Ways to Maximize the Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

maximize child benefits

Most Canadian parents don’t understand how they maximize their Canadian Child Benefit (CCB) and get paid thousands of government dollars every year! We’ve been receiving this benefit since the Trudeau administration has been in power (2016), and I’m always tinkering with ways to max out this benefit. It’s worth my time since the CPP clawback…

Read More

Best Canadian Dividend Stocks – March 2024

best canadian dividend stocks

As we look forward to a new year, it’s time to update our list of Best Canadian Dividend Stocks for March 2024. Click here to jump straight to my top 10 dividend picks for March 2024. Given the great year that non-dividend tech stocks had in 2023, it might have gotten lost that our Canadian…

Read More

The Best Joint Bank Accounts in Canada

joint account canada

For many years, the best joint bank account in Canada list was dominated by the big banks and Scotiabank’s Tangerine brand. That has all changed now that EQ Bank has created a joint bank account product AND released their EQ bank card.  This gives EQ Bank the title of best joint bank account in Canada by…

Read More

48 Best ETFs in Canada – March 2024

best canadian etf

Back when I first started writing about personal finance back in 2005, the Best ETFs in Canada ranking was a pretty short list! There was no such thing as a Canadian all-in-one ETF (also called portfolios ETFs) like there are today. While a big part of my portfolio is still in Canadian dividend stocks, Canadian…

Read More

Questrade Review 2024

Questrade Logo

Is Questrade Safe & Secure? One of the most common questions that I have gotten in the comments below is: Is investing my money through a Questrade online brokerage account safe? Is Questrade as safe as RBC, TD, CIBC, ScotiaBank, and BMO? – MDJ reader The answer: Yes! Here’s the deal. Off the top Questrade is…

Read More

What is Income Splitting?

income splitting canada

Income splitting is a tax-saving strategy that divides a stream of income between family members (usually two spouses). The goal is to apportion as much of the higher-earning family member’s income to other family members, in an effort to get that higher-earning spouse into a lower tax bracket. Some economists and policy wonks have made…

Read More

Is National Bank Stock a Good Buy Right Now?

national bank logo

National Bank of Canada has demonstrated its resilience in the face of market challenges, standing out as a great investment opportunity in the coming years. Its historical performance reflects a commitment to stability and growth, with recent advancements reflecting its proactive approach to evolving market dynamics. However, it’s essential to consider the broader context of…

Read More

Is BCE Stock a Good Buy Right Now?

bce stock analysis

If you’re considering investing in BCE stock in 2024, evaluating the company’s performance, dividend growth, and the latest developments in the telecommunications industry can help you make your decision. Being informed about BCE’s recent advancements is crucial in determining whether it is a wise investment choice, and comparing it with its fellow Canadian telecommunication competitors…

Read More

Is CNR Stock A Good Buy Right Now?

cnr logo

If you’re considering investing in Canadian National Railway (CNR) stock in 2024, it is important to evaluate the company’s performance, dividend growth, and recent developments in the railway industry. Staying informed about CNR’s recent advancements and industry trends is crucial in determining whether it is a wise investment choice. Additionally, comparing CNR with other Canadian…

Read More

How to Become a Millionaire in Canada

canadian millionaire money

I am sure that most of us out there have wondered what’s the quickest way to get rich in Canada. While we don’t advise getting involved with a “get rich quick” scheme, I thought I would outline practical steps you can take to get you on your journey to becoming Canada’s next millionaire. In fact,…

Read More

Wealthsimple Review 2024

Wealthsimple Logo

What is Wealthsimple? Wealthsimple was founded back in 2014 by Michael Katchen, Brett Huneycutt and Rudy Adler. I gotta say that I really liked the company even more in its first few years than in its current iteration. For the first five years of its existence, Wealthsimple was solely focused on the product that is…

Read More

TD Direct Investing Review 2024

Td Direct Investing Logo

What is TD Direct Investing Brokerage? The TD Directing Investing online brokerage is a solid option, even though it doesn’t quite make it to the top of my list of Canada’s best online discount brokerages. As Canada’s second biggest bank (and one of our largest companies, period) it’s probably not a surprise that the TD…

Read More

Questrade vs Qtrade in 2024

Questrade Vs Qtrade

Back in 2008 when I started writing about Canadian online brokers, the Qtrade vs Questrade rivalry was already in full swing, with each having their share of avid supporters.  Sixteen years later, I would say the main difference is that both Qtrade and Questrade have opened up an even wider gap between themselves and Canada’s…

Read More

Webull Canada Review

webull canada logo

When I sat down to take a close look at Canada’s newest brokerage for my Webull review, I realized a couple of things pretty quickly. 1) Webull had higher prices for Canadian customers than it did for its American clients. 2) Webull doesn’t have TFSA, RRSP, and other Canadian investment accounts available. Consequently, this US…

Read More

Best Canadian Online Brokers – March 2024

best brokers canada

As New Year’s resolution makers hang on for dear life, it’s time to update our Best Canadian Online Brokerages Comparison. While many investors were celebrating a fantastic end of the year over the holiday season, 2024 hasn’t exactly started out with a bang. That said, I think the medium-term future looks bright for patient long-term…

Read More

Canadian Dividend Kings & Aristocrats – March 2024

Dividend Kings List

Investing in Dividend Kings (aka Dividend Aristocrats) always looks subpar when technology stocks race ahead as they did in 2023.  That said, they make you look like a genius when those high-risk, high-growth stocks plummet 50%+ in downturns. Click here to jump directly to my 2024 picks. While 2023 wasn’t a banner year for Canadian…

Read More

Do I Need an Accountant To Do My Taxes?

accountant canada

Two of the most common questions that I have gotten in our MDJ inbox over the years are: Do I need an accountant to do my taxes or can I DIY it? Do I need an accountant for my small business in order to do bookkeeping, tax preparation, and general financial advising? And then most…

Read More

Best Low Risk Investments in Canada Right Now (March 2024)

investment growth graph

Most Canadians don’t understand the difference between when low risk investments make more sense, and when higher risk investments are worth the trade-offs. Personally, I think that if you need your money in the next five years, then you should be looking at lower risk investments that are guaranteed by the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation…

Read More

Dividend Stocks Rock Review 2024

Dsr Logo

Investing on your own is not an easy task.  From mutual funds to robo advisors and individual stocks, there are a wide range of strategies, information services and trading platforms to choose from.  It can quickly become overwhelming.  This is where the simplicity of dividend investing really shines. I started investing in mutual funds when…

Read More

Best USD Bank Accounts in Canada 2024

usd bank accounts

Finding the best USD bank account in Canada can mean saving hundreds of dollars in fees and favourable exchange rates. The costs of cross-border transactions or a holiday down in the US can really add up if you’re not careful. A US Dollar bank account based in Canada can make USD transactions quick and painless,…

Read More

Is Robinhood Available in Canada?

Robinhood Logo2

Once the new disruptive force on the online discount brokerage scene, Robinhood’s “gamification” of commission-free stock trading changed the way millions of young people thought about the stock market.  Robinhood’s commission-free trades, as well as their sleek and easy-to-use interface, appealed to first-time investors. However, the company has been vilified since it went public, perhaps…

Read More

Best Short Term Investments in Canada 2024

fast short investments canada

As we enter the 2024 the best short term investments in Canada continue to be GICs.  You can still find excellent short term GIC deals for 5%! Of course GICs aren’t the only safe, short term investment option in Canada. If you can’t stomach putting your money away for a full year to make use of…

Read More

Maxed out RRSP and TFSA – Now What?

maxed out rrsp tfsa

I recently received an email from a reader with a bright financial future.  They have a maxed out TFSA and has recently maxed out her RRSP as well. Here’s a snippet of the email below (edited for brevity). First of all, thank you for sharing your wisdom and financial journey. I love reading your blog and…

Read More

Best Canadian Dividend ETFs for 2024 (And Why We Prefer Dividend Stocks)

Best Canadian Dividend Etfs

Because I’ve been writing about dividend investing for nearly two decades now, I get a lot of inquiries every month about the best Canadian dividend ETFs vs the best dividend stocks in Canada. Obviously Canadians love their tax-efficient dividend income. The consistency of having those dividend payouts hit their accounts allows investors to better control their…

Read More

Ultimate Smith Manoeuvre Guide For Canadians

Smith Manoeuvre

When I started writing about the Smith Manoeuvre as a way to turn your mortgage into a tax deductible loan 16 years ago, I didn’t think it would become one of the most widely read articles on the website and generate hundreds of comments! Even though I started my Smith Manoeuvre at one of the…

Read More

Best Canadian High Interest Savings Accounts

Top Canadian High Interest Savings Accounts

The best Canadian high interest savings accounts for 2024 combine a mix of high interest rates, with no-fee banking, and elite user-friendly platforms. One thing to note right off the top: If your savings goal is more than 6 months in the future, you should likely be checking out our Best GIC Rates in Canada…

Read More

Is Algonquin Power Stock A Good Buy in 2024?

algonquin power logo

When considering an investment in Algonquin Power stock, it is essential to evaluate the company’s performance, market trends, and recent developments in the renewable energy sector. Keeping yourself informed about Algonquin Power’s recent advancements and industry dynamics is vital in making an informed investment decision. If you’re interested in diversifying your portfolio with dividend-paying stocks,…

Read More

CIBC Investor’s Edge Broker Review 2024

cibc investor edge new logo

What Is CIBC Investor’s Edge? If you are already a CIBC customer, you might already know that it has been around for a long time, over 100 years in fact. As a result, it offers an array of choices when it comes to how you save and invest your money. It offers the basics, such…

Read More

BMO Investorline Review 2024

Bmo Investorline Logo

Is BMO Investorline Safe and Trusted? In a word, YES. As one of Canada’s oldest and most trusted companies (founded in 1817) the Bank of Montreal is as safe, trusted, and legit as you can get.  InvestorLine has been around longer than the internet – BMO introduced self-directed trading way back in 1988 before moving…

Read More

BMO SmartFolio Review 2024

bmo smartfolio logo

I’m a huge fan of robo advisors, and BMO’s robo advisor: SmartFolio is no exception to that. If you’re not familiar with robo advisors the basic idea is that you will determine your overall risk tolerance, and that BMO will set you up with an automated portfolio using big broad index funds that spread your…

Read More

The 5 Best Defensive Stocks in Canada for 2024

defensive stocks canada

With Canadian dividend stocks getting hit hard this year, several people have commented asking me what the best defensive stocks in Canada are.  If our traditional favourites like bank stocks and telecoms are going to continue to take such a hit, are they really the right play for investors that are focused on not losing…

Read More

Withdrawing From RRSP/TFSA to Fund Early Retirement

Fund Early Retirement

As I transition into early retirement (after reaching financial independence) I find myself having to shift from an accumulation mindset to a spending or decumulation mindset.  This early retirement spending vs shaving shift is actually proving harder than one might think. I mean, I’ve been writing about wealth accumulation stuff on this site since 2005,…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update Nov 2023 – $78.8k in Dividend Income!

milliondollarjourney dividend income nov2023

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey November 2023 Financial Freedom Update – the third update of the year! If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I shifted my focus to achieving…

Read More

Edward Jones Review (Canada)

edward jones review

After Kyle wrote about the best financial advisors in Canada a couple of weeks ago, we got several emails that asked some version of, “Should I use Edward Jones financial advisors?” or one of the other large financial advisory firms in Canada. Since I have had several friends use their services, and many of their…

Read More

Investing Taxes: Dividends, Interest & Capital Gains

Canadian Investing Taxes

Are you curious about how investing taxes are calculated on capital gains, dividends, and interest in Canada? I’m not a tax expert, but with tax loss harvesting season coming out, I figured it might be a good time to review some of the basics between how Canadian investment returns are taxed in your RRSP, TFSA,…

Read More

Is Air Canada Stock A Good Buy in 2024?

air canada logo2

If you’re considering investing in Air Canada stock in 2024, it is important to understand the company’s performance, market trends, and recent developments in the airline industry. Staying informed about Air Canada’s recent advancements and industry dynamics is crucial in determining whether it is a wise investment choice in 2024. As an investor, it is…

Read More

Is Rogers Stock A Good Buy in 2024?

rogers company logo

If you’re considering investing in Rogers stock in 2024, it is important to understand the company’s performance, dividend growth, as well as its recent merger with Shaw. Staying informed about Rogers’ recent advancements and industry developments is crucial in determining whether it is a wise investment choice in 2024. This also allows you as an…

Read More

Scotia iTRADE Review 2024

Scotia Itrade Logo

What is Scotia iTRADE? Scotia iTRADE launched in 2008, after Scotiabank acquired E*Trade Canada and immediately rebranded it. This purchase was a smart move, effectively doubling the Scotiabank online client base overnight. Scotia iTRADE made a name for itself in the active day trader community because of its discounted flat rate commissions for active traders.…

Read More

4 Steps for a Worry Free Retirement Course Review by Frugal Trader

worry free retirement logo

It’s not every day that one of your co-writers pens the first online course for retirement in Canada. Naturally, it only felt right that the first review of 4 Steps to a Worry Free Retirement was posted on Million Dollar Journey! If you want to skip my review and see what the course is all…

Read More

Is Telus Stock a Good Buy in 2024?

telus company logo

If you’re considering investing in Telus stock in 2024, it’s crucial to assess the company’s performance, dividend growth, and recent developments in the telecommunications industry. Staying updated on Telus’ latest advancements is key in determining whether it is a smart investment choice in 2024. If you’re seeking to diversify your portfolio with additional dividend stocks,…

Read More

Is BNS Stock a Good Buy in 2024?

