The First Home Savings Plan

Are you dreaming of owning your first home? YourStyle Financial, a compassionate and understanding financial planning organization in Winnipeg, is here to help you make that dream a reality.

In their latest video, Doug Buss introduces the First Home Savings Plan, a powerful tool designed to help first-time homebuyers save efficiently. YourStyle Financial’s expertise ensures that you can navigate the complexities of financial planning with ease. Their personalized approach and dedication to understanding what’s important to you make them a trusted partner on your journey to homeownership.

Watch the full video on YourStyle Financial’s Media Page to learn more about the First Home Savings Plan and start your journey towards homeownership today.

Pandemic Creates Concern About Future Care

Aging is a fear most of us have. When we think about it, we like to think we’ll be taken care of and more importantly won’t be alone. Being alone became very common during the pandemic.  During this very isolating time, we had more time than ever to not only ponder our future, but watch the news to see what’s happening with others. This included seeing how the older population were being looked after and the results are in. We are not terrified of ending up in a long-term care (LTC) facility.

According to a survey by Angus Reid, the pandemic changed the way people view LTC homes and left 44% of people dreading the thought of ever being in one – even for one day. With 45% of Canadians showcasing their belief the industry requires massive change or a complete overhaul, it’s a day of reckoning for the Long-Term Care Industry. In another study, 70% of respondents said the country should invest more in healthcare, 39% supported an increase in staffing levels and 38% indicating a pay raise may make employment more attractive to qualified caregivers.

In Sight – Top of Mind

You’ve all heard the old adage:  Out of sight, out of mind? Well, we recently decided to try the opposite with our fruit in the fridge.  Doug and I are working with Shauna Muldrew, Owner and  Health Coach of Infinity Health and Nutrition Coaching, to spruce up our eating and work outs and she suggested that we get the fruit OUT of the crispers and on a shelf in the fridge – RIGHT AT EYE LEVEL. I have also been placing apples, plums, peaches and oranges in a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter.  Lo and behold, because all these healthy goodies are now visible, the whole family is eating more fruit rather than reaching for processed snacks. You’re all familiar with those hangry times when you get home from a busy, stressful day and you just want to rip open a bag of chips?  I’m not saying that fruit cuts it over chips, but at least at our house, fruit is now the first thing you see when entering the kitchen or opening the fridge. This makes it soooooo much easier to grab a healthy snack. Anyone who knows us knows we love to chill in our living room and watch sports or movies.  We call our reclining seats Row 1 Seats 1 &2 for Jets games!  However, those food commercials on TV can be sooooo enticing. You can practically smell the aromas coming from the TV!  I now pre-wash and prepare strawberries and grapes.  They are ready to go! All we have to do is grab a bowlful and crunch down on some grapes.  The sweet crunchiness also satisfies the chocolate cravings. Making small, visible changes keeps us moving in the right direction. The same can be said for having a financial plan and meeting regularly with a financial planner. We now have a plan to increase our healthy snacks and it’s working. Having a financial plan with visible goals and objectives works the same way by keeping your finances In Sight and Top of Mind.

Planning for Perception or Preference?

Unfortunately, we are not bears and are not afforded the luxury of shutting ourselves down for a few months. At a time where all you want to do is snuggle under a blanket on the couch and binge watch all the shows you missed while doing yardwork, the demands of family, friends and work dramatically increase. Tis the season of holiday shopping, parties and entertaining. Tis the season to exert extreme drain on our energy, wardrobe and pocketbook. Tis the season to spend. Before you start making your list and checking it twice, it may be time to ask yourself why. Here’s a few scenarios:

Make it About Memories, Not Money

1. Grand Beach. This huge stretch of soft sand beach and sand dunes is only a one-hour drive from Winnipeg. This beautiful beach has been listed world-wide as an experience to be had and so many locals have yet to make the trip. It’s a great getaway for a day and offers camping, motels and cottage rentals for longer stays.
2. Birds Hill Park. Located a very short drive from the city, this vastly under-utilized year round provincial park offers a slew of activity choices. Paved and natural trails allow for biking, rollerblading and hiking. There are horse stables and quite often Polo games are available for viewing. There is a campground with choices of basic, electrical or full service camping and a beach with food and beverage options.
3. Little Limestone Lake. A little longer trip, but the closest to the Caribbean you can get when you don’t live near the ocean. It is the biggest and best marl, colour-changing lake in the world.
4. Whiteshell Provincial Park. Part of the Canadian Shield landscape about 1.5 hours east of Winnipeg, is a treasure trove of natural resources. This park is filled with wildlife as the wilderness is quite undisturbed. If you’re looking to spend time at the lake, there are beaches, waterfalls, rapids, diving, sailing, swimming and waterskiing as just a few choices.
5. Assiniboine Zoo. An absolute gem located right within the city and one of the most beautiful urban parks the zoo offers a plethora of experiences for young and old. Right now you have the chance to see the incredibly endangered snow leopards. The two little cubs are just settling into their new enclosure and are still awaiting their names. Included in the regular admission this summer, the new attraction Xtreme BUGS is being offered for a limited time. One of the biggest attractions, literally, is the polar bears whom you can see in action without travelling to the North.

