Who are your money heroes?

I applaud anyone who makes an effort to live sustainably within their means without always needing to purchase the latest trends.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I’m a one-woman show and do absolutely everything behind the scenes for my business Confessions of a Refashionista, so my free time is quite limited. However, if I am able to take a bit of time for myself, I will most certainly be found listening to a true crime podcast and scrolling through Karrot [an online used-goods marketplace available in almost every Canadian city] to see if there are any new items that I can pick up in my neighbourhood for my upcycling projects and tutorials.

If money were no object, what would you be doing right now?

I would be producing my own low-waste DIY wardrobe makeover show, geared toward teaching viewers how to step out in style and organize their closets without breaking the bank, and recreating items from their existing wardrobes, swaps, thrift stores and buy/sell apps.

What was your first memory about money?

I’m Gen X, and as a child, if I wanted something, I had to buy it myself, so I started earning my own money from a very young age by doing chores. This taught me to rely on myself, which made me very independent and hard-working.

What’s the first thing you remember buying with your own money?

The very first exciting purchase I ever made was during our neighbourhood’s “Parade of Garage Sales” when I was nine years old. I spotted a Barbie Country Camper and had to make it mine! Luckily my neighbour sold it to me for only a dime, and it was truly one of the greatest purchases of my life. It’s long gone now, but I am slowly but surely collecting the now-vintage toys I miss from my childhood. I recently scored an ’80s Barbie Trunk full of vintage Barbies on the Karrot app for only $10!

What was your first job?

My first “real” job as a young adult was in a cafe, and my first paycheque was very quickly spent on rent and bills.

What was the biggest money lesson you learned as an adult?

New and expensive does not mean better, and there is absolutely zero need to feel pressured into buying something simply because it has a designer label or the latest piece of technology. Shopping secondhand and reusing makes it incredibly easy to find just about anything you desire for a reasonable price, a trade or even sometimes for free. It’s so satisfying to discover fantastic, gently used (and even brand-new) items for a fraction of the cost.  

What’s the best money advice you’ve ever received?

Always make sure you can pay your basic living costs. Follow whatever money plan works best for you, but be flexible, as it will most certainly change frequently throughout the different stages of your life.