Posts by Robb Engen
4 Online Personal Finance Communities Worth Joining
Many people turn to the Internet for personal finance advice these days. From blogs to online forums to social media sites, there’s no shortage of great (and some dubious) personal finance information being shared online. Here are four online communities I visit daily to catch up on the latest in personal finance and investing news,…
Read MoreWhat’s Busting Your Budget?
As our income has gone up we’ve allowed some lifestyle inflation to creep into our budget. It’s fine to indulge a guilty pleasure or to spend more on something you really enjoy, as long as it’s within reason. Here are some areas I’ve identified as potential budget busters: Cable We don’t watch a lot of…
Read MoreCanadian Dividend Aristocrats and iShares’ CDZ
The 59 stocks that make up the Canadian dividend aristocrats are a good starting point for investors who are hunting for yield. These stocks must have increased their dividends for at least five consecutive years to make the aristocrats list. Becoming a dividend aristocrat shows that company management is committed – for better or worse…
Read MoreHow We Prepared To Live On One Income
This was my intro post for the now defunct Moneyville blog, where I wrote a column twice per week for 2 years. The blog was folded into The Star’s personal finance section in January, where I continue to write a bi-weekly column. Enjoy. As a thirty-something, single-income, two-child family, we are faced with plenty of…
Read MoreThree Rewards Credit Cards Worth A Look Today
There has been plenty of upheaval in the rewards cards space over the past 12 months. It started when TD bought MBNA Canada’s credit card business and promptly slashed the benefits on what was arguably the best cash back credit card in the country, the Smart Cash MasterCard. More recently, Capital One discontinued its Aspire…
Read MoreWhy I Save Outside Of My Defined Benefit Pension
The Financial Post featured a story recently about a man in his late 40’s who had the luxury of two defined benefit pension plans. The first pension was earned at the young age of 38, after twenty years of military service; the second plan is from his current employment with the federal government. In total,…
Read MoreMore Money For Beer And Textbooks Podcast
I had the pleasure of being a guest on the More Money for Beer and Textbooks podcast recently where I was interviewed by Kyle Prevost from My University Money. The topic was student banking and we talked about whether University students should get a credit card while they’re in school and what pitfalls they can…
Read MoreWhen Doing What You Love Doesn’t Pay The Bills
We’re taught to follow our passions, but what happens when doing what you love doesn’t pay the bills? A post-secondary degree is almost essential to get a decent job in Canada, but there’s a significant earnings gap for graduates depending on their chosen field of study. Related: What If You’re Not University Material? A CIBC…
Read MoreOur Home Insurance Bill Is Up 30 Percent!
Thousands of homes were damaged when the Bow and Elbow rivers flooded in Alberta this summer. Provincial government estimates show well over $5 billion will be needed to rebuild infrastructure. Bad weather and catastrophic events have been the norm in recent years, and now it’s starting to show up in our home insurance bills. Insurance…
Read MoreWhat’s Next For ING Direct: My Interview With Peter Aceto
It’s been nearly a year since Scotiabank officially acquired ING Direct, snapping up the online bank for $3.1 billion back in November. Scotia promised to keep its hands off ING’s operations, opting to keep the bank as a separate, standalone entity. For the most part, Scotia’s been true to its word. Earlier this year, ING…
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