The Mogo Blog

How to Trick Your Brain to Stop Buying Cr*p You Don’t Need

We all buy crap we don’t need. The problem is, most of us get smacked upside the head by our load of debt and our brain still doesn’t get the memo that we’ve been spending like we’re on tour with Drake. But how can I stop myself from swiping my credit card for yet another new pair of kicks when I find the last pair of Stan Smith trainers in my size?... you might be thinking. That’s right. You might be shocked to realize it’s not H&M’s socially responsible attitude that keeps you coming back, but a few simple, trickster strategies. Watch out for: red tagged clothing racks that trigger your brain to take action, roadblocks that navigate you in the direction of irresistible temptations, and classic upbeat tunes that trigger dopamine – and perhaps release an anchored memory of your last champagne shower in Vegas – making you feel sexy and happy, and encouraging you to spend, spend, spend. This part is going to freak you out, but it’s a solid tactic to push you towards the realization that you’ve been stockpiling useless garbage, probably for the better part of

Breaking Debt: Conquer big debt with little wins

Staring at a mountain of debt can be scary – especially when you’ve got multiple debt streams (student debt, credit card 1, credit card 2, car loan – the list goes on). Getting into that kind of debt can be as easy as not paying attention to your spending, but getting out of debt can require a plan and some powerful strategies. The brain trust at the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University’s business and marketing experts) have detailed a study that shows an awesome plan for getting out of debt – by focusing on little wins, instead of jumping into paying down the areas you owe the most Basically, the more ‘wins’ you can get in a period amount of time will propel you to stay on track and achieve your goals of financial freedom Here’s how it works: As of beginning of the year, Wayne and Jake are both sitting on the same number of loans and they both are owing $8,000 in total. For the sake of this study, lets assume all debt is at the same interest rate. Here are their strategies. Over the course of a year, both Wayne and Jake have paid down

4 last-minute Father’s Day gift ideas that will save your A$$

If you still haven’t bought dear ol’ Dad a gift to thank him for being a keeper this Father’s Day, it’s probably time to figure out how you’re going to express your gratitude toward the man who donated his chromosomes to the project of your existence. We won’t lie; you’re cutting it pretty close. Your dad would probably feel a little discouraged if he knew you were sitting here reading the Internet instead of shopping for a gift that truly expresses how lucky you are to have him. But Mogo’s here to help. Here are four last-minute presents for the dad who has everything (except a kid who remembered to properly prepare for Father’s Day). Caddie Daddy Nothing says “I love you, dad,” like actually spending time with the chap. And what better way to do it than on the green? GolfNow.com offers access to over 100,000 tee times all over the world, but that’s not all — you can book one with virtually no advance notice for a fraction of the price you’d normally pay. How’s that for doing more and spending less? Smooth Operator If your

Save $100 in 10 Min: Cut Your Banking Fees & Save Big Bucks

Saving money can be expensive! Your paycheck is automatically deposited into your account, months come and go – and many of us don’t keep close tabs on what it does while it’s in there. It’s probably been years since you established your bank account and agreed to the terms and conditions. Do you eagerly read all the updates and emails that your bank sends you? If you’re like most of us, probably not. Here are some tips for spotting banking fees, getting them cut down, and getting the most out of them. Check the records Online banking is great for keeping track of your money – even when it’s been months since the transaction took place. Sort through your account debits to see which have been charged by your bank. With monthly fees ranging from $3 – $15.99 (or even more!), those expenses can really add up. Get rid of them! Now that you know how much you’re paying in banking fees, you know how much you want to get rid of. Call your bank to discuss the fees. There are plenty of free checking accounts out there, so to get your fees to $0, you

Save $10 in 10 Min: Cut $10 From Your Next Sports Night

At the end of any given month, a few extra bucks always help out – so here is another quick tip from Mogo that will only use 10 minutes of your time to save you at least $10. We all know that staying home to watch the game can save big bucks over hitting the arena or sports bar, but here are 4 more ways to save $10 with your butt on the couch! Cook for the crew instead of ordering in Making a pot of chili or lighting up the BBQ is a great, cheap way to feed the fellas. Canned ingredients for chili or hot dogs are a great way to fill up on Sunday afternoons and are much easier on your wallet than calling your favorite delivery company. Get rid of the channels you don’t need So you feel like you have a million channels without anything on? Cut a few channels. I made sure to get extra channels on my cable package because I’m a big sports fan – but I was also able to cut a few that I don’t watch to make up for it. There’s no sense paying for what you