After lots of research, this is the one concluded by wife. It deals with all 3 stages for the infant.
Penny Daddy - Wealth Building through Living, Saving and Investing
Canadian finance blog to help improve living, investing and saving with a family growing in an expensive world especially Toronto!
Friday, January 29, 2016
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Crazy House Sale - Toronto Real Estate Story
In my North York area - there was a detached house that was bought in 2015 for ~$776,500.
Under heavy renovations and relisted for sale at end of Jan 2016 - listing price of $1.2M with immediate for sale price of $1.35M.
The auction finished today and sold for ..... $1.35M.
Difference = $570k. WOW
Notes about the renovation:
Notes about the renovation:
- Redid 4 bathrooms and flooring with new kitchen electronics
- They didn't provide the washer and driver for some reason ...
- new floors with new base boards (seems like something i can do myself)
- New paint job and outlet switches to white
- The kitchen tiles were spotty since they didn't use the spacers x to tile it probably ... (my negative note)
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Book Review - Rich Dad, Poor Dad
I found a copy of this book and started reading it leisurely.
Some of the main points I found are:
It’s the differentiator between his “poor” dad (his real dad), and the “rich” dad that helped him understand business and become wealthy.
Some of the main points I found are:
- Assets => generate money for you
- Liabilities => take money for you
It’s the differentiator between his “poor” dad (his real dad), and the “rich” dad that helped him understand business and become wealthy.
- The rich don’t work for money
- The importance of financial literacy
- Minding your own business
- Taxes and corporations
- The rich invent money
- The need to work to learn and not to work for money
Monday, January 18, 2016
Credit Cards - Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card (2/16/2016)
A new potential credit card coming to the markets is:
Retailer Cash Back Definitions:
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
Benefits:
- Deposited directly back onto your Credit Card to apply towards your balance, or into a Tangerine Savings Account, each month automatically.
- 2% Money-Back Rewards on your purchases in select 2% Money-Back Categories
- Grocery
- Furniture
- Eating Places
- Hotel-Motel
- Gas
- Recurring Bill Payments
- Drug Store
- Home Improvement
- Entertainment
- Public Transportation and Parking
- 1% Money-Back Rewards on all other purchases
- 1.5% Foreign Conversion Fee – one of the lowest in market (Amazon.ca Visa card is better …)
Retailer Cash Back Definitions:
- Costco => 1% Cash Back
- Walmart Superstores => 2%
- Regular Walmart => 1%
- Got the card today in the mail
- You can either pick 2 or 3 categories for cash back for the 2%
- 2 categories with the money going back into your credit account
- 3 categories with the money going back into your new/existing tangerine savings account
- I picked Grocery, Eating Places, Gas
Source of Information:
Credit Cards - What do I use (as of 1/18/2016)?
Listed below are my current credit cards:
- MBNA Smart Cash Card (MasterCard)
- 2% on Gas and Grocery Purchases (it went down from 3%)
- 1% on everything else
- Cash out at every $50 bucks
- Comments:
- I try to make sure all the gas and grocery spending is normally done on this card to maximize returns.
- President Choice MasterCard
- Earned 20,000 PC points, which equals $20 in free groceries. Or redeem higher amounts in further increments of 10,000 PC points (which is equivalent to a further $10 in rewards).
- 10 points = 1 dollar spent => 1% back
- I would probably cancel this card soon!
- Capital One Aspire Cash (MasterCard) (this is no longer available, it's only 1%)
- 1.5% Cash back on everything
- The 0.5% bonus comes at the end of the year (anniversary of when you signed up) as a lump sum
- Cash out anytime
- Comments:
- This is my go to card for everything else other than gas and grocery
- Amazon.ca Visa Card
- Get a $20 Amazon.ca Gift Certificate instantly upon credit card approval
- Earn 2% cash back per $1 spent on Amazon.ca
- Earn 1% cash back per $1 spent everywhere else your card is accepted
- No Foreign Currency Transaction Fees
- No annual fee
Friday, January 15, 2016
Budget - Incomes and Expenses Categories
To help start my 2016 goal to understand where my spending is going in the previous years. I have build this initial list:
Income
- Paycheck
- Predictable bonus
- Expense reimbursements
- Investment
- Rental income
- Interest earned (on accounts, loans to others)
- Dividends and capital gains
- Misc.
