‘You feel ashamed’: Despite tighter guidelines, struggling British Columbians nevertheless embrace payday loans
Personal Sharing
Industry says loans offer options to consumers and guidelines are forcing loan providers to shut
Downtown Eastside poverty advocate Elli Taylor has seen many people that are desperate with payday advances.
She is been that individual herself.
In 2014, while being employed as a part-time convenience shop clerk in Williams Lake, Taylor took away exactly what she thought could be a workable $250 loan to get a bus pass and Christmas time gift suggestions on her 14-year-old twins.
Her take-home pay ended up being about $250 every a couple of weeks, but instalment that is monthly of $50 became an issue because of the then-legal price of $20 interest and costs for each $100 loaned.
“You’re snowballing into perhaps not having the ability to pay for your groceries,” Taylor stated. “you’re feeling ashamed. It’s dehumanizing.”
It is tales like this which make it clear why B.C. has tightened the principles for payday loan providers starting in 2016: reducing just how much may be lent together with rates of interest permitted.