Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) dividend bringing summer fun

This is very nice: I received 51.94$ in dividend from Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)! It’s actually very sweet to come back from work (I was working today at my weekend job) and log in to my laptop and see that I am richer of 51.94$... I am quite happy because this brings the stocks I hold with Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) to 107. Once Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) will exceed the 51.94$ or around, I won’t be able to get any new stock from the DRIP. But until that happen, I am enjoying the DRIP. This is actually looking very great for my dividend income of July. It’s at its highest ever, at 397.37$! This is getting interesting! My non registered portfolio (for stocks + units) had close Friday at 49 549.78$. Not so bad at all! Those are just little things that help me keep going even if my job situation is not the dream. So I am going to get back to work Monday at my daytime work with a big smile in my face and no one will know the reason why I am smiling. Except if you know who I am… lol... So thank you Bank of Nova Scotia, too bad you had to refuse my RSP loan because I rock. Show me the money baby and show me the love.

DRIP marketing discount offer by some Canadian companies: bonus on top of the dividend

I just notice 2 dividend payments: 15.33$ from Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN) and 21.81$ from the Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund (CWI.UN). This bring my dividend earnings to a total of 345.43$ for the month of July 2010. Today is my last day of my summer vacation, it was pretty relaxing since I slept in a lot and did almost nothing at all… But it was just what I needed, just to have nothing to think about. I had received my vacation pay. Again, I have a nice little very tight budget for the month of August. I hope to be able to invest again in September or October. I am not very sure of what my next stock trading will be made of. We’ll see. For the month of August, I plan to save around 1 100$ in cash. Nothing major for my online savings account, but it’s the best I can do with my current labor employment situation.

Yesterday was very beautiful day in Montreal so I took a long walk all the way to Montreal Old Port. After what I stop by the Chapters and take a look at a financial planning book I had seen before but never read: Debt-Free forever by Gail Vaz-Oxlade. Very good book about how to get out of debt. I find Debt-Free forever very inspiring and it actually reaches me in many ways. She talk about credit card balance transfer (the fun stuff!!!), about destroying credit card with a pair of scissors (awesome part!!!) and so on… Personally, I went through many things that Gail Vaz-Oxlade describes in her book. I went through them in order to not pay off debt, but to invest. I actually like the part where she suggested getting a second, and why not a third job as a clear debt solutions… This is me! She also openly talks about getting laid off of jobs before currently doing what she’s doing….. That’s definitively me… Thanks to BMO Bank of Montreal, I know what’s laid off is all about. She also talks about staying at home while taking vacation….. That’s actually how I spend my vacation: at home! lol!! Anyhow, I think I had discovered something very special with Gail Vaz-Oxlade writing and I will stay tune to her Web site.

I slowly begin to see the rewards of my online investment portfolio and my debt(s). Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) is slowly growing to reach the 14$ per unit, Pembina Pipeline Income Fund (PIF.UN) had exceed the 18$ per unit, etc. At a point, in the last couple of days, my non registered portfolio almost reach the 50 000$ by itself. The value of my portfolio is relatively stable and I am very happy about it. One investment after the other had bring more and more value to my online investment portfolio and I am pretty sure that one day, my 15 000$ investment mistake will just disappeared by itself, without leaving any traces.

I call TD Waterhouse broker just to find about a question that been posted under my blog entry: Switching to a cheaper online broker: Scotia iTrade. Some companies offer a discount to enroll on a DRIP. The question was if brokers were offering that discount. In my case, I deal with TD Waterhouse broker. I heard about discount before but I wasn’t really sure if I had accessed to the discount while being with TD Waterhouse broker. With TD Waterhouse broker, I have 3 types of broker account: non registered (in Canadian dollars), TFSA and RSP. I am registered to a DRIP in all 3 accounts. So I was curious to find out if I had accessed to the discount or not.

A good resource to find out about DRIPs and discount being offer in Canada is on the Web site Canadian Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs). In my online investment portfolio, the following top dividend paying stocks are offering a discount to their stockholders:

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): 2% discount
Emera (EMA): 5% discount
Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN): 2% discount
Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGF.UN): 5% discount

The discount is being offered on the DRIP shares. In my case, for all investment I hold, I only deal with small sum of money, but it still worth it to enroll on a DRIP. In my online investment portfolio, 4 companies I hold are offering me the discount.

I got the answer to my question from a TD Waterhouse broker representative. But the person who answers me wasn’t really nice. I find sometimes TD Waterhouse broker rep to be really rude and arrogant. But it’s not the case with every single representative, but still. I got a couple of bad experiences, always with French representative. I explain the rudeness because I talk to a bilingual representative. TD Waterhouse broker has a customer service call center located in Montreal. Overall, I am not being impressed at all by TD Waterhouse broker services and it’s very too bad that Bank of Nova Scotia didn’t approve my RSP loan because I would have switched to their iTrade discount broker. I just hate it when a TD Waterhouse broker representative say something to me, just like it happen today, of this nature: “As I just explain it to you” bla bla bla….. If I need clarifications, I should be able to ask without anything else being add. After all, I am kind of a successful investor and if I need to ask questions, I will ask them. All of them. But shouldn’t be surprise by bad customer service offer by Quebeckers. While living in Quebec, I am living outside Canada. It’s in Quebeckers real nature anyway to treat people like shit. Just take a very close look to their wonderful educational system and health care and see what’s going on. Quebec province is slowly dying on itself and I am very hoping for a wonderful long and peaceful death.

Money saving tip for debt management solution: my plan to save an extra 2 588.85$ per year

I am enjoying my last couple of days left of vacation. I work online a bit, made a few pennies which was enough to make me happy, but nothing in term of real big bucks lol. However, my vacations had been relaxing. I am waiting for my vacation paycheck tonight. I am just very curious to see if I am going to actually receive it or not……lol. Anyhow, I went saw Salt yesterday with Angelina Jolie. Salt might be the best movie of Angelina Jolie so far, if not ever. Nice summer blockbuster if you like action movies! Real soon Salt will become available among the other blockbusters dvd rental. Angelina Jolie is very great in Salt. It’s Angelina Jolie at her best.

I started to use my travel rewards credit card BMO Bank of Montreal MasterCard again. This specific card is an Air Miles MasterCard and the master card credit limit is of 4 000$. For a while, I was waiting for my credit card balance transfer to be completed and I didn’t have any credit card left to use knowing that I have a balance on my cibc visa card at a low interest rate of 3.9% until September. Once I have a credit card with at a low interest rate for a credit card balance transfer, I usually stop using that card, in order to not mess up with the low interest rate and the usual interest rate, often something around 19%.

This month, my credit card balance transfer was from my rbc visa card to my td visa card. It is now completed, I am now good for another 6 months at 4.9% on a 7 950$ balance. This will drive me until January. I am very grateful to TD Canada Trust for this low interest rate. I am good for another 6 months. This will make a one year at 4.9% for my visa credit card limit of 8 000$. My credit card minimum monthly payment for the 8 000$ balance is reasonable, less than 50$ each month. So I can easily manage this payment. It always needs to be done on time, before the due date. If not, I will loose the low interest rate of 4.9%. That’s basically the major thing that needs to be respected in credit card balance transfer. Another rule would be also to not exceed the visa credit card limit. Mine is 8 000$ for that specific td visa card. I had a headache for a while because my 4.9% was about to expired somewhere in October. On my late invoice, when I saw the offer was still on I didn’t wait. I proceed with a credit card balance transfer from my td visa card to my rbc visa card and than after from rbc visa card to td visa card. And here I am, all good until January! It actually really worth it to read your visa credit card statement! I did, and I find a quick and easy online debt solution to a credit card debt problem. I want the 100 000$ for 2010 even with a 37 000$ worth of debt. With my 89 000$ value in assets and 37 000$ in debt, I am not in a huge debt problems.

While thinking about my overall financial situation, I try to find new ways to save up some money. Those won’t make that of a difference on a short basis, but they will definitely help on a long term basis.

1-Stop dying my hair
I had been dying my hair for about 5 years in a row now. I went through several colors, from blond, brown to red. I really like myself in dark red and find it was the perfect color for me. But my latest coloration didn’t stay in my hair for very long and my natural hair color started showing up. I didn’t want to dye my hair again and so I told myself: why not stop? I didn’t see my natural hair color for about 5 years now and I don’t remember what I look like with my real color. I decide to give it a try. I didn’t dye my hair for the past 2 months or something like it and I decide to stop definitively.

