When you make the decision to apply for a credit card, it’s hard to see the completely random purchases that will one day be charged to it.
One of the largest and most random expenditures I ever put on my credit card was emergency dental surgery. It seems crazy, but Vancouver dental work adds up. I had left my debit card at home and I needed to pay the full amount before leaving the office. I had no cheques, so I pulled out my Visa.
The bill was still on my card when I made the decision to leave my insurance gig. I probably should have waited till I paid off my dental work.
I haven’t made any emergency trips to a Vancouver dentist since then – thank God. I am completely satisfied with the work they provided; it’s just the bill that was shocking.
If I did require more work I would definitely come prepared with an alternative method of payment, rather than my credit card. It is always best to pay upfront and avoid the credit lure.
When you finish your debt consolidation plan you will be financially ahead, your credit rating will be improved and your heart will have received less anxiety than if you went at it alone.
At the completion of your plan, tally the interest you paid. Compare it to the potential interest you could have paid if you continued with a handful of creditors. Those numbers don’t lie. That is a huge savings.
When you cross the financial finish line, your borrowing potential will have greatly increased. You will have proved to your previous and future creditors that you are able to payoff your debts. An increased credit rating will help you buy your first home, invest in a small business or purchase a vehicle on credit.
Your heart will also thank you for completing the consolidation journey. Without a consolidation plan, debtors are forced to deal with collectors and phone-calls from each of their separate creditors. With a plan, debtors only receive one bill – the one from Full Circle. With less agitation comes less anxiety. Less anxiety equals a healthier lifestyle.
Credit counsellors at Full Circle spend their days talking to individuals like you and me who are currently going through difficult financial times. Apart from giving advice on how to move forward with a debt consolidation plan, many of the Full Circle counsellors find their roles include offering personal advice on how to properly inform the debtor’s family about the nature of their financial circumstance.
Because debt is often hidden from other family members, Full Circle counsellors always suggest that new clients disclose their situation to their spouse or significant other. A debt consolidation plan is a new beginning and new beginnings should always start with full disclosure.
Sometimes, this conversation can be harder than making the monthly payments. But it’s always best to explain your debt when you have a plan in place to pay it off. Stuck on the right words? Full Circle’s counsellors will be glad to talk it over with you.
1. Gossip Mags – They’re there at the checkout, you’re bored, the cashier just went on break and J.Lo has a new man. The perfect storm. But resist! If you need to have the latest celebrity scoop, wait till you get home and read it online. Or we can tell you – she’s dating one of her dancers (again…).
2. Lottery tickets – You’re not gonna win. EVER!
3. Adding a Combo / Upsizing – Fries are the furthest thing from a healthy side dish. They can hardly be considered a vegetable by the time they are added to your sandwich or burger.
4. Water Bottles – Water is free and clean in this country. In most places… Take advantage of this fact and fill up your reusable bottle at home, work and while you’re out-and-about.
5. Oil Light – When the little light comes on, spend a few dollars and buy a few litres. Don’t let it linger like a solitary Christmas decoration you forgot to take down. An engine overhaul could cost you thousands.
Why do we wear helmets? Because we need to comply with a city bylaw or we value the information stored in our brain? Hopefully the latter reason.
Whatever the case, the amount of Vancouver cyclists wearing helmets on the street has dramatically increased in the last 15 years. Which is a good thing for taxpayers.
But what about the mountain? No laws exist, but it is highly recommended for a sport where the majority of full-day rides includes at least one spill. It would be insane not to.
The same can be said for leg armour. Downhill riders are risking their permanent mobility each time they attempt a trail without lower leg protection. Suiting up makes sense.
Iron Mountainwear is the leading manufacturer of leg armour in British Columbia. Their unique armadillo-like design protects riders with a lightweight armour that can withstand the hardest fall.
A helmet will protect the organ that lets you operate your bike. Leg armour will protect the engine that moves it.
Sitting in my warm apartment, with the rain falling against the window, I wonder if the Occupiers are regretting their course of action. I know there are many who sympathize with their cause, but after working so hard to pay my own debts off, I find it hard to support a cause that wants their own debt erased with a magic flip of a wand.
The protests in New York City may have seemed like a romantic movement, inspiring our own Art Gallery encampment, but now with the rain and the cold weather, is it really that smart to voluntarily deny yourself one of the five basic needs? Wouldn’t it be more productive to come up with a plan on how to pay back your debt, rather than blaming others for their financial success?
The 1% got to the top tax bracket by working tirelessly. Sure some were handed family money, but they used that cash to build their own empire. It’s hardly fair to demand that they share with others who haven’t put in the time.
But this is a democracy and if people want to show their displeasure towards the current financial system by squatting on the Art Gallery lawn, I guess that is their prerogative.
Me, I’ll stay warm and continue to work towards my own goal of financial freedom.
Sometimes debt is a scary subject. Sometimes it fills us with such extreme anxiety, that we can’t even talk about it. This is natural and it happens to everyone from time-to-time.
But debt can also be as funny as it is scary. To add to the funny side, I would like to pass along this little story. I hope you enjoy it.
It is a slow day in a damp little Irish town. The rain is beating down and the streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit. On this particular day a rich German tourist is driving through the town, stops at the local hotel and lays a €100 note on the desk, telling the hotel owner he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one to spend the night.
The owner gives him some keys and, as soon as the visitor has walked upstairs, the hotelier grabs the €100 note and runs next door to pay his debt to the butcher.
The butcher takes the €100 note and runs down the street to repay his debt to the pig farmer.
The pig farmer takes the €100 note and heads off to pay his bill at the supplier of feed and fuel.
The guy at the Farmers’ Co-op takes the €100 note and runs to pay his drinks bill at the pub.
The publican slips the money along to the local prostitute drinking at the bar, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer him “services” on credit.
The lady-of-the-night then rushes to the hotel and pays off her room bill to the hotel owner with the €100 note.
The hotel proprietor then places the €100 note back on the counter so the rich traveler will not suspect anything.
At that moment the traveler comes down the stairs, picks up the €100 note, states that the rooms are not satisfactory, pockets the money, and leaves town.
No one produced anything. No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now out of debt and looking to the future with a lot more optimism.
Disillusioned, lying on my parents couch, a number of questions started to go through my mind. Where would I get the money to pay my creditors? Could I continue to hide from them? Where would my credit rating be in six months? Could I ever recover? How did I find myself in this situation?
I pondered this last question for hours. Why did I ever take on so much debt?
Well, the answer is easy. Debt is a necessary part of life. Credit provides us the ability to buy key living components, such as cars, homes and education. It keeps us afloat and lets us enrich our lives.
It is only when we lose the means to keep up with our payments that we fall into trouble.
Managing our debt is not always as easy as applying for credit. When times are tough, we need to find ways to pay the minimal amount to continue our good credit standing.
This is all visible to me now, but at the time I only thought to curse my creditors. Their collection notices were making my life more stressful.
Without an out, I continued to mope, blaming everyone but my self for my situation.
I remember the day clearly. I had gone to the gym in the morning, picked up a coffee at 7-11 and returned to my apartment. I was checking my phone for messages as I stepped off the elevator. I rounded the corner of the hallway on instinct and put the key in the door. Still looking at my phone, I turned the lock. Then I looked up.
Staring at me, taped to the hospital grey door, was a notice from the landlord.
My first thought was he must have the wrong suite. I had paid on the fourth – a little late, but I had given him the cheque.
I pulled the letter off and read it in disbelief. Apparently my cheque had bounced. I had ten days to pay. If I failed to do so I would be evicted.
I called the bank. I must have misjudged my automatic billing. It was true; I did not have enough to cover the rent.
