Playing the Stock Market & Things to Know

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Investing directly in the stock market is becoming more accessible to people and while this has its advantages – it also comes with a lot of risk. This blog breaks down what factors to keep in mind when building your investment strategy while also preparing yourself emotionally.

There are lots of reason why you may have a desire to start investing directly in the stock markets:

  • You, like many others, have thought to yourself, “If only I had bought Apple stocks in 2003” or “I wish I would have bought into Tesla or Amazon before they took off”.
  • You have heard that it’s a way to get rich quick.
  • You know of a company you believe is about to “go big” and want in on the action.
  • You know of a company that you really believe in as far as what they are building and how they are run.

Whatever the reason is, it’s important that you stop to reflect on your own reason why you want to start investing in the stock market because your motivation will often determine your strategy, and your strategy can impact not only finances, but also the emotions that come along with investing.

Are Your Emotions Prepared to Invest?

This is a good place to start because whether we like it or not, investing in the stock market can be like riding an emotional rollercoaster. Too many people start this journey without any thought or care to the emotional side of investing.

Investing on your own is not for the faint of heart, and having a good  “emotional strategy” will be just as important as having a clear “investment strategy”.

To help you understand how your emotions can play a roll, I want you to ask yourself how you might feel at the end of each scenario below:

SCENARIO #1

You open up your investment account and decide to add $1,000 to start off. You then invest your $1,000 in a company your friend told you all about that was sure to go big this year. Within a few weeks of investing you look at the market value of your account to see your money has grown to $1,800. Let’s pause there. Ask yourself, “How do you feel?” I’m assuming the answer is, “I feel pretty good,” or you’re saying to yourself, “my friend’s a genius”. Let’s continue…

SCENARIO #2

After your delight of seeing your account rise, you decide your friend’s advice was a sure win. Around the same time, you are just about to head on a two week camping trip up north. You’ve had no cell service and no way to check your account while you’re away. Upon your return home, you’re looking forward to checking in on your new investment only to find that the market value has decreased to $600. How do you feel?

In the first scenario, people usually have a feeling of euphoria, excitement and general enthusiasm. In the second scenario people share common feelings of despair and buyer’s regret. Buyer’s regret is when you say things like, “I should have sold when my stock was at $1,800” or “Why did I listen to my friend?”

These types of scenarios take place daily, weekly, monthly and yearly whether you’re investing yourself or by other means, the biggest difference is you see it happening more closely. Unfortunately, most people have not prepared for the emotions that come along with investing. Because of this, they begin to make poor investment decisions based on their emotions. Let’s look at one more scenario of emotion-based decisions.

SCENARIO #3

After seeing your stock go down to $600, you decide to wait it out, only to see it drop down to $500 the next week. You figure your friend’s advice wasn’t so great after all and decide to get out while you still can and take the $500 loss from your original investment. You sell your stock and decide to take a break for a few weeks. About three weeks later you open up your account and just out of curiosity, you look at the stock you sold to see it has risen back above your original $1000. The frenzy of emotions that come after seeing this are hard to describe as most people begin reflecting back on all of their decision up to this point.

In this final scenario, buyer’s regret creeps back along with some other emotions. It’s at this point we hope people begin to realize that perhaps making investment decision based on their emotions may not be the best strategy.

Before you start “playing the stock market” I would encourage you to not think about this as “playing the stock market” and start thinking about what your investment strategy will be. Really dive into how you will build a clear investment plan with a clear emotional strategy to go along with it.

Building an Investment Strategy

In this section I will not be outlining any specific strategy to use while investing because every person’s goals are different. What I will talk about are some things to consider as you begin to invest.

#1 Investing vs. Gambling

As mentioned above, the first thing you’ll need to change is your mindset if you’ve been thinking of “playing the stock market”.

The stock market is not a slot machine that you put money into and pull the trigger to see if everything lines up. These are real companies with employees, customers and business strategies. These companies have actual costs with real decisions on how they spend and manage their money. When you invest money into a company, you are investing in every decision they make, every dollar they earn or lose; every employee, every leader.

Unlike a VLT machine, the results are not shown instantaneously but happen over time. Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Tesla were not built over night but over years and years of hard work. Some companies see returns in a few years, some over a few decades.

So the first principle to building your strategy is to ensure the right understanding of what investing means. Ensuring you understand that you are investing in a company not playing the stock market.

#2 Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

If all of your eggs are in one basket and you trip and fall, the likelihood of all of your eggs breaking at the same time is very high. Putting all of your money in one stock “basket” is risky business. If the stock falls, you may lose a significant amount of money. Now you may say, “but if the stock rises, I could get a high return on my investment.” This is very true, and only you can make the choice, but make sure that whatever choice you make, your emotional strategy is up to the task.

The best advice you’ll hear from almost every financial advisor is to “diversify”. This basically means, “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket”. One of the best strategies for investing in the stock market is to find multiple options/companies to invest in. Some people even look at different types of investments such as technologies vs gaming or health care vs. oil. Another way to diversify is to continue to invest in other ways such as RRSPs and TFSAs.

No matter how you diversify, it’s important to remember principle #1, you are investing in a company. Because you are investing in a company it’s up to you to do your research and set a clear timeline for how long you want to invest.

#3 Research & Timeliness

This is the less glamorous side of investing yourself. When you invest through mutual funds, there are portfolio managers who are trained to do research on companies. Portfolio managers are investment professionals who manage the companies/funds that your money is being invested into and builds diverse portfolios. When you decide to invest by yourself, you become the portfolio manager. It’s now up to you to do research into the companies your investing in. Who is their CEO? What is their business plan? How long have they been a company? What is their five-year strategy? Do they have former success? There are many things to consider and research when choosing a company to invest in so that you can ensure you are aligning your investment strategy to their business strategy.

Once you’ve done your research and feel confident in your decision, it’s a great idea to decide how long you want to invest in the company of choice. One year, five years, twenty years? What business goal(s) are you hoping to see the company achieve during your investment time or what dollar amount are you hoping to see on your return in the future? This time management decision making will help you not lose focus on your goals. It will also help with the emotions that come along with investing. When you’ve put a stake in the sand for five years, you’re more likely to ride through the highs and lows with less anxiety. This will also help you with your decision-making process to be thoughtful versus emotional.

Final Considerations: Platforms, Fees, Advice & Taxes

When I started this blog, I mentioned that investing in companies yourself is becoming more accessible and that is because of the platforms that are available. You may have heard of things like Wealth Simple and Questrade as common names in the world of investing. I would like to make you aware of one more company: Qtrade Direct InvestingTM (Qtrade).

Qtrade is not only the #1 online trading platform in Canada, but it is also a credit union company! Qtrade has a simple way to open an account and allows you to even link your account to your bank for easy processing of fund transfers. Whatever you choose, one thing you should consider are the fees associated with trading (buying and selling) as well as any recurring monthly fees that may exist. Hint: some platforms such as Qtrade offer ways to waive fees.

Once you’ve chosen a platform you may be asking yourself where you could get some advice. It’s a great question and while there is some advice out there, it usually pertains to the platform itself (how to make a trade) and less on strategy (what’s a good company to invest in). Qtrade also offers portfolio analytic tools to help clients make informed investment decisions.

Investing on your own is very much a DIY (do it yourself or learn it yourself) model but sometimes you can pay a fee for added advice. In some cases, you may want to invest in more complicated options and it may be more beneficial to talk to your financial advisor about where you should invest your money. Investing in the stock market isn’t for everybody. At Conexus, we are able to help people with other investment solutions such as mutual funds offered through Credential Asset Management Inc. or even refer people to our wealth management company “Thrive Wealth Management” who are experts in investment advice and solutions. You can also reach out to Thrive directly using the contact us form on their website.

