ee ee ON Racer Parente Np e bey het DR barn Levine. oY sd ie setae «ps beget Business TheReview Wednesday, February 7,1990 — = Debtors Anonymous helps compulsive credit abusers ~ Credit card balances to reach $12 billion,” said the newspaper headline. It was a story about the skyrock- eting use of credit cards in Canada — even though cardholders were paying interest rates of up to about 30 per cent on unpaid balances. Jamie, Jan and Al could relate to that story. They consider them- selves compulsive debtors. Jamie, 38, once ran his debts up to $7,000; Jan, 47, went through two marriages and personal bank- tuptcy; Al, 58, lost his home and still owes $175,000. But all three recognize they have a problem and have found help through a relatively new organiza- tion called Debtors Anonymous. They agreed to share their expe- Tiences so others with similar problems might be encouraged to seek help. (I have not used their real names.) Jan has always been employed, usually at low-paying jobs: for 17 years, she was a single parent. She raised five children through two marriages (the first lasted six years, the second eight) and now works in personnel training. “When my last child left and I was still increasing my debts, I finally faced the fact that my compulsion to spend was the prob- lem — not that my necessary expemses exceeded my income,” she said. She traced her problem back to her pre-teen years, “when my allowance never seemed to stretch through the week and I’d borrow from my brother I’d pay him back when I got my allowance on Saturday — and by Monday I’d be asking him for yet another loan.” After she got married, Jan’s food money never seemed to be enough for the family. She set up an account with the grocer, used most of her paycheque to pay what she owed - and soon had to borrow again. “I never told my husband,” she said. “To get a bit of relief from this merry-go-round I once fabri- cated a story that I had lost the food money. My husband replaced it which allowed me to get caught up. But before long I was over- buying and asking for credit again. “I always felt incompetent. I was ashamed and felt guilty. I believed I just never had enough money, and resented people who did.” , When Jan first got a credit card, “I felt as though I had won a lottery.” The feeling continued with each new card. “No matter how stemly I spoke to myself about using the card only when necessary, I invariably pushed it right up to the limit or a tad past within two or three advances so I could pay other creditors on credit.” months,” she said. ~ Power shopping! Binge shopp- ing! I would even take cash Jan had several consolidation loans, then finally, with debts of $11,000, had to file for personal bankruptcy. It was harder the second time around to get credit cards, but within a couple of years “Thad forgotten the shame of the bankruptcy and was abusing credit again.” Until she contacted Debtors Anonymous, “I never had any understanding of my compulsion. I felt certain nobody else on earth could be as stupid as I.” (To contact the nearest DA group, phone Greater Vancouver Information Services during regu- lar office hours, 875-6381). Jamie is single and admits: “I don’t handle money well.” ~ When I was small,” he said, “I would hoard money, always fearing there would never be enough. Then, when I had saved to a certain point, I would spend it all and make myself feel impover- ished.” Jamie said this pattern contin- ued after he moved out on his own. ~ When I had saved to a certain point, I would stop working, Once I lived on my credit card for several months and was threatened with fraud for going over my spending limit. I didn’t have the feeling of self-worth to lead a sane financial life.” Jamie said his debts once ran as high as $7,000. Then he got involved with Debt- FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH 7820 Ceniral Saanich Rd. 9:45 aie presen: Sunday School fasOO0 aime ses Morning Service 6:30 P.M....-...-.0--0- Evening Service Wednesday Night 6:45 p.m. Family Night (Kids Clubs & Bible Study) E. Kratofil - Pastor Rob Parker ors Anonymous. “I met with them a year and a half ago in a pressure group to discuss my. financial situation and to make a spending plan,” he said. “Today, I record every financial ~ transaction in my spending record and do a financial statement every month. I have no started my own carpentry contracting company important, I am free of debt,” NEXT WEEK: Al’s Story, more about Debtors Anonymous and a psychologist’s comments. Mike Grenby is a Vancouver- “based columnist and independent financial adviser. He will answer your questions as space allows in his column. Write to him clo The Review, Box 2070, Sidney, V8L 385. MEADLAND BINDERY Hand Bookbinding & — _ Restoration FREE ESTIMATES and my income has jumped to [RUPZVMIERGn Lorraine Butler: $36,000 from $18,000. Most Sidney B.C. V8L 381 655-1020 THE PENINSULA’S AU QUEUS) -svourite REALTY INC. REALTORS FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS Call: KIM HILLIARD A Pager 388-6275 - #1636 ~ Trafalgar Square Brentwood Bay 652-4488 ¥ Church Services GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH (Reformed Church in Canada) Sunday Worship & Sunday School 10:00 a.m. at Keating Elem. School, 6843 Central Saanich Rd. