Two Girls Investing Podcast

di Two Girls Investing Co.

36 - 36 - Gamifying your Debt, One-Income Security & Private Equity for Beginners

In this TGIF (Two Girls Investing Friday) episode, Jess & Colleen catch up on Jess’s music studio recording process. They then explain private equity by contrasting private vs. public companies, using examples like Dragon’s Den and startup investors, and describe how everyday investors can access private equity indirectly by buying publicly traded private equity firms or ETFs that hold them, noting higher potential returns but higher risk and suggesting it as a small, advanced allocation. They answer a question about investing as a single mom by emphasizing a strong foundation including an emergency fund and paying off high-interest debt, and discuss budgeting and portfolio planning using percentages, plus using credit score tracking as a way to gamify debt payoff and motivation. 00:00 Welcome to TGIF 00:34 Studio Recording Recap 00:54 Click Track Check 03:28 Karaoke 04:58 Private Equity Basics 08:10 How You Can Invest 10:56 Returns and Risk Talk 14:47 Portfolio Percent Allocations 16:54 Single Income Listener Question 19:10 Budgeting in Percentages 21:36 Credit Score Motivation Game 23:33 Wrap Up and Next Week

E36

3 lug 2026

24:08

35 - Hidden Rental Costs, Business Expenses & is the FHSA Right for You?

Jess & Colleen discuss unexpected “hidden costs” in investing, homeownership, and business operations. Jess shares surprises from a newly purchased up/down duplex rental property, including an unfinished backyard, choosing gravel over grass to reduce tenant maintenance, and contractor quotes for wood privacy fence and gravel. Colleen shares hidden business costs, moving from manual Excel payroll calculations to scheduling/time-tracking and payroll platforms costing about $70–$80 per month to save time and reduce errors. The episode explains Canada’s First Home Savings Account (FHSA): contributions reduce taxable income like an RRSP, withdrawals are tax-free for a first-time primary home purchase without repayment, the annual limit is $8,000, and the lifetime limit is $40,000; they note investing choices should reflect a homebuying timeline and plan to discuss private equity next episode. 00:00 Welcome to TGIF 00:34 Weekly Catch Up 00:51 Rental Hidden Costs 01:55 Fence Quote Shock 05:43 Business Payroll Costs 07:56 FHSA Basics Explained 10:33 Investing Timeline Tips 12:18 FHSA Limits and CRA 14:43 Primary Home Rules 16:17 Landlords and Balance 17:17 Next Week Preview 17:34 Wrap Up and Follow

E35

26 giu 2026

17:50

34. You've Maxed out Your TFSA, RRSP and FHSA...Now What?!

Jess and Colleen discuss balancing summer adventures with finances, praising Jess’s discipline after a big Africa trip and her plan to do mostly local activities in Yukon, with only a short, costly trip to Haines, Alaska, while saving vacation money for winter travel. They compare this delayed-gratification approach with the other host’s summer expenses for children, including costly camps ($400–$600 per child per week) and $1,500 in activity fees, noting the childcare challenges for working parents. They share listener comments about the podcast’s global reach and Canadian focus, then answer a question from Kelsey about what to do after maxing TFSA, RRSP, and FHSA: pay down high-interest debt, invest in a non-registered personal account (taxed on sale via capital gains), optionally adjust payroll taxes via TD1, consider real estate or REITs, RESPs for kids, and potentially private equity with higher minimums. They plan a future FHSA episode. 00:00 Welcome to TGIF 00:34 Summer Spending Choices 03:12 Kids and Camp Costs 06:33 Listener Love and Reach 08:12 Maxed Accounts Next Steps 09:14 Non Registered Investing Taxes 11:24 FHSA Explained Briefly 12:07 Real Estate and RESP Options 13:45 Private Equity Teaser 14:57 Wrap Up and Next Episode

