In my conversations with people, I have heard a wide variety of perspectives on credit cards over the years. Some thoughts were on-point, while others… well, they were the type of well-intentioned, but misguided advice that makes you slap your palm to your face. Here are five commonly-mentioned, and completely untrue, myths about credit cards. It’s time to get the facts straight.

A while back, I posted an update on my student debt situation, and I realized that the post was over a year old. Since then, a lot has happened (including a complete basement renovation), and I wanted to share an update on how I was able to knock my debt all the way down to under $10,000 today, from $37,900 in September 2017.

There’s been a lot of talk about the new mortgage lending rules that came into effect in 2018. If you’re in the market to buy a new home or renew/finance your existing mortgage, the new rules, which are about as digestible as a three-year-old burger, probably leave you scratching your head. It doesn’t help that every site explains the rules slightly differently… so here’s my attempt to simplify the complicated for you.

People have varying opinions about the word “debt.” Some people view debt as a tool; others are wary of it; still others treat it like a two-flush corn log, refusing to touch it with a 10-foot pole. Despite these widely diverging viewpoints on the topic though, debt is a necessity for most of us, and it’s not nearly as well-understood as it should be. (more…)


Starting in 2019, there will be changes to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). I have to admit I was a bit surprised when I heard about it (and only learned about it while I was researching something unrelated online). Also, the explanations of the changes given on the Government of Canada website were about as clear as mud, so I thought I’d try to simplify it for you. (more…)


If you’re like the majority of Canadians, you have multiple types of debt on your books. Maybe you have a mortgage, a car loan, a line of credit and a credit card. With Canadians now owing almost $1.70 for every dollar they earn according to Stats Canada, it’s no wonder one in three Canadians reported feeling overwhelmed by their debt.

So where do you start if you want to try and get out from underneath all that crushing debt? (more…)