Budgets are funny things because you can go to all the trouble of crafting a great budget but then…it doesn’t seem to work! There are all the usual reasons, some of which I’ve posted about but I think sometimes budgets are designed without 2 other key components.   A budget needs some support such as […]

It’s a daunting task for sure but worth the effort and easier than you think. Figure out how much monthly income you’ll need to live, pay your bills and lead the retirement lifestyle you’d like to have. How much do you need to save to achieve this? How much monthly income will you receive from […]

There are lots of reasons to procrastinate: I don’t have my taxes figured out yet I don’t know how I don’t know where to start I don’t know how much I’ll need I’m young and have lots of time until retirement I don’t have any extra money to save for retirement, I need it now […]

It’s that time of year again when banks, credit unions and investment advisors are talking about RSP’s. There’s nothing like a deadline to prompt people to action.   How can a RSP help you?   Saving for your retirement is a good thing to do – even though it may seem like ages in the […]

You’ve done the math and set the plan. How is it going? A plan is the key and a budget is simply a tool you use to reach your goals. What happens if you go off track?   The first step is to check in and see how it’s working. Compare your actual spending to […]

You know your goals and what you typically spend each month. Before you compare it to your monthly income…..review the spend categories and consider which ones you could spend less on and how much.   Now compare your actual expenses to your monthly income. Does it cover them? How about if you add in some […]

Before we move straight to making the 2014 plan, now is a good time to consider the reasons why this might not work. Not to be negative but often I hear people say ‘I’ve tried this before’ or ‘It never seems to work’ so let’s get the barriers to success right onto the table. They […]

It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work in Step 3. If you’ve already gathered your financial information such as pay cheques, bank and credit card statements you’re all set. If you haven’t, now’s the time to do it. If you’re comfortable using Excel then it will make calculations easier but I […]

Once you’ve got your goals in mind it’s a good time to step back and review them to make sure they are in line with your values. Try to prioritize them despite that some may be longer term goals. If you’re having trouble deciding between two or more goals, take them two at a time […]

Wouldn’t it feel great to have your financial affairs sorted? The first steps are quite straightforward and relatively simple. The key is making your lifestyle and your finances fit together so they balance! This can be a little tougher but if it’s important to you, the rewards are worth it.   We’ll go through the […]