by Destiny Bedwell

Headlines this week are exclaiming household debt in Canada has surpassed the United States for the first time in 12 years, according to Statistics Canada.

Tired of trying to manage your debt reduction strategy alone? There is caring and expert help in your community. Find credit counselling services and other support near you by calling 2-1-1 or searching www.211ontario.ca.

Credit counselling agencies are not-for-profits that provide support at little or no cost, is completely confidential and will provide an objective assessment of your current financial situation, and provide tools and action plans to start improving your personal finances. They often cover things like credit education, personal money management, mediation and consumer debt repayment.

Searching www.211ontario.ca you can discover in Ontario there are as follows:

  • 179 listings for credit counselling
  • 143 listings for budget counselling and
  • 84 listings for financial literacy to start with.

211 is the best place to start searching for community services close to home. We provide the 411 on community services providing information on hours of operation, maps, application processes, eligibility requirements and more.