The Hockey playoffs have begun, and the NBA playoffs start tomorrow, and there is an F1 race this weekend, which sounds like a good weekend to me. Will the Sens be able to come back from their first game defeat? Who knows, but it will be fun to watch, no matter what.

April 30 is not that far away. Have you got your taxes in yet? I have my refund already, but I must remember to sign up for a direct deposit, as we also recognize that Government Cheques are going away. Do an excellent job on your taxes, make sure you get all the deductions and credits you are allowed, and then go to your employer and fill in a T1213 form (if you can use those credits in the coming year) so that you get paid the maximum you can, and stop loaning money to the government.

More exciting revelations coming out of the Duffy Trial this week (speaking of Senators), alleged contract shuffling and alleged payments offered to volunteers? Goodness, the wacky things that go on in Ottawa. Where do I sign up for one of those paid volunteer jobs?

In Ontario, we will finally be able to buy beer in grocery stores, but there will also be a new Beer Tax? Ontario the good strikes again, and only 450 stores will get “permits” to sell beer? And a new tax on beer? Ms. Wynne, allow me to add my voice to the folks asking #WTF? Remember there is a new budget coming on April 23 (Ontario Provincial, that is).

Spring has sprung in Ottawa, and it is about bloody time!

My Writings for Week Ending April 17th

Spring has sprung in Ottawa, and we even have croci sprouting in the gardens, a nice change from February:

• There are more jobs in Canada last month, and unemployment stayed steady, but is More Part Time Jobs In Canada, really a good thing or not?
• So you can now get the same mortgage deals as bank employees? Really or is this an Employee Discount Scam ?

Private School As A Medical Expense http://t.co/lp0oxAEMWV via @AutismFundingBC

— Big Cajun Man (aw) (@bigcajunman) April 16, 2015

Read More »Playoffs, Tax Time, Beer tax and #BestMoneyStories

Spring 2015 started out as a snowy time, but the snow eventually did go away. How many times I celebrated writing this tome.

Hope everyone is enjoying the festive last week of RRSP season and for those who enjoy getting that last-minute Income Tax break buzz, you have until Monday next week to get your last minute RRSP contributions in place, to get a break on your 2014 taxes. As I mentioned this week, maybe we should have this kind of excitement for TFSAs? It’s not necessary as the limits carry forward for you (another reason to like the TFSA more than the RRSP).

Sunday is Saint David’s Day for my Welsh brethren. Wales plays France on Saint David’s Eve, let us hope for a festive win to help usher in this happy day. Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus.

Dydd GwÅ·l Dewi (Sant) hapus

I gave blood again this week, and due to a small pimple on my regular “giving arm” I gave with my right arm this time. Always an exciting time, but it worked just fine, and I can now feel pious for Lent, knowing I helped someone out. Have you given blood lately? If you can, why not?

The Rideau Canal has set a record for a number of days open this year. We in Ottawa hope it won’t still be open in May.

My Writings for Week Ending February 27th

I did enjoy the festive feel for this final week of RRSPs, and my twitter feed was peppered with useful RRSP commentaries :

• Didn’t hear if anyone used my RRSP Bingo card for their RRSP purchases, I hope someone had fun with it.
• What order do you do your savings RRSP then TFSA ? I have a different idea, but if you are a regular reader you can guess my point of view on this.
• Lent Begins, Freezing Temps, Apples and RRSP and #BestOfThisWeek

Tax Tip: Family Caregiver Amount http://t.co/22ULg5baMw #Autism #CRA

— Big Cajun Man (aw) (@bigcajunman) February 24, 2015

Read More »Saint David’s Day and #RandomThoughts

Lent began in 2015 with colder temperatures, and also it was the start of RRSP season for some folks, although they are not as in vogue.

It is RRSP season, if you have not noticed, and there is still time for you to put money into your RRSP and claim it for your 2014 taxes. You should have done this a long time ago, but if this is how you do things, you still have about 16 days to get this done. A word of warning: you are not buying an RRSP. You are either (1) Setting up an RRSP account and depositing money into the account to purchase or set up a savings vehicle, like GICs, Bonds, Securities, Mutual Funds or the like, or (2) You are adding money to an existing RRSP account, where you will purchase or set up a savings vehicle. You are not “buying an RRSP”, please don’t say that.

This Valentine’s Day Weekend remember your loved ones, and show them that you love them in some fashion, that does not entirely bankrupt you. No matter what the diamond industry says, 3 months’ gross income is far too much to spend on anything that dangles off your loved one, or slides onto a part of their body. Just remember that Lent starts this coming Wednesday, so start getting your Shrove together as well.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, a truly lovely romantic movie is coming out, 50 Shades of Grey, is being touted as a beautiful love story. I have read 2 of the books, and I can assure you, that is not how I read them (I couldn’t get through the final book it was, “too beaucoup”). The books are quite graphic, which makes me wonder how the movie will cover some of the more exciting parts of the books. Still, it is not likely that I will see the movies unless I get a free copy or it appears on NetFlix (and even then, I think I’d rather watch House of Cards (U.S. and UK versions) or the IT Crowd). The one exciting prognostication I have seen is that the sales of “sex toys” may skyrocket thanks to this movie, so all you We-Vibe stockholders must be rubbing your hands with glee (at least I hope that is your hands).

And I do have a partially written article entitled 50 Shades of Debt, but I can’t quite get it right. Oh and yesterday was my 2700th post as well, I guess that is what 10 years of writing will do for you.

My Writings for Week Ending February 13th

I had only planned on two articles this week, but the extra “Valentine’s Doom” post just wrote itself:

• The Canadian economy seems quite adept at creating Part-Time jobs, but how Stats Canada counts them is still incorrect (IMHO) as we saw in More Part Time Jobs in Canada in January
• Retirement is a beautiful thing to dream about, but if you die before you get there, what is the point of saving all that money? That is at the core of Going to the Gym to Work on My Retirement. Either way, pick up Seasick Steve’s album. Well worth the price.
• Society seems to condone the concept that Money is Love, and the retail industry not only agrees with this, but they think you are not spending enough.
• Superb Decisions, Gas Going Up, Rugby and #BestThisWeek

Read More »RRSPs, Valentines, 50 Shades of Debt and #BestOfThisWeek