The price of gold has recently been shooting through the roof. As of the time of this writing gold is hovering near $1870. It seems like only a short while ago when I was wondering if $1500 was near. What’s going on with the price of gold? Is this the beginning of a mania phase… [Read More]
How Much Should I Save, and Why?
Me: Baby, how much should I save, and why? Her: How much? A lot. Why? To make me happy. We each have our own reasons for saving… what are yours? How much should I save, and why? Before we can answer this question, we need to ask another question: What is my time preference? In… [Read More]
Don’t Get Suckered by the Banks: How Much Can You *Really* Afford to Spend on a New Home?
When you go to the bank to look at getting a mortgage pre-approval, they will often quote you a ridiculous figure as the maximum amount you can borrow. This number is usually based on a simple metric, such as “debt payments should be no more than 40% of income”. Such simple metrics can lead to… [Read More]
The Skinny on Real Estate Investing: A Book Review
Does anyone remember the real estate euphoria from a few years back? While people are still trying to pick up the pieces down south, the euphoria hasn’t really gone away up here in Canada, though the dimmer switch has perhaps been turned down somewhat. In The Skinny on Real Estate Investing: An Introduction to the… [Read More]
The Importance of Opportunity Costs, and Why They Should Not Be Ignored
Everyone is familiar with the direct costs of life. You feel it every time you take some money out of your wallet to pay for food, gas, or tuition. Are you familiar, however, with the indirect costs, and the choices that you make everyday? I am not referring to hidden taxes or fees (such as… [Read More]