Tag: money

Why I Hate – Episode 5: Benefit Improvements

September 22, 2023 / A Pocket Full Of Change

HOOPP recently released their 2022 Annual Report. On their website, they list numerous positives and benefits that the pension plan offers. What was also noted was that these benefits have been given improvements as of late.

“Proudly serving…since 1960!”, “Enhancing retirement security…”, “Successful investment approach”, “Consistently healthy funded status”.. It’s all Sunshine and Lollipops! Then you get to bottom of the page where they drop the transparency bomb of their total investment return for 2022; in small print no less.

-8.60%!!!!

Ohhhh boy… While it is highlighted, HOOPP doesn’t specifically talk about this significant loss of assets. And even though it looks bad, it’s not nearly so dire as the benchmark that they compare themselves too, having lost -13.21%! HOOPP then clarifies that the difference of these two numbers creates a “value-added” return of +4.61%!!! A positive number is a positive number, even if the overall is negative; that makes sense, right?

The Sunshine List

January 5, 2023 / A Pocket Full Of Change

Out Of The Shadows

For the first time in my life, I’m just about to break through into the sunshine list. As of writing this (the end of December), it’ll be the 2^nd last pay before the end of the year, and I will have breached that mythical 100k salary barrier. And yet, I find the reality of it a bit strange…

The PC Optimum Program – Part 3: Maxing Out!

November 9, 2020 / A Pocket Full Of Change

You’re paying a price. And it’s higher than you might think. Much of the cost has been hidden, swept under the metaphorical rug. But it’s still there. It’s always been there….. lurking… watching…waiting… ready to take your hard-earned dollars under the guise of free stuff and good feelings… of bright warm colours and rewards.

How do you fight something that’s deceptively trying to eat your money? By maxing out of course! Speaking of eating… I hope you like cake!

The PC Optimum Program: Part 1 – You’ve Been Played!

July 2, 2020 / A Pocket Full Of Change

Everyone loves the PC Optimum Program. It’s fresh, it’s user-friendly, it gives you free stuff. And who doesn’t love Galen Weston? (…except for that whole bread incident thingy…sshhh!…)

The only problem is, all is not what it seems. What if I told you the whole system is designed to make you think that you’re taking advantage of it, when in reality, you’re the one that’s being played! Do you really think those are free groceries you’re getting? Hmmm… Interesting…

Do You Have a Pocket Full of Change?

November 29, 2019 / A Pocket Full Of Change

For many of us, we don’t question why we do things we do. We just do them and then complain about the consequences of our actions. We tend to be blinded by our own ignorance and, ultimately, we don’t know what we don’t know until we know it. But the change from ignorance to knowledge (enlightenment and awareness) requires an open mind, a bit of luck, and a desire to discover what else might be out there.