HOW TO
5 goals you can and should crush in your 20s

Your 30s are going to be sooo much better if you've got these goals on lock.

Surfing in the Pacific

Everyone wants to hang ten in Hawaii. Here's why you should consider the equally epic shores of Tofino, B.C.

I just got engaged! Now how do I convince my guy to stop spending our wedding budget on video games?

Our behavioural economist explores the sweet science of budgeting for happiness.

This easy trick will help you achieve your financial goals

This is the smart thing all great savers do. You should definitely do it, too.

Think you're better than everyone else? So does everyone else

We tend to overestimate our abilities when compared to other people. It’s called Better-Than-Average Effect.

Olivia, 20, barista

Olivia knows getting to Paris next year is going to take every spare penny she has now. Here’s why she’s knows it’s going to work.

I can’t afford a big trip this year. How can I make a cheap vacation feel better?

Our behavioural economist explains why a truly great escape is all in the timing.

The case for living paycheck-to-paycheck

Almost half of us would feel seriously pinched if we missed a single payday. Behavioural science may have the solution.

Lady sitting in her Comfort Zone on a Couch

Escape from your comfort zone

We may think we like to go against the grain, but Status Quo Bias says we prefer to keep most things the way they are.

Umit, 25, tech salesman

Umit tells us how Pokémon taught him his first lesson about making money: You’ve got to know why you’re doing it.

Living in the city

What you want: A downtown pad that’s sitcom special. What you can afford: A basement apartment that smells like soup. Time for some trade-offs.

Why do I feel guilty spending money on stuff I actually want?

Our behavioural economists explain why things you thought were amazing when you bought them, are merely meh months later.

Short on willpower? Use your imagination

When it comes to curbing your spending, one unexpected tool may come in handier than you think—your imagination.

Jen, 33, product buyer

Jen has spent most of her career purchasing things to sell at a profit. It’s why she says its time to invest in real estate.

Metal box with Emergency Fund printed on it

How to build an impossible emergency fund

If your income fluctuates month-to-month—or perhaps your expenses do—then you definitely need to read this.

The power of a head start

We work harder towards goals when we can see our progress. Psychologists and Starbucks know this as Goal Gradient Effect.

Get hitched without breaking the bank

Guess how much everyone else spends on their big wedding day? Nope. Guess higher.

Why am I so careful about saving and spending, but will randomly blow $300 on a Kickstarter campaign?

Our behavioural economist explains why we make bad decisions when we’re tired and why a nap could be the secret to not buying dumb stuff.

Torrey, 24, server

Torrey and her boyfriend have a huge goal: to spend four months driving across the country. Fortunately, Torrey also has a plan.

These five shortcuts are costing you a fortune

Time is money. But in these five cases taking the long route could save you $2,000 a year.

Lady trying to decide between new shoes or saving for a vacation

Our bird-in-the-hand bias

We’re suckers for immediate gratification, even if waiting might bring greater rewards. Psychologists call it future discounting.

Sherlay, 33, retail manager

Sherlay wants to retire early—like really early. Fortunately, she has a plan.

5 questions for…Amanda Lang

The business journalist and author of The Beauty of Discomfort tells us why her credit card debt was actually one of her best investments.

Chris, 28, project manager

Chris explains why having one big hairy goal was exactly the motivation he needed to get his master’s degree and move out of his mom and dad’s place.

A truck you can lean on

Everybody wants a pickup truck they can write a country song about. Here's how you can get one for thousands less than your friends paid.

5 questions for…Bruce Sellery

The TV host and personal finance master would have told his younger self to lighten the #@%! up.

How to become a financial wizard

Here are 7 essential money moves every young mage should master.

“I know the TV I want will go on sale. But I want it now. Why can’t I wait?”

Our behavioural economist explains why our brains are hard-wired for immediate rewards, even when it hurts us in the long run.

When credibility meets celebrity

Four out of five psychologists agree: We have an irrational tendency to trust an expert, no matter their level of expertise.

A gym membership you’ll actually use

Getting in shape doesn’t happen by itself. But do you really need to spend up to $1,000 a year to look good in your shorts?

A thrilling weekend escape

Which would you prefer: three days in NYC or Niagara Falls? Now what if we told you could have all the fun for half the money?

Photo of a man in blue suit handing car keys to a woman

7 ways to make sure you don't buy a lemon

You're going to spend $30,000 or more on a new car. Don't you want to get it right?

Illustration of woman choosing from three sizes of coffee cup

Stuck in the middle with you

Just like Goldilocks, our tendency to avoid extremes nudges us to the middle option in any situation.

