Debt Consolidation Vancouver

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.

http://debtgone.ca/consolidation-blog/2011/08/pride-only-hurts/

“Date Drama” – True story. And the most awkward situation ever.

http://debtgone.ca/consolidation-blog/2011/09/date-drama/

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.

Say Awwww.....

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?

Ensuring Security

Serious about reducing your debt? Start cutting out all the tiny purchases you don’t need. Here’s a list of some of the worst smalltime offenders:

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.

The Usual Suspects

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.

Be safe. Strap up.

Keep Your Body Safe

The number one reason to start a debt consolidation program is: it will lower your interest payments.

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?”

Reduce Your Interest Payments

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.

Keeping Out the Cold

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.”

“So you’ve used their service?”

“Yeah, and continue too. I’m on an five year plan to pay off my creditors.”

“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.

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.

The Moment of Truth

Hi.

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.

The anxiety was crippling and it affected my search for a new job.

This 'Was' My Car

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…

Anyways, thanks for reading. I enjoyed sharing my stories with you.

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.

Alright Tyler, I hand the pen (keyboard) to you.

So Long Guys

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.

Life Tastes Better When It's Fresh

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.

If you are one of the many British Columbians who is in need of credit guidance, talk to Full Circle Debt Solutions about consolidating your debt. You can reduce your creditor list to one, lower your interest payments and eliminate your anxiety.

Call today and talk to a credit counsellor about your financial situation.

You're Not Alone

Is your small business suffering from budgeting issues? Full Circle Debt Solutions would like to pass along a few helpful tips for steering your enterprise in the right direction.

1. Always establish a company goal. Where does your focus lie? Does your major concern involve increasing your profit margins? Are you looking to expand? Maybe your focus is creating a diverse marketing campaign to spread the word about your unique enterprise.

Answering these questions will help you evaluate your company’s success. Sharing this focus with your employees will unite your team.

2. Knowing your focus is an important first step forward, but knowing where your company historically spends money can be just as valuable for advancement. Make a table of your financial data and organize it into three categories: revenue, direct costs and overhead costs. Are your costs growing at a faster rate than your revenue? Knowing where you spend your money will help you trim the budget. Keep your company goal in mind and adjust your spending accordingly.

3. Consider variables that may affect your business before the year-end. Have you properly budgeted for them?

4. Evaluate your company by comparing your data to industry benchmarks. How does your company stack-up.

Making Sense of Your Financial Data

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.

Good luck ladies. Tell me how it goes.

What age did you learn about managing your money?

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.

Call them. I did!

The Muppets Take on Finance

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.

Smoke Cloud Descends On Downtown Vancouver

One of the most important things about dealing with debt issues is knowing your personal rights. Your creditors may seem to hold all the cards, but there are rules that apply to their collection practices. Knowing these rules is an important part of managing your debt.

The first thing you should know, is that no creditor has the legal right to use threatening or intimidating language. This applies to contact with you, your family members and or any of your acquaintances. It is also against the law for them to publish a record of your failure to pay.

If a creditor has your correct contact information (home telephone number and address), they are not permitted to contact you at work. If, for some reason, contact cannot be made at the home number, a creditor can make ONE call to the debtor’s place of employment.

A creditor can only phone you between the hours of 7:00am and 9:00pm. They can only contact you on Sunday between 1:00pm and 5:00pm. They can never contact you on a stat holiday.

If you would like to learn more about your rights as a debtor, call 1-877-220-3328.

Make It Stop!

Hey guys. I had a coffee with my friend the other day and she asked me an interesting question that is pretty relevant to what we’ve been talking about the last couple of months.

Her question was this: “Is a consolidation plan the same as a consolidation loan?”

The answer: Not at all.

If you signup for a consolidation plan with Full Circle, you are not loaned any money. You are not switching one creditor for another. Full Circle provides a service. They contact your creditors and explain your situation. They make arrangements for you to pay them back on terms that are more reasonable. This is the service they provide.

They also make it easy for you. Instead of three or more outstretched hands, asking for money, there is only one bill. With only one bill, your interest payments are greatly reduced. This can save you thousands of dollars.

Sounds almost too good to be true! Trust me. You’ll never look back. Well, until it’s all paid off and then you’ll be raving to all your friends just like I am.

So visit their site and fill out the quick-and-easy form.

http://www.debtgone.ca

Questions Over Coffee

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.

