Borrowing Money When You Have Bad Credit

Money makes the world go round. These days, there is much truth in that statement. For those with good credit, when you’re looking to borrow money, it often means simply heading to the bank, filling out a few forms, and waiting on a financial assessment. Not such a terrible prospect. However, for those with bad…

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New Mortgage Rules Making it Hard to Refinance – So Don’t!

Over the past few years, there have been several new mortgage rules that have made it hard for the average Canadian to not only get approved for a mortgage, but also harder for homeowners to refinance or take out second mortgages. Stress testing and new limits on refinancing have made it increasingly difficult to access…

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More Credit Card Debt Always the Wrong Answer

For many Canadians, debt is a reality of life. With the various monthly payments, along with those incidentals that spring up unannounced, debt can creep up quickly to the point that it becomes unmanageable. For some, amassing more credit card debt to cover such financial requirements sometimes seems like the only option – but it…

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What to Look for in a Used Car Dealer

If you’re thinking about buying a new car – or a new-to-you car – there are a number of important details to consider. Your budget and the type of car you want/need are both essential, but just as important is who you’re buying the car from! If you’re considering buying a used car, here are…

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A Second Mortgage That Isn’t a Mortgage? What’s the Deal?

With the most recent changes to mortgage lending/borrowing rules, those established by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, coupled with a higher interest rate, many Canadians looking to refinance their mortgages are finding it much harder to do so than originally anticipated. While a second mortgage offers a chance to access significant equity to use…

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The Canadian Interest Rate Went Up – What Does That Mean to You?

We’ve heard the warning for several months now: the economy is stabilizing, and Canadians have enjoyed an historically low interest rate for years, but a rate hike in inevitable. And, back in July, after months of speculation, the Bank of Canada finally raised the interest rate from 0.5% to 0.75%. This means that payments for…

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Identifying Fraud Blog Series: Phone and Text Scams

We’re finishing off our 3 part identifying fraud series talking about phishing schemes – scams designed to steal your financial information, and ultimately your money. Over the last few years, such schemes have become increasingly common, and thousands of Canadians lose money because it has become incredibly difficult to spot a scammer. This is especially…

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Identifying Fraud Blog Series: Fake Websites

In part 1 of our 3-part identifying fraud blog series, we took a look at phishing schemes – those scams where fraudsters attempt to scare you into sharing personal information or clicking on a link that gives them access to such information. We’re following things up with a blog that talks about fake websites, specifically…

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Identifying Fraud Blog Series: Phishing Schemes

We seem to be hearing about fraud schemes all the time these days. Unfortunately, technology and the internet has made it easier for fraudsters to not only find out personal information, but to use that personal information to trick people into providing details that can then be used to steal their money. This week, we’re…

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