Helping Canadians Get Out of Debt
Managing your personal finances can feel overwhelming at times. There are many terms, definitions, and responsibilities to understand that it’s easy to feel lost.
We’ve covered the top financial terms everyone should know and understand to help you stay on top of your personal finances below.
Continue reading “Financial Terms Everyone Should Know”
Setting financial goals sounds great when you say them, but what about achieving them? If you don’t know how to execute the steps to reach your goals, they are just words. Whether you’ve fallen into the ‘New Year’s Resolution’ trap, or you are turning over a new leaf, here are X simple ways to keep your financial goals.
It doesn’t do any good to set goals you can’t achieve. Instead, set goals you know you can hit. Even if that means setting baby-step goals so you can see your progress, do it. Just make sure each goal can be measured.
Continue reading “Keeping your Financial Goals”
If you’re sitting on a lot of debt right now, first know that you aren’t alone. The pandemic wreaked havoc on most people’s finances. Now that we’re seeing life get back to somewhat normal, you may wonder what you should do with your debt or if it will just hound you the rest of your life.
The good news is there are ways to conquer it. Here’s what you can do.
Continue reading “You can Conquer your Debt”
The millennial wage gap is a real problem for those ages 25 – 40. Not only do they make 20% less than Baby Boomers at their age, but they also have fewer consistent paychecks because of the Recession of 2007 and now the pandemic. With more people freelancing, regular paychecks feel like a thing of the past for most millennials.
The largest issue this causes for millennials is a delay in homeownership, aka achieving the American Dream. With lower wages, higher debt, and less consistent paychecks, only 42 percent of millennials own a home by age 30 versus 48 percent of Gen Xers and 51 percent of Baby Boomers.
Continue reading “Understanding the Millennial Wage Gap”Does tracking your spending sound about as fun as going to the dentist? We get it. But just like the dentist is important for your oral health, tracking your spending is important for your financial health.
Obviously recording your spending identifies where you overspend, but there are plenty of other reasons too.
You can say you want to save for specific goals all you want, but if you don’t do it, you’ll never reach your goals.
Recording your spending provides visualization of where your money goes. You can see ‘gosh I spent $50 eating out and now I can’t save for my XYZ goal.’ That accountability is HUGE when you’re trying to meet financial goals.
Continue reading “Why you Need to Record your Spending”Many Canadian workers have missed work and pay due to COVID-19 can now apply for three new benefits from the Canadian Government.
Families and individuals who are facing financial difficulty can now get support through the following benefits that are available through Canada Revenue Agency (CRA):
Applications for CRSB, CRCB, and CRB applications are now open.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
Workers who are sick or must self-isolate for COVID-19-related reasons, or have underlying conditions that make them more susceptible to COVID-19 can apply for CRSB.
If you are eligible for the CRSB, you can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for each 1-week period. Check your eligibility here – https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-sickness-benefit/crsb-who-apply.html
Canada Recovery Caregiver Benefit (CRCB)
Caregivers who need to care for a child(ren) under 12 years old who is affected by the illness or if their school, regular program, or facility is closed or unavailable due to COVID-19 is eligible for CRB. This also applies to other family members requiring supervised care, who cannot attend regular care facilities because of COVID-19, can apply for CRSB.
If you’re eligible for the CRCB, your household can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for each 1-week period. Check eligibility here Read more here https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-caregiving-benefit.html
There is also assistance for self-employed workers who are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) and still require income support. These workers must be available and looking for work and accept work when it is reasonable to do so.
If you are eligible for the CRB, you can receive $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) for a 2-week period. Check eligibility here https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-benefit.html
Canadians can apply for these benefits online through CRA’s My Account or call 1-800-959-8281.
Continue reading “Have you heard about Government of Canada’s New COVID-19 Benefits”The pandemic made it tough for thousands of Canadians to keep up with their bills, especially the high-interest consumer debt. A debt holiday was put in place on consumer debt and mortgages helping Canadians handle the daily cost of living without worrying about excessive debts.
Now that the country and even the world are coming back together and things are opening up, the debt holiday is nearing its ends. This means many bills will be due again – but how do you prepare for such a change in your finances?
Check out the tips below.
Before your deferment plans end, contact your creditors. Don’t wait until the plan expires and then try to work something out. At that point it’s too late, your payments will be due and if you don’t pay them, it will hurt your credit.
Call your creditors long before it ends and ask about your options. Let them know your financial situation, whether you’re furloughed, not working, or working but trying to catch up. Most creditors will work with you, helping you figure out an affordable plan. Creditors would rather make a plan and receive the full payment than put you at risk of defaulting altogether.
Continue reading “How to Prepare for the end of Debt Holiday”
Has the pandemic brought your family down to a single income? With more than a million jobs lost in Canada, many families are in the same boat. Whether you were laid off or were required to stay home with your children who couldn’t go to school or daycare, it’s important to know how to budget your single family income.
Even if you collect unemployment, for now, it may not last. Just in case, consider the following ways to budget your single family income.
Make Cuts
It’s not a pleasant thought, but you must cut expenses. Get creative here. For example, if you cut cable, can you afford to replace it with a streaming service? Netflix, for example, costs a fraction of standard cable services. See if you can work it into your budget so you don’t feel like you’re sacrificing too much.
Think of other places you can cut, such as:
· Eating out
· Entertainment
· Grocery store (shop sales and clip coupons)
· Household goods (shop sales or comparison shop online)
Redo your Budget
Take an honest look at your budget. Where do you spend? If you can’t cut in certain categories, where does that leave you each month?
Think about saving for an emergency fund and retirement. Both should remain line items on your budget even when you’ve gone down to one income.
Life is trying to get back to normal. As the COVID-19 numbers drop, more retail stores are reopening, which is a great sign for our economy, but may not be as good for your pocketbook. Try to avoid getting caught up in the excitement of things getting back to ‘normal,’ and be mindful of your spending.
Before you shop, ask yourself the following questions.
Is this an Impulse Buy?
Are you shopping with a list? If you are, is the item you’re holding or that you ‘need to buy’ on your list? If not, it’s an impulse buy. Even if you don’t have a list, but you look at things you don’t need or didn’t intend to buy; it’s an impulse buy.
Rather than buying without thinking, give yourself 48 hours. Leave the store or close your web browser without buying the product. After 48 hours, if you’re still thinking about the item, maybe it’s something worth buying. Chances are though, if it was an impulse buy, you won’t even think about it again.
Continue reading “Stores are Open – Reign in your Spending” 
Another year has come and gone. For some, it’s been magical, and for others, a little less so. The new year is a time for retrospection, to look back at what’s happened, evaluate where we are, and make preparations for the coming year.
Let us offer you one piece of advice – a few simple steps can give you a whole lot of peace of mind when it comes to securing your financial future. Make 2019 the year that you prepare for unforeseen financial challenges with an emergency fund. The security you’ll feel when you know you’ve protected yourself from an urgent home or car repair, a “blip” in your employment, or any one of a million other unforeseen circumstances is one of the best goals to attain.
How Much is Enough?
The amount of money you need in your emergency fund is really up to you. We’d say, the more the better, but in the end you’ll have to make your own decisions. How much will get you over a rough patch – a month’s salary? Six month’s salary? A thousand dollars? Ten thousand dollars? It’s unpleasant to imagine all of the bad things that can happen to your finances, but it’s important to determine a worst-case scenario to help you set a savings goal.