519-646-2222Category: Tips for Money Management
Control Your Spending
Sounds easy enough doesn’t it? If only you simply control your spending you’d doubtless be somewhat better off than you are. I speak to a range of people about debt and money management from the ultra conservative to the lackadaisical. The conservatives can be very critical of lifestyle – “they really don’t need a smart […]
Read moreSupport Payments
Filing a bankruptcy or consumer proposal will not help solve support payment arrears. The debt will survive the proceeding and you will need to keep paying that bill. Similarly, if you are receiving support payments they will be considered as a part of your family’s income throughout the proceeding. Support payments can affect the amount […]
Read moreProblems with the CRA
Most Canadians can lay claims to having had some problems with the CRA. Some problems are way worse than others, as evidenced by recent media stories. The issue appears to be systemic rather than related to any individuals within the organization, although like any other workplace there are good and bad employees. Some of the […]
Read moreLooking for a job
Are you looking for a job? What sector are you looking in? How much money do you need to earn to maintain your lifestyle? How much can you anticipate your income changing relative to living costs? These are all important questions for people of all ages, especially those completing college and university educations, to contemplate. […]
Read moreDeceased bankrupts (dead people can go bankrupt)
Yes, dead people can go bankrupt. A deceased person may be assigned into bankruptcy either by the estate executor/trustee with the blessing of the court or by a creditor petitioning the estate into bankruptcy. Of course, another scenario is that a person might die after filing an assignment into bankruptcy. Section 136 of the Bankruptcy […]
Read moreThe Stock Market is up and down
Sure, the stock market does that, sometimes it’s up and sometimes it’s down, that’s called fluctuation. The market is always fluctuating, but consumer debts don’t tend to do that. Consumer debt loads have been increasing year over year for decades with no sign of abatement. In fact, the average Canadian consumer is paying about $900.00 […]
Read moreHow to get rich in a hurry
It’s true, no one ever got rich by paying interest, in fact, no one ever got rich by working hard either. Seems that the easiest way to get rich is to be born into money, next is to find some form of exploitation such as charging people large amounts of money for a service or […]
Read moreDoes your budget look like this?
Does your budget look like this? We constructed a budget using the Canadian Median Income for 2015 from Statistics Canada and after deducting taxes using the CRA payroll deductions calculator. We then found the average rent for a one-bedroom unit in the City of London and calculated some simple living expenses – as you can […]
Read moreHow to reduce your debts
CBC News is reporting that more Canadians than ever are worrying about their debts. The best way to reduce your debts is always to simply pay them off, but that is not easy for most people. Take a strategic approach to debt reduction by starting with a self analysis of budgetary wants and needs. Determine […]
Read moreCredit Re-Builder Programme
Call to learn more about our new credit re-builder programme and get your new year off to a good start. We will help you through all the steps necessary to re-establish credit and get yourself back on target for living within your means. Whether you have filed a bankruptcy or a proposal or simply need […]
Read moreChristmas shopping tips
Christmas is a time of the year when most people start to really focus in on giving, mostly to other family members. For some, the act of giving is a “make-up” whether that be in the sense of making amends to a spouse, kind of like buying flowers after a fight, or a time to […]
Read moreGo bankrupt before the new year
If filing for bankruptcy is on your horizon, going bankrupt before the new year protects your interest in next year’s income tax refund. When you file a bankruptcy, your trustee will receive your tax refund for the year of the bankruptcy and the year prior (more if other years are still outstanding). If you wait […]
Read moreNew Mortgage Rules – January 2018
That’s right the government is adding new regulations to the mortgage industry effective January 1st 2018. You might ask yourself “why?” the answer is simply that the mortgage industry won’t regulate itself. The industry is of course broader than just the banking industry and although the rules might seem to apply to all they probably […]
Read moreSave Money on Groceries
I was shopping for a charitable BBQ event about two summers ago, I had my cart filled with buns, sausages, hamburgers, condiments, drinks and so on. When I got to the checkout there was a young woman in front of me pulling out coupons and flashing an app on her phone. Made a comment to […]
Read moreNew Mortgage Rules
New mortgage qualifying rules will come into effect in January 2018. Many consumers are in a rush to obtain mortgages before the changes, but is that a good idea? Let’s think about changes in mortgages during the last fifty years. Fifty years ago, about half as many Canadians had their name on title as property […]
Read moreMORE PEOPLE CHOOSE LOCKE CONSULTING
Year over year for the last four years more and more consumers have visited our web site and engaged our services. If you or someone you know is experiencing financial difficulties, because of mounting debts, contact the office and arrange your free, no obligation, consultation.
Read moreManaging Debt
