Search found 12169 matches

by kcowan
18 Mar 2024 09:33
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Best Credit Card (2021 - 2025)
Replies: 499
Views: 31553

Re: Best Credit Card (2021 - 2025)

Profit not Prophet wrote: 16 Mar 2024 12:57 I like my HT visa card features and benefits but I have had more refusals and glitches with it that other bank cards of visa and mc flavours. Seems weaker behind the curtain for tech prowess.
yes they seem to be paranoid. I have their fraud department in my contacts. The wait time is low. The latest was a USD charge for $1 that was to verify that the charges would go through.
by kcowan
17 Mar 2024 10:22
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Electric Cars
Replies: 601
Views: 38970

Re: Electric Cars

They need a planet to spend their inheritance. Consider being an early adopter and making a real difference. Spend a little of their inheritance today.
I think as many have “opined “, early adopters will pay the price and not necessarily for the benefit of mankind! For Canadians in every province but Ontario, future production of electricity will require new technology (or an expansion of nuclear legacy) from what we have today.

Solar and wind do not pass the lifecycle tests! Water is getting scarce for dams! Natural gas is needed for backup. Get rid of the idealists!
by kcowan
14 Mar 2024 19:14
Forum: Taxing Situations
Topic: New T3 requirements for joint accounts [that might be bare trusts]
Replies: 175
Views: 35624

Re: New T3 requirements for joint accounts [that might be bare trusts]

Houska wrote: 12 Mar 2024 09:27 Jointly owned residences, where all the co-owners have it as their principal residence, are not trusts. No issue.
Except in Mexico where any property with 50 KM of the oceans must have a trust. Imagine how many owners that captures.
by kcowan
13 Mar 2024 09:07
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Nurse Practitioners / Physician Assistants
Replies: 90
Views: 2221

Re: Nurse Practitioners / Physician Assistants

In BC, ophthalmologists were allowed to extra bill for upgrades to lens implants. That is when satisfaction dropped. And price went up.
by kcowan
13 Mar 2024 09:00
Forum: Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind
Topic: The government is considering changing investment objectives for CPP
Replies: 34
Views: 1079

Re: The government is considering changing investment objectives for CPP

I can see them setting guidelines like no liquor nor tobacco but leaving it open to government priorities is a bad idea.
by kcowan
13 Mar 2024 08:53
Forum: Taxing Situations
Topic: taxing home office deduction for freelancers/digital nomads with > 1 workspace
Replies: 2
Views: 703

Re: taxing home office deduction for freelancers/digital nomads with > 1 workspace

The year that I moved, I prorated my expenses and entered those numbers.
by kcowan
06 Mar 2024 14:47
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Best Credit Card (2021 - 2025)
Replies: 499
Views: 31553

Re: Best Credit Card (2021 - 2025)

Wise Prepaid Credit Card I use the Wise service to transfer money from TD chequing to my bank in Mexico. It involves an Interac payment to Wise followed by an immediate transfer to the Mexican Bank. The cost is $2.44 of the bank transfer amount of $5995 (plus Interac fee) and is in the account within half hour of initiating the transfer. When I go to Europe, I need to pay the remaining 50% of the AirBnB when I check in. I tried using the Home Trust card with a prepaid amount but then refilling it was a time-consuming pain using bill payment. With the Wise prepaid credit card, the first part is the same but I leave the money at Wise. All transfers out are at the spot exchange rate for the currency chosen. Their credit card can be used anywhe...
by kcowan
04 Mar 2024 07:30
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Nurse Practitioners / Physician Assistants
Replies: 90
Views: 2221

Re: Nurse Practitioners / Physician Assistants

Our third GP was a new entrant to Canada from South Africa. He was a dream until he had experienced two years of our BS system. His still informally scans my moles for malinoma rather than referring me to a specialist. But he does that during my biennial physical. We willingly pay his annual fee even though we are only in Canada 5 months a year.
by kcowan
04 Mar 2024 07:19
Forum: Financial News, Policy and Economics
Topic: Clippings 2024
Replies: 110
Views: 8719

Re: Clippings 2024

Has anyone seen a total return comparison excluding the US tech darlings and including the favourable tax treatment of Canadian dividends?

That is what keeps my Canadian percent high (at 40%)!
by kcowan
02 Mar 2024 05:58
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Nurse Practitioners / Physician Assistants
Replies: 90
Views: 2221

Re: Bad Customer Service

Our GP charges us an annual fee of $275 family rate. For that we get prescription renewals and an annual physical. There are many other features which we don’t need.

After being without a GP twice, we consider it one of the better fees. It is not covered by BC Medicare nor Sun Life insurance.

It is only of value during our five months of BC residence each year.
by kcowan
02 Mar 2024 02:10
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: travel to BC end of April?
Replies: 7
Views: 486

Re: travel to BC end of April?

Sunshine Village usually closes the first weekend in May, not because of lack o snow but lack of skiers.

Around zvancouver, there are places to explore like Bunsen lake on Indian Arm. Drive to Cypress Bowl and walk around a lake that is buried all winter. Whistler is an all season place for visitors.

Queen Elizabeth Park in town or Van Duesen Gardens.
by kcowan
01 Mar 2024 18:03
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: 2024 Predictions Contest
Replies: 39
Views: 3115

Re: 2024 Predictions Contest

Latest results: Schmuck
by kcowan
01 Mar 2024 08:23
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: RIP 2024
Replies: 32
Views: 2544

Re: RIP 2024

Ironically, the encouragement of Airbus seems to have been a good move in spite of those bribes!

