Not Just Money

A few years have gone by, but the professional hit experienced by one of our hosts still lingers. Hear about the experience and the aftermath but more importantly, how that has changed their mindset all these years later. Links: Want the fresh take on this story when it happened? Listen in to the original podcast recording on the Mastering Money podcast! Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/s9-e04-surviving-the-shadows-street-crimes-and-robbery/id1476545093?i=1000645449846 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0xzzfb7ZswK71eypk5NZJI Podbean: https://cpafinlit.podbean.com/e/mm-s9-e4/

As the FIFA World Cup heats up, Canadians need to pay attention to more than just cheering on their home teams. With big events such as this, scammers and bad actors will be hiding in every corner – from digital spoofs, counterfeit merch, and just straight up physical robbery. This week on Not Just Money, learn about what to watch out for, whether you’re attending the games, watching from the sidelines, or even if you are avoiding it all together. Protect yourself so that this beautiful game doesn’t turn into a financial nightmare. Links: Find those FIFA beavers! https://oldtowntoronto.ca/beaverquest/

Over the course of human existence, our need to fit in and be accepted became the foundation of our survival. In today’s modern world, we aren’t worried about being exiled from our tribe and flung into the wild to be eaten. Although, some would argue that being an online outcast or social media pariah would be on par. This week on Not Just Money, our hosts explore the current definitions of the performative self and how that translates to our money habits and money identity. Who we are, who we project ourselves to be are deeply entwined with our relationship to money because money is one of the most powerful stages of which identity is performed.

It seems every time we read or watch the news, there is inevitably a story about homeownership. When did Canadians become so house obsessed? Has it always been like this? Our hosts dive into this contentious issue and even dabble into the generational divide – who will win, the boomer or the millennial? And when did renting get such a bad reputation? You have to live somewhere and is owning that much better than renting? Doretta and Li will break down the numbers, and you choose, does home ownership make sense for you or does renting help you build real wealth? How you answer may just determine your future financial wellbeing.

We know that our decisions can be driven by our emotions, good and bad. In today’s episode our hosts are going to look at the triad of emotions that can take us to some really dark corners – embarrassment, guilt and the big kahuna, shame. First, defining these separate but related emotions is critical to understand how they impact us and ultimately how they can derail our financial futures. What we internalize as our truths and as our identities can shape how we manage and view money. Second, Doretta and Li talk about how these emotions get translated in a financial context. How they show up in our financial decisions and what red flags to look out for. Finally, it’s about how we rewire and rewrite the story so we can all retire rich.

Becoming an influencer quickly shot up the list of aspirational careers since the dawn of the social media age but have you ever wondered how they actually make money? Why is it important to know? As consumers, you always want to know how someone is being paid. It can lead to murky conflicts of interests or can cloud their objectivity. Join our hosts in part 2 of uncovering social media. They dived into the dark recesses of the interwebs so you don’t have to, bringing you the real shadowy side of social connection. Can you tell what’s real or fake?

Honest to truth, that title can go in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways but for this week’s episode, we are talking about the truth is social media “advertising.” Why does it feel like your algorithm knows what you’re thinking before you even thought it or said it out loud? And are there rules to what can be promoted via influencers? Are they “friends” or “businesses”? Doretta gets on her soap box and shares how a simple ad on towels propelled her into her famed rabbit holes as she dives in to find out the truth. Are regulations protecting consumers on digital platforms as they do for traditional media? What can we, as consumers, do to better protect ourselves, not only from being duped by bad products but sometimes these decisions carry real life consequences. Make sure to tune into next week’s episode as we continue this terrifying thread. Links: Canadian law: https://competition-bureau.canada.ca/en/deceptive-marketing-practices/types-deceptive-marketing-practices/misleading-representations-and-deceptive-marketing-practices Competition Bureau Canada: https://competition-bureau.canada.ca/en Ad Standards – submit a complaint: https://adstandards.ca/complaints/how-to-submit-a-complaint/ Report Fraud: https://reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca

We often talk a lot about tax leading up to the deadline, but the aftermath is often more important. For those who get a refund and/or can access the various benefits, that extra injection of cash can go a long way in keeping up with expenses or stashing away for a rainy day. What happens when you owe? Not filing or pretending that it didn’t happen won’t make it go away. In fact, as friendly as the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can be, they always come around and ask, “where my money?” They might not break kneecaps, but they will come collect sooner or later and the later part comes with hefty fines. This week our hosts cover what to do when you owe and what to do when you get a refund (besides having a celebratory beverage)! Find out how most Canadians will be spending their tax refunds. The answer might surprise you. Links: Paying the CRA: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/payments/payments-cra/payment-arrangements.html CRA numbers (who you gonna call?): https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/when-you-money-collections-cra/contact-canada-revenue-agency-about-your-debt.html

When we talk about taxes in Canada, it is often about how high they are and how can we minimize the taxes we pay as individuals or corporations but what about the other side? Where does this money go? Who controls it? In today’s episode, our hosts talk about what a progressive tax system means, breaks down where YOUR money/taxes go, and how you can have a say of how it gets spent. As we near April 30th – make sure to file your taxes (seriously)! And this year, take these 30 minutes to learn about the Canadian tax system and how it supports our happiness, civil society, and wealth equalization. Links: Why you pay taxes: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/educational-programs/purpose-taxes.html Canada Spends: https://canadaspends.com/en/tax-visualizer?province=ON&income=100000&year=2025

What does it mean when rich countries start sliding down the World Happiness Index? This year, Canada drops to 23rd from 18th place. Before that, they comfortably sat at #5.  What happened? Did we collectively get crankier? Have things changed so drastically? Where would you sit on the ladder of happy? Join our co-hosts as they dive into both the complexities and the simplicity of what happiness is, and most importantly, what’s money got to do with it? Links: The World Happiness Report https://www.worldhappiness.report/ Canadian happiness stats https://data.worldhappiness.report/country/CAN

Doretta and Li go through the mail bag in this episode. From listeners who called them out on some of their stories/comments to those who provided their own helpful savings hacks. Join our hosts as they read the mail and share their answers in real time. Sometimes the questions and their answers surprised even themselves! And don't miss the riveting finale of the push-pop saga.

Almost 60% of Canadians have or will be renewing their mortgages in short order. This week’s episode dives into Li’s own mortgage renewal drama. Mortgages are complicated and go beyond what your rate is. There is often a lot more to consider before getting into one and renewing one. Hear about the horror stories of sharing names and birthdays with other people and their assets to getting approved for too much home. Warning: Mortgages are not a joke and is generally considered to be the biggest debt you will take on in your lifetime. Make sure to get professional advice from an accredited mortgage broker or mortgage specialist. We are off next week – for those of you who celebrate Easter, have a great holiday! See you in two weeks.

Being a victim of a scam is awful enough. Being a victim of a romance scam is infinitely worse. March is Fraud Awareness Month! Join us this week as we peer behind the curtain to shine a light on who these scammers are versus who they profess to be. We hope these stories and warnings serve as an early detection sign for you or someone you know that may have been targeted. These scams are sophisticated and rehearsed, and they might be hiding behind a screen near you. Don’t be left penniless and betrayed, be skeptical and a little paranoid, because some things are definitely too good to be true. Links: Scam Inc. https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/scam-inc National Geographic Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller – Romance Scams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XfCVk2gZCY Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm OR 1-888-495-8501 National Cybercrime coordination Centre https://rcmp.ca/en/federal-policing/cybercrime/national-cybercrime-coordination-centre Royal Canadian Mounted Police https://rcmp.ca/en

We all struggle with money so how do we impart the good habits and help our kids steer away from the bad ones? This March break season, take a moment to check in with you child and see how you can incorporate money lessons early on, to help them develop the skills that will make them money-savvy adults. The time to start is now, now, now, now… now. And it is never too late! Whether your child just started school or they have already left it behind, there is a teachable moment applicable to them! Looking for tips to start the conversation on money, go back to episode 7: Starting money conversations with kids

Revenge spending is a term that crops up time and time again in the media - and not as a high-octane movie. What is it? Where did it come from? And what does that behaviour do to our financial wellbeing? Join our hosts this week as we dive into the origins of revenge spending – hint: it didn’t come out of COVID, and what impacts it has on our money mindset. Revenge spending might feel good in the moment, but what are its long-term implications? Can we ever break the habit once we are sucked in?

