LowestRates Blog

By: Lucy Zemljic on January 28, 2015

10 Monthly Household Expenses You Can Cut for Big Savings

You’ve heard all about it, but you had your doubts. How is it possible? How can you live like that?

Haters beware: it’s true. You can live without cable TV. Or a home phone, a gym subscription, and a slew of other pricey household expenses.

By: Nelson Smith on January 28, 2015

What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Mortgage Penalties

Chances are, at some point in your life it’ll happen. For whatever reason you’ll be looking to sell your house and be forced to break the mortgage early.

We’ve all heard the horror stories about how that can cost tens of thousands in fees. How exactly is that legal? And more importantly, how do you make sure that you get enough flexibility to ensure you’re not paying those huge penalties?

By: Gary Parkinson on January 27, 2015

We Grow and Develop Because We Learn From a Good Story

ABC Life Literacy Canada is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Canadians improve their literacy skills. In 1999, the organization created Family Literacy Day, a national awareness initiative revolving around activities that inspire families to improve the literacy of their children. Notable children’s author Robert Munsch is the Honourary Chair of Family Literacy Day.

By: Lucy Zemljic on January 26, 2015

Financial Wisdom on the Small Screen: 5 Money Lessons Learned from Our Favourite TV Shows

The next time someone tells you that “TV will rot your brain!” it may be worth showing them this list.

Sure, it’s probably not a good idea to binge-watch Netflix until your eyes hurt, but every so often the small screen serves up some serious nuggets of financial wisdom.

By: Nelson Smith on January 22, 2015

Why Do Borrowers With Small Down Payments Get Better Rates?

On the surface, it makes no sense at all.

One borrower goes to get a mortgage, barely scraping together the minimum required down payment of 5%. Meanwhile, somebody else works their tail off and manages to save up enough to put 30% down. Not only are these two borrowers likely paying the same rate, but sometimes the borrower with 5% down will actually be paying a lower rate!

Let’s take a closer look at exactly why this happens.

By: Thomas Sigsworth on January 21, 2015

Shock Bank of Canada Rate Cut: What It Means for Borrowers

The Bank of Canada stunned markets today with a surprise quarter point rate cut, lowering the benchmark interest rate from 1% to .75%. And yes, it really was a surprise: of the 22 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News prior to the announcement, fully zero predicted the Bank would take rates lower.

By: Lucy Zemljic on January 21, 2015

It’s almost Family Literacy Day! Six ways to save on books

Read on to find out how to keep up with your little ones’ literary appetite.

By: Nelson Smith on January 19, 2015

How 15 Minutes Really Did Save Me Money on Car Insurance

Back in 2008, I had an auto insurance problem. Specifically, I thought I was paying too darn much for it.

By: Lucy Zemljic on January 16, 2015

Best Credit Card Bets for 2015

Tired of the plastic you’ve got in your wallet? Want a total credit card overhaul in 2015? Or are you just looking for a solid first-ever card? Whatever the conundrum, we’ve got you covered.

By: Gary Parkinson on January 14, 2015

Up To You To Crush Your Debt And Set Yourself Free

The Situation

When I finished college, I was in my share of personal debt. My situation, one shared by millions of new graduates, was made even worse by graduating in the heart of the 2008 recession. The recession all but eliminated entry level jobs for those of us fresh out of school.

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