Is there a single “best” type of exercise?

What if there was a single type of exercise out there that was best suited to your overall fitness?

What kind of exercise would that one type be? Save with SPP took a look around to see what people are saying on this topic.

The Organic Authority blog begins by asking “if you could do only one total body exercise… what would you do?”

Their answer is “the burpee…. the winner by a landslide.” The article explains that “burpees require flexion and extension at all major joints, including ankles, hips and shoulders. Additionally, a well-executed burpee will tone the arms, chest, core, gluteus muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, and promotes cardiovascular conditioning and coordination.”

The Today Show’s website advises that if “you don’t have time for a full workout, here’s the one exercise that will work your entire body in a short amount of time: the pushup downward dog.”

“The reason why this move is so great for your entire body is because of the tension placed on various muscle groups throughout the movement. As you start in a high plank and lower yourself into a push-up, you will be using your core, shoulders, chest and upper body muscles to support your body weight,” the article adds.

The Fit & Well website describes a “one-move kettlebell workout” as their recommended one best exercise.

“The multi-muscle compound exercise you’ll be tackling involves lifting a kettlebell from the ground to a goblet hold in front of your chest, performing a squat, then pushing the weight overhead before returning to the starting position,” the article explains. If you do this for six minutes a day, the article continues, “this short exercise can help you access health benefits you might have missed sitting at your desk.”

Indeed, the article tells us, “quick hits like this can be used as `exercise snacks’ – a relatively new term used to describe short bursts of activity performed at intervals throughout the day, which can help boost your fitness, improve your heart health and look after your lungs.”

The Hello Doctor blog suggests that “if you are looking for the best single full body exercise that requires little to no learning curve, then the step up is probably for you.”

All you need, the blog continues, is an elevated platform, “like a step on the stairs.”

Here’s how to do a step up, per the blog. “Choose an elevated platform, like a box or a step on your stairs. The ideal platform is high enough so that when you step up, your knee forms a 90-degree angle,” the blog explains.

“Stand with your chest open and your shoulders pulled. Step up on the platform using your right leg. Then, bring your left leg on top of the platform as well, in a tiptoe position,” the blog continues.

“Bring your left leg down. Repeat the procedure, but this time, step up with your left leg first. Start with 15 reps for each leg and work your way up,” the blog adds.

Maybe one of these ideas will help boost (or begin) your own exercise routine.

It’s interesting to think of exercise “snacks.” A little now and again thing that is actually good for you, perhaps. Putting money away for the future, a “retirement snack,” is a similar positive little thing you can do today that will help your future you.

With the Saskatchewan Pension Plan, you have many options for adding to your retirement nest egg. You can set SPP up as a bill and “pay” yourself with your other bills. You can set up pre-authorized contributions from a bank account or credit card. You can transfer in any amount from other registered retirement savings plans. You can even send us a cheque. All roads lead to growth in your retirement nest egg.

Check out SPP today!

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Saskatoon cited as the number one place to retire in Canada

“It’s no secret,” writes Sandra McGregor for Money Canada, “that Canada is considered one of the best places in the world to live.”

Factors like “incredible landscapes, universal healthcare and a multicultural society that welcomes people from all over the world” make Canada “the perfect place to call home.”

However, where in Canada is the best place to retire? McGregor’s list of the 16 top places focuses on “the cost of living… weather, quality of life and access to amenities.”

At the top of the list is the city of Saskatoon!

“Saskatoon is a vibrant city with a strong sense of community, scenic parks and a thriving arts scene. Though it’s not the capital (Regina is), it’s actually the largest city in the province. Its affordable housing makes it among the best places to retire in Canada, income wise,” she writes.

The runner-up is St. John’s.

“St. John’s has a great culture and food scene, as well as a breathtaking harbour that offers occasional whale and iceberg sightings,” reports McGregor.

Rounding out the top three is another east-coast location, Charlottetown.

“Charlottetown is an incredibly picturesque city with a strong sense of community, excellent culinary offerings and a thriving arts scene, making it one of the best places in Canada to retire,” she notes.

Goderich, Ont. is in fourth spot. “Goderich is a charming town on the shores of Lake Huron, known for its beautiful beaches and scenic parks. It’s often dubbed the `prettiest town in Canada,’” she writes.