E34

19 giu 2026

16:06

33 - Canadian Investing Made Simple: TFSA, RRSP, ETFs, REITs & Tickers Explained

Jess and Colleen, hosts of TGIF, Two Girls Investing Friday share a personal update about Jess recording original music in a studio for the first time, then continue their investing discussion from the prior episode by outlining what you can hold inside registered accounts like a TFSA, RRSP, and FHSA (and also non-registered accounts): stocks, bonds, ETFs (including all-in-one stock/bond ETFs), high-interest savings accounts, GICs, and REITs that can pay monthly distributions. Colleen explains ETFs using a fruit analogy to highlight diversification and reduced risk versus individual stocks. They also clarify how tickers work, including suffixes like “.U” for USD-traded versions, and how to search for Canadian options by looking for TSX listings in Wealthsimple to avoid currency exchange fees, while emphasizing research, readiness steps, and robo-advisor alternatives 00:00 Welcome to TGIF 00:30 Studio Recording Plans 01:42 CDs to Spotify 03:32 Wealthsimple Investing Options 04:29 Stocks vs ETFs Explained 05:42 Why Diversification Wins 07:27 REITs and Dividends 08:10 Ticker Symbols Demystified 09:47 Finding Canadian ETFs 12:23 TSX vs NYSE on Wealthsimple 15:26 Robo Advisors and Readiness 16:20 Wrap Up and Next Episode

E33

12 giu 2026

17:46

32 - Setting Up Automated Investing in Wealthsimple (Plus Debt Payoff & Travel Compensation Wins)

In this episode of TGIF: Two Girls Investing Friday, Jess and Colleen catch up and share some massive weekly wins! One paid off a huge chunk of personal debt in about three months by focusing on lowering credit utilization and tackling higher-interest balances, while the other successfully claimed airfare compensation after an overnight delay (pro-tip: delays over three hours may qualify!). They then walk through setting up automated, recurring investments in a Wealthsimple RRSP to help reduce taxable income, explaining ETFs and key index concepts along the way. Using examples like VFV (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF), VDY (high dividend Canadian ETF), and adding XAW (global equities), they demonstrate exactly how to select “buy on a schedule,” choose your frequency and start date, and ensure your purchases occur inside an RRSP or TFSA rather than a non-registered account. Finally, they preview a future episode on investment options and portfolio considerations so you can keep building your confidence! Note: In the episode, we refer to a global ETF excluding North America as "VI"—the correct ticker symbol is VIU! Connect with us on: TikTok: @twogirlsinvesting Instagram: @twogirlsinvesting 00:00 Welcome to TGIF 00:34 Sunny Catch Up 01:04 Debt Payoff Win 02:01 ADHD Debt Strategy 03:35 Investing for Taxes 04:08 Flight Delay Payout 05:55 Automation Setup Intro 06:47 VFV and Index Basics 08:23 VDY Dividends Explained 09:01 Recurring Buys Walkthrough 10:17 Add Global ETF XAW 12:13 Next Episode Teaser

E32

5 giu 2026

13:22

31. Your Ultimate Guide to Wealthsimple and How to Choose a TFSA or RRSP

Jess hosts TGIF solo while Colleen is away and answers a listener question from Pam about using Wealthsimple and whether to invest through a TFSA or RRSP. She explains Wealthsimple as a Canadian fintech offering chequing and investing accounts, and reviews three investing approaches: traditional financial advisors, robo-advisors, and self-directed investing, emphasizing how higher fees can significantly reduce long-term returns. Jess breaks down how TFSAs work and how RRSPs differ. She shares a common guideline of using $50,000 income to help decide, notes many people use a hybrid approach, clarifies RRSP withdrawal options including the Lifelong Learning Plan and First-Time Home Buyers Plan, and reminds listeners they can hold multiple TFSA/RRSP accounts without overcontributing. 00:00 Welcome to TGIF 00:34 Jess Solo Update 00:54 Listener Question Setup 01:17 What Is Wealthsimple 02:34 Ways to Invest 03:48 Why Fees Matter 06:36 TFSA Explained 09:29 RRSP Explained 12:14 TFSA vs RRSP Rules 14:19 RRSP Withdrawal Options 16:41 Multiple Accounts Limits 17:49 Wrap Up and Thanks

