Exciting news this week in the technology world, with the iPhone 7 being announced, by Apple. Is there anything new? Two different cameras, no such thing as a headphone jack and some other fun stuff, but nothing earth-shattering (which upset investors, so the stock didn’t do its normal jump on the announcement of a new iPhone). It was interesting in the keynote for the launch, the Apple CEO pointed out that the iPhone is the “Gold Standard†for smartphones, and that is true (unfortunately), “Just as Good as an iPhone†is the battle cry of all the smartphone “pretendersâ€.
The Bank of Canada announced that loose money policies will continue, but they also (optimistically) stated that the economy should turn around soon.
On balance, risks to the profile for inflation have tilted somewhat to the downside since July. At the same time, while there are preliminary signs of a possible moderation in the Vancouver housing market, financial vulnerabilities associated with household imbalances remain elevated and continue to rise
Evidently, the new CCB payments will also positively affect the economy? I guess if you give folks tax-free money they will spend it?
Stats Canada put out their yearly report on Tuition fees, and surprisingly (sarcasm) Tuition fees are up again in their latest survey. The report does have some interesting breakdowns showing that Ontario is the most expensive place to send your kid to school, and that Engineering and Professional programs are bloody expensive as well. The report doesn’t really mention all the funny service fees that are typically part of your tuition bill, or the cost of text books and other things, but still a useful barometer to confirm what I already knew, it is expensive to send your kids to University in Canada.
My Writings for the Week Ending September 9th
Given it is back to school season I continue on with my onslaught about the high price of a University Education in Canada, and remember it is not just fees, it is also Textbooks are too Expensive, as well. If you are fretting about the price of your kids’ backpacks, you really need to read more about the expenses of a post-secondary education.
Economic Stimulations
- It seems our good friend the Blunt Bean Counter is having some lamentations about blogging, and he writes about it in, Blogger Blues. Let us hope he is cured of his blogging melancholia.
- Barry from Money We Have implores you to Stop Screwing Your Retirement! A very good idea.
- The Canadian Couch Potato wants to help you Understanding the Value Factor and how you can access it with ETFs.
- Is it that easy that you can do The One-Page Financial Plan Blessed by the Potato, seems to think you can.
- Have you ever wondered about, Tax treatment of Canadian dividend paying stocks, Mark from My Own Advisor has some answers for you.
- Speaking of Dividend investing, Robb from Boomer & Echo brings us his views, with Why My Thinking Changed Around Dividend Investing
- The complicated world of Credit Reports is never simple, as pointed out by Michael James in Adventures in Credit Reports. Never assume your report is correct, you could end up with a very rude surprise.
And Now, Kraftwerk
A much hidden late 70’s video of the song Autobahn by Kraftwerk. “Now is ze time on Sprockets vhen ve dance!”
2016 Random Thoughts
- January 7th, Market Meltdown, TFSA, WildCard Weekend and #MoneyStories
- January 14th, Cheap Oil, Cheap Dollar, Dead Folk, and #MoneyStories
- January 21st, Loose Money, High Household Debt, Weak Loons and #MoneyStories
- January 29th, Doomsday Clocks, Rogue RRSP Receipts, Cash Crops and #MoneyStories
- February 4th Bouncing Loonies, RRSP Season, Superb Owls and #MoneyStories
- February 12th Lent is Here, Bricked iPhones, Love Day and #MoneyStories
- February 19th Digging Out, Ransomware, RRSP Time and #MoneyStories
- February 26th RRSP Time and #MoneyStories
- March 4th Welcome Americans and #MoneyStories
- March 11th Bank Rate Stays Put, Spring Forward and #MoneyStories
- March 18th Financial March Madness, Budgets and #MoneyStories
- March 25th, Easter is Here and some #MoneyStories
- April 1, Money Fools, Ronnie, and #MoneyStories
- April 8, Tax Time, Spring Delayed, Panama Papers and #MoneyStories
- April 15,Loose Money, Free Stuff, Hockey and #MoneyStories
- April 22,Disabilities, Tax Time, The Queen and #MoneyStories
- April 29,Pitter Patter Tax Time, RESPs are For Rich Folk and #MoneyStories
- May 6, Fort Mac, Mothers and #MoneyTalk
- May 13, Panama Papers, Google & PayDay Loans, Full Moons and #MoneyTalk
- May 20, Victoria Day, The People’s Elbow, Haircuts and #MoneyTalk
- May 27, Loose Money and #MoneyTalk
- June 3, CRA Itunes Pmts, RESP Scams and #MoneyTalk
- June 10, Portal to Hell Opens in Ottawa, BoC FSR and #MoneyTalk
- June 17, Fathers Day, Trump Housing Bubble, and #MoneyTalk
- June 24, Brexit, Fete National, Enhanced CPP and #MoneyTalk
- July 1, Happy Canada Day and Best Mid-Year Financial Stories
- July 8, Brexit Market Mayhem, Millenial Bashing and #MoneyTalk
- July 15,Brexit Hurts, Loose Money, Postal Strikes, Recounts and #Moneytalks
- July 22,More Pensions, New CTC, and #MoneyTalk
- July 31, Unknown Long Weekend, Windows 10 and #MoneyTalk
- August 5, The Olympics, Topless Spelunkers, and #MoneyTalk
- August 12, Women Rule, Less Jobs and #MoneyTalk
- August 19, Obnoxious 30 Year Old Retirees, Olympics and #MoneyTalk
- August 26,Farewell, EpiPens, Ombudsman Report and #MoneyTalk
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