If you’re a big fan of the show Storage Wars, you might be able to live vicariously through the idea of participating in an auction by going to a police auction.  Unbeknownst to much of the public, shopping at police auctions can be a great way to save money, especially for big ticket items that you have had your eye on for awhile.

Some big ticket items that are usually sold at police auctions include road bikes, jewellery, other sports equipment, and even cars.  If you have ever wondered where the goods that are seized by the police enforcement go, look no further as they usually end up at the police auction.  These goods are also things that have been lost and haven’t been claimed,or have been stolen.

Police auctions are usually available in major municipalities, and are usually held once a year.  They are very popular, especially in Vancouver where your bicycle will more likely than not be stolen.  They are great if you’re interested in used merchandise at the fraction of the cost (source: Yahoo).

How You Save Money at Police Auctions

Infobarrel suggests that you contact your local police station and ask when the police auctions are held (this can easily be Googled too, if you live in a major city).  Some people drive dozens to hundreds of kilometres to get to the police auction.  Bring identification with you and bring your researched want-list with you.  Be prepared to be there for awhile and wear some good walking shoes.  Be prepared to know how long you will stay as otherwise, you may just be tempted to buy everything and then get carried away.

Best Bang for your Buck Items

•  Bikes (for example, the maximum price that was spent on a bike at the most recent auction in Vancouver was just under $1000)
• Electronics
• Jewellery (An $8000 appraised diamond and gold ring sold for $1700 at the aforementioned Vancouver auction)
• Cars
• Collector coins (even a gold bar!)

Tips to Make your Auction a Success

According to wikispaces, some tips to make your auction a success are to begin early at the auction, do your research (know the market value of what you want to buy and know how much you’re willing to spend on it).  Also, make sure to cross check the information you get of the item you’re interested in buying, and most importantly, know the rules for buying a big ticket item like a car at the auction.

Opt for a Police Auction Online

If you live too far away from a police auction or you want an item that isn’t found at your local police auction, a few municipality police stations in the East have joined forces and created a police auction website.  It is called Police Auctions Canada and is composed of auctionable goods from law enforcement agencies in Toronto, Guelph, Hamilton, and Barrie, to name a few.  Some things that they have on auction are new in the box Apple Macbook Pros, Apple iPhone 5′s, jewellery, and road bikes.  It’s basically like eBay except that you’re buying from the police.  Also, it’s different from a conventional police auction because it’s held online and goods are for sale 365 days of the year instead of just one day of the year.  The proceeds from the Police Auctions Canada website go to support community projects in the area.

Police auctions are a great way to save money on some big ticket items, especially if you don’t mind used goods and are in the market for getting more bang for your buck.  All you need to do is to bring some identification and to do thorough research on the items that you are interested in before you go.  Most importantly, make sure you know your end-point or maximum bid.  The last thing you want to do is buy something for the sake of outbidding someone, even though it isn’t that great of a deal.  The great thing about going to a police auction is you that you never know what you’re going to get when you go there.

Bargainmoosers, have you been to a police auction before?  If so, what did you buy there?

In the United States, the average family spends $1600 on utility bills alone (I know in Canada, I’ve spent much more than that) (source: Investopedia).  If we save money on things that we don’t really care about (even though they are a necessity), we get more money to spend on the things that matter, like retirement, or great memories with family and friends.  You might think that there’s no point in helping to stop climate change and global warming, that we are too far gone and that even if we change our lifestyle and behaviours that others won’t.  But we must remember that collectively, we are more powerful than we think.

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”

- Ryunosuke Satoro

Here are 4 tips on how to save both money and energy in your household:

#1. Microwave it instead of using the Stove

When you’re simply reheating something, it’s more energy efficient to reheat it in the microwave instead of on the stove.  According to Scientific American, the energy used by a microwave is about 25% less than that of an electric stove.  The energy difference used by a gas stove and a microwave, on the other hand, is a bit more nebulous.

However, what it boils down to (excuse the pun) isn’t really that much of a savings for your wallet unless you cook often, of course.  Using a microwave compared to an electric stove only three times a week is only estimated to save you a little over $2 per month.

#2. Opt for a Laptop instead of a Computer

Gone are the days when everyone had desktop computers.  Nowadays, laptops are so versatile and packed with so much stuff equivalent to a desktop computer, that many people do not have desk top computers, including me.  I haven’t had a desk top computer for over 5 years and haven’t looked back. You may be surprised at the energy consumption difference between a laptop and a desktop computer, even for a laptop with a larger screen.

The Energy Star website in Europe stated that when you compare the energy use of a notebook and a desktop computer, there is about an 80% difference.  With a laptop or notebook despite a larger scree, the difference between that an a desktop computer’s energy consumptions is still about 50% difference.

#3. Use a Front Loading Washer

Front loading washers don’t just look good, they are good for the environment too.  According to the Michael Blue Jay blog, laundry is one of the easiest ways to save money.  One way is to use the cold water cycle (90% of the energy that goes into washing laundry goes to heating the water).

More importantly, front loading washers use about 40-75% less water and 30-85% less energy that top loading washers according to the Michael Blue Jay blog.  They make your clothes last longer (they don’t agitate the clothes as much, it is more gentle) and the clothes get dried more easily because they do a good job wringing the water out.  This equates to an average savings of $100 per year- which makes the average $100 extra price tag of a front loading washer compared to a top loading washer worth it.

If you want to really compare, the blog has a great calculator that lets you compare front loaders and top loaders and the energy savings if you used gas or electricity for your home.  It even goes into the detail of how many cents it costs per kWh for your electricity.

#4. Turn the Heat Down

The biggest factor in utility bills is heat.  Keep your feet warm, only heat the rooms that you are in, turn down the heat when you are going out (consider investing in a programmable thermostat), and grab a sweater on those colder days.  Also, make sure your home is insulated well.  Just getting used to a colder temperature can cut your utility bills considerably.

It isn’t that difficult to both save energy and electricity in your home.  Small changes can amount to big pay-offs.  If you’re interested in other ways to save energy (while likely saving money as well), check out David Suzuki’s list of 10 Ways you can Stop Climate Change.  Both mother nature and your wallet will be thankful!

Bargainmoosers, do you have other ways you save both money and energy?