See you there!

Hello again fellow penny-pinchers. Julia here.

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.

There's an App For That.

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.

B.C. currently holds the lowest minimum wage in the country.

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.

Only will time will tell.

Working for Minimum Wage

Friends. I’ve been telling you for weeks about my debt problems and yes, the numbers speak for themselves, but the number one reason I made the valuable decision to contact Full Circle Debt Consolidation was that the anxiety was killing me. I had all these bills coming in, a modest income and I felt helpless in my efforts to control my financial destiny. That’s where Full Circle can help.

By consolidating your debts, Full Circle can create a single payment plan that is much less daunting than five or more credit statements.

With a plan in place you will find yourself getting more rest, enjoying your leisure time and improving your output at work. Debt anxiety is a taxing affair that only has the potential to damage our regular activity.

Find freedom from the worry and stress of your credit debt with the help of the financial counselors at Full Circle. Your basic everyday demeanor will improve, you will take a positive first step in repaying your loans and your credit rating will remain level.

By reading this blog you are already ahead. Try the service of Full Circle Debt Consolidation. Call them today.

Full Circle Can Help

Renting is for suckers. That said, I am the city’s #1 tootsie pop. I have been paying rent for over eight years, if you include student housing and living with my brother.  All that money I paid for a simple roof over my head and running water in the taps is gone. I will never see it again.

The smart option is home ownership. Paying into a mortgage is far more financially productive than paying a third party for the right to stay in their dwelling.

Getting your credit under control is the first step towards owning a home. Without a decent credit rating you will never be accepted for a mortgage.

Full Circle Debt Solutions can help you right your credit ship. They will construct a tailored repayment plan that will direct you out of your credit cave.

Once you have proven to your creditors that you can make punctual payments, your rating will begin to show positive signs. You can also take your credit plan to the banks to present a powerful argument for your capacity to repay your mortgage.

Credit troubles should not be black spot for life. Reduce the risk. Talk to Full Circle about a plan and get your finances in order for the big move into your first home.

Starter Home in Vancouver

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.

Insert Your Money Here...

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.

The Dears - Looking Serious in Greyscale

August 2009 – Hope Can Only Be Reached By Car

August held pretty much the same as the previous month; lots of work, little time for rest and bills, bills, bills.

Then, on the 23rd I got a phone call from a friend working in the Surrey school system. He told me that the school he worked at had drastically cut back the hours of the teacher librarian. They were looking for potential teachers to volunteer their time in the library. He asked me if I would be interested.

Of course I said yes. But as I hung up the phone, my one thought was: “How am I going to get to Surrey three days a week.”

Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘the Skytrain runs right out there Julia.’ And yes, I am aware of this mysterious people transporter, but realistically it wasn’t an option. My job in Vancouver and the school in Surrey were both more than 5 km’s from a station. That meant a bus on each end.

By the end of the month, I signed myself up for yet another expense: a 1999 VW Golf. Yes, I could have bought a cheaper model, but I figured if I was buying a car I should probably buy one that was going to last me. And when I use the term ‘buy,’ I use it in its loosest form. Clarkdale provided me with a decent finance package but the monthly payment still eclipsed my monthly student loan bill.

So just when I was getting a grip on my debt, I dug the hole a little deeper. If only I heard about debt consolidation sooner.

But, on the positive side, I was in a school. Working for free. Thumbs up for volunteering! Yayyy….

My Little Baby: Rose

In the spirit of Christmas, let’s stay in the present.

Last night, when I was on a smoke break (yes, I smoke and yes, I know I could save myself a ton of money by not, but I also never said I was perfect), a fellow employee shared an alarming statistic with me. Apparently, Canadians debt-to-income level is now higher than our American neighbours to the south. Fact!

The way he explained it, this statistic is troubling because it could spell financial ruin for families who have over extended themselves. The threat comes in the form of rising interest rates. Currently interest rates are at a all-time low, but as the economy rebounds, these will start to rise. When they do, some families may not be able to meet their higher payments.

I brought up the matter with my credit counselor at Full Circle. He told me that this was exactly the reason why debt consolidation is a smart move for any Canadian with a variety of credit card and personal debt payments. Consolidate and you only have to make one payment at a fixed rate. It’s simple. Even I get it. And you know how much financial trouble I used to be in – We’ll get back to that next week.

