My plan to reach $35,000 in savings by the end of 2023

The TSX almost closed the past session within 20,800 points, leaving my non-registered portfolio at $147,997.55, my US portfolio at $5,066.31, my RRSP stocks-only portfolio at $65,358.95, and my TFSA portfolio at $127,967.12.

It has been an easy week for the TSX, but in New Brunswick, the weather was very cold and not much fun. The upcoming week should be better, except for tomorrow.

This past Friday, I was watching BNN, but I had shut down the TV sound. At some point, I glanced at the screen just in time to read that Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners L.P. (BEP.UN) was increasing its dividend distribution by 5.5%! This also includes Brookfield Renewable Corporation Class A Exchangeable Subordinate Voting Shares (BEPC). In my opinion, BEP.UN and BEPC should trade under the same ticket because they are essentially the same company. Dealing with both BEP.UN and BEPC just adds unnecessary complications to the game. And it's not only BEP.UN and BEPC, but also Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP.UN)... Just like BEP.UN and BEPC, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP.UN) also increased its dividend distribution. To be honest, all those Brookfield companies are quite confusing for me.

Lately, all these dividend increases have been quite encouraging. It's coming as a surprise to me, given the inflation, I would have thought that businesses would rather keep their cash in their pockets. But hey, I take what I can get and I am very happy with all these dividend increases. Inflation is super high, interest rates are increasing, and, strangely, at the same time, the unemployment rate in the US is at its lowest since... 1969. It's a strange mix that doesn't make much sense. For that reason, I prefer to focus on my savings. With my upcoming paycheck, I should be close to $16,000. By the end of 2023, I think I will be able to reach $35,000 in savings, even allowing for some extra expenses. I already have a large exposure to stocks through my investment portfolios. It makes sense to build up some savings. This task is easier when the temperature ranges between -40 and -20 outside... I don't remember experiencing such cold temperatures in New Brunswick. I won't forget this winter, that's for sure.

Due to the cold weather and my desire to spend more time inside, I have become increasingly active on Twitter. With all the extra time I have been spending inside, Twitter has become a great source of entertainment and distraction. You can follow me on Twitter, @SunnyJNB