In fifth is Parksville, B.C. “Parksville is a popular retirement destination on Vancouver Island, known for its beautiful beaches and scenic parks,” McGregor reports. In sixth place is “St. Catharines, a charming city in Ontario… a popular retirement destination known for its greenspaces, culture and affordable housing options. It’s also just next door from one of Canada’s largest and most acclaimed wine regions.”

The list continues with Penticton, B.C., which offers “an appealing blend of affordability, pleasant weather and a high quality of life.” Calgary boasts “beautiful parks and outdoor recreation opportunities.” Ontario’s Windsor is ranked next for its “cultural attractions and affordable housing options,” as well as the warmest weather in the province.

After Collingwood, Ont., Cape Breton, N.S. and Montreal comes Saint John, N.B., offering “a low cost of living, beautiful waterfront views and a growing job market.”

Kelowna, Canmore and Victoria round out the list.

Even if you don’t relocate in retirement, all of these communities are worth a visit. We are fortunate to live in such a vast, beautiful country.

Retirement, of course, requires a bit of forethought. You’ll need to set aside some money in your younger years to look after the older you.

If you don’t have a retirement program through work and are nervous about investing on your own, consider joining the Saskatchewan Pension Plan. SPP is open to any Canadian who has available registered retirement savings plan room. You decide how much to contribute to your account, and SPP does the rest, investing your savings in a low-cost, professionally managed pooled fund that has boasted steady returns since its inception in 1986. At the end of work, you can choose to convert your savings to a monthly lifetime annuity or withdraw money more flexibly with our Variable Benefit option.

Check out SPP today!

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`No Buy’ days, `subscription scrutiny’ are among this year’s trends in saving

You’ve really got to hand it to consumers – no matter what twists and turns the cost of living takes, people seem to find new ways to save.

Save with SPP checked out some of the latest trends in saving.

Writing for the U.K.’s Indy 100, Becca Monaghan identifies a number of them for us.

“With the cost of living on the rise, individuals are becoming increasingly focused on smarter ways to manage their finances and secure long-term stability. From creative budgeting techniques to adopting sustainable spending habits and using innovative financial tech, these trends reflect a broader shift towards intentional, efficient money management. It’s all about making every pound count in a world that demands more financial agility,” she begins.

Among these “smart ways” are ideas like “save and splurge,” she continues. This involves “cutting back on day-to-day expenses so they can allocate funds towards special, high-quality purchases or experiences,” Monaghan explains.

There’s also the “No Buy 2025” trend, which “encourages individuals to pause unnecessary expenditures, aiming to save money and reduce overconsumption.”

Next comes “subscription scrutiny.”

“People are reevaluating their subscription services, cancelling those they don’t use, and opting for pay-as-you-go options to maximize flexibility and cut costs. This trend is fueled by the growing awareness of `subscription creep,’ where small, recurring charges add up significantly over time,” writes Monaghan.

The Smart Money Advice blog offers up a few more savings trends.

The blog, citing research from the Canadian Bankers’ Association, notes the use of “digital tools” is helping Canadians save. “Over 70 per cent of Canadians now use banking apps,” the article continues, making automatic saving easier, providing “the ability to track expenses in real time,” and making the “setting of financial goals” easier.

“Thrifting” continues to grow in popularity, the blog adds.

“Another notable trend is the rise in thrifting and second-hand shopping. Retail analysts predict that more Canadians will embrace buying used goods in 2025—not only as a cost-saving measure but also as a way to support sustainability. Gen Z is particularly driving this trend, valuing affordability alongside environmental responsibility,” the blog reports, citing a recent article from CityNews Vancouver.

Other trends the blog has noticed include the fact that we are collectively dining out less and doing a lot more online price comparison research before buying.

The Saving Advice blog presents some other fresh saving strategies.

With grocery costs being particularly impacted by inflation, shoppers are looking for ways to “inflation-proof” their grocery bill, the blog notes.

“Bulk buying, smart pantry stocking, and freezer meals are back in fashion but with a modern twist. Apps now recommend recipes based on sale items in your (area) and social media has made sharing `$50/week meal plans’ wildly popular. People aren’t just saving at the store—they’re learning how to stretch ingredients creatively to cut back on food waste and frequent shopping trips,” the blog reports.

The blog also notes that those of us with credit cards offering such things as points or cashback are being more strategic.

