What is Couch Potato Investing? Surprisingly you need neither a couch or potato, it is passive investing using Index Funds or ETFs. It isn’t lazy investing, you do need to get off the couch occasionally, but it is lower work than checking the markets every day.
The Bank of Canada’s opinion is that Brexit is going to hurt the Canadian Economy (and its possible recovery) this year, which isn’t really news, but it is an interesting observation. This and a bunch of other information was reported by the Bank of Canada, when they reported they will not be doing anything to their key overnight rate. The Canadian economy continues to be in a very fragile state, and raising interest rates is unnecessary (or ill-advised, depending on how you read the report) at the moment. There exact statement was:
Inflation in Canada is on track to return to 2 per cent in 2017 as the complex adjustment underway in Canada’s economy proceeds. The fundamentals remain in place for a pickup in growth over the projection horizon, albeit in a climate of heightened uncertainty.
We do seem to be living in very uncertain times.
So far we have no lock out or Postal Strike, while they keep talking, but should you really be waiting for the fat to hit the fire? Remember to sign up for Direct Deposit with the Government (although allegedly those cheques will keep going?). Get your bills delivered by E-mail as well (most of your major bills will do that). For your packages, well that might be an issue.
As a practicing Anglican, I was appalled to see that when a motion at Synod (think of Church Parliament) is either defeated or passed by a single vote, there is not an automatic recount. While Anglicans are nice folk (in general), we do seem to have some very odd ways of dealing with issues.
What will Oktoberfest do now? Evidently Polka King Walter Ostanek won a lottery grand prize of $1M, who will be playing Roll out the Barrel or Too Fat Polka in Kitchener in October? Someone call Uncle Franz! Ach, du lieber Gott in Himmel !
I am slowly getting through my archive of nearly started articles (still over 220) and My Four Best Investments was written on the way back from my daughter’s graduation from Trent University. This isn’t meant as a jab at those who choose not to subsidize their kids post-secondary education, just that if I hadn’t invested in my kids’ education, I most likely would have blown it on something else.
Preet has been busy this week and he has a new white board session outlining why 0% financing on your car might not be your best deal. I buy used cars, and you never get 0% financing on those.
Throughout my checkered investing career I can point to my four best investments, and they aren’t that surprising either.
Suppose you devised a plan to get the UK out of the EU, and it worked. What would you do? If you are Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage, you quit (while you are ahead?). After pulling off one of the more memorable upsets in the past little while, the two prominent faces of the Brexit crew have resigned, and now the UK has very little leadership on either side (having lost Prime Minister Mr. Cameron earlier on, and the Labour Party Leader seems to be under siege as well). Who has the rudder on the excellent ship Brittania? I don’t know, but the markets suggest they are not happy with the current situation. Now might be the time to book a vacation in the UK this summer?
More than once, I have written about how children should aspire to stop living with their parents as soon as possible, and for some, that has been construed as Millenial Bashing (to quote Rob Carrick), and while it does sound like harsh advice, I stand by the statement. Do you know how you learn to live on not much money? By living on not much money (and not living in your parent’s basement, claiming you are saving up for a down payment). My opinion is there are not that many more youngsters are doing this, but the mainstream media has latched onto it, as their cause celebre of the year. If you want to read an excellent book about Millenials and how much better than they are than all previous generations, read Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World (amazon link), well worth reading. My parents complained about me watching too much TV, and yes, I lived with them when I went to University too (for full disclosure).
I was sad to see that the Welsh Football (soccer) team lost in the semi-finals of the European tourney to Portugal, but it is an astounding result for the team (not quite as impressive as Iceland, but still pretty darn good). As I have said, I am the proud son of Welsh and English immigrants, glad to see Wales soccer is improving (Welsh rugby has been severely pounded by New Zealand, unfortunately).
Another week with only 1 article, but hey, it was a long weekend, and it is the summer. I could be like the Blunt Bean Counter and leave up a Gone Golfing notice. More than one person has asked me whether I might be downsizing, as 3/4 of my kids are old enough to move out, but I am not thinking of it (for the next little while). My opinion is that Down Sizing: Another Money Maker for Real Estate Agents, remember it used to be you bought a starter house, and then the one you were going to live in for the rest of your life, now they have added one more major Real Estate transaction, Downsizing! It’s like McDonald’s creating a new meal Brinner (about 3 PM when you are hungry for a snack, have a Big Mac!).
Bank of Canada has some theories for the next two years on the topic of inflation.
Will downsizing really help you in your later life to cope and live, or is it another great bit of flimflam from the used house sales folk out there?
