Exploring travelling in Canada by car

In a Caddle survey taken this year, 90% of Canadians confirmed that they would recommend travel to Canada – and it looks like the world agrees. According to Statistics Canada, the number of U.S. tourists rose by 3.1% from 2016 to 2017, reaching 14.3 million in 2017.

If you’re inspired to see all Canada has to offer, here are just a few of the destinations you can reach by car from our many border crossings:

Alaska

If you’re driving through the Alcan border crossing:

·       Yukon Wildlife Preserve (Yukon) – 5 ½ hours

o   Miles Canyon (Yukon) – additional 30 minutes

o   Emerald Lake (Yukon) – additional 30 minutes

·       Nahanni National Park Reserve (Northwest Territories) – 16 hours

Washington and Idaho

From the Blaine border crossing:

·       Whistler (BC) – 2 ½ hours

·       Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (BC) – 6 hours

From the Eastport border crossing:

·       Yoho National Park of Canada (BC) – 4 hours

Montana and North Dakota

Crossing from Sweetgrass:

·       Dinosaur Provincial Park (Alberta) – 2 ½ hours

·       Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (Saskatchewan) – 3 ½ hours

·       Banff National Park (Alberta) – 4 ½ hours

·       Jasper National Park (Alberta) – 6 ½ hours

·       Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada (Northwest Territories) – 17 ½ hours

Crossing from Raymond:

·       Prince Albert National Park (Saskatchewan) – 6 ¼ hours

Crossing from Dunseith:

·       Riding Mountain National Park (Manitoba) – 2 ½ hours

Michigan, New York and New England

Entering Canada from Detroit:

·       Bruce Peninsula National Park (Ontario) – 5 ½ hours

Entering Canada from Niagara Falls:

·       Algonquin Provincial Park (Ontario) – 3 ¾ hours

Entering from the Chateauguay border crossing:

·       Ottawa (Ontario) – 2 ½ hours

·       Mont Tremblant (Quebec) – 2 ½ hours

Entering from Jackman:

·       Quebec City (Quebec) – 2 hours

From Fort Kent:

·       Kouchibouguac National Park (New Brunswick) – 4 ¼ hours

Crossing at the Calais border:

·       Fundy National Park (New Brunswick) – 2 ¼ hours

·       Green Gables Heritage Place (PEI) – 4 ¼ hours

·       Prince Edward Island National Park (PEI) – 4 ¼ hours

·       Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse (Nova Scotia) – 5 ½ hours

·       Skyline and Cabot Trails (Nova Scotia) – 7 ½ hours

Travelling from the Houlton crossing:

·       Gros Morne National Park (Newfoundland and Labrador) – 19 hours

·       St. John’s and Signal Hill (Newfoundland and Labrador) – 25 hours

Provincial and Territorial tourism sites

travelyukon.com

spectacularnwt.com

nunavuttourism.com

hellobc.com

travelalberta.com

tourismsaskatchewan.com

travelmanitoba.com

ontariotravel.net

quebecoriginal.com

tourismnewbrunswick.ca

tourismpei.com

novascotia.com

newfoundlandlabrador.com

How to achieve work-life balance

Today, Millennials are approximately 22 to 37 years old, while those from Generation X are roughly 38 to 53 years old. With this age difference, many might expect priorities to differ when it comes to the workplace, but a recent Caddle survey reveals that the two generations actually share almost identical priorities at work. Both generations prioritize work-life balance first (31% Millennials, 30% Gen X), followed by respectful treatment (21% Millennials, 22% Gen X) and the opportunity to help others (15% Millennials, 13% Gen X).

If you aspire to achieve greater work-life balance, here are tips on steps you can take on both professional and personal fronts:

 

At work

At risk of getting an infamously catchy song stuck in your head, your key mantra should be to “let go.” Forbes recommends letting go of the pursuit of perfection, and proposes the idea that quantity over quality in the workplace may be better for the soul.