“In the past, using credit cards `responsibly’ just meant paying your bill on time. But in 2025, savvy savers are playing the points game like pros. Travel hackers, cash-back chasers, and promo offer strategists are teaching others how to turn regular spending into serious rewards,” the blog adds.

Similarly, consumers are embracing energy efficiency as “not just a green initiative” but a way to save, the blog tells us.

“Smart thermostats, LED lighting, energy monitors, and tax credits for efficient appliances are part of a growing ‘home optimization’ trend. In 2025, even renters are joining in with portable devices and simple insulation upgrades. Lower monthly bills and incentives are proving that energy efficiency is one of the most overlooked money-saving tools,” the blog concludes.

We can conclude that we’ve come a long way from the days of clipping coupons!

A dollar saved, they say, is a dollar earned. And those earned dollars will come in particularly handy in the future, when you’re no longer working.

While workplace pensions seem to be becoming harder to find, Canadians can opt for a “do-it-yourself” pension through the Saskatchewan Pension Plan. You decide how much to contribute – perhaps using some of the savings tactics listed in this article – and SPP does the rest. We’ll invest your hard-saved dollars in a professionally managed, low-cost pooled fund with a strong track record.

When it’s time to retire, options for your SPP account include the chance of a lifetime monthly annuity payment, or the more flexible Variable Benefit option.

Check out SPP today!

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Retirement `dashboard’ would make planning income from multiple sources easier: CD Howe

Those of us who have punched our last timeclock know that our retirement income comes from multiple sources – unlike our working days, when there was only one paycheque.

This makes retirement planning much more complicated.

Fortunately, reports Wealth Professional, the C.D. Howe Institute has come up with an idea to help untangle multi-stream income planning – a “national pension dashboard.”

“With the shift from defined benefit to defined contribution pension plans, many Canadians are left with a fragmented picture of their retirement savings, especially as accounts are scattered across financial institutions,” the article begins.

In other words, instead of having one pension from a defined benefit plan, folks may have small chunks of money growing away in several defined contribution/registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) pots.

This, the team at C.D. Howe notes, means that “few people have a clear sense of how their savings will translate into sustainable income, fueling anxiety about financial security.”

Enter the idea of a national, digital pension dashboard.

“A national pension dashboard could be a game changer by bringing together all retirement savings and entitlements into one digital platform where users would be able to see their Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, workplace pensions, RRSPs, and other savings,” the article tells us.

Similar tools are already in place in “Australia, Sweden and the Netherlands,” the article adds.

“How can Canadians make optimal decisions if they don’t have a straightforward way to see how savings and entitlements translate into monthly income?” asks senior fellow Kathryn Bush, a member of the C.D. Howe Institute Pension Policy Council and former chair of the Association for Canadian Pension Management’s National Policy Committee, in the Wealth Professional article. “We need a modern and accessible tool that gives them an accurate picture of their expected retirement income – without needing to be an expert,” she continues.

While there are tools provided by the Canada Revenue Agency to give estimates of your federal government retirement benefits, these tools “require manual input and don’t consolidate data from all sources,” the article adds.

The dashboard, the article adds, might have additional benefits – such as reuniting members with lost pots of retirement savings from a long-ago job, or the opposite – connecting pension plans with long-lost members.

Bush tells Wealth Professional that the dashboard could be built using a “real-time data retrieval model” linking to existing systems, rather than building a massive new centralized database.

“A pension dashboard that is cost-effective, secure, and accessible could be life changing,” Bush tells Wealth Professional. “Canadians need a clear roadmap for retirement – and the time to build it is now.” 

If you, like many of us, have little bits and pieces of pension savings in separate RRSP accounts, there’s an easy way to stitch your savings quilt together. The Saskatchewan Pension Plan allows you to transfer any amount into SPP from other non-locked-in RRSPs. This will simplify your life in retirement, as you’ll cut down on the number of sources of income you’ll receive.

SPP does also offer a stand-alone calculator to help you get a better picture of the future value of your account. The Wealth Calculator offers an easy way to produce an estimate.

Check out SPP today!

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Is there a way lower income earners can save?

You hear it all the time – “save? How can I possibly save? I’ve got a family to feed.”

Yet without at least some retirement savings, most of us will be largely dependent on the rather modest benefits provided by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS).

