Literally all posts.
This is the best place to binge-read, if that's what you're into!You’re Probably Right to Stress Over Money — But There’s No Good Reason to Spiral
A friend once told me they expected to have the job of their dreams, be married with kids and live in a house by the time they turned 30. That’s what happens in the movies, right? So what went wrong? I know several people who feel as though their finances are...
3 Job-Hunting Lessons From My Great Resignation
You’ve heard the whispers, seen the headlines: All the Bright Young Things are quitting the workforce en masse to pursue opportunities with better pay and flexible accommodations. The Big Quit hasn’t been as drastic in Canada as it has been down south, but...
When You’re Starting Small, Don’t Get Ripped Off by $10 Investing Fees
Ah yes, investing. *Cue the thunder and lightning*. It might seem a bit daunting to a beginner, but the truth is that it’s a lot less complicated and expensive now than it used to be. You don’t have to buy a bunch of Peter Lynch books (you know, the ones staring down...
Millennials Can’t Afford a Home in Big Cities — But We’re Not Out of Options
At this point, many millennials have accepted that buying a home in one of Canada’s biggest urban centres just isn’t feasible. Like, at all. If you’re a Torontonian like me, you might remember that story about the “tiny and filthy” hovel listed for $1 million this...
Buy Now, Pay Later Is Great — Here’s Why I’m Never Going to Use It
It was last year, as I perused the Wonderful ~Virtual~ Land of Sephora and added another Morphe eyeshadow palette to my collection, that I first came across the payment option that’s supposedly now Cool With The Kids. At the bottom of the checkout screen, I was...
Investing in a Company Like Amazon Costs Thousands. What If You Have, Like, $1?
Remember all the GameStonk hype in January? Of course you do: Everybody was talking about it. Thanks to the combined Powers That Be — Reddit and TikTok — the young masses have been flooded with investing info and inspiration. It seems as though everyone’s got...
Why It’s Probably Time to Rethink Your Bank Account (And Other Accounts, Too)
The way I see it, life milestones are the perfect time to re-evaluate your finances — whether you’re finally escaping school, getting hitched, buying a home or making more money at a new job. Your needs are changing, so your accounts might need changing, too. I’ve...
Debt Consolidation: Does It Make Sense For You?
A few weeks ago, I got a great question from a reader on Instagram that boils down to, “Does debt consolidation make sense here?” Without getting into the specifics, they were asking whether it makes sense to pay off a smaller, high-interest debt over time, or to roll...
Forget Trying to ‘Time the Market’: Here are 5 Better Ways to Manage Volatility
Face it: There’s nothing you can do to prevent the market’s usual ups and downs. But don’t let uncertainty keep you from investing and growing your money.
Should You Invest in Bitcoin? Ask Yourself These Four Questions
There’s no easy answer to the question of whether Bitcoin is right for you. But there is a process you should follow for every high-risk investment.
Do You Have The Right Chequing Account? Here’s How (and When) To Check
There was a day — a simpler time! — when all I needed from a chequing account was the ability to receive direct deposits and a card that let me buy things. Slowly, gradually, that has changed. For a while, I got around it by relying on my business bank account, since...
3 Easy Ways to Decide How Much House You Can Afford
I can’t be the only person who has spent a lot more time scrolling real estate listings on my phone during the pandemic. Now, in my case it’s purely recreational; we love our house and we especially love Not Moving. But daydreaming about moving to a gorgeous stone...
The Other Reason to Get Life Insurance
A few months ago, I wrote a post about how to figure out whether you need life insurance. I stand by the post, but I also got some really great feedback about one thing I missed. There’s one very good reason to get life insurance that I didn’t cover in that post,...
Why We’re Not Paying Off Our Mortgage Early
Should I Increase My Credit Limit?
The easy answer to this question would be a HARD NO. My dad’s warnings about overspending still echo in my head like the Ghost of Christmas Past. But honestly? It depends. When I got my first credit card a couple years ago, I didn’t really care what my limit would be....
Does Your Credit Score Really Matter?
Like most questions in personal finance, this one has a short answer, a much longer answer and in the end it really just depends. To kick things off with the short answer, yes, your credit score matters — but there are some pretty big caveats here. When it comes to...
What Is a Good Credit Score in Canada for a Mortgage?
If you’re planning to get new digs anytime soon, you’ll need to look good for a lender. I mean, real good. First off, you’ll need a lucrative job and big bucks in the bank, especially if you want to buy in a city like Toronto. (A friend of mine recently conceded that...
I’m Never Going to Have a Perfect Credit Score — and That’s OK
I don’t have a perfect credit score. That sentence sounds like I might be admitting something truly dark and terrible, right? But here’s the thing: After five years of writing about my finances, I can confidently say I’ll never have a perfect credit score — and you...
Tips for Frugal Freshmen From a Senior Who’s Been There
Freshman year is a big leap from high school. You’re officially an Adult, and you’re expected to do Adult Things — like managing your own finances. But few 18-year-olds are really prepared for how quickly your money can vanish into nothingness, whether you’re living...
Five Years of Writing About Money: The Future of Half Banked
I started Half Banked in the middle of the summer of 2015, which makes this summer—next week, to be specific—the five year anniversary of the day I sat down to figure out how I was going to afford my life over the next five years. That was the day I realized it...
Managing Your Money Online: How to Do It Safely, From Home
Global pandemic or not, your time is valuable—and I think it’s safe to say we’re all being a bit more cautious about the number of errands we’re running and the people we’re seeing right now. Who knows how long we’ll continue to think twice about errands that used to be just a regular Saturday, you know?
How to Make Good Money Decisions in The New Normal
I want to talk to you about my car. I mean, it’s quarantine, what else is anyone doing? (Seriously, if you have something better to do please tell me, I am deeply quarantine fatigued and am taking all book, podcast, and Netflix recommendations. Want me to...
Do You Need Life Insurance? Here’s How to Find Out
This post is brought to you by PolicyMe, but all stories and opinions are my own. Figuring out if you need life insurance is one of those boring-but-important questions that everyone should answer on a regular basis. Think of it like an annual checkup, but with a...
The Best Way to Build a Personal Money System (It’s Not Spreadsheets)
A personal money system isn't actually that complicated: It's basically just how money comes into and moves out of your account, AKA cash flow. And yes, cash flow sounds like a business term, but when you think about it, understanding your personal cash flow is most...
We Need To Talk About Privilege in Personal Finance
There are two ways to look at personal finance: one of them is dismissive of the power of privilege, and one of them isn’t. It stems from a simple cognitive bias: We tend to attribute our own great money moves to internal factors, like personal choice, and focus on...
How to Get (Or Renew) a Mortgage Without Leaving The House
Even though a lot of things have stopped right now, the housing market hasn’t, and that means mortgages haven’t either—but can you get (or renew) a mortgage from home? Luckily, based on my recent experience, the answer is 100% yes. Here’s how.
Voting With Your Dollars Has Never Mattered More
Voting with your dollars is the concept that every time you buy something, you're casting a vote for that business existing. How you choose to spend your money has always mattered, but it matters even more now—both for you personally, and for the world. For you...
