Not Just Money

Why do so many of us feel like we’re falling behind financially — even when the numbers say we’re doing fine? In this episode of Not Just Money, Doretta and Li unpack the growing phenomenon of “subjective poverty”: the emotional, psychological, and social forces that make us feel poor, regardless of our actual income. Drawing on new research from McGill University, global well‑being studies, behav...

In this special Mailbag episode of Not Just Money, Doretta and Li dive into the questions, reactions, frustrations, and aha‑moments listeners have shared across dozens of episodes. From happiness and taxes to social media manipulation, renting vs. owning, retirement fears, prenups, back‑to‑school savings, and even Pokémon‑card “investing,” this episode brings together the conversations you’ve spar...

If you’re a parent, aunt, uncle, or grandparent in Canada, this episode is one you cannot afford to skip. Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) are one of the most powerful — and misunderstood — financial tools available to families. In this episode of Not Just Money, Doretta and Li break down exactly how RESPs work, why they matter, and how to make sure every child in your life gets the educ...

Retirement isn’t funded by one magic number — it’s built piece by piece, year by year, through multiple income streams. In Part 3 of our retirement income series, Doretta and Li break down how Canadians actually fund their retirement today, and what that means for anyone planning their future. This episode goes beyond the basics of CPP, OAS, and GIS to explore the rest of the “retirement house”: w...

Most people plan for retirement without ever understanding where their income will actually come from. In this episode of Not Just Money, Doretta and Li break down the real sources of retirement income in Canada — the foundational benefits every Canadian is entitled to, how they work, and what they mean for your long‑term financial planning. If you’ve ever wondered “Will I have enough?”, this epis...

This week, we are bringing back a critical topic as we delve deeper into retirement. As we begin to talk about withdrawal strategies, being able to budget (even if you have never done it before), becomes a skill you need to dust off! Repeating Episode 03 - here comes the budget tips you need. If the word budget makes you cringe, you’re not alone — but you are in the right place. In this episode, D...

Retirement is supposed to be the reward for decades of saving — but what actually happens when the paycheques stop and the future finally arrives? In this deeply personal episode of Not Just Money, Li interviews Doretta about the real experience of being retired: the identity shift, the emotional challenges, the unexpected joys, and the financial realities no one prepares you for. This episode goe...

RRSP or TFSA — which should you prioritize? In this back‑to‑basics episode of Not Just Money, Doretta and Li break down everything Canadians need to know about these two powerful registered accounts. Whether you’re early in your career, earning a higher income, or trying to build long‑term financial security, understanding how RRSPs and TFSAs work is essential. They explore: The core differences b...

Back‑to‑school is now the second biggest shopping season of the year, worth more than $4.5B in Canada alone and driven by millions of families gearing up for September. In this episode, Li and Doretta break down how retailers use basket‑building, bundling, deadlines, influencer marketing, and kid “pester power” to get you spending more than you planned. They also reveal where the real value deals...

Surveillance pricing is no longer a futuristic fear — it’s coming, and it could change how every one of us shops. In this episode of Not Just Money, Doretta and Li break down what surveillance pricing actually is, how it differs from dynamic pricing, why Toronto’s mayor wants to ban it for groceries, and how AI-driven algorithms can quietly determine your personal price based on your online behavi...

Most people glance at their pay cheque and move on — until something looks “off.” In this episode of Not Just Money, Doretta and Li break down what your pay stub actually tells you, why your take‑home pay is often lower than expected, and how to understand every line on your pay statement. Whether you’re a student working your first job, a full‑time employee, or someone who’s never really looked a...

Taylor Swift’s wedding sparked endless speculation — but the real lesson isn’t the dress, the venue, or the guest list. It’s the financial planning behind the scenes. In this episode of Not Just Money, Doretta and Li break down why marriage contracts (prenups) aren’t just for celebrities or wealthy couples — they’re for anyone building a life together. Whether you’re entering marriage with assets,...

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding may have dominated the internet, but Doretta and Li are asking a different question: What does this moment reveal about the way we think about weddings today? In this episode of Not Just Money, the hosts dig into the real story behind modern weddings — the soaring costs, the cultural expectations, the social‑media‑driven pressure to create a “perfect” event,...

Doretta and Li dive into unchartered territories when it comes to travel. It’s not about budgeting or planning for that next great adventure. It’s about the whys of travel – have you ever asked yourself why? And what makes for a life changing experience versus a trip that ends up in disappointment and regret? Our hosts talk a little psychology, a little romance, and some magical realism. This isn’...

It’s here. Prediction markets are coming to an app near you, probably as early as late summer. What is a prediction market and why should you care? For starters, prediction markets are currently the fastest-growing segment of global financial technology, with market volume on pace to exceed hundreds of billions of dollars globally. Second, it can easily derail your financial future. Third, now you...

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/c...

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 side...

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 pe...

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 m...

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 w...

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 dive...

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...

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 th...

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...

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 i...