I was forced to give up my apartment.
Nine days later I moved back in with my parents. It wasn’t an extended stay. But the request was humbling.
I know I am keeping you in suspense, but the details of my financial turnaround will come.
This week I have two more stories to share about my dark days, my time spent without a financial counsellor.
So, as I mentioned in earlier posts, my girlfriend left me when my debt anxiety began to ruin our relationship. I’ve never blamed her. It was a totally natural response. I was acting completely erratic. And, as I told you at the end of the post, we have since reunited.
But during those months when we were apart, I decided to dip my foot back into the dating scene. Let me rephrase that – I went on a single date during our time apart.
Let’s call her Angela.
Angela was the daughter of one of my mother’s friends. She was the owner of a small marketing business and was relatively the same age as me. My mom had decided that we would be great together.
I wasn’t expecting much, but when we finally met, I was blown way. She was beautiful, smart, funny and outgoing.
We went for a ride around the seawall using bikes from a friend who owns a rental company. After making our way over to Granville Island, we spent some time browsing the market. After half-an-hour of interesting conversation, Angela suggested grabbing something to eat at Sandbar.
Now normally I would have chosen the hot dog stand, but this girl was special and I didn’t want to seem cheap. I somehow convinced myself, that my remaining credit card could handle the date.
You see where this is going…?
After three rounds of drinks and a full meal, the cheque came – she didn’t even reach for her wallet. I gave the waiter my card and prayed silently. Of course it was declined and I had to politely ask the young lady across from me to pick up the tab.
The ride back was quiet. I could have easily brushed the embarrassment off, but the anxiety surrounding my debt situation returned and that was all I could think about.
We parted at the rental shop with only a hug. I didn’t bother calling her and she never called me.
Anxiety is a killer and it comes hand-in-hand with debt. When your bank account is less than the sum of your monthly bills, it’s hard to concentrate on anything else. Relationships suffer, your heath declines and your sour mood is evident to all.
I know.
Let’s talk about relationships. I had an amazing girl for three years when I was working in the liability field. She moved in after a year and shared my Yaletown apartment with me. Things were good.
Then I quit. She supported me and said that if I wasn’t happy, then it was the right decision to move on.
During my extended sabbatical, she put up with my many days on the couch. She knew I needed a break.
But then the money started to run dry and I started to panic. I let my anxiety get to me and I took it out on one of the only people who supported my decision to leave insurance.
After months of quarrelling, she left. Packed her bags one day while I was out and vanished.
I didn’t talk to her for half a year.
We have since made-up. But it took a cold hard look in the mirror, a substantial break and a credit counsellor to see that my debt was the source of my troubles.
We all know the benefits of buying local food, but finding local goods can sometimes be a chore at the grocery store. The California produce is often front and center, demanding your attention with it’s chemically engineered, bug free, overly large exterior skin. Hide your eyes and your wallet. Go out of your way to hunt down products grown or manufactured in British Columbia.
A great place to start is farmer’s markets. Community stands are opening across Vancouver to offer summer produce at reasonable prices. The most recent addition to the already established weekend spots is the Kerrisdale Village Market, across the street from Point Grey Secondary. The Kerrisdale market is open every Saturday from 10 am – 2 pm until October 8.
Bring your own bags or Tupperware containers for produce. Most stands do not offer paper or plastic bags.
Also, feel free to ask questions about how the food is grown. Venders love to discuss their product and your interest may land you a reduction in price.
Words of market wisdom: Come early in the day for the freshest wares and late in the day for the best prices.
Remember that twitter message you posted about a month ago when you were out at the clubs. Maybe you don’t. But the Internet remembers!
If you are applying for work with a new company, the chances are high that your potential employer will run a full background check on your online activity. Besides calling your references and talking to previous employers, companies are now examining applicant’s social media, print and video history. It can be as easy as a Google search or as complicated as a social investigator. If there is dirt on the web, they will find it.
If you are worried about what may be out there, start with a Google search of your name. Depending on your online activity, this may bring up pages of references. Check each one carefully, including links that may take investigators to other incriminating information.
If your social media account is public, change the settings immediately. Put up a recent, respectable photo for your Facebook account. If your settings are private, this may be a non-issue. If you have serious concerns, change your name to an alias in your Facebook settings.
The same applies to Twitter. If your account features your name, delete it. Start again. The problem with Twitter is Google references every tweet you make. This also applies to friends or colleagues who reply or mention your name in their tweets.
Message boards are another area of concern. You may have responded to an article or a video using your full name. This may have taken place years ago, but remember, Google never forgets. If you find a post that uses language that you would not normally use, try to delete the post, or if needed, delete your account with that board.
Investigators or the companies themselves will use the information you supply in your resume. This includes checking your University boards for any mention of your name.
Be smart. Tighten up your privacy. Create accounts with names only your friends know. Block your Twitter and Facebook accounts when you go out on the town. Land the job of your dreams.
Have you recently been laid off work? If you are between jobs and are finding it hard to pay your monthly bills, Full Circle Debt Solutions can help you get back on track.
When you sign up for a debt consolidation plan, Full Circle, with your permission, will contact your creditors and negotiate terms that are more amicable to your current income. If you are currently on unemployment insurance, Full Circle will help you find a way to pay for your living expenses and your debt.
No one likes to be out of work, but our payments still need to be made. The bankruptcy route can be long and painful, with lasting issues surrounding your credit rating.
Choose the safer route and apply for debt consolidation. Once you find work again, you will be glad you chose to continue your payments instead of throwing in the towel.
Here are some helpful resources for finding work in British Columbia.
Is your small business suffering from budgeting issues? Full Circle Debt Solutions would like to pass along a few helpful tips for steering your enterprise in the right direction.
1. Always establish a company goal. Where does your focus lie? Does your major concern involve increasing your profit margins? Are you looking to expand? Maybe your focus is creating a diverse marketing campaign to spread the word about your unique enterprise.
Answering these questions will help you evaluate your company’s success. Sharing this focus with your employees will unite your team.
2. Knowing your focus is an important first step forward, but knowing where your company historically spends money can be just as valuable for advancement. Make a table of your financial data and organize it into three categories: revenue, direct costs and overhead costs. Are your costs growing at a faster rate than your revenue? Knowing where you spend your money will help you trim the budget. Keep your company goal in mind and adjust your spending accordingly.
3. Consider variables that may affect your business before the year-end. Have you properly budgeted for them?
4. Evaluate your company by comparing your data to industry benchmarks. How does your company stack-up.
The simplest list: your grocery list. We’re human, we forget things. Next time write all the ingredients down so you won’t have to make two trips to the store.
Make a list of important dates. You don’t want to miss your mother’s birthday – for the third year in a row.
If you have eight important clients to handle in a day, make a quick list and rank each one on their importance. Then make another list identifying how much time you think it will take to handle each client. Use these two lists to build your weekly working schedule.
Make a list of all the things you wish to accomplish by the time you’re 50. Post this somewhere safe, but visible.
Spend a few minutes and make a list of all your creditors.
Are you counting your change at the end of the month? Want to get rid of that expensive data plan? The Wifi Finder can help. Just start at your basic you-know-its-there hotspot. Your local Starbucks will do. Then use their signal to connect to the Internet and search for other hotspots in areas where you might need one, such as the neigbourhood you work in or the eight block radius you walk your dog in. Why pay for data when Wifi is faster and free.
2. Park ‘in’ Spot
This app locates free parking in your vicinity. This app is especially good for downtown. Given up on the free parking hunt? Use Parkopedia to locate a lot near your destination.
