Posts by Robb Engen
Weekend Reading: Catch Me If You Can Edition
I must have seen the movie Catch Me If You Can a dozen times over the years. I loved that Frank Abagnale went to work for the FBI after foiling them for so long passing bad cheques while posing as a pilot, doctor, and lawyer. Recently I came across a Google Talk with Mr. Abagnale,…
Read MoreSh*t My Advisor Says
Some investors eventually leave their commission-based advisors and opt to set-up a simple portfolio of index funds or ETFs on their own. There are plenty of compelling reasons to do so; the reduction in fees alone can save investors thousands of dollars a year, and academic research shows that the lower your costs, the greater your share of…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Car Trouble Edition
I’ve written before how vehicle loans can be big source of financial misery for many families. It’s a problem that continues to get worse. According to a Bank of Canada report, one-third of consumers who trade in their old car for a new one owe more than their old car is worth. It’s a frightening…
Read MoreThe (Renewed) Case For GICs
**This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of EQ Bank. However, as always, all opinions are my own. A guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) is unlikely to spark an exciting dinner party conversation but when stock markets are reeling, like they were earlier this year, investors often seek safe havens to wait out…
Read MoreShould An Allowance Be Tied To Chores?
Raising financially savvy children is important to me and I’ve found that the best way for my kids to learn about money is to give them an allowance. One of the first questions my wife and I asked each other – after determining how much to give and how often – was whether the allowance should…
Read MoreIntroducing RBC Payback with Points at Point of Sale
This post is sponsored by RBC. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. Like many Canadians, I belong to a lot of loyalty programs and have collected a ton of rewards points over the years. One knock against many of these programs is that it can take months, or even years, to save…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Debunking The Marshmallow Test Edition
The marshmallow test is a famous experiment designed to measure a child’s patience and willpower. Place a marshmallow in front of a child and tell him he can have a second treat if he can go 15 minutes without eating the first one. The research, which was conducted in the 1960s, suggested that those who…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Half-Marathon Edition
Two years ago I decided to get serious about my physical health and so I took up running. My wife was already a fitness junkie and avid runner. It was time for me to get moving. I downloaded one of those ‘Couch to 5K’ running apps for my phone and started running three days a…
Read MoreWhere Do You Find The Time?
My wife keeps an organizer and admits to feeling stressed if she can’t tick items off her list by the end of each day. She craves routine and finds that by writing things down she’s able to be more productive throughout the day – particularly when it comes to tasks she dislikes. I don’t have a…
Read MoreFinancial Freedom 45 Update: Still On Target
It’s been two years since we’ve checked in on my freedom 45 goals. I’m happy to report that we’re still on track and financial independence is only six-and-a-half years away! Financial freedom to me doesn’t necessarily mean retirement – more like the ability for me pursue other opportunities without the constraints of full-time employment. I’m…
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