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Oliver Buchannon
Eric T

DIY investors building wealth to live life to the fullest!

🎯 Inner Circle

Portfolio Update - February 2026
LockSimple

Mar 16, 2026

•

5 min read

Portfolio Update - February 2026

The updates are live. February was about setting up the foundation.

Eric T
Eric T
How the Stock Market Works: A Simple Guide for New Investors

Mar 14, 2026

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9 min read

How the Stock Market Works: A Simple Guide for New Investors

The stock market can seem confusing at first. Prices move constantly, financial news is full of jargon, and many people assume investing is complicated. In reality, the stock market is simply a marketplace where investors buy ownership in businesses. Once you understand that idea, the entire system becomes much easier to grasp.

Eric T
Eric T

📓 Investor's Log

The Myth of Forever Dividend Stocks

Mar 11, 2026

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14 min read

The Myth of Forever Dividend Stocks

Can you really hold dividend stocks forever? Learn why “forever dividend stocks” are often an illusion and how slower growth can quietly reduce long-term returns.

Eric T
Eric T

📓 Investor's Log

A Plumber, a $3M Portfolio, and What We Can Learn

Mar 2, 2026

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10 min read

A Plumber, a $3M Portfolio, and What We Can Learn

A real-life $3M retirement portfolio story and the lessons behind it—saving discipline, dividend investing, tax efficiency, and why having a clear retirement number changes everything.

Eric T
Eric T
The Layer Cake Portfolio Strategy

Feb 23, 2026

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12 min read

The Layer Cake Portfolio Strategy

Learn how the Layer Cake Portfolio Strategy structures your investments by role, not ratio — and how to adjust your portfolio through every life stage.

Eric T
Eric T

🎯 Inner Circle

Portfolio Update - January 2026
LockSimple

Feb 19, 2026

•

4 min read

Portfolio Update - January 2026

The updates are live. January is about the Corp Account.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

Your Retirement Number Isn’t an Exit — It’s a Signal to Switch Gears

Feb 9, 2026

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11 min read

Your Retirement Number Isn’t an Exit — It’s a Signal to Switch Gears

Your retirement number isn’t about quitting work. It’s the signal to shift from accumulation to strategy and start planning a resilient, flexible retirement.

Eric T
Eric T

📓 Investor's Log

+1

TBNK vs Canadian Bank Stocks: A Simpler Way to Own the Big Six Banks

Feb 2, 2026

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8 min read

TBNK vs Canadian Bank Stocks: A Simpler Way to Own the Big Six Banks

Managing Canadian bank stocks is harder than it looks. Learn how TBNK simplifies Big Six bank exposure with a rules-based, low-maintenance ETF approach.

Eric T
Eric T

📓 Investor's Log

Thoughts on 2025 Popular Canadian Stocks

Jan 26, 2026

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8 min read

Thoughts on 2025 Popular Canadian Stocks

Investing is more about emotional comfort than risk or safety. Risk and safety are words used to actually capture your emotion comfort.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

The Biggest Investing Mistakes That Quietly Kill Long-Term Wealth

Jan 22, 2026

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16 min read

The Biggest Investing Mistakes That Quietly Kill Long-Term Wealth

The biggest investing mistakes aren’t obvious — they’re behavioural. This guide breaks down the quiet decisions that slow compounding, explains why most investors underperform despite good intentions, and shows how a simple, structured plan can outperform constant activity over time.

Eric T
Eric T

💼 Portfolio Management

+1

Life Annuities in Canada: When Guaranteed Income Matters Most

Jan 8, 2026

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10 min read

Life Annuities in Canada: When Guaranteed Income Matters Most

Life annuities aren’t investments — they’re insurance against outliving your money. Learn when guaranteed income matters most in a Canadian retirement plan.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

Where to Park Cash in Canada: Safe Interest-Only ETFs (Quick Guide)

Jan 7, 2026

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6 min read

Where to Park Cash in Canada: Safe Interest-Only ETFs (Quick Guide)

Holding cash and not sure what to do with it? This quick guide explains safe cash ETFs in Canada, how they work, and when they actually make sense.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

The Chowder Rule Explained: Balancing Dividend Yield, Growth, and Total Return

Jan 4, 2026

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8 min read

The Chowder Rule Explained: Balancing Dividend Yield, Growth, and Total Return

Learn how the Chowder Rule balances dividend yield and growth to support long-term total return—and how to use it wisely as a dividend investor.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

Wealth Portfolio vs Income Portfolio: Why Your Investing Strategy Must Change Over Time

Dec 17, 2025

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8 min read

Wealth Portfolio vs Income Portfolio: Why Your Investing Strategy Must Change Over Time

Your portfolio must match your purpose. Early on, you need a wealth-building portfolio for growth; later, you need an income portfolio for reliable cash flow. Mixing the two too early is one of the most common and costly investing mistakes.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

How Long Does It Take to Double Your Money?

