Hot super stocks of the moment: Aphria Inc. (APH) and Bombardier Inc. (BBD.B)

Bombardier Inc. (BBD.B) didn't closed the day at $4 per share, but at $3.60, with a gain of 1.69%, BBD.B stocks are not going no where. There's here a small, but there's progression. Its going to be interesting to see in the next couple weeks in which direction the title will hit, high or low. Its nice to bet a small amount of money on this one - but nothing much. At the current time, Bombardier Inc. is not a real investment for serious investors. At this time, BBD.B is more on gambling side than on the investing style.

Talking gambling, my Aphria Inc. (APH) stocks are - like usual - super volatile!!!

But I don't understand, APH stocks went down today, despite very good news. And it kind of make me laugh because the weed business really seem to be international! Other than for medical purposes, I don't understand why an individual would actually smoke weed. Canada is making a really wrong move by legalizing a recreational use of marijuana. Its quite disgusting. When you are in good health, you should look forward to preserve your gift of life and your good judgement. Because its the foundation of everything, and I wouldn't have a $221 000 net worth of my really own if I would had worked at destroying my very perfect judgement by smoking weed, smoking cigarettes, or even by drinking. Tobacco and alcohol are two major problems that we have to deal with everyday, why is our good government is adding more to madness?

Personally, I would like a strong government who's really into protecting the rights and health of the citizens. But we cannot expect much from Justin Trudeau, who came born Quebecker and who's own mother was pretty much an addict herself. Justin Trudeau is nothing more than an illustration of where he's coming from. I already told you, you should really not ever ever trust Quebeckers. Not only do they have very low level of judgement, but once they take leadership, like Justin Trudeau, they truly become a threat to the well being of the very good Canadians.

Story short, Aphria Inc. (APH) wants to do business with Nuuvera (NUU). NUU is currently doing business in Europe, Africa and the Middle East... Middle East, really? Anyhow, its not that I am really impress by all this weed. I first invested in APH because of its involvement in the medicinal marijuana. Weed is a drug, but use wisely, it can help others who are living with trauma, including individuals living with cystic fibrosis, among others.

I will never be in favor of the legislation of marijuana. Federal government should be doing everything that its in its control to protect citizens, not to open the doors to even more debauchery and drugs. Justin Trudeau will die in hell at the end of his life for doing this to the braves of braves.

Weak leader, weak country.

Another poor man, another Quebecker only deserve the same end: Patrick Isaac. Its kind of sad that some individuals believe that to have a relationship with God, you need to give money away to a fuck up guru. We are already paying from our life the price of our existence and the rest is all God who owns our payers to make us only glamorous and rich if wanted. Its a one-per-one relationship, nothing else. People are so obsess with money and success that its killing all of their good judgement. Remember: at the end of the day, you need to keep track of all of your living expenses and that absolutely exclude any religious donations. 

Religious donations are not needed in any way because God is inside every inch of you and no place else. Religious gurus are not needed. Anyone who represent himself or herself as a servant of God, just run away from them. Dedication to religion before human being is a sign of weakness. Its easier to live a life dedicated to God - rather than dealing with everyday shit.

When you are a sexy smart ass, you don't give away your money for free and for to no one, whatever the reason is. And especially not to ANY Quebeckers. That's being a smart ass dear Canadian readers.

And now, the question you need to ask yourself: are you, like the Dividend Girl, a smart ass?

Welcome in my TFSA portfolio Bombardier Inc. (BBD.B)

Only 3 days left to the month of January. For this month, my expenses were of $1 458.15, which is quite good. I like to keep my receipts, and I write down the amounts spend in my agenda on a daily basis. I find it help me to cut off my expenses. Its actually help a lot. Another trick is not to buy any new clothes. The only extra expense I did this month was to get a hair cut. I was planned for getting an hair cut only on March 31, but I couldn't stand myself anymore. I have long hair, but when they get below down the shoulders, I just can't stand myself. So rather than cutting them myself, I decided it was wiser to pay a visit to the hair dresser. And so did I, and I feel better. In result, I should be able to find easily my next investment, and of course, so I did.

