Money and finances.Debit and Credit Cards in Canada (2 of 2)

Source:www.psdgraphics.com

Continuing with what we saw last week, let´s talk about debit and credit cards.

When DEBIT is the Best Option:

• When the vendor o the other part needs the money inmediately. It is the fasted method of payment 
• When you want to control the amount of money you spend. You can use your card as much as you want, but only up the amount you have in your account. This way, you won´t have to pay interest for purchases made in the heat of the moment. 
• When you want the best exchange rate for a foreign currency. If you are planning a trip outside your country, you can exchange some money but the best way to save the fees the bank usually charges is to withdraval money from the ATM.

Source: www.mybudget360.com

When CREDIT is the best Option:

Credit cards are not for people with hard time managing their money. But sometimes, they can be a good election because you are usually more protected from identify theft, and disputes are resolved quickly without you having to pay to get your money back.

Situations to use credit over debit:

1.-Improve one´s credit rating. If you want to build your credit history, you should use your credit card. Debit card transactions are not usually reported to the major reporting agencies 

You will need your credit history for a lot of things you wouldn´t even think: i.e. get a monthly plan with a telephone company, ... so your strategy with your  credit card should be to make small purchases regularly and pay them off immediately. This shows the institution that gave you the card that you can responsibly pay back your credit balances

In Canada, having a strong credit history is really important — it can make it much easier to make important financial transactions in the future, specially for:

• Getting a mortgage for a house.
• Getting a loan for personal expenses.
• Getting good deals on new credit cards.

2.-Online purchases: It is much harder to get a refund using a debit card than if it is with a credit card

3.- Renting a car. Most major credit cards offer an auto rental collision damage waiver. In addition, several major car rental companies do not accept debit cards as a form of payment

4.- Travel related purchases.You may need a credit card when you make a travel reservation.  And some companies, give you insurance when you book a trip with your credit card.

5.- Rewards. Some credits cards give you points/cashback when you pay with them, and you can get items, shopping cards, miles to travel...  

If you want more information about cards and montly payments, visit: Credit card payment calculator tool

Think which is the best option for you and be careful with your credit!

Money and finances.Debit and Credit Cards in Canada (1 of 2)

source:www.versusbattle.com

Debit and credit cards, offer a way to access money without having to carry cash. They are accepted in most places and are a popular form of payment in Canada.

Debit cards are linked to your bank account (usually a checking account) and money is withdrawn from the account as soon as the transaction happens. You have to be sure you have sufficient funds in your account when you use direct payment.

They are usually free, and you can also withdrawn cash from the ATMs with them.

Credit cards offer a line of credit that is interest free if the monthly bill is paid on time. With most credit cards, you have to pay an annual fee, but you can collect some points/cashback when using them. 

Credit cards can be useful and convenient. In Canada, they are used to purchase almost everything, but it is easy to overspend and have to pay a very high interest rates.

There are many types of credit cards offered by financial institutions. To compare the features and the cost of them, go to: www.itpaysto know.gc,ca (financial consumer agency of Canada) and use the Credit card selector tool.

Make sure you understand all the terms and conditions: interest you must pay, how it is calculated, annual fee, minimum montly payment, how to make a complain if you have a problem with your credit card...

	Comparison
	debit card	credit card
concept	money is directly deducted from your account	You are using a line of credit
		you should pay in full unless you want to be charged with interest
monthly bill	no.	yes
asking for it	easy	depends on your credit, income…
limit	the amount you have in your account	Set by the bank. Depending your creditworthiness
interest	zero. It is your money what you are spending	If you don´t pay the full bill, you will have to pay high interest (+-19%)
credit history	It doesn´t affect. There is no credit here!	Payments can improve one´s credit rating

In next post, we will talk when debit /credit is the best option.

Take care!

Happy Canada Day!!! July 1st

                                                                             Source: Nane

On July 1st, we celebrate the Canada Day. It is not like Independence day in Brazil, but yes,at least in my town we have parade with military musical band, Canadian and representative of  the the existing cultural communities associations. Then at night there is a show and fireworks.

Source: Sil

What do we celebrate? Well I will not go to mention the history behind the celebration, but for me and probably many immigrants is the day our achievements in Canada, freedom and security.

As Nane remind me, there is no rule for this day. For example, during thanksgiving the gathering is with your family eating turkey, while on July  1st, you can do whatever you want. Just rest, go to parks to or the beach for a picnic... and for sure do a BBQ. You can also check the free local activities in your community (museum, historical sites, ...). 

