By: Nelson Smith on February 18, 2015
Ways to Save Wednesdays: How to Save Serious Cash on Groceries

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for another money saving post from LowestRates.ca!

For most people reading this, groceries are likely the 3rd biggest expense you have each month, after shelter and transportation. A small family can easily spend hundreds of dollars per month on groceries, and that’s not even counting restaurant costs.
 
Here are 4 easy ways to save some cash the next time you head to the grocery store.

By: Nelson Smith on February 12, 2015
Switching Car Insurance Providers? Read This First

It’s happened to all of us. You’re halfway through your contract and you find a better deal somewhere else. 

Sometimes you just suck it up and keep paying, knowing that you’re bound by the terms of the deal and have little hope of getting out of it. The people who have tried to extricate themselves from a mortgage or cell phone contract know the feeling.
 
But what's the case for car insurance? Let’s take a closer look.

 

By: Nelson Smith on February 11, 2015
Ways to Save Wednesdays: How to Get Cheap Travel Insurance

I’m currently spending a little time away from Canada, traveling for the next five or so months in Asia, mostly in South Korea. My girlfriend got a job teaching English there, and I was not about to pass up the opportunity to join her.

Although just about all of Asia has very reasonable health care costs -- U.S. citizens will often travel to the region to get cheap medical care -- I opted to take out travel insurance. I wanted peace of mind knowing that I would be covered if something bad happened to me, like if North Korea found out I watched The Interview.
 
Of course, I also wanted to do so in the cheapest way possible. Here’s how I saved more than $200 on travel insurance.

By: Lucy Zemljic on February 4, 2015
Ways to Save Wednesdays: 6 Deals You Can Only Get In February

It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means – another money-saving post from LowestRates.ca!
 
Last month, we counted down a list of 7 cool deals you can only get in January. Now, we’re back with more! Although this month’s the shortest one of the year, that doesn’t mean there are no deals to be found. The savings you can snag this February are hot as ever.
 
Let’s get to it, shall we? Here are our top six deals for the month of February. 

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By: Nelson Smith on February 3, 2015
Renewing Your Mortgage? Read This First

I used to be a mortgage broker, so I’ve seen plenty of joy when a mortgage is approved and disappointment when somebody with bruised credit got denied. Even if someone gets a mortgage, it’s still a pretty stressful process. There’s always a mountain of paperwork, and there’s a nervous few days waiting for the lender to announce there’s no more conditions. 

This is part of the reason why when it comes to mortgage renewal time, many borrowers just accept the terms the bank dictates on the renewal letter. Although that’s the easiest solution, it’s almost never the best one.

By: Nelson Smith on February 2, 2015
Do You Really Need Travel Insurance For Your Tropical Getaway?

It isn’t their fault. It’s just that a combination of short days, cold temperatures, icy roads and snowy yards has a way of really getting us down. It’s like every cold February day is quietly mocking us, reminding us that spring is coming but just isn’t here yet. No wonder it’s the shortest month.

Many Canadians take off to a warmer part of the world trying to beat the winter blues. But, many of them are missing one key piece of luggage. No, it’s not their bathing suit, tank top, or sunscreen. It’s something much more important – travel insurance.

By: Gary Parkinson on January 30, 2015
Keep On Reading After Family Literacy Week Wraps Up

Family Literacy Day is a national awareness initiative that is promoted every year on January 27th. The initiative was launched by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999 but over the years, the organization unofficially expanded the awareness campaign. As a result, Family Literacy Day is interchangeably referred to as Family Literacy Week.

By: Nelson Smith on January 29, 2015
With Oil Below $50, Alberta's Housing Market Looks Grim

For anyone involved in Alberta’s energy sector, it’s a pretty scary time.
 
As oil continues to languish below $50 per barrel, there’s little doubt Alberta’s economy will take it on the chin. Layoffs are already starting in the oil patch, with household names like Suncor and Shell cutting thousands of workers from their oil sands operations. According to most energy analysts, those layoffs are just the beginning of a bigger trend, especially if oil doesn’t recover right away.
 
But what does it all mean for Alberta’s housing market? Let’s take a closer look.

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