Archive for April 2013
Lending Money To Friends And Family
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” Polonius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet knew that lending money to a friend or family member often results in the loss of both the money and the relationship. But when someone you love is in a serious bind and you have the means to help it can be impossible to…
Read MoreThree Ways To Save Money On Your Family Vacation
Taking a family vacation can feel more like work than a holiday when you have two kids under the age of four. Still, I think it’s important to get away from our routine every few months, even if it’s just for a short trip. Last week, after packing what seemed like the entire contents of…
Read MoreThe Effect Of Serendipity On Retirement
This is a post from reader Eric as part of our retirement series. When Robb first broached the idea of submitting a write-up relating to retirement preparation and its post-implementation offshoots, my first reaction was that, if he’s looking for an example, I can probably qualify for the role of ‘bad example’. While I, (rightly…
Read MoreSenior Discounts Vanishing From Our Banks
When my husband turned 60, being the cheapskate that I am, I was eager to check out what senior discounts we could expect from our TD Bank. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot – and that’s exactly what was offered, not a whole lot. Related: Free Chequing Account Comparison When I worked for the bank…
Read MoreAeroplan, Avion, Avios, Adios
This is a guest post by reader Charles Newell, who has recently done some extensive research on redeeming travel rewards. Much has been written on these pages about rewards cards but little with regard to what you can do with the rewards once you’ve got them. In October of 2009 we switched from two CIBC…
Read MoreHow To Deal With Technology Outsourcing
You may have already heard or read about the controversy surrounding RBC’s decision to outsource technology jobs to an Indian firm. I must admit that when I read the article I thought to myself, why are they only speaking of these 45 jobs? As a technologist I have seen may “organizational redevelopments” as they are…
Read MoreHave You Made Your Retirement Plans?
When you start your career your financial priorities revolve around the present – paying off student loans, buying a house, your next vacation. You completed the company pension forms because they were part of your new employee documents package. You opened an RRSP account because someone told you it was a good idea – and…
Read MoreShould You Get A Fixed Or Variable Rate Mortgage?
Whether you’re buying a home or looking to renew your mortgage, you’ll need to choose between a fixed or variable rate mortgage. That choice has become more difficult lately as the spread narrows between fixed and variable rates. Ever since prime rate bottomed out at 2.25% back in April 2009 most of us predicted interest…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Switch And Save Edition
I’ve written a lot about using a cash back credit card to earn some money back on your everyday spending. But it isn’t very smart to use a rewards credit card when you’re struggling with credit card debt. Think about the 1 or 2 percent you’ll earn on your spending versus the 19 or 20…
Read MoreHow I Saved Over $300 On My House Insurance
When I recently received my homeowners insurance renewal documents, included was a letter explaining why the rate was increased. It stated how “severe catastrophic events worldwide continues to be a leading cause of loss for insurance companies,” blah, blah, blah. “So what” I thought, “I don’t live in a hurricane/earthquake/tsunami prone area. What does this…
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