A truly eventful year has come and gone, and while it had the same 366 days as every other leap year, the events of early 2020 may seem like a distant memory. To help refresh your memory of what we learned together, we have prepared a recap of everything we shared on the Home Trust blog in the last year.

January to March

We started the year by answering the question, “Can you refinance a private mortgage on a fixed income?” and provided ideas on how you can have fun and still get out of holiday debt. The early part of any new year brings around feelings of renewal, and we highlighted that with a three-part series on fresh starts. The post topics were: Start the year with a fresh approach to home improvement, how to achieve success with realistic goals, and a new approach to money for the new decade.

Our planned content for March included another three-parter, this time on travel safety and comfort. However, as we all know, most of the world’s travel plans were put on hold by the spread of COVID-19. Now that a vaccine for the virus is making the rounds, we hope to talk about travel again very soon.

April to June

Restrictions varied by province across the country, but one thing was true for the whole country this spring: we all spent a lot of time at home, and those homes needed their usual upkeep. We prepared a list of home maintenance tasks that could still be performed safely while preventing the need for a major repair later.

We also shared a five-part series on retirement planning and financial wellness for different life stages and family circumstances. The “Road to Retirement” case study subjects included: a millennial couple planning now for their future, a mid-life working couple striving to reduce debt, a newly self-employed single woman forging a new path, a single dad building a roadmap for the future and empty nesters hoping for a comfortable retirement.

We also shared a professional organizer’s advice for moving, asked what if tidying up doesn’t really spark joy, and shared highlights of our 2019 Public Accountability Statement.

July to September

In the summer, we turned our attention to sustainable living and the comforts of home, whether they were around the house or somewhere along the road less travelled. We shared tips to create the perfect urban garden for your home, identified ways to save money while going green at home and offered upcycling solutions to keep everyday household items out of the landfill. We also shared ten can’t miss stops for the ultimate Canadian road trip.

Another summer highlight on the Home Trust blog was the “Road to Better Credit,” a four-part series that explained the ins and outs of building and improving credit ratings. Topics in the series were understanding credit scores, reasons to avoid applying for too much credit, the impact of debt on credit ratings, and tips for rebuilding your credit history.

Finally, we finished the month of September with highlights from our 8th annual charity golf tournament in support of the Canadian Mental Health Association. The restrictions of COVID-19 altered some of the tournament features, but the spirit of participants who came out to support the event could not be denied.

October to December

We provided resources for would-be homeowners to help take the stress out of buying a house, complete with a realtor’s advice for buying a home and selling a home. We also shared advice on maximizing indoor lighting conditions after the clocks fell back and the surprisingly early evenings of the fall and winter were upon us.

We observed Financial Literacy Month in November, and shared the story of a small business owner who adapted their business to meet the restrictions of COVID-19. Finally, we provided tips to help celebrate the holidays in 2020 style.

We look forward to another great year of delivering relevant information to help you get more out of your mortgage, your finances, and your life at home. Thank you from everyone at Home Trust for taking the time to learn with us.

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