May 9, 2023

YWCA Focus@Work presents: My Dollars and Sense – Financial ABCs

Do these roadblocks to financial success feel familiar?

1. Do money beliefs, personality and trauma inform your financial decisions?
2. Do you feel like budgeting isn’t enough?
3. Are you looking to better manage your cash flow and discover debt reduction and credit management strategies?
4. Do you know how to take advantage of tax planning and government benefits?

The first step to taking control of our financial lives involves getting a handle on our relationship with money. Once we understand WHY we do what we do, we have clarity to support our financial decision-making. Whether you’re going through a life change, or are curious about your financial progress, by comparing best practices with your personal situation, you’ll feel empowered to make specific tweaks to your financial life: You CAN get ahead!

To learn more, we invite you to join the conversation on Tuesday, May 9th from 1:00pm-3:00pm.

The upcoming session is offered for self-identifying women and is open to non-binary or gender diverse people. We warmly welcome members of the BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+and Disabled communities.

Speaker bio:

Our presenter, Paige Brettle, is an experienced millennial personal finance educator on a mission to bring healing and empowerment to our money relationships. She has worked for over a decade as an associate financial advisor with a top financial planning firm in downtown Vancouver which specializes in intergenerational wealth transfer. Paige’s financial planning and investment acumen are backed by the Canadian Securities Course with insurance specialization rooted in the Life License Qualification Program from IFSE Institute. Paige is a Certified Health Specialist designation holder and is a current candidate for the Financial Planning Standards Council Certified Financial Planner Level 1 Certification. She is skilled in Business Planning, Coaching, and Asset Management, and is a long-term program facilitator of the Dollars with Sense Program, Economics for Success, Business of Our Own, and the Personal Finance program provided via Junior Achievement of British Columbia.

YWCA FOCUS@work & JABC – Financial ABCs Tuesday, March 28 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

This online session is focused on financial education to help you prepare for your future.

Do these roadblocks to financial success feel familiar?

– You’re living paycheque-to-paycheque.

– You’re uncertain how to take control of your finances and debt.

– You’re anxious that you’ve started too late to achieve REAL financial success.

– You find investing overwhelming.

– You find yourself in a cycle of analysis paralysis when it comes to money decisions.

The first step to taking control of our financial lives involves getting a handle on our relationship with money. Once we understand WHY we do what we do, we have clarity to support our financial decision-making. Whether you’re going through a life change, or are curious about your financial progress, by comparing best practices with your personal situation, you’ll feel empowered to make specific tweaks to your financial life: You CAN get ahead!

To learn more, we invite you to join the conversation on Tuesday, March 28 from 1:00pm-3:00pm. A zoom link to join the workshop will be sent one week prior to the event.

Speaker bio:

Our presenter, Paige Brettle, is an experienced millennial personal finance educator on a mission to bring healing and empowerment to our money relationships. She has worked for over a decade as an associate financial advisor with a top financial planning firm in downtown Vancouver which specializes in intergenerational wealth transfer. Paige’s financial planning and investment acumen are backed by the Canadian Securities Course with insurance specialization rooted in the Life License Qualification Program from IFSE Institute. Paige is a Certified Health Specialist designation holder and is a current candidate for the Financial Planning Standards Council Certified Financial Planner Level 1 Certification. She is skilled in Business Planning, Coaching, and Asset Management, and is a long-term program facilitator of the Dollars with Sense Program, Economics for Success, Business of Our Own, and the Personal Finance program provided via Junior Achievement of British Columbia.

Follow the link to register.

Webinar for Women: Organizing your financial house – June 2022 Series

Great job deciding to put your financial house in order! Though it is possible to live paycheck to paycheck, sometimes you’ll need to have money available for big, important purchases and life events. This personal finance workshop series is designed for women of all ages and stages and is led by a female financial advisor with over a decade of working with clients just like you. The series outlines helpful financial practices that layer and integrate the fundamentals of financial savvy to create a sense of financial wholeness and well-being. Attendees do not need any background in understanding finance.

