Optimistic and looking forward to a great future with a new outlook and perspective on life.

I still smile everday, enjoy what I have, dream a lot, and try hard to work on what I can.

Try to avoid negativity in everything I do, need to, have to surround myself with optimistic people.

So, imagine my dismay finding you all!

I have read this blog and felt worse about the economy and my future that I have in the past several months.

I still believe the future is what you make it. If you are right about the next great depression..oh well we better start planning now…guess I get a head start.

Government spending and monetary policies throughout the world as well as the baby boomer demographic will have a definitive impact.

In regards to this and a comment before, dropped financial advisers a long time ago. Found it funny how they can loose my money and still get very well paid. “Oh, well lets put your money in this! Seen him driving away in his Mercedes after…hmmm!
THEY DON”T KNOW!

Oh, I did much better than they did and still do!

In regards to the housing, these are Canadian stats. Some areas are building others are not. Fundamentals in certain regions need the housing starts such as in areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan. People still need places to live and demand fuels supply.

So whats next. Cottages sound like they are out or are they? What does this demographic of retires want out of their final years? Assuming of course they planned for retirement!

Smaller homes, small or affordable cottages, travel, recreation, golf, warm winters, see the world while preserving capital for many years to continue doing what they enjoy.

No matter how you cut it this group has enjoyed a privileged life. They are not ready to give it up heading into the final years. They are planning!

As am I. This is the only time I am reading this blog. I just had to comment. Garth, great blog and information in here but WOW!

Do you have one on the positive aspects of the economy? Might like to join in there!

Everyone, yup you are right. The economy is changing and comes a time to think out of the box and this may be it.

Quick question maybe someone can answer!

How many people became millionaires in the past year?

How many will this year?

And how many in the next two?

Not saying I have a chance at this, but out there someone is figuring out a way to do it!

Outside the box!!!!!

Have fun everyone….CYA

not we’re…….WERE

11 years post sec?? What we’re you thinking? What we’re you studying?

It sounds like you fell victim to the “post secondary education industrial complex”. Now I’ve got 6 years post sec myself, the first two in tech school, then a return a few years later to obtain engineering degree. I’ll probably
never know whether it has really paid off financially or not, but in both cases, the skills learned were marketable, with the degree allowing me quicker and further advancement and more career options. Like Michael jordan, I couldnt accept not trying.

Young people are continually pumped to get an education, but I think in too many cases, a poor choice is made for the sake of the degree. Now if its what you
truly love and want to do with your life that’s great, you’ll find related work somehow. But I know bartenders with BAs, labourers with BScs, computer techs with philosophy degrees etc. IMO it looks like a big waste of time and resources.

As to where to park your dosh for some modest growth–I’ve swotted up and now suggest checking out various companies preferred shares. They typically pay a decent dividend, and there is a ‘guarantee’ that on the date of maturity you’ll get a certain share price (the company buys the shares back off you on a certain date for a set price). Preferred shares can bounce around in price because they’re not as heavily traded. And there’s also the risk if the company goes bankrupt you’ll lose some money.

Good luck!!

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you’re right on most of the above. Gaining wealth from trading houses cannot last – we’re seeing the result of that. You’re definitely wrong when it comes to gaining wealth with stocks as it is totally possible and totally sensible. The stocks I own I feel like I’m funding good business with money so that they can expand. I’m into a lot of energies. I feel there’s a problem with baseload energy. The money I invest is helping what I believe has to happen in our society. How isn’t this productive? I”m funding these industries and companies so that my family and I can have clean and cheap energy.

how is this a bad idea?

And run as fast as possible away from that ‘advisor’
(Nice of him to push his friend’s property at you, eh?! lol).”

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Cheers Barb. I have found myself in an ideal situation, but more by accident than design. We are new to the country, so need to find our feet and make sure we are living in the right area before we make it permanent and buy where we are currently renting; we have the sale proceeds from our house in England but there will be at least as much again from another property (hopefully now sold, we are awaiting confirmation). So at the moment half our money is in the bank and the other half is tied up in RE. To all intents and purposes we are “unemployed”, though my husband has a writing job he brought with him from England (full time work for him will not start probably for another month) so at the moment we are pretty much living on what we called “spare money” put away while we were still working in the UK.

None of the above makes me feel this is the ideal time for us to buy property, so while others on this blog agonise about why shouldn’t they buy something now, I am quite content not to – until we know exactly how much we do have, how much it costs to live, what income is eventually coming in, do we like it enough here “in the corridor” (ha! sounds like a punishment from my school days..) to stay and settle?

We are not far from Trenton and PEC, so I was interested to read comments the other day from a couple of people who had driven through Picton and counted up the For Sale signs. I also noted those, as well as others closer by, but having nothing to compare it to (i.e. how many were there last year, or the year before?) I didn’t take that much notice. Now it has got me wondering just why so many people want to move.

I am guessing that it must be hard to earn a living out here if you are not a farmer or involved with the military or the tourist industry in some way. Not everyone has the luxury of working from home, and like my son’s school friend’s father (who wants to go back to the city) there might be many plans to migrate back to Toronto hidden behind those For Sale signs.

In any case, whatever their individual reasons, the mere fact there are so many properties for sale around here makes me think prices can only go down. The school friend’s house has been listed for a while but although they have had viewings, nobody wants to buy. Maybe potential buyers are trying to look at all the other houses too – that would certainly take up a lot of time!

As for the financial adviser, I was picking his brains about what we might do with a few hundred thousand while we wait. Being cautious where money is concerned (i.e. I don’t want to go back to work and have to earn some more) I am interested in parking it in various places to grow, modestly if need be, rather than taking any chances on higher risk options.

So … everyone feel free to comment (I know you will)!