I read your posts daily but as I am from up North (Canada) the posts do not always apply to me. I enjoy your articles and respect your advice and lately I have been wondering how you would invest if you lived in Canada.

The big news lately is the recently created Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) which is another option to our standard Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). Basically you can put $5000 into investments in a TFSA a year and withdraw at any time and you pay no taxes. In an RRSP you get a tax rebate now but pay taxes when you withdraw, the limit is set based on your salary.

I would be interested to hear what you have to say and which you think is a better option, even though it will not apply to all your readers. This could be a challenge for you to look at a different system and maybe to gain a few extra readers or insights.

Thank you1

Mister E –
Yes, santa knew the gecko would have to be feed – just didn’t think about the long-term effects of the hassle of finding out sunday evening at 7 that all of the crickets were gone and the next trip to town couldn’t possibly happen until the following saturday… if you have never lived in a rural area, you couldn’t possibly understand. but thanks for the sarcasm.

Legumes (e.g., lentils, beans, peanuts) are a very inexpensive source of protein. One just has to learn new cooking techniques to convert these items into delicious main course meals. The interweb is full of good tips on veggie diets. Although you can stay healthy on a vegetarian or vegan diet, it is probably a good idea when switching over to a vegan diet to consult with a dietitian/nutritionist.

I’m a graduating senior this year with a lot of student loans, but no credit card in my own name. So, my credit score is based almost solely on the amount of debt I’ve taken out to pay for school. Now that I’m graduating, I’d like to finally get a credit card and start building up good credit. Do you have any suggestions for good credit cards for students/graduates just getting into the credit world?

Secondly, I’ll need a set of wheels for after graduation to get to my job. I’m considering leasing a vehicle. Should I open up a new credit card before signing a lease, or wait until after? Does the timing even matter, and will it affect my ability to get a lease? I’m not too familiar with how car financing works, but I want to be in the best position I can.

I have a question for a future mailbag.

I have changed to a new job where the norm for my colleagues is to go out and purchase their lunch (and it seems, breakfast, morning tea and afternoon tea as well). While I bring my morning tea and lunch each day there is considerable pressure, at least once a fortnight, to go out for lunch at a restaurant in the interest of ‘team building’.

I realise that, financially, we would be in a far worse position if I purchased my lunch each day and then went out for team lunches, but I still find it frustrating that attending the team lunches come at the expense of the saving goals my husband and I have set down. I feel that if I don’t attend the lunches (and drinks) I will be seen as not being a ‘team player’ and this will be reflected negatively in my performance appraisal, even though I have worked well in a number of team projects within the organisation.

As I know you started on your frugal journey prior to leaving the workplace, do you have any suggestions arising from your work experiences for dealing with this kind of pressure?

Thanks,

Sarah

That said, I would recommend that she immediately go get help for her depression. Yeah, job hunting, working around the house, etc. should be done, but trying to do those things while depressed is exceedingly difficult and she is extremely unlikely to get offered a job when depressed. There are

i don’t mistrust my husband and he doesn’t mistrust me. we’ve had a healthy marriage for 2 decades and we understand how each person operates… including the fact that i save and he does not.

i tell him that i got a bonus of “$x”. however, my actual bonus is “$x + $y”; i stash that extra amount and use it as a quasi-emergency fund.

this way, he knows we have a limited amount of “fun” money and i get the warm, fuzzy i need by having some extra funds.

My wife and I are both vegetarians, and we have a 2-year old that also doesn’t eat meat. He’s completely healthy.

The Iron / B-12 issue is a concern, of course. But that’s what they make vitamin supplements for. :)

We eat a lot of beans, rice, Tofu, TVP, Tempeh, Saitan, hummus, guacomole / avocados, etc. We’ve even started a website to promote vegetarian lifestyle in our region. http://www.waynecountyveg.org

btw — Nice blog!