Scotiabank Logo

If you’re thinking about investing in Bank of Nova Scotia stock in 2024, you must consider the bank’s individual performance, its recent developments, and the future outlook for not just the Canadian banking sector, but the global financial services industry . For additional perspectives on alternative investment choices, you can explore our article highlighting the…

Read More

Investing In Gold In Canada 2024

invest in gold

As one might expect in a market pullback (and geopolitical crisis) we’re getting many requests about how to invest in gold in Canada, as well as how to invest in commodities (which we covered not so long ago). The awkward truth is that while you’d think this would be gold’s time to shine (see what…

Read More

Ultimate Options Trading Guide in Canada 2024

Options Trading

Options trading is not for the faint of heart, nor the novice investor. Essentially you are engaging in a more complex form of investing involving predicting market prices, creating contracts, and other complexities you’ll want to educate yourself on before getting into the options game.  Quite honestly, the average Canadian investor has no need to…

Read More

Investing in Flow Through Shares in Canada

How Flow Through Shares Work

Since writing my original “How to Buy Flow Through Shares in Canada” article over a decade ago, I’m consistently surprised at how many people are interested in this uniquely Canadian investment idea. Early on in my Million Dollar Journey, I’d written about not what flow through shares were, but also on my personal experiences, as…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update Aug 2023 – $77.8k in Dividend Income!

financial freedom update august2023

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2023 Financial Freedom Update – the second update of the year! If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I shifted my focus to achieving…

Read More

Is Shopify Stock a Good Buy in 2024?

shopify logo

If you’re considering investing in Shopify stock in 2024, it’s important to assess the company’s performance and the latest developments in the e-commerce industry. Staying informed about Shopify’s latest financial and innovation updates are essential in determining whether it is a favorable investment choice. If you are looking to diversify your tech investment dollars, we…

Read More

Canadian Value Stocks – Top 10 Picks March 2024

undervalued stocks

Finding the best value stocks in Canada isn’t an easy task. The truth is that the criteria for what makes an excellent value stock is a bit nebulous, and not as easy to define as when value stock Godfather Ben Graham was writing his treatise on investing. This is the second article in our Million…

Read More

Is Enbridge Stock a Good Buy in 2024?

enbridge logo

If you’re considering buying Enbridge stock in 2024, then you need to be aware of the company’s individual performance, its dividend growth rate, and recent developments in the energy industry. These indicators pretty solidly show why Enbridge has historically been an excellent investment, and will continue to be going forward. If you’re looking for more…

Read More

Is Suncor a Good Stock to Buy in 2024?

suncor logo

If you’re thinking about buying Suncor stock in 2024, it’s important to consider how the company has been performing, its dividend growth, and any recent changes in the energy industry. It’s also important to keep up with the company’s latest developments, all of which show that Suncor is a good buy right now. If you’re…

Read More

Best Utility Stocks in Canada 2024

canadian utility stocks

There is a reason why so many of Canada’s best utility stocks are also on our overall list of best dividend stocks in Canada: They are natural oligopolies/monopolies, meaning that can pass along increasing costs almost instantly, and have really solid yields for income-seeking investors. This combination makes them a natural fit for Canadian investors…

Read More

The Best Low Cost Ways to Convert CAD to USD

convert cad to usd

Any Canadian who’s traveled to (or ordered something from) the US knows about converting CAD to USD. It’s never fun to watch every dollar of your hard-earned money suddenly turn to $0.75 (or less!), and with additional foreign exchange fees, it can really add up. And exchange rates aren’t going anywhere. The cost of one…

Read More

When to Buy Dividend Stocks in Canada

best time to buy stocks

Dividend stock investing is a great strategy for those looking to invest primarily in mature, stable companies with a history of spinning off free cash flow. Whether or not someone chooses to take the dividend payout out of their brokerage account in order to pay for life, or to reinvest any dividend income depends on…

Read More

Bond ETFs vs GICs vs High Interest Savings Accounts

fixed income investing

For income-oriented Canadian investors the choice between a Bond (or Bond ETF), a GIC, or a high interest savings account has become more important than ever.   With interest rates at historic lows (for a little while longer anyway) choosing the best option for the “safe, low risk investing” part of our portfolio can make a…

Read More

Is TD Bank Stock a Good Buy in 2024?

td bank logo large

If you’re considering buying Toronto Dominion (TD) Bank stock in 2024, then you need to be aware of the bank’s individual performance, its abandoned merger with First Horizon, and the long term prospects for Canadian and American banking as well. For more insights on comparable investment options, check out our article on the Best Canadian…

Read More

Canadian Stock Market vs U.S. Stock Market in 2024

Canadian Vs Us Stock Market Graph

We Canadians might like to argue with our U.S. neighbours about who makes better beer or who plays better hockey but when it comes to your portfolio, the real argument is who gets the better returns, the Canadian stock market vs the U.S. stock market? Both Canada and the U.S. are wealthy developed countries with…

Read More

Is RBC Stock a Good Buy in 2024?

rbc logo wide

If you’re considering buying Royal Bank stock in 2024, then you need to be aware of not only the company’s individual performance, but also RBC’s current valuation, and the general prospects for Canadian banking as well. For more information on comparable investments check out our article on the Best Canadian Bank Stocks, and to decide…

Read More

Best Canadian Chequing Account 2024

chequing account canada

Most of us have memories of our parents or grandparents whipping out their chequebooks at the store or at the kitchen table when it was time to pay bills. While we may not need to spend hours a month writing out cheques and balancing our chequebooks, we still need quick access to cash for daily…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Calculator/Spreadsheet

Smith Manoeuvre Calculator Spreadsheet

By now, most people here know that I’m interested in the Smith Manoeuvre. If you are new to this concept, you can read more about them in my article “Mastering The Smith Manoeuvre“. Originally, I discovered the Smith Manoeuvre, through a great thread on RedFlagDeals.com that talks exclusively about the strategy. This includes the tax…

Read More

46 Ways to Save Money in Canada

How To Save Money

Editor’s Note: This article was originally written by FT back in 2017. Due to its popularity, we have asked FT to update it for 2023 with more relevant advice. As always, we encourage you to comment below and tell us how you save money in your day to day life. If you are looking for…

Read More

Vanguard vs. iShares All-in-One ETFs

vanguard vs ishares etfs

All-in-one ETFs are giving robo advisors a run for their money with their ease of use and low fees. All-in-one ETFs contain multiple ETFs, which means in one single purchase, you are essentially getting an entire well-balanced and hugely diversified portfolio at the tap of a button.  There are many Canadian all-in-one ETFs to choose…

Read More

The Best REIT ETFs in Canada For 2024

reit etfs

A Real Estate Trust (REIT) ETF is the most straightforward way to invest in real estate without becoming a landlord yourself or spending time researching the 30+ individual REITs on the Toronto Stock Exchange.  This article will give you all the details about REIT ETFs: Top REIT ETFs in Canada: Quick Comparison Name Ticker Number…

Read More

Best Online Banks in Canada 2024

best online banks

For nearly two decades, I’ve been writing about the evolving landscape of Canada’s best online banks. Frankly, I’ve often been disappointed in how long it has taken our virtual banks to catch up to those in the US and abroad. A decade and a half ago, the emergence of online banking platforms like ING Direct…

Read More

The Best No-Fee Cash Back Credit Cards in Canada 2024

Free Cash Back Credit Cards In Canada

If you’re not using the best free cashback credit cards in Canada, then you’re missing out on free money! We published our no-fee cashback credit card list back in 2007 and we’ve been updating it regularly ever since, so you always know which no-fee cashback cards to consider. We start our list with a quick…

Read More

Investing on Behalf of my Kids

Investing On Behalf Of My Kids

One of the most rewarding things about becoming financially knowledgeable and secure is being able to pass that knowledge on to your own children. When they begin to make, save and invest their own money, you will be there to guide them. If you want to take it a step further, you can start investing…

Read More

Top 10 Wealthiest Canadians in 2024

wealthiest canadians

It’s been over a decade since we first wrote about the richest Canadians, and we thought it was a good time to update the list! While some have remained on the top 10 wealthiest Canadian list for years, some have not been able to maintain that title. Others have been able to retain their top…

Read More

Simple Low Cost Diversified Index ETF Portfolios 2024

low cost etfs portfolio

We’ve been writing about low-cost ETFs in Canadian index portfolios since 2008. Below is our 2024 update. ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, first entered the Canadian market over a decade ago. From day one, they impressed us as an excellent tool to help you build a low-cost, diversified portfolio.  As time has passed, ETF providers have…

Read More

Top Blue Chip Stocks in Canada for 2024

blue chip stocks canada

A blue chip stock refers to stocks of high value companies. Think companies that are household names, have a widely recognized brand and are so big that they are unlikely to fail.  The top blue chip stocks in Canada include companies from a wide range of sectors; utilities, industrial, financial and consumer staples. These companies…

Read More

Best Canadian Robo Advisors 2024

best robo advisors canada

Robo advisors are perfect for Canadians who want to grow their investments but aren’t interested in paying high fees for a financial advisor or figuring out how to trade on their own (if you’re more of a DIY person, check out the best online brokers in Canada instead). We compiled our list of the best…

Read More

How to Build a Dividend Growth Portfolio

build dividend portfolio

If you’ve been following MDJ for a while, you will come to learn that I’m a fan of two investing strategies, index investing and investing for income through Canada’s best dividend stocks. I like index investing (also known as passive investing) for its ease, low cost, and ability to beat most active mutual fund returns…

Read More

Pre and Post Market Trading in Canada

after hours trading

Most Canadian investors are content to buy and sell stocks when the main North American stock markets are open. What that means is that you can buy and sell shares of companies and ETFs if they appear on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and the NASDAQ, between the hours of 9:30am…

Read More

Dogs of the TSX Dividend Stock Picks (January 2024 Update)

Dogs Of The Tsx

I’ve been writing about the investing strategy known as the “Dogs of the TSX” for over a decade. The strategy was borrowed from the “Dogs of the Dow” strategy down in the USA, and was popularized in Canada by MoneySaver magazine as the Beating the TSX Dividend Stock Strategy – or BTTSX. (Click here to…

Read More

Best Canadian Dollar (CAD) ETFs for U.S Equities

us equity etf

A reader recently emailed me about my thoughts on the best US Dollar USD ETFs vs CAD ETFs when it comes to getting portfolio exposure to the American market. You may already know that I’m a fan of index investing using the best ETFs available. Whether that’s all-in-one ETFs, Canadian dividend ETFs, or in this case,…

