Walletpop Canada http://www.walletpop.ca/blog Walletpop Canada http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/media/feedlogo.gif Walletpop Canada http://www.walletpop.ca/blog en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/One Man Makes Winning the Lottery His Full-Time Jobhttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/05/23/one-man-makes-winning-the-lottery-his-full-time-job/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/05/23/one-man-makes-winning-the-lottery-his-full-time-job/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/05/23/one-man-makes-winning-the-lottery-his-full-time-job/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We've talked to Carolyn Wilman -- Canada's self-described Contest Queen. She told us how she dominates sweepstakes and contests like it's her full-time job, but there's a man alive who makes The Contest Queen look like a minnow in a shark pool.

With Floridians in the small town of Zephyrhills wondering who won the record $590.5 million Powerball Jackpot, the rest of us lottery hopefuls should probably take advice from one man. Native Floridian Richard Lustig has won the lottery grand prize seven times and has made playing the lottery his full-time job.

He's so successful (winning well over $1 million over the years) that he has written a book, so that others may take a stab at cashing in with his method. For $40 U.S., anyone can purchase Richard Lustig's Winning Lottery Method and learn what has made him so successful over the years.

Continue reading One Man Makes Winning the Lottery His Full-Time Job

One Man Makes Winning the Lottery His Full-Time Job originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Thu, 23 May 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>7-time winner7-timeWinnerhow to increase your chances of winningHowToIncreaseYourChancesOfWinninglotterylottery storieslottery winnersLotteryStoriesLotteryWinnersRichard LustigRichardLustigAaron BrovermanThu, 23 May 2013 07:00:00 ESTThe Truth Behind the Prepaid Credit Cards Celebrities Promotehttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/05/14/the-truth-behind-the-prepaid-credit-cards-celebrities-promote/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/05/14/the-truth-behind-the-prepaid-credit-cards-celebrities-promote/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/05/14/the-truth-behind-the-prepaid-credit-cards-celebrities-promote/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

These days, it seems talent isn't enough. Celebrities have to get their name and image out there as well, hawking so many products with their faces on them that it can be utterly nauseating. Toys, clothes, fragrances, jewelry, food, drinks, accessories and more: the list goes on ad infinitum.

But some things celebrities lend their name and image to are downright dangerous, particularly when they get in bed with the credit and debit card companies largely responsible for so much debt around the world.

More and more the public is able to apply for credit and debit cards with their favourite celebrities face on them, but the fees and interest charges are often so high that only the rich and famous who endorse these cards can afford them.

​Ahead, we'll show you whose promoting what cards and pull back the curtain on what the card companies are charging you to have them.

Continue reading The Truth Behind the Prepaid Credit Cards Celebrities Promote

The Truth Behind the Prepaid Credit Cards Celebrities Promote originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Tue, 14 May 2013 23:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>BillMyParentsDef Jam RecordingsJustin BieberJustinBieberKeeping up With the KardashiansKim KardashianKimKardashianLil WayneLilWayneLL Cool JMasterCardOccupy Wall StreetRushCardRussell SimmonsRussellSimmonsthe kardashiansTheKardashiansUsherVisa Inc.Young MoneyYoungMoneyAaron BrovermanTue, 14 May 2013 23:32:00 ESTBuying a Car? The Lingo You Need to Knowhttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/30/lingo-you-need-to-know-when-buying-a-car/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/30/lingo-you-need-to-know-when-buying-a-car/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/30/lingo-you-need-to-know-when-buying-a-car/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

negotiating a car sale requires a lot of insider knowledgeAny first time car buyer is guaranteed to be intimidated by the terms and lingo used by most salesmen on the lot. Problem is, if you miss what's being said, you may miss great opportunities to save big money. This is why we've prepared a gallery of all the lingo you need to know to gain the upper-hand when buying a car. Some of these terms aren't even supposed to be public knowledge, but members of sites like CarCostCanada.com will get a piece of that secret information and most definitely gain an advantage during the negotiation process.

Click on a a photo to find out how.

