How does a young single woman take the plunge to buy her first home? In this 12- minute podcast you’ll hear from Lisa, who describes how she managed this major purchase – including the ever-important down payment. Lisa also tells us how she furnished her home, how she handles repairs and maintenance, and why good neighbours have helped to make her new place a joy.

If you’re thinking of buying a home, talk to us about your mortgage needs. Like Lisa, you may be eligible for the Home Buyers’ Plan, which allows you to withdraw up to $20,000 from your registered retirement savings plan to buy or build a qualifying home.

Have you thought about going back to school for an advanced degree, but wondered how you’d pay for it? In this 11-minute podcast you’ll meet Chris and Amy, a young couple who have fulfilled their dreams of obtaining masters degrees without making too many sacrifices in their lifestyle. Find out how they did it!

Imagine cutting your energy bill by one-third and reducing your reliance on the power grid at the same time. John and his wife Lorraine have done just this by using electricity wisely in their home and by installing solar panels. In this 15-minute podcast you’ll discover why and how John did it – and how he and the environment benefit.

In this second installment in the Greening Your Life podcasts, John shares more ideas about alternative energy, including how you can use green power without making additions to your own home; where you can get more information; and where he thinks this type of power is headed in the future. Listening to this 11-minute podcast may just spark your interest in green power!

Emma is a bright and energetic 13-year old who loves to run track and play basketball. Sure, she chats with her friends online and goes to the movies, but she’s managed to discover a healthy balance of schoolwork, social fun and fitness. If you’re a sedentary teen who’d like to get moving again, or if you’re a parent trying to coax your own kids into getting off the sofa, listen to what Emma has to say in this seven-minute podcast. Find out why she spends time exercising, and how she benefits from the lifestyle she has chosen.

Are you concerned about your children when they spend time on the Internet? How can you help protect their privacy and security while encouraging them to learn to communicate in the online world? In this 13-minute podcast you’ll get to know Rebecca and her children Bob, 11, Emma, 13 and Jake, 15, who have managed to find a way to use their home computer safely – in a way that keeps the whole family happy.

Planning, resourcefulness and a little creativity can help you get the wedding you want without blowing your budget. In this podcast, you’ll hear a 12-minute conversation with Jessica, a newlywed who put a lot of effort into her beautiful wedding – without spending a bundle. Jessica learned to get crafty, relied on friends and family for help, and maintained a positive attitude throughout the year-long wedding planning process. In the end, she and her husband created a memorable day that uniquely met their needs.

Here’s what you’ll hear in this podcast:

Are you taking care of your parent or other older family member in your home? Might this be a possibility in the future? In this 20-minute conversation, you’ll hear how a woman named Betty, grieving the sudden death of her mother, took her elderly father into her home for a time period that was likely to be two years. Two decades later, Pops is still in residence.

You might learn something from Betty’s experience. Here’s what you’ll hear in this podcast:

For parents, bullying is a pervasive issue in Canada, whether your child is the one doing the bullying or the person being victimized. In this 16-minute podcast, you’ll hear research-based insights from Dr. Debra Pepler, an expert in this field. She also shares valuable practical tips for parents and other people in the child’s life.

Here are the show notes for this podcast:

Bullying does not happen in isolation. It’s a reflection of the child’s relationship at school and within the family. In the second of three podcasts, Dr. Debra Pepler shares advice for parents and teachers who want to know more about why bullying occurs, and how it may be prevented.

A world-respected authority on bullying research, Dr. Debra Pepler is a Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution at York University, as well as Senior Associate Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. With Dr. Wendy Craig, she co-leads PREVNet – Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network. Visit the PREVNet Web site for resources on this important topic.

Here are the show notes for this podcast:

Bullying doesn’t occur only in the schoolyard. It’s pervasive in the workplace, too, exacting a toll on both mental health and productivity. In this podcast, Dr. Debra Pepler discusses this problem and offers practical solutions.

A world-respected authority on bullying research, Dr. Debra Pepler is a Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution at York University, as well as Senior Associate Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. With Dr. Wendy Craig, she co-leads PREVNet – Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network. Visit the PREVNet Web site for resources on this topic.

Here are the show notes for this podcast: