the measure of a plan

2025 Canadian Retirement Benefits Calculator (CPP and OAS)

Find out how much money you will receive from the Canadian retirement benefits programs (CPP and OAS).

3 months ago

Investment Returns by Asset Class (1985 to 2024)

Historical investment returns by asset class for a wide set of investments -- including stocks / bonds in the U.S.,…

4 months ago

U.S. Stock Market Returns – a history from the 1870s to 2024

Facts and figures on U.S. stock market returns from 1871 to 2024. Average annual returns, likelihood of losing money in…

4 months ago

Canadian Foreign Exchange Rate Tracker (2017 to 2025)

Tracking Canadian foreign exchange rates versus 26 major global currencies, with daily data from 2017 up until today

4 months ago

Canadian Inflation Tracker (1978 to 2024)

Tracking changes in Canadian prices (housing, food, transportation, etc.) from 1978 to 2024

5 months ago

The Uneven Distribution of Canadian Income, Cash Flow, and Net Worth

Data on Canadian income / spending / cash flow / net worth, showcasing the financial gap the richest and poorest…

7 months ago

The Wealth of Nations: income, cost of living, and purchasing power for 110 countries

Map of global wealth, showing the richest and poorest countries. Data on incomes, cost of living, and purchasing power across…

7 months ago

Tracking Canadian Housing Market Affordability (1999 to 2024)

Tracking housing market affordability in Canada through home prices, incomes and mortgage rates. Data on 14 cities from 1999 to…

12 months ago

Canadian Rent Prices and Affordability by City (1992 to 2022)

Tracking Canadian rent prices, incomes, and rental affordability by city -- over time from 1992 to 2022.

2 years ago

Canadian Food Price Inflation – tracking prices for 110 foods

Measuring Canadian food price inflation using 110 grocery items. Prices over time, prices by category, and your personal inflation rate.

2 years ago

Market Timing Simulator

Does timing the market beat time in the market? Use this interactive simulator to find out.

2 years ago

Rent Prices Versus Income in Major U.S. and Canadian Cities

Use these interactive charts to explore rent prices versus household income in major cities in the U.S. and Canada

4 years ago

Exploring Canadian Income by Geography, Sex, and Age

Interactive charts to slice and dice data on Canadian income -- by geography, sex, and age group

4 years ago

COVID-19’s Economic Impact in Canada: an index of facts, figures, sources, and resources

A summary of COVID-19's economic impact in Canada (jobs, investments, housing, and more), the government's response to the crisis, and…

5 years ago

Rich, Richer, Richest: a Profile of High-Income Canadians

Defining what it means to be a 'high-income Canadian', comparing income earned vs income taxes paid, and an analysis of…

5 years ago

Visualizing Stock Market Volatility

An interactive tool to visualize the ups and downs of the stock market, and the impact that this volatility can…

6 years ago

Savings Goal Solver

A small yet mighty tool for figuring out how much you need to save, when you'll reach your goal, and…

6 years ago

Of Dollars and Dens: A History of Home Prices in North America

A data-heavy history of home prices in the U.S. and Canada. Long-term returns, breakdowns by city, charts, charts, and more…

6 years ago

The Measured Database of Canadian Index ETFs

Calling all Canadian couch potato investors... here's a comprehensive database of Canadian index ETFs (377 funds with ~$136B of total…

6 years ago

Why Robo-Advisor Fees Are Far Worse Than They Seem

Robo-advisor fees may seem small at first, but they can delay your retirement by several years. Use this calculator to…

6 years ago

Stock and Bond Market Visualizer

A tool for drilling down into price & return data from the most important investment indices in the world. Annualized…

6 years ago

To Grad School or Not to Grad School? A Calculator

Are you thinking of going back to school to boost your income? Use this interactive grad school calculator to weigh…

6 years ago

Retirement

Put your hand up if you dislike: Your alarm clock Rush hour traffic Fictitious deadlines Office politics People who forget…

7 years ago

Tying It All Together

You've reached the last lesson in this course. Congratulations! Before I leave you, here's a list of the most important points…

7 years ago

Understanding Your Paycheck

Before jumping into discussions about budgeting, saving, and investing, I want to spend some time to make sure that you…

7 years ago

Insurance

Unfortunate events happen. They're not fun to talk about, think about, or imagine; but they happen. Burying your head in…

