With tax season in full swing we know many Canadians are trying to focus more so on their tax return as opposed to actually filing their taxes. Should you splurge on a long awaited purchase? Book a vacation? Or put money away? And if you do decide to save your tax return, what’s the best option? What are the differences between a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and a Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)? Here is a simplified comparison to help you decide which plan is smarter to invest in. RRSP 101 Gail Vaz Oxlade, Author of “Debt-Free Forever” and financial planning TV show host, explains RRSPs in the perfectly simplified way. Vaz Oxlade says to place a $20 in a box, and place an umbrella over the box. The box is a savings account; the umbrella is the RRSP plan registration. This visual description helps us understand how the...
St. Patrick’s Day is often celebrated by dressing in green and drinking Irish beer. But not all the St. Patty’s Day celebrations have to start and finish in a pub. You honour the holiday traditions and create new ones right in your classroom by playing games, decorating and making crafts. Here are some St. Patrick’s Day activities for you to use: 1. Mischievous Leprechaun and his Pot of Gold Treasure Hunt For the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day make as though a mischievous leprechaun has been let loose in your classroom. When the students are out to recess or during nap time turn chairs upside down, switch shoes around, leave funny messages on the blackboard etc. Tell your students the leprechaun is looking for his lost pot of gold. But if they find it first they get to keep it! Use a plastic Halloween witch’s cauldron and fill...
In our current consumer landscape things have been shifting. The power balance between consumers and producers is teetering with a heavy lean on the consumer side. Producers of goods and services can put their business out there but it is often the consumers who dictate how the conversation will go. How? By being active or professional consumers. By doing research, comparing prices, quality, company history or ethics etc. By speaking up on social media outlets, asking questions, and looking at a company’s way of handling their business online. Here are a few tips on how to take the helm and become a PROsumer when shopping for life insurance: 1. Do Your Research Before diving into any life insurance estimate it’s important to understand all the terms associated with it; Terms such as estate, beneficiary, trustee, term insurance, whole life insurance etc. Once you have a bit of a grasp on...
We all have one or two great teachers we fondly remember; teachers who sparked something in us years ago and maybe even changed our path or helped us carve one out. Even teachers we don’t have clear memories of helped shape who we are today, and by doing so they helped change our world. Here are 10 ways in which educators continuously change and shape the world around us: 1. Teachers Connect – No matter what age, that first day of school (and sometimes even work) can be terrifying. That’s because we all come the comfort of our families into the big world of possible friendships. Teachers help us connect with those around us by fostering acceptance; a value that stays with us long past the first day of school. 2. Teachers Spread Kindness – we all need a little kindness to remind us of all the goodness in the...
