As 2017 winds down, assess your finances and get them new-year ready. Your overall quality of life is directly related to the overall quality of your finances. So as one year ends and the next is about to begin, take some time to be sure you’re making the right choices financially. That will make for a truly happy new year. Set a budget And stick to it. With the holidays fast approaching, you need to create a realistic budget that will allow...
Drop Your Debt Or Put Money in the Market?
With today’s low rates, the pay down debt or invest debate isn’t as clear cut as it used to be. Ever since people started borrowing money centuries ago, people also started worrying about being in debt. Nearly 250 years ago philosopher and economist Adam Smith made a comment that still rings true today: “What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?” As Smith suggested all those years...
Plan the Wedding of Your Dreams
How to say yes to the dress and no to long-term wedding debt. Marriage rates may be declining, but a quick glance at the TV listings leaves little doubt that weddings are trendier than ever, with the popularity of nuptial themed reality shows like Say Yes to the Dress and offshoots on the rise. It’s no wonder that, quickly after the proposal (and often before), couples start envisioning how their wedding will unfold. Destination weddings are...
Cut ‘Luxury Fever’ from Your Budget
Keeping up with the Joneses has pervaded Canadian neighbourhoods and is causing more trouble than happiness. As we continue to embrace a digital lifestyle, consumers of all ages are become increasingly susceptible to the buy-now lifestyle. We’ve all been guilty of it at some point – spending money on things we don’t need, in part because we want to have the same things that our friends and neighbours have. We call it keeping up with the...