Its official, I am now a Quebecker

In less than 3 weeks from now, I will be turning 35. Its certainly not old, but I am no longer that young 20 chick or something like it, but I still fell like that. And believe it or not, in 5 years, I will be 40!!! Nice kids from the 80s are getting nothing else but older. In case you really don't know, my birthday is on August 27, just like MA$E baby.

I am fortunate enough not to look or even feel that 35 of years on my shoulders. 35 ok no drama, but I begin see sign of aging. I had spot in the past a few white hair on my pretty me - that you hair coloration - and I unfortunately have a few brown spot on my pretty face - thank you makeup. THANK YOU. I didn't have any of those problems in my twenties. This is a real life girl bitch! So young and so already done.

LOL.

And guess what, for my birthday, I had become a QUEBECKER. I AM NOW A QUEBECKER.

Nooooooooo. Oh well, I received my driver license, and today I received my Quebec medical card. I had been back in Quebec for 3 years and I didn't bother to have my cards transfer because I only wanted to get out of Quebec province. Unfortunately, I have two choices: I go back to New Brunswick and go kill chickens or I stay right here in Montreal where I have a full-time that pay well.

I had applied to a job in New Brunswick right before going there for my vacation, but the position had been fulled - it wasn't a chicken killer position - I discover that profession however on site and I could see myself killing chickens on a very energic way. :-)

 

Anyway, the TSX gain a few great points today. My non-registered portfolio pop up at the $127 000. I am slowly getting back on my feet. My dividend income, not including RRSP is at a rough $6 200. I am trying not too spend too much money. I am a good girl, I bring my lunch at work. I am on a non makeup and clothes ban. I quickly realize thank you that having just a $1 000 in my banking account wasn't enough. Since my rent is $635, once my rent go - in case I don't have enough cash like it happen this past month - less than a 1k remain... So I decided that I needed a $5 000 in my bank account and work on an emergency fund.

...

I always disliked blogger who write about emergency funds and I am now just one of the other f.

Unwarm Canadian stock market with no excitement = shitty Dividend Girl

These days, I am receiving multiple credit offers. For once, any of them is tempting me. Again, CIBC Visa is offering me a 0% interest rate credit card balance transfer - but a one time 1% fee apply. BMO MasterCard is offering to increase my credit. 

These days, my life investment is like nothing. I don't like to invest in those stock market conditions. My non-registered portfolio just worth a bit more than $126k and its deeply depressing. For a while now, my non-registered portfolio had been at the 125k - which is unusual - I am usually in the 130k+ range. It doesn't even feel like its a good time to invest because the markets keep closing without direction or by going down. I am not getting the feeling that it will get back on track anytime soon and I just have a very annoy feeling regarding investments right now.

Now could be the good time for me to just pay off debt because like the market, I have no direction and it is extremely boring. Its like I don't find it very satisfying to invest anymore. Bull market is killing it all, its painfully hard. And boooring. Being normal, I would used my credit money to invest. At least, I am out of danger now. No investment = no money lost.

Cannot even enjoy the end of summer peacefully without hearing elections shit! Just for that, I want Stephen Harper to be long way gone.

I just hope my market excitement will come back soon because I feel completely lost. Life is getting boring.

Secret pictures of New Brunswick Prime Minister Brian Gallant

I was away in New Brunswick for a few vacation days, living the life I should always have. During that time, it seem I didn't miss anything spectacular on the market, because barely nothing new happen. I had heard way before now Puerto Rico financial problem. I was expecting a dead low market. In result of all this, my non-registered portfolio closed today session at $127 303. 

Now that the good summer days are almost gone, I am trying to set myself back to my old, very old saving habits. I just paid a $1 104 balance on my BMO MasterCard. I guess I have no needs to say that I am going to be very careful with my money for what it is left of 2015. I will try to save a $7 000. Its possible, but only if I cut off my spending. And this mean no more cool manicures and pedicures. I also need to save money for a trip my mom want to make this winter. 

