The idea of retirement strikes us all differently.

And timing, of course, is everything. There are the Barry Sanders’ (who went too soon), the Muhammad Ali’s (who went too late) and the Steven Segal’s (who should probably go – like … now).

But all that considered, there’s no true answer to when you should give up work. The notion you’re to retire by age X is just a myth; everyone’s job/lifestyle circumstances are not alike.

Hungry this morning?

If you happen to see this on the way to work – or, if you’re already there and can slip out for a quick snack – Burger King is the place to be right now.

Yes, Burger King. The fast food chain is offering a FREE breakfast sandwich this morning between 6:30 and 10:30, no purchase required.

Check out a pic of the sandwich here (scroll down a little), but it looks pretty great. Egg. Bacon. Cheese. Croissant. Good.

In the rush to first open that RRSP, you probably signed reams of documents. But, if your circumstances have changed at all, now might be a good time to review just what you signed -- particularly when it comes to your beneficiary.

If you're married or living in a common-law relationship, you're probably better off to name your spouse or partner as the beneficiary. This way, your RRSP assets can be rolled over to his or her plan at your death, allowing you to avoid paying tax until the surviving spouse is faced with his or her own final tax return.

Reassess this in the event of divorce or remarriage, however. There have been cases where an RRSP went to a former spouse after the ex’s death.

Not only would the former spouse inherit, but the estate might be liable for the taxes owed as the transaction would no longer qualify as a tax-free rollover. If no beneficiary is chosen at all, the RRSP typically becomes estate property, and taxes will take a big bite.

The average salary cost per pound of the Saints' starting defensive line and other fun facts.

How much has the price of Super Bowl tickets appreciated since that very first one (Packers vs. Chiefs) back in 1967? If you guessed 22,225%, you’re right. In case you’re curious, that's a compound annualized growth rate of 13.4%.

Yes, we’ve been sucked into the hype that surrounds the big game (even though our beloved six-time world champion Steelers are sitting this one out). A fun article at CBS MoneyWatch helped pull us back in. “Super Bowl XLI: Adding up the numbers” examines all sorts of interesting stats.

Aside from skirting things like this, the best part about visiting the Caribbean is the chance to haggle.

Because, bartering is the traveller’s currency in many ways. We flock to negotiate prices in countries that rely on tourist dollars because, frankly, it’s the only time North American consumers have any real leverage.

Yet could a crippling recession change shopping traditions here at home? With retail tags all but set in stone, it’s not the custom to bargain in Canada … but, with a bum economy still looming, why shouldn’t it be?

Having trouble coming up with an RRSP contribution this year? Well, you’re not alone. 

Citing economic conditions as the main reason, a recent Royal Bank survey suggests that just 35 per cent of Canadians have contributed to or plan to contribute to an RRSP this year – the lowest percentage of contributors since 1996.

And this isn’t likely to change anytime soon, according to a recent RBC Economics study which predicts that the amount of money going into RRSPs is likely to decline sharply over the next 10 years.  

It takes the loss of about $100 for a man to finally stop and say, “Good Lord, what is the deal with roses, anyway?”

Chances are that lightning bolt goes off in the days leading up to February 14th, the only time of the year most guys have a reason to buy them. Unless, as Jay Leno might say, you’re Tiger Woods. (Click here now.)

They say the rose has long been a symbol for beauty and romance. The ancient Greeks and Romans identified the flower with Aphrodite and Venus, the goddesses of love who no doubt insisted a dozen-piece floral arrangement should cost at least three figures.

Last July, I bookmarked this article that was forwarded to me.

It seemed pretty cool; the Star was reporting on Tokyo’s use of something called piezoelectric technology to power two of their heavily-populated train stations.

The method appeared neat, but maybe too futuristic. At the time, critics slammed the technique – which uses specially-designed floor mats to capture energy expended by pedestrian foot traffic – as either too inefficient or not cost-effective enough.