Monthly money saves: 14$

2-No more monthly metro pass
I didn’t purchase a monthly metro pass since May, 2010. I like the experience. It wasn’t so bad during the hot summer time. I plan to continue living without a travel card for the upcoming months. I just wonder if this will work during winter time…..

Monthly money saves: 65$

3-Stop buying new shampoo products when I have many unused
This is a habit I have. Buying bottle of shampoo after bottle of shampoo, just to try new hair products. I purchase a new bottle when the one previously is not even finish. I have a full bag of shampoo products like that… So I won’t be purchasing new shampoo products for the upcoming months.

Monthly money saves: 6$

4-Using air miles reward program to purchase Second Cup coffees
At 2.21$ for a medium coffee, my daytime treat at Second Cup is costing me a fortune on an annual basis…

Check it out:
2.21$ x 5 times a week x 49 weeks (52 weeks – 3 weeks of vacation) in a year = 541.45$

I always bring some tea bags with me at me at work, but nothing is tastier than a Second Cup coffee. And most of the time, I find myself going to the Second Cup anyway, cheating on my nonexpenses goal like crazy.

With AirMiles, a 20$ Second Cup coffee card worth 170 AirMiles.

541.45$ / 20$ = 27 coffee cards……..

27 x 170 AirMiles = 4 602 AirMiles

Can I possibly satisfy myself with Second Cup coffees for one year without spending a penny?
Currently, my airmiles mastercard of BMO Bank of Montreal give me 1 air miles reward card per trench of 20$ in spending. Let’s say I spend around 350$ per month (overall). I earn 17 AirMiles per month…… 17 AirMiles x 12 = 204 new AirMiles accumulated annualy….. On top on this we can add 30 AirMiles earn per month by using AirMiles search engine. Which bring in 360 AirMiles.

I currently own 809 AirMiles… 809 + 204 + 360 = 1 373 AirMiles / 170 =
8 Second Cup coffee cards……

The trick would be to drink a mix of coffee and tea at work……. And not spend more than the 160$ giving by the Second Cup coffees card.

Monthly Money saves: 45$

5-Bring my lunch to my weekend job
Despite my low salary, I never bring or barely ever bring a lunch at my weekend job. I usually go at that nice bakery called Les Copains d’Abord located on Rachel… That’s where I spend at least 20$ each weekend lol.

20$ x 49 weeks = 980$

Monthly Money saves: 82$

6-Waive the service banking fee by keeping the minimum required in my checking account
I do my banking with Desjardins, so I don’t have to worry about major banking fees like the ones charged by BMO Bank of Montreal. At Desjardins, I am currently paying 3.95$ per month for 12 transactions. With this package, the minimum required for service charge exemption is only of 1 500$. Maybe not now but in the future, I may keep a 1 500$ in emergency fund. This will allow me to save 47.40$ annually in banking fees.

Monthly Money saves: 3.95$ (a bit more than the cost of a medium coffee at Second Cup!)

Those are some of my tips I will try to apply in order to save a couple of hundreds of dollars per month.

Frugal Vacation Living in Montreal: special even tonight at Lafontaine Park

It’s a rendez-vous tonight at 9pm at Lafontaine Park in Montreal! Never notice the theatre of Lafontaine Park? I did several times, but it’s seemed to be always close. But tonight, the theatre, which name Théâtre de Verdure, will be open this evening for the projection of Xavier Dolan movie J’ai tué ma mère. It’s being show during Gay Festival Divers/Cité starting this week.

My Stop Working Strategy: what my investment life could be like for the upcoming years

I wake up early for once (9:45AM)…. Beautiful sunshine today in Montreal. I am waiting for my Swarovski jewelries delivery. I guess it should be for today so I am staying home and I personally do not mind at all but I may escape later on today. I have all that laundry to do still waiting for me. I have a few Web projects I want to work on it. So I guess this is the best time! Especially I am very close to my payout in one of my online earning program. While working yesterday, I work on my budget and I came alone with those:

If things remain the same, my yearly income, before taxes, will be of around 35 000$. Not much, but if I exceed this amount, it will be very bad for my taxes, especially knowing that for this year, I can only contribute to max around 7 000$ to my RRSP.

35 000$ - 7 000$ = 28 000$

At 28 000$, I won’t have to pay too much in taxes, it should be just like for this year. And I may earn less than 35 000$ actually, this in just a big average including my 2 jobs and my dividend earnings. As salary, I earn around 31 000$ after taxes. Not much either, but check it out…

Roughly, let’s say that my monthly expenses are at 1 200$ per month.
For 12 months: 14 400$

31 000$ - 14 400$ = 16 600$

This is leaving me a nice 16 600$ to invest. My latest investment in Corby Distilleries (CDL.A) really did the job, in the sense that it calms my appetite for trading for a little while. With this one, my portfolio is feeling kind of complete. But what’s not complete is my dividend income. So I guess I don’t have other choices than to continue right?

Here are some ideas I came with to where to invest in order to increase a bit my dividend income, but also to increase my portfolio value:

200 units of ENF.UN
Investment value: around 3 000$
New dividend earned: 230.40$

200 units of PGF.UN
Investment value: around 2 100$
New dividend earned: 168$

100 stocks of ECA
Investment value: around 3 400$
New dividend earned: 100$

100 units of JE.UN
Investment value: around 1 400$
New dividend earned: 144$

300 units of DHF.UN
Investment value: around 6 000$
New dividend earned: 552$

New dividend + current dividend (excluding the ones earned inside RSP)
1 194.40$ + 4 229.47$
= 5 423.87$

By the end of 2011, I hope to have an increase of close to 1 000$ in dividend income. But if I do so, this mean I won’t pay anything extra on my debt, because all extra money earn will go for my investment. So what’s the plan for 2011? Paying debt or dividend investment? It will all depend of the feeling I will have at that time. But I always consider paying debt as being extremely boring and I may just continue my investment journey.

Think about it:

100 000$ assets (it should be reach by the end of 2010) + 16 600$ (new investment money for 2011) + 1 000$ (new dividend money) + 4 229.47$ (current dividend money outside RSP) + 100$ (let’s say, an extra earn from the DRIP) + 324.22$ (current dividend money inside RSP):
122 253.69$

And 2010 is not even over yet! For August-December 2010 period, I guess I will have a 5 000$ available for investment. Those new investment will bring more dividend in. Maybe 200$ or 300$?

So let’s add a 300$ to the 122 253.69$
= 122 553.69$

That’s nice, but we are not done yet! Why? Well, because of the increase of the value! Here, I will add a reasonable 6%: 7 353.2214$

122 553.69$ + 7 353.2214$ =
129 906.91$

This is just an overall scheme for what could happen for 2011, I may not invest at all in those companies. But it’s nice to get a big picture idea, just to see where dividend investment can bring me at. It doesn’t take that much money to make great investment. In my current condition, I can support my living and my investment project. Dividend investment is affordable to any kind of investor, even while living under 40k per year.

This is kind of a funny game actually. Ok, we saw it for 2011. Let’s repeat the same exercise until 2015 if you don’t mind. Let’s add 16 600$ in new investment money and let’s add a 1 000$ new dividend income per year, until 2015.

For 2012:
129 906.91$ assets + 16 600$ (new investment money for 2012) + 5 329.47$ (dividend money outside RSP) + 324.22$ (current dividend money inside RSP):
152 160.60$

6% increase value = 9 129.64$

152 160.60$ + 9129.64$ =
161 290.24$

For 2013:
161 290.24$ assets + 16 600$ (new investment money for 2013) + 6 329.47$ (dividend money outside RSP) + 324.22$ (current dividend money inside RSP):
184 543.93$

6% increase value = 11 072.64$

184 543.93$ + 11 072.64$ =
195 616.56$

For 2014
195 616.56$ in assets + 16 600$ (new investment money for 2014) + 7 329.47$ (dividend money outside RSP) + 324.22$ (current dividend money inside RSP):
219 870.25$

6% increase value = 13 192.22$

219 870.25 + 13 192.22$ =
233 062.47$

For 2015
233 062.47$ in assets + 16 600$ (new investment money for 2015) + 8 329.47$ (dividend money outside RSP) + 324.22$ (current dividend money inside RSP):
258 316.16$

6% increase value = 15 498.97$

258 316.16$ + 15 498.97$ =
273 815.13$

So this drives us to 2015, with a total of 273 815.13$ in assets and 8 329.47$ in dividend earned… Those calculations do not consider dividend payers increase. Dividend payments increase over time, so I probably be at more than 8 329.47$ in dividend income in 2015. Also, the current scheme does not include any debt payment, as you may have notice… So will I be free by 35? Not if my income do not increase. If my situation remains the same, I could be free by 40. But not 35. Anyhow, this was pretty fun! The earlier you start the investment game, the better it is!

