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government debt and deficit 101
- Posted November 18, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Government Debt and Deficit 101



What is the difference between debt and deficit? Many people confuse the two terms and think they mean the same. They are not. It is easiest to look at the difference by looking at what the government does to its budget.

The Budget: A Plan on How to Spend the Money

The government just like families and individuals have a budget (Well, I hope you have a budget.) The budget is essentially a plan on how money should be spent. But before anyone can make a budget, there should be money to spend with in the first place. In the case of individuals, the money comes in the form of salaries, commissions, profits and other sources of income. For governments, revenues come in the form of taxes, customs duties and other forms of income. From the projected revenues, government will then prepare a budget and allocate funds for government expenditures such as salaries of government employees and public officials, defence, public education, social welfare, infrastructure and other items. As much as possible, the government should have more revenues than expenditures.

But, more often than not, it is the other way around: Government spends more than the revenues it has collected. In such a case, the government is said to have incurred a deficit. Now, where will the government get the extra money to pay for its expenses? Well, just like individuals and families, the government will borrow money.

So, the following fiscal year, the government must pay off the deficit so that it can come out clean. If the deficit isn’t fully paid, whatever remains becomes part of public debt. And just like debt of
individuals, the amount are compounded by the principal’s interest . The public debt also grows with successive years of deficit spending. If you take a look at 50 years of Canadian federal fiscal policy beginning fiscal Year 1963 with PM Lester Pearson to PM Stephen Harper in the present, you will see that there are more years in which the federal government posted a budget deficit than it did a surplus. After more than 50 years, the federal government a staggering public dent. In a “Debt Clock” regularly posted by Dave Manuel, the latest estimated public debt of Canada is a staggering CDN $642 billion!
If every Canadian were to pay that debt now, the dent payment per capita would be around CDN $18,600 per capita. That means every Canadian man, woman and child has to pay that amount if Canada wants to be debt-free immediately. Quite a tall order, huh?

Paying the Debt Method 1: Raise Taxes
The main way governments pay off its debt is by raising revenues through taxes. Hence, theoretically a government can ask taxpayers to cough out money amounting to around CDN $ per capita by means of taxes. It can create all sorts of taxes so that the amount of CDN $ 18,600 per person will be raised.

Of course such a move would entail the approval by the House of Commons. And no government -- whether Liberal, Conservative or whatever other party – would think of raising taxes that high because it will be political suicide to do so. You can just hear the howl of all taxpayers if they even hear such a proposal.

Paying the Debt Method 2: Make Drastic Budget Cuts
Another way by which the dent can be paid is for the government to make drastic cuts in the budget. That means the government may have to reduce expenditures for cherished government programs such as public education, health care, welfare. It may also have to lay off many government workers. Ouch! Again that’s not a politically viable idea.

Paying the Debt Method 3: Print Money<.b>
The government can print money. That is only a last resort because that move can increase the money supply ad cause hyper-inflation. The Bank of Canada would not even contemplate doing that. In fact, no right thinking central bank would even consider printing money. Doing so would create more problems than it would solve.

Paying the Debt Method 4: Renegotiate Terms with the Creditors
Finally just like individuals, the government can negotiate with its creditors to extend the terms of its debt payments. Generally creditors will allow debt renegotiation – but with a price of course. Creditors may ask the federal government to impose new taxes.

Caught in a Bind
The task has actually fallen on the Harper government to fix the debt problem. It is not in an enviable position. It is faced with several unpalatable choices . But it has to make some hard choices.

The choices for PM Harper (or for any other PM if they were in his position) could have been easier if past governments have tried to be fiscally more prudent. If previous governments had tried to rein their spending, then the public debt would not have grown into the monster that it is today. It is the same way with individuals or families. It begins with reining in spending from the very beginning. Then the family would not have to face very tough choices in the future,

References:

1. Canadian Debt Clock (updated Oct 10, 2013)
http://www.davemanuel.com/canada-debt-clock.php

2. Canada's deficits and surpluses, 1963-2012
http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/canada-deficit/








DISCLAIMER:

The interest rates, fees, rewards details, benefits and other details of the Capital One product(s) described in the article may have changed since the time of publication. Please consult the product information pages on the Capital One website for accurate product details. In the event of any conflict between the product details in this article and the Capital One website, the details on the Capital One website shall prevail.

Article Created: November 18, 2013

Article Updated: 2013-11-20

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pierre paradis summers luckiest man
- Posted October 28, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Pierre Paradis: Summer’s Luckiest Man


I’ll be making the most of my summer riding on my new Harley-Davidson® motorcycle, next to my spousePierre Paradis

Imagine an early spring morning. The sun is up. You’re in the garage cleaning your motorcycle when your spouse hands you a letter—you’ve just won the Harley Davidson® MasterCard® Contest!

How Did Pierre Do I?t
That’s how it happened for Pierre Paradis, the latest winner of a 2013 Harley-Davidson® Street Bob® motorcycle. Pierre was so surprised that he read the letter twice. He couldn’t even believe his own eyes; he admits, “I had to also have my wife read it to make sure it was really true.” It absolutely was. Pierre notes, “I’m not a lucky person,” however, as the proud new owner of a 2013 Harley-Davidson® Street Bob® motorcycle, its clear Pierre’s luck is definitely looking up.  

Applying for his Harley-Davidson® MasterCard credit card was not by chance. Pierre has been a devoted fan and, as he calls it, “a privileged Harley-Davidson® motorcycle owner for more than 20 years”. Having the Harley-Davidson® MasterCard credit card in his wallet only added to the prestige. Beyond stature, Pierre also applied in order to earn his much-coveted Harley-Davidson® Genuine Rewards points, and because the card is accepted worldwide. Of course now, in the wake of his prize-winning good fortune, Pierre claims he has “a whole new incentive” for using his card. Good luck can strike twice, right?

His First Was in 1991
Pierre’s first Harley-Davidson® motorcycle was a 1993 Harley-Davidson® FXR model that he purchased after trying out a friend’s Fat Boy® motorcycle back in 1992. Since then, he’s owned several H-D® motorcycles including: 1995 Wide Glide®, 1996 Wide Glide®, 2006 Springer® and his current 2006 Harley-Davidson® FXSTS motorcycle. When asked what he plans to do with his new 2013 Street Bob® motorcycle, he answers without hesitation: “I’ll be making the most of my summer: riding on my new Harley-Davidson® motorcycle, next to my spouse”.



Pierre Paradis changed his luck. Are you ready to do the same? Click here to apply for a Harley-Davidson® MasterCard credit card or to learn more about the Contest.

Next time, the lucky winner could be you!









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buying money at a discount another look at life insurance
- Posted October 24, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Buying Money at a Discount: Another Look at Life Insurance



If I were to “sell” to you $1,000,000 and my “price” is $200,000, would you take my offer? You’d probably think I’m some kind of scam or I am selling counterfeit dollars. After all, you may wonder, how can I profit from my business with my outrageous offer?

