I opened our mail today and it was full of bills! It’s that time of year when the holiday spending catches up with us. Income tax preparation and RSP marketing are in full swing. What to do? Betty has been back at work for a couple weeks and is feeling the pressure to start the […]

2012 Post #1 was about deciding what you want and Post #2 was about knowing what you spend and your current financial condition. Post #3 will give you some ideas on how to make it happen. Set a budget – it’s easier than you think Integrate your goals Set up a system to achieve your […]

Part 1 of Ringing in the New Year with a Fresh Financial Plan was about deciding what you wanted, in what order and what it would cost. Part 2 focuses on using your past to reset the path for your future. It won’t take long! Gather whatever information you have: Bank statements Pay stub Credit […]

2012 has begun. Are you ringing in the new year with a solid plan? It doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and make it yours. 3 easy steps: Decide what you want. Take a look at the past. Plan the future This post will address #1. a) State 3 goals and prioritize them. […]

Yummy appetizers are sometimes a meal in themselves. How to make them pleasing, tasty and healthy? Here are 5 ideas that fit any budget: Heartwarming soup – brilliant on a cold day Humus and pita A selection of sliced meats and bread Fruit Dollar size pancakes with jam, syrup or shredded cheese Easy to prepare […]

Selecting which invitations to accept can be complex. Holiday parties are a big outing for parents with small kids because there’s a lot to put in place to make it happen including an outfit, babysitting, gifts, donations and transportation. My husband and I work for two very different organizations and the holiday parties were a […]

The theme of this post is decorations! Don’t forget to include this type of thing in your budget because a tree here, some lights there and a poinsettia or two and before you know it, $200 is out of your wallet! I suppose it’s like anything else and you get what you pay for. What […]

Santa has the routine down pat and we’ve all heard of this tip to keep within a budget. Whether it is shopping for food, a new house or gifts, you can save yourself time and money by doing a little planning first. Who to buy for What to buy Where to buy How much to […]

The holiday season is just around the corner and calendars are already filling up! It can be a hectic time but with a little bit of planning you can focus on the fun, family and festivities. You may have travel plans, many gifts to buy and parties to attend but the enjoyment can be tainted […]

It’s Financial Literacy Week so I began thinking about how I learned about money. I can think of a couple things I learned from my Mom: Keep track of the hours you work – especially if you are paid hourly (it is easy to have a conversation about a discrepancy with your pay check if […]