Archive for December 2015
16 Financial Habits For A Prosperous New Year
A Fidelity Investments study discovered that setting specific financial goals does help get your fiscal house in order. 56% of those surveyed said their finances had improved, a much better result than most New Year’s resolutions. Give yourself a financial checkup and see where you can improve your saving and spending habits. Here are 16…
Read MoreHow Much Do You Really Need To Retire?
I’ve given you the challenge of thinking about what sort of retirement lifestyle you want to have. You’ve also determined, as well as you can, what income you may be likely to receive when you retire. It’s quite frustrating to try to figure out how much money you will need for your desired retirement. How…
Read MoreNet Worth Update: 2015 Year-End Review
With 2015 wrapping up I wanted to take the time to update my net worth statement and check in on my financial progress. It’s another year down and another year closer to achieving my goal of becoming a millionaire by 41, and reaching financial freedom by 2025. Even though I’ve been frustrated that the past…
Read MoreThrowback Thursday: Toys That Have Stood The Test Of Time
Christmas is obviously the biggest season for toy sales. If you wander through the toy aisles you’ll see electronic toys, figures based on current TV shows and movies, and remakes of favourites of past generations. We like to buy our kids toys that we enjoyed when we were younger and there are some toys that…
Read MoreFinancial Management By The Decade: The 40’s
Your forties are a good time to check out how you are doing financially. Many people find that they are finally getting some results. Salaries are likely to be higher, you are making some headway in decreasing your mortgage, and the kids may be at the age where they are not as financially draining as…
Read MoreWhat’s On My Reading List For 2016
I don’t know if I’d describe myself as a voracious reader, but I do enjoy a good book and like to read the latest on personal finance, investing, behavioural finance, and leadership or motivational topics. In fact, this year I found myself putting down my phone or laptop more often and picking out a good book to read…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: 2015 Farewell Edition
With the year quickly winding down I wanted to publish one final edition of weekend reading before we break for the holidays. Expect to see new articles published here on Monday and Wednesday for each of the next two weeks before we get back to our regular posting schedule in the new year. In the meantime, thanks for reading and…
Read MoreWhat Sean Cooper Really Achieved By Paying Off His Mortgage In 3 Years
Sean Cooper didn’t just pay off his $255,000 mortgage in three years; he taught us all a lesson in personal branding. Mr. Cooper, a pension analyst by day, mild-mannered blogger by night, took an almost Machiavellian-like approach by achieving fame through mortgage freedom. Buying a home in one of Canada’s most expensive cities at the…
Read MoreEasy As ABC? Understanding Different Mutual Fund Classes
Mutual funds have been a popular investment vehicle for a long time. There are currently over 5,000 mutual funds available in Canada and, according to the latest figures from The Investment Funds Institute of Canada, 33% of Canadian households are invested in them. Mutual funds are offered in different series or classes, which are identified by…
Read MoreBudgeting For Irregular Expenses
I’m about to build our household budget for 2016, which is to say that I’m going to take a copy of our 2015 budget, adjust the expenses for inflation (and necessity), and simply plug those numbers into an Excel spreadsheet. It’s easy to forecast our expenses for the next year when five years of spending history is…
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