The Clown Prince of Personal Finance and Random Thoughts

I had a lovely evening out this week with the N.C.F.B.A. crowd, as well as special guest visits by Rob Carrick and some new friends from Horizen ETFs who spoke of many things with us, and as usual, I had a great time. Preet seems to be the ringleader of our happy mob these days (if there is an actual leader), and as leader, he has given me my role in the group, “… comic relief …”. That was his response to me when he was talking about our group and the expertise that it encompasses (in his defence it was in response to a query I made about, “What is my role here?”). Thus I am now “The Big Cajun Man, Clown Prince of Personal Finance”, wonder if I should get business cards made up with my new title? Do I have to buy big floppy shoes (well, my shoes are already big)?

Strikes continue on in Montreal, I have a problem with the complaints about the increase in tuition fees, given I am already paying two kidneys and part of my liver every year to keep my kids in school, but I guess they have their own points of view.

A new expression was coined for those who want to investigate the alternate mortgage market, I will now reference them as “Off, Off Broadway Mortgages“, for those who are not sure what I mean, do some research, it is an apt description.

In other news, a noted ETF fund company is considering creating a new leveraged investment product based on tuition fee levels at Universities (the rumoured name is the BCM fund). Their plan is to privatize the University system and allow investors to buy in.

Weekly Recap

I had some fun this week with a couple of topics, which I enjoyed writing about, but a quieter week for my writings, even though the markets look like they are lining up to have another roller coaster ride this summer!

• I borrowed an idea from BroTips with the If you have $30, pointing out that if you have money, but still owe money, you don’t have that much money!
• Luckily we are going socialist here in Ontario and that is where I got In Ontario We TAX the Rich, good for us! Screw the 1%!
• Some folks need to get words of encouragement, so I thought up a few Personal Finance Inspirational Quotes.
• Some of the more exciting investment vehicles out there really should have Financial Warning Signs.
• Dodgy Loans, More Hockey and Some Random Thoughts As a financial kibitzer I take a fair amount of good-natured abuse from my friends in the mainstream media and rightly so, I make simple commentaries from my point of view,

And thanks to those who added me on Twitter . Check out my Facebook page as well.

Links for the Week

It is a busy financial week in the world, with a few folks finding a few less controversial topics to discuss:

• Ellen Roseman repeats what I have been saying all along To get discounts or best rates, you must ask, and you mustn’t be a shrinking violet either, you must ask for savings, or you will receive none!
• Mr. Money Mustache proves to be a multi-layer and multi-concept chap, with Unlocking Your Home Equity for Profitable investments, I do not espouse the concept obvious in that phrase, but does he as well?
• One of our special guests Rob Carrick gives us a point of view I subscribe to Borrowing to pay for the wedding: A Proposal to Decline, yup, financing your wedding sounds nuts to me too Mr. Carrick.
• The Blunt Bean Counter snaps on the rubber gloves and points out That You Have Put it Off Long Enough: Time for Your Financial Check Up! Hope his hands are warm.
• Larry MacDonald who is having his book on Bombardier being released in french, talks this week about Taxes and Warren Buffett, always an interesting way to see how the Wizard plays the Tax Game.
• Michael James gets out his slide rule and does some arithmetic and states that the New ‘NDP Tax’ May Not Generate the Expected Income, which is not surprising, but calling it the ‘NDP Tax’ is an excellent turn of phrase too.
• Canadian Capitalist gives us a little help Estimating the Tax Hit on Dividends in Taxable Investment Accounts , remember taxes are due real soon now.
• The Canadian Couch Potato points out some of the drawbacks on dividends with Apple and the Dividend Puzzle Apple keeps kicking butt, but are they really worth buying?
• Our Financial Kin at My Own Advisor had a guest poster who talked about 5 Top Things You Need to Know about Dividend Paying Stocks, MOA is off on vacation too, so have fun big guy!
• Boomer of Boomer and Echo gives out some old advice with Turning 50: Some things to Consider, I guess I should have read that last year?!?
• Miranda at Planting Money Seeds, had a guest blogger point out It Might be a Fake Coupon If.. and if my name is on it, you can be sure it is FAKE!
• Gail Vaz-Oxlade tries to help us pet owners with Pet Savings, pets are an expensive concept that some folks should maybe not have.
• Riscario crows about his own profession with The New Best/Worst Jobs list, I never knew Actuaries could be so excited about their jobs.
• Canada Mortgage News gives us the 411 on the Jim Flaherty changes to the CMHC with OSFI Will now Oversee CMHC Look Out Canada! (add this site to your reader list, well worth a read!).
• Preet who was not fond of my foot picture last week, helps us out with The Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP), note there are no feet on this post.

Fun Quotes from the Clown Prince

“Can’t rely on anyone these days, you have to do everything yourself, don’t we! “

• The Joker – the real Clown Prince of Crime