How debt damages your personal relationship(s)
Debt can cause an unbelievable amount of pressure on relationships, causing disputes, quarrels and frustration from either partner.
In a debt-ridden environment, staying strong as a couple can be challenging. Either or both partners can become cold and withdrawn from each other, leading to repeated arguments on how the debt was accumulated in the first place.
Moreover, trust within a relationship can be damaged or, worse, broken.
How does debt become a problem in relationships?
Couples get into debt for several reasons.
The most common is a significant life event, like getting married, illness or having a child. Changes in circumstances can have a considerable impact on a couple’s finances, and adjusting can be financially challenging.
Alternatives to borrowing money that doesn’t include your friends and family
It can be tempting to ask friends or relatives to lend you money, yet many of us hate borrowing money from friends and family. You need to carefully consider whether you can afford to repay the loan and can cope with what might happen if you can’t.
Borrowing from a family member can provide emergency money and help you avoid forms of borrowing with very high interest rates, like loans and overdrafts
If both parties are confident it will not harm a relationship with a family member if you don’t repay, this is a good option as it usually is interest-free.
If you’re borrowing from a friend, be aware that if you don’t repay, this could end the friendship.
8 reasons why you should NOT lend money to friends & family
Loans between family members or friends can result in an entirely unexpected set of problems. Consider why you should not lend money to friends and family and some tips to help you with damage control if you do agree to loan money.
Loans to family and friends are open-ended. The parties don’t reach an agreement on a repayment timeline and don’t include interest on the loan. Lenders don’t know when their money will be returned, and borrowers don’t know when to repay the loans.
This leaves both parties in limbo and doesn’t set any expectations. The uncertainty can lead to stress as the borrower may worry that the lender expects payment, and the lender worries about when he or she will be repaid. When I loaned money to a family member, it delayed my decision to buy a house.
How to manage your personal debt [14 strategies]
How to manage your personal debt [14 strategies] If you use credit wisely, you could avoid risking more debt. Now it’s time to get credit smart and manage your personal debt. Like or loathe it, credit is part of our lives and is often associated with unmanageable debt. Credit reports and credit scores act as […]
The MoneyHub guide to booking holidays
Holidays should be fun-filled and memorable whether on your own, with a loved one or with family.
Sadly, it doesn’t always work out that way. The internet is swarming with tales of dodgy hotels, crammed tours with other tourists, flight delays and over-priced car rentals.
When this happens, your holiday excitement is ruined in minutes.
With summer just passed, many of us are considering our next holiday. This MoneyHub guide covers every stage of your holiday so that you can book and travel with the knowledge that you have the best deal.
The most reliable way to navigate the tangled network of routes and airlines and routes is to use a travel comparison website or airline aggregator like
Skyscanner
to find the cheapest option. Skyscanner also lists countries and their COVID restrictions depending on where you are permitted to fly to and from your original destination.
6 ways you can shave years off your mortgage
Mortgages are your biggest monthly outgoing. It would significantly boost your lifestyle if you did not have to pay this each month. There are ways to reduce your mortgage length; here are seven tips.
This may sound obvious, but making additional payments can save you more in the long term. Every extra pound you add can reduce the interest you will pay and the mortgage’s length.
Making additional payments depends on your personal circumstances. Can you afford to do this? With the current cost of living crisis, finances are walloped by the present economic situation, and many feel that paying extra is not an option.
Many lenders permit a certain amount of fixed payments annually, then apply an overpayment penalty. If so, ensure you continue to put money aside but in a savings account so that when you can make a lump sum, it is there to pay off your mortgage sooner.
What is a loan originator?
Within P2P investing, investors would have noticed the term loan originator on the peer-to-peer investing platform. But what roles do loan originators play?
Estonian property market sees 33% drop in transactions
Estonian property market sees 33% drop in transactions YoY; No Immediate Revival Expected Despite ECB Holding Off Rate Hikes
Despite the European Central Bank (ECB) pausing interest rate increases, experts foresee no quick recovery for Estonia’s flagging housing market. Since last autumn, the ECB has raised rates ten times to counter inflation. This has discouraged new lending and affected existing loan holders, states Risto Vähi, an analyst at Uus Maa.
Year-on-year data reveals one-third fewer property transactions, confirms Vähi. Mihkel Eliste of Arco Vara has observed a declining trend since the spring-summer period of 2022. He notes the apartment market is roughly at 2015-2016 levels. For high-end housing, the market in some areas has regressed to 2013 or 2014 conditions.
Both Eliste and Vähi concur that an easing of interest rates will not spur a fast drop in credit costs or stimulate the housing market. Furthermore, the liquidity for residences priced above €250,000 has weakened, while the secondary market for apartments remains competitive.
Vähi remains cautiously optimistic that rate hikes have plateaued but does not anticipate a significant decline anytime soon.
Getting more from your food basket comparison
A comparison of online shopping baskets revealed a surprising result: food prices in major retail chains have dropped to levels seen a year ago.
For instance, a shopping cart at Rimi costs less now than in the past 11 months; last year, it was over €70, and now it’s under €63. Barbora’s cart is also €6 cheaper than last September. Data is collected on the 10th of each month. Prisma still hasn’t returned to its previous year’s prices and currently offers a cart that’s €5 more expensive. Selver’s prices are €2 higher than 11 months ago.
Rimi is experimenting with its pricing. Throughout the year, Prisma has offered the most stable and affordable prices. Barbora’s food prices rose until this April and then decreased. Rimi’s prices have fluctuated as they search for the right pricing strategy. Selver consistently has the highest prices.
Regardless of the general price level of the retail chain, all have returned to last autumn’s price level. Bread products have been the most stable in price across all chains.