For most Canadians, the holidays were expensive. In 2013, the average Canadian spent approximately $1,800 on the festive season. This included $689 on travel, $674 on gifts, and the rest on incidentals like food, booze, and earplugs after your nephew gets a new toy that makes a bunch of noise. 

One thing's for sure – 2014 has been a very interesting year. Mortgage rates defied prediction by sinking even lower, while home prices continued to climb higher – sometimes much higher – in several key Canadian cities.

Want to see how the year in personal finance played out? Check out our infographic below:

Hey, the holidays are here! And that means family, food, and much-deserved time off. Whether you’re lighting the Menorah, gathering around the Christmas tree, or just relaxing by the fireplace with a mug of hot cocoa, we’d like to wish you a very happy holiday!

From the entire LowestRates.ca team, Season’s Greetings and all the best in the New Year!

The holiday season is still in full swing, but as the year comes to a close, many of us will be resolving to better ourselves in 2015. Our resolutions won't be entirely about hitting the gym and quitting the gin though – in fact, many Canadians' New Year's resolutions revolve around financial fitness.

So far, it seems like the city of Calgary is almost entirely unaffected by the bloodbath in the oil sector.
The price of crude has cratered from nearly $110 per barrel in June, all the way to current levels around $55, a swing of almost 50%. Canada’s energy giants have been forced to adapt in a number of ways, including cutting capital expenditures, slashing dividends, and delaying new projects, especially in the oil sands.