Allan Britnell

Fixed rate mortgages are pretty straightforward, but a variable rate mortgage depends on the Bank of Canada’s overnight lending rate. So what happens if that rate changes?

Before you decide to dive into boat ownership, here are some more facts you should be aware of.

Online retailers are getting ready for one of the biggest days of the year – Cyber Monday. Here are some ways to shop safely and avoid scams. Just like banking, online shopping should only be done…

For those on a budget this summer, here are some low-cost last-minute ways to “vacation”, as well as some ways you can prepare for a dream holiday next year…

The proposed hike would add an additional $750 in closing costs to the average home, and would add an estimated $100 million to city revenues annually.

Applying for a mortgage? Already own a home? The federal Liberals have announced mortgage changes that will have an impact on homebuyers and homeowners. Read on to find out what these are and how they will affect you.

Bidding wars can make purchasing a home incredibly challenging, especially in Toronto and Vancouver. Read on to learn more about how they work, and how to keep your emotions – and budget – under control.

With Canada’s hottest housing markets showing no sign of cooling in the near future, co-op housing may be seen as a practical alternative. Read on to find out whether it’s a good option for you.

You’ve accepted an offer and sold your home. Now what? Here’s a list of all the closing costs to keep in mind prior to leaving your current property.

It can be easy to focus on interest rates when choosing a mortgage, but deciding on a long or short term mortgage can have a big impact on your payments. Read on to explore the pros and cons of each – and what to expect if you try to break your mortgage term early.

CREA has hiked their housing market forecast for this year and next as high demand persists despite rising prices. How affordable is the housing market in your region? Read on for our breakdown.

Water damage is the leading cause of insurance claims in Canada, but most home insurance policies specifically exclude flood damage.

High home prices aren’t stopping buyers – new reports find luxury real estate is the fastest growing segment of the Canadian housing market. Read on for our market-by-market breakdown.

There are new debt warnings from the Bank of Canada, as the level of highly indebted households have doubled since the financial crisis. Are you at risk? Read on for our breakdown.

Condo incentives are extra features tossed in by developers to reel in buyers – ranging from guaranteed rent income to new cars. Here’s a sample of the goodies up for grabs in some markets.

In markets like Vancouver, steep prices and limited real estate mean competition among buyers can be cut-throat. Now, that’s gone to a whole new level with contract assignments, a practice where successful bidding war buyers put their homes immediately back on the market to command even higher prices.

Just bought a home? Now it’s time to get life insurance for your mortgage. Here’s what you should know about choosing the right policy and term.

Thinking of buying a former grow-op? Such properties can be steeply discounted, even in Canada’s hottest markets – but insurers and mortgage lenders may refuse to back your home purchase.

Buying a condo? Better brush on your condo rules – most developments have strict requirements when it comes to renovations, noise and even what you can keep on your balcony. Here’s what prospective buyers should know.

Prepaid credit cards are the next big thing among Canada’s big banks, who are touting them as a risk-free way to shop online, teach kids about credit use, and securely replace cash. However, they come with a healthy helping of fees. Here’s what you should know.

Google Android Pay is the latest payment tech to hit the market. Unlike ApplePay, however, Google won’t take a cut from processing fees. Here’s what consumers should know.

The depressed price of oil, and the resulting inflation lag, are the main drivers behind the Bank of Canada's (BoC) current monetary policy.

Canada’s harsh winters make it tough to do home repairs, which means spring renovation projects are in full force once temperatures rise. Here are 4 you should consider doing now.

In Canada’s hottest markets, engaging in a bidding war when house hunting is the norm. But your bank may not agree with your new home’s value – and may not cough up the funds you need for a mortgage.

According to research firm eMarketer, nearly 70% of online transactions are “abandoned” at the checkout stage. The figure jumps to almost 90% for mobile transactions.

What are Bank of Canada Rates? Here’s what you need to know about the Overnight Lending rate, Prime rate and Qualifying rate.