2 Conditions for You to Claim $1 Million
Wait, let me explain, my business is legit. Let me mention 2 conditions for you to claim your $1,000,000:

  • You must die or reach a certain age. If you die, it will be a relative whom you name who will enjoy your $1,000,000.

  • You must at least 18 years old, but not more than 25 and you must be in perfect health. (I can still “sell” you the $1,000,000 of you were older, but I will also raise my selling price.)


By now, you must know the business I’m in. It’s life insurance. And isn’t it that’s how life insurance operates. My “selling price” is the insurance premium while the money I am offering you is the insurance proceeds or face amount.

How do I Make a Profit?
You may ask how I can profit from my business. My answer is for me to sell many of my plans. If I sell 1,000 of my plans to my intended market, and only 1 of my customers die, I come out with a profit, right? I work on the law of probabilities and risk-sharing. When my customers are mostly young and healthy people, then there probably won’t be many instances of people dying.

But there are also other causes of death. Among others, a person may die from accident, natural or even a crime. Again the chances of my customers dying from these causes are very slim. But it can happen. Unpleasant to think as it is, death can happen to even the healthiest people.

Special Promo Offer!
And my product has a “promo.” You may have heard of the marketing line “Good only while supply lasts.” And, yes, my product is “good only while supply lasts.” When I say “supply”, I am referring to your health and age. As I said, I sell my $1,000,000 at a higher price for people who are older and less healthy. But there comes a point when you may be too old or too sick so that are no longer eligible to buy the product. If I allow you to buy my product, I would probably sell it to you at around the same price as my product – if not higher. You would then find my offer no longer unattractive, right?

So, the next time a life insurance agent approaches you, remember that he’s actually selling you a god amount of money at a good discount. That money you “buy” may be used to tide your family over in case you pass away (especially if your children are still in school) or funds to be used for your retirement or other purpose you may have.

Give Life Insurance Some Serious Thought
The next time a life insurance agent approaches you, give his offer some serious thought. Remember, the offer is good while supply (your health) lasts.

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crfa to work with competition bureau to check skyrocketing credit card fees
- Posted October 22, 2013 by Monty Loree
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CRFA to Work with Competition Bureau to Check Skyrocketing Credit Card Fees



Good news to Canadian consumers, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) said it would work closely with the Competition Bureau to pursue anti-competitive credit card practices and check the skyrocketing credit card fees.

The announcement came after the Bureau said it would not appeal a decision to dismiss a case it brought against the rules imposed on merchants by the Canadian arms of MasterCard Inc. and Visa Inc.

Resolving the Anti-Competition Issue
However the Competition Bureau said it would "focus our efforts on identifying alternate means of addressing the competition issues in the supply of credit card services in Canada.” Commissioner of Competition John Pecman said in a statement. "We have decided not to appeal this decision ... the Competition Bureau will continue to pursue ways in which it can resolve the issue of anti-competitive credit card rules imposed by Visa and MasterCard on merchants in Canada.”

Recently, Canada's Competition Tribunal rejected the bureau's complaint in July. The Competition Bureau, an independent agency, had argued that credit-card company rules prohibiting merchants from imposing a surcharge on card users had put customers at a disadvantage.

High Credit Card Fees: Still a ThornyIssue
"Skyrocketing credit card fees are one of the biggest issues facing our members today. They hurt business owners and the 18 million customers we serve every day," said CRFA President and CEO Garth Whyte. "We look forward to working with the Competition Bureau to seek relief through regulatory reform as recommended by the Tribunal."

Background:
1. With the advent of premium credit cards, it's not unusual for the credit card merchant fee to exceed the restaurant owner's profit on a meal.

To illustrate, on a $100 restaurant bill, the restaurant owner makes an average of $3.70 profit, according to industry data compiled by Statistics Canada. If the customer uses a premium credit card, a restaurateur in Ontario will pay a credit card processing fee as high as $3.99 on that transaction (3% fee calculated on $133 ($100 + $13 GST + $20 tip).

2. Because credit card fees are charged on top of sales tax, the restaurant industry alone pays $40 million a year in credit card fees on sales taxes.

CRFA is one of Canada's largest business associations, with 30,000 members representing restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and other foodservice providers. Canada's restaurant industry generates $65 billion annually in economic activity and employs more than 1.1 million people in communities across the country.

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canadians debt burden rises but delinquency rate is at record lows
- Posted October 22, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Canadians Debt Burden Rises But Delinquency Rate is at Record Lows



Majority of Canadian consumers continue to increase their debt burdens despite recent efforts from regulators to tighten lending standards, latest data from Equifax Canada showed. However, Equifax Canada’s Q2 2013 National Consumer Credit Trends Report also found that the National 90 day-plus delinquency rate decreased over the past three years to a record low of 1.19 percent.

The study said that total debt rose by nearly $77 billion, or 6.1 percent, from last year’s level driven by an 8.6 percent increase in auto loan balances and a 7.4 percent increase in outstanding mortgage debt.

Cristian deRitis, Senior Director of Consumer Credit Economics at Moody’s Analytics, commented on the Equifax report by adding that “the increased demand for credit outside of mortgages is positive for the economy in the short-term, but could limit the ability of over-extended consumers to react to any financial bumps in the road in the future.”

The Equifax Report also revealed that average debt for consumers aged 65 and over shows the greatest year-over-year increase in all age groups at 6.5 percent.

Debt Payment: A Bother for Retirees
Henrietta Ross, CEO, Canadian Association of Credit Counselling Services, noted that “the traditional golden years that retirees anticipated have not become a reality as debt loads rise for those over 65. With reduced incomes, often coupled with increased expenses, these individuals are accumulating more debt to boost income through credit so that they can continue to enjoy a pre-retirement lifestyle that they may no longer be able to afford. They also may be accumulating debt in an effort to help their own grown children or their own parents who are struggling financially,” she added on this alarming trend.

Serious delinquency rates are stable across lending products as well as provinces. Toronto has the highest delinquency rate among major Metropolitan Areas at 1.56 per cent of non-mortgage balances but has continuously improved since hitting a peak of 2.53 percent in 2010. The fraction of mortgage loans that were 90 or more days delinquent fell to 0.27 percent in the second quarter from 0.33 percent a year ago.

“Stable home prices and improvements in the labour market should continue to support the market in the future, while the outlook for consumer credit remains positive,” advised deRitis. “A sudden rise in interest rates or deterioration in fundamentals in key export markets are risks to this forecast however.”

Debt with More Fiscal Responsibility
Regina Malina, Director, Modeling & Analytics, Equifax Canada, commented that “as the fears of another recession slowly subside, consumers continue to accumulate high levels of debt but with more fiscal responsibility.”

The mortgage portfolio highlights include:

• The 90 day plus delinquency rate for mortgages shows a 19.2 per cent decrease from the same period last year, which could be the result of the tighter mortgage lending rules introduced in July 2012.
• Mortgage portfolios are growing at a robust pace, an increase of 7.4 per cent over the same period last year.
• Average Mortgage balances are showing small but steady increases: $162,985 vs. $168,387 (Q2/12 vs. Q2/13 respectively).

