5 Retirement Planning Tips

As the global economy plunges and retirement portfolio shrinks, many Canadians are worried more than ever for their financial well being after retirement. Some retirees will be able to maintain their expected living standard regardless of how the economy does. However, this may not be the case for everyone. If you need to work or are thinking of working after retirement, here are some tips to help you with your decision.

1. Some of the government programs for retirees such as Old Age Security (OAS) credit, the government pension plan (CPP), and so on may be affected if you work full- or part-time after retirement.

2. The best way to handle your clawbacks or drawbacks to government benefit programs is to consult a financial planner or tax specialist. They have tools and calculators to show you exactly what your own numbers will look like based on your unique situation (as everyone’s scenarios are different)

3. There are free online tools and calculators available as well to help you with your retirement planning. Such online tools and calculators are available here: Sun Life’s Retirement Tools and Calculators

4. Service Canada offers Canadian Retirement Income Calculator to generate retirement income information and post retirement benefit information, including CPP benefits and OAS.

5. Regardless of how much research you do on your own, my suggestion would be to still sit with a retirement professional and discuss your situations. Due to the complex nature of retirement benefits and clawbacks, it is worth paying for advice and take action based on accurate and updated information. 

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Read Free eBooks on Kindle

You don’t need an eBook Reader or a Tablet to read eBooks. You can install Kindle for PC on your desktop or laptop to read eBooks. If you have a Tablet, you need to install the Kindle application from the app market. I will go through the two easiest ways to find eBooks on the Kindle store. There may be others ways pull free eBooks, but I like these two methods as they are very simple and fast.

Procedure One: See All Free eBooks without Categories

1. Go to the Kindle Store
2. Put “free kindle books” in the search box
3. Hit the “Go” button
4. You will see all the ebooks. As of this writing, I got 29,431 free eBooks.

Procedure Two: Sort All Free eBooks by Categories

1. Go to the Kindle Store
2. Look for the categories on the left
3. Pick the category you want
4. Sort it by price, from low to high on the top right
5. Free eBooks for that category will appear on the first few pages

Once you have found your book, click on that book and then you can buy the book by clicking the “buy” button on the top right. Yes, you still have to click the “buy” button, although it is free and you won’t be charged.

These days, I am reading more books than ever as I have access to all my eBooks on my smartphone, tablet, and PCs. If I read one book on my tablet and then open the same book on my smartphone, I will be on the same page where I left of on my Tablet (or any other devices), as all devices are synced when you read, regardless of their operating systems.

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Simple Debt Management Strategy

1. Make a list of all recurring bills you pay every month. Some of these bills can be cable TV bill, Internet bill, cell phone bill, electricity bill, water bill, rent, mortgage, and so on.

2. Call each of your service providers and tell them that you would like to automate your bill payment so it comes out of your bank account automatically. You may need to complete a form and then mail or fax it back to the service provider to complete the process.

3. Automatic bill payment can be done using a credit card as well and in that case the whole process can be done over the phone – you may not need to complete and fax/mail back a physical form. However, use your credit card only if you pay your credit card in full each month. If you are trying to reduce your debt and you have had habits of not paying your credit card bills in full each month, stay away from paying bills using credit cards.

4. Make sure your bank does not have transaction limits or you are not exceeding your monthly allowed transactions, if you have a fee based bank account. I recommend no fee banking account such as President Choice No Fee Bank Account.  

5. It is possible to pay all your bills online each month once you get your bills by accessing your bank’s online banking. However, this process will cost you time every month and there are chances that you will forget to pay bills once in a while.

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How to Cut Cable or Satellite TV, Watch Over-The-Air HD TV Channels for Free, and Save At Least $600 Annually

Why Should You Get Rid of Your Cable or Satellite TV?

What Do I Need To Capture Free HD Over-The-Air TV Channels?

It depends on where you are. If you live in a high-rise condo or apartment building in a city (like Toronto), the process is really simple. You just need to buy an indoor digital antenna and you have to place this antenna near your window or glass door. I bought an RCA Digital Flat Antenna, which is around $40, looks like a book or a tablet PC, lies flat on any flat surface, and is very low-profile.

