Balances & Interest Rates

Canada Visa - $8770.06 at 19.5% interest! Ouch.
US Visa - $2762.22 (US dollars) at 7.9%
Overdraft - $1416.33 at 18.5%
Canada income taxes - $470 at 5%

Grand total in CAD $13,634.50

At this rate I would have to put approx. $1300 a month towards debt to pay it off in a year. This is pretty impossible as I am the only income right now and I am taking home about $1800 a month. My first step is to get those interest rates lower. I have applied for a line of credit and hoping I can transfer the balances to that. Unfortunately in Canada, no cards offer 0% balance transfers like the states.

On another note, I came home last night to ripe plums falling off the neighbors tree, so I quickly ran over and asked them if I could pick them, no problem. Then I went across the street to another neighbor who I had seen working on his house and asked to borrow a ladder, and I have a liter of frozen delicious plums now and I think I'll make jam too! Free food!! And, the blackberries are starting to ripen in the backyard :)

Happy sunshine to you all!

A New Beginning

Hello! Wow, well it has been months since I have written on my blog. As many of you know, Dom and I are now back in beautiful Victoria. The reasons for returning are not easy or simple, even though I seem to explain them that way hoping maybe the sadness will subside quicker I guess. It has taken me awhile, but I seem to have turned a corner and feel hopeful and pushing forward. Maybe one of these days I will write about the whole experience. We wouldn't change a thing, and would go again in the same circumstances.

We are completely broke, actually very in debt. My goal over the next year is to get rid of all the debt we have accrued, and I'm very determined. I am the only one working so far, and not getting much money. We are living in a basement suite of a house, no car. It may not be very exciting and most likely a bit depressing to read about, but I think it will help keep me motivated to write about it on here.

By my guess we are in debt to the sound of $12 or $13,000 Canadian dollars. I will have an accurate figure in the next few days, as I realize this is an important part of managing it. My other short term help ideas are to move to a cheaper rent unit as quickly as possible; contact companies for lower interest or move money; budget, etc. I hope to hear ideas from everyone and I'm actually getting pretty used to being the poor kid around (Dom not so much). Today I got a free pillow and lamp from generous people I work with. You might remember that we sold or gave away EVERYTHING.

Best wishes~~L