Moolala: Money Made Simple with Bruce Sellery

Portfolio manager Matt Ardrey demystifies the RRSP-to-RRIF conversion: when it must happen, how minimum withdrawals are calculated, and ways to avoid common pitfalls like OAS clawback and large end-of-life tax bills. He covers in-kind transfers (to fund a TFSA or non-registered account without selling), coordinating multiple RRIFs, and building a portfolio that reliably generates income so you’re...

TikTok creator Claudia Gleason walks through her simple, transparent payday routine, starting with the pay amount, then allocating to emergency savings, rent, debt paydown, and goal buckets like travel. She explains using multiple high-interest savings accounts (or labeled buckets) to keep goals visible, how she leaves herself a realistic biweekly spend, and why public accountability helps habits...

Willful CEO Erin Bury explains the real-world costs of dying without a will - court delays, guardianship decisions for children, and extra legal fees and why powers of attorney for personal care and finances matter just as much. She debunks the “old or rich” myth, shows how modern online Will tools make it fast, affordable, and updatable, and shares the life events that should trigger action (kids...

This week on Moolala: Money Made Simple, Bruce Sellery explores the “light bulb moments” that change how we manage money, starting with wills and estate planning. Willful CEO Erin Bury explains why every Canadian adult should have a will and powers of attorney, how today’s online tools make it fast and affordable, and what really happens to your family if you don’t. Then creator Claudia Gleason br...

Jonathan Hackett, Head of Sustainable Finance at BMO, explains how the bank’s Indigenous Bond channels capital to Indigenous-owned businesses, community infrastructure, and on-reserve lending while meeting institutional investor demand for measurable social impact. We dig into how these bonds differ from “plain vanilla” debt, why supply and long-term holding matter, and what retail investors can r...

PWL Capital Portfolio manager, Dan Bartolotti, walks through how to support parents or relatives in financial trouble without sinking your own plan. We discuss assessing whether you can help via a real financial plan (not back-of-the-envelope), setting clear boundaries to avoid enabling overspending, and deciding when “strings attached” make sense. You’ll hear best practices for sibling coordinati...

Fee-only planner and author Shannon Lee Simmons shares the formative experience that shaped her approach to rainy-day money and why the act of saving beats chasing a perfect number. We cover how to size an emergency fund based on your income risk (entrepreneur vs. salaried), the psychology of having cash on hand to avoid debt, and a pragmatic target: cover core bills and groceries for at least one...

In this episode of Moolala: Money Made Simple, host Bruce Sellery explores the “lightbulb moments” that change how we handle money. Fee-only planner and author Shannon Lee Simmons shares the personal story that shaped her approach to emergency funds, why the act of saving matters more than a magic number, how to tailor the size of your fund to your risk and income, and practical ways to avoid slid...

Becky Western-Macfadyen, Manager of Financial Coaching and Education of Credit Canada, introduces EASE (Economic Abuse Support and Empowerment), a program designed to help survivors of intimate-partner violence recover financially. She explains how economic abuse damages credit and confidence, and how trauma-informed financial coaching restores control, security, and long-term independence. Connec...

Financial coach Alanna Abramsky, founder of Broad Money, explains seven proven ways to manage cash flow, from zero-based and 50/30/20 budgets to pay-yourself-first and the envelope system, and how to pick the one that aligns with your habits, goals, and income. Learn simple ways to track spending, plan ahead, and stay consistent so budgeting feels realistic, not restrictive. Find out more at broad...

Rob Kilner from Spergel shares insights from their national Debt Load and Psychological Well-Being Study, revealing how financial pressure, social-media comparison, and stigma heighten anxiety and depression. He discusses real-world solutions, from debt management plans to professional credit counselling, that help Canadians reduce stress, rebuild stability, and regain peace of mind. Connect with...

Becca Mintz, Vice-President of Credit & Data at Capital One Canada, clears up the biggest misconceptions about credit scores, like whether checking your score hurts it, if income matters, and how “soft” versus “hard” inquiries work. She offers practical tips for building and repairing credit responsibly, managing utilization, and spotting reporting errors before they cost you points. Connect w...