Changing my habits a bit won't hurt. I didn't invest in quite sometime and its because I don't have anything much left after paying everything. I had been a very bad girl.

Now, the moment you all waited for. New Brunswick Prime Minister Brian Gallant came to town while I was there, and of course, I took some pictures. TADAM. Brian Gallant secret pictures reveal.

Ahhhh! TOO CUTE. Viva Liberal.

I also got my very own picture with me, but sorry folks, you won't see that one here. Because I am secret.

Hello again New Brunswick?

For some reasons, I now had become a Quebecker. I had switched my New Brunswick medical card and driver license to a Quebec one. While living in Quebec province, its just a matter of formality, but I had to do the switch. Strangely, now that I did, my mom find a job posting for something in my area. Cool, but I will have to move again, and buy a car... And the job is located in a very small place, close to nothing. So I just wonder what to do in the present time, but the answer quietly present by itself. 

My Montreal job is not a fun one. I don't get any kind of recognition, I am not very much respected there. So yeah baby, if I have a chance to leave Quebec behind trust me, I will do so. I hate Quebeckers from the bottom of my heart. I hate Quebec province, but I like Montreal. But only the city.

Going through some very rough stock market conditions - while a lot of volatility is in the air and everything seem to dominated by stress and bad news - that make it the very perfect time to check out my investment portfolio very closely. Greece is on good track to resolve their problems, but its not at all anytime soon that the problem with fade away. Greece Prime Minister seems to be a bit too much revolutionary for my taste and unconscious, but it seem like he's doing what the international authorities are expected from his country.

This past Friday, when I saw that the TSX had lost closed to 100 points, I was desperate, I didn't want to face a non-registered portfolio down under $130 000. But nope, surprise, my non-registered portfolio closed to $131 266.03. I am slowly getting back on track. And I can afford to move in the middle of no where and I can afford to buy a car. F Quebec.

Your spending habits may ruined your investing dreams - or maybe not

How? Well, its pretty easy to understand. The more your spend, the less you have available to invest. And I am currently experiencing something similar to that, for several reasons.

From what I had experienced so far, the more I earn money, the less easier it is to actually save money. But shouldn't be exactly the opposite? Not in my case. I do not work at several jobs like I used to do. I make a similar salary than before by holding on - or trying to - one job + my dividend + my sometimes online income. But other than that, I don't have many sources of income, I work less, but I spend more. Why is that?

I have more free time. And having more free time on hands mean that I have more time to spend money. I don't do extravagant things, I go the movies, I usually go to all of the Montreal festivals you could imagine, I go out a lot, I drink a lot, I eat a lot outside, I shop, I buy clothes, jewellery, makeup, diet pills... yeah, but read it right, DIET PILLS. lol.

Generally speaking, I do spend more than what I used to. Now that I hold more or less 100k in net worth, I got very lazy, but I would say that I invest on a regular basis anyway and I am still good on shooting out good investments. Not including my RRSP money, my dividend income is at $6 200+. I expect to hit on the $12 000 income in the next 4-5 year or so. The overall picture is not that grey despite my current spending little nature.

Among my spending habits, ones are daily spending and other are what I name as generic spending if not over drive spending. I guess you never heard of that type of spending flare. Like you stop by a drugstore and buy a new lipstick but you really don't need a new one - see what I mean?

And comes the more or less daily expenses that I could live without, or maybe not. I cannot live without my daily coffee, a $2.60 in the morning, and an Americano in the afternoon, $3. And I really often buy 2 coffees per day. I discovered a new pleasure in life - be ready reader - aha - manicures and pedicures. Both cost $55 every 3 weeks. I have thin curly hair, but a lot of hair - and I need a hair cut every 8-6 weeks as the roots get dry and messy. That's a $28 right there. I also do my coloration at home, $14 a box - every 6 weeks or so because I had been coloring my hair since my mid twenties and I look better that way. And I start having white hair one or 2 years ago. I sometime wake up late to get to work - I take a taxi, its $10 to $14 the ride depending of the traffic. If I don't organize my lunch week during the weekend, forget about it, I will have to buy something to eat. I also really often finish work after 5 pm, what to you thing happen when I do so? I go get something to eat.

