Years ago I fell in love with Marriott Hotels. Actually, to be more specific, Marriott Points. As a frugal family of 4, going on family vacations is important to me. My kids could care less, but I like making memories for them without spending their RESP. Marriott points are an easy way to get free…
Free university with the RESP!
On the journey to FI there are many financial decisions to make. One of the easiest choices is to invest in your child’s future. I want to give my kids the opportunity to have a positive post-secondary experience and to not go deep into debt. Fortunately, the Canadian Government offers an excellent savings vehicle for…
Everything You Need to Know about the Child Tax Benefit
When we decided to have kids, I had no idea the government gave out tax free monthly benefits to help support raising children. The program that supports families is called the Canadian Child Tax Benefit (CCB). It was easy to apply for because the nurses gave me all the papers in the hospital room after…
Welcome to True North FI!
My name is Eric and I’m a married, 40-year-old teacher and father to two girls. That’s my identity wrapped up in one sentence. I live in a cold Canadian city where sub zero temperatures dominate half the year. My skin is incredibly dry and my hands bleed from small cracks on my knuckles. I know,…
Mutual Funds Rob Your Retirement
There are big decisions involved when investing for your retirement. At least that’s what the mutual fund industry would like you to believe. According to Wealthsimple, there are over 5000 mutual funds offered by Canadian investment firms. With that many options, it’s no wonder why people are overwhelmed and frozen to action. Canadians pay some…
Mortgage Insurance Is A Scam
Congratulations! If you are reading this you either just purchased a home or are going too soon. When you finalize the paperwork with your mortgage lender (bank or broker), and your home is days away from possession, the bank will offer, no wait, pressure you, to get mortgage insurance. What is mortgage insurance? Mortgage insurance…
Lessons Learned From Buying a House
Housing is often cited as one of life’s biggest costs. When you make the decision to buy a home, there’s lots of advice that will come your way. Some cliche house advice that you may hear is: This post is about our decision process for buying our first home and the lessons we learned. The…