OTOH both T1 and T3 never did anything that had any lasting positive effects on Canadian tax payers. T2 has found numerous ways to dodge scrutiny. The Trudeau Foundation went from $6 million to 97 million. Just a coincidence?
by kcowan
29 Feb 2024 06:40
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Worms, Viruses, Trojans and Other Computer Security Holes
Replies: 685
Views: 25991

Re: Worms, Viruses, Trojans and Other Computer Security Holes

Don’t connect the USB to your computer for charging. If you use a good old-fashioned AC plug socket then no data transfer can take place while you charge.
What about cheap thumb drives? Scary prospect indeed! Mostly manufactured in the same place as the product mentioned!
by kcowan
29 Feb 2024 06:25
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Electric Cars
Replies: 601
Views: 38970

Re: Electric Cars

When the wind turbines aren't spinning. And the sun hasn't been out in days and the solar farms aren't "solaring". And unfortunately we no longer use power plants powered by coal or horrible (for some reason) natural gas. And Greta says no to NUCLEAR !!!!!!!
A great glimpse into the future.

I had to visit Puerto Vallarta in July to finalize the sale of our first condo. 92 degrees and 96% humidity with no breeze. Only relief was submerging in a pool or AC! Or driving the car with AC on full blast.

The only solution is to remove power from our elected representatives and get some engineers in power of our governments.
by kcowan
26 Feb 2024 06:30
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Frothy Equity Markets
Replies: 1395
Views: 155256

Re: Frothy Equity Markets

Yes George we went on to predict the long term demise of our company. Never presented it beyond our international forecasting group. We all got better jobs instead out of forecasting.
by kcowan
25 Feb 2024 13:56
Forum: Now Hear This!
Topic: Serving Canadian investors for 18 years and counting ...
Replies: 44
Views: 6423

Re: Serving Canadian investors for 18 years and counting ...

I wonder what an AI bot would do with the forum as input?
by kcowan
25 Feb 2024 13:33
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Frothy Equity Markets
Replies: 1395
Views: 155256

Re: Frothy Equity Markets

In the 80s, I had to educate my company on the S-shaped absorption curve to stamp out straight line forecasting. Similar arguments to Dell.

Technology curves have all had similar shapes. The key is to guess the maximum and the inflexion point correctly.
by kcowan
25 Feb 2024 05:17
Forum: Now Hear This!
Topic: Serving Canadian investors for 18 years and counting ...
Replies: 44
Views: 6423

Re: Serving Canadian investors for 18 years and counting ...

Special thanks to the people who contribute by maintaining finiki. Whenever I go there, I am amazed at the richness and depth of that part of FWF.And it is largely invisible to regulars.
by kcowan
24 Feb 2024 16:55
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Electric Cars
Replies: 601
Views: 38970

Re: Electric Cars

Bill Comrie started The Brick around the corner from where I worked in Edmonton.

He was never in the same league as Lastman, he was just happy with making millions quietly.

He bought the original red brick warehouse building at a distress sale. Before that he just had a store front.
by kcowan
24 Feb 2024 16:43
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Frothy Equity Markets
Replies: 1395
Views: 155256

Re: Frothy Equity Markets

What I don't understand is how come it is level. Are those timers just to itchy on the trigger? Enough to keep it level. FOMO.

As a side note, does anyone else see the parallel between the dot.bomb and AI hype? At least a facete is worried about AI whereas the dot.bomb was just a party.

(I did my market timing already, delaying the RIF withdrawal from mid-January to mid-March.)
by kcowan
24 Feb 2024 16:32
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Bad Customer Service
Replies: 407
Views: 49060

Re: Bad Customer Service

CRA sent me 2 emails urging that I have notices waiting. I ignored the first one because they are on the backburner until April.

I secummed to the second one. They want me to go and assess dental plan eligibility. Hey they know my income was over $90k but what the hell, let's just irritate everyone with another Trudeau bad idea.
by kcowan
24 Feb 2024 09:06
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Electric Cars
Replies: 601
Views: 38970

Re: Electric Cars

I noticed that many stores sell special appliances that are packaged to look like expensive brand but are not.

This is not a CR issue but a major flaw in looking for value. Bad Boy and The Brick come to mind.
by kcowan
23 Feb 2024 05:47
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Frothy Equity Markets
Replies: 1395
Views: 155256

Re: Frothy Equity Markets

I think the wall of money on the sidelines is getting a little twitchy! This tends to exaggerate market movements!

Fortunately I delayed our RRIF withdrawal until after the RRSP season this year. Luck plays a big part on investing.

When will the correction happen? It is overdue according to that wall of money waiting on the sidelines!
by kcowan
23 Feb 2024 05:38
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: The Role Of Luck
Replies: 53
Views: 4126

Re: The Role Of Luck

Disclosure: I shared their luck with timing but lacked their ability to see the opportunity, never mind the IQ and business savvy, to turn it into $billions.
All the very rich entrepreneurs got rich by holding their companies stock because they were too busy changing the world to follow professional advice to diworsify!

I have followed the same course, betting on my winners and trimming my losers. Of course I lacked the leverage from founders shares.