Read More

National Bank Direct Brokerage Review 2024

National Bank Direct Brokerage Review

NBDB has made changes over the last two years to make their fee structure competitive among other discount brokers, and have now dropped their commission fees altogether for those trading on their online platform. It seems as though they have taken customer feedback to heart and made improvements to make those customers want to stay…

Read More

Best All-in-One ETFs in Canada 2024

best all in one etfs

In the past few years, the ever so simple passive investment strategy of choosing from a wide range of ETFs that reflects your investment style has become even easier. A new breed of ETFs, often referred to as ETF portfolios, or all-in-one ETFs, allow investors an easy way to invest, just the way they like…

Read More

Investing in Canadian Bank Stocks 2024

Investing In Canadian Bank Stocks

With Canada’s banks wrapping up 2023 with a really solid December, we thought we’d take a look at investing in Canadian bank stocks in 2024. Canadian bank stocks have been great long-term investments, but with interest rates going up, the banks are having to set aside more and more money for possible defaults. These pots…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update Dec 2022 ($73.8k in Dividend Income!)

financial freedom update december 2022

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey December 2022 Financial Freedom Update – the final update of the year! If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – 2022 Update

Using The Smith Manoeuvre

For those of you just joining us, this is an update (it’s been a while!) on my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC) – otherwise known as the Smith Manoeuvre. What is the Smith Manoeuvre? The Smith Manoeuvre, in its simplest form, is a leverage investment…

Read More

Tax Efficient Index ETF Portfolio for Non-Registered Account

tax efficient etfs

There may come a point during the year that you max out your registered Canadian investment accounts, or if you are living abroad, there might be certain restrictions on what you can contribute to tax-advantaged accounts. The great news is that no matter what your situation is, you can still open a non-registered tax efficient…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update Oct 2022 Update ($73k in Dividend Income!)

milliondollarjourney dividend income update oct2022

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey Oct 2022 Financial Freedom Update – the third update of the year! If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to…

Read More

Low Cost Currency Conversion with DLR/DLR.U ETF

currency conversion etf

With foreign exchange fees as high as 2.5% for discount online brokers, low-cost currency conversion methods are a great way to keep a little extra money in your portfolio. If you’re dealing with larger trades, those FX fees can really add up! For example, say I wanted to purchase $10,000 worth of Walmart stock with…

Read More

Norbert’s Gambit – Save Money With USD to CAD Foreign Exchange

Usd To Cad Foreign Exchange

If you’re looking to save money on foreign exchange, you’re in luck. There is a simple and effective way to convert your CAD to USD so you can make US stock purchases. It’s called Norbert’s Gambit, and it can save you hundreds of dollars on trading fees. Smart investors know that investing in US stocks…

Read More

Canadian Undervalued Stocks January 2024

undervalued stocks canada

Undervalued stocks in Canada are usually identified as having a market value that is for one reason or another below their true value. The idea is that if you as an investor are able to identify these stocks while their purchase price is still low. Then, someday in the future, when the rest of the…

Read More

Don’t Miss the 2022 Canadian Financial Summit

canadian financial summit 2022

It’s that time of the year… the kids are back in their school routine, the world is somewhat back to normal, and for MDJ’s Kyle Prevost – it’s back to the Canadian Financial Summit. Kyle asked me to write something this week as he’s pretty busy putting the final touches on interviews, emails, etc. Click…

Read More

Best Real Estate Stocks in Canada 2024

real estate stocks canada

I like the idea of owning real estate – but I don’t want the headaches of being a landlord. If that sounds like you, then you basically have two options: Invest in Canadian Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Or Invest in Canadian real estate stocks. Personally, I’m a massive fan of investing in Canadian bank…

Read More

Qtrade Guided Portfolios Review 2024 – Performance, Fees & More

qtrade guided portfolios logo

What is Qtrade Guided Portfolios? (Formerly VirtualWealth) Qtrade Guided Portfolios is the new robo advisor put out by our #1 rated online brokerage company. Much like other robo advisors, the Qtrade Guided Portfolios mission is to: The folks behind Qtrade Guided Portfolios are Aviso Wealth. Aviso is a national financial services company that works with businesses…

Read More

Best Cannabis Stocks in Canada 2024

canadian weed stocks

In October of 2018, Canada became the first North American country to completely legalize marijuana, opening the doors for the cannabis industry to expand into new territory, and for Canadian cannabis stocks to begin trading on the TSX. While in the US, weed isn’t Federally legal, the majority of states allow the purchase of marijuana…

Read More

Best Tech Stocks in Canada For 2024

canadian tech stocks

While Canadian technology stocks have been some of the fastest growing stocks on the Toronto Stock Exchange over the last decade (especially during the pandemic), they are still a relatively small part of our investing ecosystem. We have a lot of great Canadian dividend stocks, Canadian bank stocks, Canadian energy stocks, etc. But when it…

Read More

Best Emerging Market ETFs to Buy in Canada 2024

emerging markets etfs

I have to admit that due to my focus on Canadian dividend stocks, I am guilty of having  a bit of an overall home country bias in my portfolio. I’m fine with that, as I really like Canada’s current valuations and long-term prospects.   That said, when I want quick diversification, I tend to look for an…

Read More

Best Pipeline Dividend Stocks In Canada 2024

canadian pipeline stocks

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Canadian dividend stocks here at MDJ, and while we have given some shine to Canadian energy stocks over the last couple of years, we have always just sort of tossed the Canadian pipeline stocks in alongside those big energy producers. The fact is the Canadian pipeline stocks…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update June 2022 – Q2 Update ($70.5k in Dividend Income!)

financial update june2022 graph

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2022 Financial Freedom Update – the second update of the year! If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to…

Read More

Best Industrial Stocks in Canada For 2024

industrial stocks canada

With the market shifting to defensive mode, Canadian industrial stocks are back in style. Investors are clearly in the mood for solid (boring?) dependable earnings that can keep up with an inflation-heavy environment. While Canadian railroad stocks and Canadian airline stocks are technically considered Canadian industrial stocks, we decided that they needed their own articles.   While…

Read More

Investing in Canadian Airline Stocks 2024

air canada logo2

Now that travel has opened up again, many MDJ readers have been asking us if now is the time to invest in Canadian Airline stocks. Truthfully, we might be the wrong folks to ask about this one. If you take a look at our best Canadian dividend stocks and/or Canadian Dividend Kings articles, you won’t…

Read More

Top 6 Indexing Options for Your Portfolio in 2024

how to build index portfolio

If you’ve started your research on investing, but still aren’t quite sure how or where to get started, you are not alone. Plenty of almost-investors get stuck at the starting line for reasons like not feeling educated enough, feeling like they don’t have enough money to start investing, or simply feeling unclear on which type…

Read More

Best Renewable Energy Stocks in Canada 2024

renewabale energy stocks chart

With all of the attention on Canadian energy stocks due to the recent run up in oil prices, many experts are arguing that now is the time to look into Canadian renewable or “green energy” stocks.   If you are a longtime MDJ reader, you’ll notice a few crossover companies from our best Canadian dividend stocks…

Read More

Best High Yield Canadian Stocks 2024

best yield stocks canada

Given that our best Canadian dividend stocks list is consistently the most popular article on our site, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised at the number of questions we get that go something along the lines of: “Why do you guys like Canadian National Railway so much, there is barely any dividend yield there.  Why…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update March 2022 – First Update of the Year ($68,100 in Dividend Income!)

milliondollarjourney dividend income 1

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2022 Financial Freedom Update – the first update of the year! If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to…

Read More

Indexed Family Education Fund (RESP) Portfolio Update – 2022 Edition

Indexed Family Resp Portfolio Update

Welcome to the annual Registered Education Saving Plan (RESP) update where I show transparency on our indexed investment strategy to help pay for our children’s future education costs. Since we’ve been posting about these accounts since my kids were born (my oldest was born in 2008), it shows the power of long-term compounding of a…

Read More

The RESP Strategy

Resp Strategy

An RESP, or Registered Education Savings Plan, is a tax-deferred investment account designed to help pay for a child’s education. RESPs are eligible for government grants (re: Free Money) of up to $7,200 and are a great way to help minimize a young adult’s student loan debt. In this post, we’ll fill you in on…

Read More

How To Track Your Net Worth

how to track net worth

This post was originally published in early 2009, but brought to the forefront as I believe it’s one of the more important strategies for growing wealth. For those of you who have been following my journey, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a big believer in tracking and managing progress to help achieve desired goals.  I…

Read More

Top Premium Cash Back Credit Cards in Canada 2024

Premium Cash Back Credit Cards

A premium cashback credit card with an annual fee is a great way to maximize your cashback rewards – especially if you make most of your purchases on credit cards.  The best paid cashback credit cards in Canada feature high earn rates and some truly excellent perks – significantly better than Canada’s best no-fee credit…

Read More

How Do I Maximize RESP Withdrawals?

How Do I Maximize Resp Withdrawals

With my oldest child turning 11 this year, my mindset and strategy for our family RESP is starting to shift from accumulation and growth to a more balanced portfolio. This has many similarities to retirement planning but on a smaller scale. In your younger years, there is a focus on growth, but as retirement approaches,…

Read More

TFSA Contribution Room In 2024 + TFSA Rules and Limits

tfsa contribution limit 2022

There is a TON of investment advice out there.  Some should only be taken into consideration after a thorough investigation and planning.  Some – like contributing to a TFSA – is just sound advice that should be acted on quickly.  The reason? Two words: tax free.  That is not something you hear often, and that’s…

Read More

Should I buy Whole Life Insurance for my Children?

Whole Life Insurance For My Children

A reader, Arlene, recently asked a question in my article “investing on behalf of kids” about obtaining “Whole Life Insurance” for their young children.  A financial planner suggested that obtaining permanent insurance for their children is a good idea to invest in their future. Here is the question: Hello! A financial planner thinks it’s a good idea…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update Nov 2021 – Big Dividend Raises Edition

financial update nov 2021

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey November 2021 Financial Freedom Update – Big Dividend Raises Edition! If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial…

Read More

5 Ways to Get Your Credit Score and Credit Report for FREE

free credit score canada

It’s now easier than ever to get a credit score check in Canada for free! I mean… a credit score check is only really important if you hope to: Get a mortgage Purchase a car Rent an apartment Get a great credit card Qualify for certain types of insurance Even gain specific types of employment…

Read More

Top No Fee Rewards Credit Cards in Canada

best free rewards cards canada

I’ve written about the top free cash back credit cards in Canada before, and even modified my top pick to be Neo Financial in 2021, which is also the overall best credit card in Canada in my opinion. However, there are an abundance of other rewards based credit cards out there that deserve a look.…

Read More

How To Pay Off Your Mortgage In 3 Years

Mortgage Free

In the October 2010 net worth update, I briefly mentioned that I was planning on paying of the mortgage balance this month and I’m happy to say that we officially became mortgage free in 2010! As this is a significant milestone in any financial journey, I thought that it deserved a post all on its…

Read More

The Biggest Risk of Early Retirement (FIRE) – Sequence of Returns!

early retirement risks

The concept of financial independence/retire early (FIRE) is all the rage in the personal finance space. The idea is to save a large percentage of your income (50% or more), live as frugally as possible, and retire in a short period of time while continuing to live frugally. Sometimes, fortunate young people with higher incomes…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update Sept 2021 – Market Highs Edition

chart 19

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2021 Financial Freedom Update – Market Highs Edition! If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q3) 2021 – Sequence of Returns Risk Edition

Resp Portfolio Update Feb 2016

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey 2021 (Q3) Financial Freedom Update – the third update of the year!  If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my…

Read More

Have I Given Up on the Smith Manoeuvre?

