Canadian Budget Binder

To All My Devoted Canadian Budget Binder Fans around the world! Please click the link below and vote for Canadian Budget Binder who is up for nomination for Best Top Personal Finance Blog 2012. All it takes is a click and I thank you for your continued support as this site is for all of you.  Click HERE to vote Canadian Budget Binder. Update: Over

If we win: Winning blog $100 to give away to one of their readers to help them in their journey to pay down their debt or add to their savings. I will hold a contest if we win and give this to one lucky fan!

Here Comes The Snow, Are You Ready?

We thought we would get lucky again this year with small shots of snow falling from the sky but that simply is not the case according to the weather professionals. If you are in Southwestern Ontario your commute was or is likely going to be a messy one with Environment Canada weather radars zeroing in on one of the biggest winter blasts since 2011.

The Alberta clipper is making it’s presence with a sweet push from the USA. It’s been a couple of years now that I’ve had to go out and give the drive one great big shovel 5 times per day so I’m ready for it. What I’m not ready for is the miserable drive to work and back and bracing myself for the unexpected. To be honest I’m fairly new to all this winter driving but I keep my distance, slow it down and take control of my vehicle like we should. So gear up Ontario, 15 to 25 cm of snow coming our way, be ready and “have a minute to live” slow down. Ontario is one giant marshmallow world this morning, enjoy it while you can.

Good-Bye Debt Says These Two Newlyweds

While I was reading a Yahoo article yesterday I realized the couple they were talking about is my Personal Finance blogger mate Deacon Hayes who blogs at Well Kept Wallet. The article describes how him and his wife worked together and paid off $52,000 in debt in 18 months, impressive. The important part here is that they worked as a team to kill this debt. When I started to read the comments I was not surprised to read negative comments.

Does it really matter if he uses Dave Ramsey techniques or what his career is? Really, that makes no difference at all. One commenter made a point to say they didn’t disclose their wage and I thought, who the hell cares. It’s not about how much money one makes it’s how they save and spend it that matters. In the summer I did the Welfare Food Challenge where people thought you couldn’t eat healthy on a $26 grocery budget. I proved we could spend $26 but it also makes a difference where you live in this world as prices and cost of living differ. Yes, OK the food might not be be rib-eye steaks but it’s food and good food not convenience foods.

I notice in our Canadian Budget Binder weekly grocery game challenge Pauline who blogs at Reach Financial Independence shares her weekly grocery shop with us and vegetables are super cheap in Guatemala. I often am in awe at the prices she pays but cost of living is much different so I can’t compare what we pay here to what she pays.

There are millionaires out there that can’t even stay out of the red. What I read in Deacons interview in the US News and World Report comment section is that some are so focused on numbers and how much everyone else has instead of finding ways to make our own personal situations healthy. The good part was the positive comments outweighed the negative and people really do enjoy reading these personal stories.

If you haven’t read the Millionaire Next Door, make it a priority. Too often we jump to conclusions about people and forget that we are looking at our lives from the outside in procrastinating about life rather than moving forward like champs. What the article taught me was that when it comes down to the nitty-gritty instead of complaining, do something about it. No one is going to hold your hand to the finish line, so if you fall you need to get back up, make some decisions. Worrying and complaining does nothing, do something about it and you might even surprise yourself.

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TOP BLOG POSTS WEEKLY READING LIST

Thanks for your continued support of Canadian Budget Binder and now I’ll share you with my fans who tell me they look forward to this weekly list and catching up on the best articles I’ve read. Please join me in reading some of the best blog posts of the week that I have picked.

• Scary When They’re Down Scary When They’re Up-Canadian Couch Potato
• Save Money On Food When Travelling- Nurse Frugal
• Here’s What Youth Unemployment Is Costing Us- The Brigher Life
• Stupid Credit Cards: There’s A $10 Inactive Fee For Not Shopping Enough-Squawkfox
• 5 Home Inspection Photos That Show Why DIY Is Not Always The Best Route- The Consumerist
• 25 Products You Think You Need But Your Really Don’t- Wise Bread
• Make Yourself Accountable- Retire Happy
• When To Transition To Owning ETF’s and Stocks- My Own Advisor
• Learn From The Boomers Make Mistakes-Boomer and Echo
• How To Negotiate Your Way To A Lower Cable Bill- MoneyNing
• Why The Second Million Is Much Easier- Million Dollar Journey
• 10 Things I Can Live Without-Krant Cents
• Using A Windfall To Pay Off Debt- The Outlier Model
• What Is The True Cost Of Love?- Thirty Six Months
• Grocery Chopping, Cutting Down Your Grocery Bill Without Coupons- Prairie Eco-Thrifter
• Extreme Hoarding:Pregnancy Edition- Club Thrifty
• Five Ways To Save Money When Grocery Shopping- Average Joe
• Using Coupons To Save Money- Eyes On The Dollar
• The Benefits Of A Mortgage Free Retirement- The Frugal Path
• How Cheap Is Too Cheap- My Personal Finance Journey
• The First Child, Opportunities For Saving- Monster Piggy Bank
• Three Financial Tips For College Grads- IHeartBudgets
• My Pay Cheque Is Shrinking Oh No -Lil Suburban Homestead
• Pay Down Debt Or Top Up RRSP- My Canuck Buck
• Believing In Yourself After You Find Out You Suck-My Money Design
• Get Money For Unwanted Gifts-Frugal Rules
• Designing Your Dream Job-Budget and The Beach
• Solutions For Financing A New Car-Modest Money
• The 5 Commandments For Money And Marriage- One Smart Dollar
• Zero Food Waste Challenge Update-Reuse and Re-purpose To Avoid Getting Bored-Reach Financial Independence
• How To Start A Blog- Making Sense of Cents
• January Spending Plan Results-Vix Money
• Single or Joint Life Insurance Policy- Money Bulldog UK
• We Are All Experts-We Only Do This Once
• Time Vs Money A Constant Issue-The Family Finances
• Using Dedicated Income Streams For Debt Repayments- Edward Antrobus
• Ten Credit Card Secrets They Don’t Want You To Know- Stumble Forward
• A Balanced Approach To Building Wealth-Life and My Finances

In The Kitchen-Recipes of the Week- Do you want to see your recipe featured here… connect with me on social media and say hi!

• Bacon and Cheese Quiche- Work Save Live
• Weekday Mushrooms- Aunt B On A Budget
• Shepherd’s Pie (Cottage Pie- My Mom Thoughts
• Homemade Smoothie Is Berry Tasty- Freedom Thirty Five Blog
• Mom’s Spanish Rice- The Frugal Farmer
• Homemade Snickers Bars- Save Big Live Better
• Spinach, Hot Calabrese and Provolone Stuffed Chicken- Laura Loves Life

Tweet Tweet… Goes my Twitter Followers!

There have been so many awesome people who have tweeted my posts on Twitter this week. Since there are so many it’s easier to say thanks to all of you at once, so thanks!

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