Canadian Personal Finance Blog

Archive for December 21st, 2007

As Christmas Looms on the event horizon a few final thoughts on finances and such:

• If you don’t have everything you want to get, and you think you won’t find it in time (say like a copy of Guitar Hero III) remember you can simply leave a card with a note or an IOU for the present and get it later (instead of driving all over town in a mad attempt to find said present).
• Keep your receipts, for your records, and in case anyone wishes to return one of your presents. Watch your credit card balances as well, now is the perfect time for someone to defraud you without you noticing. Ask your husband, “Did you charge something to ‘Big Bouncy Beauties’?”, if you don’t recognize that charge.
• Here are some interesting presents to give kids to teach them about money (Larry McDonald also is talking about this) :
• The game of LIFE, that one is an amazing tool, if you talk to your kids about all of the events that come up.
• Pay Day, again, that game is a little bit too realistic at times
• Careers, is always an interesting one, but I am not sure they make it any more.
• The Grandaddy of them all Monopoly this game can teach so much about Math, Money and life that playing it with your kids is actually educational!
• You could always put some money in your kid’s RESPs as a gift (you don’t need to tell them that, because it is kind of a gift to yourself).
• Remember Charity at this time of year. It doesn’t have to be big or extravagant, just remember that gift is for yourself as well.
• Remember all of the end of year things that maybe need looking at:
• RESP
• RRSP (yes you have until March, but still)
• Tax installments
• Enjoy the time with your friends and family, don’t turn this into an excuse to get sullen about life.

Holiday Hours

I will be making posts over the holidays, but around Christmas and New Years there may not be posts, due to family and merriment.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays and also wish you a Happy and Prosperous 2008!