I Owe CRA 42% of my debt
I owe NSLSC 43%
Credit cards are 13%

around 80k total

Credit cards accepted my proposal
CRA voted against it, my LIT reached out to CRA to counter
NSLSC has not responded yet. The 45 day mark would be November 9th.

Just looking for others who have gone through this and had it eventually accepted 🤞

I've been crying all night, I really don't want to have to do bankruptcy due to the fact that you can only make a certain amount of money per month. I feel like a failure at 29 years old, I had a baby at 18 and went back to school at 21 life just got expensive as a single parent.

I already started working more over time to put extra away to throw at the proposal.

I work as an assistant manager in a cannabis dispensary. A woman came in with her two dogs. She told me she had scraped up the last of her coins and just wanted a joint to relax. Everything seemed normal, at the end of the transaction she told me she had just moved to town and felt claustrophobic in her new apartment, and then she broke down crying in the store. She seemed really stressed and down. I gave her $20 out of my wallet and told her to get herself a sweet treat. It seemed like she really just needed somebody to talk to and a small sign that everything was going to be ok. I know its only 20 bucks but it meant a lot to me to do that for her. I get all teary - eyed just thinking about it. God bless her.

I just wanted to share this positive experience with you guys.

Hi all,

This year has been rough. Got laid off in January in Alberta, and my job search has been hopeless. Only got a month’s wages as severance since I had only worked 2 years at my job. When I filed my taxes, I already owed CRA ~$4,500, which wiped out a chunk of my savings. EI has barely covered rent and groceries, and today I got hit with a Notice of Reassessment saying I owe ~$2,000 more to the CRA because of some investments from my retirement account. I know this is my fault. When I filed taxes, I just used the Turbo Tax import feature, and thought all the forms were good.

Anyway, I am down to my last $500, and cannot afford to pay anything to the CRA atm. I will call them in the morning, but what should I expect? The only money I have is locked into a LIRA from my previous employer.

Thanks everyone.

Hi I’m hoping if anyone else can relate to my situation, so I thought my mom was paying rent this whole time but turns out she was paying only part of it and she now has arrears that’s insane, I recently got a part time job (minimum wage) and it looks like my only option is to go to a shelter and so I was wondering if any of you have good experiences with a shelter? I’m so scared about this. I know legally you can be evicted without a judge so that’s giving me peace of mind but I jnow know even if I save up it wouldn’t be enough to pay off her debt, so yeah if anyone has success stories with being in shelters when they were young? Sorry if this is a weird topic but I’m just going out of my mind

Hi everyone! 🦷☺️
I am a dental hygiene student currently completing my final semester of dental hygiene school, and I am looking for clients to help me fulfill my clinical requirements in order to graduate!

I am especially looking for:
🦷 Clients who have not had a professional dental cleaning in 5+ years
🦷 Clients with visible buildup/tartar on their teeth

📅 Appointment Times:
• Thursdays: 8:00 AM–12:00 PM

📍Location: 28 Vanley Cres, North York, Ontario

⏰ Appointments are approximately 4 hours long, as they are completed as part of my clinical training under the supervision of licensed dental professionals. Complete treatment may take anywhere from 4-6 appointments.

If you or someone you know may be interested or in need of a cleaning, please feel free to reach out to me! I would greatly appreciate any shares or recommendations.
Thank you so much for helping me on my journey toward becoming a future dental hygienist! 🦷✨

*Please note: There is a screening process required, and not everyone may qualify depending on their oral health and the requirements of my program

I was completing my grocery list and my child requested hotdogs this week. I was checking the Flipp app, and the price for hotdogs (not including the all-chicken ones) seems like it’s become so expensive compared to what it was when I was a kid. My family was poor, and hotdogs were something my mom had in the fridge 24/7 because they were cheap. I don’t think I would consider them a “poor people food” anymore.

What other foods have you noticed that used to be poverty-friendly but aren’t any longer?

