Canadian Financial OpinionsCanadian Financial OpinionsA financial blog about home finances, consumerism and annecdotal case studies with a Canadian Point of View Articles
When do you walk away from an old car?
2008-03-31 18:01:00 This past weekend, I got to enjoy an out of town tournament with my daughter and we had a great time as usual, however, there was one incident that marred the weekend a little. The parents typically get lost easily (I include myself in that group), so we typically convoy to gymnasiums from hotels so we ... More About: Spending , Automobile , Risk , Walk
Random Thoughts and Comment Friday
2008-03-28 12:44:00 This week ends with the following things sticking in my head: Nothing of great excitement in the Ontario Provincial Budget 2008, other than the fact that it is balanced and there are no new taxes (which I guess is good news). Whoopee? The BCE purchase looks to be ok with the CRTC, but now we need ... More About: Random Thoughts , Random , Thoughts , Comments , Friday
BCE Sale Down to the Wire
2008-03-27 13:38:00 Today the CRTC will rule on whether the BCE takeover bid is ok by them today. This could make the stock either leap back up to the purchase price (if the banks involved honour their previous commitment) of $42.50 or if the takeover by the Teachers Pension Fund is turned down, it could drive the ... More About: Software , Technology , Sale , Investing , Wire
Ontario Budget 2008 Highlights
2008-03-26 12:15:00 For me, not much really. The official news release about the budget can be found here. The only highlights that affect me indirectly and directly are: $1.5 billion, three-year Skills to Jobs Action Plan, which really doesn’t touch me directly, unless of course I get laid off and want to learn a real trade, then it ... More About: Highlights , Ontario , Budget , Frugality , Provincial
Ontario Budget Coming
2008-03-25 13:05:00 Today the McGuinty provincial government will announce their budget for this year, and so far the only person making any ruckus about it is Jim Flaherty. Jim thinks that since he is a Federal MP from Ontario he can comment on what the Provincial government should and should not be doing in this budget. All ... More About: Budget
Taxes Done
2008-03-24 13:22:00 As an update, I submitted my taxes on the 15th and I got my refund on March 20th, so that is quite the speedy response. I did e-file, which I think speeds up the process, but I thought because I had waited a little later I might not get that quick a response, but in ... More About: Taxes
Easter, a new beginning
2008-03-23 12:03:00 This day is really the beginning of it all for the Christian Faith. Strangely Christmas seems to be a more celebrated holiday, but Good Friday and Easter Sunday are the alpha and omega for the Christian Faith. Without Easter Sunday, there really isn’t Christianity (just as there isn’t a Faith without Good Friday as well). Enjoy ... More About: Lent
Happy Good Friday (Top 5 Investing Regrets)
2008-03-21 12:46:00 Hope you are enjoying the day off, and have been to church too! Our amigo over at the Dividend Guy has challenged financial bloggers to post their top investing mistakes, but my regular readers will remember, I have already bared my soul in this area, however, I report one of my most frank postings ... More About: Humor , Stock Market , Carnivals , Investing , Happy
Another Rough Day on the Markets
2008-03-20 13:17:00 Another correction in the markets is coming down the pipes, which means more fun and excitement in the financial world. The Canadian dollar drop almost 2 cents on weakening commodity prices, and severe flooding is being predicted here in Ottawa. Now that I have got out all that good news… Cruise Control Finances A while back I ... More About: Stock Market , Markets
Larry O?Brien is in my pocket again?
2008-03-19 13:13:00 In Ottawa we have a very flamboyant Mayor who came in to power with the statement that he was not going to raise taxes. This statement (I won’t call it a promise) seems to have disappeared and the latest levy he is talking about is a $50.00 surcharge per tax payer and business due to ... More About: Christian , Taxes , Carnivals , Charity , Interest Rates
Inflation at 1.8%
2008-03-18 13:26:00 OK, so I was wrong (again) the price of gasoline is not driving up prices in Canada, in fact the rate of increase in pricing is decreasing (which is to say, prices ARE going up, just not that fast). Stats Canada is now saying that the Consumer Price Index increased by 1.8% year over ... More About: Inflation , Gasoline , Canadian Dollar
I Don?t Like Mondays
2008-03-17 12:57:00 The title of a great song by the Boomtown Rats, but also maybe how I feel today (Saint Patrick’s Day aside). That’s a Bargain? Bear Stearns was sold for a pittance to JPMorgan/Chase for $2.00 per share, given Bear Stearns was worth over $150 a year ago, and they were the #5 investment bank in the states, ... More About: Stock Market , Interest Rates , Investing , Mondays
Consumerism: Just Don?t Ask Me
2008-03-15 14:53:00 I was supposed to leave Ottawa on Saturday to London, but thanks to a tremendous snowstorm, it didn’t really happen until mid-Sunday (and even then it caused a domino effect of problems and troubles due to tight scheduling and such). I was doing this for work and our corporate travel is actually dealt with through ... More About: Credit Cards , Tourism , Random Thoughts , Consumerism
London is Expensive
2008-03-13 09:30:00 I am very tight for time unfortunately, and my guess is that I will have a much longer post about this, but I am glad I am traveling in London on someone else’s money, because this place is bloody expensive. The hotel rooms are very expensive, but my pet peeve on this trip is that ... More About: Tourism , Random Thoughts
Best of: The Singing Horse Parable
2008-03-12 11:43:00 As I am on the road, I give you one of my favorite postings about financial advice Advice: Best Financial Advice Ever Given. I like this story for many reasons but specifically: It is my father’s advice at it’s best, not preaching and always causes me to think. It shows the importance of parents to talk ... More About: Horse , Singing , Parable
