Search found 6467 matches

by scomac
16 Mar 2024 08:27
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Electric Cars
Replies: 601
Views: 38971

Re: Electric Cars

Marcus Aurelius wrote: 15 Mar 2024 19:47 Wow. What a lot of heat and anger flying around.

For most of you with a house a PHEV would work just fine and a 120v outlet will charge it just fine overnight. I frequently forget how much I hate going to the gas station, but long trips work out without any problems.
This is the sort of vehicle that we are considering. Still, at the amount we drive they don’t make economic sense either as long as our ICE vehicles are reasonable to operate.

I would not consider a full electric vehicle under any incentive plan with current technology and infrastructure.
by scomac
10 Feb 2024 17:27
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: The All Stock Portfolio?
Replies: 17
Views: 1100

Re: The Global Stock-and-Bond Portfolio

Some people seem quite confident that global bond holders must be, as a group, stupid . Let me explain. If bonds are trading at too high a price, smart bond holders should take advantage of the situation to sell their bonds, which should cause bond prices to drop until they sufficiently compensate smart buyers, on the other side of bond trades, for the risks they carry. If prices don't drop, it has to be due to stupid buyers on the other side of trades paying too much. Eventually, smart buyers must have exited the market, leaving the entire bond market in the only hands of stupid holders. It's interesting to see some people believe that the holders of $63,658,105 million CAD (the capitalization of global bonds) are all stupid . Reminds me ...
by scomac
09 Feb 2024 22:26
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: BCE (Symbol-BCE)
Replies: 1857
Views: 285343

Re: BCE (Symbol-BCE)

I last held BCE stock some twenty-five years ago. Added: I estimate current dividend yield at about 7.6%. Shouldn't the dividend growth investors be buying? George The sale of 45 radio stations and firing 4800 people too should improve cash flow ? Maybe not. BCE is barely an investment grade credit at BBB. I own two of their bonds and they haven't recovered to the extent that my other corporate credits have with better credit ratings. If the reason for owning this stock is strictly for the income, then maybe it is better to buy the debt than the capital shares. I know all the justifications that can be made for owning the common based on track record, etc. I chose the opposite and sold mine recently. I'm not a seer by any means. It was par...
by scomac
03 Feb 2024 09:01
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: RIP 2024
Replies: 32
Views: 2545

Re: RIP 2024

It would seem that celebrity isn’t good for longevity. Don’t judge by people’s appearance, look at how they live.
by scomac
20 Jan 2024 10:11
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Turn over your DIY to an adviser when you retire?
Replies: 38
Views: 2035

Re: Turn over your DIY to an adviser when you retire?

My chief complaint with Carrick's article is that he treats all investors the same way. We all should use financial advisers, according to him. Perhaps some should. But everyone? George Rob is giving his advice for the median case. I believe that his point-of-view is well supported based on data from actual self directed accounts. I've heard of lots of horror stories when self directed accounts that have been mis-managed get transferred into advisors. What's important to distinguish is that advisors, by-and-large, have the best of intentions, but they are at the mercy of their employers and the system (which I happen to believe is getting more restrictive rather than better) in which they operate. Our approach has been to employ a sort of ...
by scomac
10 Jan 2024 08:09
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Portfolio Construction Based on Rational Reminder #284 w/Scott Cederburg
Replies: 49
Views: 2908

Re: Portfolio Construction Based on Rational Reminder #284 w/Scott Cederburg

While bonds may not add anything to returns what they can do is reduce risk and as such increase the return per unit of risk assumed.

I seem to recall a study posted on here years ago by Norbert that showed an 80:20 portfolio was actually superior to 100% equity. This was because there are no rebalancing opportunities with a 100% equity portfolio.
by scomac
09 Jan 2024 16:07
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: How did you do in 2023?
Replies: 97
Views: 6948

Re: How did you do in 2023?

I have allowed things to sort of coast in the last few years. I am surprised at how poorly we (DW and myself) performed in 2023, only about 4.5%, relative to other FWFers. One year does not determine everything (or anything). But, ISTM that we have been performing average and even below average for a number of years now. You aren't the only one that has been below the heady numbers being posted here. I'm not so much concerned with individual's results as I am when we are struggling to keep up to a simple alternative such as VBAL. Somewhere around 2016 I had begun to realize that the successes I enjoyed in the early years weren't a guarantee for the same sort of results indefinitely. It was at that point that I decided I needed to begin to ...
by scomac
05 Jan 2024 13:10
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: weevils
Replies: 12
Views: 777

Re: weevils

scomac wrote: 05 Jan 2024 13:10
tedster wrote: 05 Jan 2024 11:05 But the original bag from the supermarket has no weevils and it is just closed with a clip.
You don't need to have active adults to have the presence of eggs. The very nature of the way in which wheat is handled and processed (along with any other grain for that matter) risks the chance for contamination along the supply chain.
by scomac
05 Jan 2024 13:10
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: weevils
Replies: 12
Views: 777

Re: weevils

tedster wrote: 05 Jan 2024 11:05 But the original bag from the supermarket has no weevils and it is just closed with a clip.
You don't need to have active larvae to have the presence of eggs. The very nature of the way in which wheat is handled and processed (along with any other grain for that matter) risks the chance for contamination along the supply chain.
by scomac
05 Jan 2024 10:55
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: weevils
Replies: 12
Views: 777

Re: weevils

The eggs are in the flour. With the right combination of heat and moisture they will hatch.