One of the more common New Years’ resolutions is to learn a new or different language. Although English is a pretty accessible language, it doesn’t get you everywhere, especially if you travel for business or travel for fun and like to explore different countries. Many people want to learn Spanish, French, Japanese, or even Chinese. As children, it is easy to learn languages but as we get older it can be increasingly difficult. According to Forbes.com this critical period is at around four months of age.

If you’ve missed that boat and are still interested in learning, here are a few tips to learn a different language on the cheap (or even for free).

#1. Take a Course

Many universities or local community centres usually offer a continuing education course that meets once or twice weekly for language lessons. Usually these are very reasonably priced, especially if you are doing it through a local community centre. Expect to pay around $120 for a course that spans three months. The great thing about taking a course is that you get to be connected to your community.

If you are over 60 or know someone who is, take advantage of the free language courses that are offered at the university. In certain universities in Canada, for anyone who is over 60 you have access to free university courses that are with credit. The downside to university classes is that they are usually offered during the day. Another reason to aim for early retirement!

#2. Immerse Yourself

Probably the most expensive way (but in a way cost effective) is to immerse yourself in the country that you want to be learning the language in. Language courses taken in the country of destination (especially if you are learning Spanish in Latin America for example) is intensive (expect Monday to Friday classes for a few hours each day) but you can expect to see quick results. Language courses in Peru, for example, can be about $100 USD a week (20 hours per week) depending on which language company you use. In addition, you may be able to choose an option to Home Stay with a family in order to immerse yourself even more and reinforce the learning you did at school. Although this is the most expensive option, it is the option that combines great memories, great adventures, and meeting people from a different country.

#3. Go Online

There are many ways that we can learn a different language online. For example, Rosetta Stone, long regarded as the leader in language do- it-yourself classes, costs about $300.  If you don’t want to spend that much money, there are many other websites that are available that are free or cost next to nothing (though you might not see the same results).

For example, a few online websites that help you learn are:

• Busuu.com - It’s a free service and links you up with people from around the world who are interested in helping you with your language of choice. Some examples are Spanish, Portuguese, French, Japanese, and German. Busuu also has an app.

• Skype – Yes, Skype has a forum to exchange language learning and connect you with people from around the world.

• LingQ - Another online community linking you to others around the globe to practice. The difference with this, is that they give you mp3 downloads of language lesson content. It’s free to sign up but beyond the basics, you’ll need to pay if you want to do more advanced stuff.

#4. Join a Meet-Up Group

A great way to solidify the information that you learned in your language course is to join a meet-up group.  If you don’t use it you lose it.   That adage rings true especially when it comes to languages.

Joining a meet-up group is free. Just go to www.meetup.com and check for groups in your area. It is a great way to meet new people, make new friends, and most importantly, practice the new language you have learned. Alternately, there may be options in your city to meet up with individuals who are interested in learning English in exchange for learning their language. Not only will you be learning a new language, you also get satisfaction in knowing that you are helping someone learn English.

As you can see, there are numerous ways to learn a new language. They say that a great way to approach “life” is to have the perspective that we should never stop learning. Research has shown that being able to interchange between two languages helps delay the onset of dementia by 4.3 years. It is great to want to take that first step in learning a new language. Therefore, despite the potential high cost of continuing to learn a new language, preventing the onset of dementia in the future can be priceless! Also, if you’re learning for business and to expand your professional career, that’s priceless too!

Bargainmoosers, do you have other tips on how to learn a new language on the cheap?

If you are like me, you may be one of those people who constantly loses things, especially earrings since they can easily become misplaced.  Either jewellery gets lost or the jewellery becomes oxidized (for example, silver jewellery).  Once silver becomes oxidized, even at-home polishing often doesn’t work.  Therefore, in order to keep the luster from leaving, it makes sense to organize your jewellery in an easy-to-access way without exposing it to too much air.

Here are some do it yourself ways to organize your jewellery that will have you admiring your jewellery collection so much that you won’t have to buy any more!  It’s amazing what a little organization can do!

#1. Peg Board and Accessories Station

Desiree from The 36th Avenue blog (above) shared a great gift to her husband of 14 years (organization!).  She gives a fantastic tutorial on how you can do this project yourself.  All you need is a peg board, something to frame it with, nail gun (or screws), chicken wire, and some paint. Also a bit of crafty energy!

I loved how there was a frame inside another frame.  She also went all out and made an accessories station but personally I think the peg board is great by itself.  I just love love love the colours together (pale blue and white are always a great combination, in my blue-lover biased opinion).

#2. Wire Jewellery Frame Display

This is probably one of my favourites because it’s just so aesthetically pleasing and so simple to do (I like simple).  I’ll likely try and make this one myself out of all of these brilliant ideas shared in this post. The wire jewellery frame display is from the Calico Skies blog (above) and she created it on a 52 week challenge (one crafty project per week).  Amazing, but I would never find the time to do that!  One project per season or year is good enough for me. I also love how it looks like you could probably whip this up in under an hour, provided that you don’t staple your finger down.

To make this all you need is a vintage frame, wire cutters, wire mesh, frame hangers, and a staple gun.  I love how elegant it looks.  It’s handy because it will look great propped up on top of a dresser, or even hung up on the wall.  I would probably hang this up inside my closet door.

#3. DIY Burlap Jewellery Organizer

This do it yourself burlap jewellery organizer is tres chic as well and looks very easy to make.  The Making The World Cuter Blog (above) shares this idea. The great thing about this one is that you can also hang up your necklaces and bracelets.  You can use buttons and put them in a little satin mesh bag to store your smaller non-hook earrings.  The only thing that you want to make sure you have is heavy duty wire so that the bracelets and necklaces don’t all jumble up together in the centre.

All you need for this one is some burlap material, a black frame, a regular stapler (or a staple gun if you have one), and some heavy duty wire.  When you use the regular stapler, you can just staple the wire to the back of the burlap material.  This is probably my contender number two just because its so versatile and also looks very nice and is easy to make.

#4. Lace Jewellery Organizer

If you want to pump up the girly-factor and want a jewellery organizer that encompasses lace into the design, this jewellery organizer shared by the Mr. Kate blog (above) is super cute and really easy to make as well.  To make this jewellery organizer, all you need is an empty frame, lace ribbon, strong glue or a staple gun, and a hammer and nail to secure it on your wall.

All you need to do is to glue the lace on the frame and hang it up.  Et voila you have a super chic jewellery organizer that can hold hook earrings, stud earrings, bracelets, and even necklaces.  Very versatile and very pretty!