3. Save Benjis 1.1
The name refers to the American one hundred dollar bill, but the app works just as well in Canada. To use it, you scan an item in a store that you are interested in; let’s use the example of a new TV. After scanning your HD dream, the app will list all the stores in its database that carry that particular television. It will also tell you what each store is currently selling the TV for.
I think it’s important to focus on success stories. Stories that offer hope. Recovery stories.
Well, this week offered one of the biggest recovery stories in professional sports, as Manitoba was finally able to bring a hockey team back to Winnipeg.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, May 31st, with a somewhat sombre Gary Bettman in attendance.
Why will it work this time around? Strong management.
The Atlanta Spirit Group did nothing to market the team in Atlanta. The Thrashers were always an afterthought to the cities NBA franchise, the Atlanta Hawks.
In Winnipeg, the team will most definitely be the biggest card. They still have the Blue Bombers of course, but a NHL team is another sporting identity altogether. The True North Management Group will have no problem selling tickets. The Winnipeg fans are well aware of what will happen if they don’t manage to fill their arena.
Here’s to second chances!
Full Circle is 100% committed to reducing your debt and getting you back on track. They want to see you return to a life of opportunity, a separate routine from the shackled existence you now command. Reduce your debt, save money along the way and get back to enjoying the game.
There are many things that we can’t reasonably live without, but in this day and age, a computer is at the top of that list.
When our desk or laptop breaks down, it leaves us feeling as if one of our limbs has been taken from us. Sure, this ‘Borg’ way of thinking is a little unhealthy, but it almost can’t be avoided. Where would we be without Google Maps, iTunes or email? (Notice we didn’t even mention Facebook)
Buying a new computer to repair that missing limb is a pain, but it has to be done. When that time comes, we occasionally fall short on funds. With our credit maxed, it is nice to know there are other options.
Alpine Credits can help you replace your old computer with a new, more powerful, faster, computing station. Your new arm will have you doing one-handed pushups by the end of the week.
Don’t let your credit deprive you of the Internet, word processing or pirated movies. Apply for a Vancouver home equity loan and purchase a computer that will last your for years to come.
With the weather improving and real estate prices at an all time high, now is the time to sell your Vancouver home. Just make sure it’s ready to hit the open market.
The rain is behind us and the glorious west coast sun has returned. Your home, with its spring garden, has never looked better. These are the prime months to sell when everything about your home looks new and inviting.
The influx of foreign buyers has created a huge demand for property and houses that were once half a million are now over six figures. Sell and take advantage of the expanding bubble before it bursts.
But don’t forget to pay attention to the interior elements. If your plumbing system needs work, invest the money. Your value will increase and potential buyers won’t have an excuse to look elsewhere.
Campbell Care can prep your house for the open market by doing a complete maintenance package. With guaranteed results, the professionals at Campbell Care will service your whole home for less than you think.
Have you ever heard the fable about the ant and the grasshopper? Of course you have. The ant is the steady producer whose work ethic leads him to a life of security, while the grasshopper lounges and eventually struggles through the winter due to his lack of production.
It’s a sad tale, but an honest one.
The grasshopper’s heroic flaw is that he can’t see past the present. This is a condition that many of us, including myself, have experienced. We take the easy road and accept lines of credit to maintain a lifestyle that we are accustomed to.
What we can’t see at the time is how a seemingly easy decision to extend our credit line can damage our future opportunities. At the time, we can’t imagine that our decisions will possibly one-day limit our chances of purchasing a house or will result in a denial of a business license.
But a bad credit rating does just that. Improving that rating is not an easy task and that is why there are companies like Full Circle to offer assistance. Full Circle can get you back on track, building for your future.
Figures have just been released that show a dangerous trend among Canadian borrowers. The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy reported last Wednesday that bankruptcies in Canada were up 10.2 per cent in February.
The total number of Canadians that applied for bankruptcy status in the second month of the year: 6,774.
Ouch!
Trust me guys, this is not a road you want to travel down. Once you declare bankruptcy your credit record is ruined. You may be asked to surrender many of your valuable possessions such as your car. It also requires you to meticulously track your future income and expenses.
For those of us buried in debt, there are other options.
Applying for a debt consolidation plan informs your creditors that you are making a serious attempt to repay your debt. It will stop the phone calls, the angry letters and most importantly, it will put your credit history into a category that, with steady payments, you can come back from.
Alright readers, this week we are going to get a little personal. We’re going to talk about relationships and financial compatibility.
Before you jump into a serious relationship, it may be worth your while to have a long talk with your partner about their financial goals and current status.
You may have been working for years to improve your credit rating, but your new partner could be concealing thousands in debt. Financial conversations are just as important as discussions on childbearing. In an alarming statistic, 35 per cent of couples don’t talk about money before marriage. This is not healthy. You need to have the talk.
If you don’t ask you will never know. And sure it’s not very romantic, but neither is taking out the garbage. They both have to be done.
You don’t want to be carrying someone’s unpaid debt for the next twenty years. If your partner’s financial history is drastically different than your own, you may want to reconsider your compatibility.
If not. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Love conquers most things, but it doesn’t pay the bills at the end of the month.
This Sunday, May 8th, is Mother’s Day. It’s the one day set aside to remind our mothers how much they mean to our lives.
But how do we go about communicating this? Through gifts?
If I buy my Mom a huge basket of flowers, with every known blossom known to humankind, she would reply with a huge lecture on how I had wasted my money on a gift that will wilt by next week.
If I make my mother a card, she’ll love the effort, but the crayons and sparkle glue will only remind her of the fact her daughter is still struggling to make ends meet on the West Coast.
No, I think the best gift I can give my mother is the knowledge that with the help of my friends at Full Circle, I have finally got my life in order. Bills are getting paid, my credit level is improving and for the first time in years my head is firmly above the water line.
If you want put your mother’s mind at rest, sign up with Full Circle and give the gift of security. No more calls for financial bailouts. No more co-signs. No more teary phone calls complaining about your aggressive creditors.
It’s the gift she has been waiting for the past ten years.
Organization – It’s what separates the achievers from the dreamers.
Unfortunately, not all of us come by it naturally. Some of us need a little coaching on how to manage our time, work and money.
Many of us who lack critical organization skills are helped by our significant others. Our partners are always the first ones to notice our deficiencies (and I don’t mean that in a bad way), so when they can step up and help, it means a lot.
Sometimes it’s a friend who steps in and helps us organize our schedules and demands. Making timelines and helping with our financial records goes beyond the duties of a friend, but this kind of help is often received by the organizationally challenged.
For the rest of us, there is Full Circle Debt Solutions. Full Circle can help you make a financial plan and stick with it. They will outline exactly how long it will take for you to pay off your debt by giving you a fixed, manageable, monthly payment amount. Their counselors will provide tips and instruction so you can manage your credit back towards a positive standing.
A debt consolidation plan is your first major step towards organizing your life. Let Full Circle help you start yours today.
You may or may not know this, but once a week representatives from all the major credit card companies meet on the Death Star to plan new and evil ways to lure consumers into signing up for their high interest credit plans. Lord Vader mediates, while the Emperor controls the flow of the meetings.
Many of their schemes fall flat, but a few do succeed.
One of their most dastardly plots is the ‘sports paraphernalia giveaway’. You’ve probably all seen this evil device at work at a Lions or Canucks game. The credit card companies set up a booth or stall and offer free merchandise if you sign up for a credit card. The merch is often a towel with the Orca on it or a Leo’s shirt, something that would literally cost less than twenty dollars.
But we’ve had a few beers, our boys are winning and they claim the towel is free – so we sign. And sure enough, a week later a credit card arrives in the mail.
