Frog of Finance

Dividend Increase for MacDonald's

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Yep, MacDonald's Corp (NYSE: MCD) is doing it again this year, increasing its quarterly dividend 15% from $0.61 to $0.70 per share.

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:19:00 +0000

As of September 1st, my net worth was $143 703 (down 2.2% from $146 887). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $97 126 (down 3.7% from $100 844). The last two months were hard on my net worth, due to expenses related to my vacation. This was compounded by the volatile markets, which cut down the value of my investments.

Assets ($239 189, down 1.5% from $242 779)

Bank Accounts $3 782 (down 24% from 4 927)

Emergency Funds $4 000 (up 2% from $3 922)

RRSP Accounts $67 154 (down 3.6% from $69 641)

Non-Retirement Investments $35 228 (up 1.3% from $34 761)

Home $100 530 (stable)

Car $28 041 (down 1.7% from $28 517)

Liabilities $95 486 (down 0.4% from $95 892)

Credit Cards $4 473 (up 41% from $3 169)

Mortgage $53 953 (down 1% from $54 487)

Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Car Loan $36 998 (down 3% from $38 154)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.399 (up from 0.395)

House value / total assets: 0.420 (up from 0.414)

You may have noticed that my net worth updates are now bi-monthly instead of monthly. This started out because of the timing of my vacations over the summer, but since I have found that I've got less time to blog, I will probably keep it that way moving forward. I still track my numbers every month, though I will only report them every two months.

Chances are that my next update will also show negative results, because we are replacing the roof in September.

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:58:00 +0000

As of July 1st, my net worth was $146 887 (down 2.1% from $150 080). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $100 844 (down 5.5% from $106 667). The significant decrease in my net worth is due to the purchase of my new car and how I record its value. That impact is muted somewhat because my last net worth update was for May 1st, and May was a good month with a tax return and a slight increase in the value of our house.

Assets ($242 779, up 17% from $207 064)

Bank Accounts $4 927 (up 28% from 3 837)

Emergency Funds $3 922 (up 130% from $1 697)

RRSP Accounts $69 641 (up 0.9% from $69 005)

Non-Retirement Investments $34 761 (up 2.3% from $33 980)

Home $100 530 (up 2.1% from $98 430)

Car $28 517 -- New!

Liabilities $95 892 (up 68% from $56 984)

Credit Cards $3 169 (up 70% from $1 868)

Mortgage $54 487 (down 1% from $55 017)

Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Car Loan $38 154 -- New!

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.395 (up from 0.275)

House value / total assets: 0.414 (down from 0.475)

As you can see, purchasing a new car has had a big impact on my financial situation on paper. One reason for this is how I evaluate the value of the car vs the amount of the car loan. While the car loan includes the taxes various fees associated with a new car, I do not include these in the actual value of the car. Above that, I immediately remove 10% off the value of the car. So, even though it cost me $38 000, I record its actual value at $28 500. That's almost $10 000 removed from my net worth right there.

Going forward, I will decrease the car's value by 9% of its original value every year (or 0.75% per month). This means the car will be worth $0 after 10 years. Meanwhile, the car loan will be paid back in 5 years. This means that the net value of the car will rise with time, as the car loan is paid back fater than the car itself devaluates. Then, once the car is fully paid back in 5 years, depreciation will keep reducing its value until it reaches $0 in 10 years. This, I think, reflects reality fairly well.

Another Dividend Increase (Telus)

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:22:00 +0000

This morning, Telus (Toronto: T, T.A) has announced that it was boosting its dividend again (that's the second time in the last year), from $0.525 to $0.55 per quarter, a 4.8% increase. I own Telus in my DRiP portfolio.

More Dividend Increases (EIF, JNJ, SU, PEP)

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:25:00 +0000

Three more of my companies have recently increased their dividend payments.

Exchange Income Corporation (Toronto: EIF) announced in early April that it was raising its dividend from $0.13 to $0.135 each month, a 3.8% increase. The company was also announcing the acquisition of Westower Communications, a company that designs, builds, maintains and services wireless phone and other communications towers throughout North America.

Last week, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced a small 5.6% boost to the quarterly dividend, from $0.54 to $0.57 per share.

On Monday, Suncor (Toronto: SU) also announced an increase to the quarterly dividend, from $0.10 to $0.11 per share, a 10% increase.

Finally, this morning PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) announced a 7% increase to its dividend, from $0.48 to $0.515 per quarter.

