Dear Piggy Bank, It’s most of the way through July and we’re going to blow our summer budget if we’re not careful. How do we stay on track during the summer? The kids are out of school, we’re taking some holidays, there are bbq’s and less hours at work? Simmering Summer Budget Dear Simmering Summer […]

Dear Piggy Bank, I am expecting my first child and just about to go on maternity leave but I’ve been so excited about the baby I haven’t really thought past getting ready for the baby to arrive. I finish work in a couple weeks and realize we haven’t thought much (ok, at all) about how […]

Dear Piggy Bank, I’ve always wanted to travel but there doesn’t seem to be the money to take a trip longer than long weekends or a flight home at Christmas to see my family. How do I make this happen? Hopeful Traveler

Dear Piggy Bank, I’m an elementary school teacher and as June draws to a close I battle with two feelings. I can’t wait for the break after another busy year but I also feel guilty that I haven’t set aside the money. I know that I’ll have a big credit card bill by September. I […]

Dear Piggy Bank, It doesn’t matter how old I get, I still remember the anticipation of summer holidays. The end of the school year is always the trigger! July 1st long weekend is a great way to kick things off and even though it doesn’t look like the weather is going to be stellar…it’s a long weekend […]

How much do you spend on transportation? It can easily add up to a chunk of your budget when you add it all up. Do you… Own your own vehicle Use public transit  Bike or walk Have the use of a work vehicle Use a car co-op Cab it Rent Each mode of transportation comes […]

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 […]

Who hasn’t bought a lottery ticket? I don’t buy them regularly but every now and then I do. My  logic is that a) you can’t win if you don’t buy a ticket and b) somebody has to win and c) it’s good value for my $2. A friend of mine says that she’s part of […]

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 […]

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 […]