A new poll by Ipsos shows that 58 percent of British Columbians are concerned about their ability to pay off debt.
Trever Morris, Certified Financial Planner With Sun Life Financial said the issue is more prominent in the Lower Mainland than in Northern BC.
“They have such high housing costs… I would think that has a big impact because of the population density,” said Morris.
Although it is more affordable to own a house in Northern B.C., Morris said debt can still be a concern.
He said the issue is that most people don’t have a financial plan in place to tackle debt.
Morris said one of the best ways to help people get a handle on their debt is developing a spreadsheet to tackle repayment and figure out how much they owe.
Other things that can help are switching credit card debt into lines of credit for lower interest payments and speaking to a financial planner to put a plan in place.
“People should be careful to live within their means and put more money away then they are borrowing and just make sure you know that your spending in relation to what you are earning,” said Morris.