Consumer Reports Ratings: Best Value in… Toilet Paper?
May 18th, 2012 | Posted by Global Investors
I know, not exactly hard-hitting consumer news. 
But actually toilet paper is important to me, and ever since I got a “real” job I’ve been buying Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper. I don’t even check the price, I just buy it in bulk and revel in the luxurious softness compared to the industrial-grade junk I used to buy.
In the May 2012 issue, Consumer Reports ran their scientific lab tests on 25 different varieties of toilet paper (subscription required for full article) to find the best combination of price, softness, strength, disintegration, and tearing ease.
The findings? First, the hidden shrinkage by retail brands that we’ve seen in various products like orange juice cartons (59 oz. instead of 64 oz.) has spread to toilet paper. Sheets have been made smaller, and rolls are smaller as well. The right way to calculate value is by square feet, but who does that?
The top overall pick was the White Cloud 3-Ply Ultra Soft and Thick brand sold at Wal-mart, which performed well in all categories while maintaining a good price of 25 cents per 100 sheets. The cheapest Scott brand (1,000 sheets per roll!) performed poorly and cost 8 cents per sheet. But if you’re having to use three times the sheets, who cares?
The top green pick was the Seventh Generation brand, which is made from recycled content and did alright in most areas except strength but still had a good price of 22 cents per 100 sheets.
My beloved Charmin Ultra Soft came in 6th, done in by a poor showing in disintegration tests and higher-than-average cost. But wait. The 30-roll megapack at Costco is usually $17.99. Every few months the coupon packet has a $2 off coupon, which is the only time I buy it. Each “Jumbo” roll has 231 double-ply sheets, which works out to after-coupon cost of only 23 cents per 100 sheets. The quoted retail price in Consumer Reports is 41 cents per 100 sheets. I rarely shop at Wal-mart, so it seems that my toilet paper buying habits are still within acceptable frugal parameters.
Related posts:
View full post on My Money Blog
Is Losing Your Job The Best Thing That Could Happen to You?
May 17th, 2012 | Posted by Global InvestorsWe’ve all heard a tale or two about someone that lost their job and then turned things around to become completely successful at something else. The classic rags to riches story. Life hands you a lemon and you make lemonade. You get fired from one job and then end up starting a multi-million dollar company. You know the deal.
I’ve actually seen two sides to losing a job. I’ve seen friends bounce back stronger than ever by finding better work that paid more. Getting fired can be like getting out of a toxic relationship. You’re finally released from prison and now able to do anything that you want with your time. I’ve met at least 5 personal finance bloggers that lost their jobs and then went full-time blogging after. Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income and Bob of Christian PF are two that come to mind.
I’ve also seen the flip side, the negative reaction to getting fired. This is a complete depression from losing a job. This is the feeling that you’re useless and not good enough to work. I saw a friend go through this in 2009 when he got fired from a job, not because of the economy, but because of his own foolishness. This person in question had been warned and progressively disciplined. He felt that he was untouchable because he had some friends in the company. He screwed up one time too many and ended up getting fired permanently. I saw him spiral into a year long period of depression after this. He lost his girlfriend and became unbearable to most of his old friends. He had no motivation to do anything. He slept on his brother’s couch and felt sorry for himself.
The point here is that losing a job can be inspirational for some and total doom for others. You can bounce back higher. You can also become very depressed for a long time.
How can losing your job be the best thing for you? Allow me to explain the positives of losing a job for those of you that are completely worried about getting fired tomorrow morning:
Getting fired isn’t that bad, right? All I’m suggesting is that losing one job isn’t the end of the world. This is also why I often promote the idea of making money on your own.
What would you do if you got fired tomorrow? Would this be the best thing for you?