Finally, when you make money, lose money, or break even, you should be aware that there are tax implications that go along with investing. If you make money, you will need to claim it as earnings. Side note: “making money” means selling a stock. If the market value rises but you don’t sell, you’ve made nothing because all that has changed is the market value of your stock. You only make or lose money when you sell your stocks. A basic understanding of investment terms such as “market value”, “buying”, “selling” should be on your priority list to learn if you do not already understand this type of terminology.

If you end up losing money, there may be some tax breaks. In either case, you should be aware that there are tax implications. I would encourage to do your research during tax season to ensure you are filing taxes correctly. There are several tax articles from Qtrade for those who are self-employed, parents, homeowners, investors, seniors, retirees, etc. You can find these articles on their education pages.

In Closing

I hope this has helped you understand a few things regarding investing in the stock markets and has given you a bit of an outline of things to be aware of, and a few things to help you plan before you take the plunge.

If you’re ready to take the next step, I would recommend opening a Qtrade account. Even if you’re not a credit union member, it’s still a great platform which I use daily. Once you open it up, do some research on the fees, add some money, and then begin to look for the companies you wish to invest in.

Mutual funds are offered through Credential Asset Management Inc. Online brokerage services are offered through Qtrade Direct Investing. Mutual funds and other securities are offered through Credential Securities. Qtrade Direct Investing and Credential Securities are divisions of Credential Qtrade Securities Inc. Credential Securities is a registered mark owned by Aviso Wealth Inc. Qtrade and Qtrade Direct Investing are trade names and trademarks of Aviso Wealth.

 

Basement Renovations: The Expected/Unexpected Costs

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If you’ve been watching a lot of HGTV during the pandemic and have been mapping out your home renovation, this blog will go through the expected and unexpected costs of getting the job done so you can start hammering down your renovations budget. 

When we moved into our house, like many people, there was an unfinished basement. And like many people, we had a plan to eventually finish it but instead it became a bit of a dumping ground for everything that didn’t fit anywhere else. We’d talk about how great it would be for everything to have a place but we just didn’t have the time to commit to it.

Fast forward a couple of years and we decided it was time. My husband had a break in work which meant he was home and we were in a pandemic so time wasn’t an excuse anymore. Also, with the new Home Renovation Tax Credit announced by the Saskatchewan Government, we would be able to save money. We had talked about hiring someone to come in, but we didn’t think it was too big of a job and we were up for the challenge! Plus, I’d seen lots of friends posting their reno pics and I was inspired to take on my own home project.

We decided on a floor plan, bought the lumber, purchased tools (that I still maintain we don’t need), grabbed the insulation and got to work!

The Physical Costs

What about the permit?

You may be asking yourself, “Didn’t you forget a step? Don’t you need a permit for a renovation like that?” Yes, you are correct, we did need a permit and more importantly, it was the first thing we did after deciding on our floor plan. As part of the permit application, we had to submit the floor plan to make sure that it passed building code and there wasn’t anything we had done wrong. I know this is one of those topics that a lot of people have an opinion on and I’m not going to judge people for whether or not they choose to get a permit, however, if you don’t get one and an inspector drives past your house and notices renos are happening without a permit, you can be fined. Plus, if you ever want to sell your house, you’re going to want to make sure you have gotten all the necessary permits to prevent any issues. If you are looking to do renos at all, including building a deck, check in with your city or rural municipality office, most can be found online like for Regina.

Don’t forget that there is a cost to the permit that is based on the square footage of the space and there will be a slight increase to your property taxes. However, there is also an increase to your property value!

Amateur vs Professional

Although we decided to finish the basement ourselves to save money, there are some things that had to be done by a professional. Because we are in an attached townhouse and share a wall with our neighbours, we had to have an electrician come in and do all of the electrical work and pull that part of the permit. This was a cost we hadn’t budgeted for and cost over $3,000 (thank goodness for tax returns). To be honest, I definitely feel more comfortable having a professional do the electrical work because there is history in my family of amateur electrical work that ended in a bathroom fan switch turning on a closet light in another room.

Materials

One thing I learned is that there are some materials that are necessary to the project and you just can’t get away from and there are other materials that are “necessary” to your husband. Lumber, insulation, drywall, nails, screws, mud, tape, sand paper, primer, paint, paint supplies, flooring, lights – all things that are absolutely necessary. A new drill, an air nailer, a new TV and some other tools I don’t even remember the names of – nice to haves that you may have to convince your building partner out of. Right now, lumber prices are higher than normal and that’s not something you can get away from. For us, the following tips helped us to stay within budget:

  1. Research what materials cost with a quick trip to your local hardware store.
  2. Talk to the professionals working at the hardware store. I was on a first name basis with quite a few people at Lowe’s. They can help advise how much product you will actually need.
  3. Build your budget once you know how much the materials cost. Remember to add in a bit of extra room for when you inevitably break pieces of drywall or dump an entire bucket of mud.
  4. Borrow tools from friends or family rather than buying for one project.
  5. Buy things in bulk and on sale when possible.

The Mental Costs

It will take time

Unlike what I was led to believe from home reno shows on HGTV, it does not take a week or two to finish an entire basement – well not without an entire team of professionals anyway. I knew it would take time, but didn’t expect to be sitting here almost a year later and just be painting. At first we had talked about it being done for Christmas 2020, and now our goal is fall 2021. My one bit of advice on this is to be realistic in your timelines, especially when working full-time. It can feel a bit disappointing to not have it done, but it’s so important to celebrate the wins from each stage!

There will be dust

One of the things I didn’t realize, was how much dust is involved in renovating. Between the sawdust from framing, the drywall dust, and the sanding there was dust everywhere. I was sweeping, vacuuming and washing the basement floor often at first, but it became an exercise in futility as there was so much dust in the air that would fall over night that it was so overwhelming. I accepted that it was a construction zone and I’d do what I could and do a big clean at the end.

Almost done

Within the next week we should have all the painting and flooring done so I can move things downstairs and get the basement set up and I absolutely can’t wait. While the physical costs, money and body aches, were more than I expected, it was the mental costs of living in a construction zone I was completely taken surprise by. But nothing will compare to being able to go downstairs and feel so much pride that we did it ourselves.

Will I do it again? Maybe on a much smaller scale like a painting a wall, but doubtful we’ll tackle an entire floor of a house. I don’t have much experience with DIYing and I want to give so much credit and kudos to people who do it often – it’s exhausting!

Retirement Homes: When, Where & How Much

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Beginning the conversation with a loved one about transitioning to a retirement home can be emotional, intimidating and overwhelming. This MONEYTALK Blog breaks down tips on how to have the conversation, retirement home options, and factors to keep in mind when making your decision to make the process as easy for you and your loved ones as possible.

Ready Or Not?

Over the past couple of years, my mom has been dealing with some health issues. She just celebrated her 84th birthday and is still living in her own home. For the most part, she is capable of taking care of herself but my siblings and I are starting to wonder if her living situation is safe and healthy. We’ve been gathering information on retirement homes and have learned a lot along the way. Here are some helpful tips and things to consider so you or your loved one are best equipped for a seamless transition to an assisted living facility.

Time to Talk

There are so many options available for retirement living. Seniors are no longer resigning themselves to the retirement homes of old. They are choosing a lifestyle, a new freedom to focus on, and a place that brings them happiness with reduced chores and responsibilities. They are living their best retirement taking advantage of safe, social and active living opportunities. Sounds like a dream, right? But not everyone, including my mom, is ready for such a big change. Now what do we do?

