Easy going saving money tips for today normal people: a post to be read when the stock market is grey

These days, it might be easier to make money by saving it, rather than investing it. My non-registered is sitting at a very poor $118 051.43. I don't know if things can get worst or not. But this is already very bad. The TSX is so volatile, its unbelievable. The month of September is almost behind us, and it seem that real soon, it will be October. Time do just that, passing by. But it doesn't mean that it need to be the same with money, some need to stay in our pockets.

Before starting a new week, I like to have my apartment clean up and I usually do my laundry too if I have any to do. I do my grocery during the weekend too. And there come the cooking, its the most important part because it allow any nice worker to save a lot of money. I usually do my lunches for the week on Sunday evening. And its better for the health too. There's too much salt in restaurant food and sometime, restaurant food is no always good. Once, I went with some rice, good choice, - but it was tasting disgusting. The rice had the bottom of a burn pan kind of taste. To avoid any more bad surprise and to control my diet better, I try to cook as much as possible. Brown bag is a classic to save money.

Another way to save money is to control the money spend on a daily basis. On a regular ordinary day, my only expense will be my morning coffee. And for the past couple days, I am proud to say that I only buy one coffee per day.

From Monday to Friday, that is the easy part. Its easy to save money while working during days week. But a major problem remain in the weekends. I love to: shop for clothes, buy hair products, get my nails done, drink coffee, drink tea, go to the movies and eat out. Since the summer is officially over, I am done with fun and sexy manicures/pedicures. Done. To have my nails done, its a $40 right there after tip. Its the exact amount that I gave myself to enjoy my weekends: $40 per weekend. The best would be that I keep that $40 in my pockets but hey, I know myself. I won't go far without coffees and stuff...

To plan a budget, you need to know yourself. If you set up rules, you need to be aware that you'll have to respect them. Since the stock market is all grey and shitty, I tried to set up a new budget.

Rent: $635
Weekend money: $160 ($40 per weekend)
Grocery money: $200 ($50 per week)
Cell & Internet: $85
Laundry: $9
Cosmetic and other living need: $200
1 weekday coffee: $52
Total: $1 341

This is tight budget, with no waste, but its realistic to what I can respect on a regular month without any vacations to New Brunswick. I will soon be going to the fabulous land and I can't wait. Ideally, I would need to go once per month for 4 days.

In desperate times, Jean-François Tardif is investors best friend

Check this out: I am a star!

I am currently watching the French political debate on Radio-Canada. I love Elizabeth May, the others sound like a bunch of clowns that they really are. I actually really like Elizabeth May. She has a great French for someone that is outside Quebec. We don't know her much, its too bad. The more I hear words coming from politician mouth, the more I am getting confuses.

Like always, Liberal Justin Trudeau is just showing off on how much they are good to spend our money. I am against the niqab and Burqa in Canada. If a woman want to cover up, she should stay in her country. Women in this country shouldn't be allowed to wear that. Muslim is not a fundamental religion in Canada. Muslim is all about destruction, intolerance and war. We need to remain leaders in our country. Niqab or burqa are not Canadian symbols, they shouldn't be tolerate in any ways. We are losing who we are with such debate. If I decided to go live let say in Iraq or another disturbing country, I will have to cover up. If an Iraq woman decided to come and live in Canada, she needs to adjust to the country. Its not racist, its only damn common sense. I am clearly with uncle Stephen Harper when it come to the ban of the niqabs, among other things. We shouldn't open the door to extremist and to values that are not ours. If immigrants want to come to Canada, they need to adjust.

Other than g-r-e-a-t Canadian politic, the value of my non-registered portfolio is down to $120 522.67. But during that time, my New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI) stocks are stronger than ever. My investment in Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) is doing very well too. And I have a few others who are doing very well.

