Should I choose a fixed rate or variable rate mortgage? It’s an age-old dilemma homeowners have been struggling with for decades. An often-cited study by York University professor Moshe Milevsky found that homeowners would come out ahead 9 times out of 10 by going variable instead of fixed. So, case closed. Variable rate it is, […]

One of the key selling points when I bought my house back in August 2012 is that almost everything inside and outside was brand-new. It had newer windows, new appliances, newly-renovated kitchen and bathroom and a new roof. Before making an offer on the property, I did what most homebuyers do and hired a certified […]

If you haven’t read my post on Part 1 of my trip, be sure to check that out first. Day 7: Friday, April 20 In the morning I caught a flight from Vancouver to Winnipeg. This wasn’t my first time in Winnipeg. I briefly caught a connecting flight in Winnipeg from Vancouver to Toronto 6 […]

Last year I went on vacation to Western Canada. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Before this I had never travelled west of my home province Ontario. I had such a good time on that trip that I promised myself I would visit Western Canada again “one day.” So, when the opportunity presented itself […]

Being a personal financial expert, I’m the go-to person when it comes to managing my family’s finances. I help my family with day-to-day banking, debt management and investing. But keeping track of my family’s finances isn’t always easy. Sometimes it can seem a bit disjointed. I have to keep track of login information for so […]

When you’re a personal finance expert, people don’t always agree with what you say 100% of the time. At the beginning of the year I made an appearance on the Global Morning Show to discuss how the new mortgage rules affect new homebuyers. During the segment, I mentioned how the new mortgage stress test could […]

Guest Written by: Rachel Surman, Borrowell.   Credit scores can be a little complicated. But the truth is – you need one for a variety of reasons! Credit scores play an important role in determining your creditworthiness. For example, those with higher scores are considered to be safer borrowers and are more likely to be […]

If you’re like most people, buying a home will be the single biggest financial transaction of your lifetime. As a homebuyer, there are so many factors to consider. Should I live in an urban or suburban area? Should I buy a new or resale home? Should I buy a condo, townhouse or detached house? These […]

If you’re one of the two-thirds of Canadian workers without the luxury of a company pension plan, the Saskatchewan Pension Plan (SPP) can bridge the gap and help you save towards retirement. For most retirees, government benefits such as CPP, OAS and GIS simply won’t be enough to sustain their lifestyle in retirement. Although there […]

With the tax season in full swing, the clock is ticking on the tax filing deadline. Most of us have until April 30th to file our taxes. You should have all your tax slips by now (except those pesky T3 slips, which aren’t due until end of March.), so there’s no better time than the […]