SLIDESHOW: Car Lingo You Need to Know

1. M.S.R.P. a.k.a The price the dealer wants you to pay2. Dealer Invoice Price a.k.a. The price the dealer pays the automaker3. Hold Back/ Marketing Assistance4. Factory To Customer Incentives a.k.a. Savings for You5. Factory To Dealer Incentives a.k.a Another Way to Save6. Wholesale Price Report a.k.a A Blueprint to Savings

Buying a Car? The Lingo You Need to Know originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>buying a carBuyingACarcar sales lingoCarSalesLingoAaron BrovermanTue, 30 Apr 2013 12:29:00 ESTWhat to Watch Out For When Buying a New Car This Springhttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/30/car-buying-tips-spring-2013/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/30/car-buying-tips-spring-2013/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/30/car-buying-tips-spring-2013/#commentsFiled under: ,



With spring in the air and summer on the way, Canadians from coast to coast have begun asking themselves that age-old question, "Is it time for a new car?" It's no surprise the country's automakers are listening. "Manufacturers realize a growing number of consumers consider purchasing or leasing new vehicles in the spring," confirms Ben Spatafora, National Director for Car Cost Canada, "and they've become very competitive in enticing consumers to act on their impulses."

Trouble is, car-buyers can feel intimidated by the flood of advertising being pushed their way. "It can be overwhelming," adds Spatafora, "not to mention confusing. At Car Cost Canada, we believe an informed consumer is an empowered consumer. Since 1999 we've made it our mission to provide our members with up-to-date, easy to understand, essential information that allows them to not only choose the right vehicle for their needs, but also save Time, Money and Aggravation in the process."

Car Cost Canada is a is a national service that provides detailed, online new vehicle pricing data for its members. The company's website at CarCostCanada.comis accessible 24/7 and is continually updated, making it easy for potential car and truck buyers to compare every manufacturer's current incentives, factory rebates, cost pricing information, finance and lease rates, and more. As such, they're the perfect people to tell you what to look for if you're in the market for a new car this spring.

Continue reading What to Watch Out For When Buying a New Car This Spring

What to Watch Out For When Buying a New Car This Spring originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>buying a carBuyingACarcar purchaseCarPurchasenew carNewCarAaron BrovermanTue, 30 Apr 2013 10:30:00 ESTThe 10 Most Decadent Starbucks Frappuccinos Found on the "Secret Menu"http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/26/10-most-decadent-starbucks-frappuccinos-found-on-the-secret-menu/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/26/10-most-decadent-starbucks-frappuccinos-found-on-the-secret-menu/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/26/10-most-decadent-starbucks-frappuccinos-found-on-the-secret-menu/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Starbucks frappuccinos come in dozens of varieties, both official and unofficial This summer Starbucks is rolling out the latest experiment in American gluttony that's sure to put the Double Down or the Doritos Locos Taco to shame.

It's called The Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino (see photo on right) and it's reportedly coming to the menu as a kick-off to summer on April 30. It features three kinds of caramel with caramel syrup, dark caramel sauce and a caramel crunch topping, that's akin to creme brulé, all mixed in. You also have your choice of milk and if that amount of caramel isn't enough for you for some reason, you can still request the requisite caramel drizzle over a healthy dollop of whipped cream.

The overboard decadence of it all makes us think it was once a custom order from the "Secret Menu" -- featuring flavours that start out only in a savvy customer's imagination and then are faithfully recreated by an understanding barista.

In honour of the coming Caramel Ribbon Crunch, we thought you'd be mesmerized by these equally decadent flavours from "The Secret Menu" that will test the skills of your local barista.

SLIDESHOW: The 10 Most Decadent Starbucks Frappuccinos

Starbucks secret menu features unique frappuccino flavours not on the real menu
The Twix FrappuccinoThe Cake Batter FrappuccinoThe Butterbeer FrappuccinoThe Cap 'n' Crunch Crunch Berries FrappuccinoThe Grasshopper FrappuccinoThe Cinnamon Toast Crunch FrappuccinoThe Neapolitan FrappuccinoThe Zebra aka Tuxedo Mocha Frappuccino

The 10 Most Decadent Starbucks Frappuccinos Found on the "Secret Menu" originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>starbucksAaron BrovermanFri, 26 Apr 2013 10:43:00 ESTShark Tank's Robert Herjavec Gives You 'The Will to Win'http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/24/shark-tanks-robert-herjavec-gives-you-the-will-to-win/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/24/shark-tanks-robert-herjavec-gives-you-the-will-to-win/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/24/shark-tanks-robert-herjavec-gives-you-the-will-to-win/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

In Driven: How to Succeed in Business and in Life, Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec recounted how he went from a Croatian immigrant at eight-years-old to the founder and CEO of The Herjavec Group -- now the country's largest IT security firm and consistently topping lists as Canada's fastest growing technology company.