Both Forbes and Mayo Clinic encourage you to delegate more; Mayo Clinic further adds that you should say “no” more often – this will help you prioritize, manage your time more accurately, and therefore perform at a higher rate. Mayo Clinic also provides sage advice around email management: reduce email checkpoints to three times daily (late morning, early afternoon and late in the day) – this allows you to start your day by prioritizing your individual tasks and challenges, not those around you.

While it may seem counterintuitive, asking for help, delegation, and saying “no” are all signs of professional growth – these same habits that help achieve work-life balance are also milestones that your manager is likely looking for in your development.

In life

While it may be cliché, there is so much truth to the saying that “health is wealth.” While it may seem nearly impossible with everything going on at work, making time to exercise and eat healthfully are fundamental factors to achieving work-life balance.

Another important factor in improving personal health and professional performance is proper sleep. Harvard Business Review makes the case for getting quality z’s and provides tips on how to do so.

Whichever steps you choose to take toward a better work-life balance, remember to start small.

Why I started Caddle

For seven years, I worked in Marketing and Sales at SC Johnson and we had one simple but critical pain point: we didn’t understand our consumers as well as we needed to.

In the digital age, brand loyalty is low, the competition fierce and ad-blocking technology is booming . The CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) industry is cutthroat. We were constantly struggling to keep up with a fickle customer base and win the race to get the next best innovation on the shelves.

In this environment, you need fresh and fast market insights to ensure your brand survives in today’s CPG landscape, but we had no way of getting those with shrinking budgets and archaic, bloated insights providers. Sourcing intelligence from multinational market research firms or focus groups wasn’t an option. Because it took time to gather, compile and publish the data in traditional market research reports, it was often dated and fragmented. Focus groups are expensive and time-consuming to organize and manage. We needed insights within days of spotting an opportunity, not months. By the time we got those insights, the opportunity had passed.

A Better Way

I knew there had to be a better way, and that there was a need for businesses to have recent, up-to-the-minute data on their potential and current customers at an affordable price. My first thought was to build a mobile app that would reward consumers for their engagement with cash back on the products they’re interested in.

Consumers would answer surveys to identify brands they wanted to connect with. In return, brands would get to engage directly with consumers.

‘Imagine having hundreds of thousands of consumers at our fingertips,’ I thought to myself. ‘Instead of using dated or US research, we could have direct access to our consumer to get the insights that would drive our brands.’

At SC Johnson, this would have cost me five (maybe even six) figures and months to get the research.

I spent the next two years thinking about my idea. Eventually, my wife (my girlfriend at the time) gave me a clear ultimatum: “You need to do it or you need to shut up.”

The Deadline

That was enough motivation for me. I gave myself a deadline of May 1, 2015 to make it happen or move on. Two weeks prior to my deadline, I watched an inspiring documentary about (the late) Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the founders of Apple. Watching that film about two pioneers who grew what would become a multi-billion dollar company out of their garage was exciting and inspiring. I thought, ‘I want to do this, but I need a sign.’

A few days before my deadline, I attended a training seminar in Chicago for SC Johnson (my employer at the time). During my flight back from Chicago to Buffalo, I discovered, The Woz was on my flight! I instantly recognized him from the documentary. But one thing was missing: there was no Apple watch on his wrist.

As we checked our bags through security, I seized a window of opportunity and tapped Mr. Wozniak on the shoulder to tell him my story. In reply, he said, “I don’t need to understand it. The fact is, you have the passion to do it. It’s not whether it fails or not. It’s going to be that you’re glad you did it and failed rather than the regret of not doing it at all.”

This was the ‘sign’ I’d been waiting for! Steve’s encouragement during that impromptu chat inspired me to sell some investment properties and hire Symetric, a local web and graphic design agency, to build the Caddle app.

From there, things took off. I quit my job at SC Johnson and launched Caddle in 2015. We attracted customers such as PepsiCo, Mars, and General Mills.

Dragons’ Den

An appearance on the popular CBC series Dragons’ Den resulted in four out of five dragons making a $125,000 investment in the company for 28 percent equity in the business (off-screen, we rejected the deal, and instead raised capital on more favourable terms with friends and family). Mick Higgins, our chief marketing officer, describes us as “ad blocking kryptonite.”