E31

22 mag 2026

18:55

30. Money Myths: Why Budgeting Alone Won’t Build Wealth and When Debt Can Be Good

Jess and Colleen catch up on busy family schedules and rising costs, then discuss tax surprises when owning businesses, prompting plans to calculate and set aside amounts monthly and contribute more to RRSPs while balancing liquidity. They continue their “money myths” series, emphasizing that budgeting and saving are essential foundations but not enough for wealth and time freedom; investing to outpace inflation and increasing income through job changes, negotiating (especially for women), or side hustles are key accelerators. They also challenge the idea that all debt is bad, distinguishing high-interest consumer debt from productive debt like mortgages or business loans, and describe how wealthy people may borrow against assets to avoid selling and triggering taxes. Next episode addresses TFSA vs RRSP and Wealthsimple. 00:00 TGIF Podcast Intro 00:34 May Schedule Chaos 01:07 Kids Sports Costs 02:33 Tax Season Surprises 04:22 RRSP Planning Balance 06:24 Money Myth Budgeting 08:30 Boost Income Strategies 11:26 Money Myth Debt 13:38 Rich Use Leverage 15:19 Wrap Up Listener Qs

E30

15 mag 2026

16:15

29 - Money Myths: You Don’t Need to Be Rich to Invest & Income Doesn’t Equal Wealth

In this TGIF (Two Girls Investing Friday) episode, Jess and Colleen introduce a discussion on common money myths and share a preview of two major ones. First, they debunk the idea that you need to be rich to start investing, noting that fractional shares and dollar-cost averaging make it possible to begin with very small amounts, especially when investing is automated from each paycheck; they also mention the importance of a foundation like paying off high-interest debt, building an emergency fund, and understanding timelines, while warning that holding large cash balances can lose value to inflation and miss potential gains. Second, they challenge the belief that a higher income automatically makes someone wealthy, emphasizing lifestyle creep, debt-financed “looking rich,” and the need for money management skills at any income level. They tease more myths for the next episode and invite listeners to share their own. 00:00 Welcome to TGIF 00:34 Yukon Spring Catch Up 00:48 Money Myths Intro 01:09 Myth One Start Investing 02:05 Fractional Shares Explained 03:18 Automation and Inflation 05:09 Myth Two High Income 06:07 Lifestyle Creep Examples 06:55 Debt Versus Wealth 08:45 Wrap Up and Next Week

E29

8 mag 2026

9:18

28 - Why Community Matters and How Investment Fees Can Cost You

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 Podcast 00:22 Money Community Matters 01:01 Stress Mental Health Link 01:38 Beyond AI Support 02:18 You Are Not Alone 02:48 Join The Community 03:26 Beginner Investing Mistakes 03:45 Plan Goals Time Horizon 05:22 Diversification Basics 07:08 Learn Before You Invest 08:20 Avoid Panic Selling 10:25 How Often To Check 12:30 Fees Can Destroy Returns 14:30 Next Week Money Myths 14:51 Wrap Up And Share

E28

1 mag 2026

15:57

27 - Travel Credit Card Points and Beginner Investing Mistakes

Jess returns from a short hiatus with updates on her upcoming house purchase, complex tax preparations, and plans to record her music. The conversation shifts to credit card points strategies. Jess explains why she prefers a card with no foreign transaction fees and maximizes value by redeeming points for travel instead of statement credits. Jess and Colleen note the importance of paying off the balance every month. Finally, they tackle common beginner investing mistakes like emotional trading and chasing fast returns through individual stocks. They recommend replacing those mistakes with proven long-term habits: relying on diversified ETFs, dollar-cost averaging, automating investments, and prioritizing time in the market. 00:00 Jess Returns Update 00:42 Taxes And House Prep 01:26 Studio Plans Postponed 02:09 Songwriting Journey 03:08 Credit Card Points 05:20 Redeeming Points Smartly 07:25 Beginner Investing Mistakes 07:49 Stocks And ETFs 15:13 Time In Market DCA 16:50 Wrap Up And Next Episode

E27

24 apr 2026

17:44

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