There you have it — four super easy ways you can organize your jewellery so that it’s not one big mess on a jewellery tray.

Bargainmoosers, which one is your favourite?

If places like Morocco, Tibet, Nepal, and Vietnam pique your interest but you don’t know where to start and more importantly, don’t know how much it will cost, you’ve come to the right blog post!

Exotic travel is about exploring different cultures, learning about history, and soaking in the rich landscape and beauty of the country. Traveling is a way of expanding your own horizons, opening your own mind to the differences and similarities of cultures, and meeting great people. The great thing about exotic travel is that once you get there (e.g. after you pay for the flight), things are pretty cheap. Exotic travel is more accessible than you might think and for the most part, usually costs less than an all inclusive vacation to Mexico or a cruise.

Here are a few tips on how to exotic travel on the cheap:

1. Research, research, research

One of the greatest things about travel is the anticipation of it. Nothing makes your days at work go faster than trip planning and thinking about your future trip. Oftentimes, I like to start planning my next trip right after the previous one ends! Other travel addicts know what this feeling is like.

The most important thing is to do research. Look at what you want to see, check out the rough itinerary of your trip, and also see roughly how much it will cost. Some great itineraries or “must sees” can be done simply by doing a Google search (free) and even checking itineraries online (e.g. check out G Adventures, Intrepid Travels, or other travel companies) and in store (grabbing a catalogue is as easy as heading to the travel agency!).

2. Try to contact hostels directly

Another great thing about adventure travel is meeting people through hostels. Many places like Morocco, Tibet, or Vietnam don’t typically have a large selection of hostels, but their hotel prices are approximately the same prices as you would get for a hostel. Check out Asiarooms.com for accommodation in Southeast Asia or Asia.

Most likely the cheapest way (but probably the most anxiety ridden way you can travel) is to reach your destination and hunt for accommodation there. The hotel proprietors will agree to negotatiate and you can often get prices down by 30-50% of the Asiarooms.com rate. This is because hotels and hostels pay sites like Asiarooms and Hostelbookers a fee for having their accommodation listed on these sites. When you skip the middle person, you can save the fee.

3. Book tours once you get there or skip the middle man

Another cheap way to exotic travel is to book tours once you get there or skip the middle man. For example, online, Halong Bay tours were approximately $100 USD to $250 USD per person for a 2 Day 1 Night boat tour of Halong Bay in Vietnam. Prices range dramatically. Once we selected a hotel, we asked the hotel agency (who usually has connections to travel agencies in the local city) if they had any tours. We were able to bargain it down to $50 USD for the same tour. They asked that we not disclose what we paid to other members in the tour group because they paid much more than we did. The bottom line is that last minute, the tour agencies want to fill the seats. Also, it is important to note that in these countries, the prices you see should usually not be seen for face value!

Another example is a Sahara desert tour in Morocco. Once we got to Morocco we booked the tour of the Sahara desert at a local travel agency. Sure it took up about 1-2 hours of our travel time in a short 10 day itinerary but the experience was magical and it was even better to know that we paid a fraction of what it would usually cost would we have booked through a tour company in North America. For example, the Sahara 2 day 1 night tour (including Berber tents, camping under the stars, and riding camels) cost $100USD and the same tour as a package (involving accommodation and other cities in Morocco) cost $800.

Another example is Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. The same trip would cost about $1900 (not including airfare) for a 30 day adventure of these countries, but by booking with a tour company from Nepal (versus G Adventures or Intrepid) we saved almost $1000. We contacted the tour company through the Internet but would have probably saved even more would we have booked once we got there.

As you can see, adventure travel isn’t as inaccessible as you think. If exploring and learning about different cultures is your thing, planning the trip is half the fun. Hopefully with these tips you can also exotic travel on the cheap for your next vacation. If you need some inspiration, Yahoo Travel has a list of 10 exotic vacations you could consider.

Bargainmoosers, do you have any other tips for exotic travel on the cheap?

Aeroplan is a rewards program created by Air Canada.  You can earn Aeroplan miles through flights on the 27 other Star Alliance airlines in addition to flying with Air Canada.  You can also earn Aeroplan miles through their partners, such as Esso, Home Hardware, or Rexall Drugs. For a complete list of online retailers that you can earn 1 Aeroplan for each $1 you spend, click here.

When Do Aeroplan Points Expire?

You have seven years to use the points you earned and if there is no activity in a 12-month period, your points (yes, all your points) will expire.

How Do I Accumulate Aeroplan Points?

If you get gas at Esso, it is a great way to link your Esso Extra card or Speedpass to the Aeroplan points card.  That way, your points will not expire because there will be constant activity.

As mentioned, you can earn points by flying with Air Canada or any of the Star Alliance partners.  Certain flights like Tango give you fewer Aeroplan points.

Recently, Aeroplan has created the Star Challenge whereby you can earn a lot more Aeroplan points than you would normally earn in one month.  This year, you need a minimum $10 transaction (previously it was $3 per transaction) at participating retailers like Esso and Rexall, but some Aeroplan points junkies still believe that this is worth it.  The period is until April and the task is difficult but again, may be worth it for some.

Another way to accumulate Aeroplan points is to use a credit card linked to earn you miles.  Some such examples are Aeroplan plus cards and Aerogold cards.  More often than not, a bonus Aeroplan miles is provided but it is important to ensure that the annual fee is waived for the first year.   The credit card could then be cancelled before the annual fee starts.  Despite an annual fee, the Aeroplan credit cards are still effective and worth it.

 What is the Best Way to Use Aeroplan Points?

The best way to use your Aeroplan points is to use it towards travel.  At approximately 2.3 cents “bang for your buck” for each Aeroplan point, compared to cashing in your Aeroplan points for gift cards which gives you a value of 1.2 cents per point. According to The Toronto Star, traveling certainly gives you more “bang for your aeroplan mile” when compared to gift cards or other merchandise.

Another great website that compares the reward values of each Aeroplan point is HowtoSaveMoney.ca.  This website provides a complete guide to the accumulation of Aeroplan points, the rate of return, earning regular and status miles, and a reward chart for travel.

Looking at the travel rewards, not all flight rewards are created equal.  The taxes and fees are not included and can really add up, unfortunately.