We keep our flour in a sealed container in a kitchen cabinet. Keeps the moisture out and we store it away from a heat source (appliances).
by scomac
02 Jan 2024 17:41
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: How did you do in 2023?
Replies: 97
Views: 6948

Re: How did you do in 2023?

chufinora wrote: 02 Jan 2024 16:36
I have for past 19 years benchmarked my results against FPX index (Growth or Balanced more recently). Every year I have a hard time finding the index numbers. If you have a link to the FPX index numbers please could you post it - thx.
Here you go:

https://croftgroup.com/resources/#benchmark-performance

FWIW, I used FPX Growth as an investible benchmark for many many years. From what I could gather it appears as though YTD for FPX Balanced was 7.15% to the end of November. The website has yet to be updated to end of December, so expect something in the order of VBAL's return numbers.
by scomac
02 Jan 2024 17:37
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: How did you do in 2023?
Replies: 97
Views: 6948

Re: How did you do in 2023?

2023 money weighted return was 7.0% across all accounts.

We have four silos if you will consisting of roughly equal parts of pooled funds, ETFs, Bond/GIC ladders, individual Cdn stocks. I benchmark to VBAL as an investible proxy which we lagged this year by approximately 2.3%. Long term average is running ~5.7% weighted return which looks much closer to the VBAL benchmark.
by scomac
29 Dec 2023 23:00
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Stocks versus ETFs
Replies: 102
Views: 6202

Re: Stocks versus ETFs

XDIV is not a perfect solution, but it is a good one when looking at risk adjusted returns over the life of the fund. YMMV. I'm pretty sure I don't know what you mean by this? The proof is in the pudding. The fund delivers good returns without taking on excess risk, certainly no more than a stock pick portfolio of similar securities much like you currently own. You don't like it for reasons you've already stated. That's why I responded that it isn't a perfect solution, but it is a good one. FWIW we have revisited this basic question a number of times over the years, that being your search for a better way to do things than you currently are. Lots of suggestions have been made by various posters for your consideration. I leave this discussi...
by scomac
29 Dec 2023 18:56
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Stocks versus ETFs
Replies: 102
Views: 6202

Re: Stocks versus ETFs

There seems to be some confusion. I own XDIV In my taxable account for income generation. It works just like owning a dividend stock, in fact 17 dividend stocks. It’s a good solution to the problem of generating income without having to make security sales that could be the case with a low distribution broad market ETF.

There is the suggestion that this is high risk. Not sure how it’s any higher risk than a typical basket of stocks held in a stock pick portfolio, but perception can be reality if you choose to look at it that way.

XDIV is not a perfect solution, but it is a good one when looking at risk adjusted returns over the life of the fund. YMMV.
by scomac
29 Dec 2023 15:46
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Stocks versus ETFs
Replies: 102
Views: 6202

Re: Stocks versus ETFs

BRIAN5000 wrote: 29 Dec 2023 14:55
Surely there must be better options then XDIV out there for someone not running a hybrid portfolio. Almost 25% in Energy.
You may well be right. I quite like the investment strategy employed by the managers. I’m not a slave to sectors especially when there’s a value tilt at work. By definition you will get concentration.
by scomac
29 Dec 2023 10:38
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Stocks versus ETFs
Replies: 102
Views: 6202

Re: Stocks versus ETFs

For a TFSA or a few $100k XDIV might be ok but for any real money I think I'd pass. TOP 10 81.27% NEXT 7 18.53% So for comparison sake, how much real money do you have personally in the top ten? You don't have to answer that question if you're not comfortable, but you should think about it. Does it really matter if you have a few $100K in individual stocks or in an ETF? For myself I have almost as much invested in the top 10 (I own 5) individually as I do in XDIV as a whole. Seemed like a pretty reasonable way to add to those individual positions periodically without having to try and choose a winner. I also get the benefit of some other ancillary stuff that I don't currently own, but theoretically could if I chose not to invest in XDIV. B...
by scomac
28 Dec 2023 15:09
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Stocks versus ETFs
Replies: 102
Views: 6202

