Throwback Thursday: The 1980s vs. Today
Do you remember what life was like before emails, the Internet, smart phones and 24hr TV? Today the feature is the 1980s – the decade of big hair, big shoulders and bigger interest rates. This turbulent decade was when most Boomers were in their borrowing phase and raising their little Echoes amidst soaring inflation, increasing…
Read MoreHow’s Your Credit Score?
According to a survey done for BMO, 56 percent of Canadians say they have never checked their credit score and only 14 percent check at least once a year. 52 percent do not know what would be considered a good credit score. What is a credit report? Your credit history is recorded in files maintained…
Read MoreCity Councils: Please Ban Door-to-Door Sales
No homeowner appreciates unsolicited visits from companies selling door-to-door. In fact, a survey conducted by the Trading Standards Institute (U.K.) found that 96% of the 9,000 people questioned were opposed to uninvited door-to-door sellers. As I write this, home alarm companies, such as Vivint, and energy companies, such as Just Energy and Direct Energy, have…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Caring For Aging Parents Edition
This message is brought to you by BMO Wealth Management Your parents took care of you – they put a roof over your head, fed and clothed you, and taught you the things that made you the person you are today. It’s difficult to imagine that one day the people who have always been there,…
Read MoreToday’s Retirement Reality
We all like to compare ourselves with our peers to see how we measure up to everyone else. Here are some retirement statistics from the most recent Canadian Census, Statistics Canada and various surveys. Age statistics In Canada in 2014 the average age was 58. The baby boom demographic, representing those born between 1946 and…
Read MoreWhat Should You Do With A Windfall?
Have you received an inheritance? Are you a lucky lottery winner? Maybe you gained a sizeable amount from the sale of property or a business, or received severance pay? Do you know what to do with your windfall? There are many reports of fortunes squandered by people dipping too quickly or liberally into their windfalls.…
Read More12 Tips To Save Money On Car Insurance
Canadians tend to be complacent when it comes to their finances. You bank at the same place where you first opened an account. You get your car insurance through the same company year-after-year, blindly accepting their annual increases because it’s a pain to shop around But the fact is we need to shop around regularly…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Parenting Your Boomerang Kids Edition
This message is brought to you by BMO Wealth Management Are your kids moving back home because of high debt, a tough job market or maybe they’re just not ready to break out on their own? It’s a situation many parents face. The ‘boomerang generation’, so called for returning home after only a brief time…
Read MoreWhy Did You Choose Your Career?
Early on in my career, I had aspirations of running my own hotel, or group of hotels, somewhere in Canada or abroad. A decade working in the hospitality industry taught me a lot about running a business, leading people, and doing what it takes to succeed. I read every business and leadership book that I…
Read More5 Myths About Insurance
Insurance is one of those budget items that you hate to pay, but you’re really happy to have it if you need to make a claim. There are, however, popular misconceptions that many people believe that will, unfortunately, cause them to be underinsured or improperly insured. Do you believe these common myths about insurance? 5…
Read More