Gail Vaz-Oxlade's Blog, page 8

TFSA vs RRSP: Who’s The Big Winner?

The TFSA vs RRSP rumble reminds me of the old “mortgage paydown vs RRSP contribution” fisticuffs of the past. The theory is that there are limited dollars available and so you must choose the option that will make you a winner.

Both RRSPs and TFSA give you a wide range of options for investments. That’s a draw. Both let you earn income without paying the tax-man immediately. Another draw.

RRSPs have higher limits: a win. And there’s that tax deduction you can take if you’re in a tax bracket you wish you weren’t. A decided win. A $1,000 RRSP contribution will save you $278 at the 27.8% tax bracket, which is what you’ll pay on incomes between $31,000 and $41,600 in Manitoba. The next tax bracket, up to $67,000 taxable income, is taxed at 34.75%, so for every $1,000 you put into an RRSP, you’d get back $347.50. Make a $5,000 contribution and you’d have a tax saving of over $1,700. Sweet.

The offset argument to this is that you might pay as much tax when you’re retired, making the deduction not so clear a win. But wait… have you considered what you did with the money you saved in taxes? If you paid down your debt, that’d be a win. How about using that money to get to mortgage free faster? Another win, right? Or boosting your next year’s RRSP contribution? Wow… win/win. Or you could use your RRSP refund to fund your TFSA. Talk about having your cake and eating it too.

TFSAs have tax-free income for EVER: that’s a definite win, particularly for people who will rely on government benefits come time to hang up their dueling pistols. But those people weren’t big RRSP players in any case since there was no major tax incentive to start and they likely didn’t have the financial resources to save. Let’s face it, if you’re planning on relying on the government’s monthly cheques to see you through your golden years, it’s for one of two reasons:

you simply don’t make enough money now to save, so you’re used to living on far less, and are in no way capable of saving money with your tight cash flow, or
you’re dumber than dirt and spend every cent of your income because you can’t stop scratching your consumer itch.

I feel for the first group; but you’re a thrifty lot and are used to making do.

As for the second, if you had the resources to plan for your future and you wasted them, then perhaps some belt-tightening and learning to make do on less will be your just reward.

When the Crap Hits the Fan

You know the old saying, “Into every life a little rain must fall.” And yet when it rains we never seem prepared. And when it pours we feel like we’re drowning.

No one gets through life without having to deal with adversity. Some people watch as marriages disintegrate. Others have to deal with illness or disability. There are times when the economy is in tatters and everyone has to try and make do. And there are moments when you can’t imagine how things will ever be better.

We have a mantra in my house: Where you are today is not where you’re going to be tomorrow. Life is a cycle. Things go up; things go down. And if you’ve been hurt, if you’re worried, if you’re frightened, know that tomorrow brings the opportunity for things to change. Nothing is forever – not the good, not the bad – so hang on to your sense of humour and be ready to wait out whatever shite you’re dealing with.

Waiting it out doesn’t mean being stagnant. If you’re in a horrible relationship, waiting it out means being prepared to feel sad, disappointed, angry and taking steps to change your life. And then being patient as you move forward to your next chapter. Have some gumption: Push yourself to make the changes that are necessary to deal with the crap and make your life better.

Your steps don’t have to be huge. If your problem is a big one, trying to wrap your head around the whole thing all at once can feel like carrying a hippo up a mountain. Instead look at the pieces of the problem and make small fixes as you can. You are resourceful. You are capable. You are as strong as you tell yourself you are.

When my last marriage disintegrated, I was in the middle of making a season of TV. I had two children to worry about and a relationship so toxic I would cry in my hotel room while I was on the road two days a week. (My poor make-up artist, Tash, worked miracles.) I was working a full time job, schlepping my kids to school 40 kms away three days a week, and packing to move. I’d go to sleep at 9 or 10 and get up at 2 a.m. to pack for two or three hours. Work in my home office until the kids got up, make them breakfast and take them to school. Come back to my office and work until it was time to grab them from school, help with homework, and make dinner. I’d fall into bed exhausted and then do it all again. I did this for 30 days until I moved. (I never lost an ounce… so unfair!) I survived. I don’t know how, but I did. We all have depths of strength we must plumb from time to time. You have to dig down deep knowing that where you are now is not where you’re going to be… tomorrow or next week or next month or next year.