If you live in a house, you will need to install an outdoor digital antenna. You can either do the installation by yourself, or you can call a professional installer. You will be saving lots of hassle (if you think of it that way) of choosing the right type of antenna, buying parts to install the antenna, and so on, by calling a professional installer. There are professional antenna installation services that will do all the work for you. The cost of such services will recover within a few months once you stop paying your cable or satellite company. Search for “TV antenna installers” to find an installer near you.

If you prefer to install an outdoor antenna by yourself, you need to buy an outdoor digital antenna and some parts to install it outside. Stores like Tiger Direct, Factory Direct, Canada Computers, Home Depot, etc. provide antennas and the parts you will require to install it by your self. Here are some websites which provide you information on over-the-air TV channels and picking the right antenna for installation:

http://www.sensuz.com/estore/catalog/whatisota.php

http://www.tvfool.com/

http://www.hdtvantennalabs.com

http://www.digitalhome.ca

How Many HD Channels I Will Get?

You will get 10 to 20 or more HD channels and many SD (standard-definition) channels. You will get Canadian channels like CBC, Global, CTV, Citytv, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, etc. However, keep in mind that specialty channels like TSN, Showtime, weather channel, etc. will not be available as over-the-air channels.

Last Word

You have to see it to believe the crisp, crystal-clear HD picture quality you can get for free just by connecting an over-the-air antenna to your TV. And how about the big savings you will enjoy year after year for cancelling your cable or satellite TV? You have to experience it to believe it!

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How to Take Charge of Your Credit Card Debt

Stop Charging – If you have credit card debt that you can’t pay in full every month, do not charge anything on the credit card unless you have the money to pay it. This is your first step towards managing your credit card debt.

Avoid Making Late Payments - Always pay on time and never make a late payment. Late payments can affect your credit score. Pay at least the minimum if you are unable to pay the full for any given month. I have seen people not paying a 70-cents bill thinking it would not make sense to pay this small amount. They ended up paying a penalty for late payment and affecting their credit score. A small amount can drag you down a lot if it’s not taken care of in a timely manner.

Call and Ask – Call and ask your credit card companies for a lower interest rate and waive any penalty fees you may have occurred. Optimize balance transfer offers to lower your interest on credit card.

Pay Extra Amount – Pay whatever extra amount, whether it’s a small or a big amount, you can possibly arrange to pay towards your credit card balances every month. If you look at paying addition amounts in terms of longer time frame, it will accelerate your debt-free endeavour a lot faster.

Be Aware of Credit Repair – The Consumer Reporting Act has rules regarding how long accurate information can appear in a report and no credit/fix companies have the authority to remove, erase, or change this in a consumers’ file. Beware of these companies claiming to fix your file.

Take Charge of Your Finances - Learn about managing money, investing, and building wealth for your financial future. There are many independent personal finance websites, Canadian government websites, and U. S. government websites to help you build your financial roadmap.

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China 2012

China’s economic growth has been fairly stable and good for quite a few years. However, it has slowed for the last three quarters and it is expected to dip below 9 percent in 2012, for the first time since 2001. According to IMF, if the global economic situation does not worsen, it is reasonable to expect that China’s growth will be at 9 percent. According to a study released by senior Chinese government researchers, economic growth should be 7 to 8 percent in 2012. Asia-based investment bank Nomura International predicts economic growth is likely to slip to 7.9 percent. The last time China’s economic growth dropped this low was in 1998 during the Asia-Pacific financial crisis.

Inflation, the housing bubble, export markets, and appreciating Yuan seem be the major factors behind the declining economic growth. China has seen its inflation falling from 6.5 percent in July to 4.2 percent in November. A lower demand on the housing market will impact other related industries as well. The export sector seems to be the one with the biggest decline and the greatest risk. China’s 20 percent exports go to the European Union and if the economic and debt crisis continue to persist, the impact will be enormous on China. Also, an appreciating Yuan will make export markets more likely to perform at their best.

Although the Chinese government has pledged growth in 2012, its economy is shifting from double-digit, high-speed growth to single-digit growth. It is widely expected that China’s central bank will loosen its monetary policy to support the banking industry, boost domestic demand, and increase economic growth.

The biggest challenge the Chinese regime will face in light of the economic slowdown is how the general Chinese population will react. Will there be any strikes, protests, or uprisings or will everything be calm, quiet, and manageable for the regime as it has been for a while?
  

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4 Things You Can Do Right Now to Manage Your Debt

Admit and Stop – Admit that your debt situation is beyond control and you need to take steps right now to get rid of your debt. Stop charging more to your credit card or adding more debt into your existing balance. The most important thing you can do is to start your journey towards a debt-free world and you do it starting this moment.