I own shares of EIF, JNJ and SU in my DRiP portfolio, whereas most of my PEP shares are in my RRSP.

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Tue, 03 May 2011 12:43:00 +0000

As of May 1st, my net worth was $150 080 (up 3.7% from $144 699). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $106 667 (up 5% from $101 550). Being paid back for my business trip to Vancouver was a factor in this big increase, as was reduced expenses this month.

Assets ($207 064, up 1.4% from $204 217)

Bank Accounts $3 837 (up 4% from $3 688)

Emergency Funds $1 697 (up 240% from $495)

RRSP Accounts $69 005 (up 1.8% from $67 784)

Non-Retirement Investments $33 980 (up 0.9% from $33 686)

Home $98 430 (stable)

Liabilities ($56 984, down 4.3% from $59 518)

Credit Cards $1 868 (down 55% from $4 154)

Mortgage $55 017 (down 0.5% from $55 280)

Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.275 (down from 0.291)

House value / total assets: 0.475 (down from 0.482)

Liquidities are getting much better, with my business travel expenses paid back and the tax returns coming in. My emergency fund should be back to its normal level by the end of the month.

We had a little plumbing problem this month, and had to call a professional to fix it. That cost us a little under $300. I've also started getting quotes for the roof. I'll continue looking at all options before taking a final decision on this front.

Procter & Gamble Dividend Increases

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:01:00 +0000

Like clockwork, Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) has announced its yearly dividend increase, from $0.4818 to $0.525 per quarter. That constitues a 9% increase, always a nice boost. I own shares of PG in my RRSP account.

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:33:00 +0000

As of April 1st, my net worth was $144 699 (down 0.2% from $144 958). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $101 550 (down 0.5% from $102 070). This slight decrease is due to the fact that I had a business trip to Vancouver in March, and I'm still waiting for my expenses to be paid back by my employer. These were paid using my credit card, so expect an increase there.

Assets ($204 217, up 0.2% from $203 811)

Bank Accounts $3 688 (up 9% from $3 387)

Emergency Funds $495 (up 3% from $480)

RRSP Accounts $67 784 (up 0.4% from $67 515)

Non-Retirement Investments $33 686 (up 1.5% from $33 176)

Home $98 430 (stable)

Liabilities ($59 518, up 2.3% from $58 156)

Credit Cards $4 154 (up 62% from $2 567)

Mortgage $55 280 (down 0.5% from $55 543)

Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.291 (up from 0.286)

House value / total assets: 0.482 (down from 0.485)

Liquidities are still tight, since I have to pay my credit card even if my employer hasn't paid me back the expenses for my business trip. So putting back the money into my emergency fund will wait a few more weeks.

Still quite busy, between work and my involvement with a non-profit group related to my hobbies. Summer is coming soon, so activities on that side will pick up soon. I'm also planning the renovation and maintenance work on the house for this summer. Some more landscaping, ongoing repainting of the outside of the house, and the big job for this summer -- the roof.

My Recent Dividend Increases

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:37:00 +0000

Since the beginning of the year, I've gotten a series of dividend increases from the companies I hold in my different portfolios. Here's a quick run-down of those.

Bank of Nova Scotia (Toronto: BNS) has just announced that after a 2-year freeze of its dividend, it was again on the rise with a 6% increase (from $0.49 to $0.52 per qurter). I own BNS in my TFSA account and in my DRiP portfolio. [Sector: Financials]

A few weeks ago, TransCanada Corp (Toronto: TRP) announced a 5% increase (from $0.40 to $0.42 per quarter). TRP kept icreasing its dividend steadily even during the worst of the financial crisis. I own TRP in my DRiP portfolio. [Sector: Utilities]

Another company was Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), which increased its quarterly dividend 9% (from US$0.44 to US$0.48). Abbott is another company in my DRiP portfolio. [Sector: Pharma]

Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) also announced a dividend increase, bumping it up 11% (from US$0.18 to US$0.20 per quarter). Againg, I own some Pfizer shares in my DRiP portfolio. [Sector: Pharma]

In a different sector, 3M Company (NYSE: MMM) raised its quarterly dividend 4.7% (from US$0.525 to US$0.55). My 3M shares are in my RRSP account and in my DRiP portfolio. [Sector: Industrial]

Hasbor (NYSE:HAS) played its part with an impressive 20% increase (from US$0.25 to US$0.30 quarterly) in my DRiP portfolio. [Sector: Consumer discretionary]

All told, these increases will add about $14 to my dividend income for 2011. This may look small, but that's because my holdings in most of these companies are small. Still, it means an additional 0.126% to my dividend yield.

