Worst day ever

The day went just fine, but at a point, I get upset at some point of the day. It take a lot of self control to ge through things like I am getting through and I am really happy to have my blog to at least be able to, if not doing something concrete about it, just to get some kind of a compensation. Anyway, what happen just show the stupidity of the whole thing and maybe some of my own stupidity. I was at my morning job – I was actually working this morning. Everything went super fine. At 1:30pm, at the time I usually finish, one of the supervisors tells something about me, that I could stay until 3PM if I wanted.

Which I was quitted happy of, but than, the other supervisor just told the exact opposite, that I had to go. That what piss me off. And I get to a point that I now have enough. Most of their major projects got cut off anyway and they are not very kind to anyone. They have as excuses that its because of the recession that’s going on in the states, but if they were just a bit more professional in their manners, maybe a lot would had been done in a much better way. I know them to well now and I know they did it just to piss me off. They were running out of numbers anyway and I could see that there was not going to have that much samples for the bunch of people we were. And anyway, I got tired of survey job. My life just makes any sense.

I get through the reading of the documentation I had received from BNS today and I have to say, I find it very interesting. I will probably vote FOR all the propositions. I just find it very cheap from the administration board of Scotia Bank to come along and say ok, here is why you have to vote AGAINST… It’s having the complete opposite effect on me. And when I go through the reading, from what I cam over from my very little interpretation is that the administrative board is suggesting voting AGAINST the different proposals because they do not defend their causes. And there that lady over there who do not even hold 200 stocks of BNS and she’s from the administrative board. Which I find totally out of the track. How can you be on the board of a society if you not only hold 200 stocks? That one had to get out of there and I want her out of there. Oh lol. With me, everyone is going to loose their job. I want them all out of there.

Since I am not working tomorrow, I could take the time maybe to go to an hospital for my left hand because its so weird, I don’t know what to think about it, if its broke of what. Its not getting any better or worst. But knowing myself, I will probably just stay up all night ans writting about everything and anything.

Tomorrow, I have no excuses, I can do my RRSP and all the other little thing I need to do. That's including searching for another job! Starting from right now!

Another busy week

This week was quite a busy one, as I get another step in the 2008 RRSP direction lol. I transfer the mutual funds I had at CIBC into RRSP. I proceed over the phone only and everything went smooth. The guy was super good with me and once, I just cut him off and I ask him if he was going to offer me to take a loan lol! (I was still shock from my experience with RBC!!lol). And than he told me that no, he was just letting me no that he could had work out something better for my RRSP, like one of their portfolios but I said no. But it was gentle from him to offer me that and it’s really the best experience I had with an advisor. And it was over the phone. The name of the guy appears on the paper and it’s seem like it might be a sexy Italian guy. He had a very nice voice.

Even with those changes ahead, even with my new RRSP mutual funds at RBC, I do not reach the 7 000$ I need to save in taxes. Anyway, I try very hard. One thing that didn’t help me at all is the fact that the RBC O'Shaughnessy Canadian Equity Fund is close. Which make it impossible to move it into RRSP. At this time, the only « transformation » left and possible is the Fidelity Frontiere Nord mutual fund I own at Desjardins. Lucky am I if, in total, it make an overall of 5 000$ for my RRSP.

Other than that, I am quite busy with all my jobs and other, but the hardest is my morning job, where I have to call almost 2 times per day on weekdays to see if there work available for the next morning. At a point, it’s really driving me crazy and I got tired. I am lucky enough that when I end earlier or when no work is available, I can run to my evening shift and do overtime, as overtime is available even if we are not that much busy. I find it really strange that’s some overtime is available, but I believe they still need, as a contractor, meet their hours and that’s why overtime is available. But it make it very long to make a 12 hours shift at the same job in one day and sometimes, when I learn in the morning that there’s not enough work for me, I just go back home or I go to a coffee shop or do something.

Like right now, I don’t know for sure if I will be working tomorrow morning, but form my end, I don’t think so. Worst part is not having a phone or cell at home so I could call before actually getting out, but I do not have a phone. So each morning, I get ready, phone in when I close to their office, and if they told me yes, there’s work, I just go in and if not, well, at least, there’s my evening job.

But right now, I am tired and if something happing tomorrow, well, I will just go back to sleep. I will be able to sleep in until 14h30 if I feel like it.

But the worst coming from the inside of my left hand. I have this pain since the end of December. Its all begin when I invite that guy to try to fix my laptop for free to the movie, just for fun. But unfortunately for me, he didn’t know where was located the parking lots – its true it’s was a bit difficult to find. And unfortunately for me again, he park in a place where the snow was in ice and once he wanted to go, he was stuck there for good. So I push and I push so hard on the back of his car, there was nothing to do. We were stock until someone stop by and had the proper equipment to get the car out of the snow.

