New Body Launched to Help Canadians in Financial Crisis

The Canadian Association of Credit Counselling Services Begins Its Journey

First Published: ADawnJournal.com April 5, 2009

The credit crisis has bitten deep in many countries the world over. Perhaps as a result of the many alerts that have been sounded worldwide in the last few years, it had seemed like people were taking a rather skeptical view of this crisis. When you take into account that the Y2K bug never really stung – or at least planes did not fall from the sky and in fact the world kept operating much as it had before – and that although bird flu claimed more lives than one would have hoped, it never really reared up into the crisis it may have been, it is easy to see why there were people who brushed off the idea of the credit crunch. But it is here, and it is very real.

More and more Canadians are now having to admit that they are being sucked into the trouble that the crisis has caused. People are losing their jobs and their homes, and as a consequence there is a very real human cost to all of this. Although Canada was one of the last countries to submit to the global credit crisis, it has certainly succumbed to some extent, and the people being affected range from the high earners to the low-paid. Although the sound financial policies practised more widely in Canada than almost anywhere else mean that we will be one of the first countries to recover, that may be a while off yet. In the meantime it is essential that there are people out there to provide help for those who are at the mercy of the credit crunch, and that is why people should be relieved at the founding of the Canadian Association of Credit Counselling Services (CACCS).

Credit counselling is a vitally important step in putting people on the right footing to deal with this crisis. The existence of paid-for debt counselling is something that is really not helping the current situation, and if you have been considering putting your debt matters in the hands of a company who promise to get your finances sorted out “for a small monthly fee”, please reconsider. If anyone says that you paying them to fix things will help you out of debt, then they are lying to you. There are services who will do the same thing free of charge, and they are generally far better qualified than the fly-by-night profit-based debt management companies.

CACCS are dedicated to providing an umbrella under which the not-for-profit credit counselling services can operate, and raising awareness of the services they provide. If you think about it, the profit-making companies who purport to offer the same service are going to have less incentive to get you out of debt – because the longer you are paying them to “sort things out”, the better for their profit margin. If you are working with one of those organizations, take the first steps towards kicking them into the long grass today and contact CACCS at their website (www.caccs.ca)

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 5 | Burger King or Hungry Jack's

Where Is Burger King? I See Hungry Jack’s

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 1

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 2

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 3

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 4

The fast food restaurant Hungry Jack’s struck me in Melbourne because of its similarities with Burger King. Later on, I found out that Hungry Jack’s is indeed Burger King in Australia. Burger King could not trademark its name because it was already taken, so it’s called Hungry Jack’s in Australia.

The Whopper tasted the same at Hungry Jack’s in Melbourne as it does Canada or USA. When I went to New Zealand after finishing my Australia trip, I saw a Burger King actually called Burger King in New Zealand.

No Regular Coffee in Australia

I usually drink 2 cups of coffee a day. The difficulty I had in Australia (and New Zealand as well) is that there is no regular coffee (coffee with cream and sugar). Wherever I asked for regular coffee, they looked at me like they had no idea what I was talking about.

Australians love their coffee, but they prefer barista-made coffee. I did not find anywhere where they would pour brewed black coffee and add cream or milk and sugar to make regular coffee. So the trick I learned after trying a few different barista-made specialty coffees is that latte and Americano are very close to my favourite regular coffee.

Fast Food Chain Aesthetic Looks

McDonald’s, Hungry Jack’s, 7-Eleven, or any other multinational companies or restaurants have one thing common in Australia and that is they all look better in Australia than they do in Canada or USA.

The designing, cleanliness, furniture, aesthetic looks - basically everything looked better and more higher-end than their North American versions.

However, I compared grocery chains, both value and upscale, and Canadians are unbeatable in grocery stores.

Should You Share Your Problems With Those You Trust?

Sharing the Burden

It is a fact that many people in this world remain quiet about their problems for fear of being branded a “whiner”. The theory goes that we all have our problems and that to speak of your own makes you somehow either weaker or excessively self-absorbed. The old saying “a problem shared is a problem halved” has been replaced in many people’s lexicon with “a problem shared is a problem someone else has too now”. Many people will present a façade of friendly concern when faced with someone else’s difficulties, only to then speak about the person behind their back and criticise their lack of backbone. This attitude gets around, and results in more problems, which is why so many people decide to keep their problems to themselves.

This should not be taken as a reason to become non-communicative when it comes to your problems. Certainly, it is wise to be selective in terms of whom you tell your problems to. There will always be callous people who think that it is funny to blurt out information about an individual, and people who are willing to listen and share a joke about it. Equally, there will always be people who feel that their every concern is of interest to everyone else. Neither of these kinds of people are right. What is true is that there will always be people who are willing to listen and help. It is important not only to identify these people, but to realize that they are ready to listen, and that you can count on them as long as you do not overwhelm them.

It is never beneficial to overload someone else with your problems, and certainly it is unwise to demand solutions from other people – we human beings are complex entities, and our problems are seldom simple. But sometimes speaking about a problem can allow you to see it from a different perspective, and can initiate a process that will see you solve your problems. This may take time, but the fact of the matter is that addressing a problem is a far more proactive approach than not addressing it. Tackling the problem may not get rid of it immediately, but sitting and worrying about it certainly will not. In fact, often the longer you think about a problem, the larger you allow it to become – especially if the problem is largely in your mind.

Do not be convinced that because some people are cold-hearted enough to laugh at your problems, others will too. People in general do not like to see their friends suffer, and will go to some lengths to ensure that they can see a way through their problems. It is frequently said that what goes around comes around, and that if you help someone today, they may help you tomorrow. Being open and honest about your problems may put you in a position where, one day, you will be able to return the favour to the person who listens to you.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Simplepersonaldevelopment.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com site. This article originally published on the above website on Sep 27, 2009.

