Cold cash: $7,751.65
Stocks and Units investment portfolio $CAN
RSP investment portfolio:
CIBC Dividend Growth Fund + CIBC Emerging Markets Index Fund + CIBC Monthly Income Fund: $3,580.23
Others: $1,159.90
Because life is all about money and a bunch of other things
Cold cash: $7,751.65
Stocks and Units investment portfolio $CAN
Others: $1,159.90
Margin account debt: $46,580.89 @ 4%
Annual interest: $1,863.24
On the date March 18, 2022
**For a complete update regarding my debt, click on the label "Debt situation" located at the right column of this blog.
Today was a good day for the TSX! My non-registered portfolio closed the session at $145,181.64, my US portfolio at $4,905.52, my RRSP portfolio - stock only - at $66,459.71 - and my TFSA portfolio at $130,719.39. I quickly updated my investment portfolio. From my calculation, I am only missing about $215 before my net worth finally hit the magical $350,000. It seems to me that I had been waiting for this to happen for a long time now.
$350,000 is a big number. I get to have a sense of that now because the house of our next-door neighbor is currently for sale at a whopping $180,000. There's also that house across the street, which used to be the house of one of my grandfather's brothers, which is for sale for $100,000. I could basically buy those two houses if I wanted to. The house that belongs to one of my grandfather's brothers is really cute, but all the windows would need or eventually would need to be changed, and also, the painting outside of the house is in need of a bit of love. The outside of that house hasn't been done in the longest time. For a house that needs love, $100,000 is not exactly cheap, even if the house is cute.
If I am lucky, tomorrow may be the there where for the first time, I will be sitting on a $350,000 net worth. May that day arrive quickly so I can just move on to something more exciting... my first $400,000.
It hasn't been a good day for the TSX, but at least it hasn't been disastrous. With those 21,187.84 points, my non-registered portfolio closed at $143,901.11, my US portfolio at $4,802.93, my RRSP portfolio - stocks only like always - at $65,505.20, and my TFSA portfolio at $127,965.20.
Today at BNN, Christine Poole's Top Picks included my beautiful Fortis Inc. (FTS) and WSP Global Inc. (WSP). I have been holding on to both FTS and WSP for several years now. Inside my non-registered portfolio, Fortis Inc. (FTS) is on a +104.38% gain and WSP Global Inc. (WSP) is even performing better, running the show with a +224.11%. Christine Poole knows her stuff, but it's not by listening quietly to BNN that I invested in the best stocks of my portfolio. There's a bit of a lack of originality there. Once you hold on to the best stocks one investor can possibly have, the next step is to explore a bit more, just to see if I had been missing on anything. It's not BNN that can push you over the edge, but Stockopedia definitively can! To explore stocks the way I do, please use my referral link to benefit a 2-week FREE trial.
Just to add quickly to my post of yesterday, the fact that Global Dividend Growers Income Fund (GDG.UN) feature among JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) inside Stockopedia's "Trading below Cash Screen" is a huge factor that certainly plays in favor of Global Dividend Growers Income Fund (GDG.UN). I am not saying no to GDG.UN, but I just prefer to keep my options open for now.
And talking about JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN), I was listening again to what I believe is the very last interview that gave Jean-François Tarif at The Morning show on BNN. I feel that what he said during that interview still applies today. Tardif named a couple of stocks that - back at the time - didn't really speak to me. Those stocks are:
Freehold Royalties Ltd. (FRU), Topaz Energy Corp. (TPZ), PrairieSky Royalty Ltd. (PSK), Celestica Inc. Subordinate Voting Shares (CLS), and Parkland Corporation (PKI).
I am not a stranger to Parkland Corporation (PKI). I used to be invested in PKI. I sell for whatever reasons, I don't remember exactly why, but you'll probably find that reason searching PKI on my blog. Among that list, I only have interest in one stock: Topaz Energy Corp. (TPZ).
Topaz Energy Corp. (TPZ) is interesting, but it's not being backed up by a huge history. I don't see anything prior to 2021.
For now, I am just looking.
Funny fact, inside my non-registered portfolio, Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (ITP) grow by +0.53%. :)
Regarding my winter boots situation that I explained in the last post, it happen that my mom took the boots - the ones I wanted to melt down the plastic with a lighther so it could cover the holes lol - and but them in the garbage can. It really amused me. I guess it was the next best thing that could happen to those boots. I had walked all winter long with those boots, and it just happen that in reason of their low quality fabrics, they were at the end of really end of their utility. I walk around a lot, so shoes that are not good quality won't ever last long with me. When I used or wear something, its always to the core.
