Putting together a nutritious meal after a long day at work is not something I look forward to. There are the added pressures of getting the food on the table quickly and serving something they will like. ‘They’ are two kids under 6 who seem to burn through food very, very rapidly and yet perk […]

It didn’t take too long but a few minutes spent re-arranging the shelving unit beside my desk has made such an improvement! I knew where things were (mostly) and the biggest change was grouping ‘like’ items in the same sections. I do Lean Continuous Improvement in my ‘other job’ and a 5S can really apply […]

The tortoise and the hare can teach us a lesson on this subject too! Whether you are saving for retirement, a big trip, a home or something special, slow and steady does it. Here are a few reasons why: If the amount is built into your budget, it is part of the plan Automatic monthly […]

We needed a little break and to maximize our time, I booked a hotel in our home town of Vancouver. Grandparents were babysitting and we had one night. I must say that we’ve gotten quite good at quickly moving into relax mode. You have to be when you both work full time, have two busy […]

The 80/20 rule can apply to most anything. Even financial planning! If you’ve been meaning get your financial house in order, don’t wait for the perfect plan. You might be surprised how many steps forward you can take once you’ve got the majority of the thinking done. Details can always be added or refined as […]

As the weather improves and the temperature warms up, so does the fun. Weekends away, barbecues, weddings and summer holidays start to fill the calendar. It’s easy to accept many invitations and deal with the bills later. Save yourself some spender’s remorse and check whether your budget can handle all the holidays. Take a look […]

Are you expecting a tax refund? If so, do you have a plan? The best way to get the most out of your tax refund is to have a plan. It’s your money after all – coming back to you! Before you dip into it (even a little bit), take a moment to think about […]

A chore few people like to do but one that must be done! The due date for filing personal income taxes to Canada Revenue Agency is April 30th. If you owe taxes, submitting by this date means you will avoid fees and penalties. I read an article recently that said that most Canadians would rather […]

The first question always seem to be ‘How much?’ and if they’re not asking it, you probably are. The amount can be determined with a couple considerations: What do you expect them to do for the allowance? What can they reasonably buy with the money? Will you place any restrictions on what they can spend […]

I’m not sure where she got the idea from but she’s been asking for an allowance. Thinking back to the days of when I got an allowance I very clearly recollect 25 cents and 50 cents. The reason I remember is because 25 cents bought either a bag of chips or a chocolate bar but […]