A bunch of stocks are going down, but another cool player is JFT Strategies Fund (JFS.UN). I am a very bright investor because years ago, I invested in the JFT Strategies Fund (JFS.UN) and since I had been holding to my shares, I sell some as soon as my investment worth $2 510, I sell for $500 and enjoy the cash. Its soon going to happen again, my investment in JFS.UN is very close to the $2 500 and I can't wait to get my hands on that $500.

The stock market is a rough place to be, but there's always pearl we can rely on and the JFT Strategies Fund (JFS.UN) is one of them. JFS.UN units of Jean-François Tardif just keep going up when everything goes down. Be happy investors and smile because Jean-François Tardif and his JFT Strategies Fund (JFS.UN) are there for you.

Niqab: This type is like the hijab, except it also covers part of the face, leaving only the eyes visible.

Burqa

- See more at: http://www.iisna.com/articles/pamphlets/the-burqa-and-niqab-uncovering-the-facts/#sthash.bcgv9V9U.dpuf

Niqab: This type is like the hijab, except it also covers part of the face, leaving only the eyes visible.

Burqa

- See more at: http://www.iisna.com/articles/pamphlets/the-burqa-and-niqab-uncovering-the-facts/#sthash.bcgv9V9U.dpuf

Follow Derek Foster words: "Reject fashion and hyper-consumption and only buy what truly adds value to your life"

When the TSX go down and that it seem it could go down much more... there's nothing much we can do about it, despite all the frustrations. But hey, repeat Derek Foster words with me: "Reject fashion and hyper-consumption and only buy what truly adds value to your life".

I am rejecting fashion and hyper-consumption of my life.

I am rejecting fashion and hyper-consumption of my life.

I am rejecting fashion and hyper-consumption of my life. 

(I will try).

Investors are forced to pack their TFSA to the maximum contribution before the elections

Introduction: I hope you all like my blog fresh new skin because I do. From pink to purple.

Are the good old trading days are gone forever? Don't tell me. I don't really want to know. In those good old days, I used to invest, and shortly after, the investment was easily gaining in capital gain. But its not the case anymore. A little while back, I invest in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM). So far, I lost 1,91% on the investment.

My non-registered portfolio close at a very poor $121 492.37. Back on April 2015, I used to have 205 871.46 in total assets. I had a net worth of close 140k. Everything was all right. But now, I have to deal with the stock market ups and downs. Its not easy. Its not even fun anymore to invest, but I told you that before. And the upcoming elections are not going to be of any help. Stephen Harper is done.

Liberals like NPD want to cut down our TFSA contribution from $10 000 to $5 500. So now, I am a rush to find money to invest in my TFSA and I feel somewhat confuse. But I know that I will need to take money from a credit line to make it happen.

More will be post later.

Natasha St-Pier or the "I am an Acadian" syndrome

Natasha St-Pier is an Acadian singer from the north of New Brunswick. She's best known for her romantic slow songs. There's currently a polemic surrounding the release of her latest video for the song Tous les Acadiens (a rough French to English translation could be: All the Acadians).

Natasha St-Pier is more famous in France - and its a really good thing for her. In France, people don't really understand who are the Acadians. In this video, Natasha St-Pier appears wearing a full headdress that normally, is only being wear by native American people.

In New Brunswick - among other places where Acadians can be find - white Acadians do not dress like native folks for fun. My personal problem is that its not ok for white people - Acadians or not - to dress up like native American people when they are not native themselves. I find it very disturbing.

In the video, not only that Natasha St-Pier is dress up like a little Pocahontas princess, but in some scenes, she's surrounded by dream catchers. In another scene, Natasha appears in a birch canoe... Come on! French of France are going to love this, but Acadians and Native people - so far, they don't like it that much. 

I really like the reaction of Marie-Jo Thério to Natasha St-Pier Tous les Acadiens video. Thério said that its a commercial video basically design to please St-Pier oversea public.

