GICs vs. a Balanced Stock-Bond Portfolio

Recently, I’ve been thinking about saving versus investing or the idea of engaging in “risky” investments versus “safe” interest-bearing deposit products. This idea came to mind again because of the findings presented in my last blog post that financial planners in Japan did not tend...

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Help! I’m too Risk-Averse to Invest

Being Cautious With Your Money For years your friends have been telling you to invest in the stock market. You resisted, insisting that High-Interest Savings Accounts (HISAs) and Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs) were all you needed. Besides, you already had some money in the stock market...

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Making a Case for Socially Responsible Investing

Introduction Definition of Socially Responsible Investing Socially responsible investing, also known by other terms such as responsible, sustainable, or ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing, is a practice that uses various socially beneficial criteria to seek out securities to invest in.   Importance of Socially Responsible Investing Investing has generally...

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Understanding the Time Value of Money

Managing our personal finances involves a few mathematical calculations. When we buy a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), we are told, for example, that we will receive 5% per year, compounded over five years. If we deposit $5,000 into that GIC, how much will we receive?...

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Are You Financially Literate?

Each year the month of November is designated as Financial Literacy Month. I like to think that each blog post that I write adds to the financial literacy of my readers, but there is something to be said for a special focus on bringing up...

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