Stress Test

Are your parents giving you money?

Are you getting financial help from your parents or family? Do you feel guilty or embarrassed about it? If the answer is yes, you are far from alone. In the final episode of this season of Stress Test, we look at data showing the surprising extent to which parents are going to help their adult kids financially, and how this assistance has become more common in the pandemic. We hear from a 26-year-old Torontonian who is relying on money from her parents to make ends meet amid the instability of the last year. Plus, Roma speaks to Natasha Knox, a Vancouver- based financial planner about the underground parental economy.

January 27, 2021

31 min

Retiring in your 30s: How some Canadians are making big changes to escape the workforce

Feeling beaten down by work? In this episode, we talk about young adults who crave financial independence and are willing to save and invest aggressively to gain that freedom. Rob and Roma discuss the practicality of the F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement and why it looks more appealing than ever amid COVID-19. Plus, we hear from Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung, a 38-year-old couple that retired a few years ago early and have stayed financially independent, even in the pandemic.

January 20, 2021

31 min

Why it’s time to stop shaming the renting lifestyle

Do you feel you’re not really “adulting” unless you own your own place? Are you embarrassed to admit you’re still a renter? Rob and Roma take on the long-standing narrative that says property ownership is the best path for everyone and map out a route for financial success as a renter. We hear from a millennial who has found the loft of her dreams and has chosen to embrace renting for good. Plus, fellow renter and financial consultant Preet Banerjee shares his advice for how renters can end up with a comparable amount of wealth as a homeowner, in addition to a great lifestyle.

January 13, 2021

32 min

Personal finance resolutions for a pandemic year

Yeah, we know. New Year’s Resolutions have a bad rep. But what better time to reassess your financial health than in Year Two of a global pandemic? In this episode, Rob and Roma talk money goals and share some the personal finance resolutions you might want to consider.

January 6, 2021

29 min

Eating in: How COVID-19 has shifted our food spending

When it comes to food, the pandemic has transformed our spending habits. But are we saving money? How have we replaced restaurant and bar spending? Are meal kits and online grocery shopping here to stay? In this episode, Rob and Roma dig into the world of food – and share what they’ve been doing differently over the last 9 months. Plus, an Ottawa-based 31-year-old tell us why she’s jumped on the food-box-trend. And Rob and Roma speak to Sylvain Charlebois, The Food Professor, about how our eating habits have shifted, why food prices will keep climbing and how Canadians can save money at the grocery store.

December 9, 2020

29 min

Why are young Canadians leaving the cities they love?

Has being in lockdown made your condo feel like a shoebox? Are you thinking about giving up on downtown living for more space in the suburbs? You’re not alone. In today’s episode, we look at the why some young adults are abandoning city living for smaller communities with lower house prices... and more space. We hear from a 34-year-old who left Toronto for a bigger home in southern Ontario’s wine country. Plus, Rob and Roma speak with Pascal Chan, a millennial who works at the Canadian Real Estate Association, about where people are moving, why and what you should think about if you’re considering doing the same.

December 2, 2020

27 min

Yes, you absolutely need to talk about money with your significant other (before you move in)

High rent and house prices have many young Canadians moving in together early to share costs. But what happens when one’s a spender and the other’s a saver? And what if one partner makes significantly more money, or has more debt? In this episode, Rob and Roma discuss how couples can avoid money blowouts. We hear from a 30-something Toronto-based lawyer who started dating his girlfriend during the pandemic. The couple is now looking at options for moving in together. Plus, Rob and Roma speak to Liz Schieck, a certified financial planner who has helped plenty of young couples navigate the pitfalls and challenges of joining their finances.

November 25, 2020

29 min

Everything you need to know about credit scores

Credit scores put the personal in personal finance. They’re your entire life as a borrower compressed into one number. But what qualifies as a “good” score, and why do these numbers bounce around all the time? What can be done to improve a bad score? Rob and Roma are back together (but apart) in their makeshift podcast studios (because, well, pandemic) for another season of your favourite personal finance podcast. In this episode they get answers to your credit score questions from Julie Kuzmic of Equifax Canada. Plus, we hear from Keith Emery, the co-CEO of Credit Canada Debt Solutions, about how people wind up with a bad credit score in the first place.

November 17, 2020

28 min

Coming soon: Stress Test, season two

Stress Test is back. Join The Globe’s personal finance team, columnist Rob Carrick and editor Roma Luciw, for another season of delving into the topics that impact the wallets of Canadians between the ages of 20 and 40. Listen to the trailer and season one now and subscribe to get season two in your feed.

November 9, 2020

2 min

Episode 8: Should you move back in with your parents?

