She and her then-husband, who she describes as “not consistently employed,” moved to Hamilton for a cheaper lifestyle, and she fulfilled a long-time dream of opening a store, selling quirky gifts and collectible toys.
She racked up $90,000 on a line of credit before a new landlord bought the building and jacked the rent, prompting her to shut down her business in 2017. She enlisted an insolvency trustee, who helped arrange a consumer proposal that consolidated her debts and brought the amount she would have to pay down to $50,000, in monthly payments of $323.After her store closed, Babs found work for a cake-decorating YouTube channel, which involved significant travel to trade shows. Then her mother died.
“I’ve never had a dependable partner who was like, ‘I can bring x to the table,’” she said. “This is the first time I have ever just had to take care of myself financially.”