For a fifteen dollar stuffed lion, we will pay years of interest payments. It seems absurd, but it works.
Avoid the tractor beam. Buy your towel at the pro shop and thwart the Dark Side.
One of the most important things about dealing with debt issues is knowing your personal rights. Your creditors may seem to hold all the cards, but there are rules that apply to their collection practices. Knowing these rules is an important part of managing your debt.
The first thing you should know, is that no creditor has the legal right to use threatening or intimidating language. This applies to contact with you, your family members and or any of your acquaintances. It is also against the law for them to publish a record of your failure to pay.
If a creditor has your correct contact information (home telephone number and address), they are not permitted to contact you at work. If, for some reason, contact cannot be made at the home number, a creditor can make ONE call to the debtor’s place of employment.
A creditor can only phone you between the hours of 7:00am and 9:00pm. They can only contact you on Sunday between 1:00pm and 5:00pm. They can never contact you on a stat holiday.
If you would like to learn more about your rights as a debtor, call 1-877-220-3328.
Hey guys. I had a coffee with my friend the other day and she asked me an interesting question that is pretty relevant to what we’ve been talking about the last couple of months.
Her question was this: “Is a consolidation plan the same as a consolidation loan?”
The answer: Not at all.
If you signup for a consolidation plan with Full Circle, you are not loaned any money. You are not switching one creditor for another. Full Circle provides a service. They contact your creditors and explain your situation. They make arrangements for you to pay them back on terms that are more reasonable. This is the service they provide.
They also make it easy for you. Instead of three or more outstretched hands, asking for money, there is only one bill. With only one bill, your interest payments are greatly reduced. This can save you thousands of dollars.
Sounds almost too good to be true! Trust me. You’ll never look back. Well, until it’s all paid off and then you’ll be raving to all your friends just like I am.
So visit their site and fill out the quick-and-easy form.
The ostrich is an interesting animal. It is the largest bird on earth and has the largest eye of any land animal. The latter feature gives the bird acute eyesight. It also has exceptional hearing. Just try and sneak up on one. Bet you can’t.
But why am I talking about ostriches? You got it! Because they stick their heads in the sand. And what does someone drowning in debt do? C’mon, I did it myself. Right, we ignore the problem and bury our responsibility.
Is this the best choice? Probably not.
But that’s why the ostrich comes equipped with powerful legs, to defend itself against predators. “Are you telling us to take a karate lesson to handle our debt.” No. But you can attack it head on when you seek the help of Full Circle Debt Solutions. By creating one easy payment, you can minimize the anxiety that comes at the end of the month when all your creditors come asking for a piece of your income.
Now I’ll let you in on a little secret. The ostrich head-in-the-sand connection is actually completely false. Ostriches lower their bodies as a defense mechanism, but they never shove their heads into the earth. They’re too smart for that. And so are we. So start paying back your debts and start seeing what’s really around you. It’s not as bad as you think.
At the doctor’s office the other day, I happen to pick-up a copy of Good Housekeeping. Now, you may ask, ‘Julia, why are you even reading a periodical that focuses on home ownership when you rent.’ Well, dear readers, you can always dream. And, like many media sources out there, you can always find something that deals with your interests.
Sure enough, I found an article on saving money, my newfound passion. It was the title that first grabbed me: “Get it For Free.” Yes – you now have my attention.
The article talked about the online world of trading. It focused on two sites: Swapadvd.com and Swap.com. Both of these sites let you trade products with other users. The only charge is the shipping. If you package a bunch of trades with the same user, you can lower the cost dramatically.
The Swapadvd.com is simple enough, you can trade movies, but on Swap.com you can trade just about anything. When you create your profile, you make a list of the items you have and the items you are looking to trade for. The site automatically matches you with other members who may have similar interests and items you need.
It’s a pretty cool idea. Check it out. And the best part – No credit debt!
3. Dining out has a world flavour beyond EastSide Mario’s.
2. A nightlife past 8:00.
1. Sports!
Say goodbye to the burbs and start scanning craigslist for a suite downtown. It will probably be a smaller space, so take the opportunity to ditch some of that old furniture that sits around and never gets used. The rest of your gear can be moved with Toronto’s most reliable moving company, Careful Movers. Call them for a free estimate at: 416-310-7000. They will supply all the boxes and tape you need to pack up your smaller items. Your belongings will be delivered safely and timely to your new residence.
Hire Toronto’s moving company, Careful Movers, and focus your time on planning your new life in the city.
Things that you would never want your girlfriend to find:
1. Your Grade 10 high school Yearbook (those photos from your Musical Theatre class are terrible for your cred)
2. Your signed Nelly Furtado CD
3. Your ex-girlfriends love letters (Why do you still have those!!!)
4. Your Pilates DVD series
5. The novel you started writing just out of University
6. That text from Jennifer last Saturday night
7. Your collection of Spiderman comics
8. Your nightly face creme.
9. Your worn copy of Twilight
10. Your drawer full of credit statements
Hope She Doesn't Go Searching For A Pen
One through nine you can take care of yourself. Number ten is a little trickier. Sure you can throw out the paper statements, but that won’t stop the creditors from sending more. The only way to scuttle your debt is to tackle it head on. Confused about how to start this process? Consider a debt consolidation plan with the credit experts at Full Circle Debt Solutions. Their counselors will guide you on your path to repayment.
Trust me boys. Girls are always on the hunt for incriminating evidence. Lose yours with the help of Full Circle.
Friends. I’ve been telling you for weeks about my debt problems and yes, the numbers speak for themselves, but the number one reason I made the valuable decision to contact Full Circle Debt Consolidation was that the anxiety was killing me. I had all these bills coming in, a modest income and I felt helpless in my efforts to control my financial destiny. That’s where Full Circle can help.
By consolidating your debts, Full Circle can create a single payment plan that is much less daunting than five or more credit statements.
With a plan in place you will find yourself getting more rest, enjoying your leisure time and improving your output at work. Debt anxiety is a taxing affair that only has the potential to damage our regular activity.
Find freedom from the worry and stress of your credit debt with the help of the financial counselors at Full Circle. Your basic everyday demeanor will improve, you will take a positive first step in repaying your loans and your credit rating will remain level.
By reading this blog you are already ahead. Try the service of Full Circle Debt Consolidation. Call them today.
Renting is for suckers. That said, I am the city’s #1 tootsie pop. I have been paying rent for over eight years, if you include student housing and living with my brother. All that money I paid for a simple roof over my head and running water in the taps is gone. I will never see it again.
The smart option is home ownership. Paying into a mortgage is far more financially productive than paying a third party for the right to stay in their dwelling.
Full Circle Debt Solutions can help you right your credit ship. They will construct a tailored repayment plan that will direct you out of your credit cave.
Once you have proven to your creditors that you can make punctual payments, your rating will begin to show positive signs. You can also take your credit plan to the banks to present a powerful argument for your capacity to repay your mortgage.
Credit troubles should not be black spot for life. Reduce the risk. Talk to Full Circle about a plan and get your finances in order for the big move into your first home.
Folks, for those of us trying to rid ourselves of debt, there are a few institutions and practices we really should avoid.
At the top of this list is ‘gambling.’ Playing the lottery is fun and it’s nice to dream about all the millions that could be ours, but the math is obviously not in our favour. The lottery should not be seen as a viable option for ridding our self of debt.
Neither should weekly or daily visits to the Casino.
There are plans in place to expand the operations at Edgewater to include a monolith casino that would be attached to the newly refurbished BC Place. The B.C. Pavilion Corporation hopes to bring a massive casino and hotel venture to the property directly adjacent to the BC Lions new home.