Should you move back in with your parents if it makes sense financially? In the last episode of this season, we talk to a 23-year-old who moved back home after COVID-19 left her jobless. Plus, we hear from Rob’s family about what it was like when his 26-year-old son Will moved back home. Rob and Roma revisit Rob’s book “How Not to Move Back in With Your Parents” 10 years later to see what’s changed.

July 28, 2020

29 min

Episode 7: The cost of kids

Kids are incredibly cute - and incredibly expensive. Amid soaring housing costs and a precarious job market, how much does the cost of kids factor into your decisions about whether to have them? In this episode Rob and Roma discuss how much money they'll really cost you. We hear from a 33-year-old mother about the hefty price tag of raising four kids. Plus, Roma speaks with money expert Melissa Leong about how to save and what to plan for when you’re deciding to start a family.

July 21, 2020

33 min

Episode 6: Can you afford to live the downtown lifestyle?

Many young Canadians gravitate towards living in bigger cities, but can you afford it? In this episode, we hear from a group in their 30s that are living downtown Toronto – they even let Rob and Roma get a peek at their credit card statements. Plus, Rob talks to Bridget Casey, the millennial writer of personal-finance blog Money After Graduation, about how to effectively manage your money while also enjoying the type of lifestyle you want.

July 14, 2020

35 min

Episode 5: Does investing change during a pandemic?

So you want to be smart with your money and invest, but the stock market fluctuations during COVID-19 make it hard to know what to do. In this episode, Rob and Roma discuss the importance of investing and what’s changed since the pandemic. We hear from a 26-year-old at the beginning of his investing journey. Plus, Rob talks to Ben Felix, a millennial investment advisor about what other young Canadians should know when investing.

July 7, 2020

33 min

Episode 4: How to crisis-proof your finances

Were your finances ready for a major disruption like COVID-19? In this episode, Rob and Roma discuss how to avoid common money mistakes. We hear from a 36-year-old whose service industry job in Whistler was wiped out by the pandemic. Plus, Roma talks to Vancouver–based financial advisor Julia Chung about everything from TFSAs and RRSPs to credit scores and the worst kinds of debt. If you’re looking for solid financial-planning strategies and information about the savings tools available, this episode is for you.

June 30, 2020

29 min

Episode 3: What you should know before you buy a home

Real estate is always a hot topic, but the pandemic adds even more questions about how and when to buy. In this episode, Rob and Roma look at Canada’s obsession with housing. We hear from a millennial who bought a condo right before the coronavirus struck. Plus, Rob chats with John Pasalis, the founder of a Toronto-based real estate brokerage, about all your home-buying concerns.

June 23, 2020

33 min

Episode 2: Why you got into debt, and how to get out

Even before the pandemic, debt was a huge problem for Canadians. Between massive mortgages, student loans, lines of credit and credit cards, a lot of us are struggling to pay what we owe and stressed about it. In this episode, Rob and Roma explore our strange relationship with debt and the factors that contribute to it. We hear from a millennial saddled by her debts, and her journey to find a way out. Plus, Roma speaks to Shannon Lee Simmons, a financial planner about tangible steps to manage debt .

June 16, 2020

31 min

Episode 1: How to survive the gig economy

Everyone is being impacted by COVID-19, but gig workers are impacted on a whole other level. In the first episode of Stress Test, Rob and Roma speak to a gig worker about her experience looking for a job in her field and what happened when the pandemic hit. Rob speaks to Kathryn Mandelcorn, a certified money coach about her recommendations for gig workers to manage their finances in times of uncertainty. If you are a contract or freelance worker, this episode is for you.

June 9, 2020

27 min

Coming soon: Stress Test

Introducing a new podcast from The Globe and Mail that delves into the topics impacting the wallets of Canadians between the ages of 20 and 40. Join The Globe’s personal finance team, columnist Rob Carrick and editor Roma Luciw, as they guide you through a period in which the basic rules basic rules of managing your money have been tested. Subscribe now to get it in your feed.

May 27, 2020

2 min

About this podcast

Categories

About this podcast

Categories

Stress Test

Episodes

Are your parents giving you money?

Retiring in your 30s: How some Canadians are making big changes to escape the workforce

Why it’s time to stop shaming the renting lifestyle

Personal finance resolutions for a pandemic year

Eating in: How COVID-19 has shifted our food spending

Why are young Canadians leaving the cities they love?

Yes, you absolutely need to talk about money with your significant other (before you move in)

Everything you need to know about credit scores

Coming soon: Stress Test, season two

Episode 8: Should you move back in with your parents?

Episode 7: The cost of kids

Episode 6: Can you afford to live the downtown lifestyle?

Episode 5: Does investing change during a pandemic?

Episode 4: How to crisis-proof your finances

Episode 3: What you should know before you buy a home

Episode 2: Why you got into debt, and how to get out

Episode 1: How to survive the gig economy

Coming soon: Stress Test