Home & Lifestyle

Money – you can’t live with it, you can’t live without it, and it’s all too easy to let it slip through your fingers on a day-to-day basis without even knowing where it’s gone off too. I think it’s a real skill balancing a household budget, and it’s all too easy to slip back into free and easy spending. But if you put a few of these tips into place, you’ll start seeing positive results right away.

I’m by no financial expert, but I have two things going for me that have made me somewhat of a pro in the “know where your money is going” category. First, I work for a large financial institution and part of my gig is to understand what we all “should” be doing with our finances. Second, my financial history is very similar to the Titanic—an epic fail—so I have had to make changes in my life to avoid future “icebergs.” So with that said, here are some tools, tips, and tricks to help you know where your money is going and be a financial rock star in 2015 and beyond.

With four kids in my house, we’ve done New Year’s at home more times than I can count, and just like our Christmas traditions, we have New Year’s traditions we like to do every year to make the night memorable. Here are a few ways you can celebrate New Year’s Eve at home.

Because cell phones aren’t designed to overcome issues like loud households or for people who can’t hear or see as well as they used to, you need a corded or cordless phone designed to be loud, clear, and have zero interference, and that’s where Clarity phones come in.

I’m glad Boxing Day sales have changed over the years. I used to miss out on some great deals because I didn’t want to go shopping on Boxing Day itself, but now sales are extended to a full week instead of just one day. I can even shop online from the comfort of my computer and still pick up some amazing Boxing Day or Boxing Week deals. Here is what’s on my Boxing Day wish list this year.    

We’re officially getting down to the wire for holiday shopping and the big day is almost here, but that doesn’t mean the best gifts have passed you by. There are still so many great last minute gifts for everyone on your list, you’ll wonder why you even stressed about finishing your shopping. Here are a few that will be favourites for you and the person you’re giving them to.

Most of us Dads (and even our dads) are closet tech nuts, excited over tech, pretty much any tech. 10 years ago, I could’ve cared less about controlling the temperature of my house through my phone, but 2 months ago as I was having a smart thermostat installed, I couldn’t wait. With little things like this in mind, here’s my take on some gadgets that interest me as a first time dad, and might provide you some inspiration for yours less than one week away from Christmas day.

I don’t know about you, but for me, one of the best things about the holidays is selecting gifts for my family that I know will bring a smile to their faces on Christmas morning. But being the daughter-aunt-sister-sister-in-law that always picks the perfect gifts is getting increasingly difficult as the years go by. My parents don’t need anything, and when they want something they just go and buy it. My nieces and nephews are at the age where anything “cool” on their list is likely something Auntie hasn’t heard of. And my brother and sister-in-law, well all they want is to take their four kids to Disneyland, and that’s entirely out of the question. So after a considerable amount of thought, here’s what I chose for them this year – five fantastic gifts that are sure to get anyone excited on Christmas morning.

The Tiny Home movement has been building up for a few years now. When I first heard of tiny homes I immediately downloaded the catalog and was in love with the simple, small designs. It might not be do-able if you have 4 kids (and all of their stuff) under your roof, but these cute, quirky homes are perfect for a single person, small family, or seniors who want to live independently.