Not that it’s that painful, but it’s very annoying, that little feeling I have in my left hand. I don’t think my hand is broken, as I have no problem to open or close or move my fingers, but anyway, I feel that pain and its make me realize that hey, inside my hand, there might be muscle or something like that lol.

For now, the overall portrait is not looking so bad, but I desperately need a hair cut lol

SOS 2008 RRSP

Yesterday, I finish (again!) early at my morning job, so I call RBC to transfer the mutual funds I transfer too quickly into the free of tax savings account into RRSP. And it was quitted of a challenge. At first, I call and ask if they could transfer the mutual funds I had in the free of tax account outside of it, so after, I could just visit a financial advisor who could had just transferred everything into RRSP and printed out the taxes paper I desperately need. I got the entire plan in my head on how it should have been done, but it didn’t exactly turn out the way I wanted!! lol!! The person I first talk to over the phone explain to me that they would be able to do all the transactions needed onsite. So I ask if someone was available for that afternoon. I had an appointment an hour later with a financial advisor. Until there, everything was working find. Until I actually meet the financial advisor lol!!!

It didn’t turn out the way I wanted. The financial advisor didn’t agree with the move, from moving the mutual funds out of the free of tax account into RRSP. She wanted me to take a RRSP loan at 4.75% with no payment for the first 2 months or something like that.

But hey, where in the world was I going to take the money for a loan? I already have 15 000$ or so in debts right now. Anyway, as I saw she just didn’t want to follow my plan, I apologize to her, saying I had to think about it. But the worst part was when she actually tell me that investing in mutual funds was for long term investment (like am I looking that dumb) and explain I should definitely take a loan and invest in… no mutual funds (that was the worst part was to come) but in MONEY MARKET FUNDS. And I the end, forget about making money through my investments!!! What a shame!

BUT WHY DID SHE WANT ME TO INVEST IN MONEY MARKET FUNDS?

I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to destroy her self-esteem forever.

She gave me a card that I throw away in a garbage can. Before that, she told me she would give me a call to see if I was interested. But I told her not too bother, that I was going to call her (lol) and that anyway, the number I had was just paging number.

Immediately after, I call RBC. And over the phone I explain what I wanted without talking about the meting I just had and without talking about the RRSP loan. But the agent I talk too also suggest me a RRSP loan him too! I was liked what the hell is going on?

RBC is too sell oriented and a bank should be there to help out small investor and it’s a real shame that having to deal with the stupidest financial advisors of all time and ever of my life I will invest through a financial institution. With a brokerage account – no investor profile, no « update » needed (because if I do not update, everything get freeze and out of control).

Anyway, at the end, I explain to the agent that I didn’t have any money left for new investment this year and that I already had a student loan. It was like a desperate situation. It was like no one was willing to help me! I am the one who’s working 80 hours per week for the money and things are going to be one the way I want them! And it did!

But he finally agrees to help me out. But before that, he put me on hold, and I wait and wait and than, I learn the happy news, it was going to be ok; he will transfer everything into RRSP.

But there again (lol!!), I run out of luck.

He calls me in the evening around 8PM because one of the funds I have is now close and it couldn’t be move into RRSP. Financial system is so suck, the only thing it make me wanna do is to run away and never look back. For the rest, it was ok, but the other funds had been put into RRSP. Finally.

Financial advisors really suck and they are just like sale persons and I really dislike financial advisors. I try many times to deal with them, but each time, it didn’t work out too well, as they wanted to keep too much control on my assets. Like I don’t have too much money here and all the decisions regarding my money will be mines. All mines, for the better or the worst.

Dealing with bank, financial advisor and mutual funds, but especially mutual funds is complicated. Its seem like I couldn’t just get the thing transfer like that. They had to sell, and purchase back to transform it into RRSP. Or something like that. But I do not really want to learn more about it. What a nightmare. Or what a nightmare am I.

Next step, is CIBC and Desjardins. I am basically taking everything I have out of RRSP (as mutual funds) and turning them into RRSP. It’s taking a lot of my time and I find taxes, RRSP and financial advisors very annoying and frustrating.

On my every day life

As I just get up early to go to work this morning for nothing. There was no work for me and I had been send back home. I am getting sick of this situation as sometime there’s work and some time not. It’s getting really frustrating. But it was part of my fault, as I didn’t call the previous evening to see if there was work for the next morning. I didn’t call because I taught there was enough work. Yesterday, I did my full shift, 4.5 hours, and everything went fine. Anyway, it’s a chance I can write about it, its provide at least a small release. I call it therapeutic blogging.