I am now at 89 982.09$

This is just soooooo hilariouslyyyy funnyyyyy. I am just not even at 20$ away from my first 90 000$. To my savings of July 22, I add my latest paycheck which was of exactly 174.79$. Nice increase overall. Just my savings won’t be at the same amount at the end of the month because of payments that I need to make. So I really wanted to update my portfolio tonight because I taught I was there, at 90 000$. But life is funny in a way…… I am not there yet! lol…

For now, I am at 89 981.09$... I never did it, but I should include that 1$ I have deposit a while ago in my RBC banking account (just to keep the account open)…

So this make in real 89 982.09$... lol. I am now just missing 17.91$! I might have that money here at home because I have a lot of pennies here at home that I place in little plastic bags. But it’s not tonight that I am going to count all of my 1 cent, 5 cents etc… But I am pretty sure I might have at least 17.91$ in pennies. I just cannot say for sure. Anyhow, that was short!

I am now at a fantastic 89 982.09$ and I am a bit tired now, so good night.

My stock investment portfolio in date of July 25, 2010

Savings:
958.89$

Non registered Investments:
Stocks and Units investment portfolio
Sprott Inc. (SII): 1 745.85$
Timminco (TIM): 106$
Blue Note Mining (BNT): 38$
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): 5 312.72$
Hanwei Energy Services (HE): 105$
Methanex Corporation (MX): 2 461.70$
Fortis (FTS): 3 052.80$
Pembina Pipeline Income Fund (PIF.UN):
7 977.95$
Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN): 9 644.14$
Yellow Pages Income Fund (YLO.UN):
2 655$
Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund
(BA.UN): 2 603$
Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGF.UN): 2 111.20$
Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN): 4 553$
Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A): 3 064$
Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN):
1 769$
Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH):
2 558$
Cash: 25.48$

TOTAL: 49 782.84$

Tax-free savings account (TFSA):
RBC O’Shaughnessy Canadian Equity Fund:
2 669.70$
The Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund
(CWI.UN): 1 886.68$
Sprott Canadian Equity Fund:
4 966.69$
Dumont Nickel Inc. (DNI): 359.38$
Cash: 57.33$

TOTAL: 9 939.78$

RSP investment portfolio:
Claymore Gold Bullion ETF (CGL): 3 619.98$
EnCana Corporation (ECA): 3 222$
Emera Incorporated (EMA): 5 320.68$
Cash: 30.26$

CIBC Dividend Growth Fund: 497.79$
CIBC Emerging Markets Index Fund: 415.42$
CIBC Monthly Income Fund: 994.19$

Energy and Base Metals Term Savings (Indexed term savings):
503.46$
Natural Resources Term Savings (Indexed term savings):
502.06$

GIC National Bank: 1 192.64$
GIC Plus: 500$

TD Canadian Bond: 114.82$
TD Monthly Income: 104.78$
TD Emerging Markets: 81.54$
TD Energy: 80.94$
TD Precious Metals: 106.44$
TD Latin American Growth: 94.46$
TD Entertainment and Communications: 106.56$
TD Dividend Growth: 195.41$
TD U.S. Mid-Cap Growth: 99.79$

Maritime Life International Equity Fund
(Templeton): 612.37$
Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio: 840.34$
Maritime Life CI Harbour Seg Fund: 979$
Maritime Life Fidelity True North Seg Fund: 942.52$
Maritime Life Trimark Europlus Seg Fund: 588.78$

Great-West – various: 1 753.62$

RBC Canadian Dividend Fund: 503.79$
RBC U.S. Mid-Cap Equity Fund C$: 1 743.19$
RBC Global Resources Fund: 822.13$
RBC O’Shaughnessy International Equity Fund:
578.73$
RBC O’Shaughnessy All-Canadian Equity
Fund: 1 029$

GIC Canadian Market: 1 000$

TOTAL: 29 176.69$

Social Capital at Desjardins Membership share
for 3 accounts: 40$

Savings + Stocks, units, mutual funds + Tax-
free Savings account + RRSP + Online Income
(82.89$):
89 981.09$

Would it be a hello 90 000$ anytime soon?

My vacations are really great. I had enjoyed my free time. I didn’t do that much, if not blogging a bit and writing a blog about Youn Sun Nah. Her birthday is on August 28. Mine is at a very close date, but it’s basically all we have in common lol :) Youn Sun Nah is a Korean jazz singer who performed at the International Jazz Festival of Montreal. Those pictures were taken after her performance. I try to load those 2 pictures on my HubPages article but the loading was terribly slow. So instead, I am publishing the pictures here so I can publish them on my HubPages through the Web. Isn’t she so nice, taking a pose for me? I think Youn Sun Nah is very gently actually. And her voice is terrific, amazing, grandiose. She knows Korean, French, English and Potuguese. Listen to Youn Sun Nah right here.

The wheater today in Montreal was quite grey as I finish my Saturday shift at my weekend job. I just don’t know if I should stay in blogging and doing whatever or go outside, walk and stuff. I am working also tomorrow but that’s all right, I really need the money, especially now. I had to pay over 500$ on my credit card by the end of July in order to avoid the interest rate. Currently, I am able to do the payment as I will take money from my credit line to pay over the credit card. But also, surprise, the lovely Quebec governement send me my driver renewal form… A nice 86$ that had to go, just right before my birthday… Right on time! Thank you thank you thank you Quebec lol……. Just that kind of thing that just ahhhhhh yehhhhhhhhh (!!!).

After my credit card and my driver renewal payment, I will have just a few dollars left so I really need my vacation paycheck if not I will have to borrow on my credit card to pay my rent. Lately, I had received the following dividend: 14.49$ from Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGF.UN); 29.95$ from Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN) and 24.17$ from Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund (BA.UN). I had now exceed the 2 000$ in dividend arning for 2010! I am now at a great 2 006.44$ in dividend income that I earned so far for 2010. So the little sums of money keep adding up!

I update my investment portfolio just a couple of days ago. At a point, I taught I was going to hit the 90 000$ and I was getting all excited! I miss the 90 000$ from only a couple of hundreds of dollars. My latest investment in Corby Distilleries really worth it! Everything is just going very fine right now. My non registered stocks and units portfolio close latest Friday session at 49 643.27$! This mean that I may be at 90 000$ at this time, knowing the good result of Friday for the TSX. But to really know if I am 90 000$, I will need to update my portfolio. Once again! I have also tomorrow to update it. I am not too thrill about doing a portfolio update just now even if it’s to know if I am at 90 000$ or not. It’s just too much work and calculation for me at this time. I do the whole thing manually, it’s part of my calculation hobby. But at a point, I am getting enough of portfolio update. I just cannot imagine what it’s going to be like when I will be at more than 100 000$. Because of course, one day, I will be at 100 000$! But it will require even more time to update my portfolio… Sometime, I feel like I am managing a mini-hedge fund. I am king of getting good at it, don’t you think so? lol… Got to take a laugh sometime, it would be so easy to give up and so easy to stop saving money... It could be so easy to just cash in the dividend.. :)

My investment portfolio in date of July 22, 2010

Savings:
784.10$

Non registered Investments:
Stocks and Units investment portfolio
Sprott Inc. (SII): 1 761.30$
Timminco (TIM): 102$
Blue Note Mining (BNT): 38$
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): 5 319.08$
Hanwei Energy Services (HE): 105$
Methanex Corporation (MX): 2 420.50$
Fortis (FTS): 3 045.38$
Pembina Pipeline Income Fund (PIF.UN):
7 822.18$
Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN): 9 606.99$
Yellow Pages Income Fund (YLO.UN):
2 677.50$
Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund
(BA.UN): 2 616$
Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGF.UN): 2 111.20$
Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN): 4 536.48$
Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A): 3 050$
Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN):
1 764$
Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH):
2 544$
Cash: 0.18$

TOTAL: 49 519.79$

Tax-free savings account (TFSA):
RBC O’Shaughnessy Canadian Equity Fund:
2 649.61$
The Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund
(CWI.UN): 1 870.52$
Sprott Canadian Equity Fund:
4 950.32$
Dumont Nickel Inc. (DNI): 359.38$
Cash: 57.33$

TOTAL: 9 887.16$

RSP investment portfolio:
Claymore Gold Bullion ETF (CGL): 3 636.88$
EnCana Corporation (ECA): 3 287$
Emera Incorporated (EMA): 5 383.30$
Cash: 30.26$

