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How to Save Money With the Rising Costs of Groceries

[ad_1] “Costs have doubled for food. How do I budget when there’s nothing else to cut?” -a follower I got this question awhile back on Instagram and I know this follower is not the only person feeling this. In this post, I want to share some encouragement for how to approach the rising costs of groceries… 1. Don’t Let the Media Dictate Your Beliefs The goal of media is to get viewers. Viewers equal income. The more people who view, the more money advertisers will pay. Guess what this often means? The media often relies upon sensationalism, hype, and fear as, sadly, this drives up viewership. Just because a media website or TV personality is saying with authority and shock value, “Groceries have gone up by 50%!!!” does not mean that is necessarily true. Yes, many items have gone up in price, but I think you’d be hard-pressed to find any grocery store that has literally marked up every single one of their items by 50%. So don’t let what you hear from the media dictate what you believe or incite fear. Do your own research and verify; don’t just blindly give into the hype and sensationalism and fear that often can be out there. 2. Choose Your Attitude There will always be hard and frustrating things in life. There will always be good and beautiful things. We get to choose what we focus on. We can either throw up our hands in despair over rising costs or we can choose to let it fuel our creativity. It’s your choice. Stressing out or feeling frustrated does nothing to solve problems or help you. It only wastes a lot of mental energy. I challenge you to choose to say, “I’m going to do the best I can with the resources, time, and ability I have. I’m going to approach my grocery budget with a can do, creative attitude and see how well we can eat with the grocery budget we have to work with.” 3. Do a Grocery Inventory Take a good hard look at your grocery spending. Where are you spending the most money? For instance, if you are spending a lot of money on produce, what about buying more of the items that are on sale or are regularly lower in cost instead of buying a big variety of items. We oftentimes will only buy 2-4 kinds of produce (whatever is on a good sale/marked down) and just eat a lot of that that week. Or, if you are spending a lot on meat, try going meatless once a week or having meat as something you serve as a “condiment” not as the main thing (think meals like pizza, soup, sprinkled on salad). If you are spending a lot on dairy, water down your milk for baking. Drink more water. Use less cheese. Cut back on sour cream use. Make your own yogurt. 4. Plan Your Menu Based Upon What’s on Sale Instead of planning your menu based upon what sounds good, plan based upon what’s on sale. Look at the front page of your store’s sale flier — that’s usually where they advertise the “loss leaders”. These are the sale items that the store is taking a loss or breaking even for you to purchase. The store is expecting that those loss leaders will lure you into the store to shop and then you’ll fill up your cart with all sorts of full-priced items, too. Be a savvy shopper and mostly plan your menu upon those items that are on the lowest prices versus full-priced items and you’ll save a lot of money on your grocery bill! Want to step up your savings even more? Plan your menu based upon what you already have on hand (check your cupboards/freezer/pantry) when planning a menu and grocery list. 5. Go Back to the Basics Use this time of higher prices to motivate you to try some new things. Are you buying anything pre-packaged that you could easily make from scratch? Are you using mixes instead of making your own mixes? Add more beans, rice, potatoes, and pasta to your meals. Make homemade soup and bread. Stick with more simple meals that have inexpensive ingredients. Pay attention to how much your favorite meals cost approximately and eat more of the meals that are lower in cost. Look into the cost of buying in bulk from places other than the grocery store. 6. Practice the Buy Ahead Principle Instead of pay full-price for items, try to buy the bulk of your groceries when they are at their lowest price. Designate a portion of your grocery budget to buying ahead for future weeks. Start out with just $5-$10 to buying ahead. Look for items that are at least 50% off or more that you regularly use and buy enough for an extra week or two. The more you do this, the more you’ll be able to plan your menu based upon what you already have on hand — and those things you have on hand will be things you’ve gotten for pennies on the dollar! And this will free up even more money in your grocery budget to dedicate to buying ahead even more! What is your best advice and tips for someone feeling like the rising costs of groceries are making it hard for them to stick with their grocery budget? [ad_2] Source link

