Global Credit Crisis and Canadians

Canadians Showing More Caution On Borrowing

First Published Date: March 27, 2009

It is becoming clearer that the average Canadian is cutting right back on borrowing as the global credit crisis continues to exert its hold on the purse strings of both businesses and the individual. In a world where money is now becoming more of a luxury item, people are becoming much more likely to save than to go out and spend money that they do not really have. What is becoming more and more obvious with every new set of figures that is released, is that more and more people are coming around to the idea that this credit crisis is not something that will be here today and gone tomorrow.

It is therefore no great shock that people are seeking to feather their nests in the current climate. With the best will in the world, no one really seems to have any firm idea when things are going to be better. So while people at the beginning of the credit crisis may have taken a more gung-ho attitude and resolved to ride things out without making major changes, it would take a brave or foolhardy individual to look at the pronounced slowdown and assume that things will improve tomorrow, next month or even next year. In such a climate, the only thing that many people feel they can do is hold on to what they have and pray for a boost.

With the figures for 2009 likely to show that the market growth globally for this year has slipped into the negative numbers – the first time that it has happened since the end of the Second World War – there is an absolute necessity to live according to the realities. This in turn is posing problems for governments, though. In order for markets to recover, it is essential that consumers are spending. If consumers are to spend, it is necessary that banks will allow them to borrow. With banks going to the wall in many countries, it is unsurprising that those who remain are keeping a firmer hold on the purse strings. It all adds up to a apocalyptic vision.

Fewer people are buying homes at the moment, and now it emerges that less money is going on retail too. When you are not sure that your job is recession proof, the prospect of speculating in order to accumulate is naturally less attractive. So what does the future hold? If people do not get spending, how will the markets ever recover? What we are likely to see – and there is not a period on this – is a slow, cautious improvement when it happens, which will gradually pick up pace as people gain confidence in the markets. We must hope when this does take place that banks and governments have learned lessons from the chaotic situation which has led us where we are now – and make the changes that need to be made.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Canadapersonalfinancewebsite.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to A Dawn Journal. This article originally published on the above website on Mar 27, 2009.