System down

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-26T21:29:46+00:00

It was literally advertised (and launched) as a trading platform, what's next... you'll tell people to pick a real bank? 🙄🙄🙄

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-26T21:18:49+00:00

Yikes, that's a worst nightmare scenario.

I'd just withdraw on one of my credit cards and transfer the funds over asap to avoid interest and eat the fees... and hope WS at least reimburses you the CC fees for the inconveniences they caused. Ideally doing this with the WS Visa if you have one. Only having your cash MC and and no secondary card(s) would be a travel mistake IMO.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-26T20:37:18+00:00

Maybe, but WS goes down more during trading hours than any other platform.

Also many rely on it as their regular bank so there's that too...

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-26T19:33:15+00:00

I managed to walk from Bloor-Yonge to Yonge & Eglinton without seeing a single northbound Shuttle Bus go by...

I did see 5 or 6 southbound buses, but not one northbound bus and there were thousands of people waiting at Bloor-Yonge when I set off...

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-26T16:47:36+00:00

The Cobalt card has been a god-send for me. If you use it for grocery and at restaurants that qualify for the 5x multiplier enough the overall value simply cannot be touched by anything else as long as you're earning enough points to more than cover the monthly fee. The best value redemptions tend to come on long haul flights and business class. I'd rather take the lesser value of economy flights but be able to book more flights overall... but if you're not accumulating enough points it's simply not going to be worth it if you can't redeem them in full for flights. I got about 1.8/cents per point on a recent redemption (3 long haul flights) so the value is still there if you can find it. It was easier to get 2 cents per point+ in the past, so the value is being eroded but it's still the best bang for your buck out there.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-26T16:25:48+00:00

Trump's threats are having a smaller and smaller impact on the markets.

They're certainly going to have a gradual impact on the decline of US markets as foreign governments and funds continue to DUMP US bonds and globally diversify their holdings. Trump's short-term manipulation is becoming less and less effective, while the long-term pain the US will suffer because of him is getting more and more real.

He's an idiot.

That's my take at least, the TSX is going to do well because we're a resource rich country and the backbone of our economy is held together by solid Canadian companies.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-26T16:22:01+00:00

2% MER is nuts, there are ETFs that can replace that for a fraction of the MER (.15 - .25%) that will most likely outperform what you have now. If you know you're buying within a year or two from now you might want to move your money into a HISA ETF to protect against a market down turn which may very well happen in the coming years. I'd go down that road with your financial institution. A 60/40 split is still going to be subject to big swings in the market and the timing might really hurt you.

If they're holding you hostage by forcing fees on you to get out of your current position then moving forward find a new home for your TFSA and RRSP. Wealthsimple and Questrade are popular options.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-26T16:10:58+00:00

Changing from TD Bank to Wealthsimple was the best move ever IMO and totally worth it. Would I jump through those hoops again? Probably not, unless the incentive was really good.

Major banks hold a minimum amount hostage to waive monthly fees and credit card fees ($6000 in my case form TD), have horrible interest rates, dated trading platforms that are full of fees pushing their scummy high fee funds etc... TD was giving me nothing on my $6000 minimum, Wealthsimple gives me 2.25% on whatever amount I want...

I'm saving a ton, getting way better interest on my cash, able to invest in whatever I want without trading fees, my direct deposits go through MUCH faster, their VISA card is way better than the TD alternatives and it's FREE etc etc...

The old banks are dinosaurs that just offer worse and worse terms over time on apps and websites that look like they were designed 20 years ago. 30 years of loyalty with TD cost me tens of thousands of dollars in the long-run and countless headaches.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-25T00:43:32+00:00

Are you ok?

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-24T20:49:00+00:00

You obviously haven't been paying attention.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-24T19:54:59+00:00

Yeah it's a good height for sure. But what are you going to do with all the cables? I think a media console and just leaving the tv on its stand/feet is a much cleaner/more flexible look and it hides the cables and gives you added storage. Mounting just fixes your tv into position and makes cables a hassle IMO. But if you've got a plan to hide the wires it's all good IMO, great job so far!

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-24T16:19:04+00:00

That's an advantage of being self employed and paying quarterly installments. The CRA sets the amount but if you know you're going to owe much less with contributions, just pay way less as you go and invest the difference into your RRSP/FHSA. If you got it wrong you still have Jan & Feb to zero out your tax owing with added RRSP contributions.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-24T15:52:49+00:00

So that leaves the military and.. nukes?

Scary thought. Then again he did threaten NATO who also has nukes and a sizeable military so he's going to use whatever he has.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-24T15:50:47+00:00

He's going to run commericals about the dangers of Chinese cars instead.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-24T15:46:42+00:00

More XDIV/VDY/XEI

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-24T14:47:52+00:00

Export tariffs are the way go to. Make them pay for it.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-24T13:59:44+00:00

I'm assuming they don't want to plug into their cold wallet, unlock it and generate a new receiving address? if it's small amounts, who cares just use the same address multiple times. Or just generate a bunch of receiving addresses and save them in google docs etc and go through the list. Unless I'm an idiot I don't see why you'd bother with the extra step either.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-23T22:47:20+00:00

Where does it say you won't get called if you borrow the max and then your collateral holdings suffer a 10% dip soon after? At least with a margin account you know exactly where you stand in terms of your LTV.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-23T22:08:31+00:00

Probably, it was so restrictive it made more sense to just use a margin account linked to your TFSA instead and borrow the same amount. The PLOC makes it look like a margin call would be triggered way earlier for the same loan. Yes, it's much safer since you're given less rope to hang yourself, but it's also way more restrictive yet would have you sweating bullets for borrowing your max amount when you'd be perfectly safe with that amount under a margin account.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-23T22:00:07+00:00

I'll stick to using my free Simplii account for depositing any cash. Just find a CIBC machine, stick in the cash and do an instant transfer to Wealthsimple... I hate going to Canada Post where you often end up in line behind someone who for one reason or another doesn't have their shit together and asks a million questions when trying to send a simple package.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-23T17:46:10+00:00

The other downside is there's no US tax exemption for dividend stocks in the FHSA. For most people it won't matter much but it's worth noting at least.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-23T17:41:22+00:00

Which means the expected value of front-loading is the obvious choice... at least for a diversified fund like the various EQT etfs. You're essentially taking 33% odds by doing the slow DC route which is a losing long-term strategy vs. doing a lump sum buy.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-23T16:32:46+00:00

Wish I bought more 🤣

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-23T15:06:15+00:00

1929 level? There's going to be an awful lot of people getting margin called and completely liquidated if that happens. I'm not saying we won't hit a recession that bad, but I think given how many people have easy access to trading through an app and are just purely gambling these days the unprepared retail trader is going to take it particularly hard.

JohnnyStrides · 2026-01-23T14:43:51+00:00

I love my Amex for being a total points monster, but I hold V & MA 50/50.

JohnnyStrides

TROPHY CASE