Will Apple Pay Canada ever be a reality? Apple has announced its intentions to enter the Canadian market – but the tech giant needs to convince our big banks first. Here’s what you need to know about how Apple Pay and NFC payments work – and when we might access it north of the border.

CMHC and Genworth have announced they are increasing their insurance premiums for mortgage borrowers paying less than 10% down on their home purchases by 15%.

Travel rewards cardholders have become increasingly frustrated when trying to cash in their Aeroplan rewards – as the number of users expands, there are fewer trips to go around. Here’s what you should consider when choosing a travel rewards credit card.

Credit card tap payments are becoming more widespread in Canada, but not all consumers have embraced the tech yet. From using these cards to security, here’s what you need to know.

Alternative Online Lenders are growing in popularity as steeper mortgage rules prevent some would-be buyers from getting traditional loans. Here’s what you need to know about them.

Canada’s dollar continues to drop as oil prices slide and the U.S. greenback strengthens. While a lower Loonie is good news for our exporting industry, consumers could find themselves paying more. Here’s how you could be affected.

Millennials are the most likely to use mobile banking apps offered by their banks – and would even switch lenders for a better mobile experience, according to a consumer survey by Google.

Homes listed in the winter sold for a 1.2% higher sale-to-list ratio and sold a week earlier than those listed at any other time of year.

Hey last minute shoppers – are you planning to do some Christmas eve shopping? Avoid the malls (and high prices) with our stress-free shopping tips.

As Black Friday grows in popularity, many Canadian retailers are getting in on the action with events and sales of their own. While everyone loves steep savings, though, participating in the Black Friday madness may not always be worth its while. Here’s how to identify which items are worth braving the crowds for.

There’s one option that has, thus far, largely slipped under the public’s radar: the choice between a conventional and a collateral mortgage. Here's how to tell the difference.

With next-step houses moving out of reach, rather than go through the hassle and expense of moving, many owners are renovating their existing homes instead.

As of 2008, home buyers must pay a minimum of 5% on their home purchase when taking out a mortgage from a federally-regulated lender.

The biggest differences between traditional banks and credit unions are regulatory ones.

Wondering how to buy in a hot real estate market? Steep prices can prove tough for even the most determined buyer – but there are still options.

The huge floods that hit Calgary and Toronto last year have left their mark on housing markets, devaluing flood-plain properties. Should buyers take advantage?

It’s every homeowner’s worst nightmare; an unforeseen financial crisis renders you unable to pay your monthly mortgage payment. A recent survey finds 61% of Canadians don’t know what to do in this situation – but you DO have options.

In Canada’s hottest housing markets, buyers must often fight for their dream homes in bidding wars – and it may be tempting to drop offer conditions such as upon financing, or home inspections to get ahead. Doing so, however, can make a buyer financially vulnerable. Here’s what you need to know.

Buying a new home, but haven’t sold your old one yet? You may need bridge financing in the meantime. Here’s what buyers should know.

LIBOR and CDOR are methods used to set interest rate prices in England and Canada – but the practice has been under fire lately, as scandal surrounds British interest rate rigging. Could this affect your investments?

Investing 101 for beginners: Looking to take your money management to the next level? Here are the pros and cons of the most common investment vehicles.

Discovering you have a terminal illness is hard enough – ensuring whether your family will be provided for after your death makes a tough time even more challenging. Fortunately, there are options for those with illness or severe injury. Read on to learn more about them.

What will $350,000 get you in the Canadian house market? We break down condo affordability in four major cities.

What would you do if someone else laid claim to your home? It’s a move known as title fraud – and any home owner can fall victim. Here’s what you need to know about this type of fraud, how to prevent it, and the tell-tale signs that your ID may have been compromised.

The Canadian provinces are a mix of the haves and the have-nots. Here's how Canada's far flung regions come together to form our nation's economic picture.

How much travel insurance is enough? It’s important to have adequate coverage when on a trip – even if you carry your provincial health card.

