smart | life


Going somewhere? Why not take a vacation from debt T


aking a vacation from debt is far less exciting than going away to a place you’ve never been – or is it?


Are you in debt from credit cards, loans, lines of credit, mortgages? Are you in a place you’ve never been before, try- ing to navigate from one form of debt to another? If the answer is


Financial Literacy


Janice Desautels


yes, stop the bus and get of f. The feeling of being in control can be just as energizing as a vacation. If you don’t con-


t rol debt, it wi l l control you. Debt is a huge industry that needs to be fed


consistently, and it waits for you around every corner. Debt steals your independ- ence and your future – and the worse part of it is many of us have walked willingly into this situation, more than we care to admit. We have been conditioned to think that we can’t have the lives we want with- out “it” and that we need whatever “it” is right now. But our life, if we’re lucky, is a longer


journey than right now – and hopefully, if planned for, our retirement will be the ultimate vacation. So why would you work so hard now to supposedly live well now, only to have nothing to show for it and retire poor? Herein lies the balance we must have


throughout our financial lives. Building a strong financial foundation


is the answer. Part of that foundation is debt management. We’ve seen enough reports in the news that Canadian debt loads are worrisome. Ask yourself this question: if you didn’t get your next pay cheque, would you be able to purchase things like a bus pass or gas for your car so you could get to work? Or further to that, could you make your rent or mortgage payment? If the answer is no, and it’s because


there is no savings (and on top of that there are debt payments), then surely a course correction needs to occur. Te following steps will help you get


started in taking the control back. List all the debt payments you have.


Tally up the total amount and the monthly repayment amount.


Take a vacation from debt. Photo by Pedro Ribeiro Simões. Determine the total cost of borrowing.


Include the purchase price and interest charges paid up to now, and add the future cost if left unpaid. Warning: be prepared as this total is never good news! Start your plan to take a debt vacation.


Pick one payment to focus on, usually the smallest debt is the fastest to clear, and then the payments that were servicing it can be added to the next lowest debt payment. Do not add to your debt. Live below


your means – if you don’t have the money to spend, don’t spend it. Keep your credit cards at home; however, if you have to use them to buy something, the bill must be paid in full when received. If that isn’t possible, simply don’t make the purchase. Any money left over should then go


toward a savings plan. Getting out of debt may be the toughest job you’ll ever experi- ence. It won’t be easy to change the bad spending habit, but your future life de- pends on it. Tere is no easy fix or strategy


Homemade protein life-saving bars When your busy life gets going, don’t sacrifice your health and well-being for the grind


things back into my life that I was neglecting a little. Health and fitness aren’t


L


just things that are impor- tant to me: they’re part of my identity and part of what makes me me. Last term, as books began to pile, my work- outs began to dwindled a bit. And right when I (finally) felt balanced with my diet and lifestyle after years of going haywire, things started to get a little random. A little too random. Luckily, I didn’t let it slide


ately, I’ve taken a step back from the madness that is school and work, and started to incorporate


myself, my mental health and sanity would be the first to suffer. Tat ain’t me. So I make snacks. Healthy


ones. I stock my purse full of them so I’m ready to roll with whatever life decides to throw my way. Enter protein bars. As super-convenient as


Twist Me Toned Tannis Miller


too badly and began to up the workouts (even just a quick 20- to 30-min- ute at-home bodyweight circuit three times a week will do). As a creature of habit and routine, I know


myself well enough to know that I’m my happiest and produce my best work when I’ve got some structure in my life. So I took it by the reins. I realized that if I continued to spread myself thin without taking care of


June 2015


bananas are, snooze. Tese are super del icious and make for something at least semi-exciting – and they’re ultra-filling and chock-full of nutrit ion. Such a win. Personally – and everyone’s different – I feel best when I follow a low grain/wheat/ paleo-esque l i festyle, so these bad boys are made of


almond flour. Let me know what you think; they may


just help save your day, sanity, and your waistline. And at least until graduation: “never


apologize for believing in yourself enough to sacrifice parts of who you are now for what you can become in the future.” -Rob Hill Sr.


Gluten-free/grain-free homemade protein bars


5 tbsp natural almond butter or natural peanut butter


1 ½ cups almond flour (can buy at any health food store or in the organic section at grocery stores)


6 scoops whey protein powder (any flavour, but vanilla works great)


1 tsp vanilla or coconut extract 2 tbsp flax seeds (ground) 1 tbsp chia seeds 2 cups nonfat dry milk ¼ cup chopped nuts of choice (optional) dash of cinnamon 2 tbsp agave nectar (or honey) ½ cup water (adjust as needed)


www.smartbizwpg.com


*You can also add raisins, cacao nibs, dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries, etc.


Mix dry ingredients. Add peanut butter


or almond butter and mix (will be crumbly). Add water and vanilla or coconut extract (use spatula or spoon sprayed with non-stick spray). Mix completely (will be sticky). Put in greased 8’ by 8’ pan and cool/freeze until hard. Cut into nine squares.


Calories per square: 197 Protein: 21 Fat: 7 Carbs: 13.7 (Fibre: 1.6)


Smart Biz 15


even though the debt industry may claim to have them. Take back your independ- ence, focus, and succeed – because you are truly not free until you are debt-free. Janice Desautels has been working with


families and individuals for the last seven years helping educate in the field of finan- cial literacy. She is a Certified Financial Educator with over 15 years’ experience in teaching and training adults. For questions or advice, please contact jdesautels11lm- lc@wfgmail.ca.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20