Thousands of dollars in debt to boyfriend, I can’t pay him back, what should I do?

I (21F) am around $5000 in debt to my boyfriend (23M). I was supposed to pay him back this month, once my tax-free savings account reaches maturity. However, my maturity date was actually set for next year not this one.

Originally I had 20,000 saved for university living (not tuition, I have loans). Half was put into a TSFA, the other half was left into an accessible savings account.

The reason I’m in debt is because of dental work. I needed to pay $4000 out of pocket to have my infected, impacted, wisdom teeth removed. And I had to pay an additional $4000 to get multiple fillings. I had 17 cavities due to not getting regular professional cleaning (I was told that I had great oral hygiene and clean teeth otherwise), 9 of them needed to be filled, and of course there were X-rays needed. My parents could never afford to take me to the dentist as a child and since they are currently unemployed, I have zero dental coverage.

I lost my job in 2023 after I needed to take time off to grieve, as I have had 6 family members die between 2022 and 2023. I have been unable to hold down or find steady work since then. I had worked two minimum wage jobs for a bit but I only got a shift a month for each place - if that. Got my T4 last week and I only pulled in $6000 for the entire year of 2024.

In 2024, I didn’t have enough money to live or pay my bills, so my boyfriend started sending me money with the verbal agreement that I would pay him back in March 2025 when my TSFA reached full maturity. However, I realized today that it doesn’t mature until 2026 and I cannot take any money out of it. I know that was stupid and that I was stupid for not double checking.

I don’t know what to do, or how to tell him. I’m in full panic mode. The only thing I can think to do is have him made my beneficiary, and then do something else that is against the rules to mention in this post - this is however not something I really want to do. But I feel like I’m completely out of options.

I could try selling off my things, but I don’t really have anything of value. I have a small set of diamond studded earrings and a 2 year old mattress. I also have a car that has some visible damage due to someone hitting and running me. It’s permanently parked because I can’t afford to pay insurance on it.

Even if I somehow scrounge up $5000 to pay him back, I still won’t have any money to support myself. I already am malnourished from not being able to afford food.

Please, if anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated. I don’t even know how to broach the topic with him.