**Session 1- June 1, 2022:

We explore ways to establish financial wellness:

– Money Decisions: The Psychology of Money

– Budgeting & Cash Flow

– Risk Management

**Session 2 – June 8, 2022:

We explore important money management basics, including:

– Saving

– Investing

– Credit

– Debt

**Session 3 – June 15, 2022:

We design a blueprint for your personal financial plan:

– Tax Planning: Deduct – Divide – Defer

– Estate Planning: A plan for the living

– Retirement Planning: Financial independence and income planning

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You will leave this program with greater understanding in the following areas:

Knowing where you stand today, financially, and how to move forward.

Recognizing your spending habits.

– How to develop your personalized budget.

– How to set and accomplish your financial goals.

– How to increase your savings.

– How to start investing.

– Integrating your finances within the Canadian banking and credit systems.

– Why your credit history matters.

– How to build a good credit score.

– Different types of borrowing and associated costs.

– How to manage debt.

– The importance of starting your investing journey as early as possible.

– Investment terminology and the language of finance.

– Retirement planning; estate planning; and tax planning – and the impact that financial planning can make on your bank account and future independence.

October 6 (Wednesday) – Stocks 102 – Your Personal Investing Framework

This workshop is the follow-up to the Her Dollars & Sense ‘Stocks 101’ workshop, and it is suitable for those who have a basic understanding of what stocks are and would like to take a deeper dive into learning how to invest in the stock market.  Topics we will cover:

• Types of investment vehicles (mutual funds, ETFs, etc.)
• Diversification and correlation
• Difference between growth versus value
• Environmental, social, governance (capitalization) factors
• Where to invest
• Fee structures
• Account types and which to invest in (non-registered, RRSP, TFSA, etc.)

​October 13 (Wednesday) – Preparing your Income Tax Return

This workshop is for any woman who would like to learn more about how to do their income tax returns from professional accountants. The concepts covered in this workshop include:

• How to complete a basic personal tax return
• What to do about self-employment income
• Why it makes sense to file your tax return, even if you don’t owe money
• Benefits available to lower-income taxpayers in Canada
• Where to find help

October 20 (Wednesday) – Capital Markets: The building blocks to your investments

This workshop is for women who have little or no understanding of how capital markets work.  We will go over basic terminology and delve into topics such as:

• Why do capital markets exist?
• What is investing?
• What are the types of investments?
• Asset allocation and the benefits of diversification

October 27 (Wednesday) – Employment Contracts in British Columbia

In this workshop, our presenter will discuss the standard terms and conditions in employment agreements as well as review the relevant minimum B.C. Employment Standards that every worker should know. She will then explain what typically happens in a termination and how a worker can negotiate for a better severance package. She will also review how workers can enforce their rights if they believe that their rights are being violated. 

June 2, 2021 – Retirement Planning

In this workshop Meredith will discuss key retirement concepts including the different sources of retirement income that come from government programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). She will explain the types of retirement options that may be provided through employment and the importance of personal savings using Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) to make up any shortfalls. She will explain the importance of starting as early as one can and what to think about in budgeting for retirement income needs.

June 9, 2021 – Buying a Home

Our presenter will give an overview of the basic concepts in buying a house and address some of the questions that you might have such as:

• Overcoming fear
• Is buying a home right for you?
• Know your numbers
• Drafting your team
• What does actively looking actually look like?
• What are the risks and benefits?
• Define your goal and go for it!

June 16, 2021 – An Economic Update

Things are looking up! 

Despite ongoing lock-downs and a third wave of the virus, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel. The rollout of vaccines across the world is bringing optimism to markets. This session will provide an analysis of the trends that are impacting capital markets and a discussion on what the future may hold once society can fully re-emerge from sheltering-at-home.

February 3, 2021 – Stocks 101

This workshop will be a comprehensive beginner’s guide to investing in stocks, and will be suitable for those who are interested in learning about stock investing and want to start investing themselves. Some of the topics we will be covering:

• What are stocks and how does the stock market work?
• Why do people invest in stocks? What are the potential benefits and risks?
• What types of companies issue stocks?
• What types of stocks are out there?
• What investment strategy should you use when investing in stocks?
• What are the different vehicles for investing in stocks?
• How do you open an account? 
• What types of fees are there?

