Yes, believe it, or not, there may be money out there with your name on it.

When there is no owner activity for 10 years in an account, and the financial institution cannot contact the client, the balance is turned over to the Bank of Canada. These unclaimed balances can be in the form of any of the following: a deposit account, bank draft, certified cheque, deposit receipt, money order, GIC, term deposit, credit card balance, or traveller’s cheque.

It’s very easy to search to see if you have an unclaimed balance. You need to go to this site: http://ucbswww.bank-banque-canada.ca/scripts/search_english.cfm and type in the name you’re looking for. It doesn’t have to be your own – if you’re feeling generous, you can look for family and friends as well!  If any accounts match the name you’ve entered, you can click on the results listed, and you’ll see details about the account, including the last transaction date, outstanding balance, and originating bank.

If you determine the account is yours, you can click the Claim Form link to access a claim form, then print it out and send it to the appropriate address. You can find more details about how to claim your money here: http://www.bankofcanada.ca/unclaimed-balances/how-to-claim/

Some provinces also take possession of other kinds of unclaimed assets. There are Web sites for three provinces:

Note: There may be sites out there that offer to track down your missing money for a fee. Don’t bother with them. They can’t put in a claim for you, and you can easily look for the money yourself.

Happy hunting! If you find anything good, feel free to toss a few bucks my way. :)

Have you ever tracked down any missing money?

Are you unemployed or underemployed? Have more time than money? Then look no further. Here are some ways to help you earn some extra cash:

  • Be a personal shopper for someone. While this may be more popular during “big sale” times, there are opportunities for this year round. A lot of busy families don’t have time to go shopping, and some people have a hard time getting out (such as seniors).  You can provide a valuable service to them, and make some extra cash while you’re at it.
  • Selling your used underwear online. Yes, this is a real and lucrative business. As far as I know, there’ s only a market for women’s underwear. I realize this may seem a bit gross, but it definitely isn’t physically taxing or time consuming. Do some research online before you  try to get ideas of how to do this safely and securely.
  • Rent out your drive way or your lawn for big events. I’ve seen this before. People who live nearby stadiums etc. can make some extra money by renting out their driveway and even their lawn to let people park on them. Some may try to park on them without your permission, so you might as well just make some money off them!
  • Pet sitting or plant sitting. Not everyone had friends or relatives that can do this for them. I got paid to cat sit when I was a teenager, and it was great! They basically paid me to feed the cats, snuggle up with them, and then hang out and watch T.V.  One of the best jobs I ever had and much easier than babysitting!
  • Volunteer for psych experiments. I used to make 5 bucks a pop in university doing these and it was never anything crazy – just memory tests and that kind of thing.

These are just a few ideas. I’d love to hear about the craziest thing you’ve ever done for money or heard about someone doing for money.