Money Saving Tips

Expensive Habits To Break in 2010

If you take a close look at your current lifestyle, there are likely one or two habits that you have developed that have cost you a lot of money over the years.  My challenge to you is to work towards breaking those expensive habits this year so that you can use that money for bigger and better things such as saving for your future, doing some home renovations, or taking a much-needed vacation.

I’ve listed below just a few of the many expensive habits out there.  I’m sure you could come up with more of your own that you need to challenge yourself to overcome.

1.  Unused gym memberships – There’s certainly nothing wrong with paying for a gym membership if you actually go to the gym regularly and make good use of it.  Unfortunately, however, a lot of people don’t use the gym enough to merit paying for a membership.  If you’re one of those people, I recommend canceling your membership and getting exercise by some other method such as jogging with a friend or family member regularly.

2. Specialty coffees – If you find yourself stopping at Starbucks every morning for your favorite specialty coffee, consider buying the mix and making a cup at home.  You can bring it to work in a mug or thermos for a fraction of the cost.

3. Buying lunch everyday – Rather than throwing away your hard-earned money day after day by buying lunch at your work cafeteria, get into the habit of bringing your own lunch to work using leftovers from the night before.

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Investing

The Best & Worst Time To Make an RRSP Withdrawal

Withdrawing from an RRSP can be an extremely expensive option due to the tax consequences.  So, unless you are saving for retirement within your RRSP, or you are planning on taking advantage of the Lifelong Learning Plan or the First Time Home Buyer’s Plan, I would not recommend saving within an RRSP investment vehicle.

To illustrate this, suppose you are 25 years old and you have managed to save $5000 in your RRSP.  You end up spending too much money over Christmas and find it impossible to keep up with all your bills.  You decide to withdraw $2000 from your RRSP.

By doing so, you have lost $2000 worth of RRSP contribution room.  You can never get this contribution room back.

As well, you will be subject to a withholding tax of 10% in all provinces (except Quebec where you would have to pay 21%) that would be taken off the top and sent to the government.   So, even though you are withdrawing $2000, you would only get $1800 at the end of the day or even less in Quebec.

You will also need to add the full $2000 to your income for the current tax year, and then depending on your income tax bracket, you will likely have to pay more tax at the end of the year unless you deliberately make an RRSP contribution to offset the withdrawal.

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Money Saving Tips

Cashing In On Your Spare-Time Interests

Have you ever thought about earning a full time living from your hobbies? It doesn’t matter if it’s sports, crafts, or even trading merchandise – it’s more than possible to earn a living with your hobbies – it’s the major source of income for millions of people all over the world!

Sometimes what seems like a career actually begins as a hobby for someone. Many couples that are adept at home repairs have a hobby of investing property, fixing it up, and flipping it into a profit.

The key to making mounds of money from your hobby is to pick something that makes you happy. You may not enjoy home repairs like your neighbor. Maybe you have a passion for taking everyday things and making an extraordinary piece of art from them.

The best thing about profiting from your hobbies is that you’re doing something that relaxes you and gives you joy in life. Not many people can say that about their jobs. In fact, most people in surveys would love to trade in their 9-5 corporate gigs for something more rewarding.

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Banking

Find A Good Financial Advisor

When building a financial strategy for yourself and your family, it’s a good idea to take the time to meet with a Financial Advisor, as advisors are experts in investing, taxation, estate planning, retirement planning, and insurance.  When you partner with a Financial Advisor, they will be able to help you build a strategy in order to achieve your financial goals.  Why try to do it all on your own when you can take advantage of professional guidance?

That being said, it’s important that you find a good Financial Advisor that has your best interests at heart.  Below are some things to look for when you are choosing a Financial Advisor:

*You need to feel comfortable with the advisor so you can work well together.

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Money Saving Tips

Stay Connected & Save Money With Skype

If you have loved ones that live far from home and talking on the phone just doesn’t cut it, I recommend using Skype.  It’s a free software that you can download onto your computer that is free, easy to use, and the best part is that you can even see an image of your loved one while you chat.  It’s like sitting across the table from the person you are chatting with; It really is the next best thing to seeing them in person.

Skype has been around since 2003 and since then many people from around the world have taken advantage of it.  Skype can be used as long as both parties have a high-speed Internet connection.  Although you have to pay for Internet, Skype itself is free.  It sure beats having to pay outrageously expensive phone bills to talk to friends and family living overseas or even outside of your city.

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