The trick with having multiple jobs is to remain calm when critical situation like this one happen. But I feel I deserve better treatment. In the morning, I am free from 8-9am until 3pm the latest. I can barely work 22.5 hours per week at the morning job I have right now and it’s been going on like this for several weeks now. And not only for me, for all other employees too.

I do not really want to get involve into job searching as I dislike searching for job and at a certain point, I just gave up, get into 3 jobs and that’s all. But now the plan is getting hurt a bit because one of them is just not working out correctly. I give myself until the end of the week to see what I will do about it. For now, I enjoy my free morning. But I am just not using the time correctly as I had my RRSP to look at and other. At this time, the situation is not critical. Last week, I work around 19 hours or so, and earn 200$. I just want to earn extra cash at this time.

I just take a quick look at my stocks and right now, PGF.UN is up to 9.83$, FTS is at 24.27$, SSI remain at 4$, which is better, and TIM down to 4.29$, BNS up at 31.52$, MX up at 12.04$, my funny BN down at 0.02 cents… and I could continue watching like this all day long, but it wouldn’t make any difference.

I had a friendly talk, if I can call with a colleague of mine. It was getting really quiet and than he begins to ask me why I was working at this place, the salary is low; I am bilingual (!!) and so on. The funny part came when he told me that I was the only one around who was a Quebecker and than, I told him proudly that I wasn’t a Quebecker, that I am from New Brunswick and so on… I didn’t go through the overall explanations, but part of the reason I have that night shift because its allow me to have a morning and beginning of the afternoon other job. And its also allow me to wok at another place during the weekend. But of course, I didn’t go through all this with him.

And another part of the reason why I remain like this is that before I had a well paying job, back in somewhere 2006, I was around 20$ per hour, but too much was taking away from the pay check – part of it was for the wealth benefits we were receiving and they were also taking money for my RRSP. That year, for the taxes, I was all mess up and really dislike the initiative, as I almost end up investing too much in my RRSP. Anyway, at the end, I was only touching 535$ after taxes per week on my pay check and I couldn’t take any other job with that one because it was too much. It’s after that job experience that I begin to make big money and invest in stocks and so on. And I am happily ever after and never regret the move.

I now have a tax-free savings account

I was quite busy this week as I try to figure out a plan to make things better for me. I realize – but too lately, that I have invested too much in mutual funds. But I believe it was something I had to figure out by myself. It took be time and several reading if DF books. However, I do not regret any attends I made.

I finally read Money for Nothing of DF. At first, the reading was difficult, but I bring the book at work with me to read over again and some guy notice I was reading and come to me, asking what I was reading. At work, it’s aloud to read a book when do not received calls, but we are not allowed to magazines. And recently, we are not receiving as much calls as usual. I just hope I won’t loose my job.

Anyway, I show him the book and he asked me if I had money invested in stocks. I told him that no, that I was only reading the book for fun, telling him that the author was pretty good and that he had self-published 2 other one before this one and so on. I never told anyone about my investments I do not plan to do so. No one knows about my 50 000$. Let say I do not talk to others about my money. I prefer not too and its part of the reason why I prefer to blog anonymously and just to have fun with it by my own. And I have to say, I would look pretty stupid if I would go out about it, as my 3 jobs pay, 10.68$, 12$ and 10$ per hour.

Earlier this week, I open a tax-free savings account at RBC and I transfer some of my mutual funds in there. I was quite happy to learn that it’s possible to reinvest the amount of money I could withdraw from the savings account. It’s a huge benefit. But knowing how much I am paying in taxes, I really needed something like this at this time as my overall earnings before taxes make it around 43 000$. It’s not that much, but for me, it’s a lot. And it might be a lot for the government too as I expect to be paying extra taxes on this salary, unless I invest in my 2008 RRSP.

As usual, I did not invest in a month-to-month basis in my RRSP. With my terrible job situation, I prefer, as always, to wait at the beginning of the New Year. And with all the investments I made this year, I do not have extra money to invest in my RRSP. At this point, I realized I might have done my move too quick in the savings account. The issue being that if I do not invest the max of my limit for the 2008 RRSP, I will probably have to pay extra in taxes. And I currently do not have a penny left to pay on taxes.

I consider moving some of my non RRSP mutual funds into my 2008 RRSP.