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:54:00 +0000

As of March 1st, my net worth was $144 958 (up 2.3% from $141 766). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $102 070 (up 3% from $99 141). All of this increase came from my investments, both registered and not.

Assets ($203 811, down 0.2% from $204 124)

Bank Accounts $3 387 (down 45% from $6 158)
Emergency Funds $480 (down 83% from $2 877)
RRSP Accounts $67 515 (up 5.4% from $64 043)
Non-Retirement Investments $33 176 (up 2.8% from $32 267)
Home $98 430 (stable)

Liabilities ($58 156, down 6.3% from $62 044)

Credit Cards $2 567 (down 57% from $5 936)
Mortgage $55 543 (down 1% from $56 073)
Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.286 (down from 0.304)
House value / total assets: 0.485 (up from 0.483)

Moved money from my emergency fund to my RRSP, to complete my contributions for 2010. Liquidities also moved down because I paid back my credit card bill where the car repairs and new computer for Princess.

I'm still very busy, moving to another new project at work. This is taking me a lot of energy, as I'm learning another new business domain and the delivery schedule is quite tight. I barely have time to update my spreadsheets, let alone blog about them. But things are going well! That's one good thing about dividend investments and DRiPs -- once they're set up they run themselves for the most part.

Future blog posts that I plan on doing: Recent Dividend Increases, and My Portfolio in Details (maybe split in a series of posts).

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:31:00 +0000

As of February 1st, my net worth was $141 766 (down 0.1% from $141 897). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $99 141 (down 0.4% from $99 532). The the last payment for the windows has been made, so this impacted this month's numbers, as expected.

Assets ($203 811, down 0.2% from $204 124)

Bank Accounts $6 158 (down 25% from $8 132)
Emergency Funds $2 877 (up 3.4% from $2 783)
RRSP Accounts $64 043 (up 1.4% from $63 134)
Non-Retirement Investments $32 267 (up 2.7% from $31 423)
Home $98 430 (stable)

Liabilities ($62 044, down 0.3% from $62 226)

Credit Cards $5 936 (down 2.3% from $6 076)
Mortgage $56 073 (up slightly from $56 065)
Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.304 (down from 0.305)
House value / total assets: 0.483 (up from 0.482)

As usual, the beginning of the year is tight in liquidities. This is particularly tru this year because I helped my lady for her car repairs, as stated in last month's update. The coming deadline for RRSP contributions is coming, so I'll have to decide soon whether I empty out my emergency fund to make a lump contribution while there is still time.

On top of that, I've also been quite busy lately, as I began working on a new project at work. I've also been working on some small crafting projects at home, and I had some meetings to attend for my hobbies. This explain my lack of message in January, and my lateness in posting my net worth update. Things should come back to normal soon, I hope!

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:44:00 +0000

As of January 1st, my net worth was $141 897 (up 2.8% from $137 993). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $99 532 (up 3.8% from $95 888). However, the last payment for the windows has not been made yet, so the totals should actually be $2 500 lower. And December was a 3-payweek month, so this also boosted my assets. But the year 2010 has been a very good year. :o)

Assets ($204 124, up 3.5% from $197 251)

Bank Accounts $8 132 (up 41% from $5 754)
Emergency Funds $2 783 (up 3.9% from $2 678)
RRSP Accounts $63 134 (up 4.6% from $60 361)
Non-Retirement Investments $31 423 (up 3.3% from $30 411)
Home $98 430 (stable)

Liabilities ($62 226, up 4.1% from $59 779)

Credit Cards $6 076 (up 75% from $3 482)
Mortgage $56 065 (down 0.4% from $56 324)
Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.305 (up from 0.303)
House value / total assets: 0.482 (down from 0.498)

Just before the Holidays, there were some big unplanned expenses. First, my lady's car had some extensive repairs that needed to be done, which were a safety issue. She didn't have the cash on hand to pay for those, and was looking at a 9% financing to pay for it. So I offered to pay for the repairs and she'll pay me back. Similar story for her computer -- it had been troublesome for some time and key features began to fail, so we replaced to. Together, those two items cost about $3 000, which explains the spiking of the amount on my credit card. I'll pay this fully (out of available cash from my emergency fund) when the CC statement comes in.

