Free Articles and Resources
Your financial journey is unique, and building resilience is the key.
No matter the challenges we face, we can all work towards maintaining or improving our financial and overall resilience. By making informed financial decisions, fostering healthy money habits and behaviors, and seeking out relevant support, you can achieve what matters in life.
Improving your financial health and well-being involves understanding your financial resilience and taking small steps to bolster it over time, as you strive to achieve your goals.
Free independent resources
Explore our free resources designed to help you think about and improve your financial resilience. Financial Resilience Institute in collaboration with some great organizations offers you an array of articles, tools, and resources. These independent resources are aimed to help support you and are free from product sales or marketing endeavors.
This is
your
journey
Our tool and thought-starter articles and tool deliberately refrain from prescribing specific “action steps” because we recognize that your financial journey and goals are unique, and decisions can be complex. Your exploration of financial resilience and pathway forward is yours to navigate, and we are not financial experts.
Explore Articles, Tools and Resources
Improving your financial health and well-being involves understanding your financial resilience and taking small steps to bolster it over time, as you strive to achieve your goals.
Contact us if your organization would like to contribute and independent article or become an Institute funder or supporter. We would love to hear from you and explore collaboration opportunities.
Our non-profit organization gratefully recognizes the articles and links contributed by the organizations above, with there not being any endorsement of these organizations or articles.
Important Notice
The information in this tool and on this website isn’t intended and should not be relied upon as professional or personal financial product advice. You should seek professional advice before making any decisions that could affect your financial resilience or financial health.
Daily Financial Management
Managing your money in challenging times tips from the Government of Canada
Money-saving tools, websites and applications that can help when shopping from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Apps to save money on groceries provided by Readers Digest Canada
10 Tips for Helping Your Financial your Financial Problems. Overview of practical tips to resolve financial problems through tough times such as divorce or illness from National Bank
Life events and managing your money information from the Government of Canada
How to get through a financial emergency or financial hardship information from the Government of Canada
Checklists, Financial Resources and information around preparing your taxes and more from Money Coaches Canada
How to make a budget and stick to it: tips from Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)
Free Expense Tracker Tool and template provided by non-profit Credit Canada
YNAB: a cost effective personal budgeting app built around a proactive budgeting method
Budget Planner Tool from Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
Budgeting and why it matters FCAC Article and Information for Canadians
Understanding the Importance of Cash Flow from Money Coaches Canada
Effective money management, tips and modules from Prosper Canada for Canadians living with low incomes and others
“Maximize what is around you” module
“Minimize what is going out” module
Introduction to the Financial System in Canada and other topics
Check out MoneySense Magazine, an online and free magazine with articles covering a range of personal finance and related topics, including insurance, retirement, real estate, saving and investing
Talking about money can feel awkward, uncomfortable, and even scary. Here are 5 pieces of advice from Harvard Business Review on how to feel in control of your finances: 5 Ways to Manage your Personal Finances
Read Coastal Community Credit Union’s article on “5 ways to spend less, save more and meet your financial goals” to know more about best practices for daily financial management which can translate small changes to long-term benefits
Managing your money when interest rates rise information and tips from the Government of Canada
Forbes: 7 Free Tools to Help you Manage Money like a pro Free apps for personal use to support with financial management
Get tips around adjusting your budget to a new situation from National Bank of Canada
Food Price Data Hub, including information on the monthly Canadian average retail price of selected food items and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food purchases from stores provided by Statistics Canada
Managing in Tough Times: articles, tools resources for budgeting, tracking spending and bills, online budgeting or pro-bono financial planning support through its Learning Hub from Prosper Canada
Butterfly: the Budgeting App for Newcomers to Canada provided by non-profit Credit Canada
Bank Account Comparison Tool from FCAC, including information about low-cost and no-cost accounts
Tax credits and benefits for individuals provided by Government of Canada, including on the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), Canada Child Benefit (CCB), Canada’s Worker Benefit and other benefits. Includes eligibility information for children, caregivers, people with disabilities, workers and others
Information on the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) providing financial support to people with disabilities aged 18 to 65 years old, coming in September 2026
Our non-profit organization gratefully recognizes the articles and links contributed by the organizations above, with there not being any endorsement of these organizations or articles.