This casino, if it was to be built, would be a huge draw for those looking to quickly pay off creditors.
But let me tell you, the risk is far greater than the reward.
The only solution to dealing with your debt issue is a well thought out debt repayment plan. Full Circle Debt Solutions offers this service to it’s many Canadian clients across our country.
If you have debt problems and are looking for a way out, avoid the distractions of the bright lights and chance games. Talk to the experts at Full Circle about a consolidation plan. It will take less time than you think to pay off your creditors, with zero risk.
Leave the gaming to your idle hours in front of your XBox.
Hey guys. Just wanted to pass along some moving advice from my friends at Careful Movers:
First time buyer? Looking to move inside the Calgary area? Now is the time.
With the Bank of Canada maintaining its interest rate freeze at a near record low mark of 1%, homebuyers can now lock into mortgages at rates that will probably never be seen again in our lifetime.
This is the year to take the leap from renter to owner. With the economy starting to show signs of recovery, it won’t be long before the banks decide to raise the rates.
And with the West Coast market spiking, Calgary seems like the most affordable option for a first class city to live in.
With your new home purchased, you will need a first class moving company to transport your furnishings from your old dwelling to your new home. Careful Movers is your best option for a reliable, competitively priced moving company in the Calgary area. Our staff will handle your belongings with kid gloves. We will show up on time, with all the resources needed to move your items safely.
When the purchase of your new home is finally processed, your next move is to call Careful Movers – Calgary’s moving company.
Is the Grass Greener On the Other Side of the Rockies?
Some people refuse to go into debt. They see it as a sign of weakness.
The reality: these people probably lead a boring life or have crazy assistance from some family benefactor.
The ‘D’ word should not be an evil phrase. It is a natural part of living in a monetary world. All of the perceived power nations run with a debt. Even China’s industrial boom is the result of the country going into massive debt. But what do these investments yield, stronger, more competitive nations.
Without debt, you would never afford to live in a house, pay for a new car, go on vacation or graduate from the school of your choice. It is a necessary element for achieving the lifestyle you deserve.
For those of us in our late twenties and early thirties, debt can sometimes seem like a dark cloud of oppression. Fear not. As I said, it gets better.
But for now, seeking out a debt counselor is often a proactive means of controlling your financial situation. The staff at Full Circle is an excellent resource for creating a plan to manage your debt. If you are having trouble meeting your payments, Full Circle will contact your creditors and create a repayment plan that is practical for your current income level.
Debt is not to be feared. We need it to lead progressive, full lives.
If you are struggling with your monthly payments contact Full Circle today.
Being that I had a massive debt problem just under a year ago, I thought I should probably read up on what the paper’s expert had to offer; You know, just in case I could share it with you guys. After reading the article though, it occurred to me that every tip offered I had heard before. Don’t get me wrong! It was great advice, but it was like they had interviewed my debt counselor at Full Circle and stolen all of his wisdom.
Whatever the case, I thought I would pass on his pearls to my readership.
1. Work with a repayment plan
-This is exactly what Full Circle provides. Your personal credit counselor will devise a plan that works for your current income. If that rate changes, they can readjust the numbers to suit your needs. The focus of payment should always be on the debt with the largest interest rate.
2. Don’t Pay More Than You Have To
-Lose the balance protection insurance on all your credit cards. This is a scam! The article also puts forth a disturbing example of how paying the minimum payment hardly affects your overall balance. In most cases it only just covers your interest. Full Circle’s advice: When you have the funds, pay as much off on your high interest debt as you can.
3. Create a Spending Plan
-This is a where you can pinpoint just how and what you are spending your money on. It’s great for cutting needless expenditures. The Globe suggests using a site to create your plan. They endorse MoneyStrands. See how it works for you.
4. Don’t Shred Your Cards When You Finally Pay Them Off
-Credit cards do have their perks. Rental insurance, extended warranties and lost or damaged items are just a few reasons to hold on to your plastic. Ironically, they could end up saving YOU money.
5. Don’t Go Down That Road Alone
-This is exactly the service that Full Circle provides.
Well readers, with all the social unrest demonstrated around the world these past few weeks, it probably isn’t a surprise that Canadians are finally taking to the streets to mount their own protests. But instead of demanding a power change or basic human rights, Canadians are fighting to hold on to the one free luxury that has surfaced in this modern age of technology: the glorious Internet. The CRTC, the same group that recently pulled a Dire Straits classic from the airwaves, has just approved a plan to allow service providers to charge their users according to their Internet usage.
What does that mean for the average Internet user? You know all those movies you have been downloading? That could potentially spike your Rogers Internet bill.
But before we march on Ottawa, it should be noted that the government has already seen the potential for a unilateral surge of public outcry. Harper’s Conservatives have stepped in and delayed the notion until further review.
Thank god!
In a day and age when movie theatres charge close to fifteen dollars and CDs cost close to twenty, it’s nice to still count on Al Gore’s wonderful series of pipes and tubes to provide us with free entertainment as we go about our busy lives.
Even with the government’s intervention plans have been made for public demonstrations against the CRTC ruling. Several major groups are planning to stage protests across Canada on February 26th.
Part of my problem when I was struggling with my debt issues was the denial of my growing debt. The bills would come and I would immediately stash them in a drawer in my room. The numbers depressed me and I knew I could never pay them.
The same applied to my bank statements. I never wanted to know how far I was into my overdraft or the amount I had spent on my Visa that month. I just wanted to pay the minimum and move on with life.
This, dear friends, is no way to live.
You need to be conscious of your spending if you ever plan to manage your life in a progressive manner. One way I found to manage my resources efficiently was to signup for online banking. It literally only takes a few minutes and you can do all your account transfers and budgeting online.
Opening monthly bank statements can be traumatic. Opening your account online is easy and painless. You will also be able to track your balance as you move through the week. It is an excellent resource for financial management.
No Internet access? Use the computers at your local public library.* You can check your Facebook, watch YouTube and manage your money all in one stop. Try it. It helped me. And most of my friends said I was beyond help.
*When working on computers at the library and at Internet cafés, always remember to clear your cache and reset your browser. You do not want your banking information getting into the wrong hands.
Well hello again. It’s me Julia, your friendly storyteller and fellow debtor. If you have been following my story, you know that by the fall of 2009 I was seriously floundering.
Let’s quickly review my situation for those who weren’t paying attention:
I was unable to find work in my field of study, Education.
I found a job as a waitress to pay for my rent and the minimal payment on my card.
Student loan repayment had me paying another $357 a month until I got it reduced to $187.
I found a position inside a school, but fortunately it was only volunteer. Income tax can be a killer.
To get back and forth to my non-paying job I bought a car. Correction; I agreed to start making payments on a car.
Now let’s add up those monthly totals:
Credit card min. payment: $110
Student Loan: $187
Car payment: $263
Rent: $720
Subtotal: $1280
Lets add to that my other major expenditures:
Groceries: $375 (roughly)
Cigarettes: $120
Gas: $60
Subtotal: 555
Grand Total: 1835
Ouch. And I was barely making $2,000 a month. Paying the bills, but only when I could. I prayed for an easier way, a path of less resistance. It came, finally, but not before I added another debtor to my list…
This article is for all those ladies out there. Girls, it’s a fact we love to shop. If I had unlimited funds and no job demands, I could spend the rest of my days visiting every boutique on the planet in search of the perfect outfit.
I don’t what it is… the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction received when you come across that amazing accessory or maybe it’s just we like to look good for our boys. Well, you can throw out the latter option, because I don’t have a boy and I’d rather look good for my own self-image than the affection of a hockey obsessed superfan.
