Given I seem to be writing a bit more these days, maybe a digest of my monthly Canadian Personal Finance writings would be useful.
My Canadian Personal Finance Writings January 2024
I will take the liberty of including my previous writings from a while back. I have not bound them together for a while.
- Back to School, Food Inflation, and #MoneyTalk, that was back in September a good long while ago, but Food Inflation is still very much an issue these days.
- Good idea Terrible implementation is the story of an exercise bike, and a rehash of an older story.
- I think you can guess what Happy Thanksgiving 2023 might be about.
- CPP, CPP2 and EI for 2024 introduced the exciting new concept of CPP2, the next generation for those who make a little more than most.
- Advent Calendar Box 1 is a rewrite of the previous Financial Advent Calendar.
- Inflation seems to be getting better but Food Inflation at 5.4% points out things aren’t that good.
- I have written about RESPs a lot and Saving for Education? Invest in an RESP is more of my standard statements about the RESP.
- Festivus and the Airing of Financial Grievances 2023 is an updated list of financial things that are getting on my nerves!
- The end of the year is important especially in the area of investing.
- Christmas time 2023 came and went.
- No good matches on Boxing Day 2023 either.
- My wife tried to use cash as a budgeting tool this past Christmas. She ound out that Cash is not King any more.
- I do enjoy lampooning Top 5 lists and with Top 5 List I have my tongue firmly in cheek.
- Will 2024 be a Happy New Year? So far it has had a few bumps along the way.
- One of the big questions in investing is when to start. In my opinion, with RDSP the question is about when to get Grants, the answer is, it depends.
- Easy bank to bank transfers is me lamenting how complicated the whole thing can be.
- ChatGPT is supposed to be useful but when I asked about a Quicken Catch-up Plan the response was less than useful.
- Closing estates in Quebec, has an extra spice. Is This the Actual Will I point out one area where you must get both Federal and Quebec verification of the will.
- Ensuring Your Financial Security This Birthday and Beyond is another good list of things to remember on your birthday.
- Who can Sign for the Disability Tax Credit? The list has got longer, which is a good thing.
- There is no such thing as free services. With Free Services Don’t Get Surprised I point out how I almost got snookered a few years past.
- My Top 5 Investing Regrets needed to be updated, so here are more from me.
- Savings as a Financial Misnomer points out that because something has Savings in it’s title, does not mean it is only a Savings Account.
- Numbers Don’t Lie (or the Vasectomy Story) is truly proof that no matter how infinitesimal a chance for something to happen, it can still happen.
Other folks’ writings
- Michael James writes about a Misleading Retirement Study, not surprising really. Trying to convince folks they have enough/not enough money for their retirement seems to. be a full-time job for. a lot of “Financial Influencers”.
- Doug Hoyes asks College & Student Loans, are they really worth it? An interesting perspective on a hot topic these days.
- Is now the time to sell? Preet interprets one alleged sign of the coming Polar Bear Market, and as usual, debunks things for us.
Happy New Year Numbers
| Inflation | 3.1% | Bank of Canada Rate | 5.0% |
| Food Inflation | 4.7% | ||
| Unemployment | 5.3% | Canada Population | 40.7M+ |
| TD Prime | 7.2% | Scotiabank Prime | 7.2% |
| BMO Prime | 7.2% | EQ Prime | 7.2% |
Random Thoughts from the Past
- Back to School, Food Inflation, and #MoneyTalk what did things look like a year later? Inflation was down, but not for food. Life went on.
- Inflation , TZ3, Interest Rates and #MoneyTalk were back in May of 2022. Note those very different numbers compared to now.
- April Ends, Tax Time, Pandemics and #MoneyTalk is the first best-of posting of the year. A bit of a hack job, but not a bad read
- Happy New Year 2022 and #MoneyTalk how the year began, little did we know what fun that was to come?
- Emancipation Day and #MoneyTalk was a good long while ago, but still some interesting info.
- Good Friday, COVID continues, XRP, Tax Time and #MoneyTalk Good Friday was still during the odd time of full COVID lockdown too. (April 2nd)
- Happy New Year 2021 and #MoneyTalk wrapped up the year that was (2020) and talked of new and exciting days ahead (January 2nd)
