Posts by Robb Engen
Weekend Reading: Sad To See You Go Edition
It’s always a bit sad when someone unsubscribes from our newsletter, especially when a long-time reader moves on. But I couldn’t help but get a warm feeling this week after receiving a notification that one of our loyal readers unsubscribed: “You helped inspire me toward retirement with good financial planning over a several year period. I’ve been…
Read MoreShopping For Car Insurance: What’s Holding You Back?
While all motorists are required by law to have car insurance, most people couldn’t be bothered to shop around and make sure they’re getting the right coverage at the best price. If you’re anything like me, you might not have even changed insurance companies since you first started driving! How do you know when it’s…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Get Rich Slowly Edition
One of the founding fathers of personal finance blogging – J.D. Roth – returned to his roots this week to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Get Rich Slowly. J.D. hits the highlights in taking readers through his own journey to financial freedom, starting 10 years ago buried with $35,000 in consumer debt and living paycheque…
Read MoreTD Direct Investing WebBroker Platform Review
I’ve been using TD’s discount brokerage since 2009 when I made the switch from mutual funds to DIY investing. At that time, the TD Direct Investing WebBroker platform left much to be desired. The legacy web design of TD WebBroker was clunky and difficult to navigate (with 55 different navigational links!), trades cost $29 each way, and…
Read MoreWhy Indexing Doesn’t Mean Settling For Average Returns
Why are you settling for average returns? That’s one of the biggest criticisms I received after selling my portfolio of dividend stocks and switching to a two-ETF passive indexing approach last year. It’s true, I had thrown in the towel and given up on beating the market. But what many stock-pickers fail to understand is that index…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Tesla Model 3 Edition
Consumer response to the unveiling of Tesla’s new Model 3 electric car was nothing short of incredible. Showing a cult-like following not seen outside of a new Apple product launch, enthusiastic consumers lined-up for the opportunity to throw down $1,000 deposit on a car they had yet to see, and that won’t actually be available until late…
Read MoreFlipp vs. Checkout 51: Grocery App Comparison
Scanning the weekly flyers and clipping coupons at the kitchen table will soon be a thing of the past as Canadians turn to their smart-phones to save money and find the best deals on groceries. At the forefront are two slick mobile apps – Flipp and Checkout 51 – which are designed to take the pain…
Read MoreThe Price of Staying Connected: Should Your Employer Pay Your Cell Phone Bill?
The last thing I want to do on Easter weekend, or any weekend for that matter, is take a call from work or answer an urgent email from a customer, boss or co-worker. Despite feeling this way I know that many employers want to stay connected with their employees outside of traditional office hours and…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Easter Edition
I filed my taxes this week – both personal and for my small business – and came away pleased that I didn’t owe anything extra on the personal side and that my business taxes for 2015 came in less than expected. I’ve mentioned previously that I work with an accountant to help ensure that I…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Sell or Hold Edition
When faced with an investment that has substantially increased in value one of the hardest decisions investors have to make is whether to sell or hold. A reader of behavioural psychologist Dan Ariely’s blog asked this question about an investment he made in bitcoin that had increased in value by an incredible 4,000%. He wanted…
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