View full post on The Financial Blogger
Best BPA-Free Food Storage Containers For Baby Food and More
May 4th, 2012 | Posted by Global Investors
If you’re like me, you have a cabinet in your kitchen stuffed with a scratched and stained mess of Gladware, Ziploc, or Tupperware food containers and an even larger stack of lids that never seem to fit. I even remember telling myself to stick with one brand and three sizes, but after years of dinner parties, brown-bag lunches, and outdoor potlucks, entropy has kicked my butt. Add in the baby on the way, and I wanted to reset and replace with BPA-free (linked to cancer and hormonal disorders) containers and perhaps buy additional ones for storing baby food.
The creators of America’s Test Kitchen ran another test (like with the knives) of the major brands of plastic food containers including Gladware, Ziploc, Rubbermaid, Sterilite, OXO, and more. All were BPA-free and they used the rectangular/square 8-cup sizes. They froze them, put stinky food in them, microwaved them with chili, washed them repeatedly, submerged them in water to test for leaks, and more. Being frugal doesn’t mean just buying the cheapest thing out there, it’s about finding the best value for the price.
The winner? For plastic food containers, the winner was Snapware MODS, which featured good performance across all categories. Most of the better performing ones use the kind of seal that Snapware uses with snap-down “wing” flaps and silicone gaskets. Curiously, the MODS style is rather hard to find now. I did find a set of 20 pieces of Snapware container that looks of slightly less-beefy quality for $15 shipped at Wal-mart.
For glass containers, the winner was Kinetic Go Green Glasslock, which is also sold under Glasslock by Snapware. Made of microwave-safe tempered glass, this type of container seems to be enjoying a comeback due to all the concerns about microwaving plastic. I have to say, it does sound like a great idea as long as you don’t drop things a lot. Freezer safe. Add in that airtight lid, and I’m sold.
The main drawback beside fragility is the additional cost. You can buy their 16-piece set for $70 at Amazon.com including free shipping, although I’d rather buy a six-piece set of a medium-size for about $30-$40. All seem to have overall good reviews, and I also noticed that people seem to really love these cute Wean Green Wean Cubes Baby Food Glass Containers, which are also made by Glasslock (Snapware). Hopefully these can last a long time. Besides, there’s always that baby registry…
Related posts:
Best BPA-Free Food Storage Containers For Baby Food and More from My Money Blog.
© MyMoneyBlog.com, 2012.
View full post on My Money Blog
Best Stock Picks 2012 Contest Q1 Update
April 3rd, 2012 | Posted by Global Investors2012 Best Stock Pick: Last Place is All Mine!
Each year, a few bloggers including myself participate in a friendly stock picking competition. The goal is to pick 4 stocks for the year and hope that our little portfolio will do better than everyone else’s. We can pick stocks from both the Canadian and US markets and ETFs are accepted as well. On the other hand, during the year no trades are allowed.
I have a weird feeling that history is repeating itself again this year: I’m last because of a single bad pick… Should I say “bad”? not yet. But I can’t say that it was a good move for Q1! Let’s take a look at what went well and what sucked in Q1 for my 2012 best stock picking contest:
National Bank – NA (TSE) +11.05%
The National stock has been good to me for the past 3 years. In fact, since December 2008 (when the stock was at $25), it has never stopped surging. We are now over $80 and the dividend keeps on increasing. The best part is that I think the best is yet to come for this small bank from Quebec. They have made several important moves over the last 2 years while investing massively in technology improvements. Disclaimer: I am long NA.
5N Plus – VNP (TSE) –29.04%
During my stock picking session, I mentioned that VNP could be one of the best 2012 Canadian Stocks. The company is solid and evolves as a leader in its niche. The problem is that they might have taken a bite into something they can’t swallow. For the first time this Quarter, they have reported losses. Very poor timing is behind these losses: important acquisitions last year, economic problems in Europe and a slowdown in the solar industry due to the potential threat of a recession. I hope that the next quarter will be better, if not, I will most likely drop this stock upon their 2nd financial report. Disclaimer: I’m long VNP too.
