(NC) Your home is a major investment that comes with plenty of added costs, like maintenance and renovations. The biggest cost is your mortgage, a major expense that might be difficult to pay in tough times.

If you have a mortgage and you’re worried about leaving your loved ones with a mortgage payment in the case that you were to pass away or experience a covered critical illness, optional TD Mortgage Protection might be the solution.

Evaluating whether mortgage protection insurance is right for you is important. Having a mortgage is a long-term financial obligation. You’ve worked hard for your home, and there are ways to help protect it.

If you aren’t sure if you need mortgage protection insurance, ask yourself these three questions:

What would the impact be to my finances if my income was lost or reduced due to a covered critical illness?

A recent TD Insurance survey reveals that one in three Canadians without asset protection coverage think it’s too expensive, and 28 per cent say they do not believe they get the right value for the amount spent. While we all value our homes, we may undervalue mortgage protection insurance, which could pay or reduce the outstanding balance of the insured mortgage in the event of a covered critical illness.

Would my partner or co-borrower be able to afford the mortgage on their own if I were to pass away or suffer a covered critical illness?

As household partners, you’re in this together. If a mortgage was set with two incomes in place, it could be difficult to get by on just one. Consider having a plan in place, like mortgage critical illness and life insurance, before an unexpected covered critical event occurs. There are options available to help you find the right coverage that best suits your budget and needs.

Do I have loved ones who rely on me financially?

Owning a home and having a family comes with the responsibility of ensuring your dependents are safe and protected. Mortgage protection insurance can help you protect your mortgage and home, which could also benefit loved ones who may financially depend on you.

Learn more at td.com.

(NC) Ready to repaint but not sure how to pick the perfect neutral? Benjamin Moore colour and design expert Sharon Grech shares her top four tips to help you choose the perfect white paint for your space.

Know your exposure.

Overall lighting and the orientation of your room are the most important considerations when choosing paint colours, especially when it comes to selecting the right tint of white. Whether your room faces north, east, south or west, there is a white paint designed to bring out the very best in your space’s natural light.

“If you have a north or east exposure, opt for warmer whites. Look for options with cooler tones to counterbalance south and west exposures, such as Decorator’s White OC-149.”

If you’re in a space with limited natural light such as a basement or small den, consider Chantilly Lace OC-65, a bright designer favourite to bring an added sense of space and light to any room.

Pay attention to the undertone.

When selecting neutral paints, one of the key differences to keep in mind is the undertone. From pink to green and everything in between, you can find a white paint with an undertone to suit your space. When selecting a white paint, consider the colour of the furniture and flooring in your space — if you tend towards warmer hues, opt for a white paint with a warm undertone to create a cohesive feel.

Express your sense of style.

From modern to traditional, white paint can bring out the best in a range of design styles. Express your personal taste and give your neutral space a warm and inviting feeling by adding texture with throw blankets, cushions and rugs in natural fibres. To accentuate architectural details and add extra dimension to neutral walls, Grech suggests painting details such as trim, mouldings and even furniture in a high-gloss sheen to add a striking contrast to matte or eggshell walls.

Test before you paint.

Sharon’s top piece of advice? “Always test a few variations of white paint on your walls before painting the whole room.” A white paint that looks perfect in the store could look totally different once it’s in your space. 
Once you’ve found your perfect tint, make sure to prime your walls if you’re painting over a bold colour. Choose a paint like Regal Select interior paint to achieve professional results and flawless coverage.

(NC) Fire can spread rapidly through your home, and the National Fire Protection Association predicts you may only have as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once smoke alarms sound.

“We encourage everyone to evaluate their level of preparedness against potential dangers,” says Ashley Gocken of First Alert, a leading fire safety brand. “It’s imperative that people develop and practice a fire escape plan and install, maintain and regularly test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. These are life-saving practices that can make a real difference.”

To ensure you and your family are prepared and protected, follow these steps:

Check your alarms.

Early detection is critical to preventing tragedies. Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in every bedroom and on every level of your house, including the basement. Test them regularly and change the batteries every six months. To eliminate battery replacements for a decade, upgrade to 10-year battery alarms.

Map your home.

Involve everyone in your household when developing escape routes. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits. Identify two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Make sure everyone in the home understands the plan.

Practice your plan.

Conduct fire drills at least twice a year during the day and night, making it as realistic as possible. Allow children to master the fire escape routes beforehand. The objective is to practice, not to frighten, so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill.

Have a meeting location outside.

Choose a designated outside meeting place a safe distance from your home. Once you’re out, stay out. Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.

Find more home fire safety tips at firstalert.ca.

(NC) This year’s home must-have is an office space that offers flexibility to go seamlessly from video calls to virtual classroom to everything in between. To help you create a workspace that works for you, Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore colour and design expert, shares three affordable tips to create a stylish office no matter your style or budget.

Choose colours that promote productivity.

Struggling to find focus when working from home? Your wall colour can help promote a sense of calm and concentration to help you through your busiest days. “Tints and shades of green such as Spa AF-435 or Flora AF-470 can help foster a sense of calm and support your productivity,” recommends Grech.