Its actually nothing new, I wrote about this one in the past, but I am now thinking more seriously about investing in Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.B). Rogers Communication offer an interesting dividend and the company make good money, so why not. RCI.B is a pretty good stock pick. Its getting harder and harder to pick some new stocks for my portfolio because I already have so many of them... This investment portfolio of mine is getting XXL.

For many years, I had been holding to some Agrium stocks inside my non-registered portfolio. Agrium seems to be a lot better than Potash, so I stick to Agrium stocks only and I ever invested in Potash because Agrium seem to be much better... And I was right all the way of course. I had made fantastic capital gain on AGU, everything was perfect... until Agrium announced its merger with Potash. The two companies are now known as Nutrien Ltd (NTR). Unfortunately, NTR is not as powerful as Agrium was when it was standing alone. I lost some great value inside my portfolio because of this new business situation for Agrium. In the immediate time, I don't think that NTR can anytime catch up the old value and success that Agrium had. Its just really disappointing. And just to make things worst, I didn't find any info yet regarding NTR dividend. I have no idea of how much the dividend yield will be. I like stocks that bring capital gains in the house and Nutrien Ltd is just there yet. 

I had less than $500 available in my TFSA account to invest and this past Friday, I decided to quickly invest in Bombardier Inc. (BBD.B). Now that the CSeries can be sell in the US, everything is now possible for BBD.B stocks - It could, why not... reach the $5 per stock.... Which is ridiculous in a way, because its nothing substantial, $5 per stock... But I like to play sometimes and I am willing to risk, but only a cute tiny amount of cold fresh cash into Bombardier, and only for my benefit. I hope for a quick hit-and-sell move. Can Bombardier reached the $4 per stock Monday morning?

YES, please.

Éliane Gamache Latourelle: from rich to poor, another little Quebecker liar

Instead of My first $50 000, I should had name my blog My first $500 000, because in my eyes, real richness begin on a rock of 500k, but got to start somewhere I guess. Money mean so much in our modern society that people can easily go crazy and lie regarding their financial situation. Its certainly not an easy thing to build a portfolio, its what I write most of the time, and on how to save money. Both investing and saving money are not simple tasks. Building strong asset is the work of a life time. It take willingness to proceed, and even more than that. You need to be quite of a special bitch.

Today, I was ready this really sad story in La Presse. A Quebecker of the name of  Éliane Gamache Latourelle was making a living on the back of poor entrepreneur, asking $5 000 for a year of coaching which seem like was going no where and wasn't really rewarding for people who subscribed. After a little while, Latourelle twisted game was to have her students invest in companies owned by her... She had wrote two books in which she described how she reached 1 million asset before she turned 30. But fact is, Éliane Gamache Latourelle, proud Quebecker, is dead poor, and doesn't have a penny at her own. 

Its a sad story, but Éliane Gamache Latourelle is just another Quebecker who has no head on her shoulders. Quebec province is full of those little insects.

Looking for investment ideas and ways to save money? Stay right here baby. You are so on the best place to be right now and best of all, ALL MY SHIT IS FREE. ALL OF it, at the exception of course of my body, which would cost too much, so you can't no way really afford.

Lucky lucky lucky you.

Currently, the TSX is a boring place to be, I am all light up, but I don't feel any joy or deep excitement inside. I currently have a left over close to $500 cash inside my TFSA. Its just a matter of where to place my money. One of my latest investment in BMO Bank of Montreal had performed quite well. I can at least be happy about that...

What I really need right is to find THE STOCK that will turn be on and bring the excitement back in my life. And to so I will pray God and all His little angels and I will check on a bit more on Stockopedia.

Please God help me.

These days, Donald Trump turn me on

Its hard to say where I actually stand with it comes to Donald Trump because sometimes, I can get really upset at him, and other times, Donald Trump is my hero. What I admire in Donald Trump is mostly hos family values. He doesn't give a damn of what people think and he doesn't hesitate to put some close family members in his political surrounding - and that's something super fresh and arrogant but no else seem to really care. In other words: Donald Trump can do whatever he wants, no one can certainly stop him!

