Random Thoughts

For all of you worried about interest rates jumping, you have another month’s reprieve with the Canadian Dollar rebounding (along with Oil Prices) and a “strengthening” of the economy, The Bank of Canada kept the overnight rate the

same for a while longer. Their exact statement about why they kept the rates the same is:

Overall, the risks to the profile for inflation are roughly balanced. Meanwhile, financial vulnerabilities continue to edge higher, in part due to regional shifts in activity associated with the structural adjustment underway in Canada’s economy. The Bank’s Governing Council judges that the overall balance of risks remains within the zone for which the current stance of monetary policy is appropriate, and the target for the overnight rate remains at 1/2 per cent.

So the Canadian economy seems to be “in the zone” for now, however, that zone continues to be the in dire need of stimulation zone.

The hockey season in Ottawa was a complete disappointment, and it’s unfortunate that the team owner, who seems to be more skilled at finding organ donors than winning coaches, has fired all the coaches. Since there are no Canadian teams left, it’s time to move on and find another team to support. Personally, I’ll be watching the Jays and Formula 1, as they are both thrilling and entertaining.

Under the your mileage may vary category, I submitted my tax on-line on this past Saturday, and when I checked at MyCRA on Tuesday, the return had been processed and I am due to receive my refund on this coming Monday. That is a very quick system, given these are the dog days of the Tax Year (i.e. the CRA is most busy).

Sorry to see Tom Mulcair get the boot from the top seat at the NDP, but someone was going to have to eat that stunning election collapse. The only question now is, will the NDP return to being the Political Party of the Oppressed and Downtrodden, and the conscience of Canada or continue their move to the center? The Liberals are hoping for the first one (I bet).

I have a special treat for you, at the bottom of this post another great John Oliver video, but this time on something very on topic, Credit Ratings.

My Writings for Week Ending April 15th

When people make statements like I Just Don’t Like Saving I kind of scratch my head and wonder how they got to that point, but surprisingly I hear this more often than you think.

You would think a giveaway would cause a flourish of comments, however, not on my site! No comments have shown up yet? This explains my inability to get a date when I was younger as well (I suppose), but remember I have 1 comment now, and 5 on-line Turbotax licenses to give away (thanks to my friends at Intuit ).

I have Said This Before

Experience is learning from your mistakes. Wisdom is learning from the mistakes of others

Read More »Loose Money, Free Stuff, Hockey and #MoneyStories

Remember that Tax Season is in full swing, so it might be time to file your return (primarily if you are owed money). Don’t loan the Government money. Make sure you neither owe nor get a huge rebate.

You can call the CRA if you have questions about your taxes, but remember, many folks are panicking working on their taxes right now as well, so be patient with the wait and with the folks trying to help.

This week, a big snowfall should remind folks who live in Ottawa that Spring may be in the air, but that does not mean there won’t be any more snow. Most of the snow is gone, but does that mean we are finished with the white stuff? Not until after your taxes have been filed!

The Panama Papers leak seems to be causing a great deal of consternation for many of the 1% and many politicians. I guess my question is, would you rather be mentioned in the Panama Papers or the Ashley Madison leak? (maybe both?). RBC was mentioned in the Panama Papers, and they don’t think there is anything wrong with it.

It was Autism Awareness day on April 2nd, or as we call it around our house, Saturday (or my Daughter’s birthday). Autism awareness has a noble goal, but frankly, more services and support would be great as well (and the new Ontario Autism services model isn’t going to help). We are fortunate my son is higher on the spectrum, but that does not mean I deserve little (or no) services because he is older (and I am evidently rich).

My Writings for Week Ending April 8th

A busy week meant I really only got 1 article written, but I continue to put up my best on my Twitter feed (along with a lot of other great stuff).

Given that we are getting close to Tax time, Tax Reflections for 2016 points out what I keep forgetting for my taxes.

I have Said This Before

Not asking, is rejection by default

Or better still, the Answer is Always No, unless you ask.

Read More »Tax Time, Spring Delayed, Panama Papers and #MoneyStories

I was saddened to read the passing of Ronnie Corbett, a noted English comedian and one half of the Two Ronnies. I grew up with his humor, and still enjoy watching the Two Ronnies skits on Youtube (look up Four Candles). Watching this show was very much a family event in our house (whereas my Mother refused to watch Monty Python with us, as it was much lower brow humor).

I suppose I could stay with tradition and write a swerve paragraph about financial planning, given it is April Fools Day, but given how things are going in the world, I can’t write anything that would sound implausible. The U.S. Elections seem to be ruining any attempt at ironic humor, as it is just flat-out Nuts!

I guess I could write a Debt is Good post, but no one would believe anything like that coming from me.

My Writings for Week Ending April 1st

I continue to work on my backlog of articles, and found a couple I could work with.

I suppose I am showing how paranoid I am about the financial world with Advice From a Rich Man, but if I knew how to make a bloody fortune, do you think I’d share that information? Not likely.

“There was a fire at the main Inland Revenue office in London today, but it was put out before any serious good was done.” –The Two Ronnies

All Daddy really wants is the big piece of chicken, but the problem is there are too many Daddies out there trying to get that big piece of financial chicken.

“All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my right hand.” –The Two Ronnies

An After Easter Thought

Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes that reason is you are stupid and you make horrific choices. Stop doing that.

Read More »Money Fools, Ronnie, and #MoneyStories

The Madness has begun down south, no not the GOP Primaries, the NCAA Men’s basketball championship has begun, and Yale has the biggest upset so far. This is a fun time for me, as I love watching live sports, and if I could figure out a way to do that without a TV Cable package I’d cut the cord tomorrow.

In other madness, Oil prices continue to climb, and that has caused the Canadian Dollar to rise as well, and having a Loonie that is above 70 cents the US is a good thing (in my opinion).

It is not only Holy Week next week (the week before Easter in the Christian faith), but also it is Federal Budget week, woo hoo! What new and exciting financial features will the Easter Bunny be hiding under our financial pillows? We will have to wait until Tuesday March 22nd to find out, but there are already hints of many fun financial Easter Treats for us:

• A much larger deficit than previously thought due to either bad accounting by the Tories, bad economy, low oil prices, etc., etc., . We will owe more money after this budget.
• Higher taxes for higher income folk, but that was already promised during the election campaign
• More spending on infrastructure might help the economy, and will hopefully fix the pot-hole problems in Ottawa.

At the bottom of this fine article,there is a video of Financial Pundits discussing what else might be in the budget, so stay tuned.

My Writings for the Week Ending March 18th

Winter has been washed away mostly in Ottawa, however, there is still potential for more snow soon (it isn’t quite spring yet). A three-article week this week to help celebrate St. Patty’s and my 11th year of writing. That is a whole heck of a lot of words.

Statistics Canada’s report on employment shows that Unemployment Continues to Rise but the employment numbers aren’t too bad (they are not great, but not bad). I have started reading the more detailed reports and in there you find much more interesting information.

The National Balance sheet is an interesting report from Stats Canada is another really interesting report to read, chocked full of interesting numbers, but the one that had me wondering was the Disposable Income vs. Debt numbers, have a look. Any time you can mention Tennessee Ernie Ford, that’s Gold!

Yes, I have been doing this for 11 years, hard to believe, but I have slowed down a little bit, but while I continue to have fun, I think I’ll keep doing what I am doing.

A Friday Thought

In life, as with exams, answer the easy questions first, let the hard ones ruminate for a while.

Read More »Financial March Madness, Budgets and #MoneyStories