If you want to know what a real Acadian singer look and feel like, Marie-Jo Thério is a killer. This is real, but Natasha St-Pier is not. Not exactly that she's not real, but she's mixing up badly stuff that don't belong to each other. I wouldn't mind if she would be native, but she's not. Its offensive.

Its hard not to cry when you hear Marie-Jo sings Evangéline... She understands what she is singing.

I once saw Marie-Jo Thério at a St-Laurent Montreal restaurant once. Unfortunately, I left her alone, I should had asked an autograph. Maybe next time. :-)

Free screening of Rear Window on September 21 at the Cineplex

There's a few movies that can be really intriguing and leave a strong impression on me. Those movies are almost always some very old movies, which had been produced way before the 1980s. Rear Window of Alfred Hitchcock featuring Grace Kelly is one of those movies. You can watch them several times, and each time, the pleasure is renew.

The first time I saw Read Window, it was at an outdoor screening during the Montreal World Film Festival. And I adore. We keep watching the same bad crap at TV, I wonder why they don't show those marvelous movies.

Cineplex - a stock that I hold inside my non-registered portfolio by the way - understood it all and have a Classic Film Series. In September, Cineplex scheduled two FREE screenings of Rear Window: one was today. And I was there today, enjoying a free movie. The second screening will be on September 21 - its not to be miss.

I really like the Classic Film Series of Cineplex. Usually, the movies showed are not free, tickets are only $6. Back in 2014, I went to the screening of Gone with the Wind. It was in celebration of its 75th anniversary.

Another great old movie I saw recently was Doctor Zhivago Montreal World Film Festival.

On the TSX right now, tiny little gains are better than nothing

These days, expectations need to be put low. As soon the TSX gains, let say 20 points, or even 38 oh wait, 38.ZEROFOUR like today, we should all get very very excited. These days are not to be for investors. And it's not a good time to be an investors. Its almost hopeless. Today small gains are the only thing we can bounce of joy on. Chitty market day like any other days.

To continue on the post of yesterday because today I have nothing to say regarding the TSX or my portfolio, I am totally in favor of a $15 an hour minimum wage. It would be a revolutionary and a beautiful thing to do for Canadians. Its seem like generally speaking, Canadians do not give a shit about anything. We are not a country of warriors, we are not strong in our believe and we don't care about our next neighbor. A $15 minimum wage would represent a powerful tool to motivate those who are voluntary unemployed to get back in the workplace. A $15 wage is a tool for integration and to push away poverty. Its not already fun to work in a call center or in a fast food restaurant. But no matter what, any individual need to make a living.

By increasing the minimum wage, we are giving the chance for a better future to any Canadians, no matter what. Imagine different scenarios: university students working part-time during school year and full time during the summer; refugees holding on to their first job in Canada; new grads who cannot find right away a job in their sector... and so on. Wouldn't be a wonderful things for those people to earn a decent salary - a salary that they can actually live on without having to visit food bank.

Do we care enough for each other to give a minimum of dignity to all workers, no matter where they live Canada? I really want to see this happen for real, no matter how individualist can be our modern society.

We should all be in favor of a $15 per hour minimum salary

October 19. Remember that date... Its election day in Canada.

I got all excited today when I saw that the TSX was going all way up. At least it was during the morning. After what, I was crossing my fingers for my non-registered portfolio hit on the 125k value - wouldn't that be cool? Finally, I was going to breathe again. Just like some other days, the stock market is not giving me the princess treatment. My non-registered portfolio finished the day at $122 785.93.

A TFSA with a contribution limit of $10 000 won't be enough for Stephen Harper to stay in power. I understand that if "Tom" Muclair get elected, investors will have to say good-bye to the extra 5k Harper gave us a few months ago. But if its to see the minimum wage salary going up to $15 per hour in Canada, I won't have any problem to go back down to an annual investment of 5k inside my TFSA.

