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Super Awesome Science Show: Surviving the holidays without debt

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013, file photo, shoppers carry Victoria Secret bags while crossing an intersection in Herald Square in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)
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We tend to go overboard on spending. If we are not careful, our celebrations in December can become a January curse that may last for the rest of the year.

On this week’s Super Awesome Science Show, we’re going to explore our tendency to spend money and how we can keep ourselves from falling into debt.

Our guest for the entire show is Gail Vaz Oxlade, who is one of Canada’s best financial experts. She’s been an author, radio host, and the star of internationally-acclaimed television programs such as Til Debt Do Us Part and Princess.

If anyone can help us to understand how to ensure our bank accounts are as happy as we are during the holidays, she can.

First, we start by learning about her background and how she became Canada’s super nanny for money. We then learn about the science behind the tendency to go into debt, a combination of psychological as well as societal factors.

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She also reveals some of the warning signs that can signal trouble is on the way, including the one item most of us have in our wallets or purses that can make shopping easier and far more dangerous — the credit card.

With the science set, we venture into the problems associated with shopping during the holidays.

Since we’re hard-wired to believe we can spend throughout the season, we need to be aware of the dangers that could lead us into debt. Gail shares with us her tips on how to enjoy yourself while making sure you don’t go overboard with the purchases. More importantly, she makes it clear that we need to focus not just on the joy of making a purchase, but also the pain of losing our money in the process.

In our SASS Class, we discuss Gail’s newest venture in helping us to be financially smart, a new master class she is providing on Twitter. Her hope is to convey the necessary steps and then let us optimize it to find a personal fit that will last. As she makes clear, it’s not hard to be economically secure, but you need to be committed to it.

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If you enjoy the Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to tell a friend about the show.

Contact:

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Gail Vaz Oxlade
Twitter: @GailVazOxlade

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  • Click the name of an episode from the list below to listen.
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