Random Thoughts: A Leaky Week

No Financial Leaks Yet

With WikiLeaks telling us all the salacious stories of espionage and international politics, I wonder if someone will ever do the same thing for International Banking. Now, that would be an exciting set of information, but I doubt that would ever happen (the banks have far more ability to silence folks than any government). Even more interesting are the attacks on the Mastercard, PayPal and Visa websites, which confused me; what are those sites? I access my Visa and Mastercard through my bank, so what site is being attacked? Either way, this is an excuse for e-vandalism by young folk who want to have some wholesome cyber fun this holiday season.

It’s funny. I have seen a few people call it WikiLeaks, and I wondered if that was a new type of soup. Being Welsh, I was proud to hear our national flower being mentioned; however, I think they were mistaken.

Lots of strong financial data for all you number-crunching lovers out there, but a few rants as well, showing my true Curmudgeonly Self:

• We did it! Let’s Splurge! points out that even though you reach your goals, doesn’t mean you get to then go completely off the rails.
• The Bank of Canada kept interest rates low and I discuss it in money too loose continues, and I add a fun tattoo story.
• Jim Flaherty started some political waffling with a balanced budget (eventually), sounds like he is getting ready for an election.
• The good news is tempered in the statement 15,000 more jobs in November, because most of those were part-time.
• Random Thoughts: Happy Advent! a recap of the best of the week with Advent in it in 2010.

No big WikiLeak-like posts from the Financial Blogosphere, but still many interesting posts from some of my favorite sites to peruse in my spare time:

• Million Dollar Journey starts out by helping us understand How RRSP Withdrawals Work, given the fun and games I have had with RESPs, maybe I should read that one closely.
• Michael James talked about the Interac E-Transfer System and the relative security merits of the system. I have used it a few times and it seems to work quite well, but you must be careful to choose a good security question.
• The Wealthy Boomer points out that we are getting better at saving with the TFSA take-up rate almost doubling from a year ago, set one up today, it is worthwhile.
• The Canadian Capitalist has a marvelous methodology to transfer your TFSA from one bank to another and it hedges on you doing it this month, and next in his post The TFSA December Transfer Method.
• For those afraid of RESPs Larry MacDonald has Four Alternatives to RESPs, which are quite useful, but I think I’ll stick with the RESPs as well (maybe, if you can use more than 1 strategy).
• How to Solve a Debt Problem sounds easier than it is, as pointed out by the Balance Junkie, but he is correct hack at the roots, not at the leaves!
• Preet writes over at the Globe about we should be Feeling Our Way Out of the Mancession, no we aren’t losing our testosterone, but more men are losing jobs! No it’s not another Men’s Health post!
• The Canadian Couch Potato has some questions for you in his post Potatoes Helping Potatoes, but they are good questions to answer, even if it is only for yourself.
• Financial Highway talks about a  2011 Trend Collaborative Consumption, which is an interesting idea, for those who can make the model work, it can save you a lot of money.
• Canadian Finance Blog points out the importance of Staying Away From Herds, if you go where everybody else does, you’ll get what everyone else does too!

Remember

“Your children need your presence more than your presents”

Author: Jesse Jackson