I also like Donald Trump very strong political views: I like the idea of blocking some immigrants coming from terrorist countries to go visit the USA. Its a brave decision, and need to remain. We should be doing the same in Canada. Anytime someone from an Islamic terrorist country visit a democratic one, there's a risk. Why should we risk anything for others? Muslims should remain between them. Even better, Muslims should be ban from Canada. I don't like seeing Muslims people around me and I don't like to see young girls wear a veil, its an act of pure oppression and here in Canada, young women shouldn't be allow to wear veils. Here in Canada, we are not brave enough to discuss real problems. And Muslims are a problem that we have to deal with now because we had welcomes those immigrants we shouldn't have.

I love Donald Trump because he's a hard leader. I love Donald Trump he speaks. When he said that Haiti is a shit country, Haiti is a shit country. But no else has the courage to say so. Industrial countries have a lot of money to Haiti but because corruption and poor quality leaders of the like of Michaëlle Jean who are good at spending big money big time rather than focusing on solution - because of poor Haiti leaders like Michaëlle Jean, all the money we give to Haiti goes up to nothing at all. No one should get upside when Donald Trump only say the cold hard true. Because at the end, we are the ones who have to deal with those Haitian immigrants.

I like Donald Trump because he's simply to afraid to break outsiders, and market agreements. And he makes sure that absolutely everything serve the interest of the US, no no one else. I like Donald Trump because he's selfish, and absolutely don't care of the opinion of others. And he's about to shake up things so deeply that at the end, the US will get only richer.

Donald Trump is only a strange - but positive role leader. NAFTA could go on and off, even me, I am totally blindness, I have no intuitions on what is going to open what so ever. I am like Trump, completely dead inside.

I love you Donald Trump, and you save NAFTA, I am willing to reward you mister with a massage.

Hello, happy savers

I was thinking about that annual budget I kept writing about, and I had forgot two annual expenses: my Norton antivirus subscription and my accounting fee for my 2017 tax declaration. Once you begin writing down all the ultra necessary expenses, you quickly realize that life is not cheap and there's just no easy way to save money other than the hard way. My current budget is super strict, but I don't have any problem to respect it, at least so far. Something that is helping me a lot is to pay all living expenses, or most of it, using cash. I currently have a credit of $55.60 on one of my credit card, which I partly happily use to pay for grocery today... Living on the viable minimum is doable, and among the way, you get use to it, and it become a way of living. I haven't push the saving habit that hard for a really long time. I used to be really good at this, but I didn't lose any of my natural flair in that matter.

I have an upcoming trip to Cuba coming really shortly so I am just trying my best to reduce my daily expenses, especially knowing that others are to come... At least my trip is already paid for.

Currently, my net worth is about the same as it was back in December 29... of last year (2017), about $221 000. Nothing is easy on the stock market right now. Even the USA are dealing with problems of their own with the nation budget. Its quite something to see the most powerful country of the world going through a complete government shutdown on their expenses. Its such a pity. And there's absolutely no better example on why we should all be working hard at saving money. We cannot simply rely on no one, especially the USA. Its our duty to make the most of our money, and especially those poor Montrealers who have no choice. They have to accept those very high tax increased.

Quebeckers are well known for being cheaters and liars, and Valérie Plante is not any different from the cheap crowd. I unfortunately had confident in her, I felt she was less hypocrite than Denis Coderre, but oh mistake, Valérie Plante is just like any other Montreal mayor who had been before her: pure fresh incompetent. And I am satisfy in my ego in a certain way, because all this confirm what I had always said when it come to Quebeckers. Real people good at playing their cheap attitude cards. In her case, Valérie Plante had made a promised, not to increase the municipal taxes more than the inflation rate. However, currently, the average tax bill will go up by 3.3 per cent int he upcoming year.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND? NEVER PUT YOUR TRUST IN A QUEBECKER.

NEVER.

Believe me when I say, this is not a racist behavior, its a measure to protect myself, and any other outsiders from the lack of caring in Quebec society. I like to document my blog with real facts surrounding my financial life and I am only doing it for one reason: to help others in the best way that I can. Its my legacy and despite the fact that you'll never know who I am, I will always give the best of my advices, the best of my financial advices, all the best of me for $0.