How I’m Managing My Money During the COVID-19 Chaos
Wow, pals. It’s only been three weeks, but what a three weeks it has been. I’ve been really quiet here as this situation has escalated, for a few reasons. One, I started following the story a bit earlier than it seems like many people in my circle did, so I have...
9 Actionable Ways to Prepare For a Recession
With the way the world is going right now, it’s no surprise that you might be wondering how to prepare for a recession. Luckily, there are some solid, common-sense, basic things you can do to prepare your finances for a recession, although quite frankly, your mileage...
How to File Your Taxes Online in Canada
Wondering how you can possibly do your taxes yourself? Trust me, it’s not as hard as Tax People make it seem (especially not with my one true tax love, SimpleTax, made by Really Great Tax People Who Want You to Be Happy.) Here’s everything you need to DIY your taxes this year.
Top 6 RRSP Myths: What You Really Need to Know (But Didn’t Want to Ask)
This post is a sponsored collaboration with Questrade, but all opinions are my own. RRSPs are a powerful way to save for your retirement, but there are plenty of myths out there about how to use them, how they work, and what you need to do to use them. Those...
Wealthsimple Cash Review: Earn 0.7% on Your Money
Wealthsimple Cash is a new spending and saving account announced in early 2020—and I've received more emails about it and whether it's a good fit for people than pretty much any launch in recent memory. That makes sense, because it's not just a savings account or just...
Why the Rent Vs. Own Argument Shouldn’t Exist
This is a guest post from Alyssa Davies, founder of Mixed Up Money, my favourite personal finance blog of all time, and writer at Zolo, my favourite real estate app in Canada. Personal finance is personal, sure. But the real personal decision that can have a...
How to Update Your Living Room on a Medium Budget
Some of the furniture in this post was provided by Article for review purposes. After living through a kitchen renovation last year, updating our living room was the last thing on my mind. Never mind that we were still using my husband’s old leather couch from his...
You Are Not Bad at Money
The most damaging thing you can do for your money is believe that you’re bad at money. I hear people say this all the time—if we’ve met in real life, you might have even said it to me. I’ve written about it before, but over the past year or so, I’ve come to believe...
Rakuten Canada Review: Earn 1-10% More Cash Back
This Rakuten Canada review is long overdue, because any time it comes up in conversation in real life, I cannot shut up about how much I love it. And honestly, I really slept on it for a long time! Rakuten Canada (formerly ebates.ca) has been around for a while,...
Black Friday Budgeting Guide: 6 Ways to Shop Smart This BFCM
There's a big part of the personal finance world that gets really up in arms (downright Grinchy!) about one of the biggest shopping events of the year: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Yours truly is not one of them, and while you won't catch me standing in line outside...
A Millennial’s Guide to the TFSA
Everything you didn’t learn in school about what the TFSA is, how it can help you retire a rich lady, and why it’s basically the worst name ever given to a tax-advantaged account.
A Millennial’s Guide to the RRSP
Your RRSP is a heckin’ powerful account that can save you a lot of money in taxes—if you use it properly. Figure out all the nuances of the account and how to use it right this way.
Willful Review: How to Make a Will Online In Canada (Plus Discount!)
I’m so excited to be sharing my Willful review with you today, pals, because this is something that even as a financial blogger, I don’t think we talk enough about: wills. Which makes sense, right, because who wants to think about dying? However, it is literally the...
The Financial Advice I’d Give Myself As a New Grad
I spend a lot of time thinking about financial advice.But even though my days right now are focused on things like my house emergency fund, I still often think about financial advice for new grads—specifically, the financial advice I wish I had received back then.
Lesson Learned: Why (and How!) I Took a Real Vacation This Summer
This summer, I did something that according to a poll by CIBC is pretty odd for someone who runs a business.
I took a vacation.
The Most Important Thing for Beginner Investors (In My Opinion Anyways)
Over the past four years, I’ve written a lot about it, but even that only scratches the surface, because investing is one of those really complex topics you could study for a decade and still learn something new every day. That’s why it can feel so intimidating—but it doesn’t have to.
Exactly How To Track (And Manage!) Your Side Hustle Income
Whether your side hustle is a few bucks here and there, or a more structured, consistent source of income, you need to manage it (and you definitely need to track it for tax time!). Here’s a system I use to do exactly that.
How to Save Time Managing Your Business Finances
This blog post is sponsored by CIBC but all opinions expressed are my own. I haven’t been shy about sharing that one of the most impactful things I’ve ever done for my personal finances is starting a business—even if it did kind of happen by accident. When I first...
Tax Credits, Tax Rates, and Tax Deductions: Decoding the 2019 Election Promises
Money is political. There, I’ve made a (very, apparently) controversial statement, so now let’s talk about taxes. Specifically, all the tax terms that are being tossed around in the Canadian election that even I, a certified personal finance nerd, am having a hard...
The Hidden Perk of Saving Up for Big Purchases
I want to talk to you guys about a backpack. A few weeks ago, I posted on Instagram about my quest to find a great, work-appropriate, stylish backpack. I currently have two solid backpacks, both promotional corporate swag items, and they serve their purpose...
Strategic Spending: How to Make Big Spending Events Work For You
This post is a paid collaboration with Tangerine, but all opinions and spending details are my own. We recently wrapped up a major project: we renovated our kitchen. This was a Major Spending Event for us, since it’s not every day we spend five figures on...
How Much Does an IKEA Kitchen Reno Cost? (Tips + Tricks)
If you’re going to do a kitchen reno, how much does an IKEA kitchen cost? This post breaks down everything we spent on our new IKEA kitchen, and where we saved money.
KOHO Review: Best Prepaid Card for Everyday Use?
Even though I've personally used KOHO as a prepaid credit card for over a year now, I’ve never done a full KOHO review—and trust me, it’s not because no one has asked. That’s why it’s high time I took this conversation out of DMs and onto the blog, because quite...
KOHO vs. STACK: Which Prepaid Card is Best For You?
When you’re looking at prepaid credit cards in Canada, you’re likely deciding between KOHO and STACK. They're the two leaders in the Canadian prepaid card space, and they both come with apps and extra perks to help you manage your spending and save more money. ...
Wealthsimple Review 2021: Investing, Saving, and Spending Made Easy
There are a lot of Wealthsimple reviews out there, but many of them lack one thing: A reviewer who has personally used them for almost four years. That’s where I come in. Wealthsimple was the first service that made it easy for me to start investing my money, and I’ve...
KOHO Premium: A Perfect Travel Card for Your Next Trip
As a longtime user of KOHO to manage my fun budget, it’s no surprise that I was excited to try out KOHO’s new Premium service—but what was a surprise was how perfectly it fit what I needed for my most recent vacation. And I only found out about it because I...
Why I’m Not Saving Half My Income Anymore
When I started this blog, it was for a simple reason: my goal was to save half my income, and I thought it’d be interesting to write about. While I’ve never shared exact numbers on my income, I like to think I’ve always been transparent about what has worked—and...
Tangerine Review—Best Online Bank in Canada?
When it comes to online banking in Canada, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better, more complete, or more user-friendly option than Tangerine Bank. Tangerine used to be the Canadian branch of ING Direct, and was acquired by Scotiabank in 2012. While the name and...
What is Diversification and Why Does It Matter In Investing?
