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Tag: Balance transfer

  • What New Year’s credit deals promise—and why you should be wary – MoneySense

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    Credit card debt in Canada

      If your last credit card statement dampened your seasonal joy, you’re not alone. According to TransUnion, consumer credit card debt rose 1.95% year over year in 2025, with even bigger jumps for mortgages, lines of credit, and auto loans. Wealthsimple reports that Canadians hold an average of $4787 in credit card debt, which can take time to pay off. And all the while credit card interest accumulates.

      Mark Kalinowski, a Financial Educator at the Credit Counselling Society, points to compound interest, or “the interest paid on the interest.” When you pay only the minimum amount due or less than the full balance, interest accumulates. You have to pay interest on that amount as well. “This can create a debt trap where cash flow is used to pay debt for long periods of time,” he warns. “Even small amounts borrowed can take decades to pay off.”

      “New Year’s” deals to watch out for

      Here are some common promotions that might cause more trouble than they’re worth. 

      Balance transfer

      A balance transfer is when you move debt from one credit account to another, usually with lower interest. There’s typically a balance transfer fee, usually 3–5%, so if you move $10,000 with a balance transfer fee of 3%, you’d pay $300. Promotional offers usually include a low interest rate for a limited time, and will sometimes forego the balance transfer fee.

      Canada’s best credit cards for balance transfers

      Read the fine print

      Moving debt from a high-interest card to one that charges less can be a great strategy when done right. Look for a 0% balance transfer fee, and ensure that the promo period is long enough to pay off your debt. Also, find out what happens if you miss a payment to avoid costly problems. 

      Imagine you transfer $15,000 in debt to a card with a 19% regular interest rate and a 0% interest promotional period for six months. To see how a balance transfer promotion could actually hurt your bottom line, Malinowski picks up the story: “They plan to pay $2,500 per month to pay it off in time but after making the first two payments, they miss one.” This can trigger a $50 late fee and cancel the promotional rate, he says. Now, you have a balance of $12,050 on a card charging 19%, which comes out to about $190 in interest per month. “It will take five more months to pay off the debt, and the total extra cost from interest and fees will be roughly $1,000,” he says.

      Sign-up bonus

      Sign-up bonuses promise a reward when you get a new credit card. Common rewards are boosted cash-back rates or credit card points, but sometimes there are other perks like a first-year annual fee waiver.

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      Read the fine print

      A sign-up bonus can be a valuable perk, but it’s a poor strategy for paying down debt. Bonuses are usually temporary (like a high cash back rate) or one-time (like an annual fee waiver or gift of rewards points). Not all cards let you apply points to your credit balance, and even if they do, the value won’t likely be enough to clear your debt. 

      You can always earn more by spending on the card, but that defeats your goal of debt reduction. Also be aware that every time you open a new credit account, it impacts your credit score. 

      What to do if a credit offer did not work out

      If you accepted a credit offer and it’s not helping you pay down your debt, there are a few things you can do.

      • Take action. Don’t be paralyzed by financial stress. Review your finances immediately (with a credit counsellor, if you wish) and make a plan.
      • Consider lower-interest credit cards. Credit card interest rates can be as high as 25%. Trim compound interest by moving your debt to a low-interest credit card.  
      • Consider consolidation. Combine your debt into one loan with a manageable payment, preferably at a lower interest rate. If you go this route, ensure that you also adjust your credit card usage going forward.

      How to tackle debt without using more credit

      “Getting new credit products without closing old ones can lead to increased debt loads over time,” Malinowski says, adding that you need to understand the source of your debt to work towards a solution. He recommends making a budget, cutting expenses, and putting any extra towards your debt. Increasing your income through a second job or side hustle can accelerate your progress. 

      As tempting as a quick fix may seem, taking on more credit isn’t the pathway to real financial relief. You can’t borrow your way out of last year’s mistakes. By slowing down, reading the fine print, and focusing on a clear repayment plan, you can turn January into a true reset—not just another cycle of debt.

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      About Keph Senett


      About Keph Senett

      Keph Senett writes about personal finance through a community-building lens. She seeks to make clear and actionable knowledge available to everyone.

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    Keph Senett

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  • Credit card interest calculator – MoneySense

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    Play around with our credit card interest calculator to calculate credit card interest and figure out how long it will take you to repay the debt. This tool can help you develop a plan to address your balance and avoid paying interest going forward.

    How to use the credit card interest calculator

    Our credit card interest calculator can help you figure out two key pieces of information: 

    • How much money you’ll pay in interest based on your current monthly payment
    • How many months it will take to pay off your credit card balance

    Start by inputting your credit card balance and your card’s annual percentage rate (APR). If you don’t know this number, log into your credit card account and pull up your card’s terms and conditions. 