Of course, there are some things that are unfixable. How you choose to view your life will play a big part in whether you feel mired in muck or joyful about what you do have. Dealing with pain is hard. So is watching the people you love struggle. But if you let negativity inhabit you, it’ll all seem so much worse. While you may not feel positive when you wake, you can choose to be positive as you move through your day.

Look for small things that bring you pleasure. If you’re always looking at what’s wrong with your life, it’ll be pretty well impossible to see what is right. There’s beauty all around you. There’s pleasure to be taken from simple things like a cup of tea or the light shining through leaves. Say thank you and watch the things you can be grateful for move more and more into your spotlight.

If it seems that your life is always in the crapper, it may be that you have unrealistic expectations of what life should be like. There are folks who, no matter what they have, imagine that their lives should be better: bigger house, newer car, more free time. If you’re one, it’s no wonder you’re disappointed with your life. Time to change your expectations.

This & That: Family Matters Edition

B Wrote: We just started an RESP for my daughter who is already 15. Is it true that I can’t get any of the government incentive because she is too old? I was sent a letter saying so but I was under the impression you could collect it all as a sort of “claw back” Am I missing a loophole or hoop I need to jump through?

Gail Says: You’re squeaking in under the wire m’love. As long as you make a contribution of at least $2,000 before the end of the calendar year in which your daughter turns 15, you can still grab a little of the grant money. Get busy girlfriend.

 

S Wrote: My partner and I are at odds as to which way to go with this problem. I am 66 and she is 64 and we’ve been together for 40 years so there is little danger of a breakup in the relationship. I am fully retired as of June 30/2014 and she will retire at the end of 2016. Between our two pensions (HOOPP) and CPP etc. our monthly income will be approximately $9000. What is our problem you are asking (LOL)! Well, it is this. We have a Credit Line balance of about $50000 and we have $64000 in our Tax Free Savings accounts. I want to pay off the debt but my partner says we have more than enough to continue paying off the Credit Line and leave the TFSAs alone. I see her point but hate the thought of both of us retired and still owing money…you never know when things could change. We own our townhouse and have other investments too so we are doing well. Any advice?

Gail Says: He is right from strictly a mathematical point of view. But your concerns are also valid since emotion plays a big part in feeling “safe.” Why not take the middle road: use half your TFSA money to pay down your debt, but keep your debt repayment amount the same so you get that line paid off lickety-split. Once the line is gone, take the same payment amount and re-contribute it to your TFSAs until you are caught up again. You’ll save scads in interest, keep enough in your TFSAs for any caca that might come along and serve both your needs.

 

V Wrote: This is a combination question/success post. Hubby and I were 11k in debt just a few months ago. Thanks to the magic jars and your online tools we have paid off over half that and will be completely out of debt in a few months. Thank you! My question is, after we are caught up we’ll have an extra $700/month to spend/save. We would like to be able to add some of it to the jars so we can live a little, save for a family vacation and also start an education fund for our son. I haven’t seen anything on your show about education funds. Is there a percentage that should be worked into the budget or is this part of savings? Our son is almost 13. Would $500/month be an appropriate amount? We don’t want him to have to take out student loans.

Gail Says: If you haven’t been contributing to an RESP you’ve got some catching up to do. The RESP is the right vehicle because of the Canada Education Savings Grant, which will give you a 20% bonus on your contributions (to a limit.) Here’s how it works.

1. The basic grant room is $400 per year from 1998 to 2006 and $500 from 2007. The maximum a child can receive in a calendar year is $1,000 provided grant room is available, so don’t be tempted to catch up too much at once. Each year you can catch up for roughly one year of missed contributions.

2. The CESG accumulates every year for a child until December of the year he turns 17. So you can catch up for years for which you haven’t made any contributions, but only one catch-up year at a time.

3. If you make a $2,500 contribution this year ($208 a month), you’ll get the 20% CESG of $500. If you also catch up for a previous year by making an additional $2,500 contribution ($208 a month) you’ll get another $500, for a total of $1000 in free money from the government. But if you go over that $416 a month, you don’t earn any more grant money.