But with very little expendable cash, it’s hard to pursue my passion.
That is until I discovered the wonderful world of consignment. Girls, I know it sounds like a dirty word, but consignment stores are a dream come true.
This is how it works. First, you go through your closet and pick out those twenty or thirty outfits you don’t plan on wearing again. Then you bring them down to your nearest consignment store. My favourite is Modern Upbeat on West Broadway.
Hopefully, in the next few months, your items will sell. The store will then give you 40% of the sale price. It’s that easy.
In the meantime, you can buy other brand name items at ridiculously low prices. If you see an article you like, but it still costs too much, wait a week or two and watch the price come down. It’s amazing. It’s like a sale everyday and with your own clothes in the mix, it’s almost like you are getting paid to shop.
Try it. Tell them Julia sent you.
And now with my debt under control with the help of Full Circle’s debt management program, I can shop even more!!!
July 2009 – The Heavy Hand of the Federal Government
Opening up the bill, I slowly scanned the statement provided by the National Student Loan Bureau; $357 a month was to be my minimum payment. Wow. That was half my rent!
Well my friends were at the beach, I spent July working like an animal and worrying about how I could pay my credit cards and my loan payments. I felt alone, left to meek out a meager existence in a forest of debt.
Then a co-worker told me that I could apply for debt relief. By filling out a form and providing details on my current income, I could become available for a short term, reduced payment plan. I applied and two weeks later was accepted.
My new payment was $187. Steep, but manageable.
I paid the minimum on all my bills at the end of the month. Again, I was just barely surviving. The credit card interest was killing me. I needed a way to pay them off and focus solely on reducing my debt to the government.
I also needed out of the waitressing gig and into my field of study.
All right my followers, it’s a new year, a new beginning, time to get your life in order. Trust me, once you do these few simple things, you will feel so much better about your daily routine.
The first thing you need to do is organize. Forget the money issues for a sec and take the time to clean up your living area. Clean the bathroom, the kitchen, the closet; especially the closet. Throw out any old clothes you don’t think you will wear again. Next, do your car. Get rid of all that junk you’ve been lugging around.
All right, now back in the house.
Next is your purse/backpack/wallet. If you are one of those people who likes to collect receipts (which is great!), find a shoebox and store them away. You don’t need those little paper reminders in your back pocket. Then take your key ring and remove any key that you don’t use on a regular basis. Do the same with your cards, pens, and cell phone adapters; anything that you might be carrying with you that is of little or no use discard.
Do you know what you just did? You consolidated. Now, it is a little trickier with your finances. That’s where Full Circle Debt Consolidation can help. Their expert credit team can help you minimize the bills that reach you. Your only concern will be one simple sum that will arrive once a month.
Like Lindsay Lohan’s career, my debt issues spiraled out of control in the early spring of 2009.
April 2009 – The First Bill Arrives
With my rent paid for with the Devil’s blood money, I resumed my efforts to find a job placement in my field of study. Maybe they could sense my soul had been removed, but by the middle of the month I was still without work. I was now making weekly visits to the school board offices, but each time they explained that there was already a list of available teachers and I was at the bottom.
On the 27th, my first bill arrived from Visa. Apparently interest begins immediately on cash advances. Why was this never explained in Grade 10 Business Education? I buried the bill, took another advance and paid off another months rent.
May 2009 – Resumé Rebuild
In the hole for over fourteen hundred dollars, I gathered what little pride I had left and returned to the Island to ask for help. I sought out one of my Ed teachers and asked him if he would mind reworking my resumé. We sat down for two hours and tweaked my professional CV and brainstormed a new, tentative cover letter.
Once back on the mainland, I returned to my hustling ways, but still no results. Rejected and convinced of failure I gave up my search and applied for a waitress position at a local restaurant.I was hired the next day.
When the end of the month came, I begged my boss for a cash advance to pay for my rent. He agreed. Thank you Rob.
June 2009 – Balancing Act: Waitress Nightmares
Two months overdue, I was finally able to pay the minimal payment on my credit card. I was working doubles and picking up any shifts I could get my hands on.
The work was physically demanding and tediously boring, but there was a small trickle of money coming in. At times I wanted to quit, but at the back of my mind was the now close to two thousand dollar debt that I had racked up on my Visa. It pushed me on and kept me from ripping off my apron.
I didn’t apply for a single position in June. I was caught, working a job that just barely held me afloat. I was treading water, but determined to survive.
Serving it Right
But that was before the government heavies sent me my first student loan bill…
The way he explained it, this statistic is troubling because it could spell financial ruin for families who have over extended themselves. The threat comes in the form of rising interest rates. Currently interest rates are at a all-time low, but as the economy rebounds, these will start to rise. When they do, some families may not be able to meet their higher payments.
I brought up the matter with my credit counselor at Full Circle. He told me that this was exactly the reason why debt consolidation is a smart move for any Canadian with a variety of credit card and personal debt payments. Consolidate and you only have to make one payment at a fixed rate. It’s simple. Even I get it. And you know how much financial trouble I used to be in – We’ll get back to that next week.
Here is another article if you want to read more on the debt-to-income crisis. You’re welcome…
Did you know there’s an app on your iPhone that will let you automatically screen your calls so that ‘black list’ calls will never interuppt your dinner?
Collectors. If you have ever had to deal with these annoying blood-suckers, you know the problem. They call at dinner-time, they call in the morning, they call at all-hours. All they care about is money.
Collectors are bad on the morale. They are a kill-joy and an energy suck. They need to be avoided, or, nipped in the bud.
It’s a bit of a crazy thought to think that the guy pushing the shopping cart through your neighbourhood with cans and bottles rattling along to Yankee Doodle actually has more money than half of the people in this country.
Debt is scary business. It’s a matter of re-assessing your life to know that you are not what you own – you are what you owe.
To most Canadians, debt consolidation is a foreign term. Not many people know that there is a way that they can take a bunch of high cost debt and simplify it into one easy monthly payment.
To find out more about how you can consolidate your Canadian debt, contact Full Circle Debt Solutions today.
They can help you on your way to reducing your debt by as much as 2/3rds. It’s not as difficult as you think.
To find out more go to www.debtgone.ca or call 1-877- 220-3328
In Canada the financial climate is a little different than it is in the States right now. I’ve heard some crazy stories – people walking away from their houses with the keys in the lock because they can’t afford their mortgages anymore. I’ve heard that there are hundreds of boats just sitting in harbours, abandoned, because people can’t afford their leases. There are stories of houses in Detroit going for $10,000. Crazy stuff.
Canada isn’t quite that bad yet. But I read somewhere that the majority of us are in debt. It’s scary to think that if interest rates go up, even a hair, that we could be underwater just like all those Californian families during the recession.
Canadians should plan on getting out of debt as fast as possible. It’s the safest way to go about things. With the right debt management plan in Canada, it is possible to get monthly payments under control and start living life without the constant fear of an American crisis happening here.
If you are truly debt-free, then you will feel as free as a hippie on holiday. You will be running wild in the streets with none of the oppression of the Establishment or The Man to hold you down with crippling monthly interest payments.
If you want to feel as free as a hippie on holiday, Credit Counselors Canada can show you how to open your mind to a world without debt.
So like I mentioned earlier, I had just recently graduated as a Certified Dental Assistant and I was now enjoying life in the workforce earning a decent wage. About 6 months in I received a letter regarding my student loan, stating that the interest payment freeze was over and I was now responsible for the payments of my previous student loans. Ouch. Also, my newest loan was now requiring monthly payments.
