Stress Test

Many millennials and Gen Z’s have done everything “right” - they’ve graduated, found good jobs, are paying off their debt and saving money. So why is it so hard to live the middle class lifestyle their parents and older peers had at their age? In this episode, we hear from Cody, a 33-year-old living in Hamilton, Ont., who is frustrated at not being able to achieve many of his financial and life goals despite being a fiscally responsible adult. Plus, Rob talks to Paul Kershaw, a professor at the University of British Columbia and founder of Generation Squeeze, a group that researches intergenerational fairness, about why many millennials feel like the middle class is dead.

If you’re a Canadian driver, soaring gas prices are causing you to dig deeper at the pump these days. But is there any way to lower your vehicle costs? Today, we’re talking about the cost of car ownership and whether electric vehicles have made the move from being a luxury purchase to an affordable one. Rob speaks to Robert Karwel, an automotive industry expert at J.D. Power, for a closer look at what’s changed in the Canadian vehicle market and the potential for going electric. Plus, we hear from Dominic, a 24-year-old from Gatineau, Quebec who bought an electric vehicle to save money.  Yes, you read that right! 

Your boss wants you back in the office, but after two years of remote work, you’re not sure you want to go. Whether you measure the cost in time or money, going back to work can be pricey. Many Canadians have grown to love their work from home lifestyle, and they’re eager to keep it. In the first episode of our new season, we hear from a 20-something who’s job-hunting because his employer is asking employers to return to the office two to three days a week. We also hear from a manager in her early 40s on why she decided to close her office for good. Plus, The Globe’s future of work reporter Vanmala Subramaniam speaks with Roma to discuss changes in the workplace and what to expect going forward.

So much has changed in the last two years including how we work, where we live and what’s important to us. But your money matters just as much as it did pre-pandemic – maybe even more. The Globe’s personal finance podcast is back this month for its fifth season. Join hosts Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw as they talk with real people and experts to tackle the money questions on your mind. Up this season: the cost of going back to the office, the price of gas versus electric vehicles, the rise of ethical investing and the latest challenges when buying a home.

Cryptocurrencies are in the spotlight because of their dramatic ups and downs. So what are people who buy cryptocurrency thinking? And is it a smart investment? In our final episode of Season Four, Rob and Roma delve into the trend that is crypto investing. We hear from two investors: a Toronto millennial woman who started investing in crypto as a pandemic hobby, and a cautionary tale about crypto investing from a 26-year-old from Niagara Falls, Ont. Plus, Rob speaks with Braden Dennis and Simon Belanger of the Canadian Investor Podcast about their tips on crypto investing for those looking to get started.

Home prices have skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic, threatening to price a generation of young buyers out of the market. It’s gotten so bad that some parents are flat out giving their adult kids the money they need for a down payment. But what is that doing to their own finances? How widespread is this help? In this episode, we hear from parents of Gen Z and millennials about helping their kids buy homes - and what that means for their own finances.

A lot of people feel uncomfortable negotiating with their boss for a raise and other perks. But if you don’t ask, you won’t get. And it’s definitely a lot easier to save money if you’re making more of it. We hear from a group of friends (who tell each other everything) as they discuss their recent experiences asking for a raise. Plus, Roma talks to Hadiya Roderique, who taught negotiation at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and also was a lawyer. She shares her tips on how to make your case like an expert.

Are you helping your parents by paying for groceries, house bills or even funding their retirement? The overwhelming trend in Canada is for parents to be supporting their adult kids financially. But today, we’re talking to the Gen Z and millennials who are in the opposite position and helping support their family. We hear from a 27-year-old from Stoney Creek, Ont., who has been helping her parents with monthly payments for over five years. Plus, Roma speaks to Natasha Knox, a Vancouver- based financial planner, about how common this is among her clients and how it impacts their financial planning.

If you’re a renter, you already know how unaffordable it’s getting. So how are people dealing with the rising costs? And what does it mean for their other financial goals - and for their life? We hear from a 25-year-old renter in Kelowna, B.C., who says finding a place to live was more stressful than finding a job. Then, we hear from a millennial couple with two young children who are renting in Markham, Ont. and have very different opinions about their current living situation. Plus, Rob speaks to The Globe’s real estate reporter Shane Dingman about what he’s been seeing when it comes to the rental market in Canada and potential solutions to help renters get a leg up.

In this bonus episode, we're bringing you an episode of City Space, a podcast from The Globe about how to make our cities better.A generation ago, a middle-class income could buy you a detached home in a big city. Now? Folks are finding they need to set their sights further and further away from any downtown centre if they want to hold fast to that dream. But as populations and climate emergencies rise, experts tell us that urban densification is the necessary path forward. So what do cities have to do to retain the middle-class? And how, exactly, does the middle-class break their addiction to personal space and redefine “making it” when it comes to acquiring housing?In this episode, we hear from Jennifer Keesmaat, Toronto’s former Chief City Planner and founder of Markee Developments, on why she thinks rental units and high-quality public spaces will do the trick. Plus, Rollin Stanley, former General Manager of Planning for Calgary, details how governments all over the country should get imaginative with their heritage buildings. Finally, we ask Rob Carrick, Personal Finance Columnist at the Globe, about why he’s letting millennials off the hook when it comes to housing.