4. You have to move quickly because there are rules about making contributions in the years your son is 16/17. RESP contributions at those ages are only available if :

You’ve contributed at least $2,000, and not withdrawn from, his RESP before the end of the calendar year he turns 15 OR you’ve contributed at least $100, and not withdrawn from, his RESP  in each of any four years before the end of the calendar year in which he turns 15. 

So you’ve got to get at least $2000 into his RESP before the end of the year he turns 15 to qualify for grant room when he’s 16/17. 

I have a book on the subject of RESPs and how to use them called Saving for School. Grab a copy from the library. 

 

N Wrote: My boyfriend has just moved in with me and we are in disagreement over what he should financially contribute each month. I own my home and continue to cover all costs related to mortgage, property taxes, insurance and maintenance. He states that he should not pay me rent as he is not a tenant. He has offered to pay for a couple of the utilities and expenses each month (totalling approximately $450).

He earns $100K a year, I earn $50K. Is there a standard calculation which would identify how much he should contribute each month without expecting a share in my equity? I feel he is wrong in thinking that $450 a month is adequate as he couldn’t live anywhere for that much. Am I wrong to think he should be paying more?

Gail Says: Yes, but your boyfriend isn’t going to like it. He may not need to pay you “rent” but he should contribute to the household expenses proportionate to income. So if your total overheads (mortgage, property taxes, utilities, insurance, maintenance, food, etc. totals $3000 a month, he would pay $2,000 (he makes 2/3s of the family income) and yours would be $1,000 (you make 1/3rd of the family income.) If your mate doesn’t want to contribute now, what makes you think anything will change once you’re totally vested in the relationship? Like having kids. And BTW, if you ever marry, that house you paid for becomes half his because it will be the “matrimonial home.” I suggest your boy grow up and act like a man!

 

Shrimp & Avocado Pasta Salad

They say that avocado is really, really good for you. I grew up with eating lots of avocado. In Jamaica we just call it “pear” and ours is large and a lighter skinned green than the Haas avocados I most often eat here in Canada. I don’t much care what name the avocado carries, I love ‘em. I probably eat 4 or 5 every week.

Avocados are a good source of Vitamins K, E, C and B5 and 6. They have more potassium than a banana. And while 77% of the calories from avocados come from the fat, making it one of the fattiest plants around, you can take heart in the fact that it’s good fat: it’s a monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid, that’s been shown to reduce inflammation and is heart healthy. And that fat can also help you absorb fat soluble nutrients. So eating an avocado (or using avocado oil) will actually help you absorb the good stuff in your salad. Avocados are also full of fibre.

 

Shrimp & Avocado Pasta Salad

For the shrimp

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
2 tbs butter
1 tbs garlic olive oil
1 lime juiced

Shell shrimp. Mix all the other ingredients together, pour over shrimp and let sit for 15 minutes. Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven until shrimp are just turning pink (about 10-12 minutes). Reserve the liquid in which the shrimp were cooked.

For the avocado dressing

2 avocados, crushed
1 lime juiced
¼ tsp hot sauce (I use scotch bonnet pepper)
Salt to taste
1 tsp coriander (if you can stand the stuff)

Combine all he ingredients and mix thoroughly. Starting with 2-3 tbs, add enough of the shrimp liquid to make the mixture pourable.

Boil up your fav pasta noodle. Fusilli works well, as do shells or even a fat noodle. Toss the cooled pasta with the avocado dressing. Add:

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomato, drained and sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
The shrimp

What’s Your Favourite Colour

Do you have a favourite colour? Most of us do. It’s reflected in the towels and sheets we buy, what we wear and how we paint our homes. Psychologist tell us that colour has a significant impact on our mood. And then there are all those online quizzes with titles like, “What colour are you?”

My absolute favourite colour is periwinkle. It’s the colour of my bedroom walls and shows up in my garden too. My son loves orange; he’s had three bedrooms all painted orange. I don’t know how he slept with that colour, but he loves it. I’m not sure what my daughter’s fav colour is, though it might be that beautiful yellow of daffodils.

