Archive for June 2013
Net Worth Update: Topped $300,000
We’re halfway through 2013, so now’s a good time to take a big picture view of our finances to see if we’re on track. I like to update our net worth and review our financial plan a couple times a year to stay on top of our goals. The last time I updated our net…
Read More3 Things I Wish I Had Done Differently With My Finances
We would all be very wise if we could act on hindsight. I am not too dissatisfied about the way I’ve handled our finances over the years, but here are three things I wish I had done differently knowing what I know now. 1. I would have joined my company pension plan. When I started…
Read MoreHow Much Does It Cost To Build An Individual Stock Portfolio?
One advantage to building your own individual stock portfolio is the cost can be much cheaper than a portfolio of mutual funds or ETFs. Aside from the initial set-up period, and assuming you don’t trade very often, a portfolio of individual stocks can cost just a fraction of even the cheapest funds on the market.…
Read MorePRISM – An Attack On Data Privacy?
A secret system used by the NSA in the United States, PRISM, is supposedly slurping up all kinds of data from Internet companies like Google, Twitter, Microsoft and others. While there are more questions than answers at this point, one thing is clear, the United States government has significant data snooping and analysis capabilities. The…
Read MoreA Wise Investor Is An Informed Investor
Your financial health can be compared with your nutritional health – and it’s just as important for quality of life. Consider your meals. You can: Eat out, buy packaged food, or hire a personal chef Prepare the bare minimum to fill you up with no regard to nutritional content Take an interest by watching cooking…
Read MoreIn Defense Of Smallenfreuden
A new ad campaign by Visa is drawing the ire of retailers and small businesses across the country. Smallenfreuden, or the joy of small, is Visa’s attempt to get consumers to use their credit card for small purchases under $100. The ‘small’ purchase segment is dominated by debit and cash users, and retailers would like…
Read MoreMy View Of Early Retirement
This post was written by reader Daniel A as part of our retirement series. Early retirement had always been a lifelong goal for me. Having worked for nearly forty years with only a four month break between jobs, and watching many friends in-and-out of work, I was fortunate to have a steady job that allowed…
Read MoreHow To Manage Your Investment Risk
Here’s a typical question a financial advisor will ask to determine an investor’s risk tolerance in order to set up an appropriate strategy. I respond to fluctuations in my investments in the following manner: I will sell quickly any time my investment loses value. Day-to-day market movements make me uncomfortable and if my investment loses…
Read MoreIs It Time To Say Goodbye To Dividend Investing?
Bye-bye, dividend stocks. We’ve had a great run. I know I said I’d hold you forever but it’s clear you’re in a bubble now and it’s time to abandon this strategy before the bubble pops. Dividend fever has taken hold and driven blue-chip dividend payers to new heights. Investors flocked to dividend stocks for safety…
Read MoreWhy U.S. Stocks Are Safer Than Canadian Stocks
Let’s say you want to invest your savings, and you want to buy some stocks as part of your investment portfolio. Which stocks do you choose? Traditional wisdom says you should hold more of your own country’s stocks than stocks from a foreign country. That means Canadians should hold more Canadian stocks than U.S. stocks.…
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