CIBC Dividend Growth Fund: 495.71$
CIBC Emerging Markets Index Fund: 412.86$
CIBC Monthly Income Fund: 991.90$

Energy and Base Metals Term Savings (Indexed term savings):
503.46$
Natural Resources Term Savings (Indexed term savings):
502.06$

GIC National Bank: 1 192.64$
GIC Plus: 500$

TD Canadian Bond: 114.90$
TD Monthly Income: 104.51$
TD Emerging Markets: 81.19$
TD Energy: 80.74$
TD Precious Metals: 105.91$
TD Latin American Growth: 94.23$
TD Entertainment and Communications: 105.19$
TD Dividend Growth: 194.52$
TD U.S. Mid-Cap Growth: 98.73$

Maritime Life International Equity Fund
(Templeton): 608.68$
Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio: 837.08$
Maritime Life CI Harbour Seg Fund: 975.52$
Maritime Life Fidelity True North Seg Fund: 937.61$
Maritime Life Trimark Europlus Seg Fund: 587.18$

Great-West – various: 1 753.62$

RBC Canadian Dividend Fund: 502.04$
RBC U.S. Mid-Cap Equity Fund C$: 1 715.05$
RBC Global Resources Fund: 816.75$
RBC O’Shaughnessy International Equity Fund:
573.99$
RBC O’Shaughnessy All-Canadian Equity
Fund: 1 022.91$

GIC Canadian Market: 1 000$

TOTAL: 29 246.42$

Social Capital at Desjardins Membership share
for 3 accounts: 40$

Savings + Stocks, units, mutual funds + Tax-
free Savings account + RRSP + Online Income
(82.89$):
89 560.36$

John E. Irving (1932-2010)

I just learned that John E. Irving is dead. John E. Irving, also known under Jack Irving was a rich entrepreneur from New Brunswick, where I come from. John Irving had many businesses in different fields, including in translation with a company call Lexi-tech International. John Irving had interest in oil, gaz, among other, also houses construction or something like it. Anyone coming from New Brunswick knows John Irving. In a difficult economy, most of John Irving companies based in New Brunswick are giving work to hundreds if not thousands of New Brunswickers. So that’s why that in New Brunswick, John Irving was huge. John Irving had taken control over companies left by his father. In a certain way, we could compare the Irving Empire to the Rogers one. When it comes to Rogers, I never understood why it’s not one of Mr. Rogers’s children who took control of his business. Maybe they didn’t fell qualified….. lol. I know it’s not funny in a certain way. Anyhow……… John E. Irving was not a saint; he had created great deal of pollution in New Brunswick with his businesses. So when it comes to John E. Irving, I think he’s better dead than alive. Maybe the next CEO of the Irving companies will be more eco-friendly and more concentrate on ethic rules and be more human. There was a lot of favoritism in the Irving Empire. Just to name an example that I personally, when it come to Lexi-tech International, the person in charge of the Brossard (Quebec) office branch, a Quebecker, had her daughter working in the same Brossard office for the human resources. Her daughter wasn’t extremely well qualified to do the job. The only reason why she was there it’s because her mom – the director had name in charge of the human resources for her office. In his example, it’s a Quebecker who took advantage of her position. Should we be surprise? Quebeckers are so a big bunch of morons. There was a lot of that bullshit in the Irving Empire.

Anyhow, I never really care about John E. Irving after knowing this and after I learned that the daughter of the director of the Brossard office was working for someone in the human resources of a New Brunswick office somewhere and not for the mother-director of the Brossard office… I was like what the heck. See the bullshit again? The director of the Brossard office was a little obese woman in her fifties, extremely incompetent and secretly arrogant. See the picture?

Generally speaking, Quebeckers are just a big bunch of idiots trying to make the most of any kind of situation. Stupid enough to become a country of their own when they are one of the provinces with most high taxes ever. And not to mention that Quebec province is rolling over massive debt. While Quebec hospital maintenance and operation are so poor, Jean Charest go away in France trying to recruit some nurses. But which France nurse would be stupid enough to come to Canada when Switzerland is so close and offer much better work conditions? Switzerland had one of the best health systems in the word. So it’s all about a question of priorities and Jean Charest is just trying to escape the reality. Who in the world want to work in Quebec hospitals? Who would come here to become, after a couple of weeks, drain to dead. The working conditions in Quebec hospitals are horrible. Quebec hospitals are made for Quebeckers, so only Quebeckers should be working in Quebec hospitals. You can see Quebec lack of leadership – not willing to take care of things in there center. Fix your administration and after go recruit oversea. Way to go Jean Charest! Good job! lol…

One I had a fellow reader who suggested me to invest in the purchase of a small condo. I know she was thinking for good, but gees, I don’t want to become a slave of Quebec system. I am building my portfolio to be able to do what I want, whenever I want. I don’t want to become a Quebecker. Quebeckers are dumb enough to purchase houses and or condos that in reality do not even worth of half of the price worth. Why? Poor public education system and no real access to health care services. Living in Quebec province gives you a taste of what it is to live in a third world country. But just a taste, of course. I never been able to benefit of any health care while being in Quebec, but I never suffer from hunger... Quebec is a province slowly dying on itself. I want Quebeckers to fail as individuals and I want Quebec to fail as a country. And check them out because they are both going to fail miserably.

That’s what I had to say today about John E. Irving and Quebeckers. Both alike, in a certain way, with many things in common. But of course its my own point of view.

Warnings about credit card balance transfer and garbages

From what I see at this time, my non registered portfolio is now at 49 087.63$, an increase of 195.63$ compare to yesterday! Those are good news! My vacations are going smoothly by. I actually clean my little one and half apartment today. I had many things in my freezer and fridge that were not good anymore so I finally throw them away. I got the good idea to put all of the garbage bags outside my apartment, right at my door, to later on deposit them on the garbage spot, but the concierge wasn’t too happy with my choice lol. Like I am never thinking... But you know, a one and half apartment is quite small when you have several garbage bags lol…….. It’s kind of hilarious in a way. Anyhow, I apologize, told her I didn’t taught. The concierge was actually doing a visit to rent one of the apartments. Other than my garbage, I am a good tenant, always or most of the times pay my rent at time, it’s just sometimes I don’t think lol. Now my apartment is super clean! I spend a good 4 hours cleaning my mess. I was in real need of it lol. After what, I went to do some groceries and took care of my credit card balance transfer. And this is where it’s getting interesting.

For the last couple of months, I had a balance of almost 8 000$ at 4.9% at TD Visa. I had the surprise to see another offer for 6 months at 4.9% at TD Visa on my July statement. So what I did this afternoon is that I call TD Visa to make sure that if I took the 8 000$ and take it someplace else to have it replace at TD Visa, would I benefit from the 4.9% for 6 months? The answer was yes. I really wanted to make this work out so that’s the reason why I call TD Visa.

But I was informed from a couple of things. First, I should be doing those types of transfer all the times because at a point, TD Visa will stop offering me the 4.9% credit card balance transfer. From what I understand, doing credit card balance transfer on a regular basis look suspicious. But it’s not if you pay your monthly bill. Like in this case, I always pay my minimum required. It’s not like I am using the credit card balance transfer in order to avoid paying on my credit card. In my case, it’s only for leverage purposes and also to benefit a 4.9% interest rate for another 6 months. This will drive us through the month of January 2011. Following my calculations and if we’re not going to be attacked by another stocks crash, the end of 2010 should be good for my first 100 000$. And it’s not like I am stealing from somebody or someone. I am just trying to have everything working out and thanks to TD Canada Trust, I am pretty sure my plan is going to work. So as for now, I am waiting for the money to arrive at RBC Visa, which should be in 3 days from now, to call TD Visa again and say: “A credit card balance transfer at 4.9% please!”. That’s how things work! I am just very grateful because if I would had to pay off 8 000$, this would make my goal of reaching 100 000$ by the end of 2010 impossible. Basically, my whole plan relies on just one little thing: credit card balance transfer. I know its silly, it doesn’t make any sense but still, you have to take a look with the eyes of your heart, if you have one, of course.

