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Who do you turn to for advice during the market slump?

Written by R. A. Stewart

There is advice flowing in all directions on the best way to manage your finances during the market downturn. Who do you turn to for advice? Well, for a start, it is up to each individual to take responsibility for their finances and do their own due diligence. The possibility of a share market crash should have been factored into your plans. How often has it been said that your age and tolerance to risk are two factors that determine where to invest your money. If you are in your 20s then the market slump should not be an issue for you as far as your retirement savings are concerned because you have the advantage of time on your side. It is a different story, however, if you are saving for a house deposit. If this is the case then your money should be in more conservative funds but it all depends on how soon you need the money to purchase a house.

Eight years ago I was doing a mystery shopping assignment for a kiwisaver scheme and was advised to scale back to more conservative funds because of my age. I did not do that but if I did I would have missed out on the gains which occurred during that time. My kiwisaver balance would have been a lot lower than it is even during the current slump.

Personally, I am prepared to just weather the storm. How long this will last, who knows?

There was a financial advisor on TV one night saying, “People need to invest money at a higher rate than the inflation rate,” but she didn’t specify where we are supposed to find such an investment since the inflation rate is higher than fixed term interest rates.

Another financial advisor on TV said “Investors need to think about where they will be in ten years time rather than ten minutes time.” He said, “Investing in the share market is a long term game.”

Investors may be tempted to invest in something offering high interest rates. It is worth reminding people that during the Global Financial Crisis of 2007 and 2008 several finance companies went bust leaving a lot of investors out of pocket. In fact some investors lost their entire life savings in some of the company collapses.

A young woman was interviewed on TV last week and she told the reporter that she was in a conservative fund (in Kiwisaver). She wasn’t concerned about the tumbling markets. She was oblivious to the fact that she had missed out on all of the gains which the share market had made over the years and she will miss out on future gains in the markets because it is a good time to invest in the markets right now and this particularly applies to the young ones. The reason why it is a good time to invest is because you will get more units for your money. 

If you are saving for something for the short to long term then it is better to have your money in more conservative funds. These are decisions that need to be made by each individual and not others. It is about taking full responsibility for the outcome and not blaming others.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the writer’s opinion and experience and may not be applicable to your situation. If you require qualified financial assistance then see your bank, financial, or budget advisor. You may use this article as content for your ebook. Check out my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

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AVOIDING DUMB DEBT

The quickest way to a financial mess is to borrow for stuff that loses its value. You not only pay more for such items but the item is worth less than when you acquired it because it is no longer new once you take possession of it and therefore you will receive less than what you paid for it. This is called “Dumb Debt.”

Avoiding Dumb Debt at all costs

Everyone has seen the television commercials with slogans such as “Buy now pay later,” and the like.

you do not need to save your money to buy that new car, a wide screen TV, that latest smartphone, or a holiday on a tropical island when you can have all these things now. 

Instant gratification is a very expensive habit; one that will lead you to a life of financial challenges.

There have been misleading statements in some of the advertising; one I saw read, “Helping you to get ahead.”

That kind of slogan suggests that  the finance company is doing borrowers a favour which is far from the truth.

Loan sharks and finance companies thrive on financial ignorance; a person with even a basic grounding in personal finance will avoid loan sharks as if they had tested positive for covid.

One should ascertain whether the item is a want or a need before signing on the dotted line. 

Many people go into debt because they want to live a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget just to impress their friends. They are not happy with living modestly. 

An expensive lifestyle is costly in the long run. 

The parable of the prodigal son is a perfect example. Here was a young man who blew his inheritance on wasteful living and ended up living in poverty due to his lifestyle.

He not only blew his inheritance but was most likely living on credit.

It is borrowing that really kills off a person’s chances of financial success. That interest rate is dead money; it is the cost of borrowing.

Paying interest on stuff you have bought on credit adds to the cost of it and the value of a lot of stuff bought on credit is worth less as soon as you take possession of it.

“If you don’t have the money you don’t buy it,” is a simple philosophy to adopt.

What you think you cannot live without is something others have learned to live without. 

It all comes down to the choices we make.

There are some circumstances when it may be wise to borrow such as when the value of the item you are purchasing is going to make it financially worthwhile such as a student loan. This may or may not mean you will get a good paying job but you must be absolutely clear that it is what you want to do otherwise the course will be a total waste of money.

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

Feel free to use this article as content for your website, blog, or ebook. Check out my other articles on www.robertastewart.com