If you took Making Your Money Management Simple – 1 to heart, you are now organized! This post is about paying bills on time and in no time. Our household bills all seem to naturally fall due towards the end of the month. This is okay as I sit down once per month and set […]

The nice weather is starting! There is still enough time to plant some seeds for your financial future. Here is a list of common financial goals: Purchase a home Purchase a new vehicle Annual vacations (or perhaps a big trip every few years) Retirement Pay down debt Emergency fund Kids’ education fund The list above […]

According to the calendar, spring is here. You wouldn’t know it from the weather we’ve been having but in Vancouver the flowers and trees are blooming. Spring is an excellent time to set the path for your financial future because the holiday season is well behind us, income tax information is current and there is […]

Juliet has been working in a retail shop for just over a year and has begun to ask herself two questions: Money is pretty tight at the end of the month and it’s tempting to use her credit card but is worried about getting bills that she can’t pay. What’s next for her? Juliet enjoys […]

Living on a tight budget can cause great anxiety and overwhelm your life. Having a plan to grow out it and into something a little more comfortable can bring a sense of relief. It’s not to say that it will be easy but it is worth it. It’s a great feeling to be confident that […]

How do you define living on a tight budget? I think most of us would agree that the phrase implies that it is a challenge to make ends meet each month. Delving a little further, I think it means having just enough or not quite enough money coming in to cover the basics. Necessities such […]

Step 11 The last one! You have a plan and you’ve put the wheels in motion. Don’t forget to set a reminder for yourself to review your progress. This will take a small amount of your time but I think it’s worthwhile. Check the balances of your assets and debts and compare them to what […]

Step 10 What’s a plan without action? Convert your plan into action so that you achieve your goals. For example, if your objective is to repay your student loan more quickly then decide how much you can afford to pay extra each month and either: a) Increase the monthly payment with the lender to the […]

Step 9 Develop your budget! Refer back to your net income and item by item subtract your expenses beginning with your needs, followed by your goals and discretionary spending making sure that your expenses and goal savings do not add up to more than your income. Use your average expenses from past experience but whatever […]

Step 8 Take another look at your goals as well as the cost and timeline associated with each one. For example, if you’d like to replace your car in 2 years and know that you will be able to sell your current vehicle for $10,000 and expect the new one to cost $25,000 (including taxes […]