Shopping

Become A Mystery Shopper

Want to earn some extra money?  If you enjoy shopping and have the ability to pay attention to minute details, you may really enjoy being a mystery shopper.  Mystery shoppers are independent contractors who anonymously shop or make phone calls to specific companies and then report on their experiences and get paid for it.

One company you may want to check out is c-shop. There are no fees to sign up to work for them and as long as you have regular access to a computer and either a fax machine or scanner you are good to go.  Other qualifications include a good grasp of the English language, ability to record in detail your experiences, and a really good memory.

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June 3, 2011
Money Saving Tips

How Much Does It Cost To Attend University?

If you are considering furthering your education or your child plans on attending university, it’s a good idea to check out the University Cost Calculator to find out how much you can expect to pay for tuition, etc.

The calculator provides information for many universities across Canada and gives specific information for various faculties.  It will give you an estimate of the cost for the entire program.  Some faculties may not be listed, as Statistics Canada could not get accurate cost information for all faculties.

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June 1, 2011
General

Is Home Staging Worth It?

We recently went through the process of selling our home.  When we met with our real estate agent he introduced us to the idea of hiring someone to stage our home in order to make it more appealing to buyers. This was a new concept for us.  Our agent referred us to a home stager who then came to our home and gave us some great tips on how to paint the interior of our home and how to fix up our kitchen. Her advice was invaluable and we did what she recommended.  Rather than struggling to figure out what colors to paint each room and how to redo our kitchen cupboards, her professional eye and her experience allowed her to give us great suggestions within just a few minutes of seeing our place.

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May 30, 2011
Shopping

Why We Like To Buy Used Stuff

My husband and I are highly in favor of buying used instead of new whenever possible.  This goes for anything from kitchen stuff to furniture to books, and pretty much anything else you can think of.  We like to buy used items for a few reasons.  First, it saves us a lot of money.  Someone else already paid full price for it and all the taxes, so we benefit from the lower cost without the tax.  Second, we don’t have as much attachment to it so if we decided to pack up and move, we wouldn’t think twice about reselling it or giving it away.

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May 27, 2011
Money Saving Tips

Clean Out Your Clothes Closet And Save Money

If you want to make some extra space in your clothes closet this summer, try this simple trick.  Switch around all your hangers in your closet.  Every time you wear an item, make sure to flip the hanger back around.  Within about a month or so, go through your closet and remove any items that still haven’t been flipped around.  This is a very easy way to figure out what items of clothing you really do wear.

Any items that you haven’t worn in the past 30 days are more than likely items that are wasting space in your closet.  Put them in a box and bring them to your local thrift store.  There is no point in keeping a bunch of clothes around that you are not wearing.

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May 25, 2011