Hello. I filed EI for my first time due to an injury. its been almost 2 months. IDK what to do. I keep getting told we'll escalate it. wait for phone call from officer. I have talked to several people. all of them just open the file. review it tell me an officer will contact me and then hang up when I tell them that they are the 10th person to tell me that in the past several weeks. last conversation with officer was a week ago when he said the "deadline" is today after that they can make a decision. still nothing. I asked if theres a place for me to physically go, or complain form. nothing. just hung up the phone on me every time I tell me to do something different. reviewing my file and telling me officer will contact hasn't been helping me. its been 2 months!!

In Alberta.

If you wish to make a difference then get out and cast your vote today which is Election day. All Ontario citizens age 18 and older are eligible to vote.

Many non voters think it does not matter whether they vote or not, or that they are not sure who to choose.

Your vote says what your values are and that you want to see them implemented.

Not voting because perfect is the enemy of progress means you are letting others choose your future and that may be a future you do not want.

If you received your voter card in the mail then you can easily vote with ID, if you did not then you can still vote, Elections Ontario has procedures for every citizen who wishes to cast their vote.

More information here.

Your local polling station closes tonight at whatever time is indicated on the voter card. Get there before closing time.

This post is not being locked, however it is not about who to vote for, it is only about logistics.

Hey everyone, I was wondering what are your weekly or monthly Food suggestions for a family with 3 young children, a family of 5? I want to start budgeting with my wife and sharing how much we spend on Food every month as our cost of living has increased quite considerably over the past couple of years and we've noticed the impact of high grocery prices on our monthly budget. We do not eat out very often and try to make as much of our Food as possible at home. If relevant, we live in Montréal, Québec and have access to all kinds of grocery stores.

What are some nutritious meals you rely on when money is tight? Bonus points if they are good for kids between the ages of 4 and 7. I recently purchased a Rice cooker as I wanted to make rice more often, my kids love it and I'm looking for good ingredients to add to Rice. I make them Frozen Chicken and Frozen Fries far too often and I don't want that to be my go to for quick meals in an AirFryer for the young kids after school, I want something more nutritious ideally.

I'm in my early 30s now and I'm still making very low wages for a full time employee in a HCOL area.

Are there viable alternative paths out of poverty other to joining the CAF or corrections officer? I don't believe I'm currently eligible for either due to mental health issues disqualifying me :( Frankly, I'm well suited to either career too.

Are there alternative paths out of poverty that an average person can realistically pursue?

As well, if not should I just accept that I'll forever be making low wages?

I ordered some groceries from Walmart and they substituted my halal ground chicken with regular ground chicken. This is a long shot but if anyone here is in Surrey, BC and is able to pick it up that would be great. I bought it two days ago. Someone was supposed to pick up but they bailed so I put it in the freezer. Two packs. I don’t have Facebook 😕

Hey everyone, I’m 27 and looking for some advice because I’m honestly struggling and don’t know where to
start.

I live with disabilities that affect my daily life, decision-making and ability to maintain employment. I’m seeing a counsellor and hoping to get properly assessed soon so I can find the right treatment and support.

My biggest issue is impulsive spending, mostly online. I know it’s hurting me financially, but I struggle to control it and think about the long-term consequences. I’ve tried budgeting, but following through is the hardest part.

My current debt:

CIBC credit card: $4000
Capital One: $2,000
Bell: $500
Loan shark: $400
Canadian Tire: $100
Student loans 30000 including the diploma im working on now

loans has been contacting me and I know my cibc card has been sold as well as my capital one.
Cash advances such as Bree and koho: 70 in total

Other circumstances:
-I’m currently in school with very limited income.
-I have a couple of minimum-wage jobs, but maintaining employment has been difficult because of my disabilities.
-I’m struggling to cover basic expenses.
-I can’t rely on family to manage my money for me.
-I’m hoping to qualify for disability benefits.

There’s a local nonprofit that offers a free first consultation, and I’m wondering if I should contact them now or wait until my financial situation improves.