If not for this, expenses for the Christmas would have been quite reasonable. Even with those, things are still running smoothly. It's good to have some margin of safety!

Two More Dividend Increases

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:41:00 +0000

Two more of the companies I own in my DRiP portfolio raised their dividend this week.

First, Fortis Inc. (Toronto: FTS) increased its dividend 3.5% from $0.28 to $0.29 per quarter. This is a small increase, but the company is in the power generation business, and in a recession less power is consumed as businesses decrease their products output and thus their energy consumption.

Second, Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) just announced this morning that it was raising its dividend 11% from $0.18 to $0.20 per quarter.

These will have only a small impact individually, but they do add up. :o)

2010 Review: Financial Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:12:00 +0000

As the end of the year approaches, it is time to review my financial goals for 2010 to see how I did.

Financial Goal 1: Increase my Net Worth -- Success

In fact, I should call this a smashing success. I reached my objective of a $125K net worth mid-year, due to a combination of the market recovery and an increase in the value of our house. If things bear out, I should end 2010 with a net worth of $137K.

For 2011, I will raise that objective to a net worth of $160K.

Financial Goal 2: Increase my Dividend Income -- Success

Last year, I established a steep objective of $1300 in dividend income from my non-registered investments (DRiP portfolio and TFSA account). I made actually it! Thanks to the year-end dividend from CGI, my dividend income for 2010 will be $1306 -- right over my objective.

For 2011, my objective will depend on how I end up paying for my new car. If I purchase it outright with no financing, I will have to gut both my TFSA account and my DRiP portfolio, so I should only expect dividend income of about $750. If, on the other hand, I can get attractive financing and decide to go that way, I'd like my dividend income to climb to $1700.

What are you financial objectives for 2011?

Credit Card Change Follow-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:08:00 +0000

Last year, I switched my main credit card to MBNA's SmartCash credit card (see my post). At the time, I estimated that I would get back about $360 in cash for the first year (taking into account the sign-up bonus) and $288 for each year after that.

So I did a quick check-up on how much money I got back since signing up for the new card. By my calculation, I actually got closer to $400 back. Based on that, I can probably expect something like $300 every year, which is 50% more than what I was getting back with my old card.

Not bad at all.

Canadian General's Year-End Dividend

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:39:00 +0000

Yesterday I mentioned that I was waiting to see what what the end-of-year special dividend would be for Canadian General Investments (Toronto: CGI).

Well, this morning the fund announced that it will pay a special cash capital gains dividend of $0.76 per common share, payable on December 24, 2010.

This brings up CGI's dividend this year to $1.00 per share, for a 5% yield. Considering that the stock has also moved up 30%, this makes for quite a profitable investment this year.

I've just moved most of my shares of CGI into my TFSA, so my year-end dividend will be sheltered from taxes. I did this because this "special cash capital gains dividend" is treated as regular income, instead of the preferencial tax treatment of a normal Canadian dividend.

Dividend News

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:16:00 +0000

Some recent news regarding my dividend-paying companies...

Enbridge (Toronto: ENB) has announced an increase to its dividend, from $0.425 to $0.49 per quarter. That's an increase of 15%. Cheers!

Bank of Nova Scotia (Toronto: BNS) and Bank of Montreal (Toronto: BMO) both announced good quarterly earnings. Things continue to look good for our Canadian banks, but no dividend increase yet. I had slight hopes that BNS would announce one.

Other companies in my portfolio that should soon announce dividend increases are Fortis (Toronto: FTS) and 3M Company (NYSE: MMM). I am also waiting to see what the end-of-year special dividend will be for Canadian General Investments (Toronto: CGI).

All of those companies are part of my DRiP portfolio, although I also own some shares of 3M in my RRSP.

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:23:00 +0000

As of December 1st, my net worth was $137 993 (up 0.9% from $136 763). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $95 888 (up 1% from $94 916). Things are slowing down for me as the end of the year arrives. A quick dip of the stock markets at the end of November had an impact there.

