In 2033, what might you say to the you of today? That’s the you who has launched into 2023 and all that it will bring – good, bad, and sometimes just meh.

Since we are all our greatest critics, it’s probably a good guess you’re thinking about the things you could do better and maybe beating yourself up over mistakes you’ve made.

The Debtfix Crew think it would be great if we all started every day, not just each New Year, with positive goals to boost our confidence and to better manage our money.

If you’re worried about money right now you are not alone.

Last month it was revealed that “concern about personal finances is now considered to be the biggest impact on New Zealanders’ mental wellbeing, likely related to the increased cost of living.”

Now we are in the Christmas and summer holiday season, which is one of the most challenging times of the year for everyone. There is help.

It can be a real struggle knowing what to do when people ask you for a loan, especially if it’s a friend or family member who asks for some extra cash.

Most of us want to help others in their hour of need but before you hand over the bucks, it pays for you to completely review the situation and seek advice from others.

The Debtfix Crew does come across people who have debt problems because they have lent money to friends or family, then the deal went wrong for everyone.

The Debtfix Crew are helping more New Zealanders with debt that has resulted from gambling.

We’re not sure why gambling harm is more prevalent now, but we do know there are many ways to clear debt that are more reliable than a pokie machine or a bet on the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

If you or someone close to you struggles with gambling, there are support organisations and solutions to make changes for good.

During Money Week the Debtfix Crew wanted to know what New Zealanders were wondering about bankruptcy.

We threw some questions out into cyberspace, and you gave us an insight into what you think our people know about the debt solution.

Most significantly, 86 per cent of respondents wanted to reduce the whakamā (shame) people may experience when they are bankrupt.

The Debtfix five-week debt bootcamp kicks off on Monday 9 May, 2022.

Sign up for this free guided programme, now.

Some of the Debtfix Crew are old enough to remember taking a few coins along to school and handing them over with our bank book and a deposit slip to slowly build up a wee nest egg. We learnt about saving for a rainy day, earning interest on our meagre bank balance and maybe we got into the culture of New Zealand’s banking system.

However, no one talked to us about debt.

When you are just making do, all it takes is one serious accident to suddenly mean you can’t make do. For hardworking Duane, it was a back injury that took him out of his timber mill job and while he recuperated his ACC income was 20 per cent less than usual.

Throw in a global pandemic when he was just getting back into fulltime work, along with his wife losing her job, and you have a seemingly insurmountable financial blizzard.

There is nothing like the relief we feel when a problem is resolved, and we have choices about our future.

The Debtfix Crew has seen it often and they know people do move on when they get debt under control. They love nothing more than seeing a person turn their life around and move on to a more positive future – all because of a debt solution.

You would be hard pressed to find an adult in New Zealand who doesn’t have some debt, because even signing up for electricity supply or mobile phone plans are both forms of debt.

The Debtfix Crew has noticed many people have similar experiences when debt threatens to swamp them.

What are some warning signs your debt is getting out of control?