💸 EARN: Wanna be a secret agent? CSIS is looking to fill some roles in Ontario and many of the positions pay over $100,000 a year.
🏦 SAVE: How to clean and store your puffer jacket so it stays warm and fluffy for next winter.
🛍️ SPEND: Save on Easter baskets and decor at Michael’s and take advantage of 40% off one regularly priced item with coupon code 20230202, valid until March 31st.
The snow is melting, the sun is shining, and the birds are chirping, which can only mean one thing—the new federal budget just dropped!
Here’s how it might impact your finances:
What else? The budget also outlines plans to address junk fees for concert tickets, a right-to-repair framework for devices and a national flood insurance plan.
Yes, but: The big focus was green tech and energy investments with a plan that dedicates $67.3 billion over five years to the sector to compete with the US Inflation Reduction Act.
Bottom line: The modest measures will provide some relief for working-class Canadians, but the budget mostly ignored the elephant in the room—housing affordability. Besides re-introducing the First Time Home Buyer’s plan, no plans were mentioned to address the lack of affordable housing nationwide.
Apple is getting into the loan business: The tech giant is introducing Apple Pay Later, its own Buy Now, Pay Later platform. Like other BNPL options, Apple Pay Later lets users split purchases into smaller regular payments rather than one lump sum. Services were Apple’s second biggest revenue generating making the company $78.1 billion last year.
Dollarama ups its dividends: The retailer saw good growth during Q4, bringing in over $260 million in profit as Canadians pivot to budget brands to cut costs. This drove the company to raise its dividend payout from 5.53 cents per share to 7.08 cents.
Lululemon sees stock prices soar: The Canadian kingpin of athleisurewear saw stock prices jump 16% after the retailer said it expects sales to grow to $9.4 billion this year, beating analysts' expectations. That’s despite being bogged down by a glut of inventory, lower sales and an "ill-timed acquisition" of Mirror, a failed fitness platform. Talk about turning lemons into Lululemon-ade.
If you’re feeling like a rudderless ship in a stormy sea of investment uncertainties, you might want to find a safe harbour for your cash and park it in a safe haven asset for the short term.
Safe haven investments are generally uncorrelated to the broader market, allowing them to hold their value during a downturn. Investors flock to safe havens like gold, treasury bills and bonds, currencies and defensive stocks to lower their exposure and retain the value of their investment when the equities market gets shaken up.
What are the characteristics of safe haven investment?
Bottom line: Safe haven investments can provide some peace of mind for anxious investors through stability, but you pay for that safety through lower returns.
If you’re looking to straighten your smile, you’ve got a couple of options. You could go the traditional route with metal braces or opt for removable clear aligners. So how do they compare in terms of cost, convenience and results?
The original brand of clear aligners, Invisalign, has become a popular option for those looking to fix mild or moderate overcrowding or close gaps in their teeth.
Yes, but: Aligners have their downside—you have to remove them whenever you eat and need to wear them 20 to 22 hours a day for best results.
The cost: Invisalign costs range from $2,000 to $8,000, but competitors like Smile Direct Club do everything via mail, so you’ll pay substantially less since you don’t visit an orthodontist for treatment.
Is it worth it? If you live by the motto, “time is money,” and don’t want to book monthly dental appointments, the simplicity of a series of retainers could work well for you. But if you’re looking to really overhaul your smile, you should consult an orthodontist about the best treatment for you—the money you pay for a professional is worth it.
💪 Trying to get a summer six-pack on a budget? Try these five standing core strengthening exercises that don’t require any equipment.
👩💻 Five easy Excel hacks anyone who works with spreadsheets need to know.
🏚️ How a $1,200 rundown shed was transformed into a vacation home that earns the owner $75 a night.
🍜 Easy home cook hacks that will let you level up your favourite comfort foods—I’m trying #18 this weekend!
🌎 The most loved brands in each country—although the idea of loving a brand makes us side-eye this chart a little bit.
