The Pope, Autumn, Elections, Volkswagen and #MoneyStories
The Pope in 2015 said that if diocese don’t take in refugees they should lose their tax exemption? Sounds good to me.
The Financial Hawthorne Effect
The Hawthorne Effect (also known as the Observer Effect), is something I have observed in my life more than once. The main thing I have seen is that when I start observing and taking close note… Read More »The Financial Hawthorne Effect
Inflation and Silly Gasoline Tricks Continues in August 2015
Gasoline prices cause issues with the CPI or Inflation numbers for August 2015.
Speaking of Money on Twitter
Canada is in the middle of the election that never ends, while the US hasn’t even started their infinite election campaign, but some people are not just talking about policy and hair, and here are… Read More »Speaking of Money on Twitter
Surplus, What Surplus, NBA Frugality, National Debt and #MoneyStories
The week started with the Government announcing a surplus in the 2014/15 budget year of almost $1.9 Billion, and it kicked off a bit of a reaction from many sides. A surplus is a good thing. How the surplus was created is questionable, but it did happen (unless the Government hired all of the old Nortel Accountants). Stories about forced spending cuts in key ministries and the infamous huge savings from Mr. Clement’s Sick Leave changes. However, it is a surplus that cannot be argued (if you view the term surplus as a specific accounting term). Just an observation, but when did the NDP become more “centrist” than the Liberals?
Glad to see some money sense with the story of a Brooklyn Nets rookie (who makes $1.3M a year) who has roommates because rent is whacked in Brooklyn! It’s easy when you get money fast to give in to the “Live Now, Pay Later” mentality that our society pushes, but glad to see one young person who realizes that all wealth can be fleeting.
The one interesting thing from the Annual Financial Report of the Government of Canada Fiscal Year 2014-2015 is the statement of the National Debt. Remember, the National Debt is how much money Canada owes to Creditors (many of whom are CSB owners and such, see Page 24 for the exact details of the debt). If I am reading the report correctly, Canada’s Net National Debt is $612.3B (if that is what is on Page 26 of the report). To quote the report exactly:
With total liabilities of $1.0 trillion, financial assets of $336.7 billion and non-financial assets of $74.6 billion, the federal debt (accumulated deficit) stood at $612.3 billion at March 31, 2015, up $0.4 billion from March 31, 2014
So we really owe $1Trillion, but thanks to accounting fun, we say our debt-load is $612B ? I’ll have to remember that the next time I go talk to the bank. Financial Crisis? What Financial Crisis?
Luckily the US Federal Reserve kept their rate near zero. No sudden stock market crashes just yet.
My Writings for Week Ending September 18th
The days are getting shorter as Autumn is coming (in the Northern Hemisphere). :
- Are you a big lover of the Twitter Machine? If so you’ll want to check out Talking about Money on Twitter this Week, another kind of best of article.
- Yes, it only takes 10 kicks in the shins before I take my own advise, I have closed the mutual fund account mentioned in More Blocked Mutual Fund Transactions at TD, but I am always happy when I can have Dikembe Motumbo mentioned in an article.
- Yes, I am a cranky old man, “… get off my front lawn, ya rotten kids…”, and in that spirit I wrote, Don’t Be Afraid to Live With Your Parents, yes it is an example of swerve writing.
Tweet of the week
The Government just told us about how they spent our tax money, why aren’t you reading this?
Read More »Surplus, What Surplus, NBA Frugality, National Debt and #MoneyStories