Canadian Coins

Source: or2013

As you could see in the post Money and finances the coins in Canada, as as important as the bills.

Well, well, well if you were a person like me that hates coins, better watch them when you are coming to Canada.

Why they matter to you? Because they are essential to:

• pay laundry (in some of the residential buildings,laundry/dry machine are available, but they cost 1.75$ per load - exact change). I can count how many times I had to go to a convenience store to buy something in order to get coins of "quarter" (0.25$). 
• take buses (at least here in Saint John, Fredericton, Halifax) you need to have the exactly change. They may accept bills (paper money) but you will not get the change. Wellllll ..... I saw sometimes, and it happened with me, that the driver asked the person behind to give me my change and put the remain amount on the fee collection (in order to get your change will have to count with the driver niceness).
• it is great for tips in restaurants.
• pay the parkmetre, specially if your car will be parked for few minutes.

Besides the change for the laundry, in my first years here, my nightmare was really to remember the names of each coin. Yeahhh!! I remember going to the grocery store, and have the cashier telling me: "it is missing a dime", I would look confuse, and solution I showed all my coins and asked them to pick the right one.

Also a collector would get crazy here, because the Royal Canadian Mint makes them with different symbols (quarter or higher). 

Penny was taken from circulation, now it is souvenir. Interesting enough is that:

• The rounding is not done on single items but on the total bill of sale.
•  If the price ends in:

           - a one, two rounded down to 0

           - six, or seven it gets rounded down to 5

           -  and rounded up if it ends in three, four, eight or nine.

But you would pay the exact value, without rounding, if you pay with credit card.

Money and finances. Opening a Bank Account

Source:getsmarteraboutmoney.ca

If you are thinking about coming to Canada, you have to take into account that you will need some money to support you during your first months. There will be a lot of initial expenses while you settle and look for a job. You have to pay your accommodation, food, and buy household items. So.. let´s talk about money!

Currency: 

Canada´s official currency is the Canadian Dollar ($). There are 100 cents in a dollar. And all paper money is printed by the Bank of Canada in the same size, but each bill has a different colour as you can see in the picture below

Source:newcanadianmoney.ca

Before coming, you can change some money from your country to Canadian dollars. So, you will be able to pay for the things you will need from the moment you arrive. You can also exchange money after you arrive (i.e. in the airport, but it is usually more expensive) or you can get cash from automated banking machines using your foreign debit or credit card.  You should check with our bank which is the best option for you.

If you send money through the mail, do not send cash. Use a cheque or a money order.  

Banking:

Banks and credit unions, and "caisses populaires" are safe places to keep your money. To be safer, open an account in a finantial institution member of the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation. That means that the goverment insures the money in your account (up to a maximum of $100.000 per depositor or, in the case of joint deposits, per set of joint owners).

Source: Nane

Opening a Bank Account: 

Unlike in other countries, in Canada, you have the RIGHT to a personal account even if:

• you don´t have a job
• you do not have money to put in that account in the moment you open it.
• you have poor or no credit rating (we will talk about this in next posts)
• you have been bankrupt

You just have to go to the bank and show them 2 Identification items from the following list:

• A Canadian Driver´s licence
• a Social Insurance Number (SIN) card
• a provincial or territorial health insurance card
• a permanent resident car or a Citizenship and Inmigration Canada form.

if you don´t have two pieces of this list, you can show one and, 

• an employee ID card with a photograph from a known employer
•  a debit or credit bank card with your name and signature on it
•  a valid foreign passport

All documents must be originals. 

Important Tip: You don´t have to have a permanent address to open a bank account, but before opening a bank account you should go to the Provintial Services in order to get your Canadian identification.

Types of bank accounts:

1. Chequing accounts: They usually include a debit card and they allow you to write cheques. They usually are cheaper than other kind of accounts. You will need this kind of account if your employer uses payroll deposit. And that is the account you will use for your day to day banking needs.

2. Savings and investment accounts are helpfull if you want to save money.They give you more interest than the chequing accounts but, you are allowed to make only certain type of transactions or just a number or them per month. If you make more, it may be expensive.

If you want to know more about investments, or to be better informed before making important decisions about money, go to "ItPaysToKnow.gc.ca"

In next posts, we will talk about debit and credit cards and the importance of having a credit history 

Hope this is useful!

Out and About in Atlantic Canada. Things to do in summer time

source: brandft.co.uk

What can we do in Summer Time in Atlantic Canada?

