MoneySense 2021 Holiday Gift Guide + MORE Dec 14th

You’re 2 minutes away from getting the best mortgage rates in CanadaAnswer a few quick questions to get a personalized rate quoteI’m buying a homeI’m renewing/refinancingYou will be leaving MoneySense. Just close the tab to return.

First brought into force in 2019, the FTHBI was designed to make home ownership more affordable by offering qualifying home buyers an interest-free loan to put towards their down payment. In today’s sellers’ market, that’s an incentive that rightfully captures the attention of many first-timers—though the program does have its limitations and drawbacks, as we outline below.

The idea behind the FTHBI is simple: by covering a portion of your down payment, the government reduces the size of the mortgage you need to borrow, which has the added benefit of lowering your recurring mortgage payments…

1. Fraud-proof wallet

If you know someone who’s worried about their credit card being hacked, this wallet is the perfect present. Turns out, the same tech (radio frequency identification, a.k.a. RFID) behind that convenient “tap” feature also makes it possible for scammers hovering nearby to scan your cards and steal account information—a type of fraud known as “skimming.” RFID wallets, like this one by Bentley, block electronic pickpocketing, keeping your money in order in more ways than one. It also has 15 card slots, so if you’re a point collector, you’ll be covered on that front, too. Bentley Un Jour à la Fois RFID slim wallet, $39.99.—Courtney Reilly-Larke

2. Smart thermostat 

They may fall on the pricier side, but smart thermostats, like Ecobee and Google Nest, offer plenty of energy- and money-saving potential…