It’s classic investment advice: diversify your portfolio! But if you’re new to the world of investing, that probably means less than nothing to you. Diversify with what? And how? The good news is, I guarantee you’re already familiar with the concept of...
Your TFSA Is a Great Way To Save (And Invest) for Retirement
This post is a sponsored collaboration with BMO SmartFolio, but all opinions and stories are my own. When you think about saving for retirement, do you think about your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)? If you’re not, you should—for a few reasons. Sure, your TFSA might...
How to Save for a New Kitchen (Part One)
If you’re wondering how to save for a new kitchen, the best advice I can give you is this: start now. (And no, not only because kitchens can come with a hefty price tag!) As you might have seen on Instagram, we’re in the early stages of a kitchen renovation. However,...
The Case for Multiple Emergency Funds
This post is sponsored by Alterna Bank, but all opinions, stories, and emergency fund anecdotes are my own. “Multiple emergency funds? But I’m having trouble even saving up one emergency fund.” If that’s what you’re thinking when you hear “multiple emergency funds,”...
5 Hard-But-Worth-It Ways to Save More Money
As a follow-up to my post about easy ways to save more money, I want to talk about the flip side of things—hard ways to save more money. Specifically, I want to talk about the very worthwhile high effort, high impact ways to make a big difference in your financial...
8 Actually-Easy Ways to Save More Money
I spoke at an event last week, and the moderator asked a great question: “What are some easy ways to save more money?” I say great question, but I completely blew it in person, and was like “Uuuhhhhhh track your spending?” Which is a great way to save more money, but...
Filing Taxes Jointly in Canada: When and How to File as a Couple
Filing your taxes as a couple is a big step in terms of feelings—you're doing money stuff together!—but here in Canada, filing jointly isn't actually all that big of a step or transition. To file jointly, there are only a few things you need to do and know. Things can...
Graduating Soon? Here Are The Money Tasks You Should Tackle (And When)
This post is sponsored by Alterna Bank, but all opinions and stories are my own. When I was a student, I was not reading personal finance blogs—let’s just make that clear right now. I wasn’t terrible with money as a student in the grand scheme of things, but I...
STACK Review: Should You Use It?
A lot of people have been asking about STACK, and how it—har dee har har—stacks up against other prepaid cards in Canada, so I originally tried it out for a month to deliver a full STACK review. For my original review in the summer of 2019, I made sure to try it out...
How to Calculate Your Net Worth: A Complete Guide
It’s time for a how-to tutorial, pals: how to calculate your net worth. Calculating and tracking your net worth over time isn’t just for people with Scrooge-McDuck money—it’s one of the best ways to get a quick look at your overall financial situation and to track...
Don’t Panic: How to Handle Worrying About Retirement Savings
If you’re worrying about your retirement savings, same. Here are the concrete, actionable steps I’m taking to feel more secure about my retirement plans.
When To Do a Financial Review (And What to Look For)
This post was sponsored by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, but all opinions and stories are my own. How do you know if it’s time to do a full financial review—and what should you look for when you do? That’s a question I’ve asked myself a lot in the past...
Should I Pay Off My Mortgage Faster? Mortgage Free Master Plan Review
If you’re wondering if you should pay off your mortgage faster, same here pals—and that’s not something I ever thought I would say. For the first two years that we had our house, I considered paying off your mortgage early to be one of those super-extreme personal...
How We Manage Money Now That We’re Married
One of the most frequent questions I’ve heard since we got married is “How do you manage your money now that you’re married?” Truly, it’s been the second-most-asked question after “How much did you spend on the wedding?” because on both counts, there aren’t many...
How to Bounce Back from Holiday Debt or Overspending
If you ended the holiday season with some holiday debt, never fear. Here are five steps to pay it off and set yourself up to avoid it next year.
EQ Bank Review: The Best Savings Account in Canada? (2020)
I have a very boring and very predictable answer when people ask me where they should stash things like their house down payment savings. “Are you in Canada? Then my answer is EQ Bank, no question.” I recommend them in comments and emails and posts so often for a...
The Best Personal Finance Books to Read in 2019
This is not your dad’s list of the best personal finance books to read in 2019. No offence to your dad either, but it often feels like the exact same books have been recommended on “best of personal finance” lists for the past thirty years. The classics are the...
Focus Areas, Goals, and Tactics: Why You Need All Three
It’s almost the High Holidays of Goal Setting: New Year’s Eve. While I am not what anyone would call a master partier, and struggle greatly with staying up until midnight—seriously, we are the couple that ghosts at 12:05AM feeling very proud that we made it through...
Four Investing Pep Talks I Give Myself When The Market is Bananas
Raise your hand if your investment accounts have been uh, less than fun to look at this year. I’m not necessarily just talking about the recent market volatility over the past six weeks either. Nope, my portfolio with Wealthsimple has been flirting with a certain...
How to DIY a Financial Literacy Plan That Works For You
This post is a paid collaboration with Tangerine, but all opinions and stories are my own. Financial literacy is one of those things that we all wish we had learned in school, right? It’s so easy to make the joke that while we were learning about isosceles triangles,...
You Should Always Read Your Insurance Policies (And What Happened When I Read Mine)
This post is a collaboration with Sonnet Insurance, but all opinions, stories, and screenshots are my own. Buying insurance is one thing, but reading your insurance policies cover-to-cover is quite another. The thing is, if you have insurance—of any kind—you need to...
How To Build a Holiday Budget That Actually Works
Wondering how you can plan for a holiday budget that actually works? (And doesn’t totally forget how much you spend on things like new shoes for the holiday party?) I got you fam, with a downloadable worksheet and everything.
How to Actually Start Investing—Without Leaving Your House
This post is sponsored by RBC InvestEase Inc. All views and opinions expressed represent my own and are based on my own research of the subject matter. I am all about making investing more accessible for everyone. I’ll never forget how intimidated I was, or how much...
Ten Ways to Celebrate Financial Literacy Month (Even If You’ve Never Heard Of It Before)
In case you hadn’t heard, November is Financial Literacy Month here in Canada. It’s a whole month dedicated to financial literacy (duh) and since that’s not exactly a super-clear definition, let’s take a second to chat about what that actually means. Financial...
Talking About Hard Stuff Is a Key Part of Personal Finance (And Life)
Raise your hand if you want to talk about what happens if your house burns down. No? Ok, then raise your hand if you want to talk about cancer. Still no? Shocking. You guys know that a big part of why I blog about money is because it needs to be talked about. From...
The Travel Credit Card I Wish I Had For Our Latest Trip
This post is a paid collaboration with CIBC, but all opinions and stories are my own. For a long time, I wouldn't have been the person to ask about travel credit cards for Canadians. If you’ve ever read a post about any of my travels, from our trip to Banff to our...
How to Find The Right Real Estate Agent for You
This post is a paid collaboration with the Real Estate Council of Ontario, but all opinions and house-hunting stories are my own. When you're house hunting, working to find the right real estate agent is important, because you want to be ready when you find a house...
4 Ways We Cut Costs on Our Wedding (And How Much Work it Really Took)
If you’ve read some of my past posts about planning our wedding, you know that we had three big priorities going into the whole process. Hosting our friends and family for a meal. A stress-free planning process. Staying out of debt. I’ve talked at length about how...