"We started The Herjavec Group ten years ago with three guys and $400,000 in sales and we finished at $125 million last year and just today, we bought another one of our small competitors that does $30 million a year," he says.

With results like that, it's no wonder he was recently named Ernst & Young's 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year in the technology group and is always pushing the limits of his own success even further. He wants you to reach new heights of success this year too, which is why he wrote The Will to Win: Leading, Competing, Succeeding (HarperCollins Canada) a sequel of sorts to Driven.

While Driven urged readers to take risks, take control of their lives, and stay true to their own visions, The Will to Win pushes them to refuse to accept mediocrity, use their power at the right time and always be willing to adapt and change, with some special advice from Herjavec's celebrity friends like Oprah, Celine Dion and UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre thrown in for good measure.

We caught up to this Ferrari racing, marathon running, cyber security expert just long enough for him to tell us whether he's truly afraid of anything, why it seems like sometimes his investment offers get passed over in favour of the bigger fish in the tank and whether The Millennial Generation needs to invent their own job.

Continue reading Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec Gives You 'The Will to Win'

Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec Gives You 'The Will to Win' originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>CanadaCeline DionDragons DenFerrariGeneration YGeorges St-PierreharpercollinsJunior dos SantosKevin OLearyMark BurnettMark CubanOprah WinfreyRacingRobert HerjavecShane CarwinShark TankThe Will to WinTheWillToWinufcWilfrid Laurier UniversityAaron BrovermanWed, 24 Apr 2013 09:00:00 ESTGail Vaz-Oxlade Exposes Your Funky Finances on 'Money Moron'http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/15/gail-vaz-oxlade-exposes-your-funky-finances-on-money-moron/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/15/gail-vaz-oxlade-exposes-your-funky-finances-on-money-moron/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/15/gail-vaz-oxlade-exposes-your-funky-finances-on-money-moron/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There's probably nothing worse than being called a Money Moron by financial expert Gail Vaz-Oxlade while it's happening.

Just ask James and Deanna, this actor and actress couple received a rude awakening about the state of their finances when they were voluntarily ambushed by Vaz-Oxlade and her "tough love" approach to financial health on her new show of the same name (Premiering Friday April 19th at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST on Slice).

So, what exactly is a "Money Moron" and could you be one?

Continue reading Gail Vaz-Oxlade Exposes Your Funky Finances on 'Money Moron'

Gail Vaz-Oxlade Exposes Your Funky Finances on 'Money Moron' originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>budgetGail Vaz-OxladeGailVaz-oxladeMoney MoronMoneyMoronsliceslice tvSliceTvSpending JournalSpendingJournalAaron BrovermanMon, 15 Apr 2013 14:35:00 ESTTop 10 Ways to Workout For Nothing, or Next to Ithttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/12/top-10-ways-to-work-out-for-nothing-or-next-to-it/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/12/top-10-ways-to-work-out-for-nothing-or-next-to-it/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/12/top-10-ways-to-work-out-for-nothing-or-next-to-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It may not feel like it yet, but spring has sprung and summer is just around the corner.

Looks like there's no time like the present to work on that bikini body or maybe dust off that New Year's resolution to get healthy. Spring is a time of new beginnings, so why not get back on that horse and ride?

One reason might be the cost. Gym memberships can run you $40 to $50 a month or more and when you add the initiation fees, you're looking at at least $800 a year. In fact, Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt of The Freakonomics Blog say that people over estimate their use of gym facilities by 70%.

But why break a sweat looking at your bank account balance when you could be breaking a sweat for cheap or even for free. Look, we're going to tell you what the gyms probably don't want you to know, there are ways to hack the exercise oligarchy and we're going to show you some of the best of these.

