Archive for March 2012
A Lifetime Plan For Managing Your Money
As your life changes, so do your money needs. The best way for you to save money, reduce your taxes, and get credit will depend on whether you’re just out of school, have extra income to invest or are planning for your children’s education. Here’s a money plan you can use every step of the…
Read MoreAir Miles Cash Vs. Air Miles Dream: What You Need To Know
If you’ve been on the Air Miles website recently you may have noticed a few changes to how you earn and redeem your rewards. First, there’s a new feature called Air Miles Cash. Starting March 2012 Air Miles collectors can instantly redeem the reward miles in their Air Miles Cash balance towards purchases at participating…
Read MoreHow Not To Move Back In With Your Parents
Rob Carrick is the personal finance columnist for The Globe and Mail, and has been one of Canada’s most trusted and respected financial experts for over 15 years. Carrick’s new book, How Not To Move Back in With Your Parents, hits the shelves today. This personal finance book is aimed specifically at young adults graduating from university…
Read MoreAeroplan Rewards: What Is The Best Value For Your Miles?
The Aeroplan rewards program is arguably the most popular (and reviled) loyalty program in Canada. Aeroplan members can earn miles at over 75 sponsors in the travel, retail and financial sectors. Over two million Aeroplan rewards were issued to members last year alone, including more than 1.3 million flights on Air Canada and Star Alliance…
Read MoreHow Do You Choose Your Bank?
Like most people, my first bank account was held at the financial institution my parents dealt with. Once I was out on my own I just opened an account at a bank close to where I worked. There wasn’t much choice – a plain chequing account (no fees at that time) and a savings account…
Read MoreWhy Leasing A Car Makes Sense For Young Families
The cheapest way to acquire a car is to pay cash for it up front. Unfortunately, paying for a car in its entirety is not an option for most young families. The choice then comes down to financing or leasing a car. Let me start off by saying that young families shouldn’t be fooled by…
Read MorePros And Cons Of Holding Your Mortgage In Your RRSP
One investment that is eligible to be held in your RRSP is your mortgage. You need to have enough cash, or assets that can be converted to cash, and hold your mortgage in a self-directed RRSP. You then make your mortgage payments to the RRSP instead of a financial institution. You can fund your own…
Read MoreRESP Account: Getting Started
We set up an RESP for our daughter just a few weeks after she was born. Being new parents with little free time, we just opened the most straightforward RESP account that was available – an RESP GIC Account under a family plan. This account was easy to open and set-up our monthly contributions. The RESP…
Read MoreThe Best Time To Start Saving Is Now
Natalie and Jessica want to save for their retirement. Natalie began setting aside $100 a month when she was 23. She continued doing so until she turned 31 and then stopped. In nine years she invested $10,800. Jessica didn’t start saving until she turned 31. That year, she invested $100 a month and she plans…
Read MoreOnline Fraud Campaign Helps Protect Investors
We strive to provide you with useful information on how to be a savvy investor. When it comes to investment fraud, the more you know about what to look for and be wary of, the better prepared you will be if you get approached with an investment opportunity. BlueHedge: Online Fraud Campaign The Canadian Securities…
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