I am now a debt busters: my 5 000$ line of credit at 8.75% with TD Canada Trust is now paid off!

The weekend is almost there and I cannot wait! It's going to be my first weekend off since quite some time and I am quite happy about it. Even if this is going to cut on the cash available for investing.

Remember that I am having problem to transfer money from my online broker day trading account of my TD Waterhouse online section to my line of credit? Well, that's because my non-registered Canadian cash broker account is technically dead, but I continue to receive dividend payment in it. This could last a little while, but I wasn't provided an exact delay. It's just annoying since during that delay, I have no clue of who's paying me those dividend because I can no longer access my cash account... I have no choose other than to call TD Waterhouse investor services to find out. Also, I cannot proceed myself to any transfers from my cash discount broker account to line of credit account or what so ever else other account. Nothing can be transfer from my cash account anymore.

Basically, this mean that my online commodity broker Canadian cash account no longer exist. From now on, if I want to trade commodities online using cash coming from my very own pockets, I have to deposit the money in what is now my margin account. Example: let's say I have 2 000$ from my personal cash that I want to use to invest in my non-registered account, I will have to deposit the 2 000$ in my margin account. My 2 000$ in personal cash will be add to the 43 653.66$ that I currently hold in my margin account, to make a total of 45 653.66$. After what, I can trade using 2 000$ from the margin account. Technically, there's no more Canadian cash account, just a margin one, but I can still purchase stocks using my own money through TD Waterhouse securities.

I had that 8$ and something cents in the Canadian cash account that I was desperately looking to get transferred into my line of credit, the one at 8.75% in interest rate. The TD Waterhouse rep proceed to the money transfer since it's now impossible for me to proceed myself. After what, I also ask her to take the margin money to pay off completely that same line of credit. This mean that my 5 000$ line of credit at 8.75% is now completely paid off. But now that I am looking into my broker account, under cash, I have minus (-) and the amount that I requested to be transfer on my line of credit.... Nice, but the minus is under cash and not the margin...

This is confusing to start with because I am not use to margin and the information appear all in a different way that what its use to be. And now, I am wondering if the transferred had been done properly or not... lol... I am pretty sure yes, but still, that minus under cash is intriguing.

The interest rate on the margin account is currently of 4.52%. This is very good compare to the 8.75% of my 5 000$ line of credit. I am very happy to now have that line of credit completely paid off - and it will remain paid off. Borrowing cash on my margin was for me one of the best creditsolutions that I could choose.

In case of a deadly situation on the stock market (stock market loosing a lot of points on the same day), the money need to be available and need to be ready to get transferred back on the margin in case of need. But can such situation could happen? Well, it happen in 2008, and it could happen again. Also using only 30% of the money available of the margin account like I was suggested to do by a TD Waterhouse rep is a very good advise that will help me to minimize the risk I take by borrowing money online on my margin account. I will definitively be sticking to the 30% rule. Because TD Waterhouse can sell the assets even without giving first a margin call. REMEMBER: TD WATERHOUSE HAS NOW THE AUTHORITY ON MY STOCK DISCOUNT BROKER ACCOUNT. (lol...) But seriously talking, that's what you need to know about margin and that's exactly the reason why you need to be careful when buying stocks on margin.

The use of 5 000$ on my margin do not requested a minimum payment every month, but I will be paying the equivalent of the interest amount on a monthly basis. In my personal financial situation, margin is a great tool to use to pay off debt hold on line of credit at a higher interest rate (8.75% in this case). Margin is a great tool, but it will require me to monitor my account on a daily basis and preferably - many times during the day (if not just the Canadian stock markets). But since I plan to use only 30% of the margin money available, I play safe and hopefully, it will be just fine. I am understanding a bit better now and know a bit more of where I am going with all this. Margin is not difficult, but as delicate as an English rose.

