I started Give Me Back My Five Bucks because I felt like I needed an outlet in which to talk about personal finance issues, and to keep myself honest and accountable for my spending. I am an ex-shopaholic, and I love(d) spending money. Unfortunately, it all caught up to me, and coupled with my daunting student loans, I found myself trapped under a mountain of debt.
I try to keep all of my posts somehow related to my finances in every day life. Among other things, I am interested in budgeting, investing, saving, real estate, being frugal, and smart shopping. I encourage open and honest discussion on this blog, as well as constructive criticism.
You will not find “how to” posts on this blog. I will not list steps on how you should get yourself out of debt or manage your money. There are plenty of other blogs out there that do that. I want to show you how I manage my money every single day, and how money plays an important role in our everyday lives – whether we want to admit to that or not.
I hold a 2-year degree in communications. My full-time job is in marketing & social media. I am a freelance personal finance writer with a column called "20-something & Change" with the Toronto Star's Moneyville.ca, and contribute weekly to Canadian Living Magazine. I am also a professionally trained graphic designer.