Smith Manoeuvre

Out of many investing topics written about on Million Dollar Journey, the Smith Manoeuvre was one of the first and among the most popular investment strategies discussed. What is the Smith Manoeuvre? But, what is the Smith Manoeuvre and why is it so popular? This investment strategy was named after Frasier Smith, a financial advisor who…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q2) 2021 – Portfolio All-Time High Edition

Resp Portfolio Update 2013

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey 2021 (Q2) Financial Freedom Update – the first update of the year!  If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q1) 2021 – First Update of the Year

Net Worth Updates

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey 2021 (Q1) Financial Freedom Update – the first update of the year!  If you would like to follow my whole financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my…

Read More

Indexed Family Education Fund (RESP) Portfolio Update – 2021 Edition

Indexed Family Resp Portfolio Update

Welcome to the annual Registered Education Saving Plan (RESP) update where I show transparency on our indexed investment strategy to help pay for our children’s future education costs. What is an RESP?  At a high level, an RESP is an investment account for future post-secondary students and stands for Registered Education Savings Plan.  It can…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q4) 2020 – Volatile Stock Market Edition ($61,850 in Dividend Income)!

Financial Freedom Update (q4) 2020

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey 2020 (Q4) Financial Freedom Update – Volatile Market Edition!  If you would like to follow my latest financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter and/or Facebook. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to…

Read More

My Favorite Free Personal Finance Apps

Free Personal Finance Apps

Readers often ask what my favourite personal finance apps are. It’s not an easy question to answer, as the apps we choose are highly personalized to our particular needs, goals, habits and more.  The good thing is, there are so many apps out there, that anyone can find exactly what they are looking for. But…

Read More

The Pros and Cons of the New Aeroplan

The Pros and Cons of the New Aeroplan

The new Aeroplan was just announced and there were a lot of changes. This wasn’t a minor refresh, it’s a complete redesign that will benefit most people, but there’s no denying that some travellers will be disappointed. To give you some context, Air Canada was going to cut ties with Aeroplan (owned by Aimia at…

Read More

Calculating Your Adjusted Cost Base (ACB)

Calculating Your Adjusted Cost Base

If you’ve invested in a non-registered portfolio you’ve likely come across the tax-preparation question: How to calculate your adjusted cost base (ACB).  It’s certainly a pain in the portfolio, and can be tedious and complicated at times. But it’s a necessary ‘evil’. You need to know your ACB in order to calculate the capital gain…

Read More

The Hot Potato Investing Strategy

Hot Potato Investing

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ll know that most of my wealth is in the stock market for the long-term. While there are many short term stock trading strategies, many of these strategies just don’t work out for regular investors. In fact, the initial losses often turn beginner investors away from…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q2) 2020 – V-Shape Recovery Edition ($60,550 in Dividend Income)!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey 2020 (Q2) Financial Freedom Update – the V-Shape Recovery Edition!  If you would like to follow my latest financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter or Facebook, and/or you can sign up for the monthly Million Dollar Journey Newsletter. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M…

Read More

Indexed Family Education Fund (RESP) Portfolio Update – 2020 Edition

Indexed Family Education Fund Portfolio

During this time of uncertainty, many readers have contacted me for continued portfolio updates.  One group in particular –  parents –  are asking me what I’m doing with my RESPs. What is an RESP?  At a high level, an RESP is an investment account for future post-secondary students and stands for Registered Education Savings Plan. …

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q4) – 2019 Year End Update ($55,200 in Dividend Income)!

Financial Freedom Update December 2019

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey 2019 (Q4) Year-End Financial Freedom Update. If you would like to follow my latest financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter or Facebook, and/or you can sign up for the monthly Million Dollar Journey Newsletter. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June…

Read More

What to do if Run out of HELOC Space with the Smith Manoeuvre

Running Out Of Heloc Space

If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you may have heard about the Smith Manoeuvre. At a high level, it’s a long-term investment strategy for investors with high risk tolerance.  Essentially, it’s where an investor borrows against his home (using a HELOC) to invest in the stock market, business, and/or real estate.  The plan…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q3) – September 2019 – Reaching the Cross Over Point ($53,400 in Dividend Income)!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2019 (Q3) Financial Freedom Update – the third update of 2019!  If you would like to follow my latest financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter or Facebook, and/or you can sign up for the monthly Million Dollar Journey Newsletter. For those of you new here, since achieving…

Read More

Late Starting your RESP? Here’s how to Catch UP!

Late Starting Your Resp

A friend of mine, Gary, recently asked me about registered education savings plans (RESPs) and if it’s too late to get started. Gary’s kids are 14 and 12, and while a bit late in the game, there is still time to take advantage of free government money. What is an RESP? An RESP stands for…

Read More

Can You Have Too Much RRSP?

Since I’ve written about how much you need to save to reach $1M in your RRSP starting in your 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s, I’ve been getting questions from readers who have significant RRSP contributions.  More specifically, can you have too much in an RRSP? I haven’t been able to find any good articles online that…

Read More

Building a $1,000,000 RRSP Starting in your 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.

Building A $1,000,000 Rrsp

I recently wrote about how you can build a comfortable retirement lifestyle even if you start a little late.  The article included a couple of examples of an investor who starts in his/her 40’s and 50’s and still result in a comfortable middle-class retirement.  But what if you want a little more during retirement?  What…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q2) – June 2019 ($50,660 in Dividend Income)!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2019 (Q2) Financial Freedom Update – the second update of 2019!  If you would like to follow my latest financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter or Facebook, and/or you can sign up for the monthly Million Dollar Journey Newsletter. For those of you new here, since achieving…

Read More

Building a Simple Low-Cost Indexed ETF Portfolio in USD

Index Etf Usd

With recent articles about all-in-one ETFs and withholding taxes on ETFs in registered accounts, I’ve been getting questions about if there are USD based all-in-one ETFs, and if not, what are the most efficient USD ETFs to own? There are a number of readers who make their money in USD, and there are some advantages…

Read More

Retirement Calculators – How Much Do You Need to Retire?

How Much Do You Need To Retire Calculator

This popular article was originally written in 2017, but since then, a couple of the calculators have gone offline.  I have updated this article with a couple of new additions. Enjoy! A reader recently asked me if she had saved enough for retirement. While it seems like a challenging question to answer, it can be roughly calculated…

Read More

The Real MER on ETFs – Foreign Withholding Taxes on ETFs

Etf Mer

I’ve written a lot about index investing as one of the best strategies for beginner and experienced investors alike.  It’s a strategy that I follow with a large portion of my portfolio to get ex-Canada (outside Canada) diversification (I use dividend investing for my Canadian exposure).  Not only do I use this strategy in my…

Read More

What Happens to your RRSP and TFSA after you Die?

what happens to your RRSP and TFSA when you die

Last week, I wrote about the most efficient way to withdraw from your accounts during retirement.  Within the article, I mentioned that while the general rule of thumb is to keep your RRSP as long as possible, there are some situations where drawing down on your RRSP first makes the most sense. This is particularly…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q1) – March 2019 ($48,200 in Dividend Income)!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2019 (Q1) Financial Freedom Update – the first update of 2019!  If you would like to follow my latest financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter or Facebook, and/or you can sign up for the monthly Million Dollar Journey Newsletter. For those of you new here, since achieving…

Read More

Indexed Family Education Fund (RESP) Portfolio Update – 2019 Edition

Indexed Family Education Fund Portfolio

It has been about a year since my last RESP portfolio update which is probably an appropriate time span since it’s a fairly steady portfolio that is 100% indexed.  2018 was certainly a test for equity portfolios and although stocks were pounded, these indexed RESP accounts performed a little better than I expected. The RESP portfolios for…

Read More

Net Worth Update January 2019 – Nobleea the Engineer and Millionaire!

Name: Nobleea Age: 40 Net Worth: $1,049,416 Day Job: Engineering manager at oilfield services company, Teacher (wife) Family Income: $140,000 (main job), $20,000 (part-time job/rental income), $85,000 (wife main job) Goals: Million dollar family net worth before 40 (Complete), Retirement from the primary job at 50 (for me) We live in Edmonton where incomes are…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q4) – December 2018 – Did we Reach our Goal?

MDJ Financial freedom update december 2018

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey December 2018 Financial Freedom Update – the final update for 2018!  If you would like to follow my latest financial journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email, via Twitter or Facebook, and/or you can sign up for the monthly Million Dollar Journey Newsletter. For those of you new here, since achieving $1M…

Read More

Net Worth Update October 2018 – SmilingSaver (+63.2%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey October 2018 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. SmilingSaver was selected as a team member and will post net worth…

Read More

Paying Property Tax and Utilities with a Credit Card

Paying Bills With Credit Card

Recently, a reader asked about my monthly expenses and how I flow all my expenses through a credit card. If you’ve been following MDJ for a while, you’ll know that I am a big fan of some loyalty programs and cash back credit cards. The best is when the stars align that combine a generous…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q3) – Sept 2018 ($43,450 in Dividend Income)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2018 Financial Freedom Update – the third quarter update!  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point where they are enough…

Read More

Canadian Financial Summit 2018 – All Online and FREE!

The bloggers behind Young and Thrifty have organized a virtual Canadian Financial Summit (CFS) starring 28 personal finance experts in the country.   Some of these experts include: Jon Chevreau (author of Findependence day and former editor of MoneySense Magazine); Preet Banerjee (CBC’s The National Commentator); Ellen Roseman (Columnist at Toronto Star);  Rob Carrick (Columnist…

Read More

Horizon’s All-in-One Portfolios via Super Tax Efficient ETFs

Super Tax Efficient Etfs

The train keeps rolling with the index investing posts.  If you’ve been following lately, I’ve been focused on showing readers how to easily invest using the index investing strategy.  Articles such as: Best low risk investments in Canada Best all in one ETFs 6 Ways to Index Your Portfolio For the ultimate easy DIY portfolio,…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q2) – June 2018 ($41,050 in Dividend Income)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2018 Financial Freedom Update – the halfway mark of the year!  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point where they…

Read More

Where to Put your Investments for Maximum Tax Efficiency

I’ve been getting a number of emails from readers about dividend investing and which type of investment account to use for maximum tax efficiency.  This article should help clear up some of those questions. This post has been modified and expanded but was originally written in 2009.   Efficiency is the name of the game not only…

Read More

Top Premium Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fee

Credit cards with no foreign transaction fees seem to be a hot area these days with new products popping up in recent months.  Since the demise of the popular Amazon Visa, there have been a number of new cards that have popped up.  In a recent post listing the best travel credit cards, I wrote about…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q1) – March 2018 ($37,550 in Dividend Income)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2018 Financial Freedom Update – the first update of the year!  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point where they…

Read More

Official Passive Income Rules for Canadian Small Business

In the Summer of 2017, the Canadian government dropped a tax bomb on Canadian small business owners with proposed changes to how they are able to split their income and their ability to invest excess cash flow into passive investments.  While they had some vague guidelines, they did not have concrete rules to wrap our heads around. …

Read More

Indexed Family RESP Portfolio Update – 2018 Edition

Indexed Family Resp Portfolio Update

It has been about a year since my last RESP portfolio update which is probably an appropriate time span since it’s a fairly steady portfolio that is 100% indexed. The RESP portfolios for our children are set up with TD e-Series mutual funds which provide a low-cost way to index the market (some other ways to index your portfolio). …

Read More

Net Worth Update January 2018 – SmilingSaver (+46%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey January 2018 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. SmilingSaver was selected as a team member and will post net worth…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q3) – Sept 2017 (+5.56%) – Major Milestone!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2017 Financial Freedom Update – the third update of the year.  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point…

Read More

Canadian Financial Summit – All Online – and FREE!

