Debt Free in 30

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72 – Is Making A Budget A Waste Of Your Time? Jan 16, 2016

Show notes

Budgeting. It's a word that people either love or hate (mostly hate).

We may get mixed reviews about the advice that I share on today's episode, but for many, budgeting is a waste of time. Budgeting takes discipline, it takes time and it takes some skill to use a budgeting spreadsheet or app. Because it's difficult, for some people it can actually have a negative impact on their finances. They lose motivation or interest, and eventually discouraged, stop paying attention to their finances all together.

We are not advocating that people shouldn't manage their money, but we are suggesting that you need to find a solution that will work for you and your finances.

It's very important to know where you're spending your money because if you don't know where it goes, you can't make adjustments to pay down debt and build your savings.

Doug Hoyes is joined once again by money expert, Gail Vaz-Oxlade who is an advocate for having a system in place that will help you to pay off debt, save money and spend wisely. Gail is well known for her magic jar concept; the idea that you should allocate a specific amount of money to a number of goals (i.e. bill payments, savings, entertainment, groceries etc.) to keep yourself on track each month. Today we discuss her approach to budgeting, and the alternatives to budgeting.

71 – 4 Easy Steps To Save Money Each Week With Nicole Olsen Jan 09, 2016

Show notes

The weekly trip to the grocery store is a big expense for a family, so saving money on food can go a long way. But how do you save money? Is the only way to save by clipping coupons and buying no-name brands?

There are other strategies, and on today's show, Nicole Olsen, the Financial Literacy Program Director for Financial Fitness in Windsor and Sarnia, Ontario, joins us back on the show to share her smart shopping tips.

70 – Top Ten Tips for Dealing with Collection Agents Jan 02, 2016

Show notes

Today we present our top ten tips for dealing with collection agents. We are joined by two industry insiders, Blair Demarco-Wettlaufer who on a previous show told us how to stop collection calls, and Mark Silverthorn who previously revealed several "dirty tricks" that some collection agencies use to collect on a debt.

We've taken their comments and compiled our top ten tips for dealing with collection agents.

69 – Best Money Apps Dec 26, 2015

Show notes

In today's technology filled world there are more resources and tools available to us than ever before. Although the traditional pen, paper and calculator method for budgeting still works, mobile apps offer new ways to organize your money and save money.

As we end 2015 and move into a brand new year, it's a great time to make financial changes and start tracking your money to make a plan for every single dollar that comes in to your bank account. Today's episode strays from our usual guest interviews to bring you a round-up of some of the best budgeting apps out there. I interview five past guests to find out which apps they recommend and actually use when it comes to their own finances.

68 – Christmas Budgeting Tips With Heather Cudmore Dec 19, 2015

Show notes

Every year, the focus of the holiday season is on consumerism and the need to spend money on the perfect gifts, the perfect decorations and creating the perfect dinner. And every year, Canadians end up spending too much money, putting them at risk for financial difficulties once the holiday season is over.

For advice about how to limit Christmas spending, we have invited Heather Cudmore, manager of credit counselling at Carizon Family and Community Services in Kitchener, Ontario, back to the show to discuss budgeting, the importance of having a plan and why it's time for Canadians to set new holiday traditions that don't break the bank.

67 – How To Deal With Depression & Anxiety Over The Holidays Dec 12, 2015

Show notes

The holidays are known for being a time of happiness and joy. But for those struggling with depression, anxiety or loss, the holidays can be a difficult. Our guest today is Theresa Karn, Manager of Clinical Services at Carizon Family & Community Services in Kitchener, Ontario.

Attempting to create the perfect holiday experience and living up to expectations set by yourself and others can lead to stress, sadness and even depression.

On today’s show we provide practical advice for identifying and dealing with depression and anxiety.

66 – Money Talks with Gail Vaz-Oxlade Dec 05, 2015

Show notes

Gail Vaz-Oxlade is back on the show to discuss her new book, Money Talks: When To Say Yes And How To Say No. I'm excited to feature Gail as a guest this week because not only is her book due out this Tuesday, December 8th, but this is also the FIRST podcast interview introducing her latest work. Gail starts out the episode by exclaiming,

I'm so excited for this new book, I cannot begin to tell you! My toes are curling!"

So you know it'll be a good one!

On today’s show Gail gives away a few secrets about the book (to be released on December 8), and she also gives us actionable advice and tips for starting the conversation about money. The topic of the book is one that hasn't been written about before. As Gail says: "nobody has actually done this before. Nobody has actually talked about how to have these conversations with the people in your life."

This is Gail at her best, and is a “must listen” podcast.

65 – Why It's Important To Do Your Financial Research Nov 28, 2015

Show notes

When shopping for financial products like mortgages, credit cards or GICs it's important to shop around. We spend time reading through reviews and prices for things like coffee makers, but as today's guest points out: “before buying a TV we look on Best Buy, we look on Amazon, we look online to find the lowest prices and comparison shop. And I think more people need to realize that they can also do that for financial products.”

Our guest today is Alyssa Furtado, founder and CEO of Ratehub.ca, a financial products comparison website. They help consumers compare products like credit cards, mortgages, banking and insurance services to help consumers make informed decisions regarding their financial situation.

64 – Privacy Laws and Collection Agents Nov 21, 2015

Show notes

When it comes to privacy, organizations are required to follow federal and provincial legislation which prohibits the use of personal information in an inappropriate or unreasonable manner. As part of the federal private sector, The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) determines proper conduct by organizations throughout Canada. Differently, The Privacy Act covers the personal information handling practices of the federal government itself.

Our guest today is Vance Lockton, Senior Analyst for Stakeholder Relations at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Vance explains that the Privacy Commissioner, Daniel Therrien is an officer of Parliament and reports directly to the House of Commons and the Senate, and is independent of the government in place. Vance details the laws in place for debt collectors, how investigations under the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada are conducted and provides advice for listeners for protecting your personal information.

63 – There's Only Bad Debt & Not So Bad Debt Nov 14, 2015

Show notes

In a past episode we talked to four industry experts about good debt vs. bad debt. Having listened to that episode, my guest today argues that there is no such thing as good debt, there is only bad debt and not so bad debt. Today’s guest is Steve Stewart, a Financial Wellness Coach and podcast host from St. Louis, Missouri. Steve's opinion of debt is that

...we've made it almost a necessary evil. My opinion of debt is that we made it too easy for someone to get into it; and I don't mean just a little bit. I mean non-mortgage debt levels on cars, credit cards, our children's education. These debt levels can grow to be two, three, even four times our annual salary.

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