Grandparents Day has been celebrated in Canada since 1995 on the first Sunday after Labour Day. Originating in the U.S. in the 1970s, the idea was to recognize the important contributions made by senior citizens. This year, why not show how much you care by planning a special celebration for grandma and grandpa on September 12. These great ideas will help you plan a grand day, with tips for every budget.

• Create a memory book. Buy a beautiful book or album and fill it with photos, cards, letters, newspaper clippings, and tales featuring the entire family. Spend time with your grandparents to learn more about their stories and memories, and continue to add to this commemorative book.  Wal-Mart Chapter’s and Indigo have a huge selection of beautiful albums to house your collection.

• Share their hobbies. Does grandma enjoy baking, painting or playing cards? Is grandpa a fisherman, golfer or car enthusiast? Plan to share their hobbies with them on Grandparents Day—the best part will be the time you spend together!  Check out Flyerland.ca for coupons or special deals on the activities they love.

• Picture the memories. Go through old photo albums to find favourite family photos and scan them. If a photo is damaged, you can use a photo restoration service to repair and restore family heirlooms—visit Flyerland.ca and try the service offered by Black’s Photography. Once the photos are digitized upload them to a digital photo frame (available at Best Buy or Future Shop) or make a beautiful print as a special gift.

• Tackle the “to do” list. Help your grandparents out with the tasks they need done around the house or yard—from small repairs to preparing the garden for fall or technical help setting up the computer or DVD player. Whatever the chore, they’re sure to appreciate a helping hand!

• Grow your family tree. Take the time to sit down with your grandparents to help fill in the blanks, and enjoy stories from days gone by.

• Give homemade gifts. Cards and gifts the kids have made with their own hands and give from the heart is a thoughtful way to honour grandparents on their special day. Michael’s has all the supplies you’ll need at great prices—see their flyer on Flyerland.ca.

• Visit a retirement home. When the kids are making cards and gifts, create a few extras then visit a local retirement home and share them with the residents. This is sure to bring smiles to the faces of those grandparents whose families are far away.

By Debbie Frye, General Manager, Flyerland.ca

You've survived the summer living with your parents and now you're almost free, right? But before packing your bags and heading off to school, you'd be wise to learn about the real costs of moving away from home. Whether you're planning to live on campus or in an apartment a bus stop away, knowing about these three common moving disasters could help you make the grade and save a bundle.

I never thought I'd get robbed while away at school, but I did. The bandits broke into my off campus apartment and made off with my computer, desk, CD collection, mountain bike, textbooks, and inline skates. It doesn't sound like I owned a lot, but after adding up my losses I discovered it would have cost me thousands to replace my stolen property -- money I didn't have as a starving student. Luckily, I avoided this financial disaster since the contents of my apartment were protected under my renters insurance policy.

Before moving away for school, add up the cost of your stuff -- everything from boots to books -- and ask an insurance broker for a renters or tenants insurance quote. Asking for a quote is free, and a $20 per month policy could save you thousands in lost property due to theft, fire, or water damage. Another tip is to check your parents' homeowners policy -- it's possible that your property is covered while you're a student away at school.

Running out of money before writing your final exams is a financial disaster that can be avoided by adding up all your moving costs and living expenses before leaving for school. Students living on campus should factor in any costs not included in their room and meal plan packages, while students moving off campus should budget for internet, phone, heat, electricity, and food. Don't forget to tally the costs of airfare and travel if you're studying out-of-province -- those flights home can bust any budget if not accounted for. Download this free Student Budget Planner to tally all your costs in a single comprehensive list.

Being on the hook for a 12-month rental lease when you're only in school for 8 months is a huge financial burden many students don't consider until after finals. Before signing on the dotted line, ask your landlord if there are alternatives to an annual rental agreement if you only need the room for part of the year. Some landlords in university towns offer monthly rentals, while others will let you sublet during the summer session.

Always get your rental agreement in writing and understand the rental conditions for your province or territory. Being aware of deposit costs, mandatory post-dated cheques, any rent increases, and how to renew or terminate your lease could save you thousands. See the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CHMC) rental agreement page for lots of advice on signing a lease, including provincial and territorial fact sheets.

Your Turn: Do you have a moving back to school disaster that cost you a few bucks? Got a tip for students looking to cut costs?

Our Canadian summer is so short that it’s hard to believe the final long weekend of the season is almost here. But many of us are so caught up in the back to school bustle that we don’t get to enjoy the last blast of summer. This year, plan a Labour Day celebration! The best news is you don’t have to break your budget to end your summer with a bang.

