More people struggle with debt collection – NRK Trøndelag

– My credit issue was 34 years old, so it lasted a few rounds. The thought of debt is every day, says Roy Gjords.

He is an ordinary person who is restricted and difficult to talk to.

For years, debt rules his life.

Many times he has run out of money for food.

– He says that I was blessed to have a family that supported me and I am not alone.

Gjørtz isn’t the only one struggling with debt.

Last year, the state prosecutor’s office received 3,000 more cases than the previous year.

– Leads to many sufferings

Over the years, Gjørtz has repeatedly sought help with his financial problems.

Eventually, the psychological distress became so great that he had to see a psychologist and found no other solution than to call in sick.

– The psyche becomes the body. I see what it does to people. They stay at home and do not function in daily life. This leads to a lot of suffering, says Roy Cuerno.

He is a financial advisor and general manager at Kr Rådgivning in Trondheim.

For 17 years, he has helped an ever-increasing number of clients collect their outstanding debts. Gjørtz is one of these.

Often those who seek help from him have both jobs and good incomes, but they are still struggling to clean up their personal finances.

Refuses to communicate

Gjørtz chose to be open about his problems, but doesn’t believe it’s equally easy for everyone.

– It is a prohibited substance. Outwardly, you both want to be successful and participate in what’s going on in social life. I don’t think there are many people who are as open as I am.

Counselor Kværnø says that many of her clients hesitate for a long time before making contact.

– What I hear from visitors is that there are horribly heavy steps to get from the parking lot to where I wait for them.

Avoid pitfalls

Are Oust is Professor of Socioeconomics at NTNU.

Personal finance can be difficult, she says.

– We don’t learn enough about it in school. Many people struggle to control their own finances and thus make very simple mistakes.

It’s often not about doing everything right all the time. According to Oust, one should focus on avoiding risks.

This could be, for example, not having a large enough buffer account or not thinking long enough.

– Planning is very important when it comes to personal finance. Unexpected things happen in everyone’s life.

Challenging times encourage taking unsecured loans. If you must resort to this, Oust has a clear message.

– Don’t borrow to see what happens. Plan how to deal with this expensive debt.

It will not go away by itself

If you’ve accumulated a lot of debt, the road to financial freedom can be difficult.

Nevertheless, Oust believes that most people can manage it with the right help, for example by going to the bank.

– That journey can often feel like a mile from the doorstep, but the bank can be a good and useful sparing partner who can help you come up with a plan on how to get your finances under control.

Both Oust and consultant Kværnø agree that the worst thing you can do is not solve the problem.

– What worries me the most are all the people with problems who don’t seek help and think it will go away. It doesn’t, says Kværnø.