On Christmas Eve

Its Christmas and I just arrived from work. Outside, it’s raining, and water got inside my boots and I am really thinking on purchasing a new pair on Boxing Day. My laptop got infected by several viruses and I have been dealing with the problem for several days now. On Boxing Day, Staples have a special on Norton 360 and, before even getting new pair of boots; I want to purchase a good anti-virus. I also have an eye on a mini-laptop, which is at 299$. At the end, it’s all make a big deal of money. I still have something to pay on my credit line since I purchase not those long ago Fortis stocks. I am really into that stocks thing now and nothing make me happier than seeing my portfolio grow, even if it’s lost half its value. But I am still on in and I believe I will continue like that for a while, until I get tired of loosing money like crazy.

The major problem is that I begin to purchase stocks just a couple of months ago. And since we are in the middle of what so ever recession, I just follow the flow, just like other, I am loosing money.

Another problem is that I am getting addictive and it’s a good thing I can move funds from my credit line to my brokerage account. I know it wasn’t made to help me out – but just to make money from small investor like me, but I really enjoy it and so far, the way I have handle it is that as soon as all the amount due on the credit line being paid off, I take another loan to purchase other stocks and so on. And if I keep investing like this, I might no be able to see positive result anytime soon, because markets are so volatile. It’s exhausting me. And I wanted my 50 000$ so hard, it’s so silly and funny at the same time. Sometimes, I take a look at my blog and I laugh at myself because it’s just make no sense and its hilarious, the way its stand out, My first 50 000$, in a so basic English. So innocence and naive, I just love it. And I prefer to blog in English just for the fun of it.

I might have talk about it earlier, but my next projects are, opening a tax-free account at RBC and move in some of my mutual funds I already have with them. I just hope such move is possible. I really enjoy the fact that yearly, an average of 10 000$ per year (5 000$ into the tax free account and the other half in RRSP) can grow away from taxes.

Second project is being to put money in my RRSP because I know for sure that if not I will probably have to pay taxes and I won’t let that happen. I just worried where I am going to take the money from. Like right now I only have enough to cover the expenses of January. Next paycheck in January will all go on the credit line and so on. And I just keep going like that over and over again. But is there anything else I love most than money?

Tomorrow, I am off and I am quite happy. I have been spending a lot of time working on my computer. Next step for me will be to test it into a cafe. My problem being I cannot connect to Wireless which status is Excellent. I can only connect when status is Low or Very low. I have been reading on the topic and I find the word of virus very interesting. But at the same time, I am kind of amused of myself since I have been going on Wireless for so long without the appropriate protection. It’s just like having sex with a complete stranger without any protection…

Anyway, let say I can pretty much handle any kind of situation. And reaching the goal of a laptop without virus had amused me as much as working at reaching my first 50 000$.

And I had been thinking even deeper, about my situation, having to work at 3 jobs just for the money. But I am at the point that I would like to find better paying jobs and it might be possible. It won’t be that of a challenge to find a job paying at least 15$ per hour. But at the same time, I don’t know if I should place my move knowing I am quite ok the way things are at this time. I have been thinking about this over and over again and I finally decide to remain the way I am right now for at least another year or until I have enough of saving money and trying too hard.

But life had been unfair with me but things are the way they are and I am spending the Christmas Eve along in front of my computer.

Just getting better

Things are getting a lot better for me those last days. First, I got my laptop repair last week. I had a problem with it, I couldn’t use the Wireless connection – so I couldn’t connect to the Internet since I always go to a cafe about once a week or so to connect. I got it repair from a guy at my workplace and he was generous to do it for free, after refusing the 60$ I had offer him. That’s for the laptop.

It’s been officially been more than a year that I am at my full-time day job as a customer representative. I plan to maybe look for a better job later on. But for now, it’s still working pretty well for me the 3 jobs all combine together. It’s just I can get pretty tired sometimes and my morning job is killing me, as they continue to cut some hours from time to time. And they sometime tell me to call in the early morning to see if they have work available. And it’s killing me because I don’t have a cell or phone at home and I have to get ready anyway, each morning and call from a pay phone to see if they have work. For now, I only have a little pager. I wouldn’t like to have too much bills to pay as for now my mainly expenses are my rent and my student loans. After the regular living expenses, I wouldn’t like to have a lot of bills to pay as it will kill me to have less money to invest. And forgive about paying on my student loan, I enjoy purchasing stocks too much for now.

I now pay off my credit line at TD Canada Trust and it’s just amaze me how much I can save and pay off debt really quickly. Taking money from my credit line to purchase stocks might not be the best thing to do, but I do what I want and what I like about this is no one has a word to say on anything.

