November is Financial Literacy Month but what does that mean to you? The last post included the definition by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and the key message was for individuals to have enough knowledge to confidently and responsibly manage their finances. I think for many, these words come with some big and perhaps […]

Do you feel like you’re living on a tight budget? If you do, tightening your belt before you’ve slimmed down to fit the new belt notch doesn’t feel very good so we’ve provided a simple process to get you started on the path to financial fitness.

The first week of school is almost finished and all those ‘back to school’ parties can be distracting! A lot of money changes hands during the first couple weeks of school…mostly it flows in one direction, out of your hands! There are lots of big expenses as well as little ones that all add up. […]

Dear Piggy Bank, I’ve always wanted to travel but there doesn’t seem to be the money to take a trip longer than long weekends or a flight home at Christmas to see my family. How do I make this happen? Hopeful Traveler

Dear Piggy Bank, I’m an elementary school teacher and as June draws to a close I battle with two feelings. I can’t wait for the break after another busy year but I also feel guilty that I haven’t set aside the money. I know that I’ll have a big credit card bill by September. I […]

Not really sure how I got thinking about how Thanksgiving relates to needs vs. wants but I think it does. For most of us, it’s easy to think of reasons to be thankful but it also makes me think how precarious life as we know it can be. Life as in ‘lifestyle’. An accident, failing […]

Not everyone is ‘good’ at math but all of us should be able to do our 1,2,3’s. The post secondary school year or a trade, technical or diploma program face similar challenges in that the money flows in and outs in an abnormal pattern. This makes it difficult to budget. The traditional monthly budget doesn’t […]

To me, the Labour Day weekend will always signal the wrap up of summer, the start of a new school year, the IPE and Armstrong Rodeo. Major events! This week our 5 year old began her school career…Kindergarten. Gradual entry (2 weeks no less before the first full day) is very, very gradual but it […]

September will forever mean back to school but this year September means the start of school for our 5 year old. Entry into Kindergarten is very, very exciting. Despite the challenges of transitioning from full time child care to the school year calendar and a new before/after school care, the difference between the 2 monthly […]

Almost everyone has access to credit these days. Teenagers and adults use credit cards, lines of credits, vehicle leases, loans and mortgages. They may be different in how they work but at the end of the day, it’s borrowed money. There are various associated fees including: Interest Cardholder fees Legal fees Transactions fees Currency exchange […]