Some technical problems with my new TD Waterhouse stock margin account

So far, no news for my public offering in Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN). I call TD Waterhouse today as I had been promised a call back today but never got a call... It's always like that with TD Waterhouse, they always promised to call you on this or this and never return the call. If it wouldn't be for the super smooth-strong teddy bear voices of some of their male brokers, it would had been a long time ago that I would had left the Canadian online broker TD Waterhouse... lol... But hey, nothing to worry about. I won't leave TD Waterhouse anytime soon for many reasons. One of the reasons being that at 9.99$, TD Waterhouse trade commission is one of the lowest - this commodity trading broker offer one of the cheapest online trading. Overall, as a commodity trading broker, TD Waterhouse had been very good to me. I have all the credit products I needed and requested with TD financial. I basically never been refused anything. I am not looking to get the moon, just a few things of my own.

As with this public offering for Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN), the units trade at 10$ each, minimum investment needed being of 1 000$, commission free! That's right, there will be no I want to invest 2 000$ using the margin of my online stock trading account. I should know for sure by tomorrow if I can move on with my direct public offering proposition or not. Ok, it could sound silly, but it's not. Why? Well, because of the minimum required of 1 000$. At 1 000$ any investor living next door can participate in the public offering of Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN). And really, those TD Waterhouse brokers need to work so I am giving them some work to do. No work, no job right? I am the one giving TD Waterhouse discount commodity brokers business.

And talking business, the business is going well. My online earnings continue to go up. We are not talking about hundreds of dollars per day here, just a few bucks, but that's enough for now. I am still without any metro pass. I am a New Brunswick girl, use to cold weather... I am doing ok without my metro pass for now. I am just very happy to be able to keep that 70$ (price for a metro pass) in my pockets. also, Idecide not to purchase a new pair of winter boots to save more. I am still working on my HubPages. I have many articles subjects on the way. Finding time to write is not that hard, but what is hard is to write. Does that sound strange just like for all of the rest? Anyhow, I am just loooking forward to save more money and stop purchasing sushi and other foodssss. During the last couple of months, I didn't pay to much attention to my budget but now that I have that stock margin account, I want to save more because I want to pack my non registered portfolio of more units and stocks.

As for the online investing business, the overall of what I hold at the commodity trading broker TD Waterhouse is now at 97 462.04$. I am now very close to the 100 000$ in my broker account and having all that money at TD Waterhouse just show you have much I feel secure at TD. But no matter how much I like TD, seem that lately, I am experiencing some technical problems, following the apparition of my stock margin account in my non-registered Canadian account.

The problems started when I first received my latest Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) dividend. I had received the dividend in my cash account, which was not related to by now stock margin account. The dividend (7$) left over and the 5 units earn of the DRIP where lying in there all alone, in the cash account. So I call TD Waterhouse, and they proceed with the transfer from cash to the stock margin account, so the 5 new Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) units can join the rest of the units... I was able to get this done over the phone. One problem that occur also was that I was able to see, in my overall view, that I had received 80$ in my cash account, but when I click on the link, I wasn't able to access the account...

On date on today again, I have a 8$ in cash (in the cash account) that I want to transfer over my credit line, but I cannot proceed with the transfer. I had been trying in 2 different occasions now and its just not working. Also, remember that I plan to pay my 5 000$ TD Canada Trust credit line at 8.75% using my stock margin account? I was about to proceed with the transfer from my stock margin account to my TD credit line. But while selecting my stock margin account, I saw the amount of my investment (73 000$ and a bit more) instead of the amount available on the stock margin account (something around 40 000$). At the end of what, confuse, I did not proceed with the transfer. So I guess I will have to call TD Waterhouse again tomorrow see what's going on and ask them to proceed to the transfer for me.

Holding a stock margin account is even more dangerous that what I first taught!!!

Following the application of my stock margin account, TD Waterhouse send me a charming little kit containing all the information related to margin. I read all the information related to my newest stock margin account of course and well, find it discouraging to even use my stock margin account. Why?

Well, it seem like TD Waterhouse had the right to sell any of my investments without giving me a "margin call", without any notifications. Depending of the stock market conditions, TD Waterhouse reserved the right to sell investment in case of a drastic loss of assets value.

Previously before, I was told by a TD Waterhouse broker that there was a 3 days delay to put the account back in standard and that there was going to have a call before anything being done. But it appears that none of this is true! When it come to investment, I am not even sure if anyone of TD Waterhouse know what they are talking about. Really to that point. And yes, sometimes, I hate TD Waterhouse. I really do. I am frustrated.