SLIDESHOW: 10 Free Ways to Get in Shape for Free


get a workout for free

Take Advantage of the Free TrialWalk, Jog or RollA Fitness LibraryClean Your HouseTake Advantage of Parks and Recreation ProgramsBabysitTake the StairsUse the Self-Checkout

Continue reading Top 10 Ways to Workout For Nothing, or Next to It

Top 10 Ways to Workout For Nothing, or Next to It originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>cheapexercisefreefree exercisesFreeExercisesget in shapeGetInShapework outWorkOutAaron BrovermanFri, 12 Apr 2013 10:51:00 ESTHow to Survive the Worst Allergy Season Everhttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/05/how-to-survive-the-worst-allergy-season-ever/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/05/how-to-survive-the-worst-allergy-season-ever/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/05/how-to-survive-the-worst-allergy-season-ever/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This year's allergy season and every allergy season thereafter will be some of the longest and worst we've ever seen, according to some allergy and immunology experts.

"[This] promises a robust allergy season,'' Leonard Bielory, an allergy and immunology specialist with Rutgers Center for Environmental Prediction in New Jersey, told The Huffington Post.

The reason is climate change and the "Stacking Effect" it creates. When the weather is unseasonably warmer than usual tree pollen levels go up, only to continue to rise and fall as the temperature does the same. Finally, when the excess tree pollen created by the warmer than normal temperatures meets the pollen normally created in the spring months, this creates the stacking effect of more and more pollen over a longer than normal period of time, which becomes hell for any chronic allergy sufferer.

The allergy season is apparently going to be particularly bad in the northeast covering Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, New York and New Jersey due to particularly wacky weather and of course, Hurricane Sandy. The late fall early spring combination has mixed with the extra moisture and carbon dioxide in the air to nourish the trees, produce more pollen and more mould spores.

Even though it's certainly going to be an uphill battle this allergy season, you can survive it and we'll tell you how.

Continue reading How to Survive the Worst Allergy Season Ever

How to Survive the Worst Allergy Season Ever originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>acupressureacupunctureallergiesallergy dropsallergy seasonallergy shotsAllergyDropsAllergySeasonAllergyShotsAaron BrovermanFri, 05 Apr 2013 10:35:00 ESTOur Favourite Childhood Characters Were Actually Clever Marketing Ployshttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/04/our-favourite-childhood-characters-were-actually-clever-marketin/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/04/our-favourite-childhood-characters-were-actually-clever-marketin/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/04/04/our-favourite-childhood-characters-were-actually-clever-marketin/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The mid-eighties were a time of gargantuan mega-crossovers in comics. The first was DC Comics' Crisis on Infinite Earths.

At the time, the DC Universe was made up of parallel earths as a way of explaining why Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of their iconic heroes never aged, despite dating back to the 30s and the 40s. The reason was the heroes you were reading about were the Silver Age versions of Superman, Batman and the rest who all lived on Earth One, while those Golden Age heroes from the 30s and 40s all had aged and were living out their lives on Earth Two.

Every year, the Justice League on Earth One would team up with the Justice Society of Earth Two in annual crossover events called Crisis on Earth One or Crisis on Earth Two, etc. nineteen eighty-five's Crisis on Infinite Earths was the first time all of the heroes from all of the parallel earths appeared together in one, 12 issue, mega-crossover event. The series was hugely successful and served to merge all of these parrallel earths into one single earth, which is how they would stay until 2006's Infinite Crisis.

It was thought that the planned Crisis on Infinite Earths inspired Marvel Comics' own mega-crossover -- Secret Wars, and Crisis may have played a role, but Secret Wars came out first and it was actually toymaker Mattel that set Marvel's beloved crossover story in motion.

Continue reading Our Favourite Childhood Characters Were Actually Clever Marketing Ploys

Our Favourite Childhood Characters Were Actually Clever Marketing Ploys originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>black costumeBlack Costume Spider-manBlackCostumeBlackCostumeSpider-manJim ShooterJimShootermarketingMarvel ComicsMarvelComicsmattelMIKE ZECKMikeZeckSecret WarsSecretWarsspider-manVenomAaron BrovermanThu, 04 Apr 2013 09:30:00 ESTOntario's Social Assistance Reform Plan Takes From Our Most Vulnerable Citizenshttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/26/the-ontario-social-assistance-reform-plan-steals-from-our-most-v/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/26/the-ontario-social-assistance-reform-plan-steals-from-our-most-v/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/26/the-ontario-social-assistance-reform-plan-steals-from-our-most-v/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

On Walletpop we often focus on those who have no problem getting work or keeping a roof over their head. However, recent movement from the Ontario Government indicates a decision may be coming that, if it goes through, will have a catastrophic effect on the personal finances of the most vulnerable among us.

