Dear Budget Express Desktop (Standard) user,

We regret to inform you that the Desktop (Standard) version of Budget Express will no longer be available as of June 2024. Indeed, Buro en Gros has decided to withdraw this product from their offerings due to insufficient sales to justify its continuation.

However, for those currently holding licenses, we want to assure you that you can continue using your software without any issues. Additionally, you will have the option to reinstall the software for a limited time if needed, but for a maximum period of 2 years, meaning by July 2026, it will no longer be possible to reinstall the software if necessary.

It’s important to note, however, that if Windows updates render the software incompatible, we will not be able to intervene to make it usable again. Therefore, we recommend subscribing to the online version within the next 2 years at the latest.

We appreciate your understanding and loyalty to Budget Express. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Best regards, The Budget Express Team

Certain annuities and life annuities are two forms of periodic income paid in exchange for an initial investment. Although they share the same objective of providing regular income, they differ in how they are calculated and their duration.

Certain annuities are periodic payments of a fixed sum over a specified period of time. They are often used in situations where one wishes to guarantee a constant flow of income over a given period, for example to supplement retirement income or to finance medium-term projects. The amount of payments is generally determined in advance based on the capital invested, the interest rate and the duration of the annuity. Once the specified period has passed, payments stop, regardless of the recipient’s status.

On the other hand, life annuities guarantee a regular income for the entire life of the beneficiary, regardless of their length of life. They provide long-term financial security by ensuring a stable income until the end of the beneficiary’s life, making them a popular choice for retirement planning. The amount of payments in a life annuity depends on various factors, such as the age of the beneficiary when the annuity is purchased, the amount of principal invested, and the prevailing interest rates. Life annuities can be simple, with regular payments until the beneficiary’s death, or indexed, meaning the payments increase periodically to account for inflation or other factors.

Each of these forms of annuities has its advantages and disadvantages. Certain annuities provide certainty of payments for a set period of time, but they do not guarantee lifetime income. Life annuities provide long-term security, but they can be more expensive and offer lower upfront payments. The choice between an annuity certain and a life annuity depends on individual financial needs, risk tolerance and long-term financial planning goals. Ultimately, whether to provide regular short-term income or to ensure lifelong financial security, annuities remain an important tool in managing personal finances and retirement planning.

Katie Lefebvre
Partner of your financial success

Every year, many Canadians receive a tax refund after contributing to their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). Rather than viewing this refund as “bonus” money to spend, a wise financial strategy is to reinvest this money to maximize its growth potential. In this article, we will explore this strategy and its benefits for long-term financial health.

The Reinvestment Cycle:

The strategy of reinvesting tax returns after an RRSP contribution creates a virtuous cycle for your finances:

1. Contribution to the RRSP: You start by contributing to your RRSP, which reduces your taxable income and can potentially entitle you to a tax refund.
2. Receipt of Tax Refund: Once your tax return is processed, you receive your refund tax refund, which is often a significant amount for many taxpayers.
3. Reinvestment: Rather than spending this tax refund, you choose to reinvest it in your RRSP or other investment vehicles.
4. Growth Increased: By reinvesting your tax returns, you increase the amount of your savings and create additional growth potential through compound interest.
5. Repeat the Process: This cycle can be repeated each year, resulting in a gradual increase in your savings and your net worth.

Benefits of Reinvesting Tax Returns:

1. Maximizing Savings: Reinvesting your tax refund in your RRSP allows you to increase your savings in the long term, because this money continues to grow over time. tax-free.
2. Compound Interest: By regularly reinvesting your tax returns, you benefit from the powerful effect of compound interest, which means that your earnings themselves generate gains over time.
3. Retirement Planning: This strategy helps you increase your retirement savings, allowing you to better prepare financially for your golden years.
4. Reducing the Tax Burden: By contributing to your RRSP and reinvesting your returns taxes, you reduce your taxable income, which may result in larger tax refunds in the future.

Tips for Successful Implementation:

• Plan Ahead: Integrate the reinvestment of your tax returns into your annual financial plan.
• Automate the process: Set up automatic transfers to reinvest your tax refunds as soon as they are received.
• Diversify your investments: Explore different investment options to maximize the growth of your savings.
• Consult a professional: Talk to a financial advisor to make sure this strategy is right for your specific financial situation.

Conclusion:

Reinvesting tax returns after an RRSP contribution is a powerful strategy for maximizing your savings and growing your net worth. By taking this approach, you can not only take advantage of immediate tax benefits, but also position yourself optimally to achieve your long-term financial goals, including a comfortable and secure retirement.