Intel – INTC (NASDAQ) + 16.85%
INTC has been a rising star in my portfolio since I bought it back in August 2011. They show great innovative power and dominate their market like no other. Their Achilles Heel is related to their difficulties in entering the smart phone and tablet markets with their chips. The good news is that they recently gained market share in this niche as well. I’m expecting INTC to continue to soar until the end of 2012. Disclaimer: I’m long INTC as well.
Chevron – CVX (NYSE) +1.54%
CVX was my “defensive play” for this year’s contest. I’m not expecting CVX to grow like crazy but I think that a strong dividend combined with a hiking price of oil is never a bad idea in a portfolio! You can’t expect much from a big boat like CVX if not to expect a steady growth. This is exactly what I expect CVX to do. So far, if I include CVX dividend yield, the stock is doing okay but it’s lagging as compared to the stock market. Let’s hope they will post strong profits throughout the year! Disclaimer: I’m long CVX.
2012 Best Stock Pick Ranking:
I know… I’m in last place… but still, I’m in positive territory. Look at the return of the other bloggers, it’s quite impressive (click on their name to read their article):
Where Does All My Money Go?: 35.91%
Intelligent Speculator: 16.37%
The Passive Income Earner: 4.77%
Dividend Growth Investor: 4.43%
View full post on The Financial Blogger
March 31st, 2012 | Posted by Global InvestorsView full post on Live News from PR-USA.net
Best Frugal Chef’s Knife – America’s Test Kitchen
March 31st, 2012 | Posted by Global Investors
Some of you may be familiar with the PBS cooking show America’s Test Kitchen. The same company publishes the magazines Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country, which you can think of as Consumer Reports for cooking in that they do not accept any advertising and are entirely subscriber-supported. I happened to find a bunch of back issues on sale at a community garage sale a few weeks ago for a dollar. Wow, I can only describe the content as heaven for cooking geeks! Lots of good tips inside.
Common frugal wisdom is that you don’t really need a 15-piece knife set with a fancy wooden block that costs hundreds of bucks, it’s mostly marketing. The 8-inch chef’s knife is often recommended as the most versatile and useful knife. (I’m partial to the Santoku-style knife or huge Asian cleaver, myself.)
Cook’s Country tested the 8-inch chef’s knives from all the major brands that cost under $50 – Wusthof, Henckels (various), MAC, Calphalon, OXO, Chicago Cutlery, Victorinox and Farberware.
The bargain chef’s knife winner? The Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef’s Knife at under $25, which outperformed a $50+ knife from the Wusthof Gourmet line and everyone else. The knife was judged to be sturdy, stayed sharp, and had a well-designed, comfortable handle. Amazon has over 700 reviews of it with a 4.5/5 star average.
Another good tip from the article is that instead of buying multiple cutting boards for food safety reasons, just buy a set of flexible cutting mats to place on top of one cutting board. They are thin yet sturdy, and can be rolled up like a funnel for transferring ingredients easily. The article recommends the Progressive International chopping mats. They are thicker than competitors, and also dishwasher-safe.
Related posts:
Best Frugal Chef’s Knife – America’s Test Kitchen from My Money Blog.
© MyMoneyBlog.com, 2012.
View full post on My Money Blog
Best Practices for Bulldozer and Highwall Safety
March 3rd, 2012 | Posted by Global Investors– Best Practices for Bulldozer and Highwall Safety
In just 41 days during late 2011, West Virginia’s total fatalities at coal surface mines for the year more than doubled. According to the federal Mining Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, two deaths involved rolling bulldozers, while highwall collapse or failure caused the remaining three accidents. A new set of MSHA-recommended best practices focuses on these two categories of accidents.
To prevent coal mine accidents and ensure highwall safety, MSHA advises operators, miners and contractors to do the following:
-Look, listen and evaluate highwall and pit conditions, especially after rain, freeze or…
View full post on Live News from PR-USA.net
Goals & Priorities: Which Lego Man Character Describes You Best?
