Financial advice

[Arty]

Originally Posted by tri777

Can these Bonds be bought right at a bank?

I believe buying and selling of securities (stocks, bonds) has to be done through registered brokers, in Canada at least.

If the bank has a brokerage department or division (and most large ones do), and you have a qualified account with that brokerage for that purpose, then you can buy bonds at that bank.

I'm unfamiliar with any other means which would involve getting them directly from a bank.

[badbrass]

If you have to many RRSP'S you can loose your OAS and other benefits, Just going through this now! TFSA! if your your Young! RRSP'S are only a tax deferral!

[powerbob]

I see a lot of people here not liking TFSA and RRSP . They are both very good IF you use them properly . Don't setup a RRSP/TFSA account at bank and Let them give you piddly interest. Get a self directed account from a trust company and invest that money properly . Makes a huge difference. TFSA is especially great as it's 100% tax free , investment and interest

[bdub]

Originally Posted by Arty

"the S&P 500 is likely to post negative total returns over the coming 10-12 year horizon, with a likely interim loss in excess of -60%. "

https://www.hussmanfunds.com/wmc/wmc171009.htm

Long term predictions (10-12 yrs??) on the direction of the market are like listening to a good storyteller, it might be entertaining, but it is not going to provide the investor with any value.

[Arty]

Originally Posted by bdub

Long term predictions (10-12 yrs??) on the direction of the market are like listening to a good storyteller, it might be entertaining, but it is not going to provide the investor with any value.

There is substantial value in identifying long term trends, when you need to take a long-term financial decision. Particularly in fixed-income investing such as bonds or preferred shares. Predicting market direction is a cornerstone of corporate success or even survival. As an investor in corporations (shares or bonds) you must be aware of the trends and direction of the market, to choose the correct corporations.

For example, there was a huge buildup of interest rates from the sixties through the eighties. Then a big drop from the eighties down to now. That dropped bond prices to very good buy-in points in 1982, then threw them back up again until now where they should be sold off. Following the direction of interest rates also directly determines what price you'll pay for a house (from very low in 1983, to stupid high just a couple years ago) and so whether you'll make a mint by buying low & selling high, or lose your shirt doing the opposite. There's huge value provided to the investor in long-term predictions. As long as it's done right with the best information available.

Failure to follow long-term trends such as aging of the workforce, or changes in buyer behaviour could kill you financially. For example massive overcapacity in shopping malls was built up through the nineties, at a time the population became older and on-line shopping like Amazon started to become popular. And as people shopped less because they took on so much debt trying to compensate for loss of real wages when everything was offshored to China. So commercial REITS active in malls had big problems. If you were invested in those, you could have lost big.

From on-line shopping (Amazon) to cell phones (Apple) to the the price of oil, you have to reason out and predict what is going to happen down the road. Do it more right than wrong and you'll make out OK. Otherwise, you won't.

[morinj]

Originally Posted by A303

Originally Posted by tri777 View Post
Has anyone went the GIC route? That's a good route, along with living within your means, paying cash for toys, paying off credit card monthly, etc.

I don't believe that GIC's that you can purchase today will even protect the purchase power of your dollar, given the fact that inflation rises on average 4.7% annually, don't quote me on that number, but it's very close! I don't believe that there is a GIC that offers 4.7% a year.

[omega50]

Best financial advice was from a successful retiring Sales Agent when I incorporated my first company.

I live by it every day. It is simple yet complex

"Profit is the difference between revenue and expenses"

[Weedy1]

Originally Posted by omega50

B
"Profit is the difference between revenue and expenses"

Try teaching that notion to anyone under 35 nowadays......good luck... in their world the difference between revenue and expenses is how much they can **** away playing video games on company time.

[bdub]

Originally Posted by Arty

There is substantial value in identifying long term trends, when you need to take a long-term financial decision. Particularly in fixed-income investing such as bonds or preferred shares. Predicting market direction is a cornerstone of corporate success or even survival. As an investor in corporations (shares or bonds) you must be aware of the trends and direction of the market, to choose the correct corporations.

