Monthly Archives: May 2013

Student Debt in Canada

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I’m sure this topic is not new to any student out there, but it’s true, the majority of us students are in debt and it’s not small $’s were talking about here. Student debt in Canada is rising with the average student carrying $28,000 in debt after graduation. I know it isn’t comparable to our American counterparts, but it’s still debt and it’s not helping when unemployment for university aged students is quite high.

Student Debt in Canada Infographic

I stumbled upon this infographic (I’m a huge fan, they just look so pretty) which shows student debt in Canada in a visual way. And here I thought Ontario students were worse off…Newfoundland & Labrador has student debt levels at an average of 37k. Overall it really troubles me how high the minimum student debt levels are in most provinces and the overall cost of a 4-year degree program in Canada overall (about $60k). What isn’t factored in below is the fact that there are even additional costs especially when you may have failed a course or had to take an additional year of school.

Student debt in Canada infographic by cesarojedac.

Do you believe student debt is a serious problem? What can we do to fix it?

PC Plus Program

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pc points

You may have realized from previous posts that I kind of like food in general and I happen to like my grocery shopping sometimes. Yes I am in my 20’s not heading for the retirement home, but I like food so buying it comes with the territory. I am sure most readers are aware of a variety of rewards programs that retail stores offer to keep you coming back, and keep track of your purchases. The PC Plus program is brand new and allows you to collect points at a variety of grocery stores including No Frills, Loblaws, Superstore, Zehrs and a variety of other banners. As a student I’ve always been a big fan well saving money, and going to lower priced grocery stores like No Frills.

PC Plus Program Benefits

Being thrifty like I am I’ve also had a President’s Choice Financial bank card since I started university and have been able to collect PC points which were exclusive to banking customers. Now what’s new about the PC Plus program is that it is now available to anyone, even if you don’t have a bank account or credit card with them. You can use the app on your phone instead of carrying around a card and you load up offers each week that give you extra bonus points which were never available before in their old program. It took me about 4 years to collect enough points to actually make something out of it whereas now I could buy 10 romaine hearts and get $10 off my next purchase. Oh and did I mention it’s free-of course it is, but I felt I need to make that clear.

Honestly it’s always great when you can earn additional points when you purchase groceries, it’s a necessary purchase already. If you really want to you can double dip and get PC Plus points with your card and then gain say Air Miles with your credit card.

In the end the PC Plus program can help save you a bit of money here and there as long as you pay attention to bonus point offers. Some things to remember;

  • Don’t just buy items because they offer bonus points, that’s the reason why they have those promotions-still be smart with your purchases
  • Make sure to still use coupons so you can save extra money and keep track of pricing, always keep your grocery shopping basics in the back of your mind
  • Load up the promo’s each week-you can sign up for their emails so you can keep on top of it (I honestly hope they change this feature-they should be already loaded on your card if you ask me)

Will you sign up for the PC Points program? Do you think it’s worth it?