Time is the most precious asset, one that cannot be bought, stored, or recovered once spent. Using it wisely can bring monetary gains in the world of investing. Yet many Canadians are wasting this precious resource, timing the market rather than spending time in the market. What’s gone is gone; you can’t bring back those returns. However, you can make up for lost opportunities with an aggressive savings strategy that focuses on investing significant amounts in value stocks.
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Aggressive savings strategy to make up for lost time
Market downturns give investors an opportunity to make up for lost time. By deploying an aggressive savings approach – investing both current and past years’ savings – you can catch up on returns to some extent. However, returns won’t be the same if the effect of compounding is missing.
Putting your savings into growth stocks through a TFSA
The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is the ideal instrument for an aggressive savings strategy, as it can help you grow your money tax-free. The TFSA contribution limit for 2026 is $7,000. Canadians above 35 who have never invested in a TFSA can contribute up to $109,000. Confirm your TFSA contribution room via My CRA Account to avoid penalties for over‑contribution.
This is a good time to invest in Constellation Software (TSX:CSU) and Descartes Systems (TSX:DSG) as the two stocks trade below their multi-year lows.
Descartes Systems
Descartes stock has slipped to its October 2023 low of $98, as the US tariff war significantly affected trade volumes. The escalating geopolitical tensions and the Iran war are making oil trade shipments even more risky. All this affected trade volumes and slowed the revenue growth for Descartes’s logistics supply solutions. However, its supply chain management solutions picked up as global supply chains shifted.
Its 2025 revenue surged 12% thanks to revenue accretion from acquisitions and strong demand for its global trade intelligence, routing, and transportation management solutions. The strong dip in stock price has made the stock’s valuation attractive at 8.7 times its price-to-sales ratio. With attractive valuations, aggressive savings invested here could yield strong returns when trade volumes recover.
Constellation Software
This tech stock has dipped to its April 2023 low of $2,400 amid fear of artificial intelligence (AI) disruption. Constellation has been acquiring licensing software companies that earn a majority of their cash flow from Maintenance. AI is automating most of the work that software does and also reducing the cost. Investors fear that AI will reduce the value of Constellation’s portfolio of software companies spanning various verticals, geographies, and technologies.
However, Constellation has not impaired its intangible assets, and continues to acquire more firms at a heavy discount and squeeze out maintenance fees. It grew its revenue and free cash flow by a mid-teens percentage in 2025.
AI is disruptive, but Constellation operates as a private equity firm that acquires mature companies with recurring cash flow. So far, AI companies are reporting losses and have yet to justify the immense cost of energy they consume. Unless the return on investment is lucrative, AI may not pose a threat to Constellation. In fact, it can buy more software companies at a heavy discount and squeeze out as many maintenance fees as possible.
For investors using an aggressive savings strategy, this dip offers a chance to buy quality assets at discounted valuations.
Diversifying aggressive savings into gold
The above two stocks can help you make up for the last two years if the economy and global trade recover. However, the current war situation and global energy crisis could lead to a re-run of the 1980s energy crisis. At such times, gold becomes a valuable commodity as central banks worldwide accumulate gold reserves to open new trade channels and new mediums of exchange.
Lundin Gold (TSX:LUG) is a good investment as it has one of the lowest costs. The stock price has already tripled over the last 12 months, from $40 to $130. The March dip of 26% has opened an entry point to buy at $100 a share. Allocating part of your aggressive savings into gold can hedge against geopolitical risks and energy crises.