Whether you are thinking about moving here, you are on vacation or just visiting for a while, here there is a list of some of the things  you can do to enjoy summer time!

For children: 

During the summer holidays, many parents in Canada send their children to "Summer Camps". There are many types of summer camps, where children and youth can take part in activities such as sports, music, art, religious instruction, etc. Some operate just during the day and others offer the opportunity for children to stay overnight for several days or weeks.

In our city, there are two organizations  that arrange Summer Camps:

• YMCA: http://www.saintjohny.com/programs/camps/day-camps/
• SJMNRC: http://www.sjmnrc.ca/youth-program.html

For everyone:

Stonehammer Geopark. Guides share where you can climb volcanic rocks, paddle an ice age river and much more!. Tlf 1-866-672-0770

New Brunswick Museum. Examine real whales bones and shipbuilding history and artworks.

Source:http://www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca

But if you want to watch real whales, go to Saint Andrews/ Gran Mannan Island, where you will find the best tours.Whale-watching  excursions bring  visitors out to sea, where you can see these majestic marine animals, harbour seals and grey seals and other ocean life in their natural habitat.

The best known companies are:

• Tall Ship Whale Adventures. Jolly Breeze of St. Andrews. Tlf 1-866-529-8116
• Fundy Tide Runners Whale watching and Nature Tours Inc (by Zodiac).Tlf 1-506-529-4481
• Island Quest Marine. Tlf 1-888-252-9111
• St Andrews Ocean Adventures. Tlf 1-506-529-4306
• Quoddy Link Marine Inc: ( by catamaran). Tlf: 1-877-688-2600
• Capt Riddle´s Sea-Going Adventures (Deer and Campobello  Island)1-877-finback(346-2225)
• Whales-n-Sails Adventure (Grand Manan). tlf 1-888-994-4044
• Sea Watch Tours (Grand Manan). tlf: 1-877-662-8552

Splash into fun at any of our beaches perfect for swimming (we have over 50) or lean back in your chair or have a nice walk, what you prefeer. Build sandcastles, play beach volleyball and enjoy the serenity of days spent by the sea. 

Explore our sand dunes and Discovery Beaches

Peggy´s Cove. Source: Nane

Lighthouses: Some of them are active, some are not, but all of them are beautiful!. What about spending some time visiting lighthouses? One of the most famous is the one in Peggy´s Cove (see above) but there are at least 85 lighthouses just in New Brunswick. In this website, you can find more information about each one:

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/pull-state.asp?state=NB

                                                

Covered Bridges. New Brunswick has 60 covered bridges.The Hartland Covered Bridge is probably the best known, but there are many others that were built around the same time.

Tidal bore in Moncton. A natural phenomenon caused by the surging Bay of Fundy tides (the highest in the world), the Tidal Bore activity occurs twice daily. The higher waters in the bay cause the water in the Petitcodiac River to roll back upstream in one wave, which can range in height from 3 cm (1 in.) to 60 cm (24 in.).Visit the local Visitor Information Centre located beside Bore Park in downtown Moncton for Tidal Bore arrival times.

Source: www.photosearch.com

Drive-In cinema in Sussex: Like in the movies, you can watch a film comfortably seated in your car and listening to it from your car radio. Starting the 19th of June they will open friday saturday and sunday nights.

Source:tourismnewbrunswick.ca

Shediac Lobster Festival. (July, 8th-12th). Come to the Lobster Capital of the World!. Every night 10 volunteers are chosen from the crowd to break down and eat three lobsters-only- with their hands and as fast as they can. Come and try your luck at this festival.

Dragon Boat Festival: the 29th of August, in Renforth, Rothesay. From 8am to 5pm. It is a fundraising project of St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation and its  mission  is to raise funds that help meet the needs of St. Joseph's Hospital for equipment, research and education. It is really fun!

Source: Nane

Balloon Festival in Sussex: This year the festival will be celebrated the 11-12-13th of September. 30 Hot Air Balloons fly twice daily. If you have never seen this spectacle, it is worthy.

Source; Nane

Music Festivals and Entertaiment. New Brunswick’s Festival Place in Saint John provides free Arts & Culture programming each and every day from the Summer Solstice in June until Labour Day in September.
Live Entertainment – Every Sunday (June 21 to August 23).
But If any music festival is well known here, it is the Cavendish Beach Music Festival and the Charlottetown Festival, both of them in Prince Edward Island. Clap, dance and laught as the lively music and friendly locals will take you to the time of your life.