People listened to and believed in our pitch, and the market conditions continue to validate it. Thanks to our partners and the consumers who continue to support us, we engage everyone from millennial moms to tech evangelists, sports enthusiasts, and more – much faster than any old school focus group.

We launched and continue to grow our team in St. Catharines. Today, we have a team of 20 employees and a massive user base enabling brands to get the insights they need faster than any other platform.

You can find our app on iOS and Android

Saving for Travel

Combining travel to a warm, sunny destination with spending quality time with family and experiencing your culture can make for an unforgettable winter getaway.

That’s what Shauna Gayle-Robinson, our administrative assistant at Caddle, is doing this year as she packs for a visit to Jamaica in a few weeks.
<blockquote"I am currently saving and looking forward to my 2019 vacation in Jamaica. I am anxious and excited as this will be my first time visiting in years. The best part about my vacation is that it will be spent with my entire family. I'm looking forward to experiencing different aspects of my culture such as dance, food and the arts," she said.

Visiting Jamaica

Jamaica is a truly vibrant place where tranquil beaches, stunningly beautiful waterfalls, mouthwatering food and an eclectic culture all await. While it can be an expensive destination to visit, you can easily save some of your hard-earned Caddle cash with these budgeting tips:

Treat yourself to lunch and casual meals at local restaurants and dine on dishes like fish (a staple in the Jamaican diet), jerk chicken or pork, sweet potato and more. Expect to spend about $4.50 US for your average meal. Better yet, pick up your food at local supermarkets and cook your meals, says Nomadic Matt in his Jamaican travel guide..

For a taste of Jamaica’s famously rich culture, visit Kingston, the island’s capital (and largest) city. Travel blog A World to Travel says its blend of urban society with exotic jungle life means you’ll have fantastic opportunities to explore what the area offers, from the blue mountains to the busy natural harbour. And one of the best parts is that this trip is budget-friendly; there are many restaurants and guesthouses that won’t break the bank.

More Savings Stories

We love using the Caddle app as a team and telling the story of what we are saving for.

Read more about other’s stories.

Ajay’s Saving Story

Ryan’s Saving Story

Keith’s Saving Story

 

Sports fans know what it’s like to spend months anticipating the opening game of the season, and often dream of what it would be like to see a match live. If you’re dreaming of snagging stellar seats this year in your favourite stadium, Ajay Khanna, our Account Manager at Caddle, has some insights for you:

“At first, when I began working at Caddle, but as time passed, I realized the amount I could save within a given timeframe to myself and decided on Toronto Raptors Tickets for this season,”

“I plan to cash out very soon, but first I must decide what game & when (perhaps during my birthday in March). It could be a free birthday gift from me to me.”

When he’s looking to save with Caddle, he looks for the larger offers and those that offer the best cash back first:

“I love sharing but do take advantage of the larger offers on Caddle such as Slim Jim. I find the offers that show the best cashback value or purchase those items on my daily shopping list, such as toilet paper.”

Tip: Join your favourite team’s fan club so you’ll be one of the first to hear about ticket offers, advises U.S. News & World Report. “Sometimes membership has a nominal fee attached, but that fee can pay off if you attend several games in a season.”

You can also shop the secondary market on websites like StubHub.com, TicketCity.com or eBay, where ticket agents or season ticket holders unable to attend a game often resell their tickets.

 

Read about Ryan’s savings goals.

Read about Jaime’s savings goals.

Brian Cline – Chief Technology Officer

As a software developer, I’ve always felt the most important skill to have was being able to write code and being able to multitask. Over the years, I’ve realized that while writing code is important but it’s definitely not the most important thing in developing software.

Multitasking isn’t actually important either, and it’s very difficult for it to actually be done in practice because writing software requires a laser focus. So, what is the most important skill then?

I believe that a lot of my personal failures as a programmer were the result of communication problems and not usually technical reasons. The most important skill in software development is being able to communicate clearly.

What is Communication?

