Due to lack of finances, we can disconnect ourselves from our social circles and self-isolate and even tend to drift away from our families because we’re too embarrassed to ask for help. We want to encourage that there is a way out no matter how difficult the situation may be...
by Jessica Ann
Money. Such an uncomfortable topic to discuss, yet the one thing that impacts our lives greatly. According to Brittania.com, money is the medium in which prices and values are expressed; as currency.
Whether we admit it or not, MONEY is important and can affect one’s mental health and happiness. Haven’t we all been on an emotional roller coaster when it comes to money? We have parts of our lives brimming with happiness from sufficiency – a great job, a dream car, a beautiful home, a large circle of friends and enjoying the fruit of our labour with loved ones.
And then we recall the low points of our lives when we lost a job, or were not able to pay for our car or home loans, when we lost people in our circle right when we couldn’t “afford” to be their friends anymore.
We discover then the true meaning of the saying, “a friend in need, is a friend deed”.
We disconnect ourselves from our social circles and self-isolate, as though to stay in that little bubble of what we think is holding on to our own sanity, cooped up as though being financially challenged is a contagious disease as our “friends” make it out to be.
We even tend to drift away from our families because we’re too embarrassed to ask for help or for fear that we did not make our parents proud like the other kids did. We struggle to meet ends, juggle our finances the best way we can and borrow from whoever willing to lend. Before we know it, we are way deep in debts, with no way out.
My Story
Here is my personal experience with money and how it flipped my world on its head.
I’ve lived alone since I was 18. Every day of my life since I stepped out into the real world with no guidance and no support, I was given the dream many children wished for - freedom from parents! The only setback? I was not fortunate enough to have had financial support from my parents, but that’s a story for another day.
"Here’s the thing about the coveted “key of freedom”, from a distance, you never see the thorns that accompany the beautiful roses. "
Being on my own, I got to make my own rules with no one to stop me or control what I did or thought. Right?
Wrong!
Here’s the thing about the coveted “key of freedom”, from a distance, you never see the thorns that accompany the beautiful roses.
The main thorn in my life as I was growing up has always been money.
I didn’t have anyone teaching me or helping to ensure some part of my salary was saved, or that a tenth of my salary can be offered as tithes in church, or to spend only when necessary.
By the mid of every month, I was broke and had maximised my credit cards. This was a vicious cycle and it broke me to the point of depression.
As I was faced with nothing else but a slice of bread on a plate and plain water in my mug, I surrendered myself to God and asked for direction as the thoughts of committing suicide crept into my mind.
And I was sent an angel (my cousin) to help me build my life back again.
I started praying more, going to church more and breaking the walls I built around myself.
I got socially involved in mission works and before I knew it, I was witnessing GOD working in my life and changing me for the better. Through this experience, I found myself better equipped to handle my finances and today, I’m proud to say I’m almost debt free.
My advice to everyone is, if you are cornered or face a dead end with your finances, if you find it challenging to manage money and find yourself in debts, I’m here to say you are not alone. At some point, most of us have experienced or are experiencing this situation.
The first step is admitting you have a problem and identifying what the root cause is to the financial problems you are facing. If you face challenges, seek counseling. Our country has amazing financial counselling sessions through AKPK (Agensi Kaunselling dan Pengurusan Kredit) and many may not know this, but the counselling sessions are completely free with no charge.
All you need to do is make an appointment and be honest about your financial situation. A counselor will walk you through the steps required to manage your finances effectively and draft a financial plan for you to start making a change in your life. And it is completely your choice to decide to accept these plans or walk out.
Ways to Get Out of Debt
1. Stop Creating More Debt
A very common mistake we make when paying off debts is borrowing more, creating more debts. Using this method, you won’t make much progress, if you make any at all.
Cut up your credit cards, maybe even freeze your credit just so you don’t slide back into the temptation of creating more debt.
2. Increase Your Monthly Payment
If you’re only paying the minimum on your debts, it will take the longest time to get out of it.
By the time you finally pay off your balance with minimum payments, you’ll probably have paid double or even triple of what you originally charged.
It’s only ok to pay the minimum on your credit cards when you have a debt-repayment strategy that requires you to make a big payment on one of your credit cards.
3. Build an Emergency Fund
An emergency fund may sound counterintuitive if you’re trying to get out of debt since you could be using that money to pay off your debt instead of sticking it in a savings account.
But, an emergency fund can actually keep you from creating more debt by providing you with a safety net you can use instead of a credit card when an emergency comes up. The ideal emergency fund is six to twelve months of living expenses but focus on building up at least RM1,000 in the short-term.
4. Pick One Debt and Give It All You've Got
Some people increase all their minimum payments by just a little bit, but that way your payments only drop by a small amount each month. You can make more noticeable progress by making a big payment to just one of your accounts each month until that debt is completely repaid. In the meantime, make the minimum on all your other accounts. Then do the same for another debt, and another until they’re all paid off.
5. Look for Ways to Put More Money Towards Your Debt
The more you put toward your debt, the faster you can pay your debt off for good. If you don’t already have one, create a monthly budget to better manage your money and possibly help you figure out how you cut out some expenses and use that money for your debt. You may also be able to come up with money for debt by selling things from your home or generating income from a hobby.
6. Settle with Your Creditors
Debt settlement may be the solution if your accounts are past due or you owe more money than you could repay over a few years. When you settle your debts, you ask the creditor to accept a one-time, lump-sum payment to satisfy the debt. Creditors who agree to a settlement offer also agree to cancel the rest of the debt, but they typically only accept these offers on accounts that are in default or at risk of defaulting.
7. Go Through Credit Counseling
Debt management plans through credit counseling agencies typically last four to six years.
But, you can make use of the lower interest rate and minimum payment to which they will negotiate on behalf of you with your banking institutions. They do this to pay off your credit cards by sending an extra payment every month. Just let the credit counseling agency know which credit card company they need to send the extra payment to. This is basically the snowball method of paying off your debt, except the credit counseling agency is managing your payment.
"Remember, “Some debts are fun when you are acquiring them, but none are fun when you set about retiring them.” – Ogden Nash-"
If you are dealing with financial issues and you would like to obtain guidance as to how to manage your finances, do contact us, we would love to talk to you. Kindly drop us a message through the 'chat box' located at the bottom right of your screen.
by Jessica Ann
Notes:
Reference: www.thebalance.com
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