Stress Test

More than half of young Canadians say they’d want a prenup if they got married or entered a common-law relationship. But only a small share have actually signed one. So what’s stopping them? In this episode, we look at the gap between interest and action and why prenups may still be harder, pricer and more emotionally charged than many expect. 

We hear from a Toronto woman who says getting a prenup with her husband became the most ...

For decades, there was a formula for homeownership. Buy something small, maybe a condo or a townhouse, watch its value rise, and then eventually move up to something bigger. But that formula is breaking down for many young Canadians. 

Today, we’re looking at what happens when an idea passed down through generations stops working when it's your turn. First, we hear from a Toronto homeowner who stretched far beyond her budget to skip...

Breaking into the job market has always been tough, but right now, it feels harder than usual. Hiring is slow. Competition is high. And at the same time, artificial intelligence is changing the kinds of tasks that once defined entry-level roles. So what’s really behind this shift?

We hear from economist and professor Larry Smith, who says new technology has always shaken up the labour market, but AI is doing so at a much faster spe...

Investing on your own has never been simpler. Trading fees are disappearing, apps are better than ever and features like fractional shares mean you can start investing with just a few dollars. But is easier always better? On today’s episode, we look at what’s changed, what’s improved and what still matters most in the investing world. We hear from two Canadians who’ve taken different paths into DIY investing, and how new tools, fro...

Despite a cooling housing market, home ownership still feels out of reach for many young Canadians. Now, new research suggests that when young people decide to opt out of saving for a home, their behaviour can change in surprising ways. They spend more, save less, and take bigger risks with their investments. We hear from two committed renters in their 20s about why they’re not interested in saving for a down payment. Then, Roma sp...

Renters in Canada are finally catching a break. In Canada’s biggest cities, rents have been falling for more than a year and vacancy rates are rising. Some landlords are even offering incentives like free months of rent and move-in bonuses to attract tenants. But the reality on the ground is more complicated. 

In this episode, Roma and The Globe’s consumer affairs reporter Mariya Postelnyak unpack how many deals there really are in...

After years of strong gains, the stock market’s resilience has many investors and experts wondering how much longer it can last. We hear from a 25-year-old from B.C. about her first market downturn, her reaction to the drop and how it changed her investing mindset. 

Then Rob talks with wealth advisor Aaron Hector, a wealth advisor at TIER Wealth in Calgary, about why the stock market has been so strong since COVID, why the tech sec...

There's so much financial uncertainty out there right now. Stocks have soared, but global conflicts are casting a shadow. House prices are falling. The labour market is shifting. Even the things that are supposed to be getting easier, like renting, don’t quite feel that way.

Welcome back for another season of Stress Test, The Globe and Mail’s personal finance podcast for millennials and Gen Z. This season, we’ll look at how to prep...

Despite economic uncertainty, millions of Canadians continued to travel abroad and domestically in 2025. We want to know where they’re going - and how they’re doing it affordably. 

We hear from Stress Test producer Zahra Khozema about how she budgets for 2-3 trips a year. Then, The Globe’s consumer affairs reporter Mariya Postelnyak speaks with travel photographer Mandy Sham about her favourite affordable destinations, the trends sh...

Over the last four years, legalized sports betting has become a massive industry in Canada. In Ontario alone, people placed bets worth a total of around $11-billion in 2024. It’s simple to do: Open an app, bet a few bucks and watch the scoreboard.  At the same time, trading apps have made investing quicker and easier, and the process feels very similar. We’re not saying gambling and investing are the same, but the lines are blurrin...

Job cuts are a growing reality. In the past month, Amazon, Canada Post, Stellantis, General Motors, and Imperial Oil have been among the companies that have let plenty of employees go. Getting fired can come as a shock. And it can leave people financially strapped as they try to find their bearings. So what do you do if you suddenly find yourself in this situation?

We hear from a Toronto-based tech worker about what she learned from...

During the pandemic, record-low interest rates meant cheap mortgages. These days? Rates are higher. And worries about where they’re headed next mean tough decisions for homeowners. We hear from a Toronto-based millennial about how she’ll manage her finances when her mortgage rate potentially doubles in the new year. Then, Rob speaks with Victor Tran, a licensed mortgage agent and real estate sales representative, about how higher r...

The job market for young Canadians is terrible these days. Lots of qualified, talented people are sending out tons of resumes and getting zero replies. We hear from two recent grads who have been struggling for months to get an interview, let alone a job offer. Then Erica Alini, The Globe’s personal economics reporter, speaks with Matt Lundy, The Globe’s economics editor, about the conditions driving high unemployment for young Can...

Adulthood is a never-ending parade of chores. Clothes to clean, cars to wash, appliances to fix. Businesses that serve these needs, like laundromats, car washes, and vending machines, are honestly a bit, well, boring. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t making good money. And financially savvy Canadians are taking note. This week, we’ll hear from two 20-somethings who bought so-called “boring” businesses from boomers looking to retir...

More investors are turning to artificial intelligence for investing advice. But should you trust what ChatGPT tells you about ETFs, the stock market and where to put your money? We hear from two investors about how AI factors into their investing strategy. Rob Carrick also speaks with Ben Felix, portfolio manager and head of research at PWL Capital and co-host of the Rational Reminder podcast, about whether he finds AI investment a...

You might be familiar with this home ownership journey: save for a down payment, buy a condo, live in it for a few years, sell it at a profit, then use that money to buy a bigger home with multiple bedrooms and a backyard. It was the standard home-owning playbook for older millennials. But with high interest rates and an oversaturated condo market, that formula has unravelled. In this episode, we’ll hear from a Calgary-based Gen Z ...

The Globe’s personal finance podcast for Gen Z and millennials is back for another season. Join host Roma Luciw, recently retired Rob Carrick and The Globe’s roster of personal finance reporters as they dig into the financial questions impacting Canadians. Up this season:  timely topics like AI investing, the condo crisis, and why young Canadians are buying boring businesses.

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