Recently, I booked a flight to the United States using my Aeroplan points.  I had enough for a long haul flight to Europe (a little over 60,000 Aeroplan points), but the taxes and fees that accompanied the long haul ticket were too much.

A flight to Europe would cost $1180 including taxes and fees if I purchased the ticket outright whereas it would be $640 on Air Canada with points with 60,000 Aeroplan points.  The $640 is just taxes and fees.  I would save about $550 for this flight if I used the Aeroplan points.

A flight to the United States costs 25,000 Aeroplan points and the taxes and fees were only $97.  The ticket would originally cost $550 including taxes and fees; therefore, I saved almost $450.  Should I have used approximately, 60,000 Aeroplan points for three of the same tickets, I would save about $1100 instead of the $600 saved using it towards a flight to Europe.

Therefore, using more points for a longer flight doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s cheaper in the long run.  Comparing the cost of flights quickly through a flight aggregator like Kayak.com can be helpful to give you perspective on the true cost of the Aeroplan points.

Aeroplan points can be a great way to travel and provides a great incentive to work hard at earning your mileage.  Trips are even more therapeutic for the soul when you know that you didn’t have to pay for the ticket.  However, it is important to ensure that there is most “mileage” (pardon the pun please) with certain people.

Bargainmoosers, where has been your favourite destination using the Aeroplan points?  Do you have any other tips and tricks for earning Aeroplan points and using them for most return on mileage?

With spring in full swing, birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, and babies are uh…popping out!  The cost of raising a child can be daunting, especially in the first year when you’re busy adjusting to an additional member to your family.  According to The United States Department of Agriculture, the average cost of raising a child to the age of 18 in the United States is over $200,000.  Before you collapse thinking about that number, there are some ways that you can cut the sting a bit, at least in the first few years of raising your child.

Breast feed

Although some babies have difficulty in the first few days of breast feeding, a lactation consultant can easily help with latching issues.  Breast feeding is much cheaper than bottle feeding obviously because it costs nothing.  Though one would need to buy a pump, this still pales in comparison to the cost of formula feeding.  However, if you are considering formula feeding (there is nothing wrong with that), you can opt for the store brand version because the Food and Drug Agency ensure that there is a standard of nutrients found in formula.

Make Your Own Baby Food

Once your baby is old enough to eat solid or baby foods, you’ll probably want to start introducing these.  No one really buys Gerber’s baby food anymore probably, but if you still do, you might want to consider making your own baby food.  Not only is it better because you know what is going into your baby’s food (because you’re blending/ making it),  but you’ll also save a substantial amount of money as well.  According to iVillage.com it is about a 50% savings.

The Baby Bullet (which costs about $60 at Toys R Us) is BPA free and is a great way to make your own baby food (not to mention it looks pretty darn cute).

Swap Daycare With a Friend

Daycare is expensive.  On a monthly basis, it can range from $900 to $1200 depending on where you are.  In Vancouver, this is how much daycare usually costs.  A friend of mine worked part-time and swapped childcare with her friend who also had a child 1-2 years of age.  This worked out well and she only had to pay $300 for one day a week childcare.  In addition, she got to spend quality time with her son (and her son’s new friend).

Buy Used…Everything

Buying used clothes, blankets, or accepting hand-me-downs from friends or family is a great way to save money.  It might be tempting to dress up your baby in adorable fresh-off-the-clothing-rack goods, but babies really don’t care what they look like.  The one thing that you probably would not want to skimp on is a baby seat.  Transport Canada advises that baby seats have expiry dates on them because the plastic becomes dated and aged.  The average expiry “best used” date for most baby car seats is about six years.  Not reusing your child car seat can also ensure that any new regulations regarding child seats changes are noted.

Cloth Diapers are Your Friend

Even though they don’t seem like it (because it is probably much easier to chuck that full diaper in the garbage), cloth diapers can be your friend.  Consumer Reports has a great article on the cost savings between cloth diapers and disposable diapers.  They argued that it costs approximately $2500 for disposable diapers until your child becomes potty trained whereas it only costs $1000 for cloth diapers for the same period.  Cloth diapers really aren’t what they used to be – there are cloth diaper services available which can pick up your bin of dirty diapers for you.  Even with this service, cloth diapers still is cheaper than disposable diapers.  Besides, with cloth diapers you won’t be adding to that Great Pacific Garbage Patch of plastic in the middle of the ocean.

As you can see, there are some easy changes that you can make to save money on the first few years of your new bundle of joy.  As mentioned, saving money by breast feeding, considering swapping daycare with a friend, buying used items, and using cloth diapers are a great way to cut the newborn costs. The first few years can set the stage for how much you’ll spend on your children!  Enjoy this time while it lasts because pretty soon they will be asking for $700 iPads for their birthdays.

According to Yahoo, many 20-somethings are starting to think and worry about retirement, among worrying about finding a life partner, saving enough money for a home, and finding a good career.

With the recent sustained economic downturn, many 20-somethings are witnessing their baby boomer parents not being able to retire, and continuing to work past the age of 65.

There are many reasons that you should likely not only start thinking about retirement, but actually do something about it (e.g. like start saving for retirement).  Here are six for you to consider.

We are living longer

According to CBC, Canadians’ life expectancy continues to increase, to an average of 80.7 years of age between the years 2005 and 2007. Many people recommend that you have enough savings to last you until the ripe old age of 100, just in case that happens. Most people don’t live until 100 years of age of course, but it is prudent to use this number as a gauge on how much you need to save for retirement.

It is becoming more and more difficult to save

With temptations surrounding us like the new iPhone 5, newest iPad, 3D television, new cars with all the functions you could ever need, and exotic travels, the concept of delayed gratification has unfortunately become foreign to many. In addition to succumbing to instant gratification and “Keeping up with the Jones’” the cost of living is higher especially for tuition and shelter, gas, and more people have higher amounts of household and consumer debt than previous generations did. Although savings rates have increased since the recession, they are still not comparable to savings rate of previous generations. If we start off with terrible savings habits now when we’re young, what will happen when the real expenses start kicking in? (For example, mortgage, children, day care?)

You don’t know what might happen during your career

Another reason why you should start saving for retirement now is that truly, you don’t know what might happen during your working career. In 2006, the prevalence of disability was 14.3% (source: Statistics Canada). Unfortunately lower mortality rates comes with baggage of more chronic disease or prolonged life threatening illnesses- for example, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. These debilitating illnesses can unfortunately knock out your ability to produce income that you are previously accustomed to producing.

