Well folks, I guess this is goodbye. I don’t exactly know who my replacement will be, but I imagine it will be someone with a similar story – financial success, mixed with credit dependence – financial fail, mixed with debt collection – debt consolidation, mixed with financial gain. You know the plot.
I’m sure Full Circle will be able to convince one of their clients to share their success story, just as Julia, Eve, Scarlett, Ben and I have.
That’s the beauty of the Full Circle consolidation plan; it works. And because it works, people want to share their stories.
But for now, I will say goodbye. It has been almost a year and I am moving ever closer to my goal of a debt free existence.
Thanks Full Circle for all the financial guidance. Couldn’t have got this far without your help.
Au revoir
-Tyler
So Long Partners...
My favourite entries from the last few months of writing:
“Pride Only Hurts” – I love this scene and even though Marsellus Wallace is convincing him to take a dive, his speech is inspirational.
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.
I’ve been a car salesman for close to a year now. Before that, as most of you know already, I was an insurance salesman. I consider myself to be fairly good at what I do – selling.
But before I got into sales, I saw my career path heading down a different road. My goal, ten years ago, was to go into the locksmith profession. Crazy, I know, but for some reason I thought being a Vancouver locksmith would be a really cool job.
Every exterior door in the city has one, so there would always be business. They don’t require a huge amount of technical experience to install, so I could pretty much learn my trade on the job. I wouldn’t have to rely on others for support; I could work alone on most jobs. And, I would be able to provide a needed sense of security to thousands of individuals.
Seemed like a dream job.
Lured by a higher starting salary, I ditched the lock world for the insurance industry. I guess they both provide security in a way…
Now, every time I lock my door when I leave my apartment I think, what if I had taken the other road. Who knows?
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.
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.
Keeping our regular everyday finances in check can be a difficult task with debit cards, credit cards, change and cheques.
Tracking our spending is becoming increasingly complex. It is now easier than ever to overspend and windup on the wrong side of the line.
Like most things in life, less is more. If you can reduce your payment tools to two or possibly one method, you can keep a more accurate up-to-date record of how much you’re spending. You can also track where you’re spending your money.
Limiting your payment options will allow you to chose a service plan that meets your spending. Finding the right plan can save you money each month.
A Vancouver consolidation plan is similar in nature. With only one payment a month, you limit the number of creditors you have to keep track of. You also reduce the amount of interest you pay.
Interest is money that you will never see again. It’s money that goes straight to your creditors pockets without ever reducing your principal. If you can lower the monthly amount you pay towards interest, you can put more money towards erasing your debt.
This is basic finance. Why pay more, when you could pay less.
There are no strings, there is no fine-print to read, only a guarantee that your interest will be reduced.
That should be enough to get you interested. But it’s only the beginning of the advantages offered by a debt consolidation plan. Not only will your interest payments be reduced, you will also see an immediate change from your creditors. With a debt plan in place, you will never receive a bill directly from your credit companies. They will not call and they will not send you written warnings. The only piece of mail you will receive will be for the one payment you owe.
I know… You’re thinking the same thing I was; “Why didn’t I signup for this earlier?”
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.
It’s hard to save money for your credit payments, especially if it means severely cutting your social activities or family outings. There are other ways to make up the extra cash needed to pay your bills.
One place to start is your home. Simple energy saving tips can dramatically reduce your power bill. Here are a few that have been passed on to me.
1. Dirty Filters – Replace your furnace filters every couple of months. If they’re clogged, your furnace has to work harder to warm your house. A harder working furnace is dollars up in smoke.
2. Digital Readout – There is an obvious initial cost to a programmable thermostat, but some homeowners claim to have saved almost $200 the first year.
3. Cold Wash Clean – 85% of the energy used to do your laundry is spent warming the water. Switch the dial to cold and save money.
4. Don’t Let Your Crack Show – Make sure to weather strip all your windows and doors. Don’t forget the door that heads to the attic.
5. More of the Pink Stuff – Insulate all your walls, including the basement. This will keep the heat in. No sense warming the backyard.
The young lady on the other end of the phone identified herself as Rebecca. She was operating the switchboard. She said she had a few questions for me to help with her recommendation for the right counsellor for my case.
I answered her questions concerning my financial status and we talked a little bit about the burden of credit card anxiety. Then she directed my phone call to Morgan, a veteran debt management professional.
Morgan didn’t have the conversational skills that Rebecca had, but she immediately impressed me with her professionalism. She explained that Full Circle was going to do three things for me: they were going to give me one payment instead of six, they were going to reduce the interest that I paid each month and they were going to assist me in my financial decisions. In return, I would have to be committed to finishing the repayment program.
I explained to Morgan that I had recently pulled myself out a ‘life trench’ and was now looking to improve my status as a working professional. I knew the time was right for a plan and Full Circle was willing to provide that opportunity.
The blogs were a nice introduction to the debt consolidation process. The variety of entries and the personal accounts helped me put together a clearer picture of the services Full Circle offered.
One interesting point I learned was that the service was not in the business to offer a consolidation loan. I would be paying my creditors, through the Full Circle Company. This was reassuring. I already had enough creditors; I didn’t need one more.
It was also nice to know, that once in the program, my creditors would not be permitted to contact me. No more voice messages, angry letters or threatening emails.
The best news was that my credit score would enter a different category. The new rating would be R7, a rating reserved for individuals who ‘voluntarily’ enter a debt consolidation process. As I continued to work on my debt, my rating would improve towards the goal: an R1 rating.
The blog was actually a really interesting read.
And now look at me. I’m writing on the very same blog that inspired me to start a repayment program.
So, if you have been enjoying my story, make sure to scroll down and read the personal debt tales from the other four writers who have produced for this blog.
Thank you Scarlett, Ben, Eve and Julia. Your work has shed light on a service that many Canadians should learn about.
When I saw Julia next, it had been three days since she slipped me the Full Circle website. I was back at the diner, unfortunately not in her section. But she saw me and wandered over with a smile.
“So, did it help?”
“It looks promising,” I said, trying not to give away my skepticism. “Where did you hear about it? Do you work for them on the side?”
“Not really,” she replied, “but I have been writing a little blog on the topic of debt consolidation. See I was like you. A little lost, treading water in the deep end of the pool. But these guys saved me. And as a little favour to them, I write a weekly blog about my experiences with debt. You should check out the blog.”
“Wow! And it’s been working? Lower interest and all that?”
“Of course,” she said. “But the best part is I don’t have to deal with a mountain of bills, just one payment to Full Circle. It’s so incredibly easy, you’ll wonder why more people don’t use the service.”
“Huh…” I mumbled. “And you have no problem making the payments?”
“Nope! I worked out a manageable rate with Rob, my credit counsellor. It still hurts each month, but the money is being split between all my creditors. Full Circle handles all of that. It’s brilliant.
Give them a call. They can explain all the details and put you in contact with your own counsellor. You won’t regret it. I promise.”
She looked sincere, but I still wasn’t ready to call.
“What about this blog?” I asked. “Where can I find it?”
“Just type in ‘Debt Consolidation Vancouver’ into Google, it should be in the top three search items. Give it a read and let me know what you think.”
That night, I went home and read every post on the site. I called Full Circle the next day. I haven’t looked back since.
The Vancouver rain poured down in sheets. It was a dreary day in December, the day I met Julia.
I was on lunch break, sitting in a diner down the street from the car lot. I stirred the soup that was in front of me and waited for it to cool. As I waited, I took out my pen and wrote the list of my creditors on the white restaurant napkin – six in total.
There were two credit card companies, the Bay, a phone company, The Brick and a credit union. With the list written and my soup still cooling, I stared out at the falling rain outside.
I started to imagine all the cars I would have to sell to pay off each creditor. I pictured them piled on top of each other like bundled commodities.
“Quite the list,” a voice broke in. I turned and saw the waitress refreshing my coffee. “What’s your plan?” she asked.
“Well, I don’t really have one. I guess pay it off slowly,” I replied.
