Canadian Money Forum Thread of the Week: Costco seems to engender rabid brand loyalty even among a cohort as thrifty as personal finance bloggers and readers. But Costco also has its share of detractors who think the long lines, crowds, supersized goods and impulse buying are just not worth the trouble. The two sides are engaged in a lively discussion in this thread. If you haven’t done so already, you can register for the forum here and have your say on the matter.
- Mark Hulbert debunks the myth that stocks took 25 years to bounce back from the 1929 crash. In real-terms and accounting for dividends, the total market hit the pre-crash high 4 1/2 years after hitting bottom in 1932.
- Michael Geist column in The Star makes me wonder if registering for the do-not-call list was such as good idea after all. Earlier reports indicated that out-of-country telemarketers are simply downloading the list. Now, access to information documents reveal that the enforcement of violations leaves a lot to be desired.
- The massive wealth transfer from the parents of the baby boomer generation to their children has a dark side. Jon Chevreau chats with estate planning experts on how to prevent family squabbles over inheritances.
- Ponzi schemes are easy to spot after the fact. But, says John Heinzl in the Globe & Mail, there are telltale signs to look out for so you don’t become a victim in the first place.
- Michael James discusses three steps to protect your portfolio from swine flu.
- Preet Banerjee wrote about how he saved a bundle on a new set of wheels and tires.
- Million Dollar Journey featured a guest post on how saving money is a lot like losing weight.
- Four Pillars on when it is okay to deviate from asset allocation targets.
- Canadian Financial Stuff shares a story that he heard from his father and reminds us to check the brakes while getting the snow tires off.
- Riscario Insider shares insights from James Gleick’s Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything.
