You’ve probably heard the saying: “You need money to make money”. Unless you have a very wealthy family or have inherited a fortune, you will need to get into debt at some point or point in your life. After all, it would take a very long time for a young person to save the total purchase price of a car, let alone their first home.

So we can probably all agree that not all debt is terrible.

Let’s look at different types of debt.

Home Loan Payments

Mortgage debt is a so-called “good debt” because it helps you acquire an asset, which will grow in value over the years and give you a roof over your head. The interest payments are not “money down the drain”. After all, by paying rent, you enrich your landlord, but you are improving yourself by paying off a mortgage.

What can you afford?

Their home loan is the most significant debt they will ever have for most people. It is all very well to fall in love with a particular house or apartment, but can you afford it? The expert opinion is that your total monthly debt, including mortgage repayments, car loans and credit card payments, should not exceed 1/3rd of your total monthly income. If it does, you are likely to get into financial strife sooner than later. Get financial advice from your mortgage broker or accountant.

Advantages of Having a Mortgage

Apart from giving you a roof over your head and acquiring a valuable asset, if you have a good credit record with your bank, i.e. you make all your payments on time, it will be easier for you to borrow money in the future for an investment property, for example, or a bigger and better car. Financial institutions regularly check on your credit rating with VEDA, a credit reference agency, to check up on your credit record. VEDA has forms of most loans and defaults on loans, as well as judgement debts and bankruptcies.

Credit Cards

We couldn’t imagine life without them, yet, they are the most common type of “bad debt” since they are usually used for consumer spending, where there is little to show at the end – nothing of any commercial or saleable value, in any event. Yet, they make our life easy and practical. After all, who can always have enough cash in their wallet when they go shopping or go out with friends?

Benefits of Credit Cards

They are convenient to use and can be used almost everywhere and at all times, including overseas;
Many are linked to reward programs like Frequent Flyers;
If you lose a credit card, it can be cancelled and a new one issued, unlike losing cash, which a bank will not replace;
If you are unfortunate enough to lose your card or have it stolen and used by an unauthorised party, your credit card provider will compensate you for the loss. The merchant where the card was used will wear the loss;

Disadvantages of Credit Cards

The interest rate is very high, usually 18.5%-21.5% per annum;
There is a temptation only to pay the minimum amount due each month rather than the total amount;
There is a temptation to buy more than you need because it does not feel like spending money;
There is the temptation to increase your credit limit beyond what you can comfortably pay in a month because credit card companies regularly invite you to increase your credit limit; and
There is the danger of having too many credit cards because it is so easy to obtain them, thereby getting into debt levels that you cannot afford to pay in full each month.

Use Your Credit Card Wisely

Always pay off the total amount each month;
Only have one credit card, or at most two;
Keep the limit down to what you can comfortably afford to pay in full each month; and
Whatever you do, don’t pay your mortgage off with your credit card.