I’m always tempted to spend a little more money in the summer when I’m out and about with the family, particularly when it comes to eating out. When we’ve been out at the park or the playground, and the kids... (Continue reading)
There’s a reason why the saying ‘a penny saved is a penny earned has been around a long time’ – it’s true. Saving money can feel like hard work. But there’s no mystery to it. From getting started with a... (Continue reading)
There are five major reasons employees don’t save for retirement, according to a Buck Consultants brief released Thursday. As cited by Pensions World in February of this year (see Pensions Provision: Why save for retirement) they are: 1.) A fatalistic... (Continue reading)
As summer approaches many of us wish we’d started saving a lot earlier for a summer holiday. Even so this doesn’t mean you can’t get away. You might not get three weeks in the south of France, but with a... (Continue reading)
One of the main benefits of RESP accounts is the federal Canadian Educational Savings Grant (CESG). This grant is 20% of any eligible contributions in an RESP account. How the RESP Grant System Works Let’s say you open an RESP... (Continue reading)
Sam Bornstein paid a penalty for his delay in using a Christmas gift he’d received in December 2009. His $50 prepaid MyTreat Visa card was refused as payment for a $48.08 purchase at a Boxing Day sale last weekend. What... (Continue reading)
Some time ago there were a string of posts on various blogs about clearing out “stuff” from your life. At around the same time, my favourite essayist Paul Graham posted an aptly titled essay “Stuff” on his site. Taken together,... (Continue reading)
You know that an essential part of your financial health is having an emergency fund of some sort. Creating an emergency savings plan to help you through difficult times is important. Your emergency fund can help you make housing payments,... (Continue reading)
As this blog has quite a bit of content regarding the Smith Manoeuvre, I often get reader questions regarding how to start the Smith Manoeuvre, and when is a good time to start. I have answered the “how” in the... (Continue reading)
Having already looked at how to reduce your heating and electricity bills, here are ten ways to reduce your water bill. Only wash full loads with your dishwasher and laundry washer. A partial load can use the same amount of... (Continue reading)