More than half of those polled in Saskatchewan and Manitoba on the economy believe the worst is yet to come. That’s according to the latest MNP Consumer Debt Index conducted by Ipsos. Fifty-five per cent believe the worst part of the economic cycle is yet to come and that if interest rates go up much more, they will be in financial trouble. Forty-five per cent report they are $200 away or less from not being able to pay all their bills.

However, Pamela Meger, a Licensed Insolvency Trustee with MNP Ltd., says, with interest rates stabilizing after last year’s successive increases, Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents are feeling some reprieve. She advises anyone struggling to pay their bills to seek professional help to avoid the cycle of increasing debt and interest payments, which can lead to longer-term financial hardship.