Chatelaine Earn Spend Save: The savvy guide to a richer, smarter, debt-free life

Book description

An Outstanding Financial Guide from the Experts atChatelaine

Most Canadian women would rather talk about their sex lives than their bank accounts? Not so for Chatelaine-from managing a budget to making sense of a daunting economic climate, Earn, Spend, Save gets personal about your finances!

Learn how to say goodbye to debt, boost your income, plan for retirement, and manage your money like a pro. From taming that paper pile to recession-proof investment strategies, the experts at Chatelaine have created an eight month, step-by-step plan to help every Canadian woman come out on top.

Coming back from mat leave? Buying a home? Staring at a pre-nup? Earn, Spend, Save draws on Chatelaine's unique ability to connect women and address their foremost concerns. Bursting with smart advice and real-life tips you can apply right now, Earn, Spend, Save is the ultimate financial resource for Canadian women.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  3. Introduction: WHY YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK
    1. ADVICE YOU CAN USE
    2. HOW TO READ THIS BOOK
  4. 1. WORK YOUR MONEY
    1. 1.1. WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW
    2. 1.2. YOU REALLY ARE WORTH IT
    3. 1.3. WHAT DO YOU WANT?
    4. 1.4. MAKE A GOOD JOB A MONEY MACHINE
    5. 1.5. NO TIME LIKE FLEXTIME
    6. 1.6. TIME OUT AFTER BURNOUT
    7. 1.7. INTO THE GREAT UNKNOWN
    8. 1.8. FIND TIME TO NETWORK
    9. 1.9. INTERVIEW LIKE A PRO
      1. 1.9.1. PUT IN THE TIME
      2. 1.9.2. ACT LIKE AN EMPLOYEE
      3. 1.9.3. TAKE A NUMBER
      4. 1.9.4. RECOGNIZE YOUR SENSITIVITIES
      5. 1.9.5. KNOW THYSELF
    10. 1.10. THEY GOOGLE YOU
    11. 1.11. HOW TO NEGOTIATE A BETTER PACKAGE
    12. 1.12. GOING IT ALONE
    13. 1.13. YOU'RE READY
  5. 2. SPEND LIKE A PRO
    1. 2.1. MAKE A BUDGET
      1. 2.1.1. IDENTIFY YOUR INCOME
      2. 2.1.2. FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE SPENDING YOUR MONEY NOW
      3. 2.1.3. EVALUATE SPENDING AND COME UP WITH GOALS FOR SAVING
      4. 2.1.4. KEEP TRACKING EXPENSES AND STAY WITHIN YOUR GUIDELINES
    2. 2.2. SKILLS TO PAY THE BILLS
      1. 2.2.1. KEEP IT TOGETHER
      2. 2.2.2. WRITE IT OUT
      3. 2.2.3. CHOOSE YOUR DAYS
      4. 2.2.4. WHEN THE BILLS COME IN
      5. 2.2.5. PAY BILLS WITH HIGH INTEREST RATES AND LATE FEES FIRST
      6. 2.2.6. GO ONLINE
      7. 2.2.7. MAKE IT AUTOMATIC
      8. 2.2.8. IF YOU MISS A PAYMENT
      9. 2.2.9. JUST DO IT
    3. 2.3. EVERY CENT COUNTS, COUNT EVERY CENT
      1. 2.3.1. AT THE BANK
      2. 2.3.2. CHEAP EATS
      3. 2.3.3. BE ENERGY SMART
      4. 2.3.4. STREAMLINE YOUR MONEY
      5. 2.3.5. CAR-FRIENDLY SAVINGS
      6. 2.3.6. GET A HEALTH-CARE OVERHAUL
      7. 2.3.7. THE GREAT CANADIAN SHOP CHOP
    4. 2.4. OWN OR LEASE A CAR?
      1. 2.4.1. DRIVING POINTS
      2. 2.4.2. KEEP IT UP
      3. 2.4.3. IF YOU DRIVE A LOT
      4. 2.4.4. TIME TO BAIL
      5. 2.4.5. SO ... BUY OR LEASE?
    5. 2.5. COMPLAIN AND GET YOUR MONEY BACK
      1. 2.5.1. READ THE PAPERWORK
      2. 2.5.2. ACT FAST AND FOLLOW THE RULES
      3. 2.5.3. WRITE A LETTER
      4. 2.5.4. STAY CALM
      5. 2.5.5. KEEP AN OPEN MIND
      6. 2.5.6. TAKE IT TO COURT
    6. 2.6. NEXT STOP: DEBT BUSTERS