For example, there was a huge buildup of interest rates from the sixties through the eighties. Then a big drop from the eighties down to now. That dropped bond prices to very good buy-in points in 1982, then threw them back up again until now where they should be sold off. Following the direction of interest rates also directly determines what price you'll pay for a house (from very low in 1983, to stupid high just a couple years ago) and so whether you'll make a mint by buying low & selling high, or lose your shirt doing the opposite. There's huge value provided to the investor in long-term predictions. As long as it's done right with the best information available.

Failure to follow long-term trends such as aging of the workforce, or changes in buyer behaviour could kill you financially. For example massive overcapacity in shopping malls was built up through the nineties, at a time the population became older and on-line shopping like Amazon started to become popular. And as people shopped less because they took on so much debt trying to compensate for loss of real wages when everything was offshored to China. So commercial REITS active in malls had big problems. If you were invested in those, you could have lost big.

From on-line shopping (Amazon) to cell phones (Apple) to the the price of oil, you have to reason out and predict what is going to happen down the road. Do it more right than wrong and you'll make out OK. Otherwise, you won't.

The trouble with most long term market predictions is who do you listen to. For every guy saying the market is going to do this there is another saying the opposite. If anyone tells you they can predict the future with any degree of accuracy (10 - 12 years out) they are either selling something or they are delusional. Why would they not just use their vast powers of insight to become wealthy beyond belief? Or is it simple charity for them to bless us with their insight into the future so we can profit from it?

I understand your point about following changing trends, demographics etc, but no one is a prophet when it come to market predictions that far into the future. There are to many variables when it comes to economies, markets and mass human psychology.

[Calgarian]

There is no such thing as good debt.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

There is no such thing as good debt.

Disagree ....

Finance a Home at 2% - 2.5% interest in a market that is moving 5.5%-6% per year.

The difference, in this example let's call it + 3% on your cost of cash versus value, on a $500,000 investment/loan, over two years is a net return of $ 30,000 to the positive.

How is that bad debt?

Debt is bad if;

1) You are financing a depreciating asset
2) A poorly returning investment
3) Can't afford the carrying costs (payments)

If you are in a situation where you, as a business owner need more equipment or investments to increase your revenues, and that increase in revenue either lowers your fixed cost so that other revenues increase in margin OR simply, increases your net profits as a result of that investment - it's also good debt.

I am not a proponent of adding debt where you don't need to add debt, you just have to think critically of what the risk/return is on the credit facility you are adding.

[sask/alta boy]

Originally Posted by Sigg

Really?
What oil patch have you been hanging around?

Not too sure what the oil patch has to do with it, you go ahead and live it up around the world, I like "Living" right here, remote lakes to ourselves, hunting deep woods, chasing ducks and geese around, yup keep my "useless junk" you can be a tourist all you want, that's fine but nothing wrong with spending on life right here either.

[wolfcrazy]

Well I went back and pulled up my old post.

The question now is what have you learned and what would you change?

[Wes_G]

Start at a young age!

I can't believe the amount of people that are already crying for cash saying they can't make a mortgage payment or put food on the table and they have only been out of work for 2 weeks or less!!

[ward]

Originally Posted by Wes_G

Start at a young age!

I can't believe the amount of people that are already crying for cash saying they can't make a mortgage payment or put food on the table and they have only been out of work for 2 weeks or less!!

I am not surprised at all.

[sewerrat]

Originally Posted by lannie

Invest in Real estate.

Right now not a very good time. The real estate market is at a standstill.

[TBark]

Yes, property will take a few months to reflect this economy as specially with these new payment breaks etc.
But very soon a bulk of toys, vehicles and trailers etc will be liquidated when cash is required by a lot of unfortunate folks.
No special terms upcoming for LOC or other types of loans that I am aware of.
It’s gunna be a rough 2020.

TBark

[bigbuck]

A few things.

Budget- IMO a lot of people don't have a clue what they are spending their money on. Get on a written budget each month, calculate monthly household income, and update daily as you spend.

Emergency Fund - Try and save 3-6 months worth of expenses. Don't touch this money unless its an emergency

Buy Used vehicles - If you can pay cash, if not no more than 3 year loans and don't buy something that's more than you need. (Finally learning this one)

Pay yourself first - Have an automatic withdraw going into an RRSP or TFSA each paycheque.

I am in my early 30's but sure wish I would have followed some of these rules in my late teens and early to mid 20's.