Better Dividends, Presidential Races, Elections and Friday #Shoutouts

What a busy week behind and ahead of us, with a lovely long weekend in between (and it is back to school too).

As a Bank shareholder, I am glad to hear a few of them (BMO) will be raising their dividend payouts. I am not complaining I have enjoyed holding these shares, and having the dividend increase makes my DRiP that much happier, but it has been a while since they up’ed their dividends. RBC announced record earnings for their 3rd quarter and Scotiabank is now going to buy the assets of ING Canada, wow, those are some busy banks. How do they make so much money, oh I forgot, they gouge me with service fees, never mind.

The presidential race down south officially started with Mitt Romney’s candidacy being ratified at the GOP convention in soggy Tampa. Who will win? I have no idea, but I suspect who(m)ever does is going to have a rough ride initially with the economy continuing to limp along. The 3 ring circus atmosphere of a US election is unmatched in the political world (IMHO).

Quebec looks to start another dark epoque with the election of a PQ government, the only quesion now seems to be whether it is a majority or minority. Lots of rhetoric about language and forcing Doctors and French-speaking Montrealers to stay put (you wouldn’t think in a democracy that would be a topic, but that is precisely what is being proposed). I lived in Quebec my formative years and I can assure you this is not strange, Quebec politics is the Cirque du Soleil of politics (they strive to be very avant garge, and no one understands the story line, but they enjoy the show).

For me, I have an empty-ish nest and am grappling with what this really means for my wife and I, both financially and in terms of our newly found spare time. I might have to start another blog (no wait, I already have one about How to NOT Make Money on the Internet).

Weekly Recap

Hurricanes and back to school were both in the air this week for me:

• Sunday I pointed out we have lost a few good ones this week and of course some of my oldie but goodie tweets.
• How do you keep track of your bills me I am an old fashioned calendars and finances kind of guy
• Cell phone Cameras are not just for Duck Faces shows how your cell phone camera is not just for home pornography any more.
• A family rant about whether I really have an empty nest, you tell me? The nest is empti(er).
• A very good family question about downsizing when is the best time, to maybe shrink your asset base.
• Silver, Cheap Companies and Friday #ShoutOuts Do you invest in Silver? The prices do seem to fluctuate even back in 2012, with this and other great stories about money.

And thanks to those who added me on Twitter.

Links for the Week

With the GOP treading water in Tampa, the Paralympics starting in London, and the Big Canadian banks announcing big profits there was a lot to write about this week:

• Canadian Capitalist gives us a good list of Canadian Stocks that Pay Dividends in U.S. Dollars, if you want to hedge against the Canadian dollar dropping say after the tar sands dry up (or get exported to China).
• My Own Advisor wonders If Now Might be the WRONG time to go from Equities to Bonds, but then again I have been hearing that for a while.
• So Poker is a Game of Skill and not Chance? That is what Cocktail Physics writes about in the Scientific American.
• Canadian Budget Binder brings us some tips on Saving Money on Your Next Mortgage Transaction, some good stuff there.
• Boomer of Boomer & Echo writes about Why a fiduciary standard for investment advisors in Canada is needed.
• The Blunt Bean Counter as usual has something close to the bone for me (how does he do that?) Information Requests from the CRA that make you go Hmmm… , didn’t make me go hmm.. made me poop my pants (twice).
• Michael James pulls out his slide rule and gives us Inflation’s Effect on Mortgages, and strangely inflation is good if you own a house? How odd, but numbers never lie (especially from Michael James).
• Gail Vaz-Oxlade wrote about the Lost Art of Mending, which reminded me that my mother still repairs clothing herself, and I must admit I repair my computers and bicycles myself as well. I don’t really do it to save money, as much as it is fun for me.
• Preet wonders (in the Globe and Mail) are children responsible for their parents debt, I bet my kids hope not (just because I am looking at BMW convertibles).

Quebec Election Quotes

«C’est vrai, c’est vrai qu’on a battus, au fond, par quoi? Par l’argent puis des votes ethniques, essentiellement».

–Jacques Parizeau (1995)