Not Just Money

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...

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 sophistic...

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...

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...

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 al...

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....

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/...

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 finall...

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-reac...

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...

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 de...

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 h...

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...

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 yo...

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 f...

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 ab...

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.   ...

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...