Communication means a lot more than just being able to say what you mean, and have it understood. Communication also means being able to listen and understand what others are asking for. Learning to communicate as a software developer can be difficult as it’s very different from programming because people aren’t the same as computers.

I bet you communicate every day whether it be with your colleagues or your manager. Like programming, the best way to get better at communicating is to better intentionally practice it and to do things that we wouldn’t normally do.

Most likely, a third to half of the work day is spent communicating with others whether it be in written or verbal form. It’s a really good idea to start practicing being good, compassionate, and passionate person. So, how do you do this?

Here’s a couple of principles I’ve been trying to follow that I feel are pretty helpful:

• Listen
• Choose to encourage over criticizing.
• When criticizing it must be constructive
• Put yourself in the other person’s shoes (yes this is definitely cliché).

Listening

I believe that poor listening habits are the primary cause of many of my daily problems and probably they’re the cause of your problems too. I think the big thing to do is to really focus on listening and not limiting what you hear.

Focus on listening for the content, meaning, and feeling that that other person is expressing. It’s super important to just listen to understand and avoid interrupting, commenting or disagreeing. Wait through the moments of silence in case the other person isn’t done finishing a thought.

As left-brained analytical people, we all have a desire to fix the problem or concern and not listen to the entire message. This unfortunately doesn’t help with listening which results in things being missed.

Choose to encourage over criticizing

Feedback is essential to a being a good software developer and for running a well-functioning team. I’ve learned that only commenting on the poor-quality work results in the other programmer producing worse quality work.

Criticism usually ends up putting the other person on the defensive which usually results in a win for absolutely nobody. We developers almost never actually work alone, we are usually on teams of 3 – 7 people and spend lots of time reading and reviewing other’s work.

When criticizing it must be constructive

As a young leader in the Canadian Forces, it was constantly banged into my head that when providing feedback to my staff it had to be constructive. Feedback had to something they could actually change.

Feedback like “you’re an idiot” won’t help any. It won’t help that person to grow, it will discourage them and cause friction.

In the military we always told to use the feedback sandwich which means a Praise, Improvement and a Praise. The feedback should look something like this:

Focus on a particular strength of the person. It could be that they’re a really hard worker, or that you appreciate the task getting done so quickly.  The criticism, basically what needs improvement. The feedback needs to be constructive though, you need to show how you would do it.  Focus on another strength of the person or you could use the same positive feedback as was started with, and then talk about how much better it could be with the criticism being followed.

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes

“Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes” is a lot more than a cheesy cliché or quote from a book like To Kill a Mockingbird. It means that you need to have empathy and understand the feelings that the other person is having. Resolving conflict through empathy is a vital communication skill.

Empathy is recognizing other people’s emotions and going beyond your own concerns. People aren’t generally being evil, unkind or stubborn. They are reacting to previous experience or the knowledge they have.

Good communication is what will drive growth whether it be personal growth or career growth. Terrible communication will cause your personal life and career to stagnate.

Other Resources

The Developer on Fire podcast was a podcast that had a fairly large impact on me. There’s probably close to a dozen episodes where the guests speak about communication being important.

“How to Win Friends and Influence People</a" by Dale Carnegie is a really good book about the important of communication and how to get better at it.

When it comes to specific strategies, he advises savvy shoppers to make sure they want the item on offer “for a reason other than the Caddle credit. For example, getting an item (you) would normally buy or an item one is planning on trying. If (you) buy just to get the credit, it is almost always a loss of money (ALMOST).”

 

See Jaime’s saving story

See Will’s saving story

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we’re in a romantic mood here at Caddle. We’ve been wondering what Canadians are up to on the big day, how they spend time and money with their partner, and whether they had plans to celebrate this day of love.

Valentine’s Day traditions

When it came time to decide how to spend Valentine’s Day 2019, responses were split in a recent Caddle survey; while 25% looked forward to buying presents for their significant other, 21% said they and their honey don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. Treating their significant other to an experience and being unsure if they will celebrate were tied for third at 19%, while not celebrating at all trailed in fourth place at 15%.

Who is Saint Valentine?