Here is another article if you want to read more on the debt-to-income crisis. You’re welcome…

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.

Every once in a while, we at Full Circle Debt Solutions take a step back to reflect at the stories that have been posted on our debt consolidation blog.

We started this experiment with Scarlett, the artist. She was deeply into debt thanks to credit card bills, bad credit and student loans. She wrote about her Vancouver debt adventures. You can follow along here: Scarlett’s debt consolidation story.

Our next author was Ben, an accountant. For a guy who was good with numbers, he certainly had his debt management problems. You can follow his debt consolidation story here: Ben’s debt management story.

Then along came Eve, who joined us earlier this month. Eve is a dental assistant from Vancouver, BC. She had a few problems balancing her chequebook and keeping her credit cards in line, so she eventually found us to get her debt under control. You can follow Eve’s adventures here: Eve’s debt consolidation story.

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.

sneaky little bird

The bad habit starts when you’re a little kid, when you put off going to the bathroom until…an accident happens. Then it’s when you’re a big kid, and you put off cleaning your room until…your mom yells at you. Then it’s when you’re in high school and you put off studying for your physics exam until…the night before the exam. And now? Well, you avoid paying the bills, or in severe cases, you avoid opening them altogether until…your pile of bills takes over every square millimeter of writing surface on your desk.

The difference, though, between you now and you then is that you’re supposed to be all grown up and mature. Which means, that when it comes time to pay the bills, you gotta pay ‘em! And in a timely matter. So if you’re sick of waiting until… “stuff” hits the fan, then give us a call, consolidate your debt, and say good bye to last-minute stress.

At Full Circle, we love our clients. Helping them manage their debt is our passion, and sending them on their way to a debt-free life is what we aim for. We build such strong bonds with our clients, that it’s a bittersweet moment when they reach the point of financial freedom – and part ways with us.

Such is the case with Scarlett, who was kind enough to share her story with the world on our blog. Now that she’s got the skills she needs to manage her debt, she’s more than prepared for staying on top of her bills and payments. Although she’s parting ways with us today, we know that it’s not goodbye; rather, it’s more of a see you later. Not because she’ll fall off the wagon, but because we know she’ll be back, but with success stories to tell.

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 can buy a new car if my old one breaks down, pick up calls without screening first, renovate my home before I put it on the market, start my kids’ college fund with 12 years to spare, get approved for a home equity loan, make eye contact with the mailman, take my family to Disneyland this summer, finance a home, get 8 hours of uninterrupted beauty sleep, focus on my kids and career, use my desk as a writing surface, and start my own business – if I wanted to.  How? Because I consolidated my debt and got rid of it.

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.

dogs need it too

Last week, my friend Vicky asked me for advice. She had just gotten laid off at work, and was freaking out because she was receiving all of her monthly bills, and had no clue how she was going to pay them off. I could tell she was real upset, right when I picked up the phone and heard her voice. And boy, did I know how she was feeling. After all, when Mark and I first fell into financial trouble, we even considered skipping town. But I knew Vicky, and I knew she would never even think about defaulting on her debt – after all, she has a little one to consider.
At first, I guess I was surprised that she would think of me to reach out to, of all people. But then I remembered that nobody really knew about what Mark and I had gone through in our younger days, except for my family. I realized, at that moment, that I had to be there for Vicky, 100 percent of the way, just like my sister was there for me, in my time of need.
The first thing I suggested to her was to call my debt management consultant at Full Circle and get his advice on how she could consolidate her debt. All I can hope for is that she’ll be able to get all her bills and debt under control, just like Mark and I did, and be able to live stress-free again.

1. Don’t open up a credit card account just because they offer you a discount. It’s too hard to keep track of multiple accounts and you’ll end up racking up the bills.
2. Ignoring the pile of bills on your desk will NOT make them go away. The only thing that will go away is your credit and the only thing you will gain is debt (at a high interest rate!).
3. Your kids do not need to wear designer duds. Not only do they not appreciate it, kids are cute no matter what brand they’re wearing.
4. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on decorating your home. Nobody will notice it if your house is a mess.
5. Managing your debt is a full time job – unless, of course, you’ve got Full Circle and their team of licensed debt management consultants by your side.

As you probably already know, I’m somewhat of the black sheep of my financially responsible family. My mother and my sister both, are constantly aware of how much money they are spending and how much money they can afford to spend. I, on the other hand, seem to have been born with an awful predisposition to overspend.

