Money in Canada — the honest manual.

Plain-English guides, honest calculators, and an AI assistant for the money decisions Canadians actually face — the TFSA-vs-RRSP-vs-FHSA question, CRA benefits you may be missing, the real cost of a mortgage post-stress-test, and decoding the products you’re sold. No affiliate links, no ads, no data sold.

• Raise calculator

  Separates the raise that beats inflation from the raise on top. Works in CAD; the script lands in your own numbers.

• Money you’re owed

  Surfaces federal credits and benefits — Canada Workers Benefit, Canada Child Benefit, GST/HST credit, FHB Tax Credit, Tuition Credit — most filers miss.

• Bill slasher

  Scripts that lower internet, cell, insurance, and subscription bills in Canada. Annual savings totaled, saveable as a goal.

• True cost of a mortgage

  All-in monthly carry — CMHC insurance, property tax, condo fees, maintenance, opportunity cost — not the rate the bank quotes.

• Real APR on a loan

  Stated rate vs. effective rate once origination and any cost rolled in are included.

• Fee drag over 30 years

  What 1.0+ pp MER actually costs over a working life. Three scenarios side by side.

• First home

  FHSA vs. RRSP vs. TFSA

  For a first home, fill the FHSA first. Most guides still skip it — even though it's the only account that's deductible going in AND tax-free out.

• Pay & raises

  Your last raise was a pay cut

  A 4% raise against ~3.4% CPI is barely 0.6% real. The framework + the negotiation script. Works the same in CAD.

• Retirement

  Employer matching (US 401(k) — same logic for group RRSP / DPSP)

  If your Canadian employer matches contributions to a group RRSP or DPSP, the same 'guaranteed 100% return' math applies. Don't leave the match on the table.

• Decoder

  The hidden cost of a fat tax refund

  A big CRA refund means too much was withheld. Form T1213 lets you keep more each month instead of waiting for spring.

• Insurance

  The car-insurance loyalty penalty

  Renewals quietly drift above new-customer pricing — in BC, AB, ON, every province. The 20-minute fix that recovers the gap.

• RRSP

  Registered Retirement Savings Plan — contributions are tax-deductible; withdrawals are taxed later.

• TFSA

  Tax-Free Savings Account — growth and withdrawals are tax-free. Take money out anytime with no tax hit.

• FHSA

  First Home Savings Account — deductible going in, tax-free out for a first home. Best of RRSP + TFSA.

• RESP

  Registered Education Savings Plan with government grant top-ups. The grant is free money toward a child's education.

• CPP / OAS

  Canada Pension Plan + Old Age Security. When you start claiming changes how much you get for life.

• CMHC insurance

  Mortgage insurance the lender requires when your down payment is small. Adds to your monthly cost.

• GST / HST

  Federal + provincial sales tax. Quietly raises the real price of everything you buy.

• GIC

  Guaranteed Investment Certificate — fixed-rate, fixed-term savings product. Higher rate than a regular savings account; cash locked until maturity.

Money Molecule is general information, not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. For specific decisions (especially anything tax or major-purchase), consult a qualified professional. See the terms and Molecule disclosure.