I always wanted to travel from a very young age. Even though color television was relatively new there were plenty of movies at the cinema and color magazines with articles on faraway places to feed my mind. I was never quite sure how I would realize my dreams. After all commercial passenger flight was not like it is today. As time passed it became obvious that many of these places were indeed in reach. An uncle actually spent some time in the Merchant Marine. He crossed the Pacific many times visiting lots of countries in South East Asia though he was rarely in port for long enough to actually explore many of those countries in depth. I didn’t see myself as a seaman, but his stories reinforced my desire to travel. It would be all about earning the money and finding the time.
Not without Problems
Years on I have pretty much fulfilled my dreams, but it has not been without problems along the way. There is plenty of temptation which sometimes manages to push common sense to one side. As the real estate market grew common sense should dictate that the equity created should be used sensibly; retirement is an obvious thing to consider. I must confess that at times remortgaging funded travel which although immensely enjoyable brought no financial return.
Credit Cards
Most people have succumbed to credit cards. They offered readymade credit limits. They should really be used for convenience. Instead, I managed to build up some core debt; balances on a range of cards and each of those cards were costing me penal interest at the end of each month.
Fortunately, I saw the problem growing and was able to rectify the situation before it got too serious and beyond control. The danger is that credit card balances can somehow escape being regarded as real debt because until the recession came many didn’t feel they would have to be paid back in full. The recession ended any feeling of complacency because as people’s finances crumbled demands often poured in. I had managed to negotiate a consolidation loan before the recession struck. I cut up all but two of my credit cards immediately and paid off every outstanding balance incurring such high-interest rates. It did mean for the next five years I had a fixed monthly payment to make; 60 months and all that money I had used to travel was paid back at a realistic interest rate.
Lessons
I’ve learned a few lessons in this exercise. Certainly I have enjoyed my travels and hope to continue to do more as retirement approaches. I’ve been fortunate that my income justified the consolidation loan because I certainly lacked some financial self-discipline at times. Credit card companies were perfectly happy to issue cards to anyone who wanted them. Indeed, they seemed to offer them without being asked. It is a trend that seems to be returning today even though the recession has only just receded. If anyone asks me now about cards I would certainly say that they should only be used for their convenience, and not a way to get a loan. Every monthly balance should be paid off in full; I do this now although it took me a while to realize its importance.
There is nothing wrong with borrowing money responsibly. There are loans available for those with the ability to pay the loan amount in full, and the interest rates can be less expensive than what you are paying on cards. That was what I found in my case. I was fortunate to have both a full-time monthly check and money made part-time with my online writing. I write on a variety of subjects based on what my clients want. In addition, if anyone invites me to write about finance, I volunteer advice for nothing. The recession produced many casualties. A huge proportion of them were not as complacent about borrowing as I was. Circumstances brought them down.
I think back and feel relieved that my complacency did not cause me more problems. I’ve seen most of the world and intend to continue to see more in the coming years. Credit could have been my downfall, yet borrowing solved my problem with a sensible consolidation loan. If you look at your own situation and see some of the warning signs that I have alluded to then seek advice. If you have the time and patience, you can do the research on your own, and you can end up apying a lot less on your debt over the long run as you pay it off.
So, what do you think ?