Around the Blogosphere

My wife and I are saving for a big trip next year – our dream vacation to Ireland. While we’re light on trip details right now I’m busy thinking about the best way to get us there. One option is to use Aeroplan miles. We have approximately 160,000 Aeroplan miles right now and we could…

Online brokerages are strictly prohibited from providing advice, yet many still offer mutual funds that come with trailer fees – which are in place to charge for ongoing advice. See the dilemma? DIY clients who purchase these mutual funds are being charged for advice they cannot and will not receive. Recently, a proposed class action…

I guess it’s only human nature to get skittish whenever markets fall. Those feelings are exasperated for investors who have yet to experience a true bear market (2000, 2008). This year has been particularly difficult for neophyte investors who haven’t yet learned the patience and discipline of a long-term investor. For example, on any given…

The first quarter of 2018 was a tough one for investors. It started on February 5th with the worst single-day point drop in history for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which fell 1,175 points that day. Indeed, market volatility was back and, according to some pundits, here to stay. Stock markets can be manic, prone…

Financial author Rob Brown, of Wealthing Like Rabbits fame, is on a cross-country financial literacy tour. His mission: target universities and colleges across the country and speak to post-secondary students, new graduates, and young alumni about the importance of financial literacy. There’s a lot of talk about developing and improving financial literacy curriculum in high…

Just over two years ago Brock Hirsche, the 23-year-old captain of the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s hockey team, was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It’s a disease most commonly found in men aged 15-35 and one that hit the Pronghorn family hard as three members of the program were diagnosed with testicular cancer within the…

I recently binge-watched a six-part documentary series on Netflix called Dirty Money. Each episode digs into an egregious example of corporate corruption, from cars that cheat emissions tests, to crippling pay day loans, to the great maple syrup heist in Quebec a few years back. All six episodes are worth watching (unless you don’t feel…

Unused contributions available for 2018 = $0. That’s what my RRSP contribution history will say when I check CRA’s My Account later this year, once tax season is over. You see, I finally maxed out my unused RRSP contribution room during the first 60 days of 2018. I built up a lot of RRSP contribution…

Warren Buffett’s much anticipated annual letter to shareholders was released this weekend. As always, Buffett shared some great nuggets of wisdom to Berkshire shareholders while setting the stage for his eventual replacement (down to two long-time Berkshire employees, Ajit Jain and Greg Abel). Highlights from Buffett’s annual letter include: Another market-beating year where Berkshire grew…

Happy Family Day weekend, everyone! This edition of weekend reading includes an introduction to a great new money series on Global, some shoddy life-insurance advice that got BMO into hot-water, a new book from retirement expert Fred Vettese, and why market volatility shouldn’t scare off novice investors. Last year we spent much of Family Day…