Getting Out of Debt During a Crisis

The current health crisis has definitely changed our lifestyle and financial stability. 

According to the recent Consumer Pulse study conducted by TransUnion in April 2021, 93% of Philippine consumers reported that their household income is negatively impacted and that almost half or 47% are expecting that they won't be able to pay at least one of their current loans or bills in full. 

Despite being more prudent with personal finances such as expenditure cuts, many are still experiencing financial difficulties. This is brought about by the continuing slow business activities and the loss of jobs or reduced working hours. 

Unavoidable expenses such as needing to buy gadgets in order to cope with digitalization (e.g. kids need a computer to attend online classes or individuals to start working from home) also contribute to these challenges. In the worse cases, some households face a huge financial burden due to hospitalization (e.g. family member got infected and has no insurance coverage) 

If not managed properly, these situations will not only add up to more debt but will be creating a domino effect causing missed mortgage and missed payment of car loans, credit cards, and bills. 

What can you do when you are having a hard time managing your debts? 

Debt consolidation is one solution if you are having a hard time managing your debts. In a nutshell, it is the act of taking out a single loan to pay off multiple debts. It is a strategy to combine all debts into one helping you keep track of payments and balances. 

What are the benefits of debt consolidation? 

1. Streamlined Payments and Due Date

Since you no longer have to make separate payments for each debt, you only have to think of a single payment due date. This decreases the chance to overlook payment deadlines which may incur penalties. 

It will also give you a better insight into your repayment timeline. 

2. Lower Interest Rates

In most cases, the lender will also offer a more competitive interest rate to entice borrowers to opt for debt consolidation. This is very common for credit card companies that offer balance transfers (which is one form of a debt consolidation) 

Is debt consolidation recommended for everyone? 

Generally speaking, debt consolidation is beneficial to the borrowers. However, here are some important points that you should consider before making that decision. 

1. Compare if the interest rate offered is lower than the current interest rate that you are paying. 

Aside from the interest rate, make sure to consider other related costs such as loan origination fees, balance transfer fees, closing fees, annual fees, or pre-termination fees. There are instances that the interest rate is lower but after adding the balance transfer fees, it may not be worth taking a new loan. 

2. Check that you have adequate cash flow 

When taking out a new loan, make sure that you have adequate cash flow in that way you can ensure that you meet the monthly payments. If your cash flow is not enough, you might want to stick to having smaller loans/ payments which are easier to meet than coming up with a large sum of money altogether.

3. Understand this will not erase your debts

Debt Consolidation will not solve your financial problems. Instead, this allows borrowers to have little breathing room when drowning in debts. 

It is important to understand that the end goal is to get out of debt and not be trapped in the vicious cycle of getting a loan to pay off another loan. 

So, if you feel that debt consolidation is the best option for you, click here to learn more. 

Book Feature: Sorry, Bestie + Exclusive Author Interview with Felicity Abbott

Our latest book feature tackles an important issue that concerns many kids. Bullying has remained prevalent nowadays where at least 20% of the students say that they have experienced bullying in school. These incidents had led to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, and low morale.

This is why spreading awareness and inspiring hope are very important. We need to help other kids understand that what seems to be a meaningless joke or prank may affect others negatively. It is also important to empower the kids on how to cope and deal with situations like this.

Thus, we are happy to learn about the book, Sorry, Bestie written by Felicity T. Abbott who is a veteran Christian teacher.

Felicity enjoys working with pre-teens and teenagers. She often mentors students as they deal with life's experiences and helps students gain a Christian perspective on life and everyday difficulties and today, we have the opportunity to interview the author as she shares about her first book.

1. Can you share with us something about the book that isn't in the blurb?

There is more than one theme in the story. Besides the themes of friendship and bullying awareness, the themes of self-confidence, courage, and prayer are prevalent in the story.

2. What inspired the idea for your latest book?

Being a teacher for 15+ years I have seen students try to handle various academic and social situations. I extrapolated from and expanded upon those experiences.

3. How long did it take you to complete the book?

I wrote the book on and off for three years. I reread and revised it many times.

4. What part of the book was most challenging to write and why?

For me, the most challenging part was making sure that all the storylines worked together and gelled. It's annoying to read a story with holes in the plot or loose ends.

5. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

My hope is that readers will realize that no matter how large the problem may be, you can always go to Jesus in prayer. He is always available to hear your prayer no matter how alone you may feel. Friends, teachers, and even family may let us down but Jesus is always there to help, to give you wisdom and courage.

6. If you’re planning a sequel or write the next book, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?

I am working on a sequel of sorts. The best friend of the main character in Sorry, Bestie will be the main character. The story will be about Jade's experiences before leaving for her new school and continuing on at the new school Good Shepherd Christian Academy.

7. Where can they buy your books or find out more about you?

Sorry, Bestie is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbooks.com, Target.com, Indigo.ca, and many other independent booksellers.

More about me and my book can be found at the following places: Family Fiction https://familyfiction.com/middle-grade-kids-author-qa-felicity-abbott-sorry-bestie/, Christianbooks.com, and Goodreads.

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Thank you, Felicity, for agreeing to this interview. We are thrilled to learn more about you and your book and we are excited for the sequel as well. 

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