Having and raising children: Are we asking the wrong questions? Many couples that I work with on a daily basis say things such as “When we have children…” or “We want to have kids.” I rarely, if ever, meet a couple who actually question whether they have the temperament, lifestyle, or arguably the most important…
By Margaret H Johnson T’is the season to be… uh, um, jolly…. worried, maybe even frightened? At the end of February, we are pressured to make some important financial decisions. One of the first is: “Do we pay down our debt or save on our taxes?”
By Margaret H. Johnson It is with a heavy heart that I read in the Vancouver Sun today about a financial adviser who targeted as many as 484 investors, many of them seniors, in an investment scheme alleged by the BC Securities Commission to have been premised on fraud and misrepresentations.
By Margaret H Johnson If you are like me, you grew up knowing that hobbies are activities that you do that can bring fulfillment, joy, inspiration, and a sense of pride. Whether that hobby is playing sports, reading, learning an instrument, running, volunteering with animals, crocheting – whatever it is – hobbies bring out the…
By Margaret H. Johnson I have worried for the longest time about credit ratings. There are many good reasons for my fears. To begin with credit ratings are based solely on mathematics – the days in arrears. You are judged in a moral way by being labeled with a good or bad rating. The reason…
The CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) unveiled new rules for cell phone contracts in Canada. The rules allow cell phone customers to walk away from their contracts after two years without any early-cancellation penalties. If applicable, they will only be required to pay the remaining balance on their device tied to the contract. Read the…
Lots of good coverage has been happening lately about the many dimensions to money and debt in the modern cellular-cybernetic world. From the Vancouver Sun comes an article supported by the Investor Education Fund Canada group that suggests half of all Canadian students aged 17 to 22 feel they should be better educated on how…
What is a payday loan? A payday loan, or payday advance, is a short-term loan of usually 14 days, which you promise to pay back, plus fees, after you receive your next paycheque. The loan is often between 30-50% of the amount of your paycheque. To qualify for a payday loan, you must provide proof…
There are many advantages that couples enjoy by sharing their finances – shared expenses, tax benefits, security, etc – which unfortunately single people cannot. However, sharing your finances with a partner is a very complicated issue, which often leads to conflict and even ending the relationship. Marriages, cohabitating couples and other shared finance relationships require…
Valentine’s day is another one of those occasions during the year that lack detailed planning. I have never seen Valentine’s Day identified as a separate expenditure on a family budget. It’s a bit like birthdays. We wait until the event arrives and make a quick decision. Sometimes this shrug of the shoulders at the last…
Do you find that you are becoming an avid online shopper, bordering on addicted? While there are many benefits to shopping online, the ease of the process can lead you to shop more than you would otherwise, and spend more money than perhaps you should.
Due to the bank’s impersonal business practices and unnecessary fees, an elderly woman sent a hilarious revenge letter to her bank. Shown below is the actual letter that the 86 year old woman sent to her bank. Elder banking… priceless!
You can be the boss! Every business must have a financial game plan. It’s the same in daily life. No business would dream of entering a new year without some kind of financial game plan to give it an idea of how it’s been doing and where it wants to go. Treat your personal finances like…
Many people, especially women, don’t put the effort into managing their own money. We want to encourage you and offer some advice on how to manage your money for yourself, to gain control of your financial life and confidence in your future.