Second official day of my vacations

Yesterday, I call my little pager, but the message left was quite funny. My daytime job call me, like I was expecting, but they didn’t exactly leave a message. They might have hang up just after hearing the greeting message and there, I hear a: « But she’s on the schedule… ». Yeah, I know, I am on vacations, but I am on the schedule…. Isn’t weird! Anyhow, I didn’t call them back since it wasn’t a real why-are-you-not-at-work kind of call. Fun! Just the problem with the schedule at work is that everything is plan 2 weeks in advance and it happen quite often that people leave on vacations but are on the schedule. I guess they have too much things to take care and updating the schedule of everyone could take too much time. Ahhhhhhhh my lovely daytime job. I am just really hoping to get my vacations pay from them. I need to pay my rent. As you now know, I made an investment yesterday, 100 stocks in Corby Distilleries (CDL.A) – just like it was planned – so I currently have around 400$ in extra cash available. After July 21, the money will go on my RBC credit card, where I have this huge credit card balance of 530$ that needed to pay before July 30, if not watch out the interest! I also need money to cover the 130$ left. I really need to get that vacation paycheck if not; it’s going to be ugly.

For quite some time, I had doubted about this newest investment in Corby Distilleries because I had that lack of work at my weekend job, but now, everything is back, starting from next week so that’s pretty cool. Also, I got that girl from my daytime job who came to me, saying that she was going back to school – great for her – and needed to work part-time to get ready for school and so on. Starting August, I have to work full-time for her so she can work part-time. So this means that starting this upcoming August, bye bye my weekly 30 hours, I will be back working full-time. Working 30 hours per week at my daytime job + Saturday and Sunday full-time was just the dream. Working full-time at my daytime job will only bring around 200$-250$ more in my pockets per month. But it worth it – to help someone in need – and she’s a Quebecker by the way – and also for the money, even as little as 250$. See, I can be nice to Quebeckers sometime. It’s fun to work at my job at this time because we had those new rewards points. I didn’t order yet, I am just confused between the blenders and the earrings lol. Anyhow, we’ll see if I can earn more points by working more but I doubt. Maybe I will be job searching soon, I don’t know either.

I could be seen as being miserable, working at those salaries that only myself know, holding more than 37 000$ in debt. But I had been working at those 2 jobs for almost 3 years now. Next year, I will have 3 weeks of paid vacations at my daytime job. Also, here, you need to appreciate the stability of the situation instead of focusing on the super low salary, even if you don’t know the salary. I had been able to realize my investment projects because I had been working nonstop or almost at those 2 jobs. The investment of yesterday made in the Corby Distilleries is another proof of that. I also realize my chance to live in Montreal. Life is cheaper here comparing to cities like Toronto, Vancouver, among other. I could have a better job situation, its something I am looking forward but at this time, I don’t have anything in mind and I am satisfied the way things are for now, my little jobs, my little dividend earnings and my real huge debt.

He only other debt I need to think of right now is that 1 253.17$ at 3.9% at CIBC Visa. This one is ending in September 2010. I don’t know how I will be taking care of this one. I may apply to a credit line at RBC. Who’s going to help me with this one? We’ll see!

My stock investment portfolio in date of July 19, 2010

Savings:
784.10$

Non registered Investments:
Stocks and Units investment portfolio
Sprott Inc. (SII): 1 771.60$
Timminco (TIM): 100$
Blue Note Mining (BNT): 40$
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): 5 406$
Hanwei Energy Services (HE): 102$
Methanex Corporation (MX): 2 257.76$
Fortis (FTS): 2 995.56$
Pembina Pipeline Income Fund (PIF.UN):
7 784.29$
Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN): 9 361.80$
Yellow Pages Income Fund (YLO.UN):
2 601$
Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund
(BA.UN): 2 582$
Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGF.UN): 2 036.88$
Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN): 4 580.16$
Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A): 3 006$
Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN):
1 707$
Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH):
2 560$

TOTAL: 48 892.05$

Tax-free savings account (TFSA):
RBC O’Shaughnessy Canadian Equity Fund:
2 599.38$
The Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund
(CWI.UN): 1 838.20$
Sprott Canadian Equity Fund:
4 875.90$
Dumont Nickel Inc. (DNI): 373.75$
Cash: 57.33$

TOTAL: 9 744.56$

RSP investment portfolio:
Claymore Gold Bullion ETF (CGL): 3 609.84$
EnCana Corporation (ECA): 3 375$
Emera Incorporated (EMA): 5 310.58$
Cash: 30.26$

CIBC Dividend Growth Fund: 491.76$
CIBC Emerging Markets Index Fund: 406.30$
CIBC Monthly Income Fund: 987.31$

Energy and Base Metals Term Savings (Indexed term savings):
546.25$
Natural Resources Term Savings (Indexed term savings):
502.06$

GIC National Bank: 1 170$
GIC Plus: 500$

TD Canadian Bond: 115.07$
TD Monthly Income: 104.25$
TD Emerging Markets: 80.44$
TD Energy: 79.44$
TD Precious Metals: 103.72$
TD Latin American Growth: 91.17$
TD Entertainment and Communications: 103.76$
TD Dividend Growth: 194.20$
TD U.S. Mid-Cap Growth: 97.50$

Maritime Life International Equity Fund
(Templeton): 606.46$
Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio: 830.66$
Maritime Life CI Harbour Seg Fund: 962.28$
Maritime Life Fidelity True North Seg Fund: 927.93$
Maritime Life Trimark Europlus Seg Fund: 592.72$

Great-West – various: 1 753.62$

RBC Canadian Dividend Fund: 498.81$
RBC U.S. Mid-Cap Equity Fund C$: 1 689.07$
RBC Global Resources Fund: 783.01$
RBC O’Shaughnessy International Equity Fund:
570.54$
RBC O’Shaughnessy All-Canadian Equity
Fund: 999.55$

GIC Canadian Market: 1 000$

TOTAL: 29 113.56$

Social Capital at Desjardins Membership share
for 3 accounts: 40$

Savings + Stocks, units, mutual funds + Tax-
free Savings account + RRSP + Online Income
(82.41$):
88 656.68$

Dividend Income latest update: July 19, 2010

Due to my newest investment in Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A) and recent DRIP, my dividend income had recently increased. Here’s the latest update.

Non registered stocks and units investment portfolio:
Sprott Inc. (SII): 515 x 0.10 cents + 0.04$ special dividend =
72.10$
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): 106 x 1.96$ = 207.76$
Methanex Corporation (MX): 103 x 0.62$ = 63.86$
Fortis (FTS): 106 x 1.12$ = 118.72$
Pembina Pipeline Income Fund (PIF.UN): 421 x 1.56$ = 656.76$
Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN): 743 x 1.24$ + special dividend of 0.20$ = 1 069.92$
Yellow Pages Income Fund (YLO.UN): 450 x 0.80$ = 360$
Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund (BA.UN): 100 x 2.90$ = 290$
Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGF.UN): 207 x 0.93$ = 192.51$
Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN): 312 x 1.15$ = 358.80$
Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A): 200 x 0.56$ = 112$
Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN): 100 x 1.84 = 184$
Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH): 200 x 1.18$ =
236$
TOTAL: 3 922.43$

Tax-free savings account (TFSA):
The Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund (CWI.UN):
404 x 0.76$ = 307.04$

RSP investment portfolio:
EnCana Corporation (ECA): 100 x 1$ = 100$
Emera Incorporated (EMA): 202 x 1.11$ = 224.22$
TOTAL: 324.22$

OVERALL TOTAL: 4 553.69$

Welcome again Corby Distilleries, 100 new stocks of CDL.A in my online future trading brokerage

I went to Just for Laugh Festival yesterday and when I came back home, I was totally exhausted, my place was still a mess, some laundry was still waiting after me to me done and so on…….. lol. I wake up late again. I just hear my pager ringing. I think it’s my daytime job calling me. I was on schedule even if my vacations got approved and even after I complete a form to have my vacation paycheck. Which seem to be strange, but I got a colleague who went exactly to the same thing. What he did? He just didn’t answer the call as his vacations got approved. Anyhow, I am a complete mess right now and need to take a shower; I am not ready to go to work at all. Good news: I just made another investment, 100 stocks of Corby Distilleries (CDL.A) at 15.14$ per stock. Good bargain knowing the stock price of CDL.A is usually of 15.30$. My non registered portfolio is now at 48 703.42$. I will update my portfolio value if not tonight in the upcoming days. Got to shower and dress to call back my job, if it’s them, I wouldn’t like to ignore them and loose my job. Because no job = no investment…

July Vacations among the way

Few good things going on right now! I had been quite busy, but just at doing regular stuff. I am on vacations from my daytime job for the next 2 weeks. And do you know which famous personality is on vacations just right now too? Derek Foster! I guess Derek Foster is still cross-crossing the Canada from the West to the East coast or something likes it. Derek Foster might have the time of his life with his family right now! Other news from the famous, the Montreal writer Natalie McLennan is hosting an event in Toronto. Check it out right here.

