Cost of Living
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Cost of Living
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.
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How does all the weird food end up at Winners?
The food aisle at Winners is like the land of misfit toys, with egg white spaghetti noodles next to matcha-flavoured protein powder. But is the random...
Is Canada really poorer than Alabama?
Yep, if you compare our economies based on GDP per capita, but Paul Haavardsrud looks at how that measure for our standard of living has its limits. P...
Why more Canadians are getting into 'boring businesses'
More Canadians are finding job security by charting their own path. They're buying so-called "boring businesses," like vending machines, dry cleaners...
Is the early to bed generation killing nightlife? (Encore Edition)
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 f...
A big reason the U.S. still needs Canada? Our aluminum
As CUSMA negotiations approach, U.S. President Donald Trump is downplaying Canada's importance. Not to brag, but America still depends heavily on Cana...
Scam Nation
Artificial intelligence is making scams harder to spot and Canadians are losing millions every year to fraud. So is it worth it to pay for personal cy...
BONUS: How high could oil prices go?
The war in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have interrupted critical oil supply chains. Now gas prices are rising. Energy analy...
Why microwaves will likely get cheaper but your haircut won't
Some services, like barbering and childcare, cost way more than they did in the past and keep going up in price. On the other hand, a lot of manufactu...
BONUS: Iran and the year of economic uncertainty
As Iran counter attacks by targeting energy infrastructure in neighbouring countries and threatening to shut off access to the Strait of Hormuz, we ex...
BONUS! What does the Iran conflict mean for the global economy?
Roughly a quarter of the world's oil supply is at risk as the biggest military strike in decades unfolds in the Middle East. Rory Johnston is a geopol...
Are we in a cost of living crisis? Maybe not.
It may feel like there’s an affordability crisis but is it really all that bad? Also, we explain why more Canadian women are getting financially lit a...
The billionaire backlash
Today's tech billionaires are insanely rich in a way we've never seen before, and they're not shy about flaunting the power that comes with it (we're...
A former bike thief explains why it's so easy to steal your ride
Back in the day, bike thieves could snip through cheap cable locks, but they were stymied by the more expensive U-locks. Not anymore. An ex-thief expl...
Are we in the middle of a modern day gold rush?
With gold prices reaching historic highs, more people are channeling their inner prospector. They're combing through thrift stores, estate sales — eve...
Is Trump really an 'existential threat' to Canada’s auto sector?
The U.S. President would like to see Canadian auto jobs move to the United States. But how likely is that to happen? Also, why Canadians have a tough...
WestJet's big squeeze and other business blunders
Al Lewis, who writes Business Blunders on Substack, explains why big companies make big mistakes (Hint: it's money). We'll explore why your money prob...
What has Canada risked for a deal with China?
Canada's trade deal with China is good for canola farmers, but for automakers? Not so much. So what does that say about the federal government's hopes...
How Scholastic became so tight with Canadian schools
Scholastic has been selling books, pens and posters to students for decades. Along the way, it's become one of the world's largest publishers of child...
How AI could make pricing even less predictable (Encore Edition)
If it feels like the price of everything from airfares to juice boxes never stay put — you're not wrong. And artificial intelligence could make those...
Why do booze-free drinks cost nearly as much as the real thing? (Encore Edition)
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...
The genius of Hallmark economics
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 winn...
The class divide could be coming to a ski hill near you
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...
What the hell is happening to American capitalism
The 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...
When it comes to inflation, it's personal
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 dependin...
Is the early to bed generation killing nightlife?
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 f...
Are critical minerals over-hyped?
A lot of people are calling critical minerals a major opportunity for Canada, but we explain why their real benefit may be more strategic than economi...
The Wealthy Barber is back
When David Chilton self-published The Wealthy Barber in 1989, it turned into a personal finance phenomenon. Paul Haavardsrud talks with him about the...
How AI could turn pricing into a moving target
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 p...
Is Artificial Intelligence the mother of all bubbles?
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 sel...
What's creative destruction? Buckle up. We're living through it
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 we...
Why do booze-free drinks cost nearly as much as the real thing? (And other mysteries solved!)
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...
If the U.S. is remaking the rules, where does that leave Canada?
The post-WWII rules-based order has been good to Canada. International trade agreements and cooperation have brought peace and prosperity. But with Tr...
How YouTube ate the world
More people listen to music on YouTube than Spotify. It's the world's biggest podcast platform and it's worth twice as much as Disney. So what does it...
He was told he’d won a cash prize, and he sued to get it (via See You in Court)
Today we’ve got a little bonus for you: the latest episode of a new CBC podcast called “See You In Court,” in which host Falen Johnson revisits the le...
Ireland supercharged its economy by slashing taxes. Should Canada do the same?
More than two decades ago, Ireland radically cut corporate taxes and produced an "economic miracle." Now some say Canada should look to the Emerald Is...
Why companies aren’t going public anymore
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...
Split up? In this economy?!
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 th...
From the archives: Your questions about the economy
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...
Has Canada's EV dream stalled?
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...
Why hasn't the tariff apocalypse happened?
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 reces...