I am always looking for ways to increase Dear Piggy Bank’s profile and promote financial education. This summer Laura Thomas, a writer and advocate for financial literacy, was producing episodes of Money Moments and it was a fantastic opportunity to meet someone else who was passionate about making basic money management skills mainstream. Although it […]

Financial literacy is something I feel strongly about. Specifically the lack of it within our society. Ideally, young people would get a good start and receive the education to develop a solid foundation in basic money management skills. Not the fancy, high-faluting, high finance knowledge but the ‘get through the week’, the month, the year […]

I know that I was well organized in terms of a budget and longer term planning but this was also born out of circumstances. My parents helped with my first year and then it was part way through my second year that I started to think about my resources… I had done a couple things […]

The last steps….the ultimate goal is to finish post secondary school without any debt. No small feat. A huge achievement if you can do it. The annual loan amounts have a way of creeping up in total amount owing and this can mean some fairly hefty monthly loan payments. A few thousand this year and […]

By now the school year is in full swing, classes have started, assignments are in progress and midterm test dates are on the calendar. A few of the big bills are paid and you have a good idea of what to expect for expenses for the upcoming months. You have a budget. What’s next? To […]

How do you budget for the school year? What do things cost? Some expenses may be familiar and others might be totally new. The main categories are: Living (Housing & Food) Tuition & Books Transportation Entertainment Other Within each of these categories is a list of expenses many of which we all pay, some of […]

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 […]

I was pleasantly surprised to receive the kids’ Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) statements and see that they are accumulating a tidy sum.  They are young at 4.5 and 2.75 (can’t forget that 1/4!) years old and post secondary education seems like a long way off. At least it feels like we’re on the right […]

What is an RRSP? What is a TFSA? What can they be used for? A RRSP is a Registered Retirement Savings Plan and a TFSA is a Tax Free Savings Accounts. They are similar in some ways and quite different in others.

I have a list of blog topics I can work from but typically the topic chooses me. Something I notice, an experience or question that strikes me. I thought I would ask if you have any questions relating to money management or financial planning? Please feel free to ask. Thanks!