In this regular feature, Caroline Cakebread will answer reader's most pressing money questions. Today: How much do you need for retirement, what to do with extra money and more
Chatelaine
I’ve been writing about money for over ten years — during that time I’ve written about everything from high finance to how to save money at the grocery store. But just because I write about money doesn’t mean I haven’t made my own mistakes over the years.
My grandma never imagined needing any of this stuff - this list helps put the whole luxury versus necessity thing into perspective.
When I was a kid, my grandfather gave me a Canada Savings Bond every Christmas. I thought this was a pretty boring gift — until I turned 17 and cashed in some of the bonds to help pay for a summer abroad in France.
Recently, a very good friend practically begged me to go to Istanbul with him. Everything seemed to line up: the timing was great and he was generously offering to cover the cost of my accommodations.