Roundup Savings Features: Three Ways To Use Them Effectively
If you missed the news last week, Wealthsimple announced that they’re adding a new feature, Roundup, to help you save more money. Basically, you link your regular cards to your Wealthsimple account, and they’ll round up every purchase to the nearest dollar and put the...
Regretting Your Past Money “Mistakes” Isn’t Helpful
When you’re learning how to manage your finances, it’s easy to look back at past behaviour, and past spending patterns, and cringe a little bit (or a lot bit, depending on the situation). I know, because earlier this year, I went through my archives as part of...
The One Rule That Prevented Me From Taking on More Debt
Because planning a wedding wasn’t enough, in the middle of last year, we started talking about renovating our kitchen. Not actually renovating, to be clear, but discussing it. It’s our next big house priority after the roof, since our cabinets have seen better days,...
What I Learned From Spending 75% of Our Wedding Budget on One Thing
As part of preparing my session for the Canadian Financial Summit, on how to plan and finance a "medium-budget" wedding, I did a quick pie chart to break down how much we spent on each category. Similar to the One Minute Budget, and percentage-based budgets in...
Five Ways to Learn About Money for Free (Without Leaving The House)
Learning about money in real life can be intimidating. Where do you go? Do you have to wear a suit? What if they think you know more than you do?! Here’s how to learn about money without ever having to leave the house.
How to Plan An Affordable Honeymoon (That You’ll Absolutely Love)
Weddings are not cheap (usually). Travel is not cheap (usually, unless you’re a travel hacker extraordinaire, which I am not). When you’re planning a honeymoon, aka travel that typically happens right after a wedding, you’re likely looking at a very not-cheap few...
What You Should Read While I’m Away
As a lot of you know, I'm taking a few weeks off to celebrate my wedding this summer (here's a post about how we budgeted for the wedding, and the best wedding budget tips I've found this year!). That starts today, and I'll be back on August 20th with a new post! But...
Should I Save or Pay Down Debt? Here’s How to Figure It Out
One of the most commonly asked questions I see in my inbox is some version of "Should I save or pay down debt?" Most of the time there are specifics involved, and while this is one of those questions I put heavy disclaimers around answering—I'm not a financial...
How to Start Investing As a Total Beginner: 4 Easy Options
This is it, the moment you’ve been waiting for. Today, we’re going to talk about some of the most accessible ways for you to actually invest your money. Because you know what? You’re ready. That is, you're ready if you're reading this and you already have... A good...
Budgeting for Splurges: How to Build A Realistic Spending Plan
Have you ever completely blown your budget because of a splurge you really wanted—and then felt horribly guilty about it? I'll wait while everyone admits to themselves that yes, we've all done this, because we're human. Saying you've never done this either means...
How to Prep Financially to Go Full-Time Freelance
This post is a collaboration with TD Insurance, but all opinions are my own. I’ve been running Half Banked as a side hustle alongside my full-time job for three years now. At different points during that time, there were moments when I sat down to evaluate whether I...
5 Thoughts After One Year of Home Ownership
In honour of the one-year anniversary of moving into our house (this Friday!) I wanted to share some thoughts I have about our first year in the house has been like, and on home ownership in general. The type of house you buy will impact your lifestyle a lot. The...
Short-Term Money Goals: How to Set Them And Save For Them
If you have some short-term money goals (aka anything under three years) there are some key ways you can optimize your savings efforts—and make sure you still have a life at the same time.
Saving For Retirement: Is It Even Possible?
The internet is so mad! Again! About retirement guidelines! If you’ve seen the “by 35, you should…” meme out of context, it’s all based on an article in MarketWatch that recommended—accurately—that you should have 2x your salary put away for retirement by the age of...
Mortgage Insurance: Why Most People Really, Truly Should Not Buy It
When I got my first credit card, the bank offered me balance insurance on it. If something bad were to happen, the balance insurance would cover the full balance of my credit card. I turned it down, because I knew I didn't need it. I don't carry a balance month to...
How Much Do I Actually Need in My Emergency Fund?
Follow along as I break down exactly how I planned my emergency fund savings goal, and what it ended up being.
What I’d Do Differently If We Bought Our House Again
This post is a paid collaboration with BMO, but all opinions are my own. It’s been over a year since we legally bought our house (the part where we signed the papers and fulfilled all of our conditions) and almost a year since we moved, so I’m feeling a little...
Sticking To a Wedding Budget: The Three Best Tips I’ve Found
Last summer, on the same day we took possession of our new house, The Boyfriend became The Fiance, and we got engaged. Which was, let's be real, the easiest part of planning our wedding, at least for me. All I had to do was say yes. I'm definitely excited to be...
What Tracking My Calories Taught Me About Money
You would think, for all the articles I’ve written about tracking your spending, that I wouldn’t be so surprised at the power of tracking, right? Like “Desirae, you’ve been talking about this for almost three years. You are the annoying cheerleader for tracking that...
Learning About Money is Just Like Learning About Makeup (Or Anything Else)
When was the last time you learned something new? (Are you learning about money right now, and that’s why you’re here? High heckin’ fives.) If it’s not literally happening right now, it’s easy to forget how scary and intimidating it can feel to step into something as...
Can You Afford A Car? Three Simple Ways to Figure It Out
For such a big purchase, I find that people don't talk all that much about whether or not you can actually afford a car—whether it's how much car you can afford, or affordability rules, or really anything along those lines. Like sure, judge me all you want for...
How to Spend (or Save!) Your Tax Refund for Maximum Happiness
If you’ll be getting money back from filing your taxes this year… yay! While there are a lot of Totally Optimal Things You Should Always Do with that money, here’s a different look at it. How can you spend the money to achieve maximum happiness?
How to Save an Emergency Fund: A True Five-Year Story
If you’re looking for a quick, pithy article about how to save an emergency fund, this is not it. I mean, I can give you the basics, which is to set a goal, save money every month, and then hit that goal—but that’s not all that helpful. Especially if you’re just...
Paying Off Debt: Did I Miss The Panic Memo?
I have debt. A few years ago that sentence would have sent me into a total tailspin. I was always so adamant about not carrying credit card debt (still am, btw) and I even bought my first car in cash. Debt was not a part of my financial life. But right now, it is....
Four Real-Life Ways to Build Confidence About Money
It’s easy to be confident about money if you’ve got a formal education in finance, or if you’ve been rocking your money management for ages. But if you’re not quite there yet? There are steps you can take as part of your everyday life (no marathon study sessions...
PSA: Your CRA Account Really Is Amazing And You Should Use It
If you’re filing your taxes online (in Canada, that is) you need to know about these two bananas-great things the CRA offers to make your life easier. I know, not what you were expecting, but they’re legitimately awesome.
Should I Contribute More to My RRSP This Year?
If you’re being inundated with emails and messages about how you should contribute more to your RRSP, don’t worry. Here’s everything you need to know about making the right choice for you, sans sales pressure (your RRSP will still be there on March 2nd.)
What You Can Learn About Money from Watching Queer Eye
This show isn’t all about warm fuzzy feelings (even though it’s also totally about that.) There are some key things you can learn about spending money from the new season of Queer Eye.
What You Need To Do Before You Earn More Money
There’s one horrible, no-good, very-bad money phrase you need to strike from your vocabulary: “I’ll do it when I make more money.” Saying this can cost you literally thousands of dollars, so here’s what to do instead.