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equifax suggests 10 ways to improve your credit report
- Posted October 22, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Equifax Suggests 10 Ways to Improve Your Credit Report



Global leader in consumer, commercial and workforce information solutions provider Equifax urges home buyers to maintain an excellent credit history to secure a mortgage with a 5% deposit and take advantage of the government’s ‘Help to Buy’ mortgage guarantee scheme.

More Opportunities for First-Time Home Buyers
“The new scheme does mean more first-time buyers will have the opportunity to get on the property ladder much sooner than expected, with predictions that the average age of a first-time buyer (FTB) is set to fall by around six years*,” explains Neil Munroe, External Affairs Director for Equifax. “This is certainly great news, as our latest research on first-time buyers revealed 48% of respondents said they only had 5% deposit or less, and it was for this reason they were not yet in a position to buy their first home.

“However, taking on a mortgage is a long-term financial commitment; therefore the banks offering the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme will also conduct affordability checks to ensure that even if there is an interest rate rise, the customer’s income will cover repayments.”

Lenders make checks with credit reference agencies to see whether an applicant has kept up to date on repaying their credit. Having several credit cards with high limits and missing repayments may be a cause for concern for lenders and could give the impression the person is financially stretched.

The Importance of Updated Credit Information
“To ensure those credit checks come back clear, it’s important an individual’s credit information is completely up to date – giving them the best chance of getting a good mortgage deal. We urge homebuyers to review their credit report before they apply. Then at least they can spot any information that might need updating – such as being registered on the electoral roll – to put them in the best position to get a good deal. Homebuyers can follow our 10 steps to improving their credit report to help them secure that all important mortgage,” concludes Neil Munroe.

Top Tips to Improve Your Credit Score



1. Do you have a credit history?
Lenders look at all your credit information to make a case-by-case decision on your application. If you already have a credit history, including credit cards, loans or accounts and contracts, the lender can look at your credit report to decide whether to approve your application. It’s worth establishing a credit history by applying for a credit or store card and paying it off in full at the end of the month.

2. How to get the best rates
Your credit history won’t only help you secure a mortgage; it may also help you get the best rates. If your credit history isn’t as good as it could be e.g. you’ve got some late or missed payments on a credit card, lenders may offer you something on a higher rate. This will cost you more in the long-term. So it’s worth looking at ways to improve your credit report.

3. Check your credit report
Apply for a copy of your credit report to gain an overview of your financial commitments and see exactly what the lender sees.

4. The right to explain
If there’s a mistake on your credit report, contact the credit reference agency to get it corrected. You can also add a notice of correction to explain any missed payments as a result of life changes, such as losing your job or divorce. The lender has to read this when considering an application.

5. Are you registered?
The electoral roll is used by many companies for identity verification purposes in order to combat identity fraud. It is vital, therefore, that you are registered on the electoral roll at your current address. And if you believe the address is not properly presented, you can ask the credit reference agency to take this up with the lenders and the local authorities.

6. Some events stay on your credit report
If you declare yourself bankrupt or take out an IVA, it will be on your credit file for six years and impact your ability to gain access to credit during that period. If you fall into this bracket, get professional advice before applying for a mortgage.

7. County Court Judgments (CCJ)
If you’ve had a CCJ and it is now settled make sure the settlement is recorded on your credit file. If not contact the court to get confirmation details and inform the credit reference agencies.

8. Stop Applying
If you have been refused credit, obtain a copy of your credit report. But DO NOT carry on applying elsewhere. Each credit application search by a lender will leave a “footprint” on your credit report. Too many searches in a short space of time can be perceived by lenders as you may be over-stretching yourself financially and could therefore affect your ability to get credit.

9. Avoid a high balance
Avoid carrying a balance on your credit cards that is more than 30% of your credit limit. Lenders may view this as a sign of you having too much credit already and that you therefore may not be able to keep up with any new repayments.

10. Close it Down
Make sure any accounts you don’t need or use are closed. Lenders are paying more attention to the total amount of credit available to an individual and whilst you may not be using them, these accounts could affect your ability to get credit.

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how to get started with debt relief and debt consolidation
- Posted October 21, 2013 by Monty Loree
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How to Get Started with Debt Relief and Debt Consolidation

Debt relief for consumers is needed today now more than ever. The recent global economic crisis in 2008 and its lingering effect have triggered the need for debt relief and debt consolidation programs for both consumers and businesses.

Data showed that many working people are drowning in personal debt, facing a mortgage crisis with no end in sight, personal bankruptcies are at historic levels, and many find themselves still without a job. Debt relief providers today offer many programs and services to help those who are struggling with debt to their debt burden and establish a road map for getting out of debt.


Debt Consolidation: Most Readily Available Debt Relief
Debt consolidation is one of the oldest debt relief programs on the market. Easily and readily available in the country, this debt relief program simply involves the combining of multiple existing loans payments into one. The reasons for this can be as simple as having only one monthly debt payment to manage, or it could be to obtain a lower interest rate, a fixed interest rate, and/or the waiving of late fees and penalties. Debt consolidation can often be arranged with the help of a consumer credit counselor.

Debt consolidation loans go further than debt consolidation by actually taking out a new loan to pay off existing loans. This debt consolidation loan often comes in the form of a home equity loan. Consumers need to be cautious and well-informed when it comes to debt consolidation loans, however. Home equity loans are very often used to pay off credit card debt. This credit card debt is unsecured debt. With home equity loans, what actually occurs is the exchanging of unsecured debt for secured debt (a mortgage).

Debt Settlement: The Newest Form of Debt Relief
Debt settlement is one of the newest debt relief programs. This debt relief program is also known as debt negotiation and debt arbitration. Debt settlement is an aggressive program aimed at eliminating large amounts of credit card debt through negotiation, thus allowing a fast track repayment of the little remaining debt. Debt settlement has been proven effective for unsecured debt such as credit card debt and medical bills, and in many cases can eliminate up to 50% of this unsecured debt.

Consumers have options today. It's recommended that a person consider all debt relief programs and services before deciding on a program that fits their needs.

Consumer advocate National Debt Relief Program offers a free debt relief evaluation which can be taken advantage of.

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how to better manage your payday loan
- Posted October 21, 2013 by Monty Loree
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How to Better Manage Your Payday Loan

Latest government statistics have shown that the number of payday loan requests has increased 109 percent in the past two years alone. But the figure is expected rise in the coming months, experts predicted.

Due to this upsurge in demand for such services, numerous lenders are appearing to cater to those in need; however, this convenience comes at a price to consumers.

Unavoidable need and sparse regulations among the payday lending industry have paved the way for exorbitant fees and interest rates, often creating more hardships for those acquiring such loans than were present before.

A Website Showing Comparisons on Loan Providers
In an effort to help reduce the burden on those seeking loans, Which Way To Pay Canada has launched their website dedicated to providing comparisons on loan providers and other financial services, allowing consumers to easily find the most affordable options available.

