Are you wondering what to do with this year’s TFSA or RRSP contribution? Perhaps you are looking to switch out of some crappy bank mutual funds? I have three great picks you should consider and some thoughts on timing.

(Spoiler Alert: If you have read the Beat the Bank, you won’t be surprised that my “Top Picks for 2019” were among my favourites last year and may be again next year!)

Everyone’s circumstances are different and I don’t know yours so these picks may NOT be right for you. But if you are investing for the long term through an online brokerage account and want to keep it super simple, I suggest you consider one of Vanguard’s “Asset Allocation” ETFs (VCNS, VBAL and VGRO).

These brilliantly simple “balanced” ETFs are highlighted on pages 176-177 of Beat the Bank. If one of these ETFs matches your desired stock/bond split (discussed in Chapter 9), you could buy it now and keep adding to it over time. For instance, if your desired stock/bond split is 60/40, you could buy VBAL.

No investment is perfect and every investment has risk but if you want a low cost, automatically balanced, globally diversified investment portfolio with one holding, these ETFs are hard to beat! There are lots of other simple “Assemble-It-Yourself” choices mentioned in Chapter 11 of Beat the Bank.

But how should you react to the wild, almost daily market swings we are experiencing? Should you invest now, later or get the hell out??

If you are a long-term investor and you are comfortable with your stock/bond mix, ignore the current market noise and carry on. The daily swings become meaningless in the long run. In terms of investing new money, the stats prove that the best time to jump in is usually as soon as you have the funds available. But if you are really nervous or will be investing a relatively large amount in the context of your overall portfolio, consider investing a chunk now and more later as described on page 141 of the book.

Your comments are always welcome!!

 

Larry