The importance of friendship can never be over-stated and knowing that someone is there for you to talk to or open up to has to be of great benefit to people of all ages. No matter what you have going on in life, being able to share these moments with a friend will be of considerable benefit, and if you have faced problems or difficulties, you will find that being able to call on a friend will help to make life an awful lot easier. Of course, this means that you should also be willing to be there for a friend if they need support.
There are many problems that people can face in life but at the moment in the United Kingdom, it would be fair to say that many people are struggling with debt. This is why it is important to look out for your friends. They may be too forthcoming in talking about their problems, which is why you need to be on the lookout for some of the tell-tale signs that your friend is struggling with financial matters.
Helping a friend to take control of their life will give them a great starting point in being able to open up about their problems and hopefully find the assistance they need to move forward in life.
Here are some of the signs to look out for if you have concerns that a friend is in debt:
They Appear to be Worried About a get-together
We all have times when we can do without the fuss and rigmarole of a big event or a big night out but could there be an underlying reason why your friend doesn’t want to catch up in certain ways or in a certain location? It could be that the thought of going to an expensive venue where they may have to spend a lot of money is concerning you.
It can be all too easy to think that your friend doesn’t want to socialise with you but in the vast majority of cases, this will not be the situation. You will often find that the associated cost of socialising in certain places is the aspect that is worrying your friend and causing them to be agitated or hesitant to agree to meet.
They Change Behaviour Abruptly
If you have known someone for a long period of time, you will be able to pick up on changes in behaviour. This means that while on the surface your friend tries to be okay and of good standing, they may react abruptly to certain issues or matters. Looking out for your friends reaction when money or finances are brought up is a good way to judging their mood. It may be that your friend has grown jealous of people who can spend lavishly or who are careless with money.
Some people have always had this sort of reaction to loose spending but if this is a new thing for your friend, they may be experiencing a change in their own circumstances which is causing this change in their behaviour.
They are Always on the Phone or in Contact with Others
This may just mean that your friend is really popular and has other friends, which may shove you out of the picture, but it may also be that your friend is dealing with bailiffs, debt collectors and speaking to people who can provide them with assistance in dealing with debt. Again, if this sort of activity and behaviour is very different from the standard sort of behaviour that your friend would have, it is worthwhile taking an interest and trying to find out if anything is wrong or different. You may end up being told that it is none of your business, but again, you want to give your friend as much support as possible.
Your Friend Lacks Financial Flexibility
As we grow older, our finances change. It may be that we prosper at work and we have more income but at the same time, we have more responsibilities and things to spend money on. This means that we may not have as much financial flexibility as we used to. However, if the level of financial flexibility in your friend’s life has appeared to change, without any other factor appearing to have changed, it may be that they are facing financial difficulty.
The most important thing you can do for a friend is be a friend. This means spending time with them and offering support if they need it. It may be that your friend considers taking out a guarantor loan to help them manage their finances and they may ask you to be the guarantor.
This is a big decision for you to make, and you shouldn’t feel compelled to act as a guarantor if you are not comfortable with it. However, you should look to make yourself as open to a friend as possible, giving them the support they need in a difficult time.
Andrew Reilly is a freelance writer with a focus on news stories and consumer interest articles. He has been writing professionally for 9 years but has been writing for as long as he can care to remember. When Andrew isn’t sat behind a laptop or researching a story, he will be found watching a gig or a game of football.