I didn’t take a vacation for a very long time so this is going to be fun. I didn’t plan anything, if not a visit to the Botanic Garden and the Biodome among other. I will be staying in Montreal the whole time. Work is starting again next week at my weekend job. So I will be working during the weekends of my vacations but that’s all good. I could refused to come in, but I prefer to take whatever is presenting to me at this time and cash my vacations paycheck of my weekend job in a time where there will be a real lack of work… See what I mean? lol…

Basically, this mean I will have work for the upcoming weekends at my weekend job, as well as for the month of August. This week, I had deposit 2 000$ on my line of credit. A 50$ went as payment on the 4.9% credit card balance transfer…

And now, what about brand new 100 stocks of Corby Distilleries (CDL.A) in my investment portfolio?

I really like Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN). I talk numerous time about reaching 1 000 units of Just Energy. At this point, I own more than 700 units of the marvelous. Just Energy Income Fund pay the awesome annual dividend of 1.24$ per unit. To this, add the special dividend of 0.20 cents per unit. Doesn’t sound much? Well, this represent 1.44$ per unit! So now you know why I am a Just Energy Income Fund fan! I can love Just Energy as much as I want, doesn’t change the fact that I need to diversify my portfolio. A while ago, I already planned to invest in another 100 stocks of Corby Distilleries (CDL.A) and now, it’s seem like the timing is right. Why do I plan to invest in 100 stocks of Corby Distilleries? Well, I already own 100 stocks of Corby Distilleries. I had been experimenting Corby Distilleries great value stability. I had purchased Corby Distilleries at 15.30$ per stock if I remember a couple of months ago. The value of Corby Distilleries never went above the 15$ per stock. So far, Corby Distilleries had brought great stability for my investment portfolio. Also, with my 100k goal, my portfolio is greatly in need of stability. I am still thinking about it at this time, but I might place my purchase order for 100 stocks of Corby Distilleries on Monday… I could had used the money for a vacation trip instead but I prefer to make another investment rather than going on a gateway. Fact is, things are going well, it’s not time to give up on things I like the most: my investments, of course.

Very beautiful day in Montreal. I wake up late this morning but I want to wake up early in the upcoming days. I should have planned myself better for my vacations period on things to do and stuff, but I didn’t. I didn’t see my vacations period coming. It took me by surprise. Time is passing by and next month at the end of August, I will be turning 30. I am getting older, even if 30 still young, but it doesn’t really change anything. I would like a 90 000$ for August. Next pay, I should get my 2 weeks vacations pay and this week pay, I hope. I should also get a little extra for my annual raise. It won’t be too much, but all combine together, I should be able to pay off my expenses for the month of August. August, last summer month, my birthday... Will August be the month of my first 90 000$? I wish it will. Could seem crazy, this all investment game, but I really want that 100 000$ in assets! YEAHHHHH

This would leave around 400$ in cash on my line credit or something like it and I have 530$ I have to pay by June 30 on my RBC credit card… Yes…… 530$ in basic expenses. I had spent way too much, but it’s the summer after all. And the month of July is not even over yet!

Reward program at work

At work, we have a reward program and this month, I got full of points because of my sales. I had targeted a few things I could buy. So I have to choose between the following: a blender, rice cooker and 3 movie tickets OR those Swarovski earrings and necklace. I just love the 0 design in the jewelry. I saw before the earrings at the Bay and always like them. So guess I am taking the jewelry! Combine together and after taxes, the gift worth around 230$. So I will be working wearing beautiful jewelries that worth more than what I earn in a single day of work! But they might look good for a job interview. When it comes to Swarovski, I always think of Natalie McLennan. In her book, she described a scene where we find multiple Swarovski chandeliers… Her book is very good for what she’d been thought.

Big time for my dividend!

I had received some dividend payments lately. I had received 29.68$ in dividend from Yellow Pages Income Fund (YLO.UN), 58.80$ from Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH) and 54.47$ from Pembina Pipeline Income Fund (PIF.UN). YLO.UN and PIF.UN dividend had DRIP, but not PBH. As advertised on their Web site, Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH) has suspended the DRIP for an indefinite period. It’s the reason why I currently have 77$ in cash in my broker account.

Other than cleaning my place and do my laundry, I plan to work on articles for HubPages. I am very close to my online money maker payout and a 100$ would be more than welcome!

EnCana Corporation (ECA) dividend for July 2010

Things are working out quite well these days for the Dividend Girl! Ok, so for the credit card balance transfer it’s going to work out! Strangely, the only way to get a 6 months extension on my TD Visa card for the low interest rate of 4.9% is to perform a credit card balance transfer. So I don’t have any choices, I have to transfer the current balance I have on my TD Visa over RBC Visa and than, once the transfer will be completed, call TD and do the magical credit card balance transfer and than I will be all set for the next 6 months. The only problem is that I have to make sure I make my TD credit card payment on time each month. If not, it will cancel the rate of 4.9%. One miss payment and bye-bye low interest rate. So this is what’s going to happen in the next couple of days. My RBC Visa is not working anymore because of a magnetic problem I was told so I am currently waiting for the new credit card to be delivered. So I don’t know if I can, in the meantime, still proceed with a credit card balance transfer. I be able to do so I guess only if the card and expiration date remain the same – but I my RBC credit card was going to expired soon…. Anyhow, I might give RBC a call asking for the info but I am not sure if an agent could answer this question, in the sense that they are not the one who deals with card numbers directly but it might worth a try. I will proceed with the credit card balance transfer as soon as possible. That way, I won’t have to face to any credit-card-low-interest-rate until January 2011. The timing will be perfect because at that time, I will probably and finally have my 100 000$ assets goal reach. It’s not as complicated as it’s seem.

My non registered portfolio is at 47 377$. I had received the dividend for EnCana Corporation (ECA), 20.58$. I had been thinking, and despite my willingness to save money as emergency fund, I am really tempted to make my investment in Corby Distilleries (CDL.A) like it was planned before. With my upcoming paycheck of this Wednesday, I will have more than enough to invest in 100 stocks of Corby Distilleries (CDL.A). This won’t bring too much as dividend, only 56$ actually… OR…….. I could invest in 100 new units of JE.UN……. And bring an extra 144$ in dividend money in the house. This is kind of funny knowing how many times I said I was building an emergency fund. But guess what, if it had to happen I get laid off – again – unemployment benefit will become my emergency fund. Good or bad to thing that way? I don’t know. But I am sooooooo close to the 90 000$ now and I am soooooo happy about it! And I had been thinking over and over again to hit the 1 000 in Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) units (I am currently at 743 right now!). It’s all confused in my head right now. My 100 000$ assets goal is over-exciting me lol. So should I invest or not? This is exactly where things are getting complicated. But in a certain way, I need to keep money aside, so I might keep the money as payment on my credit line. I didn’t make any payment on my TD credit line yet because I remember about this paycheck coming on this Wednesday at midnight. I will be able to make a 2 000$ in payment on my credit line. Of course, the 2000$ might not stay there forever. But instead of having money sleeping in my bank account, I prefer to have the money apply on my credit line. It will help me to reduce the interest gains on a monthly basis. That’s basically it for now.

Update on debt, dividend income and super asset goal

This is my first Sunday spend without working… more than 6 months. My weekend job had been quite good for me and yesterday, for some other people, it was their last day of work until mid-August. So I am not the only one being left behind a lack of work. I wake up late, the sleep was awesome since the heat of the last couple of days make it hard to sleep well. So far, I spend most of the day reading on HubPages and looking at some hilarious Web site. Be ready for a great laugh because those Web sites are pretty funny: Beach Creeps and People of WalMart.

Other than laughing at funny pics on the Internet, I took a look at my financial situation. On Monday, I will be paying all of my bills and it will make 271$ in payment. Which is not that much. After what, I will have left a bit more than 1 000$. I will put 1 000$ as payment on my credit line, the one at 8.25%.

