The latest news has been focused on rising interest rates, surging inflation, and economic uncertainty with suggestions that the Canadian economy could be tripped into recession.

With all this information circulating, now is a good time to discuss ways to adapt your finances and protect your future. Fortunately, there are a few key things you can do to get started today!

1. Set a budget and reduce monthly expenses and overall debt by including the following:
   • Review your income and expenses and identify areas for reduction – such as getting a cheaper cell phone plan, reducing streaming service subscriptions, reviewing transport costs, etc.
   • Make a list of your current high-interest loans (such as credit card balances). If your mortgage is up for renewal, you may be able to benefit by consolidating debt into your mortgage to save on interest and free up cash flow with one payment. Refinancing your mortgage before the renewal is also an option, but a review of the penalty cost versus your debt consolidation goal should be considered. As your mortgage professional, I can assist you with this analysis.
   • Allot a percentage of your income towards savings such as an emergency fund. Your goal should be to have the equivalent of 3 to 6 months of earnings in this fund to provide breathing room should you lose your job or face any unexpected expenses. Another form of emergency funds could also be a line-of-credit. Once set-up, these generally have no cost to you unless you use it in the event of an emergency.

Having a healthy and realistic budget will give you peace of mind and allow you to properly allocate your monthly cash flow between debt, expenses, and savings.

1. Evaluate your investment portfolio:
   1. While you will want to avoid making any knee-jerk reactions, it may be a good time to diversify your portfolio to help reduce risk. Consider rerouting your investment to real estate or other areas to ensure you have various sources of income and always talk to an expert.
2. Find additional income sources!
   • Many people have found innovative ways to increase their income by asking the following three questions:
     • Are you a fit for a potential promotion?
     • Do you have a review coming up?
     • Do you have transferable skills that you can apply to consulting or additional contract work?

One final reminder – don’t panic. I know the word “recession” can be stressful but understanding what is happening and making appropriate adjustments will help you stay financially secure.

If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage expert. We would be happy to chat with you anytime about the impact on your mortgage, or how to make changes for the long-term.

written by DLC Chief Economist Dr. Sherry Cooper

The latest news has been focused on rising interest rates, surging inflation, and economic uncertainty with suggestions that the Canadian economy could be tripped into recession.

With all this information circulating, now is a good time to discuss ways to adapt your finances and protect your future. Fortunately, there are a few key things you can do to get started today!

1. Set a budget and reduce monthly expenses and overall debt by including the following:
   • Review your income and expenses and identify areas for reduction – such as getting a cheaper cell phone plan, reducing streaming service subscriptions, reviewing transport costs, etc.
   • Make a list of your current high-interest loans (such as credit card balances). If your mortgage is up for renewal, you may be able to benefit by consolidating debt into your mortgage to save on interest and free up cash flow with one payment. Refinancing your mortgage before the renewal is also an option, but a review of the penalty cost versus your debt consolidation goal should be considered. As your mortgage professional, I can assist you with this analysis.
   • Allot a percentage of your income towards savings such as an emergency fund. Your goal should be to have the equivalent of 3 to 6 months of earnings in this fund to provide breathing room should you lose your job or face any unexpected expenses. Another form of emergency funds could also be a line-of-credit. Once set-up, these generally have no cost to you unless you use it in the event of an emergency.

Having a healthy and realistic budget will give you peace of mind and allow you to properly allocate your monthly cash flow between debt, expenses, and savings.

1. Evaluate your investment portfolio:
   1. While you will want to avoid making any knee-jerk reactions, it may be a good time to diversify your portfolio to help reduce risk. Consider rerouting your investment to real estate or other areas to ensure you have various sources of income and always talk to an expert.
2. Find additional income sources!
   • Many people have found innovative ways to increase their income by asking the following three questions:
     • Are you a fit for a potential promotion?
     • Do you have a review coming up?
     • Do you have transferable skills that you can apply to consulting or additional contract work?

One final reminder – don’t panic. I know the word “recession” can be stressful but understanding what is happening and making appropriate adjustments will help you stay financially secure.

If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage expert. We would be happy to chat with you anytime about the impact on your mortgage, or how to make changes for the long-term.

written by DLC Chief Economist Dr. Sherry Cooper

A reverse mortgage is a versatile and flexible financial solution for Canadians in their retirement years. Homeowners 55+ are unlocking their home equity for tax-free funds that don’t have to be repaid until they decide to sell their homes.

Consider these four reasons Canadians 55+ turn to the CHIP Reverse Mortgage by HomeEquity Bank:

1. Alleviate the stress of debt.

You are struggling with mortgage payments and credit card bills, prefer not to tap into savings or investment portfolios, or are incurring more debt due to unavoidable expenses.

2. Pay for unplanned expenses.

You are faced with unexpected home repairs such as a leaky roof, retrofitting for mobility reasons, or need to hire in-home healthcare to assist with day-to-day.