Re: Stocks versus ETFs

If you want a portfolio of Canadian dividend stocks I would choose a portfolio of stocks. The Mer with Canadian dividend ETFs are high.Another concern is many of these Etfs are heavy with bank stocks. I have About 16 dividend stocks in my TFSA and they give me a yield of slightly about 6% and I am not paying a Mer of .40%. Norm's site gives you a solid list of dividend stocks if you are challenged in picking stocks. As to the MER question, I would respond: not anymore. I have gone with XDIV mostly on the strength that the MER is only 11 basis points (0.11%). AS for being heavy into bank stocks, it currently holds just two out of 17, so in fact it might be viewed very much the same as your TFSA account. Cash flow is good as well with the mo...
by scomac
25 Dec 2023 11:53
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Merry Christmas!
Replies: 32
Views: 1845

Re: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to one and all and all those who are near and dear to your hearts. May the spirit of peace and love be with you all.
by scomac
19 Dec 2023 17:30
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Stocks versus ETFs
Replies: 102
Views: 6202

Re: Stocks versus ETFs

ghariton wrote: 19 Dec 2023 16:45
scomac wrote: 19 Dec 2023 13:05 Perhaps the OP can allow changing the pick?
Done

George
Thank you!
by scomac
19 Dec 2023 13:05
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Stocks versus ETFs
Replies: 102
Views: 6202

Re: Stocks versus ETFs

When getting down to the nitty gritty and doing the math I discovered that my investments are divided up in the following proportions:

Pooled Funds - 21%
Individual stocks - 25%
Individual bonds and GICs - 27%
ETFs - 27%

I selected other. Clearly I'm pretty well equally split amongst the various categories (with pooled funds being the equivalent to all-in-ones).

[Added] Heavily edited to reflect the change in poll selection
by scomac
14 Dec 2023 13:15
Forum: Financial News, Policy and Economics
Topic: Shocking rate of mortgages in arrears in Canada
Replies: 40
Views: 1864

Re: Shocking rate of mortgages in arrears in Canada

ole'trader wrote: 14 Dec 2023 13:00 Out of curiosity, I ran the numbers to see how much monthly difference comes with extending the amortization period

Mortgage of $600,000 at 5%
The monthly payments versus amortization period:
25 yrs - $3490
30 yrs - $3202
35 yrs - $3009
And if you extend the amortization period out to 40, 45, 50 years you will get corresponding decreases in monthly payments that could make the difference between solvency and being forced to sell. I may be accused of just kicking the can down the road, but I’m not sure that there are any better alternatives in the current housing environment. Folks gotta live somewhere. We’ve got way too many people living in tents!
by scomac
14 Dec 2023 13:03
Forum: Financial News, Policy and Economics
Topic: Shocking rate of mortgages in arrears in Canada
Replies: 40
Views: 1864

Re: Shocking rate of mortgages in arrears in Canada

I am not supportive of 'infinite' amortizations because that just results in some folks being indebted for much of their entire lives. We already have more seniors carrying debt now in retirement than we ever had. That is nuts and will likely result in more seniors being on social support. But I do think that extending from 20 to 25 years, or 25 to 30 years would make enough difference in monthly payments to mitigate foreclosures. Canada and some other OECD countries need to find ways to reduce debt loads, not increase them. Lifetime mortgages have been a reality in Europe for decades. Not sure that it has caused any major issues. It just becomes a defacto form of rent. I suspect we will be trending towards this outcome as long as the hous...
by scomac
13 Dec 2023 11:36
Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
Topic: Housing Market 2023
Replies: 321
Views: 25779

Re: Housing Market 2023

Same issue. Will today's generation "settle" for a unit in a multiplex when they were raised in a single-family and aspire to a McMonster Home?
This is a "excuse" that is often given, yet with my kids' cohort, they seem to have resigned themselves to buying small "starter" homes that are affordable and then renovating. The yard is an important consideration when factoring in the prevalence of dogs within their "family" units.
by scomac
13 Dec 2023 10:15
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Oil and Gas Stock Investing
Replies: 22
Views: 1193

Re: Oil and Gas Stock Investing

JaydoubleU wrote: 13 Dec 2023 09:56 I could have posted this in many places, but this thread title seems to be the right place.

The COP28 folks have agreed to the phase out of fossil fuels.

https://www.reuters.com/business/enviro ... 023-12-12/

Personally, I'm skeptical. It's like the alcoholic's New Year's resolution to quit drinking. And besides, it's hard to believe that OPEC will comply. Or Alberta for that matter.
Phase out might be too strong of a term. Reduce is more accurate IMO in terms of the agreement.
by scomac
13 Dec 2023 10:07
Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
Topic: Housing Market 2023
Replies: 321
Views: 25779

Re: Housing Market 2023

chrisw wrote: 13 Dec 2023 09:56
I would think multiplexes would be featured prominently in this modern interpretation of this program. There's lots of work being done to allow zoning for different sorts of multiplexes. Multiplexes are really the future. Density is key to proximity to public transport and amenities.
Agreed. Visiting Penticton the vast majority of new builds are multi whether low rise or fourplex. The plexes fit rather neatly on the old full-size lots of 100 years ago.

The fully detached seem to be reserved for the wealthy and lakefront properties.