Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like the economy is going to get better anytime soon. Today it was announced that the world economy is projected to contract by 1.3 per cent this year, which makes this the most severe recession since World War II. (Source: CBC) It was also revealed today that the Chief Financial Officer of Freddie Mac Corporation,...

Financial situation got you down? Get a listening ear with a confidential email mentor Lately the economy is big news. As someone who discusses personal finance I'd have to say that the discussion is good. But, if you add up all the news reports (print, radio, television, internet) you wonder whether Jane and Joe Consumer are really learning anything....

I was surprised to read an article on CNN.com the other day saying that repairs of tech gadgets on the rise.  For many years now it has become cheaper to throw something out rather that fix it.    I don’t know if this is because the gadgets themselves are more complex or because we’ve been trained by advertisers that this is the way of things. ...

This year, turn your spring cleaning into a mission to find sources of cash, since almost all of us are looking to raise some money in the recession. The newspaper and Internet are tried-and-true spots for selling furniture and finding a market for, say, your old camping equipment, musical instruments or kitchen appliances. Local shops also...

Some consequences of the economic downturn are obvious, such as lost jobs and plunging stock market values. But others are more subtle but also important, as described in the article "High food prices threat to health" from the Toronto Star: There are "startling discrepancies" in the cost of basic, healthy food at grocery stores across Canada, according...

You know something’s up when Oprah starts economizing. It took until early December for National Bureau of Economic Research to officially call it a recession, but really, we’ve known for a while now. Things are different this year. You can see signs of the times everywhere.  It’s in the wording of of the ads on TV, not to mention the...

Has someone you know lost their home to foreclosure? Have you? The psychological effects can be devastating. The mortgage crisis and related stress have seen an increase in symptoms ranging from anxiety and depression to the extreme of suicide. USA Today relates the heart-wrenching story of Oregon residents Raymond and Deanna Donaca. The couple...