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Equity MFs invest Rs 3,380 cr in IPOs in December

[ad_1] By Ruchit Purohit Equity mutual funds continued to deploy funds in initial public offerings (IPOs) of companies during the month of December, despite weakness across the secondary markets amid weak global sentiment. However, the investments saw a drop from Rs 4,050 crore deployed in November to Rs 3,380 crore in December. The interest among Indian investors for Indian equities, positive returns, and the IPO frenzy in 2021 have primarily led to consistent investments by mutual funds in IPOs, said experts. “The broad outlook for the markets has been positive despite the ups and downs, and appetite for equities among Indian investors continues to remain high. However, the month-over-month drop is mainly due to the number of issuances falling in December. Going forward, fund houses will continue to track offers based on the business models, growth potential, alongside other factors, irrespective of their sectors,” Akhil Chaturvedi, chief business officer, Motilal Oswal AMC, told FE. According to a report by Edelweiss Alternative Research, equity mutual funds deployed around Rs 3,380 crore in fresh issuances during the month, with shares of Anand Rathi Wealth, RateGain Travel, Tega Industries, Metro Brands, CMS Info Systems, and MedPlus Health being the top bets. IPOs of MedPlus Health (Rs 1,300 crore) and Metro Brands (Rs 300 crore) were among the top bets from six mutual fund houses, whereas the public offering of CE Info Systems and Anand Rathi Wealth received investment from three mutual funds each. Besides, from the existing holdings of mutual funds, ICICI Bank, Wipro, Infosys, and HDFC Bank were among the top additions by fund houses. On the other hand, HCL Tech, RBL Bank, and Bharat Electronics were among the top reductions, the report showed. Overall, in December 2021, 12 companies successfully raised more than Rs 16,700 crore from investors. The total amount raised by public issuances during the year was above Rs 1.2 lakh crore. The ongoing year will continue to witness strong interest from domestic investors, and IPOs will continue to attract positive flows, said analysts. However, expensively valued offers are not likely to find too many takers after a couple of disappointing listings. [ad_2] Source link

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Understanding Realogy’s stance on commissions

