Unconventional Wisdom

Student debt doesn't have to control your financial future. Whether you're still in school or preparing for life after graduation, managing student debt can feel overwhelming. But having a plan can make all the difference. Not all debt is created equal, and knowing where to focus your money is an important first step. In Part 3 of Sabiha Mukadam's Sage Money in Real Life series, she explores: Why...

Are you making the most of your workplace retirement benefits?  Your salary is only part of your compensation package.  Group RRSPs, Deferred Profit Sharing Plans (DPSPs), and employer matching contributions can help you build long-term wealth.  But are you taking full advantage of what's available? In this edition of the Workplace Compensation Series, Sabiha explores: How Group RRSPs and DPSPs wo...

Have you thought about turning the doom off? Every year, we're warned that another catastrophe is just around the corner. Population bomb, nuclear winter, Y2K and now an AI apocalypse. Yet the world keeps moving forward. "Nothing went foom." So what happens when that same fear drives your investment decisions? Doomerism may feel like playing it safe, but it could be quietly costing you the retirem...

Paying for Your Education in Canada: How Much Should You Actually Borrow? Getting accepted into college or university is one thing. Figuring out how to pay for it is another. Between tuition, rent, groceries, textbooks and everyday expenses, the cost of education can add up quickly.  But just because you're approved for a student line of credit doesn't mean you should use it all. In Part 2 of our...

Are you making the most of your full compensation package? Your salary is only part of what you earn. Bonuses, employer RRSP matching, pensions, stock options, and insurance benefits can all contribute to your financial well-being. But are you making the most of what your employer offers? Valuable benefits and financial opportunities can often be overlooked simply because the different parts of a...

Borrowing money is often part of becoming financially independent.  Whether you're applying for your first credit card, financing a car, paying for school or considering a line of credit, understanding how borrowing works can help you make more confident financial decisions. The key isn't simply knowing whether debt is good or bad.  It's understanding what you're borrowing for, what it will cost a...

On July 30, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  Just 19 days later, I had surgery. Today, I'm 100% cancer-free! I'm sharing my story because early detection saved my life. My cancer was classified as intermediate aggressive, with approximately 80% of my prostate affected. Not the slow growing kind that most men eventually get. Fortunately, it was caught at Stage 1, before it had spread. This ex...

Want to start building wealth for your children or grandchildren — without creating an overly complicated estate structure? Two options families may come across are bare trusts and informal "In-Trust For" (ITF) accounts. They are effective ways to invest for your kids or other family members often with little or no tax. They can be relatively simple, but there are a few important things to underst...

You don't need perfect confidence before making a financial decision. But you do need a way to decide whether the decision actually works for your financial life. Before making a big money move, ask yourself: What problem am I trying to solve? What happens if I'm wrong? Can I afford the downside? How easy—or expensive—is this decision to reverse? What does waiting cost me? Whether you're thinking...

When you're planning your estate, it's not just about who gets what. For some families, the bigger question is: How do I make sure this money actually helps the person I'm leaving it to? That can be especially important when you're planning for young children, a loved one with a disability, or someone who may need more structure around an inheritance. In Sabiha Mukadam's latest article for the Sag...

If money is tight, should you focus on building an emergency fund — or keep investing for the future? The answer does not have to be all or nothing. In this article, video, and podcast episode for the Youth Corner Sabiha Mukadam looks at: How to start an emergency fund without feeling overwhelmed Why even a small cash buffer can make a real difference How to build your fund in stages, from $250 to...

As your business grows, your financial structure may need to grow with it. The structure that makes sense in the early stages of a business may look very different once the company becomes profitable, grows significantly in value, approaches a sale, or becomes part of a longer-term family legacy. In Sabiha Mukadam's latest article, video, and podcast episode, she looks at how different planning st...