First and foremost, we had to accept that this is her life decision, not ours. She needs to be ready to make the move when the time is right for her. Although we have good intentions and want only what’s best, we also have to adhere to her wishes. My advice to you, if you are nearing the same situations with your parent(s) – plan ahead. Start planting the seed for them to think about what their plans are for the future so that they don’t feel defensive or offended when they are older. Be proactive while they are in good health to start exploring their options without the sudden urgency to decide for them.

Retirement Living Options

Here are some info and tips on the different options available based on needs and affordability we learnt:

Independent Living

Mom, like many seniors, is determined to live in her home as long as she can. Many communities have home care services and emergency life-line communications systems available to assist those wanting to maintain their independence. You can also make a few changes to their home like lifts, handrails, or step in tubs so that your loved ones are able to continue living safely and comfortably. To assess if this was still a possibility for my mom, we considered:

  • Could she manage her day to day care (ie: cooking, cleaning, shopping)?
  • Was additional care available in her community if needed? Home care costs vary depending on the type and level of care.
  • Does she have friends and a social life? My mom is a social butterfly so we knew this is really important for her mental health.
  • What is the actual cost of staying in her home?

Together we made a detailed list of all of the expenses incurred on a monthly and yearly basis. The mortgage may be paid for, but there are other costs including:

  • Vehicle: gas, maintenance, insurance, license plates
  • Medical: prescriptions, lifeline medical alert, ambulance
  • Home: upkeep, appliance replacement, insurance, taxes, yard care
  • Groceries/personal items or meals on wheels
  • Utilities: phone, cellular service, power, gas, cable, internet,
  • Entertainment/Gifts
  • Home care
  • House keeping
  • Miscellaneous expenses

Retirement Residence

Retirement residences are not just a home, but a community. They are privately run but provincially regulated. This presented an option where she could kick back and enjoy a worry-free lifestyle in her own self-contained suite and where her daily needs (meals, housekeeping, laundry) would be met. A place where she was free to socialize and take advantage of all the active living opportunities and amenities available. How to choose which is the best facility really comes down to personal choice. It’s good to have choices but too many can be overwhelming. So, we started to do our homework:

  • First, we needed to determine what general area or community she wants to live in – close to her current home or closer to her kids and grandkids.
  • We asked friends whose parents are in homes for their advice and feedback.
  • We started searching online. Most residences have a website you can poke around to see what they offer. Does it look clean and well kept? Does it meet her needs and have some nice to haves?
  • We created a list of questions
    • What are the size options and any extra costs in the personal unit (ie: internet, cable and telephone service)?
    • Is there transportation available for personal appointments?
    • What amenities are included (ie: housekeeping, laundry)?
    • Are pets welcome?
    • What is a typical weekly menu?
    • What are the recreational activities included?
    • Are there outdoor areas to enjoy?
    • Are guest stays available?
    • And the big question: “What does it cost per month? What are considered “extra care costs”?
  • Next, we started booking tours. Take advantage of staying overnight or for the weekend. It will give you the option to try out the food and talk to the residences and staff in order to get a feel for the place. Ultimately you should be able to envision yourself staying there long-term.

Everything comes with a price and there can be a big difference between facilities. We found monthly costs ranged from $2,500 to upwards of $10,000. In some communities, low income housing options are available. Keep in mind that the cost is like choosing and paying for an all-inclusive vacation. You truly get what you pay for. Remember: it’s your loved one’s choice. Don’t push your preferences on them. Let them weigh the pros and cons of each place.

Other Options Down the Road

When the time comes, we know we may have to consider other living arrangements when Mom needs more hands-on care:

Assisted Living

These can be government or privately run for people with some limitations in physical or cognitive health. They provide 24-hour care with assistance with grooming and personal care, mobility, medications or anything related to your disease care. There is usually a base cost and then additional charges based on care required. It’s important to find out the level of care. Some offer level 1-4 care so you won’t have to move multiple times.

Long Term Care

With these type of facilities, you need to be assessed and referred by your family doctor. The cost of long-term care is actually shared by the government. They pay for everything to do with care and you pay for the space. They do provide basic furnishings including a bed, nightstand and chair. It’s up to you to make it as homey as possible given the limited space. Cost is based on your income.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. For every place we have been in contact with so far, the staff have been wonderful and very helpful. They have dealt with many individuals and families who are struggling to make one of the biggest life changing decisions they have ever made. Their patience and empathy were welcomed and they provided us packages of information and checklists to help in our decision making.

Like with retirement savings, you’re never too young to start planning and educating yourself. I’ve already started asking my spouse where he sees us in the next 10 – 20 years.

The Decision

In closing, remember whose decision this is and that as long as your loved one is happy, safe and cared for, there will be less worry all around. Hey, if things don’t work out, they can always come live with you. I’ll save that blog for another day.

Celebrating 100 MONEYTALK Blogs: Top 10 Blogs

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Can you believe it!? We’ve made it to MONEYTALK Blog #100! For our 100th blog, we are going to look back at ten of our most viewed and relevant blogs that provides relatable financial literacy advice for a variety of different topics, events and life stages. 

Money is stressful and everyone is experiencing their own unique life stages and financial situations. There is no one-size-fits-all model when it comes to providing financial advice.

In November 2017, we launched the Conexus #MONEYTALK Blog with a purpose to share expert advice, practical help and real-life experiences for relatable topics and life stages. Time flies when you are exploring financial literacy from a different lens because it’s hard to believe that three and a half years later – we are celebrating our 100th Blog! From blogs on money saving hacks at Rider games to renewing your mortgage during a global pandemic, our authors have explored topical and relevant events and have provided advice to ensure you are best equipped to navigate your financial well-being through whatever life throws at you.

To celebrate this milestone, blog #100 is looking back at ten of our most popular and still relevant blogs that have been published over the past three and a half years. These ten blogs approach financial literacy from a number of different perspectives so it is no surprise that eight of our authors are featured in this list. Enjoy our walk down memory lane and here’s to the next 100 blogs!

What I Learned From My 90 Day Spending Freeze

We’ve all heard of “cleanses” or “detoxes”. Although traditionally meant for weight loss or breaks from social media, spending freezes are gaining popularity as a means to cut spending and flush out bad money habits. Here’s a personal story where one of our writers was forced to check herself before debting herself and what she learned from a 90-day spending freeze. (Author: Melissa Fiacco, November 2020)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

More COVID-19 Scams to Monitor

During this pandemic, it’s not just your physical health at risk, your financial health may be as well. Throughout times of uncertainty we are seeing fraudsters launch sophisticated scams, exploiting public fears for targeted attacks – and we’re definitely in uncertain times.  In addition to the scams we went over earlier, here are five more of the most prevalent COVID-19 scams we’re seeing used to attack people’s financial health and how you can protect yourself from being a victim. (Author: Rachel Langen, April 2020)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

3 Key Money Tips for High Schoolers

No matter how old you are – you likely aren’t satisfied with the amount of money you have and you want more. When you are in high school, you want to be able to buy the things you want, go out with your friends, and maybe even save for your future education. So, if you are a high schooler – here are a few things you can do with your money to make it work best for you!  (Author: Kailyn Carter, January 2020) 

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

How Take Out Almost Took Out My Budget

With so many options for ordering meals via delivery, it’s becoming increasingly hard to resist the convenience of take-out and maintaining the discipline to stick to your meal prepping schedule. Let’s look at a real-life example of how creating and sticking to a budget can save your bank account from landing in the trash with your leftover to-go containers. (Author: Mason Gardiner, November 2019)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