Insurance it was not, but you would be happy to know I was offered the job at the dealership. I worked there for eleven months. It was humbling, but I realized one thing: Sales is sales. If you can sell a pair of shoes, you can sell a used Toyota Corolla. You either have the gift of sales or you don’t; fortunately, I do!
By the third month I was selling an average of eleven cars a week. It was fun and I loved doing it. I asked questions to the other salesmen, studied vehicle specs at night and by the eighth month mark, I was one of the top sales staff.
With success, came the return of a steady income. I moved out of the parents’ place and bought myself a new coach.
I settled in and started my adult life over again.
The last thing I unpacked was an old cardboard box. It had originally held a new coffee maker, but it was now full of collection letters and old bills from an assortment of creditors. I poured the contents over the kitchen table and stared at the paper reminders for close to twenty minutes.
My folks let me move back home, but like my girlfriend, they too began to tire of my self-pity and lack of motivation to find work.
Desperate to get her son back in the workforce, my mother talked to one of her friends whose family ran a used car dealership. She convinced the husband of her friend to give me an interview for a sales position.
The lot was in Burnaby and I had to bus to the site for my interview. I shared a seat with an older gentleman who asked a zillion questions. I avoided most of the personal ones, embarrassed of my current financial state.
The elderly man explained that he had just retired, at 68. He had worked for over a dozen companies since he was twenty; some of them good and some of them poor.
He must have sensed my situation because he seemed to constantly return to the theme of perseverance; ‘Yes, life was hard, but hard working people find ways to succeed.’
I thought about this as I stepped off the bus and into the dealership.
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.
With the bill in front of me, I started another tally sheet. I put together a ten-year budget. It included a minimum sum that I could reasonably afford to pay each month. This money would be split between my creditors.
But in my desire to eliminate my financial problems, I forget about one of the biggest potential threats facing my limited capital: interest payments.
With more than a handful of creditors, I tried in vain to calculate the interest I would owe each credit company. After more than an hour I gave up. Interest is a bitch!
I was in over my head. I wanted to organize a schedule of payments, but without an accurate understanding of the interest I would be charged, my budget was useless.
All I knew was that while I struggled to stay above the poverty line, my creditors would be living the good life with all the interest I was paying.
My conclusion was this: I needed a financial advisor and I needed some sort of debt relief to lower my interest payments.
I went for a walk later that night and thought more about my options.
My thoughts kept returning to bankruptcy. Sure it was a coward’s way out, but it worked and my debts would magically disappear. I could improve my credit rating when I finally found a field of work I was happy in. I had survived my first nineteen years on this planet without credit; surely I could survive another ten or so.
The rebuttle to the last statement was made by my uncle the following day. I called him because he owned his own business and had gone through similar financial problems when his business faltered a few years back. ]
His response to my idea was quick and to the point. He asked me if I ever wanted to own a house? If I ever wanted to take a trip again? If I ever saw myself returning to the lifestyle I led when I sold insurance?
I answered ‘yes’ to all three and he responded with raised eyebrows and a smile.
“You can’t run from this,” he said. “You didn’t think about this predicament before you quit – did you? Well, now you’re in it and it’s your responsibility to dig your way out. If you want the life you lead before, you’ll need credit eventually. Bankruptcy is not an option.”
I went back home and pulled out the paper again. How was I ever going to pay this down?
Sometimes you have to hit bottom, to know how to climb back up.
Bottom came when a repo man appeared at my door on a Wednesday morning in April. He wanted my television, my couches, my sound system and my laptop. I was able to save the laptop with a quick loan from one of my neighbours. The couches, TV, speakers and receiver were put on a truck.
Sitting in my apartment that afternoon, I pulled out all my bills and made a list of what I owed. I wrote the number on a piece of paper with a sharpie pen and stared at it for over two hours as I thought about all the options at my disposal.
My Parents: I had gone to them for money when I was in University, but that was it. I could have gotten student loans, but they helped me pay for my entire tuition outright. I still owed them that favour. I couldn’t go to them again.
The Bank: Use one loan to pay for another…? I hear you could do it, but was it worth borrowing from one evil empire to pay another?
My Friends: They had money, but I had Butch’s nagging sting. I could never ask them.
Who or what then would be the answer? How would I continue with my payments with the smallest of incomes?
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.
This is Tyler. I’m new to this, so you will have to bear with me.
I read a few of Julia’s posts, so I have an idea of what you are expecting.
My story begins with a new job. After University, a family friend helped me get into the insurance world. I took a job with one of the major brokerage firms in Vancouver. After three years of paying my dues, I was finally able to build a respectable client book. By year seven I was pulling in over $100,000 a year.
Then I started to get bored with the industry. I made sort of a fool of myself at a business meeting and a week later I handed in my resignation. I worked for another month to save face.
The problem with me quitting my job was the bills that I had acquired during the period when I was making money hand-over-fist.
I had the fast car, a posh apartment in Yaletown and a taste for the finer things.
After a year of semi-retirement, I was out of cash and unable to find work in a field that would interest me. I had to reconsider my finances. I wanted to hold on to a few of the luxury items I had gained when I was at the top of my insurance game, but there was little money to pay for them. Eventually I sold my car, but there were still other bills that I was struggling with.
Hi guys, it’s Julia here. It’s been awhile since I blogged. My life has taken a turn. I finally landed a teaching job! Hurray for me!!! And I have been busy preparing for my first classroom assignment this fall.
I landed a job in Creston B.C. It’s a small town of about 5,000 people. I’ll be teaching at Adam Robertson Elementary.
Finally, I will have a steady paycheck. I talked with Rob, my credit counsellor at Full Circle, and worked out a plan to increase my payments. Hopefully I will be financially free in less than three years.
Rob has been a rock for me and I cannot thank him enough for his support and advice.
But unfortunately, the new job will occupy the majority of my time. So I have decided to pass on the writing reigns to a friend of mine who also signed on with Full Circle Debt Consolidation. His name is Tyler. Hopefully he will provide you with the information you need to survive in this crazy city. Cause we all know how costly it can be…
My last piece of advice, and I know I’ve said it numerous times already, “you’re not alone.” There are a ton of Canadians out there going through the same financial struggles. Finding help is the only way to deal with your debt. If you try to turn your back on it, it will only rear its ugly head to bite you. Talk to Full Circle. They helped me and they can help you.
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.
Looking for a cheap date this summer? Have you taken your loved one to the movies lately? Fresh Air Cinema is offering free outdoor movies at different venues around the Lower Mainland. All you need is a blanket to sit on and a friend / partner to sit beside.
The venues range from parks, to Robson Square, to the Athletes Village. Our personal favourite is the Stanley Park viewing area; a beautiful backdrop, minutes away from downtown and a fairly mature crowd.
The films range from 80s classic popcorn flics to family animation.
Here is a sampling of the films that will be showing this August:
Thursday, August 11th – “Casablanca”
-Athletes Village (Vancouver)
Friday, August 12th – “Grease”
-Harbour Green Park (Vancouver)
Saturday, August 13th – “Ghostbusters”
-Cloverdale Amphitheatre (Surrey)
Monday August 15th – “Toy Story”
-Robson Square (Vancouver)
Thursday, August 18th – “Aladdin”
-Delbrook Park (North Vancouver)
Thursday August 25th – “Citizen Kane”
-Athletes Village (Vancouver)
And the cherry in the summer line-up:
Tuesday, August 30th – “Stand By Me”
-Second Beach (Vancouver)
“If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That’s easy – Pez,
Imagine if you added all the hours together that you spent worrying about your debt. What could you do with that time?
You could read the entire Harry Potter series from his early days under the stairs to his final battle with Vold…. ‘The One Who Will Not Be Named.’
You could take ten windsurfing classes – that’s almost pro status.
You could weed, replant and water your garden a dozen times.
You could learn basic Spanish – enough to leave the resort with on your next vacation to Mexico.
You could retile the bathroom.
You could attend at least eight of your son’s soccer games.
You could film, edit and publish a video on YouTube explaining how easy it is to remove your debt with a debt consolidation plan from Full Circle.
Any of these options could be yours.
That last one stands out as a winner.