So what’s your favourite colour? Is it the green of an unfurling leaf, the blue of a robin’s egg, or the brownish-grey of tree bark? When you look in your closet, is there one colour that dominates? (No, black doesn’t count.) Or is there a colour that you’re always drawn to even if you know you can’t wear it. (For me, it’s yellow. I love that butter-yellow colour but I can’t wear it since it makes me look like I’m sick. Dyam!)

Would it surprise you to learn that countries have favourite colours. Yup, somebody has done a survey for that! And you know what? In the ten countries surveyed, blue came out the big winner.

Brits love blue the most, followed by Germans, Americans and Australians. (Canada wasn’t part of the survey, so quit holding your breath.) Blue comes first even among the Chinese who consider red and yellow to be lucky.

So is there a difference in the colours we love when we take gender into account? You betcha baby. But while blue is more popular with men than women, women still choose blue more often than any other colour. Sure some women like pink, but it wasn’t really the rage you’d think it was based on how we peptobismal our girl children! Pink turns out to be no more popular than red, purple or green.

 

Coupon Crazed

If you’ve watched any of those shows on TV that talk about getting a b’zillion dollars worth of stuff for a buck ninety-two through the aggressive use of coupons, you may wonder, “What the hell?” My girlfriend Jazz was telling me about a show she watched that highlighted the extremes to which people will go to get something for nothing. Sometimes a lot of something. But do Joanna Average and her mate actually coupon like this? And is this strictly an American phenomenon or can you coupon with any result in Canada?

Do a quick search at Google for “couponing” and you’ll get over four million results. Search at Amazon and you’ll find 98 books (virtually all of which are American) devoted to helping you save money by shopping strategically with coupons. There are even stories of people who, through their phenomenal organizational sills and focused couponing, can walk out of a checkout line with hundreds of dollars of stuff, plus the money the store had to pay them! Ha!

One reason why couponing is so much more lucrative in the U.S. is that many more stores print their own coupons, often on the back of their receipts. Another is that the U.S. has way more people so they have more stores competing for attention… and couponing to get it. And Canadian stores typically don’t allow coupon stacking; most offers include the proviso, “not available in conjunction with other offers”, so you can use one coupon to save a loonie or two, but ya can’t do much better than that on a single product.

You can improve your odds of saving if you visit sites like GroceryAlerts.ca, SimplyFrugal.ca, WebSaver.ca and Save.ca. And if you get in the groove of the 12-Week Cycle you can really pile up the savings. What most folks don’t realize is that stores don’t drive sales, manufacturers do, and items typically go on sale in 12-week cycles. So the hungriest deal-hounds use a price book or a spread sheet to keep track of prices on the items they buy most often. When there’s a great sale – I’m not talking about a wussy 25¢ off here – they stock up with enough to last until the next great sale.

Completing consumer surveys is another way you can get a stash of coupons. Or write to the manufacturer directly and you might be rewarded with some high-value coupons. And if you’re shopping online, make sure you search for “promo codes” for that retailer so you can fill in that enticing little box at check-out and save.

If an item is out of stock when you hit the store and you’re looking at a limited time offer coupon, make sure you get a rain-check so you can receive the same discount the next time the product is available. And take advantage of price-matching to save having to drive all over hell’s half acre to get the best deal. The gas line on your budget will thank you.

 

“Happy” and “Easy” are Not Synonyms

For some reason when I start to talk about happiness people often hear “easy.” I am a happy women and I live a happy life. But it hasn’t always been an easy life. I’ve lived through abuse, divorce, and disability and there have been moments when I have thought, “How much more?” But always, when I return to stasis, I return to happy.

Some people think things must always run smoothly for a body to be happy. Good luck with that. Reality is there are ebbs and flows in our lives, cycles that bring good times and not-so-good times. We have moments of complete clarity followed by periods of utter confusion.

Some people think happiness means an absence of fear or anxiety. You’d be brain-dead if you didn’t feel butterflies in your stomach or a sense of dread from time to time. Knowing how to control anxiety and fear, how to take control of your thoughts so they don’t spiral out of control taking you with them is the key.

