# $1400 in Questrade RRSP. How to make it grow quickly?



## jwsclark19 (Nov 24, 2014)

Hi Everyone,

I have $1400 in a Questrade RRSP that I've allocated as stock market money. I put it in a while ago. It started out at $1100, and I spent some time trading COS, and now I've built it up to $1400. What would you guys do with this money to make it grow quickly? I think right now, I am just going to stick to investing all of it in one company at a time, since it is such a small amount of money. Once I build it up to $5000+, I will start diversifying it a little bit. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Thanks


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## BoringInvestor (Sep 12, 2013)

I don't have have any suggestions per say, but by answering these questions you can help others provide suggestions:

1) Would you be 'ok' if you lost most, or all, of this money? [I know you don't want to lost any; but would you be financially-sound if you lost it?]
2) Do you have a timeline to make it to $5,000? A month? Year? 5 years?


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## jwsclark19 (Nov 24, 2014)

Thanks for your response. I wouldn't be in significant hardship if I lost the $1400. I certainly wouldn't be happy, but I wouldn't be screwed. I don't have a specific timeline to grow the money. I would like to build it to $5k over about 5 years. It's in my RRSP, and is money I have just allocated to the stock market. I don't plan on withdrawing it until I retire (about another 35 years). I have a work pension that I contribute significantly more to each month which will be my primary income during retirement, and it is invested in less risky investments. Thanks again!


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## Butters (Apr 20, 2012)

You're totally right as $1,400 is barely enough money to buy 2 stocks....


How many hours did you waste day trading COS... is it worth the $300 gain... could you do something more useful with that time


You're with Questrade who has free ETF purchase....
Instead of focusing on growing that money quickly, why don't you look at other area's in your life where you can cut down on costs (food, entertainment) and see if you can work a couple of extra hours
and with that extra cash, keep buying the 2015 model ETF on canadian couch potato

Since you have 35+ years
Buy 30% VCN
and 70% VXC

in 15 years start adding the bonds.... (or don't since you have pension)


That amount of money isn't worth your time... just set it and forget it


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## Fraser19 (Aug 23, 2013)

^
A 350% return isn't likely at this time. Again with QuestTrade I would just get a solid ETF and keep adding to it. This is a great perk as there are no commissions to but ETF.
I would just take VCN and add 200 a month, at this time I feel that's your best way to get too 5,000.00. Then you are already well diversified.


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## jwsclark19 (Nov 24, 2014)

Thanks guys. I'll likely just do that.... I've already created a strict budget for our finances, and we're saving lots of cash/getting our debts paid off quickly. Both my Fiancee and I have good full time jobs now. Definitely helps having dual income. I like the idea of the free ETF trading, so I think it would be a good idea to add a few hundred $ from each pay cheque into my Questrade TFSA. Thanks again!


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## Butters (Apr 20, 2012)

NP.

if you make at least 1 trade (free ETF counts) per quarter, you won't have to pay inactivity fee for being under $5,000.00

So every 3 months, make sure to buy at least 1 ETF

and don't pick more than 2-3 ETF because you still have to pay commission to sell 



This is the site....
http://canadiancouchpotato.com/model-portfolios-2/

This is the direct link to the percentages
http://canadiancouchpotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/CCP-Model-Portfolios-Vanguard.pdf

you can probably skip VAB for now since you have pension, and when you get older you can start adding to it


Seems like you have a great plan started


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

Only My Opinion but - in an RRSP, any capital losses are 'lost' and it sounds like you have a hankering to roll dice buy/sell? You would be better to do that in an unsheltered trading account where capital gains could be offest by capital losses (which seem likely to occur). The RRSP is generally intended for retirement (but could be early retirement, could be dipped into during mat leave, house purchase, etc.), so generally better suited to patient, buy & hold long term growth - the etf's suggested above are good for that. It can still be heavily focussed on equities (esp when you are young).


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