The Importance of Backup Plans
2008-03-11 12:20:00 Saturday I learned again the importance of backup plans and the folly of ?hoping for the best? and not ?planning for the worst?. I spent most of the afternoon and evening waiting to catch a flight overseas that never made it out due to the Super storm that hit Ottawa. I ended up eventually leaving ... More About: Backup , Opinion , Health Insurance , Plans , Parable
University Costs An Update
2008-03-10 12:34:00 As a nice early birthday present for my daughter she has been accepted (early) at her #1 and #2 University choices. She is very proud of this, as am I, but now comes the interesting questions about how is this all going to get paid for? Every University that she has applied to has asked very ... More About: Family , Education , Update , Costs
Sunday Thoughts: Lent almost over
2008-03-09 13:22:00 With Lent coming to a close on Good Friday, how has your Lenten Financial vows gone? My attempts at sticking with a Lenten financial regimen has not been a wild success, but it still continues on. There are days when I don’t live up to my hopes, but then there are days when I succeed ... More About: Christian , Easter , Thoughts , Sunday
Random Thoughts Before March Break
2008-03-07 12:13:00 March break begins at the end of school today (for kids in Ontario) and I can hear the cars loading up to make the trek south to warmer (and less snowy) places. The Bank of Canada rate cut is an interesting move. They actually jumped an entire half point (3/4 of a point since the start ... More About: Stock Market , Banks , Random Thoughts , Random , Break
The Seduction of Spending
2008-03-06 13:51:00 I like that title, in fact that could be the entire post, I like that title that much, but I will elaborate on this provocative statement. Today’s consumers (myself included) love of things and what money can purchase has turned into a full blown obsession with money and it’s trappings. Are you seduced by spending? Ask yourself ... More About: Credit , Money , Retail , Spending , Frugality
Snow and Bank Rates
2008-03-05 14:41:00 More snow in Ottawa, seems like a broken record, but I think I have got my per use costs on my snowblower down to around $6.00 per use, but I also may have to buy another 10 litres of gas because I am running out. My guess is there is going to be much more ... More About: Interest Rates , Snow , Bank , Rates
Bank Rate Cut!!! and March In Like A Lion?
2008-03-04 15:02:00 Bank Rate Cut Rates are down by 1/2 a percent again folks. Nope not time to borrow more, time to pay down now! Bank of Canada lowers overnight rate target by 1/2 percentage point to 3 1/2 per cent OTTAWA ? The Bank of Canada today announced that it is lowering its target for the overnight rate by ... More About: Lion , March , Bank
Credit Rating, who cares?
2008-03-03 14:36:00 After reading Max’ed Out (review of this book coming in a while), I have come to the conclusion that I really don’t care about my “credit rating” any more. I have far too much credit as it stands, and from what I can tell what I think SHOULD make my credit rating better doesn’t actually ... More About: Credit Cards , Credit , Opinion
Random Thoughts
2008-02-29 14:29:00 A special Friday this week, given it is February 29th, the bissextile day, an extra day for our year, so enjoy this extra day. Have a Leap today! With this extra day you have today to finish up your 2007 RRSP purchases if you wish. Given how down the markets have been, you might find some ... More About: Wales , Random Thoughts , Random , Thoughts , Budget
Property Taxes
2008-02-28 14:36:00 My interim tax assessment arrived yesterday in the mail and it is about what it was last year with the exception of a 1 line addition that has me wondering: SWC - 50% Solid Waste Curbside Service $41.00 So this is a surcharge on top of what I normally pay for my Garbage Collection, I ... More About: Taxes , Property
Federal Budget with a Twist Please
2008-02-27 13:01:00 Wow, now given most of the budget was kind of blah, but there were a few things that affected me personally: RESPs are now 35 years in life, which is good to hear (I think). Does this mean my kids can lounge around the house claiming they are getting ready for University? More money for the Canadian ... More About: Canada , Budget , Twist
Resoled Shoes and A Budget
2008-02-26 14:27:00 Jim Flaherty is poised to announce his new budget and instead of the tradition of the finance minister buying a new set of shoes, instead he had his existing shoes re-soled, which I think is a message to say, “Tighten your belts folks, leaner times are ahead” (at least that would be my spin on ... More About: Politics , Technology , Shoes , Stock Market , Canada
Here Comes the Budget
2008-02-25 14:05:00 Jim Flaherty fresh from his success with Opera Lyra, on Tuesday will unveil the Tories Budget for 2008, whoo hoo! Most Canadians will be glued to their TV, except it will be to watch the NHL trade deadline shows (will Matts Sundin leave Toronto? Will the Sens pick up Marian Hossa?). Will the Tories pull out ...
Random Thoughts (more cow bell!)
2008-02-22 14:46:00 I keep resonating on the message from a very funny Saturday Night Live skit with Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken about how We Need More Cow Bell ! Can’t show you the clip, NBC guards their content closely, but I agree with Bruce Dickinson (yes THE Bruce Dickinson), we Need More Cow Bell! We saw an odd ... More About: Random Thoughts , Random , Thoughts
Gas at $1.11/liter in Ottawa
More articles from this author:2008-02-21 14:08:00 I guess the good news is that Gas is back to being more expensive than bottled water (but still much less expensive than Coffee at Starbucks). I had to double take when I saw that my fill up price per liter yesterday was $1.11 per liter, so the $20 I put in my car wasn’t ... More About: Liter , Gasoline , Ottawa 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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