Savings: $2,716.49
Stocks and Units investment portfolio $CAN
Others: $1,159.90
NBI Income Fund: $1,331.94
On date of January 21, 2025
Because life is all about money and a bunch of other things
Savings: $2,716.49
Stocks and Units investment portfolio $CAN
Others: $1,159.90
NBI Income Fund: $1,331.94
On date of January 21, 2025
This past Friday was a good day for the TSX, which closed the session at 25,067.92 points (+221.72 points, +0.89%). This came as a surprise. As Donald Trump’s inauguration approaches this upcoming Monday, I thought the TSX would prepare to enter negative territory. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. My non-registered portfolio closed this past Friday session at $154,024.22, my US portfolio at $5,973.25 USD, my RRSP stocks-only portfolio at $84,768.00, and my TFSA portfolio at $139,008.09. I updated my investment portfolio this weekend and discovered that my net worth is now standing strong at $462,576.18. I’m now not too far from my highest net worth, which was in the $467,000 range not long ago. My rule is: if I’ve reached it once, I can do it again.
Currently, two of my stocks have been borrowed under the Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program of National Bank Direct Brokerage: iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index (XRE) and General Mills Inc. (GIS). I paid off my margin debt in mid-December. After that, I began noticing that some of my stocks were being borrowed through the program. In December, I earned exactly $0.09 from my USD Securities Lending! I assume those nine cents are in US dollars. I was charged a $0.03 fee, meaning I made a net profit of $0.05 USD in December from the National Bank Direct Brokerage's Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program.
For my Canadian dollar account, I didn’t receive any payments, likely because the borrowing process started too late in December to qualify for that month’s payment. Not many of my stocks have been borrowed so far, so I’m expecting pocket change, but you never know. I am currently earning exactly $910.14 per month in dividend income from my non-registered and TFSA portfolios. If I could just reach $1,000 per month from dividends and other income sources, I would be really pleased.
In November, I subscribed to a one-year subscription with Stockopedia, taking advantage of their Black Friday sale. Over the past couple of years, I hadn’t subscribed, but I used to be a regular subscriber. As I worked on completely paying off my margin debt, I decided to return to Stockopedia. Over the years, I’ve made great investments using Stockopedia. Some notable ones include: WSP Global Inc. (WSP), Toromont Industries Ltd (TIH), Cargojet Inc. (CJT), TFI International Inc. (TFII), ATCO Ltd. (ACO.Y), Hammond Manufacturing Company Limited Class A Subordinate Voting Shares (HMM.A), Finning International Inc. (FTT), Richards Packaging Income Fund (RPI.UN), and Vitreous Glass Inc. (VCI), to name just a few.
When it comes to investing, I know I don’t follow the typical approach. I hold too many stocks—probably more than I should. I’m aware of this, but it doesn’t bother me. When I started investing, I had a pre-determined list of stocks that I absolutely wanted to buy, mostly those recommended by Derek Foster. My early years of investing were very exciting because I knew exactly where my money was going to be invested, and there was always a new stock I was eager to add to my investment portfolio. Investing became a big part of my life. I always had new goals for my portfolio and it felt quite exciting. Over time, my “wanted” list naturally became smaller and smaller because I had already invested in most of the stocks I had planned to. It was something that happened gradually, without warning. Today, my feelings toward investing are completely different—I’m in a different place now.
As an investor, there’s always room for improvement, and I’m certainly no exception. That said, I’m pretty happy with what I’ve built. Most of my stocks have performed well. Earlier this January, I shared an interesting review of my top performers: My Top Stock Performers as of January 3
If you’re looking for stocks to invest in, my suggestion (though not official advice, as I cannot legally provide any) would be to steer clear of the telecom sector. Who would have thought that one day BCE would become a disaster for shareholders? Currently, other telecom stocks aren’t doing well either. In my non-registered portfolio, my Telus Corp (T) shares are down by -6.37%. My Rogers Communications Inc. Class B Non-Voting Shares (RCI.B) are performing even worse in my RRSP portfolio, with a -27.91% loss. Among telecom stocks, BCE is one of the worst performers. While I don’t think there’s a need to panic about Telus or Rogers, I wouldn’t recommend investing in these stocks right now.
