tomdrake Profile

Latest Blog Posts

• CPFC15 Money Tips: Meet the Experts Attending the Canadian Personal Finance Conference
  on Oct 15, 2015 in Financial Literacy Frugality Income
  This coming weekend (October 17-18), over two hundred bloggers, journalists, authors, and industry representatives will meet in Toronto to attend the Canadian Personal Finance Conference, or CPFC. While the audience will be full of those in the know...
• How to Develop Better Money Habits
  on Oct 5, 2015 in Financial Literacy
  Rather than regularly setting unobtainable and vague goals on New Years Day or your birthday, it makes more sense to develop better money habits that can help you create a lifestyle that includes improved finances for the long term. You don’t h...
• National Do Not Call List & Do Not Contact Service
  on Sep 14, 2015 in Web Sites
  Tired of all the phone calls and junk mail trying to sell products and services you don’t want? Many of us hate the idea of being contacted by those who are just trying to get our money. It’s possible that junk mail and marketing phone calls...
• Do You Have a Money Philosophy?
  on Aug 31, 2015 in Financial Literacy
  One of the biggest problems that many people have with managing their money is keeping their efforts in line with their interests and values. Too many people mindlessly spend their money, without thinking about how their choices fit in with the grand...
• What Are the Risks of Leveraged Investing?
  on Aug 24, 2015 in Investing
  One of the ways that some people choose to make more money investing is to do so with leverage. This can be one way to boost your overall returns. However, you do need to be careful, though. Not only can leveraged investing magnify your gains, but i...
• The Best Aeroplan Credit Cards of 2015
  on Aug 20, 2015 in Credit Cards
  Over the years, Aeroplan has evolved into a broad rewards coalition, although it is still mainly associated with travel miles. Aeroplan credit cards allow you to find ways to earn rewards on a number of items, from food to hardware to travel. Most pe...
• How to Make Your Car Last Longer
  on Aug 17, 2015 in Frugality
  A car is one of the largest purchases that most people make. After your home, your car is likely to be the most expensive thing you buy. Unfortunately, you are also likely to replace it more times than you are likely to replace your home. Over your l...
• The Best Low Interest Credit Cards of 2015
  on Aug 13, 2015 in Credit Cards
  If you regularly carry a balance, you will probably need a low interest credit card. Low interest credit cards can also help with your debt repayment plan. It’s hard to pay off debt efficiently when you are stuck paying 19.99%. It can make a bi...
• Backup Your Important Documents and Files
  on Aug 10, 2015 in Software
  We don’t often think about things like backing up documents and files. It’s something that seems boring and is easy to forget. Unfortunately, it’s something that comes up in the worst of circumstances, when you lose important infor...
• Where to Find Sources of Extra Income
  on Aug 3, 2015 in Career
  When you’re trying to get back on your financial feet, one of the biggest pieces of advice you are likely to get is this: Cut back on your expenses. While this is good advice, the reality is that, when trying to save money, eventually you’ll...
• The Best Air Miles Credit Cards of 2015
  on Jul 30, 2015 in Credit Cards
  Air travel can be expensive. However, you can reduce the cost involved with the help of your planned credit card spending. Air Miles credit cards can provide you with the ability to earn travel rewards on a number of regular purchases, reducing the a...
• How to Buy Stocks: A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Stocks
  on Jul 20, 2015 in Stocks
  One of the unfortunate truths is that many people make investing far more complicated than it needs to be. It’s common to treat investing as a mystery that can only be penetrated by those with special insight and knowledge. However, buying stoc...
• Want to Start Investing? Take Advantage of this Special Globe and Mail Offer
  on Jun 22, 2015 in Investing
  One of the best things you can do to build long-term wealth is to learn about money and start investing now. However, taking that first step can be difficult when you don’t have the confidence you feel you need to make informed decisions. This...
• Home Buyers Plan: What is the HBP?
  on Jun 15, 2015 in Mortgage RRSP
  Buying a home can get expensive. After all, a home is a large purchase, and if you want to avoid hassles and difficulties, you need to come up with a down payment of at least 20%. While some Canadian lenders have been accepting less, most homebuyers...
• Boost Your Finances with Cash Back Credit Cards
  on Jun 1, 2015 in Credit Cards
  Rewards credit cards come with a lot of benefits. The savvy credit card user can use rewards as a way to boost finances in the long run. The key is to make your credit card use a part of your regular budget, and see your rewards card as a financial t...
• Is CIBC Investor’s Edge Right for You?
  on May 25, 2015 in Investing
  When you think of investing in Canada, chances are that you don’t think of many online brokers. While they make things easy, the reality is that if you compare what we pay for investing here in Canada with what they pay in the States, we kind o...
• How to Make Spending and Earning Simple
  on May 19, 2015 in Credit Cards
  Think about the last time something gave you delight. Chances are, it was a small thing. In fact, a recent American Express survey found that 94% of Canadians agree that they are delighted by the simple pleasures of life. The survey found that some o...
• How to Make Household Items Last Longer
  on May 11, 2015 in Frugality
  When you are looking to save money, sometimes it matters less about how much you pay for something and more on how long you can make it last. You’ll spend a lot less on buying new items if you can stretch the lifespan of things that you already...
• The Best Student Credit Cards of 2015
  on May 4, 2015 in Credit Cards
  These days, if you want to be able to buy a house later or get a good deal on your insurance rates, you need good credit. One of the easiest ways to build good credit is with the help of a credit card. If you are responsible in your use of credit, ma...
• How to Write a Great Resume
  on Apr 20, 2015 in Career
  Even though the Internet is changing a lot about the way we look for jobs, the reality is that many hiring managers still look at resumes. Your resume might be in digital format, but it’s still a resume, and writing a great resume to use for yo...