Tag: Personal Finance

Keep calm, the 2023 recession isn’t coming!

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Predicting a recession has always been a fools errand for decades, just as predicting the general direction of the stock market is not practical. Over the course of 2022, I watched financial analysts, professors from Harvard and government officials in the US and around the world predict a recession was nearly certain in 2022. As that year came to a close, the recession predictions started to shift to the first half of 2023.

Most of the predictions was for good reason though. For starters, there was a war raging in Europe and supply chains were a mess. With most of the worlds manufactured goods flowing from China and food staples (think wheat, soybeans and corn), from Ukraine and Russian being disrupted, it was only a matter of time before inflation got out of control.

As the US inflation steadily got out of hand from early 2022 to an annual rate of 9.1% in June, the drumbeat of a recession was at a fever pitch. This wasn’t surprising to me because previous bouts of high prices always lead to a recession.

The expected Central bank policy response to high prices is to increase interest rates to cool the economy, reduce inflation and get the real economy growing at a steady rate, avoiding a downturn. This is what is referred to as a soft landing. Over the course of 2022, interest rates went from around 0.25% to about 4.5% and mortgage rates went to a high of about 7%. Leading to a housing downturn in the US.

All of the factors discussed so far would have easily led to a recession but the US economy had a formidable cushion with consumers flush with cash and the job market still red hot with two jobs available for every American who wants to work for all of 2022.

2023 is here and the economy is still humming along, consumer spending is still strong and supply chains are normalizing. Inflation has decreased every month since July 2022 and durable goods prices like vehicles are coming down fast. Tesla recently announced price cuts and other automakers like Ford are reducing prices as well. I believe more manufacturers would follow as we go through 2023.

I know you would want to point to the the housing market that is still in a funk and technology companies laying off workers left and right. Inspite of those reasons, the underlying US economy is still strong, the Bureau of Labour statistics reported that there are still over 10.2 million job opening on Jan 4th, 2023.

Another positive for the global economy is China. The Asian giant has awaken from its authoritarian Zero Covid policy slumber and it’s economy is predicted to grow at a robust 5% this year. If the US and China keep their economy growing for 2023, I believe a recession won’t materialize.

So Keep Calm, reduce liabilities or debt, work hard at your jobs, live life to the fullest and take care of yourselves! These times of uncertainties shall pass and stay tuned for my next article on how I am planning for the worst case scenario if a recession materializes in 2023.

Pay Off Debt Fast in 2023!

Debt repayment can be tough, but it is a necessary step toward financial independence.  With the economy potentially slipping into a recession in 2023, debt reduction is a great goal to add to your lists of New Year resolutions. Whether you have credit card debt, student loans, car loans or other types of debt, you must devise a plan to pay it off as soon as possible. Here are some debt-reduction strategies to consider:

1. Increase your income and invest in yourself:

Investing in yourself by reading educational books, blogs and taking courses on personal finance would help you be better at managing your finances and reducing debt. Talking about education, here are my top personal finance books of all time; Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Millionaire next door, Think and Grow rich and The Intelligent Investor. Learning new skills would allow you to earn more money from side hustles on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr or temporarily taking a second job if your situation allows it.

2. Prioritize and consolidate your debts:

It is critical to prioritize which debts should be paid off first. Paying off high-interest debts first will help you save on interest costs, saving you money in the long run. Its also helpful to consolidate multiple credit debts into a single loan. This reduces the number of creditors you are dealing with and minimizes the chance of missing payment and incurring late payment fees. However, its important to shop around using Apps like Credit Karma and Mint.com to get an aggregate of offers.

3. Consider a balance transfer credit card:

If you have high-interest credit card debt, consider transferring it to a credit card with a 0% introductory interest rate. Just make sure to read the fine print and understand any balance transfer fees as well as the length of the introductory period.

4. Debt snowball strategy:

This entails paying off your debts in descending order, regardless of interest rate. The idea here is that you pay off smaller debts first, which reduces the total amount of creditors you are dealing with. You’ll be more motivated to keep paying off the smaller pool of creditors.

Invest in your own personal education taking advantage of platforms like skillshare to learn new skills and start a side hustle or business in 2023.

Don Martins

5. The debt avalanche method:

This involves paying off your debts in the order of highest to lowest interest rate. While this method may take longer to see results, it will save you more money in the long run because you are getting rid of your most expensive debts. This is especially important as the Feds keep raising interest rates in 2023.

6. Consider a debt-management strategy:

If you’re having trouble repaying your debts, you should think about a debt management plan. This is a repayment plan in which you make a single monthly payment to a credit counseling agency, which pays your creditors on your behalf. A debt management plan can help you reduce your interest rates and pay off your debts faster.

7. Seek professional assistance:

If you’re drowning in debt and don’t know where to turn, consider hiring a financial advisor or a credit counseling service. They can assist you in developing a debt repayment strategy and provide guidance and support throughout the process.

8. Make a budget:

The first step toward debt repayment is to make a budget that accounts for your income and expenses. Back in the early 1900s John D Rockefeller Sr. would keep very concise notes of all his financial transactions in a pocketbook. These days, you can automatically track where your money is going and keep tabs on your credit score using tools like Mint.com, Credit Karma and truebill.

Finally, paying off debt quickly requires discipline and sticking to a plan. You can work towards becoming debt-free and achieving financial freedom by creating a budget, prioritizing your debts, and considering options such as debt consolidation loans and balance transfer credit cards. Also, invest in your own personal education taking advantage of platforms like skillshare to learn new skills and start a side hustle or business in 2023. I wish you a Happy New year filled with prosperity, joy and no debts!