Helping Canadians with Personal Finance Since 2006 Learn how to save money, build an investment portfolio, and become financially independent - from a middle-class Canadian who has actually done it! Get Started Index Investing Dividend Investing Banking Robo Advisor Retirement Portfolio Smith Manoeuvre Tax Minimization Reviews Credit Cards All Categories As Featured On Toronto Star Forbes CBC The Globe and Mail Global The Financial Post Most Recent Articles all Articles Best 2025 Broker Promo...| Million Dollar Journey
Imagine racing across campus to make it to your early morning lecture when, suddenly, your coffee spills all over the front of your hoodie—the cleanest one you could find. You've got a lab report due, papers to write, midterms coming up fast, and you’re exhausted. Between paying rent, tuition, and buying next semester’s textbooks, your wallet has never been stretched so thin. You need a bank account that is flexible and accessible, but who has the time to research bank accounts? And w...| Million Dollar Journey
What is RBC Direct Investing? The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) was one of the first banks in the country to pioneer DIY investing for the everyday investor. With RBC Direct Investing, you can trade Canadian and US stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds. You can fund and manage your registered investment accounts (TFSA, RRSP, RRIF, RESP and more) and access a variety of investing tools to help you make informed decisions. If you already have an account with RBC, then opening an RBC Direct Investin...| Million Dollar Journey
We've been writing about low-cost ETFs in Canadian index portfolios since 2008. Below is our 2025 update. ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, first entered the Canadian market over a decade ago. From day one, they impressed us as an excellent tool to help you build a low-cost, diversified portfolio. As time has passed, ETF providers have created tools that make index investing easier than ever. All-in-one ETFs, or “portfolio ETFs” mean that you’ll never have to worry about rebalancing you...| Million Dollar Journey
Options are one of the best ways to capitalize on market trends and enhance profitability - if you get your prediction right. While buying options has a limited downside on a per contract basis, it is also one of the “best” ways to lose your money in the market - or as WSJ put it “More Men are Addicted to the Crack Cocaine of the Stock Market”. Options trading is not for the faint of heart, and shouldn’t be used by novice traders. Honestly, the average Canadian investor has no need ...| Million Dollar Journey
What is TD Direct Investing Brokerage? The TD Directing Investing online brokerage is a solid option, even though it doesn’t quite make it to the top of my list of Canada’s best online discount brokerages. As Canada’s second biggest bank (and one of our largest companies, period) it’s probably not a surprise that the TD trading platform has evolved over the years and consistently gotten better. The problem (and it’s a problem not unique to TD Direct Investing, as the other Big Bank ...| Million Dollar Journey
Once the new disruptive force on the online discount brokerage scene, Robinhood’s “gamification” of commission-free stock trading changed the way millions of young people thought about the stock market. Robinhood’s commission-free trades, as well as their sleek and easy-to-use interface, appealed to first-time investors. However, the company has been vilified since it went public, perhaps most notably the star-laden film “Dumb Money” in 2023. Unfortunately for Robinhood investor...| Million Dollar Journey
The best stock trading apps in Canada have really improved since I started Million Dollar Journey seventeen years ago. New fintech companies have really pushed the old school banks to lower their fees, improve their usability, get more efficient at bringing on new customers, and just creating a better mobile stock investing experience. While I’m still a big advocate of using a desktop for DIY investing, (hence my focus on that platform for my best online brokers in Canada comparison) I have...| Million Dollar Journey
Most Canadians never stop to consider when low risk investments are the most appropriate use of savings versus when higher-risk long-term investments are the better route. The truth is that most Canadians choose their investment by “gut feel.” You likely don’t need me to tell you, that’s not an ideal process. When choosing between higher risk and low risk investments, it’s important to consider your personal goals and risk tolerance. Personally, I think that if you need your money i...| Million Dollar Journey
Is Questrade Safe & Secure? One of the most common questions that I have gotten in the comments below is: Is investing my money through a Questrade online brokerage account safe? Is Questrade as safe as RBC, TD, CIBC, ScotiaBank, and BMO?- MDJ reader The answer: Yes! Questrade is fully regulated by two key financial oversight bodies in Canada: the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). These aren’t just formalities - they’re fu...| Million Dollar Journey
As we look ahead to summer and the second half of 2025, it’s time for an updated look at the Best Online Brokerages in Canada. With RRSP season in the rearview mirror – and what might be shaping up to be another round of “tariff season” drama ahead – now’s the time to lock in the easy DIY investing wins. I’ve been writing about Canadian online brokers for nearly 20 years, and the changes in the space have been massive. Fees have plunged, platforms are smoother than ever, and com...| Million Dollar Journey