[ad_1] When Missouri federal judge Stephen Bough unsealed a sworn declaration last week from Coldwell Banker CEO Ryan Gorman in a sprawling antitrust lawsuit about real estate commissions, it prompted disquiet among real estate agents, including those who work at Gorman’s company. “My Coldwell Banker agent office policy insists that we do not cut commission under any circumstance,” said one agent who requested anonymity to speak candidly about her company, which is part of the Realogy brokerage conglomerate. “Gorman’s comments confuse me.” Gorman’s two-page declaration has been interpreted as everything as the “dam that breaks” NAR’s 108-year-old stranglehold over real estate commissions, by one longtime observer, to “fairly irrelevant” by another. Adding to the lack of clarity about whether Gorman’s statement is especially important for real estate, or even for the lawsuit it comes from, is that almost none of Realogy’s competitors either denounced Gorman or supported him. That silence comes amid multiple lawsuits alleging an antitrust conspiracy between brokerages and the NAR, plus a U.S. Justice Department antitrust inquiry into NAR. Filed with the court on Nov. 11, Gorman’s declaration comes in a proposed class action lawsuit filed by housing consumers against NAR, Realogy, HomeServices of America, RE/MAX, and Keller Williams Realty. The lawsuit, in part, challenges a rule first put forth by the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges, NAR’s forerunner, in 1913, that a member agent representing a home seller, “Always be ready and willing to divide the regular commission equally with any member of the Association who can produce a buyer for any client.” More than 100 years later, NAR’s cooperative compensation policy reads similarly, stating that the seller’s agent specifies what commission they shall provide the buyer’s agent. The way it works is that a real estate agent belonging to NAR agrees with a seller that, for example, the agent will receive 6% of a home’s final sales price. The agent then, obligated to make an offer of compensation to the buyer’s agent — with the dueling incentives of both getting as much money as possible but attracting home-buying agents, decides to split their commission. So, on the local Multiple Listings Service, the seller’s agent posts that the buyer’s agent is due for a 3% commission. Plaintiffs in the Missouri case and other pending lawsuits argue the policy artificially inflates commissions, discourages consumer’s right to negotiate on commission, and prompts buyer’s agents to steer clients toward homes where they can receive a higher commission. Gorman’s declaration on behalf of Realogy Brokerage Group does not actually disagree with the cooperative compensation policy. But it argues, “The mandatory nature of the NAR cooperative compensation rule should be rescinded.” Gorman goes somewhat further, stating Realogy agents are not required to abide by any NAR rule, except the code of ethics. Also, if there is a stated buyer’s agent commission, consumers should know about it, Gorman argued. That position has since become NAR law.   Agents on well-frequented Facebook groups including Lab Coat Agents have reacted with trepidation and anger, suggesting that Gorman’s position undermines buyer’s agents. Meanwhile, Norman Miller, a professor at the University of California San Diego who has spent a generation covering real estate commissions and believes they are too high, said that the loosening of the cooperative compensation policy, “Gives agents more flexibility and more opportunities to compete on price more.” “I have seen seller’s agents commissions go down in the last 10 years,” Miller said. “This could help trigger buyer’s agents fees to drop.” But it’s not clear if Gorman’s views will gain traction. NAR affirmed it stands by its policy. And the other lawsuit defendants — Home Services of America, RE/MAX, and Keller Williams — declined to comment, each stating they have a company policy to not comment on pending litigation. Another top national brokerage, eXp, also declined to comment, and multiple messages left this week with Compass and Zillow went unreturned. Asked about whether Realogy’s position would gain industry support, a company spokesperson said, “We cannot speak for other brokerages,” noting, “There are rumors and speculation about our position that are generating misinformation and confusion across the industry.” The one brokerage that did take a position is Redfin, whose agent compensation model includes employee salaries and also commission rebates for homebuyers. “Redfin supports making offers of compensation optional rather than a mandatory,” said a spokesperson. “We supported NWMLS when it made this change in 2019. That market is a good example that mandating offers of compensation is not necessary for competition and cooperation to flourish in the real estate marketplace.”  Redfin is referring to the Northwest Multiple Listings Services, the Seattle-based MLS that is also a pioneer in making buyer’s agent’s expected compensation known to consumers. But for some real estate observers, including Steve Murray of RealTrends, the NWMLS’s recent experiments serve as an example that industry reforms do not necessarily change consumer behavior or lower commissions. Max Besbris, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, also wonders if what is being argued about is a bit tangential to the lawsuit plaintiffs’ aims to increase consumers’ bargaining power and choices. The end of cooperative compensation seems instead, “An attempt to give listing agents even more power in determining commissions. What would make more sense are new laws requiring listing agents to more actively inform sellers that commissions are negotiable,” Besbris said. Messages left with the lawyers for plaintiffs in the lawsuit went unreturned. The Missouri case remains in the fact-finding phase with no timetable yet for major court decisions. The post Understanding Realogy’s stance on commissions appeared first on HousingWire. [ad_2] Source link

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MoneySense Toolkit: The mortgage renewal calculator