Photo of Nina Mazar speaking on stage in a light-coloured dress

5 questions for...Nina Mazar

The behavioural economist and entrepreneur once worked in a cake factory. Here's what that taught her about money.

I keep setting budgets. Why can't I actually follow one?!

Each month I set out to curb my daily spending: coffees, lunches, random cupcakes. And each week I fail. What gives?

Photo of a tasty baked vegetarian lasagna

6 cozy make-ahead lunches because winter is coming

Swap the daily take-out habit for these killer lunch plans and save $3,000 a year.

Illustration of a crowd lining up for two food stands

I'll have what they're having

We have a tendency to follow a herd. Psychologists call it Social Proof. And it’s not always bad.

A man sits on the beach reading Jaws scared to go into the water.

Pay no mind to the sharks

Availability Bias causes our brains to act on the stuff it remembers easiest. It can lead our seemingly rational noggins down some weird paths.

I spend a ridiculous amount of money on coffee. How can I break my latte habit?

You need a new habit stat. Here's how to make it happen.

Canadian fifty dollar bills being cut by a paper cutter

6 dumb things we do with our money, according to the pros

Even smart people are guilty of these financial fails. Here's how to avoid them.

Why do I always spend more than I mean to at the grocery store?

Here are the secrets to combating some of the grocery business's sneakiest tricks.

A man and a woman sit among moving boxes in their new home.

5 super smart moves for first-time homebuyers

The average first-time homebuyer will spend $350,000. Don't you want to get it right?

A girl looks at a screen showing an almost sold out concert

It’s my money and I’m afraid to lose it

The thought of losing money hurts. Even if we don't actually have the money in our hands.

Is it better to give someone cash or a gift card?

One of these gifts will bring nothing but discomfort. Can you guess which one?

A man and a woman sit in chairs negotiating a price.

The science of first impressions

How the first price you hear can influence your spending decisions.

How can I make this year's resolutions stick?

People who achieve their resolutions have a few things in common. Find out what they are.

A man covers his eyes to avoid the bills and statements that swirl around his head.

La la la...I can't hear you!

When it comes to money, sometimes we'd rather bury our heads in the sand.

Bearded twenty-something dude raises his hipster arms in financial victory.

5 goals you can and should crush in your 20s

Your 30s are going to be sooo much better if you've got these goals on lock.

A man chooses which size popcorn to buy.

I'll take the large popcorn, please

Thanks to the Decoy Effect our brains are hard-wired to super-size our spending.

5 questions for...Shannon Lee Simmons

The author of Worry-Free Money tells us about her best investment: herself.

Ask Evree: Should I invest in Bitcoin?

The psychology of cryptocurrency is trickier than you might think.

I contribute to my RRSP all year long. Why do I get anxious about it now?

There's nothing like an RRSP tax deadline to make you second-guess your savings strategy.

A man with a shotgun stands guard in front of computer servers.

5 steps we should all take to protect our financial deets

A completely realistic non-alarmist guide to keeping your financial data safe.

A man holding a credit card thinks about completing an online purchase.

Hurry! We can't resist a limited offer!

Why the heart seems to want whatever appears to be in shortest supply.

6 ways to stay money motivated

Big goals require big commitments. If you think saving lots of money is hard, this is for you.

A graphic of a plunging red line, plus three huge bananas.

The stock market is going bananas! What should I do?

Advice for investors for when the diaper hits the fan.

A young woman looks at a poster of a bad boy celebrity.

Our rose-tinted glasses

In money and life, Confirmation Bias makes it easy to rationalize our choices.

A defeated man lies on his bed with his head on his laptop.

I know I need a will. What's stopping me?

One way to stop procrastinating? Make it fun. Seriously.

A woman is surrounded by posters and billboards.

And now your brain is full

When it comes to making money decisions, sometimes less is more.

What should I do with my tax refund?

How to trick your brain into making the smart move. No, not the new shoes.

A see-saw with a brain at one end and a jar of money at the other.

4 ways to trick your brain into saving money

Saving money is hard. Here's how to do it without thinking.

A man holds a credit card while surfing on his laptop.

How can I stop buying stuff I don't need?

A nap and a banana might help. So would learning to speak German.

A man and woman sit on the floor in their new house.

Your brain on real estate

This market is irrational. So are we. Here’s how you can be smart about it.

Menu Confidential

Four ways restaurants trick us into spending more

HOW TO 5 goals you can and should crush in your 20s