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” - Jos. 24:15 Rev. Stephen Swift 652-9635 477-8527 652-2723 MEL COUVELIER WORKING FOR SAANICH _ & THE ISLANDS SAANICH PENINSULA CHRISTADELPHIANS Moose Hall 7925 E. Saanich Rd: Memorial Meeting 11:15 a.m. 652-3606 ST. MARY’S ANGLICAN CHURCH SAANICHTON Sunday, Feb. 11th SSIS EWM: cxosmas Holy Communion 10:00 .a5m: ees Morning Prayer and Sunday School Wed. 10:00.a.m.......... Holy Communion Rev. Murray Ames 652-3822 Church 652-1611 Anglican - Espiscopal Book of Common Prayer. Rev. LESLIE M. FUNK ral: A Warm Welcome Awaits You At the The Elk Lake Baptist Church. by 10:30 a.m. ANGLICAN CHURCH 9686-3rd Street, Sidney WORSHIP. AT 8a.m., 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. Services (Church School & Nursery 9 a.m.) Rev. Lorenzo Harrison 656-5322 = : the Morning Worshi SA 5363 Patricia Bay Highway g p =" Victoria, Bc. vayisg "@Ke ST. ANDREW’S TRUTH TABERNACLE Pentecostal Church 10345 Bowerbank, Sidney 2:00 p.m. Sundays Where Bible salvation is preached. Invites you to be in service with us Call Pastor Gabor Czinger 655-7029 ST. STEPHEN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH (Mt. Newton & St. Stephen’s Rd.) 652-4311 8:30.a.m. Holy Eucharist 10:00 a.m. Sung Eucharist 10:00 a.m. Wednesday Eucharist PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 2295 WEILER AVENUE Sunday School............ 9:15 a.m. Worship Service........ 10:30 a.m. Rev. David A. Carnahan Mel Couvelier, MLA for Saanich & the Islands wanis to know your can- cerns. Please visit the Constituency office: 2388 Beacon Ave. Sidney, B.C. 656-6232 Mon.-Fri. 8:30-4:30 or by Appt. HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH W. Saanich and Mills Rd. Sunday Services 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday School 10 a.m. THE REV. D.L. MALINS - 656-3223 AWASTEREO (GFAX 1070) TOP 10 COUNTDOWN Nothin’ to Hide POCO Fi 2 Any other fool SADAO WATANABE & PATTI AUSTIN 3 Sacrifice ELTON JOHN A Going home KENNY G Here & now LUTHER VANDROSS ll be good to you DONNY OSMOND How am | supposed to live without you MICHAEL BOLTON Chippin’ away CROSBY STILLS & NASH 5 6 7 Someone that | used to love BARBRA STREISAND 8 9 1 QO Another day in paradise PHIL COLLINS YB Available at: + 656-48T8 ej, 2447 Beacon Ave., - RECORDS Sidney - C.D.’s + HATS ¢ TAPES ¢ TEE SHIRTS « POSTERS « SWEATS - BALLOONS Sunday School forall AgeS......s....c0.r.000 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship..........::-.-ssesrseseoes-.-1 1:00 .m. Sunday Evening Bible Studies............6:30/p.m. Youth Programs Pastor: Gerald W. Meller Business 656-5012 Residence 652-4065 BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH | 2269 Mills Road SIDNEY PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLY 10364 McDonald Park Rd., Sidney, BC. V8L3Z9 Pastor: David Hauser 9:45 A.M. ....200.0.20.02:+...0UNday School 11:00 a.m... Morning Worship 6:00 P.M, ..eccssseeseeeceses Evening Service For mid-week services call 656-3712 Sluggett Memorial LIFE. FELLOWSHIP 9925 5TH ST. PASTOR LARRY GESSNER Call for free_home Bible studies 656-2721 655-4773 Z Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. | of Children’s Church: 11:00 a.m Sunday Evening Semvice...........:..-.:-sse-se-sese- 6:30 p.m. 474-2520 656-3544 Ron & Eunice Freeman welcome you to PENINSULA ALLIANCE CHURCH 4in & Mt. Baker, Sidney 656-9957 UNITED CHURCH 9:30 a.m. — Sunday Services 10990 West Saanich, Deep Cove REV. HORI PRATT SUNDAY 0:30 Giliceese tenes wakes oer Sunday Schoo! NO:SOl\GU eee ees Family Worship A Caring Fellowship for the whole Family WELCOME TO SAANICHTON BIBLE FELLOWSHIP ST. JOHN'S SoU Soe ea. Family Service............. 11:00 a.m- Nursery, Sunday School Youth Groups, Bible Studies Pastor: Rick Stinton 652-6311 656-4730 SAANICH PENINSULA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Meeting at 9:30 a.m. Sidney Elementary School Si. ELIZABETH’S Roman Catholic Church 10030 Third St., Sidney Attend Church This Week _ LLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH 2281 HENRY AVENUE 652-1909 eS 7008 W. Saanich Road For Hosp % Sansay Snes) Saturday Mass............. 5:00 p.m. 9230 A.M. ssseereeseses->-sses+-s.+-. SUNday School COME JOIN OUR GROWING FELLOWSHIP Sunday Mass ............ 40:30a.m. 10:50am. Moming Worship REV. PETER COUTTS 655-3548 GEO: psoas Evening Fellowship OUR LADY OF Pastor: DONALD W. REED ST. PAULS ASSUMPTION 652-3313 ey Oy, 652-6168 UNITED CHURCH | See PN OF CANADA Roman Catholic Church y > : 7726 W. Saanich Road 2 =f )2 : _ 2410 Malaview 1905 x a Family Worship 652- "Ona yor & Sunday SCHOO) ........sseeccscnssennee 10:00.a.m. Sunday Mass..........----. 8:30. a.m. DeBONES STN 1 |; | Seesaw es 5-30 p.m. 656-3213 (home 592-5487) Sunday Mass ....-- 12909 BRENTWOOD ANGLICAN CHAPEL 792 Sea Drive, Brentwood Bay ~ Telephone: 652:3860 10:30 a.m. EVERY SUNDAY Full Nursery, Christian Education & Youth Ministries available. WE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO EVERYONE Rector: The Rev. Alistair P Patrie (652-5025) Youth Pastor: Capt. Stephen Pessah (652-7779)