I check your website twice a day. It is really useful and I love that you have such a worldwide appeal. I haven’t bought any of your books , I check them out of the library instead. Sorry. Suze Orman is popular because of the Oprah factor. Perhaps you could ask your agent about a spot on Canada AM or another Canadian show that will give you wider exposure here. Your definitely a treasure that shouldn’t be hidden!
I’m recently back at school after many years raising the children and expect to re-enter the workforce next summer. Topics of interest are women and investing. My husband has a great pension (he’s a teacher) and doesn’t think it necessary to put money aside elsewhere but I want something of my own. His pension is only good to me while he is alive. I can’t survive on a survivor’s pension. Also, we ladies know that “a man is not a plan”. What should I do on my own in terms of retirement savings and insurance.

Thanks Gail, you are terrific!

I’ve been a fan of yours for some time now, and was so glad to find your website and blog! Now I quote you regularly to my family and friends! I check your blog everyday, in the morning.

One topic I would love to hear your opinion on is whether or not it’s good to have separate accounts for spouses. When I moved in together with my boyfriend (now my husband), we had decided that the best way to pay our joint expenses was to create a joint account into which we both deposited a percentage of our income (I don’t remember the exact ration we used). We’ve kept this system once we got married. Now that we are planning to have a baby (we are saving for it right now via automatic savings account that we both contribute to), I’m not sure if this arrangement will still work once the baby is born. I’d love to hear your take on this!

We are currently in the process of buying our first house, and any help with paying down that mortgage would be great. RRSP advise is always welcome as well.

I check your blog daily and look at the questions and rest of the website every few days. I was so excited when I learned I could get my “Gail-fix” more regularily! The re-runs of TDDUP just weren’t cutting it.

Thanks for making a difference in so many lives Gail. You rock!

To help with your survey, I check in on your blog at least once or twice a week. (along with watching the show weekly).

Your methods have helped change both my and my wife’s spending habits over the past year - we can now officially say we have eliminated consumer debt (our only true debt right now is the car and mortgage)

Topics of interest for me:

Mortgage - tricks to optimize paying down, and how to negotiate a better deal upon renewal

Investing (RRSP, Mutula funds) etc. The is still a very new thing for me - and any insight is always welcome.

Saving tips and making more money - you always provide great examples on the show on how to squeeze every penny out of an expense. And we’re always looking ideas on how to increase our income.

Thanks again for all that you do!

I have been on a “cash diet” since last September, and things have been up and down with it. I recently received a raise and have re-worked my budget according to your Build a Budget worksheet. It really helps to put everything in perspective. I am hopeful that it will keep me on track now.

Take care and keep up the good work!

PS I got your Independent book from the library last year and read it - very useful! I am looking forward to the re-written/updated version!

I usually check out the blog and questions about 5 times a week, and wander through older articles sporadically. I’ve found tons of useful information, and particularily like the interactive budget worksheet.

In future topics, I’d love to see more information student loans and long term financial planning for people in their 20’s,

Thanks!

Now that I’ve found your site, I’m checking it whenever I have money on my mind….so daily!

I would like to know who best to ask for help with my student loan. Do you know of a reputable company or agency who specializes in student loans who can explain to me what I did so wrong that I’m in such a mess now?

As a single mom of two teens, I’m very much looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of your book(s). I’m determined to teach those kids something good about money before they move out…and back.

As far as Suze Orman selling more books in Canada…it’s just exposure. The “Oprah Factor”. I can’t tell you how glad I am to find a Canadian money guru.

Thanks Gail

I check your blog 4 or 5 times a week. I really appreciate your “no-nonsense” approach. Shot from the hip!

I would like to see more tips on:

1. Educating our children about money. What habits can we encourage when they start to work for the first time? My son is 2 1/2. Right now when he gets money for gifts etc he knows we put it in his piggy bank. Should we save a portion of his allowance once he’s old enough to get allowance?

2. Pensions. I have an employer sponsored pension. Should I contribute to it aswell, or put my money in only RRSPs?

3. Reducing costs.

4. How much is realistic for emergency savings? It feels impossible to save several thousand dollars in a short amount of time like 1-2 yrs. I assume you would recommend more savings before paying down your mortgage? I pay bi-weekly now, but I don’t make extra payments at the end of the year yet.

5. Tax tips are always a help!

Thanks Gail!

I love the interactive worksheets, I’m pretty decent with spreadsheets, but if I had to put together your spreadsheets it would take me a day to get all of the cells and formulas calculated, especially the budget sheet, and I would never get the debt one, I still don’t understand how interest works on credit cards and loans all I know is it SUCKS! One small suggestion for the budget sheet, the part that calculates the % you spend on transportation, housing, etc. and then says what it should be, can you move the “should be” to in brackets right behind the words. IE: Transportation (s/b 25%). It’s the only part that doesn’t print when you hit print and it’s very hard to show my boyfriend how ridiculously we’re spending our money if I can’t compare what we’re doing to what we SHOULD be doing
As for the 3 topics I would love the most: 1) budgeting a blended family — my bf and I have been together for 5 years, I have a 6 year old from a previous relationship, we often “heatedly discuss” who is responsible for what bills, what is joint, what he should chip in for, what my son’s biological dad should chip in for… it makes for some uncomfortable moments. Am I the only one with this issue???? 2) How to allocate your savings — how much goes to RRSPs, vacation, emergency, repairs and what do you with it? IE: should 50% of my RRSPs go into stocks and bonds (keep in mind I don’t really know what stocks & bonds are), 25% into a “high-interest” (insert giggle here) account and 25% into GIC’s and more reliable investments? Emergency money should be easily accessible, that I’ve got figured out. Where do I find investments that can give decent returns in a short time (say for a wedding that could be a bit more fancy???) 3) An RRSP/savings calculator — if I put $600 away for the next 25 years (maybe I WILL retire at 48??) how much will I have for retirement? $1000 for 35 years at 5%??? I want to go on a $12,000 vacation in 15 months, how much do I put into savings if the interest is a whopping 3.75%??? How do I budget and save for my wedding?

I could keep going, but I will leave you.