The bloggers behind Young and Thrifty have organized a virtual Canadian Financial Summit (CFS) starring 25+ personal finance experts in the country.   Some of these experts include: Andrew Hallam (Author of Millionaire Teacher);  Jon Chevreau (former editor of MoneySense Magazine); Peter Hodson (CEO of 5i Research Inc); Preet Banerjee (CBC’s The National Commentator); Ellen…

Read More

RRSP Deadline & Contribution Limit 2018/2019

RRSP Deadline/Contribution Limit For those of you coming here through Google search looking for the RRSP deadline for tax year 2018, the deadline is: March 1, 2019.  Basically 60 days into the new year. There is an abundance of choice out there for RRSP accounts, but here is a review of the best online brokers for…

Read More

Net Worth Update August 2017 – SmilingSaver (+121%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2017 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. SmilingSaver was selected as a team member and will post net worth…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q2) – June 2017 (+9.73%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2017 Financial Freedom Update – the second update of the year.  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point…

Read More

Global ETF ex-Canada (XAW/VXC) or 3 Individual ETFs?

Three Individual Etfs

If you’ve been following my financial freedom updates, you’ll see that I’m a fan of global index ETFs (ex-Canada).  Two of my favorites are XAW from iShares and VXC from Vanguard. I like them because they provide diversified exposure to the largest companies in the world (outside Canada) through a single ETF, they are on…

Read More

Net Worth Update March 2017 – SmilingSaver – The Big Move (+140%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2017 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. SmilingSaver was selected as a team member and will post net worth…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update (Q1) – March 2017 (+10.89%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2017 Financial Freedom Update – the first update for the year.  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update – December 2016 (+15.5%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey December 2016 Financial Freedom Update – the final update for the year.  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point…

Read More

How to Transfer a Work Pension to a LIRA

how to transfer work pension to lira

When my wife recently left her career in health care, there was a bit more administrative work than expected.  One of these administrative items was to decide what to do with her accrued pension with her work place.  Technically, there are two pensions that we have to deal with.  The first was a “defined benefit”…

Read More

Net Worth Update October 2016 – SmilingSaver – New Goal Edition (+9729%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey October 2016 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. SmilingSaver was selected as a team member and will post net worth updates on a regular basis. Here is more…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update – September 2016 (+9.7%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2016 Financial Freedom Update.  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point where they are enough to cover our family…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update – June 2016 (+5.78%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2016 Financial Freedom Update.  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point where they are enough to cover our family…

Read More

Net Worth Update June 2016 – Sean Cooper (+2.76%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2016 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. Sean Cooper was selected as a team member and will post net worth…

Read More

How to Create a Stock Watchlist with Google Spreadsheets

I brought this post out of the archives due to a number of recent emails about how to track stock holdings.  I still use Google spreadsheets  today to track my dividend holdings. With the market volatility, there is a heightened interest in dividend stocks and how to buy stocks in general. Within my article on…

Read More

Net Worth Update May 2016 – Smiling Saver – Student Loan Edition (+100%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey May 2016 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. SmilingSaver was selected as a team member and will post net worth updates on a regular basis. Here is more…

Read More

Net Worth Update April 2016 – Karl the Real Estate Agent (+6.9%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey April 2016 Net Worth Update (a little late, sorry!) – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after my million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. Karl the Real Estate Agent was selected as a team member…

Read More

Breakdown of Our Expenses in 2015

Back in 2008, I wrote my initial post about our monthly expenses.  It’s always interesting going back in time to see what the circumstances were.  Back then, the update was compiled just before we had our first child, and we had a mortgage on our principal residence (a new build).  Our annual recurring outlay was around…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update – March 2016

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2016 Financial Freedom Update.  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point where they are enough to cover our…

Read More

RESP Portfolio Update – February 2016

Resp Portfolio Update Feb 2016

It’s been a little over two years since my last RESP portfolio update which is probably an appropriate time span since it’s a fairly steady portfolio that is 100% indexed. The RESP portfolios for our children are setup with TD e-Series mutual funds which provide a low cost way to index the market.  We contribute $2,500/account/year to get…

Read More

Capital Gains Tax when Converting Currency

Capital Gains Tax When Converting Currency

When I wrote about some low cost ways to convert your valuable US Dollars (USD) back into Canadian dollars (USD), there was a comment about the potential for capital gains tax which caught some readers by surprise. At a high level, if there is any sort of “profit” from doing a conversion from USD to…

Read More

Financial Freedom Update – December 2015

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey December 2015 Financial Freedom Update.  For those of you new here, since achieving $1M in net worth in June 2014 (age 35), I have shifted my focus to achieving financial independence.  How?  I plan on building my passive income sources to the point where they are enough to cover our family…

Read More

Net Worth Update October 2015 – Karl the Real Estate Agent (+4.94%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey December 2014 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. Karl the Real Estate Agent was selected as a team member and will…

Read More

One Year After – A Financial Freedom Update – August 2015

It has been a little over a year since reaching the million dollar net worth milestone and a number of you have emailed me requesting an update on what I’ve been doing since, how it feels to be a millionaire, and mostly, how my new financial goals are progressing. Life Since Becoming a Millionaire Back when I…

Read More

Net Worth Update June 2015 – Smiling Saver (Just Married)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2014 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. SmilingSaver was selected as a team member and will post net worth…

Read More

Net Worth Update April 2015 – Nobleea the Oil and Gas Engineer

Name: nobleea Age: 36 Net Worth: $747,709 Day Job: Engineering manager at oilfield services company, Teacher (wife) Family Income: $145,000 (main job), $10,000 (part time job), $70,000 (wife main job), $10,000 (wife part time job) Goals: Million dollar family net worth before 40, Retirement from primary job at 50 (for me) Notes: Owns primary house.…

Read More

Easy Index Mutual Fund Portfolios with the Big Banks

Big Banks Mutual Funds

Over the years while helping readers, friends, and co-workers with investing, I’ve come to the conclusion that convenience is of the highest priority, even if it means paying higher fees.  Most people simply want to stick with their current banking institution and have no interest in opening a discount brokerage of their own. Having said…

Read More

Net Worth Update October 2014 – SmilingSaver (Deep in Debt)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2014 Net Worth Update – Team MDJ edition. A select group of readers were selected to be part of Team MDJ which was conceived after the million dollar net worth milestone was achieved in June 2014. SmilingSaver was selected as a team member and will post net worth…

Read More

Reader Mail: Should I Sell or Hold during Stock Mergers/Acquistions?

The big financial news in Canada these days is that Burger King is acquiring Tim Hortons in a cash and stock deal worth $12 billion.  When big events like this happens, I typically get a number of emails on the topic, this time around, readers are wondering what to do with their shares of Tim…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre/Dividend Portfolio – Q2 2014 Update

For those of you just joining us, listed below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I started this portfolio in 2008 (at the height of the market) and write updates every…

Read More

Completing The Million Dollar Journey

It’s been a long time coming, but we finally did it, we hit the million dollar net worth milestone. Our million dollar journey started in 2006 with a family net worth of about $200,000.  While that is a significant amount of money for a 27 year old, the balance sheet, or net worth statement, was…

Read More

How Much Do You Need to Retire in Canada? Not as Much as You Think!

For the traditional “retire at age 60 or 65” situation, the popular advice pushed by the financial industry is to save enough to replace 70% or even 80% of your gross income during working years.  Another popular notion is that you’ll need at least $1M to retire comfortably. The truth of the matter is that…

Read More

Net Worth Update April 2014 (+0.81%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey April 2014 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

How to Start Making Money with YouTube

One of the oft-written about topics on financial blogs involves ways to save money. Saving money is certainly one piece of the ‘earn more and/or spend less’ mantra. Supplementing one’s primary income with part-time gigs/ventures can provide a fillip to stretched budgets and/or offer additional contribution to savings/investment accounts. With the ubiquity of the Internet,…

Read More

Net Worth Update March 2014 (+0.71%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2014 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre/Dividend Portfolio – Q1 2014 Update

For those of you just joining us, listed below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I started this portfolio in 2008 (at the height of the market) and write updates every…

Read More

Net Worth Update February 2014 (+12.1%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey February 2014 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Net Worth Update January 2014 ( +3.04%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey January 2014 Net Worth Update – first update of the year. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million…

Read More

Net Worth Update December 2013 – Year End Summary

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey December 2013 year end Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre/Dividend Portfolio Year End Update 2013

For those of you just joining us, listed below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

RESP Portfolio Update – December 2013

Resp Portfolio Update 2013

It’s been about a year since my last RESP portfolio update and probably would have been longer if it wasn’t for a reader request for a quick update. The RESP portfolios for our children are setup with TD e-Series mutual funds which provide a low cost way to index the market.  We contribute $2,500/account/year to get…

Read More

Net Worth Update November 2013 (+1.27%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey November 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Walmart Credit Card Review (Canada) – How Does it Stack Up?

Walmart Credit Card Review

For one reason or another, I’ve been getting a number of emails looking for my opinion on the Walmart credit card. Generally, I prefer credit card rewards to be flexible, like a cash back credit card, rather than being locked into a single vendor. However, there are some vendors that offer good value, like Loblaws…

Read More

Net Worth Update October 2013 (+1.64%) – Crossed $800k Threshold!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey October 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Top Canadian Preferred Share ETFs

Preferred shares are an odd asset class.  They aren’t quite equities, and they aren’t quite bonds.  They are similar to equities in that they pay a dividend, and Canadian preferred shares are eligible for the dividend tax credit. Preferred shares are also traded on the stock market and while they are not as volatile as…

Read More

Net Worth Update September 2013 (+1.19%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Self-Employed Freelancer or Professional? How to File Your Income Taxes!

With fewer employers offering stable full-time positions, instead opting for part-time and contract work, self-employment is on the rise. According to the latest jobs numbers from Statistics Canada, self-employment rose 3.6 per cent in August 2013. With over 2.6 million Canadians relying on self-employment for their livelihood, it’s more important than ever to understand how…

Read More

How Regular and Synthetic Dividend Reinvestment Programs (DRIP) Work

Dividend Reinvestment Programs

The questions are still rolling in about investing small amounts per month, this time regarding the differences between a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP)/stock purchase plan (SPP) and a synthetic DRIP that most discount brokerages offer. For those who are new to the concept, a DRIP is a way to automatically reinvest dividends received from a…

Read More

Net Worth Update August 2013 (+0.26%) – The Volatility Returns!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Net Worth Update July 2013 (+1.89%) – Strong Market Moves!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey July 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre/Dividend Portfolio Update – July 2013

For those of you just joining us, listed below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any…

Read More

Top Canadian Stock Screeners

When it comes to picking your own stocks it can be hard to sift through all of the data and opinions in order to make sure that you’re buying stocks at the right price.  For instance, if you like Canadian dividend stocks, some may choose to screen for low book values or payout ratios instead…

Read More

Net Worth Update May 2013 (+1.61%) – Sell in May and Go Away?

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey May 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Net Worth Update April 2013 (+0.92%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey April 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Net Worth Update March 2013 (+2.19%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Net Worth Update February 2013 (+1.15%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey February 2013 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – February 2013

For those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

Net Worth Update January 2013 (+4.53%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey January 2013 Net Worth Update – The first update of the year. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one…

Read More

How to Calculate Annual Investment Returns Using XIRR

After my 2012 year end net worth update, there was some chatter about how to properly calculate annual investment returns.  The fact is that there are a number of ways to calculate annual investment returns, some easier than others. For example, if you have a starting portfolio value and an ending portfolio value for a…

Read More

RESP Portfolio Update – December 2012

Resp Portfolio Update 2012

It’s been a couple of years since my last RESP portfolio update and probably would have been longer if it wasn’t for a reader request for a quick update. Since the last update, there has been a big change.  Instead of managing one RESP, now there are two!  We have the RESP accounts setup separately, but…

Read More

Net Worth Update November 2012 (+1.04%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey November 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Net Worth Update October 2012 (+1.36%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey October 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Ask the Readers: What’s in Your Wallet?

The personal finance blog group, The Money Writers, came up with the idea of writing a post about the contents of a blogger’s wallet.  As it’s a regular occurrence for me to bare all (financially) on this blog, I agreed to play along as some of my readers may be curious as well. What’s my…

Read More

Net Worth Update September 2012 (+1.84%) – The Unlikely Rally

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Net Worth Update August 2012 (+1.53%) – End of the Summer Rally?

