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How to handle a fender bender: Five critical steps
Getty images I had my first fender bender last year during the holidays. It was dusk, I was tired, stressed and trying to find a parking spot at the toy store. I misjudged the distance between my car...
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Will you bring your parents to work on November 7th?
L.A.P.A. leather briefcase When I was growing up, I was one of the only kids in my class whose mom worked. She had her own business and, in a lot of ways, she was a mentor to me — she loved her job,...
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Why designer handbags may be worth it
Lambskin Chanel flap bag I’ve always been pretty cheap when it comes to handbags. I don’t usually opt for leather (unless it’s heavily marked down — heavily) and I tend to pick price over substance,...
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How one man will save $1M — on a $40K salary
iStockphoto It seems as if every day we’re served up a new poll about how poorly we Canadians are faring when it comes to our relationship with money. High debt loads. Stagnant incomes. Towering...
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Are you prepared to support your parents financially?
iStockphoto We’ve heard a lot of talk about helicopter parents and boomerang kids, especially as more and more adult children turn to the bank of mom and dad for help as they grapple with poor job...
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Find out if your spouse is holding you back financially
Getty Images It was our first big fight and it happened the day after we got engaged. He casually let me in on his dream: to own a house in the country. I laughed — to me, buying a vacation property...
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Not happy at work? Five money tips to plan ahead
Getty Images Does your relationship with money empower you or does it keep you stuck in a place you don’t want to be? That was one of the things we discussed yesterday during a panel to mark the...
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Seven shopping tips for Canadian Black Friday
Masterfile Crushing crowds, stampedes at the door, even pepper spray and bullets — these are the just some of the scenes Americans are willing to endure on Black Friday as shoppers trample over each...
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Seven bad work habits to quit right now
Masterfile I once worked with a guy who used to whistle while he worked. And while it may have been a great motivator for him, it was like nails on a chalkboard in an editorial environment where you’re...
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How changing your online shopping habits will save you money
iStockphoto Yesterday I spent about 15 minutes in a store looking at a sweater that was on sale. I hemmed and hawed about whether it was worth $40. Sure it was cute, but I knew the money could be...
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Holiday shopping apps that will save you big money
iStockphoto According to a recent survey by wireless carrier, Mobilicity, 70 percent of Canadians don’t use smartphone apps to help them with holiday shopping. If you’re part of that majority, take...
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How to recover from a debt hangover
Getty Images Ah, the first week of January — time to toss the tree, put away the decorations and focus on those new year’s resolutions. That is until the bills flow in and drag you back to reality by...
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Are these wellness resolutions worth the money?
The party’s over, the Christmas tree is out on the curb, and it’s time to face your new year’s goals. From losing weight to getting fit, Canadians across the country are determined to be their best...
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How to lower your heating bill this winter
iStockphoto My father-in-law lived through the war and spent years working in both the Arctic and Antarctic. In the winter, he keeps his thermostat at a chilly low temperature, but it’s not because he...
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Which is cheaper: liquid or bar soap?
Photo, iStock. When it comes to getting clean, people seem to prefer the pump to the bar. According to a 2012 study by Mintel, a Chicago-based research firm, Americans spend more on liquid soap (US$2.7...
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Why you shouldn’t rely on the Canada Pension Plan
Photo, Getty Images. What are you planning to live on when you retire? Well, if you’re like a lot of Canadians you might think you can fall back on the Canada Pension Plan. According to new research by...
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10 common money myths busted!
Photo, iStockphoto. Myth 1: Running the A/C in your car uses more gas Once upon a time, I experienced a long and very hot July drive with a frugal boyfriend who insisted that A/C would drain the gas...
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Should you pay off debt or contribute to your RRSP?
Getty Images Paying off debt should always be top of mind, but does that mean we should swap out our retirement and savings goals because of it? After all, your RRSP contributions can help reduce your...
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Outsmart marketing ploys and save money on toilet paper
Photo, iStockphoto. When it comes to saving money, I’ll admit I don’t often focus on what happens in the toilet. But there are plenty of frugalistas out there obsessed with saving money on toilet paper...
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Five money talks to have before having a baby
Photo, Masterfile. Congratulations! You’re about to embark on one of life’s greatest adventures: parenthood. For the untested, welcoming a little sprog into your life is basically a giant leap into the...