February 10, 2021 – Financial Matters for Women

February 17, 2021 – Credit and Borrowing Fundamentals

February 24, 2021 – Trauma of Money

October 7, 2020 – Webinar: Stocks & Bonds 101

This workshop was a beginner’s guide to investing in stocks, and is suitable for those who are interested in learning the basics of stock investing and financial markets.

• What are stocks and why do people buy them?
• Why do companies issue stocks?
• What types of stocks are out there?
• What are the potential benefits and risks of owning stocks?
• How do you invest in stocks?
• What types of fees are there

October 14, 2020 – Webinar: Responsible Investing

Responsible Investing means different things to different people – this session shed light on how you can incorporate your values into your investments. Christie provided an overview of the evolution of responsible investing and how it fits within the spectrum of sustainable finance. She addressed strategies responsible investors utilize from screening stocks to active ownership and impact investing. She also discussed what themes portfolio managers consider when thinking about environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

October 21, 2020 – Webinar: How to Screen Stocks for Investments

In this intermediate workshop we provided information on the common characteristics analysts look at (P/E, {/B, EPS, dividend yield) when determining whether or not to invest in a company’s stock, and we showed how to build your own free stock screens using Yahoo! Finance.

October 28, 2020 – Webinar: Retirement Planning

In this workshop for women, we discussed key retirement concepts including:

– Knowing where you stand today.

– The importance of starting as early as possible.

– What is asset mix and why is it important.

– What are the different types of retirement plans.

For the most part, the information is presented at a basic level but there is scope for in depth discussions on areas of interest to the participants.

May 27, 2020 – Webinar: An Economic Update in the Time of COVID-19

Stay Calm and Carry On

With an abrupt end to an 11-year bull market, it is an understatement to say that 2020 has been challenging for investors. This session will provide an analysis of the economic effects of the lock-down due to COVID-19, the impact on capital markets and a discussion on what the future may hold once society can re-emerge from sheltering-at-home.

June 17, 2020 – Webinar: Investing in Turbulent Times

• How is the current market different than in the past?
• What will happen to interest rates? Real estate prices? Stock markets?
• Is it a good time to invest?
• Should I change my investment plan?
• What is an investment plan?

June 24, 2020 – Webinar: Shedding light on the cost of investment options for Canadians

Canada is known for our maple syrup and intense love of hockey, but we are also known for having amongst the highest investment management fees amongst other developed nations. This session will explain the costs associated with the different ways you can invest your savings in the capital markets, the pros and cons of different cost structures and lessons learned from a real live “do-it-yourself” investor.

February 5, 2020  – Credit and Borrowing Fundamentals

This workshop deals with various aspects of credit including home mortgages.  Women who attend do not need any background in this topic. We will talk about important basics such as:

• What is a credit rating?
• Why your credit history matters
• How to build a good credit score
• Different types of borrowing and how to manage debt
• How to figure out the upfront and ongoing costs of homeownership
• How to calculate the mortgage amount you qualify for

February 13, 2020 – Basic Budgeting / Working with a Financial Planner

Part 1 – Introduction to Basic Budgeting

The first half of this workshop is an introductory presentation for women on basic budgeting from Vancity’s Each One Teach One program.  A budget helps you to plan for how your money will be spent or saved and it is an important start to creating an overall financial plan. The topics covered in this session include:

• What is a budget and why should you create one?
• Tips to help you reach your financial goals and
• Ideas to help you adjust your spending

Part 2 – Working with a Financial Planner

Financial planning helps you achieve your life goals through the proper management of your financial affairs.  This presentation for women explains what you can expect when you see a financial planner and the basic concepts of financial planning to help you get started.