The Cost of Being Single

Single and ready to mingle? Well, if you didn’t need another reason to despise Valentine’s Day,  I’m about to give you one more – independence is expensive. Whether you are choosing to live the single life or you just haven’t met the right catch yet, you’ve probably experienced some of the nuisances that come with taking on the world on your own. (Author: Mason Gardiner, June 2019)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

The Real Cost of Carrying a Balance on a Credit Card

Do you know what it actually costs when you carry a balance on your credit card? We’ve broken it down and even have a tool to figure out how long it might take you to pay off your balance. (Author: Kailyn Carter, May 2019)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

5 Activities for Young Kids: Introduction to Money

Introducing your kids to money early on can create a foundation for financial knowledge and positively impact how they manage money later. (Author: Laura McKnight; June 2018)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

Tips for First-Time Home Buyers

Purchasing your first home is a big life decision. Our Mobile Mortgage Specialists share advice for first-time homebuyers on what to know and consider when purchasing your first home. (Author: Nicole Haynes-Siminoff, March 2018)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE 

The Importance of Having an Emergency Fund

Life happens and sometimes an unexpected curveball is thrown our way, threatening our financial well-being and causing stress. Having an emergency savings fund helps us be prepared for these unexpected life events. (Author: Courtney Rink, March 2018)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

Credit Unions vs Banks: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to managing your finances and choosing where to bank, there are many things to consider including whether you should choose a credit union or a bank. (Author: Francis Dixon, December 2017)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

Conquering the Resale Market & Building a VarageSale Empire

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Ready to make a little extra money and declutter your space and mind through a resale empire? You don’t need to have a history of garage saling on your resume to take advantage of this and rule Facebook Marketplace, VarageSale or Kijiji. In this blog, I’ll share the benefits of reselling your items in order to turn the unused and unwanted into vacation funds or a new wardrobe.

The Day the Empire was Born

As a kid, one of my favourite things to do in the summer was to go garage saling with my mom and sister. Although Spice Girls merchandise (don’t act like you didn’t collect the stickers from the bubble gum) or rare Pokemon cards to bring home to my brother were on the top of the list, we also kept our eye out for hidden gems or brand new items to snag for a fraction of the price.

As a trio we weren’t just treasure hunters, we had garage sales of our own. Every year we’d play the game of “keep or sell” with our toys in order to decide which ones we’d be willing to part with. The decision was a bit easier to make knowing that we’d get to keep the money we made to put towards something else we had our eye on – another Ty beanie baby, a fresh Skip-It, or save up to buy Mario Party for Nintendo 64.

Back then I had my first taste of what it was like to resell my items and use that money to buy something new or save up for a bigger ticket item. Fast forward to 2015 when I discovered an app called VarageSale. For those of you who don’t know, VarageSale is essentially an online garage sale where you can buy and sell locally. After a quick review, I HAD to share with my mom and she was quickly on board to try this out with me – this will forever be the day the empire was born.

Started from the Bottom Now We’re Here

App downloaded, check. Profile created, check. Items to sell (we can thank many years of low-key hoarding for this one) – check! If the rush of selling our first items wasn’t enough, it was seeing items we no longer use or wear turn into money. On top of that, the amount of space cleared after the decluttering and the quality time my mom and I spent together bonding and reminiscing over years of possessions were so valuable.

What started as a mother and daughter cleaning spree turned into a mini side hustle. We were not only selling our own stuff but we started to sell for my sister, brother, and a couple aunts. Even my dad was getting into it! I know you must be thinking, doesn’t this take time and effort? The answer is: yes it does, but I would also say it is worth it. According to this article, 82% of Canadians participate in second-hand transactions and this has grown steadily over the last several years. If you’re willing to put in a bit of effort you will see a big return! Let’s talk about some of the benefits of reselling your items.

Benefits of Reselling

Money Maker

This is probably the most rewarding benefit – you make money! Depending on the quantity, size and quality of items you’re selling, you could be bringing in an additional income ranging from $20 a week to a couple hundred dollars a month or more. According to that same article, Canadians have earned an average of $961 and saved an average of $723 each year through buying and selling second-hand items. This is tax free money in your pocket – and if you think about it, you’re getting paid to declutter your home!

It wouldn’t be a #MONEYTALK blog if I didn’t talk about what you could do with this extra money. For me, I’ve graduated from those Ty beanie babies and N64 games to putting this money aside to feed my travel bug. When it is safe to fly again, these savings will go directly to a flight to Hawaii and a couple cocktails on the beach.

This is a short-term savings goal I have my eyes set on. Your short-term savings goals can range from purchasing a few new pieces for your wardrobe, to buying a treadmill for your home gym, to adding dollars to your kitchen renovation fund. It’s also important to consider topping up your emergency savings fund as this comes in handy when your furnace needs repairing. Living in Saskatchewan, we all know how important that is!

Another option is to put this collection into something long-term like an RRSP for your future self or an RESP for the future of your little one. If you’re looking to set a savings goal, this “Kick-start your finances: goal setting” blog will help get you started!

Reduces Clutter in Your Space and Mind

If you’ve ever gone through the process of decluttering and reorganizing, you understand the both calming and energizing feeling that comes from the result.

I’m sure everyone has their own method to their madness but if you’re looking for a tip, I’d suggest starting the decluttering and organization process with one section or category of the house at a time. For instance, starting with your closet first and working your way to each room of the house. It is a little less overwhelming and makes you feel like you are finding success as you are accomplishing smaller, attainable goals rather than one big one.

I find it helpful to put items in each room into piles of keep, sell, donate or toss. If you get stuck, just think to yourself “what would Marie Kondo do?” If you haven’t been introduced to Marie Kondo, now is the time you become familiar– you’ll thank me later!

Ballin’ on a Budget

As I mentioned, VarageSale is a way to buy and sell. As a budget conscious person, using this app provides access to buying used items that are almost brand new for half the price. After all, you’ve worked hard for this extra money and here you’ll get more bang for your buck.

Ready, Set, Sell – Tips for Resell Success

Now that you’ve identified the items that you are wanting to sell, let’s get you set up to best position your products and connect you to buyers on apps and websites such as Varagesale, Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Kijiji. Here are some tips when reselling your items to set you up for success:

Good Quality

To be a reputable seller, you want to make sure the items you are selling are in good shape. Avoid selling items that are broken, torn or missing pieces – these should end up in your “toss” pile. By misleading buyers on the quality of the items you are selling, you are setting yourself up for a bad review and a horrible reputation which will deter buyers from trusting you. You will not find long-term success as a reseller without positive seller scores and reviews.

Clear Description and Photos

Be transparent! Include a clear description of what the item is, color, size, condition, and for everyone’s sake, hold the phone still when you’re taking photos. Nothing is worse than a blurry photo of the floor titled “brand new t-shirt”. To set yourself up for a smooth transaction, it also wouldn’t hurt to include the area of the community you are living in and how you prefer transactions to take place. For example, a mailbox transaction with an e-Transfer as payment is a popular choice. These are all questions that will be asked when the buyer negotiates with you so you can save yourself some hassle by listing it up-front.

Price Fairly – Have Some Wiggle Room

Ultimately you get to decide what price you are willing to part with your items. If you price a bit lower, it may get rid of the items quicker. I recommend pricing a little higher than your goal for each item. Part of the fun of garage saling is bargaining and by allowing the seller to negotiate the price down a bit, they will feel better about the purchase.

Answer Quickly and Friendly

You’re more likely to make a sale if you respond promptly and friendly to potential buyers. I find this makes the transaction a lot smoother and more enjoyable.