So is there anything folks with less income can do to put even a bit away for their future? Save with SPP took a look around to see.

Writing for Yahoo! Finance, Gail Johnson observes that “nearly half of Canadians – 48 per cent – say that lack of income is their biggest obstacle when it comes to saving and investing,” citing an Ipsos Reid poll.

But, she reports, financial experts say lower-income earners can and do save and invest.

“Low income is no excuse for not saving,” Calgary certified financial planner Kevin MacLeod of MoneyAdvisor.ca tells Yahoo! Finance. “I’ve met many individuals and families over the years that have one income, or two low incomes and they saved a large portion of their income; I have met others that have enormous income and nothing left at the end of every month and they live paycheque to paycheque. It’s simply a matter of choice on how you want to live.”

His advice, the article continues, is to make saving automatic.

“Have savings automatically deducted from your paycheque or your bank account on the day you get paid,” MacLeod states in the article.

Other advice provided by the article – sign up for any retirement savings program your workplace offers, as well as “setting a goal with a realistic timeline” to allow yourself to work towards a “concrete dollar amount” of savings.

The Clever Girl Finance blog adds a few more ideas to the mix.

Having a budget, the blog notes, is an important first step.

“It’s a key part of how to save money fast on a low income. And this is simply because having a budget opens your eyes to where your money is going and helps you form a financial plan,” the blog explains.

Getting debt under control is another way to boost savings, the blog tells us.

“Make it a priority to tackle your debt. It will take commitment to erase your debts, but it can lead to an easier life and peace of mind,” the blog continues. “You’ll be able to put the money you were using for credit cards and other debt repayments like student loans, towards your savings.”

Other ideas in the blog include considering moving somewhere cheaper, renting out rooms, and being “more mindful” of what you spend on food.

Let’s wrap up with some thoughts from MoneySense.

Building an emergency fund “for worst-case scenarios such as job loss, unexpected car or home repairs (not renovations), or medical, dental and vet bills” can prevent you from going into debt when these crises arise, the article observes.

Another key concept is frugal living, the article continues.

“Ask yourself, `What does fun truly mean for me?’ It may seem obvious, but when did you last reflect on what brings you genuine joy? Stop wasting money on activities that no longer bring you joy,” MoneySense suggests.

Put together a list of all the things you do like to do, and focus on ones that are cheap or free, or affordable. The rest can be filed under a “splurge” heading and done less often than the others, the article suggests.

All great ideas.

It’s never too late to start saving for retirement, but the earlier you do, the better. If you have a workplace retirement program, be sure to sign up and maximize your contributions. If you don’t have such an option, take a look at the Saskatchewan Pension Plan, open to any Canadian with registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) room.

With SPP, you’re in charge of how much you’ll contribute. You can start small and ramp up over time. SPP will do the hard part – investing your retirement savings dollars in a professionally managed, low-cost pooled fund. Options when you retire include the flexible Variable Benefit, or the security of a monthly annuity payment for life.

Check out SPP today!

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Canadians think $1 million is how much they need for retirement: Fidelity

New research from Fidelity Canada, reported on by CP24, has found that most of us believe we need $1 million “to retire comfortably.”

This marks the 20^th year Fidelity Canada has compiled their retirement report, the broadcaster notes, with this year’s study being carried out in March, and involving 2000 respondents, who had a median age of 62.

So what did the report find? CP24 notes that “88 per cent of respondents agree retirement today is more complex than it was 20 years ago.”

Those who had not retired (and were 45 and older) “believe they need at least $1,020,000 to achieve a comfortable retirement – more than double the amount 20 years ago,” the article continues.

By contrast, the article continues, “in 2005, the same age group felt they needed $447,000 to retire, which equates to $685,000 in 2025.”

Interestingly, CP24 reports, those already retired feel a little better about things than those yet to receive the golden handshake. A total of “81 per cent of retirees feel positive about retirement, while only 59 per cent of pre-retirees feel positive,” the article adds.

And most felt that some sort of semi-retirement approach could be the answer for them – “85 per cent agree retirement is about transitioning to flexible work arrangements or passion projects rather than stopping work completely,” CP24 notes.

A concern for those surveyed – in addition to having enough to live on in retirement – was ensuring “the financial security of the next generation” before they pass on.

