Happy Sunday!
If you’ve been here for a while, welcome back. And if you’re new — hi, I’m Jane, the creator behind Spicy Sunday Finance.
I wanted to start this newsletter with a little honesty: the last few weeks have been quieter than usual. Between building spreadsheets, working on partnerships, and trying to figure out what I actually wanted to share next on the newsletter and podcast, I needed a moment to pause and reset.
The good news? The final stretch of this year is something I’m really excited about. I have a special guest coming up next week (7AM PST 👀), and this newsletter will be your go-to place for recaps, resources, and deeper breakdowns moving forward.
But anyways, I haven’t even done my Christmas shopping yet. Anyone else in the same boat? 😰
Here’s what is in today’s newsletter:
How to softly enter your financially literate era for 2026 with a super solid 4-week plan (with a template and podcast episode)
A line-up of all the financial resources you need for 2026
What “Softly Entering your Financially Literate Era” Actually Means:
With only a couple weeks left in the year, I don’t believe we need to sprint into January 1st perfectly.
Instead, I want us to quietly, softly, and gently ease into financial literacy. This means…
✨ Asking questions without shame
✨ Knowing where your money goes
✨ Planning without panic
✨ Spending with intention, not guilt
So I created a 4-week plan to help you step into 2026 feeling more grounded, more confident, and more in control of your money — without burning out. Here’s the 4 week plan ⬇️
The 4-Week Plan
Each week represents a different era. You’re not fixing everything at once but you’re taking it slowly, one week at a time.
✨ Week 1: The Awareness Era
This week is about noticing, not judging.
You’re simply paying attention to your money habits without guilt or pressure. Think of it as turning around and finally shining a flashlight on something you may have been avoiding.
This might look like:
Opening your credit card statement and observing patterns
Realizing you’re spending more than you thought on certain categories
Acknowledging that saving or investing feels confusing or intimidating
👉 Write down 5 things you learned about yourself and your money.
They can be big or small — the only rule is honesty.
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✨ Week 2: The Momentum Era (Micro-Actions Only)
This week, you’re choosing ONE financially smart action based on what you noticed in Week 1.
Pick the easiest, most doable option.
Examples:
Opening a high-interest savings account for an emergency fund
Tracking one month of spending (spreadsheet, Notes app — whatever works)
Opening an investing account (TFSA, FHSA, RRSP, Roth IRA, etc.) and starting with as little as $100
The goal isn’t to do everything. The goal is to start.
Alongside that one action, you’ll also remove:
👉 One money-inducing influence.
Something subtle, not extreme:
Unsubscribe from store emails
Reset your social media algorithm
Delete food delivery apps (even temporarily)
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✨ Week 3: The Knowledge Era
By now, you’ve built awareness and taken action, which means your confidence is growing!
This week is about learning the foundations. Not complex strategies! Just the basics every financially literate should know and I have 5 to start off with:
What are stocks and ETFs?
What are the registered accounts and what are each designed for? (If you’re not in Canada, just the tax-advantaged investing accounts offered by the government)
What are the 5 factors that make up your credit score?
What is the Rule of 72 and how does it work?
What are the two common methods of tackling debt?
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✨ Week 4: The Glow-Up Era
This is where everything clicks. Week 4 is about turning your small actions into routines.
You:
Schedule a recurring money check-in (even just 30–60 minutes)
Continue the action you started in Week 2
Add consistency instead of intensity
Maybe that looks like:
Automatic transfers to savings or investments
Monthly budget check-ins
Updating your spending tracker regularly
By the end of this week, you’ve created a system in which you will consistently do starting in 2026. And that’s the real glow-up—not doing something once, but doing it consistently.
Your Financial Resources
The 4-Week Plan FREE Template:
Being on the newsletter means you will get lots of first-hand access to freebies like the maintenance checklist you got when you signed up and other fun spreadsheets that I build. Here’s the template that goes along with this 4-week plan!
The Elite Budget Tracker:
If you’re serious about tracking your money, you need a spreadsheet. The Elite Budget Tracker has all the features to make budgeting and tracking your money simple and seamless. Click the link to check out all its features!
High Interest Savings Accounts:
I have 2 that I personally love using. One is just aesthetically pleasing and it seamlessly connects with your investing — Wealthsimple (apply code GYT7MQ). The other one offers one of the highest non-promotional rates in Canada when you set up direct deposit — EQ Bank. Both are great to set up your banking system (paycheque account and sinking funds).
Travel Credit Card for 2026 (appeared in my combo guide twice):
There still isn’t anything like the American Express Cobalt card when it comes to earning high multipliers on food and dining (some groceries even included too). The points you earn from this card are extremely valuable, especially if you value Aeroplan points. This card allows you to taste premium on a whole different level. To justify the annual fee of $191.88 — you would need to spend $320 each month on food/dining to make up the monthly fee.
$320 × 5 points = 1600 points
1600 points redeemed at 1 CPP (100 points for $1) = $16 or the $15.99 monthly fee
Anyway, that’s all from me. Can’t wait to chat next week!
If this newsletter got you motivated, I’d love for you to:
💌 Stay Connected
Until next time ✨
Cheers,
Jane