How To Make a Dead-Simple Budget (And How I’ve Drastically Simplified Mine)
There’s a time and a place for full-on budgets, for sure. But if you’re a pro who’s tired of allocating $13 a month to “shampoo” in your budget, this will help you drastically simplify your budgeting efforts.
I’m Spending a Lot On Uber—Should I Buy A Car?
Someone emailed me an awesome question: if you’re spending a ton on things like Uber, is it time to buy a car? Here’s how to tackle that question for yourself, based on your unique situation (and the real costs of car ownership.)
How to Buy Renter’s Insurance (Online, In Under Five Minutes)
If you don’t have renter’s insurance, and you’re renting? Stop everything right now and read this post. $15 a month could save your butt in the worst-case scenario, and buying renter’s insurance is so much easier than it sounds.
That Time I Burnt Out, Hard (And What I’m Doing Differently This Year)
2017 was a year of hustle, and because that was my focus, it got done. This year is all about finding a balance, especially because last year, I burnt out hard. This is how I’m coming back from it.
How to Do Good and Save Money This Holiday Season
The holiday season is about giving, but did you know that it can be an especially great time to donate money to your fave charities? Here is why, and how it might have a great impact on your taxes for the year.
Yes, Financial Confidence Is For People Like You
Ever feel like finance just “isn’t for you”? Like maybe it’s for old dudes in suits exclusively? It’s not. Everyone deserves to feel confident about their money, and luckily, it’s easier than ever to get started.
A Gift Guide For (or From) The Personal Finance Nerd in Your Life
Wondering what to buy for the personal finance nerd in your life this holiday season—or how to give the gift of personal finance knowledge without it being hella weird? I got you with this gift guide.
I’m Not a Black Friday Hater (Sorry Not Sorry, Personal Finance)
There’s a lot of hate around Black Friday Cyber Monday in personal finance circles, but I’m not here for it. I think that there are a lot of ways to approach this shopping season that are totally A-OK.
Can Artificial Intelligence Help You Save More Money?
Can new technology help you save more money? With this new offering from RBC, the answer is definitely yes – and you don’t need to download an app or give away your banking login to make it happen.
Budgeting as a Student (or, How to Handle The Weirdest Income You’ll Ever Have)
When I look back at my time as a student, I realize my budget (or lack thereof) was best defined as “dumb luck.” It all worked out, sure, but not because of any kind of system. Here’s what I wish I had done instead.
You Don’t Need to “Save” That Much for Retirement
If you’ve seen any standard retirement advice, like “Save 1x your income by the time you’re 30” and been horrified—don’t worry. You don’t need to save that much, as long as you’re investing your money. Here’s how.
How to Save Money on Gas (With Your Existing Credit and Debit Cards)
If you have a car, you definitely fill it up—but did you know there’s a way to save money on every purchase you make at the gas station (in Canada)? Check out how you can do it, no new loyalty cards required.
How Much Money Going (Mostly) Vegetarian Is Actually Saving Me
There is a lot of hype around how eating less meat, or no meat, can save you a lot of money. Here is a real-life look at how much I have saved on our grocery bill by cutting meat out of my diet for the past few months.
You Don’t Need a Joint Account, You Need a Joint Spreadsheet
There is sooooo much talk about joint accounts between couples—but trust me, you don’t actually need one. If you want to start sharing a few things with a partner, there’s an easier (and more effective) way to do it.
You Can Buy a House Even If It’s Not a “Good Investment”
One of my most “controversial” opinions is that you should treat your house as a place you live, not an investment… because it’s not. That doesn’t mean you can’t buy a house if you want one, though. You just need to do these things first.
How to Plan Your Wedding Budget (And Your Regular Budget)
Planning out a wedding budget isn’t all that different than planning out your regular budget—so whether or not you’re engaged, this post has solid money advice you can apply to your money.
One Simple Way to Kickstart Your Money-Saving Habits
If you want to scale down your spending and find more money in your budget, there’s no need to get extreme about it. This simple step will help you make manageable, do-able progress towards your money goals.
Can I Afford That Luxury Thing?
It’s so easy to feel guilty spending on things that feel luxurious—but sometimes that guilt is totally unnecessary. Here’s how you can figure out whether you can afford to spend on that luxury thing, guilt-free.
The Two Ways You Can Squeeze Your Budget
You can try to squeeze more into your budget, or you can try to squeeze more out of your budget. Here’s which one is best, and how it’ll make you way happier than the other (and less stressed, too).
How to Find a Cheap Cell Phone Plan in Canada
When I started shopping around for a new cell phone plan, it seemed impossible to find a good, cheap plan in Canada. That is, until I found my current plan, with a company you should really consider.
Why I’m Not Wearing The Same Thing Every Day Anymore
I was one of those people who fully embraced the “work uniform” concept, for over two years. Then… I stopped. Here’s why, and what I’ve learned from doing and stopping a work uniform approach.
Four Real-Life Ways You Can Save Money on Food
Groceries and restaurants can be two of the biggest budget line items in anyone’s budget (after housing, of course). Scaling back on them isn’t easy, because you need to eat, but these four tips will help you do it sans giving up the stuff you love to eat.
The Best and Worst Parts of My Second Year Blogging About Money
It’s been two years now that I’ve been running Half Banked, and here are my absolutely favourite parts so far—and the things that were… ahem… challenging. It’s not all fun and games, even if it is mostly fun and games!
Dear Millennial, You Don’t Need Whole or Cash-Value Life Insurance
You might have already gotten a sales pitch about whole life insurance, or you might get one in the future. I’m here to help, by explaining why you almost 100% do not need whole life insurance, and what you should get instead when you do need some kind of life insurance.
“Everyone Does It” Isn’t a Financial Plan
Even if something seems normal, because everyone you know is doing it, doesn’t mean it’s a good financial plan (or even a reasonably good idea). Here’s what to do instead, with some specific examples of Things Not To Do—that everyone definitely does.
Everything That Was and Was Not Worth Buying For Our New House
We bought a lot of things when we moved into our new house. Like… a LOT of things. Here’s everything that was definitely worth it, and that we’d buy again, and what we’d skip if we had a do-over.
“You Should Care Less” Is Terrible Money Advice
There’s a specific kind of financial advice that drives me batty. It’s when people advise you to just stop spending money on something they consider frivolous—even if it’s something you love. It’s bad advice for a number of reasons, and the first one is that is just doesn’t work.
How to Save Thousands By Saying The Right Things to Customer Service Reps
It can be intimidating to call in and ask for help—especially if you have no idea what to say—but speaking up the right way could save you major money. Here’s how to do it, with specific examples, from an expert!
What Are Your Odds of Being a Winning Stock Picker?
It is so, so, so tempting to buy individual stocks, especially if you hear people around you having great success with it. But will you actually be able to beat the market and “win” at picking stocks? Here are your actual odds.
The Tactic That Helped Me Hit My House Down Payment Savings Goal
When you’re saving up for a house, every penny counts. No seriously, every penny. When you’re looking for ways to add money to your savings, don’t overlook tactics like this one that can help add hundreds to your savings goal.
