Strategic Investing that Pays
Let’s face it, most of us are in debt. Whether it’s charges on a credit card, a car loan through the bank, or both, chances are we owe someone somewhere a sum of money. How do you navigate investing when you have bills to pay? How can you tuck away money when you’re barely making ends meet? Let’s take a look at the difference between secured debt and unsecured debt and how you might approach each one with an eye for investing.
Strategic Investing When You Have Debt
Secured Debt
Secured debt is any debt you absolutely have to pay or they come to repossess your car or foreclose on your house. You’ll want to continue making payments on these debts to ensure you still have a place to live and a way to get to work. If there is some type of merchandise or collateral involved with a bank loan, a car loan, or a mortgage, repay it or risk having your possessions taken away.
Unsecured Debt
Unsecured debt is debt such as purchases on a credit card or taking out a cash loan. These types of debts do not have any valuables or merchandise to “take away” if the debt is not paid, and therefore they do not need to be paid down right away, even though a monthly due date looms. It is not a good idea to rack up more unsecured debt, but it is a good idea to take the following advice when it comes to investing while having these debts at the same time.
Be Financially Strategic
STEP ONE
If unsecured debt doesn’t have the added stress of someone repossessing your goods, there is no need to tear out your hair paying them back right away.
Truth be told you can negotiate your monthly debt. Call your creditors and explain your situation and see what options they have available. If the representative you received was not helpful, call back and speak to a different representative. If they were not helpful call back again and ask to speak to a supervisor and see if you can get your interest rate and monthly payments lower.
If that step does not work, you should consider this action, only if it works for you and your family.
STEP TWO
Consider taking the money you would have paid to your unsecured debt and invest it. A few late payments will not hurt you, and while it might reflect on your credit score, the idea here is not to ignore your unsecured debt forever. It is to get the credit company to work with you, and sometimes the more late payments, the more help.
I know this suggestion is unconventional and it must be. In order for us to build generational wealth we must think of ways to help us invest more. Once you invest your money for a period of time and let it grow, you’ll then have more money, and with that money, you’ll be able to decide how to use it for the betterment of your family.
Don’t worry too hard about your credit score, as paying off these debts in full will help your credit score go back up. It might seem scary at first to allow your credit score to take a hit, but it will only bounce back in the long run.
IN CONCLUSION…
Being strategic with how you pay your debt will help you later on down the road. You can become a strategic investor.
Investing your money is the best way—and the fastest way—to build wealth. By investing what you can in the stock market, you’re giving yourself a shot at a brighter future. Don’t stress about all your bills right now. When you find ways to put your money in your investments, you’ll eventually have a substantial nest egg that pays off—in the long term, not tomorrow or 3 years from now but decades from now your investments will pay off more than you can dream.
Let’s Build Generational Wealth for the betterment of our future, LET’S GO!
To learn more about investing, closing the racial wealth gap, and growing generational wealth for Black and brown families, please visit Financial Joy School and become a part of our financial family.