Next big project is my RRSP. I plan to save money from December to March 2009 for it. This year, I have around 7 000$ I can invest in my RRSP and I can’t wait to be finally done with it, and the taxes. Its look good for this year, I might be able to make a bit more than 40 000$ which is a lot knowing that just a year or so, I was down to almost have of this. It’s really difficult to make this amount after taxes for me. And I just hope to me able to make more money in 2009 but I haven’t think of doing anything extra, but maybe joining the army but I am in bad shape and I gain a little weight by working 80 hours a week and not doing that much exercise. And I am white like dead. The only things I like about myself now are my hair. But that have nothing to do with my money.

Latest details

For now, I lost of money. And from what I read around, the worst is to come. I didn't sale any of my investment. I might had lost thousands of dollars, but I didn't count how much money I now had, because I know it could happen I only now worth 20 000$ or so. And I probably won't be able to reach my first 50 000$ by the end of the year, but I don't bother. I plan to leave things like they are and invest the max for my RRSP. Which mean I still need to save a 7 000$ by the end of March 2009.

But now, things are more difficult than ever, especially now.

I got flag at my evening job. I laugh at a client, but from my part, it wasn't a laugh in the sense of I am making fun of you; it was a laugh about the situation. Anyway, I learn the hard way, not to laugh at anything. I am pretty serious most of the time, but knowing I work from 9 am to midnight - in 2 different jobs daily, I might got tired at some point and started laughing. After all, maybe I was laughing at myself. Who knows? That’s for the first thing that is going wrong. But luckily, I didn't get suspend - but it was a final written warning. No more laughing. My job is so easy, I am not supposed to loss control.

The price of my monthly rent just gets higher of 15$. When I receive the news, I didn't react. No reaction at all. I am just tired of life and my life in Quebec. I hate Quebeckers and all the rest.

Lack of work at my part-time morning week-days job. I was giving 22.5 hours and since 2 or 3 weeks, I never been able to make my hours.

Other than that, just in date of today, I had another bad surprised at my week-end job as I present myself to work and they told me....... to go back home.... And my whole day was pay. It's the last time I ever present myself there. They went to far my lying to me, saying that they had try to reach me. And I won't accept any lies, just plan to change of week-end job. And good-bye. It's very liberating to use big words in my written. I had a friend of mine who’s under therapy - and for me, instead of exploding, I just use the F word and it's just do the thing. It really does. I just love to use a rude language in writing, as I never used such language in real life. Because my blog is not real, my money disappears and it's really nothing at all.

I am job searching. I didn't search for a job since, I believe - the month of February 2008. It's been 7 months since no job searching. I taught everything would have been ok. Money was coming like crazy. For the month of September, I earn more than 3 000$ after taxes. That's money! I would like to have a job offering 30 hours weekly, flexible, mornings and week-ends. I just don't understand why things are the way they are for me. I sometime laugh at myself by thinking that I am too good for myself, I am too highly skills, my portfolio rock no matter what no one thing, Quebeckers are just too stupid to get that, I am a cool girl and I belong to someplace else.

In the meantime, since I am stuck here, I am job searching and just pray I could find a steady part-time job because right now.

On what to do next

I am still earnings good amount of money because of my 3 jobs and I am wondering what to do next. If I should keep investing like I was doing, in mutual stocks or funds, or should I strat just putting money away in the ING Direct account that I have or should I finally start to pay off more seriously those student debts that I have.

I had been thinking of all this lately and I am still interest in investing anyway, at least a final try if I can say. I would like some Bank of Nova Scotia stocks. If the market can get low enough, good opportunities will show up, just like it's the case with Rogers Communication right now.

It might be in my interest to save also for my incoming RRSP of 2008 but there still time ahead to save 7 000$. I was thinking that the period of December 2008 to mid-March 2009 to save the money and before that, I could basically do whatever I want with my savings until December.

It's very difficult to see all my value going away like that and I just hope things will get better and start making money from those investments.

About my TD Waterhouse account

When I first open my account at TD Waterhouse, I invest 4 000$ in it. I invest an extra 2 000$ not so long ago, for a total of 6 000$. I was planning to invest an extra 2 000$, so it will make a final 8 000$. But now, I do not know and I don’t know which direction I should take. And it’s all because of a stupid letter I receive from TD Waterhouse.

I also have that 7 000$ to invest for my RRSP, so starting next month, I will begin to save for that RRSP. I just hope to be able to save enough money to follow all my plans. I am getting better with my cold and since I was off this morning, I slept in and later on I try to do some search in those iShares I am so interested in. I had an eyes on the iShares for quite some times now, but I could never invest in them, since the only way to purchase them is with a brokerage account, which I now have, but I do not know anymore if I should stick with TD Waterhouse.