That being said, my investment in Quebecor Inc. (QBR.B) has performed well. I guess it’s the exception to the rule. Quebecor is different because—as far as I know—it operates solely within the province of Quebec. What some might see as a limitation is actually a strength. That’s how I view Quebecor. While you shouldn’t expect super-high growth, you can certainly count on Quebecor for steady, reliable growth. We’re living in an era of change. These changes manifest in various ways, including catastrophic climate events and significant societal shifts. What was once considered a good stock in the past can no longer hold up in today’s world. We’ve seen an example of this with BCE.
Lately, I invested in a few new stocks that are totally new to my investment portfolio. I find those stocks on Stockopedia. Among them, here are the top performers:
Dynacor Group Inc. (DNG): +6.72%Stantec Inc. (STN): +3.76%
Stantec’s overall chart looks quite decent:
I’ve had very good results investing in stocks similar to Stantec, such as WSP Global Inc. (WSP) and Aecon Group Inc. (ARE). I like the industrial sector; it’s my top favorite sector to invest in. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong investing in engineering and construction firms—they will always be in demand. On the other hand, you can’t say the same about the tech sector, like Shopify and others of that nature. I guess it’s safe to say that you probably won’t catch me investing in the latest trendy tech stock. I dislike everything that’s trendy. I’d rather invest in stocks that fly under the radar and are barely known by the general public.
That’s why I like Stockopedia so much!
Take a look at this:
PNG is a stock from the Venture exchange. Keep in mind that, because of this, PNG can be volatile. But at the same time, its volatility makes it the perfect candidate for a bit of trading fun! Unfortunately, Kraken Robotics Inc. (PNG) doesn’t pay any dividends. The name of this stock is just mind-blowing, and you haven’t even had the chance to see its logo yet. PNG’s headquarters are located in beautiful Newfoundland and Labrador. As a New Brunswicker, I really like this discovery. I don’t come across many stocks from the Maritimes. Another great stock coming directly from Newfoundland is the one and only Fortis Inc. (FTS)!
My opinions are strictly my own. Invest at your own risk. My instincts tell me that there may be more great finds in 2025, so if I were you, I’d stick around. As Canadians, we hold to the best stocks in the market. It’s a reality that needs to be exploited to its full potential.
2025
2024
2023
2022
Total in assets: $364,072.52/Net worth: $315,407.64: July 26, 2021
Total in assets: $358,867.59/Net worth: $311,858.22: June 15, 2021
Total in assets: $354,774.64/Net worth: $307,559.30: June 10, 2021
Total in assets: $348,042.77/Net worth: $300,799.45 - FIRST TIME I EVER REACHED 300k in net worth, on May 26, 2021
Total in assets: $346,583.88/Net worth: $298,486.93: May 20, 2021
Total in assets: $349,651.45/Net worth: $298,435.31: May 7, 2021
Total in assets: $347,002.53/Net worth: $297,614.64: April 16, 2021
Total in assets: $338,188.16/Net worth: $287,914.75: March 11, 2021
Total in assets: $333,970.92/Net worth: $283,675.99: March 9, 2021
Total in assets: $328,881.12/Net worth: $279,611.57: February 10, 2021
Total in assets: $326,670.02/Net worth: $278,758.37: February 8, 2021
Total in assets: $324,891.52/Net worth: $276,979.87: February 4, 2021
Total in assets: $322,236.52/Net worth: $274,318.36: February 3, 2021
Total in assets: $327,639.01/Net worth: $274,298.23: January 19, 2021
Total in assets: $316,192.85/Net worth: $268,180.14: January 7, 2021
Total in assets: $313,003.95/Net worth: $264,915.22: January 6, 2021
Total in assets: $310,587.36/Net worth: $262,498.63: January 5, 2021
2020