Mark Maffia of Which Way To Pay Canada confirmed, "We see new payday lenders springing up constantly. The way these payday loans, sometimes called cash advances, work is consumers borrow between $100 and $1,000 dollars. They are required to pay the entire amount they borrow, plus interest, back at the time of their next payday. Of course, if the client is unable to pay back the loan at the agreed upon time, extensions are granted, extra fees are added and interest continues to add up."

Why Payday Lenders are Attractive
Though fees and interest rates tend to be much higher with this type of loan, the public still gravitates toward them for a number of reasons. Payday lenders typically do not require credit checks whereas banks and credit unions do. Traditional lenders are inconvenient to those in need of quick cash because approval may take several days; cash advances are often available within 24 hours. Those with low credit scores in dire need of cash have few options and no means of quickly comparing rates among lenders.

Why Not Sub-Prime Loan?
"Those who are looking for other options may want to consider a sub-prime loan," continued Maffia, "Given the current state of the economy and the fact that so many have experienced financial difficulties, an increasing number of specialist lenders are providing loans for people with bad credit. These lenders offer varying terms and conditions, but consumers can borrow amounts ranging from $80 to thousands of dollars. Our website displays a number of bad credit lenders, the amounts they are willing to lend, interest rates, terms and other relevant information."

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landlords descent in ontario to provide affordable social housing solution
- Posted October 21, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Landlords Descend in Ontario to Provide Affordable Social Housing Solution

More than 1,100 landlords, policy makers and issue experts descendent in Ontario recently to tackle Ontario's critical need for affordable housing. The Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association's (ONPHA) 25th annual conference and tradeshow, Canada's largest social housing conference, will help equip Ontario's affordable housing sectors for the challenges ahead.

"More and more Ontarians are having their household budgets crunched by the high cost of rental housing in this province," says Sharad Kerur, ONPHA's Executive Director. "While Federal and Provincial investments in affordable housing have helped, the reality is that almost 600,000 Ontario renters pay more than 30 per cent of their income on rent and almost 275,000 pay more than 50 per cent. For too many, that doesn't leave money for other basics like child care, groceries and transit fare to get to work."

Creating a Forum for Problem Solving
The ONPHA Conference and Trade Show is the sector's premier event, drawing social housing landlords, policy makers, tenants and community partners together every year. "Our sector is facing a number of challenges" says Kerur, "Tightening budgets combined with the growing need for capital repairs and the need for supports for vulnerable tenants means that we need everyone - landlords, municipalities, the Province, and the Feds - at the table to find solutions. That's what our conference is all about - we're creating a forum for problem solving."

Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, The Honourable Linda Jeffrey, addressed delegates at the conference's Opening Plenary.

"Our government continues to call for a renewed federal commitment to affordable housing, because we all have a role play in helping to maintain affordable housing in Ontario and across Canada." said Minister Jeffrey. "Non-profit housing is more than just bricks and mortar - it helps create jobs and builds communities."

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canadas housing sector remains strong
- Posted October 21, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Canada’s Housing Sector Remains Strong

Canada’s housing sector remains strong as latest data from The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) showed that the national home sales posted modest gains in September.

Canadian existing home sales jumped 0.8 percent from August (40,464) to September (40,793) on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to CREA. However, the actual rise (not seasonally adjusted) in home sales reached 18.2% compared to the same month last year.

“Year-over-year increases in the sales over the past couple of months highlights how activity softened across much of the country following the introduction of tighter mortgage rules last summer,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist.

The number of home sales processed through the MLS Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations and other co-operative listing systems edged up a modest eight-tenths of one percent on a month-over-month basis in September 2013.

Sales improved on a month-over-month basis in just over half of all local markets, with gains in Greater Vancouver and Greater Toronto offsetting declines in Calgary and Montreal.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity remained roughly on par with the 10-year average in September. The 18.2 per cent increase compared to year-ago levels reflects weakened activity at that time.

Report Highlights
Other highlights of the report include:
The number of newly listed homes declined by 1.4% from August to September.
The Canadian housing market has tightened but continues to remain balanced.
The national average sale price rose 8.8% on a year-over-year basis in September.
The MLS Home Price Index (HPI) rose 3.1% year-over-year in September.

Sales were up on a year-over-year basis in about 75 per cent of local markets, led by gains in Greater Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Greater Toronto.

“While the momentum for sales activity began improving a few months ago, it may be losing steam after having only just climbed back in line with an average of the past 10 years,” Klump added. “Even so, one can see large year-on-year changes when comparing activity to a month like September 2012, when sales dropped to the lowest level for that month in more than a decade.”

Some 340,980 homes have traded hands across the country so far this year. That stands 1.8 per cent below levels recorded in the first three quarters of 2012.

The number of newly listed homes declined by 1.4 per cent on a month-over-month basis in September. Slightly more than half of all local markets recorded declines, led by Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Calgary, Greater Toronto, London & St. Thomas, Ottawa, and Montreal.

The small monthly increase in sales activity combined with a decline in new listings pushed the national sales-to-new listings ratio to 56.1 per cent in September compared to 54.8 per cent in August. While the national housing market has firmed in recent months, it remains in balanced market territory where it has been since early 2010. Based on a sales-to-new listings ratio of between 40 to 60 per cent, about three of every five local markets were in balanced market territory in September.

Improved Sales from Previous Year
“Sales activity across much of the country has improved in recent months following a slow start to the year and new listings in some areas have not kept pace,” said CREA President Laura Leyser. “Depending on where they are, there may be a bit more competition among buyers for limited inventory in the months ahead. Because all real estate is local, your REALTOR® remains your best resource for understanding how the housing market is shaping up either where you live or might like to.”

The number of months of inventory is another important measure of balance between housing supply and demand. It represents the number of months it would take to completely liquidate current inventories at the current rate of sales activity. There were 5.8 months of inventory at the national level at the end of September, down from 5.9 months one month earlier. As with the sales-to-new listings ratio, the current months of inventory measure marks a slightly firmer but still well balanced national market.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes sold in September 2013 was $385,906, an increase of 8.8 per cent from the same month last year. Year-over-year average price gains in recent months reflect the decline in sales activity recorded last year in some of Canada’s larger and more expensive markets which caused the national average price to drop.

If Greater Toronto, Greater Vancouver, and Calgary are removed from the national average price calculation, the year-over-year increase is 4.3 per cent. A better gauge of what’s going on with prices is the MLS Home Price Index (MLS® HPI), which is not affected by changes in the mix of sales the way that ‘average’ price is.

This month, Victoria and Vancouver Island join the MLS HPI.

The Aggregate Composite MLS HPI rose 3.13 per cent compared to September 2012, slightly larger than the 2.80 per cent gain in August.

2-Storey Single Family Homes Post Highest Growth
Year-over-year price growth picked up among all property types tracked by the index with the exception of two-storey single family homes. That said, this property type continues to see the strongest growth, with the Benchmark two-storey single family home price up 3.56 per cent year-over-year in September.

