Borrow Capital

“Since we are not taught to strategically accumulate capital, we rely on the capital of those individuals and institutions who do. We borrow from investors, banks, mortgage lenders, credit card and consumer credit companies in order to pay for the things we need.” -Ryan Griggs

Leveraged Loans

Leveraged Loans defined:

“…arranged by a syndicate of banks, to companies that are heavily indebted or have weak credit ratings.” -IMF

“…are effectively provided to companies already swimming in debt.” -Nomi Prins

“That was all good and well when interest rates were super low, making it easier for companies to borrow oodles of money,”

“This year, leveraged loan issuance reached an annual rate of $745 billion. That’s nearly the same as the prior record of $762 billion in 2007 before the financial crisis and just a bit less than last year’s record of $788 billion globally.”

Borrowing Cost

“This number (10-year treasury note) is probably the most important number in modern capitalism. It tells us the ‘risk-free’ price of money… which is to say, it tells us the cost of borrowing money, or more abstractly, the price of the future.

The more you borrow today, the more time you will have to take away from tomorrow to pay it back. Eventually, you run out of time… and out of luck.

To put that in more concrete (or wood and plastic) terms, the higher your mortgage rate… the longer you have to work to pay for your house.” -Bill Bonner

Beneficial Debt?

“Traditionally, inflation has been defined as ‘an increase in the amount of currency in circulation’….   Unfortunately, in recent decades, even dictionaries have been offering a revised definition of inflation, as ‘an increase in the price of goods and services’….

The purpose of bank-created inflation is to extract wealth from the populace.  By regularly increasing the amount of currency in circulation, banks create an environment in which the concept of debt appears to be beneficial. As a result, virtually everyone in today’s society not only has debt; he actually believes that he couldn’t improve his life except through debt….  In essence, the inflation concept was invented by banks as an invisible tax—a means by which they could extract wealth from the populace.

In effect, the individual is used by the banking system as a milk cow. For his entire working life, inflation is carefully adjusted to extract as much monetary value from his labours as possible, whilst still leaving him capable of continued production….

Refuse to borrow money for any situation. Yes, it will mean that, as your friends show off their new cars, you’ll be driving an older model. They’ll also live in nicer houses than you and they’ll ‘own’ their own house before you do. But, at some point, since you’re free from debt, you’ll pass them by and eventually retire well.

By understanding inflation, and acting on that understanding, the odds of living your life as a milk cow can be greatly diminished.”

-Jeff Thomas

Addicted to Debt

“If you add up all of our government, corporate, and consumer debt, America owes roughly $70 trillion…. that adds up to about $836,000 per American household…

The United States has become the largest debtor in human history.  The obvious question is: Why on Earth did so many people borrow so much money they have no hope of ever repaying?” 

-Porter Stansberry

 

Debt Trap

“You’re going to be a wage slave your whole life… You’ve got to borrow money to buy a house. You’ve got to borrow money to buy a car. You’ve got to borrow money to get a college degree. You’re trapped in this complete cycle.” -Porter Stansberry

Pay Back

“When you borrow money two things usually happen.  First, you’re taking capital that others saved in the past, and are probably using for consumption, not to create more wealth.  And second, you’re mortgaging your future, which makes you a serf when you have to pay it back.” -Doug Casey