If you think being happy doesn’t involve taking risks, you’d be wrong. If you think happiness means your life must be easy, again, you’d be wrong.

There’s nothing easy about changing your life. Whether it is taking on a new career, leaving a rotten relationship or deciding you’ve had enough of a frienemy, moving to a new reality can be really hard. But if your happiness depends on finding new challenges, self-respect and peace of mind, taking the tough road will get you to a better place.

I’ve had a wonderful life. But it has been a life full of challenges. I’ve been brave enough to step out of my comfort zone over and over and that has lead to some of my strongest moments of happiness. When I’ve been stressed or sad or worried, I’ve worked at making my life into what I want it to be by focusing on what’s really important. And I haven’t rushed things. I’m blessed with patience – my babies gave me that gift – and that’s allowed me to see things as they are and as they might be and wait for the next piece of my life to unfold.

I’ve had to work at being happy. But I don’t mind that. The rewards have been substantial. Being able to move from “stressed” to “blessed” means knowing when to take control of my own happiness because without direction, happiness can go missing. I’ve learned I can only be happy when I speak my truth. I’ve also learned that I have no control over what people say about, or to, me. I only have control over how I react. As I’ve said often, “I would rather be disliked for the person I actually am than for the person I’m pretending to be.”

I choose to be happy. I avoid negative nellies. I spend time thinking about what’s good in my life. And I don’t worry about what other people think of me. It isn’t always easy. But that’s okay. The effort has always been worth it.

This & That: Credit Confusion Edition

L Wrote: Our mortgage is up for renewal – $92,000.00 – as well we have $48,000.00 on our line of credit. This is our entire debt load. We gross $200,000.00 between the two of us. Should we combine these debts to one mortgage payment or power down on the line of credit (I think we could pay it down in 12 to 18 months) and renew our mortgage and keep these separate? My husband and I disagree on what we should do so we are asking the expert!

Gail Says: If your intent is to consolidate to the mortgage and then treat it like your mortgage, taking for-frickin’-ever to pay it off then don’t do the consolidation. If consolidation saves you money because the interest rate is lower, and you have a way to make extra payments against the mortgage every year, and you plan to get that $48K paid off in 3 years or less, it can be a good idea. 

 

T Wrote: A friend (honestly) has approached us to help her out. She is single, self-employed, older (60) and bought a house on her own 5 years ago. Awhile back she fell into problems when the CRA audited her, she owed back taxes that were not budgeted for. That debt has skyrocketed as she has been unable to pay them, they have garnished her wages, and she is living off credit. As a friend I want to help. But I don’t know how. I can loan her money, but feel like that is throwing a Band-Aid at a deep wound, and the amount is a lot. I am wondering if there are trustworthy debt consolidation companies or debt councillors that exist in Canada? Or are bankers able to help? We need an independent third party to help!

Gail Says: You don’t say how large all her debt is, nor do you say how much equity she has in her home. If she has very little equity, I would strongly recommend you seek help from a bankruptcy trustee. This:  http://www.hoyes.com is a good company if you’re in Ontario. If she has enough equity to pay her debts, she should sell her home and pay off what she owes. I know it’s a tough hit. 

 

S Wrote:   My boyfriend and I are $20,000 in credit card debt. We have four kids and an $188,000 mortgage. My question is should the cards with the lowest balances or the highest interest be paid first? What will give us the best bang for our buck and allow us to pay off the debt the quickest?

Gail Says: You always pay the debt with the highest interest rate first. You should make a debt repayment plan, and snowball. If you don’t know how, grab a copy of Debt-Free Forever from the library and it will give you all the steps.  

 

M Wrote: I consolidated my debt, and one in particular my daughter co-signed for me….does that mean my daughter is fully responsible now for this loan and has to continue to pay even if I consolidated?

Gail Says: Yes. When your daughter co-signed she accepted responsibility for the debt. And if you make payments late, they will show up on her credit history and affect her ability to borrow in the future. Please do not screw up your kid for stepping up for you. 

 

C Wrote: My sweetheart is a huge fan of yours she is doing the whole jar business. She’s really doing great with it. Got a bunch squirreled away. We recently decided to build a new home which is a huge undertaking. At this point we have no vehicle payments however, our current vehicles are showing their age. She is thinking strongly of purchasing a new vehicle and taking on a $700 a month payment for six years. That’s about 30% of one month’s income. Is this a wise move?