“People are looking to have a more expensive retirement. With that we’re thinking travel as well as people understanding that they’re living longer and the third piece is that people are also helping launch the next generation so supporting their adult children,” Michelle Munro, Fidelity Investments Canada’s tax and retirement research director, tells CP24.

They are also worried about the state of the world’s finances, the article adds.

“Inflation, current turmoil in world politics and poor economic growth were cited as the main concerns for Canadians, according to the report. Uncertain times can affect pre-retirees, who are still in a period of accumulating wealth to support their retirement,” the article tells us.

The prospect of rising living costs had 46 per cent of respondents saying, “they might postpone retirement to later than planned,” CP24 notes. “In 2005, the average age of retirement was 61, which has risen to 65 in 2025. Only 26 per cent of current pre-retirees plan to retire under 65,” the article adds.

Those respondents with “a financial advisor and written financial plan” felt more prepared than those without, the article notes. A final thought in the article is that “women and those not born in Canada had a less positive outlook on their retirement.”

We frequently tell friends and family to make sure their kids are looking for work that offers some sort of retirement plan – and to contribute to the max. But if there is no retirement program at your work, look to the Saskatchewan Pension Plan.

SPP provides individuals with a professionally managed, low-cost retirement investment program. You decide how much to contribute, and SPP does the rest, investing your precious savings dollars and growing them over time. When it is time to hang up the name badge for good, your options for turning savings into retirement income include the option of a lifetime monthly annuity payment, or more flexible withdrawals via our Variable Benefit option.

Check out SPP today!

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Retirement is a funny thing. You don’t really think about it until it is about to happen – and have a very hard time, at that transitional point, imagining what it will be like.

Save with SPP, to help those for whom retirement is now a distant abstract thought, took a look around to find what people think is the best aspect of it, the “best thing” about retirement.

The Sixty + Me blog provides us with a few thoughts.

One is that “you gain freedom from responsibilities,” the blog tells us. “It is liberating to not be responsible for others, for meeting deadlines, and for achieving someone else’s goals.”

As well, the blog continues, retirement allows you to “explore your creativity.”

“Contrary to popular belief, creativity does not decrease with age. Artists in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s are producing fresh, exciting art. And in our retirement, we have the time to learn those forms of art we have always found fascinating. Being creative is very satisfying,” the blog explains.

A third, but very major one, is that “you have fewer time restraints.” You will, the blog continues, be able to “do something unexpected, travel, try a new hobby, or explore new interests” once you are outside the confines of your once busy schedule.

The Retirement Tips & Tricks blog provides us with a few more retirement highlights.

There’s the feeling of having “no obligations,” the blog notes. The blogger quotes her mom as summing this idea up nicely – “nothing has to be done; everything is possible.”

Just “being home” is another retirement perk, the blog continues.

“People spend 40+ hours outside of their homes to be able to afford a comfortable home. And when it is finally time to retire, people like that they finally can enjoy their own home. And make it an even more comfortable place as a nice new project in retirement,” the blog notes.

The missus disliked working from home for that reason – it was making her not enjoy being in her own home! Retirement cured that feeling for her.

Finally, the blog mentions the “feeling of freedom” that retirement brings.

“The open road or the open future is not experienced very often in life due to the system most of the Western world operates in. So when the moment comes of total freedom, it is indescribable,” the blog enthuses.

Let’s leave the last thoughts to the Bolde blog.

There’s “freedom from the 9 to 5 grind,” the blog begins.

“Imagine waking up with no alarm, no boss waiting for you, and no soul-sucking commutes to endure,” the blog notes.

Travel is made much easier when you’re not working, the blog notes.

“With no office to report to, they’re free to explore the world at their own pace, often taking trips during off-peak seasons or staying in one place for weeks at a time,” the blog reports.

Many of us can “enjoy being a grandparent.”

“Unlike the pressures of parenting, grandparenting is all about the fun stuff—spoiling the kids, creating memories, and being the hero with unlimited hugs and treats,” the blog adds.

And while the blog notes that retirement can bring bad things, like anxiety about living off your savings, or the fear of social isolation, the good things tend to outweigh the bad.

More money in retirement brings more freedom around choices. Did you know that Saskatchewan Pension Plan members can choose to consolidate their non-locked in registered retirement savings plans within SPP – and that there’s no limit on how much they can transfer in? Why have multiple retirement savings pots when you can have the simplicity of one?

