Posts by Robb Engen
Boost Your Rewards With The Amex Refer A Friend Program
When I reviewed the best credit cards in Canada a few months ago I touched on the fact that I took advantage of several sign-up bonuses in order to boost my rewards. I found that the best card issuer for these types of bonuses – hands down – is American Express. What I look for is…
Read MoreHow I Turned A Blog Into A Profitable Online Business
So I have to start off by telling you that the title of this post is a bit misleading because it makes me sound like some kind of online money making guru – and I’m not. I mean, I think the easiest way to build a six-figure blog is to find a job that pays six-figures and…
Read MoreHow To Supercharge Your RRSP
The idea that an RRSP loan can boost your savings and generate a higher tax refund does not sit well with most people. If you can afford the loan payment then why not just budget and save that amount in the first place instead of borrowing? In The Wealthy Barber Returns, author David Chilton describes a strategy…
Read MoreThe Waiting Is The Hardest Part
I spent a lot of time in my late teens and twenties waiting for my financial life to improve. Buried in debt and not making a lot of money, I’d visualize how much better off I’d be if I could just hold out until my next paycheque, or until I got my next raise. I’d picture paying…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: FinTech Edition
There’s a disruptive shift happening in the financial industry where nimble technology start-ups are moving in on traditional bank-dominated services such as lending, investing, payments and retail transactions, and everyday banking. Dubbed FinTech, this financial technology renaissance is quickly moving from alternative to mainstream and is something to watch in 2016 and beyond. We’ve already seen…
Read MoreGet A Handle On Your Expenses: Simplify And Save
I challenged readers a while back to take a day off during the week to work on their finances. That means going through recurring bills, such as cable, internet, bank fees, car insurance, and monthly subscriptions to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. You might also use the time to look for…
Read MoreHelp! I Discovered I’m Over-Contributing To My RRSP
Less than one-quarter of Canadians contribute the maximum to their RRSP each year, but if you’re one of those keen savers you’ll want to pay close attention to your RRSP contribution limit to avoid going over. A blog reader named John realized he might be pushing his limit due to automatic monthly contributions and a…
Read MoreMischief Managed: How I Went From Credit Card Abuser To Rewards Card Master
I wasn’t always good with money. Back in college, I violated just about every personal finance rule you could imagine. My biggest offense was misusing credit cards. I racked up over $5,000 in credit card debt between my junior and senior year; making brilliant decisions such as bringing my credit card to the bar, taking…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: SPIVA Edition
The SPIVA Canada Scorecard looks at the performance of actively managed Canadian mutual funds versus that of their benchmarks. The results over the long-term show that the majority of active managers underperform their benchmarks. And it’s not even close. Here are the biggest losers: Canadian Dividend & Income Equity Funds – Only 6.67% of the active Canadian…
Read MoreMortgage Brokers Gone Bad
When it comes to buying a home or renewing a mortgage term, many financial experts recommend using a mortgage broker to help find the best mortgage rate and terms. The reason is that mortgage brokers work for you – not the bank (even though they’re paid by the lender and not the client) – and can leverage…
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