Random Thoughts: Winning!

How Can I Top That?

Between Khaddafi and Sheen this week, I have no chance of topping either of them for not of this world commentary, so I won’t even try. I would ask them to ease off and allow some of us to get a word in edgewise, or mention my web site. The fact that these two gentlemen are at the top of the news, while Gold reaches a new high and Oil is over $100 a barrel (although one of them is kind of causing some of this (no not Sheen)), points out the fixation our media has with the Fame Monster.

Looks like we might be heading to the polls this spring, with the Liberals and Bloc both promising to vote down a budget they have not even seen yet, which is astounding. The Tories could easily promise every Canadian a chicken in every pot and a big screen TV, and the opposition would still vote it down? Could be an interesting few weeks, and then an election, which will give me and other financial bloggers plenty of fodder for the spring.

For those that missed Kay won a copy of Quicken and Turbotax (donated graciously by our friends at Intuit), watch for future contests.

An odd cornucopia of themes this week in my writings, but isn’t that why you come and look every day? If I stayed on topic too much, you might think my last name was Sheen (or is it Esteves?):

• I always end up forgetting important tax credits and sure enough I did again this year but while reviewing previous returns found them and outlined this in Darn Almost Forgot the Safety Deposit Box.
• It is always embarrassing to admit you made a mistake, but it is even worse if you don’t do anything about it so at least I found $1000 this weekend or started to reclaim mis-spent money.
• The Bank of Canada kept their low interest rates in Loose Money from Canada, which proves Canadian money is born too loose.
• I try my hand at producing a new TV Show idea with Scared Straight: For Finances? Maybe I could get Charlie Sheen to host it? That would be sweet.
• Random Thoughts: It’s RRSP Time! a recap of the best bits from the last week in February of 2011.

As a note, I enjoy all comments (even the ones that question my sanity), and will try to respond to most comments, so please feel free to comment away.

Wizard of Omaha Speaks

With the end of the RRSP season, but the continuation of Tax Season there were many interesting posts to help us all out:

• Warren Buffet had some words in the Berkshire Hatahway Annual Report that spurred a great deal of discussion with our regular contributors:
  • Michael James wrote about Buffett’s Latest wisdom, given he is a shareholder, he reads closely these reports.
  • Larry MacDonald wrote about Buffett on accounting manipulation where the Wizard of Omaha pointed out he might be lieing right now, but he isn’t.
  • Canadian Capitalist added some Notes from the 2010 Berkshire Hathaway annual report as well.
• For some reason Miranda over at Financial Highway could only find 4 Reasons to Avoid Payday Loans, only four Miranda? Holy cow, call me next time, let’s get that list up to 20!
• Tom over at Canadian Finance Blog had a guest post about Home Computing on a Budget, given the price of computing devices, I can’t build computers cheaper than I can buy them, but I do tend to do my own upgrades still.
• 2 Cents over at Balance Junkie asks the rhetorical question The Financial Sector: Capital Bastion or Corrupt Oligarchy? The answer to me is obvious (Corrupt eh?).
• Jim Yih asks the important question Is a Million Dollars Enough to Retire Happy ?
• Echo of Boomer and Echo fame, asks you Where do You Get Your Financial Information? The answer is obvious, here, naturally!
• The Canadian Couch Potato gives us some advice on How to Lower Your Rebalance Costs , given all that extra money you put in your RRSP, maybe it’s time to rebalance?
• Million Dollar Journey gives us a Primer on Mutual Fund Fees – Sales Load, another important thing to know about when  you are rebalancing your portfolio.
• Something I wish I’d read about a month ago from Mike at Money Smarts Blog How to Unlock an Ontario Locked in Retirement Account, LIRA, LRIF – 2011 Rules.
• Preet seems to have returned from blogging pergatory, and tells us of the Convexity of Price and Yield for Bonds and Rising Interest Rates which makes me wonder about Bonds as a “safe” investment right now.

Carnivals this Week

I also had some submissions accepted to various carnivals, so go have a read of these as well:

• Get Rich Slowly included this site on the list Best Non-US Personal Finances Sites, which impresses me to no end.
• Canadian Finance Blog hosted The Canadian Finance Carnival #25 which included my post Medical Expenses and Taxes

Remember

“A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money.”

Author: W.C. Fields