Listen, It's impossible to accurately imagine how your life will be different after you welcome a new human into your it, so there's no such thing as being fully prepared for becoming a parent. There is, however, such a thing as being prepared for what you know will happen (like the paperwork you'll need to fill out, and the gotchas to avoid) in order to make it easier to focus on the stuff that completely blindsides you (like the utter insanity of it all or how suddenly and fiercely you fall in love with your new human). Time stamps: 1:22 - Parenthood, uncertainty and unsatisfyingly true answers 14:19 - What to think about in the year before the birth 17:20 - Financial tools that people think are useful (like RESPs) 27:30 - Making sure to check for Income tested benefits 29:50 - CHILDCARE. IT'S EXPENSIVE... so what do you even do? 37:00 - John speaks with Sandi's voice about how society has it way wrong

Are you as tired as we are of "the economy" being trotted out to support every tax and social policy argument? Do you wish that people who use the phrase "the economy" were required to specify exactly what they're talking about? Us, too. Timestamps: 1:38 - Personal Economy vs THE Economy 10:57 - Revolution starts with imagination 22:33 - The Flat Tax Fallacy 39:00 - In the face of big structural issues ... what do we do?

Yes, we have socialized medicine here in Canada (and are grateful for it!) But if you or someone you love needs to travel somewhere for treatment, or medical supplies that aren't covered (like osotomy bags), or drugs that might cost $2,400 in one visit to the pharmacy or $0 in the next...you might be surprised at the financial and emotional toll it can take on you. Timestamps: 4:18 - Getting “comfortable" with uncertainty 6:08 - Bedside manner matters - in medicine and in finance (and not just for the practitioners) 13:48 - The unexpected cost of healthcare: A very … vivid picture of the function and cost of the ostomy bag 22:13 - Should you get extended health coverage?

We truly believe that real conversations about money have the power to improve how we make decisions about our finances. In this episode, we're joined by Ian McNaughton, a seasoned coach and communications expert, to learn how to get better at having those conversations. Timestamps: 4:12 - Ian talks about the effects of wealth 6:48 - Ian talks about how to talk about money between generations 21:20 - Ian talks about communicating in the really tough times and how to be with someone in the stress Introducing ‘respectful doubt’ into a conversation 30:42 - Ian makes Sandi and Chris cry (the perfect thing to say to someone you love when you can’t communicate about money) 44:45 - Ian’s story - wealth, crash, and building something different

Welcome back to season six of Because Money! Since we last spoke, the show itself and each of our co-hosts have experienced transitions - some minor, some very, very major - and we've adopted the theme of transition to shape our conversations for the upcoming season. Join us for an episode of updates, outtakes, and change. Timestamps: 2:45 - Planning for transitions that 'might' happen 8:50 - The biggest Because Money transition of all 10:15 - John talks about health, family, and taking a sabbatical 20:58 - Chris talks about stepping back from Opera 27:30 - Sandi talks about growing Spring 38:52 - Some cool news about Because Money (and how you can talk to use EVEN MORE!!)

Impostor syndrome, squishy soft skills and the importance of real hard data... we talk about why we think the bigger conversation around money is so important. Timestamps: 1:00 - Why did Sandi start this thing in the first place? 3:14 - The value in non-actionable conversations 17:05 - John talks about the dangers getting lost in the data (for people who have spreadsheets for brains) 18:30 - Kate and Chris talk about imposter syndrome and how hard it is to be in a conversation when you feel like you don't know enough 30:00 - Sandi talks about the importance of being seen

How do you talk about money when you're by yourself? We didn't even know this was a question you could ask... but John does in a solo episode. Timestamps: 1:00 - How do you have the conversation alone 6:11 - The problem with the loudest voice in the conversation (the church of Bitcoin) 11:49 - John talks about making pancakes

John leads the charge on challenging some of the defaults we have in the financial world... and why they're sometimes complete phooey. Timestamps: 2:30 - John doesn't need to iron his shirts to feel like a grownup 9:00 - You don't have to buy a house for Aunt Jo 20:49 - What Kate thinks being an adult is 30:22 - How do you not fall into these defaults? 45:25 - There's a social cost to forging your own path

Breakups suck and money doesn't make them any easier. We talk about how to talk about money in yet another situation where that's the last thing you want to talk about. Timestamps: 3:44 - The underlying conversation - What if we don't make it? 17:55 - You can't celebrate feelings and finance 18:35 - The difference in the definition of 'common law' 27:15 - What's the 'right' answer for mythical financially excellent adults? 37:02 - If communication is impossible... maybe it's time to bring in some help...

Mental illness and money: both things that people don't talk about and both things that are really really important things to talk about. Timestamps: 3:00 - Kate breaks down her last 6 months 10:35 - At what point is the 'ideal job' a luxury you can't afford 15:05 - The things that help: setting the non-negotiables 26:20 - What are the right things to say to the people in our lives living with mental illness 32:50 - You are allowed to be your whole self in all the places where you are

The world of finances has so many 'rules of thumb'. Most of the time they're pretty useful, but in some cases they can be really dangerous. Timestamps: 5:30 - John talks about what averages are actually good for 15:08 - Sandi breaks down how she figures out when you're going to die 18:12 - Chris talks budgeting rules of thumb 24:11 - Rules of thumb vs customized advise 32:24 - Global warming and looking out for 'future us' 38:23 - Does working with rules of thumb make finances seem more possible 45:00 - Is getting it wrong catastrophic?