by Zulika van Heerden

If you are like many South Africans, chances are you have had your share of sleepless nights due to debt or other financial problems. We have all heard the stories about spiralling household debt, the dismal savings rate and gloomy odds for a happy, healthy and financially secure retirement, and it can often seem that we work all day just to keep one step ahead of the bills that keep piling up.

With all these worries, it is no wonder so many of us lie awake at night running our finances through our heads. Fortunately for those insomniacs there is help available, and it is possible to finally get a handle on all these problems and simplify their lives.

In order to tackle such a large problem, however, it is important to understand the triggers that can cause these problems. It may not be possible to avoid all these problems, but it is important for every person to do what he or she can to get their finances under control.

Perhaps the biggest cause of financial problems and sleepless nights is simply trying to live beyond one’s means. Keeping up with the Jones’s has probably done more to harm our financial lives than anything else. Instead of trying to have the newest and shiniest toys in the neighbourhood, focus instead on building the largest investment portfolio. You will be better off in the long run.

Impulse shopping is another big cause of financial woes, and in some cases these impulses are related to that desire to keep up with the neighbours and present an affluent front. No matter what the reason, however, impulse shopping is dangerous, and it is important for consumers to get this impulse under control. One way to do this is to examine the triggers that cause us to make these impulse purchases. Some of us shop and incur debt when we are stressed, when we are bored or even when we are angry. By learning to recognize these problems and deal with them, much impulse shopping can be nipped in the bud.

While there is no one right answer for financial problems, recognizing the things that make us overspend and accumulating debt and dealing with them can go a long way toward solving these all too common issues. And once you have finally put your financial woes behind you perhaps you will finally be able to get a good night’s sleep.

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