TD Waterhouse or not, I plan to purchase 8 000$ in iShares:

2 500$ in iShares CDN LargeCap 60 Index
2 500$ in iShares CDN Materials Sector Index
3 000$ in iShares CDN Energy Sector Index

Each transaction will cost me 29$ each, if I stay with TD, for a total of 87$ (and does taxes applied??). There’s still a lot I don’t know about my TD Waterhouse account, like will those fees will be bill to me or will they send a somewhat invoice. I have been giving a brochure, but it doesn’t worth nothing, it’s not like a step by step guide and there’s nothing there that can help me.

The only reason why I get a TD Waterhouse account is because Derek Foster has one. At least it’s what he said in his book. And than I kept wondering if TD had paid him to be there in is book…. Anyway, so far, I don’t have many great things to say about TD Waterhouse. A big plus for me is that there is no fees related to inactivation, like if no investments are made for a long period of time, I won’t get any fees because I register to the eService. This is perfect for me because all the investments I made are for a long term basis. I begin to invest in 2005 and since that time, I never pick money in one of my mutual funds or other.

But I cannot say I do recommend TD Waterhouse because their customer service is really disgusting. A clear example of that: whenever you call to have information regarding your account, they don’t ask for security question. For a call I made, the last one actually, I call, and ask question to the customer representative about a letter I receive. I provide my account number and my name, and than I begin to discuss about my issue. Than, I was shock that the representative begin to answers to my question, without asking any security question. Than I told him, you’re giving me information on my account without asking any security question to confirm my identity? He told me that no transaction was aloud, so for him, it was ok to answers my question, check my profile without asking any security question. What a loser. What if one of the letter they send me get lost over the mail, someone else get it, open the precious letter, than, another person than myself has access to my account number and my name. After what that person can call TD Waterhouse, and ask question regarding my account……

If you have taught of TD Waterhouse for your brokerage account, beware. I am thinking of switching to someplace else. I was told that there were no fees for closing the account. So bet what I am doing to do?

The reason of my call was simple, I receive a letter from TD Waterhouse telling me they wanted to confirm my social insurance number and also, they were in need of a piece of identity. They were asking me to send via mail my social insurance number and a piece of ID. I was very upset, since I had presented those pieces when I first open the account. It doesn’t make any sense for me to send my valuable social insurance number to some of the biggest losers of the world via the mail, knowing it can be lost.

And that letter was sign at the name of their Vice President, Lisa O’Toole. I couldn’t believe a Vice President was asking me to send my social insurance number and my piece of ID, which was a birth certificate, by mail to them. I find it so unprofessional. And I am not even talking about the service I receive at the TD Waterhouse located in the Eaton Centre of Montreal. Because no one wants to really know about it.

At this point, I don’t know if it will be better if I close everything, knowing TD Waterhouse agents do not care about giving information to the right person and their Vice President Lisa O’Toole doesn’t care if my ID will get lost in the mail or not.

I hate TD Waterhouse.

Getting ready.... to do my taxes

I contact Caisse Desjardins a couple of days go regarding a problem I had. I didn't receive a tax paper, for Fidelity Frontiere Nord, for the simple and good reason that, according to them, they were not in the obligation to provide one for a reason that I still don't fully understand. But the good news is that now that I have all the papers in hand to proceed with the taxes.

I wanted to do my taxes by myself, but knowing how bad I am at calculating some time, I might just give this job to a professional. I have dozens of papers: from jobs, non RRSP investments, RRSP investments, bank savings account. I also have to declare something like 3 000$ as a freelancer, etc... The only thing I had left to do is to find myself someone who will proceed for me. And I just hope it won't cost me too much.

I have this, and I still have that search for a part-time job that continues. I would like to be able to do those taxes first, and after the taxes, and after open the eServices thing at TD Waterhouse. I could actually do the application online since I already have investments with TD, but as usual, I feel completely lost and I want to make sure I enroll to the right thing, as suggest in the Lazy Investor. So I might want to try to see if I can do this in person instead. I don't have that much to do, but when you work 50 hours weekly, time go past really quickly and I find it difficult to do everything, in reasonable time.

I like the all concept of "lazy" thing because, as it shows in the cover, it's a "no-thinking strategy" and no need to think or to work hard at it, because I already work hard enough. I am just way too curious about the "share certificate". I can't wait to have my first share certificate in hands.

Still no part-time job yet

I am so disappointed, I didn't find a part-time job yet and I am in need of one now. I went to a Linkin Park concert at the Bell Centre on February 22. I gave 40$ to my friend for the ticket, but to that 40 bucks, add money for beer(s), a t-shirt at 35$, and 10$ for stickers… At the end, it do cost a lot, and I gave 1 000$ this month to pay on my credit card. It’s a good thing I don’t go out too much often, it do cost a lot. I am just thinking about my New Year Eve, when I finish the night in an hotel room with the same friend because we couldn’t find a taxi….. or were too … to find one…….. “Taxi, taxi, we need a taxi….”, that’s the way I call for a taxi when I am … But the taxi never come, so we had to find a hotel room, which was easier to find than a taxi…lol!

