If you're in your 20s or early 30s, or at any point in your life, chances are you've thought about owning a home at least once. Maybe you've looked at condos in Vancouver, townhouses in Kelowna, or homes in Kamloops and wondered, "How am I ever supposed to afford that?" You're not alone. Buying your first home can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to understand down payments, mortgage rates, closing costs, and all the other financial terms that seem to come out

Let's be honest. Shit happens. And unfortunately, it doesn't care how old you are, how healthy you look, or how well you think your life is going. I can think of people at different stages of life who have received a serious diagnosis, whether it's cancer or kidney failure. People with careers, families, plans for the future, and lives that were moving along just fine until suddenly, they weren't. And every time I hear about someone facing something like this, I think about m

Buying your first home in British Columbia is exciting… but let’s be honest, saving for a down payment can feel like a full-time job. Between rising home prices, closing costs, and trying to save while still enjoying your life, getting into the market can seem overwhelming. The good news? If you’re a first-time home buyer, the Canadian government has two programs that can help you get there: the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) and the RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP). Even bett

Saving money sounds pretty simple. Spend less than you earn, put some money aside, and repeat. So why does it feel so difficult? For people under 35, the problem usually isn't that they don't understand that saving is important. Most people know they should be saving. The harder part is actually having money left over at the end of the month. There are a few reasons for that, and they're not all about being "bad with money." 1. The cost of living leaves less room to save. Let

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions most people will make. For first-time homebuyers in British Columbia, there is a lot to think about: your down payment, mortgage rate, closing costs, property taxes, and whether you can comfortably manage the monthly payment. Life insurance is often somewhere near the bottom of that list. It shouldn't be. Not because you should expect something to go wrong, but because your mortgage is usually dependent on your ability t

Putting money into a savings account feels like the responsible thing to do—and it is. Having cash set aside for emergencies, upcoming expenses, or short-term goals is an important part of a healthy financial plan. But if you’re consistently building up more savings than you actually need, it may be worth asking yourself: Is your money working as hard as you are? A savings account is designed for accessibility. It gives you a safe and convenient place to keep money you may ne

Let me tell you something that absolutely blows my mind? Most people know exactly how much coverage they have on their car. They know their deductible, they know what their house is worth, and they know that their wedding ring is insured. Some people even have insurance on their pets! But ask someone if they have a plan in place if they couldn’t work for a year because of an illness or injury, and most people have no idea. And that’s something I think we should talk about mor

If you’re expecting a baby, congratulations! There are probably a million things on your mind—names, nursery colours, daycare, and trying to figure out how someone so small needs so much stuff. But there’s one financial conversation that might not be at the top of your list: life insurance. One of the first things you may think about is opening an RESP or starting a savings account. Those are great steps, but before you start planning for your child’s future, it’s worth makin

When buying a home, many people are offered mortgage insurance at the same time they sign their mortgage papers. It feels convenient, but convenience doesn’t always mean better value—and that’s where it’s worth taking a closer look. Mortgage insurance is tied directly to your loan. As your mortgage balance goes down, the insurance payout goes down too, yet the premiums typically stay the same. The payout also goes directly to the lender, not your family, meaning the money can

When you’re in your 20s or early 30s, investing can feel like something you’ll “get to later.” Between rent, groceries, kids, student loans, and just trying to enjoy life, it’s easy to think you don’t have enough money or time to start investing. The truth is, starting early—no matter the amount—can make a huge difference over time. This is where compound growth comes in. Simply put, it means your money earns returns, and then those returns start earning returns too. Over tim