The idea is to mimic the way corporations and wealthy individuals routinely convert debt into tax deductions.

How did Canada’s richest people make their money? Check out our list of top-earning canucks and their secret to riches.

Wondering how your car insurance rates are calculated? Check out this breakdown of do’s and dont’s for the best premiums.

Looking to spend less on gas this summer? These tips will have you saving big bucks on your road trips and cottage getaways.

Should you consolidate credit card debt? It can be a tempting solution to sky-high interest payments and persistent creditors – but be aware of pros and cons.

Preparing financially for parenthood can be made more challenging with a maternity leave pay cut. Here’s how to navigate the system and prepare your mat leave budget.

Retails rewards credit cards, offered by many gas and grocery stores, are designed to promote consumer loyalty through freebies and savings – but are they really worth carrying in your wallet? Here, we break down the reward return of some of the most popular reward cards on the market.

Looking to get away this March Break? Check out our budget-friendly booking tips to score your ultimate vacay – for way less!

If you’re self-employed and are unsure about which expenses can be legitimately written off, the cost of an accountant may be more than worth it.

A BMO found that only one-third of us are aware of what our RRSP contribution limits are.

The holidays have come and gone – but they’re lingering on your credit card statement! If you’re living in fear of that big holiday bill, check out our ways to pay it off, pain free.

Gift cards seem to the be perfect gift – a stress-free way to give the gift of a shopping spree. However, each year, billions of dollars are wasted in the form of expired cards. Don’t toss out your money – here are 3 creative gift card ideas that will sure to be cashed in.

If you’re a savvy deal shopper, chances are you never leave home without your coupons. Be an online shopping expert as well with digital coupon codes. Learn how these codes work to save you money – and the best places to find them.

The cost of getting fit doesn’t have to be huge. By finding deals on equipment, you can set up the ultimate home gym for less – or score a membership when the price is right.

There are some advantages and potential dangers of tapping into your home's equity.

Looking to craft a fabulous DIY Halloween costume? Check out this year’s hottest costume trends, and how to create them on the cheap.

Forget for a moment the health and safety risks you pose to yourself, your passengers, and all the potential innocent victims on the road around you when you speed. Factoring in traffic tickets, speeding just doesn’t add up.

Instead of sitting around in bars and basements watching grown men play a game, maybe we’ll all find something else productive to do with our time.

Hosting a Thanksgiving turkey dinner for the family can be a pricey proposition. Here are a few smart shopping tips to trim your dinner costs.

Life insurance is vital to ensuring your loved ones will be financially safe for years to come. Finding the best coverage, however, is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Read on for ways to assess your personal and financial needs when choosing your insurance.

Leaving a nest egg for your kids is not as straightforward as it used to be. With seniors living longer than ever before, and with less wealth to go around, bereaved family members are advised to not count their chickens before they hatch.

Back-to-school shopping season is upon us! Did you know Canadians will spend an average of $677 in the month of August to prepare their kids for the classroom? Check out our tips for cutting down on the cost of clothes, school supplies, lunches and more.

Uprooting your entire life to settle in a new country is challenging enough – and for many immigrants to Canada, it means starting over with their credit history. Often, the quickest way to build that all-important rating is with responsible credit card use. We’ve outlined a few options here for new immigrants starting fresh with their finances.

Does the motto “sharing is caring” extend to your bank account? For many couples who cohabitate, opening a joint account to deal with combined financial responsibility just makes sense. However, there are warnings to heed before you truly share the wealth.

Taking on a lot of debt can be stressful. The good kind, also known as “constructive” debt, is the type you take on with a long-term goal in mind.

Perks may abound for the self-employed, but one notable side effect of being your own boss is the lack of company health benefits. Even with Canada’s enviable healthcare system, unexpected expenses incurred by prescriptions, disability or long term illness is enough to make anyone ill.

Government grant and loan programs are developed to help promote a variety of businesses when times are tight. Here’s a snapshot of some of the types of programs out there, and where to find others.