• Finish back to school shopping early. You don’t want to spend your last weekend of the summer in crowded stores with the stress of getting the family ready for back to school. Finish your shopping before the long weekend so you can relax and have fun. Walmart and Office Depot have great deals on right now.

• Make exciting plans. It’s easy to let a long weekend slip away puttering around the house, so be sure to make a plan! Organize an outing to a local attraction or entertainment venue the whole family will enjoy. Visit Flyerland.ca for savings at Attractions Ontario,

• Host a party.  Get together with friends and neighbours for the last hurrah of the summer! Fire up the grill and make it a potluck, asking the gang to bring salads and sides, desserts and drinks. Stock up on food and party supplies at Loblaws,  and Walmart—you can view the flyers on Flyerland.ca.

• Get away. Labour Day weekend is the ideal time for a mini holiday. Whether you head out of town or stay in your own city, you’ll come home refreshed and ready to face the fall. Check out Flyerland.ca for last-minute discount travel deals from TravelAlerts.

• Finish your summer to do list. Is there an activity you’ve wanted to do all summer that you just didn’t get to? Get out and do it! This is your last chance for summer fun, so make the most of your long weekend.

• Shop the end of season sales. If your barbecue is burnt out and your patio set is past its prime, replace them and save at the end of summer sales. See the Home Depot and Canadian Tire flyers on Flyerland.ca for the best prices of the season.

• Relax. The busy fall season is about to begin so take a well-deserved break on the holiday. Treat yourself to a relaxing home spa day, read a book in the backyard, or plan a family movie night with a summertime theme.

By Debbie Frye, General Manager, Flyerland.ca

Post-secondary students heading back to school in September may be shocked by the price of textbooks. The University of Victoria suggests that students budget $1,700 annually for books alone. And depending on your course of study, you could be paying even more. Before hitting your school bookstore for all your reading materials, be sure to cut some of your costs with these six ways to save on textbooks.

To help counter the steep cost of your study materials be sure to save your receipts and claim the Textbook Amount when filing your tax return. This federal non-refundable tax credit allows full-time students to claim $65 for each eligible month of study, while part-time students can qualify for $20 per month. There are many other tax credits post-secondary students can claim -- see 8 Reasons even broke students should file a tax return for the money-saving details.

University profs often pad their class reading lists with optional books. Buying every tome on your list before class starts might put you ahead of the class, but it could also be an expensive mistake if only a few titles are required reading. To save maximum dollars, talk to students who have taken the class or wait until classes start to buy only the essential textbooks for each subject.

Skipping the university bookstore and buying used textbooks through a student network is a surefire way to save at least 25 percent on each book. Many college campuses and university centers boast a website or a back room where students can meet to swap texts. Seek out these money-saving networks on Facebook, a public school forum, or a class chat room to get your books for far less.

For example, by searching Facebook for a few minutes I quickly found the UBC Textbook Exchange with over 2,100 members looking to buy and sell used books. Need English, Economics, Anatomy, or Chemistry books this fall? It's all there!

Cost-conscious students with a class booklist can save huge by shopping for textbooks online. Online book retailers like Amazon.ca, Alibris.com, ThriftBooks.com, and Abebooks.com all have virtual bookshelves loaded with used textbooks ready for shipping to Canada. The trick is to have your required textbook's ISBN code handy to ensure you get the right book for your class. Just because a particular book has the same author or title doesn't mean it's the right edition for your course.

Don't be afraid to make a few friends the first day of class. You may just find some fellow cash-strapped students looking to share or trade a textbook for the semester to help lower costs. Many school libraries often carry a few copies of each textbook, so be sure to check the shelves for the expensive texts each semester since borrowing a book is free.

It makes little sense to shop for any back-to-school supplies without knowing how much money you have to spend. Download this free Student Budget Planner to tally your tuition costs and calculate your campus expenses. You may just find some additional cash in your budget for that $200 engineering book, after all.

Your Turn: Got a tip for saving on textbooks? How much are you spending on textbooks this year?

School days will soon be here and this year you can start the math lesson early by teaching your kids how to save on school essentials. Doing a bit of planning with the gang before heading out on the annual back to school shopping spree can help you avoid over-spending and stretch your budget. With these tips your family can earn an A+ in saving money.

·   Take stock. Dig out the clothing and supplies you tucked away at the end of the school year. Determine which items can be reused and which need to be replaced, and make a shopping list.

