Check your inbox: Investing newsletters can cost you more than a sub fee + MORE Sep 26th

Like most retired or semi-retired investors—even those with traditional 60/40 balanced portfolios—I found 2022 a challenging year. While our family’s investment portfolio is super diversified by asset class and geography, we had our share of losers, most of them SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies) or recent electric vehicle IPOs (initial public offerings)—like Lordstown Motors, Lucid and Rivian—plus crypto play Coinbase. I blush even to admit this.

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Be careful what you read and what investing newsletters you sign up for

When I asked myself where these investment “ideas” came from, I realized most sparked from investment newsletters I subscribed to, published by various American stock pundits, self-proclaimed or otherwise. I’d love to identify the culprits publicly but have been persuaded otherwise.

The worst of these stock picks is supposed EV play Lordstown (RIDE), down in my account an astounding 100%, following its recent bankruptcy…

If you have the money saved for the first-and-last-month deposit, you can use that towards rent. But if you don’t, and need to move quickly, what can you do? There are the traditional methods of borrowing from friends, family or various financial products like credit cards or a line of credit. But a new trend has emerged—getting a loan from a bank or financial institution. 

Why the need for borrowing money for rent? The average rent in Canada has increased again, according to the Rentals.ca September report. This time, the average monthly rent across the country is $2,117, with an 9.6% annual increase and a 1.8% increase over July. (How much can a landlord legally raise rent?)

With the housing and rental crises showing no signs of abating, finding a place to live can be challenging. And, the first and last month’s rent can be anywhere from $5,184 for a one-bedroom to $6,740 for a two-bedroom in Toronto. 

Get personalized quotes from Canada’s top home insurance providers…