Credit Canada

Velvet Elvis. The garage sale treasure hunt is on.

I don’t know about you, but I’m seeing garage sale signs everywhere right now, which means spring cleaning is underway – along with Canada’s annual rite of the spring treasure hunt.

I’ve noticed the treasure hunters are out in force this year, reminding me of line-ups at Tim Hortons during the morning rush hour. They’re coming out in droves along curbs, sidewalks and lawns – all in the hope of finding something special for cheap, cheap, cheap, to quote the red-breasted Robin.

Maybe the bounty is an old record player – you know the one with the needle that drops – replete with a collection of Don Ho and Perry Como albums. Or maybe it’s a kitschy pink set of “unbreakable” Melmac dishes from years gone by (actually, I broke one once as a kid). Then again, it could be a turquoise swan ashtray without a single chip in it. Oh, and let’s not forget about that eye-catching velvet Elvis painting.

My point is, never underestimate the acquisitiveness of the spring treasure hunter. What you deem to be a throwaway item could be considered a gem in the eyes of this adventurer.

Right now, the hunt is on for all kinds of trinkets and baubles from dusty old corners. You may be surprised by how much coin some of these items bring you. (more…)

I know there is always a lot of hype about investing, especially today. Where to invest, how to invest – I find it daunting myself. But I am reminded of what Warren Buffett, the most successful investor in history, once said:

“I don’t look to jump over seven-foot bars; I look around for one-foot bars that I can step over.”

There is one thing you can be sure of about investing, before you look for opportunities- – get rid of your debt. I don’t think there is better advice than that. It’s based on some 43 years of experience we have at Credit Canada, www.creditcanada.com, where we provide counselling and comfort to those who are struggling with debt and trying to manage their money intelligently.

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Now, I am not talking about mortgage debt. Let’s face it that is usually a long-term process. I am talking about high interest debt such as credit cards. If you have covered off your credit card debt, then I believe it could be a good idea to invest. But investments are often risky, and if you can’t afford to lose, you can’t afford to play the game. Put it this way, you can’t afford to take on risky investments anyway. (more…)