Staying out of debt in Canada can be difficult. The credit card companies and other lenders have made it all too easy to get into the red. You may think that it is impossible to get ahead while avoiding debt traps, but there are ways to do so.

Get a copy of your credit report and make sure it is accurate.

Get a copy of your credit report. Click Here
Check for errors and make sure the information is correct. If it’s not, contact the credit reporting agency to get it fixed.

Keep track of your spending.

Keep track of your spending.
Know what you’re spending and where you are spending it.
Use a spreadsheet or budgeting software to keep track of all your expenses, especially those that are recurring (such as rent).
Place receipts in a folder for easy reference later on if the need arises, such as an audit or tax season.

Set up a budget and stick to it

The first step to staying out of debt is to set up a budget. A budget is a plan for your money, which will help you keep track of where it’s going and get an idea of how much money you have left over at the end of the month. You can use online tools like Mint.com or Quicken.com to create your own personal budgets, or download them from the Internet for free in Excel format.

Once you’ve created a budget and added all your expenses into it, stick to it! Instead of buying things on impulse, put aside some cash each week so that when payday comes around again (after all bills are paid), there’ll be enough left over for some fun stuff without having to borrow or charge more than planned for until next pay cheque rolls around again.”

Pay down your debts. It will build your credit rating and relieve stress.

The most important thing to do when you’re in debt is to get out of it as quickly as possible. You can do this by paying off the smallest debt first and then working on the next one. If you have multiple debts, try to pay more than the minimum payment each month so that your debts are paid off faster and you have less interest charged on them.

If your credit score is an issue for getting a mortgage or home equity line of credit, it might be worth paying off some of your smaller debts before making any large purchases like a car or house. This will not only improve your credit rating but also save money in interest charges over time. However, don’t use credit cards to pay off other credit cards because this will just lead to more debt!

Consolidate all your debt into one loan with a lower interest rate, if possible.

This is the best way to get out of debt quickly and easily. Consolidating your debts means taking all of your different debts, like credit card bills and car loans, and combining them into one new loan. You’ll have one monthly payment instead of several smaller ones that are spread out over time, making it easier to budget each month. If you can consolidate all the debts into a lower-interest rate loan (usually from three percent to six percent), then this is what you should do first before doing anything else.

To find out whether or not consolidating will save you money on interest payments, go online and run some numbers for yourself using an online calculator like this one: Loan Calculator

If you have bad credit, consider a secured credit card to help rebuild your credit rating.

A secured credit card can help you rebuild your credit rating if you have bad or no credit history. You will apply for a secured card and make a deposit, which becomes your credit limit. The amount you deposit determines your interest rate and whether or not you will be approved for the card. If approved, payments are deposited directly into an account that is held by the bank until it’s paid off in full, so there are no surprises with interest or fees at renewal time.

Pros: A secure card can help establish a track record of paying bills on time and show lenders that they should consider offering regular unsecured loans in future when they see how capable YOU are at managing money responsibly.

Cons: Secured cards have higher than average interest rates compared to unsecured ones due to their riskier nature; however this may be justified if using them allows consumers access to more affordable loans down the road (especially those with low incomes). Get a Secured Credit Card

Applying for new credit cards may lower your rating, so stick with what you have.

Applying for new credit cards can lower your credit rating, so it’s best not to apply for one if you already have a lot of debt. If you do decide to apply, make sure that you are able to pay off whatever balance is on the card before the interest kicks in.

You should also keep in mind that while they can be useful tools, they can also be dangerous if misused. If you have no reason at all (like paying off medical bills or tuition), then it would probably be best not to get one right now. The same thing goes with borrowing money through a payday loan company : if there’s no need for such an expense then don’t take out a loan!

Get help from an accredited debt help agency like Canadian Customer Debt Relief. Their counsellors are trained to help you find the best solution for you, no matter where you live in Canada.

CCDR can help:

Understand your current financial situation
Figure out how much money is coming in and going out each month
Understand which debts are causing problems for you (credit cards? student loans? car payments?)
Create a plan that lets you pay off all or some of your debts over time

Conclusion

Debt can be a burden that holds you back from the life you want. It can also lead to stress and anxiety. The good news is that there are steps you can take to get out of debt and start saving money for the things you really want.

Staying out of Debt in Canada