From the monthly archives:

December 2009

The holiday season – a lesson in money management

by Natalie MacLellan on December 17, 2009

in educational resources

It’s Christmas vacation, the kids are home from school and so excited about the coming holidays you are at a loss for how to keep them busy. Add this to the general chaos of the holidays – gifts to buy, parties to attend. You may be traveling to visit family or friends, or hosting guests in your home. All of this can be expensive, and stressful.

Why not use the holidays as a time to pass on good money management lessons? Teach your children the value of saving and budgeting. Give them a holiday allowance to buy presents and treats, and help them spend it properly.

We have resources that can help you do this.

Recently we worked with the Chronicle Herald and Credit Unions of Nova Scotia to produce “Where did all my money go?” an educational supplement telling the story of Taylor and Drew, grade six students learning to save and budget their funds so they can participate in the class ski trip.

Where did all my money go?” is a 4 page, full colour comic story, which was featured in the November 25 edition of the Chronicle Herald. It is also available online and in hard copy (limited quantities) from the Securities Commission. It also comes with an Instructor’s Guide, providing group activities adaptable for children of all ages & abilities.

To order a family or class set of paper copies, contact us by email, and indicate the number of copies you need. Orders will be filled on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last.

While you are at it, please check out Make it Count, a new and interactive educational resource for parents and teachers and mentors of young children. Turn everyday experiences into learning opportunities. All of a sudden, a trip to the supermarket becomes a lesson in budgeting, or a drive in the car becomes a quick lesson on the cost of transportation. Get the Guide and learn how to talk to your kids about managing their money.

Happy Holidays!

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Invest in these stocking stuffers

by Natalie MacLellan on December 15, 2009

in Contests, educational resources, financial goals

Only 10 days till Christmas. Have you got your shopping done?

To help you out, I have quizzed staff at the Nova Scotia Securities Commission, as well as our followers on Twitter, for their personal finance book recommendations. These make great stocking stuffers, and offer lessons that last a lifetime.

Our top picks are:

1. The Wealthy Barber, by David Chilton. It’s a Canadian classic. Covers the whole range of personal finance topics in a story format that anyone can understand. A great book for beginners.

2. The New Retirement, by Sherry Cooper.
Retirement is changing in Canada, and Sherry Cooper has advice for boomers. The economist draws from studies in psychology and gerontology to offer tips on living the second half of your adult life productively and in good health.

3. The Smart Cookies Guide to Making More Dough, by Andrea Baxter, Angela Self, Katie Dunsworth, Robyn Gunn, and Sandra Hanna. The Smart Cookies are five young Canadian women who formed a “money club” to dig thenmselves out of debt and turn their financial lives around. In this book, the “Cookies” share their stories, offer easy-to-follow steps, and lay out simple plans for meeting any goal, whether it’s eliminating debt, making good investments, becoming a smart spender or saving up for a big-ticket purchase.


Do you have a favourite personal finance book or resource? What should I be putting in my family’s Christmas stockings? Leave a comment below, or retweet this post, and you could win your choice of the books listed. (Draw date Friday, December 18, 2009. Contest open to Canadian residents only.)

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How much do I need to contribute to my retirement savings?

December 10, 2009

Well, between some pre-planned travel and conferences, and an unplanned bout with the flu, November was a bit of a write-off for the Before You Invest blog. But I am back, and will be implementing some form of “pandemic planning” for the site in the future.
Now, where were we? Retirement planning, wasn’t it?
We had talked [...]

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