Stress Test

May 29 2024 612

Stress Test Podcast artwork

You had your best-laid plans and then COVID-19 came along and hammered the entire economy. But you’ve got this – if you have the right information. Join The Globe and Mail’s personal finance team, columnist Rob Carrick and editor Roma Luciw, as they guide you through one of the biggest stress tests your finances will ever face. If you’re between 20 and 40, this financial advice is for you.

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Coming soon: Season nine of Stress Test

May 29 2024 1 mins

Economic vibes still aren’t great. You want to get ahead, but it feels like you’re just getting by. And life events are coming at you fast: a new home, a career change, a baby. Hosts Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw are back for season nine of Stress Test, The Globe’s personal finance podcast for Gen Z and millennials. Coming up this season: why some Canadians are moving to warmer

5 personal finance resolutions for 2024 (that you can actually keep)

Dec 13 2023 19 mins

If your usual resolutions are “go to the gym” or “eat healthy,” don’t forget that a mindful approach to money is also a ticket to improved wellness. We asked listeners in their 20s and 30s some basic personal finance “hygiene” questions when it comes to credit scores, tracking expenses, writing wills, spending on food and first home savings accounts.

Salaries, mortgages and EVs: The top personal finance stories of 2023

Dec 06 2023 27 mins

Is a $100,000 salary enough for a comfortable life any more? Where are mortgages headed next? Are you electric car curious? Rob and Roma chat with the reporters who wrote some of the best-read personal finance stories from The Globe and Mail this year.

Can you really afford a dog?

Nov 29 2023 30 mins

Many Canadians have become first-time pet owners since the pandemic. But with the price of pet food and vet costs soaring, owners are struggling to afford their COVID companions. In this episode, Roma speaks to Shawn Morey, the executive director of the Peterborough Humane Society. We’re also joined by two people that became first-time pet owners in their 20s.

What the tightening job market means for you

Nov 22 2023 28 mins

During the pandemic, employees had the upper hand in the job market. But the balance of power has shifted back to employers. They’re more hesitant to hire, less willing to offer remote work and less generous with what they are offering. We hear from a recent grad who applied for more than 100 jobs before landing a role, and a recently laid off tech worker with over a decade of ex

So, you splurged. Now what?

Nov 15 2023 30 mins

The urge to splurge is universal. After the bleakness of the pandemic, people are spending more on the big and little things that bring them joy. But there are healthy ways to manage splurge-spending that don't leave you buried in debt. In this episode, we hear from a Swiftie with a “Taylor Swift" concert obsession. And Roma speaks with Shannon Lee Simmons, a certified financial

The struggle is real: how homeowners are coping with soaring mortgage rates

Nov 08 2023 32 mins

First, home owners with variable rate mortgages felt the pain of soaring interest rates. Then, people with fixed rate mortgages began to renew at sharply higher rates. In this episode, we hear from first-time homebuyers in Vancouver and Kingston who are now spending more than half their income on housing. And Rob talks to Victor Tran, an Ontario-based mortgage broker.

Dual income, no kids: How much more fun are they having?

Nov 01 2023 28 mins

The appeal of the DINK lifestyle – that’s double income, no kids – might seem obvious. But having more control over your life and finances comes with questions about your social safety net in retirement. We spoke to two women who are embracing the DINK life, along with Jay Zigmont, the founder of Childfree Wealth, a financial planning firm that serves people who don’t have

Adulting with roommates: solo living is a luxury in today’s rental market

Oct 24 2023 23 mins

A growing number of Canadians are living with roommates longer than they ever expected. What once was seen as a short chapter in life is turning into a long-term way to find affordable housing. Soaring house costs has people searching for roommates well into their 30s and beyond. We spoke to three women in Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax about how living with roommates is helping th

Coming soon: Season eight of Stress Test

Oct 10 2023 1 mins

What does the “new normal” look like these days? In a period of soaring costs and rampant uncertainty, it means spending a larger chunk of your income on housing—whether that’s high rent or supercharged mortgage payments. Here to help you make sense of it all, join hosts Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw for another season of Stress Test, The Globe’s personal finance podcast for