This was followed by one-storey single family homes (+3.44 per cent), townhouse/row units (+3 per cent) and apartment units (+1.79 per cent).

Year-over-year price growth in the MLS HPI was mixed across the markets tracked by the index.

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how to give while spending
- Posted October 20, 2013 by Monty Loree
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How to Give While Spending

Canadians are generally generous people. We are always ready to give a helping hand to those who are in need.

You Give Every Time You Buy
That is why it is a welcome news that we can now give to the needy while we buy something for ourselves. With the new Free The Children RBC Virtual Visa Debit Card, we can help support the support Free The Children's charitable initiatives around the world each time they tonline purchases by debit.

The new debit card, officially launched this month, allows anyone aged 14 and older to securely make purchases online, by telephone or mail order with funds debited directly from their RBC Royal Bank deposit bank account. RBC Royal Bank will then donate a portion of each purchase to Free The Children, to support its international and domestic programming.

Customized Spending Limits Help to Rein Spending
As this is a debit card, not a credit card, there are no interest charges or annual fees associated with the use of the card; in addition, RBC Royal Bank has waived any transaction fees. Purchases are debited directly from funds in the cardholder's bank account, so cardholders know exactly how much they have spent and how much they have remaining in their account for savings and any future purchases. Moreover, daily spending limits can be customized to cardholder preferences to further manage spending.

"Through all their fundraising efforts for Free The Children, young Canadians continue to demonstrate the difference they want to make in their own communities and around the world," said Doug Collins, vice-president, Payments and Banking Services, Royal Bank of Canada. "This new debit option provides young people and adults with a convenient, safe and secure way to help create positive change by supporting Free The Children with every purchase they make. In addition, because they can set daily spending limits for this debit card, it's a great tool for smart money management."

The cumulative power of all purchases made by Free The Children RBC Virtual Visa Debit cardholders will go toward helping Free The Children to continue to support and inspire generations of young people to make a positive change in the world. This year, donations from purchases will support Free The Children's Year of Education Initiative, with a year-long fundraising commitment to build 200 new schools in Free The Children's overseas communities.

Small Actions, Big Change
"We know the impact small actions can have to bring about big change," said Marc Kielburger, co-founder of Free The Children. "We're honoured RBC chose our charity to partner with for this new debit card, giving socially conscious Canadians an easy way to support our international development projects."

The Free The Children RBC Virtual Debit card has daily spending limits specifically assigned to the cardholder. These spending limits can be decreased at any time and can be gradually increased based on the cardholder's comfort level. These daily limits assist with budgeting techniques for responsible spending. As with all Visa products, the Free The Children RBC Virtual Debit card is supported by Visa's Zero Liability protection.

For more information about the Free The Children RBC Virtual Visa Debit card, please visit www.rbc.com/virtualdebit.

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canadians can now enjoy high interest savings account
- Posted October 20, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Canadians Can Now Enjoy High Interest Savings Account

Canadian depositors can now enjoy high interest earning savings account as Equitable Bank launched the Equitable Bank High Interest Savings Account to its portfolio of safe and secure deposit solutions.

The new product is available across Canada from authorized investment dealers, in nominee format through the FundSERV network, the Equitable Bank High Interest Savings Account delivers a highly competitive rate of interest (currently 1.50% per annum) calculated daily and paid monthly, charges no fees and is CDIC eligible.

"For over four decades, Equitable's guaranteed investment certificates have helped thousands of Canadians secure their financial future," said Andrew Moor, President and CEO. "With our High Interest Savings Account, depositors now have a powerful new way to save, one that outperforms ordinary bank accounts and provides easy access for advisors and their customers. Backed by our industry-leading service, we believe the Equitable Bank High Interest Savings Account can become the preferred choice for a new generation of savers and their financial advisors."

New Interest Rates can be Viewed in the Website
Investment rates for the Equitable Bank High Interest Savings Account and other Equitable investment products, including short, long-term and cashable GICs and tax-free savings accounts, and the specific minimum and maximum amounts are available for viewing at www.equitablebank.ca. The Equitable Bank High Interest Savings Account requires a $500 minimum investment with a maximum investment of up to $2.5 million.

As a federally regulated financial institution, Equitable Bank manages a growing deposit portfolio of over $6.1 billion and is one of Canada's largest non-branch mortgage lenders. The Company's responsive customer service, efficient business model, focused operations, and competitive rates across a range of investment and lending products, make Equitable Bank the go-to partner in markets across Canada.

Higher Interest Rates = More Value for Your Investments
"Our High Interest Savings Account widens our suite of secure and competitive products," said Scott Fryer, Vice President, Deposit Services, "and allows us to provide more value to our investment advisor partners. We look forward to helping advisors make their clients' hard-earned savings work harder."

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how to apply for a car loan even if you are a highdebt ratio individual
- Posted October 18, 2013 by Monty Loree
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How to Apply for a Car Loan Even if You Are a High-Debt Ratio Individual

Applicants who are marked as a high-debt ratio individual are often rejected when they apply for a car loan. Most lenders frown on the applications of these types of individuals who are considered high-risk and more likely to default on their debt payment.

Commonly, lenders look at specific ratios in order to determine whether to advance credit on a car loan. When these ratios are higher than their thresholds, lenders will decline a car loan application.

Here are some tips on how to apply for a car loan even if you are a high-debt ratio individual.

Car Financiers Use a Wide Approval Criteria
According to Toronto, Canada-based auto lender TREND Financial, there is another approach when looking at an individual’s application for a car loan. One is to review the individual's total financial picture which avoids an automatic application decline.

Car loans can also be customized loans for everyone including those with high debt service ratios and can do so because it uses wide approval criteria to assess a car loan application. This means that if a loan applicant is weak in one area, such as with high debt ratios, other factors can make up for a successful car loan approval.

For car loans to those with existing high debt ratios, the company looks at the following financial qualifications including but not limited to, provision of a signed employment contract from an employer showing the person’s salary, employment verification contacts, a housing lease/rental agreement or mortgage or proof from an employer showing that the employer is providing housing, and more.

According to Eric Kaplan, COO of TREND Financial, “Certain individuals don’t fit within traditional lenders requirements in being outside qualification thresholds, regardless of their credit strength and general stability.”

This Financing Company Assesses Applications Differently
“This very limited view of a person's financial position without anything more, means that the person is ineligible for a car loan. At TREND Financial we take a different approach and look at the whole individual, not being bound only to specific ratios, as an alternative to traditional lenders,” he added.

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how to apply for a car loan for immigrants and those without credit
- Posted October 18, 2013 by Monty Loree
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How to Apply for a Car Loan for Immigrants and Those Without Credit

It’s not easy to get a car loan for new immigrants as they are regarded by lenders as credit risk because many of them have no credit history. Government figures show that an estimated 250,000 people emigrate to Canada each year and most if not all will have no credit history.