  6. 3. DEBT: KNOW WHAT YOU OWE
    1. 3.1. DEBT: THE TRILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION
    2. 3.2. GOOD DEBT VS. BAD DEBT
    3. 3.3. KNOW YOUR FEES
      1. 3.3.1. ANNUAL FEES
      2. 3.3.2. CASH ADVANCE FEES
      3. 3.3.3. CONVENIENCE CHEQUES
      4. 3.3.4. OVER-THE-LIMIT FEES
      5. 3.3.5. INACTIVITY FEES
      6. 3.3.6. FOREIGN CURRENCY CONVERSION FEES
      7. 3.3.7. DON'T FORGET GRACE PERIODS
    4. 3.4. DO YOU DEBIT?
    5. 3.5. GET OUT OF DEBT—FASTER!
      1. 3.5.1. KNOW WHAT YOU OWE
      2. 3.5.2. LOWER YOUR INTEREST
      3. 3.5.3. CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT
      4. 3.5.4. REFINANCE YOUR HOUSE
      5. 3.5.5. GET A LOAN (REALLY!)
      6. 3.5.6. DIP INTO YOUR RRSPs AND OTHER LOANS
      7. 3.5.7. ROLL IT OVER
      8. 3.5.8. START SMALL
      9. 3.5.9. GET WITH THE (STUDENT LOAN) PLAN
      10. 3.5.10. KEEP AT IT
    6. 3.6. FICO SAVINGS
      1. 3.6.1. TAKE A NUMBER
      2. 3.6.2. FIND OUT WHERE YOU STAND
      3. 3.6.3. MAKE CHANGES
      4. 3.6.4. DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
      5. 3.6.5. REAP THE REWARDS
    7. 3.7. THE UNTHINKABLE: BANKRUPTCY
    8. 3.8. WATCH MONEY GROW
  7. 4. INVEST IN YOURSELF
    1. 4.1. SHOULD YOU HIRE HELP?
      1. 4.1.1. HOW DO I FIND ONE?
      2. 4.1.2. ASK THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE HIRING ANYONE:
    2. 4.2. BE YOUR OWN INVESTMENT ADVISOR
    3. 4.3. KNOW THE TERMS
    4. 4.4. START A MONEY CLUB
    5. 4.5. DEFINE YOUR GOALS
    6. 4.6. HOW MUCH RISK CAN YOU TAKE?
    7. 4.7. BIG MONEY CONCEPTS YOU CAN'T MISS
      1. 4.7.1. PAY YOURSELF FIRST
      2. 4.7.2. DIVERSIFICATION
      3. 4.7.3. DOLLAR-COST AVERAGING
      4. 4.7.4. READ YOUR PROSPECTUS AND ANNUAL REPORTS
      5. 4.7.5. DO IT NOW (AND AGAIN TOMORROW)
    8. 4.8. YOUR BEST INVESTMENT DEALS
      1. 4.8.1. GO THE COUCH POTATO ROUTE
      2. 4.8.2. OTHER MUTUAL FUNDS
      3. 4.8.3. SUSS OUT STOCKS
      4. 4.8.4. THE RRSP ADVANTAGE
      5. 4.8.5. INVEST TO EARN!
    9. 4.9. KEEP IT GOING
  8. 5. GET YOUR TAX ACT TOGETHER
    1. 5.1. DIY OR HIRE A PRO?
      1. 5.1.1. GET YOURSELF ORGANIZED
      2. 5.1.2. THE CASE FOR DIY
    2. 5.2. TAME THE PAPER TRAIL
      1. 5.2.1. BAG ON THE WALL
      2. 5.2.2. LABEL
      3. 5.2.3. GO HIGH TECH
      4. 5.2.4. DO IT OFTEN
      5. 5.2.5. THROW IT OUT
    3. 5.3. WRITE IT OFF AND SAVE
      1. 5.3.1. RRSPs TO THE MAX
      2. 5.3.2. ALL IN THE FAMILY
      3. 5.3.3. SCHOOL TAX RULES
      4. 5.3.4. BREAKS FOR CAREGIVERS
      5. 5.3.5. BRING IT ON HOME
      6. 5.3.6. MONEY FOR HOME NEWBIES
      7. 5.3.7. MOVE IT
      8. 5.3.8. COMMUTING PAYS
      9. 5.3.9. IT'S A MEDICAL MIRACLE
      10. 5.3.10. COMBINE CHARITABLE RECEIPTS
      11. 5.3.11. BE YOUR OWN BOSS
    4. 5.4. RRSP 1, 2, 3
      1. 5.4.1. DO IT NOW
      2. 5.4.2. MAX OUT
      3. 5.4.3. PAY IT FORWARD
      4. 5.4.4. LEAVE IT ALONE
    5. 5.5. WRITE-OFFS FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED
    6. 5.6. WHAT IF I FILE LATE?
    7. 5.7. WHEN THE AUDITOR COMES TO CALL
      1. 5.7.1. TOP TIPS TO AVOID AN AUDIT
    8. 5.8. NOT AS TAXING AS YOU EXPECTED
  9. 6. MORTGAGE SWEET MORTGAGE
    1. 6.1. ARE YOU READY TO BUY?
      1. 6.1.1. PLAY 20 QUESTIONS
      2. 6.1.2. GIVE CREDIT TO CREDIT
      3. 6.1.3. CRUNCH SOME NUMERALS
      4. 6.1.4. WHEN RENT IS BEST
