Stress Test

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.