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Great links to resources which are all money related - rebate offers, financial incentives and income information. New links and tips are always being added
to this page, so check back often! |
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Grocery Alerts
GroceryAlerts.ca is a free website where consumers can view the top grocery flyer deals across Canada. Grocery Alerts Canada editors read the latest flyers each week and post deals and match the sales with coupons to find rock-bottom prices.
Download the Grocery Alerts Canada: Canadian Corporate Coupon Policies Guide
Energy Efficiency Incentives
Established in late 2009, Efficiency Nova Scotia Corporation is an independent organization responsible for helping Nova Scotians reduce their energy consumption and improve their energy efficiency at home and at work.
Collectively, through large and small efforts, Nova Scotians have saved enough electricity since 2008 to power all the homes in Shelburne, Cumberland, Antigonish and Victoria counties combined for one year. That’s more than 30,000 homes!
Click here to learn about rebates and financial incentives offered by Efficiency Nova Scotia to make your home more energy efficient.
Great Coupon Sites
Coupons are a great way to save you and your household money! Check out these coupon sites:
Heating Assistance Rebate Program
The Heating Assistance Rebate Program (HARP) provides help to low- and modest-income Nova Scotians with the cost of home heating. The rebate program will help Nova Scotians heat their homes, making life more affordable for families this winter. This program offers a rebate of up to $200 for eligible applicants who heat their home with oil, electricity, wood, propane, wood pellets, natural gas or coal. Single people with an income of $27,000 or less and households with an annual income of $42,000 or less qualify for a rebate.
Applications and more information can be accessed at www.homeheatinghelp.ca or by calling 1.800.670.4357.
Property Tax Rebate for Seniors
This program, administered by Access Nova Scotia on behalf of the Department of Community Services, is designed to help eligible seniors remain in their homes by providing them with an annual rebate on their municipal property taxes.
Click here to learn how to apply for this rebate.
Nova Scotia Capped Assessment Program (CAP)
The Nova Scotia Capped Assessment Program (CAP) is designed to protect property owners from sudden increases in their assessments, which are used to determine the property taxes they pay.
Under the program, the assessment cap is lifted when a house is sold, and the new homeowner must be there for a full assessment year to be eligible. The cap does not apply to new construction.
Click here to learn more about the program and eligibility.
Employment Insurance
Employment Insurance (EI) covers more than just losing your job. EI will also cover you if you are available for employment but don’t have any, you are sick and unable to work, maternity leave and parental leave, and they will even cover you if you have to leave your job to take care of a sick relative.
There are three main steps to EI:
1. Check EI qualifications for specific details regarding eligibility.
2. Fill out paperwork and have ready all necessary documents as soon as possible, then apply for EI. The quicker you get your application in, the sooner they can process it and get the money flowing into your bank account. You can’t apply until you are done work, but make sure you have everything ready to apply the day you are done.
3. Once you have been approved for EI, you are required to report every two weeks. They just want to make sure that you are still unemployed, and that you are still employable and looking for work. These reports will also ask if you have worked during the two week period, received training, or became unavailable for work. Simply fill out the report (it is all online) every two weeks per their request, and then EI will send you your next cheque (direct deposit).
For more information and full details, please visit Service Canada.
Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia
To find more information on affordable housing in Nova Scotia, visit the website of the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia. The site has a list of affordable housing projects in Nova Scotia.
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Financial Plan Kit
All the tools you need to create you own financial plan are right here, in 11 easy steps. Below are 11 worksheets that will allow you to prepare your own professional-quality personal financial plan.
Worksheet 1-Prioritize your goals
Worksheet 2-Gather your documents
Worksheet 3a-Your detailed net worth statement
Worksheet 3b-Your summary net worth statement
Worksheet 4-Your spending and savings
Worksheet 5-Your life and financial goals
Worksheet 6-Your top three goals
Worksheet 7-How you are currently invested
Worksheet 8-Which investments are right for you
Worksheet 9-Your financial plan
Worksheet 10-Your investment policy statement
Freecycle Network
Another great source of free stuff is the Freecycle Network website which is made up of over four thousand groups with over six million members across the globe. It’s a grassroots, non-profit movement of people who are giving and getting free stuff in their own towns. It’s all about reusing and keeping good items out of landfills. The rules are simple: items donated must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages. Membership is free! Nova Scotia currently has 10 Freecycle networks – Truro, New Glasgow, Cape Breton, Digby, Halifax, Hants County, Kings County, Lunenburg County, Sackville and Yarmouth.
The Simple Dollar
The Simple Dollar is a blog for those of us who need both cents and sense: people fighting debt and bad spending habits while building a financially secure future and still affording a coffee or two.
Track Your Spending
People often only have a vague idea of how they spend their money, but cannot say for certain. Here is an activity that will help you see where you are spending your money on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Where Are You Spending Your Money?
Budget Templates
Looking to create a budget? Visit BankNerd.ca to dowload various easy to use Microsoft Excel budget templates for Canadians.
The Coast
In the Halifax area, pick up a copy of The Coast or visit their website at www.thecoast.ca to see listings for free events.
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