Walletpop Canada sat down and interviewed Gail Vaz-Oxlade and discussed her new book 'It's Your Money: Becoming a Woman of Independent Means' at the offices of Harper Collins Canada.

Vaz-Oxlade hopes her book will get people to stop being scared and start taking action. While the book is geared toward educating and empowering women about issues such as divorce, becoming a parent, or becoming widowed, there's also lot of great information for men as well. It's never too late to improve your financial health and the sooner you do, the better.

"I think it's really important that we come to realize that life is about balance, that it's not all or nothing. It's not spending every waking moment thinking about money or spending no time thinking about money," says Vaz-Oxlade. "Managing money isn't really that hard. It requires some discipline and there is some detail involved, but in reality it doesn't take that much time and the payback is huge."

Click on the picture below to view our gallery 'The Top 9 Financial Mistakes People Will Make in 2012'. Vaz-Oxlade interview continues below.


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Every job has its own level of stress, but what are the most stressful jobs in Canada?

Whether you're a teacher dealing with rowdy kids, a receptionist in a busy store, or a labourer toiling in the cold, let's face it - there are very few 'easy jobs' out there.

But we've picked out what we believe are the top twelve grey-hair-inducing jobs this country has to offer. To view the gallery, click here, or on the picture below

Glory alleluia! Did you see that throw?

For those of you who may not be huge football fans, I'm referring to Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow's 80-yard strike for a huge overtime win against the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend.

Tebow has caused a stir in the sports world because he's a deeply religious young man who has managed to pull off a few seemingly miraculous wins. Whenever he scores a touchdown, Tebow is known to take a knee and acknowledge Jesus - something that has become known as "Tebowing" (watch an example at the 36-second mark of this video).

Of course, taking a knee and acknowledging God after a home run, goal or touchdown isn't new. But Tebow is one of the few who seems to really mean it. With the Broncos heading into New England to play against the Patriots this Saturday, Tebow is almost bigger than the game itself.

So was Tebow's amazing overtime win divine intervention? Who knows. One thing is certain, though: the Dallas Cowboys may be America's team, but this year Denver is looking more and more like God's team.

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Can the bank be a friend to someone in a difficult time?

"I'm not sure if a bank can be your friend," says Rob Livingston, President of Capital One Canada. "But a bank can really help someone who has credit issues if the person who has the issues reaches out to the bank and clearly explains their situation."

Livingston explained that a lack of communication with the bank is one of the most common mistakes customers make. It's sad because in a lot of cases, explaining your situation to the bank can help alleviate stress and get the bank working with you on a solution.

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Several great things were said and learned over November during Credit Education Week, which was held across Canada during Financial Literacy Awareness Month. That's the good news.

The bad news? November 2011 is over and now we have to put all that new-found financial literacy to work. For most of us real life - or the real fight - has begun: the financial demands of Christmas, tax season, and school.

Unfortunately for some of us, real life never really stopped - growing children, health demands of aging parents, food prices on the rise, household debt, and an economy which seems stuck forever in neutral.

Laurie Campbell, Executive Director for Credit Canada, says putting a spotlight on money management and credit issues during Credit Education Week has been key to helping people understand the importance of financial literacy.


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As part of Credit Education Week, Capital One Canada, in partnership with Credit Canada is asking Canadians to submit their personal stories about how they faced their financial challenges.

These essay writing contests will kick off on Sept 16th, and each winner will receive a $5,000 grand prize.

Credit Education Week will take place from November 14th - 18th. This is the inaugural year for the essay competition.

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Two things really struck me about the great blackout of 2003.

First, we're really dependent on everything working perfectly all the time. And when they don't, even for inconvenient non-emergencies like garbage strikes or a sewer repair, we don't handle it very well.

The second thing that struck me was how simply taking time to plan made all the difference.

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Emergency Preparedness - Photo Gallery

The team you were cheering for may or may not have won the Stanley Cup, but that doesn't mean you can't visit the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and enjoy an incredible Father's Day deal.

With paid admission, all dads accompanied by their family will receive a voucher for a complimentary photo package with the Stanley Cup! The value of the voucher, one per family, is $10.00 and is valid for Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, 2011.

There are tons of great activities for children of all ages. The NHLPA Be a Player Zone is 2,400 square feet of great interactive hockey experience for kids (and adults!).

Is your computer protected?

Many people who are asked that question either aren't sure or don't really think about it. Then there are those who think their computer is safe, but may not be as secure as they think they are.

Keeping your computer protected is one of the most important things you can do. But according to Nicky Mezo, head of marketing for PayPal Canada, says most people don't give the issue the attention they should.

"Security really is our business. Safeguarding our customers, it's our backbone," says Mezo, who spoke to us during Fraud Prevention Month.

PayPal, an eBay company, has more than 94 million active accounts in 190 markets and 24 currencies around the world and sells itself as the faster, safer way to pay and get paid online. The service allows members to send money without sharing financial information, with the flexibility to pay using their account balances, bank accounts or credit cards.

Personal finance expert and author Gail Vaz-Oxlade sat down with WalletPop to talk about her book, Never Too Late.

Vaz-Oxlade has already spoken about the importance for people in their twenties to save. She's also talked about the need for people to find balance and avoid 'saving burnout' when trying to build their retirement fund.

In her last segment, she advised people to automate their savings in order to make it easier.

In this segment, she focuses on the importance for people in their forties to 'get on the ball'.