You cannot trust mayors like Valérie Plante. She's not the real deal. Valérie Plante is the perfect example of a Quebecker which you cannot trust. And its why its really important not to own a home or a condo while living in such an awful place. Citizens are paying for nothing, and I don't want to be one of those dumb ass. Unfortunately, I am paying in a way or another, because its probably sure that this tax increase will reflect on my rent somehow. But its better to be a renter, its less of a big financial stress. And I truly don't believe int he richness of the Montreal house market.

Even Amazon agree.

A new stock, new money in the wood thanks to Stockopedia: Clairvest Group Inc. (CVG)

It seem like its been just way too long since I didn't pay a visit to Stockopedia. It will be hard for me to resume what Stockopedia is because I am writing too lately and running out of time. But for me, Stockopedia is the place where I like to check on for new stock ideas. Stockopedia best feature are their very awesome screens. Want to invest like Peter Lynch, Warren Buffett or James O'Shaughnessy? Well that's what offer Stockopedia. All of the stocks I pick using Stockopedia had been quite good stock picks. 

AAR.UN, MRG.UN, WSP, SIA, my very awesome PLC, and RPI.UN - just to name those few, all of those wonders had been picked using Stockopedia. 

Today, I made a new stock discovery using Stockopedia: Clairvest Group Inc. (CVG), it pay a little tiny dividend, but it has a very great chart - just the way I like them, all the way up.

Easy ways to save money in your everyday life on a tight pushy budget

I simply don't believe this! After my Johnny, France Gall, its now Dolores O'Riordan who left too early this earth for I hope a better a place. She was only 46! I was born in 1980 and during my teenage years, Dolores O'Riordan was the girl you just dream to be. Her voice make it easy to listen to any of the Cranberries songs.

I think this one if my all time Cranberries song:

I think it was just a year or so ago that the Cranberries were supposed to play in Montreal, but it got cancel, if I remember.

Are those good songs or what? I didn't listen to any of those in a really long time.

Is there a way to preserve the artists we love from actually dying? Just so sad.

Live go on, but its quite of a shit hole... especially when... I didn't wrote about this, but I actually invested in Aphria Inc. (APH) at its almost highest peak. And than, it went down... I didn't wrote about this because I felt awful.


And of course, when you suffer, you become a quiet wolf, you don't make that much don't you. There's a lot volatility in APH, I knew I was going to go back up. Actually, I didn't give a damn. If APH wanted to do its job on me, FINE. I taught I got what I deserved, that I am a really bad person for investing on margin, etc etc etc... It didn't took long for my APH to go back in high. My relation with Aphria Inc. (APH) is far from being simple, but I am under the impression I am on the road for gold. I am just going to hold my stocks for now. Especially now that APH announced the acquisition of a business for a couple millions. Its just super great thing for APH to go even higher.

Anyhow, now, everything is smoother, APH is what I expected it to be: a super rough boyfriend, but still manageable, because I AM the bitch here.

Now that you know everything, let's continue on a little post that I began to wrote this weekend. These days, I don't have too much times on my hand, and its really for no reason. Not only that are getting best free investment advice ever, but you also get to learn some super AWESOME tips on how to save money.

I made a few mistakes while trying to establish my budget and expenses for 2018.

First, in my monthly budget, I forgot to calculate my weekend money $20 x 4 weeks, so its what my current monthly budget look like:

Grocery: $280 ($70 per week)

Coffee: $60 ($15 per week)

Rent: $665

Internet: $45.34

Cell: $40.24

Weekend money: $20 x 4 weeks: $80

Gym membership: $14.38

TOTAL: $1 184.96

$14 219.52 for 1 year. However, its possible to cut down on those basic monthly expenses.

1-Tip number 1 on how to save money on a tight budget: cut in the existing butter

I like this budget because its realistic - that being for one glamorous unfortunately single woman. What I like is that I have a bit of space to cut down some expenses. For example, I usually spend less than $20 per weekend. I have a little routine of my own like if I would be a veryyyy olddddd ladyyy. On Saturday, I usually go at a coffee shop before going to the gym and I buy a double espresso, at $2.50 and I something buy a bagel or a sandwich like I did this past Saturday. Both items cost me $8.75 - and its the only money I spend over the weekend - as weekend money. 

In result, I will probably save around $48.75 per month. Not much, but it allow to cover for extra expenses...

