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Surviving in Toronto if You Have Bad Credit

May 9, 2018 By admin

A growing number of people in Toronto find it difficult to meet housing expenses, pay utility bills, and meet daily expenses. Many live paycheck to paycheck and are knee deep in debt. This is especially true for women, single mothers, immigrants, members of minority groups, and other groups in the low-income bracket.

How to Survive with Bad Credit

Housing: Securing Rental in Toronto

Keep in mind that borrowers with bad credit often find it difficult to secure rental in Toronto, even if it is a small 1-bedroom apartment or studio. There are different ways to go about this, one being to offer good references. Another option is to find a roommate with a very good or spotless credit score. A third option is to ask a friend or family member to serve as a cosigner or guarantor. In this case, the guarantor cosigns the rental agreement and is responsible for rent and other payments. If you are unable to meet your obligations, the landlord has the right to sue you and your cosigner.

Downsizing and Cutting down on Expenses

If you live in Toronto and have bad credit, the first step is to find affordable housing to save enough to pay your debt. The monthly rent for an 80 sq. m. furnished apartment is in the range of $1,900 – $2,300. This is a lot of money, especially if you have the place all to yourself. One option is to find a roommate and share all expenses, including rent and utilities. Utilities such as gas, electricity, heating, and water cost about $160 a month, so you will pay about $80 if you share. Another option is to downsize and find a small studio which will cost you about $1,200 – $1,400 a month. This is the cost for a furnished studio. Expect to pay about $110 – 120 for utilities such as gas and electricity. Other expenses to account for include gas or public transportation, food, entertainment, personal care products, etc.

In addition to downsizing, it is a good idea to cut down on expenses such as dining out, entertainment, and miscellaneous items. A cocktail drink will easily cost you $10 – $13 in a downtown bar or club. To save money, you may want to invite friends for dinner and cook at home. There are other ways to cut down on monthly expenses, for example, buying inexpensive and unbranded items, shopping for clothing in thrift stores, preparing lunch to take to work, and others. All these will help you save money for late and missed payments, loan balances, etc. What is more, a money held in a savings account serves as a safety net for urgent expenses and when things go wrong.

How to Deal with Bad Credit

One way to boost your credit score is to apply for a department store or secure credit card with a reasonable interest rate. Even if the rate is higher compared to standard credit cards, timely payments will help you improve your credit score. The next step is to diversify your credit mix to show financial institutions that you can manage different types of accounts. To this end, one idea is to apply for a small, short-term personal loan and make timely payments over the loan term. Obviously, there are lenders and financial products to avoid unless you are pressed for time and have urgent expenses. Payday lenders, for example, advertise short-term loans for bad credit but offer extremely high rates and unfavorable conditions.

Finally, the most important thing is to learn how to use credit wisely and budget and plan for the future.

Additional reading here:

https://www.creditavenue.ca/

https://www.creditavenue.ca/getting-a-personal-loan-with-bad-credit-in-canada/

https://www.creditavenue.ca/ontario-minimum-wage-increase-bad-for-business-and-bad-for-employment/

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Toronto Movie Festivals

April 9, 2018 By admin

There are many movie festivals to enjoy in Toronto such as the Cine Iran Festival, Reelworld Film Festival, Buffer Festival, and Toronto International Festival to name a few.

Large Events

The Toronto International Film Festival is a major, publicly attended event which is held in Toronto, Ontario since 1976. In 2016, close to 400 movies were screened at different locations in downtown Toronto, including international and Canadian films in different genres. TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) is a non-for-profit organization which organizes and features events, hands-on, workshops, festivals, discussions, lectures, and screenings. Attendees are welcome to join a host of different events, including parties and exhibitions, talks, camps, educational activities, and more.

Toronto After Dark

A major event held in Toronto, this is a horror, science fiction, and cult festival to attend between 11th and 19th October. Founded in 2006, this is an annual event that showcases short films and full-length films from North America, Europe, and Asia. A number of thrilling movies were screened in 2016, among which The Void, The Lure, The Master Cleanse, Stake Land 2, Blood Father, and many others.

Hot Docs

Founded in 1993, this is the largest documentary movie festival in North America, featuring free screenings for students and seniors. Each year Hot Docs features more than 200 documentaries from across the world as well as the Redux and Focus On programs and the Outstanding Achievement Award. The 2018 film schedule features documentaries such as Bisbee ’17, Have You Seen the Listers, Grit, The Proposal, and others.

Open Roof Festival

Also a major event organized in Toronto each year, the Open Roof Festival is held at the Moon Lot View and combines food, music, and film. Showcasing artists and independent filmmakers, the festival venue is a great place to spend time with friends or family. The 2017 edition featured movies such as Brimstone & Glory, Get Out, The Bad Batch, Free Fire, and many others.

Other Events

Toronto offers something for everyone the whole year round, from screenings, workshops, and featured events to tasty local food, live music, and more. Other events to check are the Regent Park Film Festival, European Union Film Festival, Reelworld, Planet in Focus, and many others. The European Union Film Festival, for example, features award-winning films from across the world, including Germany, Switzerland, Malta, Poland, Italy, and other countries. Admission is free for all screenings. The 2017 schedule featured titles such as The Chess Player, Holding Hands, Mellow Mud, and Adult Life Skills. Most films feature English subtitles. Planet in Focus is another movie event held in Toronto, Ontario which features experimental shorts and documentaries from different countries, including the U.S., Brazil, Australia, Canada, Russia, and many others. Films mostly focus on our changing planet and include titles such as How to Stop a Pipeline, Fix and Release, Dream Empire, and Death by Design. The festival takes place at several venues, including Revenue Cinema, The Royal Cinema, and Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. An industry conference is also organized to bring together international and Canadian broadcasters, producers, writers, and filmmakers. The conference features different events, including panel events, master classes, networking sessions, and a lot more.

Other major events in Toronto are the Human Rights Watch Festival, Italian Contemporary Film Festival, Images, Toronto True Crime Film Festival, and Digifest.

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