Weekend Reading: Why Target Canada Failed Edition

I remember in school studying some of the most spectacular international business failures – think Eurodisney, Nestle in Africa, Walmart in Germany. Add ‘Target in Canada’ to the list for business students to dissect for the next few decades. Canadian Business published a terrific long-read of Target’s last days in Canada, explaining how the company went from a massive 124-store opening to filing for bankruptcy protection in roughly two years.

This week’s recap:

On Monday I highlighted the new 3% savings account from EQ Bank.

On Wednesday Marie continued her financial management by the decade series with a look at handling money in your fifties.

And on Friday I shared 15 money savings tips.

Over on Young & Thrifty, Kyle Prevost and I got into a healthy debate about CPP reform and what potential changes might mean for you.

At Lowest Rates, I explained how to make the most of credit card travel rewards.

Weekend reading:

Vanguard founder and investing legend Jack Bogle offered his thoughts on the recent stock market turmoil – just stay the course.

An interview with behavioural economist Richard Thaler looks at our behavioural biases and how we can overcome them.

What to do when the stock market crashes? J.D. Roth shares these wise words.

Time to panic and sell everything? Tom Bradley explains why this is a terrible idea.

I liked a tweet from Ben Carlson about this market correction:

My guess is it’s going to take 3-4 bear markets for people to realize how unique the 2007-09 crash and debt crisis were

— Ben Carlson (@awealthofcs) January 20, 2016

A North Dakota journalist shared an interesting take on the oil crisis and the effect it had on her finances.

Rags to Reasonable blogger Chris Enns gives us an exchange rate primer about how to save money on a terrible Canadian dollar.

Here are five signs you may be counting too much on CPP for retirement.

Maclean’s reviews a new book that explores how con men get away with their plots (and why we get suckered).

Fred Vettese, co-author of The Real Retirement, explains why saving 10% of your income is no longer enough to ensure a comfortable retirement.

Big Cajun Man Alan Whitton turned 55 last week and looked back on things that have changed over the last five-and-a-half decades.

Things sure are different for the Millennial generation and this Mo’ Money podcast interview with Rob Carrick explores money matters for Generation Y.

There are plenty of compelling reasons to buy critical illness insurance, but it’s often purchased for emotional reasons, not financial reasons.

Should you let your parents risk their retirement to pay for your education?

Finally, Canada’s mutual fund regulator wants to regulate the use of the title, ‘financial planner’. I think their argument is a red herring meant to draw attention away from more meaningful reform, such as banning trailer fees and adopting a fiduciary standard of care for advisors.

Have a great weekend, everyone!