Archive for August 2019
Weekend Reading: Bad Investment Advice Edition
I enjoy listening to Dan Bortolotti’s Canadian Couch Potato podcast. One of the best parts is a regular segment he calls, “bad investment advice”, which takes aim at myths and misunderstandings about the markets. It’s not hard to find an article in mainstream media where the author is spinning half-truths, conflicted advice, and downright dangerous…
Read MoreAn Easy Way To Invest Responsibly
This post is sponsored by RBC InvestEase Inc. All views and opinions expressed represent my own and are based on my own research of the subject matter. Responsible investing is something on the minds of many investors today. They’re concerned about the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects of economic activities. Once considered a fringe movement, retail…
Read MoreMoney Bag: Cell Phone and Data Options For Travellers, and a No-More Air Travel Pledge
Today I’m answering reader mail for a feature I call the Money Bag. I’ll answer questions and address comments from readers on a wide range of money topics, myths, and perceptions about money. No question is off limits, so hit me up in the comments section or send me an email about all the money things you’re…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Money Gaps Edition
One of the great joys of running this blog is that I’ve been able to help so many Canadians take control of their finances and gain a greater understanding of their relationship with money. The blog comments, emails, and daily interactions on social media is what ultimately led to the start of my own fee-only…
Read MoreVBAL vs. Mawer Balanced Fund For One-Stop Investing
Investors could have done a lot worse over the past 30 years than investing in the Mawer Balanced Fund. Mawer, which epitomizes the art of boring investing, has been nothing short of consistently brilliant – with annual returns of 8.5 percent since the fund’s inception in 1988. Investment giant Vanguard doesn’t have the same longevity…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: FIRE In Moderation Edition
I write a lot about seeking financial independence rather than early retirement. That’s intentional. I don’t necessarily want to retire – not anytime soon – but what fires me up is the idea of working on my own terms. My goal is to be financially free by age 45. That means I’d be free to…
Read MoreWhen Investment Returns Are So Bad They Make GICs Look Good
The research firm DALBAR has been studying the behaviour of mutual fund investors for 25 years. Each year the firm reports how poorly investors fared relative to their benchmark index over time. What the data repeatedly shows is a ‘behaviour gap‘ that leads to significant investor underperformance. It suggests that investors lack the patience to…
Read MoreLong Weekend Reading: Ikea Trip From Hell Edition
“Shipping and delivery comes to $160? Forget it!” That was my reaction to the idea of placing an online order for Ikea furniture to be delivered to our home in Lethbridge. Besides the high price tag, the items would also take weeks to arrive. I had to find another option. You see, we don’t have…
Read More