But after my debt management consultant helped me wrangle my debt down to a low, manageable monthly payment, I was finally able to call my mom and just chat. Before, I avoided talking to her on the phone, and when I did, I would have to skirt around any issues that had to do with money, for fear of getting another earful of nagging. And it wasn’t that I was trying to be a bad daughter, you know, never calling my own mother. It’s just that I didn’t want to disappoint her and have her worrying about my money situation.

You can imagine her surprise when she received my call that night. I came clean about all the money trouble I had been in for the past couple of years, and how much stress I had been under. I rambled on and on, not wanting to interrupt before she understood that I had it all under control now, and that I had finally consolidated my debt, with the help of my debt management consultant at Full Circle. When I was done and a little out of breath, there was a moment of silence from my mom’s end. When she spoke, it was very quietly. “I’m proud of you,” she said.

There was this one month when Mark and I were living in Calgary, when we were really down and out on cash, that we considered skipping town to escape our debt. And the calls we were getting from those annoying creditors did nothing to make us want to stay. We were broke, and getting desperate.

It’s a good thing my sister called one day to check in on us. She convinced us that running away from our debt was not the way out, pointing out that our credit scores would be ruined (and where would we run away to and what money would we live off of?). Thank goodness for older sibling wisdom.

So we decided to stay put and slowly work off our debt, which in retrospect was a good idea because a couple months later, we heard about Full Circle Debt Solutions. They helped us consolidate our debt, and even got rid of the annoying calls from creditors. If you find yourself in a similar situation that Mark and I were in, wanting to bail on your debt, give Full Circle a call before you make any drastic moves.

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.

There’s a reason why people let their bills pile up on their desk. The task of paying them is a grueling process, one that takes a big toll on the wallet. There’s a lot of ‘why the heck did I buy this?’, and even more of ‘how the hell am I going to pay for that?’ The problem is, the more we let them pile up, the more they will show up in your mailbox, with the addition of late fee notifications.

At Full Circle Debt Solutions, our goal is to make debt payment easier for you. Our team of licensed debt management professionals will design a debt reduction plan that is tailored to your needs and concerns. We will talk to your creditors and consolidate your debt so that paying your bills feels less like walking into a battlefield and more like a walk in the park.

Mark’s always been the responsible one. And when we first met, he seemed to have it all together – spacious apartment, nice (aka functioning) car, and a stable job that was going somewhere. Once I got to know him, it became very apparent to both of us how different we were when it came to money management. Where Mark was diligent about paying his bills, I was getting late fees and overdrafts. Where Mark only had only one credit card, I had five. Needless to say, he was pretty much free of debt while I was swimming in it. The poor guy, he always had to foot the bill whenever we did something nice, or for that matter, whenever dined at an establishment posher than Pita Pit.

But when Mark lost his job, everything else seemed to unravel along with his career, including his good habits. Instead of opening his bills as soon as he got them, Mark would let them pile up on the desk. So much so that his tower of bills started to compete with my own. Pretty soon, he was swimming right along with me in our ocean of debt.

Our saving grace came when my sister suggested we call Full Circle Debt Solutions. I was skeptical, but at her insistence we gave them a call. I got connected right away to one of their credited debt management consultants who outlined a debt consolidation plan specifically for our situation. Miraculously, he minimized our payments to one so we wouldn’t have to worry about paying so many creditors at the end of the month. I guess it just goes to show that even the best of us can get into money trouble, and only the best can get us out.

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 of debt 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.

So if you find yourself knee-deep in bills, give us a call. We’ll set you up with an expert from our team right away. We will help you reduce your interest rates, and cut down your monthly payments so that you can, once again, take control of your debt.

Bills are one thing, late fees are another. At least when it comes to paying bills, I know I’m paying for something that I used or received. Paying late fees, on the other hand, is almost like you’re giving money away. Although I know that late fees are supposed to be more of a deterrent than anything else, so that these companies don’t fall behind on their own accounting and so that you don’t fall into the habit of paying late – it doesn’t stop me from channeling my inner petulant child whenever I get fined with one.

But with all the bills I have to pay, it’s easy to fall behind. For example, there was this one time when Mark and I first moved into our new apartment in Vancouver. I got so caught up in the unpacking, furniture shopping, and setting up of our new apartment, that I had forgotten to tie up our loose ends in Calgary – and we ended up getting late fees on our cable and electric bills. And this other time, in my college days, when I let the credit card bills pile up, for fear of dealing with what was inside.

