You couldn't pay some people to use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but it appears many Canadians would happily swap their social-media habits in exchange for $250 a month in extra savings.

Nearly three-quarters of Canadians say they would give up social media for three months in exchange for the chance to set aside that extra money, according to a survey released this week by ING Direct, with more men than women willing to say bye-bye to social networking for the short term.

The findings are part of a broader trend that shows many Canadians don't save regularly, but some 80 per cent would be willing to give up some things in exchange for a richer savings account.

"The survey found more than half of Canadians don't feel confident that they're saving enough each month, but with simple planning, budgeting and by making small changes to their day-to-day spending habits, Canadians can in fact grow their future savings," Peter Aceto, president and chief executive of ING Direct, said in a

From potty training to punishment, parenting expert Alyson Schafer has been asked about it all, and one common topic is kids and money.

"When do I start allowance, how much do I give them, should I tie it to chores? It's amazing to me that there's this eagerness and that they're completely overwhelmed by it," says Schafer, who is a psychotherapist by training. Overwhelmed in that the topic, for many parents, is a lot like talking about the birds and the bees.

Alyson Schafer is pictured in an undated handout photo. Racheal McCaig Photography "Talking about money is like talking about sex. They're the two big taboo topics," says Schafer. "Money is not just about the concept that four quarters makes a loonie. Money is also about power, it's about status, it's about control. It's laden with all these other things."

A poll released by Bank of Montreal this week showed the vast majority of Canadians, 99 per cent, agree it is important to develop good financial habits early in life. But only 18 per cent of parents spend a lot of time discussing money management with their

Among friends, via my social media channels and at pretty much any other opportunity, I have been campaigning against the ugly, made-up tech term “phablet,” referring to a mobile device that’s sized someplace between a phone and a tablet. Sadly, its usage is beginning to seem inevitable, but hopefully not so inevitable that BlackBerry feels compelled to come up with one.

In the last few weeks some pictures have emerged online which reportedly show leaked details of a BlackBerry phablet or tablet that is under development. Naturally, the company has issued no concrete details, but instead of inspiring the kind of breathless anticipation that greets the possibility of a new iPad from Apple, the general reaction from IT industry people I know has been more like, “Oh, brother.”

It’s not just that this is BlackBerry, whose ups and downs have been difficult for even its loyalists to endure. It’s that the tablet market may not have the kind of growth potential some people think it does.

In a

The Bank of Canada cut its growth forecast on Wednesday in a signal that interest rates will remain at historically low levels for some time.

Growth in Canada will expand by 1.5 per cent in 2013, down from January's estimate of 2 per cent, the Bank of Canada said as it held its key overnight rate at 1 per cent where it has sat since September 2010. The cut in outlook comes as the International Monetary Fund this week reduced its growth forecast for the Canadian economy.

"With continued slack in the Canadian economy, the muted outlook for inflation, and the constructive evolution of imbalances in the household sector, the considerable monetary policy stimulus currently in place will likely remain appropriate for a period of time, after which some modest withdrawal will likely be required, consistent with achieving the 2 per cent inflation target," the central bank said in a statement.

In 2014, the economy is expected to expand by 2.8 per cent, the central bank said.

Recent economic data

Thirty years ago, an upstart, young computer company called Apple (AAPL) threw a party.

A big party, with kegs of beer, rowdy crowds and rumors of skinny-dipping at La Playa Hotel, a small, family-owned resort on the California coast that was a popular site for corporate retreats in the early days of Silicon Valley. The facility’s management at the time and, of course, other guests, were less than impressed by the Macintosh team’s hijinks, and as a result the eventual iPhone and iPad maker was unceremoniously kicked off the property and banned from the Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif. resort for life, effective 1983.

In retrospect, the punishment was probably well deserved. According to Frank Rose’s book “West of Eden: The End of Innocence at Apple Computer,” the clash of cultures at La Playa was evident from the start. And it all went downhill from there.

“When [former Apple senior vice president Jay Elliot] was eating dinner in the La Playa’s primly starched dining room and saw a dozen

When it comes to best places to work, employers score big when workers feel respected. That's one of the key ingredients that helped Royal LePage Performance Reality snag the top work spot for women in the Great Place to Work Institute's annual ranking.

The atmosphere at the Ottawa-area realtor, which employs some 300 people, is driven by what the company values including respect, integrity and a professional-yet-caring environment, says John Rogan, senior vice president of marketing and sales.

"We want to make sure that people, I like to use the words, skip to work; enjoy going to work," he says. The company strives to make workers feel appreciated. If employees and management trust each other then there's a feeling of being part of a family, says Rogan.

That includes holding events such as family picnics and dinner parties where management pamper administrative staff by serving them food and drinks. Because many support staff are working moms, Rogan says there's a huge effort by

The only thing worse than finding out you owe taxes is not being able to pay them. The good news is there are things you can do to address the situation. Just remember: you can run, but you can’t hide.

“If you don’t take steps to resolve your unpaid taxes, the CRA [Canada Revenue Agency] can take legal action against you,” says chartered professional accountant Robin Taub, a subject-matter expert with the nonprofit Investor Education Fund.

That legal action could include garnisheeing your income or your bank account (meaning that some or all of your wages could go straight to the CRA) or even seizing and selling your assets to settle your tax bill. The federal agency could also withhold family benefits such as GST/HST credits.

Contact the CRA

If you’re pretty sure you won’t be able to pay the full amount owing on time, contact the CRA pronto.

“Even if you can’t pay all of the taxes you owe, you should still file your return on time to avoid any late-filing penalties,” Taub adds.

The

Gold’s haven status is quickly waning after the price of the precious metal fell below US$1,400 an ounce on Monday, to its lowest level in more than two years.

The price of gold has now dropped by more than 10 per cent in two trading days, and is down more than 25 per cent since its record close of $1,920 in September 2011.

Some analysts are forecasting gold to fall below $1,300 in the coming months, as investors cross their fingers for a steady U.S. recovery. That will mean less reliance on gold as a safe bet for investors that were worried about inflation and the stability of the U.S. dollar. Others believe gold's slump is short-term, driven by speculation rather than economic fundamentals.

Gold’s nosedive began late last week, spurred by news that Cyprus planned to sell gold to meet its financing needs. The Central Bank of Cyprus later denied the reports, telling CNBC there was "no such thing being discussed." However, the rumoured move led to a couple of high-profile sell orders