“We can’t afford those new shoes right now.”

I really wanted new Nike shoes as a kid. I thought that if I begged enough, my mom would buy them for me. I didn’t realize that the reason I couldn’t have the shows was because my parents couldn’t buy us food if they bought all three boys a $100 pair of shoes each. Looking back, I feel bad for being such a punk as a kid.

Editor's Note: Good morning. We have a special guest for you today. Michelle from Budget Bloggess is here sharing her favourite frugal Mother's Day gift ideas. So often we think finding the perfect gift is about how much money we spend - and that's just not true. When it comes to Mother's Day gift ideas it really is the thought that counts. Please welcome Michelle to the blog and be sure to share your favourite gift ideas on our Facebook page.

You better not be cheap with your mom. This is the one person that you can’t hold out with. You can save money by missing your friend’s birthday party or by staying in one night.

It’s that time of year again, time to spoil mom with some of these DIY gift ideas on her special day:

Happy Friday! Today we have a very special treat for you - we have a HUGE awesome giveaway! Yes that's right, today starts two weeks of Mother's Day craziness here at Lowest Rates and we're kicking it off with over $750 in prizes with our #takeabreak giveaway. Let me say that one more time, there are over $750 in prizes to be won!

Caveat emptor, buyer beware, due diligence -- whatever the term, we all get the basic idea: the onus rests on us, as customers, to understand the product or service we’re purchasing. Canadians usually take this concept to heart when buying big-ticket items like cars, televisions, appliances -- even houses -- but sometimes they don’t do the work they need to when it’s time to get a mortgage. They see a great rate and simply say ‘that’s the one for me’ without paying enough attention to the all-important fine print.

What's in your wallet? What kind of credit card are you using?

Your credit card is one of the most important financial tools in your wallet.

“If we put all of our savings together we might be able to scrape together a mortgage down payment.”

I couldn’t believe what my friend was telling me. She was ready to buy a place with her boyfriend already. They were a fairly new couple and they both had barely any money saved. This situation really bothered me, but I didn’t want to be a jerk by giving unsolicited advice.

It’s tax season again and the deadline of April 30 is quickly approaching. If you haven't filed yet you're probably rushing around trying to get all your documents in order so you can file your taxes on time - and avoid late fees. Here are a few weird and wonderful tips that might help you save money on your taxes.

Happy Friday! If you're looking for something to do this weekend may I suggest going to see the movie Furious 7. If you follow us on Twitter you know I went to see it this week and I have to say it was a good movie, not the best of the entire series, but nevertheless a good way to spend a couple of hours. The good-bye to Paul Walker was touching and if the saga continues I'm sure the movies won't be the same without him.