Feeling all depressed and envious reading and hearing all the endless talk about Facebook’s 100 billion IPO? Don’t be, or at least try not to. As much as I believe the hype and valuations are highly unjustified, I still say good for Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg. To be able to create a company…
The New World of Efficiency and Austerity and how you can stay ahead
You hear it all around you, cutbacks, austerity measures, new efficiency programs and other measures that are being implemented by companies and government worldwide. It is the new world we live in. World economies and finances are in the worst shape they have been in decades. It all started in 2008 with the US sub-prime…
It is January 1st, 2012: Get started with Saving NOW!
Happy New Year! Having cleared that out of the way and all the celebrations that come with a new year, let us get down to business. Yes, right here and now, on January 1st. We don’t have much time to waste. Not even having an extra day from this being a leap year is an…
Good News for 2012: Food price increases to ease!
Let me try and blend both the good news and bad news together: while Canadian (and North American in general) food prices will continue to go up in 2012, the increases won’t be as large as the ones we saw in 2011. According to an article in the Toronto Star: “University of Guelph economists predict…
What is a Debt Consolidation Service and when to use them?
In the last three years, dating back to the start of the global recession and the worsening economic conditions, we have been hearing a lot about bankruptcies. Both business and personal. Ignoring the ‘business’ side of things, when it comes to ‘personal’ cases of bankruptcies or being on the verge of sinking into one, a…
If you Budget for it, you won’t feel the pinch!
I noticed something about the way I pay for big purchases which may not be very obvious to people often: if I have budgeted for a big purchase, I will actually pay for it with a smile. In other words, I am not feeling a big pinch from having to pay so much money for…
Budget Sense is 1 Year Old: What have we learnt in the past 12 months?
Our blog is 1 year old! Thank you for helping us get here. So, what have we (the bloggers and our readers) learnt? lots of things. Most importantly, things that will make a difference in your personal finance matters and at the end of the day put more money in your pocket. Most importantly, a…
Start Budgeting for Christmas Shopping from now
It is early November and we are now less than 2 months away from Christmas, which is about enough time to do all your Christmas shopping. But instead of putting it all on your credit card this year like you have often done, why not start budgeting and saving for it from now? you have…
What are your biggest financial mistakes and regrets?
We all have our life mistakes and regrets. That crush you had on that girl in high school which you now look at as a waste of time. How about that decision to not finish high school? But what about your biggest financial mistakes, the ones that you have regretted till this day? We all…
Start Saving for your newborn before even leaving the pregnancy room
We all love the smell of a new car or the feeling of moving into a new house. But as a parent, there is no better feeling than that of having a new baby, especially if it is the first one in the family! Amid all the excitement and joy of having a new baby, parents…