Can you explain to me how am I suppose to use margin than? That's exactly here that come the 30% rule I guess, coming from another TD Waterhouse rep I spoke to. This mean that to play safe and not be stock on a non-authorized assets sell, better not to use more than 30% of the money available in a stock margin account. 30% or even less. It's all experimentation at this point but I won't use more than 30% of my margin money and also, I plan just to do a one time investment deal using my margin money (the 2 000$ in Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN)) and pay off my 5 000$ credit line at 8.75% and I think that after that, it will be all. I won't use more of my margin money because I am now a... margin chicken (and not margin sexy, not anymore). Not all all. Margin is not sexy at all.

Despite the margin suffering, I had receive a surprise: Quebec province send me a 149.50$ cheque! That's nice, especially before Christmas. With the money left on my line of credit (160$), it make a nice little extra. I just received my paycheck, and even after paying my laptop, I have an extra 623$ available: for a Louis Vuitton monogram wallet (lol) or... a new investment. I am thinking about my next investment, but no specific idea yet. I could simply keep the money in my banking account for once. And it could be what will happen because I won't be working at my weekend job until middle or end of January so in the meantime, having a couple of extra hundreds of dollars available just in case of need won't hurt. But to say the true, I would like to invest again in silver through the Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PHS.U). One thing I don't like about the Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PHS.U) is that no matter how good the investment is, it won't bring any dividend in. I have to say, I am very tempt to invest again before the end of 2010, no matter how little the dividend.

The Tourist with Johnny Deep and Angelina Jolie

It was great! Very fun movie! Angelina Jolie is so perfectly sophisticated. And Johnny Deep stunning and funny. I don't understand the bad critics over the film: maybe it is some jealousy? Really, I don't know. I also went saw the last Harry Potter recently. I really like as well. 

My online earnings are going well. I think it's the Maryse Ouellet effect lol... Thanks to my generous readers, I am very close to the 200$! I would like to reach the 200$ by the end of the month and even better, I would like to reach 200$ every month. With my low budget, an extra 200$ per month will make me more than happy. I didn't stick to the minimum budget I advertise in the previous post lately, but I could really make a living under 1 200$ per month.

I reached the 97 000$ mark in my TD Waterhouse broker account. I am just missing 3 000$ before hitting the 100 000$! Would that be enough to have a President account with TD Waterhouse? With a President account, I could get the margin at 3.5%.... Interesting! Do I have what it take to have a President account with TD Waterhouse? I doubt, but it doesn't cost anything to ask, even anonymously...

Remember the investment I want to do in the Horizons Gold Yield Fund? Since TD wasn't list for the public, it make it a bit more complicated but I hope it turn well. I should know by tomorrow. I will keep you post as always ;0))

Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN) will soon be from the S&P/TSX Composite Index

Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN) had performed well lately and in result, our Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN) will soon be add to the Standard & Poor's Canadian index operations! Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN) will be add to the Standard & Poor's Canadian index on December 20.

Those are really great news for Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN). Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN) is a great alternative to Enbridge Inc. (ENB) stocks. Currently, Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN) units trades at 17$ and Enbridge Inc. (ENB) stocks trade at... 55.77$!

With Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN), you get more for your money: more shares and more dividend.

I had acquired some units of Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN) when their trading price was below 14$. This investment had bring a great deal of stability to my investment portfolio, a bit like Corby Distilleries Ltd. (CDL.A).

At the opposite of Enbridge Income Fund (ENF.UN), Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund (BA.UN) will be delete from the index on December 20. In result of the quarterly S&P/TSX Composite Index review, Bell Aliant Regional will be deleted from the Standard & Poor's Canadian index operations on December 20.

How can a margin account at TD Waterhouse can help simplify your budget?

My non registered portfolio is currently at 73 049.09$, which represent a nice increase of somewhere close to 2 000$ compare to my latest update on date of December 2nd. My online broker account in Canadian dollars is now registered under margin. The transformation is now completed.

Dividend from Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN)

I had received 80.21$ in dividend from Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN). I had received this dividend payment in my cash account, so I had to call to place the transfer. Having a margin mess up my broker account, but once you get it, its pretty easy to find your way.

