Don’t be like Congress
Five tips to avoid hitting your debt ceiling
Five tips to avoid hitting your debt ceiling
America has until August 2 to decide whether to raise its debt ceiling, which is currently at US$14.3 trillion. While Canadians won’t be hitting those numbers anytime soon, a BMO survey says that one-third of us are living at or beyond our means.
Here are five common-sense tips to help you avoid hitting your own personal debt ceilings.
Spend less than you make
This is the key to staying out of debt. It’s a simple concept, but often difficult to execute. Live below your means and save the rest.
Curb credit card debt
Switch to a low-rate card and pay it down as quickly as possible.
Invest to save
Open a TFSA or a high-interest savings account and start an emergency fund. ING and Ally are two good options–they have interest rates up to 2%.
Pay off your mortgage.
Mortgage is debt too. Increase your monthly payments and cut your amortization by five years to save thousands of dollars in interest.
Have a plan B
Stuff happens. You could get sick, lose your job or have your car stolen. You need to plan for these worst-case scenarios.
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