Casablanca: The City of Legends | Travel Tips

Travel Casablanca

One of the most beautiful and famous cities in the world is Casablanca, and it is a popular place to visit for any tourist who wants to see a very unique city. This city is anything but a rundown city that had its best days in the past. In fact it is the largest city in Morocco with over four million people, and it is a very cosmopolitan city, as well as the economic heart of the country.

Casablanca was founded by Berber fishermen in the roughly 3,000 years ago and was then used by a series of conquerors, including the Roman Empire. Destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, it was rebuilt by the sultan of the Morocco and called Casablanca.

Casablanca may be seem like it is a backwards city in terms of being progressive but it is the most liberal and progressive of Morocco’s cities, with young men often seen talking outdoors with scantily-clad women, something not seen in more extreme Muslim countries.

There are several sites to see in this amazing city including:

1. Casablanca has the largest artificial port in the world, and an interesting place to check out.

2. The King Hassan II Mosque is the largest mosque in Morocco and the third largest in the world, with the tallest minaret in the world.

3. The Old Medina is a small walled town in the northern part of Casablanca which is where you can find many amazing things to buy from the vendors of the city.

4. The Shrine of Sidi Abderrahman is a shrine built on a rock off the shore and you can only get to it when there is low-tide. The shrine itself is off-limits to non-Muslims, but you can explore the medina that is around it.

Casablanca is a very safe city to visit as well, so you do not have to worry that because you are traveling to Africa, you are going somewhere horribly dangerous. Most tourist agencies will tell you that common sense will keep 99 percent of problems from occurring. These are things like not flashing large amount of money around, and not looking like a tourist. You should be aware of tourist guides who are not really guides and only interested in robbing you, but these guides are much less of a problem in Casablanca than anywhere else in Morocco.

Typically, the worst that you will encounter in Casablanca is people trying to hassle you or bother you. Being firm with them will usually get them to move on. While annoying, they are far from dangerous and not something you should be overly worried about. Women traveling in Casablanca will be harassed with lewd comments if they do not dress modestly, but should not worry about being bothered or harassed physically.

Casablanca is an amazing city that you should consider as a destination if you are traveling to Africa. It has everything a major city should have, and it has thousands of years of history.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Travelnowsimply.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles to ahmeddawn.com

Recession Proof Jobs You Can Start Right Now

Survive A Layoff; Start Recession Proof Jobs

First Published: ADawnJournal.com April 8, 2009

Ever since I wrote the Recession-Proof Jobs article, I’ve been thinking about writing more on the subject. Initially, I was thinking of writing an article describing all recession-proof jobs. Then again, I thought, what would be the purpose of describing jobs which would require long training and won’t let you start right away?

Today, I will describe a few jobs that you can start right away or within a few months. These jobs require short-term, very little, or no training. I am sure there are more opportunities like these but these are the ones I can currently think of off the top of my head. Always keep your mind and eyes open and be on the lookout. Soon enough, you will find opportunities to ride out this economic crisis.

Repo Man – A repo man repossesses property or goods from buyers who defaulted on payments and can’t pay them anymore. During recessions, this trade seems to flourish as many people lose jobs and are unable to keep up with payments. To work as a repo man, you need to find bailiffs or repo firms that employ repo workers. If you don’t have training or experience, you will be starting off as an assistant or helper. To locate a firm near you, search online by using these keywords: “bailiffs jobs Canada” or “repo man jobs Canada.”

Auto Mechanic – Qualified mechanics are always in short supply, and you can use this to secure an entry-level job, such as parts-runner or assistant to the mechanic, and complete your automotive courses towards achieving certification as a full-time mechanic. A job as a mechanic will always be on demand, not just during a recession. Check with local auto-repair shops or look in the newspaper for opportunities.

Fast-Food Worker – Layoffs are abundant these days; however, long lines at Tim Horton coffee shops tell me that fast-food stores are nowhere near feeling the heat of recession and they are constantly hiring. As more and more people are losing jobs, they are avoiding fancy restaurants and gathering at fast-food shops to socialize. Therefore, fast-food shops have to hire more workers to keep up with the excess flow of customers. You do not need any training or certification to work at a fast-food restaurant. Although it does not pay well, something is better than nothing and during a recession any employment opportunities should not be overlooked.

Thrift Store Worker – During a recession, thrift stores like Goodwill and The Salvation Army seem to do well. People avoid buying new and costly products and these second hand stores flourish. I have seen that these types of stores are on a hiring spree to keep up with increased demand and you don’t need any formal training to be hired.

Security Guard – During an economic downturn, stealing and other offences go up and so does the demand for private security guards. You can be hired by security firms with no training and they will give you some quick training to put you on the fast track.

These are only a few worth mentioning. There are many other job opportunities that exist in a financial crisis which we may not even know about. Keep your eyes open and always be on the lookout.

A rough economy also brings fresh opportunities for entrepreneurs. Creative entrepreneurs can weather the global financial crisis by looking ahead and seeing opportunities in the future. For example, regardless of economic conditions, Green and environment-related opportunities will flourish and there are opportunities in these areas.

Also, some particular sectors do well in recessions and you need to find and utilize those sectors. I can give you a couple of quick examples:

1. People like to stay home and use more cable TV and Internet.

2. People cut services and products they hardly use and stick to the basics, such as gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, luxury items, etc.

An optimistic entrepreneur should always track these trends and come up with innovative products and services to fill the gap. With innovative thinking and the right information, yes – you will be able to ride out the recession and work towards achieving your dreams.