Posts by Robb Engen
Weekend Reading: CBC Marketplace Edition
I had the honour and privilege to work with the CBC Marketplace team in Toronto last month to put together a story about Air Miles and its unpopular expiry policy. But then, just a day before the episode was to go live, Air Miles backed down and cancelled its expiry policy effective immediately. The CBC…
Read MoreShould Rewards Points Be Allowed To Expire?
Nearly a decade ago every province in Canada passed some form of legislation that banned expiry dates and most fees on gift cards and prepaid cards. Canadians spend nearly $6 billion annually on gift cards and these regulations ensure that consumers get the full value of their gift card no matter when they decide to…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Fake News Edition
One of the biggest post-election stories has been how the proliferation of ‘fake news’, particularly on Facebook, may have influenced voter behaviour. The Washington Post interviewed a fake news writer who actually believed Donald Trump is in the White House because of his online hoaxes. Gullibility of the masses meant this writer was earning upwards…
Read MoreHaving The Best Weekend Of The Fall Exploring Calgary
Having been born and raised in Calgary I always enjoy getting back to the city to explore old favourites and find new things to do. That’s why it was a special treat to bring my family up highway #2 from Lethbridge, AB to spend last weekend in Calgary. Not only that, I was thrilled to have my…
Read MoreIntroducing The Tangerine Dividend Portfolio
Retirees and those nearing retirement are looking for ways to get income from their portfolios and today’s low interest rate environment doesn’t offer up many attractive options. Better yields can be found in the stock market, but that comes with some risk and many would rather play it safe. Can we find a happy medium…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Trump Edition
Trump pulled it off. Unbelievable. I guess the media and pollsters completely underestimated just how pissed-off rural and rust-belt America is with the way the country is moving. Talk about flipping the script. Here’s to four years of uncertainty, not to mention unorthodox politics like we’ve never seen before. It’s human nature to want to act…
Read MoreSharing My Top Financial Wins
Talking about money can often feel a lot like the movie Fight Club. You know, the first rule of money is: You do not talk about money. The second rule of money is: You do not talk about money. Indeed, money is a taboo topic in many households and cultures. As a financial blogger, my…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Flashback Edition
“You need to get down here right away! There’s been a plane crash and the pilot had to eject.” I’ll never forget that day – July 23rd, 2010 – when Captain Brian Bews and his CF-18 Hornet crashed during a practice run at the Lethbridge Airport leading up to the Alberta International Air Show. As…
Read MoreBanks Repaid Millions To Overcharged Investors. That Got Me Thinking
CIBC agreed to repay $73 million to more than 80,000 customers who were overcharged for their investments since 2002. The majority of those affected were in fee-based accounts and were found to have paid double fees on some investments that had embedded commissions. Meanwhile, some 24,000 CIBC clients were not told they qualified for lower-cost…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Not Chasing Returns Edition
Even though I switched to a simple, passive, two-ETF investment portfolio, I still like to check-in on my returns from time-to-time and compare them to other benchmarks and strategies. Call it my competitive nature, or maybe a nervous tick. Let’s take a look at the Blackrock (iShares) website, as it has the most current year-to-date returns…
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