Leveling Up

As I mentioned earlier, my Mom and I started selling for my sister, brother and aunts and as much as we love the time spent together – it’s still a lot of effort. We charge a 50% commission rate to manage the resell of their items. When an item sells, we keep 50% of the total sale price and 50% goes to them. If you’re looking to level up your reselling game, reach out to friends and family and watch that side hustle grow!

Remember to have fun when building your empire. After the novelty wears off, it can feel like a lot of tedious work so keep track of your progress, celebrate the victories and enjoy connecting with buyers from across your community. Good luck!

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How Debt Can Impact Your Relationship

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Over half of Saskatchewan people say that they would have no issue pursuing a relationship with someone if they had a high level of debt. Debt may be low on your list of deal breakers, but it can severely impact the health of your relationship if it isn’t talked about or there isn’t a plan in place to pay it off. This blog recounts how debt struggles negatively impacted the author’s relationship with their partner and the small but impactful steps they took to fix it.

Let’s talk about debt baby

How much debt would be too much to prevent you from exploring a relationship with someone? According to 52% of Saskatchewanians, no amount of debt would stop them from dating or marrying a partner.

Though debt may not impact you from choosing a partner, it could have an impact on your relationship. According to Canadian divorce statistics, Canada’s divorce rate has increased by 44.15% over the last 20 years, and it’s estimated one out of every 309 adults are divorced in Canada. As to the reason for the divorce – many say money!

While you may not chat about money on your first date, finances should be a topic that is talked about as your relationship becomes more serious. From the assets you possess to the amount of debt you have, it’s important to be open and honest with your significant other to ensure both parties know what they may be getting into. It’s important to continually have this conversation with your partner in order to reduce any stress or tension that may negatively impact your relationship.

This advice is something I wish I knew and started talking about sooner. This is my experience.

How it started

I met my husband when I was 15, and though we didn’t start dating until a few years later, money was not even a topic of mind. I mean, is it for anyone at that age?

Skip forward 21 years to where we are today and money is something we talk about regularly. However, this wasn’t always the case, and up until about 5 years ago, money was not part of our conversation. Looking back, I realize how not talking about money with one another was putting a lot of stress on us and taking a heavy toll on our relationship.

Five years ago, we were in debt and struggling to get a hold of our finances. We each had our own bank accounts, individual vehicle payments, different credit cards and line of credits – everything was separate. Because of this, we didn’t have a full grasp on our finances as a whole. We continually tried to pay our debt down, but no matter what we did it seemed to continually go up. There was tension. There were fights. Our relationship was rocky. We knew we needed to do something before our debt and our relationship got worse.

With our mortgage up for renewal, we decided it’s now or never to make a change. We sat down with our financial advisor and looked at what options we had.

Consolidating our debt

After talking with our financial advisor, we decided to consolidate our debt. What this means is that you take all of the debt you have – loans, credit cards, vehicle payments, mortgage, etc. – and roll it into one monthly payment. Consolidating your debt doesn’t make it go away, however, it can help you gain control of your finances a bit easier.

Now that we had all of our debt in one spot, we needed to be able to manage all of our money from one channel, so we decided to join our bank accounts and have a joint credit card. While joint accounts may not be for everyone, it was the best option for us and showed us how each of us was spending individually. This wasn’t something we hid from one another when we had individual accounts but it also wasn’t something we talked about. With time, we started to get a grasp on our spending habits and were able to hold each other more accountable.

Tip: The one downside with having a joint account is that each of you can see all the transactions in the account and it can ruin the surprise if you buy a gift for your loved one. We recommend using cash for any gifts in order to keep the element of surprise.

To see change, you must make change

We had gotten ourselves into debt before because of our spending habits and behaviours, and if we didn’t change, we’d most likely wind up in a similar situation. To see difference, we needed to change how we talked about money and how we spent money.

The first order of business was introducing the word “money” into our conversations. It was UNCOMFORTABLE, to say the least, and didn’t begin well. We started with financial goals and quickly realized we were on two separate pages: one of us wanted to save for trips and a new vehicle and the other wanted to think retirement. It was frustrating and we wanted to give up immediately.

Once we figured out our financial goals, we started to create a plan on how to change our spending habits. This included building a budget and actively tracking our transactions each month.

Creating the budget was the easy part. The challenging part was changing our behaviours and the first few months were tough. Over time it got easier and after making some significant changes in our spending behaviours, openly talking about our money, and ensuring each other knew where we were at in our budget, we started to see some positive changes. This included starting to actively put money into our savings and seeing it grow – something we hadn’t really done until this point.

Tip: Build your budget together and be realistic. The first few months will be tough, but if you do it together, you’re able to support one another and hold each other accountable where needed. This allows you to celebrate and succeed together.

How it’s going

It’s unbelievable how much of a positive impact a few simple conversations about money and behaviour changes have had on our household.

We continue to set a monthly budget and compare our spending to these amounts which keeps us on track to reach the goals we set. Though we still have our consolidated debt, in five years we have not gotten ourselves into any new debt and are even actively working to pay our mortgage and debt down faster!

What used to cause us stress and a lot of tension has turned into an ongoing positive conversation and even celebrations when we hit our goals. Where we were previously embarrassed to talk about our situation with friends and family, we now openly talk money and do so together (my husband’s even sitting beside me now and helping me write this blog as we speak). And the best part of all, our relationship has never been better.

Looking back, we wish we would have started the conversation a lot earlier. All we can do is share our story to help others learn from it. Money is something that needs to be talked about. No matter how uncomfortable or awkward it may be, it’s important to talk about your financial goals and spending habits– trust me, you’ll thank yourself and your relationship for it later.

Puppy Ownership: Financial Costs, Tips & Advice

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A puppy or a Peleton Bike: two things that you saw a lot of people invest in during the pandemic. Many of us had savings or discretionary income that wasn’t being used due to travel being restricted. The result: the pandemic puppy. While the addition of an animal can provide companionship, it doesn’t come without costs. On average, owning a dog can cost up to $5,000 annually. This blog will highlight the obvious costs of getting a pet, help you expect the unexpected and provide tips to save.

Meet Nash!

Nash is my puppy and he’s a 10-month-old golden retriever. As you look through the budget below, keep in mind that these costs will vary. For example, Nash is a pure bred, so the initial investment was much higher compared to if we had got him from a rescue or humane society. As well, if you have a smaller dog, there are certain expenses that might not apply to you or will be much lower, such as food.

These are just a few of the costs I’ve experienced – but there are many other expenses that may come up depending on your pet and your lifestyle. For most of this past year many of us have been working from home. However, in a typical year this may not be the case at which point you might need to consider pet care, which can cost up to $400 per month.

Obvious and hidden costs of getting a pet

A recent article by the Leader Post stated, many animal shelters have seen spikes in the demand and interest in pet adoptions. Another CBC article notes, “more than one third of Canadian households now have a dog, and 40 percent now have a cat.” With travel restricted and a lot more time being spent at home, many people opted to use the savings or discretionary income that was being saved for trips and invest it in a dog. I was one of these people.

On April 27th, 2020, I hopped on the pandemic puppy train when my dog Nash came into this world. I knew there would be costs that would come with it but I also wasn’t expecting some of the hidden costs of dog ownership.

In 2019, seven Canadians broke down their monthly spending and found, on average, a dog can cost up to $5,000 annually. Ranging from $14,000 on the high-end to $1,600 on the low end, these costs can vary depending on the type, size, and health of your dog, and didn’t include the initial investment.

To help you break down the costs I created a quick budget of all the obvious costs I’ve experienced.