Ever since we got in touch with Full Circle though, we’ve been pretty good about keeping on top of our monthly bills. By helping us consolidate our debt, the process of paying the bills has become a lot less daunting. So if you find yourself paying late fees all time, consider giving Full Circle a call. They’ll walk you through the entire process of managing your debt so that you can be one step closer to financial freedom.

My mom is the thriftiest woman I know. My dad worked all the time, and since my mom was a stay-at-home mom, she took it upon herself to manage our family’s finances. Every purchase, payment, and deposit was balanced in her checkbook, which seemed to be a permanent fixture in her handbag. All receipts – even those from buying a pack of gum – were stored in a tiny drawer in the kitchen desk and dutifully checked whenever the credit card bills came at the end of each month.

When my sister and I were growing up, mom tried to instill in us a sense of financial responsibility. The earliest lesson I can remember was when she gifted us with piggy banks when we started getting our allowance. While my sister would carefully deposit half of her weekly $5 into her pig, I would be at Seven Eleven on Monday shoving my hand into the 5-cent candy jars. Needless to say, her pig got fat while my stayed painfully thin.
In retrospect, that was a pretty good predictor that my sister would be the one to guide me out of my financial rut. Which is exactly what she did 2 years ago when Mark and I found ourselves close to bankruptcy and ready to skip town. She told us to call Full Circle immediately, assuring us that their debt management consultants would help us reduce our debt. We called, and surely enough, our consultant helped us consolidate our debt to one manageable monthly payment.

Mom was so proud.

Our oldest, Griffin, is on summer break, much to the delight of his younger sister Silvia who considers herself his sidekick. All summer long, they’ve been taking advantage of the sunny days and warm weather, and have developed quite the skill at convincing our nanny to take them to the beach. When I get home from work, I always know if they’ve been successful, not only by the sandy trails I find in the foyer but by the stories that the kids enthusiastically tell me about their seaside escapades.

Now that Mark and I have our finances under control, thanks to our Full Circle debt consultant who helped us consolidate our debt, we’ve decided that we should take our first family vacation abroad. Since the kids love the waves so much, we’re definitely thinking somewhere tropical with white sandy beaches, but we’re not sure where. Any suggestions?

When Mark and I first moved in to our new apartment in Calgary, it was not all sunshine and roses. Both of us had been struggling a bit with our finances, trying to keep up with rent, bills, and student loans. So it was sort of a no brainer for us to live together so that we could split our living expenses.

But just when things started looking up, Mark lost his job at the architecture firm and had to go into freelance consulting. Our cash flow reduced to a meagre trickle, what with my pay as a legal assistant and his inconsistent employment. Add that to the trail of personal debt that had followed me from Vancouver, and we were in serious trouble.

That’s when the fighting started. And it was always about money, even if it wasn’t explicitly expressed. As you can guess, passive aggressiveness was usually my weapon of choice. Despite the fact that my finances were in a worse state than Mark’s, I picked fights over just about anything – not putting the toilet seat down, his gym membership fees, and the flavor of ice cream he’d buy – everything was fair game.

During one particularly ridiculous argument, while bickering about the recyclability of a pizza box, Mark’s pressed his lips together and his grinning eyes caught mine. In that instant, it dawned on me how crazy we had become, and I burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

Looking back at those days now brings a smile to my face, but only because we decided post-pizza box, to do something about our debt. We called Full Circle, and one of their debt management consultants guided us through the process of debt consolidation. We reconfigured our monthly bills to one low monthly payment and never looked back.

relationship saviour?

Full Circle Debt Solutions here. We’re not going to sugar coat it. Scarlett’s path to financial freedom isn’t an easy one. In fact, it was a long road that was filled with potholes and ditches – and it’s definitely a road that will never really end. It’s the consumer thirst that seems insatiable, especially when we’re constantly faced with promotions and products that we ‘have to have’.

If you’re looking to manage your debt and you live in BC or in AB, give us a call. We’ve got licensed professionals who specialize in debt consolidation and will be there every step of the way on your journey towards financial security.

Feeling blue about the never-ending stream of bills that seem to find their way to your mailbox? And the debt that’s straining your finances? Nothing will get you down quite like debt stress, and nothing causes wrinkles quite like it.