Budgeting made easy using margin money to pay off debt at a higher interest rate

I own several credit products that I use for leverage. This meaning that I use money available on credit lines and credit card balance transfer to invest. So far, I had been successful doing so. But one problem being the interest rate paid on the money borrowed.

Here are my debt:

9 671.43$ at 4.75% (RRSP credit line) = 459.39$ in annual interest.
Minimum monthly payment required: 108$

4 900$ at 4% (credit line) = 196$ in annual interest.
Minimum monthly payment required: 100$

7 957.05$ at 4.9% ending in April 2011 = 389.90$ in annual interest
Minimum monthly payment required: 44$

4 911$ at 8.75% (credit line) = 429.71$ in annual interest
Minimum monthly payment required: 150$

7 943.01$ at 5.50% (student loan) = 436.87$ in annual interest
Minimum monthly payment required: 98$

10 000$ at 7.27% (credit line) = 727$ in annual interest
Minimum monthly payment required: 60.58$

TOTAL in debt: 45 382.49$
TOTAL in annual interest: 2 638.87$
TOTAL in minimum payment required: 560.58$

Currently at TD Waterhouse, unless you own a President account, the interest rate on margin is of 4.5%. The latest product I had apply for is a credit line of 10 000$ at RBC Royal Bank. Luckily, I only have the interest to pay as a monthly payment. As you can see, the interest rate of my credit product is relatively reasonable. My 10 000$ credit line at RBC Royal Bank is a bit high (7.27%). But my 5 000$ credit line own at TD Canada Trust is quite at a high interest rate. We are talking here of an interest rate of more than 8%, for an amount of 429.71$ in annual interest! That's way too much! Currently, that credit line is at 4 833.88$, almost full. So here's what I am planning to do: withdraw the 166.12$ to pay on my BMO Bank of Montreal credit line (where I need to pay 100$, and keep the remaining 66.12$ for Boxing Day shopping. And what's going to happen next? Well, I am going to transfer 5 000$ from my margin to entirely pay my credit line!

So forget about the Louis Vuitton purse, because there won't be any Louis Vuitton purse anytime soon, despite that 43 653.66$ that I have available on my margin account. Having a 43 653.66$ available in my margin account mean that I currently have 43 653.66$ to do whatever I want - or almost. Currently, the plan is to use some of the margin money to pay off some of my debt that are at higher interest rate.

I spoke to many TD Waterhouse representatives about margin and once advice that I had been provided was not to use more than 30% of the money available on my margin in other to avoid any catastrophic margin call. I knew from the start that I shouldn't use all the margin money available, even if its to pay off debt. In case of a margin call, I just transfer the money from my credit line to the margin account. And voilà. That's pretty easy right? Yeah but still, I think I will stick to the 30% for now. Before, I didn't come with a straight % of the margin that I should used. But just to be in good standard, I decided to stick to the 30% usage of my margin account because it make good common sense. My 30% limit on a 43 653.66$ margin account money is giving me the amount of 13 097$. So I do I plan to use that 13 097$? Here are the projects:

Purchase of 200 units of Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN)

Amount: 2 000$

Yeah, I know. I know that previously before, I wrote that I wasn't going to use margin money to invest, but this is the only exception because this is about gold and dividend. Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN) plan to provide a 6.5% dividend yield (for a monthly dividend earning of 10.83$).

Pay off my 5 000$ credit line at TD Canada Trust at 8.75%

Amount: 5 000$

That's sit, bye bye high interest rate!!!

And I am not even done yet. I have left 6 097$...

Pay 6 097$ on my 10 000$ credit line at 7.27%

That's pretty good stuff isn't? Well, its not over yet. Those little changes will bring a great improvement on my budget. Let's check on the before and the after:

My budget BEFORE margin use:

Internet: 51$
Rent: 555$
RRSP credit line: 108$
Credit line: 100$
Credit card balance transfer: 44$
Credit line: 150$
Student loan: 98$
Credit line: 60.58$
Usual banking fees: 5.15$

TOTAL: 1 171.73$

My budget AFTER margin use:

Internet: 51$
Rent: 555$
RRSP credit line: 108$
Credit line: 100$
Credit card balance transfer: 44$
Student loan: 98$
Credit line: 23.65$
Usual banking fees: 5.15$
Payment of the 4.5% interest rate on the amount of 13 097$: 49.12$

TOTAL: 1 033.91$


And if we continue the calculation, 1 033.91$ + 250$ (groceries and other) = 1 283.91$

Every month, I transfer 100$ of my credit line at 4% over to pay my credit card...

