Reader, I am officially breaking my own rules today. Usually, this newsletter is packed with charts, market data, and deep-dive financial concepts. But today, I am writing to you from a couch in an Airbnb in the Casablanca Valley of Chile, sipping local wine, and reflecting on our first few days of this long-awaited honeymoon. Not to worry, this writing session is Katie-approved but I'll keep it short because she's eyeing me right now 👀 I want to give you a transparent look at exactly what we...
9 days ago • 4 min read
Reader, We are officially in the single-digit countdown. Katie and I are exactly one week away from hopping on a plane and kicking off our long-awaited honeymoon in Chile 🇨🇱 before heading to Panama🇵🇦 Because we will be away for the holidays, we spent yesterday doing some early Easter celebrations with both of sets of parents and families. It was amazing to unplug, eat way too much food (ohh the scalloped potatoes and chicken korma), and celebrate before the travel chaos begins. Speaking of...
16 days ago • 6 min read
Reader, Things are moving incredibly fast in the Valadares household right now. We are officially just two weeks away from our long-awaited honeymoon to Chile 🇨🇱 and Panama🇵🇦 ! I’ll be frank, this is likely the most expensive trip I have ever taken. Yes, even more expensive than the golf trips! But because we plan our finances around our values, we’ve been preparing for this for a long time. (Keep an eye out, I have a brand new Travel Budget incoming, soon to show you exactly how we funded it...
23 days ago • 5 min read
Reader if you woke up today feeling a little more groggy than usual, you aren't alone. Last night, we officially "sprung forward" for Daylight Saving Time. We collectively lost an hour of sleep (not for you folks in Hawaii, Arizona, certain parts of BC and Saskatchewan), and it happens so automatically that we just wake up and accept the new reality. It got me thinking about how easily things can vanish without us noticing. Today, we lost an hour of sleep. But in the healthcare industry,...
30 days ago • 5 min read
Happy 1st of March, Reader, Normally, this newsletter is dedicated to the exciting stuff: real estate cash flow, dividend yields, and beating inflation (at least I think you'll find that exciting lol) But today, we are diving headfirst into the ultimate "unromantic" money moves. Katie and I are currently in the process of drafting a Post-Nuptial Agreement and updating our Wills and Estate Plans. Yes, we are an absolute blast at dinner parties. I know what you might be thinking: "Robin, you...
about 1 month ago • 6 min read
Reader. Before we get into the money, we have to talk about the ice. If you watched the Men’s Olympic Hockey 🥅 Gold Medal game this morning, your heart rate probably still hasn't recovered. It was the first best-on-best Olympic final featuring NHL players in over a decade, and USA 🇺🇸 vs. Canada 🇨🇦 delivered an absolute classic. I watched the game with Katie (and Fernie), my brother, his family, and my dad (who is a die-hard hockey fan, to say the least). The living room was a rollercoaster of...
about 1 month ago • 6 min read
Reader. I am officially back in Hamilton after an incredible weekend in Mexico. Swapping the beach for the February cold is always a harsh reality check, but we have a lot of ground to cover today. While I was away, the final receipts for the rental renovation came in (yup, more than I anticipated- I forgot how much this type of labour costs), the official inflation data dropped, and I’ve been testing some new automation tools that will save you serious money this year. 📉 Market Update:...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Reader. Whether you are cheering for the Seahawks or the Patriots tonight 🏈 (or just waiting for the halftime show), I hope you have some great snacks lined up. I’m coming to you live from Playa del Carmen, Mexico 🇲🇽. I’m down here for the annual Blossom Social Ambassador Retreat. If you haven't heard of Blossom, it's a social investing app where you can see the verified portfolios of other investors. I'm actually the only healthcare professional in the group down here, which has been...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Reader. It was a massive family affair last night in Toronto. We got the whole crew together: Katie's parents (Lesley and Randy), her brother Mike and his family (Ca and baby Orion). We were hosted by Julie's (Katie's other brother Matt's wife) parents Nelly and Dale. I ended up chatting with Dale for a solid hour (as one does after a few glasses of wine) about everything from politics to the economy. But one topic kept coming up: "Is the money actually going to be there when I need it?" Dale...
2 months ago • 6 min read