Vancouver is an expensive city and I soon found my new wealth drying up. I was struggling to make monthly minimum payments and rent, let alone any extras for fun. It’s such a trap, like a hamster on a wheel. Any extra money I had would go straight onto my ever growing credit card bill but it didn’t make a difference. My funds would run out before the next pay period so back on the credit card it goes. At this rate I would never pay anything off not to mention be able to afford to do anything fun. I wish someone would have told me about Full Circle Debt solutions at this point in my life.
It felt exhilarating to be released from school and to finally be earning a proper wage. I managed to land a great job that paid more then I expected ($19/hr) to start and I was on my way. Life was good. Roger and I were stronger then ever and I suspected that we would soon be moving in together, away from wild roommates and communal living!
And boy did I spoil myself those first few months after school! But I deserved it, or so I rationalized. A girl can only take so much suffering and I used a great deal of my new cheques to spruce up my wardrobe and buy lovely things for my house that I could never afford before.
It took about 6 months for the dust to settle and then I realized that I was in a whole world of trouble but I’m off to sleep right now so this story will have to continue later.
I decided to take a brief interlude from my story to talk about something fantastic that I did today… I bought a new bed from Simmons Mattress Gallery! This may not be a big deal to some but those people probably haven’t spent their entire adult life sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress that they inherited from an old flatmate. Or maybe they have but when I laid my head on that pillowy mattress top I knew that I could never go back.
I feel so grown up!
I should also point out that this isn’t an impulse buy. I have no intention of stepping one little toe back into debt now that I have clawed my way out thanks to Full Circle Debt Solutions. I happen to stroll by the West Broadway and Oak Simmons store daily so this is an idea that has been ruminating for a long while, long enough for me to wait for a deal and pay with cold hard cash.
You know when something haunts you? No matter what you do or where you go, there it is. It hangs over your head until it becomes a part of your DNA and you can’t remember life without it.
That was my debt.
Before I found Full Circle Debt Solutions I was lost. I would oscillate between trying to be responsible by paying the miniscule amounts I could towards the debt or throwing my hands up at the sheer absurdity of my struggle and splurge to treat myself with some new clothes or such.
It was such an intense feeling to feel this debt looming over me and being powerless to do a thing about it. I became accustomed to avoiding thinking about it all together. I reasoned that there was nothing I could do about it so no point dwelling on the topic. Something like plugging ones ears and singing la la la la la la I can’t hear you! Probably not the best strategy granted.
Anyway I do digress. What I’m trying to say there is a way out. Don’t give up!
What is a girl to do with a mountain of debt and no skills beyond table service? Vocational school! So I swallowed my pride, cut my losses and succumb to the seemingly happy girls in scrubs advertised on route to my crappy job.
Dental Assisting.
I figured in for a year and out with a decent paying job that would tide me over until I could figure out what I really wanted to do with my life.
Interestingly, when I headed down to my local community college I discovered that many people had a similar plan. The dreaded 2-year waiting list. I mean who has 2 years to wait around to get into a course? 2 more years of slinging hash browns. Forget that! Luckily one of the private schools offered the program too but of course the catch was cost. Almost $20 000 for the year. That is more then the combined total of my stint at university. Unbelievable. Highway robbery.
But what is a girl to do?
Time is of the essence and the sooner I complete the program I can start earning a decent wage.
Hi, my name is Eve. Full Circle Debt Solutions has asked me to join this forum and share my story in the hopes of inspiring other people to utilize their services and finally get out of debt. I can still hardly believe that I did it!
I’m a pretty average girl in most aspects of my life. Unfortunately, I have excelled in one particular area … the accumulation of debt.
Now it wasn’t always this way. My early 20s procured a false sense of wealth. Tax-free tips earned from various waitress and bartending gigs left me with a continuous wad of bills tucked into my pocket. I didn’t know anything about budgets and didn’t need to. I always seemed to have cash in my hand.
Then, as many people in the service industry do, I soon grew weary of dirty dishes and a general lack of respect given to people working jobs that don’t require an education or specialized training. So, I packed up my bags and headed out west to Vancouver, BC.
Vancouver is surprisingly a pretty nice place to live when you’re close to the poverty line. Gregor must have a soft spot for those of us living in debt, because some of his green initiatives are actually working to keep more of my money in my own pocket.
Take the Dunsmuir bike lane as an example. With a safer route across town, I can ride my bike from one side of the city, easily over to Stanley Park for some cheap, outdoor entertainment. (I won’t give away all my secrets, but the seawall is a dynamite first date)
And, in a few months, the Hornby lane will be open for a quick route down to the False Creek seawall.
No need to spend money on gas or waste time idling in traffic. I can save my loonies for paying off some of my bills, while the extra time can be spent planning my new firm.
Hey guys, since this is my first blog post, I guess I should probably introduce myself. My name is Ben and I’m a 29 year-old guy living in Vancouver. After I graduated from UBC, I jumped right into a job at one of the Big Fours in accounting (I won’t name which), and ended up staying there for 3 years, working my way up from being a lowly auditor. Like my fellow number-crunching minions, I was also trying to get my CA certificate so that I could eventually move up the corporate ladder. Endless nights and forsaken weekends later, I passed the test and became a chartered accountant. However, the corporate ladder proved too slippery for me to climb.
So I left my job, and everything that was safe and steady behind, to start my own boutique accounting firm. Sure, it’s going to be hard as hell, but I’ve got time – that’s where the ‘boutique’ comes in handy. My grand plan is this. I’ll start off small, build my brand, and once the customers start coming, all I’ll have to do is expand, right?
I love my job. As a legal assistant at a law office that does a lot of great work in First Nations economic development, I’ve been learning a lot of Aboriginal law and the ins and outs of the Canadian justice system. Who knows? Maybe I’ll go to law school one day, when the kids are older. And to be honest, anything is better than my job in Calgary, where I was essentially a bona-fide document filer at a law office.
But as much as I love my job, I have days when I wake up and the only thing I want to do is lay on my couch and watch trashy soaps and infomercials. As soon as I go to wake up the kids, though, all those thoughts wash away and my work ethic kicks back into overdrive. After all, the last thing I want to do is to fall back into debt, and have to struggle to raise them.
You know, when I graduated from Emily Carr, I went through this whole phase where I was really into decorating my apartment. I was going for the mid-century modern feel and even splurged on a tufted velvet couch to complete the look. I hired someone to do crown moldings, redid my window treatments, and even repainted my walls. Clearly, I was on a mission to obtain my dream apartment with no regard for my credit card debt.
When I finally completed the apartment (and accrued a boatload of debt), I was so excited to invite all my friends over to admire my work. I invested another $300 on the housewarming party, justifying the expense on all the compliments I would receive – after all, it would have been a waste of money spending all this money on my home if nobody could appreciate it, right?
Well, what I should have realized is that no matter how much money you spend (a lot, in my case), nobody will even notice your awesome one-of-a-kind lambskin rug if your apartment is a mess. My guests were pirouetting through the clutter in my apartment the whole night and the closest thing I got to a compliment was, “oh, I like the area you live in”. Gee thanks. Not only was I up to my neck in bills debt, I was also knee deep in a huge mess.
1. Don’t open up a credit card account just because they offer you a discount. It’s too hard to keep track of multiple accounts and you’ll end up racking up the bills.
2. Ignoring the pile of bills on your desk will NOT make them go away. The only thing that will go away is your credit and the only thing you will gain is debt (at a high interest rate!).
3. Your kids do not need to wear designer duds. Not only do they not appreciate it, kids are cute no matter what brand they’re wearing.
4. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on decorating your home. Nobody will notice it if your house is a mess.
5. Managing your debt is a full time job – unless, of course, you’ve got Full Circle and their team of licensed debt management consultants by your side.
