Surplus Stack Society Paper

More than enough for the life you love

Let’s be honest, a lot of y’all are holding way too many ETFs and still not getting the returns you should. And it’s not your fault. You’ve been listening to every finance influencer on your timeline, collecting tickers like they’re Pokémon cards, and now your portfolio is out here looking like...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — Jul 11, 2025 build a profitable portfolio etf investing canada etf portfolio styles four-fund portfolio investing for beginners one-fund portfolio risk tolerance investing three-fund investing two-fund strategy

Common ETF mistakes that are hurting your returns

Before I get into it, do I have permission to drag you? Lovingly, of course. If you’ve been learning about investing, by now you probably know that ETFs are the way to go. But after reviewing hundreds of portfolios, I’ve seen a lot of investors, even the so-called seasoned ones, make the same...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — Jul 03, 2025 beginner investing etf mistakes etf portfolio etf strategy how to invest investing tips investment returns portfolio audit smart investing surplus stack society

Turn your first $1,000 to $1.6M

Here’s what $1,000/month invested in the stock market looks like for an aggressive portfolio of 80% equity and 20% fixed income: In one year, you will have $12,000 (That’s 6 months living in Thailand.) In two years, $25,440 (That’s a car purchase.) In five years, $76,234 (That’s a down paym...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — Jun 19, 2025

Why willpower isn’t the key to managing your money

Let’s have an honest moment. If you’ve ever said, “I just need to be more disciplined with my money,” I want you to pause. It’s not that you lack discipline. It’s that you’re relying on willpower to do the job of a system, and willpower is a resource that runs out. You might have days when you'...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — Jun 12, 2025 budgeting tips build a budget financial discipline financial habits impulse spending money management money system sustainable budgeting willpower vs systems

Why your risk tolerance isn’t as low as you think

A lot of newbie investors tell me, “I just have a low risk tolerance.” But here’s what I’ve learned: most of the time, that’s not actually true. What’s happening is that you’re trying to make long-term investment decisions without short-term clarity, which makes everything feel risky. Here's wh...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — Jun 05, 2025 beginner investing budgeting and investing building wealth emergency fund strategy financial clarity investing confidence investment fears money mindset risk tolerance surplus stack society

The $50 rule that helped me stop overspending

There’s one simple rule that helped me stop spending money on things I didn’t actually care about: If it costs more than $50, I have to use it more than once. That’s it. Because a lot of times, we’re not overspending on essentials — we’re overspending on convenience, quick highs, and one-time...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — May 29, 2025 $50 rule budget tips budgeting rules financial surplus intentional spending mindful spending money mindset overspending habits spending triggers surplus stack society

How to stop letting fear make financial decisions for you

Every time I feel fear trying to hold me back from something I know I want, whether it’s a new opportunity, a big leap, an investment, or a next-level decision, there’s one question I always come back to: Then what? It’s simple, but also powerful. I imagine the worst-case scenario that could ha...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — May 22, 2025 decision making fear of failure financial courage financial mindset limiting beliefs mindset shifts money confidence overcoming fear personal growth sprint to surplus

Your feelings aren’t the best investment strategy

I’ve seen this happen so many times. Someone in their 20s or 30s starts investing, but because they’re scared of the stock market, they go straight for the most conservative investments — GICs, money market funds, cash-heavy portfolios — thinking they’re playing it safe. But here’s what I need yo...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — May 15, 2025 financial goals goal-based investing how to start investing investment horizon investment strategy long-term investing portfolio growth risk tolerance smart investing tips surplus stack society

How I got out of overdraft for good

Dearest Reader, There was a time when my account was in overdraft every single month.And the worst part was that I was earning really good money. But it never felt like enough.Every time I got paid, it was gone. I’d log into my account and see red—again. That kind of financial stress takes a toll...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — May 09, 2025 avoid overdraft budgeting by paycheck financial control how to stop overdraft money management tips overdraft help paycheque budgeting stop living paycheck to paycheck surplus budgeting surplus stack society

Don’t let a bad market scare you out of building wealth

When the stock market is down, it’s easy to feel like the smart thing to do is sit on the sidelines and wait for things to get better. But let me tell you something that might surprise you:The people who build long-term wealth don’t invest based on feelings. They invest based on consistency. Ther...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — Apr 24, 2025 automatic investing beginner investing tips consistent investing dollar cost averaging grow your money how to build wealth how to invest in a downturn investing during market dips investing for beginners investing without timing the market long-term investing simple investing strategies stock market strategy surplus stack society wealth building tips

Stop paying bank fees: Do this with your extra cash

Let me keep it all the way real with you. One of the biggest scams in the banking system is convincing you to leave thousands of dollars sitting in a chequing account just to avoid a $16.95 fee. But here’s what’s actually happening behind the scenes: When you leave money in your chequing acc...

Apr 17, 2025 avoid hidden fees bank fees chequing account financial literacy high-interest savings how to grow your money money tips no-fee banking passive income canada personal finance canada simplii financial smart banking strategies surplus cash tangerine tfsa

Tariffs, Trade Wars and a Tumbling Economy

Dearest Reader, It seems like every time you blink, President Trump has signed a new executive order and unleashed a new tariff. Can someone please hide all the pens in the white house? You're probably wondering: how does all of this affect me, and why should I care? After all, I'm Canadian. In ...

by Eduek Brooks | Financial Educator — Apr 10, 2025 bonds vs stocks 2025 canadian economy economic downturn 2025 etf investing strategy financial planning in crisis global supply chain impact how tariffs work investing during trade wars money tips for canadians should i sell stocks now stock market crash 2025 surplus stack society tariffs and inflation trade war 2025 trump tariffs