Who are your money heroes?
I love everyone who strives to live sustainably inside their means without at all times having to purchase the most recent trends.
How do you prefer to spend your free time?
I’m a one-woman organization and do absolutely all the things behind the scenes for my company Confessions of a Refashionista, so my free time is pretty limited. However, after I can take a little bit time for myself, I’m sure to be listening to a real crime podcast and scrolling through carrot [an online used-goods marketplace available in almost every Canadian city] to see if there are any recent items in my neighborhood that I can pick up for my upcycling projects and tutorials.
If money were no object, what would you be doing now?
I’d produce my very own low-waste DIY wardrobe makeover show, showing viewers the right way to exit in style and organize their closets without breaking the bank, and the right way to recreate items from their existing closets, swap shops, thrift stores, and buy/sell apps.
What is your first memory of cash?
I’m a Generation Xer, and as a toddler, if I wanted something, I had to purchase it myself. That’s why I began earning my very own money at a really young age by doing household chores. This taught me to depend on myself, which made me very independent and hardworking.
What is the very first thing you got along with your own money?
My very first exciting purchase was through the “Parade of Garage Sales” in our neighborhood after I was nine years old. I spotted a Barbie Country Camper and just needed to get it! Luckily, my neighbor sold it to me for only a penny and it was truly top-of-the-line purchases of my life. It’s long gone now, but I’m slowly but surely collecting the now-old toys that I miss from my childhood. I recently bought a 80s Barbie chest filled with vintage Barbies within the Karrot app for less than $10!
What was your first job?
My first “real” job as a young adult was at a coffee shop, and my first paycheck was quickly spent on rent and bills.
What was an important lesson you learned about money as an adult?
New and expensive does not imply higher, and also you absolutely need not feel pressured to purchase something simply because it has a designer label or is the most recent piece of technology. With secondhand shopping and repurposing, it’s incredibly easy to search out just about anything you would like for an inexpensive price, in exchange, or sometimes even at no cost. It’s so satisfying to find incredible, gently used (and even brand recent) items for a fraction of the worth.
What is the most effective money tip you will have ever received?
Always make sure that you may cover your basic living expenses. Follow the financial statement that works best for you, but remain flexible because it is certain to alter ceaselessly through the different stages of your life.