    Next, decide if you want to see how much total interest you’ll pay based on your current monthly payment (and enter that amount) or specify your payoff goal in months to see how the total interest charges.

    How to calculate credit card interest

    Since interest is expressed as an annual percentage rate, card issuers take several steps to determine how much to charge each month. Here’s how you can figure out their method:

    1. Convert your APR to a daily rate. Most issuers charge interest daily, so divide the APR by 365 to find the daily periodic interest rate. Make sure you’re using the purchase interest rate (not the cash advance or balance transfer rate).
    2. Figure out your average daily balance. Check your credit card statement to see how many days are in the billing period. Then, add up each day’s daily balance, including the balance that carried over from the previous month. Once you have all the daily balances, divide the figure by the number of days in the billing period to find your average daily balance.
    3. Multiply the balance by the daily rate, then multiply the result by the number of days in the cycle. Now that you have all the details you need, multiply the average daily balance by your daily periodic interest rate. Then multiply that number by the number of days in the billing cycle. This shows you how much interest you’ll pay in a month.

    A quick example

    If you have a credit card with a $1,000 balance and 20% APR, your daily interest rate would be 0.0548%. Assuming you don’t add to the debt, you’ll be charged around $0.55 in interest every day. If there are 30 days in the billing cycle, you’ll pay $16.50 in interest for the month.

    How to avoid paying credit card interest

    When you get a credit card statement each month, you’ll see a minimum payment amount listed. This is often a flat rate or a small percentage of your balance (usually 3%), whichever is higher. 

    While it’s tempting to just pay the minimum payment your credit card issuer asks for, doing so guarantees you’ll be charged interest because you’ll be carrying a balance into the following month. 

    Instead, make a point of paying off your balance in full every month. Not only will you avoid paying credit card interest, but your card issuer will report these payments to the credit monitoring bureaus, which can boost your credit score. Plus, the cash back or rewards you earn with the card won’t be offset by the interest you’re charged, so you truly get more out of using your card.

    How to reduce credit card debt

    If you already have a credit card balance, don’t despair. There are strategic things you can do to get out from under credit card debt.

    1. Negotiate with your credit card provider

    As a first step, call your bank or credit card provider to request a lower interest rate. Your card issuer may be willing to work with you, so don’t hesitate to ask. They might agree to lower your rate, offer to switch you to a lower-interest card, or create a repayment plan that works for your situation—but you’ll never know if you don’t ask.

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    2. Make a budget and pay with cash or debit

    It’s important to honestly track your income and expenses so you can trim unnecessary costs. Stop charging purchases to your credit cards and switch to cash or debit, instead.

    While it might seem difficult, try to contribute to an emergency savings fund. If an unexpected expense comes up (like an appliance repair or vet bill), you can pull from your fund rather than charge it to your credit card.

    3. Open a balance transfer credit card

    If you have significant debt, find a balance transfer credit card with a great promotional rate. Then, move your existing balance to the card. You can quickly pay down the balance while you’re not being charged interest. The golden rule of balance transfer cards: never charge new purchases to the card.

    Canada’s best credit cards for balance transfers

    4. Try the avalanche or snowball repayment strategy

    There are two main approaches to paying off debt:

    • Avalanche method: Focus on paying off the debt with the highest interest rate first, while making only the minimum payments on your other accounts. Once the highest-interest debt is paid off, move on to the next-highest-interest debt.
    • Snowball method: Start by paying off the debt with the smallest balance first, while continuing to make minimum payments on your other debts. After clearing one debt, move to the next-smallest balance. This method may cost more in interest over time, but it can provide strong motivation and momentum to stay on track with debt repayment.

    5. Work with a credit counselling agency.

    It’s completely understandable to feel overwhelmed by your credit card debt, which is why a credit counsellor can be so helpful. Speak to representatives from your financial institution, a credit counselling agency, or a debt consolidation program to discuss your options. They can help you create a tailored plan to resolve the situation.

    5. Consider debt consolidation.

    If you’re juggling multiple loans and credit card balances and having trouble paying them off, it may make sense to consolidate your debt. This means combining two or more debts into one, with just one payment to make each month.

    Another option is a debt consolidation loan from a bank or other financial institution. Or you could work with a credit counselling agency to negotiate a debt consolidation program (DCP) or consumer proposal (repaying only part of your debt) with your lenders.

    Learn more about each of these options by reading “How to consolidate debt in Canada” and “Who should Canadians consult for debt advice?”

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    Jessica Gibson

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  • Benefits, fees, hidden perks: Choosing the right credit card for your lifestyle – MoneySense

    Benefits, fees, hidden perks: Choosing the right credit card for your lifestyle – MoneySense

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    “They will do all the comparisons for you, across all the different providers, and you can organize a list based on: I prioritize Air Miles, I prioritize cash back, I prioritize low interest rates,” Marques said. 

