Financial Spring Cleaning: 200 Tips and Tricks to Get Your Money In Order and Save More This Year

Spring time is here! This means it’s time to get rid of the old junk in your home–along with some old financial habits that aren’t working for you.

If you’re ready to ditch your old ways, there’s no better time than now to make it happen. To help you get started, take a look at 200 amazing tips and tricks to get your money in order and save more this year!

Canadians urged to change spendthrift ways

For the past 15 years, Canadians haven’t been saving money, in large part because there was no pressing need. Rising home prices made people feel richer, and saving for a rainy day was a low priority. But that economic era is fast coming to an end. A new report to be released Monday shows the toll that years of passive savings is taking on the financial picture of Canadians.

How to create a budget

List all of the money you and your spouse or partner have coming in. This can include money from:

Uncover hidden money for your RRSP

Finding money to invest in your RRSP begins with rejecting the notion that you “aren’t good with numbers.” The numbers are just for keeping track, and plenty of software programs are available to do the math.

Worst mistakes first-time home buyers make

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is a great way to budget for a home and signal that you’re a serious buyer. However, keep in mind that the amount for which you are approved is the maximum amount the lender feels you can afford based on your income and projected property expenses. That figure doesn’t account for other expenses you may face, such as renovations or emergency home repair, as well as regular household costs.