Total in assets: $310,392.38/Net worth: $259,661.24: December 31, 2020
Total in assets: $307,812.05/Net worth: $259,070.79: December 24, 2020
Total in assets: $306,444.25/Net worth: $258,948.73: December 4, 2020
Total in assets: $304,701.39/Net worth: $257,331.58: November 27, 2020
Total in assets: $300,956.84/Net worth: $253,587.03: November 24, 2020
Total in assets: $298,903.01/Net worth: $251,533.20: November 23, 2020
Total in assets: $296,643.60/Net worth: $249,158.71: November 20, 2020
Total in assets: $294,514.87/Net worth: $247,145.87: November 11, 2020
Total in assets: $291,172.40/Net worth: $243,802.59: November 10, 2020
Total in assets: $287 803.13/Net worth: $240 433.32: November 9, 2020
Total in assets: $277,872.92/Net worth: $226,678.26: August 5, 2020
Total in assets: $276,627.27/Net worth: $227,745.47: June 6, 2020
Total in assets: $263,304.63/Net worth: $211,395.63: April 29, 2020
Total in assets: $241 461,13/Net worth: $194 558,29: March 13, 2020
Total in assets: $282,640.61/Net worth: $235,284.72: February 21, 2020
Total in assets: $304,955.72/Net worth: $257,187.44: February 12, 2020
Total in assets: $296,200.07/Net worth: $250,595: January 16, 2020
Total in assets: $292,715.58/Net worth: $244,970.41: January 9, 2020
2019
Total in assets: $288,237.52/Net worth: $239,582.44: December 31, 2019
Total in assets: $278,823.27/Net worth: $230,902.04: September 17, 2019
Total in assets: $271,896.19/Net worth: 226,137.05: June 24, 2019
Total in assets: $269 950.21/Net worth: $222 942.87: April 5, 2019
Total in assets: $251 634.94/Net worth: $206 278.84: January 18, 2019
Total in assets: $238 656.07/Net worth: $191 009.83: January 4, 2019
2018
Total in assets: $270 679.86/Net worth: $204 306.57: November 16, 2018
Total in assets: $332 750.88/Net worth: $232 609.15: August 3, 2018
Total in assets: $331 413.83/Net worth: $232 280.40: June 20, 2018
Total in assets: $326 085.75/Net worth: $226 801.92: June 3, 2018
Total in assets: $322 479.23/Net worth: $222 850.15: May 4, 2018
Total in assets: $319 644.86/Net worth: $217 246.23: March 16, 2018
2017
Total in assets: $318 544.64/Net worth: $221 989.65: December 29, 2017
Net worth on the date of November 17, 2017: $211 430.89
Net worth on the date of October 27, 2017: $212 633.39
Net worth on the date of September 29, 2017: $206 352.49
Net worth on the date of April 24, 2017: $204 277.66
Net worth on the date of March 31, 2017: $200 325.69
Net worth on the date of March 29, 2017: $198 299.73
Net worth on the date of March 18, 2017: $193 969.21
2016
Net worth on the date of December 30, 2016: $184 074.35
Net worth after debt on the date of January 1, 2014:
$101 172.99 (yes, finally, IN NET WORTH!).
On the date of February 16, 2011, the TMX hit 14 000+ points, and I exceeded the 150k in assets! (Not net worth yet).
On September 9, 2010, I reached $100,000 in assets! (not in net worth yet).
On the date of August 5, 2009, I reached my investment goal: I reached $50 000 worth of assets! (NOW, net worth).
On the date of December 5, 2009, I had exceeded $60 000 in assets! (not in net worth yet).
Savings: $2,706.40
Stocks and Units investment portfolio $CAN
Others: $1,159.90
NBI Income Fund: $1,326.90
On date of January 18, 2025
My non-registered portfolio closed today’s session at $151,487.68, my US portfolio at $5,853.47 USD, my RRSP stocks-only portfolio at $83,258.29, and my TFSA portfolio at $137,662.08. Overall, my stock portfolio gained $2,500 today—a nice little jump in the right direction while waiting for Donald Trump’s inauguration this coming Monday. However, I can’t say I’m very optimistic about how things might turn out. In a way, this uncertainty is why I’m primarily focusing on building up my savings. It’s my way of unplugging from the chaos. Thankfully, I can do so freely because I no longer have a margin debt in play.