Non registered stocks and units investment portfolio:
Sprott Inc. (SII): 515 x 0.10 cents + 0.04$ special dividend =

72.10$
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): 106 x 1.96$ = 207.76$
Methanex Corporation (MX): 103 x 0.62$ = 63.86$
Fortis (FTS): 106 x 1.12$ = 118.72$
Pembina Pipeline Income Fund (PIF.UN): 419 x 1.56$ = 653.64$
Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN): 743 x 1.24$ + special dividend of 0.20$ = 1 069.92$
Yellow Pages Income Fund (YLO.UN): 445 x 0.80$ = 356$
Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund (BA.UN): 100 x 2.90$ = 290$
Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGF.UN): 207 x 0.93$ = 192.51$
Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN): 312 x 1.15$ = 358.80$
Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A): 100 x 0.56$ = 56$
Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN): 100 x 1.84 = 184$
Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH): 200 x 1.18$ =

236$
TOTAL: 3 859.31$

Tax-free savings account (TFSA):
The Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund (CWI.UN):

404 x 0.76$ = 307.04$

RSP investment portfolio:
EnCana Corporation (ECA): 100 x 1$ = 100$
Emera Incorporated (EMA): 202 x 1.11$ = 224.22$
TOTAL: 324.22$

OVERALL TOTAL: 4 490.57$

I am now at 4 490.57$ in annual dividend income or 374.21$ in monthly dividend income. To this, we can add a 100$ extra for the DRIP… which could bring everything at 4 590.57$. Those are great news! Also, I was thinking about selling my Sprott Canadian Equity Fund to purchase more units of Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN). This could increase my dividend income to close to 5 000$ or so……. Very tempting actually, BUT……. I have to remember the diversification rule. Thinking about dividend income only can be a trap. It’s not a bad thing to have money invested in mutual funds for small investors, it’ something that actually can help to diversify a portfolio. But I have to say, I also taught about selling my Sprott Canadian Equity Fund for some EnCana Corporation (ECA) stocks…… But I am not too sure about what I am going to do. I am still thinking about it.

For last post, I update my debt situation. Currently, I am at 37 240.49$ in red debt. But counting my payment of tomorrow, I will be at 35 969.49$. Which is reasonable for now I find. It’s still a lot in debt, but whenever my 100 000$ assets goal will be reach, I plan to work at paying off debt. Having 35 969.49$ in debt is not that of a big deal. Want to know why?

Ok, so I am now at a 4 490.75$ annual dividend income. Let’s remove the dividend coming from the RSP, as I cannot touch it until “real” retirement:

4 490.75$ - 324.22$ = 4 166.35$

This is an amount that I can cash in if I want.

Knowing my situation, let’s say I put 1 000$ as monthly payment on my debt. That will make 12 000$ per year. To this reasonable amount, I can applied 4 166.35$. That make a total of 16 166.35$

35 969.49$ / 16 166.35$ = 2.3

Basically, I can pay off that 35 969.49$ debt value in 2 years and 3 months. That’s the reason why I am not in a hurry to pay off my debt. That’s why I feel comfortable dealing with those debt while working at reaching my 100 000$ assets goal.

That’s how it’s going to work.

I am just facing a minor problem, 2 of my credit card balance transfers are soon going to expired. Once in September and the other in October. They are:

7 982.59$ at 4.9% ending on October 2010
1 253.17$ at 3.9% ending on September 2010

The once ending on September do not bother me at all. It’s just a tiny little 1 253.17$ after all. But a 7 982.59$ is more massive. I had been thinking on what to do. My solution was to apply to a credit line at RBC. But…….. guess what, I am kind of lucky because just by looking at my TD credit card statement, I had been target for a credit card balance transfer at the same 4.9% valid for 6 months! YEAH! So this what’s going to happen:

I am going to transfer the current 7 982.59$ from TD to RBC Visa and from there, I am going to transfer the same amount from RBC Visa to TD Visa! And there you go! The only thing is that I don’t know when the offer gets expired, but I guess it will be valid for a little while. If not I will just call TD Visa and ask. If it’s a limited time offer I will do the transfer now and if it’s valid until October, I will proceed with the super crazy transfer lol only in September……

It’s looking good for my 100 000$ assets goal and I have a feeling it’s all going to work!

My debt situation in date of July 11, 2010

9 940.80$ at 4.75% (RSP credit line) = 472.19$ in annual interest
4 900$ at 3.75% (credit line) = 183.75$ in annual interest
7 982.59$ at at 4.9% ending on October 2010 = 391.15$ in annual interest
4 973.12$ at 8.25% (credit line) = 410.28$ in annual interest
8 190.81$ at 5% (student loan debt) = 409.54$ in annual interest
1 253.17$ at 3.9% ending on September 2010 = 48.87$ in annual interest

TOTAL: 37 240.49$
TOTAL in annual interest: 1 915.79$

It’s raining day in Montreal – finally!

The hot heat of the summer? I just can’t stand it. And I can't stand no more having Sprott Canadian Equity Fund and Sprott Inc. (SII) in my investment portfolio.

As for now, I am working tomorrow at my weekend job, but not this upcoming Sunday. I was told there was going to be some work available again mid-August, so everything remains relatively stable. I am just happy that it’s raining this evening in Montreal. The last couple of days had been difficult because of the heat. Last year, summer wasn’t so hot. I probably won’t be working at my weekend job until mid-August. In the meantime, I might try to apply for jobs and see if I can find a little something. Other great news: I received a GST cheque of 95$.

Lately, I saw my non registered investment portfolio falling to 46 000$. With the gain of today, I am now closer to what my investment portfolio used to be. So I might be pretty close to the original 88 300$ and something I had back in June 21. I won’t be updating my investment portfolio; the gains are just not enough. And I have to say, come to a point where counting all of my pennies, without forgetting 1 cent, require some time and work that I am just not willing to give at this time.

BUT…

Interesting things are going on for my investment portfolio!

Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) will become a corporation starting January 2010. Until that time, I hope you are enjoying – like me – Just Energy Income Fund very generous monthly dividend! Despite TSX volatility, Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGF.UN) close today session at an interesting 10.28$. My Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH) had acquired 76% of company specialized in seafood products: Maximum Seafood. This company had an annual income of 56 million. This new addition to Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH) is quite of great news right there. If you want my point of view, this company will bring stability to Premium Brands and it will help the company to maintain a good and reliable dividend. Because don’t forget, very soon, I will received from Premium Brands Holdings 58.80$ in dividend! Premium Brands Holdings had temporary suspend its DRIP. So I will probably receive this upcoming dividend payment in cash… AND YES, AT THIS TIME, I NEED CASH. I WANT CASH. I don’t know too much of what Eric Sprott, manager of the now unfamous Sprott Canadian Equity Fund is doing those days, but seem like he had his eyes if not on the Dividend Girl, on wind power. Talking about wind power, my precious Hanwei Energy Services (HE) is seriously getting in the deep red. In 2009, Hanwei Energy Services (HE) had lost more than 66 millions. Currently, Hanwei Energy Services (HE) is at 30 cents. I still own stocks of Hanwei Energy Services (HE), I am not giving up on the company yet. Just like Timminco (TIM), Hanwei Energy Services (HE) had been badly hurt by the 2008 stock crash. Since that time, Hanwei Energy Services (HE), back than at 2$ per stock, had lost a lot in value. From 2$ per stock to 30 cents – such losses hurt both employees of HE and investors, like myself. Because I am an investor right lol. Anyhow, I am staying behind Hanwei Energy Services (HE) just like I am staying behind Timminco (TIM). Because yes, I still hold Timminco (TIM) in my portfolio. I am still believing in those 2 companies. Both are great, are in great sectors. Hanwei Energy Services is in the energy wind power sector and had activities in China. China, wind energy, etc… isn’t suppose to be a perfect position for a company? Maybe Hanwei Energy Services (HE) is suffering form a lack of growing opportunities because of the worldwide recession. Who knows? I am certainly not a specialist and I do not know why Hanwei Energy had slide from 2$ per stock to a tinny 30 cents. But I still hold in date of today. I had received not too long ago the consolidated financial statements of Hanwei. I had bring it in my purse but never had time to read it yet or should I say I never took the time to read it, just like for all of the financial statements I had received so far. I took a quick lot at some of them but that’s really all. Anyhow, seem like I will be able to spend my upcoming weekends at reading financial statements lol. You know, like getting something like an education out of it. I like most of the companies I hold and I am doing great with my dividend. And Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) is very awesome, don’t you think so?

Other than this I plan to be more active on HubPages and on my blog because I am very close to hit a magic 100$ payout. That will be the second one for this year. I don’t mind making an extra 100$ every 6 months or so from a hobby. I can definitively earn more, I just need to write more. Writing in English is sometime not that easy for me, as I am French francophone from New Brunswick. But guess you already got that part.