Ever wonder where people share their money regrets? Doretta does a deep dive on where to look online to learn about the pitfalls you’ll want to avoid yourself. Who has the biggest money regrets? Is it age related or income related? Our hosts look at the studies and the stories of people’s worst money regrets hoping that if you learn it, you won’t have to live it.

Not every coupling has a fairy tale ending. So, how do you make sure you aren’t part of the statistics that end in splitsville or divorce? Join our hosts as they dive into the building blocks of how to make financial conversations sexy to sharing some of their own OMG moments during their relationship journeys. From advice on dating to meeting the one to the red flags that scream, GET OUT, it’s all on the table. What happens on a podcast, stays on the podcast.

On our special Valentine’s Day episode, we delve into the question of whether couples are wealthier than their single counterparts? Is companionship the only upside or are there money benefits when it comes to finding “the one?” And what if you choose to be a lifelong single, what money impacts might plague you and what different decisions do you have to make for your long-term financial wellness. What is the relationship between love and money? Link from the show RBC Cost of Being Single: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/en-ca/my-money-matters/life-events/finances-and-relationships/marriage/where-did-my-money-go-the-cost-of-being-single-in-canada/

Every so often, one of our hosts will do a mail run, where we answer questions that have been sent in, respond to thoughtful comments and observations, and even share future podcast topics as suggested by our listeners! Join Li as she hosts our first mail run! Links: Opposable thumbs! https://www.ifaw.org/ca-en/journal/animals-opposable-thumbs Survey on Retirement https://halifax.citynews.ca/2026/02/03/less-than-half-of-non-retired-canadians-have-workplace-pension-plan-report/

Warning: may elicit existential thoughts on life – from what do I want from life to who am I? A deeply circular conversation at times about the choices we make and what that says about us to ourselves and to others. Our hosts will share their personal stories on seeking more and discuss ways to question our desires so that it leads to defining what is enough for each of us. Only then can we finally stop chasing the next corner thinking that is where our happiness lies. Important books: *Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut *Catch 22 by Joseph Heller *Decent movie versions available

This week on part 2 of savings hacks, it is all about discretionary spending! From fashion, beauty and self-care, subscriptions, to the things in life that don’t cost money, we cover some well-known to obscure shortcuts to help you save your hard-earned money. Links to Doretta’s deep dives: Counterfeit goods: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2025/05/global-trade-in-fake-goods-reached-USD-467-billion-posing-risks-to-consumer-safety-and-compromising-intellectual-property.html The counterfeit self study: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Counterfeit-Self-GinoNorton/1a69081adb12492d66932abad6f3b9ce2c89b2f4 The Sephora Generation: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/analysis/2025/gen-beauty/

This week, we are covering simple saving hacks that can save you tons of money over the years. Who would have thought that a podcast on money would share tips on cooking and some of our favourite recipes? It happened. Join us as we dive into all the ways you can review your spending with a different lens, and maybe just maybe, help you to squeeze out more from your budget or shine a light on your current spending habits.  From food, household costs, and transportation. This is part 1!

The New Year for most of us probably includes recovering from hangovers and food comas but what if we have another ailment, the debt kind? Join our hosts as we chat with Stacy Yanchuk Oleksy, CEO of the not-for-profit debt counselling service, Money Mentors Alberta.    We will get into it all, the emotions around admitting to and surviving debt, to giving you practical advice on how to navigate debt services, if you need it, and recognizing the signs and symptoms of when you can no longer DIY your situation.    If you are in debt, know that you are not alone. We got you.    Links from today's show: Money Mentors: https://moneymentors.ca/  Credit Counselling Canada: https://creditcounsellingcanada.ca/  Hidden Brain Podcast - the paradox of pleasure (on dopamine): https://www.hiddenbrain.org/podcast/the-paradox-of-pleasure/ 

Stories are powerful. Stories are sticky. Stories can make or break us. Do we ever ask ourselves if the stories that define us are even true? When do our stories become limiting factors to what we can or cannot achieve? It's time to challenge the narratives that no longer serve us. It's time to rewrite, reclaim, and redefine our stories.  Join Doretta and Li as they unravel their own stories and how they shape their relationship with money. It's time to (re)write your story because there may be a better plot line to your life.

