Two Girls Investing Podcast

.We open this episode tackling the current reality of Canadian grocery prices, breaking down a $375 Loblaws bill and sharing aggressive, practical strategies to cut your food budget, from leveraging the Flipp app at Superstore to the forgotten ROI of a pantry audit. We then transition into the core financial safety net: the emergency fund. We explain exactly how to calculate your target number based on personal risk factors like job stability, single versus dual income households, and renting versus owning. Finally, we expose the danger of cash hoarding, why overfunding your savings account actively loses you money to inflation, and explain why a High Interest Savings Account is the only place your emergency fund should live so you never have to sell off investments during a market dip.Episode Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Episode Preview00:19 Grocery Bill Shock01:07 Free Gift Grocery Perk02:38 Frozen Produce Savings04:58 Pantry Inventory Strategy08:10 Price Matching With Flipp09:19 Stocking Food at Work11:30 Emergency Fund Basics13:38 How Much You Need16:42 Household and Housing Factors21:31 Insurance and Risk Buffers20:24 Avoid Overfunding Cash24:45 Keep Emergencies Out of Investments27:03 High Interest Savings Account29:12 Next Week and Wrap Up

Jess and Colleen share that their podcast is about sharing their different financial journeys to normalize Canadian women talking about money, reduce isolation through community, and highlight how finances affect stress, mental health, and relationships, noting finances as a leading cause of divorce in Canada and that AI can’t replace real community support. They invite listeners to comment, share wins and stories, download free and paid resources, and suggest ideas for what the community should look like. The episode then returns to beginner investing mistakes: investing without a clear plan, goal, or time horizon; taking too much risk for short-term goals (where a high-interest savings account may be better); insufficient diversification across geographies and sectors; panic selling during market downturns; and ignoring fees, especially high mutual fund fees compared with lower-fee ETFs, including asking advisors to show long-term fee impacts. Next week’s topic is money myths and mindset.00:00 Why We Podcast00:22 Money Community Matters01:01 Stress Mental Health Link01:38 Beyond AI Support02:18 You Are Not Alone02:48 Join The Community03:26 Beginner Investing Mistakes03:45 Plan Goals Time Horizon05:22 Diversification Basics07:08 Learn Before You Invest08:20 Avoid Panic Selling10:25 How Often To Check12:30 Fees Can Destroy Returns14:30 Next Week Money Myths14:51 Wrap Up And Share

In this TGIF Two Girls Investing Friday episode, Colleen continues a conversation with guest Jaya while Jess is away, focusing on credit card points strategies. Jaya explains she never carries a credit card balance and emphasizes that welcome offers work best when you pay in full, since interest can erase rewards value. They discuss minimum-spend requirements, typical bonus ranges, and using planned expenses (not extra spending) to earn points, including having spouses apply separately to double welcome bonuses. Jaya shares how she booked a Bora Bora overwater bungalow for five nights for about $738, plus flights using points, and outlines using transferable points and timing transfers only when ready to book. She covers managing annual fees via a travel budget, leveraging first-year-free offers, and calling banks for product-change offers to earn additional bonuses while maintaining credit history.00:00 Podcast Intro00:34 Episode Setup With Jaya01:03 No Balances Rule02:11 Welcome Offers Strategy03:28 Bora Bora Points Win05:23 Earning Fast Without Overspending07:03 Planning Future Trips08:18 Europe Booking Tactics10:00 Cancel Downgrade Credit Impact11:00 Annual Fees And Product Changes12:53 Beginner Tips And Takeaways13:43 Guest Plug And Wrap Up

In this TGIF Two Girls Investing Friday episode, Jess & Colleen chat about lingering winter weather and concerns about snowmelt flooding. They share embarrassing money stories, including late-night postpartum purchases, which leads into a discussion on how small app charges and forgotten subscriptions can add up. They recommend regularly reviewing phone subscriptions and note that companies may refund accidental renewals. They also discuss saving money through meal planning, highlighting the Mob app that builds grocery lists from selected recipes, and mention online grocery shopping for budget control. Finally, they address recent market volatility tied to disrupted oil supply during a war in Iran, emphasizing long-term investing, dollar-cost averaging, buying opportunities during corrections, mindset and language shifts ("down" vs. "lost"), risk tolerance, diversification, and teasing future episodes on starting with Wealthsimple, beginner mistakes, and money myths.00:00 Podcast Welcome00:34 Back After A Break00:44 Cold Weather Catch Up01:37 Embarrassing Money Story04:52 App Spending Adds Up07:15 Meal Planning App Hack09:39 Grocery Shopping Strategies10:41 Market Dip And Mindset11:39 Stop Predicting Markets12:31 Volatility Is Normal13:48 Stay the Course14:19 Headlines and Fear15:16 Mindset and Language17:21 Time Horizon and Diversification19:43 Risk Tolerance Check20:41 Market Manipulation Talk24:22 Buy the Dip Mindset25:03 Next Episodes and Wrap