When you apply for a debt repayment program, your level of anxiety is greatly decreased if not eliminated. With Full Circle’s help, you will only have to make one payment a month; this amount will be dispersed between your creditors. You will have less interest to pay and you will know exactly how long it will take to eliminate your debt completely. Try it today. Gain back hours of your life almost immediately.
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.
A recent Canadian poll discovered that a quarter of Canadians carry no debt. The data was collected for Scotiabank, one of Canada’s largest banking institutions.
Interesting… a bank produced a poll about the lack of debt in our country. Isn’t that exactly what they want us to believe so we will go out and apply for a loan, confident, that like other Canadians, we can pay it off quickly.
What about the three quarters of Canadians that do carry a negative balance?
The same survey found that 19 per cent of the individuals polled from British Columbia feel overwhelmed by their debt. If three quarters of our province has debt and 19 per cent are overwhelmed, then there are roughly 600,000 BC residents struggling to pay their bills.
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.
There’s plenty of personal finance advice out there, but oftentimes some of the most basic steps toward financial freedom are overlooked. For me, becoming a frugal person didn’t happen overnight. It was a process of discovering strategies that helped me save for the important stuff and avoid impulse buys. Here’s a simplified version of the steps I took. Maybe some of them will help you.
Avoid credit cards that don’t allow you to pay off your purchases immediately. Credit cards are important part of building a credit history, but you don’t need to accumulate balances to use them. Many store credit cards allow you to make a purchase and then pay off your balance immediately.
Create separate accounts for important payments and purchases. Setting up separate accounts for travel or car payments or new technology helps keep you from dipping into your savings during your everyday routine. It also allows you to see the progress you’ve made toward your goal.
Think before you spend. Do you spend a lot of money on a cable TV package you hardly use when you could be watching your favorite shows online or on Netflix? Do you pay for a long distance calling plan when you could be using a calling card? It’s important to think about every spending decision you make, knowing that spending in one place means giving up something else.
Squirrel something away. If you can accumulate a small amount and put it into an interest-earning certificate of deposit or another investment vehicle, even if it’s only for a short time, you’ll see your money grow and feel good about making even more frugal choices.
Buy in bulk. If you have the space to store large bottles of catsup and other staples, you can save a lot of money by shopping at discount stores that sell larger-quantity items.
There are a lot of other money-saving strategies I’ve adopted, such as driving slower to save on gas, but the ones I’ve listed here are key when you’re just starting to figure out how to live a better and more sustainable financial life. I hope they’re helpful to someone.
In a perfect world, all the food we eat would be natural – directly from the earth without any harmful pesticides or preservatives. But as most people who buy organic food know, it’s an extremely expensive ideal. There are ways to eat mostly organic food without sacrificing other wants and needs in our lives.
One way to save money on organic food is to plant a garden, either at your home or in a community garden. Sure, it takes work, but once your soil is ready and your seeds are planted, you’ll realize you take pleasure in tending to your plants and harvesting your own food.
If you don’t have the space for a garden, try buying organic food from a wholesaler. Local distributors and wholesalers usually offer lower prices than grocery stores, especially if you can buy in bulk and freeze some of the food you don’t use immediately.
Even if you can grow some things yourself and find an organic wholesaler, buying all organic is still really expensive. Do some research and make a list of priority foods you feel must be organic, and then do your best to stick to it. That way, when you need to choose the cheaper version, you’ll know you’ve kept the important things natural.
Eating organic food doesn’t have to be impossible. With some searching, networking and prioritizing, you can live healthily without spending much more than you normally would on groceries. Good luck!
There’s that old saying about feeling like you’re taking two steps backwards for every one step forwards. It’s like treading water, knowing you’ll eventually get too tired to continue. It’s a scary, overwhelming feeling, but there is something you can do about it.
By working with licensed, professional debt managers at Full Circle Debt Solutions, you’ll see that you can make tangible progress toward your goals and climb your way out of that hole, without taking two steps backwards.
We can help make the calls from debt collectors stop and put you back on the path to prosperity. Give us a call to see how we can find a solution to your debt management problems. It’s the best phone call you can make for your future.
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.
Am I the only one who is a little confused by the sudden escalation of the word “swag?”
I always thought swag meant the free stuff you got when you attended a conference or charity event. But now I hear hip-hop stars and celebrities using the word as an affirmation or noun to mean style or confidence. I even hear it being used as a verb: “swagged-out.” Then all of sudden I read that Puff Daddy has changed his name to “Swag.” What gives?
Well readers, I did some research and apparently swag comes from the hip-hop term “swagger.” Remember that song M.I.A. did with T.I., Jay and Kanye: “Swagga Like Us?”
No one on the corner has swagga like us
Swagga like us
Swagga swagga like us
I guess these four thought pretty highly of themselves.
Now the shortened form swag, picked up by the hip-hop group of the moment Odd Future (OFWGKTA), has taken off. For example, I was watching “Dancing With The Stars” (don’t judge) the other night and one of the dancers used it to describe their routine: “That is swag!”
If you’re thinking of using it in your everyday life, try alternating it for the word cool. “Do you think it would be swag if I wore my Bruins jersey to the game?” And the answer to that question is definitely no! That is not swag.
One of the biggest obstacles I grappled with during my lowest point was the feeing of being alone. I had all this debt to deal with and no one to talk to.
All around me I saw successful people, going to their steady jobs, driving their luxury cars and living a life that was miles away from my own.
I kept asking myself: “Why me? I’m the only one who is struggling to get by?”
Each of us has a different story of how we managed to accumulate so many bills, but the final condition is sadly similar.
Strapped with debt, we take on second and possibly third jobs to pay off our credit cards and loans. We lose touch with our friends and our families and become consumed by the struggle.
Hello readers. This week I would like to pass on a few interesting tidbits I picked up from an article in the Globe and Mail. The column was titled “10 PR Tips for Small Businesses.” It offered cheap and easy ways to promote your business using public relation techniques.
Obviously my first thought was: “My online friends could really benefit from this material.” So here is my summarized version of their 10 tips.
1. What’s Your Story?
-What does your company offer? Why are you different from the rest? You need to figure out what makes you unique.
2. It’s Not All About You.
-The article stresses that PR is separate from advertising. It’s about offering something to the public – a service. Something they need, not you need to sell.
3. Find the Emotion
-You know those NHL Playoff commercials that are all over YouTube right now? Those History is Made spots. The reason why those are so effective is because they remind us of the emotions we felt when we saw that goal scored or witnessed that huge save. Your customer’s emotional attachment doesn’t need to be that extreme, but they need to connect with your product.
4. Know Your Target Audience.
-This is essential. Who are you trying to reach?
5. Write Concisely.
-Remove all the information from your press releases that isn’t important. In other words, edit your work. Send it to a friend or colleague to proofread. Read it again. Then read it again.
6. Adhere to Deadlines.
-The business world is a momentum machine. If you can’t keep up with it, you’ll be run over. Always submit your work on time.
7. Know the Media.
-Where are you submitting your work? Who subscribes to their publication? Why is your story important to their audience?
8. Press Release Versus Pitch.
A press release is a formulated article that follows strict guidelines. This works for news items that relate to your company. A pitch if less formal and can be written to attract a journalist’s attention for a follow up interview.
9. Develop a Relationship With the Editor.
-Social Media tools are great for this. Follow them on twitter and respond to their tweets. Befriend them on Facebook. Just don’t smother them.
10. Timelines.
-How often does your intended media outlet publicize? When will they need the information to produce an article that will be relevant with their readers?
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.
Why are more and more Canadians finding themselves in debt trouble?
Perhaps it is connected with the ease at which we are able to pay with our credit cards. Scan, swipe or enter our digits, and bam, the purchase is completed. The speed at which we can buy products and services using a credit option is driving us into unthinkable debt.
Now Visa Inc. is making that process even easier. This fall, Visa will launch a new payment program called “digital wallet.” Designed for the online purchaser, the Visa wallet app will allow customers to simply enter their email address and password to pay for their purchases. No need to get out your card, and type in the 16-digit number plus an expiration date. That takes up to much time and god forbid you cannot find your card. Now, all you will need to remember is your email and password
Scary.
