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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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Costs of raising a child

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Having a baby is a very exciting experience, but what some may not realize is how much money is needed to raise a child each year. To show how the costs of raising a child add up, we’ve broken down a few child-related expenses to consider.

On average, a Canadian spends approx. $10,000-$15,000 each year raising a child. From diapers to clothing, activities, braces and post-secondary education, the costs start to add up year after year. And that’s just for one child. If you have twins or multiple kids, that amount may double, triple or more!

When planning on having a child, money should be a factor you consider. Understanding your finances and how much you’ll need to raise a child can help you determine if the time is right now, or maybe not for a few more years.

To show how the costs of raising a child can add up, we’ve broken down a few child-related expenses to consider.

One-time costs in the first year:

A car seat, stroller, crib, change table and baby monitor are just a few of the items you’ll need to purchase when having a baby.  All big-ticket items with larger price tags. It’s recommended you start putting money aside during your planning stage to cover these expenses when it comes time to purchase. Also, consider adding these items to your baby shower registry and asking family and friends to contribute to the larger items to offset costs. Purchasing second hand is also a great option for reducing costs; however, if you do this remember to look at expiration dates.

Food, diapers & clothing:

Baby necessities such as diapers, food and clothing can have a large impact on your monthly budget. On average, a baby uses more than 2,700 diapers in its first year. With diapers costing an average of $0.20-0.25 each you’re looking at roughly $550 a year in just diapers – that’s not including baby wipes, diaper rash cream, etc.

Additional costs can also include formula and baby food depending on your approach to feeding your baby. Whether choosing to breastfeed or not, formula feeding should be considered when factoring money as sometimes, even if planning on breastfeeding, unexpected factors may not allow for you to do so.  As well, as your child grows, they’ll begin eating the same foods as you and though you may not be buying baby food anymore your weekly grocery budget will increase.

Childcare:

Depending on your child’s age, you may pay anywhere from $250-$1,200 a month for childcare. Typically, the younger the child is means the more you’ll pay for childcare. Something to be aware of is that many childcare providers only take a few infants and young children at a time and it’s recommended you begin looking and putting your name on a waiting list as soon as you can to secure a spot for when you return to work.

Post-secondary education:

Though university may be 18 years away, it’s never too early to start saving for your child’s post-secondary education. Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) are taxed-deferred savings accounts and allow you to contribute as much money as you like up to a lifetime maximum of $50,000. To help your money grown faster, the federal government also contributes a percentage of money to the RESP each year based on your contributions. Check out the ‘What to know when it comes to RESPs’ blog to learn more.

Costs related to raising a child may vary per family due to each unique family situation. To understand how much raising a child may cost you, we recommend completing Money Sense’s Costs of Raising a Child Calculator.

Whether you’re thinking about having a child now or in the future, it’s important you understand the costs related to raising a child and create a financial plan.  Talk to a financial advisor today to get your plan started.

Parents – what financial advice do you have for other parents, based on your experiences? Share in the comments below!

income tax form

Smart ways to spend your income tax refund

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It may be tempting to spend your income tax refund on a new pair of shoes or a fancy dinner, but that good feeling of splurging is only temporary. Consider spending your income tax refund using one of these options.

According to the Canada Revenue Agency, close to 90% of Canadians who have filed their 2017 income taxes received a refund, with the average refund being $1676. Do you anticipate receiving a refund this year? If so, how do you plan on spending it?

It may be tempting to use all of this money to splurge on yourself but that good feeling you get from splurging is only temporary. Here are a few smart ways to spend your income tax refund – helping you feel financially-well now and in the future.

Pay off debt

Have a balance on your credit card or line of credit? Working to pay off your student loan or car loan? Consider using your tax refund to reduce or eliminate this debt. Putting towards your debt will not only reduce the amount of debt you have but also decrease/eliminate the interest you’re paying on this debt.

Emergency savings fund

Are you prepared for an unexpected emergency such as job loss, injury or illness? If your car engine went on you tomorrow, do you have money set aside to have it fixed? An emergency savings fund ensures you’re prepared for life’s unexpected curveballs. Use your refund to start or contribute to an emergency savings fund. Unsure how much you may need? Check out our Importance of having an emergency savings fund blog to help you out.

Extra payment on your mortgage

Some mortgages have the option to make extra payments allowing you to pay down your mortgage faster – check your mortgage agreement to see what extra payment options you may have. Consider using your refund to make an extra payment on your mortgage, which will be applied directly to the principal amount. This will not only reduce this debt faster but also reduce the amount of time you’ll be paying off your mortgage.

Put into an RRSP

Retirement may seem far away, but it will be here before you know it. Help reach your retirement goals quicker by putting your refund into a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). Check out our Retirement Planner Calculator to see if you’re on track for your retirement goals.

Put towards your child’s education

Post-secondary education costs for your child can add up quickly – will you be ready? Consider putting your refund into a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) to help pay for the costs of this education. Our RESP Calculator can help you figure out the cost of your child’s post-secondary education and map out the savings required – through individual contributions and government grants.

Save the money in a Tax-Free Savings Account

Tax-free savings accounts (TFSA) allow you to save money in an investment tax-free, with a maximum yearly contribution limit of $5,500. These accounts are great tools for saving money for short and long-term goals and give you the flexibility to withdraw the money you save at any time. Saving for a family vacation or a new car – consider using a TFSA to get you started. Check out our TFSA Calculator to see your potential benefits to investing your tax refund into a TFSA.

However you choose to spend your tax refund, be sure to do so wisely. A new pair of shoes may be nice, but your return on investment would not compare to using one of the options above. We’d love to chat and see which option may be best for you. Contact us today!

