Best Online Experience Ever!

My excellent experience with Ally Bank just keeps rollin' along. These people take service to a whole new level. You can actually call them or connect with a service rep for an online chat 24/7/365. It's really remarkable considering that calls placed to most tradition banks either go direct to voicemail or a call centre located in a far away city.

Everything I said at the time still holds true today:

I've never recommended a product or service on these pages but this one is worth a mention.  While reading a Canadian Banking blog last week I clicked on an ad for Ally Bank.  You've all seen the ads with the guy, representing traditional banks, shafting little kids.  One little girl gets a toy pony, because she failed to read the fine print, while the other gets a real live pony. 

Well, I followed the link to Ally Bank and what a great experience.  Within minutes I set up a new account with the help real time, live chat with an Ally rep. 

Why, would I open a new account so quickly with something a new as Ally?  Four reasons.  Firstly, their published GIC rates are by far the best I've seen and I have access to quotes from over 30 institutions through my discount brokerage account.  Secondly, they pay the same rate when you elect to take the interest monthly.  This is unheard of.  Generally, there is a reduction of anywhere from 10 to 50 basis points when choosing monthly payment of interest.  Thirdly, they make it possible to link your accounts with other institutions with your Ally account.  This is something that I've said forever should be possible, given the facilities of the Interac network which we all use with our debit cards.  One click to transfer funds both to and from.  Finally, it's fully insured with CDIC.  By the way, Ally is the old GMAC which has turned itself into a bank.

Since I posted the above on May 31, 2010, Rob Carrick of the Globe & Mail wrote an article on August 29, 2011 entitled 20 things I don't understand about personal finance.  Item number 8 of Rob's article reads "Why more people don’t check out Ally, the online bank that has been paying 2 percent interest steadily since September, 2009, and is a member of Canada Deposit Insurance Corp. Almost everyone else is paying much less."

I know, I know, nobody's jumpin' up & down about 2% interest on deposits.  I just keep reminding myself that it's twice as much as 1, which is what others are offering and a whole 13 points better than the minus 11% that the TSX turned in for 2011.

Hand Held Bloggin'...edition two

The first time I tried this I was sitting in restaurant in The Peg with my Blackberry.  It wasn't easy.  The small screen and smaller keyboard on the Blackberry aren't the greatest tools for writing.  Today I'm on the BlayBook.  So far, a much nicer experience.

The other day I was in another restaurant in The Peg and an email arrived on my Blackberry.  I opened the PlayBook and what do you know, the same email showed up there.  I figured I'd test drive the PlayBook for the reply.  Well, things were going okay when I brushed something on the touch screen and my email reply was suddenly saved as a "Draft".  Try as I might, I couldn't figure out how to open the draft to continue editing.  Lunch arrived so I shut it down.

Fast forward a few hours and I'm sitting in my car back in Carman, the Blackberry notifies me of in coming.  I check email on the Blackberry and, what do you know, the draft email that I started on the PlayBook is right there on the Blackberry.  I was able to open it, edit it and send...from the Blackberry.  Too cool!

I realize Apple is way ahead with seamless integration between iPods, iPhones and iPads but I still think the RIM stuff works pretty damn good.  That being said, it doesn't change the fact that I'm darn glad I got out out my RIM shares when I did.

Have a great week and happy investing!

2011...The Year That Wasn't

Pretty boring stats for 2011. On the first trading day of January my stuff ticked up from the close of 2010 and never dipped back to the 2010 level. Never went up much, but never went down either.

My low for the year was + .2% over the end of 2010. This was on January 10. My stuff hit a 2011 high on December 5, up 7.18% for the year. The year closed down a tick at + 6.80%. All in all, the narrowest range since I started tracking the daily portfolio value five years ago in January, 2007.

At the end of day, I'm thinking that I likely fared better than many with a 6.80% gain for the year. My old all Canadian, all the time would have a taken a real $#!^ kicking with the TSX off 11.07% for the year! Those with some US blue chip would have done better as the DOW gained 6.41% for 2011. The broader US market didn't do nearly as well with the S & P up just 1.06%.

They, whoever they are, say that so goes January, so goes the markets.  Apparently in the past century or so, if the markets go up in January they close up for the year.  So far, so good.  Six trading days into the new year and North American markets are all up.  Looks like today might be the first downer or the year as they're all off a bit in the first hour.  Just have to wait and see.

Well, off to The 'Peg today despite what's looking like the first winter storm of the year. Worst case scenario...get storm stayed at the Brunkild Bar & Grill. Don't even ask. Not even sure if even Google Maps can find Brunkild.

As always, Good Luck and Happy Investing!

Happy New Year!

2012 began on a happy note with the TSX up 253 points while the DOW gained 179.  My stuff hit an all time high on December 5. By year end it was off a tick that was so small you can't spot it on the graph. The bump up yesterday pushed my stuff to a new higher high. Could this be a sign of what 2012 has in store for us?

Looking back, TPCI did join the passive ranks in 2011. The move of the biggest chunk of my stuff to the Canadian Bond Fund had me on the sidelines watching the markets.

I pretty much left my trading account alone and made only three trades in 2011. Swapped out Crescent Point (CPG) for Suncor (SU) in January and bought Cisco (CSCO:NQ) in February. With Cisco being my only non-Canadian holding in this account I was happy to eke out a 2% gain for the year given the 11.07% drop in the TSX.

Looking ahead, I'm standing pat for now.  I'm not going to be tricked by yesterday's great start for the year.

Under the heading "Things I'm Glad I Did" my decision to get out of Research In Motion (RIM) in October of 2010 is looking like one of the best.  I sold RIM at $50.02...yesterday $15.71. On the other side of the coin, now that they've cut the price to $199.00 I did order a PlayBook over the holidays.  Not sure why, it may end up as a $199.00 toy.  If so, I'm hoping for a $199.00 worth of fun.  If RIM ever comes out with the promised software update to add email to the PlayBook there'll be no more packing the laptop on vacation.