Posts by Robb Engen
Indexers Are Terrible At Indexing
Despite all of the evidence that low cost passive investing outperforms actively managed portfolios, many investors still cling to the belief that an active approach can help steer them through turbulent times in the market. Even investors who have taken the plunge into index funds and ETFs can’t help themselves when faced with uncertainty. Emotions…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Why Target Canada Failed Edition
I remember in school studying some of the most spectacular international business failures – think Eurodisney, Nestle in Africa, Walmart in Germany. Add ‘Target in Canada’ to the list for business students to dissect for the next few decades. Canadian Business published a terrific long-read of Target’s last days in Canada, explaining how the company went…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Housing Buys, Booms, and Busts Edition
Check out this fantastic piece by Financial Post reporter Garry Marr on wild tales of buys, booms, and busts in the Canadian housing market – including a video interview with 100-year-old Ralph Etigson who discusses his housing purchases in Toronto over the last 75 years. Mr. Etigson bought a bungalow for $3,500 in 1945, sold it…
Read MoreGood Habits In Fitness And Finance
Recently I’ve become more aware about how often I sit throughout the day. Research even suggests that too much sitting can be worse for you than smoking. I sit a lot! Since I work in an office environment, I can be sitting at my desk for hours during the day and then come home and…
Read MoreDeceptive and Misleading Advertisements
It drives me nuts when I see deceptive and misleading advertisements in the financial services and investment industry. Personal finance can be complicated enough without having to bring a lawyer and a magnifying glass with you to interpret the fine print of every deal. Worse, still, is that many consumers take the bait without fully…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: New Look Edition
Our blog got a bit of a makeover during the holiday season thanks to Justin Bouchard at Top Shelf Web Solutions. We’ll call it a new look and feel, but with a layout similar to the old design so readers won’t get lost while navigating around the site. Let us know what you think of the update, and give…
Read MoreThe Index Card: Book Review and Giveaway
Last year, author Carl Richards taught readers to simplify their finances with The One-Page Financial Plan. Now comes The Index Card by Helaine Olen and Harold Pollack – a financial plan boiled down to nine simple rules that fits in your pocket and can help you navigate the all too often complex world of personal finance and investing.…
Read MoreMy 2015 Portfolio Rate of Return
Every year I track my portfolio rate of return to see how my investments measure up to specific benchmarks. Prior to 2015 I invested primarily in Canadian dividend paying stocks and measured my stock-picking prowess against the iShares Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index ETF (CDZ). Last year I sold all of my dividend stocks ($100,000 in…
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 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…
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