Net Worth Update: 2016 Mid-Year Review
We’ve reached the halfway point of 2016 so it’s once again time to take a deeper look at my finances and update my net worth. This year has been fairly quiet on the financial front. I continued to simplify our investments, this time by transferring a small RRSP account from Tangerine over to our TD…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Canada Child Benefit Edition
Happy Canada Day weekend! We spent Friday exploring the beautiful Waterton Lake area and took a boat cruise across the International border to Goat Haunt, Montana. Canada and the U.S. have an interesting way to separate their borders along the 49th parallel – by clearing a section of forest 10 feet on either side of the…
Read MoreShould Investors Brexit The Stock Market?
The long term economic and cultural fallout over Brexit is still very much up in the air. What is crystal clear, however, is that investors, economists, and market pundits overreacted (again) to the news of Britain’s departure from the European Union. Stock markets took a sharp decline late last week and investors were treated to headlines such…
Read MoreFinancial Planning For Couples: Dealing With Debt
Chances are good that one or both of you will have brought some form of debt with you when you entered into your relationship. You may also have accrued some debts together, or racked up more on your own since. Of all the financial issues you’ll deal with as a couple, debt is one area where…
Read MoreThe Right Way To Calculate Net Worth
It’s normal to compare your financial situation with others to see how your finances measure up. Indeed, if you’ve ever calculated your net worth, or even tracked your spending, you probably enjoy reading other net worth reports and spending journals. The problem with this type of financial voyeurism is that we’re often comparing apples and…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Scotia Twitter Chat Edition
What a crazy week! First, perhaps taking a cue from my pro-CPP expansion article, the federal government and most provinces agreed on CPP reform, with premiums set to increase in 2019. This surprisingly quick compromise got the internet buzzing for a better part of the week. Then Brexit happened. Brexit, or British exit, referred to…
Read More5 Ways To Visit Europe On A Budget
This is a guest post by Paul Marshman, The Travelling Boomer, on how to visit Europe without breaking the bank. Most travellers agree – Europe is a great place to visit, especially in summer. Problem is, it can be an expensive place to travel. Staying in downtown London or dining on the Champs Elysees in…
Read MoreWhy A Savings Plan Is Like Starting A Diet
Jeff M says, “I know that I’m supposed to be saving at least 10% of my income, maximizing my RRSP and TFSA contributions, and enrolling in my employer’s matching pension plan. But, my expenses are pared down to the bone. I have no savings and I just can’t afford to start. What do I do?”…
Read MoreCanada Pension Plan Expansion: Why It Matters
Finance Ministers from across the country meet today in Vancouver to discuss CPP expansion. At stake is not just about whether we should expand the Canada Pension Plan, but how it should be phased-in and who will benefit. One proposal will see sweeping changes across the board both in terms of higher benefits and premiums paid…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Walmart Battles Visa Edition
Walmart took a shot at Visa last weekend by announcing it would no longer accept Visa cards in its more than 400 stores across Canada. A statement issued by the retail giant blamed Visa for charging unfair fees on credit card transactions – which Walmart claims are four times higher than what consumers pay in other…
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