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Best Budget Phone Plans in Canada Under $35/Month (2026)

$29 Lucky Mobile 65 GB · Bell LTE · Best Value $29 Chatr 50 GB · Rogers LTE $29 Fizz 50 GB · 4G · ON/BC/AB $34 Chatr 80 GB · Rogers LTE · Most Data $35 Public Mobile 25 GB · 5G · US & MX included Canadians pay some of the highest mobile rates in the world — or at least, they used to. Budget carriers and flanker brands have quietly been slashing prices and packing in data throughout 2026, and today there are legitimate plans under $35/month that include unlimited talk & text, 5G speeds, and tens of gigabytes of data . The catch? These deals live on the websites of smaller brands like Lucky Mobile, Chatr, Fizz, and Public Mobile — not the Rogers/Bell/Telus homepage you're probably used to. They all run on the exact same Big Three towers, and most don't require a contract or credit check. You just need to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Pro Tip — Autopay = More Data: Almost every plan below requires automatic top-up or autopay enabled to qualify for the advertised price a...

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Retail Sales Flat in April, Missing Expectations

American shoppers are showing signs of spending fatigue, with retail sales data for April coming in sharply below expectations. According to the Commerce Department, U.S. retail sales were unchanged from March, missing the anticipated 0.4% increase that economists surveyed by the Journal had expected. This slowdown follows a 0.6% month-over-month increase seen in March, highlighting concerns about the state of the consumer amid sticky inflation and higher interest rates.

Key Points:

  • Flat Retail Sales: In April, retail sales remained stagnant, failing to meet the projected growth.
  • Excluding Auto and Gas: Sales declined by 0.1%, falling short of the expected 0.1% increase.
  • Sector Performance:
    • Nonstore retailers led the declines, dropping 1.2% from the previous month.
    • Sporting goods and hobby stores also declined by 0.9%.
    • Clothing and accessories stores saw a 1.6% rise in sales.
    • Gasoline sales picked up by 3.1%.
  • Economic Context: Economists are closely monitoring consumer spending amid the Federal Reserve’s pivot to keep interest rates high for longer than expected.

This situation underscores the delicate balance between consumer demand, inflation, and monetary policy. As we await further context, it’s clear that retail sales are a critical indicator to watch in the current economic landscape.


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