For most of my adult life, I have been financially illiterate. Truthfully, having a firm grip on my finances is still a work in progress. But November is Financial Literacy Month in Canada, a month where financial organizations and institutions come together to help strengthen the financial well-being of Canadians. One way that Scotiabank is participating is by asking Canadians to share the best financial advice they have ever received. (We’re following the thread and it is LOADED with great info.)

What was the best financial lesson you ever learned? Was it from a parent when you were young? A lesson about credit card interest that you learned the hard way? Or maybe some advice shared by a financial advisor at your local institution? Share your story with Scotiabank and you could win $1000!

To further Scotiabank’s Financial Literacy Month initiative, we’re sharing with you the best financial advice we’ve learned, in hopes that you avoid some of the costly errors we’ve made over the years. (Oye.)

• Always pay down your credit card! Some people do it right away, others set aside time once a month. Whatever your pattern is, make sure the due date doesn’t slip by! It can happen so easily! In the past year, we’ve begun booking an alarm in our calendar, so we ensure everything is done on time. This is important to do in order to avoid paying interest and having a negative impact on your credit bureau which impacts your ability to get more credit, if needed down the road.
• Save a little bit from every pay cheque! Easier said than done, right? Even if it’s reigning in your coffee budget, or setting up pre-authorized contributions so you don’t think about it, small changes will add up.
• Put money into a savings account that is difficult to access, and then forget about it. This is wisdom passed to me by my mother, and while it sounds a little weird, it’s the best advice I’ve ever received. An RRSP is great, because you get fined if you access it, and if you don’t, it slowly grows. Put what you can into it, and then forget about it! One day, it might save you.
• Pay yourself first! Put aside a portion of your income to save, before you begin to pay any other expenses. Even starting with a contribution of $25.00 will help set you up for success.
• Track your monthly spending. (If you need help, Scotiabank has a great service called InfoAlerts that you can use to help get you started.)
• Use a credit card that earns points you’ll actually use! We’re fans of the Scotiabank SCENE Visa that scores you free movies. If you’re in the market for a new car, check out the Scotiabank GM Visa.

Money can be the cause of so much unnecessary stress! Get comfortable with it, learn how to spend it better, figure out the best way to save and grow it. If better budgeting or growing your money is a goal for 2017, try to pick two of the above tips to start with. Scotiabank financial advisors are always available to sit and chat with you. Until then, enter to win $1000!

This post was generously sponsored by Scotiabank, but the thoughts and opinions are my own. For full contest details, go here.