Has inflation increased your debt?
Inflation is now forcing some Canadians to find different ways to afford day-to-day expenses.
The amount of credit card debt among Canadians has tripled in the last two years - per Stats Canada.
Economists say lower-income Canadians are turning to credit cards with high-interest rates to pay for the necessities and now, those people need help.
Joel Grisé is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee at Fontaine and Associates in North Bay.
He told CTV News the need for his services is skyrocketing.
“The phone stopped ringing in March of 2020 and didn’t pick up until, I’m going to say January that’s just come by,” Grisé said.
“Right now I’m having a hard time keeping up with phone calls.”
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
For those who have experienced credit card debt know it is a stressful situation – but experts say it also comes with many lessons.
“We regretted it because we were in debt there for a while after racking up our credit cards,” a Sault native told CTV News.
“We went over to Credit Counseling and we used their services and paid off our debt.”
Another Sault resident said it didn’t him long to find himself “in the hole.”
“I got my first credit card, eligible up to 2,500. I maxed that out in probably three months.”
The 23-year-old is in the process of paying off that debt and said he has received some good advice since then.
“They told me whatever you spend on your credit card to just immediately pay it back with your cash or your debit,” he said.
Grisé said with the right habit changes and a plan from someone like himself, some can eliminate their debt in as little as nine months.
Though swiping or tapping a credit card may be easiest when shopping, he said it is not how financial experts recommend you do it.
“They can do more harm than good,” Grisé said.
“And if you want a little bit of education, if you use credit or debit, you’re going to spend 13 per cent more than if you use cash.”
Debt experts said that while everyone’s financial situation varies – if a person owes more than $5,000 or has been trying unsuccessfully to get out of debt for more than two years they may want to seek help and talk to an expert.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.