Dollars & Sense Blog

Make Your Dreams Come True!!

In January, many people make something called a “Resolution.” That is another word for a goal to change something or achieve something in your life. Dreams aren’t just for when you sleep, you know. Your dreams are also the great things you want to do with your life. Can you think of a goal you…

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The Gift of Giving: Can You Make a Difference?

Some things never change? Think again… Hey, what are your summer plans? Working? Going to the Beach? Hanging out with friends? Shopping? Starting your own business? There are always lots of options in the summer, but I would like to encourage you to try something a little different — volunteer work! Recently, I had the…

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Kids and Money: The Opportunities

The last excerpt, published here, was about the dangers of not teaching our children good attitudes and habits with money. On the positive side of the ledger, this book will help you take advantage of the many opportunities you have to teach your kids about money. The opportunities are legion, but six major ones stand…

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Making Independent Choices (Kids)

You’re growing up! And as you do, your parents will give you more and more chances to choose what you want to eat, to wear and to buy. Because Allowances: Dollars and Sense is about learning good financial skills, I want to give you some tips for spending and earning money. Here are a few…

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Making Independent Choices (Parents)

You let go when you taught them to ride a bike.Why are money issues harder? Money is a complex commodity, especially when it intersects with our family relationships. We earn it and try to use it wisely – providing for our kids is a responsibility and a joy. But when it comes to teaching our…

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Making School Work for You!

School and the fall season go together! And so do some other things – shopping for new school clothes, starting music lessons and sports teams, and doing your homework. All these things remind me that there are a few important things to concentrate on in your life, things that you can work on all your…

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A Season for Basics

Is back-to-school time just a pain, or can something good come of it? If you’re like the teens in our house, going back to school is met with groans and griping. But I know there are things about it you like too – shopping for new clothes; playing on sports teams; seeing friends and favorite…

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CKNW: Simi Sara Show with Mike Smyth

Just before the end of the Christmas holidays, Paul got a chance to talk to Mike Smyth, guest host of the Simi Sara show on CKNW, about using the New Year to boost our efforts to teach our children great financial skills.

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Back-to-School (Not Blues) BLAST!

There’s more to a successful fall season than just relief that they’re back at school… When kids go back to school, the whole house feels a little different. There’s no more sleeping in and (thank goodness) not as much mess! As you manage the many tasks that are part of the beginning of the school…

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CBC RADIO: Early Edition with Rick Cluff

On the first day back to work and school after the Christmas break for many Canadians, Paul Lermitte was invited to be a guest on Rick Cluff’s Early Edition show on CBC Radio. He asked Paul some great questions, such as about whether or not to link allowances to chores, how old should a child…

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