As for the TSX, I was under the impression that today was going to be a good day, but it happens that I was wrong. The TSX closed today session at 21,180.78 points, leaving my non-registered at $144,053.35, my US porfolio at $4,757.78 US, my RRSP portfolio - stocks only - at $65,550.51, and my TFSA portfolio at $127,869.14.
No matter what happens on the TSX, I am always in search of new stocks to invest in. In order to fill that need, I consult like usual Susan Brunner's blog. Nice, but when I want more, I consult my secret weapon: Stockopedia. I like to scroll a bit everywhere in Stockopedia platform, but my favorite thing of all is their screens. It help to keep my head clean (browsing on Stockopedia is really that fun and you should definitively give it a try for free with this unique offer using my referal link!!!), and I just love to search around for new stocks that I might even not even know that existed. And Stockopedia gave me all of those advantages. You can get a taste of what Stockopedia has to offer to Canadian investors by reading Ben Hobson's article. He published new articles every month, right here.
In Stockopedia, Global Dividend Growers Income Fund (GDG.UN) appears on a special screen, which is named "Trading below Cash Screen". In that screens, we find, among other, JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN). I already hold on to some JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) units in both my TFSA and RRSP portfolios. Managed by Jean-François Tardif, JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) is what I like to name a "money stabilizer". No matter how bad the weather gets over the stock market volatility, JFS.UN always manages to keep in its value, and always remain stable. A simple look at JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) will help you to understand:
While today - for a mix of different reasons - New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) loses -9.295% and Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation (LIF) loses -17.73%, JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) remains in kind of a neutral state, just moving down a bit by -1.054%.
Since Global Dividend Growers Income Fund (GDG.UN) and JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) are both included in the Trading below Cash Screen, does it means that GDG.UN could be as good as JFS.UN for my investment portfolio? One point in favor of Global Dividend Growers Income Fund (GDG.UN): it pay a dividend distribution of 5.329%, while JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) pay f off. :)
However, JFS.UN overall chart is much much stronger than GDG.UN. Here's the overall chart for Global Dividend Growers Income Fund (GDG.UN):
Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation (LIF) announced a cut in their dividend distribution, which surprised most investors, including myself. But hey, if a company decided to reduce their dividend distribution, it's because they have their reason. It's not fun to deal with dividend cut, but I respect the companies who have the gut to do so. My investment portfolio is strong enough to have little hits here and there. I had been through much more diffcult market situations in the past. This is not nothing, but in my view, its just temporary.
Right now, I am trying to find some quality to invest in. Global Dividend Growers Income Fund (GDG.UN) is not bad, but its not a good fit for me.
Following New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) and Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation (LIF) management decision to cut in their dividend distribution, I finally had the courage to update my annual dividend income. It's obviously a bit lower now, but at now $10,821.65, my annual dividend income is still looking good.
Don't be discouraged by anything, the TSX is just another bitch.
I am happy that I actually updated my investment portfolio two days ago, because yesterday, my numbers are a bit on the lower side lower. On this last session of the week, my non-registered portfolio closed at $145,992.09, my US portfolio at $4,720.20 US, my RRSP portfolio - stocks only - at $66,104.56, and my TFSA portfolio at a very good $129,065,66. Just like I predicted, New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) did rebound a bit from yesterday's massive -22.45% losses. Today, New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) gains +1.20%. I actually would like to invest in a few extra shares of NFI.
Following NFI's announcement to cut in their dividend distribution, I haven't updated my dividend income. It kind of breaks my heart just to think that my dividend income went down. But I guess it went down by only a little. It's just that I am not really yet to endorse the reality. While dealing with this little descendant hit, I had been trying to spot stocks - for future investment - on Susan Brunner's blog. In one of her latest articles, she targets "something to buy" for March 2022. I was happy to see BCE Inc. (BCE) on that list.