My questions:
1. Should I speak to a nonprofit credit counsellor now?
2. What debt relief options might be available with limited income and student loans?
3. Has anyone dealt with impulsive spending and found practical ways to stop, especially with online purchases?

I’m not looking to avoid responsibility. I genuinely want to get my life and finances on track, but I’m struggling to do it alone.
Any advice or personal experiences would mean a lot. Thanks!

Hey everyone, this is a little embarrassing but I just got a job recently and have no more to spend on food. How can I survive the next 6 days in terms of food. Any suggestions? I live in Vancouver

I know I am going to get flamed. I have fucked up my entire life.

In 2023 I lost my job and was thrusted into self employment, I did pretty well but I did not set aside enough for taxes. I got out of an abusive relationship and faced a cancer scare on top of other life bullshit.

I have since been self employed, I fell way behind on taxes. I have been making a huge effort to catch up and pay them off. I paid off 2023 earlier this year. I have been doing my best to set aside a lot for taxes for 2026 but I am drowning. I think I can cover 2024 and 2025 taxes for the most part but then I am left short for 2026 and I fear it is just snowballing. I am aware I am absolutely fucked.

I am trying to find a normal job with a big gap in my resume from self employment to try and have extra income and not worry so much about taxes. I am trying to set aside money for future taxes while also paying for past

The heaviest burden is the toll on my mental health. I don’t think I can handle it.

When I started all of this I was extremely suicidal and I was prepared to end it. I started to want to live, but I fucked up my life beyond repair. I don’t think I can fix this. I am unable to sleep. I have stopped eating due to stress and financial worry.

I have bipolar disorder and my mood is rapidly declining. I am not in a good mental state still and the panic and worry is making it worse.

The worst part is I can’t even declare bankruptcy due to it being tax debt.

I didn’t spend the money on anything that can be sold. It went to binge eating on food delivery and bills.

I have no car. No home.

Only reason I haven’t killed myself is my pets, which I also fear losing due to my fuck ups. If I lose them, I lose all will to continue.

I’m sorry if this doesn’t make any sense, but when I go use the resources I’m eligible for due to low income I feel like judged or ashamed? Like recently I walked into the ymca and in the waiting room everyone was older than me and idk I felt judged or ashamed, like I’m taking a resource from someone who needs it more. Or that they laugh at me since I’m such a loser since I’m only 23 and needing to use these resources, like i couldn’t get my life together and i ruined it before it ever really started. Like i just feel ashamed and pathetic about my whole situation, people on here and told me I shouldn’t let a dollar sign define me, there right but it’s super hard to do, especially growing up hearing that “why can’t your mom pay it” or “just buy it it’s only $8” (and it’ll be a Starbucks drink). Idk sorry again if this didn’t make sense

Came across Planet Food and thought I’d share the link for anyone looking for very affordable, brand name groceries!

https://planetfood.app/shop

The food is super cheap because they take surplus groceries that short dated (aka are close to expiring so the big chain stores can’t sell them anymore). But the expiration dates are usually still 2+ weeks out it looks like!

They sell discounted groceries out of a warehouse in Vancouver (Ontario st and 4th Ave). You order online and pick up your food at the warehouse.

There are tons of items online! Just posting photos for a sample

Other than taping up your shoes, what other methods can be used to fix up shoes

I’m 30 years old and honestly feel like I messed up my finances after making one bad decision. I bought a car at a high interest rate, and everything went downhill from there. Between payments and repairs, I ended up in a financial mess.

My debts are:

• $4,500 in credit cards
• $8,000 personal loan
• $5,000 car repair loan
• $15,000 remaining on a car loan after the car was and auctioned off

That’s around $32,500 in total.

I make $1,900 biweekly after taxes, live alone, and pay $1,000 in rent. I’m single, have no property or assets in my name, and my credit score is around 570 because some credit cards went into collections.