Katie Lefebvre
Partner of your financial success

You’ve carefully created a budget, planned your spending, and set financial goals, but despite your best efforts, you’re having trouble sticking to it. Don’t worry, you are not alone in this situation. Many people have difficulty keeping their budget on track. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to regain control of your finances.

1. Reevaluate your budget: If you’re having trouble sticking to your budget, it may be time to reevaluate it. Perhaps your planned expenses were too restrictive or you underestimated certain costs. Take the time to review your expenses and adjust your budget accordingly. Make sure it is realistic and aligned with your real needs.
2. Identify areas of overspending: Analyze your spending to identify areas where you are spending too much. Maybe you’re wasting money on impulse purchases or subscriptions you don’t really need. By identifying these spending habits, you can take steps to limit them and save money. Use applications or services that allow you to save on your expenses, such as real deals. Develop consumption habits that encourage savings.
3. Prioritize your spending: If you’re having trouble sticking to your budget, it’s important to prioritize your spending. Focus on essential expenses such as housing, utilities and food, and cut back on non-essential expenses until you can better balance your budget.
4. Use expense tracking tools: Use expense tracking tools like Budget Express to monitor your daily spending. This will allow you to see where your money is going and spot areas where you could cut costs.
5. Consider additional sources of income: If you are struggling to make ends meet despite trying to stay within your budget, consider looking for additional sources of income. This could be a part-time job, self-employment, or selling items you no longer use. Extra income can help you fill gaps in your budget and reach your financial goals faster.
6. Stay motivated and persistent: Sticking to a budget can be difficult, but don’t give up hope. Stay motivated by keeping your long-term financial goals in mind. Be persistent and continue to adjust your budget and spending habits until you find what works best for you.

Ultimately, sticking to a budget takes discipline and perseverance, but it can be achievable with the right strategies in place. By taking steps to reevaluate your budget, identify areas of overspending, and prioritize your spending, you can regain control of your finances and work toward long-term financial stability.

Katie Lefebvre
Partner of your financial success

Many of you have chosen the Standard version, probably because of its moderate acquisition cost. However, it is important to note that this version has several drawbacks that you might not be aware of.

The Standard version, installed directly on your computer, requires more effort on your part. Since we do not have access to your data, you must make regular backups, at least once a month, to external media such as a USB stick. This is necessary because if your computer or software fails, you risk losing all your data. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing all your work disappear, forcing you to start from the beginning.

The online version has been available since January 1, 2020 and has many advantages. First of all, you can use Budget Express from any device: PC, MAC, tablet and even a cell phone with a large enough screen. On the other hand, the Standard version is limited to the computer on which the software is installed.

Another key point is that the improvements will be made to the online version only, the Standard version being on the way out. The list of improvements is long, but to illustrate, in the short term, we foresee the possibility of modifying the transaction amounts without having to specify an end date or recreate a new transaction. Further short-term improvements, within a maximum of one year, are planned in the development roadmap.

In the longer term, more than 2 years, a mobile application project is being developed, given the growing demand and the insufficient optimization of the use of the current version on smartphones.

Finally, the transition from the PC version to the online version is very simple. You have the option to import your database from the PC version to the online version, allowing you to pick up where you left off. A tutorial is available on the learning page of the Budget Express site, accessible via the support page.

For anyone considering migrating from the PC version to the online version, we are offering, for a limited time, a $10.00 discount on the annual subscription. Do not hesitate to request your promotional code by sending an e-mail to info@budget-express.com right away and entering your activation key number. This offer ends on January 31, 2024, take advantage of it.

Katie Lefebvre

Having a balanced budget is not always easy. I’m sharing with you 7 tips that allowed me to reduce certain expenses.

1.Use Budget Express for Effective Budget Management:
Before discovering Budget Express, my budget was often overwhelmed by reality. This tool and its analytical features allowed me to better understand my real spending, including those I was unaware of, like dining out or grocery shopping. Thanks to these analyses, I was able to adjust my budget and develop tips to reduce certain unnecessary expenses.

2.Buy Meat Directly from the Farm:
My husband and I were pleasantly surprised to find that the price of meat on the farm was much cheaper than in supermarkets. With an average cost of $4.25 to $5.50 per pound, all cuts combined, it’s both economical and delicious. We have established a weekly budget to anticipate our meat purchases, and for chicken and pork, we take advantage of special offers in flyers.

3.Plan Meals Based on Specials:
Before going to the supermarket, I carefully look at the special offers at Super C, Maxi, IGA, and Metro while preparing the menu for the following days. I’m lucky to have all these supermarkets on the same path so I take advantage of it.

