led to believe they were. 

This has mainly happened because of the finance companies looking for a fast profit and peddling credit as a way of financing. It’s hard to feel any sympathy for these companies after some of the horror stories over their treatment of individuals or their corporate greed. The demons have definitely come home to roost now and it will surely only be a matter of time before many of these businesses begin to collapse. 

If the financiers are shying away from new business, it starves the economy of cash-flow, albeit a pseudo, credit induced cash-flow! This then leaves retailers and service industries high and dry as we have been seeing recently. 

What is needed now is a huge drive to persuade people for the need to save and invest rather than borrow and when they do spend, to spend cash not plastic. They need educating in personal finance and the ways to manage it effectively, as well as how to avoid debt and provide for the future. 

The Government can do much to help, but people need to take individual responsibility for their own actions. If anyone is struggling to deal with finance issues, particularly unsecured debt, we can normally help. 

The kinds of debt we can deal with are things like personal loans, credit cards, store cards, catalogues and door to door collections. We offer a range of products services and advice including IVA’s, Debt Reduction Programs, Trust Deeds, mortgages, secured loans and bankruptcy advice. 

For businesses we can often help with refinancing, Corporate Voluntary Arrangements, Administration, Liquidation etc. So there are very few people we cannot help. If you are concerned about any debt issues, we urge you to call one of our friendly advisers now in total confidence before it becomes too late.