50 guests or less: Couples opt for micro-weddings amid inflation

Danielle Woodcock was planning her wedding when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, delaying and eventually cancelling her big day. By the time she revisited it in 2021, she had decided to go in a different direction – a micro-wedding.

Her guest list, once around 100, dwindled to 30 people, and in the end, she and her partner James Costello spent less than $10,000.

Before going the micro-wedding route, the venue and food alone was going to cost well over $10,000, she said.

While many couples had smaller weddings in recent years because of pandemic restrictions, decades-high inflation is leading many to opt for a micro-wedding, which typically includes up to 50 guests.

Don’t neglect bonds this year despite tough 2022, experts say

OTTAWA - Bond portfolios took a beating in 2022 as interest rates climbed, but experts say investors shouldn't neglect bonds this year as the Bank of Canada nears the end of its rate hike cycle.

Christine Tan, assistant vice-president portfolio management at SLGI Asset Management Inc., said high quality bonds is where she's looking for opportunity in 2023.

"We really like bonds and where we're going with bonds is we're just keeping it simple," Tan said.

Tan said because she believes Canada is closer to peak interest rates than the U.S., her bond allocation is overweight Canadian government bonds.

Ending interest rate hikes weighs heavily on investors heading into 2023

Interest rates and their direction will undoubtedly pique investors’ interest in 2023.

‘Death by a thousand cuts’: How to take stock of your subscriptions

As 2022 comes to a close and the cost of living continues to climb, many Canadians are looking for ways to cut back on spending — and some are looking to trim down on subscriptions.

But with subscription services offered in almost every category these days, it can be hard to keep track of exactly how much you're spending on a monthly basis.

Heading into the new year, freelance journalist John Loeppky took stock of his finances and noticed a lengthy list of regular credit card charges.

“It can very easily get away from you," he said.

Time, a priceless gift

Aimee Palmer took a leap of faith five years ago, selling her small business for a job in finance.

Experts share tips for young Canadians finding themselves in debt for the first time

MONTREAL - While enrolled in university, Eloho Orogun was approached on campus to apply for a $500 student credit card, advertised as a means to improve his credit score.

Met with a self-described shopping problem, it was not long before Orogun opened a second student card with a larger limit.

"The more money I had, the more debt I would get myself into," he said.

Poor spending habits and a lack of understanding of how credit cards work led him down a debt spiral that took him seven years to break.

’Tis always the season (for estate planning)

Sorry to kill the buzz from the eggnog with a somber discussion about death and money.

Hosting a holiday dinner? Here are some cost-saving tips

TORONTO - When Canadians soon gather with loved ones for holiday meals, there will be an unwelcome guest at the dinner table: decades-high inflation.

The measure of how much prices have increased shows grocery bills rose by 11 per cent over the last year alone.

"It's crazy, like you need a mortgage to go to the grocery store right now,” said Danielle Gasner, who runs a Toronto catering business and the Girl Gone Kosher food blog.

Similar observations are being made across the country as holiday fixings, including Christmas turkeys and hams, Kwanzaa celebrators’ jollof rice and collard greens and even oil the humble Hannukah latke gets fried in, have risen in price.

Canadian Real Estate Association reports home sales down in November

OTTAWA - The Canadian Real Estate Association says seasonally adjusted home sales were down 3.3 per cent on a month-over-month basis in November.

The association said Thursday the move lower more than erased the gain seen in October and resumed the overall trend lower for the year.

CREA said about 60 per cent of all local markets saw lower sales in November, led by Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, Edmonton, the Greater Toronto Area and Montreal.

Compared with a year ago, actual home sales in November were down 38.9 per cent compared with November 2021.

National average rent was over a record $2,000 in November says Rentals.ca

MONTREAL - The average monthly cost to rent a home in Canada rose to a record $2,024 in November, new data shows, and experts say this trend is showing no signs of stopping.

The National Rental Report published Tuesday said the average price for rent in November was up 2.5 per cent compared with the month before.

On average, renters are paying $224 more per month compared with a year ago, for a gain of 12.4 per cent.

According to the report, the average cost of rent surpassed pre-pandemic prices by 10.5 per cent.