MNP Debt Blog

If you listen carefully, you can already hear the subtle sound of sleigh bells off in the distance – just above the cheerful voices of tellers upselling stocking stuffers at the till.

As a consumer finance professional, I field a lot of questions about money. But few do I experience more often than the age old — “Should I invest in my retirement or pay off my debt?”

In today’s constantly shifting economic landscape, many Canadian households are struggling to keep up from one payment to the next – let alone keep up with an ever-increasing cost of living.

For people with minor or even moderate debt, the combination of a structured financial plan and a few temporary sacrifices can go a long way toward eliminating their burden.

Dealing with the stress of unmanageable debt is exhausting.

Owing the government money can be very intimidating as it’s assumed the government has a limitless ability to collect the debt through any means necessary.

People often cite unexpected expenses as one of the main reasons they began using their credit cards at the beginning of a debt cycle.

With the ever-rising cost of post-secondary education comes increased student loan debt.

Surviving an income reduction can be extremely difficult, particularly if it results from an unexpected event such as layoff, termination or reduced hours of employment.

A recent Ipsos poll conducted by MNP LTD. indicates a significant improvement in Atlantic Canadians’ debt situations over the past four months.