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – August 2012

For those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

Net Worth Update July 2012 (+1.47%) – Market Bounce?

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey July 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

How Rent to Own Houses Work in Canada

One real estate strategy that I’m quite familiar with, but never written about, is rent to own or lease option homes.  What is a rent to own home?  It’s pretty much exactly as it sounds.  It’s where an investor, or home owner, rents out their property to a tenant, but gives the tenant the “option”…

Read More

Net Worth Update June 2012 (+1.69%) – Growth Chart Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Net Worth Update May 2012 (+0.66%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey May 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – May 2012

For those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

Net Worth Update April 2012 (+0.25%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey April 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Net Worth Update March 2012 (+0.98%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

How Much Does a Tim Hortons Franchise Cost and Profit?

With Tim Hortons being one of the most successful Canadian franchises, I’m willing to bet that you have wondered about the Tim Hortons business.  that is specifically how much revenue/profit a single location generates and how much it costs to start one up. While it’s apparent that owning a Tim Hortons is like having a…

Read More

Net Worth Update Feb 2012 (+1.91%) – Market Gains Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey February 2012 Net Worth Update.  For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time…

Read More

Net Worth Update Jan 2012 (+2.16%) – A Fresh Start!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey January 2012 Net Worth Update – The first update for 2012! For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million…

Read More

Net Worth Update Dec 2011 (+0.97%) – Year End Summary

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey December 2011 Net Worth Update – The Year End Summary. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – December 2011

For those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

Net Worth Update Nov 2011 (+0.93%) – Santa Claus Rally?

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey November 2011 Net Worth Update – Santa Claus Rally Edition. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in…

Read More

Canada’s Most Expensive and Lowest Cost MBA Programs

Since obtaining my undergrad in Engineering about eight years ago, I’ve played around with the idea of going back to school for my Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration on finance. Although I don’t see the MBA designation advancing my career at the moment, I’m more interested in it for the sake of…

Read More

Net Worth Update Oct 2011 (+2.66%) – Market Bottom?

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey October 2011 Net Worth Update – Market Bottom Edition. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net…

Read More

Net Worth Update Sept 2011 (-0.64%) – The Volatility Continues

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2011 Net Worth Update – The Volatility Continues Edition. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in…

Read More

Net Worth Update August 2011 (-0.92%) – Market Correction Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2011 Net Worth Update – Market Correction Edition. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net…

Read More

Top US Dollar Credit Cards in Canada

One of the hot topics in Canadian financial landscape is the strong Canadian dollar and the deals that we can obtain from the U.S.  I’ve written about USD Chequing accounts, how to save money during foreign currency exchange and even the process of buying a car from the U.S. When I shop in USD, despite…

Read More

Net Worth Update July 2011 (+1.69%) – Rising Rates Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey July 2011 Net Worth Update – Rising Rates Edition. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net…

Read More

Net Worth Update June 2011 (+1.50)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2011 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – June 2011

For those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

Net Worth Update May 2011 (+1.18%) – Money is Moving Edition!

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey May 2011 Net Worth Update – Money is Moving Edition. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in…

Read More

Reader Question: Comparing MERs, Yield and Returns

A reader emailed me with a question about comparing ETFs, more specifically their MERS, yields, and if there is a correlating return. Here is the question in detail: I have a question regarding ETFs that follow indexes, like the XCV and XIC in Canada that follow the TSX in one way or another. There seems…

Read More

Financial Strategies for the New Stay at Home Parent

With most households these days generating income from both spouses, it can be a challenge to switch to the single income when the need arises.  Such as having multiple children or losing employment.  The biggest reason for the challenge of dropping to one income is that dual incomes typically result in a lifestyle that matches the…

Read More

Net Worth Update April 2011 (+0.66%) – Middle Class Definition?

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey April 2011 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth.  If you would…

Read More

Net Worth Update March 2011 (+1.55%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2011 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth.  If you would…

Read More

Canadians Buying Property in Florida – The Tax Issues

My wife asked me the other day about my thoughts on buying property in Florida. As an East coast Canadian, I must say that the fantasy of owning property where it’s sunny most of the time is quite appealing. Not only that, this seems like great timing as the Canadian Dollar is slightly greater than…

Read More

Buying Foreclosures in Canada – The Process

Once upon a time, I was a landlord and owned a couple rental properties.  As this may be old news to some of you, what you may not know is that I purchased one of the properties via foreclosure or bank sale. As I’ve been a capitalist for as long as I can remember, it…

Read More

Net Worth Update February 2011 (+1.56%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey February 2011 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth.  If you would…

Read More

Manulife ONE Mortgage Review

As I’ve been looking into using the Smith Manoeuvre strategy, I’ve come across a few mortgage solutions that will fit nicely. Among them include the RBC Homeline mortgage, the First Line Matrix mortgage, and the Manulife ONE (M1) mortgage. The first two mortgages are similar where they have a traditional mortgage portion with a home…

Read More

Net Worth Update January 2011 (+3.61)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey January 2011 Net Worth Update – The first update of the year. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one…

Read More

Financial Goals for 2011 – What are Yours?

Since starting this blog, I’ve set financial goals every year to help keep me focused. One strategy that has been written a lot about a lot in the blog world is using the SMART goal strategy. SMART is an acronym for: S: Specific M: Measurable A: Attainable/Actionable R: Realistic/Relevant T: Time Based The SMART goal…

Read More

2010 Financial Goals Evaluation

As I like to stay accountable for my finances, I set financial goals every year.  Last years goals were fairly aggressive and although I’m happy with the way things worked out, there was some room for improvement.  Out of the six goals, three were achieved, one made good progress, and two just didn’t happen.  Lets…

Read More

Net Worth Update Dec 2010 (+1.87%) – Year End Summary

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey December 2010 Net Worth Update – The Year End Summary Edition. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – December 2010

For those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

Net Worth Update November 2010 (+1.49%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey November 2010 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth.  If you scroll…

Read More

Net Worth Update October 2010 (+1.78%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey October 2010 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth.  If you scroll…

Read More

Net Worth Update September 2010 (+2.06%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey September 2010 Net Worth Update. For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (late this time) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth.  If you scroll down below,…

Read More

Ask the Readers: Living Paycheque to Paycheque?

I read a disturbing article in the Globe and Mail recently about how 59% of employed Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque.  What does that actually mean?  Simply that 6 out of 10 Canadians would be in financial trouble if their pay cheque was delayed by a week.  Yes… a week. Here is an excerpt…

Read More

Net Worth Update August 2010 (+1.56) – RRSP Contribution

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2010 Net Worth Update – RRSP Contribution Edition. It’s a little past halfway through the year and I finally got my act together and made our RRSP contributions.  I figured since our cash savings was buiding up, we might as well put it to some use.  The bright side is…

Read More

Net Worth Update July 2010 (+1.49%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey July 2010 Net Worth Update Very little has changed since the June update.  In fact, the updates look very similar with the biggest increase this month again being … savings!  While building and generating cash is the goal, it can become an issue if you don’t know what to do with…

Read More

Should University Students Contribute to an RRSP?

Linda, a University student, is on the financial ball and considering starting her RRSP contributions but is wondering if it’s the best choice.  Here is the question: I am going into my 3rd year of university and just started a well paying summer job. I have been hearing about RRSPs since high school and the…

Read More

Financial Goals Mid Year Update 2010

It was suggested by a regular reader, canucktuary, to write an update of my financial goals for 2010.  I always find it helpful to review progress to see if I’m on track for the end of year report.  I’ll be honest, in preparation for this post was the first time I’ve gone over my 2010 goals. …

Read More

Net Worth Update June 2010 (+1.45%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2010 Net Worth Update  With summer underway, it’s the time of year where vacations are plenty and things slow down a bit in online world. Trading volumes decrease, markets slow down, and blog followers are busy enjoying the sunshine.  On the same note, my net worth increases continue to be…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio Update – June 2010

For those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

Net Worth Update May 2010 (+2.67) – Sell in May and Go Away?

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey May 2010 Net Worth Update – Summer Correction Edition. For those of you who believe in seasonality, there is a recognizable historic pattern of market performance between the months of October and May, and bearish the remaining months.  That’s where the saying “sell in May and go away” comes…

Read More

April 2010 Net Worth Update (+1.34%) – New Beginnings Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey April 2010 Net Worth Update – The New Beginnings Edition For those of you following my net worth updates, you may have noticed that the bulk of the net worth increase is due to savings.  The savings have been higher than normal as of late due to higher household…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio Update – April 2010

For those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every so often to show new positions added along with any market…

Read More

March 2010 Net Worth Update (+2.03)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2010 Net Worth Update. Another month, fortunately another net worth gain.  Usually when it comes to personal finance, there are two main lines of thought.  The first, and perhaps the most common, is to spend less than you earn.  This train of thought leads to frugality and separating your needs and wants. The second line of…

Read More

In-Kind Transfers of Non-Registered Stocks to an RRSP/TFSA

I’m a bit late getting to this reader question as the RRSP deadline was at the beginning of this month (March 1, 2010), however, this can apply to the current tax year.  The question relates to the tax implications of transferring stock in-kind to an RRSP or a TFSA. Say Mr. Investor has stock in…

Read More

RESP Portfolio Update – March 2010

Resp Portfolio Update 2010

It’s been over year since my last RESP portfolio update and probably would have been longer if it wasn’t for a reader request for a quick update. Our RESP portfolio for our child is setup with TD e-Series mutual funds which provide a low cost way to index the market.  I chose to go with mutual funds…

Read More

Capital Gains Tax Within a Corporation

As I have setup a corporation to hold my online business, I’m learning the ins and outs of how taxes work within a corporation.  More specifically, how to effectively extract money from a corporation in a tax efficient manner.  For example, the dividend sprinkling strategy allows effective income splitting for shareholders within the family. One thing…

Read More

Feb 2010 Net Worth Update (+1.54)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey February 2010 Net Worth Update. There was a small market correction in late January/early February but the market is still as resilient as ever bouncing back above the 50 day moving average.  As a result, my portfolio numbers remained status quo. The biggest financial move this month was that…

Read More

Roadside Assistance Comparison

I’ve never really given thought about buying roadside assistance protection before as I considered it just another unnecessary cost.  However, with an alternator failure the other day in our 8 year old car, it made me think about what it would cost to get a tow truck should I ever need one.   Along the same line of thought,…

Read More

Jan 2010 Net Worth Update (+4.43)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey January 2010 Net Worth Update – New Beginnings Edition! If you recall, 2009 was a great year for net worth growth.  With stock markets and savings up for 2009, we managed to increase our net worth by 29%. What’s on the horizon for 2010?  I’m hoping for more of…

Read More

My Financial Goals for 2010

As per the annual tradition since I’ve started Million Dollar Journey, it’s time to declare some financial goals for the New Year.  As I’ve written before, I believe that setting realistic goals are important in making progress towards desired, bigger picture milestones.  For me, one of my bigger picture financial goals is to be a…

Read More

2009 Financial Goals Evaluation

At the beginning of every year, I typically set financial goals for myself. The goals are usually fairly lofty but achievable with the proper discipline and desire. Although 2009 was a great year for net worth and income growth, there was room for improvement in terms of achieving the financial goals that I set out…

Read More

Dec 2009 Net Worth Update (+2.11%) – Year End Summary

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey Dec 2009 Net Worth Update – year end summary edition. 2009 has been a great year for net worth growth due to a combination of factors.  First, the markets were much stronger than I expected which has resulted in an aggressive portfolio recovery from the market crash of 2008. …

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Update December 2009

It’s been a while since my last Smith Manoeuvre portfolio update (see August update). Perhaps it’s because of the lack of portfolio changes lately as I’m one of those people who are not buying much in this market.  However, since it’s the end of the year, it may be a good time to do one…

Read More

Rent a House to my Parents?

