The fourth quarter 2022 Debt Index released by DebtBusters indicates that consumers are buckling under the pressure of the rising cost of living, which is compounded by flat salary increases, resulting in increased borrowing. The index indicates that consumers are taking on more unsecured loans to supplement their salaries. DebtBuster says unsecured debt for the average consumer was up by twenty-one percent in 2022 compared to 2016, while over ninety-percent of consumers, who applied for debt counselling last year, had a personal loan. Naledi Ngcobo filed this report.