In this TGIF Two Girls Investing Friday episode, Jess and Colleen discuss building wealth without jargon by focusing on diversification and how home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) fit into mortgage and debt strategy. They explain why a diversified portfolio helps manage risk, using a “stiletto vs. snowshoe” analogy, and Jess shares her own mix: mostly stock ETFs across the US, Canada, and global markets, plus some high-dividend ETFs, a small allocation to bonds and gold (via a gold ETF), and an emergency fund in a high-interest savings account, all held on Wealthsimple due to low fees. They define key terms like stocks, ETFs, bonds, and bond maturity dates, including all-in-one portfolio ETFs. They also cover HELOCs as secured credit with lower rates, best used for debt consolidation or value-adding renovations rather than depreciating purchases, and preview a future episode on debt payoff and credit score strategies.00:00 Welcome to TGIF00:34 Friday Money Mindset01:58 Why Diversify02:34 Snowshoe vs Stiletto04:24 Jess Portfolio Breakdown05:15 Platforms and Fees06:37 ETFs Stocks Bonds Explained09:15 All in One ETFs11:30 Individual Stocks and Gold13:08 Start Small Keep Learning14:46 HELOC Basics16:39 Using HELOCs Wisely21:32 Debt Payoff Updates Next22:50 Wrap Up and Follow

The hosts, Jess and Colleen, of TGIF Two Girls Investing Friday discuss actionable ways to start investing in real estate, focusing first on house hacking—buying a primary residence (including duplexes, triplexes, or suites) and renting part of it to help cover the mortgage—highlighting access to lower down payments (5% up to $500,000 and 10% up to $1,000,000), lower interest rates, and the rule to live in the home for a year. They share alternative strategies for saving a down payment, like house sitting or living with family, and cover renovations as “sweat equity.” They compare primary residences versus rentals, explaining capital gains tax on rental property sales, rules discouraging quick flips, and how taxes apply when a property is partly rented over time. They also discuss short-term rental restrictions in Whitehorse and using RRSP contributions and write-offs to reduce taxable rental income.Sign up for our monthly newsletter and see our other resources HereConnect with us on:Tik TokInstagram00:00 Welcome to TGIF00:34 Real Estate Game Plan00:58 House Hacking Basics04:41 Saving for a Down Payment06:47 Renovate and Flip Lessons09:22 Rentals and Capital Gains12:34 Airbnb Rules and Balance15:36 Rental Income Tax Strategy18:06 Wrap Up and Next Episode

In this episode of 'TGIF Two Girls Investing Friday,' Jess and Colleen dive into personal finance strategies with a focus on the everyday choices that can impact financial health. They begin with a light-hearted chat about balancing life's small luxuries, like coffee outings, with broader financial goals. The conversation then transitions into detailed discussions on saving on taxes, the benefits and differences between RRSPs and TFSAs, and strategies for doing taxes either independently or with professional help. The episode wraps up with a teaser for their next discussion on real estate investing, inviting listeners to contribute their questions on the topic.00:00 Welcome to TGIF: Two Girls Investing Friday00:36 Personal Finance and Lifestyle Choices00:54 Moments of Magic: Finding Joy in Everyday Expenses03:49 Personal Finance is Personal08:17 Diving into Taxes: Tips and Tools13:04 Exploring TurboTax and Wealthsimpe for Taxes13:36 Rental Income and Taxes15:18 Tax-Saving Strategies and Credits16:43 Understanding RRSPs and TFSAs for Tax Benefits20:45 Claiming Work-Related Expenses and Union Fees25:28 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Real Estate Episode

In this episode of TGIF: Two Girls Investing Friday, Jess and Colleen break down the fundamentals of budgeting and saving for a major trip, as Jess prepares for her upcoming visit to Kenya. They discuss the costs involved, including flights, safari expenses, and accommodations, and share strategies for saving and budgeting over a lengthy period. Additionally, Jess and Colleen touch on topics like delayed gratification, the importance of financial planning with a partner, and balancing immediate desires with long-term financial goals. The episode closes with a teaser for their next discussion on money myths and how Colleen turned her love for shopping into a business.00:00 Welcome to TGIF: Two Girls Investing Friday00:34 Jess's Trip to Kenya: Planning and Budgeting02:41 Safari Adventures and Costs09:00 Saving Strategies and Financial Discipline12:25 Balancing Financial Goals and Enjoyment17:28 Upcoming Episodes and Listener Engagement18:12 Closing Remarks and Social Media