Canadian MoneySaver – A New Look & Great Advice for Canadians of All Ages

When Canadian MoneySaver approached me about doing a review of their publication a couple of months ago I was a little bit skeptical. After all, my memories of the magazine from that last time I picked it up a few years ago revolved around how outdated I thought it seemed. The graphics and content seemed to be aimed at investors that were primarily in the 55+ crowd, and I wasn’t a big fan of the lack of DIY advice.

Upon finding out that new management had taken over the product, however, I figured it was worth a shot. I’m happy to say that this new version isn’t your grandpa’s CMS.

The magazine has a great new look, both online and at newsstands everywhere. The website is easier to navigate and the print magazine looks professionally designed instead of the weird adaptation of Pink Floyd album art that CMS had been using for many years.

Over the last couple of months, Canadian MoneySaver has published a great variety of articles that included a ton of great stuff for DIY investors (my favorite kind!) from some of Canada’s best personal finance writers such as Dan Bortolotti (MoneySense, The Globe and Mail, and Canadian Couch Potato) and Evelyn Jacks (Business Woman of the Year, Jacks on Tax) amongst many others. You’ll read about actionable stuff that you can put into use tomorrow. Here’s a few of my favorite topics that I’ve read about:

• Information on investment products from across the risk spectrum. Everything from bonds and GICs to stocks and funds from around the world.
• Legal advice that will save you lots of time and money before visiting a lawyer;
• What you really need to know when it comes to various types of insurance.
• How to buy, sell and manage real estate profitably;
• How to cut your taxes to the bone (who wants to pay more than they have to?).
• Where to save money on big-ticket consumer purchases and services.
• Broad talks about why financial literacy is so vitally important (a personal favorite of mine)
• Real implementation steps for DIY investors (as opposed to the theory-heavy stuff you’ll find elsewhere)

In talking with the team over at CMS I’ve been assured that they are also looking to reach out to younger investors and have promised some upcoming content specifically designed for them, including a special post-secondary issue and possible upcoming webinars.  These considerations alone are worth the price of admission for a young Canadian IMHO.

To be honest, if you’re just starting out in terms of learning about investing and personal finance some of the articles might be a little over your head, but there is still more than enough to justify your time and money (it costs less than a cup of coffee per month).

On the other hand, if you have a handle on basic personal finance stuff and don’t feel the need to read much more about budgeting, staying out of credit card debt, or understanding how compound interest works (all important topics btw), then this is the perfect publication for you! Looking for more advanced comparisons of various investing strategies? CMS has that. Tips on discount brokerages and how to cut down on your investment costs as a DIY investor? They have that too. In fact, here are just a few of the highlights that you’ll have access to with a CMS subscription:

• Savings off the Newsstand Price- Includes 9 issues a year at about 42% off the retail price. As a member, you are guaranteed the lowest renewal rate.
• Special Member Discounts- Huge discounts on financial products and services, money books, software, data services, investment seminars, car purchases and Internet sites.
• At-Home Advisory Service- Write, or e-mail your personal financial questions to us at any time. An experienced contributing editor will answer your questions with up-to-the-minute advice — at no extra cost.
• Unbiased Information- We have no financial advertisers to satisfy. We work for you by exposing the pros and cons of investment products and the pitfalls to avoid so all your hard-earned money is working for you. And all for an affordable cost, much lower than any other financial publication in Canada today.
• Your Own ShareClub- Share money information and knowledge with other like-minded members at a ShareClub located nearest your home. We have ShareClubs across Canada. No cost. No obligation. Just an enquiring mind.
• Investment Conferences- Presentations are held regularly at various locations in Canada. There you can meet other like-minded members and our experts personally.

Canadian MoneySaver is currently offering Young and Thrifty readers FREE subscriptions to Canadian MoneySaver Online. In order to get yours, go to their website http://www.canadianmoneysaver.ca/cmsoffer/, fill in the information and as easy as that you will have access to their archives and any of their upcoming regular editions and special issues for 1 year.