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Acting your age – when it comes to your investment portfolio

Writing for BNN Bloomberg, Dale Jackson tells us that if “you’ve ever been told to act your age, the same advice applies to your investment portfolio.”

“Tweaking your nest egg properly as you get older will maximize consistent returns over the long term and lower risk as you near retirement,” he writes. “Determining what to hold, how much, and when, depends on who you are and how you want to retire. A qualified advisor can help but make sure investment fees don’t impede growth.”

When you are in your twenties, he writes, “time is on your side.” Since, he continues, “the biggest rewards come from the biggest risks… young people have more time for that to happen, or to recover if it doesn’t.”

Jackson cites T. Rowe Price, a major U.S. investment firm, as stating that “young investors should focus on the growth potential of stocks with at least a 90 per cent weighting on a diversified portfolio of equities.”

The younger folks, he adds, tend to have the most debt, an impediment to saving and investing. “The first priority should be to pay down debt starting with the highest interest rates or consolidating all debt into a low interest loan,” he suggests.

In your thirties, he writes, you should “continue chipping away at your debt,” and your portfolio should “push toward equities.”

“Kids and bills call for a mature strategy that includes investing in good companies that produce something with intrinsic value and grow earnings over time,” he writes.

Diversifying your equities “across sector and geographical lines” will hedge against risk, he continues, and at this point you should consider placing some of your investments in fixed income vehicles, such as guaranteed investment certificates (GICs) and “investment grade bonds.”

By your forties, the article continues, you are reaching your peak earnings years.

“T. Rowe Price recommends pulling back from equities in your forties and adding safer alternatives with less return potential. The investment management firm suggest up to twenty per cent of your portfolio be allocated to fixed income,” he notes.

When you are earning more, he adds, registered retirement savings plans “make more sense… refunds will be bigger because the contribution amount will have been taxed at a higher rate.”

By your fifties, Jackson notes, “you tend to have more to invest as basic necessities are paid for and the kids leave home.” The folks at T. Rowe Price suggest you should now be “15 to 30 per cent in fixed income.”

Finally, he concludes, once you are in “your sixties and beyond” you need to change your focus “180 degrees” from saving to spending. Since no paycheque will be coming in, he adds, “it is essential to have a reliable income source for day-to-day needs.”

“In your sixties T. Rowe Price recommends your portfolio weighting be pulled back to 45 per cent to 65 per cent equities and ten per cent cash,” he writes. “In your seventies and over it suggests 30 per cent to 50 per cent equities and 20 per cent cash.”

Diversification is something that members of the Saskatchewan Pension Plan can benefit from. SPP’s Balanced Fund is invested in Canadian, U.S. and Non-North American equities, real estate, infrastructure, bonds, mortgages, private debt and short-term investments. That way, your precious retirement savings “eggs” are not all in one investment basket.

Check out SPP today!

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If your knowledge of investment terminology is limited – or even if you have done a bit of it over the years – Bob Kaye’s How To Avoid Not Having Enough Money To Live On After Retirement delivers a lot of info in a fun, crossword-laden way.

While the book is aimed at U.S. readers (several chapters are devoted to the ins and outs of the tax system south of the border) the investment overview material is good for anyone.

The first chapter reassures us with a quote from the great Warren Buffett – “to invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What’s needed is a sound intellectual framework for making decisions and the ability to keep emotions from eroding that framework.”

On inflation, Kaye warns that “if inflation moves upward at four per cent, then the cost of living will double every 18 years…. (and) in 36 years, $1 million will be worth only $250,000.” That’s why people need higher returns on investments than the rate of inflation, he explains.

He makes a distinction between long and short-term investments. “Due to the frequent ups and downs of stock investments, they are usually only a correct investment for the long term, four to five years, or more.” If you are saving not for say, retirement, but for a short term goal, “a time horizon (of) less than four to five years,” it is better to invest in a savings account or “fixed income” investments.

He sees stocks as the most important investment category for long-term investing.

“Stocks should constitute the overwhelming proportion of all long-term, financial portfolios. Based on historical evidence, even the most conservative investors should place most of their financial wealth in common stocks,” the book quotes Jeremy Siegel as saying.

Stocks provide you “a share of ownership in a company,” and the value of them “goes up and down with the value of the company.” Bonds, on the other hand, “are a loan from you to a government or large corporation” that is paid back with interest.