The Ontario Ministry of Social Services provides income, employment and other social support for over 700,000 people through its two bulwark social assistance programs.

Advocates, beneficiaries and even the providers of the Ontario Works Program [OW] (formerly called "General Welfare') and the Ontario Disability Support Program [ODSP] have been saying for at least 15 years that both of Ontario's social assistance programs are in desperate need of reform. With that directive, The Commission for the Review of Social Assistance released their final report on October 24, 2012 with 108 recommendations and now Ontario Premiere Kathleen Wynne has said she wants to move forward in implementing those recommendations.

However, the changes recommended were not what advocates and recipients of either program had hoped for. Instead of helping people out of poverty with comprehensive systemic and long-term support, they fear the recommendations, and their focus on austerity through a continuing pressure-filled and punitive strategy, will see the majority of the province's social assistance recipients, particularly those with disabilities, left to completely fend for themselves in a dire struggle for their own survival.

In our last post on this issue, we answered why making employment a mandatory condition of receiving social assistance would put many of the people with disabilities receiving ODSP at significant risk. Now, we will reveal that the increase in income for those on OW is done by reducing the benefit for those on ODSP, which creates an even more meager sum than those people with disabilities survived on prior to the recommended reforms. It's a sum with no basis on the current cost of living and a sum that's well below the commonly accepted poverty line.

Continue reading Ontario's Social Assistance Reform Plan Takes From Our Most Vulnerable Citizens

Ontario's Social Assistance Reform Plan Takes From Our Most Vulnerable Citizens originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Arch Disability Law CentreArchDisabilityLawCentreIncome Security Advocacy CentreIncomeSecuritiesAdvisorsIncIncomeSecurityAdvocacyCentreODSPOntario Disability SupportOntario Disability Support ProgramOntario Works ProgramOntarioDisabilitySupportOntarioDisabilitySupportProgramOntarioWorksProgramOWsocial assistanceSocialAssistanceAaron BrovermanTue, 26 Mar 2013 16:47:00 ESTOntario's Social Assistance Reform Plan May Force People with Disabilities to Workhttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/25/ontarios-social-assistance-reform-plan-may-force-people-with-di/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/25/ontarios-social-assistance-reform-plan-may-force-people-with-di/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/25/ontarios-social-assistance-reform-plan-may-force-people-with-di/#commentsFiled under: , ,


On Walletpop we often focus on those who have no problem getting work or keeping a roof over their head. However, recent movement from the Ontario Government indicates a decision may be coming that, should it go through, will have a catastrophic effect on the personal finances of the most vulnerable among us.

The Ontario Ministry of Social Services provides income, employment and other social support for over 700,000 people through its two bulwark social assistance programs.

Advocates, beneficiaries and even the providers of the Ontario Works Program [OW] (formerly called 'General Welfare') and the Ontario Disability Support Program [ODSP] have been saying for at least 15 years that both of Ontario's social assistance programs are in desperate need of reform. With that directive, The Commission for the Review of Social Assistance released their final report October 24, 2012 with 108 recommendations and now Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has said she wants to move forward in implementing those recommendations.

However, the changes recommended were not what advocates and recipients of either program had hoped for. Instead of helping people out of poverty with comprehensive systemic and long-term support, they fear the recommendations, and their focus on austerity through a continuing pressure-filled and punitive strategy, will see the majority of the province's social assistance recipients, particularly those with disabilities, left to completely fend for themselves in a struggle for their own survival.

Continue reading Ontario's Social Assistance Reform Plan May Force People with Disabilities to Work

Ontario's Social Assistance Reform Plan May Force People with Disabilities to Work originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Arch Disability Law CentreArchDisabilityLawCentreBalance for Blind AdultsBalanceForBlindAdultsBrighter ProspectsBrighterProspectsCanadian Hearing SocietyCanadianHearingSocietyIncome Security Advocacy CentreIncomeSecurityAdvocacyCentrekathleen wynneKathleenWynneOntario Disability SupportOntario Disability Support ProgramOntario Works ProgramOntarioDisabilitySupportOntarioDisabilitySupportProgramOntarioWorksProgramThe Commission for the Review of Social AssistanceThe Ontario Ministry of Social ServicesTheCommissionForTheReviewOfSocialAssistanceTheOntarioMinistryOfSocialServicesAaron BrovermanMon, 25 Mar 2013 07:52:00 ESTWhy Working in Your Twenties Sucks Big Timehttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/19/why-working-in-your-twenties-sucks-big-time/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/19/why-working-in-your-twenties-sucks-big-time/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/19/why-working-in-your-twenties-sucks-big-time/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just this week, The Huffington Post reported that The University of Toronto Students' Union called on Ontario's Labour Minister to ban illegal unpaid internships, contending that over 300,000 Canadians are misclassified as interns, trainees and non-employees at a time when the youth unemployment rate is double the national average at 14.2%. The union also argued that such practices do damage to the economy in general by inflating the student debt even more.