The Creation of TFSA makes it easier to spend your savings

With the creation of the Tax Free Savings Account, it is much easier to spend your savings than when the only option for registered retirement savings was the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). The Tax Free Savings Account became a retirement savings option in 2009 (though many were using it as a savings account for big ticket items initially). Although the TFSA has been possibly the “greatest invention since sliced bread”, the Tax Free Savings Account has its disadvantages because it allows you to withdraw your funds tax-free without penalty with no issues. Especially when many young people are socking away their hard earned savings in the TFSA rather than the RRSP, this can create an issue of people accessing their retirement savings in the TFSA a little too easily.

Time is on your side- take advantage of it

When you start thinking about retirement now, instead of in your 40’s or 50’s, time is on your side. Compound interest and tax sheltered growth in a registered retirement savings account can really add up. Time and time again, it is proven that investing less (but consistently) when you are younger leads to more retirement savings than investing later (but with more money) when you are older.

“Retirement” has different meaning now

These days, retirement has a different contextual meaning to different people. For some, it can mean financial independence, where you can spend time with your children and spend time with your aging parents without having to feel pulled in all directions with formal work obligations. For some, retirement is important to not feel placed forcibly into the “sandwich generation” (feeling the caregiver obligations of caring for both your children and your aging parents).

As you can see, there are a myriad of reasons why you should not only begin to think about retirement, but actually start to do something about it. It doesn’t have to be a large amount. $100 a month towards your retirement savings goes a long way when you are young and have time on your side. Start investing in yourself now, not later.

Bargainmoosers, do you think it is harder now to save for retirement than it was for previous generations?

Many people are retiring from the corporate world and instead focusing on developing their hobbies and passions into their business.

Home-based business ideas are a great idea for the retired individual looking to make more cash flow, the stay-at-home mom or dad looking to increase the household income and creativity, and the person who works part-time and enjoys his or her leisure time but would like to create their own business on the side.

Home-based businesses are “win-win” in my books as they offer flexibility, a way for you to be creative, and favourable tax incentives.

According to the Canada Revenue Agency, there are many things that can be written off your income if you have a home-based business.  Some of these work-at-home expenses that can be written off include:

• Property taxes
• Mortgage interest
• Utilities (cell phone, telephone, internet, gas, electricity)
• Office supplies
• Advertising costs

For renters, the portion that you rent for your home-based office can be deducted from the total cost of rent for your entire home.  You can deduct this from the income you create in a home-based business.

Here are 4 Home-Based Business Ideas that can get creativity flowing:

1. Home-Based Internet Business

There are many home-based internet ideas out there, including freelance writing, blogging for profit, or creating a home-based online store.

The start-up costs include internet webhosting for a domain name, and this isn’t a very high cost at all.  The start up costs are very minimal.  However, creating your own Internet business can take a lot of time and effort and much of the time, with little results, which can be very discouraging.  If you are able to “make it” however, it can be a very lucrative and flexible home-based business option.

The government does understand that start-up businesses may have difficulty surviving, so home-based expenses can still be deducted even if the profit is not evident for a few years.  However, if you have a determined spirit and are hard working, a home-based Internet business could be the option for you as it doesn’t involve having to hire employees, doesn’t involve mess, doesn’t involve licensing and permits, and is pretty much location independent (e.g. you could be managing your internet business in Thailand, technically).

2. Pet Sitting Service

This is a very popular niche that will likely continue to grow as more and more dedicated pet owners would like alternatives to boarding kennels or their local vet.

Dog walking services and doggy day care services can be a great idea, especially if you enjoy animals, are great with dog obedience, and would also like your own pet to socialize with other dogs.

Obtaining a business license and permit would be needed to operate and business insurance for your home would also need to be considered.

Usual “going rates” for a full day for commercial dog day care locations is $25 per dog and $40 for overnight boarding.

The Canadian Business Ontario website has a great introduction on how to start a pet care business in Ontario.

The obvious downside to this is that your home may be subject to many paw prints and perhaps pet incontinence episodes!

3. Be a Licensed Day Care Operator

Just like pet sitting services, this is a very popular and much needed business in Canada, especially urban locations where daycare is hard to find and you need to go on a waiting list for one year in order to get a seat in daycare for your child.

It can be rewarding to know that you’re helping out busy parents and allowing them to continue to work (if that’s what they want, of course).  This is a good idea if you love children and helping them learn and develop.

Some things that you would need before starting a home-based day care are formal training in early childhood education, a license (these can be difficult to obtain due to strict licensing rules in Canada), and home-business insurance for day care.

4. Create a Craft Business

With the boom of the internet and the creation of websites like Etsy.com, many consumers are interested in unique arts and crafts, unique gifts to give others, and unique jewelry to adorn themselves with.

With Etsy, you can sell art, jewelry, bags and purses, bath products, and even furniture that you create yourself.  This is a great way to “spread the word” nationwide and even worldwide of your product without having to spend a lot of money advertising and opening up a store and spending a lot of money on start-up costs.  Of course, you could start selling crafts to your nearest and dearest and the word can easily spread from there.

These are just a few ideas that you could think about if you’re interested in creating a start up or a side home-based business.  We are the happiest when we are creative and get the opportunity to convert our passions, whether it be computers, children, pets, or writing, into an opportunity.

Bargainmoosers, do you have any tips for people interested in creating a home-based business?

Cruises can be a great alternative to all inclusive vacations where you don’t have to worry about organizing accommodation, transportation, and tickets for sightseeing as you would on a more conventional trip.  According to Huffington Post the demand for cruising in 2013 has decreased and prices have decreased anywhere from five to seven percent in the last year.

The cost of cruising has diminished in the past few years due to the sagging economy, but it can still be pricey, especially if you have a family of four to take on a Disney cruise, for example.  Nonetheless, cruising for a vacation is a great way to ensure that the entire family has fun and has something to do, whether it be hitting up the all-you-can-eat-buffet, getting dolled up for a fancy dinner on deck, or letting your children play in the children’s play area while you get some sun at the pool.

Here are three tips on how to save some money on your next cruise

1. Book during wave season and travel during low season

According to USA Today,  the wave cruise season is between January to March.  This is the time of the year where all the cruise companies offer major and deep discounts on cruise fares and trips.  You don’t necessarily have to travel during this period between January to March, you just have to book the trip.  With wave season currently underway, you still have time to get in on the action.

