The Dividend Girl way to invest when markets are all f up, brown and ugly at the worst

Things are really ugly for my non-registered portfolio right now. I used to be at a spectacular 140k+... and now, well today, my non-registered portfolio closed at $127 661.39. Its quite hurtful to look at it right now, but since I have a margin account, I don't have too much choices. I feel like its 2008 all over again. Same pattern: did we hit the bottom of the bottom or could it get worst? Its the same damn thing that is repeating over and over again. But we finally had that stock correction after all, didn't we!!!

Moving on to such a correction is awfully difficult, but its in the same rough times, back in 2008, that I built my portfolio... Its time to pack in quality stocks that are trading at a lower value than it usual. Its not time to invest in crappy stock, only quality please.

 

I had been able to survive to the 2008 stock crash and this time will be just the same thing. But to do so, and to benefit from this correction, there's no 100 solutions, I need to invest in quality stock that trade at down value. Bank stocks didn't lose that much when you take a serious look, but I am still interest. I never been that much interested by the oil sector so I am basically skipping.

 

Basically, my first idea would be to invest a $7 000 in my TFSA, exclusively in quality stocks. A 5k would come from a credit line at 4%. A 1k from my next pay. And a 1k from my CIBC Visa at 0% for 6 months for a fee of 1%...

And here's a first idea of a few investments:

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)
Canadian National Railway Company (CNR)
Empire Company Limited (EMP.A)
Intact Financial Corporation (IFC)
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP)
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (CTC.A)

All of those companies don't pay much in dividend, but rewards could be for later on. I am still thinking about it for now. All of those stocks are from this pick list.

Investors, Happy, very Happy Thanksgiving

I just came back from a few days of vacation in New Brunswick. The weather was very nice - but what a bad  timing for a vacation! Worst time ever. I didn't have a direct access to the Internet, but while watching the news, I quickly realize that my portfolio wasn't going to be in the 140k anymore.

The TSX is down down down... what a spectacular crash! With all of the shit going on, my non-registered portfolio is down to 131k.

I had sent my check to pay off my student loan before leaving and no matter what, the check haven't been withdraw from my bank account. I cannot wait to be done with those losers of the National Student Loans Service Centre. The amount I own over my student loan wasn't much at all, but in Canada, we like the fact that our youth has to enroll into debt to get an education. Our system is just there to make money where no one should look over to make money. Every time I walked my McGill University, I cannot help it, I think of how pitiful are the students of today who were stupid enough to get into one the most expensive university ever. What a bunch of total morons. Quebeckers especially are among the best of the best morons ever. These days, we heard a lot about the piece of shit Pierre-Karl Peladeau and I am just very happy that finally things are on and that Canadians can finally see his true colors: liar, arrogant and being in politic only to make his Quebecor stocks going on the high.

No matter of how hard things of looking up at the market, now is the time to buy. With real good positive data for the job market in Canada - and not Quebec - I think the market is just reacting to strongly to stuff we should really not care about. Like Ebola - I am never sick, I can beat Ebola just like anything else (really).

Right now, we must be grateful for all the drama going on in the world.

Stock correction or not, that student loan will be paid off

Tomorrow was supposed to be an happy day for the Dividend Girl. On the same day, I am going on vacation AND paying off my student loan once for good. WOW! Nice, but now that that the stock market is all upside down, paying off my student loan is a pain knowing deeply inside that I should be investing instead... That's what we need to do in a down market. The check is not in the mail yet if you see what I mean... The exact sum is of $3 053.93. Its all I have left in student loan debt. Can you imagine?

With my $145 000 non-registered portfolio, I used to be the Queen of the stock market. My portfolio was going to hit on the 150k all by itself without any new investments! I was going to make it! BUT NO. BANG! Take that honey baby. It simply not going to happen that way! The road to the 150k will be alllll inn painnn and nothing else...