This is such a small sampling of the destinations available in Manitoba. If you love to travel and experience the outdoors, this is a great place to do it without having to hurt your wallet. Now, get out there and experience all there is to do in Manitoba!

Planning for the Unexpected in Today’s World

In 2017 the world has experienced some extremely traumatic events; many centered around major tourists areas. Many people were injured and killed in cartel related shootings in Mexico and most recently the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas. We have even experienced suspected terrorist activities in Canada with the recent attack in Edmonton. Our hearts and sympathies go out to all those affected indirectly and directly by these events. While we like to believe these circumstances will never happen to us, the sad reality is they can happen to anyone, anywhere. This is why it’s so important to plan for the unexpected. Most travellers don’t realize how essential travel insurance can be to both their present and their future. Imagine just flying out for the weekend to enjoy a good time with your family or friends. Now imagine you are being transported to the hospital due to accident, violence or medical issues. Do you want to experience the panic of realizing you could be responsible for tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of medical bills? Or would you rather focus on your current situation and your healing? Travel insurance can make the difference between those two scenarios. If you’re not thinking about yourself at that moment, have you thought about the impact a tragedy of this nature could have on your family? For one of the Manitoba victims of the Las Vegas massacre, her husband and son are on their way to be with her during her recovery. This is going to involve time off work, flights costs, hotel and food. Were you aware many travel insurance plans provide for these types of costs? Now imagine the worst case scenario (something we all avoid facing), and that is you do not survive. Now your family must not only arrange to transport you home, but also address possible outstanding medical bills. This, at a time when they should be focusing on grieving and healing. In addition to travel insurance, this is another reminder of the necessity for will and estate planning. Choosing someone to be in charge if you become mentally incapacitated and after you die and deciding who will get what, when they will get it, and how they will get it after you’re gone will go a long way towards avoiding family conflict and costly court proceedings. The world is an unpredictable place, but planning your finances and insurance is something within your control. If this is something you are ready to address, we’d be happy to help.

Why Millennials Need Life Insurance

If you’re young and single, you may think that the things you want out of life are attainable with persistence and planning, and that you have lots of time.
But the reality is, you just never know about that last part.
This is why you might want to put life insurance — a financial product often overlooked by young adults — on your radar.

Don’t Dismiss It

Fewer than 20% of millennials say they’re likely to buy life insurance. 60% say Internet, cable and cellphone bills are higher priorities, while about 3 out of 10 millennials say saving for a vacation is more important than buying life insurance.
But just because you’re a young, healthy single with no children doesn’t mean you should disregard the need for life insurance coverage.
Just think… what would happen to the people you love is something were to happen to you?

Why You May Need (More) Life Insurance

If you offer some financial support to your parents or other relatives, or if you fall into the majority of young adults with sizable student loan debt, you ought to think about life insurance. Keep in mind, for example, that if someone has co-signed on a loan for you, the obligation could fall on your co-signer to pay off your debt if you are no longer around.
Chances are you already have some life insurance — group coverage — if you’re working full time. But do you need to go out and buy more coverage?
To answer that question, you must calculate how much your family would need if you were suddenly out of the picture.

Assessing Your Coverage Needs

You must consider:

• How much money your family would need to cover funeral expenses if you were to die unexpectedly.
• How much would be needed to replace any income that you’re contributing to your family.

When dealing with the loss of a loved one, the emotional side is a big enough struggle. If you can take the financial struggle off the table, it makes it much easier for the surviving family members to focus on just the emotional side.
Term life insurance may be the best option for a 20-something on a budget. It covers you for a determined time period, such as 20 or 30 years, and is relatively low-cost.
You can get a lot of coverage from an excellent insurance company for very little money.

Term vs. Permanent

Another option is permanent life insurance, which costs more than term but covers your entire life.

Do Your Homework

Life insurance can be hard to understand. Usually, it’s a lack of knowledge that prevents young adults from being more secure in their financial situation.
So, read up — like you’re doing now. And be sure the insurance company you select is financially solid.
This is probably going to be a 20-year relationship, so go with a highly rated company.
Most of all, keep it simple. Focus on the need to replace that lost income. There are a lot of complicated products out there.
If you have any questions about this topic, please contact Yourstyle Financial to discuss more!