On a personal note, my father has been feeling unwell lately, though not excessively ill. He has no fever at the moment. I still have some COVID tests at home, and he took one—it came back negative for now. I have no idea where he caught this bug. I haven’t been sick in a while, so he certainly didn’t catch it from me. He had COVID a few months ago, so this is probably just a sore throat. Winters here can be rough and tough. That said, winters aren’t what they used to be; we used to get a lot more snow. I’d be curious to see the statistics for New Brunswick. Climate change is affecting the world in many different ways.
With the New Year comes new resolutions. Last year, I paid off my margin debt—a feat I still can’t quite believe! This year, I’m aiming to build up savings, ideally $20,000. Once I hit $10,000, I’ll be thrilled. I should be able to save $5,000 by the end of February, which is a great start. In my spending spreadsheet, I’ve marked March as the month I return to Montreal. Because of this, I’ll likely only save $500 that month.
I have an Excel sheet—nothing fancy, very simple—where I track my expenses, upcoming bills, rent, and any anticipated costs for the next few months. I’ve created a couple of versions with different scenarios but decided to stick with a realistic plan I can follow. That’s what budgets are supposed to be. The good news is that if I stick to my plan, I should easily reach my $20,000 savings goal this year.
Here’s my budget for when I’m in Montreal:
Groceries: $400This is the most realistic budget I’ve come up with so far. I’m considering canceling my Crave subscription and keeping only Netflix. Once I maintain a balance in my chequing account, my banking fees will be waived. I have a basic cable subscription but would like to suspend it, if possible, and keep it only when my parents visit. At some point, my rent will likely increase—maybe by $10 or $15 per month. With $100 a week for groceries, I should manage, but steak and salmon won’t be frequent items on the menu, that’s for sure!
My "Extra" category includes fun money and my daily espresso.
Actually, it’s more of an expresso with a bit of steamed milk, but I’ve forgotten its name. When I’m in Montreal, I usually go out for one almost every day. It’s probably one of my favorite things in the world, followed by swimming and going to the movies. Montreal is blessed with various free festivals and activities, so I often enjoy myself without spending much. My daily espresso costs about $5.50 after a 20% tip. Some might think that’s excessive, especially since I go nearly every day, but I view tipping 20% on an espresso as a small but meaningful gesture.
After accounting for my daily espresso, I’ll have about $61.50 left each week for fun activities. That should cover a few enjoyable things over the weekend, but I’ll see how it goes—money can disappear quickly!
I honestly don’t remember the last time I worked so tightly within a budget to save money. Usually, I’m not very restrictive and still manage to save, but never with a strict plan. This new approach could be beneficial for me, especially since inflation is reshaping financial priorities. Having little to no savings, as I’ve done in the past, isn’t sustainable anymore.
I took this picture in Montreal on Saint-Laurent boulevard - or the Main if your prefer. It's one of my favorite picture that I took last year.
One thing that I missed from Montreal is the coffee shop.
I have been monitoring the situation in California. I’ve listened to many testimonies and watched several live streams on TikTok. Unfortunately, too many creators are spreading conspiracy theories. In my opinion, these fires are simply caused by climate change. The winds have worsened the situation, along with the lack of water supply. Many beautiful communities are being affected, and it’s truly heartbreaking to see. I’m only watching from a distance, but even so, I find it morally exhausting. These fires are incredibly difficult to contain. I had never really heard of the Palisades before this. Maybe I had, but it wasn’t something I had paid much attention to. From what I’ve seen, the Palisades were a really special place.
Today was a busy day at work, and I didn’t have time to take advantage of the market. I currently have over $13,000 in cash waiting to be invested in my RRSP. I think the TSX could drop further, so I’m not in a rush to invest. However, I may start making small investments over the next few weeks.