Put down the anti-aging cream and self-help books, because the only way to treat a serious case of debt downer is to face the problem head on. As Scarlett can attest to, avoiding the problem only makes it worse.
So call Full Circle Debt Solutions and talk to a debt management professional to reduce your monthly payments. He will help you consolidate your debt and guide you through your financial road to recovery. As any good dermatologist will tell you, it’s about maintenance, not a quick fix.

I’m so sick of getting bills in the mail. And I’m sure the mailman is sick of the dirty looks I send his way whenever I happen to see him on my daily walks around the block. Poor guy, it’s not his fault that I’m perpetually swipe-happy with my credit cards, and that I have student loans that will take me until retirement to pay back. Add that to bills I have to pay for auto insurance, car payments, and electricity, and you’re looking at a mailman who is going to be looking at a huge chiropractor bill by the time he finishes delivering my mail.

If it weren’t for Full Circle Debt, I’d be knee deep in these bills. But thanks to my debt management consultant at Full Circle, I’ve consolidated my debt so that I just have to submit one payment each month. Much more manageable – to my relief but also to my mailman’s.

when he sees me...

When we were living in Calgary, on rare occasions I would have weeks where I had no bills to pay, no things to buy, and nowhere I had to travel to (other than work). Thanks in part to the fact that I’d uprooted my life in Vancouver and moved to a new city, my billing cycles for my utilities, cell phone, and cable were the same. I savored these days, relishing the moments when I’d check my online banking and see the balance NOT decrease. I was so smitten that fanning myself with the cash that was in my wallet may have crossed my mind.

But the days would turn into a couple, and then I’d get that terrible itch. The one that presents itself when I’m feeling particularly good about my good behaviour. Usually triggered by something like a television commercial, or an ad in a magazine, the result was always the same – go out and buy something. And let me tell you, it’s quite the fall, falling off a financial high horse. Your spending goes into overdrive, a sort of subconscious overcompensation for all the saving you’d been doing for the past couple of days.

After a particularly damaging self-rewarding bout, and after the retail euphoria wore off, I was racked with guilt and stress about how much money I’d spent and how much I’d have to pay for it when I got my bill in a couple weeks. So I called up my debt management consultant over at Full Circle. He talked me through some debt-reducing strategies like debt consolidation, and assured me that he’d walk me through the next billing cycle. Relief! I quickly added him to my speed-dial that day.

cruisin'

Of course Full Circle Debt Solutions services all of Canada. But if you live in Vancouver, you can drop down to our new office in Delta anytime and we can help you out in person.

If you are interested in debt consolidation in Vancouver, talk to us first. The other counseling companies will charge you voluntary ‘fees’ that you will have to pay. Not so voluntary.

If you live in Vancouver, and you are being suffocated by debt payments that haunt you worse than farmed salmon, you’ll need to talk to a debt advisor right away. We’re open late.

Call 1 877 220 3328. Getting rid of your debt is as easy as a phone call.

If you’ve ever watched To Debt Do Us Part, you will know that one of the things they suggest is putting all of your money into little jars and keeping track of everything.

Man, oh, man, I’ve tried living like that and I can tell you, it’s no fun. Have you ever tried brining ajar into a Wendy’s? They look at you like you’re crazy.

I think one of the biggest problems I had was that I always wanted the best of everything. I couldn’t just stroll into a mattress store and get a $300 bed. This one time I wandered into a Vancouver mattress store, Simmons Mattress Gallery, and I just couldn’t help myself. I knew I had no income. I knew I probably would be lucky to make $30,000 a year out of art school, but nope, that didn’t stop me. I plopped down $1000 on a brand-new Beautyrest.

That’s probably why I’ve slept so well knowing that I owe something like 50 grand in debt. Great bed, I still have it, but I digress.

I had to stop buying things I couldn’t afford. That’s like Strategy #1.

I had to start paying my bills. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But I had some kind of mental block when it came to paying bills. I’d just throw them out. What was I thinking? I don’t know. Bad strategy though.

Either way, Full Circle Debt Solutions helped me out – a lot.

My life completely changed. It was as easy as making a phone call.

You can read more about that here.

For those of you who have been following this story for some time, you know, I was pretty poor with money. That’s for certain. Then I met a man that I loved, and it turns out he wasn’t much better.

