Consumer debt loads went down last quarter for 1st time in a decade – CBC.ca + MORE Jun 16th

Episode 68 – June 16, 2020 Clash of the Credit Cards – The Ten PercentersIn this episode we present to you our first Clash of the Credit Cards! This is the rehashing of our Credit Card Showdown and the first time that we make it into a podcast. We take the four major cash back credit cards in the Canadian market that are offering a 10% cash back welcome bonus on all spending and compare them to see what they all offer and in the end crown a champion of the clash! Click Here to download the podcast (mp3) or Download/subscribe via: Links relating to this week’s topics:BMO CashBack World Elite MastercardCIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* CardScotia Momentum® VISA* Infinite cardTD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card Rewards Canada’s Guide to Credit Card Cash Back Liquidity 

If you’ve been thinking about buying a house, you may be wondering how you’ll know when it’s “the right time.” If you don’t have a 20% down payment saved up, is it still OK to consider buying? If you can’t afford your forever home, should you still jump into ownership now? And does the COVID-19 pandemic change the rules for first-time home buyers? 
Smart people who consider those questions—and more—every day respond with these six pieces of practical advice. 
1. Get a real pre-approval
Too many buyers are out there shopping, armed with only a cursory pre-approval from an online calculator that provides a top-level estimate of what you might qualify for, says mortgage broker Ron Butler, who services clients in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Vancouver and Calgary. “But a true pre-approval is actually a sophisticated process, requiring the detailed attention of a potential lender,” he adds, “that will depend on your credit score, a thorough analysis of your income, and the nature of your down payment, among other factors…

Consumer debt loads went down last quarter for 1st time in a decade  CBC.caConsumer debt loads drop for first time in a decade in Canada  BNNAverage non-mortgage debt dropped 0.5% in Q1  Advisor.caCanadian Consumer Debt Inches Lower for the First Time in a Decade  The New York TimesCanadian consumer debt loads drop for the first time in a decade after people stop using credit cards  Financial PostView Full coverage on Google News

We updated our Travel Hacking 101 post which details how you can earn Aeroplan Miles and/or Avios for free just by signing up for fee free or annual fee waived credit cards. It has been updated with the newest offers for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, CIBC Aerogld Visa Infinite Card and have removed the RBC Avion card as all of it’s increased welcome bonus and no annual fee promotions have been removed. You can check out the Travel Hacking 101 post here.AIR MILES is offering 20 Bonus Reward Miles when you spend $60 or more via airmilesshops.ca for Father’s Day. This offer runs until June 21. Find out more here.The Laurentian Bank Visa Explore card has been added to our credit card comparison charts. You’ll find it on the All Travel Rewards Credit Cards Comparison chart and Travel Points Credit Cards comparison chart.Long time Rewards Canada reader Kevin A. alerted us to an issue with the Choice Privileges Stay Twice Get a Free Night offer. When he tried to register for the promotion it didn’t work so he reached out to Choice Hotels on Twitter and they told him it is for U…

Consumer debt loads went down last quarter for 1st time in a decade  CBC.caConsumer debt loads drop for first time in a decade in Canada  BNNAverage non-mortgage debt dropped 0.5% in Q1  Advisor.caCanadian Consumer Debt Inches Lower for the First Time in a Decade  The New York TimesCanadian consumer debt loads drop for the first time in a decade after people stop using credit cards  Financial PostView Full coverage on Google News