February 16th, 2012 | Posted by Global InvestorsWhen dealing with other people, it’s always easier when you know what makes them tick. What motivates them? This led to some introspection. What did I really want out of life? I realized that I was probably much different than others. The following characteristics aren’t mutually-exclusive, there is no wrong or right really, as everyone may have a little of each but you may realize one is prominent.
Don’t take the Lego characters too seriously either, eh? I just went to a Lego-themed birthday party and watched Star Wars again.
“I seek the admiration and respect of others.”
“I like being the boss and giving orders.”
“I find a higher calling in serving my religion/country/world.”
“I love my job.”
“I want be a good wife/husband/mother/father.”
“I don’t take orders from anyone.”
“I don’t question the status quo and like to follow others.”
I would say that my top preferences from highest to lowest would be personal freedom, family, and duty. I’m still working on starting a family and how to best help higher causes. Low on my list is power and prestige. I don’t enjoy managing others (having people below me in the ranks) or being told what to do (having people above me). I feel this hurts me in the areas of leadership and probably makes me a bad employee. This make me think I should just work for myself. How about you?
Related posts:
Goals & Priorities: Which Lego Man Character Describes You Best? from My Money Blog.
© MyMoneyBlog.com, 2012.
View full post on My Money Blog
Best Places To Live? Big Roundup of Major Top 10 Lists
February 11th, 2012 | Posted by Global Investors
Where are the best places to consider relocating to? I knew that almost every major financial media outlet had their own “best places to live” list, and my plan was to see which cities popped up most amongst them. Well, that was a bust as every list seemed to be so different; The top city on one list might not even be on the next list at all. Why? There is no one best place to live, it all depends on what criteria is important to you.
Instead, I’m just going to give you the direct links to all the major Top 10 lists (alphabetical-ish), and let you peruse at your leisure over the weekend. I listed the top city pick for each one – all in different spots across America!
Let me know if I missed one, but be careful since many other smaller lists are actually based on those above. In the end, choosing where to live is just one factor in your life, and you may already be happiest where you are right now. But why not make sure it’s a conscious decision? A good place for additional research is BestPlaces.net which I believe used to work with CNN Money on their list.
This post is part of my Expense Reduction Guide: Housing.
Related posts:
Best Places To Live? Big Roundup of Major Top 10 Lists from My Money Blog.
© MyMoneyBlog.com, 2012.
View full post on My Money Blog
1-3 TFB Best Stock Picks For 2012 Contest Or The Best Demonstration That Investing Doesn’t Rhyme With Gambling!
We are at the beginning of the year and I hope you had a great Holiday Season! It’s time for me to get back to work and start the year with our traditional Best Stock Picks For 2012 Contest. So before we get to my stock picks for this year, let’s take a look back at what happened in 2011.
The Perfect Proof that Gambling is Not Investing
Since the goal of this friendly competition is to finish first and we only have 4 stocks to pick, some of us (including me!) took some important risks. These risks were not calculated as we are not investing real money into them and there is not much to lose (besides the fact that my ego hurts!).
So if you think that you can pick any stock for your portfolio based on what you read on a few blogs (besides what is written on The Dividend Guy Blog 
) and what you see on TV, you are dead wrong. Investing is far from gambling and I have a great proof; take a look at my stock picks:
HUZ – 13.02%
RIM – 74.51%
POT – 19.66%
CVX + 20.28% (including dividends)
I actually took 3 guesses in 2011; 1 with a commodity (betting on the fact that silver will follow the price of gold), 1 with a techno stock (betting on the fact that RIM had gone through the worst and was ready to kick ass in 2011) and 1 on an eventual rumor of merger or acquisition (betting on the fact that the first hostile bid for Potash was only the beginning).
Well, I got it wrong 3 times out of 3 and this is why my stock picks sucked in 2011!
