On the Brink: Rent is eating up half her pay, payday loans made it worse [Video]

This is the latest instalment of a Global News series called ‘On the Brink,’ which profiles people who are struggling with the rising cost of living. In this story, an Ontario woman speaks about the struggle to deal with the cost of living on a single income.

With half of her paycheque going to rent, Debbie Smith says she is feeling pressure just to get by.

Smith, 56, makes approximately $45,000 a year working an office job in London, Ont.

She says with that type of salary today, her two pay stubs a month are already spoken for: one goes to rent, and the other covers everything else.

“If I needed a car repair, and if it wasn’t for my family to help me, I think I’d be taking the bus because I just couldn’t afford the repairs,” Smith said.

“If I didn’t have a vehicle, I couldn’t get to work …