Gail Says: Really, she feels that building a new home and taking on a $50,000 car at the same time is sensible. You might want to remind her that she shouldn’t be spending more than 15% of her take-home income on transportation, and that includes gas, insurance and maintenance. *shaking head* Geeze Louise.

 

K Wrote:   My husband and I are looking to purchase a few large-ticket furniture items for our new home, and have noticed that some retailers (Sears, for example) offers pretty enticing deals–65% off purchases of $3500, for example–if you place the purchase on a their credit card. In our situation, we would be purchasing furniture that we already had the cash money for, but because we’d like to save as much as possible I’m wondering if it makes sense to open up retailer credit card just for this one large purchase and then pay it off immediately and cut up the card. We have decent credit and 3 credit cards between us (only two of which we regularly use) but I’ve heard that opening credit accounts can be bad for your credit score. What would you suggest is the best decision in the long run?

Gail Says: If you can save $2300 on a purchase, do it! Follow through on paying it off, and then when about 6 weeks have passed, cancel the card. Don’t apply for a retailer CC more than 1x in a year and your credit score should be fine. 

 

D Wrote: My husband & I are wanting to buy our first condo, but before we see a mortgage broker, I would like to check our credit scores/rating, as well as fix potential errors. When I check the websites for TransUnion and Equifax, they want to be paid up front, but I heard we can check our own information for free. How can we see our credit scores and rating free the first time?

Gail Says: No one will give you your credit score for free. It’s a money making machine, that credit score! You can get your credit history for free, but if you want to see your score you’re going to have to pony up the bucks. 

Books, Books & More Books

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah is set in the 70s so for someone who grew up in that decade, there was a lot of nostalgia. Firefly Lane is where Tully and Kate meet in middle school, agree to be friends forever, and stick by each other through thick and thin. Through the jealousy, resentment, and anger, the two stick by each other through three decades of life changes. Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. And she does become famous. Kate wants to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. the two lead lives as different as can be. Will a single act of betrayal tear them apart?

Autopilot: The Art and Science of Doing Nothing by Andrew Smart was something completely different. Andrew wants you to do nothing more often – and he is sharing the neuroscience to explain why. Acknowledging that at every turn we are   pushed to do more, faster, and more efficiently, he argues that that “efficiency” and our focus on Multitasking is actually harmful to our well-being. He is very open about is loathing of the time-management industry. And he’s passionate about helping us understand what the brain does when we do nothing. It turns out that it does quite a lot, much of which is important for the health of our brains.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel was a delight. I must have seen a dozen prompts to get this book before I finally did. And I’m glad I did. Civilization collapses after an airborn flu hits the world like a hammer. But this isn’t just another apocalyptic tale. The narrative moves between present and past, looking at where we are, how we got here and just how different life could be if all that technology we take for granted up and went away. It’s something the characters deal with, especially those who have lived in both worlds. Those characters are connected by a moment in time before the pandemic hit. Arthur falls in love, Jeevan watches as newscaster say goodbye to their loved ones, Kristen is first a child actress and then performs with the Travelling Symphony in the new, altered world. There’s a violent prophet, ex wives, friends, brothers.

Heartburn by Nora Ephron was a delight. Known for her fabulous movies (she created greats like Sleepless in Seattle), Nora Ephron knew how to spin a tale. When Rachel finds out her husband, Mark, is in love with another woman, she is seven months pregnant. Ouch! The fact that the other woman is someone Rachel detests is salt in the wound. The writing is furiously witty, the main character a woman you come to admire for her spunk. Smart, funny and unpretentious, it’s a story that will make you cringe even as you smile. Written a couple of decades ago, it’s supposedly a lightly veiled retelling of her own marriage breakdown after her husband, Carl Bernstein left her for the daughter of a British Prime Minister. Nora didn’t die and neither does her character, Rachel, who isn’t above spreading rumours that her husband’s new mistress has herpes.