However, I am still going to pay that student loan because following what, my monthly budget will be quite interesting if I keep myself on a budget. Its just too bad that the markets are in the red right now. I was just doing too well. This correction is my fault because without knowing, during that all that time, I was the centered of the world and you have just no idea about it!

Saying goodbye to my student loan debt really soon

I am going to New Brunswick for a few vacation days soon, right on time for the hunting season - yeah! - and the beautiful autumn colors. For all of you who cannot make it to New Brunswick, I promise a few pictures. I recently catch the first sign of autumn in Montreal somewhere close to McGill University.

Its hard to believe, but just before my vacations, I will be finally paying off my student loan debt, which is about $3 100. Not that much, but anything exceeding 1k begin to make a lot of funky cash. Of course, I am all getting exciting because following what, the student loan topic will be no more. Sincerely, I never taught I would feel that much exciting about paying down my student loan... At now $68 442, my margin debt is a bit high, but at least, its tax deductible. If I put myself into it, I could pay it off in a bit more than 3 years, but only if I don't invest. And that's barely possible. I could sell off my portfolio but its not something I would like to do. My margin debt is not something that really bother me, but I see its currently too high for my taste. If I could lower it by half, it would be great. My margin is like candy, its what make the game all fun. And did I have fun with my money? Oh yesss. But I don't want to see that  margin debt of mine exceeding the 68k.

Margin debt is not a bad thing, but while enrolling into it, you should set your mind in a certain limit. I have no problem dealing with the market volatility but seeing my portfolio going down from time to time is always a pain, but I can deal with the pain. One thing for sure, lowering my debt is a way to deal with the market volatility, in a certain way.

By the end of the year, if I am not tempt to invest in anything, which I doubt, I would like to lower the usage of my margin to $65 000.

There's currently a few cool stocks that could be a good acquisition: Royal Bank of Canada (RY) - another bank stock that I don't currently have in my portfolio. I know no stocks are 100% safe, but for me, a bank like Royal sound like a safe investment for me. From time to time, I like to invest in Canadian National Railway Company (CNR). Its one of my favorite stock. If you invest in CNR now, you probably get hungry because of its tiny low dividend distribution but this stock will pay on the long term. And currently, the capital gain that I made on CNR are enormous. I could be tempt by another 1 to 2k investment in CNR soon. RY could be a good fit for my TFSA. 

Talking about my TFSA, I have a contribution room left of exactly $21 238.83. Its a shame, I know. RY could be add in my TFSA as well as a little investment in CNR. Really recently, s tock that I hold in both in my non-registered portfolio and in my RRSP account, Emera Incorporated (EMA), has announced a 6.9% increased of their dividend. And they say they are looking forward to have an increase of 6% for the next 5 years. This could sound like a good news at first, but I find the increase of 6% every year for 5 years is a bit to high to what I like. I now try to invest only in stock that pay a reliable dividend - not more than 5%. A stock that pay more than 5% in dividend year could be more dangerous than a good pay off. So I really don't know what to think about that dividend increase.

 

Currently, I didn't come with very new investments ideas, but for that, you can always rely on Susan Brunner who had set up a nice little stocks list purchased for September.

TSX taking a hit low down, market looking like something brown once again

A TSX at more than 15 000 points, my non-registered portfolio happily popping up to the $145 000... It was just too good to last and a taste of in deep market shit is now coming to live for real. My non-registered portfolio closed today session at $138 147 and a few cents...

 

Right now is just a good to pay down my student loan and look forward to keep some cash away in my bank account. I really don't like when the market is down, it make me wanna run! BUT, its a good time to buy, and a few stocks that I currently hold could be good investment ideas at this time - like Black Diamond Group Limited (BDI).

 

Other than that I had colored my hair in a dark shade of red... if you would see me, you wouldn't even recognize me lol...

 

This post needed to finish in a positive way. 

GoodBye David Alward blue face, Hello New Prime Minister of New Brunswick Brian Gallant!

