I might have mentioned once or twice before that I had been a single parent for years, getting no support from my son’s dad. A few years in this same time period I was out of work. I was very lucky because my son and I were never desperate for rent or food but I [...]
Money Life Cafe
A Place Where We Talk About Tips On Saving Cash, Alternative Types of Investments, Life Experiences and the Decisions We Make About Money
Tag Archives: saving tips
Borrow Instead of Buy
As I mentioned in a previous post (titled Bad Weddings, Too Expensive to Attend), weddings, whether bad or good ones, can be expensive not only for the couple getting married but for the guests as well.
This summer I had been invited to three weddings. Since they are all required different attire, I needed 3 different [...]
8 TIPS TO KEEP YOU COOL IN HOT WEATHER
It is mid-summer and the temperatures are soaring. It’s getting harder to stay cool. How do we spend less on buying those cold drinks, use less electricity up on A/C and keep being productive at work in this weather? Here are a few heat-beating tips that have worked for me:
1. Bring a water bottle everywhere [...]
POTLUCK
My friends are having a barbeque tonight. Instead of buying all the food themselves, they have asked each of the invited guests to bring a dish to share and to bring their own booze. It’s a great way to make sure there is enough food for everyone and that each guest likes to eat and [...]
Summertime Fun: Free, Cheap Or Find a Way to Make It Free Events
Summer is the time for festivals in North America!
Here in Vancouver we have the Jazz Fest, Folk Fest, free drive-in movie events, Symphony in the Park in Burnaby, the Burnaby Blues Fest, Illuminares Lantern Parade, Chinatown and Richmond Night Markets, Summer Dance Series, Canada Day Celebrations, Celebration of Light Fireworks, Summer Dance and Music Concerts, [...]
Planning Tips For Your Summer Camping Trip
It is summer and I am going camping. Through a few camping trips I have taken in the past, I’ve learned some very practical planning tips that have saved me time and money and I’d like to share them with those of you who want to enjoy nature and sleep amidst it this season.
1. Reserve [...]
Free DVD Rentals
In the past couple of years I have discovered the vast DVD and video collection of the Vancouver Public Library. For those who don’t know, your local library most likely lends out DVDs and Video Tapes (as well as CDs, Books on Tape/Spoken Word, etc.) just like books. I’ve all but given up my Rogers [...]
Is That Costco Membership Really Worth It?
I currently have a Costco Membership which expires end of this month. It cost me $50 CDN buy-in fee for the priveledge to shop at that store for one year. I initially decided to join the Costco Club because I wanted to save some money. I thought buying some of my food items in bulk [...]
Mother’s Day Gift Suggestions (One with an Ulterior Investment Motive)
Mother’s Day is coming up! If you have a mom you’d like to thank this special day, why not make her something? Cook her a nice lunch (I have posted a great recipe for Baked Tofu and Rice today) or make a card. Yes, MAKE a card. Even if you think you have no artistic [...]
Organize and Save: Lower Your Tax Accountant Fees
Instead of handing all your year’s receipts and tax papers to your accountant in a shoebox, why not create a nice spreadsheet for her? Your accountant will appreciate this since she will spend less time filing your return and therefore you’ll almost certainly get charged less for her services.
Create a list of categories for your [...]