Expect the Unexpected

They say bringing a puppy home is like bringing home a baby – they eat, sleep, poop, cry a lot, and get into everything – these are the costs I didn’t expect!

This has meant ripped apart throw pillows (too many to count), chewed up bed sheets and duvet, shoes, hats, gloves, rugs, and so many toys. On top of the cost of replacing or repairing these items, this can also lead to surprise vet visits. On average, a routine visit can cost between $200 to $400 for dogs and $90 to $200 to cats. When you factor in accidents or injuries, these tend to cost a variable amount more.

We’ve been lucky that despite everything Nash has gotten into, we haven’t had to make any surprise visits to the vet *knocks on wood*, but if we had, these are not expenses we would have been prepared for. Here are some tips I’ve learned along the way on how to save:

Start saving early

Unless it’s a spur of the moment decision, you often have a few months to prepare before bringing home your new pet – especially if it is from a breeder. For me and my partner, what worked well was setting up a separate savings account. Each month we would each put away $200. We knew the initial investment of bringing Nash home would be a lot, so this made that cost much more manageable.

Keep saving

Once you’ve started a savings account, keep it going. This is a great way to accumulate funds for those emergency situations and utilize compound interest.

Space out your purchases

There is a lot of planning that goes into the days, weeks or months leading up to bringing home your new pet. You need to buy food, beds, leashes, toys, and much more. One thing that worked well for me was spacing out my purchases. Over the 2-3 months leading up to bringing Nash home I would slowly start buying what he would need. This also helps the day you bring him home to not be nearly as overwhelming because you already have everything you need and you aren’t making costly impulse purchases at your nearest pet store.

Cut costs where you can

You’ve just brought home the newest member of your family and you want nothing but the best for them, right? There are certain items you’re going to want to splurge on, including food, bones, and treats. These are what will help keep your pet strong and healthy. But when it comes to toys or bed, you don’t necessarily need to buy the $25 chew toy. This was my lesson learned. We splurged on expensive toys in the beginning and I quickly found out that Nash will rip or chew a toy to shreds within 15 minutes, regardless of the price tag. If you’re looking for cheaper items, Dollarama has a great pet section.

A pet can be a great addition to any household – especially this past year when many of us were feeling isolated, lonely, and craving companionship. But it’s important to understand the costs and what you can afford. While some costs like food, basic vet care, and toys are a must, there are always options to accommodate any budget. Good luck with your new fur baby!

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Investing Advice I Wish I Could Give My Younger Self

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There are many things we’ve done in life where we’d love a second chance, especially when it comes to finances. Knowing when and how to invest can be tricky. So, I sat down with some of our own experts to learn how they approach investing, common mistakes people make, and what advice they wish they could go back and give their younger self.

Hindsight is 20/20

Have you ever made a choice and regretted that decision years later? For me, it was bangs at fourteen. I wish I’d known then what I know now and that can be said for a lot of things, especially finances. We’ve all made bad spending decisions but many poor financial decisions or lack of action center around investing.  We aren’t always as rational as we think we are which can lead to decisions and behaviors that may not be in our best long-term interest.

Now, although we can’t time travel, we can share advice and learn from those around us. I sat down with some of our own experts at Conexus to learn how they approach investing, common mistakes people make, and what advice they wish they could go back and give their younger self.

Let’s meet the experts:

  1. Ryan McDonald, Wealth Experience Coach at Thrive Wealth Management
  2. Nadia Antoschkin, Financial Advisor at Conexus Credit Union
  3. Natasja Barlow, Branch Manager at Conexus Credit Union

Each expert offers a unique perspective which is fitting as there is typically no one-size fits all approach to investing. From your preferred risk level to to the amount you want to invest, it’s a discovery process to find what’s going to work for you. You may not find all the answers you’re hoping for (and that’s okay), but here are a few tips and key learnings from the experts themselves to help equip you for your own investing journey.

It’s okay not know all the answers

Like anything, you won’t know everything when you first start out. You still might not know everything even five, ten years down the line. The world is in a constant state of change and evolution, which impacts everything around us. This is especially true for the stock market, which has high volatility, making it difficult to know when the right time to enter the market is (but don’t worry, I’ll touch on this later).

The good news is you don’t need to have all the answers. Ryan shared – “the first thing I do is educate. People aren’t always going to be experts and we don’t expect them to be, so I always make sure to discuss the various types of investments and plans that are available.”

Nadia also shared some tips that have helped her to get started:

  1. Separate your money into different accounts. One for your daily expense and one for excess cash flow you could use to start saving or investing.
  2. Start small and test the waters. She started with $50 a month.
  3. Check-in. Is $50 working for you or could you increase that amount?

Learning to understand what you can manage and what you’re comfortable with takes a little trial and error. Also, don’t be afraid to do some searching to find out what you’re passionate about. Natasja shared “what I would do differently is invest the time in learning about my investments and being interested in where my money is going.” By starting with educating yourself, you’re laying that foundation and setting yourself up for success.

Focus on your goals

Investing is personal. We all have different goals, dreams and moments that we envision for our future selves. Ask yourself – what am I investing for? Is it retirement? Your education? A dream vacation? Or your first home? I bet if you asked three different people this question, the answer is going to be different for each of them.

A common mistake people tend to make is “doing the same thing as a friend or maybe even a family member” says Natasja Barlow. As human beings, we have a tendency to follow what those around us are doing especially if they are finding success. For example, most children tend to do their banking with the same financial institution as their parents because it’s familiar and they trust their parents. However, it’s important that you know what you’re investing for so that you can create a personalized plan. What makes sense for your friends or family may not make sense for you. For instance, if your parents are nearing retirement, their risk tolerance on a mutual fund may lean towards a conservative level when it is recommended to be a little more liberal in your 20s and 30s to generate a higher rate of return.

Start now

Many people struggle to start their investing journey as it can be intimidating. We often tell ourselves common misconceptions like the market is too volatile or we need a lot of money in order to begin. It’s never too early to begin and it’s never too late to start. For Nadia, this couldn’t be more true:

“I moved from Germany when I was 35-years old, didn’t speak any English, and didn’t know anything about investing. Now, I have my own diversified savings accounts.”

You don’t need thousands or even hundreds of dollars to get started. Investing in consistently small increments will add up over time – “if I had known about this when I was younger, I would have been better off”, says Nadia.

Start early, start small and be consistent! If you’re looking for ways to get started, check out our blog Why You Need To Be Investing During Your 20s and 30s.

Ride the turbulence

I touched on this earlier but depending on the investing option you go with – the market can be volatile. This means that there is often unexpected or sudden change which can drive the value of your investments up and down. When this happens, as humans it is natural to react. However, this reaction is often triggered by fear or worry which causes us to make irrational decisions like pulling your investments before they have the chance to recover.

In this article by the Financial Post, they discuss how strong emotions can influence investor behaviour in ways that may jeopardize their long-term investment goals.

Ryan explained it best using the “airplane analogy”. If you’ve been in an airplane, you’ve likely experienced turbulence. In these circumstances, our brain doesn’t say ‘oh it’s bumpy, let’s jump out and swim the rest of the way’, because eventually the plane gets back on track and to our destination a lot faster than we could swimming.”

He also shared, “investing is best if it’s boring and you do the basics of paying yourself first, investing early, staying invested and having a diversified portfolio. In 2008 I had been in the industry for two years and decided I should day trade my investments. This was the worst decision of my life.” Day trading is the practice of purchasing and selling a security within a single trading day. This involves buying a stock when it was low in price range and selling it as it moved up in range. Day trading can lead to obsessive behaviour and constantly watching your investments which can lead to urges to pull investments when they are better left untouched.