Its not exactly a good bye to ex-Prime Minister David Alward because he got elected and win his seat. However, it will probably be quite an humiliation for David Alward to be there just as another Deputy. I hope the humiliation will be big. While he was the Prime, Alward was acting like an idiot, pushing over the gas shale like a dog. He never had the intelligence it take to control New Brunswick finances. We don't want to have finance being out of control like stupid Quebeckers. They might have all the richness of the word, mines and mines of gold, the capacity to produce 100% of their electricity needs and so on. But no matter what, Quebec finances are in the deepest red ever. WHY?

 

Like right now, Quebec and New Brunswick are in the same deep red. And its the strangest thing. Quebeckers got what they deserved, their arrogance had killed them. But in New Brunswick, the red is in place because of  people having to leave to find work. Cost of university is extremely high in New Brunswick. We don't have enough job. Youth is going away. There're so many problem. But the biggest problem is having too many debt for the little resources we have available. We have just little left to do. But one good thing that could be done is downsize the government. We don't need that many number of deputies to represent the people. Just in the north of New Brunswick, a small place like the North West is being represent by at least 3 deputies and that area barely have a population of 20 000. So let's go Brian, cut in the butter! There're too many bastards in New Brunswick politic. Less will be better.

 

We may be poorer, but we are smarter. We really need a political change in New Brunswick and we got what we need now to move forward. Brian Gallant is a sweetheart of only 32 years old - that's right, my Prime is younger than me - but am I getting that old??? No, I am a sexy 34!!! aha!

 

Anyway, New Brunswickers always know which choices they need to make. Remember when Hydro Quebec try to get his hands over New Brunswick electricity business? People said NO and there was a nice cute little crowd in front of the parliament. Us New Brunswickers, we have the intelligence to take the good decisions when needed. We won't ever get control by rats who are unfaithful to the Canadian country, among other things. We need to keep the control no matter what.

 

I had just no doubt in my mind. I knew Liberal Party was going to win in New Brunswick. Conservatives had treat New Brunswickers like shit. And they got what they needed to have. BOOM. Liberal is a majority, nothing will hold Brian Gallant behind. The young man has a lot of work waiting for him. I hope he'll have the intelligence to listen to the people and make us proud. I hope he stays out of any corruption. I will pray for him and his family. May God bless Brian Gallant.

Voting machine going nuts in New Brunswick

I am desperately trying to follow live the results of the elections in New Brunswick... but seem like a server was down somewhere on the Acadie Nouvelle for a few minutes... lol. Servers are down, and voting machines going f nuts. Its going to be a tough and rough fight. But Liberals are probably going to win - just like expected. David Alward won't be in for a second mandate. I am pretty sure. That's also what I had announced yesterday.

 

The fight is not only rough in New Brunswick right now. The Canadian stock market is quite racy too at this time. My non-registered is at only $140.

 

I am now finally watching live Radio-Canada channel and imagine what... votes will need to be count one by one... but so far, Liberals are in the game and Conservative pretty much out.

 

Love the elections, but got to go to bed.

Saying yes to CIBC Visa 0% promotional credit card balance transfert

I know you haven't heard of me really often lately. One reason being because of the summer - I had been enjoying the sunshine. I have to say that when the stock market is on a positive note, I used to stay away from my laptop. Another reason being that I have a mini laptop with only a 1 GB drive and it sometime give me a headache. When it want to, the little machine can be quite slowww.

 

But now, the stock market is down. My non-registered portfolio used to be at $144 000+, its now at $141 000. Summer is over... sniff sniff...

 

The only good thing these days is that I bought a new laptop. That one had a 8 GB memory so its much faster. I can easily go on the Web and do all of my stuff. Its quite life changing. And also, my screen is bigger, so its overall much better. The deal was too good to miss, this Acer laptop at the Source was only $380.. about $420 after taxes. I don't regret buying it... especially knowing that CIBC Visa - one again - decided to be extra generous by offering me a 0% credit card balance for 6 months. But there's a catch, a onetime 1% fee apply.

