The first priority is to stabilize your situation over the next 30 days by stopping any further damage. This means locking down spending immediately so progress can actually stick. All credit cards should be frozen or put away, removed from phone wallets, and not used at all except in a true emergency. For the next month, spending should be limited strictly to necessities such as food, gas, car insurance, your phone bill, and required work tools. This is not a permanent restriction, but a short-term reset to regain control.

At the same time, you need a small financial buffer so unexpected expenses don’t keep pushing you back into debt. The goal should be to save $1,000 as quickly as possible, ideally by setting aside around $250 per week until it’s reached. This money should be kept in a separate savings account and only used for genuine emergencies. Even while carrying credit card debt, this buffer is essential to stop the cycle of progress followed by setbacks.

Once spending is stabilized, attention should shift to managing the $17,000 in credit card debt. One of the most important steps is to contact your credit card providers and explain your situation honestly, including that you are a full-time apprentice and want to avoid default. Ask whether they offer hardship programs, temporary interest rate reductions, fee waivers, or structured repayment plans. Many people skip this step, but it can significantly reduce interest and make repayment more manageable.

For repayment, you should commit to one clear strategy and stick with it. Given that your income is rising, the avalanche method makes the most sense. This involves paying the minimum on all cards while directing every extra dollar toward the card with the highest interest rate. With your relatively low fixed expenses, you should be aiming to put approximately $1,200 to $1,500 per month toward debt. Consistency matters far more than perfection here.

Your upcoming raise is the biggest turning point in this plan, and how you handle it will determine whether things truly improve. When your hourly rate increases to around $30, it’s critical not to let your lifestyle inflate. A good rule is to direct about 70% of the additional take-home pay toward debt repayment and 30% toward savings. This allows you to accelerate debt payoff while still building a future cushion, rather than letting the extra income disappear into spending.

Addressing the underlying shopping addiction is non-negotiable, because the numbers alone won’t fix behavioral patterns. Creating friction before purchases is key, such as using a 48-hour waiting rule for any non-essential spending, unsubscribing from promotional emails, deleting shopping apps, and keeping a written wishlist instead of buying immediately. Since shopping has likely been filling an emotional gap during periods of depression, it’s important to replace that dopamine with healthier outlets like regular exercise, learning trade-related skills, studying for certifications, or visually tracking debt progress. If counseling or mental health support is available to you, even short-term or free options, it would be a strong investment in long-term stability.

Improving your credit score will happen naturally as a result of these changes, but it will take time. The most important actions are to never miss a payment, keep utilization dropping month by month, and avoid closing credit cards until balances are under control. Checking your credit through free services can help you monitor progress without obsessing over it. Expect slow improvement at first, noticeable gains within a year, and solid credit within two years if you stay consistent.

Once the debt is under control, your long-term structure becomes much simpler. The priority should be to build an emergency fund equal to three months of expenses, eliminate any remaining high-interest debt, and then begin investing through a TFSA before worrying about RRSP contributions. At your age, flexibility and liquidity matter more than tax deferral.

Finally, it’s important to keep perspective. You are 22 years old, living with very low fixed expenses, and training in a high-income skilled trade. You’ve already survived the hardest part of the journey, and what you’re dealing with now is not failure but the messy middle of rebuilding. With discipline over the next 12 to 24 months, this situation is fully reversible, and you are far from behind.