1 283.91$ - 100$ = 1 183.91$

While using 30% of my margin account, I can easily make a comfortable living under 1 200$. All extra money can go straight on investment.

At the end of what, I am going to end this the same way Maryse Ouellet: BE SEXY. But to this, I will add my own personal touch: BE MARGIN SEXY. But do not more than 30% of your margin, and you'll be even sexier...

Margin broker account of TD Waterhouse and Louis Vuitton purses

My margin account is now open at TD Waterhouse!

Ok, this is what I had been talking over and over again. It created a real mess in my broker account but now it’s there: my margin account. My non registered Canadian account had a portfolio value of 72 232.12$. My margin value is at 43 653.66$, which represent a 60% value of my non registered portfolio. Which mean that I have 43 653.66$ available to do whatever I want: purchase designer clothes, I am finally going to get that Louis Vuitton purse I wanted for so long, I am going to fly my way to New York for the New Year Eve. All of the stuff I always wanted to do, I am going to do them all using my margin money.

Nanana. This is a joke of course. I never dream of wearing designer clothes, I don’t especially like Louis Vuitton bag and when it come to New Year Eve, Montreal is as good as New York. When it comes to living, I am happy the way I am. What I really want to do however is use that margin money to pay off my 8.75% credit line of 5 000$ that I hold with TD Canada Trust. Also, I really want to invest in the Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN), which is currently under public offering. This will be a transaction value of 2 000$. I just hope it’s not too late to get involved in the public offering of Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN). I was told I have until December 17. Anyhow, I couldn’t make it any faster so if it have to happen it will and if not, well, it will be a bye-bye Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN).

I had been busy and my only regret is not having taken it off today. My place is in real need of an in deep clean and I have laundry that need to be made. Anyone want to volunteer? I wasn’t working at my weekend job today, so I had that bright idea to go do some extra hours at my daytime job since I had been cut a couple of hours on Wednesday. I wake up quite late, went there later on in the afternoon and did a close 8 hours shift. At the end of the shift, I realize I had lost my locker keys... I look for them everywhere, finally find them (thank you GOD)... Because gees, if I wouldn’t find my keys, my laptop would had stayed in my locker! But it didn’t happen.

I will be careful with my margin and at this time, I just plan to use 16% of the margin money available. This 7 000$ loan on my margin account is pretty reasonable and this will be how it will be until the end of December. Other than that Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN) investment, I don’t plan to do any more investment for 2010.  

Overall, 2010 had been a good year for my investments. As for the rest, that’s another story.

Fortis (FTS) dividend payment for December 2010

I had received Fortis (FTS) dividend just.. now! I had received 29.96$ in dividend income. After being send home early today at home, its feel good to have a little extra coming from heaven. I knew I was going to received something from Fortis (FTS) this month, but I didn’t know exactly when. Fortis is one of those good Canadian dividend paying stocks. I don’t know exactly when I will be able to buy stocks online anytime soon, but while remaining uncertain, I will certainly enjoy my latest dividend payment.

While I have to leave work earlier because of a lack of work, I wrote articles for HubPages, which was very fun. Do you know Maryse Ouellet? She’s a professional wrestler, born in Montreal. When I was younger, my dad use to listen to wrestling show and I never understood too well what wrestling was all about. And to tell the true, I don’t know any better now. I always find wrestling very entertaining anyhow. But at the same time, I find it very act. So when I read that Maryse Ouellet suffers of many injuries (broken nose, knees problem etc) in her wrestling career, I ask myself: are wrestlers really fighting or those injuries happen by accidents? I think that’s part of the wrestling myth. Well it is for me. 

I hope to be able to make a few pennies with my online article. I would like to reach the 100 HubPages by the end of the year. If they continue to cut my hours at work, I certainly be able to reach the 100... Better laugh about it, right. If you like to support my work, please visit my HubPages section, right here.

