Credit card debt can sure be a drag, and if it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s causing continuing stress in your life, nation-wide data shows you aren91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t alone.
found the average Canadian is carrying $4,094 in credit card debt, according to 2017 data.
B.C. residents carry the third-highest amount of credit card debt at $4,223, behind only Alberta with $4,948 and Saskatchewan with $4,550.
That same report found that Canadians aren91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t just carrying more credit card debt, they91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™re also not paying it back. The number of people with an balance 90 days or more past due rose by 3.2 per cent since 2015/
Here are some tips from financial advisors on getting rid of debt:
- Accept that regularly carrying a balance is a problem
- Draw up a budget that cuts back on spending, but that you can realistically stick to for the long-term
- Pay off the credit card with the smallest balance first, because it gives an early motivating win
- Once you91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve proven you can stick with a budget, consider consolidation loans to reduce interest rates
- Be patient, check in on your progress regularly, and know that it can be a long-term process
With files from Katya Slepian, The Canadian Press
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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