Posts by Robb Engen
Why I Simplified My Investment Portfolio
For five years I attempted to beat the market with a portfolio of Canadian dividend stocks. As my investments grew, I began measuring my returns and comparing the results to a benchmark – an exchange traded fund from iShares called CDZ, which tracks Canadian dividend stocks. I wanted to know if my judgement as a portfolio…
Read MoreReality Check: How Did That Leveraged Investment Work Out?
Last year I invited 15 financial experts to share their thoughts on borrowing to invest. At the heart of the debate was a question I received from a reader about using leverage to invest in a single stock: “With Canadian Oil Sands (COS) paying a juicy 8 percent dividend, does it make sense to borrow…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Let’s Get Blunt Edition
Earlier this week Marie reviewed a new book by Mark Goodfield called, Let’s Get Blunt About Your Financial Affairs. We received an overwhelming number of responses to the book review and giveaway. In total, we had 121 entries vying for the chance to win one of three copies of the book. We used a random number…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: NFL Is Back Edition
It’s my favourite time of year – the start of a new football season. Outside of being crazy busy at work and juggling numerous side projects in the evening and on weekends, I’ll still find time to watch football on Sundays (and, much to my wife’s chagrin, also on Mondays and Thursdays). It’s tough being a…
Read MoreBest Credit Cards In Canada
I’ve spent several years reviewing credit cards and trying to determine which card is best. What I’ve learned is that when it comes to finding the best credit cards in Canada there’s no one-size fits all answer. That’s because the card that suits you best is uniquely determined by how much you spend, in which categories you…
Read MorePlease Call for a Quote: Unlocking the Mystery of Disability and Critical Illness Insurance
I’ve been gathering information on disability insurance and critical illness insurance for a self-employed client in Ontario. It’s frustrating that this information isn’t more widely available online. I wondered if it was because each policy is just so unique to the individual, but I thought there must be a standard formula by age, gender, and…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Labour Day Edition
Ever since the NDP gained power in Alberta, my Facebook newsfeed has been filled with strong opinions from my right-leaning friends about the provincial government’s “disastrous” decision to increase minimum wage to $15/hour. Now, with the federal election looming, raising the minimum wage has become part of the national conversation. One post showed a picture of McDonald’s…
Read MoreAnnouncing The Winners Of Our HUGE Anniversary Contest
Our massive five-year anniversary contest wrapped up yesterday and we were blown away by the number of responses and comments from our readers. When the contest closed we had a total of 2,935 entries from 509 unique entrants. And no wonder there were so many entries in the contest. We had some amazing prizes up for grabs –…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Market Comeback Edition
Last week’s theme was market madness, with headlines filled with dire predictions of the end of our lengthy bull market. I received many emails from readers and clients who were wondering what to do. Is this the start of a major decline? Is it a buying opportunity? My answer: I have no idea. If you’re comfortable with…
Read MoreOur Kids’ Summer Activities, Ranked
Like most parents with young children, we’ve spent the majority of summer trying to keep our kids out of our hair entertained. It’s a challenge to constantly find new activities while at the same time trying to keep the expenses within reason. We’ve had a fairly busy summer, and now that back-to-school time is (thankfully)…
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