Important Notice
The information in this tool and on this website isn’t intended and should not be relied upon as professional or personal financial product advice. You should seek professional advice before making any decisions that could affect your financial resilience or financial health.
Debt Management Strategies
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) has the following articles:
Six Steps to Get Out of Debt: tips from Government of Canada
Read about how to manage debt without sacrificing your financial goals with this article from Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and its Money Matters site
How to maximize savings while paying down debt from Vancity
Urgent vs. Important Financial Priorities from Money Coaches Canada
Payday Loans: information from Financial Consumer Agency of Canada FCAC
What a payday loan is, how much they cost, what happens if you can’t pay one back and what you can do if you fall into a cycle of debt
Data around how Canadians using payday loans have increased household financial vulnerability, provided by Financial Resilience Institute
Getting help from a credit counselling agency, learn about debt management plans and more, with information provided by Government of Canada
Credit Counselling and Debt Relief Information, Help and Resources from non-profit Credit Canada
Our non-profit organization gratefully recognizes the articles and links contributed by the organizations above, with there not being any endorsement of these organizations or articles.
Important Notice
The information in this tool and on this website isn’t intended and should not be relied upon as professional or personal financial product advice. You should seek professional advice before making any decisions that could affect your financial resilience or financial health.
Building Emergency Savings
The high cost of living, a sudden loss of income or other events can change your finances. Check out National Bank’s article ‘Adjusting your budget to a new situation’ for best practices and considerations around creating an emergency savings fund if you can
Not everyone can build an emergency savings fund, but it can be helpful for your financial resilience and sense of financial wellness. Check out these resources:
- ReadRBC Wealth Management’s tips for building an emergency fund
- Read Manulife’sarticle on why an emergency fund can be helpful and how much you may need
Setting up an Emergency Fund for the unexpected: tips for setting up and using an emergency savings fund from FCAC
Our non-profit organization gratefully recognizes the articles and links contributed by the organizations above, with there not being any endorsement of these organizations or articles.
Important Notice
The information in this tool and on this website isn’t intended and should not be relied upon as professional or personal financial product advice. You should seek professional advice before making any decisions that could affect your financial resilience or financial health.
Saving, Planning and Investing
If you are new to investing, the Government of Canada’s information on “The Basics of Investing” is a useful guide with common investment terms, information on fees and more
If you still find yourself wondering “How can I start investing today?”, check out the following resources:
- Read Co-operators'article: To understand what it is, when to start, how to invest and reach your personal financial goals, and more
- Plan the best way forward with Co-operators “Plan ahead” resource center on specific topics such as RRSPs, TFSAs, mutual funds, and annuities
CIRO’s Guides for Investors provides investors with general guidance on navigating investing and other challenges during life stages and personal circumstances
Financial Planning is all about considering where you are now and building a clear picture of where you want to be (and by when). Read Coastal Community Credit Union’s tips on How to achieve your short- and long-term financial goals
Financial planning can play an important role in building long-term financial resilience. Financial Resilience Institute's research on Financial Planning explores the relationship between financial planning and improved financial resilience and financial well-being outcomes
Saving and investing can help you reach your financial goals. To figure out what savings and investments are right for you and how to reach these goals, follow Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s (FCAC) tips
Your rights when buying GICs, term deposits, registered products and PPNs from deposit-taking institutions and investment resources if you have a problem. Follow Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s (FCAC) Savings and investments considerations to know your rights
Retirement planning and retirement checklist from the Government of Canada
Sources of retirement income information from the Government of Canada
Public Pensions information provided by the Government of Canada
Data, tools and reports on Income, Pensions, Spending and Wealth from Statistics Canada
Our non-profit organization gratefully recognizes the articles and links contributed by the organizations above, with there not being any endorsement of these organizations or articles.
Important Notice
The information in this tool and on this website isn’t intended and should not be relied upon as professional or personal financial product advice. You should seek professional advice before making any decisions that could affect your financial resilience or financial health.
Protection
Check out Vancity’s unexpected events page with information including, death, divorce, estate planning documents, unemployment, and more
Check out Co-operators' Resource Center for protection information around life’s milestones
Read this Government of Canada article on how to secure your online financial transactions and get cyber safe
Data and insights on insurance protection as a pathway to improved financial resilience from Financial Resilience Institute.
