Comments on: Book Review: The Lazy Investor

By: D Kent

D Kent — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 22:25:50 +0000

I just finished reading this book and it fills me with hope. At last someone explains investing a a way that is easy to understand and makes me realise that I can do this. Not having to put thousands of dollars out to start gives so many of us the freedom to join in the ownership of businesses and start down the path of being financially free.

Not everybody needs to have $100,000.00 per year to be successful and able to do what they want in their life. How many of you that are dissing his strategy are still going to work, paying someone else to raise your children and not able to choose what you want to do when you want to do it?

By the way Andrew, living in Ottawa “a low cost community north of Toronto”, is more expensive to live in than Toronto. And bringing $40,000.00 a year in after tax income is approximately equal to $80,000.00/year pre-tax. Not a bad income for being able to do what you want when you what to do it.

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:12:36 +0000

$ 40k is not too bad considering I am a full time firefighter in the largest city in Canada and I work a 42 hr week and bring home around $48k per year! sounds like there is a lot of people who are angry that they don’t have DF’s life!? he is ‘retired’ no? and besides, most of the stocks he speaks of are stocks that have been researched by people who invest for a living and these stocks would typically be in most Canadians portfolio’s anyway. So why not get these stocks for ‘free’ instead of paying some other person to get them for you? seems pretty lazy to me? (no pun intended).

By: PR

PR — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:42:31 +0000

I heard DF speak in Ottawa recently (“bigging” up his book) and he was wholly unimpressive – to me at least – but it became quickly evident that the level of knowledge among the handful of people in the audience was low. He lives in an Ottawa suburb, pursuing what he described as a typical middle-class lifestyle. But I, too, question, the quality of life for 6 people on annual income of $40K. Needless to say, I didn’t buy the book.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:02:03 +0000

If you read the details of DF’s profile, he and his family live in a low cost community north of Toronto, keep their income low to qualify for various government income subsidies, etc.

So I would have to quick my current job, give up all my benefits, take a low paying job (that I would hate) in order to quality for most of the government programs that would fall short of the benefits from my current job.

By: bob

bob — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:46:20 +0000

he has now come with another book …
“Money for nothing”…a crap again..
i lost all interest in his books now…

By: Lior

Lior — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:48:45 +0000

I remember the Toronto Star did an article about him a few months ago. In the article it is revealed that his annual income from all the dividends is about $40,000. I’ve never bought any of his books but $40,000 is not that much at all these days. Even with a fully paid house it will be tight.

By: Dividend Growth Investor

Dividend Growth Investor — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:12:07 +0000

Here’s what I think about ETF ownership ( sorry for the external link and shameless self promotion)

http://www.dividendgrowthinvestor.com/2008/01/are-dividend-etfs-for-you.html

By: Phil G

Phil G — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:41:00 +0000

All,

Assuming I want to pursue building a dividend paying portfolio. Why wouldn’t I just do what I do for growth/capital gains? Buy a Bond index fund or ETF, REIT ETF, Canadian Dividend ETF, US Dividend ETF and an Income Trust ETF?

By: Phil S

Phil S — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:16:35 +0000

Temple. I have a number of hobbies, any one of which I would love to turn into a career. But as far as what I am taking classes and learning right now is in the entertainment (music) industry. It is the most competitive industry on the planet with countless thousands of talented starving artists trying to make it “big”. My goal is a lot less aggressive and I’m hoping to find myself a little niche that won’t be the big time, but hopefully it can pay the bills… Hey, if you have the finances to back you up to help you pursue a dream – we only live once and we may as well go for it…

By: Jon202

Jon202 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:26:27 +0000

DF, as he’s known on dripinvesting.org, is often called the “Drip Fairy” as he has encouraged hundreds if not thousands to look into DRIP investing.

I look at this way, sure, when scratching below the surface his story is one of chance and some good moves, but his methods are those that not many should follow. BUT, his message of simplicity has inspired others to look into direct share ownership, and DRIPs+SPPs as a way of saving for the future. He later talks about financial literacy, and how Canada is a lemmings store for mutual funds. I think some of his basic premises are valid, and the fact that many more Canadians are interested in self-control of investing is commendable.

As I wrote a year ago for CC, DRIPs aren’t for everyone, but anyone can DRIP. With a little work, initiative and education, the average Canadian can invest as little as $50-$100 monthly or quarterly in Canadian companies such as Scotiabank, Telus, BMO, TransCanada Corp and others for only the cost of a stamp.