A common phrase we all use today is, “Google it”.  I used that phrase to myself at 3:30am this morning, I’ll get to that in a moment.  But it really is amazing how we have all come to depend on this technology.  So much so, it makes you wonder how we ever managed without it.  Information at your fingertips, and it’s something we almost take for granted today.  The reality is Google hasn’t been around for that long.  It was launched in 1996, by a couple of PhD students at Stanford University.  What these two visionaries wanted to create was a universal digital library, and what a library it is!  One of the benefits of this universal digital library is that no one ever says, “shhh”.

 Here’s my latest experience with Google.  It’s 12:30am, I’m dead asleep only to hear, “get up…I just heard the garage door open”.  I clear the cobwebs, ask for the message to be repeated because maybe I was just dreaming and I can go back to sleep, but no!  The first thing I do is reach for my sand wedge, which is strategically placed close to my side of the bed, and off I go to possibly encounter an intruder, all the while hoping it’s some skinny little runt who’s ass I’ll be kicking without much fuss.  As I’m walking down the stairs, turning on all the lights, you do that mental checklist.  Alarm didn’t go off;  protect Kathy and Mack; check all the rooms and think that it really has been a good life.  Every room is empty, but now I have to check the basement like all the stupid people do in movies.  The coast was clear, I checked the garage out and everything looked normal.  I hit the remote for the garage door and it closes just like it supposed too.  This is where I convince myself that it was a one-off because I want to get some sleep.  Good luck falling back asleep.  I’m up for an another hour just to be sure.  Just as I’m about to nod off, there it goes again.  Round two, the exact routine, including the wishful thinking that it’s but a mere coincidence.  Well, when the garage door opened by itself again at 3:30am,  I made a decision to do something about it.  I grabbed my iPad and Googled, “why do garage doors open by themselves”?  There the answer appeared, one possible solution was to erase the existing code and enter a new one.  Downstairs I went to reset the codes, a how-to video demonstration courtesy of YouTube, and lo and behold the damn door stopped opening by itself.

 Google saved me X dollars because without it I would have called a garage door repair company to do exactly what I did.  I know that Google tracks every search we make and that information is for sale.  But when you need an answer, like right now, you don’t dwell on privacy issues or if Google’s practice to monitor our information gathering behaviour is ethically just.  Besides, I didn’t have any other option because my library card expired, in 1978.

 Until next time,

 Cheers.

Financial literacy? It’s a part of your life until death.

I came across an interesting story in Forbes online magazine, entitled, How to Raise Financially Savvy Kids. The writer, Jenna Goudreau, touches on a topic most parents have difficulty with, raising financially responsible children. Ms. Gourdreau gets into detail as to why it’s difficult to raise financially responsible children and I encourage you to read the entire story (see below).  The story resonated with me, as it forced thoughts of what we were doing in our home relative to financial literacy for our ten-year-old. The answer – not much. It’s not that we don’t believe it’s important but like most parents I think we fell into the trap of “the child will somehow learn about financial responsibility through osmoses”. Yet if our ten-year-old came home and said, “I really don’t feel like my math lessons, don’t worry, all the kids around me are doing it so I’ll pick this stuff up by just hanging around them”. Our reaction would be, LMAO! And then we would march his ass into his room to do his math.

I never understood why schools don’t make financial literacy a part of the curriculum. I’m not suggesting it’s as important as other subjects but it is damn important. For children who master calculus, that’s fantastic. But depending on their educational aspirations or career path the calculus learning may be forgotten.  Financial literacy? It’s a part of your life until death.

I was thinking about my own experiences growing up, and the lessons I learned from my parents about money. The lessons were not based on discussions but rather behaviour. By the time I was fifteen years old I had a full time summer job. There were no summers off or as my dad categorized it, “bumming around”. From the age of 15 to when school was over I was on a construction site hauling drywall for the entire summer. I remember not liking the job too much but I sure liked the money. I would save all my money and put it in the bank so I wouldn’t have to ask anyone for money if I really wanted to buy something during the winter. It gave me freedom, independence and deep rooted respect for those who did manual labour for a living. Others lessons that I learned was simply by watching my parents. My mom worked three shifts in a factory to help support the family. My dad worked long hours to provide for his family. I guess after watching them do this day in and day out I never had the nerve to ask for an allowance. I can’t imagine saying to my dad, “you want me to take the garbage out? Sure, give me five bucks”. If I ever did the first thing I would have to do is duck.

For most people financial lessons are learned through experience and the lessons can be costly. I believe some of the pain and expense can be avoided if our schools dedicated a set number of hours a week to financial responsibility and literacy. If you’re a parent give some thought to your child’s financial literacy and perhaps bring it up at the next parent teacher night. It’s time to start thinking about why the school system might be failing your child in the area of financial literacy.

Until next time,

Cheers.

Article: How to Raise Financially Stable Kids

The dog days of summer are over and now it’s back to normal.  The kids are back to school; you can always tell because the traffic is bigger mess than usual driving to and from work.  The distractions that come along with summer will be in the review mirror and reality will soon hit us in the face like a cold glass of water.

 For many who have tuned out over the last few months there’s a significant election taking place today in Quebec and depending on the results we could all end up feeling the aftershocks.  If the polls are correct the Parti Québécois, led by Pauline Marois, could control the leavers of power.  Just like the movie Groundhog Day, we’ve all seen this before.  Ms. Marois has made it clear that if her party is successful their demands will be clearly articulated in short order, with the ultimate objective being sovereignty.  Could this mean another referendum in Quebec? Possibly. Even if a referendum does not come to pass the mere threat of one will have an impact on the economy.  Canada is viewed as safe haven to invest and one of the main reasons for that is our political stability.  A referendum debate is a sure fire way to shake investor confidence. 

Another election looming is in B.C. The Provincial Liberals are being savaged in the polls.  Caucus members are fleeing for the exits with such speed that Usain Bolt would have to take notice.  Premier Christie Clark is taking much of the heat for the exodus and for the state of her party.  I find it interesting that B.C. has been the envy for many in our country, yet locals have grown restless.  Change is in the air and the polls indicate the NDP will once again rule.  I actually resided in Vancouver when the NDP were last in power, I can honestly say my memory of them has faded somewhat.  What I do remember is that the leaders of that party were either convicted of a crime or came under RCMP investigation. The past has a way of repeating itself, and if it does in B.C., hello headlines and uncertainty.

Here in Ontario the Premier is talking tough and taking to all the special interest groups that the Liberals have catered too to get elected.  Massive debt, unemployment levels higher than the national average are at the forefront for Ontario.  The question for the Provincial Liberal is how long will their cousins to the left prop them up. As usual in politics the polls will determine when the Liberals fall, meaning yet another election in Ontario.  So, there’s political uncertainty in Quebec, BC and Ontario.  Three key provinces will be in the news with regularity.  Like or not we’ll have no choice but to pay attention.  Summer is over and the political silly season is about to commence.  Depending what happens we could all be in for a bumpy ride.

Until next time,

Cheers.