Natalie McLennan received a light sentence from the Supreme Court in Manhattan

Today, I got my hours cut at work as I was told I have to finish my shift earlier. This is the second time in 3 years of work it’s happening to me. I am not really use to this. When I wake up this morning, I told myself that if it was cold outside, I was going to purchase a metro pass for the month of December. I didn’t purchase a metro pass since last May, this making a difference for me as it make be doing exercise and make me save 70$ per month in my everyday budget. So I prepare myself to go to work and, when outside, the weather was not cold at all. Well, not as cold as it can be in winter. So I didn’t purchase my metro pass today and I am very glad I didn’t purchase it. Why? Well with those hours of work being cut, I prefer to walk rather than spending 70$ on a metro pass that I cannot even afford. Well, that’s quick talking because I could purchase it without any hurt, because I am so happy I didn’t purchase a metro pass this morning! 

This was a sad day for me and 14 other of my colleagues, but it was a harder one for Natalie McLennan. Today, Natalie McLennan, a Montreal native, appears to the Supreme Court in Manhattan related to her 2005 aerostation. According to the New York Times, Natalie McLennan had pleaded guilty of attempted money laundering in the fourth degree and sentenced to time served. This confused me at first because Natalie McLennan had previously appeared to court and had spent time in prison. That was before the publication of her book. 

Back at the time, Natalie McLennan had to spend 30 days in prison and had to pay a 25 000$ bail. From my understanding, Natalie McLennan had been sentence today to spend 20 days in jail. Like if what she went through wasn’t enough already. But this makes the end of the saga and we should wish her well. She was smiling and wasn’t wearing any makeup, while leaving court. I think Natalie McLennan will be just fine. She’s the writer of a book where she shared her experience, very well writing (nothing like this blog lol!) and captivating. Thinking about escorting? Read Natalie McLennan book first. It should change your mind.

Opening a margin account with TD Waterhouse

Done and completed, despite the heavy snow! I took some pictures this morning. It was something to see. I should hear about my Horizons gold investment today. I should get the margin account in my broker account in about 5 business days. It went well, pretty quick as it was simply just a form that need to be fill. As for the margin use, I will start with a 2 000$ for investment and I will pay off my TD Canada Trust credit line, the one I hold at more than 8%. I will start with 7 000$ just to see how it goes and after, I will use the money to pay my 10 000$ credit line at 7% and so on. But that will be all. With an interest rate of 4.75%, my margin will help me to decrease the amount of interest paid on my debt. Since those debts are money invested and not purchase type debt, I consider my margin used to be good for my type of situation.

Eric Sprott next big thing: Sprott Physical Silver Trust UTS (PHS.U)

Eric Sprott is a genius and genius you are if you had follow my move of early November 2010 in the Sprott Physical Silver Trust UTS (PHS.U)! Yep, silver is the next big thing, and I was good enough to follow Eric Sprott drive.

And here am I: at a point of the day, if I would have sold my investment in the Sprott Physical Silver Trust UTS (PHS.U), I would have made close to 500$ in profit! Do I make 500$ in one day of work? NO. Of course not. But when investing on the stock market, the possibilities are endless, especially if you are bright enough to follow Eric Sprott footsteps. And trust me, I am following Eric Sprott and Sprott Inc. (SII) very closely.I don’t plan to sell my Sprott Physical Silver Trust UTS (PHS.U) units anytime soon. So get ready for awesome profit. And I need those awesome profits. Remember our investment in Timminco (TIM) that makes me loose more than 4 000$? Timminco (TIM) used to be Eric Sprott and Jean-François Tardif little favourite. But it’s not more, I guess. I am slowly recovering from my lost in Timminco and very soon, all sign of money lost will disappear. You can trust me on that one!

Personally, I do not have anything against Timminco (TIM). When reading about Timminco (TIM), I find the company very great. I think Timminco (TIM) got really hurt by the financial crisis that we are still living in. I could say the same thing about Hanwei Energy Services (HE). I still have faith in Timminco (TIM), but if you ask me to choose between Timminco (TIM) or Hanwei Energy Services (HE), I pick Hanwei Energy Services (HE).