My 1 000$ check for my credit card, had been taked. I had to say bye bye to a 1 000$. I have been with that debt for a long time now so it was about time I get serious about getting out of credit card debt.

I should be ok to get another 1 000$ on my next pay check. I just hope things will remain the same for the next 2 months. I really want to pay off that credit card debt for goods. But what appear difficult for me now is to remain debt free. Once that credit card is pay off, my student loan will remain. That one doesn’t bother me that much. There was a period of time, was before I start blogging, were I pay 1 000$ per month on my student loan. I did so for about 6 months. Which shortly after I invest in my first fund, Fidelity Frontière Nord. I know I can stay debt free, I just have to stay focus.

My search for a part-time job continues. I had found some part-time job; it could have work out if not of my work schedule. I didn’t really try that hard to find a part time job. I am going to look more seriously this evening. And than, I hope it will work out. I was thinking maybe just work on Saturday and Sunday. During weekdays, my shift at work only begins at 3 pm.

I am off today from my job, but I sleep most of the day. I begin my day at 3 pm, and I have a funny taught, I would like to invest 500$ in the CIBC Monthly Income Fund, non RRSP of course, I don’t want the nightmare to continue… (see previous post “RRSP nightmare” )

I hit the magic 1 000$ on my pay check....

I work 100 hours in 2 weeks, but it had worth it, I just receive a little bit more than 1 000$ as pay and I really appreciate it. I am going to be able to pay 1 000$ on my credit card. After what I will only have left 1 300$ to pay. I plan to pay another 1 000$ next month, and the other month, 300$. In another 2 months, I will be done with this credit card debt. Finally!

I could pay it all immediately, but for security reason, I prefer to pay a little by little. And a 2 months basis is a good schedule. After what the next money will be put for RRSP.

I just refresh a little bit my blog. I believe it look better this way rather than the all pink blog.

I finally got what I wanted with TD

I went back to TD yesterday. I finally was able to get the funds that I wanted. I invest 100$ in each of them, except for one, in which I invest 200$. I was really happy. And after what, I went to work. So in date of today, I am done with my 2007 RRSP and I am quiet tired, running all over the places for my investments. I got a cold and I have been sick. It's the reason why I wasn't happy at all when the advisor told me I will have to come back on yesterday for my mutual funds. But my hard time is finally over.

I believe I have made great choices. I invest in a mix of GIC and mutual funds. I didn't want to put everything in mutual funds. I wanted to have money put in risk free investment because I don't benefit of a pension plan of any employers. And since I also have money put in mutual funds as non RRSP investment, I wanted to put money in a capital guarantee type investment.

Last year, I try segregated fund with Manuvie. 2 of my segregated fund (on 5) had made well. I had invested in those because a couple of them are 100% risk free investment, other 75%. I was anxious last year about putting money in mutual funds for my RRSP, but not anymore, since I now understand more what it's all about.

I didn't lost that much after all.........

I finally had the courage to calculate my total income and investment value in date of January 28, 2008. I haven't calculated my total value since December for my investments. Since I am off today and I have nothing to do since I didn't find a second job. So I proceed and I am quite surprise, I didn't lost that much money with the major crash we had.

I now have in my possession 32 260.73$. I am waiting for my pay this Wednesday after midnight. I should have around 1 000$. I did a bunch of extra hours, since I currently have no place else to work. So we can say 33 260.73$...

I cheat on my "no expense" goal for last week and this week, but that doesn't really matter. My total expenses for the month of January are only of 1 160.65$. If I could make 1 000$ after taxes every 2 weeks, I will be good and I will keep the same job for quite a while. It's almost 1 000$ per month that I could put in savings.

I still have 2 500$ to invest for my RRSP, so I hope I will be able to do that tomorrow, at Caisse Desjardins or TD, I don't know. I am quite tired and I just hope it will turn for the best.

My search for RRSP solution continue

I just don't want to be stuck like last year, being at the last minute to invest in my RRSP. I might try to invest in December. My day contract will end on December 4, so I will have time after that to do the little things I need to do.

Last year, for my RRSP, I went to Manuvie and I buy distinct funds. I sign for a period of 20 years. I will a future post on distinct funds and I will explain further why I pick distinct funds last year for my RRSP.

