Notes from the journey.
Practical guides, honest opinions, and the occasional spreadsheet. Written to help you feel more confident about your money.
It’s not Gross – it’s Great! The RRSP Gross-Up Strategy
Dear @financial_laura, I don’t have a lot of money to contribute, but I’m behind on my RRSP contributions. Is there an easy way to catch-up? February is coming and that means not only thinking about a plan for...
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Top 3 Ways to Save Money at Great Wolf Lodge
The goal of this post is to teach you some of the hacks to take advantage of the cheapest possible stay at Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara. Obviously, you may choose to travel at a different time of year, or spoil your little...
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What should be the Plan for my RESP?
Like every new parent you were probably bombarded with “helpful” advice from those experienced parents: “Sleep when baby sleeps” “Yes, poop is supposed to be that colour” And “Make sure you start an RESP” That last one...
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What are Visa Debit cards?
I’d like a Visa Debit card but I bank with Simplii – can I still get one? Unlike so many financial products, finally the industry got it right and chose a name that actually makes sense. There’s no acronym, nor catchy...
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Top 5 Lessons I Learned from my First Year in Business
Exactly a year ago today, I registered my new Financial Consulting business as Journey Financial and became an official sole-proprietor. One Year Later Looking back, my first blog was the story of how I left the...
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What the Tornado taught me about Home Insurance
This was a wild weekend in Kansas…er…Ottawa. Three tornadoes, 260 km/h winds and 170,000 households without power. The photos of the devastation are surreal, as are the stories of survival and loss. Now that the power...
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Do I Need Insurance on my Kids?
Is it worth having insurance on my kids? The debate around insuring children is such a difficult conversation because of the emotions that inevitably surface when talking about the death or injury of a child. On one...
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What is the REAL cost of buying a used car?
“I’m looking to buy a used car, but I don’t know how to figure out how much I can afford?” In a previous life I suspect I was once a used car saleswoman. Not in the greasy, polyester-wearing, dishonest kind of way...
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Does Saving For Your Kids Have to Include an RESP?
“We are setting aside money each month for our children, but we haven’t opened an RESP because we don’t want the money to be locked in for solely education purposes. What if we want to give them the money for a house...
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What is a Group RESP?
We’ve been approached about signing up for a Group RESP, what is that? Group RESPs (they come in many names, Scholarship Trusts, Scholarship RESP Plans, Educations Trusts) are independent pooled education savings plans....
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Should I Think About Taxes When Making a Donation?
Dear @financial_laura, I’ve recently made a gofundme donation and I’m wondering if I should be claiming that on my taxes? Over these last few weeks the waves of tragic events have been overwhelming. I’ve been having a...
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How do I improve my financial confidence?
Dear @financial_laura I feel lost and embarrassed when I’m talking about my money. How do I improve my financial confidence? On the heels of International Women’s Day last month, I learned about a new initiative that is...
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The Great Cash Back Credit Card Comparison
Dear @financial_laura, Our credit card is just not ‘optimal’ anymore. We’re overwhelmed by all the options, so can you tell us which one is right for us??
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How Often Can I Afford To Eat Out?
Dear @financial_laura, I’m just so exhausted every Friday that I find we eat out at least once a week, if not more. How often can I afford to eat out? Life. Is. Busy. I get it. Competing priorities often trump any time...
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IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS…
Dear @financial_laura, I can’t believe this, but I just won $1 million in the lottery! Now reality is setting in and I don’t know what to do with it – can you help? Wait! Before you stop reading because you know the...
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What is the Smith Manoeuvre?
Dear @financial_laura, You mention the Smith Manoeuvre on your website, but what is that exactly? While watching the Olympics and writing this article, I couldn’t help but wonder what an average Canadian thinks when...
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What is the Optimal Amount of Diversification?
Dear @financial_laura, I keep hearing that I should be “diversified”. Is it enough to be diversified internationally, or should I also look at the sectors? Diversification is one of the most critical considerations when...
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Does timing gas prices make CENTS?
Dear @financial_laura, Where I live, gas prices are cheaper on some days of the week. Does it make sense to try to buy when prices are a few cents lower? Depending on where you live in Canada, gas can represent a large...
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How Much is Enough?
Dear @financial_laura, I’m 35 and my family has just moved to a bigger house with a larger mortgage payment which is cutting into our monthly savings rate. Not being able to save for retirement stresses me out! Is there...
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What your Fitbit habits can teach you about saving money
Dear @financial_laura, I’m just not that into you…er, I mean…finance. How do I get excited about budgeting and saving money when it puts me to sleep? Nearly all personal finance advice stems from the basic fundamental...
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Life’s a Journey – Laura’s story
Welcome to my first blog post! Let me introduce my financial journey. Following the completion of my MBA, nearly 10 years ago, I walked away with a lot of theoretical knowledge, but virtually no idea how to put it into...
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