I haven't been a good girl all week long I spent $99.54 in one single evening as I went out this past Thursday. I also purchased a cute lamp online at Walmart because my existing one was standing right anymore, and a super cute little spices rack for my little kitchen, for a total of $91.45. I also bought a new rug for my entrance, $31.03... Those are extra expenses that are not include in my budget.

This week, I spent $373.63. But surprise, I return a Christmas gift that wasn't wanted, and I got back $128.13, which reduce by miracle my weekly expense at $245.50.

I am looking forward to purchase a kitchen cart, this IKEA bookcase, and a few decoration items for my tiny little apartment.

2-Tip number 2 on how to save money on a tight budget: take advantage of the super great Pharmaprix Optimum points program

The Pharmaprix Optimum is a reward program offer in any Pharmaprix and Shoppers store. Each time I purchase something in a Pharmaprix store, I show my card and received reward points base on my purchases. You can exchange those points to pay off products purchased at the store.

Also, Pharmaprix has special offer, like today, it was possible to exchange points for products, and you where receiving a little extra while doing so. I took advantage of the offer, I exchange 50 000 points and I was able to get a $105 off, which was extra of $20, normally 50 000 points give you $85 of free stuff. I bought for $136.76, and only paid $28.76. I bought vitamins, calcium, sunscreen lotion (for my trip to Cuba) and a bunch of other things.

3-Tip number 3 on how to save money on a tight budget: take control of your other expenses

Personally, I have a monthly minimum budget, and on top of it I add all other expenses, that include everything - excluding vacation - that I am probably going to spend money on in the year to come.

Other expenses:

HAIR CUT: 5 4 times this year @ $40: $200 $160

I decided to have a hair cut 4 times a year instead of 5. Will see how it goes.

CLOTHES: $1 200 - $300 per season, not much, but I already have plenty of clothes…

CLEANING PRODUCTS: I always buy them at Dollorama. To clean my apartment, and floor, I like to use Pine-Sol, it’s at $2.50 at Dollarama. I never calculated how long a bottle last me, same thing for dish soap, windex or cleaning products for the bath room. I estimate 2 products at $3 each per 2 months and 1 product at $3 per month: $72

I already have a good supply of some cleaning products, so I can easily deduct $38.50 of the amount: 

$33.50

TOILET PAPERS: $10 per 2 months (let say...): $60

LAUNDRY TICKETS FOR CLOTHES: $6 per week: $312   

LAUNDRY TICKETS FOR SHEETS: $6 per 2 weeks : $144

LAUNDRY SOAP: $10 per 2 months: $60 

$3.99 for 2: $7.98 

Laundry soap can be really expensive if you buy it at regular price. I bought two new bottles at $3.99 - which cover me for the year, since I already had some left in supply.

VITAMINS:

Jamieson 100% Complete Multivitamin for Women: $16 per 2 months: $96  

$8.69 

I previously had 3 bottle of 90 vitamin pills, I only got to purchase a new bottle to cover the year.

Caltrate with Vitamin D3 Soft Chews Chocolate, Bone Health Supplement, 600 mg Calcium: $102

9.79 x 4: 39.16

Jamieson Magnesium: $56

I decided to cut on the magnesium pills. - not quite sure about that right now...

ADVIL: $54

F PADS: $144 (can't cut on that one for SURE).

BODY SOAP: $27

I go with the cheapest and perfume free, which is Ivory.

DENTIST: $87.80 x 2 visits: $175.60

Other expenses you need to take into account:

OPTOMETRIST: ?

TOOTHBRUSH: $2

TOOTHPASTE

DEODORANT: let say 1 per month @ $5: $60

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER: $144

MAKEUP: $480

DRIVER LICENCE RENEWAL: $91.33

Total of the OTHER EXPENSES:

$2 910.26 (About)

When you get through all of those numbers, you quickly realize that life is expensive, saving money is easy, but the good being of humanity, we all need a minimum salary of $15 per hour, at least in Canada.

Loblaw $25 gangsta compensation for bread price conspiration is cheap shot

I write this post about a week ago, but I guess I forgot to publish it...

