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Canadian Boomers Get Wired
Although 61 per cent of Canadians feel technology at home has had a positive impact on their quality of life, they are divided about the impact wired homes would have on their lives. According to a recent survey by a leading Canadian bank, almost one in three Canadians agrees that living in a wired home would have a positive effect on raising children and entertaining friends and family but slightly more disagree.
Interestingly, Canadians are more positive about how the wired home will feel. The survey revealed more than half are sure that wired homes will be pleasant, relaxing places to live, not cold and unfriendly environments.
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A "wired home" has a built-in computerized system and wiring that allows remote access to appliances, coordinates automatic lighting and temperature controls, operates entertainment systems and carries on other functions that improve home comfort and safety.
Don't be afraid to indulge yourself if you are retiring and renovating at the same time. Home will be headquarters for
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Will Inflation Change Canadian Investment Strategies?
If inflation remains low in Canada, why is everything getting more and
more expensive?
That's the question that has many Canadians stumped.
The inflation rate is an arbitrary measure of the progressive increase in prices of goods and services used by the government to set monetary and other policies. The inflation rate has two variations -- the headline inflation rate which includes volatile food and energy costs and the core inflation rate which does not. Quoting the latter can give Canadians a false sense of security.
Earlier this year, the Globe and Mail stated: "In recent months, rising oil prices have pushed the year-over-year rate up to 2.3 per cent in January, although if food and energy prices are excluded, the so-called core inflation rate is only 1.4 per cent."
Recently, Statistics Canada announced that higher energy prices had pushed the October inflation rate to 2.8 %, up from 2.7 % in September.
Double digit increases in heating fuel costs, at the gas pumps and in our shopping baskets, have many Canadians
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Are Canadians Overlooking Compounded Returns?
Interest compounded semi-annually -- dreaded words to those borrowing
money, but sweet music to investors.
Canadians caught in the fervor to save on non-deductible mortgage interest and in the frenzy to earn tax-protected RRSP interest are overlooking a combination of mortgages and RRSPs that may prove to be an excellent investment.
The greatest annual investment dilemma for many Canadians is, "Should we pay off the mortgage or put money in an RRSP?" Why not do both and put your mortgage in your RRSP? That way the mortgage interest you pay goes into your pocket, not into the overflowing cash hoards of our bloated banks.
An additional sweetener comes when the compounding, or interest on interest, is calculated semi-annually within the tax-sheltered environment of an Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or a
Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF).
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (formerly, Revenue Canada) considers mortgages secured by Canadian property as qualified investments for RRSPs and RRIFs. However, there are a few rules, including:
When you hold your own mortgage in your registered plan, the mortgage must be administered by a National Housing
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A Few Tips For Cheering Up Your Dark Living Space
At this time of year like no other, a little light goes a long way toward
lifting our spirits. Dark is out ... but then again, was it ever "in"? Some homeowners, for reasons unexplained, have expansive windows, and yet keep their drapes, blinds and shutters closed tightly. The result is something that could rival Grant's tomb.
Most homeowners who live in darkness, do so because they don't have much choice. Their homes don't receive direct sunlight. Some homeowners are kicking themselves now because during the house-hunting process, they didn't consider how the angle of the home they ultimately purchased would determine how much light they'd receive each day. Other homeowners either don't have enough windows, have an abundance of interior rooms or have an outside obstruction or shade (a heavily wooded area, a building, a large tree or taller home adjacent to their property).
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