Add Extra Money – Whether it is $10 per month or $50 per month, adding extra towards paying your debt can have a enormous effect on the life of your debt. By adding additional amounts, you are shaving off years from your debt-paying timeline and saving lots of money. So, if possible, pay extra money every month. For those months when you cant pay extra, stick to the minimum.

Stick To Reducing Your Debt – Yes, you can do it. You can have a debt-free life. Start visualizing how life will be and how much freedom you will have when you won’t have debt anymore. To make it happen, you need to stick to reducing your debt and continue paying off all your loans until they turn into zero.

Educate Yourself and Seek Professional Help - Learn about managing money to build your financial future. There are many independent personal finance websites, Canadian government websites, and U.S. government websites out there for free where you can learn about money and finances. Use these free resources to educate yourself. However, there will be times when these resources are not enough to handle your situation – in a situation like this, seek the help of financial professionals to walk you out of your debt situation.

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Reputable Website Interviews Financial Author A. Dawn

“Ahmed is yet another example of an up-and-coming, new generation blogging entrepreneur that people should really be paying attention to. He has a no-nonsense, pragmatic approach to investing and uses ‘simple and understandable’ terminology to take the guess work out of the investment process for his readers.”

The interview can be accessed right here: A Dawn Journal – Best of the Best Blogger Series

This is an opportunity for my readers to know more about me. Wide ranging questions such as a little peak into my work life, what inspired me to write my book Invest Now, more on my blogging entrepreneurship – all can be found in this interview.

So it seems quite reasonable that with a no-nonsense, pragmatic approach to personal finance and its ability to break down complex subjects in simple terms, A Dawn Journal is becoming a regular read for an increasing number of readers in Canada and across the globe. And this trend will continue for years to come. I thank you all my readers and I appreciate your time spent on A Dawn Journal. Your support and courage are an inspiration to me all the time and that’s what made everything possible.  

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Don’t Leave Home Without Following These Wallet/Purse Tips

1. Go through your wallet and get rid of everything you will not use on a regular basis. There is no point carrying all the cards and receipts in your wallet. I keep only those what I use everyday. If I use a credit or debit card occasionally, I leave it home and only keep it with me when I will be using it.  

2. At any point, you should know exactly what items are in your wallet. This way, if you lose anything you will be able to detect it right away, reducing your chances for being a victim if someone else gets ahold of your cards.

3. Make a list of everything you carry in your wallet. Write down your credit card number, customer service phone number, and anything else you would require to block your credit or debit cards in case of theft or loss of your wallet. Better yet, you can scan the back and front of all your cards as well. Keep this list handy at home, in hotel safe, or online securely in such a way that you will have access to it when you need to call your financial institutions in case of emergency.

4. Do not carry wallet in your rear pocket. Thieves use very sharp tools to cut pockets and it’s a lot easier to cut when it’s in your back or rear pocket.

5. Be careful and pay attention to what’s going on around you. Thieves work together in crowded places and try to distract you by pushing you, causing artificial arguments among themselves, or anything else to cause distractions so they can use that split second to grab your wallet while you are distracted.

6. Keep some cash separated from your wallet in a different place on you. If you lose your wallet, this ensures that at least you will have some money to get home.

7. Do not keep your home or car keys in your wallet. If thieves get ahold of keys, they will be easily able to access your home or car because it’s not hard to find information (home address on driver’s license, vehicle information on insurance or registration card, etc.) leading thieves to further carry on their operations.

8. Do not write your PIN number on the back of your cards or carry it with you in your wallet. Also, do not use your date of birth, postal code, or your phone number as your PIN. If thieves have your wallet, they will have access to enough information to guess your PIN by going through your wallet.

9. Do not leave your wallet in a jacket, coat, or anywhere else if you’re checking out these items in a restaurant, movie theatre, or anywhere else.

10. If you are wondering what’s in my wallet, here are the items I always carry with me if I am in Toronto:

- One bank card (Interac card)
- One credit card
- Driver’s license
- Toronto Transit Commission Metropass

If I travel, I modify these items depending on where I am traveling to.

NB – You do not need to carry your rewards or points card anymore as smart phone apps have the capability to carry these cards digitally on your smart phone. 

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