Nearly half of Canadians live pay cheque to pay cheque.  A recent survey by the Canadian Payroll Association reported that 47 per cent of us would face financial hardship if our pay was delayed as little as a week.

One of the easiest ways to save money is to take a close look at your banking fees. But when you’re living on the edge, it can be tough to change your banking routine. So switching to an online bank or credit union will help save on fees but it can cause you stress in other ways.   Read More…

7 Comments

  1. It’s really quite simple actually:

    Don’t use your debit cards and instead be smart and use credit cards.

    The reasoning is simple: Credit Cards dont have any extra fees on purchases and you get a 20+ day grace period to pay back the balance interest free.

  2. But..but..but banks are people too and they need the fees to survive 😛

    I find they gouge me in every way. So even if i follow the practices here i am sure they will still get me to bend over and cough.

  3. Some awesome advice! I am netorious for spending and its nice to have some tips to learn to save better.

    Cheers!

  4. This is the very reason why people should open online bank accounts. Most even offer debit cards too. Try PC Financial for example (they even have free cheques). There are no fees of any kind and the interest rates are higher.

  5. I am with TD and i use their Value Account. As long as my account is above $1,500/month there are no fees of any kind. The interest rate sucks but i have been with them for 30 years so i am institutionalized.

  6. Most people dont realize that if you call your bank you can find out if you have special offers or privledges for your account.

    When you are with a bank for at least 6-months new perks open up such as lower hold-times, higher daily withdraws, lower fees.

    Just ask and you will find a surprise some times!

  7. I couldnt be bothered with bank accounts. I just keep my money in the safest place possible: under my matress. Sssh dont tell anyone :mrgreen:

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