After Johnny Hallyday, France Gall is no more. It's heartbreaking. She hasn't the greatest voice, but she certainly has a flare of her own. And more importantly, she has her very unique signature voice, no one could copy her. I like this song, probably her greatest hit from the 80s. I remember listening to that song when I was a little girl, and it always remain like a somewhat fascination.

YouTube is the PLACE to listen to good old songs, but its also a fun place to discover bands that otherwise, you might never listen to. One of my newest find is a cool wicked band of the name of Roosevelt. They have an electric groove of their own and their tunes are all really nice, which you can listen too while reading this very fantastic blog.

Roosevelt even has a cool song title Montreal:

This one is also good.

Now, you are intoxicated for good. Roosevelt is your new love, after me of course.

Its the strangest thing ever, but Loblaw admitted that they have conspired to fix the price of bread since 2001??!!!! And now, to compensate us, poor consumers, Loblaw is now offering a $25 card. The offer started today, you can click here to register and get a $25 card available to spend in any Loblaw/Provigo store. You'll received the card withing 6 to 12 weeks. If you choose to register in any lawsuit, you'll be able to, but Loblaw warns, the $25 that you received within 6 to 12 weeks will be deduct of any new amount that you may received. Formal lawsuits haven't been launched yet, but I hope it did. If so, it could take a while, but each and single consumers who had bought bread between 2001 and today could received $100, maybe $200. Such amount would be better than just a $25. Or at least a $50. Anyhow, I happily register to get my hand on a free $25, especially now that I am dealing with a super compress budget for the next 12 months. Its going to be rough and tough.

Save money while you can: precious money, precious saving

A new year always welcome new dreams – in my case it’s to hit the 300k net worth by the end of the year 2018. It’s doable, but only in a good stock market environment. 2017 had been so chaotic, it’s quite difficult to predict if 2018 will be a good year or not, especially since the status of NAFTA is not clarify by our “friends” in the USA. Overall, 2017 had been a good year for my investments.

I had spent a good two weeks away from Montreal, which was really awesome. Now that I am hitting back in my regular days, my 2018 resolution is to spend less. I always been a good saver, but in some occasions, I spent more than I should, especially for clothes, make-up and hair products. Hair products is my ultimate weakness, as well as make-up, lipsticks…… Being a girl involved much more spending than just being a simple guy. From the moment we are born, girls face many challenge.

Knowing I closed the year 2017 with a net worth of 221k – I am just so close of the 300k, it would be just very stupid of me if I wouldn’t be trying to save all the money I possibly can in the year ahead. The half million could be all mine by the time I turn 40 – but at probably the only condition that I hit on the 300k this year. Nothing is impossible. There’s no magic trick, saving money is super hard, but I am a natural at it, as I know exactly what are my weaknesses. And ever since my salary start growing, I had become more and more of a spender. It’s something really normal, anyone goes through such things. My 221k is more than I ever taught I could ever have, so why pushing more?

Well for many reasons: the more money you have, the better, 221k is not that much, and I don’t have too much in term of cold cash saving in the bank. And I would like to have a real $300 000 of my own. So why not?

Just the fact that I stop coloring my hair is helping a lot. Visit to the hair dresser and products for color hair are just very expensive. My natural color is showing more and more. After all those years, I had forgot what it was looking like. And it’s not ugly. For my part, I am really done coloring my hair. It’s just too much time and money consuming.

Once I get myself into something, I am getting in completely. And it should be the same for you. Some expose the art of saving money very simply: make your own coffee, bring your lunch to work… Good tips, but to be really efficient, you need to go much deeper than that. That’s why I am writing the following post. We are going to explore some very personal ways that your favorite Dividend Girl has to save money.

1 – Establish your monthly budget

Establish a sharp – but not too sharp budget – this means, establish a realistic budget, that include all of your needs. To do so, you need to know where your money go every month. And after that, try to spend less than plan every weeks.

First, establish your monthly basic budget:

MONTHLY BUDGET

Grocery: $280 - $70 per week

Coffee: $60 - $15 per week

Rent: $665

Internet: $45.34

Cell: $40.24

Weekend money: $20

Gym membership: $14.38

TOTAL : $1 124.96

$13 499.52 for 1 year: very basic fix needs

Your monthly budget should include all your fix charges, like cable if you have it, cell phone, rent, etc…. In my case, the fix charges are limited to a few things. The less you have to pay out the better. This is for the basic expenses. As you doubt, other expenses need to be taking into consideration. But let’s talk money first.