 

I know I once said I wasn't interested by CIBC Visa promotional offer but I am not going to used much of my CIBC Visa, just what I currently have as expenses on my BMO MasterCard. By doing so, I still can pay off my student loan like plan by the end of October. Also in October, I have a few days plan in New Brunswick. And at the time, I hope that at that time, David Alward will only be a bad souvenir.

Provincial elections on September 22, 2014: Welcoming our New Prime Brian Gallant

Its too bad I cannot be there to vote, but I have no worries. New Brunswickers are smart people and watch out my prognostics: a big kick in the ass to the Conservative and a very good welcome to the Liberal under Brian Gallant. Go Brian go!

 

In New Brunswick, we had experimented many problems with the Conservative. New Brunswick has among the highest number of individuals who benefit from the unemployment insurance - and that being for many reasons. One reason being the lack of opportunities. Before being able to find a job in my very own province, I had been offered a job in Montreal after I guess less than 12 weeks while being under the unemployment benefit. That was about 2 years ago. The contract turned into a permanent job here in Montreal. But back in the time, the only jobs offer I found coming from New Brunswick were contracts. It seem like New Brunswick workplace is built just in order to give us the number of weeks required to get the unemployment benefit - that's what I figured out...

 

Poor seasonal New Brunswick workers had lost their dignity under the Conservative government and come a time where their voices will be heard. And that time is tomorrow.

 

In New Brunswick, we rely on our natural resources more than anything else and someone of the name of David Alward want to all f it up and open the door to pipelines - but there's much much worst, like shale gas. And the only reason why we don't have any shale gas exploitation in New Brunswick is because of the courage of our Indian people who massively come over to protect the province and said no to shale gas. New Brunswick has a lot of problem to deal with right now. Let just don't add another shit plan to everything else. I want to be able to go back live in New Brunswick one day.

 

Under Stephen Harper, New Brunswickers who work in seasonable industries, like in the fisheries and forest related stuff have suffer from very tighten laws and regulations related to unemployment benefit. Workers who are involved in lobsters, fisheries, forestry, tourism etc. cannot work all year long.

 

Without being there, I know New Brunswickers will do the right choice and massively vote for Liberals because its really the only thing to do.

Paying off that student loan once for good

I currently have a $1 300 available in cash, but I didn’t do anything with it so far – which is very unusual. I made a very painful decision: to pay my student loan by the end of October of this year. The balance of my student loan is of $3 147. Its quite a bit of money, but not that much either. I find it painful to pay off my student loan because its money that I won’t be able to invest inside my TFSA and I didn’t invest in something new in quite some time. My latest investment in Stantec Inc. (STN) doesn’t count at all because it was made inside my RRSP.

I had in mind to pay off my student loan but I never been really super enthusiastic over the idea. But I am now very serious about it. Currently, its $98 every month that goes as payment on the student loan. If I can erase that debt and leave a 1k in my bank account, I will be saving $101 per month. $101 is quite a lot of money to get in term of dividend money, its the reason why I decided to pay off my student loan and later on in November, I will have a 1k that will be laying on my bank account.

Following what, I will only have my rent, grocery and extra to cover up, all extra money will be put on my margin account and/or new investments. By the way things look now, I could only have 10 years left to do on the workplace. Not that I expect to retire at 44, but I want to have the choice to retire or not at that age, and please trust me on that one, I really don’t want to work until my late sixties… Or if I do, its because I will want to, not because I will have to.

Dividend investing is a good shit plan cover off. A shit plan is something you put on place in case shit happen, like a lay off or any kind of other shit that could happen. And the Canadian stock market is a good place for shit plan. The idea to have investment working for me for the rest of my life is just terribly sexy and I cannot wait for my non-registered portfolio to hit on the $150 000 value. And the Dividend Girl will be forever and employers could only kiss me good night.