On the Brink: rent is eating up half her pay, payday loans made it worse

This is the latest part of the global news series called “on the Brink,” which introduces people who are struggling with rising costs of living. In this story, a woman in Ontario talks about her efforts to cope with the cost of living for a single income.

Debbie Smith said half of the salary was rented and she felt the pressure was just to overcome.

Smith, 56, works about $45,000 a year in his office in London, Ontario.

She said that this salary today is like this, and her two salary has been said every month: one is for rent, and the other covers everything else.

“If I needed car repairs, if it weren’t for my family to help me, I think I would have taken the bus because I can’t afford the repairs,” Smith said.

“If I don’t have a vehicle, I can’t go to work to pay my rent.”

Since speaking to Global News, Smith later said her car had broken and needed replacement. She also said she would need to spend $2,000 on her dental work.

Smith pays about $1,450 a month to live with her two-bedroom apartment with her, who just graduated.

Since moving five years ago, Smith said their rents have increased by $500 and she doesn’t know what she would do if the rent continues to rise.

A Statistics Canada report found that nearly four Canadians in the spring of 2024 were very worried about their ability to afford housing or rent due to rising housing prices, compared with 10 in the spring of 2022.

To help you, Smith says she is a member of several online groups who provide free food to help with groceries costs.

She also cut things like cables and internet, but even then, it’s still hard.

Smith said she likes to spend the night on weekends, but given her situation, she made sure to schedule the family time so that when her salary land would help pay for items like juice boxes and snacks, “we don’t usually stock up at home,” she said.

Statistics Canada report found that 45% of Canadians reported last spring that price increases affected their ability to meet their daily spending, compared with 33% two years ago.

The report found that those who rented were more likely to face greater financial difficulties than those who lived in a home owned by someone in the family.

Smith said she once owned the house but had to sell it after her husband died 10 years ago because she couldn’t keep up with maintenance.

“I can’t do it myself, so I’m behind (payment) to the point where I can’t pay for my home insurance,” she said.

“I sold the house enough to get Tim Hortons coffee. The sale of the house didn’t benefit me at all, but I knew I had to go out because I couldn’t afford it.”

Smith added that she also tried to recover from bankruptcy, taking out a dangerous cycle of payday loans a few years ago.

“When my granddaughter was first born, I wanted to buy something for her and I couldn’t do it, so one loan would lead to another loan and then as the toy got bigger, that would be a toy.”

“These places would help me. It was great until I owe five places and I just couldn’t do it.”

On payday loans, Smith said she has learned a lesson and is working to pay off her debts.

But, in the current financial situation, she said she was unsure what the future of retirement would look like.

“I’ve been working hard with a company to help me retire, but overall, I just saved my grandchildren’s trouble,” she said.

“I love working and I’m healthy, so I’ll only take it once without worrying. … I just have to do it every day.”

The third story in the Edge series relaunched by Global News is scheduled to be released next Saturday.

If you have a story about the cost of living you want to tell, please email us below.