3. Want to live life to the fullest.

You have more time to do the things you want – but not the funds. For example, you want to purchase a summer property or take your dream vacation.

4. Maintain a standard of living.

You are experiencing a shortfall in your retirement funds while trying to maintain the lifestyle you and your family are accustomed to.

If you relate to any of the above scenarios, contact your DLC Mortgage professional for details on how the CHIP Reverse Mortgage by HomeEquity Bank can help you.

written by DLC Chief Economist Dr. Sherry Cooper

When it comes to saving money, there are a lot of little things you can do that add up to make a big difference! Here are 10 of our favorite money-saving tips:

1. Automatic savings are one of the most effective ways to save because you can’t spend what you can’t access! Instruct your employer to transfer a certain amount from your paycheck each pay period into an RRSP or savings account (or both) or set up automatic transfers in your banking account to coincide with your payday.
2. Consolidating debt will result in a single monthly payment and lower interest costs! Many people don’t realize just how much money they are wasting on interest each month, especially if you have multiple loans or credit cards. Consolidating debt can help you gain control and maximize spend on the principal amounts to pay off loans faster.
3. Budget with cash if you have trouble with overspending or find it too easy to use your card. After your bills are paid, take out the remaining cash (spending money) and only use that. Once the cash is gone, you’re out of money until next payday! Having physical cash in hand can also help you think twice when making purchases.
4. Buying in bulk is a great way to save a bit here and a bit there when doing your regular grocery shop or purchasing other items. Know you’ll need more? Stock up at once for bulk savings, which will help you in the long run!
5. Before Buying there are two things you should always do. The first is to wait at least 24 hours and the second is to shop around! If you still want to buy something the next day, make sure you get the best price available!
6. Plan Your Meals. Most of us don’t have time to make breakfast (let alone lunch!) before we fly out the door for work. But what if I told you that getting up an hour earlier could save you over $100 a week!? Just think about how much you spend going out for breakfast AND lunch each day. Groceries are a lot cheaper and you can even prep a few day’s worth of meals on Sunday while you get ready for the week.
7. Think in Hours versus Dollars every time you are looking to make a purchase, especially large ones to help you understand the TIME value of money. A new $24 Blu-Ray = 1 hour of work. A brand-new mattress = 41.67 hours of work. Understanding the time that went into earning money for a purchase can help with reconsidering frivolous items, or encourage you to look for the best deal on necessary products.
8. Utility Savings can help you save each month! Don’t blast your A/C with all the doors in your house open, don’t pump the heat without sealing cracks and consider things like installing water-saving toilets and running cold-water wash cycles to save energy (and money!) every day.
9. Master DIY – While sometimes you can spend $120 to make a $20 item yourself, there are some things that do benefit from DIY, such as installing dimmer switches, that can help save you money in the long run.
10. Save Windfalls and Tax Refunds for a rainy day. A good rule of thumb is to put 50% of bonuses, tax refunds or other windfalls into your savings account and put the rest against loans owing. While you might want to go on a shopping spree or plan a vacation, paying off your debt NOW will free you up in the future.

written by DLC Chief Economist Dr. Sherry Cooper

The holidays are a season of giving and often times, households can often find themselves carrying some extra debt as we enter the New Year.

If you happen to be someone currently struggling with some post-holiday debt, that’s okay! Whether you’ve accumulated multiple points of debt from credit cards or are dealing with other loans (such as car loans, personal loans, etc.), you are likely looking for a way to simplify your payments – and reduce them. Rolling them into your mortgage could be the perfect solution.

Consolidating other forms of debt into your mortgage has multiple benefits. For starters, this process can help you to pay off your loans over a longer period of time with smaller payments per month, and often at a reduced interest rate when compared to a credit card.

By freeing yourself from these high interest rates and gouging interest payments, you will not only have more money each month but have a better chance of taking back your financial control and getting your loans completely paid off!

If you’re still not sure if this is the right solution for you, here is an example… if you have $30,000 of credit card debt, you are probably paying AT LEAST $600 per month and $500 per month of that is likely going directly to interest. If you let me help you to roll that debt into your home equity and monthly mortgage, your payment to this $30,000 portion would drop down around $175 per month, with interest charges closer to $140 per month. That is huge savings!

Not only does debt consolidation into your mortgage help with reducing interest charges and making your loan more manageable, but it is also much easier to keep track of and pay a single monthly installment versus managing a dozen different loans or bills.

While debt consolidation through refinancing will increase your mortgage since you have to add the debt into your existing mortgage amount, the benefits to lowering your overall payments and management can be well worth it when it comes to cost savings, time and stress. Keep in mind, you need at least 20 percent equity in your home to qualify for this adjustment.

If you are looking for a way to simplify (or get out of) debt, reach out to a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage expert! They would be happy to take a look at your financial portfolio and current mortgage and help you come up with the best option to suit your needs.

written by DLC Chief Economist Dr. Sherry Cooper