Our presenter provides answers to questions such as:

• What does a financial planner do?
• How do you choose a financial advisor that is right for you?
• How are advisors compensated?
• How much money do you need to use a financial planner?
• Where to find a financial planner?
• What do you need to know in order to discuss your financial plan?Presenter:

February 19 (Wednesday) – Understanding Capital Markets

This workshop is for women who have little or no understanding of how capital markets work.  We will go over basic terminology and delve into topics such as:

• Why do capital markets exist?
• What is investing?
• What are the types of investments?
• Asset allocation
• Some practical advice for investing in capital marketsPresenter:
  
  

February 26, 2020 – What are Mutual Funds

 This is a basic workshop for women who would like to learn about mutual funds and mutual fund companies.  Our speaker will provide answers to the following questions:

• What is a mutual fund?
• Types of mutual funds
• Advantages of mutual funds
• How are the fees charged?
• Who should be investing in mutual funds?
• Where do you start?

October 1, 2019 – Talking about Money / Investment Services at Canadian Banks 

This workshop is a discussion on how we can talk about financial matters with our families, friends and financial service providers.  The subject of money is often considered taboo or in bad taste but being able to talk about it can help in many ways.

We also discuss the services that banks provide with respect to investing and wealth management.  Most of us have some connection with one of the large Canadian banks for basic banking services which makes them a logical choice for accessing investment solutions for our savings.

Our presenter is currently working in this area where she focuses on providing her clientele with “practical advice that works as advertised”.  She will guide us through the banking system and show us where to find appropriate services especially for those starting out with modest savings.

October 9, 2019 – Two Key Elements of Investing: Bonds and Asset Mix

The financial world has many different facets and this workshop is an opportunity to gain a better understanding of investing by focusing on two important elements.  Our presenters explain bonds and asset mix in a basic, easy to understand manner and then talk about how to apply this knowledge for your own financial situation.  Here are some of the questions that will be answered in the workshop:

• What are bonds?
• How do the price of bonds change?
• What role do bonds play in a portfolio?
• How do I figure out what asset mix is appropriate for my portfolio?
• How can asset mix change over my life?

October 15, 2019 – Investment Strategies for Beginners

This workshop is for women who would like to know about different ways to invest for the short-term and the long-term and is similar to the one put on in June 2019.

October 22, 2019 – Preparing Your Income Tax Return 

This workshop is for any woman who would like to learn more about how to do their income tax returns from a professional accountant and is similar to one put on in October 2019.

June 8, 2019 – Buying a Home Part II

This workshop is another set of modules on buying a home from Vancity’s Each One Teach One program. The June workshop looks at how you go about finding the right home and what help you can expect from the professionals.   Topics covered in this workshop include:

• How to identify your current and future housing needs
• Different types of home ownership
• Advantages and risks of building your own home
• How the home buying process works
• How to decide which experts to bring onto your home buying team
• Ballpark fees professionals will charge

June 15, 2019 – Financial Basics

This workshop for women is about sharing helpful financial practices. Attendees do not need any background in understanding finance. We explore important basics such as:

• creating a budget
• understanding the banking and credit systems
• ideas on how to increase your savings
• how to start investing

June 22, 2019 – Retirement Planning

In this workshop for women, we discuss key retirement concepts including:

• Knowing where you stand today
• The importance of starting as early as possible
• What is asset mix and why is it important
• What are the different types of retirement plans

June 29, 2019 – Investment Concepts for Beginners

This workshop is for women who would like to know about different ways to invest for the short-term and the long-term.  We cover basic terminology and concepts around investing such as:

• Characteristics of equity and debt securities
• Registered savings plans and taxable investments
• Active versus passive investing
• Sample investment strategies for different timelines
• How to find an investment advisor

February 6, 2019 – Demystifying the Job Search Process / Planning your Next Career Move

A “good” job is key achieving your financial goals. In this workshop, two recruitment and HR professionals share insights on planning your next career move. Even if you you’re not actively looking, this workshop will help you to be more successful when you do want to make a change. We explore some of the considerations that come up when building your career and making choices – from joy to financial health. The following topics will be covered:

• Determining your motivation
• The work that goes into your job search
• Landing that job (the application, the interview and selling yourself)
• Salary conversations