·   Prioritize your purchases. Once you’ve finalized your list, prioritize the purchases—from clothing, hygiene products and shoes to school supplies and electronics. Visit Flyerland.ca and check out the back to school bargains from Payless Shoes, Sears, Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, Best Buy, and more.

·   Research items online. Before you head to the stores, go online to research your favourite retailers and find the items that will get top marks for quality at the best prices.

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Getting your favourite student ready for the first day of school can be an expensive lesson in the cost of an education. A recent survey by Visa Canada found that on average, Canadians expect to spend $621 online and in-store on back-to-school supplies by Labour Day. To help you cut costs this school year, I asked a number of parents and teachers to share their top tips for stretching this year's school supply budget. Here are their top five:

Take a look around your home before hitting the stores -- chances are you already own a few of the essentials and can save a lot of money by not duplicating these items.

That's exactly what teacher and parent Brandi Barker Scraper recommends. She says, "I always save my children's pencil boxes and Fiskar scissors for the following year. After accumulating about six pairs of scissors around the house, I realized there was no reason why those couldn't be taken back to school the next year."

Many schools mail parents a list of recommended school supplies in the summer. Parent Mia Lee has learned not to go shopping with her son until she sees what items are required for the upcoming year. Lee says, "As parents we sometimes tend to buy general supplies instead of waiting to see what items the teacher requests. I remember one year I stocked up on crayons and wide ruled paper because it was on sale, however, my son's list didn't ask for crayons, and he really needed college ruled paper! I save money by only buying what he needs."

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The Canadian summer is so fleeting it seems to zoom by in a flash. The good news is there is still time to enjoy the warm weather and focus on the fun. But if you don’t want your summer memories to fade like the falling autumn leaves, these tips can help you hold on the happy times, celebrate the season…and save.

• Give kids a camera. Buy a one-time use camera for your kids and let them snap their own holiday photos. You can see the vacation and relive all the fun from your child’s perspective. See the Zellers flyer on Flyerland.ca.

• Print your favourite photos. Printing every holiday photo can get pricey, so select a few of your favourites for printing and framing, and save the rest in a digital album or photo frame. Check out your local grocer’s photo lab; like London Drugs and Loblaw’s for cheap printing costs.

• Use online photo tools. Check out the easy-to-use online tools from companies like Black’s Photography and create a professional looking album from your digital photos. You can even show off your best shots on a t-shirt, mousepad or mug, or design a calendar to remember the summer fun all year long.

• Make a summer memory book. Buy a beautiful scrapbook and help your kids create a summer memory album. Fill it with photos, postcards, brochures and other souvenirs you’ve collected throughout the summer or while on vacation. Michael’s has a huge selection of scrapbooking supplies at super savings—see the flyer on Flyerland.ca

• Save on souvenirs. When on holidays, choose less expensive and easy to pack souvenirs like a postcard from each city or attraction you visit. These can complement your own photos in a scrapbook or framed collage, or you can scan the images to add to your digital photo frame.

• Keep a summer journal. Encourage kids to keep a daily journal and jot down all the fun activities and places you’ve visited—mom and dad can do this too. A journal can help you remember the holidays and you can include these thoughts as captions in a photo album or scrapbook. Check out the Office Depot or Chapters for some great journaling options.

• Plan a holiday theme night. Keep the holiday fun alive by holding a theme night. Make a meal that reminds you of your vacation, look at photos and souvenirs, and ask each family member to contribute a special memory. Top off the evening by renting a movie from Blockbuster® based on the theme.

By Debbie Frye, General Manager, Flyerland.ca   

Going away to the college or university of your dreams can be an exciting time. There are interesting subjects to learn and friends to meet. But without proper planning, paying for school can quickly become a debt-ridden nightmare. It's not too late to take these five financial steps before packing up and moving onto campus.

Do you know how much your classes, housing, food, textbooks, supplies, and entertainment will cost you? Get a grip on your program's total cost and prepare for all fees with the CanLearn Education Cost Calculator. You may be surprised by a few unexpected expenses students have to pay, such as: athletic fees, health services fees, and student association fees.

Grants are a great way to fund post-secondary education since the money doesn't need to be paid back. Under the Canada Student Grant Program, you'll find funds available to students from low or middle income families, students with dependants, students with disabilities, and even grants for part-time students. Applying is easy, and you may be eligible to receive more than one grant this academic year.

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