Auntie's Advice

08/09/2026

Income and financial stability are not the same thing. Every financial decision you make today steals or creates options for your future self.

07/30/2026

I am reminded daily that I am not alone in my financial struggle. There are many who are also struggling, but also many who are showing their support as well.

06/23/2026

Improving your financial picture with small steps taken consistently.

06/16/2026

Debt should be prioritized, but investing is also an important muscle that needs to be developed well. Start small, so you can see the numbers grow. It'll help you develop the habit and will give you more confidence when your debt is paid off and you have more income to invest.

06/02/2026

Understanding your worth extends beyond monetary value. It encompasses your potential to grow, learn and evolve.

You deserve abundance simply because you exist.

05/23/2026

Saving for senior year is one of the best things I ever did. :D

This is not a conversation about whether senior activities cost too much, most importantly prom, or whether senior activities are necessary, or whether parents should spend money on all of this in the first place.

It’s a conversation about strategy and preparedness.

At the end of the day, our kids’ senior year comes with expenses and this was one of the easiest ways for me to offset those costs without constantly having to pull from my regular income or credit cards every time something came up.

Also, saving for senior year expenses is not the absence of saving for college, investing, or teaching your child financial literacy. People always try to make these conversations one or the other when real life usually requires both.

Starting a small automatic transfer during freshman year genuinely made my son’s senior year so much easier on me financially.

Original post:

04/29/2026

Registered Accounts – a primer

Here are some terms that you should know.
1. Tax-deductible: able to be deducted from taxable income when calculating income tax due.
2. Tax-deferred: refers to instances where a taxpayer can delay paying taxes to some future period, usually when you take the money out.
3. Tax-free: usually not tax-deductible but there is no tax on the growth that occurs.

Registered accounts in Canada are government-approved plans for a specific purpose that offer tax advantages – such as tax-deferred growth or tax-free withdrawals – to encourage savings. Most of the registered accounts are really a designation; the actual account types can vary between standard savings accounts and can sometimes include investment accounts.
• Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) allows investments to grow tax free with tax free withdrawals at any time.
• First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is a hybrid account allowing tax-deductible contributions and tax-free withdrawals for first-time home purchases.
• Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) is a designation for an account meant for retirement. Contributions are tax-deductible, reducing taxable income, with taxes deferred until withdrawal, which is usually in retirement.
• Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is designed for individuals with disabilities to save long-term and may be eligible for government grants and bonds based on family income. Not everyone qualifies for this type of account.
• Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) are used to save for post-secondary education with tax-sheltered growth and potential government grants.
• Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) are used to receive income from retirement savings, often converted from an RRSP.
• Registered Pension Plan (RPP) is an employer-sponsored retirement plan registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). It provides tax-deductible contributions for employees and employers, with investment growth that is tax-sheltered until retirement. Not everyone qualifies for this type of account.