What You Can Learn About Investing From a Guy Who Made 3089% on His Ethereum Investment (…Sort Of)
I sat down with my fiance to talk about his cryptocurrencies—what he has, how he got it, and what it all means. We’re not retiring on his Bitcoin or anything, but there are some solid lessons for anyone about investing in here, even if you still don’t really “get” crypto.
How to Budget for a New House (Without Giving Up Everything You Like)
Listen, planning to give up all the stuff you like, FOREVER, just to afford a house is a bad plan. You will cave eventually, and you will be miserable in the meantime. Here is how to balance your budget for both—your house and the stuff you love.
6 Key Things You Need to Know About CMHC And Closing Costs
If you’re buying a home (in Canada), you’ll need to be really careful about planning for CMHC and other closing costs. I mean, you’ll have closing costs anywhere, sure, but these ones are what you need to watch out for here!
You Don’t Need to Buy a House
There’s a lot of pressure out there to omg-buy-a-house-ASAP… but it turns out, you can be a successful human who will retire just fine even if you never own property. Here’s a few of the ways people will convince you to buy, and how to reply if you’re just not ready yet (or ever).
How to Get Pre-Approved For a Mortgage (Even If You Have No Idea Where to Start)
If you’re gearing up to get pre-approved for your first mortgage (yay! so exciting!) here’s what you’ll need to know to make the process totally smooth and stress-free.
How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?
When we sold our place, I kept track of everything we spent on the process—and spoiler alert, it was not cheap. (And that’s not even counting the sheer stress of the process, although I did count some of the convenience purchases we made to alleviate the stress!)
The Easiest $4,190.74 I Ever Made (And How You Can Make It, Too)
Passive income is a real thing—but maybe not in the way that you’re thinking. Running a blog? Not passive income. Investing your money, and having it work for you? Pretty heckin’ passive. Here’s how I got started.
How To Get Your Financial Life Together (+ Giveaway!)
If you’re looking for a book designed to help you get your financial life together, look no further! This is a review of Broke Millennial, by Erin Lowry, which shot to the top of my book-recommendation list when it came out.
The Secret to Finding Your Magic Money Number
What’s a “magic money number”? And how can you find out what it is for you? (It’s different for everyone, FYI.) This guest post from Alyssa at Mixed Up Money breaks it all down for you.
Two Big Problems With Budgeting Advice
Not all the budgeting advice out there is worth listening too, for two major reasons. Here’s how to work around them, and figure out what actually works for your life.
How To Build a Budget (Plus, Cookies!)
Wondering how you can build a budget that works for real life? Here’s what baking The Hardest Cookies Known To Man (in skill, not consistency) taught me, and how the heck that all applies to money.
Or, And, If: Three Magic Words for Your Budget
This is not some “The Secret” post about how if you just think magically, money will show up in your life. Nope, it’s much more focused on how to make choices and think of options you had never considered—especially not when every piece of standard wisdom says you can’t do this stuff.
I Went Over Budget This Month (And What To Do If You Did, Too)
There will be months – possibly many of them – where try as hard as you might, you go way the heck over budget. This is how I handle it, and how you can make sure it ends up being a productive thing for you and your money (and hey, it happens!)
How to Save a Five Figure Down Payment (And What To Do After That)
Before you can buy a house, you need to come up with a downpayment – and saving it is easier said than done. Here are the best tips to save up five figures for a house, based on my experience doing exactly that.
Five Things To Do Before Buying a House
Looking for a list of things you should tackle before you buy a house? Step right up pals, because I did all the heavy lifting for you. Here are the top five things you need to tackle before you buy a house.
When is $150 More Than $150?
To celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, RBC asked Canadians how they would use $150 to make an impact in their communities—and then they actually gave them the money to make it happen. Here’s just a few of the amazing stories.
The Real Truth About How I Save Half My Income
Yes, I started this blog to try to save half my income. Yes, I got there (eventually). But there’s more to the story than that, which is why I’m pulling back the curtain with some real-talk about how it happened.
Four Ways to Be Good at Money That Don’t Suck
Not everything about money has to be all “deprivation this” and “stop spending that”. There are plenty of ways to be A+ at money that don’t suck, and here are four major ones you can do anytime.
How (And When) to Start Online Banking
Sure, starting to bank online is A Thing I Recommend, but I’m not naive: I know it can feel like a pretty big step for a lot of people, especially since it can seem like this big black hole of “How?!” questions. How do I actually sign up? How do I switch over all of...
In Praise of Weird Spending
Trust me, everyone has weird spending patterns—and it actually makes you better at money. Here’s how.
10 Things Millennials Need to Do With Their Money ASAP
While I’m not usually a fan of things you “have” to do…. this is a list of the ones I 100% stand behind. (And they’re not all that hard!)
Exactly Why (and How!) You Should Track Your Spending
Tracking my spending has been the most powerful thing I’ve ever done for my money, and it’s honestly not even close. Here’s how you can do it yourself—plus, you can snag the spreadsheet I use and love.
The Best Investment You Can Make in 2017
Trust me, it’s something anyone can do – even if you don’t consider yourself an “investor.”
Manage Your Money Like a Pro – Even If You’re “Not” One
Not sure where to begin when it comes to creating a plan to manage your money? Start here, with these four steps that are totally do-able for beginners and pros alike.
There’s No Such Thing as “Money Goals”
Um, what?! It’s true—money goals aren’t really a thing. The things you (and I!) think of as money goals are really just in service of our actual goals, whether it’s homeownership, travel, or whatever it is we really want.
How to Get Your Annual Credit Card Fee Waived
If you’ve got a credit card with an annual fee, here’s a few different ways to get it waived.
6 Money Lessons We All Need To Learn (A CPFC Recap)
Here’s everything I learned (and did) at the Canadian Personal Finance Conference in 2016.
How Not To Choose Between a TFSA and an RRSP
It’s been a while since I shared a hilarious tale of the times I did the opposite of what standard financial advice - whether my own or someone else’s - would have recommended in that situation. For reference, the things I’ve been an example of how NOT to do include...
Managing Your Money is Like Riding a Bike
You’re not born knowing how to manage your money, just like you’re not born knowing how to ride a bike. You need to learn both in order to do them – but money is way less optional than biking.
How Much It Cost Me To Wear The Same Thing Every Day
Since this is a financial blog, it seems only fitting that I’d write about the money side of wearing the same thing to work every day—which is something I did for almost two years, so I speak from experience.
Yes, You Can Have Your Latte and Your Money Goals
You don’t have to give up your lattes (or those other things you like) to be “good at money”. You just have to be intentional about spending on the things that matter to you.
“Do You Like Your Credit Card?” Is The Wrong Question
If you need to (or want to) explore your credit card options, you might think that asking friends if they like their credit card is the right question. Spoiler alert: it’s not, and isn’t how you should look for a card. Here’s why.
Everything I Learned From Tracking My Spending For a Year
I learned a lot during the first year I tracked my spending – some good things, some uh… not so good. But at the end of the day, the lessons were so worth it. If you’re thinking of tracking your spending, here’s what you might get out of it.
How Much It Cost To Run a Blog For a Year
How much did I actually spend on my blog in the first year I tracked my spending? Here’s the result (and spoiler alert, it went up the next year, haha.) If you’re thinking of starting a blog, consider these costs as part of your plans!