Here are the full results:
Dividend Growth Investor +15.36%
Million Dollar Journey +3.12%
Intelligent Speculator -4.90%
Money Smarts Blog -9.55%
Where Does All My Money Go -17.04%
My Traders Journal -19.00%
The Financial Blogger -21.73% (bravo!)
Wild Investor -33.34%
Beating The Index -44.08%
And we got beaten by 3 TFB commenters!
Yup, that’s right! Last year, I’ve asked you to participate in this contest and Steve Zussino (+17.83%), Robert @ The College Investor (+20.29%) and JT McGee (+34.50%) beat all of us! Here are the results from all the readers:
JTMcGee
34.50%
Robert @ The College Investor
20.29%
Steve Zussino
17.83%
Passive Income Earner
2.09%
Lionel
1.88%
Craig
-2.54%
101 Centavos
-9.25%
Kevin @ Thousandaire.com
-9.86%
Financial Cents
-15.16%
Jaymus (RealizedReturns)
-18.44%
SustainablePF
-29.77%
Sean
-37.67%
Financial Uproar
-43.07%
DanP
-45.78%
Moloko
-47.64%
Stock Glory
-52.77%
kildozer
-61.81%
Millionvester
-69.02%
Congratulation to JT McGee with a +34.50% Result! I’ll send him a $100 Amazon Gift Card!!
Now back to the Best Stock Picks for 2012
We all agreed to start the very same contest again this year with the very same rules:
4 stocks picked at the beginning of the year
Could be CAN or US
No trades allowed
Dividends count in the yield calculation
This year, I’ll use a different approach as I will pick stocks that I own or that I have analyzed carefully. I’m doing this for 2 reasons:
a) I’m not good at guessing (obviously!)
b) In a highly volatile environment, strong companies will perform better
My Top Stocks for 2012:
National Bank – TSE: NA
I know I can’t really go wrong with any Canadian bank but I think that NA will outperform its peers in 2012. One of the main reasons is that the company is almost done spending hundreds of millions in new software for its branches. We will start seeing productivity gains that will boost both commercial and individual banking results. Their recent acquisitions (Wellington West, the brokerage segment of Montrusco Bolton & HSBC) will also bring in additional income in 2012.
5N Plus – TSE:VNP
This Montreal based company is the leader in speciality metal and chemical products found in the manufacturing of solar panel, smartphones and tablets. They also produce rare earth metals such as tellurium, cadmium and zinc. In 2011, they posted record results after acquiring MCP a company way bigger than them. The stock price hasn’t followed the great results due to global economic uncertainties. Sooner or later, investors will realize that VNP should not be trading at a P/E ratio of 9!
INTEL – NASDAQ:INTC
Intel has proven its stability by showing strong financial results in 2011. With a dividend yield of 3.50% and a low P/E ratio, INTC will certainly do well in 2012. Intel is the leader in its industry and has the biggest R&D budget to make sure they stay ahead of the competition.
Chevron – NYSE: CVX
The price of oil is not slowing down in my opinion and this is why I’m coming back to the only stock that served me well in 2011! Chevron is highly stable and will continue to generate great profits in 2012. A little push on the oil barrel and we should see the stock up by another 10% this year .
Here are the other best stock pick contestants:
Do you want to join in?
We had to say good bye to Mike Holman from Money Smart Blog this year and we are welcoming 2 newcomers: Dividend Mantra and Passive Income Earner. I’d also like to do the same contest with TFB readers (regardless if you have a blog or not). So if you include your 4 stock picks in the comment, I will be following your picks and the best performer will win a prize in early 2013. How about that?
You don’t have enough yet?
If you are looking for more stocks to buy in 2012, I can tell you that you will find great ideas in The Dividend Growth Index, and my 29 Dividend Stock Picks for 2012 are 2 other projects I started with my Dividend Blog. Please make sure that you do additional research before trading any of these stocks. They are not recommendations.
Disclaimer: I hold NA, INTC, CVX & VNP in my RRSP portfolio.
View full post on The Financial Blogger
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