Not to turn into a wild beast, I go visit New Brunswick at least 4-5 times a year. Ticket is $175 + other expenses. I spend money on my folks for Christmas, Easter, birthdays. And I am very generous. Its $500 that do for Christmas. Certainly a $100 on Easter. And $100 on birthdays in not a bit more. My rent had been increased of $10 recently, its now $635 - but I am closed to everything including work, no need for a metro pass that might be close to $90 a month now...

Despite all of this dramatic degeneration, I had a bill of $985 on my credit card last month. Its not too bad knowing that it included my Internet and cell phone bills. I like putting everything on my credit card because it help me managing my expenses. For last month, my expenses were about $1 700, but I still had left $800 in free cash for savings - and that does not included the money earn in dividend. So life is all good. Why should I say no to manicures and pedicures???

Meet my new favorite stock: Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP.UN)

I knew that my non-registered portfolio wasn't going to look good, but I was curious. I found a disastrous tiny little $126 454.80. It doesn't look good at all, but I am thinking of it as temporary situation. In those very rough time, better to invest in stocks that can stand without falling. By this I mean, its better to invest in stock that haven't lose in value much instead of running over some bargain stock. Its not like we are going to get out of this mess anytime soon. A recession had been announced and our Financial Minister is just too stuck up to see clearly what's going up.

CNR could be a good bet, but I have a new favorite, its Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP.UN). I had been holding into BIP.UN inside my TFSA for the past couple months, and it already gain 7% in value! This is quite spectacular knowing how bad are the stocks market right now. BIP.UN almost pay 5% in dividend distribution, which is very great.

My idea is to stop buying clothes and makeup and to invest another 1 to 2 thousands in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP.UN). I think I had found my new gold mine.

Greece acting like gansters crew. The no to the referendum: revolutionary or a dumb show?

I didn't post anything in quite sometime, I had been busy, got a few vacation days and now I am getting back to the usual. I had been away, but I kept an eyes on what was going on. It was with no surprise that I learn that the No had won the referendum in Greece. Its a poor country and its residents are desperately trying to the get out of hell. Imagine having to live with the fear of not being able to access to your very own money. Not to be able to withdraw money without having to face long waiting lines and, even worst - having to face the lack of available cash.

Greece debt shouldn't be erase, but I hope the Euro zone will take in consideration all of the craziness that those people have to endure. There's no way out, but a long term solution need to be taking and Greece need to make commitments and have an in deep control of their finances.

With all that activity, my non-registered portfolio is down to $128 365.67 - far from the old 135 something... I really hate it when the stock market get so volatile. There's just no way out and there' seem to be no proper way to do things, no investment seem to be stable and strong enough to face the eventuality of a stock market crash.

The strangest thing ever is to actually have money, but the problem is: in what to invest in, is now a good time to buy? At this point, in the hot summer heat, after a cold winter, I do not really care and the strangest thing ever is actually not doing nothing with my money, for the really first time of my life. Like a big f off to the whole universe.

The Dividend Girl is about to turn into a Quebecker. What???!!! DAMN.

Even after now 3 years that I am back in Quebec, I still had my New Brunswick health card. I didn't want to get a Quebec one. My reason was that I don't need any cheap Quebec doctor to take care of me, I am never sick, I am not in need of any health care. I am invincible. We all know that of course. However, a few weeks ago, I decided it was time to get my Quebec health card, even it was only to cover my ass in case of an emergency, in case an accident arrive or something. Or in case I become pregnant. LOL. I tried to be intelligent, I place a call, said I arrived in Quebec in April (whatever!), got the form and than I went to a CLSC to depose the papers and it was about it.

Its the step I didn't want to make because it kind of make of me a Quebecker now and I am not too proud about that, but I needed to be practical so here am I. I definitely needed a Quebec health care because I am way too far away from my hometown now. Its just an administrative thing, its not because I will soon be holding a Quebec health card that I considered myself a Quebecker. A wild thing like me is way too smart to be define as a Quebecker.