Majority of Canadian lenders require that new immigrants have a minimum credit score before they can start a car loan application.

Here are some tips for new immigrants to apply for a car loan, and how to find easy customized car loans.

Consider Other Factors -- Not Just Credit History
Toronto, Canada-based auto lender TREND Financial said that there are wide approval criteria used by lenders in assessing a car loan application. This means that if an applicant is weak in one area, such as no credit history, other factors can make up for approvals that then become easier. For new immigrant car loans, the company looks at the following, including but not limited, to provision of a signed employment contract from an employer showing the person’s salary, employment verification contacts, a housing lease/rental agreement or mortgage or proof from an employer showing that the employer is providing housing, and more.

Your Bank Deposit can Help You
According to Eric Kaplan, COO of TREND Financial, “Deposits can play a large role in equalizing the playing field.”

Adds Mr. Kaplan, “One of the best ways to deal with a new immigrant car loan or no credit situation is to look at the security deposit, which can be a major factor in the loan approval process.”

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survey shows canadian consumers will demand more credit loans
- Posted October 18, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Survey: Canadian Consumers Will Want More Credit Loans

A survey by predictive analytics and decision management software firm FICO has found that Canadian consumers’ appetite for credit loans will continue to expand in the coming years. In a survey conducted among Canadian bank risk professionals, it was learned that 46 percent of those polled expect the amount of new credit requested by consumers to increase over the next six months, while just 16 percent expect it to decrease.

The survey, conducted for FICO by the Professional Risk Managers' International Association (PRMIA), also found that 46 percent of bankers in the survey expect requests for credit-line increases to go up, with eight percent expecting such requests to go down. Regarding the use of consumer credit, 53 percent of lenders polled expect credit card balances to increase over the next six months, while seven percent expect balances to decrease.

"The theme of the economic recovery seems to be 'slow and steady'," said Dr. Andrew Jennings, chief analytics officer at FICO and head of FICO Labs. "Both consumer spending and income ticked up slightly during the summer. I'm sure that contributed to the feeling among our respondents that consumer borrowing is poised to increase. It remains to be seen if the government shutdown causes consumers to tighten their purse strings."

30s Group: Key to Increased Demand in Lending
When asked about the anticipated growth in their lending portfolios, half of all respondents (50 percent) said that borrowers in the 30-39 age range will drive the most growth in credit loans. Nearly a quarter of respondents (22 percent) expect borrowers aged 20-29 to be the largest source of growth. Eighteen percent of respondents felt that growth in their lending portfolios would be largest among borrowers aged 40 or older.

Banks Prepared to Meet Credit Demand
Bankers also predicted that supply of consumer credit loans for multiple types of loans to also rise with more than 70 percent of respondents expect supply to meet demand for new residential mortgages and small business loans. Over 80 percent of respondents expect supply to meet demand for mortgage refinancing, credit cards, auto loans, and student loans. There were no loan types for which respondents expect demand to exceed supply.

Student Loans: Perennial Concern of Lenders
When it comes to risk, the concern centered on one loan type: student loans. Nearly half of respondents (49 percent) expect an increase in student loan delinquencies, while 15 percent expect a decrease. This is the eighth consecutive quarter in which there was significant concern about delinquencies on student loans.

Eleven percent of respondents expect the total number of consumer credit delinquencies to decrease, the lowest number on record. Sixty-two percent of respondents expect the total number of delinquencies to remain flat.

Intrest Rates to Rise in 6 Months
Bankers overwhelmingly (72 percent) believe interest rates will rise in the next six months. Less than one percent of respondents expect interest rates for consumer credit to decrease, the lowest level in the survey's three-year history.

A detailed report of FICO's quarterly survey is available at https://www.prmia.org/sites/default/files/references/PRMIAFICO3rdQuarterOct2013F.pdf.

www.PRMIA.org.

www.fico.com.

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investing in canadian dividend stocks
- Posted October 01, 2013 by Monty Loree
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How You can Make Money in Canadian Dividend Stocks


So you are ready to expand your portfolio. There are many y in Canadian Dividendways to invest your money to prepare for your retirement, raise funds to buy a new house or just to manage your finances. Aside from the traditional stock investments, you can also invest in Canadian dividend stocks.
Before you invest your money, it is important to understand that there are two ways to earn profits investing in Canadian dividend stocks. The first is through the appreciation of your investment also known as the capital gains. A capital gain is your earning when you deduct the purchase price of the stock to your selling price.

Another way of earning is through dividends that are usually announced by the company annually. Dividends usually come as cash payments that the firm you have holdings send you or deposit into your brokerage account.

Majority of investors are mostly interested in the appreciation of their stock prices based on speculative gains and more often ignore the dividend payments, especially when their report their annual market results or the performance of the stock.

Actually, dividends speak a lot about the company and it can also provide investors significant earnings.

Dividends as Indicator of Performance


Dividends issued by a company will help you determine if the firm is earning or not. That is very important when investing in Canadian dividend stocks. However, there are two schools of thoughts regarding dividend payment. On one hand, some companies are against the issuance of dividends and instead opt to reinvest the fund to expand the firm’s operations. Instead of giving dividends to shareholders, some firms prefer to reinvest the money to finance sales force expansion, new acquisition, buy out or building a new office or factory. Companies like Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffet’s holding firm never gave dividends since their inceptions. Microsoft only recently started paying small dividends to its shareholders.

On the other hand, there are some who argue that the ability of a company to pay dividends proves its profitability. Some shareholders also prefer receiving dividends because they can reinvest the hard cash to other portfolios or buy new shares from the firm.

All Canadian Banks are Dividend Stocks


To be sure, all the big six Canadian banks are Canadian dividend stocks, including popular firms, like Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart, or Tim Hortons.

So when looking for investments, ask yourself if you want stock investments or you want to buy Canadian dividend stocks that will give you more earning opportunities.

Useful Links


Note: To learn more about stock investing in Canada, visit the following websites for references:
http://www.tmx.com/en/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Stock_Exchange
http://www.cnsx.ca/CNSX/Home.aspx http://web.tmxmoney.com/marketsca.php
http://www.world-stock-exchanges.net/canada.html http://www.investcom.com/ http://www.wikinvest.com/wiki/List_of_Stock_Exchanges http://www.fin.gc.ca/act/fim-imf/dse-bvd-eng.asp http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cnq.asp http://www.google.ca/finance

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three basic steps to control your portfolios
- Posted October 01, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Three Basic Steps to Control Your Portfolios


The current market environment offers a lot of uncertainties. Just when the global economy is taking an upward climb after the 2008 financial meltdown, the markets are still faced with so much volatility. The emerging markets were hit by selloffs in June that saw some regional currencies, including India, Indonesia, China and the Philippines stumbled.

Here are some basic tips to better control your portfolios and protect your investment from any market uncertainties.

