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Canajun Finances Home » Budgets, Phoenix Death, Inflation and #MoneyTalk

Budgets, Phoenix Death, Inflation and #MoneyTalk

How does a system named Phoenix go down in flames? The $1B payroll system, will be repaired enough to work (at much further cost), and then it will be replaced by something else? It was obvious that the current Government wanted this albatross from around their neck, but is this enough? We shall see if this helps or hinders them.

An interesting budget. It’s interesting that fiscal conservatism (note the small C) has gone right out the window in North America as a whole. Balanced budgets are a thing of the past, I suppose? There is an extension of the RDSP qualifying plan holders program, which will help families still trying to figure out the RDSP Statutory Guardian world (it is really not easy, and it is expensive too).

Last week Stats Canada published the January Consumer Price Index numbers, and as usual they are interesting.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.7% on a year-over-year basis in January, following a 1.9% increase in December. Excluding energy, the CPI increased 1.7%, matching the gain in December.

Interesting that energy did not cause issues this month.

CPI Inflation Phoenix
CPI by category compared to last month

Looking with a little more detailed eye we can see year over year:

Main upward contributors:

  • Gasoline (+7.8%)
  • Food purchased from restaurants (+3.7%)
  • Homeowners’ replacement cost (+3.5%)
  • Air transportation (+12.2%)
  • Purchase of passenger vehicles (+1.4%)

Main downward contributors:

  • Electricity (-5.0%)
  • Travel tours (-2.5%)
  • Digital computing equipment and devices (-4.9%)
  • Video equipment (-10.0%)
  • Natural gas (-3.0%)

Gas is really up year over year, but not really month over month. Eating out continues to rise in cost too.


My Recent Writings

I found something in my backlog of over 300 unfinished titles, with, Credit is the Lubricant for the Wheels of Business, which really should have been title Credit is the Opiate of the Consumer. Banks, and stores want you to use credit but trussing yourself up with easy credit is a dangerous game to play.

Micro Blogging on Finance

Will Payday loans go away? Not likely, according to Hoyes Michalos.

Beware the Financial Ides of March

Luckily the ides of march are still two weeks away. Financial fact, the first quarter of 2018 is over at the end of this month.


Door to Door Sales

I was very glad to read the following tweet that outlines what are not going to be allowed to be sold door to door in Ontario. How will I ever get my duck cleaned?


The New 2018 Random Thoughts

End of 2017 Random Thoughts


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