Is it risky to retire when the stock market is at an all-time high? It's a question I get all the time, and the conventional wisdom is usually that you should worry about sequence of returns risk and protect part of your portfolio by moving money into cash or fixed income. But what does the historical data actually show? In my latest podcast episode I look at: Why an all-time high does not necessa...

You're earning a full-time income, paying your bills, and still wondering: where did all my money go? That feeling is more common than you might think. In Sabiha Mukadam's latest blog post, video and podcast for the Youth Corner she shares a simpler way to approach budgeting without making it feel restrictive. She  covers: A three-bucket system for your income How to know what you can safely spend...

Sabiha Mukadam has a new podcast episode on debt after separation and how to regain control without panic. Separation can create significant financial pressure through legal fees, moving costs, two households and debts that may still be shared. She covers: The 3 types of post-separation debt Separating joint and individual liabilities Financial blind spots to watch for Debt snowball vs. debt avala...

Are free markets really responsible for inequality, poverty, financial crises and declining living standards? I constantly read books, and The Triumph of Economic Freedom by Phil Gramm & Donald Boudreaux was a wonderful eye-opener. I believed a couple of these myths myself. In my latest article, video and podcast, I look at 7 common myths about capitalism, free markets and economic freedom. I also...

What should you actually do with your first real paycheque? In this podcast episode, Sabiha Mukadam shares a practical approach for young professionals who are starting to earn a full-time income and want to build good financial habits early. She discusses: Why automatically saving part of every paycheque can be so powerful The impact of lifestyle creep A simple way to organize short-, medium- and...

Estate planning is about more than having a will in place.  For couples, it's also about making sure the financial pieces continue to work together if life changes unexpectedly. In Sabiha Mukadam's latest article, video, and podcast episode she looks at how trusts can help Canadian couples create greater clarity and continuity around their wealth and estate plans, including: Protecting a spouse if...

What does it really take to build lasting financial freedom? It's not reacting to every headline, market swing or economic forecast.  It's having a clear financial plan, and staying focused on it through the noise. In this mid-year update, I discuss: Why your financial plan is really a life plan What the first half of 2026 means for long-term investors Why we remain fully invested through both goo...

Credit can feel intimidating when no one has taken the time to explain it clearly. In this podcast episode Sabiha Mukadam, breaks down how credit works in Canada and shares some simple habits that can help you use it with more confidence and less stress. She covers: The difference between a credit report and a credit score Why credit is borrowed money—not extra income How to build credit without c...

When life changes after a loss, divorce, or separation, you may suddenly find yourself responsible for financial decisions that once belonged to two people, or that someone else handled entirely. The pressure to make immediate decisions can feel overwhelming.  But you don't need to solve your entire financial life today. In Part 1 of this practical series on rebuilding financial confidence, Sabiha...

Many Canadians have heard of the Smith Manoeuvre.  Many are also self-employed and don't realize they could be using the Cash Dam. How do they fit together in a real financial plan? I break down what each strategy is, why it works, when each strategy works, whether combining them can improve results, and what to watch out for. Learn how to think about these strategies in the context of your overal...

Most Canadians are taught one simple lesson: "Debt is bad." But real life isn't that simple. Not all debt is created equal. Borrowing to finance a vacation is very different from borrowing to invest in your education. A credit card balance charging 20% interest behaves very differently from money compounding inside a TFSA. Understanding that difference can change your financial future. In Sabiha M...

Many people think of the Smith Manoeuvre as a single strategy, but it's actually a flexible framework with several different approaches.  In this episode of Advice from the Sage Owl, Sabiha Mukadam explores the eight most common Smith Manoeuvre strategies and explains how different approaches may suit different financial situations and long-term goals. In this episode, you'll learn: What the eight...

Most people go through life and at some point wake up and realize they should be doing something smarter with their money.  When you reach that inflection point, what should you do and what are the few fundamental basics that you need to know? Many retirement plans are designed to feel safe, instead of giving you freedom.  Safety usually comes at the cost of long-term growth and may mean you never...