Some #RandomThoughts from 2014

As most of my readers are aware, I have a habit of publishing on Friday what I think are some of the week’s best posts. Some view this as a hackneyed, lazy and overused idea. However, it usually ends up taking longer to compile than an average daily post. Why do I do it? I don’t know.

I hope you enjoy these posts as I did, borrowing them from their authors.

Swiss Army Knife Section’s Best

Here we go, yes, it is going to be a very eclectic list and it will also include many different fun videos from the year as well.

• Mr. Money Mustache decided he’d help his readers get into the rewarding and exciting world of blogging with How to Start a Blog, it goes into detail if you are really thinking about this.   I always enjoy when folks try to help folks get a leg up getting into blogging, but you better know what you are getting into, beforehand.
• Real Wealth is Built Through Innovation Michael James quotes Mark Carney’s view that innovation is the way to build the economy, not simply more work, but smarter work (or even less work for the same money?).
• Cliff Stohl (author of one of my favorite Tech Book the Cuckoo’s Egg) wrote a very amusing (now) article about Why the Web Won’t Be Nirvana, he kind of missed the target on this one. I found this one hilarious, since Cliff is a very smart guy and it is always fun when smart people make mistakes.
• Stress Testing Your Finances and Your Death – The Comprehensive Test The Blunt Bean Counter gives us a neat  test to make sure that your finances can withstand a major stress. (like a sudden death or the like). Can your finances take the stress test? Better go try it, could save you or your loved ones a lot of stress later on in life.
• Should I implement the Smith Manoeuvre?Mark from My Own Advisor wonders about whether he should try out the infamous Smith Manoeuvre. I wouldn’t do this, but I am also an admitted “nervous nelly” with these kind of ideas as well.
• Who Should NOT Have an RRSP? Gail Vaz-Oxlade goes on an interesting angle suggesting that there are folks who really shouldn’t be thinking about RRSPs (surprisingly I am one of them), Gail has been a good sport all year, as I have poked her more than once on line.
• How to take the misery out of filing tax returns Larry MacDonald writes about how we can make this painful time more enjoyable, my only way to feel better is knowing I don’t owe any money, or didn’t at least, last year!
• My TD e-Series RESP Portfolio Robb from Boomer and Echo writes about the use of TD E-series index funds in an RESP, which is something I do currently as well, glad to see great minds think alike.
• Why 2.5 Billion Heartbeats Might Change The Way You Think About Money A great video by the REAL Preet (not the pasteurized one on OWN), well worth watching (in fact check the end of this post if you cannot wait ).
•  Act Like a One-Income Family & Save Gail Vaz-Oxlade points out a winnings strategy used by a few couples I know, which is live on one income and save or pay debt with the other income and you will be set for life
• Ever wonder when is The Best Time to Drink Coffee ? NeuroscienceDC gives us the scientific study of when, for me it is when I need it dammit!!!
• It is Time to Ban Advisor Commissions The Canadian Couch Potato points out that Advisors making money off Mutual Fund sales makes the whole system not work well. He has since put his money where his mouth is, check out his site.
• Scientific American comments on On the lack of women in science: Numbers do matter , there does need to be more females in science, but how to make it happen?
•  At last, new rules for water heater sellers (and others) Ellen Roseman gives us good news about Water Heater Sellers (and other folks) and the new rules they will have to live under, glad to hear it!
• RBC and BMO Offer Cheaper Business Banking Options  Small businesses do not get a lot of breaks on banking so it is nice that the Canadian Capitalist found two cheaper options from RBC and BMO. Let’s hope we see more of him in 2014.
• Baby Monitors Can Be Hacked, And So Can Everything Else Popular Science points out that lots of things can now be hacked, and used for some really creepy ideas (screaming obscenities at your kid?!?!).
• Lifetime coffee spend Data Genetics brings us a handy on line calculator to figure out just how much your vices are costing you and have cost you throughout your lifetime.
• For hockey fans we have KHL team hires women in lingerie to sell tickets, cheer up fans (NSFW) I would buy tickets there is all I am saying (do not care if it was for Cricket).
• Do not be a jerk: How to write a classy resignation letter  Kerry at Squawkfox gives a simple template on how to write a letter of resignation. My last one simple said, Bye and thanks for all the fishes.
• Canada’s disability savings fund called a fiasco The CBC hops on the RDSP is confusing bandwagon, with an expose of a Grandad trying to set something up for his Grandson. Wonder if the CBC has read my posts on RDSP?
• Our friends at Freakonomics had a poke at More Predictions, from Bad to Worse which caused me to write my take on prognostications, which ended up making some bad predictions.
• Cellular News points out something I had already guessed which is that Netflix and Youtube account for 50% of all North American fixed network data, is that the cable industry I hear whimpering?
• Handcuffed: Comparing Mobile Phones and Life Insurance Riscario asks have the regulation changes in both of these industries caused a big change in how business is done?
• Rob Carrick wrote in the Globe about the Rise of the miserable Canadian Home Owner, I am a home owner, and not overly happy, but my house does not have much to do with it.
• Always Leave Home Without It: A Further Investigation of the Credit-Card Effect on Willingness to Pay A very interesting MIT study on the dangers of Credit Cards with a case study to do with buying Red Sox tickets, so you know why I like it!