February 13, 2019 – Working with a Financial Planner

Financial planning helps you achieve your life goals through the proper management of your financial affairs.  This presentation for women explains what you can expect when you go see a financial planner and the basic concepts of financial planning to help you get started.  Our presenters provide answers to questions such as:

• what does a financial planner do
• how do financial planners charge for their services
• where to find a financial planner
• how much money do you need
• what do you need to know in order to discuss your financial plan

February 21, 2019 – Introduction to Buying a Home

This workshop for women provides information on buying a home starting with the decision to rent or own and then looking the cost of ownership.  Concepts covered in this workshop include:

• top ten risks of buying a home
• how to figure out if renting or buying is a smarter decision
• how to calculate the mortgage amount you qualify for
• how to figure out the upfront and ongoing costs of home ownership
• different types of mortgages
• how to pay the least amount of interest on your mortgage

February 27, 2019 – Investing in Stocks and ETFs

This workshop is for women who would like to have a better understanding of investing in stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs) that trade on pubic stock exchanges.  Participants should have some familiarity with stocks in order to get the most out of this workshop. We look at the basics of portfolio management and equity trading including:

• creating an equity portfolio to maximize returns and manage risks
• analyzing stocks and exploring other types of trading decisions
• understanding where investment returns come from and measuring performance
• setting up a trading account and looking at the fees involved
• where to get more information

October 2, 2018 – Understanding Basic Banking, RRSPs and TFSAs

This is a two-part workshop for women wanting a better understanding of the different types of accounts available for saving and investing. Our presenters are part of a program called Each One, Teach One put on by Vancity which is dedicated to promoting financial literacy and independence.

• How to choose the right bank account for your needs
• How to make interest work for you — not against you
• Ways to reduce your account and transaction fees
• The benefits of using RRSPs and TFSAs
• How to decide whether to invest in an RRSP, a TFSA or both
• The different kinds of RRSP and TFSA products

October 16, 2018 – Personal Income Tax Return Preparation

This workshop is for any woman who would like to learn more about how to do their income tax returns from a professional accountant. The concepts covered in this workshop include:

• How to complete a basic personal tax return
• What to do about self-employment income
• Why it makes sense to file your tax return, even if you don’t owe money
• Benefits available to lower-income taxpayers in Canada
• Where to find help

October 23, 2018 – Credit Fundamentals

This workshop deals with various aspects of credit including home mortgages.  Women who attend do not need any background in this topic. We will talk about important basics such as:

• Why your credit history matters
• How to build a good credit score
• Cost of borrowing
• How to calculate the mortgage amount you qualify for

October 30, 2018 – Understanding Stocks

This workshop is for women who have little or no understanding of how stock markets work.   We will go over basic terminology and delve into topics such as:

• What is a stock
• What are the risk and return characteristics for stocks
• How are stock market indices created and what are they used for
• How do you measure investment results

June 7, 2018 – Understanding Capital Markets

This workshop is for people who have little or no understanding of how stock and bond markets work.   We will go over basic terminology and delve into topics such as:

• the features of equity securities and debt securities
• a comparison of the risk and return characteristics of equities and debt
• security market indices, including their construction and valuation, and the types of indices
• measuring investment results
• buying stocks and bonds

June 14, 2018 – Demystifying the Job Search Process

In this workshop, two recruitment “insiders” will share insights on the job search process. We will explore some of the considerations that come up when building a career path and making choices – from joy to financial health. The following topics will be covered:

• the work involved in your job search
• the application process (including social media)
• your documents
• the interview
• salary conversations

June 21, 2018 – Investing in Stocks

This workshop is for women who have started – or would like to start –  investing in the stock market. We will explore various tools to use when directly buying and selling stocks using an online or discount brokerage account. The concepts covered in this workshop include:

• how to set up an brokerage account
• approaches to valuing common shares
• how to decide when to buy and sell
• how to measure performance

June 28, 2018 – Practical Tips on Finance

This workshop will be about sharing helpful financial practices.  Attendees do not need any background in understanding finance. We will talk about important basics such as:

• setting goals
• creating a budget
• understanding the banking and credit systems
• ideas on how to increase your savings
• how to start investing