There are many people considering investing in a property abroad these days. We have an entire generation who consider themselves rich. In a way they are. Property prices in the UK have risen to such an extent that large sums of equity based cash have quite accessible to many home owners.

The UK investor has traditionally gone for bricks and mortar as an assured return on investment. Nowadays the housing bubble has slowed in the UK so people have increasingly looked abroad for such investments. Many countries are currently seeing massive economic growth (such as the newly europeanised E European countries and Morocco) and, hence, offer higher perceived returns than putting your money into the UK market.

The vast increase in the cost of living which is being both subtly ( via the local council and the treasury) and unsubtly ( prices on everything from fuel to condoms on the up) passed on to the working classes - by that I mean those who work - is starting to have an huge impact on society here in the UK.

The dangerous trend of late has been to build up large debts, with the average salaried worker in the UK having to pay some 60% of their wage packet out on debts, council tax and mortgage payments.

Increases in interest rates, house price falls and the actions of the lenders to mitigate their potential losses in the face of recession by withdrawing credit are all conspiring to cause great problems to many people.

Is there a solution one must ask oneself in the face of such outrageous fortune?

Well, just make sure that you are not overstretching yourself, that is all. Try to be a bit frugal and more than anything else try to reduce your obligations. Seek out the very best rates on all your borrowing. Remortage or look to go interest only for the near future and try to pay off your cards, then tear up the evil temptors that they are.

But, above all else. Enjoy yourself, its later than you think.

It is not a Credit Crunch - it is a Recession

There is much in the news about Pensions and the cost of living these days, the cost of living is on the up; utility bills, council tax, fuel and the general cost of living are on the up no doubt. Wages have also been much covered in the press and media of late with wage rise demands in both private and public sectors which, generally are failing to meet the rise in inflation.In a recent survey carried out by the University of Newcastle it was suggested that the true cost of living for Pensioners has risen by over 200% over the past few years.The signs are all there, people are finding it harder and harder to get by and it does appear that a period of recession is upon us.As for Gordon Brown, I have been tempted to feel sorry for him upon occasion but it should be remembered that he was Chancellor of the Exchequer for most of the Blair years and, hence, is directly culpable for the mess that we may well discover ourselves in - I believe that the true extent is not yet apparent.

So, it looks like it will be a good year ahead for debt management companies and business insolvency practitioners, the credit crunch is making it more and more difficult to borrow money and traditional large lenders are being far more rigorous in their criteria before lending money.Under this climate many people are looking for ways in which they can release money from previously unfancied sources. There has been a surge in the claimant industry whereby you are encouraged to claim on bank charges, endowment compensation, childrens tax credit and personal injury by the thriving mass of companies offering to guide you through the paperwork for a small fee. Other avenues being explored are Pension Release for the Over 50’s, whereby one can unlock or release funds in a redundant pension scheme to which you no longer contribute. This is also in the same vein as the current malcontent regarding inheritance tax, we all need what we can get..The main issue in these times is to be a bit more frugal, don’t be easily fooled by get rich quick offers. What appears too good to be true generally is.

The Author, Alexis Svenn is a Financial Analyst and an article contributor to many online and offline media sources.