Some of My Favorite Videos Too

Yes, most have little (or nothing) to do about money, but this is a year end thing!

If you watch only 1 video in this group, Jimmy V’s ESPN Speech is the one

Farewell Stompin’ Tom

The ultimate in technology, A LEGO paper airplane folder

More amazing technology? A Hover-Golfcart

Preet talks about Disability Insurance (see there is a financial one here)

Van Damme and Volvo Together again

It IS about the nail, dammit!

Random Thoughts for 2014

Lots of these kinds of Best of articles in 2014. Here is a list of them.

• World Cup Side-Effects, Seinfeld Cars, and #BestofFinancial What happens around the World at half time of the World Cup Final? Is it like Flushed away? Is there a sudden tsunami? Who knows?
• Cuba, Rubles, Christmas and #BestThisWeek – getting close to Christmas but Ian McKellen can teach us about impulse control.
• Snow, Christmas, Enhanced and #BestThisWeek talk of more festive ideas, like how to save money at Christmas.
• A Gentleman, Day of Disability, Christmas, Rugby and #BestThisWeek noted the passing of Jean Beliveau and John Oliver’s views on Lotteries.
• Black Friday is Here, Advent, and #BestThisWeek speaks of the blessed Black Friday and associated sales but also includes a Fanfare for the Common Man.
• Lake Effect Snow, Web Cameras, Travel Insurance and #BestThisWeek November brings snow in Toronto, as we see, and other financial ideas.
• Asteroids, Tax Cuts, Lemurs and #BestThisWeek how many times has the Earth almost been hit by an asteroid? Too often to remember.
• Lame Ducks, Financial Literacy, Working for Free and #BestThisWeek lame duck leaders never really get that much done, no matter how they negotiate.
• Happy Halloween, Income Splitting and #BestThisWeek a wonderful financial time of the year is Halloween? Maybe income splitting is a better subject.
• Ottawa We Shall Remember, Bank of Canada and #BestThisWeek after a bad week in Ottawa, with senseless violence.
• Crashing Markets, Ebola, Low Loonie, Cheap Gas and #BestThisWeek even in 2014 the markets were a little volatile.
• Hockey, Turkey, Leaves, Carry On Bags and #theBestFin4TheWeek is it right that the hockey season starts before Thanksgiving?
• October, Hello Ebola, Give Blood and #theBestFin4TheWeek October arrived unexpectedly this week, almost unnoticed. As we have entered the final (calendar) quarter of the year 2014, it may be time to start considering a year-end review of your financial plans.
• Autumn , United Kingdom, Beer Money, and #theBestFin4TheWeek the colours in Ottawa during Autumn are truly spectacular.
• Pins, Alibaba , Apple Pay , Lecosse , and #theBestFin4TheWeek remember when Alibaba the IPO happened, those were heady days.
• Home Despot, iPhones, and #theBestFin4TheWeek
• Back to School, Tim Burger King, Knee Defenders and #theBestFin4TheWeek will the dutchie ever come back? I can only hope.
• Broken Humerus, Ebola, Anniversaries, Blood and #theBestFin4TheWeek remember when we thought Ebola was going to wipe us out?
• It is Done, Ice Bucket Challenge, Media Perceptions and #theBestFin4TheWeek
• WW1 Centenery, More Hacked Passwords and #theBestFin4TheWeek
• The Long Weekend with no Name, Defaults, and #BestFinancialForTheWeek
• Unmasking Super Heroes, Dogs of Summer and #BestOfFinancialForThisWeek
• All Stars, Al Stars and the #BestOfFinancialForWeek the world cup was a big thing in 2014 as was Bastille day too.
