Random Thoughts

So the Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) has been bouncing around on the Web, and allow me to add my views on the subject. If it looks like a pyramid, and you are encouraged to recruit friends and family so you can make more money, it is a Pyramid Scheme. In my younger days, more than once, I was invited to a “party”. The hosts of the “party” were always vague about why the party was happening, but inevitably, it ended up being a Pyramid Soap Party. After my first Pyramid Soap Party, I learned to be much more inquisitive about parties. Sort of like, if you can’t figure out who the sucker is in the party, be careful, it is most likely you.

---

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

---

Some folks will make lots of money from MLM, but will it be you? This is the question you should ask first, and whether you have a group of friends you won’t mind if they never talk to you again. The snubbing will happen after you succeed or fail at convincing them to join your “… sure fire money making system…”. John Oliver did sum it up best in his video description of things.

Ontario will have a balanced budget by 2018, is the claim put forward by the Liberal Government. This will be done without new taxes on the “middle class” (a term I really no longer view as a valid measurement, everyone has their own interpretation of that term). There will be plenty of higher service charges, so you will pay more, just not in taxes (if you are part of the mythical middle class).

There is an election coming, we shall see whether this sways Ontario Voters or not.

Please do not confuse a balanced budget with paying down the Ontario Debt. The current Ontario Debt is about $312 B (Cdn). Can that amount be repaid? That remains to be seen, but the balanced budget simply means that the Ontario Debt should no longer be growing (however it isn’t decreasing either).

Someone sent me an invite to a meeting in 11 months, and was concerned I only replied with a Maybe response. It vexed them to the point that they came over and asked why? I explained, a lot of things can happen in 11 months. I might win the lottery, or suddenly become a wealthy author, or maybe the horses will sing. She didn’t get that last reference.

My Writings For the Week of April 28^th

I actually finished off 3 different pieces this week, which might signal a renewed dedication on my part, or it might be an anomaly. First I wrote about Quicken 2017 Review The Year of the Comeback? It is a better version of Quicken that doesn’t crash as much, but still has issues. The subscription aspect of it has me worried as well.

As I have written before I work for the Government and the big news in Ottawa has been the Phoenix Pay system, and the problems it is having. With Phoenix Pay System Side Swipe I point out that not only Civil Servants are feeling the pain of the problems with this new system. Phoenix is even being blamed for bad attendance at Ottawa Sens games this year.

Finally I wrote over at my Tech and Security site something new, For God’s Sake Don’t Click That ! I write about the perils of click-bait and phishing sites out there, looking to make your technological life miserable.

Read More »MLM, Balanced Budgets, and #Moneytalk

It seems the GTA overheated housing market (i.e. bubble) is about to have a sharp knitting needle poked into it. All levels of government are talking of  taxes to stop speculation in this “… just plain stupid ..” real estate market. As a Libertarian, I am not fond of governments sticking their oar into a free market, but this market is being gamed by outside forces. The entire real-estate industry has always been near the Pay Day Loan world in my view, but in the GTA right now, this is getting stupid. The Ontario Government did announce a bunch of measures, which may help?

I keep hearing arguments that there are ethical real-estate folks out there, and I have no doubt that there are some, but when this much money is being thrown around, the unscrupulous come running. Making 2% (or higher) on a million dollar sale, is motivation enough for some.

I note that no solution being suggested has any regulations being put on the real-estate industry? Rules and regulations in this area might be more useful, as well as an ethics watch dog in the area might help too.

Rent controls sound like a good idea, but increasing government control of the rental market worries me as well. Government regulation isn’t going to fix things, if anything it will create a more cumbersome system. Landlords will simply hire consultants to find ways to get around regulations.

The bubble has even come to Ottawa, with nutty folks speculating in the Ottawa market. I get calls daily from real-estate folks wanting to help sell the Big Cajun Hacienda (I didn’t know I wanted to sell it). Sure I might make good money selling my house, but where would I live? The only fun stories I have seen are of folks moving from YYZ to YOW, and being able to buy their new house for cash, except that might be what is causing Ottawa’s market to heat up?

As I have said, money is not the root of all evil, but it is the cause of a lot of stupid decisions.