- Lottery / gambling winnings
- Purchase refund
Expenses
- Automobile
- Gasoline
- Maintenance
- Registration fees
- Auto loan payment
- Bank Charges
- Check orders
- Service fees
- Insufficient funds fee
- Minimum balance fee
- ATM fees
- Charity
- Childcare
- Babysitting
- Child support
- Clothing
- Credit Card Fees
- Annual fee
- Finance charge
- Over the limit fee
- Minimum usage fee
- Cash advance fee
- Late fee
- Rewards programs
- Monthly payment
- Education
- Tuition
- Books
- School supplies
- Field trips
- Misc. fees
- Student loan payment
- Events
- Wedding
- Moving
- Food
- Groceries
- Dining out
- Vending machines
- Coffee house
- Gifts
- Birthday
- Wedding / Wedding shower
- Baby shower
- Holiday
- Anniversary
- Just because
- Healthcare
- Dental
- Vision
- Physician
- Hospital
- Prescriptions
- Over the counter medication
- Vitamins
- Household
- Rent / Mortgage payment
- Homeowner’s association dues
- Furniture
- Supplies
- Decorating
- Tools
- Home maintenance and repair
- Home improvement
- Insurance
- Automobile
- Health
- Life
- Disability
- Long term care
- Roadside assistance
- Job expenses
- Reimbursed
- Clothing
- Professional dues
- Leisure (daily / non-vacation)
- Books
- Magazines
- Movie theater
- Video rental / Pay per view
- Sporting events
- Sporting goods
- Hobbies
- Cultural events
- CD’s
- Video games
- Toys
- Tourist attractions
- Loans
- Loan Payment
- Finance charge / Interest
- Late fee
- Pet Care
- Food
- Supplies
- Veterinarian
- Savings
- Retirement
- Investments
- Emergency fund
- Reserve funds
- Taxes
- Federal
- Provincial
- Local
- Utilities
- Water
- Sewer
- Electricity
- Gas
- Television
- Telephone / Cell phone
- Internet service
- Garbage and recycling
- Vacation
- Day trips
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Entertainment
Income
- Paycheck
- Predictable bonus
- Expense reimbursements
- Investment
- Rental income
- Interest earned (on accounts, loans to others)
- Dividends and capital gains
- Misc.
- Lottery / gambling winnings
- Federal / state / local tax refund
- Purchase refund
Expenses
- Automobile
- Gasoline
- Maintenance
- Registration fees
- Auto loan payment
- Bank Charges
- Check orders
- Service fees
- Insufficient funds fee
- Minimum balance fee
- ATM fees
- Charity
- Childcare
- Babysitting
- Child support
- Clothing
- Credit Card Fees
- Annual fee
- Finance charge
- Over the limit fee
- Minimum usage fee
- Cash advance fee
- Late fee
- Rewards programs
- Monthly payment
- Education
- Tuition
- Books
- School supplies
- Field trips
- Misc. fees
- Student loan payment
- Events
- Wedding
- Moving
- Food
- Groceries
- Dining out
- Vending machines
- Coffee house
- Gifts
- Birthday
- Wedding / Wedding shower
- Baby shower
- Holiday
- Anniversary
- Just because
- Healthcare
- Dental
- Vision
- Physician
- Hospital
- Prescriptions
- Over the counter medication
- Vitamins
- Household
- Rent / Mortgage payment
- Homeowner’s association dues
- Furniture
- Supplies
- Decorating
- Tools
- Home maintenance and repair
- Home improvement
- Insurance
- Automobile
- Health
- Life
- Disability
- Long term care
- Roadside assistance
- Job expenses
- Reimbursed
- Clothing
- Professional dues
- Leisure (daily / non-vacation)
- Books
- Magazines
- Movie theater
- Video rental / Pay per view
- Sporting events
- Sporting goods
- Hobbies
- Cultural events (e.g. parades, carnivals, etc.)
- CD’s
- Video games
- Toys
- Tourist attractions (e.g. amusement parks, museums, zoos, etc.)
- Loans
- Loan Payment
- Finance charge / Interest
- Late fee
- Pet Care
- Food
- Supplies
- Veterinarian
- Savings
- Retirement
- Investments
- Emergency fund
- Reserve funds (to set aside for planned expenses)
- Taxes
- Federal
- State
- Local
- Utilities
- Water
- Sewer
- Electricity
- Gas
- Television (e.g. cable, satellite, etc.)
