Moody’s adjusts credit outlook for Alberta to negative; rating still at triple-A + MORE Jan 18th

Welcome to another week of all things pertinent for Canadians to be rewarded! News, Tips & Tricks Quiet on the news front today!Some of you may be recovering from attending the Canadian Points University over the weekend. As you may know we had a last scheduling matter that prevented us from coming out and speaking. Hopefully things work out for the next Points U! I’m sure those of you who did attend learned a lot of the ins and outs of making the most of your travel rewards programs!Posts since our last update:Club Carlson – 5,000 Bonus Gold Points when you complete stays at two of their brands anywhere in the world This email came through about half an hour ago. A new bonus from the folks at Carlson Rezidor hotels… Travel Deals American Express Travel is once again running a major hotel sale. You can save up to 40% on bookings at select hotels until Feb 29, 16. Find out more here.SWISS is offering some decent fares on their flights out of Montreal. Fly to Europe for as little as $817 all in…

EDMONTON – A second major bond rating agency has changed its credit outlook for Alberta.
Moody’s is shifting its outlook to negative from stable, but Alberta retains its triple-A rating.
“The negative outlook for the province of Alberta reflects the rising risk that the province’s fiscal position will deteriorate further than previously expected in an environment of protracted low oil prices and deterioration of economic activity,” Moody’s said in a release Monday.
“Moody’s forecasts that revenue shortfalls stemming not only from direct natural resource royalties but also from the broad economic impact of the slump in the oil sector will lead to larger deficits in the short- and medium-term than those budgeted by the province,” the release said.
“This will translate into higher debt burdens and a faster draw on reserves than previously anticipated.”
Tanking oil prices that now are hovering under US$30 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate have already hit the province hard…

The holidays are over and many of us can start to feel a bit down. The anticipation of the holidays, and of vacation days, and family is over, and now all we have to look forward to is a couple more months of winter.
It’s common to feel this way after the holidays, and some point to the idea of a ‘Blue Monday’ that hits around the third week of January. This day is considered, by some, to be the most depressing day of the year.
You probably feel the impact as well. The weather is cold, the days are still short, and you might be just seeing your credit card bills from your holiday expenses. A recent survey from Borrowell indicates that 58% of Canadians currently carry (or have carried) credit card debt. The holiday season tends to encourage debt spending, and it’s no surprise that the disappointment of facing up to the bills weighs on many of us after the holidays are well and truly over.
If you are starting to feel the Blue Monday impact, you can overcome it. Here are the six factors that contribute to making this the most depressing day of the year — and what you can do to overcome the financial realities of Blue Monday…

OTTAWA – Nearly a third of young Canadians admit they are “not at all knowledgeable” about retirement savings plans, according to a survey done for TD Bank.
The report also suggested that a large proportion of those aged 18 to 33 are uninformed about what registered retirement savings plans can and cannot be used for.
Only half of those surveyed knew that money in an RRSP could be used to help buy their first home, while just 28 per cent knew it could be used to help further their education later in life under the lifelong learning plan.
The survey also found that many young Canadians believed they could use RRSP savings to pay for many things that are not allowed.
Sixty-four per cent were unaware that RRSP savings could not be used to make a charitable donation and 60 per cent mistakenly believed that they could be used to pay childcare expenses.
Credit card mistakes millennials are making »
Fifty-two per cent also incorrectly believed money in an RRSP could be used to finance a car and half wrongly thought it could be used to help buy a second home…

The Globe and MailAlberta's credit rating outlook loweredThe Globe and MailA second credit-rating agency has weighed in on Alberta's debt, lowering its rating outlook to negative from stable due to the collapse in oil prices and the province's mounting budget worries. Moody's Investors Service said it affirmed Alberta's …Alberta given 'negative' outlook by Moody's rating serviceCBC.caMoody's adjusts credit outlook for Alberta to negative; rating still at triple-AThe Daily Courier (subscription)Moody's changes outlook for Alberta's credit ratingNews Talk 770 CalgaryRocky View Weeklyall 8 news articles »