It's that time again, that arbitrary line in the sand that closes one year and starts another. Many folks will be pressured to make and state their New Year's resolutions. How many will see them through? Honestly, not many. Join Doretta and Li as they talk about why our resolutions are destined to fail and what you can do to change that destiny.

As parents, we are prepared to have THE talks with our kids but does that include money? Whether you're ready or not, you're their first lessons around money. Kids are already observing you, internalizing your attitudes, and modelling your behaviour. It's time to make those learnings intentional. It's time to start talking to your kids about money now. The journey will be bumpy, uncomfortable, and maybe even a little awkward, but it's a road you want to be on as a parent.

The holiday season is supposed to be the happiest time of year so why do so many of us feel an overwhelming sense of stress leading up to the big day and definitely feel the holiday hangover after? We can't help you with the family drama but we can help you deal with your holiday spending! This year, say yes to prioritizing joy. No to blowing your budget.  How?  By leading with your values, not your wallet.  

Lifestyle creep.   When your income goes up but you never feel wealthier, because your shopping cart develops delusions of grandeur.  Slowly, almost stealthily, every purchase costs more, and it’s not inflation.  It’s upgrades on autopilot.   Join Doretta and Li as we explore  ways to stop creep from robbing your future security.

Debt, like fog, creeps in on little cat feet. It’s pretty much impossible to manage day to day live without its convenience (think credit cards) but it can spin out of control with breakneck speed. And not all debt is bad. Well used, it can be a critical tool to realize your dreams. But Canadians are getting more and more comfortable with large amounts of debt…more comfortable that is, until you find yourself in trouble, and then it’s a nightmare. We talk about it all, good debt, bad debt, avoiding consumer debt, but even more importantly getting out of the debt that leaves you awake all night staring at the ceiling.   Links: If you need help:  https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/debt/debt-help.html HELOCs: https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/mortgages/home-equity-line-credit.html#toc0 Student Loans: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/education/student-aid.html  

This one is about whys and hows of budgeting. We’ll talk about the power of budgeting, share some stories of how we learned to do it, and some pro tips to get you started on your own budgeting journey. Don’t hide from the B word! Budgets aren’t about denial. Budgets are about intentionality. They are about understanding how to manage your money so you can spend on what matters to you most. It’s about putting you in the driver’s seat. Join us to discover budgeting hacks and how to own your budget. Because budgeting is a critical step to living your best life. Links   Monthly budget worksheet: https://www.getsmarteraboutmoney.ca/worksheets/monthly-budget-worksheet/  

To help you get the most from our Not Just Money conversations, we’re starting with a short series of money basics.  Think of them as foundational building blocks.  We’re starting with saving.  Because saving is the beginning of a healthy relationship with money.  Maybe saving sounds boring to you.  Or something you just can’t do.  Or it’s impossible right now.  It’s not, you can, and it isn’t.   Saving is about focusing on your goals and values to make your best life possible. Start now, start small, build the habit. Join us as we explore the whys and hows to get you started.

Money isn’t everything but it can feel like it. It’s really our relationship with money that matters most. How we think about it, how we use it, and how we can be used by it. Because money is never just money. It’s about history, and culture, and expectations and marketing and manipulation. It’s also about psychology, biology, evolution and neuroscience. It’s about everything we’ve come to believe about ourselves and our possibilities. Li and Doretta worked together for almost a decade creating award winning financial literacy programs. When we talk about money, we talk about the whole picture. Because we believe passionately that a healthy, realistic relationship with money is key to leading your best life.