[ad_1] Mortgage payment calculator Mortgage renewal can be a stressful time for Canadians. There are a lot of decisions to be made, including whether or not to stick with the same lender. A mortgage renewal calculator can help simplify the process and ensure you make an informed and financially beneficial decision that will serve you well for years.  You’re 2 minutes away from getting the best mortgage rates in CanadaAnswer a few quick questions to get a personalized rate quote I’m buying a homeI’m renewing/refinancing You will be leaving MoneySense. Just close the tab to return. A mortgage renewal calculator allows you to compare the savings or fees that come with different mortgages, based on a given amortization period, payment frequency and interest rate. It’s one of the easiest ways to determine if your current mortgage is working for you or if it’s time to find one that better suits your needs.  What is a mortgage renewal? When your mortgage term ends, if you’re not at the end of your amortization period or haven’t paid off your mortgage in full, you’ll need to renew your mortgage contract. This is a good time to review your current mortgage agreement and to see if there are maybe better options out there for you.  The process for renewing your mortgage If your lender is a bank or federally regulated institution, it should send you a renewal notice at least 21 days before your current mortgage term is set to expire. The statement will contain information including your remaining mortgage balance, the interest rate, payment frequency, term and any potential fees that come with renewing for another term.  Usually, your lender will also send you a new mortgage contract that you can sign indicating you wish to renew. Note that if you don’t renegotiate or change providers your mortgage contract may be set to automatically renew.  Things to consider when renewing your mortgage While it may be easier to stay with the same mortgage provider, that’s not always the best decision financially. Here are some actions you should take before deciding to renew or not:   Use a mortgage renewal calculator to get a comprehensive overview of your renewal options and determine whether you can save money or get more favourable terms.  Remember that you don’t have to stick with the same lender. It often pays to shop around or consult a mortgage broker to see if you can get a more favourable rate.  Investigate the costs or penalties for changing lenders, as there may be fees attached. Consider whether it’s worth changing your amortization schedule to either lower or increase your payments. A longer amortization can create more room in your budget, while a shorter one will pay off your mortgage faster and save you on interest fees.  Give yourself plenty of time to research your mortgage options (i.e., don’t wait until your renewal notice arrives).  Renewing versus refinancing your mortgage If you stay with the same lender and stick to the terms of your original contract, that’s considered a renewal. If, however, you want to change the terms of your mortgage before the term expires, that’s called refinancing.  You can attempt to renegotiate your agreement at any time for better terms, but there may be costs associated with refinancing, especially if you break your mortgage contract to go with a different provider. Possible fees include: Discharge fees from your current lender Registration and home appraisal fees from a new lender  Other administrative and legal fees You’re 2 minutes away from getting the best mortgage rates in CanadaAnswer a few quick questions to get a personalized rate quote I’m buying a homeI’m renewing/refinancing You will be leaving MoneySense. Just close the tab to return. Other mortgage calculators: Mortgage affordability calculator Mortgage payment calculator Land transfer tax calculator CMHC mortgage insurance calculator Mortgage refinance calculator The post MoneySense Toolkit: The mortgage renewal calculator appeared first on MoneySense. [ad_2] Source link