There was this one month when Mark and I were living in Calgary, when we were really down and out on cash, that we considered skipping town to escape our debt. And the calls we were getting from those annoying creditors did nothing to make us want to stay. We were broke, and getting desperate.
It’s a good thing my sister called one day to check in on us. She convinced us that running away from our debt was not the way out, pointing out that our credit scores would be ruined (and where would we run away to and what money would we live off of?). Thank goodness for older sibling wisdom.
So we decided to stay put and slowly work off our debt, which in retrospect was a good idea because a couple months later, we heard about Full Circle Debt Solutions. They helped us consolidate our debt, and even got rid of the annoying calls from creditors. If you find yourself in a similar situation that Mark and I were in, wanting to bail on your debt, give Full Circle a call before you make any drastic moves.
At Full Circle Debt Solutions, we’ve got lots to be proud of. We’re proud to be Canadian, we’re proud to call Vancouver home, and we’re proud of our clients, all of whom have taken control of their debt. But what we’re most proud of is our team ofdebt management consultants.
As Canada’s largest independent group of licensed debt management professionals, they will walk you through every step of debt consolidation, even tailoring consumer credit counseling programs to your needs. By contacting your creditors to negotiate debt payment plans that are more manageable for you, our debt management experts help you get rid of those annoying calls from debt collection agencies.
Our oldest, Griffin, is on summer break, much to the delight of his younger sister Silvia who considers herself his sidekick. All summer long, they’ve been taking advantage of the sunny days and warm weather, and have developed quite the skill at convincing our nanny to take them to the beach. When I get home from work, I always know if they’ve been successful, not only by the sandy trails I find in the foyer but by the stories that the kids enthusiastically tell me about their seaside escapades.
Now that Mark and I have our finances under control, thanks to our Full Circle debt consultant who helped us consolidate our debt, we’ve decided that we should take our first family vacation abroad. Since the kids love the waves so much, we’re definitely thinking somewhere tropical with white sandy beaches, but we’re not sure where. Any suggestions?
When Mark and I first moved in to our new apartment in Calgary, it was not all sunshine and roses. Both of us had been struggling a bit with our finances, trying to keep up with rent, bills, and student loans. So it was sort of a no brainer for us to live together so that we could split our living expenses.
But just when things started looking up, Mark lost his job at the architecture firm and had to go into freelance consulting. Our cash flow reduced to a meagre trickle, what with my pay as a legal assistant and his inconsistent employment. Add that to the trail of personal debt that had followed me from Vancouver, and we were in serious trouble.
That’s when the fighting started. And it was always about money, even if it wasn’t explicitly expressed. As you can guess, passive aggressiveness was usually my weapon of choice. Despite the fact that my finances were in a worse state than Mark’s, I picked fights over just about anything – not putting the toilet seat down, his gym membership fees, and the flavor of ice cream he’d buy – everything was fair game.
During one particularly ridiculous argument, while bickering about the recyclability of a pizza box, Mark’s pressed his lips together and his grinning eyes caught mine. In that instant, it dawned on me how crazy we had become, and I burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.
Looking back at those days now brings a smile to my face, but only because we decided post-pizza box, to do something about our debt. We called Full Circle, and one of their debt management consultants guided us through the process of debt consolidation. We reconfigured our monthly bills to one low monthly payment and never looked back.
Full Circle Debt Solutions here. We’re not going to sugar coat it. Scarlett’s path to financial freedom isn’t an easy one. In fact, it was a long road that was filled with potholes and ditches – and it’s definitely a road that will never really end. It’s the consumer thirst that seems insatiable, especially when we’re constantly faced with promotions and products that we ‘have to have’.
If you’re looking to manage your debt and you live in BC or in AB, give us a call. We’ve got licensed professionals who specialize in debt consolidation and will be there every step of the way on your journey towards financial security.
Feeling blue about the never-ending stream of bills that seem to find their way to your mailbox? And the debt that’s straining your finances? Nothing will get you down quite like debt stress, and nothing causes wrinkles quite like it.
Put down the anti-aging cream and self-help books, because the only way to treat a serious case of debt downer is to face the problem head on. As Scarlett can attest to, avoiding the problem only makes it worse.
So call Full Circle Debt Solutions and talk to a debt management professional to reduce your monthly payments. He will help you consolidate your debt and guide you through your financial road to recovery. As any good dermatologist will tell you, it’s about maintenance, not a quick fix.
I’m so sick of getting bills in the mail. And I’m sure the mailman is sick of the dirty looks I send his way whenever I happen to see him on my daily walks around the block. Poor guy, it’s not his fault that I’m perpetually swipe-happy with my credit cards, and that I have student loans that will take me until retirement to pay back. Add that to bills I have to pay for auto insurance, car payments, and electricity, and you’re looking at a mailman who is going to be looking at a huge chiropractor bill by the time he finishes delivering my mail.
Moving homes is one of the most expensive things I’ve had to do. And I’ve had to do it twice. Once when I moved to Calgary and again when Mark, the baby, and I moved back to Vancouver. Paying for the moving guys, boxes, trucks, and new furniture took a huge toll on my wallet, not to mention the emotional cost.
Since graduating from college, I promised myself never to buy another piece of furniture from Ikea, a promise I didn’t manage to keep when I moved to Calgary, due to my ailing finances. But thanks to Full Circle, our debt was under control for our move to Vancouver, and I finally managed to fulfill my interior decorating dreams.
When we were living in Calgary, on rare occasions I would have weeks where I had no bills to pay, no things to buy, and nowhere I had to travel to (other than work). Thanks in part to the fact that I’d uprooted my life in Vancouver and moved to a new city, my billing cycles for my utilities, cell phone, and cable were the same. I savored these days, relishing the moments when I’d check my online banking and see the balance NOT decrease. I was so smitten that fanning myself with the cash that was in my wallet may have crossed my mind.
But the days would turn into a couple, and then I’d get that terrible itch. The one that presents itself when I’m feeling particularly good about my good behaviour. Usually triggered by something like a television commercial, or an ad in a magazine, the result was always the same – go out and buy something. And let me tell you, it’s quite the fall, falling off a financial high horse. Your spending goes into overdrive, a sort of subconscious overcompensation for all the saving you’d been doing for the past couple of days.
After a particularly damaging self-rewarding bout, and after the retail euphoria wore off, I was racked with guilt and stress about how much money I’d spent and how much I’d have to pay for it when I got my bill in a couple weeks. So I called up my debt management consultant over at Full Circle. He talked me through some debt-reducing strategies like debt consolidation, and assured me that he’d walk me through the next billing cycle. Relief! I quickly added him to my speed-dial that day.
10 years ago, I would have never guessed how dependent I’d be on the internet, or on my email, and on Facebook, and on Twitter. I do everything on the world wide web now, from reading the daily news, whether it be about BP’s oil spill or Lindsay Lohan’s lock up, to shopping for a new blender. But one of the internet utilities I’m most attached to is online banking. I log-in and poof! My account balance, recent transactions, transfer totals, bill payment plans – all at my fingertips and all at a moment’s notice. Never has instant gratification made me feel so responsible.
Ever heard that song by Johnny Cash – I’ve been everywhere?
That’s what Mark and I were like. It was straight out of a song – we didn’t have any money, any future or a clue, but we were born to run and we hit Canada like two crazy kids with the wind in our hair and nothing to lose and a whole wide world worth seeing.
We went everywhere, man. We went to Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Port Coquitlam, Cranbrook, Creston, Nelson, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Brampton, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, St. John’s, Charlottetown.
We went everywhere, man! Debt or debt beware, man! We went everywhere!
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