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What to know when it comes to RESPs

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A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a great investment allowing you to put money aside for your child’s education. Here are a few things to know when it comes to RESPs.

When looking at your child’s future, it may become overwhelming especially when you start thinking about all of the costs related to their post-secondary education. A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a great investment to help you put money away for your child’s education.

What is a RESP?

A RESP is a tax-deferred, savings account that can be used to save money for your child’s post-secondary education. You can contribute as much as you’d like (up to a lifetime maximum of $50,000) and watch it grow.

To help your money grow faster, the federal government also contributes a percentage of money to the RESP each year based on your contributions.

What types of RESPs are there?

There are two different types of RESPs available – family plans and individual plans.

A family plan is available for families with multiple children, allowing you to add multiple beneficiaries to one plan.

An individual plan can be set up for one beneficiary, and can only have one beneficiary. A common scenario for an individual plan would be in a blended family situation. More details on the two plans can be found here.

When is the best time to start saving for a child’s education?

Starting early, and contributing often, is key. The sooner you start to save, the sooner you’ll start earning interest on your money and receiving federal contributions to your RESP.

If you don’t start early though, it’s never too late to start. There’s no better time to start than today. By just saving as little as $5 each week, it can add up quickly and help your child in their post-secondary dreams.

How much should I save?

Conexus’ education savings calculator can help you figure out the cost of your child’s post-secondary education and map out what type of savings you’ll need to help meet your financial goals.

I’m not sure I can afford a RESP. Is there a minimum amount I must contribute each month or yearly?

Some types of RESPs have no minimum deposit requirements, while other RESPs do. It’s important you talk to a financial advisor to determine what RESP works best for you and what you can afford, whether monthly or yearly.

Where can I go for more information or set up a RESP today?

To learn more on RESPs visit the Government of Canada’s website.

To determine what RESP is best for you and set up an RESP, talk to your financial advisor today.

 

Have a question regarding Registered Education Savings Plans? Ask below in the comments section or contact us today.

Bowl of ramen noodles

It doesn’t just need to be ramen noodles

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Money can be stressful when you’re a student but that doesn’t mean you need to live off ramen noodles. We sat down with Braden, a University of Saskatchewan student, to learn more about how he manages money while going to school.

We all know post-secondary education can be quite expensive. In the 2016-17 academic year, a Canadian undergraduate student paid, on average, $6,373 in tuition. And that’s not including the additional costs related to textbooks, school fees and living expenses.

When having the #MONEYTALK with students across the province, we heard over and over the challenge of managing money while going to school. What can a student do to reduce money-related stress caused by tuition and living expenses?

We recently sat down with Braden C., a 3rd-year University of Saskatchewan student and Conexus member, who told us how he manages money while being a student.

Tuition can be expensive. How have you been able to manage the costs of tuition?

My parents have helped me out greatly when it comes to paying for tuition. They’ve been putting money into an Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) since I was born, knowing I would need it at this point in my life. This has definitely relieved a lot of stress when it comes to paying for school.

That’s great to hear! What else can a student do to help cover the cost of tuition or save money for things such as textbooks?

Scholarships are a great way to reduce your tuition costs. There are many different scholarships available from the schools, local businesses, etc. It can take some time to apply but can be worth it in the end by offsetting some of the costs you need to pay.

When it comes to textbooks, a great way to save money is buying used. For example, the U of S has a program where you can sell your textbooks back to the store. Often you can find a used textbook at a lower price than a new book and from my experience, many of the used books look like new.

What about other expenses such as living costs – how do you make or save money for all of the additional expenses you face?

To allow me to focus on my studies during the school term, I only work during school breaks, such as the summer, and put the money I make into savings. I work as many hours as I can in the summer to provide enough money I’ll need for the eight months I’m in school. I know not everyone can do this, and some may need to work part-time while going to school, but I recommend putting as much as you can into savings during the off months so you can work a bit less during the school term.

Are there any tools you use to help you manage your money?

I use several tools including online banking and Conexus’ Personal Financial Management tool. It allows me to set budgets and track how much I spend relative to those budgets. Each month, I look at what I spent in the previous month and make decisions and changes based on what I think will be coming up in the next month. For example, if I know a band I want to see is coming, I adjust my budget so that I have some money set aside for entertainment. This may mean I don’t eat out a couple of times that month, but I’m also not going over my budget.

What are the biggest challenges you face as a student with your money?

My biggest challenges with money are probably in the area of groceries. When I know the upcoming week is going to be busy for me, I tend to buy foods that require little to no preparation. I have found, over the past three years, these meals are usually less healthy for me and also cost a little bit more than if I were to buy basic ingredients and make the meals from scratch. I also tend to impulse-buy things when I have cravings.

What tips do you have for other students that are needing to manage their money while going to school?

The biggest thing is to set a budget and track your spending. When you are able to see where your money is going, you can get a better understanding of your needs but also find areas where you maybe don’t need to spend so much such as eating out or buying coffee.

 

Thanks Braden! Money can be stressful when being a student but that doesn’t just mean you need to live off of ramen noodles. With a bit of understanding and planning, you can set goals, budget and take control of your finances. Here are a few more ways students can save money:

  • Taking advantage of school discounts. There are many places on campus as well as local businesses that offer students a discount by showing their student card.
  • Walking or taking the bus to school. You can save money on gas and parking!
  • Using loyalty reward program cards for places you shop at frequently. For example, Superstore has a PC Plus program that allows you to earn points you can use to take money off your next grocery bill – and it’s free.
  • When shopping for necessities such as groceries, make your meal plans based on what is on sale. Sometimes you may need to buy in groups, but then that just means you can use for another meal the next week.

What other tips do you have for managing your money while going to school? We’d love to hear them – share in the comments below.