What’s next?
In the future will we just have to say the words ‘charge it‘ into a voice detector and we can walk away with an X-Box 1080?
Who knows?
All I know is the harder it is to use my credit options, the less likely I am to run up a huge bill.
So if Visa comes calling, maybe tell them you’re happy with the old ways.
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.
The Conservatives have officially secured a majority government, the HST is being debated across the Province and businesses are failing around the Lower Mainland – And the big stories this week: the Royal Wedding, Bin Laden shot and the second round of the playoffs.
Bread and circuses!
Sometimes the major issues are clouded with inconsequential news stories and entertainment. These pop into our lives through the media and consume our time. In the process, we lose sight of the issues that concern our day-to-day lives.
Your credit situation is a major issue. Ignoring it will not make it go away. I tried that route and it only gets you deeper in the hole.
Enjoy the Canucks plyaoff run, be happy that there is one less psycho in the world and send your congratulations to the Royal couple, but don’t forget about your debt.
Contact Full Circle Debt Solutions and work out a repayment plan. You can always come back to the news of the day, but solving your credit situation should be your first priority. The more time you spend with distractions, the more interest you will accumulate. Start a debt consolidation plan 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.
Hello readers, Julia here. This week I thought I would talk about an interesting trend I read about in a Vancouver Sun article.
It was about women and our forays into the business world. The article discussed the fact that a lot of women and probably men as well, tend to use financial help books to prepare themselves for their business ventures. The problem is that business books, by nature, are written in a dry, formulated language that leaves many readers abandoning their paperback by the end of the first chapter.
So what are we to do?
Support Groups!
I don’t know how many of you out there belong to a book club, but over the years I’ve been in a few. You meet with a few friends each week and talk about the chosen book you read, or tried to read. You discuss the characters, the symbolism, the plot, the naughty bits and then you spend the rest of the afternoon gossiping. You leave with a better understanding of the book through the exchange of ideas. You also finally get to hear why Penny dropped Shane.
Financial book clubs – just as valuable. Learn from your friends, talk about strategies that worked for them and throw in a little gossip as well. For your first book I would choose a lighter read, a book that could easily be finished in a week. I would start with Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s work, Debt Free Forever.
Sesame Street is now incorporating money management skills into its educational package. Familiar characters like Oscar the Grouch, Elmo and Cookie Monster are being used by the popular kids program to educate children on financial subjects.
The project is titled “For Me, for You, for Later.” In the series, the Sesame characters use three jars to divide their money; one is labeled ’spend’, one ’save’, and the other ’share’. The children learn the value of putting money away for each of these causes.
While the lessons are directed at children, the shows’ producers hope that the lessons will also inspire adult viewers to consider the values being presented to the younger audience. Saving and sharing are two traits that some grownups seem to neglect.
For a more adult take on financial stability, talk to a Vancouver credit counselor at Full Circle Debt Solutions. They might not use hand puppets and funny voices, but they will present you with sound advice for managing your income and your debt.
This one sounds really simple, but it could save you more than thirty dollars a month on bills.
The lesson is this: the rate you pay for your cable package is too high. How do I know this? Because all of the providers operating in Canada use rates that are not set!
What cable companies like Telus, Shaw and Bell do is try and project a firm list of prices that offer customers service packages in pre-described bundles. The prices for these bundles are advertised and shown in their literature as being firmly set. This is completely false.
If a cable company is scared you will leave their service for a competitor, they will immediately offer you a lower price for the same service you received the previous month. Nothing changes but the price.
Try it! All you need to do is call your service provider and threaten to leave. Mention a competitor’s rate and wait for a response. If they don’t drop the price, tell them you have another call and hang up.
I guarantee a customer service rep will call you back in the next 24 hours and offer you a reduction.
April 20th holds a soft place in the hearts of many Vancouverites. It’s a day for indulging in some of British Columbia’s finest. It’s a day when green enthusiasts can come together and share their love for a plant that many west coasters use to relax and unwind with.
This year’s celebrations will be held at the traditional meeting ground, the Vancouver Art Gallery steps. With tens of thousands expected to participate, the Vancouver gathering is considered to be the largest in North America. There will be free samples offered to the crowd, so no one goes without.
Proposed topics for discussion at this year’s event are the active promotion of legalization and the arrest of Marc Emery.
The festivities will begin at one o’clock and will build to twenty minutes past four. The gathering will continue until 9:00.
A post-party hip-hop show will take place at Fortune nightclub in Chinatown. The main musical guest will be the legendary Raekwon, of Wu-Tang fame.
Police will be on hand at the Art Gallery for the purpose of crowd control only.
Well guys, it’s playoff time again and like most Vancouverites, all I can do to alleviate the excitement of Wednesday’s match-up against the Chicago Blackhawks is distract myself. Work is out of the question, I was in a daze the whole day. Television? Too many ‘History Will Be Made‘ ads. Bike ride? I always end up outside Rogers Arena. So I thought I would spend this weird purgatory period writing to you.
And you know what? We’re going to talk about the Canucks!
My question to you is this: “Do you think the Canuck organization should change the goal song from Green Day’s “Holiday” to something else?
I’m thinking something Canadian, or something by the White Stripes. Or… yes, I have it. “Howlin for You,” by the Black Keys. I’m a genius. Alright, your turn. Comment below and include your vote for the Canuck 2011 Playoff goal song.
Wave Your White Towel
Here’s hoping the Chicago Blackhawks don’t score a single goal in their own building and we don’t have to listen to that annoying song by the Fratellis!
The name of the company that saved me from my credit catastrophe is Full Circle Debt Solutions. An appropriate name for a company that specializes in returning dignity to the lives of average Canadians who may have been trapped in an otherwise hopeless cycle of credit debt.
No one plans to get caught up in a web of credit bills, but sometimes, through poor budgeting or unforeseen events, we find ourselves cornered by our creditors. With the two options of bankruptcy or repayment, the latter is often seen as the tougher road to travel.
Fortunately, Full Circle is in the business of helping Canadians fulfill their repayment obligations. Full Circle helps individuals pay off their debts by reducing their troubles to one easy payment. They accomplish this by negotiating a plan with your creditors.
It is in Full Circle’s best interest to help you find a plan that works with your income level. Talk to them today and meet with a credit counselor almost immediately. You will save thousands in interest payments.
Exciting! The headliners have been announced for this year’s Live at Squamish. Closing the show are alt rocks’ poster boys, Weezer. The Canadian rockers Metric, fronted by Emily Haines will headline the opening night. Also on the line-up are the John Butler Trio, Major Lazer (a joint project that includes DJ Diplo and Switch), Canadian hip-hop artist Kyprios and dance mash-up artist, Girl Talk.
There will be a small area for on-site camping. The camping passes will be sold in pairs for $150. Why in pairs? Who knows? The camping pass will allow you stay for three nights and will secure you one parking space.
The festival weekend tickets will be priced at $119 until May 15rh. Children 12 and under have free admission when accompanied by an adult.
The gates to the festival grounds will open each day at 2:00pm. Tickets will be exchanged for wristbands at the door. There is no outside alcohol or cigarettes allowed on the festival site.
Boys. We’ve talked about this before, but I think it’s worth another refresher. If you are over twenty-five and looking to find that right someone, you can’t expect to land the women of your dreams when you have a massive debt tugging at your back pocket. It’s not attractive. Trust me. I don’t like mine and I definitely don’t want to marry another person who is in deep as debt as I was a year ago.
But unlike a poor gene physical attribute, your debt can be worked off. You spend all those hours in the gym working off the beer from the weekend before; why not spend some months seriously paying off your creditors?
Don’t know where to start? Look at your bills and find the one with the highest interest rate. Start there. Still confused. Hire Full Circle Debt Consolidation to help you manage your debt. They did wonders for me and look how confident I am now. All it takes is a visit to their site. Fill out the quick form and a debt counselor will call you back. It is that easy.
Now please, try it. And lose the facial hair. We’re not big fans of that either.
