Our #IWD Contest Results
Happy Women’s History Month! 💁
We spent the last two weeks running a contest leading up to International Women’s Day, March 8, where we asked people to nominate a woman in their life that taught them an important financial lesson. The contest is now closed, but we’re so grateful to have received hundreds of entries from Canadians that showed such immense gratitude towards the women that have helped shape their financial journeys.
For today’s edition of Money Talks, we wanted to compile a number of the entries we received to catalogue them in one place for more people to read. We wish we could share them all! There are great financial tips and some pretty amazing stories, so we hope they resonate with you and remind you to show appreciation for the women in your life where you can. The winners of each prize category and their submissions are also included below. Enjoy!
“I’ve watched my mother Ann Marie do the ‘bookkeeping’ as she called it for our family’s finances my whole life. Now, as an adult I appreciate her stories of how my parents ‘made do’ and had the patience to wait until they could afford the things they wanted.” - Heidi M.
“[My mom] Bonnie put away my child tax cheques as a child which paid for my university and allowed me to be debt free!” - Erika G.
“I have a friend named Colleen. She inspires me because she is on a fixed income to and she is so smart with her money. I barely make it month to month. She has got me to except resources from within our community and to give back to our community. She is someone I look up to.” - Lynn W.
“My Gramma always taught me that we should save money by turning off lights, buying items when on sale and it’s only a sale if I actually need the item, start saving my birthday money when I was little incase later on in life I would need it, get a good education because it’s important to be financially independent, pay bills on time to avoid extra interest etc. My Gramma was a smart woman but unfortunately she passed away but her guidance and advice I instilled for my own children.” - Janyce A.
“Definitely my financial advisor at RBC, Anita. I was told to keep at least 6 months of income in my savings for any emergency situation such as job loss, medical treatment, last minute spending, etc. I have been keeping at least 6 months of income in my savings since entering the workforce 6 years ago and I was able to overcome several financial emergencies because of it. As our lives are becoming more and more volatile just like the world, this tip has kept me sane!” - Xuliang L.
“I'd like to nominate my sister for this challenge, Kimberly . She has been there for me since day 1 and always helped me with my problems. She's the one who convinced me to try QUBER and helped me sign up. I'm forever grateful for the life advice she ever gave me, including signing up for QUBER and how it works, to help me save up for stuff that's important to me. She's an incredibly strong woman who went through a lot these past years and I'm always amazed to see how she gets back up.” - Elody B.
“My mom gifted this to me [a money jar] on my birthday and taught me about saving money and how to work on my needs n wants. I have saved $1k from my birthdays, Eid and pocket money. I am saving more to help my mother.” - Mutasim A.
“I nominate my mom. She is my hero. She has taught me MANY valuable financial lessons which have helped me to be independent. She’s a single mom, and gives back every chance she gets. She is an essential worker and after a long day of work comes home everyday to care for my brother and I plus our dog. Being a single mom she has taught me how important it is to save and budget. Growing up I learned these lessons by earning money by doing chores and saving up my money to buy things that I really wanted. Important skills on spending money wisely. When I was old enough my mom helped me to open up a bank account. She also taught me how to get and use a debit card through tangerine and a credit card through CIBC and coached me through my first couple transactions in stores. My mother is my role model and I look up to her. I recently opened up my own small business Queen’s Academy of The Arts - and she continues to inspire and teach me financial lessons. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my mother’s guidance her kindness and willingness and patience to teach me business and financial lessons. She continuously helps me to prioritize spending money. She helps me to strategize spending and gives me tips on organizing business and finances on spreadsheets and bills. ” - Alexis S.
“I would like to nominate @budgetbitchpodcast Farrah for the @quberapp international women’s day contest. This woman is a total inspiration and has taught me that saving is sexy! She is so funny and her down to earth personality has made me feel like understanding all the financial jargon isn’t just for “the bros”. Because of her I have learnt how to create a realistic budget and how to start saving money. She has made me more financially literate AND way more confident when talking about money in general. Thanks Farrah for being the best #budgetbitch there is! Your enthusiasm about saving is contagious and I love you so much for it. Thanks for making money not scary! I no longer feel like I’m going to [feel sick] when I think about my money. “ - Phalyn G.
“My wonderful twin sister Heather is a hardworking, successful uber-competent gal. She has taught me to let go of any feelings of imposter syndrome and show up with confidence when new opportunities arise. She also reminds me to take advantage of any perks and financial assistance offered by employers & set up automatic savings! I love her!!” - Heidi M.