Spotlight on the Acadie. Visit Monument Lefebvre National Historic Site. You will be able to truly understand the story of the Acadian people.

                                                                    

Source; Nane

Bay of Fundy Coastal Drive. Home to the world's highest tides, you can visit  the Fundy National Park and the Hopewell Rocks, and kayak around them. We will talk about these two treasures in next posts.

And, to end with this post, what a better way than sharing a sweet tip? You should "Discover the Wonder of Chocolate". St. Stephen is home to Ganong Bros Ltd, Canada´s oldest candy company, and you can visit the Chocolate Museum. Located in what used to be the original Ganong candy factory, The Chocolate Museum offers an interactive way to learn about candy making in St. Stephen

Are you ready to enjoy these events? Ready to get started?

Meu português errado - Será que vou retornar ao Brasil assim?

Source:http://tudodebonn.blogspot.ca/2013/05/me-estrumbico-mas-me-comunico-ou.html

Acho que não tem como esconder como estou perdendo meu português (realmente espero que vocês entendam meus posts e deixem passar todos os meus erros gramaticais). Aliás, isso será um denominador comum à todos os que passam um tempo fora do Brasil.

Na realidade estou a quase 10 anos sem ler e praticamente escrever em português (como pode???), porque até as mensagens de texto no whatsup, imessage, facebook podem ser em voz. Inicialmente foi uma decisão minha para tentar aprender inglês, depois naturalmente passei a não ter tempo. Então lembro a como se escreve, mas não tenho certeza se é escrito com s,ç, z ou se tem acentos, ou se a forma verbal está correta, é como se eu escrevesse português como uma criança .... Parece frescura, mas não é, as vezes esqueço uma palavra, ai jogo em inglês..

Incrívelmente, na minha cabeça, tudo parece ser escrito corretamente, até que alguém perqunta... o quê? ai percebo que as frases não tem sentido. As vezes penso que quando estou escrevendo, inconscientemente, traduzo do inglês para o português.

Fico aliviada quando acho outros posts de pessoas com esse mesmo tipo de problema:

• http://passaportebrasilusa.com/2013/06/morar-fora-e-o-portugues/
• http://tudodebonn.blogspot.ca/2013/05/me-estrumbico-mas-me-comunico-ou.html
• https://br.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111227120422AArKQDP

Bem, uma coisa é certa, se você morar no exterior por um tempo significativo, suas chances de perder o português é bem elevada.

Seasons in Atlantic Canada

Source: Nane

The climate and intensity of the seasons vary across the country. In Atlantic Canada, there are four different seasons: spring, summer, autumn (fall) and Winter.

Spring is  a transition season, which means the weather starts getting warmer, and winter snow begins to melt. There is a lot of rain during this period, as the days become warmer and longer and the nights remain cool. In St. John, where we live,  it is a foggy season, the sea temperature is colder than the land´s and we have days in which you can see nothing.

Plants begin to grow in spring.





Summer goes  from June to August/September and the weather varies from warm to hot and dry, with daytime temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius (68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher.  You can go to the beach!

Source: Nane

Fall goes from September to November, days become noticeably shorter and the weather goes colder and it can be rainy or dry; this is an unpredictable time of year. You can have your first snow storm, but it won´t last.

Leaves turn from green to red, yellow and brown before they fall from the trees. It is really beautiful and for many Canadians, it is their favorite season

Source: Nane



Winter (from December to March) is very cold in most places with temperatures below zero degrees Celsius. Snow covers the ground from around December to March or April.

When severe winter weather threatens, Environment Canada issues special alerts that notify Canadians in affected areas so that they can take steps to protect themselves and their property from harm. These weather alert bulletins are issued through the media, as well as through the Weatheradio service, and the Government of Canada’s weather.gc.ca website. 

But don't worry about this.We will talk about Winter time and how to make it more pleasant in another post.

Source: Nane

All seasons have something to offer.

Just, enjoy all of them!

EacE

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Why are we doing this?

Last week, having a cup of coffee at Tim Hortons...  wait a moment,... You haven´t heard about Tim Hortons? That means that you haven´t arrived to Canada yet!. Come with us!

As we were saying, we were talking about our experiences living in Canada, how different some of them were from the ones we had in our countries and how many people were asking us how to immigrate here. So, we decided to start this "canadaeasyguide".

We hope this guide will help you.

We will talk about the themes we are more concerned about or the ones we love, but you can tell us which one you  are interested in and we will try to write about it!