Since getting rid of the car, my expenses have gone down, and I can now save one entire biweekly paycheque. But I’m honestly exhausted from constantly working, worrying about money, and dealing with calls and emails from creditors.

I’m wondering if I should consider a consumer proposal or just pay everything off myself. For anyone who has gone through this, with $32,500 in debt and no assets, how much could I realistically expect to pay through a consumer proposal? I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences and advice. I just want to get my life back on track.

I am seriously looking into disability income protection as I’ve read folks say that’s important. Even more so than life insurance… as it isn’t if you aren’t able to work and get disabled, it’s WHEN. So I’m trying to put things in place while I’m in my early 30s.

I don’t have a partner. I don’t ever want children. No home or car payments etc. I don’t have DI through work. No family assets or inheritance.

My quotes for monthly premiums are about $200-270. I am not naive of course and I know insurance companies will fight to not pay out, despite what they advertise and sell you. If they can deem you to work even any job, they won’t pay. As in, maybe you can’t be a therapist but you can flip burgers. So they will deny your claim as you can work that job.

Has anyone navigated DI? What was your claim process like? Was it worth it to you? Would this money be better directed in ETFs or another area?

(Ontario)

I don’t know if im phrasing or doing things right.

I come from a low income background. Had a single parent. No assets, renting all our lives, no inheritance or anything I’ll be receiving.

I work a job without benefits. Thankfully due to low rent, remote work, and not having a car, I’m able to invest $500-$700 each month in ETFs (such as VEQT). I’ve been trying to educate myself in compound interest and this investing world. I don’t do high risk or penny stocks.

My anxiety though is will I be okay in 30-40 years given health declines and aging. I am childfree. Is there a chance my ETFs could fail and I lose everything? What if the ETFs don’t grow or grow at 1 or 2 percent?

I want to have money when I am old and can’t work. The government funding schemes are limited. Who even knows how it’ll be in 30 or 40 years. Could be abysmal. I want to be somewhat prepared and not live in poverty like many ancestors and elders I know.

I have a significant amount of financial and health anxiety. I have a therapist but once a week or biweekly doesn’t even touch what’s going on.

Any thoughts or kindness or solidarity I appreciate. I’m scared for my future. I feel very alone.

I have a lot of AI anxiety too. But that’s an entire other post and conversation…

I am reaching to the community because this expense is considerably stretching my finances and I don't know what to do. I took my kid to the dentist to remove 2 smaller cavities the dentist had picked up on the xray. Dentist did cavity for no more than 30 minutes and we got dinged $783. Is this number for real? I mean it's just 30 minutes of work how can it be $783. Both kids have additional cavity removals and I don't think I will be able to afford more of this.

Insurance did pick up 80% but my balance has run dry and can't afford the additional visits.

Edit: Located in the GTA

Short summary of what's going on

Im 35F. Recently divorced. Was left with zip.
We have a child together.
I was to temporarily stay with a family member and it's gone from hell to I'd probably be better fit on the street at this point

Although. Winter is around the corner ( Toronto ) shelters , I haven't been , but I've heard enough that I don't feel safe going there especially as a woman.

I've contacted housing, various areas , third party, everything is waitlisted.

I know asylum seekers etc have some sort of situation but through the government to get hotels

If I called certain places and explained my situation- paid - to some degree ( I'm on ODSP so it's very limited )

I've looked into a motel and it was really no different than an apartment rental , except more expensive , not in a great/safe area and not visibly worth what they were asking.

I've asked on all socials , platforms etc for roommates , shared living , renting an apartment between two- three women , like minded etc. it's always a dead end and nothing turns up.

I can't be where I am. And I'm not going to die this winter out in the cold. I had goals , ambitions and this was not on my list ( is it ever on anyone's? )

I'm not meaning this in a priority ahead of others by any means - I just need to really think outside of the box. Have I missed something? Or is safe , private , living really that inaccessible in our great first world country?

Hell if anyone had bought a car or lived out of one , ideas?

Anything is appreciated. Please. Thank you.
Take care