“My person, [Kathyrn] has taught me to bargain shop whenever possible, and to have a TFSA! Also we opened RESP’s for both of our girls to help them go to post secondary, just like their Auntie Kathryn!” - Kelly B.
“The most important financial advice I received was to "never wait until your bank account hits zero before you start a saving plan or get a second income. Always have money in the bank" from a very wise woman. Love you granny <3” - Venessa O.
“I would put it into my TFSA savings for a down payment for a house. My mom Mary always taught me to save 15% of each check for emergencies...not that I listened when I was young but it’s always something I’ve remembered and I’m so thankful I started now.” - Candace N.
“My friend, Jo Anne, taught me that generic brands are the way to go. Over time, the amount you save adds up to be quite a bit, and most of the time, you really can’t tell the difference. For example, she suggested I make my favourite cheesecake with the less expensive cream cheese and whipped topping and it is excellent! Buy the way (pun intended) pie crusts can be found at Dollarama for $2.50 instead of $3.99 at the grocery store, same brand, too! Compare your prices!” - Toby C.
“When I moved out for university, my aunt showed me how to buy things gently used instead of full price at big box stores. It was a total game changer and I learned how to repurpose so many amazing things for much cheaper!” - Amanda P.
“My friend [Shmaila] taught me how to use my hobbies to make side income for difficult time. She said, never rely on a single source of income. Take time to understand your hobbies and talents and develop them. it can be anything, you can be good at anything like painting, teaching, dancing, etc, make your hobby your part-time profession and generate income from it. Economic recession, the industry bubble burst, etc. are some of the phenomena which nobody can be insured from, always have a side income.” - Fareeha A.
“It’s my pleasure to talk to you to a very important person I know. Some years ago I became involved in a program at Momentum in the Women’s Entrepreneur Program. One of the classes given was about saving money and she did the presentation. I was impressed with her friendly personality, and ability to care so much. She spoke to us about saving and learning how to save. She emphasized on the importance of learning to save for an item and how it could be done by setting up goals to save money. I remember her saying that when you see your savings grow, it could give you inspiration to find other ways so that you could save more.
Moving forward she sends emails with helpful hints and information about QUBER. I had no clue about this program. I tried to set up my computer with this program, with no luck. I gave up. I can tell you that late last December I called Momentum and spoke with this lady for almost an hour about QUBER. I apologized for taking up so much of her time and she was like oh it’s ok. Don’t worry about it. She then sent a very detailed email about how to set up my account with QUBER. This to me says a lot about her work ethic and dedication to see us succeed.” - Rosie D.
“I hired a girl named Shay. She did a complete spread sheet which took me from today to the day I retire and beyond. She was hired by me for that reason but she won’t stop my zoom calls at the allotted 1 hour time. Sometimes she went so far over I felt guilty. She even sewed me a beautiful face mask when the pandemic started. I was so surprised when it came in the mail and felt like she wasn’t your regular run of the mill kind of advisor. Being human and really caring is a lost art these days but not with Shay. She made the world a kinder, gentler place for me.” - Valerie V.
“My Mom taught me very early the value of money and that no one can afford to be broke. When I first started to earn money and credit cards, instead of dictating what I could or couldn’t spent my money on, she always used to say : Do you really need it ? If you do, buy it. If you don’t, can you save money until you can afford it without cutting on your “need” items. This really helped me learn by my own mistake and this is how I learned how to save money with a thought process that was simple. Thank you to my mom Monique.” - Phillipe B.
“Growing up we would eat at a restaurant once a week on Fridays. Thanks to my mother Linda for instilling the habit of prioritizing eating at home over eating out!” - Sarah S.
“In honour of the upcoming IWD on March 8th I would like to acknowledge a woman who has inspired me in more ways than I can measure. #iwd2021 #IWDthankyou I know I’m not the only one she has touched, but I have the privilege of calling this woman my best friend in the whole wide world. #BFITWWW it’s a thing! We met as teenagers with ambition, empty bank accounts, and our futures in front of us. She had a way of making me feel important, unique, confident and connected. She taught me that women are strong and resilient. She taught me the importance of independence, but also that it’s ok to reach out for support from your community when needed. To lend, to learn, to earn - and sometimes just to be. That every woman has value. I remember that day so many years ago when she started working as a front line counsellor in a women’s shelter. I even remember the outfit she bought for her first day of work. I also remember the day I showed up on her doorstep in tears (ok - more than once). She was always there to guide me. She helped me navigate the complicated overlapping social and financial world. She helped me to forgive myself for the paths that led to pain or depleted my bank account. She taught me the value in embracing my inner strength and always striving for self-development. Now the executive director of @novavitabrant she is writing grants, managing budgets and securing funding. Advocating for change and empowering women. Every. Single. Day. And these women go on to empower other women. Just as Natasha has empowered me.” - Sarah G.