Also, if you travel during low season, or the shoulder season, which is April, May, and September for most cruising destinations, there will be cooler temperatures, less crowds, and much cheaper fares

2. Skip the Cruise Flight

CNN.com states that flights booked by cruise companies (which incorporates a flight and a cruise package) are not economical at all.  Not only is it more expensive, the itineraries associated with the flight and cruise package contain a lot of connections and layovers and are not ideal.

Rather than booking a flight and cruise package, book a flight yourself using a flight aggregator like Kayak.com to get the best deal.  Remember to clear your cookies as you’re doing your search or else the flights will increase in price unknowingly!

3. BYOB and Fewer Nights

Many cruise lines now allow you to bring your own wine on board.  For $10-$20 you can pay for a corkage fee, which allows you to skip on the expensive wine on board.   An on-board bottle of wine can be expensive and having the comfort of knowing you’ll be indulging on a bottle that you know tastes good is a good feeling.  In addition, Frommers recommends that you not purchase a drinks package for alcoholic beverages because most people don’t drink enough to make the package cost worthwhile.

In addition, another tip is to go for the four to five if you can’t do the seven.  If you can’t afford a typical 7 night cruise  (and more importantly, if you haven’t tried a 7 night cruise before and you’re unsure if you can handle 7 nights of cruising in the middle of the ocean), 4 or 5 day packages are a lot more affordable.

Finally, if you’re very set on getting a good deal on your next cruise, there’s a forum for all things deal and cruise related on Cruiseline fans. This is an online forum that has been in place since 2004 which doesn’t have any forms of commercial advertising so you know the information is less biased.  They also provide cruise reviews and have a tab called “cruise deals” where you can check out the latest deals of cruises happening in the destinations you want to go to.

Hopefully these three tips help you get started on learning how to save money on your next cruise trip.  Cruises can be a fun and stress-free way for the entire family (yes, the entire extended family) to get involved without getting too involved and where people can have their space yet enjoy valuable family togetherness time.  In addition, it’s a safe way (minus the Costa Concordia disaster) to travel to destinations that would cost almost the same amount by plane, for example Alaska.

Bargainmoosers, where is your favourite cruise destination?

With an increasing number of young Canadians turning into boomerang kids and not being able to find a job during this economy, saving money is now more important than ever.  According to the Globe and Mail, only 43 percent of young Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 have started saving for retirement.

A recent Bank of Montreal survey indicated that young Canadians want early retirement, but aren’t actually saving for early retirement.  41 percent of young Canadians between the ages of 18 to 34 expect to retire early before they hit the age of 60.

Here are three money saving tips to help you or the young Canadian in your life to get started on that money saving journey.

Open up a TFSA

For the Canadian who may not be making enough money to render a tax deduction from a registered retirement savings plan feasible, opening up a Tax Free Savings Account is a great idea to get started with savings.  Opting for a Tax Free Savings Account that holds e-mutual funds like the TD E-series is a good idea rather than picking a tax free savings account where the interest rate is barely keeping up with inflation.

With the Canadian government increasing the allowance of the Tax Free Savings Account by $500 to $5500, that means money can be kept in the Tax Free Savings Account and more money can be allowed to grow, sheltered from things like capital gains tax or interest income tax.

With the Tax Free Savings Account, time is on your side.  At a 6.8% compounded growth rate, if one contributes just $100 a month from age 25 and continues to increase their savings according tot the schedule, by age 65 there should be enough for $1 million.

• ages 25 to 30, $100 per month
• ages 30 to 35, $250 per month
• ages 35 to 40, $500 per month
• ages 40 to 50 , $750 per month
• ages 50 to 65, $1,000 per month

Skip Starbucks

Everyone talks about the latte factor and people are probably feeling “latte factored” to death, but it is worth mentioning (again).

That $3.80 latte/ mocha no whip with soy milk/ caramel macchiato that you get Monday to Friday?  Well, that adds up to $1000 a year.  That’s $1000 that you could be spending on something that matches more with your core values.  If you value adventure and exploration, does a $3.80 latte that you indulge yourself with every morning match with this goal?

Don’t get me wrong, if you enjoy the daily indulges and the daily splurges rather than a bigger goal like traveling or a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, then this latte/ no whip mocha/ caramel macchiato is not an issue.  But if it something that you think you could live without and you would rather prioritize your money (which is essentially a symbol of our goals and values in life) to something more meaningful, then thinking consciously about where your money is really going is the key to success.

Spending your money on something you’re not interested in is analogous to spending your time and choosing a guy who has the same interests as you, is fun and playful but is emotionally unavailable and doesn’t fit in with your core values of wanting respect, trust, and intimacy in a relationship.

Pack Your Lunch

The same goes for eating out every day for lunch.  Although it is a nice treat and a great way to socialize with coworkers to get to know them, it can really add up.  Not to mention takes up a lot of time from your work day when you could be more productive doing something else.

Lunches at work can cost anywhere from $8 to $13 a day.  This is even worse than the latte factor because it costs so much more!  The lunch factor can set you back a whopping $2100 to $3400 a year.  Of course, if you enjoy the socialization with your colleagues you get with lunch, you can compromise by eating out less (e.g. once a week) and tell people you are saving up for a down payment or paying down your debt, or even that trip to Thailand you’ve always been wanting to go to.

Although we make excuses for ourselves and say that there isn’t any money at the end the day, after all the bills are paid, for anything that we want and desire, there always is a way to look at the money you could be saving for something more inline with your goals and aspirations.

Bargainmoosers, what are some of your core values and goals and aspirations?

Acne is a skin condition that often doesn’t go away in adolescence like we want it to.  It often persists into adulthood, and occurs in women before their period comes because of the hormone fluctuations.  Acne happens when dead skin cells and oil clog up your pores.  The result can be swelling, pus, or redness if germs get into the pores.  Acne can run in families, if your mother or father had severe acne then you are more likely to get it.

Acne treatment and maintenance can be expensive.  For example, prescription benzoyl peroxide creams can really add up – they can cost $40 and up for a small tube.  The maintenance of facial cleansers, toners, and moisturizers in programs to keep acne at bay like Proactive can add up to hundreds of dollars at the end of the year.  That being said, it can be a small price to pay for better self esteem and improved confidence.