• Brazilian Defeats, Tour De Chunnel, and #BestOfFinancialForWeek you mean Brazil can lose at the world cup?
• Tennis, Racing, Inflation and #BestofFinancial Canada Day is the start of the summer for most Canadians, and financial stories too.
• The Stand, Football Biting, Naughty Banks and #BestofFinancial even in 2014 the banks were misbehaving with shenanigans.
• Elections, Dad’s Day, World Cup, Friday the 13th and #BestofFinancial somehow the Liberals won the 2014 Ontario Provincial Election
• No Rate Hike, Better Performance, Montreal Grand Prix and #Bestof-Financial back in 2014 we were worried about rates, but they were already pretty low.
• Elections, Farewell Knowlton, May Done, and #Bestof-Financial Knowlton Nash was the voice of news for Canada for a while.
• Internet Memory, Grand Prix of Monaco and #FreeFormFridays the Internet has memory?
• Time Off, Elections, Victoria Day and #FreeFormFridays Victoria Day is always a fun weekend.
• Frosts, Elections, Farley Mowat and #FreeFormFridays it does get cold in May!
• Rain, Budgets, Bloggers Meeting, May Day and #FreeFormFridays When financial bloggers meet what happens?
• Beware the Financial Jabberwock, Netflix Expansion, Model Trains, Backups and #FreeFormFridays a thematically odd article.
• Easter is Here and a Saturday #BestOf for the Weekend a time of renewal, new beginnings in life and financially as well.
• RIP Flaherty, Heartbleed, Tax Time, Quebec Elections and #FreeFormFridays the former finance minister did a lot of good for the economy.
• #Selfies, Quebec Election, Big Joe, Awareness, and #FreeFormFridays would Big Joe Mufferaw have been a good fit for the Redblacks? We’ll never know.
• Don Quixote, Tax Time, Cheap Mortgages and #FreeFormFridays gotta hate tax time.
• Spring Has Sprung, March Madness, Celebrity Blogger and #FreeFormFridays talking about Spring in March in Ottawa can be a bit early.
• Pi Day, March Break, Two Ferns, Snow and #FreeFormFridays given pi is infinite, how much pie can we expect?
• Quebec Elections, Eating Sugar, Suing Parents, Big Rocks and #FreeFormFridays those elections in Quebec are never dull.
• Saint David’s Day, Big Posts, RRSP Time, the Dating Game and #FreeFormFridays always a good time to put a Welsh Choir Clip in an article.
• Hockey Day, Tax & RRSP Time and #FreeFormFridays Hockey day in Canada? Well it does happen, right around RRSP time too.
• More Olympics, Budgets, Love Day and #FreeFormFridays Valentine’s Day: Celebrating Love and Dealing with Financial Whining.
• Olympics, Not Super Bowls, Creationism and #FreeFormFridays 2014 Olympics Opening Ceremonies and Soshi Stadium’s Doppleganger: The Super Bowl.
• Senators, Weak Loonie, Superb Owls and #FreeFormFridays Rugby is a Hooligan’s game played by a Gentleman.
• Polar Vorteces, Olympics, Mayors and #FreeFormFridays The Polar Vortex brings Winter in Canada. But don’t worry – -30C highs in Ottawa in January are normal.
• Giveaways, Oil tanks, Eagles and #FreeFormFriday Have you checked your oil tank if you heat with Oil? What will your insurance do if the tank ruptures?
• Truly Canadian Issues, Ultra HD TV, Car Loans and #FreeFormFriday Get your lock de-icer and unlock your Super Mailbox cubicle like I did – Canadian Tire to the rescue!
• Some #RandomThoughts from 2014 Some of the best of, best of posts on my random thoughts weekly post.
• CPP Reform, Snow, Christmas, Boxing day and #FreeFormFriday Did the CPP reform of 2013 fix much? Kind of, but Christmas was coming too.