Archive for September 2012
Save Money on Software Programs and Tools
The ubiquitous nature of computers has led to a boom in software applications. Software programs are updated on a periodic basis and new programs are written to make our lives a little easier. Many commonly-used software programs arrive at a cost and a personal finance enthusiast may start to look elsewhere for free alternatives that…
Read MoreMORE Cash Back with MBNA Smart Cash Card
I was surfing RFD today, and one of the threads caught my interest because it involved getting even more value out of the MBNA Smart Cash card. I know that a lot of MDJ readers are MBNA Smart Cash credit card users because it is among the top credit cards in Canada. I use the…
Read MoreUsing Social Media to Keep Companies Accountable
Whether we like it or not, social media has become a very important and large part of our day-to-day lives. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest… we use so many different social media mediums to communicate with each other and the world around us. I must admit, I was very wary of Twitter. I didn’t know what the…
Read MoreHow Co-operative Housing Works
There are many posts dealing with real estate and housing on this blog. But, a topic not discussed yet is co-operative (or co-op) housing. Lets start with some of the basics. What is a Housing Co-op? A housing co-operative is, most times, a not-for-profit corporation governed by the co-op act of the province or territory…
Read MoreWhen to Pay Back the Home Buyer’s Plan
There is often much discussion about the best way to pay back the RRSP home buyer’s plan, namely the specifics of when, how much, and how soon to pay back the money you borrowed from yourself. The TFSA Changed the Game… With the creation of the Tax Free Savings Account, and the tax free gains…
Read More6 Ways to Invest in Gold
With Gold valued at $1,700+ it is becoming a hot topic again in fall 2012, I’ve decided to bring this post from 2010 back to the front page. Enjoy! With extremely volatile markets since 2007, Gold has been a favorite safe haven for investors to wait out the storm which is evident in the run…
Read MoreStudent Debt: 8 Ways to be Debt-Free Sooner
Students are increasingly taking on larger debt loads to help finance the rising cost of post-secondary education. A recent survey by Bank of Montreal found 58% of students expect to graduate at least $20,000 in debt, while 21% will graduate more than $40,000 in debt. I recently appeared on The Pattie Lovett-Reid Show to discuss…
Read MoreHow Catastrophe Bonds Work
There are posts on this blog about bond basics, corporate bonds, and real return bonds. There is another lesser known type called as catastrophe bonds. As the name indicates, these instruments are linked to natural disaster events. This post will look at these bonds in some detail. The Basics Natural events such as tornadoes and…
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