    “They’ll compare all the providers with best in class in those categories, and show you their current rates, their current signup offers, et cetera.”

    As for younger consumers, Marques said low interest rates aren’t typically a priority, assuming you aren’t already managing a lot of credit card debt and you’re not transferring a balance.

    Instead, travel rewards and cash back from your favourite retailers are likely the biggest returns on your spending, she said. Options with no annual fees are also valuable for someone just starting out, although there will be fewer rewards.

    Can you negotiate with credit card issuers?

    When getting a new card, there isn’t much room for negotiation, Terrell said—what you see is what you get. If you want different or better perks, the provider will just point you to another card that offers them.

    Negotiations come into play if you already have debt, Marques said, or are transferring debt between cards to take advantage of the lowest rate. 

    Using signup offers—such as zero interest for the first 12 months—with a balance transfer means you can get a break from interest and pay down your balance faster, she said. Or if you want to keep your current card, you can simply call your provider and move your balance to a lower-interest option.

    “There is an opportunity to negotiate their interest rates or even negotiate on your annual fees,” Marques said. “I think a lot of consumers don’t realize that if you just call and ask … in a lot of cases, they will.”

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    The Canadian Press

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  • Rent or buy? Here’s how to make that decision in the current real estate market

    Rent or buy? Here’s how to make that decision in the current real estate market

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    Choosing whether to rent or buy has never been a simple decision — and this ever-changing housing market isn’t making it any easier. With surging mortgage rates, record rents and home prices, a potential economic downturn and other lifestyle considerations, there’s so much to factor in.

    “This is an extraordinarily unique market because of the pandemic and because there was such a run on housing so you have home prices very high, you also have rent prices very high,” said Diana Olick, senior climate and real estate correspondent for CNBC.

    By the numbers, renting is often cheaper. On average across the 50 largest metro areas in the U.S., a typical renter pays about 40% less per month than a first-time homeowner, based on asking rents and monthly mortgage payments, according to Realtor.com.

    In December 2022, it was more cost-effective to rent than buy in 45 of those metros, the real estate site found. That’s up from 30 markets the prior year.

    How does that work out in terms of monthly costs? In the top 10 metro regions that favored renting, monthly starter homeownership costs were an average of $1,920 higher than rents.

    But that has not proven to be the case for everyone.

    Leland and Stephanie Jernigan recently purchased their first home in Cleveland for $285,000 — or about $100 per square foot. The family of seven will also have Leland’s mother, who has been fighting breast cancer, moving in with them.

    By their calculations, this move — which expands their space threefold and allowing them to take care of Leland’s mother — will be saving them more than $700 per month.

    ‘You don’t buy a house based on the price of the house’

    “You don’t buy a house based on the price of the house,” Olick said. “You buy it based on the monthly payment that’s going to be principal and interest and insurance and property taxes. If that calculation works for you and it’s not that much of your income, perhaps a third of your income, then it’s probably a good bet for you, especially if you expect to stay in that home for more than 10 years. You will build equity in the home over the long term, and renting a house is really just throwing money out.”

    Mortgage rates dropped slightly in early March, due to the stress on the banking system from the recent bank failures. They are moving up again, although they are currently not as high as they were last fall. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 6.59% as of April — up from 3.3% around the same time in 2021.

    But that hasn’t significantly dampened demand.

    “As the markets kind of bubbled in certain parts of the country and other parts of the country priced out, we’ve seen a lot of investors coming in looking for affordable homes that they can buy and rent,” said Michael Azzam, a real estate agent and founder of The Azzam Group in Cleveland.

    “We’re still seeing relatively high demand” he added. “Prices have still continued to appreciate even with interest rates where they’re at. And so we’re still seeing a pretty active market here.”

    Buying a home is part of the American Dream

    The Jernigans are achieving a big part of the American Dream. Buying a home is a life event that 74% of respondents in a 2022 Bankrate survey ranked as the highest gauge of prosperity — eclipsing even having a career, children or a college degree.

    The purchase is also a full-circle moment for Leland, who grew up in East Cleveland, where his family was on government assistance.

    “I came from a single-mother home who struggled to put food on the table and always wanted better for her children … it was more criminals than there were police … It is not the type of neighborhood that I wanted my children to grow up in,” said Jernigan.

    The new homeowner also has his eye on building a brighter future for more children than just his own. Jernigan plans to purchase homes in his old neighborhood, renovate them and create a safe space for those growing up like he did.

    “I’m here because someone saw me and saw the potential in me and gave me advice that helped me. … and I just want to pay it forward to someone else” Jernigan said.

    Watch the video above to learn more.

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