4.Reduce Food Waste:
Food waste is a real waste of money. It’s true that it takes effort, but simple tips can help. For example, reuse leftovers to create new dishes, and turn your leftovers into lunch the next day. I also freeze vegetables in a vacuum before they end up in the compost, or even dehydrate them. Air fryers are also useful in this process.

5.Avoid Shopping Malls:
Moving to a small town far from a major shopping center led me to explore online shopping. I discovered that I could find quality clothing at more than affordable prices for me and my children. In addition, I avoid succumbing to impulses, because I buy according to real needs.

6.Buy at the end of the season to take advantage of discounts:
Buying clothes at the end of the season is a surefire tip to save money. You can find winter items for children with discounts of up to 50% or even 70%. This is a great way to keep the clothing budget in check.

7.Reduce Alcohol Consumption:
In March 2020, due to confinement, I worked from home and therefore developed the habit of having a small glass of wine while preparing dinner while I allowed myself this little pleasure only on Fridays when I worked outside the home. When I analyzed the expenses related to alcohol, I quickly understood that I had to return to the real Vin-dredi.

These seven habits have had the power to transform my budget management, allowing me to make substantial savings. By integrating them into my routine, I took firmer control over my money.

Katie Lefebvre

Winter is fast approaching, and with it, the need to prepare our homes to face the cold and the expenses associated with it. Planning ahead and managing your finances responsibly are essential to having a comfortable winter season. Here is a guide to help you prepare your budget for winter.

1. Establish a Winter Budget

The first step to a stress-free winter season is to establish a specific budget for this period. Identify your usual expenses, such as heating, electricity and water, as well as additional seasonal costs, such as supplemental heating, winter clothing and holiday gifts. By establishing a clear budget, you can better manage your spending and avoid financial surprises.

2.Maintain Your Heating System

Before the cold sets in, make sure your heating system is working efficiently. Call a professional for regular inspection and maintenance. A well-maintained heating system is more efficient and less likely to break down, which will help you avoid unexpected expenses.

3.Reduce Your Energy Consumption

Adopt energy-saving habits to reduce your bills. Turn down the thermostat when you’re not home, use thick curtains to trap heat, and replace light bulbs with energy-efficient LED models. These small changes can make a big difference.

4.Prepare Your Winter Wardrobe

Investing in quality winter clothing can save you from having to replace it every year. Shop for warm coats, water-resistant boots, and accessories like scarves and gloves to stay warm without sacrificing style.

5.Plan Your Car Expenses

Preparing your car for winter is an essential step in ensuring your safety on the road and avoiding unexpected expenses. Some of the main expenses to consider include changing tires to winter tires, purchasing quality antifreeze fluid, checking the battery and heating system, and preparing a repair kit. road emergency, including items such as jumper cables, shovel, and blankets. Investing in these precautions can save you from worry and costly expenses related to breakdowns or accidents in cold weather. Planning for these expenses from the start of the winter season is therefore a wise decision to ensure peaceful journeys.

6.Save for Emergencies

Finally, don’t forget to build up an emergency fund to deal with possible unforeseen events, such as urgent plumbing repairs or heating outages. Having a reserve of money will prevent you from going into debt if something goes wrong.

By following these tips and planning your spending proactively, you can enjoy winter with peace of mind, staying warm without blowing your budget. Preparing your home and your finances will allow you to have a pleasant and economical winter season.

The budget copy function is now available in the cloud version. This feature greatly simplifies the management of your personal finances. No more having to recreate your budget from scratch every time you want to make changes or evaluate your spending.

With the budget copy feature, you can easily duplicate your current budget in the blink of an eye, eliminating the tedious task of re-entering each expense and income category. This saves you valuable time that you can spend on other aspects of your life.

But the benefits don’t stop there. In addition to the simplicity it brings to budget management, budget copy also helps optimize the performance of our software. By avoiding creating a completely new budget from scratch, you reduce the calculation load that the software must perform. This results in a smoother user experience and faster calculations, meaning you can get accurate information about your financial situation in real time.

In summary, the budget copy function in the cloud version is a major advancement that simplifies budget management and improves software performance. This is a valuable tool for all Budget Express users. Try it today and see for yourself the difference it can make in managing your personal finances.

Katie Lefebvre
Partner of your financial success

Are you getting ready to welcome baby? What a joy to prepare for his arrival, you have a thousand and one things to think about and you want to offer him a safe home that will meet all his needs. Your new responsibilities create a new reality, and the same is true for your finances.