Today, we received a heavy load of snow, it wasn't funny. I managed to clean the side of the house, but I am pretty sure I will have other snow to remove tomorrow morning... It was heavy rainy snow. My winter boots came to the end of their life. They were some kind of boots made of plastics, which doesn't remain good long when you walk like I do, but they were doing the thing. Some holes began to appear so I came up with a few suggestions for my father to fix them: 1) duck tape (and used a black marker to make the duck tape less visible) (the easy breathy solution) 2) take a lighter to make the plastic melt so it goes inside the holes 3) your usual glue on top of the hole, let it dry and after what used a black marker so nothing much appears (because the glue leaves on white marks)... It made my old folks laugh, especially the lighter idea... they told me the boots would just explode because of the plastic chemicals... and we all laughed hard. I really wanted my father to fix those boots, he will with the glue. I will keep those old boots for the wood. But after all the laughs, my mom asked: do your boots are waterproof? Well, the answer to that question is... no. I can feel a bit of a situation when I deal with too flashy snow on the sidewalk here and there... So we figure out the time had come to buy a new pair of winter boots. :-) LOL.
And so I did. I was able to get a pair for less than $60 on sale. But it's not the kind of boots that are good for very cold winter days, and they are not super high boots. However I don't really go out when it's too cold anyway, so I guess we are on business. It might sound weird not to want to buy winter boots while I am having close to $350,000 net worth, but the fact is, my expenses just keep rolling in and I just want to save the max I can while being in New Brunswick. Other than groceries and bills, I am giving myself $200 per month to spend on coffees, etc... like that $200 is my extra go-to money, but for one reason or another, I always blow it.
Last month, I had my antivirus for my laptop that took me by surprise with a $120 bill. This month, I had to pay a bit over $100 to have my tax income done... So far, my "extras" are at $284, so I already exploded my budget. $200 a month for my extra expenses is just not realistic enough, but I prefer to stay at that amount because it helps me to really control my expenses. Boots, pieces of clothing, beauty products... All of those expenses can be heavy at the end of the month. I am now frugal more than I haven't been in a really long time and it's just the type of thing I needed in order to save money, so I can finally hit on the $400,000 net worth one of these days.
Back in the days, I used to be very frugal - without facing any difficulties because I wasn't making that much money. But over time, as my net worth grow, I became a bit less attentive. so basically, I am just being my old self. With inflation going on, better to be overcontrolling than not being at all.
If anyone has any suggestion on how to fix holes on plastic winter boots, feel free to share :)
I am just so terribly close to the $350,000 - it's almost annoying!
I could have made it to the $350,000 today if it wouldn't have been from New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI). New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) had been in my portfolio for a really long time. Several years ago, NFI undergo a major restructuration. I have always been impressed by New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI). This company knows how to handle itself. New Flyer management team seems to always be really proactive. And it's for that reason that today, NFI announced a cut in their dividend distribution. Following the announcement, New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) closed today's session at $14.99, -22.45%. Despite today's big losses, New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) closed today's session at +16,81% inside my non-registered portfolio. Tomorrow, NFI may experience a little rebound. Today market reaction was quite sharp and scandalous at the same time.
When a good company like New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) has the nerve to take the decisions needed to drive the business further, I admired that. I am a super of New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) and I am proudly holding it in my non-registered portfolio.
The TSX can be a really rough place to be. In my opinion, it takes a diversified portfolio to be able to navigate through the chaos. I have a very good portfolio that just keeps going no matter what. Basically, this is what perfection looks like, you can always have a close look for yourself.
The TSX will probably remain sensible to the current situation regarding Ukraine. Right now, I am not under the impression that the effects will be hard on the TSX. With stocks like Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL) and Enbridge Inc. (ENB), I have strong exposure to the oil sector and this is helping me a lot. I am experiencing a lot of growth in many of my stocks. Some other stocks, like New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) are facing a bit more difficult time but I have gone through this before with NFI and I can say with confidence that NFI will be able to recover from this, this is just a fix-up situation that the management is handling gracefully by cutting their dividend. I am fine with that.
For now, I am just enjoying my fabulous numbers. It feels great to be on the $349,713.01 net worth, but now I just want MORE. :-)))
2022
On the date of December 5, 2009, I had exceeded the $60 000 in assets! (not in net worth yet).
Cold cash: $8,043.59
Stocks and Units investment portfolio $CAN
Others: $1,159.90
Margin account debt: $46.642.90 @ 4%
Annual interest: $1,865.72
On the date March 10, 2022
**For a complete update regarding my debt, click on the label "Debt situation" located at the right column of this blog.