Photo by Robert Lee @sudden.lee.journo

All smiles at the Calgary Marathon last weekend.

Stay in the loop. Win at trivia. Wow at parties.

Written by Nathan Iles

The Trendiest Moves

Written by Evelina Pak, illustrated by Amber Solberg @ambersolbergmakery

Whether it’s about conscious consumption or financial literacy, money has become a trendy topic on social media. This shift is especially visible among younger folks as they attempt to break the long-standing taboo around money talk. On that note, let’s talk about it!

Trend 1: Loud Budgeting & Money Diaries

This is a growing movement where creators are open about their salaries, side hustle income, and how much they spend on what. Some even share full money diaries, tracking weekly expenses publicly. The idea is to break the silence around money, make financial talks feel more natural, and show that everyone’s budget has its limits.

This flies in the face of social media “influencers” who only show you the glitz and glam of their fabulous, oft-sponsored lifestyles. This new wave of money-savvy creators post screenshots of what they spent, what they skipped, or how they balanced fun versus necessities.

Tip: Keep your own money diary with apps like Buddy: Budget Planner, YNAB, Quicken Simplifi, or a simple spreadsheet.

Trend 2: No-Spend Challenges

As you may have guessed, this is where you avoid buying non-essential items for a “No-Spend Weekend,” a “No-Spend Month,” or even a full “No-Spend Year.” The idea is to reveal how much we buy that only substitutes what we already own, like clothes, cosmetics, and books.

This pushes you to confront the difference between needs and wants. By pausing spending altogether, even briefly, you’ll start to notice patterns in your habits and impulses so that you can make more informed decisions with your money.

Tip: Start with one category you know you overspend on, like your “guilty pleasure” or “treat” items. Setting too many restrictions at once can backfire, so no-spend challenges work best as short-term experiments or single-item limitations.

Trend 3: Side hustles

Not necessarily a new concept, but the side hustle is making a comeback thanks to a tight job market and rising living costs. According to the Financial Post, 28 per cent of Canadian adults run some form of side hustle.

Online, side hustles are often framed as practical and aspirational. They can offer a way to explore interests outside a 9-to-5 while bringing in extra income, whether that’s to pad savings, pay down debt, or simply feel less reliant on a single paycheque. In a city like Calgary, there are tons of options: delivery through Uber or Instacart, dog walking, or freelance creative work like writing witty and insightful financial tips articles for cool newsletters.

Tip: Keep the time commitment limited to avoid burnout while still testing whether the extra work is worth it. Try five to 10 hours a week to start. And please, don’t quit your day job unless you’re 100% sure you can handle the switch to full-time.

Written by Nathan Iles

AT HOME

Tonight’s challenge: one full evening with no screens. Set the phones on do‑not‑disturb, turn the TV off, and exile the laptop to another room. Suddenly, you’re left with the kind of analog fun we’ve all been longing for in this digital age, like puzzles on the kitchen table, a book you’ve been meaning to start (Yesteryear or Land anyone?), and a cozy tea‑and‑candle vibe that transforms your Auburn Bay living room into a little mountain lodge. It’s not about being anti-tech or anything like that; it’s a chance to give your brain a night off from the constant buzzing. Try it once and see how refreshing it feels for your entire family.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Your second mission: go explore Shouldice Park, especially if you’ve lived in Calgary for awhile and never wandered through. This is one of those classic northwest spots that everyone drives past on their way to work, but rarely visits. Walk the river path, wave at the early-season rafters, wander past the ball diamonds, and finish it up by sitting under a tree and letting the rhythm of the Bow surround you. This park is big enough to feel like an adventure but close enough to feel tangible, the perfect “I should really get outside more” destination for you, your kids, and ESPECIALLY your four-legged children. Treat it like a mini field trip with no agenda, and discover a corner of the city that’s been waiting for you to show up.

Pebbles the Scottiepoo waves for the camera. Scottiepoos are also known as Scoodles, and we honestly don’t know which of those names is cuter.