Giving your home office a coat of green paint is a project you can do yourself, and the increased focus and reduction in eye strain will help you work smarter all year long.

Make room for your workspace.

If you don’t have a dedicated home office, you can easily create a place where you can focus by making a work area in your home. A floating shelf or a side table can double as a compact desk in small spaces. Once you select where you want to set up your workspace, clean up any clutter that could be distracting. Grech suggests shopping your home for baskets, mason jars and catch-alls to store office supplies such as notebooks, pens and loose papers.

Create a chic background.

On video calls all day? You can create an envy-inducing backdrop in just one weekend by painting out a bookcase, including the backs of shelves, in one solid hue like Amazon Soil 2115-30. Grech recommends choosing a durable paint designed to adhere to wooden surfaces such as Advance interior paint for results as professional as your new office. Once dry, position your bookcase, with styled shelves of books and decorative objects, behind you for a put-together background.

(NC) With Canada’s housing market hotter than ever, saving up a down payment can feel impossible. But wise spending and saving decisions can add up over time. Here, Vanessa Bowen, money expert and accountant, offers simple yet effective ways to save for the home you’ve had your eye on.

Ensure you have a good credit score
A better credit score means that you can qualify for lower interest rates and loans that you may require when investing in a future property. Working to improve your overall credit score, such as by avoiding late bill payments, will help make your savings go further as you look towards purchasing the house or condo of your dreams.

Contribute lump-sum payments to your savings
Large annual payments such as a work bonus or your tax return can be added as lump-sum contributions to your savings. Contributing larger sums helps you reach your end-goal more quickly, so remember to save these payments. It’s money you don’t count on in your day to day anyway, so it’ll be easier to set aside and watch your savings steadily grow.

Switch to a no-fee bank account
A small step that you can take that will add up to big savings in the long run is switching to a no-fee bank account. The PC Money Account is the bank account reimagined with no monthly fees and opportunities to earn PC Optimum Points on every dollar spent everywhere you shop. Now, instead of having to pay monthly banking fees, you can put your hard-earned money towards saving up for a house or condo.

Cut down on unnecessary spending
Try cutting back on expenses such as takeout food and shopping for things you may not actually need, like subscription services. Instead, put this money, which could potentially add up to thousands each year, towards a significant investment opportunity, such as a future home.

(NC) There’s nothing like a cold, refreshing glass of water. But if it comes from a well, you will want to make sure it’s safe.

Your well water should be free of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses or parasites that may cause disease, and from chemicals at levels that may be a risk to your health.

If you have a private well, you should have the water tested to see if there are any problems. Your most important tests look for certain bacteria that tell you there may be disease-causing microorganisms in your water. You should test for these bacteria (E. coli and total coliforms) every six months.

There are also other tests for chemicals and general water quality. Your provincial or territorial drinking water authority or local public health unit can help direct you on what you should test for, how often to test and suggest an accredited laboratory that can do the tests. It’s also a good idea to test your water if you notice changes in taste, smell, colour or in land uses or activities, such as construction, near your well.

Follow all instructions from the accredited laboratory on completing and submitting the test forms; collecting, labeling and storing the sample; and handling and transporting the sample to the laboratory.

The best time to sample your well water is when there is the greatest chance of contamination:

• early spring just after the thaw,
• in the fall rainy season,
• after a long dry spell or drought,
• after heavy rains or floods, and
• after the well has not been used for a long period of time.

Check your well record to find out how deep your well is and learn about the geology in your area. Shallow wells or wells that have only a thin layer of soil over rock can become contaminated more easily. Water in these wells needs to be tested more often.

If you or a family member has had a gastrointestinal illness and suspect that it might be related to drinking your well water, speak to your doctor and local health unit and have your water tested.

Find more information at canada.ca by searching the keywords “well aware.”

(NC) If you’ve spent the last several months daydreaming about your ideal renovation project, you’re not alone. Whether it’s a reno for a new kitchen, your own spa bathroom, a basement media room or a beautiful backyard oasis, there’s no shortage of dreams to take on.

Here are a few tips to make your vision a reality:

Spend time planning ahead. 
The more you think about your project before you begin, the better you’ll understand your wants, needs and priorities.

A great place to start is thinking about why you’re doing this project in the first place. Is it to create more space? Add functionality? Freshen up décor? These questions will help you make the right decisions during your project.

Know when to call in the pros. 
Many home reno projects might seem DIY, such as laying tiles and flooring. But for anything structural, mechanical or electrical, it’s best to hire a properly licensed professional. You don’t want to cause any fires or leaks that could lead to more time-consuming and costly damage to you or your home.

Save on splurge-worthy finishing touches. 
Add creature comforts and finishing touches that make completing your renovation all the more rewarding. From a luxurious Nespresso espresso machine, to the perfect Cuisinart kitchen gadgets, to that coveted Napoleon barbecue, you can use Air Miles Reward Miles to save big on must-have items for your newly renovated space.

Find more information at rewards.airmiles.ca/merchandise.