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JustAnswer Review for 2022

[ad_1] The post JustAnswer Review for 2022 appeared first on Millennial Money. I have this one friend I turn to for all of my questions about plumbing. He’ll talk for hours about anything from garbage disposals to finding water leaks, to various types of faucets and gadgets. Take my word for it: This guy’s obsessed. In this JustAnswer review, we’ll let you know exactly how a guy like this can monetize his expertise. My friend isn’t just a plumber — he’s a subject matter expert. He’s someone you go to when you have a problem and need a reliable answer. People with this type of knowledge can make great side income on JustAnswer.com, a leading question and answer forum that connects users with experts from all fields. Overall Rating Pros High earning potential of $2,000 to $7,000 per month Flexible communications options including text, chat, and voice Work from anywhere Easy payments via PayPal Great customer support Cons Aggressive quality control measures Difficult vetting process No benefits No tolerance for wrong or poor answers Live chat service 9.5 Set your own hours 9.5 Work anywhere 9.5 Signing Up 8.0 Security 9.5 Keep reading to learn all about JustAnswer, including how it works and what it takes to start using it, to find out whether the platform makes sense for you.  or, skip straight to the section on how to sign up for JustAnswer What Is JustAnswer? Like many tech companies, JustAnswer operates out of San Francisco. However, the company has a global user base, with experts stationed all around the world. The company launched in 2003 under the direction of founder Andy Kurtzig. As the story goes, Kurtzig wanted a way for his then-pregnant wife to speak to a doctor online, and JustAnswer (formerly ExpertAsk and Pearl.com) was born.  Fast-forward to today, and the company has raised $50.7 million in funding. It’s one of the longest-running and most successful online question-and-answer webpage forums that brings users and verified experts together on one platform.  For a monthly membership fee, customers can ask experts just about any question they want. JustAnswer has a browser-based option, and it also works with Android and Apple iOS devices.  JustAnswer Features Here are the top features of JustAnswer. Wide expert base One of the coolest parts about JustAnswer is the wide range of experts on the platform. You can go to JustAnswer with just about any question you can think of.  For example, experts include lawyers, scientists, professors, mechanics, and real estate agents, to name just a few examples. Feeling left out because you’re not in any of those professions? Don’t be. You can make even more money on JustAnswer when you’re an expert in niche areas. For example, you may be a Mercedes or BMW mechanic. Or you may be a software engineer with expert knowledge in Java, Go, and React Native. To give you a better idea of some of the questions you might have to answer if you post up on JustAnswer: How many times per week should I eat red meat? What’s the best way to get rid of poison ivy? My garden hose is leaking. What should I do? How can I donate firewood to charity? In short, if you’re an expert or leader in your particular field, it’s worth putting yourself out there on JustAnswer. No matter what your areas of expertise there will most likely be a community to join.  For some examples, check out JustAnswer for electrical, medical, and pet care. Work anywhere  You don’t have to work in a professional office building or even on-site. All you need is a smartphone or laptop and an internet connection, and you can work from anywhere. Using a site like JustAnswer can open doors for your career. For example, if you’re a doctor, you may use JustAnswer to take a break from practicing medicine so you can go on sabbatical. Similarly, you can use JustAnswer to keep the money rolling in while you travel the world.  Set your own hours  JustAnswer doesn’t have any scheduling requirements. You can choose your own hours, and work when you feel like it. Talk about convenience! Want to make an extra few bucks after work or on the weekend? Fire up the computer, log into JustAnswer, and earn money at your leisure. You don’t have to reserve any blocks of time. Live chat service  JustAnswer provides a variety of ways for users to communicate with experts, including chat, text, and even live conversations. This is a convenient option that lets customers communicate in a way that’s easy and comfortable. It makes for better overall conversations and stronger user ratings. This may seem like a minor feature, but it keeps customers coming back. And this ultimately benefits JustAnswer’s expert community.  How Much Does JustAnswer Pay? Now for the real question: earning potential.  When a user asks a question on JustAnswer, they can control the pricing by setting the fee that they’re willing to pay for an answer. Customers can ask unlimited questions. You’ll get to see the price before you agree to answer the question. So if something seems way beneath your level of expertise, you can choose to ignore it. On the flip side, you can also decide to scoop up some low-hanging fruit and make a few extra bucks. Word to the wise: Take every question that comes your way, especially in the beginning. In my opinion, that’s a no-brainer! New experts receive 20% of what the user pays. So if a user pays $50 for an answer, you’ll pocket $10. If the user pays $200 for an answer, you’ll net $40 – pretty solid!  As time goes on and you answer more questions, you can earn up to 50% of the fee.  According to JustAnswer, experts earn an average of $2,000 to $7,000 per month. Over the course of a year, the highest earners can rake in $84,000 – or even more. You can cash out once you have $20 in your account.

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Up to 48% off Smartypants Vitamins!

