Fall into Autumn Savings
By Carla Hindman, Director of Financial Education, Visa Canada
Fall is officially here. With the new season comes new reasons to spend money, including increased utility bills, winter wardrobes and upcoming holiday purchases. Here are some tips to help you fall into savings this season.
Winter proof your home: A little TLC during the fall season can go a long way towards saving on winter utility bills. Improve your home’s insulation factor by caulking or using weather-stripping on windows and doors, and consider cleaning out your gutters to help with drainage. Cleaning or changing your furnace filter and checking into any needed roof repairs are two frugal, essential habits to help prepare for the winter months. Looking for other cost-effective alternatives? Switch to energy efficient lightbulbs. They may cost more initially, but they’ll save you money in the long run. Read more 
Millennials & Money: Talking about Financial Literacy
By Carla Hindman, Director of Financial Education, Visa Canada
Millennials, also known as Generation Y, refers to people born between the years of 1980 and the early 2000s. Known as the “me, me, me” generation, millennials are the first group to grow up in the current digital era with instant access to money management tools at their fingertips. So why do they have a reputation for being financially illiterate? And what’s the best way to reach them? Does it have to be done in 140 characters or less? The answer is: #Yes. Read more
What stops small businesses from offering benefits?
A well-designed group benefits plan can be critical to attracting and retaining the right talent, as well as keeping employees healthy and productive at work.
But for small employers, offering a benefits plan is easier said than done.
While many small business owners want to provide their employees with some degree of coverage, obstacles stand in the way. As a result, many of the almost eight million Canadians who work at a small business are left without coverage, according to 2013 government stats. Read more
Start a family conversation about elder care
BY David Wm. Brown and Sarah Brown
Starting a conversation about someone’s age is a sure way to be the least popular person in the room. But while this is a no-go territory for cocktail party chatter, it’s a conversation you need to have with your parents.
Statistics Canada tells us that in 2007, people aged 45 to 64 paid for 75% of elder care. And now, a new generation is realizing that when their parents need long-term care, they’ll be called upon to fund it.
