Economy, Consumer | Ellinor (47) gets 62,000 a month: – I have consumer loans that will follow me to the grave

(An online newspaper) – Everything goes to lips. Sometimes I think it’s not even necessary to work, says Ellinor (47) from Hamar.

Despite having two jobs and an annual income of over a million kroner, Ellinor finds herself in a financial crisis with a consumer loan that has grown to over 300,000 kroner.

Debt and financial anxiety characterize everyday life, and now she has received help from experts in the TV program “Luxusfallen”.

– I have consumer loans that will follow me to the grave. I don’t know how to get rid of him, said Ellinor.

Don’t know how much is going on

The problems started early. Ever since she got her first job at 18, she has struggled to understand the use of money.

– I always laugh to myself because I had two in mathematics. I don’t want to use that as an excuse, because it isn’t. It’s just the truth, she says.

Over the years, this, along with the habit of impulse buying, has led to small expenses piling up.

When the experts Lene Drange and Hallgeir Kvadsheim came to help, it became clear that the problem was not in the income – but in excessive spending without control.

– Ellinor has spent her entire adult life on credit, says Lene Drange.

– She has been hardworking and has earned well, but she still spends too much. I don’t think she knows how much money will go, she continues.

Does she feel she is not spending money

At first Ellinor herself declared that she was not a waste person.

– Actually, I feel like I’m not spending money at all, she said ahead of the experts’ review of the account statements.

But when the experts divided her expenses into categories, Ellinor had to understand that the small amounts were not as small as she thought.

On the wall, Hallgeir hung notes with the amounts that Ellinor had spent over the past year, divided into things such as looks, clothes, dill and dall, and online shopping.

He makes Ellinor add up all the small amounts. It’s just not clear, and Hallgeir has to find a chair to sit on while Ellinor puts it together.

Exercise “Fall”.

In the past year, she has spent NOK 12,002 on appearance, NOK 36,000 on “little things”, NOK 25,148 on clothes and NOK 34,847 on online shopping.

– The total with all parts is NOK 137,975, says Hallgeir.

– It means that I could get rid of that customer loan in a much shorter time than expected. I’m wasting money, says Ellinor, who thinks this exercise was brutal.

– I think this exercise was bad in many ways. It became so real to me. I understand that I am 100 percent wrong about myself, she says.

Hallger on the shoulder

With the help of the experts, Ellinor can now set up a budget that includes cutting back on a number of things and setting aside NOK 21,000 a month for debt.

– It will be difficult, she admits, but she says she is motivated.

– I am positive and determined to make it happen, she says.

– Let’s continue. Every time you draw the card, Hallgeir sits on your shoulder, says Drange.

Drange and Kvadsheim both agree that it is impressive that Ellinor can set aside NOK 21,000 a month to pay off debt.

– It’s just beautiful, says Kvadsheim.

– I’m almost a little moved. I have tears in my eyes, said Drange.

A few months later, when the Luxury Trap experts follow up, they see that Ellinor has made great progress. She has paid off a large part of the debt and is under financial control for the first time in a long time.

The experts have also helped her refinance a consumer loan at a lower interest rate, which will save her more than NOK 130,000 in the long run.

– Now it is ten times easier and I feel much better inside. I feel better physically, healthier in my body. Besides, I have high hopes that it will go well, I will make it happen. It’s wonderful, she says.