StoryReading time: 6 minPublished on October 19, 2026
1981: the year a mortgage cost 21.75%
In 1981, the 5-year mortgage rate reached 21.75% in Canada. A look back at an extraordinary year and what it teaches us about our debts.
Articles.
Clear answers about refinancing and debt, one question at a time.
Each article gives the essentials first, then the detail, worked examples and its sources. Pick a topic.
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Understand
How mortgages, credit and debt work, and where they come from.
GuideReading time: 8 minPublished on October 19, 2026Financial Literacy Month: 5 concepts to finally understand your mortgage
Amortization, term, equity, ratios, penalty: 5 simple concepts to understand your mortgage and better prepare for a refinance.
Decide
Compare your options before refinancing: costs, eligibility, consequences.
GuideReading time: 4 minPublished on October 19, 2026What does refinancing to consolidate debt really cost?
Penalty, notary, appraisal, lender and broker fees: what a refinance to consolidate debt costs, and how those costs are paid.
GuideReading time: 4 minPublished on October 19, 2026Refinancing, a consumer proposal or bankruptcy: what’s the difference?
Three ways out of debt, three different consequences: what refinancing, a consumer proposal and bankruptcy are, and who each one is for.
GuideReading time: 3 minPublished on October 19, 2026Can you refinance with bad credit or after your bank said no?
A no from your bank isn’t always the end. A banks, B banks and private lenders: what changes (rate, fees, amount) and what improves your chances.
GuideReading time: 2 minPublished on October 19, 2026Self-employed and reporting little income: can you refinance?
You work for yourself and report little income? What lenders ask for, the programs that exist and what they can cost you in return.
GuideReading time: 2 minPublished on October 19, 2026How much can I borrow against my home?
The 80% rule made simple: how to work out the equity in your home and how much a refinance can free up, with an example.
GuideReading time: 3 minPublished on October 19, 2026Does refinancing hurt my credit score and make my mortgage longer?
The loan application, paying off the cards, a longer amortization: what a refinance really does to your credit score and to the interest you pay.
Act
Manage your debt and your budget day to day.
GuideReading time: 7 minPublished on October 19, 2026Holiday debt: how to keep December from following you all year
Your holiday balance costs more than you think. The real cost of interest, the minimum-payment trap and a 90-day plan to get out of it.
Step by stepReading time: 7 minPublished on October 19, 2026New Year’s resolution 2027: take stock of your debts in 4 steps
How much do your debts really cost you each month? A 4-step method to list everything, calculate the interest and know what to repay first.
Tips to save money
Simple steps and clear benchmarks to ease your budget.
Let’s talk about your situation.
Fifteen minutes on the phone to see whether folding your debts into your mortgage makes sense for you. If it doesn’t, we say so.
Free consultation, no obligation.