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Seven ways to get money while spring cleaning
Photo, Getty Images. It’s been a long, brutal winter and like most Canadians I’m glad to see the back of it. I’m opening the windows, getting out the dusters and getting ready to declutter the cold...
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Five signs that you’re actually cheap, not frugal
Photo, Masterfile. Here at Chatelaine I spend a lot of time writing about how to save money — from making a food budget to finding extra cash from a spring cleaning. Some people call these habits...
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What to do when you can’t afford to go to a wedding
Photo, Getty Images. Have you ever turned down a wedding invitation because you couldn’t afford to attend? If so, you’re not alone. A recent survey by TD bank shows that being invited to weddings are a...
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Three important questions new home buyers should ask themselves
Photo, Masterfile. As the average Canadian house price tops $400,000, bidding wars are erupting in bigger markets like Toronto where the media price of a single family home is now over $1 million. But...
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Eight tips to help you save for your summer vacation
Photo, Getty Images. Summer is approaching and you might already be considering a family trip or a romantic getaway. If you’re like a lot of Canadians, you might be relying on borrowed money to pay for...
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Six ways to go from broke to rich
Photo, Ryasick/ Getty Images. 1. Automate your savings If your entire paycheque goes straight into your bank account, it’s easy to spend the whole thing. Ask your bank to set up automatic transfers...
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Five best interest rates in Canada
Photo, Getty Images. Saving. It’s all about cutting back, saving often, and making it a priority. Saving can be hard work and yet it’s so worth it when you see how much you can accumulate over time....
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How to talk to your parents about their will
Photo, iStock. Last time you sat down with your folks for a conversation this awkward, you’d barely hit puberty and it was all about the birds and bees. And while the time for that kind of “talk” is...
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4 ways to end the thermostat war in your house
Photo, iStock. It starts on the first warm day of summer; my husband runs around the house slamming all the windows shut then turns the thermostat to full-on snowflake setting. And I, when he’s not...
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5 money bloggers you need to be following
Photo, iStock. 1. Squawkfox Kerry K. Taylor’s site is the gold standard for personal finance blogging. You’ll find snappy writing and pictures that pop and topics that hit close to home: Is Costco...
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6 common mistakes to avoid at a car dealership
Photo, Masterfile. 1. Don’t know your options Do not even think about going into a car dealership if you haven’t done your homework on prices, vehicle reviews and financing options. Unarmed with...
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Are you a yo-yo debtor? 5 tips to break the cycle
Getty Images With Canadians binging on credit to the tune of $1.4 trillion, policymakers are worried about our ability to pay it all back. Interest rates are on the rise, making it harder to keep up...
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The real reason you’re jealous that your friend has more money
Photo, Getty Images. We all have a friend like this. The one with the Prada bag who lives in a way bigger house, drives a Lexus and has a closet full of designer shoes. It’s hard not to feel a pang of...
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7 reasons why your co-workers don’t like you
Photo, iStock. Who annoys you most at work? Is it the person who insists on ambling by your cubicle for a long chat when you’ve made it clear you’re on a deadline? Or maybe it’s the person who sends...
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7 signs you’re financially offensive
Photo, Getty Images. When it comes to good manners, we tend to focus on things like saying please and thank you, elbows off the dinner table, and turning off our phone at the movie theatre. Yet we...
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How packing your lunch can save you thousands of dollars
Photo, Getty Images. You probably think twice before dropping your hard-earned bucks on a new TV, car or a $200 pair of shoes — but how often do you stop and think before you spend $5 to $10 on lunch?...
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7 things your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover
Last summer, a lot of people in Calgary experienced a rude awakening when they called their insurance companies in the aftermath of that city’s disastrous floods. Asking for help covering massive...
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How Much Money Should You Really Be Spending On Groceries?
If your family is anything like mine, grocery budget is one of the biggest line items on the monthly spend list — and that doesn’t include things like takeout or restaurant outings for a bit of quick...
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How Much Should It Really Cost To Renovate A Kitchen?
My kitchen renovation last year was filled with surprises, most of them unwelcome (after all, our house is 100 years old). But by far the biggest surprise was the cost: After an initial meeting with...
View ArticleHow Much Money Should You *Really* Spend On Clothes?
For Gwyneth Paltrow, an investment piece of clothing is a pair of Gucci loafers or a Chanel bag, just two of the items on a GOOP list of 10 essential pieces for your wardrobe. Buy everything on that...
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