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 your savings don’t, because your shopping cart develops delusions of grandeur.  Slowly, almost imperceptibly, 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  

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.