Dec 9, 2025

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9 min read

How Long Does It Take to Double Your Money?

Doubling your money isn’t luck — it’s predictable. Most people have no idea how long it will actually take them, but you can calculate your exact 2X timeline in minutes.

Eric T
Eric T

🌱 Apprentice Academy

+1

The Truth Banks Won’t Tell You: Mutual Funds Are Costing You a Fortune

Nov 29, 2025

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6 min read

The Truth Banks Won’t Tell You: Mutual Funds Are Costing You a Fortune

Mutual funds are still the #1 product pushed by Canadian banks. Not because they’re good for you, but because they’re extremely profitable for them. With management fees often 20x higher than ETFs, most mutual funds fail to outperform the market and quietly drain your long-term wealth through avoidable fees.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+2

CDRs Explained: A Simpler Way for Canadians to Invest in U.S. Companies

Nov 23, 2025

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8 min read

CDRs Explained: A Simpler Way for Canadians to Invest in U.S. Companies

Invest in U.S. companies without U.S. dollars. This guide explains CDRs, pros and cons, and when they make sense for Canadian investors. Includes a full list of available Canadian CDRs.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

The Most Common Investing Strategies Explained

Nov 22, 2025

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9 min read

The Most Common Investing Strategies Explained

There are countless ways to invest your money, but most investors end up choosing one or two core strategies that match their goals, personality, and comfort with volatility. Below is a complete overview of the most common investing strategies with examples and a clear explanation of why investors use each one.

Eric T
Eric T

🌱 Apprentice Academy

+1

Your First $100K: Why It’s the Toughest and Exactly How to Get There

Nov 16, 2025

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6 min read

Your First $100K: Why It’s the Toughest and Exactly How to Get There

Ready to hit your first $100K? Follow a proven plan to save, invest, and grow wealth with confidence—no shortcuts, just smart strategy.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

Diversification — The Other Half of a Balanced Portfolio

Nov 13, 2025

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8 min read

Diversification — The Other Half of a Balanced Portfolio

Diversification spreads your investment risk across companies, sectors, and countries. Learn how it complements asset allocation to create a portfolio that’s both resilient and efficient.

Eric T
Eric T

🌱 Apprentice Academy

+1

Asset Allocation — The Foundation of Every Portfolio

Nov 10, 2025

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7 min read

Asset Allocation — The Foundation of Every Portfolio

Learn how to set your asset allocation (the mix), understand the major asset classes, why fixed income isn’t always “guaranteed,” and how quarterly rebalancing buys low and sells high without timing the market.

Eric T
Eric T

🪴 Achiever Academy

+1

Your Rate of Return — The Most Important Number in Your Investing Journey

Oct 30, 2025

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9 min read

Your Rate of Return — The Most Important Number in Your Investing Journey

Learn why your rate of return is the key number that defines your financial trajectory. Discover how to measure it, track it, and avoid misleading metrics.

Eric T
Eric T

🌱 Apprentice Academy

+1

Investment Planning — Reach Your Goals Faster

Oct 26, 2025

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12 min read

Investment Planning — Reach Your Goals Faster

Reach your goals faster with a step-by-step investment plan that connects your income, timeline, and investor profile. Learn how to automate, measure, and stay the course — one milestone at a time.

Eric T
Eric T

🌱 Apprentice Academy

+1

Get Started With Index Investing

Oct 24, 2025

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9 min read

Get Started With Index Investing

A beginner-friendly guide to building wealth the simple, proven way. Learn how to invest in ETFs that track the market, automate your contributions, and grow your wealth without the stress of stock picking.

Eric T
Eric T

🌱 Apprentice Academy

+1

The Investor’s Guide to Understanding Risk

Oct 15, 2025

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16 min read

The Investor’s Guide to Understanding Risk

Do you really know what your investor profile says about you? Take a quick look inside the world of risk, the Big Mac Index, and what they reveal about your path to financial freedom.

Eric T
Eric T
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a smart investing journey

Smart investing strategies to build wealth, reach your financial goals, and create the freedom to live life on your terms.

Disclaimer

A smart investing journey is not a licensed financial advisor, planner, or securities dealer. The content on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and reflects our personal opinions. It should not be interpreted as financial, legal, or investment advice, and it may not be suitable for your specific situation. Always do your own research and consider speaking with a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Some articles may contain external links for convenience and learning. A smart investing journey is not responsible for the content, accuracy, or policies of these external sites.

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