This week I have another tip to pass along on how to make our hard-earned dollar go a little further. It concerns the price of gas in the Lower Mainland and for that matter the price of gas across the country. It’s skyrocketing! But that’s probably not news to anyone. With the unrest in the Middle East and the fate of nations being held at the hands of revolutionaries, the price of oil is reaching never before highs. Just last week, a station in Richmond posted their regular gas at a price pennies away from $1.40 a litre. I know, crazy talk. But that is the world we are currently living in.
So my tip, check out the GasBuddy app for your smart phone. Last week it was the 18th most downloaded app at the iTunes store. What GasBuddy does is track the daily prices of fuel around the city of your choosing. With this information they are able to post the best deals of the day, so you don’t have to spend time looking for them.
A noticeable trend in price spikes shows that Thursday night is a good night to purchase your fuel. Gas stations tend to raise their prices Friday morning, as many individuals load up their cars for the weekend.
So buy your gas during the week and download the free app to find the cheapest station in your neighbourhood.
With only a few days in the Premier’s office under her belt, Christy Clark has announced plans to make good on her campaign promise to raise the minimum wage in British Columbia from $8 an hour to $10.25. Clark claims that the $10.25 wage will be in effect no later than May 1st of 2012.
The increase will come in stages, with the first jump occurring in May of this year. The first bump will take the wage to $8.75. In November it will rise again to $9.50 and then by May of next year it will finally climb to $10.25.
Clark also plans to eliminate the training wage, which is currently set at $6 per hour.
The increase is an integral part of Clark’s plan to put families first.
The wage was last changed when Gordon Campbell first came to power, nearly a decade ago.
Though many small business owners are wary of the increase, Clark is confident that the new increase will not affect the economy in a negative fashion. Others believe that potentially, numerous jobs could be cut and replaced with atomization practices.
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?
My friends! I have a little entertainment saving tip for you.
Concerts can be an expensive luxury, especially if you want to check out some of the bigger acts that come to our fair city. Rihanna tickets went on sale last week and the majority of the seats were over $100. Ouch. The same applied for the Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj tour. Honestly, who was $140 dollars to spend on a one-night ticket? Not this young lady.
But don’t turn your back on the music. There are plenty of small shows playing around the city that are more affordable and way more intimate.
Hey Rosetta is playing the Rio Theatre on Friday night and tickets are only $25. This is an awesome venue to check out a show. And for all the hipsters, the Rio serves Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Saturday you have The Dears, an amazing indie band out of Montreal, playing Venue. Tickets, again, are only $25. And you can get as close to the band as the bouncers will permit.
So don’t let your limited finances hold you back from enjoying what the city has to offer. Just pick your events a little more carefully.
Stay tuned for more affordable entertainment options.
Vancouver, BC has recently won the honour of ‘Most Livable City in the World’ for the 8th time in a row or something.
Sure, Vancouver’s a lovely place with majestic mountains, beautiful beaches, clean air, lush forests and a temperate climate – but what of the cost of living in such a place?
It seems there is no room for a middle class in this city. Housing prices are the highest in the world compared to salary. The average house: $700,000. The average household income: $65,000. That’s over 10 times.
It’s crazy. No one can afford to live in Vancouver except overseas investors, and even they don’t live here. Take a look at Yaletown at night and you’ll see what they call the ‘Blackout Effect’ – a whole lotta empty apartments. Couple that with the worst homeless problem in the country, and it’s not looking so livable any more. (There is one really easy solution to kill two birds with one stone here – but I’ll leave the dot-connecting to the anarchists.)
Don’t get me wrong. I love this fair city. But it shouldn’t be inaccessible to own a place without accruing an impossible debt.
For now, I’m happy to rent. If I can consolidate my debt in Vancouver to a manageable number, then I’ll start looking into buying. And hopefully, by then, the prices will be back to normal.
Either way, the sun is shining. I’m off for a jog along the sea wall to the backdrop of the mountains and buildings of shimmering green glass all under the glorious blue sky.
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.
I had an interesting conversation with one of my girlfriends this weekend. We were talking about whether or not girls should pay for their half on the first date.
I’ve been paying my way for years, because that’s just who I am, but she had an enlightening story to share.
It involved her great aunt Jane. My friend had been talking to Jane about a date she had gone on over the holidays, when her aunt suddenly cut her off with a simple question: “What, you paid for dinner?”
This shocked her aunt Jane beyond belief. Her aunt proceeded to enlighten her about the unspoken social contract between a man and a woman. Apparently ladies, if you go on a date, the man should pay for the privilege of your company by picking up the tab. Jane proceeded to tell my friend that in her time, you ordered as much as you could at the restaurant and what you didn’t eat, you brought home to your sister.
Funny, but it sort of makes sense. Even today, times are tough and with bills adding up, a free meal is a free meal. So put the equality speech in your back pocket, order the lobster and enjoy the little perks that come with being a female. The money you save can go towards paying for that prestigious University you went to. If I’m not mistaken, I think your date went to Community College.
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.
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…
Fellas, I know times are tough and we all are a little bit strapped for cash after Christmas, but trust me, you need to take advantage of the Dine Out program running now in the many restaurants around Vancouver. This may be the only time you can take your girl to that restaurant she has been talking about for weeks. With a fixed menu at incredibly reasonable prices, you can afford to play the high roller for one night.
If you really want to impress her, find your own gem using the Dine Out map at the Tourism Vancouver website. You can search under cuisine type, which really helps.
A little tip though, stay away from the wine list. Last year I went with a friend to a a little French bistro on Broadway. The three-course dinner was billed at $38 a piece, but somehow the waiter convinced us to buy a bottle of red. He neglected to mention the price. The bill came and we owed close to two hundred dollars once we had factored in a tip. A student loan payment up in smoke.
The Dine Out program began on the 24th and will run until the 6th of February.
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!!!
Let me preface this entry by stating that no, I do not have Bieber fever. I am perfectly healthy, besides the odd cigarette. I like Spoon, The Black Keys and I am super pumped for Interpol later this month.
But what I would like to say is: “Damn, that Bieber kid puts up with an awful lot of hater abuse. Imagine going on your YouTube site and reading all the terrible comments that people write about you. I really don’t know how he does it.
Well, that’s not entirely true. When I was at my lowest, I remember hearing murmurs from certain friends and family members accusing me of getting into a debt situation that threatened to ruin me. I just had to put my head down and know that the plan Full Circle had set out would lead me to the Promised Land.
Bieber does the same. He plays almost every night, he blogs, he tweets and he looks past his critics towards the final goal: Freedom 25. The young man believes in himself, he has talent and he’s reaching almost every top 40 market in the world. And while I might not be as talented or prolific, I am doing my own gig and getting it done. In no time at all, I will be able to look back and be proud of the long journey I embarked on to remove, what I thought was, insurmountable debt.
So I was reading the paper last week and I found this crazy story about a group of forty women who were trying to raise money and awareness for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The women are planning on breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest hockey game ever played; a truly Canadian undertaking. They are planning their attempt for next fall, from Aug 26th to Sept 5th. That’s right, 11 straight days of hockey! I couldn’t believe it either. The teams will be fixed and each will consist of twenty players.
Reading this story, I thought about the agony and the ecstasy of competing in a sporting marathon of this scope. What would it take as an athlete to play your game for 11 days straight?
Then, being ever obsessed with my debt situation, I started comparing it to the repayment program that Full Circle had worked out for me. Sure the goal was a long way off, but I had a plan and a means to get to my final goal. The consolidation option was my ticket to freedom.
To these women, the grueling hockey game will be their self-sacrifice. By playing out the game they love, the foundation will be able to raise more money for research and care for those suffering from Cystic Fibrosis.
Nothing comes for free in this world. Working hard is just part of the game. To learn more about this event or to make a donation, visit www.longestgame4cf.com
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.
This week I thought I would end with another helpful saving tip.
An article in Canadian Living entitled, “Trim Your Grocery Bill”, inspired me.
According to the article, Canadians spend almost as much money on food and grocery bills as they do on rent. The article references a professional shopper/blogger named Kimberly Clancy. For a news piece, Clancy was able to walk into a grocery store and after picking out a $133.89 worth of product, reduce the cost to a meager $23.45.