Are You Travelling This Winter?

“Am I covered for emergency health care outside of Canada?” It’s one of the most frequently asked questions of travelers — and an important one to answer. With U.S. medical care costs skyhigh (and rising), even a simple doctor visit can put a serious dent in your bank account. If you’re unfortunate enough to require an extended hospital stay, your finances can suffer permanent damage. Do you need additional health insurance? Simply put: YES. Technically, all Canadians are covered under their provincial plans for any time they’re overseas, but coverage is extremely limited. For example, Manitoba Health will only pay for emergency doctors’ services outside of Canada at a rate equal to what a Manitoba doctor would receive for similar service.  In other countries, services can cost much more than they do here in Manitoba. As a result, you could find yourself responsible for a large medical bill. Emergency hospital care is paid on an average daily rate established by Manitoba Health. The difference above the covered amount could be substantial and is YOUR responsibility to supplement your coverage with some travel health insurance. Travel insurance gives you peace of mind to cover emergencies such as physician’s fees, diagnostic services, ambulance and paramedic costs, and hospital accommodations. So, what’s the best way to obtain additional coverage? Head over to our Resources page for direct links to travel insurance providers. Also, while there, be sure to check out other helpful information as well such as The Glossary of Common Investment Terms.

Get away – but get covered

recent post to this blog, we discussed the health benefits of a vacation. Since we call Winnipeg home, we’re very aware of the temptation to fly south in search of warmer weather and some quality time poolside or on the beach. Your vacation is an investment, and it will pay real dividends in terms of enhancing the quality of your life.  By all means, go – but make sure you’re covered first. Your Manitoba Health Insurance covers you in Canada, but if you’re travelling to the US or another foreign destination, you’ll probably want to supplement your coverage with some travel health insurance.  Manitoba Health will only cover the costs of emergency health care to about the same level as they do in Canada.  In other countries, services can cost significantly more than they do here at home.  As a result, you could find yourself responsible for a large medical bill. YourStyle Financial Inc. can help you with your insurance needs – temporary travel coverage by itself, or as part of an Extended Health Plan.  When you’re out of the country, we can help you make sure that your emergency needs, like physician’s fees, diagnostic services, ambulance and paramedic costs, and hospital accommodations are taken care of. No matter what your insurance needs are, YourStyle Financial Inc. can help you select coverage that meets your goals, today and tomorrow.  We provide consultative services that take your individual situation and needs into account, and advise you on the solutions available to you.  We’re one of Winnipeg’s premiere financial services firms, because we don’t just sell products, we build relationships with our clients.  Your healthy financial future is our primary concern. Travel insurance provides peace of mind, so that your vacation can bring peace to your body.   Request a quote online today.

Vacations – Investing in Yourself

There are many good reasons to take a vacation – taking some time away from the stresses of work and daily life to focus on spending time engaging in stimulating (or relaxing) activities with family members and friends in a new setting can recharge your batteries.  It will give you added perspective on your life and work, and you’ll return to your regular routine invigorated and more productive. And your health can be greatly improved. Prolonged periods of work without a vacation have been shown to have numerous medical consequences – people who are “all work and no play” become irritable and inattentive, and are more likely to have accidents on the job.  They are at higher risk of cardiovascular problems, depression, anxiety, and other illnesses, both physical and mental. Your financial plan should be flexible enough that you don’t need to save every last dollar you make for retirement.  Life is about balance, just like vacations are about balance.  By helping you make wise budgetary decisions, YourStyle Financial can help you achieve a balance by making judicious investments – in both your financial future and your happiness today. We will do what many financial planner fail to do – we will find out, in detail, about your wants and needs, before helping you develop a financial plan that fits your personality, individual needs and wants (including vacations), and investment goals.  Then we’ll help you implement it.  When you deal with YourStyle, you aren’t getting a quick one-off session with an investment product salesperson – you’re developing a long-term relationship with a financial planner who has your best interest at heart.

Women need to take an active role in financial planning

When it comes to money, women’s main concern is working on a budget to lower debt and save more money. The second concern is to develop better skills in investing, and third is to create a financial plan and investment strategy. It’s imperative for women to take an active role in financial planning.  There is a very high probability of women being solely responsible for their finances at some point in their lifetime due to divorce or outliving a spouse. Nearly one-quarter of women say they don’t partake in financial decision making. “Women can make changes to their finances such as lower debt, save money and become good investors.  Making changes to your financial plan doesn’t have to be as difficult as it is perceived to be,” says Doug Buss, President, YourStyle Financial.