St. Valentine is the patron saint of lovers, epileptics, and beekeepers. By some accounts, he suffered martyrdom during the persecutions of Christians by emperor Claudius II Gothicus circa 270. According to legend, he had signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter (who became a friend) and healed her from blindness. Another common legend states that he defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war. – Source: Britannica.com

 

Valentine’s Day gifts

Asked what they think the best way to celebrate Valentine’s Day is, respondents know what they like. Spending time with their significant other was the clear winner at 49%, while “doing something special/being treated to an experience” trailed in a distant second at 22%. Not celebrating Valentine’s Day (10%), “a simple card is good enough for me” (7%), “being showered with gifts” (5%), “gifts, cards, and a special experience” and “Other” ( tied at 3%) rounded out the answers.

How much to spend on Valentine’s Day?

Once you’ve chosen how you’d like to spend your time and money making memories with the one you love, you’ve got to decide how much to spend. Respondents to this survey are conservative spenders when it comes to Valentine’s Day, with 36% saying one person should spend less than $20. Spending in the $21 to $50 range fell closely behind at 35%, while 16% came in a distant third with a range of $51 to $100. Eight percent fell into the “Other” category, while 5% said $101 to $200, and 1% would go all out at $201 to $500. No respondents said they would spend more than $500.

Gifts infused with meaning always win hearts, and our respondents were no different; 29% said the best Valentine’s Day gifts are “something that means something to me”, while 21% would like to be surprised with something they want but probably wouldn’t buy for themselves and 14% were more pragmatic, preferring “something practical.” Following behind were the 13% who don’t do gifts on Valentine’s Day. Traditionalists who prefer flowers or chocolates and “something simple and sweet like a card” tied for fifth place at 11%.

Did you know?

Richard Cadbury, a scion of the Cadburys, a British chocolate manufacturing family, started the tradition of giving a box of candy in the 19th century. The company had recently established a new technique to create more varieties of chocolate, and Cadbury pounced on the opportunity to sell the chocolates as part of the beloved holiday. – Source: History.com 

Valentine’s Day Experiences

If you lean more towards experiences, you’ve got lots of options, from meals to a night on the town or even scratching an item off your bucket list. Asked what they think the best Valentine’s Day gifts/experiences are, 35% want “a nice meal together”. The rest of the answers were distant favourites, with 14% looking to book “some alone time without the kids” and 11% wanting “a night with the family”. “A unique night out” and “a meal cooked together” tied for fourth place at 9%. Eight percent don’t do anything for

Valentine’s Day, 6% would love “a night away”, and 4% were in the “Other” category. A “wine tasting/tour” and “something off our bucket list” tied for last place at 2%.

Whether you spend Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart on the town, having a quiet meal in, or surprising them with a gift or experience to brighten their day, what’s really important is expressing how much you mean to each other.

You can create an amazing Valentine’s Day for you and your flame by putting your Caddle cash towards a special gift or crafting an evening just for the two of you. If you’re single, why not take the day for some well-deserved self-care?  Start creating your own Valentine’s day traditions today.

Read More: Our Career Survey revealed Canadians want more than just a pay cheque at work.

8 websites to learn how to make money online

Are you exhausted trying to hold down a second job just to make ends meet? Maybe you’re a 9-to-5er, stay at home mom or student who could use a little extra cash in the bank each month, but doesn’t know where to start.

There are tons of websites out there that teach you how to use the “gig economy” to your advantage and earn a side income (or even a full-time remote job) that will let you decide when and where to work while putting away some savings. Whether you’re looking for information on starting your own online business or launching your remote job search, you can start learning about how to earn extra money on these sites.

Arts and Budgets 

Arts & Budgets is for creatives looking to build successful business online, generate a ton of organic traffic to their sites and increase their social media following. Blogger Latasha combines her love for the creative arts with her passion for the online business world to offer resources, and online posts to help you make a living doing what you love, one step at a time.You can also join her email list and Facebook group Creative Ninja Nation.

