|
•Home Money Pockets
You might think it's impossible that you have any source of untapped funds, given how broke you may feel, but there are lots of spots in your home that can be unsuspected pockets of money. Here are a few of them, and with a little creativity and maybe some help from your family, you can probably find a whole lot more.
Your garage. What a wonderful source of money it can be. Cleaning out the garage can bring you a nice return on your work. Take your time to go through everything that's in your...
•Home Depot and the PST
Every time I see or hear of a Canadian tax-related story, I think I make the same face. It's the face that consists of a lifted brow and a semi-surprised look while I skim through the paragraphs. I quit reading the details years ago because, well, it always ends the same way with Canadians being taxed more, on something, for some reason. This story, however, kept my attention word-for-word. This time I wore a smirk instead of the traditional brow life. It appears that Home Depot is unclear on...
•Canada Day and the New HST
Brace yourself. British Columbia and Ontario now have the much-anticipated HST implemented on July 1, Canada's birthday. The harmonized sales tax will finally go into effect eliminating the GST and provincial sales tax, combining them both to become the HST.
In British Columbia, the HST will be 12 per cent as the provincial sales tax is currently 7 per cent but in Ontario, the HST combo will total 13 per cent, adding the 8 per cent provincial sales tax together with the 5 per cent GST. This...
•Unexpected Places to Save
There are so many ways to painlessly save it can almost make you dizzy. But why should we save, anyway?
First, emergencies can hit you at any time. You can't always know when your water heater might give up the ghost, or your dog will need medical attention. Savings can avoid the second reason to save-debt. If you have a bit of extra cash in the bank, you won't start accumulating debt when those emergencies occur. Third, what about the future? Some day, you may want to buy a house, take a...
•Budgeting Summer Fun
If it feels like budgeting is a year-round chore, you're right! Watching your money has to be done 12 months a year, one day at a time-and that includes the summer. If you've not planned ahead, here are some last minute ways that might help you save a few dollars on your summer expenses.
First, make a list of the events that you have to attend. 'Tis the season of graduations and marriages-two expensive events, by any account. Make sure you've accounted for all of them, and try these...
•May Auto Sales Lie Flat for Canadian Market
Hyundai announced it sold 12,620 vehicles in May, which is up 12.6 percent from the previous year. This increase in sales saw Hyundai outsell Honda by a little more than 1,000 units, placing them in the top-five position for the first time in the auto-maker's history, seeing them claim 8.6 per cent of the Canadian market. This also marked Hyundai's second consecutive month of record-breaking sales. Steve Kelleher, president and CEO of Hyundai Canada says, Hyundai products are clearly...
•Online Back to School Shopping Attracts More Men than Women
A new July 2010 poll put out by Visa Canada found that more men are shopping online than women. On average, men intend to spend about $151 on back-to-school items between now and Labor Day, where women figure they will spend around $78. This year's items that are being purchased are clothing, health and beauty products as well as books, and computer products, while an additional 24 per cent of online shoppers will be making their travel arrangements.
Stephanie Wallat of Visa Canada said in a...
•Harper Sales Tax HST is Here to Stay
Harper Sales Tax (HST) is Here to Stay Just as Canadians were beginning to feel a little more relaxed about the recession, the government slaps two of our largest provinces with additional taxes. Yes, the Harmonized Sales Tax, or Harper's Sales Tax as some are referring to it, has officially been introduced. Ontario and British Columbia residents have begun paying the HST on a number of services already. Basically anything that is to be used as of July 1 is susceptible to HST. If you 'buy...
•Foreclosure vs Short Sale
The recession has brought out the creative survival side in many markets, and the housing market is no exception. Due to the recently distressed property market in the US, banks are encouraging property owners to short sale instead of foreclose.
Banks are currently hiring people who once used to work in the mortgage-lending industry and have moved them over to short sales. The government is encouraging lenders with cash incentives to allow approved homeowners to sell their homes for less than...
•Luxury Auto Sales Hit with Consumers in China
Dozens of carmakers lined up their newest products at a recent luxury car show in Beijing that has brought out China's curious and most wealthy. The Chinese are a hard working culture and enjoy personal rewards such as high-end cars. Luxury car sales in China have soared in recent years, becoming one of the fastest growing segments of the market, even outselling the United States. Automakers sold 13.4 million vehicles last year, a vast majority of these going to Chinese consumers, making them...
|
