Buying A New Printer – 1

My quest for a new printer began a few months ago. I currently have a Brother HL1240 b/w laser printer, which I bought more than eight years ago. It cost me a fortune, but it has been a solid workhorse.

There was no particular reason to buy a new one; I was contemplating a colour printer. As well, it would be nice to have networking facility so that I could connect a second computer.

After going through the reviews of some computers, I decided to put off buying one for now.

Then, as if it sensed my desire to ditch it, the Brother stopped working.

Now, I have to buy one.

Again, I have spent hours pouring through various online reviews.

My requisites are:

All-in-one (scan, copying, faxing and printing)

Good quality printing

Network facility (Ethernet is sufficient)

Colour not essential.

I finally closed-in on three models:

Brother 9320CW (the most expensive)

HP CM1312NFI

Brother 7840W (the only b/w in the lot and the least expensive)

The reviews are as confusing as it can get. If one review says that the print quality of one is particular model is good, the other would make it doubtful. And for one printer, one reviewer complained bitterly about software issues. But another review claimed that while it had software issues, they can be tackled easily.

Then another review threw in a new aspect: the newness of the models. It seems that except the first one, the rest two are kind of reaching their peak time, but obviously, I would like to buy a new one.

So, I will do some more research, and keep posted.

Three Weeks Before EI Exemption For Self-Employed Expires

There is a little over three more weeks to take advantage of an exemption to the newly introduced Special Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits programs for self-employed people in Canada.

The programme offers certain types of EI benefits – maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care – to self employed people.

It does not include payments that regular employees receive when they are laid off, and that could be one of its weaknesses. To be fair, though, self-employed lack the employer-contribute component of premiums.

The new rule came into effect on Jan 31, 2010, and is part of a government program to extend certain EI benefits to the self employed through the Fairness for the Self‑Employed Act.

One has to wait a minimum of 12 months after starting to pay premiums to be able to receive benefits, but if those joining the programme before April 1, 2010, can receive benefits as early as January 2011.

Anyone who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and is self-employed can join this ‘voluntary’ programme.

Those who are self employed while working part-time can also join the programme.

Formally, to join the programme a self-employed person enters into a contract with the Canada Employment Insurance Commission.

And this can be done online from home or through a Service Canada kiosk.

Some critical information on the new EI Special Benefits for the Self Employed programme:

The Premiums

Calculated at the rate of $1.73/100.00 of earnings, up to a maximum earning of $43,200.00 for 2010. It would mean the maximum amount one could pay as premium per year would be $ 747.36. Because of its own, separate benefits programmes, those in Quebec will pay only $1.36/100.00

This programme does not apply to hairdressers, taxi drivers, and drivers of other passenger-carrying vehicles who are not employees per-se but whose employment is insurable under the EI Regulations.

The Benefits

Maternity: available to birth mothers, and covers a period of up to 15 weeks surrounding a child’s birth.

Parental: available to biological and adoptive parents, and can be taken by either parent or shared between them up to a period of 35 weeks.

Sickness: available if the insured person is unable to work because of illness, injury or even quarantine, up to a maximum of 15 weeks.

Compassionate Care: paid if the insured person has to take off from work to care for a family member who is gravely ill with a ‘significant risk of death’, for a maximum of six weeks.

Termination:

One can terminate the programme within sixty days of signing up, or if no benefits had been received. If benefits had been received, then payment into the system is mandatory during the person’s self-employment career.

More information can be obtained here.

Analysing Canadian Gas Station Cards

The price of gas (petrol) has gone up over the years, but there is nothing we can do about it. If there is at least a small degree of comfort, it is that with strategic use, you could get something back from the gas stations or companies, and this is in the form of the now-favourite points.

The series of essays will consider some of the benefits offered by the gas stations. We will only consider the status in Ontario, and also only the following four majors – Petro-Canada, Shell, Esso and Sunoco.

Obviously, there is one big question: which is the most beneficial card.

In Part 5, we try to get to that, even though it is no easy task.

First, this is NOT a scientific analysis; rather a very basic analysis with some simple and basic presumptions.

The Input Method

I tank about five times a month, each time about 40 litres.

I have also assumed that I pump only regular gas which, again I have assumed, to be a dollar a litre.

Calculation

Let’s say, I have tanked for 2000 dollars and want to know the rough monetary value of having used the various stations.

Petro Points: 10,000 Petro Points. According to their website, 10,000 Petro Points would earn a gas gift certificate to the value of $5.00.

Sunoco: 6000 Sunoco Performance Points. 20,000 Sunoco Points equals $20.00. Based on this, 6000 Points would equal $6.00

Esso: 2000 Esso Extra Points. 1800 Points equals $10.00. Therefore, 2000 Points would equal $11.11

Shell: 80 Air Miles. It is a little bit tough to calculate the value for this, but 175 Air Miles can get a $20.00 fuel certificate. Therefore, 80 Miles would have a value of just over $9.00

So, a rough translation of the value of the various cards would mean the following:

$2000.00 spent=$5.00 @ Petro Points, $ 6.00 @ Sunoco, $11.11 @ Esso and $9.14 @ Shell.

Again, I wish to stress this is a very simple calculation, and one might be able to get more out of the cards by being a strategist – for example, linking HBC to the various cards would bring more points. But that is for another day.

RBC Rewards Visa Gold – A Rewards Card

Royal Bank’s RBC Rewards Visa Gold Card is yet another credit card with fringe benefits.

RBC Rewards Visa Gold Card’s key features:

No annual fee

You get a point for every two dollars spent. This does not apply for cash advances, fees or on returns.

According to the bank, you can shop anywhere, without having to go to the stores in their list.

You can claim/redeem points at participating restaurants.

Protection from fraudulent claims, provided you can prove you took ‘reasonable caution’ in protecting your card.

Points can be redeemed for Esso points (3000 RBC points=5000 Esso points)

You have to have a minimum annual income of $35,000 to apply for this card.

There are 3000 bonus points if you sign up by September 30, 2009, but this is valid only if you do it online or send in the application form you may have received by mail.