Hyvätuloisten velkaloukkua englanniksi

While chronic indebtedness has plagued the lower classes in society since the advent of capitalism, the economic recession also seems to be sinking its teeth into the middle and upper classes.

The Guarantee Foundation’s Minna Mattila this week explained that many of their clients seeking budgeting advice have an income of €3,000 and often a joint income of double that.

While those on an income of much less than that may have little sympathy with the concept of the bourgeousie struggling to afford that third car, clearly the problem is significant.

The easy availability of consumer credit means many families have splurged on expensive consumer items like design furniture and home appliances, only to come up short when the levels of debt held on credit cards becomes unsustainable. Job losses have compounded the problem.

While it is easy to blame stores and banks for lavishing revolving credit facilities on us, it is surely also up to consumers to keep their disposable income in check.

So far the only people to benefit from these crises are budgetting services, whose well-heeled client list is growing by the day.

Bourgeousie - porvaristo
Chronic - krooninen
To compound - pahentaa
Consumer credit  - kulutusluotto
Disposable income - käytettävissä oleva(t) tulo(t)
Indebtedness - velkaantuneisuus
Revolving credit - automaattisesti uusiintuva luotto
To lavish - syytää
To sink its teeth into – alkaa vaikuttaa
To splurge – tuhlata, törsätä
Unsustainable - kestämätön
Well-heeled - varakas