If your acne flares are mild (meaning a few spots without scarring, cystic acne, or huge inflammation) you might be able to keep your acne controlled with natural and do it yourself acne treatments.  Here are three cheap, natural, and easy to make acne treatments you can try at home.

Tea Tree Oil

Forget the expensive Body Shop line of tea-tree oil infused acne spot treatments.  Just buy tea tree oil yourself at the local natural drug store or grocery store.  According to Reader’s Digest, a 5% tea tree oil solution used as spot treatment is just as effective as a 5% benzoyl peroxide treatment for acne.  According to the study as written by About.com , the participants who used tea tree oil had less side effects than those that used benzoyl peroxide but it did take longer to work.  Tea tree oil speeds healing and is a natural antiseptic, which keeps the bacteria that causes acne, P. acnes at bay.

It is important not to use undiluted tea tree oil to your skin because this can be really strong stuff and can irritate your skin, cause drying, itching, and even blistering when applied directly.

Do It Yourself Acne Spot Treatment

Make your own acne spot treatment for pennies instead.  All you need are two ingredients that you’ll likely have at home anyway.  This recipe is also from Dr. Orden, a plastic surgeon, for Readers Digest.

Ingredients:

• Brewer’s yeast
• Lemon juice
• Water

Instructions:

• Make a paste with a little bit of Brewer’s yeast with enough water added to make it a paste-like consistency.
• Then add a squeeze of lemon juice
• Spot treat the acne and cover with a dressing to keep it moist

Brewer’s yeast is normally used for baking and for fermenting beer, but it can be used for acne too.  The Brewer’s yeast fights the bacteria and the lemon juice acts to dry out the blemish.

Honey Mask

Honey is pretty amazing.  Not only does it taste delicious but it’s great for your skin too if you are prone to acne.  We use it for sore throats and sore stomachs.  Honey has natural anti-bacterial properties.  It is even used (Manuka honey) for treatment of wounds and difficult to heal ulcers.

According to Wikipedia, honey exerts its antibacterial effects because of its pH (its highly acidic) and its natural osmotic effect.  It draws water away so that bacteria can’t feed on it.

This tip is from one of my favourite girly sites, All Women Stalk:

To make a natural honey mask, basically all you need is natural honey.  Massage it into your skin, let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes and rinse off with warm water.  The honey will moisturize your skin in addition to fighting bacteria while you relax.

If after trying nonprescription medications for three months with no success, talk to your primary care provider about prescription acne treatments.  Some effective treatments like birth control pills (not really natural, I know) or long term antibiotics taken for a few months like tetracycline can easily keep acne from coming back for a long time.

Keep in mind that acne treatment of all sorts takes a long time (think weeks, like 12 weeks) to work, even if it’s amazing.  This is because of the process with the bacteria P. acnes and the skin cell build up that causes acne takes a lot of time to develop.

Bargainmoosers, do you have natural and effective acne treatments that work well for you?

Dating and new relationships are expensive, there’s no doubt about it.  Trying to impress the other person, wanting to experience new things and new activities together, getting to know them through romance… all of these can really be quite expensive and can put a damper on your budget.

First of all, I’m not sure if I’m just speaking for myself, but not everyone responds well to acts of “rote romanticism” whereby the woman get whisked away to concerts, plays, or fancy candlelight dinners.  I for one know that I don’t respond to this well, especially in the throes of a new relationship or romance.  Sometimes I think that the most romantic moments involve the deepest spiritual connection, and this connection doesn’t necessarily happen over a $88 concert or show. Sometimes the most romantic moments can happen when you’re just sitting on a park bench, pondering about the meaning of happiness.

New relationships are about creating new memories, and new memories don’t have to involve expensive activities.

Go for a Walk or a Bike Ride

Go for a walk at the local park or along the beach.  For me, the most romantic thing is to walk hand in hand, talking and walking along a beach or a park.  It shows patience, it shows interest, and it is simple.  It doesn’t involve competition, it doesn’t involve showing off (e.g. if you were doing a more strenuous activity like snowboarding or skiing or swimming, that might involve demonstrating your skills).

Stay In and Cuddle

Not cuddling in that sense (get your mind out of the gutter) but staying in and cuddling under a blanket and talking can be really romantic.  Learning about each other without having any activities or distractions.  Talking about hypothetical situations.  Talking about your values.  Make a list of what you want to do together in the future.  Sometimes when you’re free from outside distraction or fear of judgment or evaluation, you can really feel free to be yourself and open up emotionally to another person. This emotional connection is really what connects two people and strengthens the budding relationship.

Grab a Coffee and People Watch

Although this isn’t necessarily free, it does cost under $5.  Most first dates happen over coffee.  Coffee is non-commital, doesn’t break the bank, and lets you evaluate whether you want to spend more time with this person (and not to mention, money).  If you’re developing a new relationship (because this is kind of awkward to do on a first date) people watch and make up stories of the people that walk by.  This is a surprisingly fun activity and really lets you see the creativity of the person you’re with.  The only caveat is the make sure your stories aren’t within earshot of the people you’re talking about!

Connect in a Bookstore

Yahoo mentioned a free date idea of going to a bookstore which I think is great. What a fun way to stimulate the mind, strike up conversation, and connect over interests in books.  For some reason though, I envision that this would be more appealing in a larger sized bookstore versus a smaller one.

Bake Cookies

Baking cookies together for a date night is a fun (and very romantic, might I add) way to share your creativity.  Loving You has some great tips on how to plan the baking date night.  The important thing to remember is that you’re creating memories, not masterpieces.  Baking or cooking together is a fun way to create something together and assess how they are with problem solving, and how well (or perhaps not well?) you work together.  You can then watch a movie after or play some board games while waiting for the goodies to bake in the oven.

Whatever the free date activity might be, the important thing is to make sure you’re having fun, show that you’re open minded, and spark conversation and connection.  Dating can be expensive but it really doesn’t have to always be.  Alternating “fancier” dates with free or almost free dates is a great way to get to know someone while developing a new relationship.

Bargainmoosers, what is your favourite free date activity?

With the prices of groceries continuing to increase and take out costing an average of $7 to $13 per person, it makes sense to not waste food and to cook more often.  However, this is easier said than done because the average Canadian buys take out or eats out an average of three or more times a week (for Ontarians) according to this CBC Survey .