Her secret: coupons. Apparently those old ladies with the bursting purses are on to something. Clancy claims that she routinely saves 25 per cent on her grocery bill using coupons and watching for upcoming sales.
Now, I know what you’re thinking; only the elderly have the time to spend scanning flyers and leaflets for discounts. But a few each week can save you dollars that add up at the end of the month.
Other tips from the article are to buy generic, avoid impulse shopping and plan meals before entering the store.
A great generic brand retailer in Vancouver is No Frills. There are two locations, one just off Alma, on Fourth Avenue and the other in the West End, on Denman Street. Tell them Julia sent you.
Continuing with the news theme, I thought I would touch on one more very important news story from the past week. Now, being from back East, I can’t really appreciate the magnitude of this story, but talking with friends who have lived in Vancouver all their lives, I’m starting to understand just how important it really is.
Being a fairly new Canucks fan, I had to do a little research on Trevor. I had heard the tales of 94 from some of my guy friends, but I had no idea of the amount of charity work that the young hockey captain participated in.
Now every time I see his smiling face on those eyeglass ads on the bus, I can understand why this city holds such a high regard for their transplanted son.
Some day I hope to inspire young children with the same passion that Trevor was able to share with the less fortunate.
We all can’t be honoured in the way Trevor has been, but we can all appreciate the hope he was able to inspire.
We all have that moment when we are pulled from the gutter and given hope that tomorrow will be the return to better days.
Without being too sappy, my moment was when I contacted Full Circle Debt Solutions. I called to ask about a plan to consolidate the huge mess of unpaid debt I found myself drowning in. It was 2009 and I had borrowed from every available source I knew. One year later, I am working towards paying off every creditor I owed. I have renewed hope, I am more confident in my decision-making and my attitude on life has done a full 180.
The same sort of inspiring event happened to a homeless man named Ted Williams this week. Williams was begging for money at the side of the highway in Columbus, when a media personal recognized his talent. He returned with a video camera team to film Williams speak and record his story.
Williams, in the video that went viral in a matter of minutes, holds a sign that claims he has the ‘God given gift of voice.’ Watching the tape, you realize that the homeless man is far from exaggerating. Williams, who once worked as a radio host until he lost his way with drugs and alcohol, has a voice that belongs on Monday Night Football.
The Columbus Dispatch posted the video and asked if anyone could hire the out-of-luck announcer. Well, within a week Williams had a job with Kraft Foods. The Kraft Food Company is currently running a campaign to Feed America through 20 million meals. Hiring Williams, the Kraft Company latched themselves on to the viral news story. With a commercial already in the can, Williams voice will soon be heard, again, all across America. And this time he’ll be paid.
Addictions are a tough subject to bring up. I’m not to fond of talking about my brother’s illness and I’m sure addicts aren’t too keen on discussing their own slides. But some addictions carry a little less severity than others.
This week I want to talk about this city’s addiction to java.
It’s rampant. I thought it was bad back east with the Tim Hortons craze, but they have nothing on Vancouverites.
You guys are hooked on the Mermaids brew. She has her three pronged triton deeply imbedded in your psyche. You need her elixir to start your day. You make plans to meet at her lair with potential partners. And you sneak in just before closing to get your last cup for the long night of work ahead.
These visits add up. It’s almost five dollars for every non-fat, extra shot, caramel latte you order. Plus, one out of every three visits you add a munchie. On an average week your bills could total over sixty dollars. That’s ludicrous. And we’re not talking about the rapper.
Want to save money? Buy a thirty-dollar coffee maker, some filters and a generic tub of fine grind. Bring your tub to work and brew your own blend at the job. It might seem weird at first, but you will soon see the difference in your pocket book at the end of the week.
Small things like these can have you saving money instantly.
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…
No, really it’s not. It’s actually a lot brighter. But even after finding Full Circle, my guardian angel, I still have to pay my daily bills. One of those is my cell phone bill. We all get it. Every month. And it’s always bigger than those lousy cell phone companies promised.
I’m with one of the big ones. It starts with ‘R’ and ends like tigers. Didn’t leave much to the imagination there did I? So this company has me on a basic plan of… I think it’s like 65. But like all those plans it ends up being in the high 70s or 80s each month. And, I know, it probably is my fault for going over my minutes and calling during the day. But sometimes its unavoidable.
So Rogers (whoops!) has me in a contractual trap. I’m stuck paying these ridiculous bills until my contract runs out in the spring.
WRONG.
There are ways out. The easiest being: a simple pay-off. A small fee for each of the months left on your contract.
But then what. I need a cell phone!
The answer is in the Wind. Wind Mobile has way better deals than Rogers. FACT! For forty dollars I got an unlimited Canada wide talk and text plan. Listen to me, I sound like an advertising talking head. But it’s true. Way cheaper, no contract, keep your old phone number. It’s awesome.
The Winds of Change
And no, I’m not on commission. Just wanted to pass along some advice from my own life.
Save money. Pay off your debt quicker. It feels good.
It’s been a week dear readers. Did you miss me? Please say yes.
Well, lets get back to the gory details.
January 2009 – Resumés, resumés, resumés!
So after completing my Education program on the Island, I crossed the Inlet to look for work in the lower mainland. I had a brother living here, so I moved in with him. That proved difficult, but again, that is a story for another blog.
The first month here I spent my time checking different job posting websites. I submitted my resumé to every position that became available and waited patiently for a response… nothing. Then I started dropping my resumé in person at every school board office between Squamish and Chilliwack. I got one phone call. From the Surrey office. They called to say ‘they weren’t hiring, but they would keep my resumé on file.’ Excellent.
February 2009 – Tears and Fears
With no responses, I started to panic. What if I never found work? What if I went years without work? How would I afford to live in the city? I couldn’t move back home, that would admit failure. Could I take on another job and still look for work?
Totally confused I spent the rest of the month feeling sorry for myself.
March 2009 – Last of the Free Rent / Deal With the Devil
In March my brother told me I would have to start paying rent. I needed to come up with money quickly. That’s when a friend of mine, a so-called-friend, suggested getting a credit card. They said I could use the card to take out an advance and then pay the money back when I found work. Honestly, looking back, I thought I was smarter than that. Turns out I wasn’t. Like a junkie’s first hit, I took the card, paid my brother off and bought a new pair of boots to help boost my spirits. And like that, I was hooked.
So, that night when I got home I followed Alexis’s advice.
Google Search: Debt Consolidation Vancouver
• Debt Consolidation in Canada – Full Circle Debt Solutions
Debt consolidation and debt management options that can reduce your debt payments … -Crystal, Vancouver. Thank you for again taking the time to talk to me …
www.debtgone.ca/ – Cached – Similar
6935 120 Street, Delta
(604) 724-3242
Amongst the top three results was the entry above. After looking over their site, I gathered that this must be the company Alexis was referring to. They offered a complete package of debt consolidation and credit counseling.
After calling their toll free number, 1-877-220-3328, I got hold of a young man named Robert. Rob explained my rights as a debtor and laid out my options to move forward.
He promised me a dramatic drop in interest payments, a convenient single payment and my own credit counselor. It sounded to good to be true.
But I told him I would have to think about it.
The next day, before work, I called back and signed up for a consolidation program. I haven’t looked back since, well besides recalling the events for you, my dear readers.
Next week I’ll get into a little more detail about how I wound up, in what I thought, was financial ruin.
Till then, sleep well. And remember, there is help out there. I found it at Full Circle.
Well, I should probably tell you how I found my financial saviours.
It all started with a text conversation, with my good friend Alexis:
Alexis: OMG! Have you heard the Arcade Fire’s new album? Frking amazing!
Me: Yeah, I downloaded it last nite. The Sprawl 2 gave me goosebumps.
Alexis: You know theyre coming in Sept?!?! Lets get tix!
Me: Love to, but honestly, I have 0 funds. Can’t even afford to pay Rogers bill. This time next week I may be sending this msg by carrier pigeon. LOL
Alexis: Seriously, is it that bad? ☹
Me: You have no idea!