[ad_1] Today only, Amazon is offering up to 48% off Smartypants Vitamins! Here are some deals you can get… Get these SmartyPants Daily Gummy Multivitamin Adult (180 count) for just $17.09 shipped when you checkout through Subscribe & Save! Get these SmartyPants Organic Toddler Multivitamin (60 count) for just $12.34 shipped when you checkout through Subscribe & Save! Get these SmartyPants Men’s Formula, Daily Multivitamin for Men (180 count) for just $14.24 shipped when you checkout through Subscribe & Save! Get these SmartyPants Prenatal Formula Daily Gummy Multivitamins (120 count) for just $18.04 shipped when you checkout through Subscribe & Save! Get these SmartyPants Kids Formula Daily Gummy Multivitamin (120 count) for just $13.28 shipped when you checkout through Subscribe & Save! Shop the entire sale here. Note: Once your order ships, you can go into your Amazon account and cancel your subscription if you don’t want recurring orders. [ad_2] Source link

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How to build an emergency fund – Find out

[ad_1] Emergency funds are specifically created for the unprecedented events of life which could come uninvited. These funds are also required to be kept aside, in case there is a job loss in the family and the family needs to pull off expenses till the time another job is found.  Shiv Parekh, Founder of hBits says, “EMIs on home and car loans, school fees, etc., for a duration of say, six months to a year, in the event of a financial crisis arising, health issues or the death of the earning member also requires emergency funds.”  Therefore, for an emergency fund, the investments are suggested to be made only in specific assets which generate safe and stable returns and provide high liquidity. So that they can be sold off instantly when the need arises. How to build an emergency fund?  To build an emergency fund, Parekh explains, “one needs to set a target date, take stock of existing assets, set aside a lump sum amount under an open-ended fund scheme which can be withdrawn in case of any kind of emergency.”  For an emergency fund, it is suggested that one should draw a monthly commitment towards their fund and try to have a different or separate account for accumulation. Experts say this is the base for building a corpus for an emergency fund. Once the base is built, the funds can keep getting stocked up.  How much should you have as an emergency fund?  Depending on your income and expenses, an emergency fund can be equivalent to three to six months of one’s monthly income. Having said so, start small. Start putting away a small amount of money and then slowly increase your corpus.  Should you look at fractional ownership to build an emergency fund? Commercial real estate is known to be a good option for building an emergency fund, however, the steep buying price is often a deterrent. That’s where, Parekh says, “one could consider commercial property investment through fractional ownership which allows participation in the market through the purchase of pre-leased commercial property in ticket sizes of Rs 25 lakh, making it affordable to the average investor.” According to some experts, the key reasons why one should consider fractional ownership for creating their emergency fund are liquidity, stability and assured returns.  Fractional ownership generates rental income of 8-10 per cent per year and capital appreciation of 5-10 per cent annually leading to high returns. Parekh adds, “It is more liquid than residential real estate, as it is easier to find genuine buyers and liquidate the investment.”  Many fractional ownership platforms also help owners list their property on the site with an average wait time for liquidation of a few months. Experts say the comparatively low wait time means there is no need to enter into a distress sale and lose out on one’s capital investment. Parekh says, “Individuals looking for a place to park their wealth can look at fractional ownership in combination with other options like liquid funds. The monthly rent from investment can add to the income and help one tide over an emergency.” He further adds, “One can also sell off the investment at a profit in case he or she has to meet a large demand for funds. A unique model that combines safety, liquidity and good returns, fractional ownership is a great option to store and grow an emergency fund.” [ad_2] Source link

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MoneySense Toolkit: The mortgage affordability calculator