When it comes down to it, it really boils down to the lack of time with our society being so “go, go, go” all the time.   Most people feel that they are exhausted from the long work day and the last thing they want to do is work some more by making dinner.  With hidden calories in sauces and hidden ingredients in take out items like McDonalds (do they really put cocaine in their food to make it so addictive? That’s the rumor amongst my friends anyways!) the calories eaten can really add up… resulting in an unhealthy diet and even worse, an unhealthy waistline

Well, eating healthier isn’t really that difficult, you just have to put your mind to it.

Here are four tips on how to eat healthier for less:

1. Do It Yourself.

This is one of the easiest (and really not really that time consuming) ways to eat healthier.  I admit I was guilty of this.  Instead of buying the packaged shredded mozzarella, buy a mozzarella block and grate the cheese yourself.  It might be tempting to just buy the package for $8, but you can save at least $4 for more cheese and more freshly grated cheese!

Another easy to way to save money and eat better is to buy fresh ingredients and make your own quick meal (and freeze it) instead of buying a prepackaged high sodium version of the same food.  Case in point- lasagna!  I bought a $20 “family pack” of Club Pack Lasagna from Superstore and it is still in my deep freezer.  Eleven months later.  Yet I finally learned how to make fresh lasagna and it’s surprisingly easy and with half the preservatives too.

        2.  Be Creative With What You Have in the Fridge

Most of the time, after a long day, we open the fridge, look inside, and become overwhelmed with the abundance of food options (or lack thereof perhaps) in the fridge.  Sometimes it can be so overwhelming that the wave of indecision hits and you’re left with not making a decision at all except to pick the phone and order delivery.  With fantastic apps like Epicurious  or the Food Network app where you can filter through “main ingredient” recipes (you know, for all the extra eggplant you have hanging around in your fridge).

3.  Freeze Your Leftovers and Batch Cook

Lots of foods freeze very well, like lasagna, chili, and soups and can be made in batches, frozen in separate individually portioned sizes.  This saves time and money (and leaves fewer dishes to wash too) because it’s like making your own frozen microwave dinners except you know what’s actually in your meal instead of having ingredients that you can’t really even pronounce.

• Eating Well has a great list of recipes that freeze well and are also healthy
• Delish.com also has 18 freezer meals recommended by Martha
• If you want to take it one step further, get a chest freezer and freeze your meals to your heart’s content!

  4.   Slow Cooker It!

Another great way to save money and time is to throw all your ingredients in the slow cooker before work.  When you come home, you’ll come home to a nice aroma of a home cooked hearty meal, the perfect cure for cold weather.  Slow cooker meals don’t take much preparation or time at all, usually 15 minutes maximum for prep work.  They are my favourite “go-to” meal when I’m feeling fatigued from cooking after work and honestly, it is a no fail way to put a smile on your face when you come home and know that dinner is already done!

Here are five slow cooker recipes to get you started.

Hopefully these four tips help get you started to shy away from take out meals to home cooked healthy and hearty meals that are good for your soul and good for your budget.

Many people don’t bother with international travel because they think that it is expensive.  However, this is usually not the case.  There are ways to save on international travel, because once you reach the destination, the food, lodging, and activities are usually relatively cheap.  Case in point.  I traveled across Northern India for a month and spent $250.  True, the flight cost me $1500 at the time, but I got to see the Taj Mahal, float in a small boat on the Ganges river, see where Mother Teresa devoted her time, and visit the tea estates of Darjeeling for under $10 a day.  These were unforgettable and life enriching experiences that gave me wonderful memories that I will remember for the rest of my life. Also, knowing that the the trip didn’t totally break the bank really made the trip worth it.

Here are four tips on how to save money on international travel:

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead can save you a lot of time, money, and headache.  However, everyone has a different travel style.  Some people like to plan ahead and some people like to plan when they get there. Personally, I like to grab a Lonely Planet (or any other decent travel guide) and pick the places I want to go, plan my itinerary, and go from there.

Kiplinger lists the 23 best travel sites to check out when planning your trip.  It tells you the best websites to check out for airfare, lodging, and even shares some websites on flight information, seating information, and travel insurance information.

Another great website I usually go to is Yelp or Tripadvisor.  Some people may feel that Lonely Planet (or other guidebook information) can be biased since there are so few perspectives involved.  I found Tripadvisor to be very accurate and helpful when planning my trip to Bali.

Opt for a Lower Airfare Day to Travel

It is widely known that airfare is usually cheaper when you choose to leave and return on a Tuesday or Wednesday during the midweek.  This is because most business travel is usually done in the beginning or the end of the week.  When you’re flexible on your traveling dates, you’ll be able to get a wider variety of flight prices, and may find that you can save a few hundred dollars even.

Also, make sure you book your travel either in advance or last minute to book the best flight deals.  In my experience, booking ahead worked out better than booking last minute.  Of course, try not to fly during the high season.  When the low season actually starts varies upon the destination that you’re opting for.

Clear your Cookies

Many people (including me until a few years ago) are not aware that if you do not clear your cookies while browsing travel booking sites online, the prices will increase depending on the number of times that you visit their websites.  Websites like Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak.com all use cookies to track your visits and will increase the fare prices accordingly.  Therefore, make sure you clear your web browser’s bookies and cache.  When you clear your cookies, the websites think its your first time visiting, so you’ll “trick” the websites into thinking that they don’t need to increase their prices on you. Gadling.com talks more in detail about this if you want to check it out.

Use your Credit Card Instead of Going to Travelex

This may surprise you, but according to Fodors, Visa and Mastercard offer exchange rates that are 16.2% lower than the airport exchange kiosks and 8.1% lower than you would find at the average bank. Using your credit card whenever possible will save you the hassle of carrying large amounts of cash while traveling. However, some overseas merchants may not accept them, or may upcharge you another 2-3% because of the fees they have to pay. That being said, it’s always safer to carry a few cards with you and of course, some money in case its not accepted or somehow your primary card gets denied.

Other ways to save money on international travel is to opt for staying at hostels (ex. HostelBookers.com).  Many hostels offer private rooms which give you the privacy for the fraction of the price of a hotel.  Most hostels also offer included breakfast too.  Traveling internationally doesn’t have to be expensive.  Meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, and trying exotic foods can make your vacation experience so much richer.

Bargainmoosers, do you have any other tips for international travel?

(Image Credit: Flickr)