The preparations are not limited to the purchase of equipment, clothes, diapers and baby food. You need to adjust your financial reality, as there are significant costs and responsibilities to face as parents.

The budget

Establishing a budget is essential when baby arrives. Your expenses will increase and during maternity and parental leave your income will decrease. When returning to work, childcare costs are also a significant expense and being well prepared is the key to your success. Stick to your budget limits and don’t be tempted to overspend on the pretext that it’s cute. Buy according to real needs and analyze the cost versus the time of use. Do not hesitate to ask for gift cards as welcome gifts, these cards can give you a good boost for the purchase of baby’s essential needs.

My advice: Make a list of all the expenses related to being a parent and your income, including government benefits such as Canada child allowances, the family programs of your province allowance. Then, make a budget taking into account all these elements.

As you will have understood, the budget is used to ensure that cash inflows remain higher than outflows, with a simple eventual objective: savings.

Savings

It is important to plan your financial future and saving is the element that will allow you to face life’s events, whatever they may be.

If you have not already done so, set up an emergency fund, also plan for future purchases, as much in the short, medium and even long term. In fact, you will have to change the furniture, buy bicycles, maybe even participate in the purchase of a vehicle.

A great way to save is to automate savings based on your payroll frequencies. Just setting up automatic payments will save you a nice amount of money without even changing your routine.

The RESP is also an excellent way to provide for the amounts necessary for your child’s studies. Despite the fact that tuition fees are among the lowest in the world, that does not mean no fees at all. On the contrary, education remains an important investment and as a parent, you may wish to financially support your children during their studies.

My advice: Consult a financial advisor who can help you build an action plan. Some financial strategies can be very effective and generate little outflow of money from you. For example, a couple who contributes to RRSPs reduces their taxable income, which will increase the allowances, and the tax refund can be used to contribute to RESPs.

Protections

The arrival of a child represents a significant financial burden on the part of the parents and that is why it is important to write a will, a mandate for the protection of the living, but also to review their personal insurance protections. Life sometimes has bad surprises in store for us and no one is immune to the illness or death of one of the family members.

You may have group insurance with your employer. If applicable, you must check whether the coverage offered is well suited to your new family situation.

The objective is to minimize the financial repercussions in the event of an illness or death of one of the parents, but we must not forget to protect the child as well. Let’s be clear, no one thinks they would like such an event to occur in order to benefit from insurance protection. That being said, protection in the event of disability, serious illness and death, adequate, will allow the family to live through such events without worrying about the financial aspect while maintaining the standard of living of the family at least at the same level as today.

My advice: There are a range of solutions available to you to protect the financial life of your family. This is why it is important to be well supported by a life insurance advisor, who will help you make choices based on your goals and your budget.

In conclusion, the arrival of a child is a happy event that will change the rest of your life. You are or will be a parent, and a new baby will depend on you for many more years. Remember that this is also an opportunity to ensure your financial health and plan for a happy future, free of financial stress, for your whole little family.

Katie Lefebvre
Partner of your financial success

Do you feel bombarded by rising prices and interest rates? If so, you are not alone. Is your budget suffering? Here are some actions or solutions that will allow you to breathe again.

1) Reduce expenses
Reducing expenses is the very first thing to do, but how do you know what can be cut as expenses. Budget Express’ analyzes allow you to compare your actual expenses with what was planned. This will allow you to identify unnecessary expenses. Hunt for discounts by visiting establishments offering better prices and buy within your means.

2) Close tracking
Get into the habit of checking your financial transactions at least once a week. This has 2 advantages, firstly you will be able to adjust the situation quickly and secondly, you will also be able to spot transactions made by one or more fraudsters quickly.

3) Plan for a surplus
Allow additional amounts for each of your variable expenses. Basically, if you have a budget of $175 for groceries, allow an extra 10-15% to put aside in a savings account for future increases.

4) Pay more on your mortgage
If you are one of those with a variable mortgage rate, adjust your payments upwards (+ 1%). This way, during the next increase, your budget will not have to be adjusted, only the interest-capital portions will be impacted.

5) Drastic solutions
If your room for maneuver was already zero before the last rate hikes, you must react immediately. Are your debts suffocating you? Consider selling your property, increasing your mortgage amortization, refinancing to pay all of your debts, or consider the possibility of a consumer proposal or even bankruptcy.
Before making a drastic decision, analyzing your budget and modifying your expenses, closely monitor all your financial operations. Budget Express in the tool allowing you to regain control of your finances before it is too late.

Katie Lefebvre
Partner of your financial success