In Episode 14 of the Rational Reminder podcast we were joined by Martin Parizeau, a retired banking executive with extensive knowledge of Canadian consumer debt, and a PWL client. We discussed the following:
- The start of the ETF boom
- When proponents of active management realize they should index
- Cutting wasteful expenses without sacrificing happiness
- Pulling off a successful downsizing
- Housing is not an investment
- The real cost of owning a home
- Defining the ideal lifestyle
- Digging into Canadian consumer debt levels
- The real debt to income ratio for debtors in Canada
- Is mortgage debt always “good” debt?
- The rising cost of debt and its effect on the economy
- Credit card rates are justified
- Choosing the right credit card
- Never pay an annual fee on a credit card
- The boom-bust lending cycle
- Bankers saw the financial crisis coming, but had to keep going
- Focusing on the things that you can control
Ottawa Citizen article from Sunday, March 3, 2002 mentioned in this podcast.