Wait a minute, "Misclassified?" Yes. As Walletpop has covered before, Unless the interns in your office are part of an internship program from a high school, college or university and working for course credit, the following six conditions must all be met before they can legally work for free:
For his part, Labour Minister Yasir Naqvi agreed with the union writing to Huffington Post that "If you perform work for someone - unless you are self-employed, in a co-op placement, or a trainee - you are an employee covered under the Employment Standards Act and should be paid - it doesn't matter if you are called an 'intern' or not."

However, he did not make it clear whether he would address the existing double standard and close the legal loopholes that allow employers to break the law by relying heavily on unpaid or underpaid labour.

However, the exploitation of the youth labour force across North America goes way beyond just unpaid internships, even the people technically getting paid are working harder and longer, while getting paid less than any other previous generation.

Continue reading Why Working in Your Twenties Sucks Big Time

Why Working in Your Twenties Sucks Big Time originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>illegal internshipsIllegalInternshipsMillennialsRoss PerlinRossPerlinThe New York TimesTheNewYorkTimesunpaid internshipsUnpaidInternshipsAaron BrovermanTue, 19 Mar 2013 12:46:00 ESTMarch Madness: The Battle for Single-Game Sports Bettinghttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/18/march-madness-the-battle-for-single-game-sports-betting/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/18/march-madness-the-battle-for-single-game-sports-betting/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/18/march-madness-the-battle-for-single-game-sports-betting/#commentsFiled under:

If you'll be placing a bet on the winner of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game, guaranteed you'll be doing it online or privately among friends.

The only sports betting available in Canada, and provided by its provincial governments, is called Sports Select and it goes by various names depending where you're playing it: in B.C. it's called Sports Action, in Quebec it's Pari-Sportif and in Atlantic Canada it's known as Pro-Line. All of these games are parlay bets, meaning they are a single wager dependent on the results of multiple sports games.

This is because it's illegal to bet on single sports games in Canada, but this could soon end. New legislation that sailed unanimously and without debate through the House last March would amend Canada's Criminal Code to change the law.

Continue reading March Madness: The Battle for Single-Game Sports Betting

March Madness: The Battle for Single-Game Sports Betting originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>House of CommonsHouseOfCommonsJoe ComartinJoeComartinMLBmpsNBAncaa basketballNCAA TournamentNcaaBasketballNcaaTournamentNFLnhlniagra fallsNiagraFallsparlaimentparlay bettingParlayBettingprolineSenatorssports actionsports bettingSportsActionSportsBettingthe new yorkerTheNewYorkerwindsorAaron BrovermanMon, 18 Mar 2013 16:00:00 ESTThe Biggest Price Traps that Trick Our Brains into Going for More Expensive Productshttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/11/the-biggest-price-traps-that-trick-our-brains-into-going-for-mor/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/11/the-biggest-price-traps-that-trick-our-brains-into-going-for-mor/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/11/the-biggest-price-traps-that-trick-our-brains-into-going-for-mor/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Some people leave you holding the bag, but retailers will leave you holding the merchandise, with less in your pocket, while you wonder what happened.

You went in and you had a set budget in mind, but all of a sudden, the only thing in your billfold is a moth. How does this happen? It may not be all your fault. Retailers employ a number of tricks of the trade that basically hack our brains and emotions and make us spend more money. These trapping tactics are deceptively simple, but very subtle in a lot of cases.