[ad_1] Mortgage Affordability Calculator One of the first questions new home buyers should ask themselves is, “How much can I afford?” Affordability is an essential part of setting up your home-buying budget, and there are a variety of factors that affect it. If you’re looking to buy a home, you’ll want to know your mortgage affordability, and for that, you should start by consulting an online calculator. What is mortgage affordability? Mortgage affordability refers to the maximum mortgage you can afford to borrow, based on your gross income, down payment, debt payments and living costs. In short, the higher your mortgage affordability, the higher your maximum purchase price.  Many factors are used to determine mortgage affordability, including your gross household income, the monthly expenses of owning the property (property taxes, heating costs and condo fees), and your other debt obligations, such as your credit card payments and car loans. When completing a mortgage application, a lender may also take your credit history into account.  You’re 2 minutes away from getting the best mortgage rates in CanadaAnswer a few quick questions to get a personalized rate quote I’m buying a homeI’m renewing/refinancing You will be leaving MoneySense. Just close the tab to return. Why should you use a mortgage affordability calculator?  Using a mortgage affordability calculator is an important first step towards determining how much you can spend on a home. These calculators take your gross income, debts and other living expenses to calculate your maximum home purchase price.  Many mortgage affordability calculators also let you specify your desired down payment and purchase location. You can then play with these inputs to see the impact they have on your maximum affordability. For example, by paying down debt or increasing your down payment, you’ll likely be able to spend more on the home. It can also help you decide whether you can afford to purchase in your ideal neighbourhood. It’s recommended that you confirm your mortgage affordability with a mortgage broker or lender, who will take the nuances of your financial situation into account. That said, if you aren’t ready for that step, our mortgage affordability calculator can help you get started. How does it work? To use the mortgage affordability calculator, you’ll need to gather the following information: Your Income Your co-applicant’s income (if applicable) Your monthly debt payments, including credit cards, car payments and other loan expenses Your monthly living costs, including property tax, condo fees and heating costs Your down payment amount These factors are used by lenders to calculate two ratios that serve as guidelines in determining how much you can afford. They are called the gross debt service (GDS) ratio and the total debt service (TDS) ratio.  Gross debt service ratio Your GDS ratio is based on your monthly housing costs (mortgage principal and interest, property taxes and heating expenses), divided by your gross household income. For example, let’s say you have a gross household income of $100,000 per year. If your new home costs you $3,000 per month, you would have a GDS ratio of 36%.  Your GDS ratio cannot exceed 39%, according to the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CMHC). Total debt service ratio The other ratio used to calculate affordability is your TDS ratio. This ratio takes the above housing expenses and adds your credit card interest, car payments and other loan expenses, then divides it by your gross household income. For example, if your household brings in $100,000 per year, your housing costs amount to $3,000 per month and you spend $500 per month on other debts, you would have a TDS ratio of 42%.  For the home to be affordable according to CMHC, your TDS ratio cannot exceed 44%. How to increase your mortgage affordability If you have found that your maximum affordability is lower than you expected, here are some reasons that might be—and what you can do about it. GDS ratio: If your GDS ratio is limiting your mortgage affordability, you’ll need to increase your gross household income. TDS ratio: If it’s your TDS ratio, the likely culprit is existing debt. Focus on paying off your credit card balances or car loans to increase your mortgage affordability. Down payment: You’ll need to save at least 5% of your home’s purchase price or more, depending on the desired purchase price. If this is a limiting factor, consider options to increase your down payment, such as putting more money aside each month, accessing up to $35,000 in RRSP funds through the Home Buyers’ Plan (if you’re a first-time home buyer) or asking a family member for a monetary gift. Get a co-signer: Having a family member co-sign your mortgage will add their income to your application, increasing how much mortgage you can afford. Keep in mind that if you default on your payments, your co-signer will be responsible for the debt. How to lower your mortgage payments To ensure mortgage payments fit comfortably within your budget, you can also work to lower your monthly payments on the same mortgage amount:  Increase your amortization period: Stretching out your mortgage over a longer period (for example, opting for a 25-year instead of a 20-year mortgage) will decrease your monthly costs. However, you will pay more in interest in the long run.  Find a lower mortgage rate: To bring down your monthly payments, visit multiple lenders and find the one willing to offer you the most competitive interest rate. You may also want to consider using a mortgage broker with access to multiple lenders and who can help find you the best rate.   You’re 2 minutes away from getting the best mortgage rates in CanadaAnswer a few quick questions to get a personalized rate quote I’m buying a homeI’m renewing/refinancing You will be leaving MoneySense. Just close the tab to return. Other MoneySense mortgage calculators Mortgage payment calculator Mortgage down payment calculator Mortgage penalty calculator Land transfer tax calculator Mortgage refinance calculator CMHC mortgage insurance calculator Mortgage renewal calculator The post MoneySense Toolkit: The

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