Welcome to The Financial Graduate!
When I was getting ready to graduate high school and break into the “real world” I had a ton of questions (and not many answers) about what to do next and how to pay for it…
Should I go to school, take a gap year, start my own company….?
How do I graduate post secondary without loads of debt?
How do I talk to my romantic partner about money?
How can I succeed in the “real world”?
What can this blog do for you?
- I want to share useful information and insights with those of you in high school (and beyond). Those of you who are interested in getting your personal finances in order. I want to help you avoid going into debt or making a major money faux pas.
- My background is in research and psychology (I have a graduate degree in cognitive psychology) so, I want to unpack the psychology behind money (why do we feel the need to purchase a fancy car that we know we can’t afford or why do some people find pleasure in savings while others love to spend). The way people manage their money has soooo much more to do with their psychology than their knowledge.
How is this blog different from all of the other personal finance blogs?
- My focus is on personal finance for beginners. I’m not here to discuss the minutia of stock picking. You are not going to find posts scattered with financial jargon. This site is for those of you who want to improve your financial literacy (a.k.a your financial understanding) but don’t know how/where to start.
- I am Canadian, born and raised in Alberta, and I want this to be highlighted. There are differences between Canada and the States when it comes to personal finances, so let’s talk about what’s relevant to Canadians.
- I am a researcher. This will be reflected in many of my posts. I’m not claiming to be an expert on everything related to personal finance but I am an expert researcher so I can find the answer to any question.
- Lastly, this blog is for anyone interested in personal finance, but I will have a special focus on girls and women for a few reasons. One, I’m a woman and I used to be a girl…so, I tend to be interested in topics related to ladies ! Two, I want to see more females educating themselves on their personal finances and taking control of their financial life. Three, I want to help girls and women get excited about their money!!
I’m really looking forward to diving into all topics related to personal finance and psychology and I hope you find the information presented here useful, interesting and maybe even a little bit entertaining.
A little bit more about me…
- My name is JJ
- I graduated with zero debt after 10 years of university and even saved enough money while going to school to put a down payment on a home three months after I finished school.
- I’m in my early 30’s, Canadian, married and a mother to a beautiful baby boy….with another baby on the way in 2019!
- I have an intense love for list making.
- I also enjoy eating, traveling and exercising (in this order!)
That’s me in a nutshell.
If you want to learn a little bit more about me and why I started this blog check out my inaugural blog post here.
Better yet, check out some of my top posts to see if this blog is a good fit for you!
University Killed my Creativity and how to Reawaken your Creative Mojo
You are Never too Young to Achieve Great Success
Money is not a Four Letter Word
What Should I do After High School?
But, I’m more interested in you.
Please feel free to contact me with your questions, comments, financial mistakes, frustrations…whatever you want to pass along!!