Hi MoneyNerds,

In this issue we’re excited to share some surprising findings from our first-ever Real Estate Sentiment Report. We asked Canadians how they felt about the state of the housing market, and they didn’t hold back.

We discuss how data could affect the prices you see online (take note, Prime Day shoppers) and dissect some questionable Reddit advice about managing a mortgage after job loss.

And we bid adieu to a credit card that the internet loved to hate.

Don’t forget to scroll all the way down to see the headlines that caught our eye this week!

Let’s dive in.

For the past two years, Canada’s sluggish housing market has often been attributed to “economy uncertainty” — a catch-all term for concerns about the country’s trade relationship with the U.S., job security, and the possibility of a recession.

But after working with Angus Reid to poll 1,500 Canadians about their plans, it's clear “uncertainty” isn’t really what’s holding would-be buyers back.

» LEARN MORE: Read the full 2026 Real Estate Sentiment Report

by Deborah Kearns, contributing writer

You and your partner are booking the same flight, on the same night, from the same couch. His price is $50 cheaper than yours. Why?

Without your knowledge, an algorithm scanned your browsing history, flagged your iPhone as a premium device and decided you’d probably pay more.

It’s called surveillance pricing, and it’s legal in most of Canada. That means retailers could soon use your personal data to determine the prices you pay — if they don’t already.

While surveillance pricing may be an unfamiliar concept for most Canadians, it’s really just a new take on a common tactic: dynamic pricing.

Companies have long used dynamic or “algorithmic” pricing via software to gauge consumer demand and adjust prices in real time, says Eddie Ning, assistant professor of marketing and behavioral science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Uber, for instance, uses “surge pricing” at times of peak demand, charging higher fares to all customers across the board. And we all know the pain of paying higher air fares during peak travel season.

But surveillance pricing takes dynamic pricing a step further. This is where things start to feel a little dystopian.

Instead of a rideshare company charging everyone more because it’s a busy Friday night, it’s charging you more because of what its algorithm knows about you.

Your income, location, ethnicity and favourite apps could all be used to determine what you’re willing to pay.

Sounds like it should be… illegal, right? But it’s not.

So far, little legislation exists to limit the use of surveillance pricing. Manitoba is the only province that has banned surveillance pricing outright in stores and online.

Ning says surveillance pricing is “really hard to catch,” but adds that it’s happening less frequently than people might assume. He says it’s more prevalent online than in physical stores.

Wanna stick it to the bots? Tips for getting around surveillance pricing

Reddit can be a gold mine…or a minefield. For your information (and entertainment) we share our thoughts on a trending conversation.

🧐 What Reddit said: “Don’t tell the bank you lost your job. Tell them hard times. Family member sick. Make something up.”

On a recent post asking for advice about how to manage a mortgage despite dual job loss, one commenter shocked the entire thread by saying it’s best to keep the bank in the dark. “They will flag your account,” the person alleged. “I lost my job in September and seeked (sic) for a 1 month break, they asked every question in the book.”

✅ Reality check: “Don’t tell your lender” may sound like a clever way to stay under the radar, but it can backfire fast.

There’s a difference between not volunteering every life update and hiding information when your mortgage is at risk.

If you’ve lost your job but can still make your payments, you don’t necessarily need to call your lender just to announce it.

But if you’re worried you’ll miss a payment — or think you may need help making adjustments to your mortgage terms — honesty matters.

Lenders have mortgage delinquency programs for these exact situations. Depending on your circumstances, options may include a payment deferral, extending amortization, restructuring payments or leveraging prepayment privileges differently.

The earlier you ask, the more options you’re likely to have.

The Reddit advice also ignores a bigger risk: misrepresenting or omitting important information a lender relies on can cross into mortgage-fraud territory. Even when it doesn’t, secrecy can make a stressful situation harder to fix later, especially if missed payments start piling up.

Instead of keeping your lender in the dark try this script: “I’ve had a change in employment and I’m reviewing my budget. I’m current on payments, but I want to understand my options in case that changes.”

The bottom line: Losing your job doesn’t automatically mean losing your home. But pretending everything is fine when it isn’t can shrink your options. Stay current if you can, call your lender before you miss a payment, and be truthful about your situation when asking for help.

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Apply today and you could snag an intro offer worth up to $600 in value!

ICYMI: Tims Financial will end service of the Tims Mastercard on Oct. 1, giving the country’s favourite coffee-flavoured, credit-card punchline one last trip through the drive-thru.

While the general sentiment on social media seems to be “good riddance,” there's a real product — and a real deadline — to consider. For some newcomers and those working to rebuild their credit, the secured version’s no annual fee and rewards made it a useful first card.

Current Tims cardholders can keep earning points until the October 1st deadline.

If you’re eligible and do nothing, you may be moved to a Neo-branded replacement (with zero rewards and phone-only support 😬). Move the card to Neo before the deadline, however, and Neo says your credit limit and account history transfer without a new application or credit check.

As for the Tims card’s successor, meme-card status can’t be appointed. The throne will soon be vacant and nominations are open.

🤓 Nerdy Tip: If the Tims card helped you build credit, actively moving it before Oct. 1 is probably better than drifting into a no-rewards replacement by default.