Alexis: You know my brother signed up for this debt program online.
Me: Oh yeah. You know what it was called?
Alexis: No, but Ben said it made his life way easier.
Me: How???
Alexis: Well for 1, he got in touch with a credit counselor. They explained his rights and then worked out a plan for repayment.
Me: Was this 2 different org.s?
Alexis: No, the debt program and the counselor were from the same company. I think the term Ben used was debt consolidation.
Me: Sounds like a disease.
Alexis: Hey! Don’t you knock it. Ben is way better off now. You should try it. Just google debt-consolidation-Vancouver.
Me: Alright, I’ll try it. But if I develop a thirst for kool-aid…
Alexis: LMAO!!! Don’t worry babe. It works.
Vancouver is a city of extremes. It’s the kind of place where firework shows and sporting events get shut down if you mention booze or cigarettes, but its #1 export is drugs. Vancouver is a city where housing prices are the highest in the world compared to income. No one can afford to live here, but everyone does.
Half of the apartments in Yaletown and the Olympic Village are empty, but we also have one of the largest homeless populations in Canada. In Vancouver, everyone exercises and every second restaurant has a vegan menu. Then there’s the crack epidemic. Vancouver has Air Care so your car doesn’t pollute. And every second car is an SUV. There’s no smog, but there’s massive opposition to public transit. Cyclists ride en masse to create change. But when they get it, no one’s happy.
Here, you need to smoke outside, but only if you’re smoking cigarettes. They call Vancouver ‘No Fun City’ because they shut down all the great venues to watch shows. But they also call it Vansterdam because you have hemp shops on Hastings and the smell of BC’s finest is never more than a block or two away while strolling downtown.
If you live in Vancouver, it’s one or the other. It call be a ball, or it can be a drag. Chances are, you’ll need to be out of debt to enjoy it to the fullest.
Vancouver, BC debt solutions are a little different than other cities. If you have hundreds of dollars in monthly payments, and if these are credit cards and you are paying crazy 20% plus interest on these bills – you aren’t ever going to get anywhere.
But there is hope. If you live in Vancouver, BC, and you are interested in Vancouver debt consolidation solutions you have a friend in Full Circle Debt Solutions.
The first thing you need to do is examine your options.
1. Do you own a home? If you own a home in Vancouver, BC then you are already ahead of the game. You will be able to consolidate all of your high-cost debt almost instantly with a home equity loan or second mortgage.
2. If you don’t own a home – are you good with numbers? Take a good, hard look at your financial statements, at your chequebook, and at your organized bank statements and data. If you have all of this available, and you check it weekly, you can probably make some headway to the steps you need to sort out your debt.
3. HELP! If you can’t balance a chequebook on a 40 foot concrete slab. then you might just need a little help from people who deal with numbers and figures every day. A lot of what we do is just make sense of your financial situation. Because we live and breathe this stuff, it’s easy for us to make it easy for you to understand. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just get a consultation about your debt situation, so we can offer practical advice.
To find out more about Full Circle Debt Solutions, give us a call today. We would be more than happy to help you out. It is our goal to see everyone in Canada out of debt.
I was talking to my ex-boyfriend the other day on the phone.
We are still friends and we still keep in touch from time to time. And in a funny way, no one knows me better than Stan. We went through a lot when we were young, idealistic early-twentysomethings.
One of those principals was that we would never allow anyone to pay for anything for us. His dad was a successful businessman and he even had Stan working for his company selling insurance when he was in high school. But Stan was never big on insurance. He’d rather grow out his hair and strum along to Donovan. That’s what I loved about the guy, he went his own way.
And he really stuck with it. He ended up getting his own recording studio, years later. And now, talking to him, he’s doing okay.
We got into a conversation about debt though. I guess owning your own studio isn’t the cheapest endevour to set out on, and being as stubborn as Stan was, he refused to get any help from his dad. This meant that he was up to his eyeballs in debt when I talked to him.
You know my story. My debt was simply out of control up to just recently. So I told Stan about debt consolidation options available and how with the right debt management, how he could save his bruised credit.
Stan was all ears. I have to say, even though I haven’t seen him in years, I still miss my crazy hippie friend.
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.
Actually, vocational school wasn’t all bad. Dental Assisting is a very practical and hands-on profession, which I found a refreshing change of pace from my university days. It felt good to be a little settled on a career path too. I was able to put a hold on my former student loan interest payments while I was in school so my debt was less intrusive to my day-to-day existence.
Plus I was in love! His name was Roger and was a ruggedly handsome carpenter that I met through a friend of a friend on a wild night at the commodore. We drank martinis and discussed everything under the sun until dawn.
Love has an all-consuming quality and my year of dental assisting school whirled by soon spitting me back into the workforce.
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!
This journal project that was given to me by Full Circle Debt Solutions is turning into an intriguing personal project. I guess I haven’t given much thought to how I ended up here as a success story for a debt consolidation blog. After so much struggling with bills and interest rates and minimum payments I’m finding it almost therapeutic to examine the choices that got me into this mess in the first place. We really do have a relationship with money and mine was dysfunctional.
Like I mentioned, I was inspired to move on from the service industry so I packed my bags and headed to the west coast. I planned to attend university in the fall and enjoy my first summer in Vancouver. Life was good.
I had a little money saved for the move and enough to get by for the summer but that was it. For all those years flush with tax-free cash I had nothing to show for it. Students loans were it and that is really where all my troubles began.
I’ve always been an indecisive person. I become enamored with something for a short period of time until I soon grow restless and in search of the next thing. School turned out to be no different. First I studied chemistry but I soon realized what a giant mistake that was (so boring!) so I moved on to philosophy and when I lost interest in that I moved on to psychology.
That is how my mountain of debt began, with school. A year here, a year there, dancing through different disciplines and trying to find my niche. Post secondary education is a very expensive place to find oneself. After three years I was no further ahead and I had completed nothing.
Oh, and I had a load of debt and no skills to land me a decent paying job so back to serving in a restaurant it was. Only now I’m in my late 20’s and it is even less fun.
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.
Well, if your blood could be exchanged for hundred dollar bills. But I’m pretty sure you just get a cookie for plasma these days.
And no, I will not be going as a vampire for Halloween this year. No money for a costume. Still trying to save.
For the third year in a row I will be going as a hippie. My old tie-dye, the tinfoil peace necklace and the John Lennon glasses I bought from that crazy old woman at the garage sale down the street. Nothing scary about a Hippie, apart from the odd acid trip.
If I really wanted to scare some partygoers I could enlarge a few of the collection notices I’ve received.
I am the fear inspiring student loan reclamation document. Tremble before me.
I don’t know if everyone would get it though. It would be lost on all those kids who went through University with a financial plan. Guess I missed that lecture. Now I’m stuck in debt purgatory. Seriously considering getting some help. Can’t live in the 60’s forever.
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.
It’s not bad being a single guy in this town. Vancouver is the ultimate cultural and culinary melting pot, which means beautiful women everywhere and plenty of amazing restaurants to take them out to. When I started working at the accounting firm, and stopped being a broke college student, I took full advantage of what our wonderful city had to offer. But now that I’m job-less, broke (yet again), and in debt (no less), it’s back to Subway and ESPN companionship.
Every lonely night I spend sitting on my couch, eating store-brand popcorn and throwing back Colts is depressing. The only way I get through it is by reminding myself over and over again that I have to save money, and get rid of my debt, if I ever want to get my business off the ground.
I’m not proud of it or anything, but I was what they called, a “super senior” in university. Not because I was the star basketball player or anything of that nature; rather, because it took me 6 years to graduate instead of the usual 4. Now let me explain myself… I’m not a dumb guy, nor am I a slacker. I am, however, extremely indecisive. I started out undecided as a first year, and then after a summer abroad in Rome, I decided that my life calling was to be an art curator. One Art History class later, I realized how wrong I was. Third year, it was journalism because I figured I’d be a great news anchor – after all, it’s like being an actor but without having to memorize lines. You can imagine how that went. Finally during fourth year, when all my friends were scrambling to complete their requirements and score internships, I found my calling. Business. And more specifically, accounting. Surprising even myself, it came quite naturally to me, and I liked the feeling of being good at something (for once!). Only problem was, I figured this out kind of late, and had to spend 2 extra years to get my degree. Great news for my career, but not-so-great news for my student loan debt.
