by Laurie Campbell on July 22, 2010
Fellow Canadians, we are in debt big time according to a recent report by the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada.
Despite all the cautionary tales we might have learned from simply watching the evening news during the past couple of years, household debt in Canada reached $1.41 trillion at the end of 2009. That translates to a debt load of $41,740 for every man, woman and child in the country.
Now debt in and of itself is not a bad thing. Credit helps drive the economy, and it allows us to enjoy material goods that would otherwise be beyond our financial reach. Problems come in when we reach too far, too fast. And much of the overreaching has to do with what is called consumer debt, as opposed to secured debt. [click to continue…]
by Emma Rogers on July 19, 2010
Last weekend my nephew flew into a fit of embittered rage after I beat him three games straight at table top hockey. Not once has he beaten me at anything, not even hide and seek because that’s the kind of aunt I am. He’s five. Maybe I should let him win once in a while but that’s another topic.
The fit of rage ended as abruptly as it started when he yelled at me, “you don’t love me! You never buy me anything!” (anything pronounced, ‘Annnnnnnnie Thennnnnng’ for effect). This from the kid who has a savings account the size of the Greek deficit. Some of the proceeds of which came from myself, trying to balance cash and toys to avoid spending too much money on well…crap… that he would play with once or twice, hoping that a little later the funds would be able to help him out with say, an education! I did something I’ve never done before and summoned his mother and told her what he said. She was unfazed, clearly she’d heard it all before but she saw that I was upset so he was directed to his room. My sister assured me, whilst dragging him down the hallway, that he was just tired. Tired?! He protested, passionately the whole way like he was an innocent victim en route to death row. [click to continue…]