Mark emailed me with an interesting scenario in building a house for his parents and renting it out to them.  It’s not that his parents can’t afford to build their own, Mike is simply wondering about the benefits and pitfalls of such an arrangement.  Here are more details: My parents are thinking of selling their…

Read More

Claiming Capital Loss from a Delisted Stock

With Nortel becoming delisted, there are thousands of investors out there still holding the delisted stock.  So what happens next?  How do you claim the capital loss? As I’m not a tax expert, I contacted Tax Guy to help me out with that question.  Here is what he came back with. If you own shares…

Read More

Nov 2009 Net Worth Update (+1.65%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey Nov 2009 Net Worth Update It’s almost the end of 2009 and my net worth growth (along with many others) has been on a steady climb over the months.  Most of the gains this year has been from rapidly appreciating equity markets since March 2009, strong income and, most…

Read More

How Car Lease Payments are Calculated

With the new 2010 Honda CRV released, a renewed interest in a replacement vehicle has occurred in our household. After browsing around the auto makers website, I was curious as to the difference between purchase and lease payments. As someone who likes to pay cash for everything to avoid the interest, I’ll reluctantly admit that…

Read More

Oct 2009 Net Worth Update (+1.58%): Halloween Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey Oct 2009 Net Worth Update – The Halloween Edition Halloween is here once again, it’s hard to imagine where time goes.  It seems that the more we age, the faster time passes. This year, we expect a lot of trick or treaters ringing our doorbell as our street is now fully…

Read More

Sept 2009 Net Worth Update (+2.78%) – Pension Buy Back Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey Sept 2009 Net Worth Update – The Pension Buy Back Edition. As I’ve mentioned in passing before, my wife has a defined benefit pension plan that she contributes to through her work with the government.  As she was on maternity leave last year, her work recently gave her the…

Read More

How to Convert a Principal Residence into Rental Property?

A real estate situation that I hear about often are people considering keeping their first home as a rental while moving onto their second personal residence.  The upside is obvious, if they do it right,  they get to keep an appreciating property along with the potential extra cash flow that rent brings in. The Basics…

Read More

August 2009 Net Worth Update (+1.70%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2009 Net Worth Update. There’s not a lot to report this time as not a lot has happened in the month of August.  The markets continue to edge upward but we are closing in on the volatile September and October months.  Do you expect a significant market correction…

Read More

Smith Manouevre Portfolio August 2009 – Where is the Correction?

Hey guys, for those of you just joining us, below is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. I write an update every couple months or so to show new positions added…

Read More

Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and GIS Clawback

I received an email from a senior reader (married) recently who was wondering what he can do about avoiding the GIS clawback as he was soon due to convert his RRSP to an RRIF thus a forced withdrawal. Before we get into the question, lets start with the basics. What is Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)?…

Read More

July 2009 Net Worth Update (+1.75%): Big Home Expenses

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey July 2009 Net Worth Update – The Home Expenses Edition Houses are expensive!  With summer in full force, I have been diving into the “honey do list.” Thus far, we have installed a fence and organized the garage. Other items on the list include creating a front garden for…

Read More

Buying a Car from the U.S – The Pros/Cons and Process

My last post on the car research that I’m doing spurred a great deal of interest with some readers requesting more information on purchasing a car across the border. If you didn’t know already cars in the U.S, for the most part, have a much lower price tag than the exact same vehicle sold in…

Read More

Case Study: Young and Cash Rich

Kevin, from Canadian Money Forum, started a forum topic asking for advice on his financial situation.  Check it out: I’ve chosen to write this topic in order to have an idea about what you would do in my situation. I’ve read most of the MDJ blog, as well as several other websites, but the more…

Read More

June 2009 Net Worth Update (+2.12%): Car Shopping Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey June 2009 Net Worth Update – The Car Shopping Edition. With one of our cars already 8 years old, the repairs are starting to add up.  So we’re currently in the process of shopping for a good used car/compact SUV, preferably a late model that is off lease with…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio June 2009 – The Rally Continues!

For those of you just joining us, this is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible.  I write an update every couple months or so to show new positions added along with…

Read More

May 2009 Net Worth Update: Mortgage Pay Down Edition (+5.32%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey May 2009 Net Worth Update the mortgage pay down edition. As I mentioned before, we are going to get aggressive in paying down the mortgage.  Having said that, we have dumped most of our savings onto the mortgage along with increasing our payment by about 50%.  The result is…

Read More

Reader Mail: What to do with $5,000?

Here is an email from a young reader who has put himself in a very good financial situation.  Mark has $5,000 sitting around and is wondering what to do with it. I’m in a situation that I’m sure many would envy, but I’m stuck. Through a combination of income tax returns and unintentional savings, I…

Read More

April 2009 Net Worth Update: Bull Market? (+4.12%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey April 2009 Net Worth Update – Is this really a bull market edition. My last net worth update in March indicated that we just started a market rally.  The rally has continued throughout April and I’ve actually done a little buying within my leveraged portfolio as well as within…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio April 2009 – The Turning Point?

For those of you just joining us, this is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. For more details, check out my modified smith manoeuvre strategy. There hasn’t been a lot of…

Read More

March 2009 Net Worth Update: Market Rally Edition (+1.92%)

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey March 2009 Net Worth Update – The Market Rally Edition. Finally, some relief from the markets where buyers are starting to come back.  Investors seem to have renewed faith in financials and other dividend paying blue chips.  My feeling is that this is a temporary rally, but who knows…

Read More

How Capital Cost Allowance Works (CCA)

I’ve brushed on Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) before when discussing rental property tax deductions and the CCA schedule for the purchase of a computer in 2009.  However, as it can be a fairly complicated topic, I thought I would write a primer and explain the basics of CCA. Capital Cost Allowance is basically the fancy…

Read More

Feb 2009 Net Worth Update (-2.29%): Landlord No Longer Edition

Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey February 2009 Net Worth Update – The Landlord No Longer Edition. As some of you know, I purchased a cash flow positive rental property a few years ago. What you probably didn’t know is that the tenants were interested in purchasing the properly. I ended up selling the house…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – Feb 2009

For those of you just joining us, this is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. For more details, check out my modified smith manoeuvre strategy. It’s been a couple of months…

Read More

Holding a Mortgage within an RRSP

A reader wrote me last week very excited about the prospects of holding your own mortgage within an RRSP.  Yes, that’s right, under the right conditions, you can use your own RRSP to fund the mortgage owing on your house and pay yourself back on a monthly basis. As this sounds great on paper, after…

Read More

RRSP Tip: Carry Forward Your RRSP Tax Deduction

With the RRSP deadline right around the corner (March 2, 2009), this is a strategy that I’ve mentioned in passing a couple times, but never in great detail. That is, providing that the situation is right, you should consider carrying forward all or a portion of your RRSP tax deduction to a future year to…

Read More

How to Get Free HDTV (in Canada)

This is a guest post by Tomasz who is a manager of systems engineering at AMD Inc. in Markham, ON. He is a technology enthusiast with his latest project on getting free HDTV over the air (OTA). He has been doing research for months and is looking to install his own OTA system in May…

Read More

RESP Portfolio Update – Feb 2009

A few readers have requested that I do a blog post about the performance of my Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) portfolio based on the TD e-series low cost mutual funds.  As I’ve written before, I chose the TD RESP solution as it provided a low cost way to index the bambinos education fund.  In…

Read More

Protect Your Savings: CDIC and CIPF Explained

Protect Your Savings

Since the inception of this blog, I’ve received numerous emails from readers asking where to put larger deposits.  Most know about CDIC (Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation) and how it protects most accounts up to $100,000, but what about amounts greater than $100,000?  What do you do then?  What exactly happens to your money if a…

Read More

January 2009 Net Worth Update (+2.94%)

Welcome to the very first net worth update of 2009! The most notable update this past month was that I took a portion of our savings ($20k) and put a lump sum payment on our mortgage.  I’m hoping to do this again later in the year to meet one of my financial goals.  However, the…

Read More

9 Ways I Reduced My Taxes Last Year

With 2008 done and over with, it’s that time of year to start thinking about the dreaded T word… taxes.  On one hand, I enjoy strategizing about legitimate methods to reduce income tax.  On the other hand, I don’t enjoy paying them. Below are 9 ways I reduced my income tax in 2008 which can…

Read More

2008 Financial Goals Report Card

Time for the annual financial goal report card. I set these goals at the beginning of the year to help bring focus to what I want to achieve financially. What’s a better way to stay focused than to make the goals public to thousands of readers! 2008 was a big and busy year for our…

Read More

December 2008 Net Worth Update (-0.45%)

Welcome to the recurring monthly net worth update – The December 2008 edition. Well it looks like this will be the final net worth update for 2008! With the huge market correction in the 2nd half of 2008, it’s almost a relief that 2008 is over. However, who knows what 2009 will bring as some…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – Dec 2008

For those of you just joining us, this is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. For more details, check out the modified smith manoeuvre strategy. It’s been a couple months since…

Read More

November 2008 Net Worth Update (-1.59%)

Welcome to the recurring monthly net worth update – The November 2008 edition. For the second month in a row, I was not looking forward to putting this post together.  As you can see from the title, November 2008 is another down month with my net worth dropping an additional 1.59%.  What’s the reason for…

Read More

October 2008 Net Worth Update (-0.26%)

Welcome to the recurring monthly net worth update – The October 2008 edition. Before I started writing this update, I was actually quite nervous about the result as my portfolios are deep in the red for the year.  This dramatic correction is the largest of my investing career and it comes with mixed feelings.  The…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – October 2008

For those of you just joining us, this is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. For more detail, check out the modified smith manoeuvre strategy.  It almost sounds like a giant…

Read More

September 2008 Net Worth Update (+0.34%)

Welcome to the recurring monthly net worth update – The September 2008 edition. Seems that lately having the word “frugal” in my handle is hypocritical.  As one of my regular readers puts it, I’ve been “spendy”.  This month, it started with the new HD TV along with cables, then of course we had to get…

Read More

August 2008 Net Worth Update (+1.27%)

Welcome to the recurring monthly net worth update – The August 2008 edition. This summer is turning out to be a little expensive. As predicted a few months back, now that my wife is back on her feet and settled into the baby routine, she is now in home decorating mode! Of course with a…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – August 2008

For those of you just joining us, this is my portfolio that is leveraged with money borrowed from my home equity line of credit (HELOC). As the money borrowed is used to invest, the interest charged is tax deductible. For more detail, check out the modified smith manoeuvre strategy. Onto the business at hand. I…

Read More

Sunday Morning Reading – August 3, 2008

My Dollar Plan announces “I Quit!” Madison is yet another blogger who has taken her online business full time. Congrats! The Digerati Life teaches us how to Reduce Your Grocery Bill With These Practical Tips. Lazy Man and Money writes about Extreme Foreclosure! A family who went through a home transformation a la Extreme Makeover…

Read More

July 2008 Net Worth Update (+0.54%)

Welcome to the traditional monthly net worth update – The July 2008 edition. In terms of expenses, this month was a little higher than expected. We typically funnel all of our spending through our credit card (for the rewards points) and we ended up with a $2,500 bill for the month (paid in full of…

Read More

Mid Year Investment Portfolio Checkup 2008

I’m a little past due but it’s time to do a mid year portfolio check up. TheMoneyWriters came up with the idea of doing a portfolio update to see how we are all doing thus far. Honestly, I would be surprised to see anyone with any significant portfolio growth at this point in 2008 Non-Reg…

Read More

June 2008 Net Worth Update (+2.09%)

Welcome to the traditional monthly net worth update – The June 2008 edition. I keep writing these updates to give myself a little heads up on how the finances are doing and it seems that most readers find them enjoyable also. Lets start off with our income and expenses. Even with our reduced income due…

Read More

Smith Maneouvre Portfolio – June 2008

Time again for the monthly Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio update, June 2008 edition. For those of you just joining us, The Smith Manoeuvre is a Canadian wealth strategy that utilizes a home equity loan to invest in income producing assets. The result is a tax deductible loan and portfolio that increases as you pay down your…