It’s my second week of chronicling my journey here, and I’ve been playing around the blog a bit. I did some reading up on my predecessor Scarlett and even checked out Full Circle’s site, to see what they’re all about.
I know Scarlett had great results working with FC and everything, but I don’t know if I’m ready to take that leap yet. After all, I’m just getting comfortable with admitting the serious $H!# I’m in… You might think that it’s bull-headed stubbornness or even delusions that make me want to go it alone, but a guy’s got to try right?
I will say, though, I was glad to see that the process is pretty painless if I decide to get some professional help to manage my debt. It doesn’t leave the lazy-guy-in-me with any excuse to not sign up when all I have to do is fill out my name and contact info.
I was out having beers with my buddy Mac from university last week, catching up on what was new in our lives. He was regaling me with stories of how sick his trip to Cabo was, and I was getting him up to speed on how my business venture was going.
Somehow the conversation moved onto Twitter, and personal techniques on Twit-flirting, and he mentioned one of the Tweets that he had received that day. It was basically a casting call from a debt solution company for someone who would be interested in sharing their debt story.
First, let me note that Mac has always been the type of guy who did homework assignments a week before they were due, and who painstakingly took the most detailed notes in class. He was obviously pretty concerned with my current financial state and my seeming lack of initiative to get it under control. So he suggested that I volunteer myself to document my story for their blog.
“Hey man, just think of it as your financial journal. If you write this stuff down, you won’t be able to avoid the problem anymore,” he said, trying to convince me.
My hesitation must have been apparent because he quickly added, “Comon, it’ll help you start your business. Once your own debt’s taken care of…”
And long story short, ladies and gentlemen, here I am – revealing all the blood, guts, and gore that I experience on my way to financial freedom. End goal? Starting my own business.
I have something to admit. I forgot to mention one little detail in my last post. And that’s that I am deep in debt. And when I say deep, I mean like 69-days-to-rescue-the-Chilean-miners-deep. I’m still trying to pay off my student loans, and my credit card bills are piled as high as that rescue shaft was deep. I really don’t know why my personal finances always trip me up, considering the fact that I help people balance their checkbooks all day. I really have to get it together soon, god forbid one of my future clients finds out.
So my debt poses a problem for my entrepreneurial aspirations. How am I supposed to pay my web programmer and graphic designer if I’m struggling to make ends meet? At the very least, I know I need to have a solid website if I want this business to succeed…
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?
This past Sunday, Mark and I were sitting in the kitchen after a particularly festive brunch, relaxing and enjoying our lazy Sunday. The kids were in the den, watching their cartoons, and we were sipping on our coffee, and flipping through the pages of the Sun. I was doing some serious newspaper reading (Dilbert, my ultimate guilty pleasure!), when Mark said to me, in a voice that he reserved for emotional or confessional moments, “Scar, I’m proud of us”.
This got me to thinking… We’re finally out of the woods with debt thanks to my rehabbed spending habits and our debt management consultant at Full Circle, and we’re finally making progress on the kids’ college funds. People are even asking me (me!) for financial advice. 4 years ago, I would have never guessed we’d be this far along.
So, dear readers, I think it’s time to say goodbye…As sad as I am about it, and as much as I love sharing my debt stories with you, I’m excited. Excited about my newfound financial responsibility and all the freedom that comes it. I can’t wait to spend time with my family, without the stress of thinking about interest rates, and bills. So thanks for hearing me out, and good luck to you on your road to financial freedom!
I was getting none of it a couple years ago, when Mark and I were clawing our way out of debt. But ever since we got in touch with our debt management consultant at Full Circle, I’ve been able to sit back and relax. Our debt was in good hands, and all Mark and I had to worry about was making our newly lowered monthly payments.
Not only were we able to consolidate our debt, we even started to save some money (finally!). Weights off our shoulders, we were finally able to focus all our attention on our careers – and that’s when Mark got his job offer in Vancouver. Our finances were finally back on track, I was finally getting some beauty sleep, and the rest is history.
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.
When Mark and I first moved back to Vancouver together, the first order of business was to buy a car. While Mark was enamored with sleek lines and big engines, I was all about energy efficiency and eco-friendliness. After weeks of listening to Mark wax poetic about Napa leather seats and the ‘practicality’ of a sports car (honey, the kids are so small, they’ll definitely fit in the back seat!), I finally put my foot down and insisted on the Toyota Prius. And plus, we just got our debt under control, and there was no way I was going under again for some European sports car.
Of course, for the past couple of years, I’ve had to listen to Mark whine about our car’s torque and how the whole green car thing is a passing fad, and look at that the 20 inch rims on that beauty! So when I read in the paper about how one in three vehicles in B.C. would be electric by 2030, I almost jumped out of my seat at the breakfast table. It was a shame that Mark had already left for work, because I would have loved to do a victory lap around the kitchen, article in hand. Sure, it’s a tad bit immature, but so is wanting to own a convertible.
I know the kids are still young but I worry all the time about setting a good example for them when it comes to taking care of finances. As you probably know already, I had some problems when I was younger what with my swipe-happy habits, shopping sprees, and fine dining excursions. And this was all despite the fact that my mom was always in my ear about managing my money properly.
Sure, 10 years ago I wouldn’t have been the best financial role model for my kids. But ever since I got in touch with my debt management consultant at Full Circle, I can say that I am. He helped me design a debt consolidation plan that reduced my monthly payments to something I could manage, and helps me stay on track. I might not be the shining beacon of financial responsibility but at least my kids will know that I picked myself back up and hopefully they’ll learn from my mistakes and not make as many of their own.
One of my favorite $aving tips of the day is, “Buy in bulk – and invest in a vacuum sealer”. It’s something my mother taught me, just from tagging along with her whenever she went shopping at my all-time favorite store, Costco. I would insist on sitting in the cart (despite my age and size) while my mom pushed me through the store. The smell of samples hot out of the toaster ovens, the garish fleece jackets piled in cardboard bins, and the seemingly endless array of candy lining the warehouse shelves were feast to all my senses. The experience was, at the same time, fascinating and intoxicating to my 8-year-old self. In that 6000 square metre concrete warehouse, the world was full of possibilities.
Needless to say, the addiction continued into adulthood. Whenever we need something in the house, whether it be toilet paper or some eggs, I jump at the opportunity. Not only because I love Costco, but also because we save a lot of money getting things like meat, seafood, and cheese there. Throw in a basic at-home vacuum sealer, and you’re looking at a packed freezer and a boatload of savings. And even though I don’t get to sit in the cart anymore when I go to Costco (I had to relinquish my seat to my son), I get to be a kid again.
When you’re in debt, it’s really hard to think about anything else. Sure, you can avoid looking at the growing pile of bills on your desk – say, by avoiding the desk, or by avoiding the room that houses the desk altogether. But deep inside, you know full well how much money you owe and the extent of your debt. And on the outside, the new clothes hanging in your closet and the brand-new mohair rug on your living room floor are constant reminders. In fact, falling into debt is not unlike stepping on dog sh#!. The smell follows you around and lingers no matter how many times you try to get rid of it.
So if you’re sick and tired of worrying about your debt, and want to do something about it, give us a call. At Full Circle, our team of licensed debt management professionals will help you minimize your debt and your monthly payments. We know everything there is to know about debt consolidation and we’ll even help you get rid of those annoying calls from creditors.
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.
I’m sick of paying bills. I know it’s all part of being an adult an all, but sometimes I wish I could go back to my sandbox days. Sure, I wouldn’t have a car to drive, credit card to use, or cell to text with, but I’d be totally debt free. (And I’m sure my mailman wouldn’t mind.)
But seriously, how nice would it be if the biggest worry in your life were the guest list at your next play date? Instead, I have to worry about how I’m going to make my next mortgage payment and how I’ll pay for my car insurance.