Assets ($197 251, up 1.46% from $194 419)

Bank Accounts $5 754 (up 7.8% from $5 335)
Emergency Funds $2 678 (up 4% from $2 575)
RRSP Accounts $60 361 (up 0.5% from $60 061)
Non-Retirement Investments $30 411 (down 0.8% from $30 643)
Home $98 430 (stable)

Liabilities ($60 488, down 0.6% from $60 856)

Credit Cards $3 482 (down 9.2% from $3 834)
Mortgage $56 324 (down 0.4% from $56 583)
Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.303 (down from 0.307)
House value / total assets: 0.498 (down from 0.499)

There has been a delay in replacing the planned windows, so this expense has not come through yet. It is not yet certain if the cheque will be cashed before the end of the year, either, so its impact may only be felt at the beginning of 2011.

Christmas shopping has also begun, so I expect a temporary rise in credit card debt. As usual, though, the balance of all my credit cards will be paid in full each month. It is simply that during the Christmas period, I spend a bit more money -- I'm not adding any long-term debt here, it is simply a question of cash-flow since almost all of my expenses go through my credit cards. I pay no interest at all, and collect the rewards.

RRSP: Bye Bye GE - Hello 3M

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:00:00 +0000

I had been thinking of selling my General Electric (NYSE: GE) shares in my RRSP. The company has been struggling for a long time, with its financial division dragging down the rest of the company. As I see it, the company will continue to grow slowly and recover from its past mistakes, just as slowly. I see that growth at less than 5% per year. With a current dividend yield around 3%, I think I can find a better use for that money.

So I've sold GE and used the money to purchase shares of 3M Company (NYSE: MMM). The company is also a large conglomerate with diversified income streams, but without the financial division that's been pulling GE down. 3M keeps innovating and developping new products. Current yield is a bit lower at 2.6%, but the company keeps increasing the dividend at a steady pace and its payout ratio is lower.

My money could have been put into a different company with better growth prospects. But GE (and now 3M) fulfilled a specific role in my portfolio and moving my money into a growth-oriented company would not have satisfied that role.

As I sold GE and purchased 3M on the same day, I was able to same on currency conversion fees (what is sometimes called a "wash trade"), reducing them almost to nothing.

I also own a few shares of 3M in my DRiP portfolio.

Brokerages Lowering their Commissions

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:50:00 +0000

There is a wave of fees reductions at Canadian brokerages going on right now. Many of them have announced a lowering of the minimum account value needed to get reduced commissions on purchases and sales.

I currently have 2 brokerage accounts, one with TD Waterhouse (for my TFSA) and one with Disnat (my RRSP). Both have announced a reduction of fees.

TD Waterhouse: "We are pleased to announce that effective November 4, 2010, clients with $50,000 or more in household assets, invested through TD Waterhouse Discount Brokerage, will now be eligible to trade Canadian or U.S. equities for $9.99 flat when using our online or automated telephone Electronic Brokerage Services. Canadian and U.S. option trades will be subject to the same $9.99 base rate plus $1.25 per contract. Clients with less than $100,000 in household assets must also register their account(s) for eServices to qualify."

That's good, but it will be some time before I reach $50K with only my TFSA. I might get there sooner if I were to consolidate accounts, but right now I get a service with Disnat that TDW does not provide: Medallion signature guarantees. I find those really useful to exchange shares directly with other investors, as part of my DRiP strategy.

There are also rumors that TDW may soon offer USD currency within their RRSP. *That* might make it worthwhile for me to consolidate some RRSP money to reach the treshold, as I hold a lot of US stocks in my RRSP. I'd have to bring at least $25K in the RRSP to avoid paying annual fees.

Disnat: "We are pleased to announce that as of November 1, 2010 you will be able to take advantage of our flat-rate commissions of $9.95 per transaction when you complete a minimum of 10 monthly transactions via our Disnat Classic website! This new flat fee will also apply to accounts with a minimum net worth of $100,000."

Not as good as what TDW offers. Disnat has not changed its treshold; it's just telling investors that if they trade more, they'll get a better deal. As I don't do a lot of transactions (and don't plan on doing much more in the future), this change has no benefit for me.

The major reason for me to keep this account with Disnat is the Medallion signature guarantee service and the fact that the brokerage has an office here in Quebec City. So I can just drop by to get my signature guaranteed (for securities transfers) at no cost. Although TDW also has such a service, they do not use the Medallion stamp, which I need for US transfers.

So in the end, the fees reduction wave has had little effect on me. But it will make it easier for me to reach the reduced treshold in the future.

