“My personal opinion is that one should definitely not skimp on food if one has very consciously started eating healthy, for example, eating healthy and organic food. I think that it absolutely must be continued.
Continue to eat healthy and exercise
In principle, I think: if the healthy lifestyle has been started in some area, if it requires additional expenses and if it is not possible to change anything there, I would say that it would be a direction in which you should not economize and save. It should keep going. I think that health is above all else.”
Even if a person bought a subscription to a sports club and went to exercise regularly, they should continue to do it this winter or look for alternative solutions, but don’t stop at saving expenses in this section.
“An active lifestyle should be cultivated. If the budget does not allow you to keep going to the gym, you can certainly exercise at home – there are a lot of videos with free exercises on the Internet. Walking a short distance from work could also be a good workout. And also saving on transport expenses.”
Use equalized payments
Speaking about various bills, which tend to increase recently, Kalniņa said: “You probably have to look at who the service provider is. I know that there is a possibility to balance the service bills.
If, for example, the bill for heat will be high in the winter season, it will decrease when the heating is turned off. You can probably negotiate with the building manager and pay the equalized payment, covering the part of the “winter” expenses in the summer as well.
Do not pretend that there are no bills!
I would definitely recommend not pretending the bill doesn’t exist! You should show your good will to pay the bill. If you can’t pay it all, you can try to negotiate to pay a part and then pay off the debt in the spring and summer.
Build debts with only one supplier
My recommendation would be: if you really have to make a debt, then it is better to make it to only one supplier, instead of one part of the debt being for heating, the other part for electricity, and the third part for gas.
Rather pay bills like gas and electricity, but pay in part and leave the debt to the manager. So that after that you have to work and pay only one debt.”
Contact the service provider
It is also recommended to communicate with the supplier whose invoices are difficult to pay and debts are arising. Communication with the service provider is also necessary because the company’s receivables process can be automatic. This may mean that after a certain number of days, the company transfers its debtors to debt collection companies for any unpaid amount.
“If there is such a situation, it is probably necessary to go and talk before then. It is necessary to warn in advance, so that it does not happen that a debt is created, but the service provider probably has automatic processes for collecting unpaid amounts.”
Do it on time
Consequently, residents would do well to inform their service providers of financial difficulties.
“We must speak on time and before that! Not when the problem has already started, but when we know we won’t be able to afford to pay something.” Then you should contact the service provider in time and offer your proposals.
Ask the bank for a favor
The same should be done with credit obligations in banks. “The absolute most important thing is: if the customer feels that he will not be able to pay the loan payments, he should contact his bank, and the bank will definitely offer a solution.
This can take the form of a credit holiday, when only the current interest payment can be paid and the principal amount postponed for a certain period. But it is absolutely necessary to do it in time to be able to do it!
Loan interest rates are also increasing
I think this is a situation where any bank will come forward and help their customers out of this predicament.
I would like to add that in this case, the burden on expenses is not only that expenses increase and there is inflation, but also that credit interest rates increase. Depending on the amount of the loan balance, the overpayment can be significant.”
Do not avoid negotiations with the bank
In any case: if a person has financial difficulties, one should not be silent about them in communication with the bank and pay, for example, only 100 euros instead of the prescribed 200 euros. “Communication is the most important thing in this case!” There are banks where you can apply for and receive credit holidays remotely in the internet bank, without even going to a branch in person.
“The most important thing is not to wait for the bank to look for you, but to give the message yourself in time.” On the other hand, if the bank’s representatives are already calling, then it is important to answer them, not to pretend you don’t know about the phone calls and to avoid conversations with the bank’s representatives,” the specialist advised.
