Posts by Robb Engen
Why Don’t You Have Bonds In Your Portfolio?
Confession time: I’ve never held bonds in my portfolio. I didn’t own bonds when my portfolio was filled with Canadian dividend stocks, and there’s no bonds in it today. Instead I’ve opted for a two-ETF all-equity portfolio. I don’t have anything against bonds, in fact if you were to ask me to build you a…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Renting Is Bad Advice Edition
I remember three years ago reading then MoneySense Editor-in-Chief Duncan Hood’s confession that he – a lifetime renter – got caught up in a bidding war and purchased a home in downtown Toronto. I remember reading how elated he felt when his final offer secured his dream home, as if overpaying by tens of thousands,…
Read MoreNew American Express Cobalt Card: Juicy Rewards for Millennials and More
This post reviews the new American Express Cobalt Card. Canadians love credit card rewards programs but finding the best one to suit our needs can be a challenge. A family of four with two working spouses might see the bulk of their budget go towards groceries and gas, but a metro millennial might spend more…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Million Dollar Bet Edition
It’s over. Mercy rule in effect. The losing side took their ball and went home. At the end of 2007, investing legend Warren Buffett famously made a million dollar bet with hedge fund manager Ted Seides of Protégé Partners. Buffett wagered that a low-cost S&P 500 index fund would perform better than a group of…
Read More5 Financial Traps Seniors Fall Into And How To Avoid Them
Scott Terrio’s Twitter feed reads like a financial horror story. Terrio, an insolvency expert at Cooper & Co. in Toronto, uses the 140-character medium to share the multitude of ways seemingly well-off Canadians end up buried in debt and turning to debt consolidation, consumer proposals, and even bankruptcy. Canada’s record household debt levels have been…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Unpopular Opinions Edition
I grew up in Calgary in the 1980s and became a huge Calgary Flames fan at a young age (’89 baby!). The Flames organization, like many Canadian sports teams, struggled in the 1990s as the league expanded and the Canadian dollar sunk below 70 cents (player wages are paid in U.S. dollars). By 1999, attendance…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Calgary Meet-Up Edition
Welcome to our latest edition of weekend reading. We’ve got a busy week ahead, with a Calgary meet-up at the new Tangerine cafe on 17th Avenue, the Canadian Financial Summit (where you can learn more about my four-minute investment portfolio), and a Twitter chat about TFSAs. In addition, I’ll have a new Toronto Star article…
Read More5 Keys To Becoming Financially Free
We want to be financially free by the time I reach 45. That freedom will allow us to pursue our passions much earlier than traditional retirement age. To get there we’ll need to be debt-free and have sufficient assets and other income producing endeavours to allow me to leave full-time employment behind. Unlike some early…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: End Of Summer Edition
Our kids go back to school next week and so this officially marks the last weekend of summer for parents. We’re very excited to have a brand new elementary school open this year right down the street from us, which means no more early mornings waiting for the bus. Our oldest enters grade three this…
Read MoreRedeem Aeroplan Miles For Flight Rewards: 7 Experts Share Their Secrets
I’ve earned a ton of Aeroplan miles over the last 24 months from credit card sign-up bonuses and Air Canada flights. With my balance now hovering around 165,000 miles, I’m starting to ponder how to extract the most value from the loyalty program. From years of research I know it’s best to redeem Aeroplan miles…
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