Investing

Play By The TFSA Rules And You Won’t Get Burnt

Many Canadians have recently received unwelcome letters from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regarding excess contributions to their Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs).  Penalties in the form of fees owing to the government were assessed for excess contributions made during 2009.

Most people affected were likely confused by the restrictions placed on the TFSA by the government.  The important thing for Canadians to understand is that once you have used your contribution space for the year, even if you withdraw from your TFSA, you cannot put that money back until the following year.

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June 17, 2010
Investing

Why Is Your Stockbroker Clueless About investing?

It is truly amazing how many people entrust their entire life savings to stockbrokers who know absolutely nothing or very little about investing. In their defense, many stockbrokers may be honest individuals who truly want to help their clients. However, the problem is that they were never trained to be investors but instead were trained to be salespeople, and they are constantly being pushed by their employers to sell. After being recruited by a brokerage company, they are subjected to intensive sales training where they are taught how to cold-call, prospect for clients, and counter various clients’ objections. The actual education on how to select and analyze particular investments is limited.

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June 15, 2010
General

Job Hunting Tips

If you are currently in the process of looking for a job, you can test how proficient you are at job hunting by taking the quiz called “How Sharp Are Your Job Hunting Skills?”  found under the Career & Business section at this link.

Some job hunting tips to remember from this quiz include:

-Don’t rely exclusively on the Internet when seeking a job.  Many jobs are not advertised and can only be found through networking.  Ask around and proactively make connections.

-It’s okay to negotiate an entry-level salary.   Most employers have some wiggle room in how much they can offer, so don’t be afraid to ask.

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June 13, 2010
Travel & Entertainment

Our Summer Road Trip Challenge

My husband and I enjoy taking a road trip every summer.  We have traveled across Canada as well as part of the United States.  This summer is no exception, but as we do every year, we set a vacation budget and we are determined to stick to it.

This year we are bringing $2200.00 with us, but hope to spend less than that.  We usually only budget for $2000, but we’re bringing along some extra cash this time in case we want to do some shopping.

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June 11, 2010
Investing

Learn to Trade Individual Stocks

While at a concert recently, I met a young woman who told me that she and her husband took a course a few years ago that taught them how to trade individual stocks.

She said, when she first heard about the training she almost didn’t take it, because the course was quite expensive, almost $9000.  However, they decided to take it despite the cost, and she said they were able to recoup the cost of the course within one year of trading stocks.

She recommended that married couples should take the course together, so that both partners are on the same page.  It is much more difficult if only one spouse understands what is going on.

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June 9, 2010