Sometimes you just gotta make a buck, and if a yard sale isn't going to cut it, why not try one of these alternative methods for boosting your net worth?

For instance, would you consider moving provinces to be able to afford a home? Saskatchewan is booming, and in need of workers. So the government will actually pay you to move there - to the tune of $20,000 towards your home - as long as you live and work there for the next seven years.

For more ideas on how to make money in ways you probably hadn't thought of, click here, or on on the image below, to launch the gallery.

How long has it been since you've invested in yourself? It's easy to get caught up in investing for retirement but one of the best investments is in continuing education because you control the return. The harder you work the more the investment will pay off (and out). Here are some classes to consider that don't cost much but could be a huge benefit to your financial situation.

Financial Management
What better way to improve your fiscal fitness than understanding the ins and outs of money management. Many colleges have basic accounting courses you can take at night. You could also look into Credit Canada's Financial Coaching Series, which involves six sessions of basic financial coaching (each session costs $120 or you can attend all six for $600). This would be more personal than a basic college course since you're assigned a finance coach who will analyze your own situation and help you explore your own goals and beliefs about debt, credit and your financial future.

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It's no secret that with the weak economy, job growth has stagnated in Canada. A recent report from Statistics Canada shows that there has been minimal job growth over the past year, with a 0.7 per cent rise across all sectors. British Columbia, Alberta and Prince Edward Island were the only provinces to see job growth of over one per cent while employment was on the decline in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

With so few gains being made, and a lot of Canadians looking for employment, it begs the question, if there are any jobs, where are they? Depending on where you live in Canada, the job prospects may differ.

Let's break it down by province. Click below to launch the gallery or continue reading below:








Western Canada
British Columbia saw gains in the utilities and natural resources sectors as well as in construction, transportation and warehousing industries (the latter of which means there has been job growth in the areas of air and rail transport, trucking, postal services and in storage facilities).

Turning over a new leaf can mean tossing out a few old things that just don't work anymore including relationships, according to experts.

While money issues likely didn't drive recent well-known splits, like that of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries or Katy Perry and Russell Brand, financial differences are consistently cited as a top stress in partnerships.

Marriage and family therapist Michal Regev -- who runs her practice in Vancouver -- recently spoke with me about common financial issues couples argue about and productive ways to deal with the conflict that can arise from having a different value system and different approaches to money. Regev says over 50 per cent of couples who go to therapy report having money disputes and that money fights -- if left unresolved -- can lead to divorce.

Here are some common money problems couples experience and some strategies suggested by Regev on how to get through them.

Recently New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman declared the end of the average worker.
"In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job, could earn an average lifestyle," he writes. "But, today, average is officially over."

Friedman blames the innovation of technology and cheap foreign labour as causes for the depleted options for those seeking stability.

Adding to the uncertainty is a recent Statistics Canada report that says employment in Canada has greatly stalled since last summer and the unemployment rate has risen.
Diminishing options and a soft economy are giving Canadians greater reason to value their current jobs. So forget average - here are 10 ways you can stand out as an extraordinary employee at work.

PHOTO GALLERY: (Click on image or continue reading story below)

1. Focus on Speaking or Leading
Even if you'd rather drink castor oil than speak publicly, volunteer to lead the odd meeting if your manager is unable to do it or find reasons to speak in front of a group the odd time at work to show you have leadership abilities.
When I was just out of university and working a temp job at a company in London, England, I volunteered to give my team's update at a company meeting which lead to a few pats on the back and other people in the company becoming familiar with who I was.

As a single mother, Melanie Buffel's journey toward financial competence very much began as a trial by fire.

"I've sort of learned a lot of my money skills through the school of life," she says. "At times there has been a very high tuition cost, you make significant mistakes and learn what not to do."

Though her background is in community economic development, helping women earning low incomes gain control of their household finances for 15 years. Now, as a money coach for Money Coaches Canada, she has been helping middle-income singles and couples whose cash is flowing, but they don't feel like they're getting ahead -- much like she felt once upon a time.

"They're sort of running the hamster wheel of their finances and their cash is flowing, but they're not really capturing it anywhere. They're not saving towards things that they want they're kind of vague about what's happening with their money and they just want a better sense that they're working toward their dreams."

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Cold weather. Dusk at 5pm. The constant search for your misplaced glove. This time of year there are almost more excuses to justify feeling grumpy than energetic and chipper. But if you can see past the bleak horizon and align yourself more with the arrival of spring -- a time of energy and renewal -- you may just find yourself in a better state of mind and consequently a more productive person. To get there, you don't need to go on an extravagant vacation or spend a lot of money on vitamin infusions. Try some of these simple steps to improve your state of mind for free.

1. Take a hike
Yes, it's (sort of) cold outside, but so what? Bundle up and get out there for a walk. It will elevate your senses on all levels, make you a fitter person if you do it regularly and you may even get some vitamin D the natural way if you leave some skin exposed between your hat and your scarf.

If the phrase "home-based business" conjures up images of arts-and-crafty types tinkering in their workshops, or eBay shopkeepers selling Made in China goods or peddling junk in their basements, you might be forgiven. But home-based businesses have entered a new age of legitimacy, and the entrepreneurs behind them number almost 15 million in North America alone. And more than just their sheer numbers, new research shows that many home-based businesses can be just as substantial and financially successful as businesses operated in big-city skyscrapers. Have a look at these 10 tips that can help you take a hobby-turned-business into the big leagues.

CLICK FOR PHOTO GALLERY: 10 Tips for a Thriving Hobby Business

There have been epic neighbour battles throughout the history of time and pop culture. None more drawn out than the battle between According to Jim's Jim Belushi and Julie Newmar, best known for playing Catwoman in the '60s era Batman TV series. The two lived next door peacefully until 2004, when Belushi wanted to heighten a fence around his property for more privacy, but Newmar complained that the higher fence robbed her prized roses of sunlight.

From there, the fence feud spiraled out of control. Both took public and private swipes at each other, with Belushi accusing Newmar of tearing down his fence and egging his house and she shot back with the assertion that he was such a noisy neighbour, she had to buy a set of air traffic controller earmuffs. The feud finally came to its epic climax when Belushi sued Newmar for $4 million, alleging harassment, defamation and vandalism.

However, handling the jerk next door doesn't always have to be settled in a courtroom. Below are a variety of strategies Julie and Jim should have tried first.

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Facebook's initial public offering has focused yet another spotlight on the social networking site and on Mark Zuckerberg, its iconic leader. But beyond the hoopla surrounding the IPO, there's another, quieter story to be found in the wunderkind CEO: The lessons about life, personal finance and career that can be gleaned from his choices.

David Kirkpatrick, author of The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That is Connecting the World -- the only book about the site written with Zuckerberg's full cooperation -- offers an insider's view of what we can learn from the 27-year-old billionaire, while challenging some of the conventional wisdom on the inscrutable entrepreneur.

Here, according to Kirkpatrick, are the key ingredients in Zuckerberg's recipe for success.

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