As I mentioned recently, I bought a flat screen tv. I also picked up a articulating wall mount, which allows the tv to be moved around. I needed it because I wanted to put the tv in a corner. It ended up being a minor construction project since the plate which you attach to the wall was too short to cross two studs. I built a frame which you can see in the picture. It was a bit of work, but after it was done – attaching the tv mount and tv was a piece of cake. Of course I had to do one extra Home Depot run to buy attaching bolts. The ones that came with the mount were for a concrete wall. Who has concrete walls?
On with the links
- Larry MacDonald wrote an excellent article on RESPs for Canadian Business called “Ins and outs of RESPs”. He includes quotes from quite a few bloggers, including myself.
- Do Not Wait came up with a list of money books which would make good Christmas gifts. Guess which RESP book made the list?
- One of my favourite writers – James Daw of the Toronto Star retired – here are his final words of advice.
- This lady hasn’t paid her mortgage in 25 years and has successfully fought off foreclosure. This is crazy – it’s like a renter who doesn’t pay the rent for 25 years because the landlord won’t replace a lightbulb.
- Investor Junkie wrote a great post called You’re still an idiot even after college. You can get a degree and still be stupid.
- John Heinzl analyses the new BMO market-linked GIC that has only one winner – BMO.
- Angela Self came up with some scenarios where you shouldn’t save for retirement.
- The Star reports that CSI (Canadian Securities Institute) won’t help subsidize high school kids who want to take the CSC. While I don’t think it should be up to a private company to subsidize public education, is it not possible for a school board to work out a deal for a group discount? Or better yet – develop your own curriculum – they can hire me to help with this endeavor.
- Canadian Capitalist lists some 2010 Christmas gift ideas for finance enthusiasts
- Jim Yih takes a look at the Canada Pension Plan debate. I agree with Jim, the CPP is in good shape. Leave it alone.
- Ever wanted to write a novel? Run a marathon? Build a house? John Scalzi says to get going on it or don’t bother.
- Interesting look at Niagra Falls, the bad. A tale of two cities.
- Larry Swedroe says that active managers are lagging their benchmarks. What else is new?
- Malcom Gladwell said that successful hockey players have their birthdays early in the year. Frances Woolley proves that birthdate doesn’t matter.
- Have you heard of the Twinkie diet? Apparently it works.
- I used to have fancy sports car with a really loud stereo, that I kept clean as a whistle. But as Peter Cheney writes – you can have a nice car or kids – but not both.
- Back in the good old days, people used to write letters in two directions to save paper. Check out the neat picture.
- The Oblivious Investor says that Ally Bank had a hissy fit over one of his posts.
- Canadian Personal Finance Blog says that splurging to reward yourself is dumb.
- Preet says that we are emerging from a Mancession.
- Michael James says we should be giving used toys. I agree, but the logistics make it too hard.
- Larry MacDonald came up with four alternatives to RESPs. Some interesting ideas.
- Million Dollar Journey is 4 years old and hosting a great contest.
A few American links
- It’s Not Too Late to Claim Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credits – Some home improvements can net you a tax break but you have to hurry in order to save on your 2010 taxes.
- How to Get Costco Membership at a Discount – Should you become a Costco member? If yes, here are ways to get membership at a discounted price if you wish to join the club.
- Annuity Payouts: Why are they higher than bond rates?
- Don’t Storm The Fortress to Get A Job With post-recession unemployment figures the worst since World War 2, some job hunters are tempted to become more brazen in their attempts to find full time employment, but storming a fortress isn’t the best way to impress most employers.
- To Pay Off Debt or Save? That is the Question Frugal Dad attempts to resolve the age-old argument between savers and debt slayers.
- Comparing Index Funds and Mutual Funds. Do you know the difference between index funds and mutual funds?
- Increase Social Security Benefits. There are a few ways to easily increase your Social Security Benefits.
- 3 Weekend Jobs that Pay $50 an Hour or More
- How to Review and Improve Your Auto Insurance Policy – The step-by-step guide to a more affordable auto insurance policy.
- What is an HSA health plan? – A look at the popular health savings account (HSA) that offers a nice tax benefit.
- Five Year-End Financial Moves to Make Today – Why wait for the new year to get started on your financial resolutions? Make a few key moves today and save big next year.
5 replies on “LinkStuff – TV Mount Edition”
That’s quite a solid-looking frame you built. Thanks for the mention.
Thanks for the mention! Have a warmer weekend than we will have here in Ottawa
“Who has concrete walls?”
Think highrise condo. There are more than a few being built these days… If you’re attaching this to drywall with studs you’re probably using toggle bolts with their own hardware included.
Mike
Great roundup with lots to dip into. And thanks for links. I just finished a few hours on a construction project of my own this week — assembling a ping pong table. It didn’t go according to plan, either. Too much trouble to return, though.
http://blog.canadianbusiness.com/assembly-required-a-consumers-rant/
Your construction project looks real nice. We’ve mounted the TV in the corner as well. I simply bought a mount that has more degrees of movement on Kijiji.