  1. Create a financial plan

  2. If you think that managing your finances should focus only on investing or managing your debt, then you are wrong. Having a concrete financial plan is more complex that investing and managing your debt. A good financial plan should involve a sound investment strategy and credit management as well as retirement, asset and income protection, tax management, estate planning, education funding, business succession, major purchases and charity and donations. Each of these are important elements to create a well-balanced plan and ensure that your finances are running like clock-work.

    You should look at your financial plan to establish your current foothold and make sure that you will reach your target at a certain time in the future. Your present plan should lay the groundwork to help you achieve your goal.

    It is important to note that planning for your retirement cannot be postponed and should always be a major part if you want to control your portfolio. It is always best to have a financial advisor when planning your finances to help guide you in your direction.

  3. Consider the tax

  4. Remember what your economic taught you in college? It is not about what you make but what you keep. To get a better control of your portfolio, you must always keep in mind that the biggest single expenditure in our lives is taxes. Take advantage of the many tax breaks such as split income and you should always optimize any tax deductions that you can find.

    Investing through an RSP compared with a non-registered account will make you eligible for a tax refund.

  5. Invest

  6. For retail investors, the most effective investment strategy is buy and hold especially with the current volatile market. The up and down in the stock market is a normal business cycle and there are many factors that influence market swings. One of the best things you can do is keep a small reserve in money market portfolios to take advantage of opportunities and you can manage risk easier.

    Draw up an investment plan and diversify your portfolios. Do not park all your money in just one investment. Having several stocks will give you a better picture of the market and will soften any blow should one of your stocks slump, then the other will not get affected.


Useful Links
Note: To learn more about stock investing in Canada, visit the following websites for references: http://www.tmx.com/en/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Stock_Exchange http://www.cnsx.ca/CNSX/Home.aspx http://web.tmxmoney.com/marketsca.php
http://www.world-stock-exchanges.net/canada.html http://www.investcom.com/ http://www.wikinvest.com/wiki/List_of_Stock_Exchanges http://www.fin.gc.ca/act/fim-imf/dse-bvd-eng.asp http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cnq.asp http://www.google.ca/finance

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why invest in canadian stocks
- Posted September 24, 2013 by Monty Loree
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Why Invest in Canadian Stocks?


Canada has one of the most vibrant economies in the world. It is also one of the safest places in the world to invest in stocks. It has rich in natural resources and its financial sector is considered to be very robust with its currency enjoying stability amongst developed economies.

The Canadian Stock Exchange’s Composite Index performed an average of 15% over the last 20 years and the local stock market has been outperforming its counterparts in other parts of the world.
But despite the low risk in investing in Canadian stocks, there will always be uncertainties as certain unpredictable geo-political and local events could influence the movement of the markets. Here is taking a look into the Canadian stock market.

Mining and Commodities


Canada has a thriving mining industry. Mining is the country’s top exports as Canada is the largest producer of minerals in the world. In fact, 60 percent of the world’s public mining companies are listed in the Toronto Stock Exchanges. Of the more than 3,600 companies listed in the two Canadian stock exchanges, at least 1,500 are mining stocks. Oil and gas companies comprise another 10 percent of the two bourses. Potash, a key ingredient in the manufacture of fertilizer, is widely produced in Canada. Canada is the world’s biggest producer of Potash.

As demands for commodities, including oil, gas, precious metals and agriculture are expected to rise in the coming years, Canada offers a great opportunity to invest in stocks.

In its latest survey, the World Economic Forum described Canada’s banking system as being the most robust in the world with a stable financial health and excellent balance sheet. This strong banking system enables local banks to borrow funds at a much lower rate compared with their international counterparts.

The Downside


Among the downside in investing in stock in Canada is that the local market is poorly diversified. This discourages some investors to park their money into the Canadian market. Data from the TSX Composite Index showed that a huge 70 percent of the stocks traded in the TSX are dominated by three industries, namely, Energy, Materials and Financials. There are also some utilities and telecoms but investors are asking for other portfolios in consumer retail, health care and technology sectors.

From a global perspective, the Canadian economy is considered small compared with the U.S., Japan and China as Canada represents only four percent of the global market. And since the portfolios in Canada are concentrated in at least three sectors, a pull-back in commodity prices presents a huge risk.

In all, the Canadian economy has been showing solid performance over the last 20 years. If it is capable of continuing this positive run depends if the good points outweighs the negative.

Stock Investing Sites Referenced:


http://www.tmx.com/en/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Stock_Exchange http://www.cnsx.ca/CNSX/Home.aspx http://web.tmxmoney.com/marketsca.php
http://www.world-stock-exchanges.net/canada.html http://www.investcom.com/ http://www.wikinvest.com/wiki/List_of_Stock_Exchanges http://www.fin.gc.ca/act/fim-imf/dse-bvd-eng.asp http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cnq.asp http://www.google.ca/finance

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new immigrants should get canadian secured credit cards
- Posted September 24, 2013 by Monty Loree
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New Immigrants Should Get Canadian Secured Credit Cards


A few years ago, me and my family migrated to Canada from Asia. Fortunately, I was quickly employed but my new job required me to obtain a Canadian credit card. As a new resident of Canada, this presented a dilemma because I still do not have a Canadian citizenship and worse, I do not have a credit history in my new home country. One of the requirements in obtaining a Canadian credit card is that I should have a good credit history here.

For 25 years, I have maintained an excellent credit score in my home country but those did not matter in Canada because credit card providers here do not have any record of my credit standings. I felt the frustrations of every person living in another country. My good credit score and good credit practices from where I came from do not matter in the Canada or in any other country. I was completely lost.
Fortunately, the firm that I was working for has good reputation and this helped me secure a Canadian secured credit card although with a small credit limit.

Let me discuss with you the importance and benefits of a Canadian secured credit card for immigrants.

New immigrants in Canada required to re-start their credit


Because new immigrants are required to build their credit history in Canada I sympathize with families who migrated to the country who wanted to acquire a credit card in their new country. All your mortgages, credit history and lines of credits in your former country do not matter if you want to have a Canadian credit card because you are required to establish your credit history here.

This can pose a major challenge to some immigrants as they will be forced to transact in cash if they do not have any credit card. But cash transactions do not build or start any credit history or rating. Immigrants will not be able to get any type of loans if they do not have any credit history in Canada unless they have sizable security deposits or other assets to show.

One of the quickest and easiest ways for the new immigrant in Canada to start their credit rating is to get a secured credit card. These credit cards can be obtained by depositing a security fund between $75 and $300. The beauty of a secured credit card is that it reports to Equifax and TransUnion the same as a regular credit card. This is a very important feature because it helps gain credit score in Canada.

Another important benefits of these secured credit cards can be used in the same way you use a regular credit card. There are many companies in Canada that offers these secured credit cards.

Once you obtain a good credit history, you can then qualify to apply for unsecured credit cards. Every family that immigrates to Canada has hopes and dreams of owning a home, car and living the Canadian lifestyle. A secured credit card might just be the fastest and most cost effective way for them to start their credit rating and move on to that home mortgage for their family.