10 ways to make extra money from side hustles – Arts & Budgets

Dope Dollar 

dopedollar.com   is a personal finance blog run by Jay Li, whose mission is to show you how to make meaningful money on the side while maintaining a day job – enough until you can quit your job and make your side hustle your full-time gig. If you’re interested in learning about general personal finance and how to generate income through blogging, this site is for you.

How to earn money online with little investment costs – Dope Dollar

The Fit Careerist 

The Fit Careerist is for achievers and doers looking for a resource to help them reach their goals while maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle. Corrie Alexander is a logistics nerd, blogger, virtual assistant and exercise enthusiast who writes about career strategy, entrepreneurial pursuit, fitness, productivity and personal development.

HowToMakeMoneyOnlineFast 

HowToMakeMoneyOnlineFast is a resource for anyone looking for a way to make money online. Kevin, who’s run various online businesses for two decades, breaks down this broad topic into bite-sized chunks of easy-to-understand info that gets straight to the point. Find tips on affiliate marketing, blogging, social media, videos, writing, working from home and more.

What is affiliate marketing and how does it work? – HowtoMakeMoneyOnlineFast

Ladies Make Money Online

Ladies Make Money Online helps women entrepreneurs monetize their side hustle. Their mission is to give you the tools and tips you need to start making money online. They offer a blog, Facebook and Pinterest groups and more.

3 networks bloggers should apply to get paid sponsored post opportunities – Ladies Make Money

Layered Indulgence 

Layered Indulgence is a lifestyle destination covering style, travel, self-care, decor, social media and entrepreneurship. Blogger Kate has an entire section on blogging and dispenses advice on a wide range of topics such as how to make money blogging, content planning, social media, and more.

How to land your first sponsored post – Layered Indulgence

Mom Blog Life 

Elaine created Mom Blog Life for pregnant mamas and new moms who want to work from home. As a mom who wanted to stay at home with her baby, she started her own business after spending too long slugging away at a desk job she hated. These days, she’s living proof that you can change how you work and design your life on your own terms. Visit her blog for ideas on how to set up your home office, start and maintain your own mom blog, and more.

40 side hustles for stay at home moms – Mom Blog Life

Work from Home Happiness 

Work From Home Happiness is run by Ashlee Anderson, a self-professed “freelancer, solopreneur, and out-of-the-cube thinker” who made the transition from cubicle to creative freelance writer. She launched Work from Home Happiness in 2015 to help people learn how to package their skillsets into a profitable service-based business or land a remote job. With her free checklist, you can launch your remote job search in 24 hours. She also offers career coaching, online courses, inspiration, a job board, and more.

No experience work from home jobs for beginners – Work from Home Happiness

Caddle

List on Airbnb

Do you own a house and love to meet people? You’ve got a way to earn cash. Airbnb  is an online marketplace that allows you to offer your space for a set rate per night for people looking for temporary places to stay while they’re in town. Airbnb has almost single-handedly turned the hospitality industry on its head for travellers who refuse to pay expensive hotel rates and homeowners looking to make extra cash. Why not join them?

How to list on Airbnb 

Earn money driving your car

If you’ve got a working vehicle, some spare time on your hands and a love of short-term tasks, why not use them to make money? Uber is a peer-to-peer ridesharing, taxi cab, food delivery, bicycle-sharing, and transportation network. As another mover and shaker in the app economy, it can help you make a second (or third) income while shuttling customers and food from point A to point B.

How to earn money driving your car 

Become a tutor

Do you love helping others learn? Thanks to the Internet, these days you don’t necessarily have to have gotten a teaching degree and be in a traditional classroom setting to teach – you can teach English as a Second Language (ESL) or other subjects online with platforms such as VIPKID and QKids. You should also have a reliable Wi-Fi connection, a creative personality and some free time.

How to make money tutoring online 

Become an amateur photographer

If you’ve got a talent for photography, a decent DSLR camera and an eye for images that will sell, why not submit your images to stock photo sites and build yourself an online portfolio? This is a popular pursuit for amateurs, hobbyists and professionals looking to earn a side income, but there’s a few things you should know first about how stock photography works, finding your niche, marketing, legal and ethical issues, and more.

How to earn money as an amateur photographer