The Flight of the Silvers by Daniel Price is the story of six people who are transported from the earth they know to a parallel earth. When the world – as they know it – comes to an end, sisters Hanna and Amanda are saved by mysterious strangers. So too are David, Mia, Zach and Theo, who are so different from each other that it’s clear the only thing binding them together is their very strange circumstances. The story is absorbing, and it’s fascinating to watch as the Silvers begin developing extraordinary abilities. Forced to take flight to save themselves, the six bond, fight, unravel, love and laugh together, and I was dragged along for the wild ride.

Any Other Name by Craig Johnson is another in the Walt Longmire series. I love this series. In this episode Walt’s old boss, Lucian Conally, asks Walt to help him uncover what was behind his old friend’s suicide. Walt’s daughter is about to give birth to his first grandchild and she wants him by her side in Philadelphia. But Walt’s intense sense of responsibility in tracking down the truth threatens to keep him away. All my fav characters show up to the game… Vic Moretti, Walt’s deputy and love interest, and, of course, Henry Standing Bear, who may be one of my fav fictional characters. Craig Johnson is a wonderful writer able to draw his character so finely that you feel like you’re walking right beside them as you follow their story. You can even feel the buffalo breath on your face.

 

Eating Life-Hacks

I love brain science… all those whacky experiments psychologists do to see how we behave given different prompts. A whole industry has grown up around the idea of knowing better and doing better. Yet so much of what we read about self-improvement involves whipping ourselves into shape… and I use the word “whipping” deliberately.

Perhaps the solution to doing better doesn’t have to be painful. Life hacking might be the cure for what ails us.

A leading behavioural scientist named Brian Wansink thinks that changing your surroundings can vastly improve your success in changing your behaviour. He’s the author of “Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life” and the director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, and he and his team have been conducting those whacky studies for years. Specifically, he’s looked at what’s different in people’s environments and how that impacts on their waistlines.

He says, “My latest research has found subtle ways to tweak our homes, workplaces, schools, restaurant dining and grocery shopping so we mindlessly eat less instead of more.”

Do you believe the colour of your dinner plate can make a difference in how much you eat? Wansink’s team asked sixty people to a free pasta lunch and gave them either a red plate or a white plate. Half the people were offered a marinara pasta buffet (red sauce); half were offered the Alfredo pasta buffet (white sauce).

Researchers weighed each person’s plate and found that those when the plate color matched the pasta color, people served themselves about 18% more. Lesson: if you want to cut down on white food, eat off dark dinner plates.

In my house we have a small dinner table, so I tend to let people serve themselves off serving dishes in the kitchen and then come to the table. It’s a convenience thing. But Wansink’s team found it’s also a smart thing if you don’t want to overeat. Turns out folks who serve from stove- or counter-tops, instead of putting servicing dishes right on the dinner table, ate about 19% less. Having to get up to get that second or third reduces how much we put in our mouths.

Of course, if there are things you want your kids to eat more of… salad, fruit, or veggies, sticking those things within easy reach means they’re more likely to be consumed. So that fruit bowl is a good idea. And leaving the carrots in the centre of the table means more will likely get eaten!

Do you keep your cereal or snacks on the kitchen counter. You might want to move those puppies. Wansink’s team that when open bags of snacks or cereal sat on counters, those people tended to weigh more than their neighbours who kept their food in cupboards out of sight. This was true even if the amount of snacks purchased were about the same. Goodies are in sight offer more temptation. So stick ‘em where you can’t see ‘em.

We all know that eating at home is healthier than eating out. Yes, we do, we know that. We still like to eat out, but we shouldn’t be surprised to find it does our waistlines no good. Did you know that eating out just a couple of times a week might undo all that good eating you do at home. Still in the early stages, Wansink’s research is coming up with ways to help. He says, “This is preliminary, but so far it looks like people ordered healthier foods if they sat by a window or in a well-lit part of the restaurant.”

Other findings:

the further you sit from the door of the restaurant the more likely you are to order dessert


sit close to a TV screen, and you’re prolly gonna order fried foods


sit close to the bar and you’ll drink three more alcoholic beverages that the guys just one table further away.

So when you go to a restaurant, if you want to keep being good, stay in a lighted area, close to the door but away from the bar.