Read More

May 2008 Net Worth Update (+3.12%)

It’s the end of month financial checkup! Lets see, where do we start? On the income front, my wife finally started getting her maternity benefits along with the monthly UCCB payments. Even though the benefits are much less than her regular paycheck, they help take some of the pressure off. On the expense side of…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – May 2008

Time again for the monthly Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio update, May 2008 edition. I asked during the last update whether or not I should keep these monthly portfolio posts going, or if I should space them out a bit. I think that most of you enjoy these posts, but some may find them boring. So, I…

Read More

The High Cost of the Manulife One Mortgage

One of my older posts regarding the Manulife One Mortgage is still generating a lot of discussion. Basically it’s a battle between the convenience of having all your banking and debt under one account vs. the extra premium that you pay for the privilege. To quickly summarize the Manulife One mortgage, it’s a giant HELOC…

Read More

April 2008 Net Worth Update (+1.65%)

Another month has gone by already which means it’s time to do a quick financial checkup. Lets start with the markets.  It seems that the markets have stabilized and even on an uptrend.  I’m not sure how long this is going to last, but I’m not too worried as most of my money is in…

Read More

Smith Manoeuvre Portfolio – April 2008

Since the beginning of MDJ, I have talked about the Smith Manoeuvre. For those of you just joining us, The Smith Manoeuvre is a wealth strategy that utilizes a home equity loan to invest in income producing assets. The result is a tax deductible loan and portfolio that increases as you pay down your mortgage.…

Read More

Getting Organized for Tax Season

As the tax deadline is approaching, the procrastinators out there are scrambling to get their receipts in order to file their income taxes.  Yes, I am one of those procrastinators, but this year tax preparation has been easier than previous years. There have been years where my receipts were a mess and difficult to locate. …

Read More

New Car every 10 years or Used Car every 5?

David asked an interesting question in the comments section of “Best and Worst Used Cars of 2007“, the question was: .. is it cheaper to buy a used car every 5 years, or a new one every 10 – 12? I currently have a ‘95 Dakota (needed a new rear diff this year (caused by…

Read More

March 2008 Net Worth Update: (+1.17%)

Time for another net worth update:  The March 2008 Edition! There is a saying in Newfoundland that would describe the markets perfectly..  “The arse has fallin out of her.”  When will the markets find a bottom?  Are we there yet?  In terms of market returns, the only reason my retirement accounts are showing positive relative…

Read More

Differences in Non-Refundable Tax Credits and Tax Deductions

This is a pretty common question asked during tax season.  What exactly is the difference between a non-refundable tax credit and a tax deduction? Tax Deduction A tax deduction reduces your income for the year which can potentially mean that you’ve over paid on your taxes.  Come tax return season, you’ll get a refund on…

Read More

Informal In-Trust Accounts

I received an email from Leah the other day asking what are some options for investment accounts for children.  Right away, I thought about RESP accounts, however, those aren’t for Leah as they are too restrictive. I can see the new Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) being an alternative to the RESP, however, the rules…

Read More

Feb 2008 Net Worth Update (+2.69%)

Time for another net worth update:  The Feb 2008 Edition! This was a very non eventful month where we are gearing up for the big move next month.  Most of the non-registered portfolios are cash right now which means very little growth on that side of things. On the RRSP side of things, I recovered…

Read More

Jan 2008 Net Worth Update (+1.04%)

Time for the first net worth update for 2008! January was ANOTHER volatile month in the markets and my portfolio was hit hard.  Even though my non-registered portfolio is mostly cash right now (for the upcoming house and Smith Manoeuvre), my RRSP account took a beating. This month, I took the advice of the readers…

Read More

Financial Goals 2007 Report Card

It’s the beginning of 2008 which means it’s time to to look back at my financial goals for 2007 and see if my original financial goals for the year were met.  It’s report card time! Goal #1: Increase passive/alternative income to $500/mo  (Grade: A+) Final Report: Our passive/alternative income well surpassed the $500/mo. What I…

Read More

Dec 2007 Net Worth Update (+2.35%)

Time for the final installment of net worth updates for the year 2007.  December was a volatile month for the markets, but better than November. A few readers commented in my November net worth post that insurance shouldn't be counted as a liability.  Yes, technically, I can cancel my insurance anytime so it's not a…

Read More

DIY Smith Manoeuvre II – The Readvanceable Mortgages

Mortgage Free

The Readvanceable Mortgage Canadian Capitalist contacted me to write part 2 of his DIY Smith Manoeuvre 3 part series. Part 1 more or less introduces The Smith Manoeuvre Part 2, which is this article, is about the various readvanceable mortgages available in Canada and which ones are recommended, and Part 3, discusses some investment options…

Read More

Nov 2007 Net Worth Update (+0.52%)

It’s time again for the monthly net worth update – The November 2007 edition. October was a great month for the markets, but November has been terrible.  This recent drop has taken a bite out of my registered/non-registered accounts.  Thank goodness for our bigger savings these couple months as they have offset most of the…

Read More

Rental Property Income Taxes and Deductions

As tax season is coming up, I've had a few readers email me about how income taxes are calculated with investment rental properties.  It's actually a pretty basic calculation, with your total NET rental income added to your regular income throughout the year.  The basic formula works out like this: Total Rental Income – Expenses…

Read More

Oct 2007 Net Worth Update (+2.34%)

It’s time again for the monthly net worth update – The Halloween 2007 edition. October was an interesting month for us.  We sold our house and moved into a rental while our new home is being constructed.  As we currently are in limbo, our net worth statement will be a shaken up where the assets…

Read More

Sept 2007 Net Worth Update (+2.27%)

It’s time again for my monthly net worth update – The Sept 2007 edition. The first net worth update of the fall and we're off to a good start.  After a slow summer, September was good to us and gave us a +2.27% increase in net worth.  Although our liabilities remained the same, the net…

Read More

August 2007 Net Worth Update (+0.11%)

It’s time again for my monthly net worth update – The August 2007 edition. This summer isn’t going as smoothly as planned.  First I’ve had a ton of unexpected expenses followed by a market correction which started in late July.  The market correction has affected my August 2007 net worth statement a little more than…

Read More

Reader Mail: Buried in Debt, Help!

I received an email from Curtis last week regarding how to deal with all his debt. This was the email: I have a question in regards to student loan debt. Myself and my wife both have student loan debt over $40,000 combined. We both have good paying jobs with a total income of about $80,000-$85,000.…

Read More

Probate Fees by Province

In an article about the lack of estate taxes in Canada that I wrote a couple weeks ago, The Financial Blogger mentioned that there are probate fees instead.  This got me thinking as I haven’t done a lot of reading on probate fees, so I did some digging to get some info for interested readers.…

Read More

July 2007 Net Worth Update (+1.74%)

It’s time again for my monthly net worth update – The July 2007 edition. This past month has also been tough on the expense side of things as we decided to purchase our appliances in advance.  On top of that, we had to purchase plane tickets for our vacation coming up.  On the bright side…

Read More

June 2007 Net Worth Update (+1.54%)

It’s time again for my monthly net worth update – The June 2007 edition. This past month has been brutal in terms of unplanned expenses. Let me list them down for you: Auto Insurance: $2450 Auto Registration: $180 Home Insurance $1250 (both houses) SUV Repair/Summer tires: $1000 New Home Construction Deposit: $5,000 (not really an…

Read More

Should Spouse Stay at Home with Kids OR Work?

I got a common young couple question from Fab (Cashflow 101 charity sponsor) a little while back about whether it’s better financially for his wife to stay at home and take care of their children, or go back to work. Here is the question in more detail: … for families with young age kids (like…

Read More

Asset Allocation: June 2007

There has been a lot of talk of Asset Allocation around the blog world so I thought I’d join in. Based on my current portfolio, here is my asset mix of my investments (not including savings and pension): Total Portfolio: $184,773 (obtained from my May Net Worth Statement) Cash: $32,000 (17.3%) Bonds: $3,870 (2.1%) Equities:…

Read More

Financial Goals Progress: June 2007

As I was reviewing my financial goals for 2007 the other day, it dawned on me that it’s half way through 2007! I figure now is a good time to discuss my progress thus far. I have listed my goals and progress below: Goal #1: Increase passive income to $500/mo Progress: As I last reported…

Read More

May 2007 Net Worth Update (+3.04% )

It’s time again for my monthly net worth update – The May 2007 edition. This month has shown another modest increase mostly due to savings, a small tax return, and organic gains in my RRSP account. I had a question from a reader about my last net worth statement. The reader asked how I calculated…

Read More

Passive Income Update – May 2007

It’s been a little while since I’ve last talked about passive income. To be completely honest, we’ve been more focused on saving and investing in capital appreciating products than generating passive income. Is passive income the key to financial freedom? I think that it could be! If your passive income can meet or exceed your…

Read More

April 2007 Net Worth Update (+3.53%)

It’s time again for my monthly net worth update – The April 2007 edition. I’ve been asked by a reader on why I include my cash accounts in my net worth. The cash amount is the bare minimum that we keep in our accounts, even after paying all our bills at the end of the…

Read More

Young, Rich, and Retired: An Interview with QCash

I’d like to introduce a fellow Canadian who has accumulated over $1.5 million dollars in net worth at the young age of 36 and has recently retired. Did he inherit his money? Did he obtain a windfall of some sort? How did he do it? I had the opportunity to interview the young millionaire about…

Read More

March 2007 Net Worth Update (+1.57%)

It’s time again for a monthly net worth update – The March 2007 edition. Not many changes this month, just a slight increase in net worth due to savings. The market drop during the end of February reduced my portfolio by about 3%, but it has since regained most of it’s losses. Assets Cash: $4,500…

Read More

February 2007 Net Worth Update (+3.35%)

How time flies, it’s time again for a monthly net worth update – The February 2007 edition. No big changes this month, only that we finally got off our butts and used some of our savings to pay off the car loan of ours. Yes, I know, we should have paid that off a LONG…

Read More

Monthly Mortgage Payment Multiplier

Here is a handy little table that I found in the book “Personal Finance for Canadians for Dummies” for calculating monthly mortgage payments using a simple multiplier. Interest Rate 15-Year Amortization 25-Year Amortization 5.0% 7.88 5.82 5.5% 8.14 6.1 6.0% 8.4 6.4 6.5% 8.66 6.7 7.0% 8.93 7.00 7.5% 9.21 7.32 8.0% 9.48 7.63 8.5%…

Read More

Passive Income Goals and Update

I know, I keep harping on passive income. Why? It’s because I believe that when my passive income exceeds my living expenses, I’ll consider myself financially free. Yes, that is a definition ripped straight from Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad/Poor Dad, but it makes sense to me. As stated as one of my goals for…

Read More

Surviving on $12 000 a year

There is an article on msn money central that details how a middle aged woman named Jill has left her husband, gone back to college and raising a daughter on $12000 / year fixed income. Yes, you’ve read correctly, she lives on $1000/month. Could you live on $1000 / month? I guess it depends on…

Read More

January 2007 Net Worth Update (+4.43%)

It’s time for the January 2007 net worth update! This time around, I decided to include my wifes pension account as it would more accurately represent our net worth. Assets Cash: $4500 (this fluctuates) Savings: $26000 Registered Investment Account: $33800 Pension: $16000 Non-Registered Investment Account: $40700 Real Estate: $ 266500 (2 properties) Vehicles: $18000 (2…

Read More

Goals for the New Year (2007)!

With 2007 fast approaching, it is soon time to discuss and plan out my goals for the new year. I’ve never been one to set goals at a beginning of the year but maybe I will start now. Here are my goals for 2007: Goal #1: Increase our passive income to at least $500/month. Right…

Read More

Net Worth: December 2006

So I want to keep track of my net worth on a monthly basis but I’m undecided whether I want to post it over the Internet. However, how else are you readers going to know how I’m progressing? I always find it interesting reading other personal finance blogs to see how their net worth is…

Read More