Around the Blogosphere

Banks are staying open longer to meet the needs of their busy customers, offering extended weekday hours and opening on weekends. You’d like to think they’d be able to deliver the same level of service during those off-peak hours, but my experience suggested otherwise. My daughter and I walked into a TD branch Saturday afternoon…

Holiday’s over. Back to the grind. We spent an amazing 10 days exploring the wilderness on Vancouver Island. It was a much needed break, both for the family and for me personally to recharge my batteries and get the creative juices flowing again. I’m coming back full of ideas to share on this blog and…

I’m typing this edition of weekend reading on the deck of our summer vacation rental in Port Renfrew, taking in this breathtaking view of Port San Juan. Yesterday we watched two bald eagles dive from the tree tops towards the water to dine on fish, spotted a family of hummingbirds sipping nectar from nearby flowers,…

For the past two years we’ve celebrated Canada Day in Waterton Lakes National Park, the crown jewel of southwestern Alberta. Entry to the park was free last year for Canada’s 150th birthday, which brought an unprecedented number of visitors to the area. Unfortunately, Waterton was hit hard by the devastating Kenow wildfire last September, a…

Our kids’ activities wrapped up this weekend and now we’re inching ever so closer to summer vacation. Soon we’ll be heading out to Vancouver Island for 10 days of rejuvenation and exploration along the Pacific coast at the end (or the start) of the breathtaking West Coast Trail. The trip will be a first for…

I must have seen the movie Catch Me If You Can a dozen times over the years. I loved that Frank Abagnale went to work for the FBI after foiling them for so long passing bad cheques while posing as a pilot, doctor, and lawyer. Recently I came across a Google Talk with Mr. Abagnale,…

I’ve written before how vehicle loans can be big source of financial misery for many families. It’s a problem that continues to get worse. According to a Bank of Canada report, one-third of consumers who trade in their old car for a new one owe more than their old car is worth. It’s a frightening…

The marshmallow test is a famous experiment designed to measure a child’s patience and willpower. Place a marshmallow in front of a child and tell him he can have a second treat if he can go 15 minutes without eating the first one. The research, which was conducted in the 1960s, suggested that those who…

Two years ago I decided to get serious about my physical health and so I took up running. My wife was already a fitness junkie and avid runner. It was time for me to get moving. I downloaded one of those ‘Couch to 5K’ running apps for my phone and started running three days a…

How much should you have saved for retirement by age 30 or 35? This MarketWatch article drove Millennials wild last week (read the comments) when it suggested 30-year-olds should have one year’s salary put away for their future, while those aged 35 should already have twice their salary saved for retirement. I’ve written before about…