7 years ago

Protecting Yourself Against Financial Fraud

Once you get a hang of the core personal finance skills (budgeting, reducing debt, investing), your net worth will start…

7 years ago

Online Resources

This course stands on the shoulders of giants. The online resources listed below have been instrumental in my own journey…

7 years ago

Books

What follows is a list of books which heavily shaped my views on personal finance. While I've tried to distill…

7 years ago

Starting A Family

Starting a family -- it's a roller coaster of new experiences, proud moments, and obstacles to overcome. So much will…

7 years ago

Buying A Home

For many people, homeownership ranks near the top of their financial goals. Buying a home is seen as a major…

7 years ago

Build The Life You Want, Then Save For It

Build the life you want, then save for it. It's a simple phrase that I loved from the moment I…

7 years ago

Developing a Positive Money Mindset

Why You Need A Positive Money Mindset Numbers are only half the battle. In some senses, getting a grip on…

7 years ago

Increasing Your Income

Increasing your income can have a huge impact on the time it takes to reach your financial goals. Most people…

7 years ago

Reducing Your Expenses

If you want to accelerate your progress towards your financial goals, reducing your expenses is the best place to start.…

7 years ago

Setting Financial Goals

You've flipped the switch on your financial auto-pilot; you see a steady stream of money building up each month; you're…

7 years ago

Auto-Pilot Engaged (Pay Yourself First)

Auto-Pilot Engaged I don't know about you, but I can think of at least a few things I'd like to…

7 years ago

A Step-by-Step Guide to Investing Online

A Step-by-Step Guide to Investing Online Now that you've settled on the index funds (a.k.a. ETFs) that you'd like to…

7 years ago

A Blueprint for Building Wealth

Building wealth relies on a simple recipe: you need to spend less than you make, invest the difference wisely, and…

7 years ago

Let Your Money Work While You Sleep (Compound Interest)

The Magic of Compound Interest Fact: money grows on trees. Well, not quite, but new money does grow on other…

7 years ago

How to Become Debt-Free

With a bit of knowledge, a solid plan, and a heavy dose of hard work, you can become debt-free. Read…

7 years ago

Everyone Needs A Budget (Yes, Even You)

While a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, the path to wealth begins with a budget.…

7 years ago

Taking Advantage of Employer Matching

Economists are fond of saying that "there's no such thing as a free lunch". In this lesson, we'll get as…

7 years ago

Building An Emergency Fund

Bad luck always seems to strike at just the wrong times -- life doesn't have a habit of waiting for…

7 years ago

Getting Your Ducks in a Row: tracking net worth

Download the net worth tracking spreadsheet: Net worth tracking template   Getting Organized We're going to take it slow in…

7 years ago

An Introduction to the Course

The best time to plant a tree -- or learn about personal finance -- was 20 years ago. The second…

7 years ago

Net Worth Scenario Tool (A Tale of Two Paths…)

An interactive web tool to chart out your net worth over time under different scenarios. Use this calculator for quick…

7 years ago

How Much Money Does the Average Canadian Household Spend in a Year?

Slicing and dicing data on the amount of money that the average Canadian household spends in a year. Analysis by…

7 years ago

Should You Rent or Buy in San Francisco? 16 Case Studies

Is it better to rent or buy in San Francisco? An analysis of the local real estate market, based on…

7 years ago

Cost of Raising a Child Calculator

The cost of raising a child will differ greatly from one family to another. Use this spreadsheet to estimate the…

7 years ago

Investment Portfolio Tracker — a Spreadsheet for DIY Investors

A spreadsheet for keeping tabs on your investment portfolio. Total market value, asset allocation, portfolio performance, automatic re-balancing calculations; this…

7 years ago

Retirement Date Forecasting Tool

How much money do I need to retire? How long will it take me to get there? How much will…

7 years ago

Budget Tracking Tool (free spreadsheet template)

Keeping track of your budget (how much you make and how much you spend) is the most important step towards…

7 years ago

The Soft Side of the Rent versus Buy Equation

Life isn't all dollars and cents, and neither is the decision to rent or buy your home. Here's a checklist…

7 years ago

Rent versus Buy Calculator

The decision to rent or buy your home is one of the biggest that we make in our lives. This…

7 years ago

Welcome!

An introduction to "The Measure of a Plan".

7 years ago