Things will only get better for Hanwei Energy Services (HE). I trully belive in this company that I had been holding since... (?) a little while now. Today only, Hanwei Energy Services (HE) had gain more than 5%!!! Go Hanwei Energy Services (HE) go! There’s still a long way to go before Hanwei Energy Services reach its old 2$ per stock, but I am confident that – one day – lol... – we will be back there. Until that time, I am sticking to Hanwei Energy Services (HE)!

Once reading Rob Carrick of the Globe and Mail, one of his article made be believe that the guy doesn’t have a clue of what he is talking about when he write about investments and the stock market. In one of his article, he said something like you shouldn’t be ashamed of being a stick and hold investor... like what??? Buying and selling-buying and selling-buying and selling again is something for the big players who want to ruin the TSX! But at the end, it doesn’t mean that they make that much money fooling around with the stock market. Stick and hold is the way to go for small investors. Stick and hold investor type are among the most powerful and reliable investors. It’s not only a question of money; it’s a question of holding what you believe in. There’s no shame to have in being that type of investors. I am a stick and hold investor and today, my investment portfolio reach 72 422.27$. That’s an increase of 967.15$ compare to December 2, our latest investment portfolio update... Now, try to find someone on the Web who beat me.... lol...

A stick and hold strategy represent as much work as a buy and sell one as it require investors to closely follow the investments they hold. During the day while working – thank to my newest iPod, I can easily follow the market and quickly give a look at my holding to verify is everything is ok. I check the market a couple of times during the day. But usually, with the type of holding I have, everything fine, especially when it come to the investment of 2010.

Rob Carrick and other pals (we could add BMO Bank of Montreal (BMO) to the list of course because they really don't have it at all) can seem to be very knowledgeable because they publish and are publicly out there but don’t let anyone fool you, not even Eric Sprott.

Eric Sprott makes me loose thousands of dollars with his Timminco (TIM). I don’t blame him directly, but he was one of the biggest investor stars publicly supporting Timminco. I made the decision to invest in Timminco because I wanted to make money and in return, I got burn. So when Eric Sprott says that he mostly has gold and silver in his portfolio, I reserved myself to doubt about a gold and silver only portfolio. Investing in gold and silver is good, but gold and silver, like the rest, represent some investment risk.

You shouldn’t never forget that all investments you made are subject to risk, no matter how good they can seem. Gold and silver are stuff – among other – that I am willing to add to my portfolio, but just among other.

Anyhow, less seriously, if you are living in Montreal, winter is now in, we have that beautiful snow and I am still without a metro pass. It’s going to be fun going home in all that snow. Now that winter had kicked in, EnCana Corporation (ECA) that I hold in my online broker day trading finally starts to gain value. I would like a 35$ per stock. But no matter what happen, stick to EnCana Corporation it could go back to the old 60$ per stock.

Tomorrow, I am getting margin ready. Cha-cha-cha.

I had an appointment at 8am at TD Waterhouse to open my margin account. I just hope for a straight forward appointment and I hope the TD Waterhouse representative will do the job properly without comments or being pejorative. It’s not always easy to deal with Quebec people. You know, those Quebeckers. But of course, I will get back to you with all the details!

And talking about Quebeckers, I thing that Jean Charest is a perfect representative for Quebec population: a human liar, just as the Quebec population itself. So it make me laugh hard when I listing to Amir Khadir speech, asking Jean Charest to resign. Why Jean Charest should gave up his position of Quebec leader when he’s doing the job so well! When I read that a popular TV French show Tout le monde en parle, Jean Charest said that he believe he’s going a great job and is willing to complete his term as a Prime Minister, I taught: Quebeckers had what they deserved. And it’s not even yet, as Quebec provincial tax is going to increase of 1%... Quebec province is so well manage that its leaders had to increase the provincial tax to make thing happen. That’s Quebec leadership at its best. And Jean Charest is a good Prime Minister for Quebec province. He’s the best of all! Amir Khadir has to stop talking.

And what about Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN)?

December 17, 2010. That’s the date you need to remember. December 17, 2010 seem to be the deadline for the public offering for Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN). And of course, I am getting into it! As I wrote previously, the minimum investment required is 1 000$. Once the margin account will be open, I expect to use 2 000$ of it to invest in the Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN). But I will get more details about this investment tomorrow as well. Those were for the general news.