2012 has been a rollercoaster ride and we’ve witnessed many things, including: the power of virality in Kony 2012, the discovery of the Higgs boson particle, (another) NHL lockout, Felix Baumgartner’s space jump, Obama’s reelection, and more.

Putting up a Christmas tree was one of my favourite activities as a child. I had a mean roster of ornaments: super heroes and cartoon characters – all of them Christmas-themed.

Prize Pot (as of 9:30AM EST, Dec 14): $500

As the weather gets colder and 2012 nears an end, we hope you have been keeping warm and enjoying the month of December.  December is a month of giving and people often find themselves weighed down by the numerous gifts they have to buy, the end-of-year payments, and holiday rush in general.

Ever wonder why car insurance premiums vary between males and females?

We previously reported that cars damaged by Superstorm Sandy are being sold in Canada, and in light of that news we went looking for ideas to easily notice damages to cars.  Flood damages can usually be spotted using your own senses, such as seeing water lines in the interior, smelling any residual mold, or feeling damp moisture that has soaked in to the seats and carpeting.

Yesterday The Globe and Mail Personal Finance Columnist Rob Carrick hosted a Q & A session, in which all interested participants were invited to ask questions on interest rates, personal debt, or anything to do with personal finance.  Rob has been writing about personal finance, business, and economics for nearly 20 years, and yesterday’s session was a chance for readers to gather his perspective on critical personal finance trends.

Over the summer, the Mercer Consultancy Firm conducted the “Making Smart Benefits Choices” survey to determine the perceived value employees place on benefits.  The survey polled 10,000 workers in 10 different countries, and the majority of countries selected an increased salary as their preferred benefit.

It’s been a week since our official press launch and we have received some fantastic feedback.  It is so rewarding to see Canadian consumers saving time and money by using our site.  Is there something else you’d like to see on our site?  Something you liked?  We would love to hear from you at info@lowestrates.com.

Each year the Mercer Quality of Living survey is put together to help multinational companies determine fair compensation for employees on international assignments. This year’s results have a wealth of European cities dominating the top 25, but Canada had its share of the spotlight as well. For the most part, Canadian cities rankings’ remained unchanged.