November 2, 2026
Toronto, ON, November 2, 2026 — What if your future self could tell you what they wish you'd done with your money today? This year, Canadians plan to spend an average of $911 on holiday shopping, with many counting on sales to make their budgets stretch further. But a good deal, especially when bought on credit, doesn’t always make long-term financial sense.
Credit Canada, the country’s first and longest-standing non-profit credit counselling agency, today is launching The Future You Money Project presented by easyfinancial, a new program that encourages Canadians to consider how the money decisions they make today will affect their future financial health years from now. Created for Financial Literacy Month, the program shows Canadians the long-term impact of everyday money choices before they make them.
Most of us have made money decisions we regret. It’s only in hindsight that we see the real impact, and wonder what we’d do differently with a second chance. Behavioural science research suggests this happens because people perceive their future selves as strangers, so saving today can feel like giving money to someone else. The Future You Money Project, presented by easyfinancial, makes those future consequences easier to see, helping Canadians connect today's choices with the life they want tomorrow.
“We have to acknowledge that these decisions that involve trade-offs between now and later can be really hard because people often think of their future selves as if they are strangers, at least in an emotional sense,” says UCLA Professor and author of Your Future Self, Hal Hershfield.
Holiday spending adds to that pressure, and comes as consumer insolvencies in Canada are at their highest quarterly total since 2009.
This year, Canadians plan to spend an average of $911 on holiday gifts, down 6.5% from last year, and many are counting on sales. The latest RCC × Leger Holiday Shopping Survey found that 64% will look for more deals than in previous years (63% in 2025), and 43% are holding off on purchases all year to wait for the big sale days, up from 39% last year. Yet deals, especially when bought on credit, don’t always make financial sense.
Credit Canada shows how two common holiday choices can make a big difference to Future You:
Grounded in more than 60 years of non-profit credit counselling conversations and behavioural insights, the Future You Money Project program helps Canadians step outside their current financial situation, see the longer-term impact of their choices, and take positive action.
"The Future You Money Project shows Canadians the long-term impact of a decision before they make it,” says Bruce Sellery, CEO of Credit Canada. "In our counselling sessions, we see that people who understand what a choice will cost them over time make more confident decisions about their money."
The program is sponsored by easyfinancial, one of Canada’s leading non-prime lenders, helping Canadians access responsible credit while building their financial futures.
The online program provides Canadians with AI-driven interactive tools, guided reflection questions and prompts, and real stories from Canadians sharing the financial lessons they learned. Canadians can explore the tools at creditcanada.com/futureyou.
For further information or to arrange an interview with Bruce Sellery:
Andrea Chrysanthou, APR Amplify
Public Relations
andrea@amplifyonline.ca
416-797-8194
Media kit available here.
About Credit Canada:
Credit Canada is Canada's first and longest-standing non-profit credit counselling agency. For more than 60 years, Credit Canada has helped Canadians get out of debt, avoid bankruptcy, and achieve financial wellness. In addition to providing non-profit credit counselling, financial education, and Debt Consolidation Programs (DCPs), Credit Canada offers behaviour-based financial coaching (Credit Canada GOLD), the Butterfly budgeting app for newcomers, and Mariposa, an AI-powered debt management agent.
About easyfinancial:
easyfinancial is one of Canada's leading non-prime lenders, helping Canadians access responsible credit while building their financial futures. Through its network of online, mobile, and retail channels nationwide, easyfinancial provides unsecured and secured instalment loans tailored to customers' needs.
Beyond lending, easyfinancial is committed to supporting financial education and empowering Canadians to make informed financial decisions. By combining access to credit with resources and tools that promote long-term financial well-being, easyfinancial has proudly served more than 1.6 million customers across Canada. easyfinancial is a goeasy Ltd. company. For more information, visit www.easyfinancial.com.
About Bruce Sellery:
Bruce Sellery is the CEO of Credit Canada, the country's first and longest-standing non-profit credit counselling agency. He comes to the role after two decades as a business journalist and financial literacy consultant. He was an anchor for BNN Bloomberg in Toronto and New York City, the host of Million Dollar Neighbourhood on the Oprah Winfrey Network, and the author of two Globe and Mail bestsellers, including Moolala: Why smart people do dumb things with money (and what you can do about it). He is the Money Columnist for various CBC Radio programs and hosts Moolala: Money Made Simple, a personal finance podcast and weekly radio show on SiriusXM.
*A $900 holiday purchase made using a credit card at 20% interest, with a minimum monthly payment of 3% of the balance or $10, whichever is greater, with the first payment of $27, decreasing as the balance is paid off; $865.61 in interest paid for a total of $1765.61 over 10 years and 4 months to pay off.
**Based on investing $200 every year from age 30 to 65 (36 deposits). 7% annual interest rate, compounded monthly, with no fees or taxes. Deposits are made once a year.
Topics: Financial Literacy