On of the reason is that I am searching for risk free investments for my RRSP. Since I don't have right now a stable situation, I have been going on like that on contract since I graduate, I am looking for risk free, capital guarantee investment. And exception for that might be Canadian dividends. The BMO Dividends appears to me to be a good one. I might invest half of the amount in Canadian Dividends (in a mutual fund) and the other half in a save money pocket product.

I continue my search for capital guaranteed product and it's exhausting me, since I don't want to rely only on advisor advice for this. It's my money and I want to make sure I am making the right decision. I have something like more than 5 000$ to play with for my RRSP. The question that still remains to me is: where should invest my RRSP money?

I know distinct funds fees are pretty high, but since a contract is sign, that include a specific period of time (for mines, I sign for about 20 years if I remember), I felt more safe about the investment.

Money in mutual funds still remains mysterious for me. I know the money is put at my name, put where's really the money? Is there a risk it can be stole? That's what I am really concern about. But at the same time, after noticing that some mutual funds have millions and millions put in them, I told myself that if their some many people who invest money in mutual funds, that's mean that they are safe products. But am I right? By safe product, I mean no one can touch the money except me, and that the money I gain from the funds remains mine, even if it's not money that I have in my bank account.

I am having the same scaring thoughts about stocks. What if the system crack down and loose everyone name and amount of money the people had made so far. Can this is something that could happen at any time? I just think too deeply and stocks and mutual funds still remain mysterious for me, even if I had bought my first mutual fund in 2005. I am just a beginner trying to make my way out, but comforting me by saying that millions of other person are doing the same thing as me and are making money not only from mutual funds, but also stocks, there should be no fear. The only thing is the fear remains and I believe it will still remains until I truly understand what stocks and mutual funds are really about.

A 4% savings account with RBC

It's seemed like RBC have it all! Good mutual funds, 10 000$ credit card and... high interest savings account!

If I will not use the 10 000 credit card I had with them, I will, instead, open a savings account. The interest is of 4%. On 9 459.13$, it's make a return of at least 378.37$. I can definitely add 378.37$ to my actual 28 704.03$ (in date of September 24, 2007). It' quite amazing that I have so much money. Having 28 000$ is like having a little fortune for myself.

But surprise, with that 378.37$, I can happily say that I have 29 082.40$... I don't have it yet, but hey, I have to motivate myself in a way in another, so I hope no one will mind if I change the actual 28 704.03$, for 29 082.40$... I am changing it right away... And I am forgiving the tax once again...

I learn that with PC, I could have a free bank account, but they don't offer it to Quebec residents, which is really too bad.

Same thing with ING Direct. ING have start offering mutual funds, but they only expose this offer in the English version of their Web site. It's because they do not sell mutual funds to Quebec residents. Being in Quebec is very frustrated for me because I pay more tax in my non RRSP investing and their are some good offers that I am missing.

My Money News

Regular savings:

Bank account: 9 459.13$
ING Direct: 289.44$
TOTAL: 9 748.57$

Value of my non RRSP Mutual Funds:

RBC Global Resources fund: 1 050.61$
RBC U.S. Mid-Cap Equity Fund C$: 2 302.03$
RBC O'Shaughnessy Canadian Equity Fund: 3 418.03$
RBC O'Shaughnessy International Equity Fund: 971.87$
RBC O'Shaughnessy All-Canadian Equity Fund: 1 153.34$
Fonds Desjardins Fidelity Frontière Nord: 1 306.06$

TOTAL : 10 201.94$
Initial value: 9 300$
Total of money made in mutul funds: 901.94$

Money put in RRSP: 9 042.96$

TOTAL: 28 704.03$

PS: The money made in RRSP Placement is missing. I only provide the initial amount of money that has been invest.

Overview of my financial situation on date of August 13, 2007

Debts:
Student loans: 12 369.03$ at 8.750 %

Credit card debt:
AE: 2308.66$ at 7.99%
AE: 11.50$ at 18.50%
TD Credit line: 56.64$ at 10.50%
TD Visa: 19.58$ at ?
CIBC Visa: 419.47 at ?

Total credit cards debt: 2 815.85$

TOTAL DEBT: 15 184.88$

RRSP:
Total of money put in my RRSP so far: 9 042.96$

Non RRSP investments:
Money put in non RRSP investments: 6 100$

Savings:
ING Direct: 288.76$
Savings: 11 325.73$

Big total (RRSP + non RSP investments + savings - debts) in date of August 12, 2007:
26 757.45$ - 15 184.88$ = 11 572.57$

Almost there…. I am half away of my 50 000$ and I think I can easily get there. Why? Because I am a hard worker and I have really few expenses. In 3 months from now, in November 2007, I believe I will have a total of 33 000$ in cash flow. With all that money, should I pay my debt or invest the money in mutual funds?