Sometimes it’s a matter of reducing your investment amount versus stopping all together. “If I would have reduced my investment instead of stopping it, I would be further ahead. That is a key learning for me.” says Natasja. But remember, it should always come back to your goals. What are you investing for? What is your risk level? Is this a short or long-term investment?

Investing isn’t one size fits all – it’s personal and is based on your individual goals, risk tolerance, or stage in life. You’re also going to hit some bumps along the way and make some mistakes – even with all of this advice. You know why? You’re human. My hope is that this blog at least encourages you to start and removes some of the worry or fear standing in your way. If you’re ready to get the conversation started with a financial advisor, book an appointment at www.conexusmoments.ca. 

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Why You Need To Be Investing During Your 20s and 30s

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Repeat after me: Investing is for everyone. If you are in your 20s and 30s and you haven’t explored investment options – it’s time to start. This blog breaks down why you should care about investing during your 20s and 30s, the options available to you and how you can easily turn time into money.

Growing up, I thought of “investing” as some sort of mix between The Wolf of Wall Street and Dragon’s Den. I pictured people in suits trading stocks and speaking a whole other language filled with terms that I didn’t understand like “bullish”, “NASDAQ” and “hedge funds”. I considered decisions around TFSAs, mutual funds and pension plans to be a problem for my 40s and I would much rather talk about RSVPs instead of RRSPs.

Well, I’m here to tell you as a 30-year old who is a few years into his journey with investing – this frame of thinking is not uncommon but it is a myth. If you escape your mid-30’s without exploring investment options with your financial advisor – you’re already behind and have missed out on the opportunity to make your money work for you and help set you up to meet your short and long term savings goals. Plus, many investment options, especially the ones I’m going to go over in this blog, are easy, flexible and you can see returns right away. I’ll break down these intimidating terms and behaviours, my experience with each of them and why they make sense for your 20s and 30s. Let’s start!

RESPs, RRSPS, TFSAs, Oh My!

Part of the reason why conversations about investing are so intimidating is because we throw around acronyms and assume everyone knows what they mean. Let’s slow this conversation down and break down what each of these options are:

RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan): An option for investing that incentivizes you to save for retirement by giving you a tax break on your current income and allowing you to pay the taxes when you retire and when your tax rate is lower than it is now.

TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account): An investing option that incentivizes you to save money as you do not need to pay taxes on any of the gains your investment makes. Utilized for short and long term savings goals.

Term Deposits: A deposit account where you lock in your money for a set period of time, typically one to a few years, but the interest you receive is higher compared to a traditional savings account where you can access your money at any time.

RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan): An investing option available for caregivers to save for their children’s education after high school. Your savings grow tax free with no taxes on the earnings that you make.

If you need more details about what each of these options mean, check out one of our previous blogs Investment Terminology 101 for a more detailed breakdown of each option.

Why do these matter in your 20s and 30s?: Instead of just letting your money sit there in your chequing or savings account, why not make your money work for you and grow? For so long, I left all of my money sitting in my chequing account because I knew that I’d always have access to it. Now I’m kicking myself thinking about all of the money that I could have generated if I would have utilized one of the options above. I worked with my financial advisor to establish an amount where my balance never came close to dipping under and I invested that in a two-year term deposit where the interest rate I gained was much higher than a traditional savings account. After my deposit matured in two years, I was able to use my earnings to help pay for a large chunk of my LASIK eye surgery. Now I see clearly (literally and figuratively) that I wasn’t even using this money in the first place and this helped me accomplish a short-term savings goal.

Mutual Funds

I’ve recently journeyed into the land of mutual funds and they have turned into my favorite option for investing. Mutual funds are essentially a portfolio of investments consisting of stocks, bonds or other securities that a professional manages for you. There is often a much higher rate of return in mutual funds but it is a riskier option compared to the options listed above as there is no guaranteed return. There is also a fee for the professional management of your portfolio but it’s small and it’s worth it to ensure it’s being done correctly. Plus you barely have to lift a finger while your investment grows.

At the beginning of COVID-19, my financial advisor walked me through why investing in mutual funds during a global crisis, if you have the discretionary income to do so, is a great idea. When a global crisis hits the market, like a worldwide pandemic, the price of shares and stocks decrease. This allows you to purchase more units in your mutual fund than you would during times of economic growth and stability. As the market recovers and the value of the shares/stocks increase, you’ll have more of them at a price higher than what you originally paid. Plus, you can choose your risk tolerance where you can generate a potential higher rate of return if you can stomach the higher volatility.

Why do these matter in your 20s and 30s?: Mutual funds are a great long-term investment as the market may fluctuate through crisis, but as seen in this graph in our blog Should I Be Investing During a Pandemic, the market always recovers. The key is to view mutual funds as a long-term option and not to pull out your investments during global crisis before they have a chance to recover. If you invest in mutual funds in your 20s or 30s and commit to keeping your investment in long-term, you can crank up the risk tolerance in order to give your investment the most potential to grow. I started investing in mutual funds when the market was at its lowest during COVID-19 and the investment has already seen a rate of return of 25%. This investment will continue to grow as the market recovers and will increase and decrease over the years, but as seen in this graph, history is on the side of continual growth. If you are in the financial position to consider investing long-term in your 20s and 30s, mutual funds are a great option because starting now allows more time for your investment to generate compound interest which will result in more money in your pocket. If you’re interested, chat with a financial advisor and they’ll explore this option with you and get you started.

Automated Pension Contributions 

I get it – contributing to your pension when you are just beginning your career does not sound like the most fun way to spend your paycheques. But hear me out because this is one of the most valuable behaviours I’ve established since I started working full-time. There is no magic threshold to hit where you have enough money to support yourself when you retire as it all depends on the lifestyle you want to live so it’s never too early to start contributing to your pension. Manually putting away some of your income into your pension can be tedious and a bit of a buzzkill. Many workplaces give you the option to contribute a portion of your paycheque to your pension through an automated transfer when pay day rolls around. I take advantage of this so I don’t even need to see the amount come off my paycheque but I can take comfort in the fact that I am setting my future self up for success by putting this money away and letting it grow. Plus, a lot of workplaces want to encourage their employees to save for their retirement so they will match these payments up to a specific amount.

Even if your workplace doesn’t match your contribution, it’s still an important habit to consistently add to your pension as your pension fund is an investment that earns money over time. By contributing to your pension regularly, you are increasing the amount of potential earnings it can generate.

Why do these matter in your 20s and 30s?: It’s free money! It took me a while to dismiss the devil on my shoulder who wanted to spend my entire paycheque, but the long-term gain is so worth it. Your income may not be at its peak in your 20s and 30s but establishing a solid floor to begin generating compound interest will make a big difference down the road. If you rely on almost every dime of your paycheque to make ends meet, start with putting away 2% of every paycheque and work your way up until you get to 5-7%. You’ll thank yourself later for being disciplined with your pension contributing behaviour as an extra percentage put away could translate to thousands of dollars down the road.

So if you are a 20 or 30 year old who have yet to explore these investing options and are looking for a nudge to get started – this is your push! Think about your short and long term goals and picture yourself reaching that moment where you get to cash in on your hard work. Whatever that moment is, the above investing options can help get you there on time. If you’d like to chat about any of these options or discuss the best way to reach your moment – book an appointment with a Conexus financial advisor at www.conexusmoments.ca.

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Should I Be Investing During a Pandemic?

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One of the most popular questions we have been asked by our members during COVID-19 is “If I can, should I be investing during this pandemic?” This is a bit of a complicated question but we’re here to break down this intimidating conversation.

