Start with a shopping list
Never grocery shop when you are hungry
Plan your meals to avoid waste
Plan less expensive meals (example: with less meat)
Watch for sales on needed Items
Stock up on non-perishable items when there is a sale
Use coupons when available
Avoid buying treats unless they are in your budget
Cook and bake from scratch (prepared foods are usually more expensive)
Buy in bulk when possible ( Make two items at once and freeze the second)

Shop of quality items that will last (Price does not mean quality)
Shop second-hand or consignment stores
Plan your shopping around sales and end-of-season clearances

Make your own household repairs
Make your own cleaning solutions mixing water and vinegar (half and half)
Purchase used appliances that come with a warranty
Reduce, reuse and recycle
Monitor your long distance and change plans to meet your needs
Turn the lights out behind you.
Buy no name brand instead of name brands
Conserve water ( Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth, wash full loads of laundry)
Borrow from your library ( instead of buying books )
Plan to see movies on cheap night

When possible walk or ride a bike instead of driving
When possible use public transit
Car pool with friends
Use self-serve gas pumps
Monitor your cars oil and tire pressure regularly ( To reduce maintenance costs)
Shop for the best value on auto insurance
Plan your trips to save gas
Fill up your car when the price of gas is down
Buy quality used cars

Bring your lunch, don't eat out
bring your snacks don't use vending machines
Take your own coffee to work
Start a lunch pool (one person brings enough for the others once a week.)

You continually go over your spending limit
You use your credit cards as a necessity rather then a convenience
You are always borrowing money to make it from one payday to the next
You only pay the interest or minimum charges on you monthly bills
You have not been reducing your overall debt over many months
Creditors are harassing you for payments
Utility companies have or are threatening to cut off services
Your credit cards are at their maximum limit
You owe money for your taxes and are unable to pay
Your financial situation is affecting other areas of your life (health, family, etc)
You have a bad credit rating
The bank has turned you down for a consolidation loan
Assets have been seized by an unpaid creditor
Your business is failing an you guaranteed business debts
You are currently unemployed and have no funds to pay your previous debts.

• Furniture, household furnishings and appliances used by the debtor or a dependent to a realizable value of $5,000
• One motor vehicle having a realizable value of not more than six thousand five hundred dollars at the time the claim for exemption is made, if the vehicle is required by the debtor for employment, to retain employment, for the debtor's trade, profession or occupation and/or for transportation to a place of employment where public transportation is not reasonably available.
• Necessary tools, equipment and books to the value of $6,500 used by the debtor in their trade or profession (Tools of Trade)
• Necessary medical and health aids
• Pension plans
• Food, clothing and fuel necessary for the debtor and his family
• Two horses and sets of harness, two cows, ten sheep, two hogs and twenty fowl, and food therefor for six months
• Necessary seed grain and potatoes required for planting purposes to the following quantities: forty bushels of oats, ten bushels of barley, ten bushels of buckwheat, ten bushels of wheat and thirty-five barrels of potatoes
• Pets belonging to the debtor

• Possibly continue to receive student loans for a further 3 years to complete their studies.
• Retain their interest free status while students
• Apply for interest relief
• After interest relief may apply for debt reduction

The cheque is for $1,500 or less; AND
You are able to produce acceptable identification (see list below)

The cheque is counterfeit; OR
The cheque has been altered; OR
The cheque is associated with a fraud or crime.

You request to open a bank account in person, at a location where personal bank accounts can be opened. You provide the bank with the following information

• your name
• date of birth
• address, (if any)
• occupation, (if any)

You produce acceptable identification to verify your identity.
You agree to let the bank verify your identification ( if the bank requests it)
You agree to allow the bank to conduct a search to confirm there are no valid reasons to refuse to open a bank account ( if the bank requests it). This may include contacting a credit reporting company.

• The bank has reasonable grounds to believe you will use the account to break the law.
• In the past seven years you have previously committed a crime against a financial institution.
• The bank has reasonable grounds to believe you provided false information to open a bank account.
• The bank has reasonable grounds to believe opening the account would expose its employees or other customers to physical harm, harassment or other abuse.

• you do not have a job
• you are or have been bankrupt
• you are not depositing any money in the account. ( The bank may however can ask you to deposit enough money in your new account to cover any applicable costs, such as the cost associated with ordering cheques.)

• Personal identification - name, address, birth date, Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Inquiries - a list of those who have requested a copy of your credit report
• Public Record Information - Judgements, Bankruptcy, Secured loans
• Third Party collection - Information about debts being collected by third parties
• Trade information - Payment history and rating (R0 - R9)
• Consumer Statements - A statement you wish to post along with your credit report.

• CREDIT INQUIRIES: An inquiry made by a Creditor will be kept on your credit report for three (3) years from the date of inquiry.
• CREDIT HISTORY and BANKING INFORMATION: A credit transaction is kept on the system for a period of six (6) years from the date of registration.
• CREDIT COUNSELLING and VOLUNTARY DEPOSIT: The system keeps record of a voluntary deposit or credit counselling program for a period of three (3) years from the date of last payment or the conclusion of the Credit Counselling Program.
• CONSUMER PROPOSAL: The system keeps record of a registered consumer proposal for three (3) years from the conclusion of the Proposal.
• BANKRUPTCY: In the case of a first time bankruptcy the system keeps record of a bankruptcy for six (6) years from the date of discharge. In the case of multiple bankruptcies the system keeps notice of bankruptcy for fourteen (14) years from the date of last discharge.
• JUDGMENTS AND SEIZURES: The system keeps record of any judgments or seizures for a period of six (6) years.
• COLLECTION ACCOUNTS: The system keeps record of any accounts that were put into collection for a period of six (6) years from the date of last activity.
• SECURED LOANS: Record of secured loans are keep in the system for six (6) years from the date the loan was filed with the credit bureau.

• R0. Too new to rate.
• R1. Pays account on time, usually within 30 days
• R2. Pays more then 30 days past the due date but less then 60 days.
• R3. Pays more then 60 days past the due date but less then 90 days.
• R4. Pays more then 90 days past the due date but less then 120 days.
• R5. Account is more then 120 days past the due date but had not been reported as bad debt (R9).
• R6. This code is not currently used.
• R7. Regular payments are being made through a proposal, credit counselling, orderly payment
• R8. There has been a foreclosure, repossession or voluntary return of an asset by a debtor
• R9. Bad Debt: account placed with collection, declared Bankruptcy, or are unable to be located.

• You must give permission to anyone who wishes to review your credit information.
• Check your credit rating to be sure the information being reported about your is accurate.
• You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report.
• You have the right to include a 100 word statement on your credit report. This will be provided to anyone who requests a copy of your report. If you choose to include a statement keep it short so creditors will take the time to read it.