Both debt buying hedge funds I managed did well; the first significantly better than the second. More important than the money was the experience I gained. I know the intimate details of buying, selling and collecting debt.
And I have contacts.
When I ran across the John Oliver video I had to watch. Nothing much has changed since I ran those halls.
Rare is the decade where a capitalist society doesn’t experience an economic slowdown. Call it a soft landing, recession or depression, the results are the same with varying degrees. Economic slowdowns and declines are inevitable under capitalism.
Expansions are born from the depths of the previous economic decline. Inflation tends to be low and unemployment high. Pent up demand is waiting for an influx of goods and services to satiate desires. As businesses whittle down inventory, the recession eases. A glimmer of increased demand begins the cycle all over. Employment increases to meet demand. Eventually wages climb as the labor market tightens.
Instant gratification is the hallmark of a good economy according to the government wonks and marketers. It is also the hallmark of the impoverished souls forced to work forever in a soulless job to cover the debt payments.
Watching clients for decades has made it clear there are only a few golden rules to wealthy. Automatic investing is one; deferred gratification is the other. Deferred gratification is what funds the investment account so I think deferred gratification is by far the more powerful of the two traits.
Instant gratification is sometimes hard to see. Today I will point out all the signs you are satiating your lusts a bit too quickly for your own good. By recognizing your overzealous spending habits you can delay gratification to your benefit. You give up nothing, but gain plenty of freedom, less (or no) debt and financial independence. It is a stress-free way to conduct life.
Low interest rates have raised concerns if it is proper to pay off debt early. The good news is there are ways to determine if you should pay down debt, including the home mortgage, or invest funds to accelerate net worth building. Low interest credit card teaser rates and equity lines of credit add another dimension to the ever evolving world of personal finance. There are two factors to consider when balancing between reducing debt or increasing investments: the return on the investments over the cost of capital and the risk factor.
Personal finance can learn a thing or two from corporate finance when it comes to debt and investment. Just like a business, when a household decides to pay down debt there is a tradeoff. Accelerating debt reduction takes money from other areas, mostly spending or investment, but also reduces risks associated with debt servicing. In this post I will assume you have reduced your spending to a reasonable level and the trade-offs are between debt retirement and investment only.