This article was published on 24 September 2020. Some information may be out of date.

Handling debt — from mortgages to buy now pay later

  • Worries — job losses, rising interest rates
  • 2 types of borrowing — for things that grow in value and things that don’t
  • Deferring payments — what that means
  • Pay off highest interest first
  • Set up automatic payments
  • Add to mortgage?
  • Buy now pay later. No interest but fees if late
  • In trouble with a loan? Talk to lender

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Mary Holm, ONZM, is a freelance journalist, a seminar presenter and a bestselling author on personal finance. She is a director of Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL) and a former director of the Financial Markets Authority. Her opinions are personal, and do not reflect the position of any organisation in which she holds office. Mary’s advice is of a general nature, and she is not responsible for any loss that any reader may suffer from following it. Send questions to [email protected] or click here. Letters should not exceed 200 words. We won’t publish your name. Please provide a (preferably daytime) phone number. Unfortunately, Mary cannot answer all questions, correspond directly with readers, or give financial advice.