Money is one of the biggest sources of stress in life. Most people have to be careful when it comes to their finances in general and a lot of us will experience some form of financial strain in our lifetime.

A tendency to panic and feel anxious about money problems is perfectly normal but doesn’t help solve the issue at hand. Instead of panicking, here are some first steps to take when you find yourself with money problems.

Get emotional help and support

Just because you shouldn’t panic doesn’t mean that financial worries aren’t stressful. Don’t ignore your emotional needs during times of financial strain. Speak to a close friend, family member or even a debt counsellor about your struggles. Once you feel more emotionally and mentally steady, you can tackle your problems with a clearer head.

Take a look at your budget and savings

When you’re struggling financially, it always helps to sit down and take a look at your budget. Even when things are tight, there might be somewhere that you can cut costs or eliminate unnecessary expenditure. While not ideal, it might also be necessary to dip into your savings to cover costs until you find your feet again.

Communicate with your family

Let your family, and particularly your partner, know about any money problems you may be facing. If they depend on you and your income in any way, they’ll need to know that things will be tight, at least for a while. In the best-case scenario, one of your family members might even be able to help you.

Get professional advice

Consulting with a professional financial advisor is a good idea when you face a potential financial crisis. They will be able to advise you on a plan of action, budgeting tips and ways to save for the future. They might even have a solution you hadn’t thought of such a debt consolidation or a low-risk loan.

Consolidate your debt

Debt consolidation is ideal for people who have accumulated a lot of debt for various different credit providers. A debt consolidation service provider will be able to group all your debt together and create a single, more affordable monthly repayment. This can free up a lot of your monthly salary and will help you pay off what you owe more quickly.

Sell unwanted or needed items

While not always the ideal solution, selling your valuables is a fairly quick way to get some cash if you’re really stuck. If you do decide to go this route, only sell easily replaceable or seldom used items such as gym equipment or digital cameras. Another option for valuables is to pawn them instead, so you don’t end up losing your asset.

Plan for the worst-case scenario

Consider the worst-case scenario for your particular financial conundrum and then create a hypothetical plan of action. Even if things never get that dire, knowing what you would do and how you would go about it will give you a safety net. These measures could be things such as selling an asset, cashing in an investment or taking a loan.

Short-term loans from Lamna

At Lamna, we offer short-term cash loans against the value of a wide range of personal assets, from luxury watches and jewellery to vehicles or artwork. These asset-based loans are useful if you don’t want the loan to affect your credit score or if your credit is not good.

Our interest rates are competitive, and we’re fully compliant with the National Credit Act. For more information about using an asset to secure a short-term loan, contact us on 086 111 2866 or simply complete and submit our online application form.