An annual salary of $29 250 before tax should be consider the minimum livable in Canada. Only for that point alone, Muclair is winning my vote. As announced, I will vote for Hélène Laverdière, maybe not on October 12, but certainly on October 19.

On October 12, 2015, I will vote for NDP Hélène Laverdière, no matter what

With today great gains on the TSX, my non-registered portfolio closed the session at $122 985.71, its encouraging of course, but I am still far behind the 135k I used to be. On October 12, 2015, it will be elections day in Canada. Four years ago, I had voted for NDP Hélène Laverdière. I was strong in my believes. I wanted to kick Gilles Duceppe out of the federal politic - a place where he doesn't belong. Hélène Laverdière won the elections and Gilles Duceppe retired from the public life after ruining the Bloc Quebecois. But 4 years after, the old man wasn't hurt enough because we still are seeing his old and ugly face in the media.

I never understand why our ultra modern Canadian society accept the existence of a lonely provincial party. The Bloc Québécois only exist to but shit on the face on Canadians. Why in hell do we accept that? I guess its now common to see Quebeckers as selfish individual, but I will never get use to see lonely Bloc Québécois leaders fitting against Canadian interests, for the good common of all. I hope that once again, Gilles Duceppe will be beat up by Hélène Laverdière - one more time bitch! YEAH!

I am very proud of Hélène Laverdière and she's doing a fine job. So I will be voting for her on the big day, no doubt about that. But for the bigger portrait, when it come to who will be our next Prime Minister, I have to say, I have doubts. both Liberal and NDP parties want to reduce the contribution room of the TFSA from $10 000 to $5 000. This is not working well for me.

Investors, even the very small ones like myself were all super excited when Stephen Harper announced an increase of 5k to the annual TFSA contribution. I still have a TFSA contribution room left of $19 625.93. I have until October 12 to maximize my TFSA because after that, good-bye to the old $10 000 annual TFSA.

I know, life suck sometimes like that but I am still wonderful.

Welcome in my non-registered portfolio Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM)!

This is my first ever post as a... 35 years old. On my birthday, which was on August 27 in case you miss it, I knew that the world wasn't going to give up on me. My non-registered portfolio close that day session at $123 837.35 - way better than the $118 000 I was sitting on just a few days ago. This is just how difficult the markets are to follow these days. And it can be hard on the nerves. The only way to survive is to keep holding and invest while the markets are not. No one should ever sell investment under panics, but that is more easy to say than to do.

Fortunately enough, I never sell stocks while facing a major correction. Holding on is the only way to move on and to face better days. On my birthday, the TSX gain points. I was happy of course, and I decided to invest in something new, so I decided to invest in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM). I still have contribution room inside my TFSA, but because the TSX is so volatile right now, I only wanted to add a new investment to secure my margin situation, which is directly link to my non-registered portfolio. 

My margin is on a delicate situation. I have $11 500 of usage left on it. Its enough to cover these bad trading days, when my portfolio lose in value. But its barely enough because we never how bad things can go. There's just too much of volatility to be able to say how much is needed to be safe. The only way to be safe is not to use any margin money at all. Unfortunately, it is not my case. 

I invested in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM) on my birthday, but I still have an interest in Northland Power Inc. (NPI). I am missing some stocks to do everything I would like to so. But more importantly, I wanted to invest in my non-registered portfolio to add money into it and protect my margin. In other worlds, my margin control it all and have the last word on everything.

I was lucky enough to be at the world premiere of the film Muhammad. I went to the Cinema Imperial after work. I saw a crowd - it was the opening. A woman with probably her husband were standing right in front of me. The woman asked if I wanted to see the movie, I said yes of course. And she gave me a ticket. I was pretty excited. Its a great - but long movie, about the first years of life of the prophet.

From its earliest days, war had been at the center of Islam. The story of Muhammad is very complex. Jesus came on Earth, and after him was Muhammad, with his own way to understand religion, with his own teaching. It was interesting, you may like the movie if you are curious about Islam religion.