    2. 6.2. GET YOUR MONEY TOGETHER
      1. 6.2.1. GET A HEAD START
      2. 6.2.2. MORTGAGES AND YOU
      3. 6.2.3. PAYMENT THROUGH THE AGES
    3. 6.3. LOCATE AN AGENT
      1. 6.3.1. ON THE PROWL
      2. 6.3.2. INVESTIGATE AND RUMINATE
      3. 6.3.3. CLOSING THE DEAL
      4. 6.3.4. OTHER COSTS
    4. 6.4. PAY DOWN YOUR MORTGAGE FAST
      1. 6.4.1. PREPAY TO SAVE
      2. 6.4.2. DO IT BIWEEKLY
      3. 6.4.3. GET A BETTER RATE
      4. 6.4.4. WATCH THOSE CHARGES
    5. 6.5. WHEN IT'S TIME TO SELL
      1. 6.5.1. PAY THE COMMISSION
      2. 6.5.2. DO IT YOURSELF
      3. 6.5.3. KNOW YOUR WORTH
      4. 6.5.4. TIME IT RIGHT
      5. 6.5.5. SPRUCE UP THE HOUSE
        1. 6.5.5.1. CURB APPEAL
        2. 6.5.5.2. CLEAN UP
        3. 6.5.5.3. DE-CLUTTER
        4. 6.5.5.4. PAINT AND REPAIR
        5. 6.5.5.5. MODERNIZE
        6. 6.5.5.6. CLOSE THE ZOO
        7. 6.5.5.7. KEEP IT NATURAL
    6. 6.6. KNOW THE TERMS
    7. 6.7. ANOTHER REASON TO SELL
  10. 7. MONEY MEETS MARRIAGE
    1. 7.1. MONEY IS SOMETHING ELSE
    2. 7.2. WHY PROPOSE A PRE-NUP?
      1. 7.2.1. IT'S THE LAW
      2. 7.2.2. WHAT THEY COST
    3. 7.3. WEDDING DAY LITE
    4. 7.4. COMBINING YOUR FINANCES . . . OR NOT
      1. 7.4.1. JOINT ACCOUNTS
      2. 7.4.2. SEPARATE ACCOUNTS
      3. 7.4.3. THE ONE-TWO APPROACH
    5. 7.5. DIVORCE: IN DEBT DO YOU PART
      1. 7.5.1. HOARDER IN THE COURT
      2. 7.5.2. PREPARE FOR DIVORCE
    6. 7.6. LIVING THE COMMON-LAW LIFE
    7. 7.7. WITH THIS MONEY I THEE WED
  11. 8. EVERYTHING ELSE
    1. 8.1. MAKING SENSE OF MAT LEAVE
      1. 8.1.1. KNOW YOUR TERMS
      2. 8.1.2. HOW MUCH DO I GET?
      3. 8.1.3. HOW DO I APPLY?
      4. 8.1.4. EMPLOYER TOP-UPS
      5. 8.1.5. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF I'M ADOPTING?
      6. 8.1.6. WHAT IF I'M SELF-EMPLOYED?
    2. 8.2. KIDS DON'T COME CHEAP
    3. 8.3. RESP(ECT) YOUR KIDS' EDUCATION
      1. 8.3.1. THE BASICS
      2. 8.3.2. WHAT YOU'LL SAVE
      3. 8.3.3. FAMILY OR INDIVIDUAL
      4. 8.3.4. WHAT TO INVEST IN
    4. 8.4. PICK YOUR INSURANCE WELL
      1. 8.4.1. HEALTH
      2. 8.4.2. LIFE
      3. 8.4.3. HOME
      4. 8.4.4. AUTOMOBILE
      5. 8.4.5. DISABILITY
    5. 8.5. SAVE FOR AN EMERGENCY
      1. 8.5.1. BEATING TEMPTATION
    6. 8.6. LIFE AFTER A LAYOFF
      1. 8.6.1. DON'T LEAVE EMPTY-HANDED
      2. 8.6.2. GET FAMILY FUNDS IN ORDER
      3. 8.6.3. BE READY
      4. 8.6.4. NOW BREATHE
    7. 8.7. LEAVING A LEGACY: DO SOME GOOD
      1. 8.7.1. TAX AID
      2. 8.7.2. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FRAUD
    8. 8.8. WHERE THERE'S A WILL
      1. 8.8.1. WRITE IT IN
      2. 8.8.2. BUT WHO WILL WATCH THE KIDS?
      3. 8.8.3. DIVVY IT UP
      4. 8.8.4. CUT THE CLUTTER
    9. 8.9. YOUR TWO CENTS
  12. 9. YOUR SIX-MONTH MONEY PLAN
    1. 9.1. MONTH 1 LAY THE FOUNDATION
    2. 9.2. MONTH 2 TRACK IT DOWN
    3. 9.3. MONTH 3 MAKE A CHANGE
    4. 9.4. MONTH 4 SAVE FOR LIFE
    5. 9.5. MONTH 5 PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES
    6. 9.6. MONTH 6 ALMOST DONE
  13. LEARN MORE
    1. CALCULATE IT!
    2. EARN IT!
    3. SPEND IT!
    4. SAVE IT!

Product information

  • Title: Chatelaine Earn Spend Save: The savvy guide to a richer, smarter, debt-free life
  • Author(s): Chatelaine
  • Release date: January 2010
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470676547