If your mortgage is coming due this year, you may be wondering how much of an impact the higher interest rates will have on your finances. 
 
While it’s true that your new mortgage rate may be higher than what you were paying before, it’s important to remember that there are ways to manage the higher payments and still maintain your overall financial goals. 
 
In this blog, let’s explore some steps you can take to overcome the potential of higher mortgage payments and make sure that you can still afford your mortgage and maintain your lifestyle as best as possible.

I believe in social responsibility and values. As a credit union employee, I get to put those values into action every day. I help members achieve their financial dreams.  I educate and empower my community. I get to skip through rows of pine trees and chop down the best Charlie Brown tree to decorate my office. Ok, that may not be a credit-union sanctioned activity, but it is fun!

It happens to the best of us: poor credit. It isn’t hard to develop. One unpaid $100 mobile phone bill and 4 years later, and your credit history is poor enough to make a banker shut their laptop so fast it blows your hair back. No loans for you. No mortgage.  No line of credit. No further questions.

March: the month that Niagara residents carry spring coats and parkas in their cars because the weather changes hourly. The month when green occasionally appears on the ground and more often in local pubs on the 17^th. The month when debt worries become overwhelming because it is well past Christmas and you still haven’t paid down what you’d hope to on your credit cards. Ok, that last one may not appear in your Facebook feed, but take a gander at the bankruptcy trustee billboards that sprouted like dandelions on your neighbours lawn. Debt is a big issue in Niagara and you are not alone if you count it among your daily struggles.