Search found 950 matches

by zinfit
28 Jul 2009 22:36
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Enough to Live On (2009)
Replies: 597
Views: 44084

Come on 2 million should be good for a 100k plus CPP and OAS. When you consider pension splitting you got to be in the top 2% of Canadians for income. That's about were I am at and I haven't given any consideration about going to the food bank. I will take a 2% percenter over a 10% any day of the week.
by zinfit
28 Jul 2009 22:27
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Dividend and Distribution Hikes - 2009
Replies: 211
Views: 35072

I held a sizeable amount of Computer Modelling and ditched it during the market turmoil of 2008. That was a bad decision. I figure I sold for something like 7.50 a share.
by zinfit
22 Jul 2009 20:53
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Furnaces, The Hot Air Discussion
Replies: 436
Views: 12712

I have a friend who specializes in servicing gas furaces[he doesn't sell any product]. He claims the most solid and reliable furnace is a Rheem. It has a sister brand that escapes me. They have a different mechanism for ignition which is pretty much fool proof[according to him]. I have a house that needs a new furnace and this is the direction I am leaning. Would welcome comments and feedback.
by zinfit
18 Jul 2009 22:24
Forum: Financial News, Policy and Economics
Topic: Amanda Lang leaving [BNN] CBC
Replies: 103
Views: 31934

I personally knew Otto Lang. He was a Liberal but in many respects a tough law and order guy and certainly on the right of the party on fiscal and economic issues. I think she would make a great political leader whether it was grit or tory. Another treaure from the province of Saskatchewan. I think Howard Green is a an outstanding member of the BNN team as well. I used to beat up CNBC after watching the early show with Joe Kernan and the the other three I have changed my mind. They can be ruthless with guests who try blowing smoke. They are very well educated. Prior to changing careers Kernan was a cancer researcher.You have to agree that Becky is pretty nice dish.
by zinfit
13 Jul 2009 13:42
Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
Topic: Any experience with Land banking?
Replies: 38
Views: 17445

I really question the economics of buying into this type of investment. Last year there was a lot of speculation on farmland. Wheat was selling on the USA wheat exchange for 22 dollars a bushel. Its selling for 4.80 today. I am not sure farming is a paying proposition right now. The promoters are the ones who will make any money. I wonder about the liquitity of these units. Remember all the exotic mortgage backed securities that contributed to the credit crisis. What's the difference? BRX said there was gold in those hills. They were right it was fool's gold.
by zinfit
09 Jul 2009 10:17
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: CALLABLE bonds
Replies: 12
Views: 2035

I note there are bank bonds which are callable and have a maturity in the next century. Other then being higher on the list of creditors in the event of bankruptcy is there any real difference from preferred shares? I do understand that the dividends are eligible for the dtc .
by zinfit
06 Jul 2009 22:49
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Aeroplan
Replies: 505
Views: 51179

Thanks for the tips Arthur.
by zinfit
06 Jul 2009 15:19
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Aeroplan
Replies: 505
Views: 51179

I have been looking a trip to Paris, Rome and Frankfurt. Vacation packages with AC do not look like good value. I think we use our points for the flying and use Priceline for our hotels. They are quoting 4 star hotels for 49.95. For travelling through Europe we are thinking Euro-train as a good option. I would appreciate your advise and suggestions.
by zinfit
05 Jul 2009 00:03
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Crescent Point Energy Trust (Symbol-CPG.UN)
Replies: 17
Views: 2584

It's my understanding that yield will remain the same. With the dividend tax credit how can that be bad?
by zinfit
04 Jul 2009 23:56
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: gps
Replies: 128
Views: 2781

I bought a Garmin on the understanding that I could down load up to date mapping data Is this a stupid question? If so please be kind.
by zinfit
04 Jul 2009 23:51
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Aeroplan
Replies: 505
Views: 51179

Air Canada reminds me of the Trudeau era. Why would a good grit want to opt for a global enterprise and under-mind Canadian nationalism?
by zinfit
04 Jul 2009 18:17
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Aeroplan
Replies: 505
Views: 51179

What's the process in using aeroplan points to buy a trip on British Airlines?
by zinfit
04 Jul 2009 15:49
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Don Coxe
Replies: 115
Views: 22720

Didn't Buffet say that the market in the short term is a voting machine and over the long term it's a weighting machine. If he is correct the market can be quite wrong on the short term.
by zinfit
03 Jul 2009 20:42
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Aeroplan
Replies: 505
Views: 51179