Maybe Marijuana legalization is coming just in time, so we can all mellow out about this whole thing?

I missed a chance to be at a Financial Smart Guy Brunch (formerly known as the N.C.F.B.A), sounds like it was a rip-snorting event. I am glad my absence was noted, although the commentary about cloud chasing (while true) was not necessary (see the tweet further on). Some great new investment ideas were discussed including:

• The Blue Chip Winery Fund
• Giant Cash Bonfire Fund
• The Ultra Super Cool Ponzi Group
• Horizons Medical Marijuana Life Sciences ETF
• Thor High Growth with Ultra Stability Fund

Guess which ones are real. I would also think that Bernoulli would win in a Thunderdome Cage Match with Kahneman (but I think they may have been pulling my leg on that one).

A Money Thought

I guess there is such a thing as bad press ? I suppose it is good they remembered me.

Great catch up w/ @MJonMoney and @CCapitalist this morning. Amazing how much we can cover when @bigcajunman not there to yell at the clouds.

— Preet Banerjee (@preetbanerjee) April 15, 2017

Read More »Overheated Housing Market, Rent Controls and #MoneyTalk

It’s tax season, and it’s important to get it done. Don’t procrastinate! Make sure you file your taxes on time. I’ve already received my refund, so it’s time for you to get yours too.

---

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

---

Are you assuming that you can claim all of your dependants? Not if your dependant is called Fluffy or Rover. Get all the tax credits you are due, but make sure you are not gilding the lily on things either.

There is a housing bubble starting in Ottawa, and the prices of homes are on the rise, leading to bidding wars and quick sales. While this is interesting to many, it’s not something I’m interested in, as I’m not sure where I would live if I sold my Big Cajun Hacienda. I suppose I could live in a van down by the river, but that’s getting crowded too. Meanwhile, there have been reports of landlords in Toronto raising rents, but this could backfire as it may prompt the government to introduce tighter rent controls, which could ultimately harm the landlords’ profits.

Remember the important financial credo to live by:

Pigs get fat, Hogs get slaughtered

Kind of a special Easter message, for those landlords trying to make it big.

Easter is coming folks, next week the week leading up to the big weekend. Another good time to start rethinking any financial plans you might have.

My Writings for the Week Ending April 7^th

I didn’t write anything this week, but I continue to clean up a lot of my older writing, and republishing them on social media. You should really be following me on Twitter, I am told I am a delight to read. I also tweet under my own name if you are curious as well (much more raw and rude commentary on life, technology, sports and my own odd humor). What kind of tweets might you see?

Always have a target – in finances and life in general https://t.co/rmk5EBIlIM pic.twitter.com/NQpfSe4qY5

— Big Cajun Man (aw) (@bigcajunman) April 4, 2017

Read More »Tax Time, Housing Bubbles, Financial Easter and #MoneyTalk

Tomorrow is April Fools Day, where there is usually hilarious fake news stories posted to amuse folks. Unfortunately 2017 seems to be a Fools Year, so I won’t be indulging too much in April Fools this year. Maybe they should just rename April 1^st fake news first?

---

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

---

I suppose I could make some joke about the exploding house bubble causing folks to buy old shacks for over a million dollars, but who would believe that ?

Given the ho hum budget last week, the government seemed to want to end the first quarter of 2017 on a high note. Evidently they will be pushing forward with their marijuana legalization program. They are very high on this program, and hope it stops them from being stoned in the polls. Maybe this spring the grass will be greener on the other side of the bong? Let’s hope for some high times in the Canadian economy. Suddenly I want to eat a bag of all dressed chips.

You now have a month until your tax return is due, might be time to start thinking about doing something about it? The CRA is making it as easy as possible with their auto-fill capabilities too. Get the government to give it back.

My Writings for Week Ending March 31^st

I went back and had a closer look at a specific part of the budget, and hoped I could encourage more folks to do their DTC (Disability Tax Credit) application themselves. I point out in DTC Change For The Better, that allowing Nurse Practitioners fill in the T2201 forms from the CRA is a step in the right direction, maybe now the government could try to make the process a little easier for folks?

Read More »April Fools, High on Life and #MoneyTalk