This past fall I noticed the “Alberta is Calling” ads everywhere in Toronto—on subway walls, on social media and on billboards. One poster made me laugh out loud: “What does the Albertan say to the Torontonian? You’re hired.” The campaign expanded to target eastern provinces and other parts of Ontario. Did it work? I can’t … Read more

You’ve finished school and are ready to begin your career — but you also need income quickly. Figuring out how to manage student loans, rent, utilities and other expenses while starting out can be stressful. When evaluating job offers, it helps to look beyond the base salary and weigh the full financial package and other … Read more

I’ve been self-employed for most of my life, handling everything from payroll and filings to the day-to-day work itself. That experience has taught me that strong systems and consistent habits are the difference between thriving and constantly chasing lost papers. If your filing system is a shoebox or a cluttered drawer, you’re likely wasting time … Read more

When you work in the finance and credit industry, money is always on your mind. For Jenelle Dito, senior director of the FICO Score team at Fair Isaac Corporation, that focus includes helping people understand debt and credit. FICO, one of the original credit-scoring companies founded in 1956, supplies scoring information to consumer credit reporting … Read more

Ask MoneySense I’m 30 years old and have 30 years to go until retirement. I already have a good pension with my employer so I’d like to try a 100% equity portfolio. Is there a Couch Potato portfolio that would suit my needs? Any ideas on which ETFs to hold? –Jonathan Couch potato ETFs Conventional … Read more

Ask MoneySense I am seriously considering investing in ETFs. Is there a penalty or limit into investing solely on an international ETF such as XAW?—Michael Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a flexible, widely used investment vehicle that can suit many investors, including do-it-yourself (DIY) investors. The Toronto Stock Exchange lists hundreds of ETFs, and Canadian investors … Read more

Kyle Prevost, editor of Million Dollar Journey and founder of the Canadian Financial Summit, reviews the week’s financial headlines and explains what they mean for Canadian investors. Hitting our head on the U.S. debt ceiling The dominant market story this week was the ongoing drama around the U.S. debt ceiling. While political debates are not … Read more

This month’s Retired Money column revisits two thoughtful perspectives on one of the biggest decisions people face: when to begin retirement. The first is from Plutus Award–winning U.S. author and blogger Fritz Gilbert, and the second is a Canadian take by Mark Seed of MyOwnAdvisor. A Canadian perspective on the five factors of retirement Fritz … Read more

The classic question asks: “Does money buy happiness?” Before we can answer, we must first agree on what we mean by happiness. What does happiness mean to you? Take a moment to describe what happiness looks and feels like for you. For many people this is difficult. Research from the American Psychological Association found that … Read more

Ask MoneySense We are in the age bracket where we must take RRIF withdrawals every year. I am 81 and my husband is 82. We also have a non-registered investment account and need to withdraw additional funds to cover our expenses. We have already taken this year’s mandatory RRIF withdrawal and our TFSAs are fully … Read more