Financial Planning Simplified
I’m Robb — the guy behind Boomer & Echo. I’ve been a personal finance blogger since 2010 and an advice-only financial planner since 2015. I help regular Canadians with regular problems make smarter decisions about their money — without selling them a thing.
My philosophy is simple: Money shouldn’t be complicated.
You don’t need 17 bank accounts, 12 ETFs, or a side hustle to retire comfortably. You just need a good plan, grounded in what really matters to you.
By reading this website you're joining more than 250,000 people who stop by here every month to get tips on how to save money, invest well, and retire comfortably. And, if you choose to subscribe and receive new posts by email, you'll join a growing list of more than 12,000 email subscribers who are the first to get these tips sent straight to their inbox.
New Articles from Robb
Weekend Reading: VEQT and Chill Edition
Robb Engen | December 7, 2024 |
One question I'm often asked about my investment approach is when it makes sense to switch my portfolio from 100% global equities (represented by Vanguard's All Equity ETF – VEQT) to something less risky that includes bonds and/or cash. In other words, does it make sense to switch from VEQT to VGRO to possibly VBAL…
Weekend Reading: When To Hire A Financial Advisor Edition
Robb Engen | November 30, 2024 |
A few months ago I made an offhand remark in a weekend reading update that caught the attention of several readers: “You might be surprised to hear that if something happened to me, my wife has been instructed to hand everything over to PWL Capital. That’s how much I believe in the good work that…
2024 Financial Goals Check-up
Robb Engen | November 23, 2024 |
I've been blogging for nearly 15 years and one reason I keep things going here (admittedly more infrequently than I'd like) is that I thoroughly enjoy looking back at old articles, especially when it comes to financial goals. In fact, one of my favourite posts of all time is a 2019 net worth update when…
Weekend Reading: U.S. Election and Your Portfolio Edition
Robb Engen | November 2, 2024 |
I've fielded a dozen emails from clients and readers about the U.S. election and how it might impact their portfolios. The short answer: Who knows? A longer answer: The stock market probably doesn't care as much about the election as you think it does. Besides, there has been an election every four years for the…
Weekend Reading: TFSA Snowball Edition
Robb Engen | October 12, 2024 |
I've been toying with a savings concept that I'm tentatively calling the TFSA snowball. It's a play on Dave Ramsay's “debt snowball” method (his one positive contribution to society) where borrowers pay off their smallest loan balance first, then roll those freed-up payments into the next smallest balance. Rinse and repeat until debt free. Related:…
Weekend Reading: Lifestyle Creep Edition
Robb Engen | September 28, 2024 |
I swear half my job is to convince my frugal clients to spend a bit more money. I'm not talking about making a complete 180 degree turn to become a different person. But if you've always stayed at a Best Western, then an upgrade to the Ritz every once in a while won't kill you….