How Much It Cost To Have a Dog For a Year
Wondering how much – like, to the penny – I spent on my luxury dog this year? (Luxury because of his costs, not his breed, lol.) Here’s the full breakdown based on a year of tracking my spending.
How Much It Cost To Own a Used Car For a Year
I like to consider myself a fairly frugal car person. Probably because as any Real Car Person would tell you, I’m not a car person at all. That factor alone helps keep my car costs way down, but I wanted to know: how much does it really cost to own a used car for a...
The Case for Multiple Savings Accounts
I am all about having multiple savings accounts. Here’s why, and how they can help you level up your financial situation.
Exactly How Much I Spent (And Saved) on a 10-Day Trip to the Canadian Rockies
We spent ten days travelling in the Rockies, and this is everything we did (plus how much it costs!)
How To Cut Your Phone Bill (And Your Clutter)
Trimming your cell phone bill is a great way to save money every month – this collab with Public Mobile can help you do it.
Five Great Posts You Need To Read ASAP
Here are five excellent blog posts that will help you seriously up your money game—from women who are killing the game.
A Year in the Life of a Personal Finance Blogger
This is what my first year of blogging about money on the internet was *really* like.
How To Avoid Spending Your Savings
If you’re saving money, in an ideal world, you won’t spend it… but we don’t always live in an ideal world. This is a real-world approach to keeping your savings where you want them: in your bank account.
Why I Finally Increased My Retirement Savings
I never thought that saving an extra $25 a month would have a big impact on my retirement… except it turns out, it really, really does. Here’s the tool I used to figure it out.
The Problem with Video Games is Leisure-Time Shaming
You deserve time off to do the things you like, no matter what they are. There’s nothing inherently wrong with however you like to spend your free time.
A Real-Life Time Machine for Your Money
Ever wish you could go back in time and like, buy Apple when they were just starting? You can’t, but there is something you can do today that’s basically the same thing.
10 Amazing Reasons to Automate Your Investments
Wondering if automating your investments is right for you? Here’s ten reasons why it is (yes, for you!)
Exactly How To Handle Not Hitting Your Money Goals
If you’ve got money goals, there’s going to come a day when you don’t end up hitting them. Don’t worry – it’s not the end of the world, and you can actually use it to get better at money.
How to Budget for Non-Monthly Expenses
The one thing that can really throw a wrench in your monthly budget? Irregular expenses. Whether it’s an insurance payment, a medical purchase, a vet bill or something else entirely, here’s how to plan for them so you can handle them with ease.
How Much Do I Need to Save for a House Downpayment?
If you’re thinking of buying a house, you’re probably doing the back-and-forth battle between saving more (to avoid CMHC fees) and buying earlier. Here’s how much you actually need to save for a downpayment.
My Biggest Money Challenge? Not Knowing How To Start
Even when you know what the right thing to do IS, that doesn’t mean that you know how to do it.
Can I Afford The Average House in Ottawa?
Whether or not you can afford a house relies on a few basic numbers. I broke them down using the Ottawa market as an example.
In Defense of the Fun Budget
No matter what your goals are, or how tight money is, you have to allocate at least something to spend on things you like—no matter how little it is, it’ll save your budget. Seriously.
How To Choose The Right Robo-Advisor For You
If you’ve heard all the robo-advisor hype, and you’re sold on the approach but need a bit of help choosing one? This is what you need to know before you invest with a robo-advisor.
This Millennial Plans on Retiring. Here’s How.
One of the most dangerous things millennials can say about money is “Oh, I’ll never retire.” You probably will, and it’ll be way better if you plan for it a little bit. Here’s how.
5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me (About Money) As A New Grad
These pieces of advice were hard lessons to learn when I was a new grad, and they’re the things I’d tell myself if I could go back to that time.
That Time I Finally Switched My Car Insurance
If you’ve never comparison shopped your car insurance, you might be surprised at how much you can save. I sure was, which is why I (finally) switched my car insurance provider.
What You Need To Know Before You Start Investing
There are a few key things to know before you jump into investing – but it’s not as many as you think, and they’re easier than you think, too.
5 Crazy-Valuable Money Steps You Can Take in Less Than an Hour
You don’t have to commit tons of time to make a big impact on your money. Here are five quick wins you can score in under an hour.
That Time I Saved Half My Income (March Spending Recap)
I don’t do regular updates anymore, but when I did, this was a big one: I finally managed to save half my income. Here’s how I did it, and what I spent money on.
How Not to Choose and Manage Credit Cards
There’s a right way and a wrong way to choose and manage your credit cards – and LOLOLOL I did it the wrong way for a heckin’ long time. Learn from my mistakes right this way.
This is Why Your Budget Isn’t Working
There’s one key step most people (myself very much included) skip when it comes to budgeting, and it’s a crucial one.
How To Handle the Mid-Month Money Blues
If you’re tracking your spending this month, and you’ve been studiously avoiding your spreadsheet because you know you’re over budget already? This is exactly how to handle it productively.
Is It Worth It To Join a Gym?
A gym membership is one of those weird things when it comes to your money. It can be a totally useless expense, or it can be the best money you spend every month.
Did I Actually Save Half My Income? (February Spending Recap)
Back when I still did spending recaps, this was a look at how one month (specifically, February) went in terms of my spending and saving.
Yes, You Can Survive On An Entry-Level Salary
These are the strategies that helped me do exactly that. It’s not easy, but it is definitely possible.
Should I Take an RRSP Loan?
Even if you don’t ever read this post, the answer is no. Here’s why not.
Does Your Savings Rate Matter When You’re Investing? (I Find Out By Accident.)
If you’re just getting started with investing, does how much you save matter more than your investment returns? I found out by accident.
Do You Really Know How Much You Spent On That?
If you aren’t tracking your spending, I’d bet there’s a lot of spending that goes unnoticed for you – and it’s not your fault. It’s literally just how our brains work.
5 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Pet Together
Thinking about getting a pet with your significant other? Here’s what you two need to discuss first – and they are not optional.
How Not to Buy Car Insurance: A True Story
Learn from my mistakes, pals. This is how I bought car insurance, and spoiler alert: it was the wrong way, and I way overpaid for the coverage I needed.
The Power of Fresh Starts
Even if it’s not the new year right now, you can still give yourself the gift of a fresh start – with your money or any of your other goals.
Should I Use a Line of Credit as an Emergency Fund?
If you’re considering using your line of credit as an emergency fund, here’s what to think about before making that call.
3 Things You’ll Hear If You Wear The Same Thing Every Day
I wore the same thing to work every day for two years. If you’re thinking of doing the same thing, you’re probably wondering what people will think. Here’s the three things I heard from my coworkers about the whole thing (it’s not what you think).
How Much Does It Cost To Have a Dog Per Month?
If you’re thinking about getting a dog, you’ve probably heard people say dogs are expensive. I heard the same thing before getting one, but holy heck, people are not joking. Here’s how much our doggo costs us each month.
Don’t Make a Bucket List. Do This Instead.
Instead of focusing on what you want to do, try focusing on the stuff you’ve already done.
What A $10,000 Hotel Room Taught Me About Money
Staying in a super-luxury hotel taught me a few key lessons about money, and how I want to spend it.