Extreme Weather Impacts on Consumers and Insurers – information and reports from Statistics Canada
Our non-profit organization gratefully recognizes the articles and links contributed by the organizations above, with there not being any endorsement of these organizations or articles.
Important Notice
The information in this tool and on this website isn’t intended and should not be relied upon as professional or personal financial product advice. You should seek professional advice before making any decisions that could affect your financial resilience or financial health.
Tools and Resources
Education and resources to help you improve your financial literacy, as a step towards improving your financial wellness provided by FCAC.
Includes Your Financial Toolkit and a Financial Basics Workshop
Financial Literacy Self-Assessment Quiz from FCAC, to help you figure out how well you’re doing at making ends meet, keeping on track, planning ahead, staying informed or choosing products to meet your needs
The Financial Empowerment and Well-Being Program (FEWP) from the YMCA is funded in part by the government of Canada and offers free workshops, referrals and resources to support low-income, racialized and equity-deserving communities
Debt Assessment Quiz from non-profit Credit Canada
Check out Vancity’s Good Money Plan Guidebook for smarter spending and saving
Government of Canada’s Benefits Finder: Use this free tool to help find Benefits and Services that you may be eligible to receive, by answering a few short questions about your household’s current situation
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s (FCAC) Budget Planner: The Budget Planner helps you create a customized budget in 3 simple steps. Gather information regarding your income and expenses and get started
Bank Account Comparison Tool: Compare bank account interest rates, monthly fees, transaction fees and with this tool provided by Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)
Tools from GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca: and Ontario Securities Commission (OSC)
- RRSP Savings calculator: This simple calculator helps you estimate how much your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) will be worth at retirement and how much income it will provide each year
- Cash flow calculator: Use this tool to estimate your positive or negative monthly cash flow
- Retirement Ready Quiz: Take this simple quiz to get a sense of how prepared you are for retirement, and get access to additional resources to learn more
Financial Goal Calculator: Provided by Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), this tool is designed to help you manage your debt and savings goals
Credit Card Payment Calculator: Provided by Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), this calculator can help you understand how long it will take to pay off your credit card and potential options to pay credit card debt back faster
Vehicle Lease of Loan Calculator provided by Government of Canada
Our non-profit organization gratefully recognizes the articles and links contributed by the organizations above, with there not being any endorsement of these organizations or articles.
Important Notice
The information in this tool and on this website isn’t intended and should not be relied upon as professional or personal financial product advice. You should seek professional advice before making any decisions that could affect your financial resilience or financial health.
Focus on your financial wellness
Read about ways to protect your financial well-being and avoid financial risks through protection with this article by Government of Canada
Use Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s (FCAC) topic-based resources to find information on how to help improve your financial well-being. Topics include budgeting and money management, protecting yourself, multimedia and interactive resources, financial wellness at work
Access CPA Canada’s Financial Literacy Resources and Mastering Money Financial Capability Podcast for a diverse bank of publications, webinars, worksheets and learnings to help you improve your financial capability and financial wellness
Explore ‘My Money Matters’, RBC’s resource bank of over 700 articles and resources pertaining to financial wellbeing and financial confidence, covering topics like debt and stress relief, cash flow management, business, etc.
Check out RBC’s article on ’10 easy steps to help reduce financial stress’ to better manage your mental health during financially stressful times
Education and resources to help you improve your financial literacy, as a step towards improving your financial wellness provided by FCAC.
Includes Your Financial Toolkit and a Financial Basics Workshop
Explore ‘Women’s Finances’ resources and information from National Bank of Canada with helpful information and videos around how to achieve financial independence, how to split expenses as a couple and more with curated content for women
Access information on how to choose, finance, maintain and improve the place you call home provided by the Government of Canada
Access information about teaching children about money provided by the Government of Canada
Get 10 tips for resolving your financial problems from National Bank of Canada
Our non-profit organization gratefully recognizes the articles and links contributed by the organizations above, with there not being any endorsement of these organizations or articles.
Important Notice
The information in this tool and on this website isn’t intended and should not be relied upon as professional or personal financial product advice. You should seek professional advice before making any decisions that could affect your financial resilience or financial health.