Kaye sees equity investment as “insurance against living too long” as they tend to appreciate in value over time and often pay you income via monthly or quarterly dividends. Bonds tend to pay you interest twice a year, the book explains.

He notes that a “small cap” investment refers to shares in a company that is valued at $300 million to $2 billion; “medium-cap” is $2 to 10 billion and “large cap” refers to companies values at more than $10 billion, such as “Microsoft or Disney.”

Kaye also explains the difference between “value investing” and “growth investing.”

“The manager… who buys stocks at a bargain and waits for them to increase in value is said to be managing a `value’ fund,” he writes. If the goal is to “buy stocks which are steadily increasing in value,” it’s a growth fund. “Neither of these two strategies may be superior, but rather, they complement each other,” he notes.

“Rebalancing” refers to “periodically rebalancing the percentages of (securities) in a portfolio to their original allocations.” As one security will do better and another worse, rebalancing “automatically sells high and buys low, which is a positive way to earn more income on investments.”

He presents a “diversification scale” which explains that if your portfolio contains “a few stocks and bonds in the same asset class” it is not diversified. If you have a portfolio containing “10 to 20 stocks and 10 to 20 bonds” you are, Kaye writes, “barely diversified.” He sees a “well diversified” portfolio as having “several mutual funds in different asset classes,” along with many dozen stocks or bonds.

Kaye concludes his book, which is laden with crosswords, interesting famous investing quotes, graphics and charts, by hoping readers are now “more proficient in the basic terminology which is the foundation of investments and retirement planning.”

A message of Kaye’s book is that a diversified basket of investment “eggs” is preferable to owning only one or two things. Members of the Saskatchewan Pension Plan, open to all Canadians with registered retirement savings plan room, can rest assured that their savings are well diversified. The SPP Balanced Fund features investments in Canadian, U.S. and Non-North American equities, real estate, infrastructure, bonds, mortgages, private debt and short-term investments.

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Most Canadians “financially prepared for retirement” if they stick to the plan: HEC

More than four-fifths of working households in Canada “would be financially prepared for retirement if their intended retirement age and saving strategies are realized,” according to research from HEC Montreal’s Retirement and Savings Institute.

Results of the study were covered off in a recent article on Advisor.ca.

“The report defines financial preparedness as households that can replace at least 65 per cent of their net income in retirement after taxes, transfers, savings and debt payments, or for households in the lowest income quintile, 80 per cent,” the article notes.

The study, the article continues, takes into account “both private and public sources of retirement income, with the latter being most important to middle and low-income groups.”

The research, based on data from 2022 is “little changed” from a previous study using 2018 data. “Only 18 per cent of households have less than an 80 per cent chance of being prepared,” the article notes.

Pension plans make a difference in retirement preparedness, the article continues.

“Prepared households are more likely to have a defined benefit (DB) pension plan, earn lower income and expect to retire later,” the article explains. However, the study says that the preparedness level could drop if “the generosity of DB pensions decreased…. in the next decades, it is possible that the coverage and generosity of DB plans will be eroded.”

OK – so who is most as risk for not being financially prepared for retirement? Let’s read on.

“Households most at risk of being unprepared have higher than median income and no savings, with a 52 per cent chance of being prepared for retirement. On the flip side, those earning below the median income who also have no savings have an 89 per cent chance of being prepared,” the article notes.

Let’s unpack some of this.

If you aren’t a high-income earner, government benefits will provide a pretty good replacement ratio of your pre-retirement income. Our late sister reported to us that she was actually better off once her Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits kicked in.

And she was right. For those making a modest income, the modest government benefits are pretty good, providing an income close to what you were making before. But those with higher incomes will find that CPP and OAS benefits, even at the maximum, are quite modest.

If there’s a pension plan available at your workplace, be sure to join it and contribute as much as you can. If you haven’t started saving for retirement on your own, and don’t have a workplace plan, the Saskatchewan Pension Plan (www.saskpension.com) may be just what you’ve been looking for.

With SPP, you decide how much to contribute, and SPP does the heavy lifting, growing your savings through professional investment in a low-cost, pooled fund. And when work is in the rearview mirror, SPP members can choose the security of a monthly annuity payment for life, or the more flexible Variable Benefit.

Check out SPP today!

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