Who would have guessed that a self-employed architectural consultant could have so many problems with a bank? That was Mark’s situation. He had clients that wouldn’t pay, and he had his suppliers, and because he’s such a big-hearted guy, he started floating everything himself.

One day, I look over and he’s sweating on the phone with his credit card in hand. Turns out one of his clients skipped town and left him holding the bag. He had people to pay, and as much as Mark would like to, he couldn’t.

Would the banks help us out? No way. Being self-employed made it impossible for Mark to have a good credit rating with the bank, in fact his FICO score was even lower than mine! I couldn’t believe it. We had credit cards maxed out, all over again, I still had my student loans.

Just when we thought we were out of the frying pan, we were right back into the fire.

ugh!

We hope you are enjoying Scarlett’s story so far. It is certainly told with a lot of heart.

We at Full Circle Debt Solutions thought that we would interject here for a moment to offer a bit of a reality check. As we don’t want you to get worried that debt is just doom and gloom (sorry, Scarlett).

SPOILER ALERT:

In the end, Scarlett was able to make her payments a manageable $150/month (from $300/month) – and in the end, she paid her entire debt off within a year.

Scarlett and Mark now live in a beautiful three-bedroom apartment with a sunny North-western view. They have two beautiful children – Griffin and Silvia.

Life all worked out in the end, and to her credit, Scarlett did it all on her own. After picking up the phone that day in the bath, she called us up at Full Circle Debt Solutions and were able to consolidate her debt, talk to her creditors, and negotiate payments that suited her lifestyle. In the end, we saved her thousands of dollars in bills and months of headaches.

She did write this blog, years ago, and would like to share it with you for inspiration. If you would like to follow along from the beginning, click here.

Our sponsors.

We hit some hard times in Calgary. Mark’s firm went bust and then he went into consulting. This was fine for a while, until one client never paid. Mark was left in a lurch and owed his suppliers something like $20,000.

He couldn’t pay.

We looked into getting a home equity loan to cover the cost on our Calgary apartment. No dice. Because Mark was now self-employed, he couldn’t verify his income. And my Beacon score (FICO score) was way out of wack.

No bank would lend us money.

Luckily, we heard an ad on the radio about Alpine Credits, and we looked them up. They promised that they would lend us the money as long as we owned our own home. So we were in luck.

We got the loan and they helped us figure out a way to consolidate our debt into one manageable payment.

Before, Mark was struggling with $2000 a month! It was more than our mortgage, after talking to Alpine Credits, they had us down to $1000 a month, and got rid of some of our high cost debt at the same time.

The sad part was, Mark didn’t even know half of the debt that I had following me around – I have never felt more guilty in my life.

She is beautiful though.

Full Circle Debt Solutions called me back around 12. I usually take lunch at 1, so I told them to call back then. Different guy this time, but just as friendly.

They were very professional, and told me about all kinds of wonderful debt consolidation options that I qualify for.

I find myself wanting to gush about how magnificent Full Cirlce Debt Solutions is, when really, I’ve only spoken to them a few times on the phone and I don’t actually know anything about debt consolidation – yet. The problem is I really want to do it now, and that means I have to sell it to make it work. Quite the conundrum!

I really think this interactive art piece is a great idea. I couldn’t’ stop thinking about it all day at the office – so much so that this one lawyer that always comes onto me was quite offended when I didn’t play along (I need some extra vacation time to go to a friend’s wedding next week). Ooops, out of character for a minute, as I waved him back to his desk. Hmm, so much for that four-day break next week.

Either way, I find I am so enamoured by my new little social media experiment that I write in glowing terms. I’m going to try to reduce that a bit, and be more of a gonzo fly on the wall. There but not judging, just being, fully and completely involved in my own objective sociological/journalistic experiment.

Here goes.

A new idea.

Yes, he does look relaxed and well-treated, but back to me, Scarlett.

Let’s not call a spade a shovel. The reason I was drawn to Full Circle Debt Solutions was I trouble. I was pretty anxious about where my life was going. But now, seeing the most relaxed man in the world (see below), I feel that I am in good hands.

I will show them my financial situation. I am not sure if they can help me.

I owe almost $20,000. This is crazy considering that I have just had a child, I am on maternity leave, and I have no other income.

If there is a way that they can reduce my debt, or consolidate my debt, or bring down my monthly payments – I am all ears.

I will let you know how this goes on this blog.

The most relaxed man in the world