Editor’s Note
Debtfree Magazine issue #10 – Editor’s Note
Does it feel to you like we are all just trying to make it to the end of the year as if it is some sort of invisible finish line that if we can just cross everything will somehow be better?
You probably feel that way. Most people report feeling the same. While this is a pretty common feeling most years, as the harsh realities of every year wear us down and make us long for some ‘time off’ and a seeming fresh start, 2020 feels special…and not in a good way.
After all, we have had a global pandemic which has tragically claimed over 1.1 million people’s lives and had 41 million more worldwide infected and feeling sick. Now people are talking about the “second wave” which has seen a spike in deaths across Europe and other areas as people grow tired of all the Covid-19 precautions.
‘It would… be naïve to think that just because the calendar rolls over another month that the virus …will suddenly disappear.’
It would, however, be naïve to think that just because the calendar rolls over another month that the virus and all the ramifications of the lockdown will suddenly disappear. It may provide a small psychological break but little will change economically and in terms of the pandemic. In fact, 2021 is going to be a hard, hard year regardless of if there will be vaccines or not.
If you have made it this far through the year, then: well done! If you have managed to somehow cut back on your spending while waiting for things to pick up again, you may have noticed that things are picking up but unfortunately a lot slower than most people would like to see. Businesses continue to shut and workers continue to be retrenched. SA has had well over 2.2 million retrenchments recently.
Your family might have already been impacted or may soon face the impact of less household income. Either way, this year has taught us all that we need to learn to live on less. This issue we delve into how you can do that. We discuss everything from finally doing that budget you keep promising you will get around to, to learning how to have fun on less income.
We have tips and advice that will help you avoid many common mistakes people make when their income reduces. We also look at how you can deal with the impact of sudden health problems on yourself or those close to you. We hope these articles will help you through a rather difficult and all too common situation.
Stay Positive
It is important to stay positive. That feeling of chasing a new year and new opportunities is a valid goal. We all need to feel optimistic about the future even though we may have challenges ahead. It is also important to take appropriate steps to help you have valid reasons for future optimism. For many, this has meant wisely adjusting to living on less while also turning to the amazing debt review process.
‘We all need to feel optimistic about the future even though we may have challenges ahead’
Here we also say: well done to you! This has enabled hundreds of thousands of clever consumers to not only have enough to make ends meet each month but also work towards the rewarding finishing line of finally being totally debt free.
This article first appeared in issue #10 of 2020