Work problems over and over again, getting a taste of Quebec life or nothing more than a life

What a week! A mix of good and bad things, just like usual… Cannot be black or white, always grey…… The heat is hitting Montreal and as I don’t have air conditioning, I hate living in my apartment. But I am getting more used to the heat. Monday was very awful as the heat hit me very badly. So badly that I miss the Monday show at the Jazz Festival. I was real too hot and drinking a beer at almost 6$ didn’t help. The beer and food wasn’t cheap at the Jazz Festival but the shows were all good. Anyhow as for now, I am feeling better. I have air conditioning at my workplace. Tonight, I wanted to do extra hours but I wasn’t needed so I had to leave. I didn’t want to go home, so I want to Chapter’s and read magazine. I read the new issue of MoneySense among other and stuff about Angelina Jolie beautifully overexposed on the cover of VanityFair. And today, I call to give my hours for my weekend job and this is it, I am facing a lack of work until the middle of August. Which is not so bad. I knew it was kind of coming but I wasn’t too sure. I wasn’t ready for it so now I am kind of confuse and I don’t know if I am working this Saturday or not lol. The only thing I remember from my call is that there was a lack of work and that my Sunday will be giving to someone with a higher productivity level. Just those words you know. I had been working there for 3 years now, beginning full-time and now part-time, giving all my Saturdays and Sundays and now I am being told I am not productive enough. I could have been hurt by such comments. But no matter what’s going on, when it involves Quebeckers, nothing really hurt my feelings. I do not even bother. I just don’t care. I am going to be ok even without working the weekends. Just my main job salary is kind of low paying. But it’s been nice working there as I had been working there for more than 2 years now. I had always been able to get the hours I wanted and stuff so I won’t complaint. My schedule didn’t change since my laid off of BMO Bank of Montreal back in January – or was it February – 2010. But if it happen I find another job, I am pretty sure I will be able to make another shift trade. Weekend job or not, I am going to survive. But its look like my 90 000$ assets plan is ruined. I will celebrate my 30 birthday….. poor (or kinda) but still, happy, I believe. Because I won’t say I am not happy despite my personal situation (always the work, you know). I am doing ok, I have enough to cover my frugal living lol and make the minimum payment on my debt so what’s the deal, after all. I am just at a point where I have enough, I guess. Enough of dealing with complicated work situation, enough of Quebeckers who’re just sucking my energy right through it. Have enough! So it’s going to be a wonderful weekend spend at not working at all! Yeah! And maybe dreaming at moving outside Quebec, if not running back home, in New Brunswick. Kind of hate it here in Quebec, even if Montreal is quite enjoyable by itself.

Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) belong to small investors

The TSX gains some points today and I hope that for once, the gains will last. My non registered portfolio seem to be at 46 728$. I am hoping for some new gains real soon. Now that the Jazz Festival is over, I will be following my investment a bit more. I took some very awesome pictures and I will eventually post them on my blog.

As for now, the heat is horible as I am living it without air conditioning at home. Air conditioning or not, I am still receiving dividend… and I had received on July 6th Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) dividend of 76.15$. This bring my 2010 dividend earns so far to 1 774.30$. Which is very nice. So far, the month of July had been great, but June pass by too quickly. I will be turning 30 in August and I had planned all kind of stuff to do in the meantime you know, like things to do before getting older…. But time running up too fast for me so here am I, writing about things and projects I really wanted to do… but you know, time or some real organization skill is missing from my part. I had been easy on my stuff, working the minimum hours to keep things going on. I didn’t work as much as I could on my investment project but at a point, my 100 000$ in assets project began to take to much place as I handle many jobs and so on. I am not distubed about having to work several job at a time to reach my goal……

I worry instead about my weight. In 2009, I took several extra pounds that I am not used to have. Reason why? In 2009, I work at 3 jobs, working from Monday to Sunday, a good 80 hours per week. I don’t have any problm there… But… I began to pack pounds as I was working all the time, eating like usual, but doing no exercice. When I had some time off, I was too tired and I count several time where, during a Sunday or Saturday, after spending the day at work, I sometime directly get home, going to bed shortly after eating a quick snack as I was exhausted. That time was quite great or me as I was able to make good money. I got pretty much into the stop working kind of deal of you know who. But that time wasn’t too great for my health and still today, I pay the price for spending too much time working and not doing exercise. When you work too much you don’t have time for yourself, no more time to walk downtown Montreal and stuff. This month of July, I go to work without a metro pass but just working around 1h30 per day and up is not enough for me to loose weigh. I will need to sweat a lot more lol. You know, sometimes I look at myself in mirror and say geessss that I am fat lol. Not that I was tight slim before, but I was better. I had a pair of Sweetheart jeans from Old Navy that really like, but I don’t fit in them anymore…. Got a portrait of the situation here?

And now I wonder how long will it take me to look like my old self again. My weight is due to excess hours spend working but also my sugar teeth and you know, junk food. So this is all my fault. So now, I need to loose weight, build an emergency fund and find a third job (!!!). Crazy time, hope my thirty year will be even wilderrrrrr agrrrrrrrrrr.... lol. And yep, Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) belong to small investors like myself, believe it or not. Like it or not.

Getting a taste of the Beast at the Montreal Jazz Festival

Yesterday, the TSX lost 343 points and yesterday, I wasn’t in front of my laptop, counting my losses, I was at the Montreal Jazz Festival. I discove one of the most original Montreal band: Beast. Beast was giving a free concert at Montreal Jazz Festival and it was an awesome show! I after listen to their music online. But it’s soo not the same thing! I hope people go went see their show because it’s the best way to discove their music. Not that it’s better in live, but it’s different when you listen to Beast music at home in a quiet one and a half apartment. Beast is not made to be listening in quiet places. Need some noises and an atmosphere to appreciate. My favorite song of Beast seem to be name Mange ta ville. You can listen to it here.

When I saw yesterday that the TSX was loosing points like crazy, I was concerned, of course, but it was like a déjà vu sensation. Like you know, I already went through a major crash in 2008, and now, its back. This time, the loss are not that major. The TSX gain a couple of points today, which is a good sign. The stock market is quite fragile, I prefer to stay away, enjoy the Jazz Festival. And I have to say, I had quite enjoy it so far. This evening, I took a rest from the Festival. My place was getting distusting and I had no more clean clothes to wear. When the market fall, the best thing to do is, of course, not to sell, just keep going, to something else than counting the money loss. I should be more concerned by all the money loss, but if I decided to invest my money in stocks and other, its for a long run. And I belive that no one should be afraid, no one should sell. Not now. Regarding yesterday loses, Barack Obama himself said he was optimisted and it seem he really wanted to calm investors. It work for me, Barack Obama could tell me to take a wild run into traffic that I would do it. You know, like me and Obama, its for life. So it Barack Obama is optimisted, I am too. And of course, I won’t sell my investment and you should do exactly the same thing, best friend advice. So far in my investment, I had been lucky enough to manage myself in a way that it alow me to keep my assets on the market. I never had to sell an investment in which I had loss money. I had loss money, but I like to say that no loss is official until losses are declared, meaning that there is no losses until the assets is sell. So technically speaking, I didn’t loose so far in my investment life any money at all and this is making me the best of all. I mean the best investor see. lol……

You have to laugh in those difficult time and not to sell your investments is extremely important at this point. The market will again one day reach the 15 000 points and when it will, we’ll all say, we are back in 2008. Just like in 2008. So strange because I open my broker account at TD Waterhouse just before the stocks crash. I like to think about it in a way that God decided it was going to be this way for me so I can take advantage at what in passing by. Either it is a recession, a laid off from BMO Bank of Montreal or buying stocks at a great price value. You know, that kind of deal.

The stock market is all crap, but companies are still paying dividend. And talking about dividend, I had received lately 16.65$ from Methanex Corporation (MX), 15.33$ from
Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN) and 21.60$ from The Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund (CWI.UN). I finally got my Consumers’ Waterheater to DRIP. I had around 32$ in cash in my broker account. The money will go as payment on my credit line. At this time, I had to choose between making another investment (again!) or keep the money in cash in case of need. I decided to pay off my credit line a bit. I am working this weekend at my weekend job but as for now, it’s a week to week situation as a lack of work is coming to hit me soon.

This is actually really funny in a way because in the last couple of weeks, I said that my next investment was going to be 100 stocks of Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A). Yesterday, when the TSX was loosing more than 300 points, most of the companies I had invested in had lost value. But one company had gain value in my portfolio yesterday. Just one. And that one was Corby Distilleries (CDL.A). Believe it or not, yesterday, Corby Distilleries had finished the day at 15.85$ per stock! Guess I am now a good stock picker! Because its all about the pick, investment in stocks is only about the company that you yourself will choose. I should say that Derek Foster is a good stock picker and I am pretty damn good to follow his picks! There’s something about magic when it comes to Corby Distilleries (CDL.A), I am telling you.

Happy Canada Day to all real Canadians. :O)