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Money talks. We translate. Every Friday, Paul Haavardsrud looks at the way money shapes our lives in ways big, small, obvious, and unseen. From Big Macs to Big Banks, the Cost of Living connects the dots between the economy and everyday life.
153 Episodes
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This week, we answer some of your burning questions about the economy. Like, why does Canada import stuff that we produce here? Should you pay in CAD when travelling abroad? And, how expensive is the #rvlife (Originally aired October 12, 2025)
Hallmark's holiday movie formula is as polished as a glass snow globe. And why not? Between product placements and sponsorships, the movies are a winner for the card company. We take a look at the business sense behind the sensibility. Also, we make a spirited defense of IRL shopping and ask: How did Canada's economy weather a stormy 2025?
Pricey VIP experiences are increasingly for sale in places like theme parks, concert venues and ski resorts. So what does it mean for us to be divided into the haves and the have-mores? We examine what the sale of Warner Bros. could mean for the future of entertainment. And why are Canadians paying through le nez for French butter?
1The U.S. used to be pretty hands off, let the market do its thing. Now it wants to be the puppet master. So what happened? Also, we explain why advent calendars have become so commercial and we talk to a historian about why certain toys catch lightening in a bottle. Remember Tickle Me Elmo?
Did you roll your eyes the last time someone said "inflation is coming down"? Yeah, that's fair. Your personal inflation rate can vary wildly depending on where you live, how old you are and whether you rent or own. We ask two Canadians to walk us through their personal inflation calculator and economist Mark Blyth explains how these differences may be partly responsible for the rise of polarization. Also, we dig into why Canadians are holding onto their cars longer.
Staying out 'til the wee hours of the morning? That's not happening as much anymore, and restaurants and bars are feeling it. Also, how to find Lego for 2 cents at Walmart and author Danny Funt talks about his new book: Everybody Loses: the Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling.
When David Chilton self-published The Wealthy Barber in 1989, it turned into a personal finance phenomenon. Paul Haavardsrud talks with him about the new updated version of his book. We explain why more Gen Z's are "vibe investing" and look at how realistic it is for Canada to go whole hog on "Buy Canadian."
If it feels like the price of everything from flights to juice boxes never stay put — you're not wrong. And artificial intelligence could make those prices even more slippery. Also, we look at the rewards and risk of credit card churning and why so many people are suddenly talking about digital sovereignty.
AI has all the ingredients needed for a bubble. So if it pops, could it put us all at risk? We also revisit a Halloween favourite about buying and selling haunted houses and we speak to author Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic about why being yourself at work is overratedWe'd love to hear from you! Complete our listener survey here.
Creative destruction is a way of explaining how new ideas destroy the old in an economy. In an ideal world, these changes make us all healthier and wealthier, right? Right?! With AI promising to upend the economy, we speak with Avi Goldfarb from the U of T's Creative Destruction Lab about how to prepare for it. We also look at why more First Nations are getting into the housing business and why cheap eats are so hard to find at the airport.
This week, we answer some of your burning questions about the economy. Like, why does Canada import stuff that we produce here? Should you pay in CAD when travelling abroad? And, how expensive is the #rvlife?
The post-WWII rules-based order has been good to Canada. International trade agreements and cooperation have brought peace and prosperity. But with Trump now tearing up the playbook, will we have to follow suit? Or can we find new partners who still want to play the old game the old way? Also, why more North Americans are willing to splurge on business class flights and why long waitlists are pushing Canadians to shop for new hips abroad.
More than two decades ago, Ireland radically cut corporate taxes and produced an "economic miracle." Now some say Canada should look to the Emerald Isle and perform a miracle of its own. We find out why some people are learning to love Canadian Gamays and Pinot Noirs. And could a proposed takeover of Teck, one of our last mining giants, be a test of the country's newfound economic nationalism?
Only a handful of companies have gone public on the TSX in the last few years. Paul Haavardsrud explores why that’s bad for investors and the economy at large. Also, we explore why so many adults are now getting mid-life braces. But, first up, is our love of big SUVs making traffic congestion worse?
About one in three marriages end in divorce in Canada. But the high cost of housing has some people doing the unthinkable — continuing to live with their ex.
This week, we dug through the vaults to find the best of your questions! Like, why does a deli roast chicken cost less than cooking one yourself? What's the deal with reverse mortgages? And do charities really make money from those giant clothing donation bins?
Canadians have hit the breaks on buying electric vehicles. But to meet the federal mandate, 10 years from now, every new vehicle sold in this country will have to be zero emission. So how are we going to get there?
Back in the spring, Trump's tariff threats had Canadians ducking for cover. We were bracing for massive job losses, inflation, even a full-blown recession. But for the most part, the economy is chugging along better than expected. So what gives?
It's not as far-fetched as it sounds. Canada needs new economic allies, and we meet a lot of the criteria for membership. So could we? Should we? Montreal political scientist, Frederic Menard, outlines the pros and cons of joining the EU.
The world of money has changed a lot since the 90s, and Rob Carrick has seen it all. From the 2008 financial crisis to the recent rise in housing prices, Rob looks back at a career as the personal finance columnist for the Globe and Mail.
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The biggest cost is always TAXES.
I don't mind paying the credit card fee, only if I'm paying less for the product/service. because they were supposed to have the fee incorporated in their prices, so if they are taking that oit, I should be paying less.
I agree with the caller at the end of the show. why not start a trend or hashtag to share everyone's salaries? If you're not comfortable sharing your salary, how can you expect transparency from others? or if you legally can't share that info, maybe it's time to share that too, so it leads to policy changes...
Hot Garbage… misleading title.