This episode of Moolala: Money Made Simple with host Bruce Sellery dives into the practical, the psychological, and the empowering side of money management. First, financial coach Alanna Abramsky, founder of Broad Money, outlines seven proven approaches to budgeting, from zero-based and goals-based methods to the envelope system, showing how to find a money plan that fits your lifestyle. Then, Bec...

Author Jane Blaufus shares hard-won lessons on having courageous conversations about money and estate planning. She outlines where to start (with yourself), how to bring in family without escalating conflict, and the four pro “legs” to consult: financial advisor, lawyer, accountant, and funeral pre-planning. Jane also stresses writing everything down from wishes to contacts and key documents so lo...

Rebecca Oakes, VP of Analytics at Equifax Canada, introduces Optimal Path, an AI-driven tool that translates your credit data into realistic, step-by-step actions to raise your credit score. Think concrete guidance on utilization, payment consistency, and balances, plus estimated point gains over the next ~3 months. Rebecca explains how the model personalizes advice (not one-size-fits-all), where...

Psychiatrist Dr. Sally Satel, medical director of a methadone clinic, explains contingency management - a harm-reduction approach where clients receive small, escalating rewards (e.g., gift cards) for clean tests. She covers why this behavioural nudge works especially for stimulant addictions (where no gold-standard meds exist), typical program structures, cost/benefit logic, and how incentives ca...

Bruce talks with retired Globe and Mail personal-finance columnist Rob Carrick about 30 years of investor wisdom. Rob explains why low-cost ETFs win for most Canadians, the hidden risks of high-yield dividend stocks, and why bonds are helpful, but not perfect, shock absorbers. He also breaks down how to think about market crashes (buying when it feels worst), the danger of chasing trends like priv...

This episode of Moolala: Money Made Simple digs into real-world tools and timeless lessons to help you manage your money with more confidence. We start with Equifax Canada’s Rebecca Oakes on “Optimal Path,” an AI-driven feature that translates your own credit data into clear, realistic steps - think concrete targets for utilization, payment consistency, and score impact over the next three months....

Money stress often starts with silence. Certified financial therapist Erika Wasserman, author of Conversations with Your Financial Therapist, joins Bruce Sellery to discuss how to talk about money with your partner, family, or even yourself without shame or conflict. Erika’s M.O.N.E.Y. framework turns hard financial conversations into moments of connection, helping you uncover your money mindset a...

Cybercrime isn’t just a corporate problem anymore. James South from Aviva Canada joins Bruce to explain personal cyber insurance, a new layer of protection for the digital age. From online fraud recovery and ransomware response to cyberbullying coverage and dark-web monitoring, this coverage can help individuals and families stay financially and emotionally protected after an online attack. Learn...

If you’re starting late on retirement savings, this interview with CPA and author David Trahair will give you hope and a plan. Drawing from his book The Procrastinator’s Guide to Retirement, David shows how Canadians can still build financial security even if they begin saving in their 40s or 50s. He unpacks the math behind RRSP vs. mortgage paydown, spending patterns after retirement, and smart w...

Bruce Sellery sits down with Chris Potvin, co-founder of Camp Mustache Toronto: Firescape, a four-day retreat for Canadians pursuing Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE). Chris shares how the camp blends community, hands-on workshops, and lifestyle design to help attendees align their spending with their values. From budgeting around what truly matters to building a supportive peer network,...

In this week’s episode of Moolala: Money Made Simple, Bruce Sellery kicks off with the FIRE movement at CMTO Firescape, where co-founder Chris Potvin shares what a four-day money camp looks like: hands-on workshops, case studies, and a community built around Financial Independence, Retire Early. Then, for listeners who got a late start on savings, CPA David Trahair unpacks The Procrastinator’s Gui...

Bruce Sellery, host of Moolala: Money Made Simple, is joined by ecoATM’s Neil Fried, as he explains the 6–7 minute kiosk process: —device checks, data wipe and pay on the spot to turn your phone into cash. Plus how to prep your phone (backup, factory reset, remove locks) and where devices go next. Connect with Neil Fried on LinkedIn .

In this episode of Moolala: Money Made Simple, Gifting Sense founder Karen Holland shows parents how big events can build financial literacy: total-cost planning (tickets, travel, merch), dynamic pricing realities, and the DIMS Score + “Worth-the-Wait” tracker to practice patience and smart trade-offs. Find out more at giftingsense.org and Score Money Smarts With 2026 FIFA