“My sister Sharon started with nothing, became a nurse after a divorce, went on to attend Yale and now teaches at UNB. She showed me how anything is possible , you can always make money and find a way to improve. She also showed me the value of an education and how it leads to financial independence.” - Joel I.
“My Mother, who is still with us, taught me what I needed to know about money. I got sage advice because she educated herself with book smarts & watched world events. I could ask mom anything, she seemed to always have a well informed answer. I am still amazed at what she knows, (she is close to 90 now). Teaching us the wisdom of buying a house was always of utmost importance to her. Always pay your credit card off every month before it gathers interest was another one. Buy bulk & watch for specials. Maintain your vehicle & home before trouble. When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep. I am so grateful for these lessons delivered in such a loving way. Thanks Mom ❤ “ - Raven G.
“My sister Haniya has helped me see the value in saving money. She has bought all these jars for me to "forget" my money in. Every two weeks, she comes and empties these our to save the money for me so I never see it again until I REALLY need it. Couldn't get here without her help and I hope more people encourage each other to save in creative ways. These are the money jars that Haniya makes me fill in that she empties every week or two weeks!” - Sara M.
“I want to nominate and give a #IWDthankyou to [my friend] for being the one to teach me how to invest in MYSELF. She taught me that putting aside small amounts of money for treats or even little vacations is the best way to keep yourself motivated in life and in financial responsibility” - Alexandra U.
“My Mom was born in 1926, the eldest of 15 children. Mom grew up understanding the value of money and how hard it was to come by. At the age of 11, she was sent away to attend school in Edmonton. She boarded with a family until mid-way through her 13th year, when Grandpa sent for her to come home. He could no longer afford to pay the few dollars per month that it was costing him for room and board. That was a dark period for my Grandfather who knew that education was going to give his children an easier life than the one he'd had. Grandpa worked hard, but with so many mouths to feed it was tough to get ahead. He did manage however, to scrape together the money to send Mom back to school in Edmonton the next fall.
Mom never forgot what he and my Grandmother had to give up to support her education, humble as it was. Mom never earned a lot of money as a secretary, but she loved her job and the staff and students loved her. Through creativity, a significant amount of determination and slow and steady investing in her later years, she amassed a small nest-egg that will see her through her lifetime (she's 94 now), and there'll even be some left over for her 5 children. That's no small feat given what she didn't have to work with.
I'm not sure whether she knows it or not, but the example that she set and the lessons that she shared with us by modelling practical financial literacy and ever so much more... stuck! They were good, common-sense approaches: Don't live beyond your means; put aside money for a rainy day; get educated - it'll give you more options in life; don't count on a husband, an inheritance or the gov't for financial support; stuff really isn't all that important - doing something that you love, even if you have to learn to love it, is. And finally... be charitable and share what you have.
At 94, Mom's still living on the farm. She's quite the remarkable woman! I am ever grateful to her for all that she is and all that she shared with me and my siblings.” - Sherill M.
Our Winners 🏆
Random Draw: We randomly selected the names of two of our entries from our master list. Each participant won $500 for themselves and for their nominee!
“I nominate my mom Donna, she taught me that when I work hard and save for the things they have so much more meaning, value and it will bring me more happiness.” - Amanda L.
“My Mother Grace was a no money no candy type of lady she would stress the importance of saving for a rainy day ... and if possible with investments to get rewarded for saving ... both of my daughters are terrific at saving their hard earned money.” - Lyn M.
Fan Favourite: The person who had the most engagement on their contest entry at the end of the contest won a prize pack full of amazing products our sponsors for themselves and their nominee. Our winner, Afzal M., ended up with 69 likes and 19 comments on his entry by the end! Here’s his video nomination for his mom.
Best Video: The participant who had the best video entry, as selected by our panel of judges, won $1500 for themselves and $1500 for their nominee. Our winner, Micah O., wrote this incredible song and nominated her mom Shannon!
Judges’ Favourite: And finally, our grand prize was awarded to our judges’ overall favourite entry. Our winner, Amanda P., created an incredible, hand-drawn storyline of how her mom guided her on financial matters (and more) throughout her lifetime and won $2500 for herself and her mom in return. A must-watch!
Check back to Money Talks every Monday for a new post featuring more tips and tricks on how to reach your saving goals, and subscribe to our mailing list for blog updates!
Have a suggestion for something you’d like us to write about? Shoot us a message at contactus@quber.ca and we’ll get to work.