2 - How much do you normally earn in a year

INCOME

In this section, you need to include all your sources of income: job (but only after taxes), online income if you have any and of course, dividend earnings.

Job (after taxes): $35 300

Online: 500 $

Dividend: 7 980 $ (approximately, I didn’t have time t update my dividend income yet)

TOTAL: $43 780

For 2018, I estimate my income to be of $43 780.

Let see how money I will have to play around and to invest:

$43 780 (income) – $13 499.52 (very basic needs): 30 280.48 $

This means I have left $30 280.48 to do whatever I want with it.

I have calculate my very basic needs, but that’s not exactly realist to what I will be spending in a year. Because other than my basic needs, I have other sphere of expensive. In other to track them, you need to know yourself. Do you know how you spend your money? I do. And it’s how it goes for me:

3 - Money spend on vacations

VACATION:

Cuba: $1 370                                                                                        

Easter vacation: $350

Summer vacation: $3 000

Extra spending during the summer: $200

October vacation: $350

Christmas: $820

TOTAL for vacations: $6 090

Establish a budget for your vacations is really essential.

3 - Other regular living expenses

And now, you need to write down all of the other expenses that you’ll be doing in the year ahead.

OTHER EXPENSES:

HAIR CUT: 5 times this year @ $40: $200

CLOTHES: $1 200 - $300 per season, not much, but I already have plenty of clothes…

CLEANING PRODUCTS: I always buy them at Dollorama. To clean my apartment, and floor, I like to use Pine-Sol, it’s at $2.50 at Dollarama. I never calculated how long a bottle last me, same thing for dish soap, windex or cleaning products for the bath room. I estimate 2 products at $3 each per 2 months and 1 product at $3 per month: $72

TOILET PAPERS: $10 per 2 months (let say...): $60

LAUNDRY TICKETS FOR CLOTHES: $6 per week: $312   

LAUNDRY TICKETS FOR SHEETS: $6 per 2 weeks : $144

LAUNDRY SOAP: $10 per 2 months: $60

VITAMINS:

Jamieson 100% Complete Multivitamin for Women: $16 per 2 months: $96

Caltrate with Vitamin D3 Soft Chews Chocolate, Bone Health Supplement, 600 mg Calcium: $102

Jamieson Magnesium: $56

ADVIL: $54

F PADS: $144

BODY SOAP: $27

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER: $144

MAKEUP: $480

DRIVER LICENCE RENEWAL: $91.33

Total of the OTHER EXPENSES: $2 042.33

Those are all the expenses I can possibly think of. Let see what is now left for investment purposes:

INCOME – BASIC MONTHLY NEEDS – VACATIONS – OTHER EXPENSES = MONEY LEFT TO INVEST AND SAVE

$43 780 – $13 499.52 – $2 042.33 : $22 148.15

In my current situation, I have the possibility to save approximately 22k this year – and even more if I get myself into it. I cannot cut anywhere in the vacations section, so I am looking forward to cut in the expenses.

Example of what I can do to save money – other than bringing your lunch to work:

For one week, let say that I don’t buy any coffees at work: I will save that way $15. Let’s plan a no coffee week once per month, I will save that way: $180

I had fix my grocery shopping at $70 per week. It will be difficult, but I can certainly lower that bill 2 weeks per month by certainly $10. Money save on a year: $240

In my monthly budget, I had put a $20 each week as weekend money. Let say that 2 weeks per month, I only spend $10 instead of $20. Money save on a year: $240

For the closing expenses, instead of spending $300 per season, let’s skip the spending for the winter season. Money save: $300

With all those below, I could save an extra $960 a year. It’s not 22k, but 23k that I could have at my disposal for investment.

The trick is to spend as less money possible, but reasonably, and to do so, you need to keep track of all of your expenses. Personally, I wrote them down inside my agenda.

One of the not easy point is grocery shopping. What I like to do before going, is to plan the recipes I will do for the week. And I only buy the items needed, to which I add a few things like the usual bread, milk, eggs, apples.

I hope all those tips will help you succeed at the difficult task of saving money!