Continue reading The Biggest Price Traps that Trick Our Brains into Going for More Expensive Products

The Biggest Price Traps that Trick Our Brains into Going for More Expensive Products originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Mon, 11 Mar 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>buzz wordsBuzzWordscompetitionfearmissing outMissingOutprice trapsPriceTrapsupsellupsellingurgentAaron BrovermanMon, 11 Mar 2013 07:00:00 ESTChicken McNuggets Have Code Names for their Four Nugget Shapeshttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/06/chicken-mcnuggets-have-code-names-for-their-four-nugget-shapes/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/06/chicken-mcnuggets-have-code-names-for-their-four-nugget-shapes/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/03/06/chicken-mcnuggets-have-code-names-for-their-four-nugget-shapes/#commentsFiled under: ,

Is there any more random a foodstuff than chicken McNuggets?

Those little deep fried morsels of white meat have always been suspected to have their origins from chicken offal, or at least the chicken scraps no one else wanted, and were never perceived to involve that much forethought or planning in execution.

Turns out, we were wrong. Those golden chicken morsels dipped in that classic sweet and sour sauce actually have a sort of meat equivalent of The Golden Ratio behind them. Writers from Business Insider discovered that every single Chicken McNugget in the box is perfected and standardized right down to the shape of the nugget.

Continue reading Chicken McNuggets Have Code Names for their Four Nugget Shapes

Chicken McNuggets Have Code Names for their Four Nugget Shapes originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>chickenchicken mcnuggetsChickenMcnuggetsmcdonaldsmcnuggetMcNuggetsshapesAaron BrovermanWed, 06 Mar 2013 00:30:00 ESTThe Money Trap: How Banks Lure You Into Debthttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/26/the-money-trap-how-banks-lure-you-into-debt/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/26/the-money-trap-how-banks-lure-you-into-debt/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/26/the-money-trap-how-banks-lure-you-into-debt/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Suicides in the UK rose significantly in 2012, according to the British Office for National Statistics, and suicide prevention experts in that country say that it's due to irresponsible lending practices by British banks and predatory debt collectors there.

The Brighton Report, released earlier this year, revealed that the number of suicides in the UK hit 6,045 in 2011, a 7.8% increase compared to 2010, with deaths among men accounting for the largest proportion. A total of 4,552 men took their own lives in 2011 compared with 1,493 women.

"Debt clients frequently feel humiliated, disconnected and entrapped, with the process of debt collection having a clear impact on people's mental health," read the report from England's University of Brighton.

The ONS says that, among men aged between 45 and 59 years old, the suicide rate increased significantly between 2007 and 2011 to 22.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

"These figures ... reveal the profound human consequences of the economic downturn, in which unemployment, debt, and the relationship breakdowns that often follow, can push people who may be already vulnerable to take their own lives," Marjorie Wallace, CEO of SANE, a UK mental health charity, told Reuters.

Continue reading The Money Trap: How Banks Lure You Into Debt

The Money Trap: How Banks Lure You Into Debt originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>BBC documentariesBbcDocumentariesdocumentariesirresponsible lendingIrresponsibleLendingmortgagespay day loansPayDayLoansThe Money TrapTheMoneyTrapToronto condosTorontoCondosWonga.comAaron BrovermanTue, 26 Feb 2013 19:32:00 ESTHow Store Layouts are Designed to Make You Spend Moneyhttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/26/how-store-layouts-are-designed-to-make-you-spend-money/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/26/how-store-layouts-are-designed-to-make-you-spend-money/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/26/how-store-layouts-are-designed-to-make-you-spend-money/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Ever enter a store intending to buy only one thing, only to exit with an arm full of bags? Sure, you could be a shopaholic who lacks self-control and doesn't know how to budget, but, in actuality, it's probably not all your fault.

Store layouts are meant to confuse and disorient you, so that you actually do have that feeling of literally getting lost among the merchandise. Just finding the exit in some of these stores can be a pretty heady task and it's meant to feel that way. The people at the store want to keep you there as long as possible because they know that the longer you are there, the more likely more and more money is going to start leaving your wallet.

Knowing all that, we've complied the tricks stores use in their layouts to keep you spending money and will thereby hopefully inoculate you against temptation forever more.