Telus Increases Dividend, Removes Discount

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Telus (Toronto: T and T.A) today announced that the company is raising its dividend from $0.50 to $0.525 per quarter. This is a 5% increase, which follows another 5% increase that was announced in May. Good news for me, as it will raise my yield on cost to 6%.

But the company has also announced that, starting with the March dividend, it will stop giving a discount on reinvested divideds. This second announcement was burried in its 3rd quarter results, at page 7. Shares for dividend reinvestment will now be purchased on the open market instead of being issued from treasury.

That's good news overall. I own Telus in my DRiP portfolio.

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:20:00 +0000

As of November 1st, my net worth was $136 763 (up 2.4% from $133 563). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $94 916 (up 3.2% from $91 973). Another good month, but again that's because of the stock markets. Things are chugging along, dividend gets paid, a little money is added here and there. Boring, but boring is good!

Assets ($197 251, up 1.46% from $194 419)

Bank Accounts $5 335 (up 11% from $4 811)
Emergency Funds $2 575 (up 4.2% from $2 471)
RRSP Accounts $60 061 (up 2.8% from $58 407)
Non-Retirement Investments $30 643 (up 1.8% from $30 093)
Home $98 430 (stable)

Liabilities ($60 488, down 0.6% from $60 856)

Credit Cards $3 834 (down 3.5% from $3 972)
Mortgage $56 583 (down 0.4% from $56 841)
Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.307 (down from 0.313)
House value / total assets: 0.499 (down from 0.506)

The first payment for the new windows went through, but was completely lost in the general rise of my assets. When the balance of the payment goes through, however, it will be more noticeable as the amount is bigger. The windows should be installed within the next two weeks. Cash position looks strong, so I should be able to pay for them out of my regular account, without touching my emergency funds.

Pengrowth Energy to Become a Corporation

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Yesterday, Pengrowth Energy Trust (Toronto: PGF.UN) announced that it plans on becoming a corporation on December 31th, 2010.

Basically, nothing much will change. Distributions will become dividends (as so will be taxed less for investors) but remain at $0.07 per month, at least for now. As explained in the announcement, the company has a big tax pool that mean it doesn't expect to pay taxes until 2014.

One area was unclear in the announcement, and that was the continuation of the reinvestment and purchase plan. Investors relations was contacted, and apparently the company plans on keeping it the same. That would include the 5% discount on both reinvested dividend and new purchases. :o)

The conversion will need to be approved by the unitholders during a special meeting to be held on December 16th. With those terms, I expect it to be a formality.

New Finance Site: Moneyville.ca

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:01:00 +0000

Two of the bloggers that I read regularly have mentioned that they will be blogging on the new site developped by the Toronto Star, Moneyville.ca, so I thought I'd give it a look and see whether it would be worth reading.

My first impressions were quite good. The web site is clean and doesn't look cluttered, and the articles seem interesting. I'll be digging around the site some more, but it looks like a good one. What I particularly like is the fact that it is targeted at the average Canadian, instead of cathering to a nice or presenting things from a U.S. perspective.

Thumbs up from this Frog!

Net Worth Update

noreply@blogger.com (Frog of Finance) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:54:00 +0000

As of October 1st, my net worth was $133 563 (up 3.7% from $128 775). If I exclude house-related assets and liabilities, my net worth was $91 973 (5.2% from $87 442). A surprisingly good month, but this had more to do with how the stock market moved than anything else, as this caused two-thirds of the increase. I did watch my expenses more than usual, though, to cut down a bit on unnecessary spending. So it was more a matter of what I didn't do than what I did. :o)

Assets ($194 419, up 2.4% from $189 874)

Bank Accounts $4 811 (up 6.7% from $4 509)
Emergency Funds $2 471 (up 4.3% from $2 368)
RRSP Accounts $58 407 (up 3.5% from $56 426)
Non-Retirement Investments $30 093 (up 7.9% from $27 878)
Home $98 430 (stable)

Liabilities ($60 856, down 0.4% from $61 099)

Credit Cards $3 972 (up 1% from $3 934)
Mortgage $56 841 (down 0.4% from $57 097)
Line of Credit $0 (stable)

Ratios

Debt / assets: 0.313 (down from 0.321)
House value / total assets: 0.506 (down from 0.518)

The first payment for the new windows hasn't gone through yet, so this will impact the next update. I have reduced my monthly infusion of money into my DRiPs, as I will need to pay the balance of the windows in November. I want to do that using accumulated cash instead of having to dip into my emergency funds.