The Secret to Building Great Money Habits
If you understand this one concept, and how you fit into it, you’ll have a much easier time switching up your money habits.
Don’t Set Money Goals Without Habits – And Vice Versa
If you’re aiming for a new money goal, you need to look at how your habits do (or don’t) support that goal.
My Personal Finance Goal for 2016? Not Anonymity.
This one time, I decided to stop being “anonymous” on the blog—because I wasn’t very good at it. This is that announcement post, plus a now-cringeworthy video.
#MerryMoney: DIY Can Save Your Holiday Budget
If you’re coming up to an expensive holiday season, DIY-ing some gifts can be a big help to stay within your budget.
#MerryMoney: How To Set a Holiday Spending Limit
The easiest way to stay within your holiday spending limit is to set one in the first place. Here’s how to do it based on your unique financial and holiday situation.
#MerryMoney: Have the Awkward Holiday Money Chat
You know what will be a bigger help to your holiday budget than almost anything else? Talking openly about it with your loved ones. (You can do it, I promise.)
Make the Most of Your #GivingTuesday
The day after Black Friday Cyber Monday is Giving Tuesday – and in case you hadn’t heard of it, here’s how to make the most of it.
What’s a Good Night’s Sleep Worth to You?
Personally, the answer is “a lot.” That’s why I ended up spending money to upgrade my sleeping situation – sometimes, frugality isn’t the answer!
Increase Your Savings Rate: It’s Not Just For Retirement
There’s a lot of talk about how saving “more” than the recommended amount can help you retire early – but it can help you do a whole lot more than that too.
When “Free” Just Isn’t Worth It
No matter how free something is, if it doesn’t also hit this one criteria, you shouldn’t accept it. Period.
Do You Need a Pet Emergency Fund?
If you have a pet, do you need a pet emergency fund? This post breaks down the pros and cons, and the strategy I’m using to make sure my dog is totally covered.
4 Ways Emergency Funds Make Getting Fired Way Better
Getting fired kind of sucks. Getting fired sucks way less when you know how you’re going to pay your rent even if you aren’t getting a paycheque.
My $458 Lesson in How To Adult Properly
Sometimes, things come out of left field and ruin a perfectly balanced month of budgeting. This was one of those times.
Mindful Budgeting Might Be The Easiest Budgeting Ever
This is a quick review of Cait Flander’s Mindful Budgeting Program, which I bought when I was starting to tackle my money—but you can now get it for free!
Three (And A Half?) Can’t-Miss Personal Finance Podcasts
These personal finance podcasts are ones that really helped me when I was just getting started writing about money.
Don’t Make Advertising Your Leisure-Time Reading
One strategy I used to cut down on my spending was to cut way down on my magazine consumption, because it was showing me a ton of things I “needed” to buy.
Weekly Wrap-Up: Books, Blogs and The Best Money I Spent
A weekly recap of the week that was, including some of my favourite blog posts from the personal finance world, great books you should know about, the best money I spent this week and more. Happy Sunday, friends! I’m Currently Reading... I took a trip to the library...
A Budget-Friendly Website Redesign: Half Banked’s New Look
This budget breakdown for my site redesign is pretty out of date, and I spent more than this on my latest design! But it’s good if you want to check on the history of my site.
How To Attend a Festival on A Budget
While I was trying hard to find new ways to save, I made sure to be extra-frugal about everything – including festival attendance. Here’s everything I did to make it happen.
What You Can Learn from Tracking Your Spending
I’ve learned a lot from tracking my spending, but these lessons early in the process really stood out—plus, I can confidently say they stand the test of time, since I’ve been tracking for almost three years now.
Save Money by DIY-ing Your Own Art Prints
If you have some basic Photoshop or image editing skills, you can DIY a surprising amount of wall art that looks totally professional, for super cheap.
Is It Crazy to Cut Your Own Hair?
One of the weird frugal things that I actually enjoyed was starting to cut my own hair. I still do it, and am totally used to it, although I’m not sure I’ll do it forever. Here’s how I made the call to start.
5 Strategies to Score Awesome Second-Hand Stuff
I’ve found my share of pre-owned greatness, and this post breaks down the places and things I’ve found second-hand (that are just as good, if not better, than buying new!)
How To Split Grocery Expenses with Anyone
This system works whether you’re sharing all your food 50/50 with a partner, or just splitting staples with your roommates. Put it to work to help simplify your sharing, sans joint accounts.
How Not to Start an Emergency Fund
Learn from my mistakes! For years, my emergency fund was my “everything” fund, and because of that, it never got up to anything close to a reasonable amount of money. Here’s what I did wrong.
Little Car: The Toyota Yaris That Could (Be Purchased Outright)
There was a very good reason I bought my first car in cash, and to be honest, it wasn’t that I was really adamantly against debt. It was much more boring and practical.
Monthly Challenge: Tracking Every. Single. Penny.
This is the post that started a big part of what I believe is the most powerful thing you can do for your money: it’s the first month I ever tracked my spending.
Why I’m Glad I Invested Right Before The Downturn
I’m so glad that I finally invested my money, even if I did choose pretty much the worst week to do it. Here’s why that doesn’t matter to me, even though I “lost” money.
Adventures in Replacing My Starbucks Habit
Another one of my posts from when I was seriously focused on being as frugal as I possibly could. This one, in retrospect, was ILL-ADVISED. I’m back on the Starbucks train, if you’re wondering.
Frugal Flavour Hack: Bulk Spices
One of the easiest ways I’ve ever found to SIGNIFICANTLY cut your food spending? Buy your spices in bulk. It’s worth a second trip, too – prices can be up to 10x lower.
How I Saved an Extra $1155.12 a Year in 30 Minutes
This strategy has often saved me money, and it’s something you can do to save more cash on an annual basis.
Pay for Pet Insurance, or Save for a Pet Emergency?
If you have a pet, you need to be able to cover their expenses when they come up. To do that, should you get pet insurance, or save for a pet emergency?
Don’t Be Scared To Bring Up Your Budget
If you’re worried about how to bring up your budget when friends suggest expensive plans? Right this way, pals. I am a master of this awkward convo.
Why I (Finally) Switched to Tangerine
Tangerine is still the bank I use every single day, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice. Here’s why I finally made the swap, and what the process was like.
Why I Wear The Same Thing Every Day
This one time, I went full Steve Jobs and decided to wear the same thing every day to work. Here’s why, what happened, and how much it cost (and yes, I’m a woman, and yes, it is possible for us to do this too).
Financial FOMO, or Why I’m Saving 50% of My Income
You’ve heard about regular FOMO, but what about financial FOMO? It’s why I’m saving so much of my income, and this is a breakdown of exactly why.
Will a Costco Membership Save Me Money?
A few years ago, I made the decision to get a Costco membership. Did it save me money? This is how I broke down the choice (and it turns out, I was right).
Killing My “Sacred Cow” Spending: Books
Some seasons of your life will call for you to scale back on spending to hit your goals, and when I was first starting my journey, I scaled way back on a category I’d always given myself a free pass on: books.
The Life-Changing Magic of Saving
This is the official first post that started it all, and it’s a… uh… good indication that no one’s first post is great, haha. Leaving it up for posterity more than anything!
If you made it this far, you’re a pro by now.
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