But if you want our short answer, the best time to start investing is between the hours of “right now” and “as soon as possible”.

The short answer is “Yes.”

If you’re saving money by making coffee at home instead of going to your favourite coffee shop then you should start investing. Are you working out at home and saving money on your $50 gym membership? Then you should start investing. If you have any extra money due to the pandemic and are comfortable that your income will remain sustainable then, you guessed it,  you should start investing. And here’s why…

Investing has more to do with how much time you have to invest, rather than the time at which you start investing.

Even though the pandemic has had an impact on the world economy and global markets, it does not mean that investing is a bad idea. Investing has been, and always will be, about focusing on an “average rate of return” versus a “fixed rate of return”. The markets may go down (for instance, due to a pandemic) but they may rise again afterward. It is the average between these years that measures the success of an investment, not the lows or highs by themselves. That is why,

The best time to invest is always going to be as soon as possible.

The sooner you invest the better. Whether it is a lump sum of $10,000 when you’re 25 years old or $25/month for 30 years. If you have money to invest, start today because it will be more than worth it and I’ll show you why:

Time is your friend

Time is the great equalizer.

To understand this in more detail, let’s have a look at the graph (2018.11.23) below from our good friends at Credential. From 1960 to 2015, we see the markets have had many ups and downs, but the average rate of return rises over time. They also point out that “markets continually bounce back from crisis.” Are we in a crisis with the pandemic? Yes. Is it likely the markets will bounce back?  Absolutely. So what can we learn from this?

  1. Long term investing produces the best average rate of return. Someone who started investing in 1990 will have gone through the same 2008 global recession as someone who invested in 2002. But as we can see, both people, if they remain invested, will still receive a profitable average rate of return by 2015.
  2. Starting to invest during a crisis often means the price of shares and stocks are low. This means you will be able to purchase more units for a lot cheaper than during times of economic growth and stability. If you’re already invested, the key is to not panic, remain focused on your long terms goals and remain invested. The worst thing you can do is pull out your investments before they have a chance to recover.

This image shows how the market quickly recovers and continues to grow after a crisis to help with investing.

*Image provided by Credential®. Issue Date: 2018.11.23

Rates of return: Average vs Fixed

You may be asking yourself: “What is so important about the average rate of return? Why not just place your money in a term deposit and guarantee a 1.5% return? Why not keep your money in a savings account?” For starters, the average rate of return for a mutual fund in Canada is between 6% – 7% on your original investment. This is dramatically better than that of a term deposit which is often much less than 2%. If you are planning to save for a long period of time then you will want to maximize your rate of return. One of the principle reasons for this is due to inflation. The average inflation rate in Canada is 2%. So if your retirement savings is making anything less than the rate of inflation (2%) you’re in trouble. If you find yourself in this category, we advise you to meet with a Financial Advisor as soon as possible.

That being said, term deposits and savings accounts have their place in a saving strategy. If you have some short term savings goals were you need access to your money within a few years then one of the these options may be the perfect fit. You will guarantee a return on your money in a couple years and you’ll shelter yourself from the ups and downs of the market; however you will not see nearly as high of a return on this investment. That is why these are great tools for short term saving goals (ie: saving for a trip, buying a new car). Either way, before you save, you should have a conversation with your advisor. If the primary goal of your savings is to have your money make money then a financial conversation needs to be one of the starting points for you.

Ready to invest, but don’t know where to begin?

When most people begin their journey with investments they often start with mutual funds. Mutual funds are often referred to as a “managed portfolio”. What this means is someone manages your portfolio of investments for you. While there are fees attached to mutual funds, there are many benefits. We’ve already discussed one benefit being the often higher rate of return. Other benefits include having a financial advisor to work with you and having multiple mutual funds to choose from to fit your savings goals and risk tolerance. Options include low risk mutual fund which give investors a more secure rate of return but there will be lower volatility in the investment. There are still ebbs and flows with the low risk fund, and your returns might not be as high, but they are often protected from market volatility due to the way the portfolio manager invests your money. If you have lots of time and don’t mind a higher level of risk, you can enter into a higher risk mutual fund. These have the opportunity to gain more return on your investment, however they are more prone to market volatility as the majority of your money will be invested in markets and securities versus things like government bonds. Again, the starting point will be to book an appointment to ask more about investing and mutual funds with a financial advisor and they’ll work with you to establish your risk tolerance before you leap.

What about Wealth Simple?

You may be reading this and asking yourself, “What about something like Wealth Simple? I see lots of commercials about them advertising low fees?” Essentially, Wealth Simple is a robo advisor company. This means it is a machine learning platform. There is no “portfolio manager” behind the scenes, but rather a robot. For those not looking for any advice or planning, this type of investment platform can be an option. Credit Unions have access to a similiar tool called VirtualWealth and can be found at www.virtualwealth.ca. I highly recommend speaking with a financial advisor before jumping into investments, especially high dollar ones. Using a solution like Wealth Simple is like buying/selling a house without a realtor. A financial advisor gives you the peace of mind that your big chunk of change is not going to be mismanaged and your bases are covered.

“I’ve always wanted to buy stocks in a specific company.”

For the bold and the brave, you may have a desire to buy stocks in a specific company, or you’ve seen the Questrade commercials and are curious what it is. Questrade is an online broker that allows you to register an account and buy and sell stocks directly. If you wanted to buy a single stock in Apple or Amazon, you could use an online broker platform. Credit unions have access to Qtrade Investor. Qtrade Investor has been the leading online broker in Canada for over 20 years! Visit www.qtrade.ca to learn more.

Similar to robo advice, there is no financial advisor or portfolio manager when purchasing stocks directly so that is why I say, “for the bold and the brave”. When it comes to buying stocks directly, you will want to have a good understanding of what you are doing, how the markets work, along with the tax implications and so forth. A financial advisor can help answer some of these  questions, but for the most part, you’ll be on your own. We advise most people who are interested in buying stocks directly to balance this with something more secure such as mutual funds. It’s never a good idea to put all of your eggs in one basket. If you drop your basket, your chances of breaking all of your eggs is much higher than having a couple of different holders.

In conclusion

We started with the question, “Should I invest during a pandemic?” I hope this blog has shown you that when it comes to investing you can never start too early.

The key is to start when you can, with as much as you can, as soon as you can.

Investing isn’t the goal, it’s the vehicle in which you reach your savings goals. If I haven’t said it enough, before investing, the best thing you can do is have a conversation with a financial advisor about your savings goals.

If you’d like to talk to someone about your savings goals give us a call at 1-800-667-7477 or, if you already have a trusted financial advisor, we encourage you to reach out to them directly and start the conversation.

I wish you all the best with your savings journey and if you are looking for some more relatable financial literacy tips, check out the rest of our blogs here.

Mutual funds are offered through Credential Asset Management Inc. Online brokerage services are offered through Qtrade Investor. Mutual funds and other securities are offered through Credential Securities. Qtrade Investor and Credential Securities are divisions of Credential Qtrade Securities Inc. Credential Securities and Qtrade are registered marks owned by Aviso Wealth Inc. VirtualWealth is a trade name of Credential Qtrade Securities Inc. The rate of return is used only to illustrate the effects of the compound growth rate and is not intended to reflect future values of the mutual fund or returns on investment in the mutual fund. The information contained in this report was obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, we cannot guarantee that it is accurate or complete. This report is provided as a general source of information and should not be considered personal investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any mutual funds [and other securities]. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Credential Asset Management Inc., Credential Securities or Qtrade Investor.