What's the best advice you've ever received?

Sjmarf@sh.itjust.works to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 106 points –
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Collect what you're owed as soon as you can. Pay what you owe as late as you can.

UPDATE: "Every accusation is a projection" is more universal than some of you would like to admit.

Why? Seems to me paying debts early is good advice, less hassle dealing with those loan sharks.

Depends on the point of view. If your biggest risk is you spending that loan money on gambling, then yes paying the debt early would help you get in less trouble.

From an economic point of view, if you don't need that money at the moment, you should invest it, so that you can make a few bucks. If you get 1-2% more on every transaction that way, it really does stack up at the end, since this will make you exponentially more money.

Hmm I've never thought about it that way. Definitely seems like we'd be better off not getting taxed by employers throughout the year, as then it can offset mortgages etc before paying up.

I'm sorry but what money are you talking about here? A loan with no interest?

Tbf I'm really not savvy in loans, but I mean any amount of money X that you have to pay back with Y% of interest in Z days. If you take that loan and you know an investment that will guarantee you (Y+1)% then you should borrow money. (That conclusion is of course completely neglecting risk management)

And that's why interest on borrowed money tends to cost more than any guaranteed investment. Because otherwise the ones loaning would just take the investment themselves.

You are correct in your theory... In practice however there is no such guarantees, if there were, it would be a perpetual money making machine

Investment opportunities that guarantee a return will always guarantee less than the interest of regular loans. So unless you are a billionaire, there is no such luck.

In practice, regular investment like mutual funds average to x in the long run (10 years or so) but you'd never find a 10 year loan that does not require you to pay regularly and with accrued interest for that time, so it defeats the purpose of taking out a loan specifically for investing long term

Not sure what context this is supposed to apply... But I cannot imagine any that would not leave me in an uncomfortable position or being a total asshole

Collect what you're owed as soon as you can.

Ok, with you so far.

Pay what you owe as late as you can.

But if there’s interest, this is going to screw me over as I’ll have to pay more interest (on a CC / etc)

What am I missing with the second one?

It's more about non interest scenarios. If payment isn't due for 30 days, you wait 30 days to pay. If it's a place that won't fight you, wait 40 and then pay.

Companies do this all the time.

That makes sense; I figured that was the case but OP never said that.

outlive your creditors in an unstable land?