I was wondering if there are any benefits in using " points.com". Seems to have lot of options and flexibility for reward points. I remember Peter Hodson was a big believer in this company.
by zinfit
02 Jul 2009 17:33
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Scorecard for first half 2009
Replies: 33
Views: 1885

I have 33% equity position. According to globeinvestor Gold I am up 19.6% ytd. The equity position is quite defensive[high dividends, low debt and solid earnings] The rest is in a mixture of provincial and corporate bonds with a few GICs. I figure their yield to maturity to just under 5%. I note that someone says he was down 33% in 08 annd is up 23% in 09. The % increase on the way up has to be much higher to catch up with the% loss in 08. Example you had 150k at the beginning of 2008 and lost 33% so you have 100k. Assume you gain 33% in 09 this means you have 133k at the end of 09. You would of required another 17% on the way up to break even.
by zinfit
01 Jul 2009 22:32
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Wells to wheels?
Replies: 118
Views: 1902

I hope this is the end of AECL. The Chinese have plans for forty reactors. They didn't give out one contract for a Candu. Westinghouse, Areva, Toshiba, Hitachi and GE are getting the contracts. Is there any chance that they get things done on time and keep costs under control? Just may-be they have superior reactors? I would feel a lot better if these commercial firms were building and operating our reactors. Then the government could regulate and avoid the problem of being in the business and regulating themselves.
by zinfit
01 Jul 2009 09:15
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Garth Turner: Buy Bank Preferreds not GICs
Replies: 46
Views: 8291

I can't understand how people can listen to guys like Turner. I remember an article 10 years ago or so were he was recommending mortgaging your home equity and using the loan proceeds to buy technology stocks. Sadly many people approaching retirement bought tech mutual funds on this advise. They did poorly Turner and the sponsoring fund salesman did much better. When I hear his name I think of Brian Costello and Dr Jerry White.
by zinfit
23 Jun 2009 21:37
Forum: Now Hear This!
Topic: Karma - Bitching and Moaning
Replies: 267
Views: 19532

I am not impressed with anonyous karma. I great tool for a coward to take a cheap shot.
by zinfit
21 Jun 2009 21:56
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: 5 Year Dividend Growth Predictions
Replies: 31
Views: 4847

The latest income statement shows earnings of $1.82 per share. It has very low debt/equity ratio of .37. They have been around for then a few years. I know law firms that have dealing with them for 10 years. I wonder what Cash thinks of this stock.
by zinfit
21 Jun 2009 17:40
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Car maintenance
Replies: 87
Views: 1967

The 1993 Camry with that mileage is just broken in.
by zinfit
21 Jun 2009 14:20
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: 5 Year Dividend Growth Predictions
Replies: 31
Views: 4847

Thomson- Reuters looks like a good prospect.It has three solid group of clients; lawyers, doctors and investors . It's held up quite well with the market turmoil. Has a pretty solid balance sheet. Has lots of room for sollid growth and cost reduction. The merger should be ready to show some solid payoffs.
by zinfit
21 Jun 2009 10:37
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Car maintenance
Replies: 87
Views: 1967

Three zeros . Thanks for clearing that up. K can mean a thousand in some circumstances?
by zinfit
20 Jun 2009 14:58
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Car maintenance
Replies: 87
Views: 1967

I encountered a cabbie who had 1000,000 kilometers on a Toyota Previa mini van. I don't know were people say that Japanese cars don't last beyond 160k. Last year I gave my 1986 Corolla to my daughter as a second car. It had 330 kilometers. I had a 1982 Landcruiser which I sold when it was over 500k. I understand the buyer is still driving. That was seven years ago. The thing that caused problems in the 1980's was rust. The power trains were bullet proof.
by zinfit
19 Jun 2009 18:45
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Wells to wheels?
Replies: 118
Views: 1902

In terms of GHGs and other pollutants NG is far better then coal or gasoline. A Sask school division operated their entire fleet of buses on NG. There is going to be a hugh over supply of NG for a long time. I think has a lot of merit.
by zinfit
19 Jun 2009 14:58
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Wells to wheels?
Replies: 118
Views: 1902

In recent times there have elephant sized shale gas formations discovered and developed. The Barnett and Montney shale formations are much larger then conventional reserves. Recently a giant shale reserve has been discovered in Quebec. LNG is coming on stream as well. The Russians and Arabs have hugh reserves of excess ng. There is a reason that ng is selling a very low prices[excessive supply]. Boone Picken says we should be switching to ng and breaking USA dependence on hostile foreign oil. Do a search on these reserves and you will get a look how the supply ofng has changed.