Between our recent vacation, new snow tires, dental surgery and some holiday gifts the big bill has arrived early this year. I always assume that it will come after the holidays and although that one might be big too, this feels a bit of a shock.   In one way, it’s a good thing because […]

November is flying by but there are two weeks left to earn an ‘A’ in Financial Literacy. How do I do that you may ask? Definitions of literate include ‘to be knowledgeable’ or ‘to be well-read on a topic’. I don’t have a whole lot of time to read these days but thanks to the […]

I can thank my parents for teaching me and my brother valuable first lessons when it comes to finances. Save for what you want before you buy it Always pay the full balance owing on your credit card by the due date Save for retirement Spend wisely – if it’s something you really, really like, […]

I think most of us enjoy the little thrill that comes from a Halloween scare. My kids like to be surprised by just the right amount of ‘boo’ or mechanical spider lunging toward their feet as they cross the threshold. What really frightens them though is the unknown, the uncertain and the down-right scary – […]

It may seem like months away but yet it always seems to sneak up so quickly, settle in like a tornado and then depart leaving us a little heavier in body and lighter in the wallet. Here’s how to get a jump on the holiday season to make for less of a dénouement in the […]

It gets back to the old question of needs versus wants. Layer on the ease of obtaining credit and the complexity of today’s world, and we collide with this simple question. We are often able to buy the things we want such as cars, homes and furniture on credit without saving for them first. Which […]

For many of us back to school marks a fresh start milestone – similar to the New Year. There’s a flurry of organization in terms of new routines, registrations and shopping. I feel a bit like a squirrel with all the effort going into restocking our cupboards, fridge and freezer after a summer of coming […]

It’s a year away and going to be a big one so best we start saving our money now. How much to save? And how to save?    We are planning a trip to the UK to visit family and see the sights over 3 to 4 weeks. The biggest expenses will be transportation and […]

Ok – here we go. Let’s look at the numbers.     $2,800 Flights $245 Hotel $344 Rental Vehicle + Gas $360 Gifts $100 Tourist Stuff $325 Amusement Park $500 Food, Drinks, Miscellaneous   A Grand Total of $4,674!   Ironically, my ball park estimate was the closest at $5,000 and funds saved and set […]

Okay, after a small discussion and a little bit of negotiation I think we have a plan. We did it in 3 steps: Understand fixed expenses or savings that we can’t or don’t want to change. Review previous year expenses to understand where we’ve ignored our budget and seek out opportunities to cut spending. Set […]