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100 podcast interview partners wanted personal finance
- Posted December 29, 2009 by Monty Loree
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100 Podcast Interview Partners Wanted - Personal Finance

So many times we visit and read blogs about personal finance.. We visit sites which promote products and services that help us either make more money, or save money. I thought it would be a great idea to interview 100 people involved in personal finance to get the low down on the industry.

After writing hundreds of articles , and thousands of discussion posts, I thought it would be nice to interview others in the industry and get their fresh perspective on things.

If you're one of these people, I would like to interview you!!

I am looking for 100 podcast partners to interview in 2010 as follows:
~ Personal Finance Blogs
~ Owners/Managers of companies who service the personal finance industry:
~ Mortgage Brokers,
~ Investment Counsellors,
~ Life Insurance Agents,
~ Creditors,
~ Collection Agencies,
~ Credit Bureaus
~ Motivation and Education Consultants who help their clients make more money

Sharing ideas and concepts for our personal finance visitors.
The objective for our interviews is to give our visitors news about the industry, some new insights and tips from experts who are involved everyday!

Suggested Topics:
For Bloggers
~ What got you interested in Personal Finance Blogging?
~ How long have you been blogging?
~ What is the subject you like to blog about most?
~ What are 3 of your favorite personal finance blogs?
~ What are 3 of your favorite personal finance websites/products/services?

For Industry Service Providers
~ What service do you provide?
~ What are Products/services you offer that can help our visitors save/make money?
~ What are the Benefits of your product/service?

For Motivation & Education Consultants
~ How does your service relate to the personal finance industry?
~ How does your service help our visitors make/save money?
~ Can you give one or two case studie examples from your own experience, where your service helped an individual make/save money?

Guidelines:
~ The premise of the show is to help our visitors learn more about existing resources and services.
~ You must have a few years experience in the personal finance industry if you're a service provider.
~ This is not an advertisement for your product or service
~ You need to indicate when you're available to be interviewed. (I prefer to do my interviews in the morning)
~ I will be doing these 100 interview throughout 2010.. Booking early is important.
~ It would be beneficial, however, not imperative if you could write a little promotional piece and put it on your blog/site to tell your readers about our interview. This way, your visitors would get the full benefit of our interview as well.
~ There is no cost to you for this interview.
~ I will need to see your topic ideas a few days before we do the actual interview


If you're interested please email me at:

Or leave a comment below..


Thanks.. I'm looking forward to a great year doing 100 interviews!

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2012-12-12 20:21:33
Canadian Credit Delinquencies Rising Deloitte Warns Canada
Put a date on your articles so that people know when it was written! How else will someone else understand if the information is recent?
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2012-12-12 12:18:15
Freedom Prepaid Mastercard Debit Card For Canadians
How do i check my account balance i only bought a couple of things on this card n now i have nothing on my account i got it a couple of weeks ago ????
Comment By:
kyle from regina

2012-12-05 04:58:54
Car Repossessed Trouble With High Risk Car Loans
Reading all the comments below is frustrating.......you dont have to be a rocket scientist...........every post the people didnt make there payments n
Comment By:
George

2012-11-13 23:08:19
Cbv Collection Services Problems
same deal,,these criminals sent a bill saying i owe 18,000$..hilarious,,they call me 5x per day..i am taking rogers to court..small claimes..why not y
Comment By:
karen cliff

2012-11-13 13:18:44
Retail Theft Could Get You Sued
I keep receiving emails and phone calls from people who think they can simply ignore the letters from these Civil Recovery lawyers. Don't. They
Comment By:
Gerry Laarakker

2012-11-10 12:04:12
Bad Credit Loans For Individual On Benefit And Have Low Income
I am a single mother and have a high gas bill can't afford to pay it I'm on ontario works and have a full time job but one income doesn't cut it I nee
Comment By:
amber haayema

2012-10-18 08:23:07
Retail Theft Could Get You Sued
Bank statements can be demanded or balloon a day even fail to repay the debts incurred from the varied lenders. The offered amount in such cash untill
Comment By:
Spadiatrere

2012-10-15 11:43:43
Bad Credit Loans For Individual On Benefit And Have Low Income
Need a loan wanting to buy a atv. Loan of 8,000 dollars is this possible.
Comment By:
Adam Brundage

2012-10-09 18:46:26
Bad Credit Loan Needed Canada Bad Credit Need A Loan
Dear Sir / Madam I am Mr.Nikky John of UNIVERSAL LOAN.we offer a variety of financing options at competitive prices to the Consumers who h
Comment By:
Mr.Nikky John

2012-10-09 12:42:44
Credit Repair Canada 3 Things You Should Know
to , take up a new job. Also, reflect on investing in generating a payday advance loan while using classmates and more, typically the segments. The in
Comment By:
WarbabsjamY

2012-10-09 12:24:31
How The Debt Based Monetary System Functions In Canada
incredible cash loan right away inspiration the email mentioned learn more loan service that demand the particular choices signal asset loan applicati
Comment By:
Nilkgeoli

2012-09-30 20:03:01
Cbv Collection Services Problems
I had a telus pay as you go phone from 2003 2008 and now cbv collectons is claiming that i owe over 1500 dollars, the last time they called i called
Comment By:
marcus

2012-09-25 10:19:31
Cbv Collection Services Problems
Had a bogus 'roaming charge' bill from Telus a few years back. Got mad at them and switched providers. It went to CBV. Yes, they are persistent and
Comment By:
Scammed

2012-09-23 07:37:50
First Canadian Finance Scam Site
While these aforementioned dangers are a cause for legitimate concern, there are other dangers that derive from perceptions that often have no basis i
Comment By:
effomicok

2012-09-21 19:09:43
Car Repossessed Trouble With High Risk Car Loans
I have had a Carfinco loan for almost 4 1/2 years, I have not missed a payment nor have I ever been late. I had to use this company because I had file
Comment By:
Gord

2012-09-16 16:42:15
Retail Theft Could Get You Sued
I am sick of all you so called legal counsel, wanting money from me , there was a reason i was stealing the items in the first place, i have no money!
Comment By:
a shopplifter

2012-09-15 05:13:22
Freedom Prepaid Mastercard Debit Card For Canadians
Some honest advice... if you need a card to use online DON'T EVEN THINK of using this one. Terrible customer server that disconnects calls on you and
Comment By:
Honest Advice

2012-09-13 11:18:04
Car Repossessed Trouble With High Risk Car Loans
Our car loan was with wellsfargo to begin with then transfered to carfinco,. Have never had a problem with them yet and have less than 2 years left on
Comment By:
Darlene Fougere

2012-09-02 18:27:17
15 Blog Post Articles That Talk About Equifax
obviously like www.canadianmoneyadvisor.ca however you need to test the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling p
Comment By:
promotion site

2012-08-31 11:32:19
Retail Theft Could Get You Sued
so i went in zellers and i baught bus tickets. then walked around playing with toys, and i was with a friend, we're both adults who like stupid toys.
Comment By:
Aj.



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