We compare RBC and TD credit cards head-to-head in the second round of our credit card face off series. For consumers, choices abound, whether you’re on the hunt for low interest or rewards credit card options.

As wonderful as parenthood is, there are two undeniable realities associated with it…for one it’s expensive, and secondly it can be exhausting. So, while you may desperately need a little (or a LOT) of R&R, you may not be able to afford it. Or at least not the luxury getaways you had prior to having kids. So, here, I’ve compiled a list of four great (and cheap) ideas for vacations for families with young kids, like mine.

According to the Canadian Bankers Association, Canadians collectively held 74.5 million Visa and MasterCard credit cards in 2011. That works out to nearly three cards per adult. And that’s just Visa and MasterCard cards.

The self-employed (including small business owners) have always had a hard time getting mortgages. And pity those who’ve gone through a divorce, which can hurt in countless ways. A friend recently revealed that when she first separated from her husband, she had no credit rating. Here’s what to do when you don’t qualify for a mortgage.

As much as we all like seeing the balance in our savings accounts grow, aside from having enough cash on hand to pay your bills and daily expenses, it almost always makes more sense to pay off your debts first. Here are why – and a couple of exceptions to that rule.

Real estate can be a sound investment, and there are a lot of resources out there to help you determine if it’s a good move for you, and how to help ensure it pays off in the long run.

Who doesn’t like free stuff? The question is rhetorical, but given that roughly nine out of ten Canadian households belong to at least one loyalty program it’s pretty obvious we really like to receive free stuff for shopping.

But what happens to your other debts, like your mortgage and credit cards, when you die? Here’s an overview.

At first glance, getting a second mortgage may seem like adding insult to injury. If you already find it hard enough to meet your monthly (or bi-weekly) payments on your first mortgage, why would you want a second one?

Don’t fancy yourself as a day trader, but would still like to dabble in the stock market a bit? There are a number of online brokerages that let you do just that, at a fraction of the fees and commissions a flesh-and-blood broker would charge.

Visa, MasterCard, and American Express all have their own incentives to entice you to use their product.

For a while now we’ve been reading headlines about how interest rates are at “historic lows.” Which is great news for anyone with a variable-rate mortgage, line of credit debt, or who is looking to negotiate for things like car loans or fixed-rate mortgages.

For nearly 40 years, my Dad drove a Brinks truck around suburban Toronto. As part of our family’s financial plan, I used to joke that he should bring the company car home one night… Instead, he’d keep the salt and pepper packets from his fast food lunches and occasionally sit at our kitchen table and empty them into our salt and pepper shakers.

Aside from being a benchmark to start mortgage negotiations, the posted rates do serve a few purposes. Here's what you need to know.

When my wife and I were shopping around for our first house, we actually looked at a number of homes in three vastly different and far-flung neighbourhoods within the City of Toronto.

First off, congratulations to you. You followed your gut instincts and launched a business. Now, truly against the odds, it’s not only survived but is flourishing. However, owning a successful business does not necessarily equate to a successful retirement plan.

How do you decide if you need to speak with someone about debt consolidation? Ask yourself these three questions.

Any financial planner – or credit counselor – will tell you that the first step to creating a budget that you’ll stick to is tracking your ongoing expenses for two or three months.

There are many people who have maxed out their credit card, or can’t get credit, and may have no money in the bank between cheques, that have urgent needs for funds. With a Payday Loan, they can pay that bill and avoid late payment charges and they won’t incur any overdraft or NSF charges, that can be many times more than the loan amount.

Fractional ownership of recreational properties is, as the name suggests, a way for you to become the part owner of a cottage at the fraction of the price of purchasing the whole thing.

While the key criteria for selling a house may be “location, location, location,” there are two very distinct strategies for setting the selling price for your home: ask for more-or-less what you want, or lowball and hope for a bidding war.

One of the trickiest adjustments to navigate when having children is the change to your financial situation.