SLIDESHOW: How Stores Get You to Spend More

The shopping cart near the entranceThe connecting escalators are at opposite ends of the storeCustomer service, circulars and the washrooms are either very close to the exits, or as far from the exits as humanly possibleThe department you need is far from the entranceThe department that makes the most money, is the first one you passDeceptive pricing is de rigueur, even in binsThe use of carpet and linoleum to get you to stopAll the most expensive items are in your line of sight


Source

How Store Layouts are Designed to Make You Spend Money originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>customer complaintsCustomerComplaintsdepartment storeDepartmentStoreLabyrinthmazespendingspending habitsSpendingHabitsstore layoutStoreLayouttrent hammTrentHammAaron BrovermanTue, 26 Feb 2013 12:27:00 ESTWhat Winning an Oscar Really Means for a Film's Bottom Linehttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/25/what-winning-an-oscar-really-means-for-a-films-bottom-line/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/25/what-winning-an-oscar-really-means-for-a-films-bottom-line/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/25/what-winning-an-oscar-really-means-for-a-films-bottom-line/#commentsFiled under: ,

So, now that the champagne has stopped flowing, the after-parties have died down and the winners have been announced, many of us are still wondering out loud: "When the glad-handing stops and the speeches have been heard, does winning an Oscar really matter?"

Well, it turns out that it depends who you ask. Audiences and actors alike have been told continuously that the moment you get to put "Oscar Winner" in front of your name, the floodgates for primo parts and project offers suddenly open and your phone never stops ringing. Instantly, our favourite actors and actresses are supposedly rocketed to the top of the heap in their profession just because they're bathing the infinite heat of a golden bald statuette.

"The reality for me is that I thought my phone would be ringing a lot, and it wasn't," Octavia Spencer, who took the statue in 2012 for Best Supporting Actress in 'The Help,' said in an interview with Vulture last year. "My phone wasn't ringing off the hook; I didn't feel like anything was changing."

Spencer found out the hard way that an Oscar isn't necessarily a golden key. According to industry insiders, that key depends on several other factors.

Continue reading What Winning an Oscar Really Means for a Film's Bottom Line

What Winning an Oscar Really Means for a Film's Bottom Line originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>amourJonathan TalpinJonathanTalpinLes MiserablesLesMiserableslincolnOctavia SpencerOctaviaSpenceroscarsOscars 2013Oscars2013reese witherspoonReeseWitherspoonRussell CroweRussellCroweThe Academy AwardsTheAcademyAwardsZero Dark ThirtyZeroDarkThirtyAaron BrovermanMon, 25 Feb 2013 07:30:00 ESTKoge Vitamins: Revolutionize the Way You Buy Vitaminshttp://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/17/koge-vitamins-revolutionize-the-way-you-buy-vitamins/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/17/koge-vitamins-revolutionize-the-way-you-buy-vitamins/http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2013/02/17/koge-vitamins-revolutionize-the-way-you-buy-vitamins/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A vitamin pack a day will wipe the competition away...at least, that's what Andrew Lenjosek and Alex Hyssen are banking on.

These two 23-year-old graduates of the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario believe the multi-billion dollar premium vitamin industry is in desperate need of a fundamental disruption, and they would know.

The two entrepreneurs were able to aggregate over 30 years of experience in the vitamin industry in the creation of their new start-up -- Koge Vitamins.

'What we'd seen a lot of is really two things with in the industry," says Lenjosek. "The first thing is that if you want to buy premium vitamins, it is expensive and its expensive because you have all of these costs coming from a sales force, marketing, overhead, etc. These are not at all related to the product and yet customers are paying for it."

But thanks to their own manufacturing facility and by selling online, they are able to cut out the middle man and lower the industry standard cost by 67%.

The second thing the two wanted to disrupt in the vitamin industry was the often confusing barrage of products one faces when shopping for premium vitamins.

"The first time I walked into a vitamin store -- I was an investment banker who was not the healthiest guy -- and there are aisles and aisles of hundreds of products and hundreds of brands," says Lenjosek.

"I'm not a nutritionist, I'm just a normal guy, and I have really no idea what I'm supposed to be taking, so Alex and I really wanted to simplify the buying experience and we eventually want to customize it."

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Koge Vitamins: Revolutionize the Way You Buy Vitamins originally appeared on Walletpop Canada on Sun, 17 Feb 2013 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Alex HyssenAlexHyssenAndrew LenjosekAndrewLenjosekDr. James HyssenDr.JamesHyssenHerbal MagicHerbalMagicKogeKoge VitaminsKogeVitaminsnutritionnutritionistThe Richard Ivey School of BusinessTheRichardIveySchoolOfBusinessuniversity of western ontarioUniversityOfWesternOntariovitamin supplementsvitaminsVitaminSupplementsAaron BrovermanSun, 17 Feb 2013 21:20:00 EST