The squirrels are busy, busy this time of year. The chestnuts hardly hit the ground and they’re gathering them up and stashing them away. How about you? Are you setting aside for your future? It’s not easy to do with all the competing demands on our pay checks but if we don’t save for our […]

It’s been a little over a week since we returned home after a fabulous summer vacation and the return to regular life is a bit of a shock.   Did you take holidays over the summer? Did you do something fun? A trip, travel or staycation? How much did it cost compared to your budget […]

It can be easy to lose track of what you’re spending on Back to School stuff. Supplies, books, clothes, courses, sports, lunches and getting set up in a new place. Here are a few very simple tips to spend a little less and save some money and they are keeping in theme with Reduce, Reuse […]

Whether it’s flying the nest to college or sending your little chicks off to school for the first time, it’s a good idea to set a school budget. Knowing what expenses to expect and what money you have to pay for them will allow you to make wise choices. Here’s a quick and simple budget process: […]

Well, I did it! Made my own Peach Rosemary Jam. Made from fresh Okanagan peaches (4 lbs for $5), some sugar, lemons and rosemary. It made about 10 jars and it tastes yummy. I would say it took about 2 hours hands on time and 4 hours marinading time. It didn’t turn out quite as […]

Like most things, when there’s an abundance of something (supply) and it’s availability at premium condition is shortlived…it’s a buyer’s market. Fruit season in BC means plentiful varieties of fruit such as raspberries, blueberries, plums, apples to pears to name a few. The issue for many of us city folk is how to store it when it’s […]

Mortgage rates were 9 to 12% when I started working at the bank in the early 90’s! They went up slightly before coming down and they’ve been so low for so long, I cringe at the thought of what higher rates will do to mortgage payments. Depending how much of a mortgage you have, an increase […]

For most of us who own a home, mortgage payments are are greatest monthly expense and of us who live in the Lower Mainland, mortgage payments can eat up a disproportionate amount of our income compared to other expenses.   The first thing to do is gather some information: What is your current mortgage rate and term (for how long will you […]

I am often bewildered when I receive our credit card bill each month. Why is it so high? Why are we not on or under budget (ha ha!)? In reality, I know I’ve done a good job with our financial plan and budget and the only category that we have trouble with is ‘entertainment and […]

This may well be the case but before you think about setting a new one, ask yourself a couple questions. When was the last time you did your budget? When was the last time you looked at it? Do you compare your actual income and expenses to the ones in your budget? Have you experienced […]