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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

How is 2012 going for you? Did you make financial resolutions and are you meeting them? Here are some handy and simple tips to help keep you on track with your budget: · Buy on sale · Buy second hand · Make a list for what you want to buy – this helps avoid impulse […]

Sometimes the expenses you face are out of your control. Take this week for example, BC kids have no school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The first question is whether or not existing child care can provide additional coverage and the second is what to do if they don’t. As it is, Spring Break begins March […]

How’s it going with your 2012 resolutions? Even though it’s already the beginning of February, 2012 is hardly underway and there’s always time to get started on the right financial path. Many of us start the year with fresh resolve to improve, change and/or get organized. What can you get done before that impetus to […]

Last post outlined our family case study. What should Mr & Mrs B do? Their concerns about a large amount of mortgage debt, retirement and lack of confidence with respect to the day to day finances are very common and can add a great deal of stress to a household or relationship. It seems their […]

It seems that there’s a lot more in and out transactions to keep on top of in a family situation. More people = more responsibilities and keeping track of them all on a month to month basis is no easy feat! What about planning for the future? Does it often get put off until next […]

What should Betty do? Her concerns are quite clear. What can she do to increase her confidence with respect to her finances? The first step is to take a look at past patterns. How much does she make each month (after tax) and how does spend it? Does her income cover her expenses? This is […]