I think the tragedy of my entire existence is not able to get what I want, not to do what I want and not to live where I really want. It a life I have no control on. My other lives must had been very bad because this one really suck so far.

Still bitching like always sexy, but I have to say, Montreal turn to be a magical place during summer time. I went to many free concert during the Francopholies and took many videos like this one that I will soon post, but it take forever to download. Ok, so enjoy this first one - but just prepare to change position at one point.

This was Radio Radio. They open the Francopholies of Montreal this year. We'll talk about money in another post sometime.

This blog title could had been: How to deal with the volatility of stock market without too much pain? Do it with a ganster spirit

I don't know if Greece situation will ever get better. With all those millions and millions of dollars won, where are they going to find the money to pay back - especially now. And I don't understand why the FMI let Greece go so down so badly. In fact, that so call organization is not capable to prevent crisis, it only deal with shit once its obvious that there is a problem somewhere... Anyway, if you want my in deep and very honest opinion, we cannot change the world, but we can certainly play things on our favor. Fact is, small investors are sometime way smarter than any government.We prove that we can do a lot with the little money we earn every single day.

One of the hardest thing to deal while investing is how to deal with such shit. Each time, my portfolio survive, but this is no fun. One of the most scary thing ever is when that nuclear thing happen in Japan. My opinion was that the stock market - mine - the Canadian one - was going to go down badly, but it didn't. So try to understand that shitty place that is the stock market - your going to turn crazy. I stop a long time ago trying to understand anything related to the stock market and this is why I am still on the run.

The honest answer to that wonderful question: How to deal with stock market shit without too much pain? - IS: DON'T GIVE A DAMN. Do your nails, have your coloration done, exercise, do something, move on, BUT CERTAINLY, DO NOT sell anything.

Et voilà. That is how to deal with market shit. :-)

Taking a good breath might help as well.

Currently, my non-registered portfolio is down to $128 876.57. Unfortunately, when the TSX go down, my portfolio take a hit and its a pain each time. I have a left margin value of $13 705.45, which is not to bad, but I am far from the usual 17k. I need to keep track of the situation just to watch out because in my case, I have a margin. And since I don't plan to pay back my $66 000 margin debt anytime soon, I need to watch what is going on, because in result, my portfolio value go down, as well as the value.

In 10 years from now, I hope that I will be able to look back and say, all that worth it after all. It still worth it in the meantime. I am pretty sure that my net worth still exceed the $100 000. I didn't do too badly. But I could had done certainly better, that's for sure. And its the reason why I am doing my best to stay in control of money. My newest investment in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP.UN) done well so far, I gain a 1.22% on the money already. I love when a new invest grow quickly like that. I am after all a pretty smart chick. And I am turning 35 in August!!!!

** DRAMA**

Other than looking myself carefully in the mirror each day, just like usual, I am still questioning myself on what will be my next investment and I have a pretty good idea. Once again, I will do just like Derek Foster. This one won't bring in the immediate a lot of dividend cash, but since the game is to invest for better tomorrows, maybe Canadian National Railway Company (CNR) is a good investment move. I am a fan of that stock. I made thousands on CNR inside my non-registered portfolio. Can I make possibly a thousands more on the stock? Probably. I didn't see CNR trading so  low in a very long time. I still have contribution room left in my TFSA, I feel this could be a good fit.

Life is really only about money

I guess you all wonder what meant the allusion to "Redwood City" in that post. I had been approached by an organization located in Redwood City. Someone from their social media team approached me, asking a few questions, which result in that post. And following what, the representative came back to me asking to add a link in my post to their free online calculator. I explain I could do so with a monetary compensation, but no cash had been offered. Sorry, but I don't sell myself for free. 

Fact is, the world of personal finance is a super HUGE business and its good business niche. Its not for nothing that a guy behind PayPal is the CEO of that X organization that I won't ever publicize for free on this blog because on my blog, I am the only star.

The TSX is doing doing very well lately and in result, I had lost a few thousands in value.