Blog Posts

Feb 21

Retirement Savings: On your shoulders

My grandparents had great pensions, and my parents have OK pension plans. Me though? I have none. The most I've been offered by any employer, is a group RRSP. It used to be commonplace for employers to guarantee their employees a specific pension payout for remaining loyally employed with the... read more →
Jan 10

The true cost of a healthy diet

We're into a fresh new year which, of course, means a lot of people have started dieting this week. The health benefits of shedding some extra pounds are obvious. What's hidden, however, are the financial costs of a healthy diet. I know it from personal experience. Three years ago I... read more →
Dec 16

1 in 4 Canadians feel helpless to control holiday spending

  When making decisions about where to spend money, generosity often trumps or supersedes money concerns at this time of year. For some, it can be so difficult to go against this pattern, they actually feel helpless to control their spending, budget or not. In a recent Investors Group poll,... read more →
Dec 01

Having the best, and the damage it brings

We have a lot of decisions to make in life. Sometimes the easiest, or most reassuring way to go about making those decisions, is simply to spring for the best your money can get. Do you need to have the very best internet or cell phone package though? Maybe. In... read more →
Nov 01

Simplify, simplify, simplify

It's pretty common to think that having more will make us happy. In reality, though, the more we have, the more complicated our lives get. We are hardwired to think about the upside when we buy things. We think about how great it will be to take our new boat... read more →
Oct 01

How fixed expenses creep up

  Fixed expenses directly impact our discretionary spending ability, and our ability to save. Some fixed costs are inevitable: We need to pay down our mortgage, pay our utilities, and make good with the phone company every month. These so-called "fixed" expenses, though, have a way of creeping higher across the... read more →
Aug 06

When business gets personal: Your financial runway

Starting a business might be scary, but for those already invested in a venture that's underperforming, knowing when to pull the plug is by far the more terrifying prospect. To be an entrepreneur, you require a certain amount of blind faith, drive and ambition. At some point in your business... read more →
Jul 08

Your Standard of Living Bubble

No matter who you are, no matter what you do, no matter how much income you earn each year, if your debt is growing, even just a little bit, your lifestyle is not sustainable. Why? Because eventually, that debt will start eroding your lifestyle. Even before you get to that... read more →
Jun 05

Getting rich on small potatoes

Watch your pennies.  It's not terribly difficult to do, and the pennies, the little things, are usually what add up to big savings over time. I was speaking with a client recently who was introduced to the concept of tracking his daily expenditures. This task of "watching the pennies," really... read more →
Apr 25

Tax refund madness

The urge is typical. You've completed your tax return, happily confirming your hope the government owes you a refund. Before you've even received your refund in that recognizable brown envelope, it's likely you've already earmarked that money for goodies you want, but haven't had the chunk of cash to pay... read more →