Financial Planning For Couples: Buying A Home
Buying a home will probably be the most expensive one-time purchase you’ll ever make. It can also be one of your best investments (housing values have historically increased over the long run) as long as you choose wisely and pick a house you can afford. Saving for a down payment How much money do you…
Read MoreMy TFSA Dilemma and Solution
I embraced the tax free savings account with open arms when it was first introduced back in 2009. I made the maximum $5,000 contribution in 2009 and again in 2010. My TFSA game was strong, indeed, as I invested those funds in Canadian dividend paying stocks and quickly turned $10,000 into $15,000. But then I…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Manufacturing A Raise Edition
My employer – acting on direction from the provincial government – is freezing wages for the 2016/17 fiscal year. No salary increase, plus inflation, means that our growing family will actually be earning less money over the next 12 months. It’s a frustrating situation but I’m determined to make the most of it by manufacturing my…
Read MoreTeaching Young Kids About Money
The most influential teacher your young child will ever have is you – their parent, especially Mom. Your children are considerably affected by how you use money on a day-to-day basis. Kids are watching and listening to you all the time, and they learn a lot through their observations. Your children’s future habits are being…
Read MoreBorrowell, Grow, and Mogo: 3 Online Lenders Compared
A new wave of financial companies is turning traditional banking on its head by leveraging technology to offer customers low-cost banking, lending, and investing solutions. At the forefront of the fintech revolution are three online lending companies that are carving out a niche by targeting borrowers who want instant loan approval without visiting a branch.…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Summer Vacation Edition
I’m on holidays for the rest of the month and we’re heading out to Kelowna, B.C. to spend our family summer vacation water-sliding and wine-touring in the Okanagan. For the fifth summer in a row we’ve rented a house through vacation rental site VRBO.com. We can find an entire house or condo to rent for about the…
Read MoreCRM2 Is Here (Finally!): What Investors Need To Know
The final stage of implementation for phase two of the client relationship model (CRM2) comes into effect today. What it means for Canadian investors is that they’ll begin to receive some much needed disclosure about investment fees and performance. Under the directive of the Canadian Securities Administrators, financial institutions are required to send two new mandatory…
Read More5 Rules Of Thumb That Need An Update
We love to have rules of thumb to guide us. They are designed to give you a rough idea of what to aim for so you can get started on your goals. A rule can sometimes help make decisions easier. However, it likely will not give you an accurate answer for your own personal situation…
Read MoreAn Open Letter To Air Miles
Dear Air Miles, we need to talk about your loyalty program and how you’re treating collectors. It was nearly five years ago when you announced major changes to your rewards program. The introduction of Air Miles Cash, which gave collectors the ability to redeem rewards miles instantly at various retailers, was a welcome addition for…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Major Media Mention Edition
Welcome to the weekend! I was thrilled to be featured in this CBC story about Air Miles and how miles earned before 2012 are set to expire at the end of this year. The author, Sophia Harris, was a pleasure to work with and, incredibly, turned this story around in just a couple of days.…
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