- Telephone / Cell phone
- Internet service
- Garbage and recycling
- Vacation
- Day trips
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Entertainment
Income
- Paycheck
- Predictable bonus
- Expense reimbursements
- Investment
- Rental income
- Interest earned (on accounts, loans to others)
- Dividends and capital gains
- Misc.
- Lottery / gambling winnings
- Federal / state / local tax refund
- Purchase refund
Expenses
- Automobile
- Gasoline
- Maintenance
- Registration fees
- Auto loan payment
- Bank Charges
- Check orders
- Service fees
- Insufficient funds fee
- Minimum balance fee
- ATM fees
- Charity
- Childcare
- Babysitting
- Child support
- Clothing
- Credit Card Fees
- Annual fee
- Finance charge
- Over the limit fee
- Minimum usage fee
- Cash advance fee
- Late fee
- Rewards programs
- Monthly payment
- Education
- Tuition
- Books
- School supplies
- Field trips
- Misc. fees
- Student loan payment
- Events
- Wedding
- Moving
- Food
- Groceries
- Dining out
- Vending machines
- Coffee house
- Gifts
- Birthday
- Wedding / Wedding shower
- Baby shower
- Holiday
- Anniversary
- Just because
- Healthcare
- Dental
- Vision
- Physician
- Hospital
- Prescriptions
- Over the counter medication
- Vitamins
- Household
- Rent / Mortgage payment
- Homeowner’s association dues
- Furniture
- Supplies
- Decorating
- Tools
- Home maintenance and repair
- Home improvement
- Insurance
- Automobile
- Health
- Life
- Disability
- Long term care
- Roadside assistance
- Job expenses
- Reimbursed
- Clothing
- Professional dues
- Leisure (daily / non-vacation)
- Books
- Magazines
- Movie theater
- Video rental / Pay per view
- Sporting events
- Sporting goods
- Hobbies
- Cultural events (e.g. parades, carnivals, etc.)
- CD’s
- Video games
- Toys
- Tourist attractions (e.g. amusement parks, museums, zoos, etc.)
- Loans
- Loan Payment
- Finance charge / Interest
- Late fee
- Pet Care
- Food
- Supplies
- Veterinarian
- Savings
- Retirement
- Investments
- Emergency fund
- Reserve funds (to set aside for planned expenses)
- Taxes
- Federal
- State
- Local
- Utilities
- Water
- Sewer
- Electricity
- Gas
- Television (e.g. cable, satellite, etc.)
- Telephone / Cell phone
- Internet service
- Garbage and recycling
- Vacation
- Day trips
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Entertainment
Food - Kefir? What is that?
I have seen Kefir in the supermarkets and normally ignored them. Spoke to a few of my work colleagues and found out that they have been taking a lot of home made kefir products to keep their immune systems up. They say it works miracles on keeping them healthy when they are close to being sick.
When you have kids, you are share the love and the sickness too...
What is Kefir?
When you have kids, you are share the love and the sickness too...
What is Kefir?
- A sour-tasting drink make from cow's milk fermented with certain bacteria.
- Made from Milk Kefir grains mixed with milk (that has lactose - milk sugar) to allow the bacteria strains to grow.
- Can buy Kefir milk products from supermarkets and the cost is about 3.8 to 5 dollars for 1 L bottle
- Milk
kefir grains are a combination of live bacteria and yeasts that exist in
a symbiotic matrix on a surface of a complex polysaccharide with a
casein core. Kefir grain make-up can vary depending on culturing
location and conditions, resulting in a highly variable community of
lactic acid bacteria and yeasts.
Following is a list of bacteria and yeast strains found to comprise kefir grains from different regions and through 2 different scientific studies.* The strains listed may include numerous subspecies and variants.
Bacteria Strains Common to Milk Kefir Grains
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus brevis
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis
Lactobacillus helveticus
Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens subsp. kefiranofaciens
Lactobacillus kefiri
Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus sake
Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
Lactococcus lactis
Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris
Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum
Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas fluorescens
Pseudomonas putida
Streptococcus thermophilusYeast Strains Common to Milk Kefir Grains
Candida humilis
Kazachstania unispora
Kazachstania exigua
Kluyveromyces siamensis
Kluyveromyces lactis
Kluyveromyces marxianus
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces martiniae
Saccharomyces unisporus
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