As we gradually move into a vaccinated post-COVID world, I wonder how many of us have discovered a new normal for our money. The lockdowns forced many of us to curtail our spending in many areas of our lives. Those lockdowns have all but disappeared in my corner of the world. However, there were some […]
Allow me to be very transparent, right from the start. I’ve had a non-registered investment account with BMO Investorline for decades. They’ve recently introduced a list of exchange-traded funds that can be purchased for free. Let me tell you say it again. Commission-free investing is fantastic! I suspect that this move to providing commission-free purchases […]
It’s up to you to feather your own nest, regardless of whether you have a pension. The first step is to take responsibility for Future You by investing some of today’s money for tomorrow. It is both risky and foolish to rely on your employer for your retirement income needs. You shouldn’t assume that your […]
Forgive me in advance, as this post is going to touch on several things. I don’t have all the answers, but I have lots of questions. Today, I watched a couple of YouTube videos about poverty in Europe. They could’ve just as easily been about North America, but The Algorithms suggested videos about Europe. It […]
According to the various talking heads in financial media, mortgage rates are set to rise over the next two years. They’re predicting that almost everyone is going to see their mortgage payments rise on renewal. If you’re on your last mortgage term, then you have my heartfelt congratulations. You don’t have to worry about your […]
The first thing you should know is that I am not a banking expert. I worked in that industry on a part-time basis while going to university. That was 20+ years ago. Currently, I am what you would call “just” a customer. I don’t have access to private banking, nor is my business significant enough […]
Take what you need. Leave the rest. Author Unknown Roughly 20 years ago, I was fortunate enough to come across the book Debt-Proof Living by Mary Hunt. I can honestly say that this book changed my financial life. How so? This book taught me a simple way to organize my money, to get out of […]
No matter how you slice it, the basics don’t really change. This blog is about money, so I’ll stick to the financial basics. Live below your means so you have some money to save and invest. Invest your money so that it grows over time. Go back to step one and repeat. Everything else is […]
One of the eternal questions that’s raised in the personal finance world is whether one should be investing or paying of a mortgage. I made my choice 15 years ago. In hindsight, my choice could qualify as a mistake but, if so, it’s not the worst one I’ve ever made. As I’ve said before, personal […]
There are lots of ways to find happiness. Playing with puppies. Mastering a difficult musical piece. Finally accomplishing a goal that means a lot to you personally. However, I like to talk about money in this space so I’m asking you to consider whether your spending is making you happy. For the record, I want […]