God's Love

What does Covid have to do with Exodus?

(Photo: Unsplash/Chattersnap)
Although it is the heart of winter, the Jewish calendar has now entered the month of Shvat, the month of Redemption. And this is the time we read the Book of Exodus, when G-d chooses the Jewish people to become His partners in saving the world.
Whereas the Book of Genesis was all about Creation and the forming of individuals – in Exodus the Jewish individuals which have become G-d’s chosen family slowly develop into a nation, a nation which will be become pioneers in more ways than one.
As I write, my daughter has sent a photo by WhatsApp of being inoculated against Covid in Israel. And a photo of my son-in-law who has also now been inoculated by another of the four Israeli health insurance companies.
The importance of gleaning, which Judaism taught the world through the Book of Ruth, has also not been forgotten in Israel. Anyone who queues up at the inoculation centres can get a dose – because throwing life-saving medicines away is not only a sin in Judaism, it is also a crime. And in fact, nurses have run out into the streets in order to find passers-by to offer the jabs to at the end of the day.
What turned a rag-tag of miserable slaves, many the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, into the nation that in the face of death always opted for life? To such an extent that they are being regarded today as the world’s ‘guinea-pigs’. What other group of people would be willing to test the efficacy of unknown vaccines, thereby doing the world an incredible favour – because who knows the repercussions of such advances in medicine?
However, in order to become the pioneering nation par excellence, the Jewish people had to undergo the miserable existence of slavery under Pharaoh – made all the worse because to start with Pharaoh ‘knew’ them. This means that their contribution to Egyptian society had been recognized by Pharaoh, and only then, when Pharaoh was doing well, did he get rid of the Jews as being surplus to requirements.
Pharaoh is the name not only for tyrants of empires with us no longer, but also for governments everywhere who simply get rid of their Jews when they are no longer required – the first being Edward I in England. In 1290, he made sure that the Jewish community were drowned in the Wash, after bleeding them dry with his wars in Scotland and Wales. And yet Edward is known as a good and very effective king.
To return to our initial prototype biblical Pharaoh, he no longer ‘knows’ the Jewish people, he pretends they don’t exist. And to prove his contempt, he degrades them through humiliating and useless labours contrived to make no sense at all – exactly like Hitler who coined the phrase: ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’.
Everyone knows that slavery never liberates. On the contrary, slavery leads to negative habits, and often to suicide. So, by bringing the new Jewish nation, known as ‘the children of Israel’, out of Egypt – G-d is testing their desire to be pioneers. And often there is backsliding and yearning for the comforts of past slavery. Even though they know that the Promised Land of Israel is in sight, the Jewish people never stop squabbling and complaining – and some even challenge Moses’ leadership.
And during the time of these stories of the 10 Plagues and the journey through the Reed Sea, with Pharaoh changing his mind yet again and chasing after the slaves he has just ‘let go’; their seemingly never-ending trek through the Wilderness and the epiphany at Sinai, site of the 613 commandments, when G-d appears to every man, woman and child, why do we suddenly celebrate in two weeks’ time the important Festival of Tu B’Shvat, New Year for Trees?
Judaism is a religion of many parts: linear, cyclical, environmental, historical, spiritual and seasonal (just to name but a few). But with the Exodus stories starting in the heart of winter and morphing into the first signs of spring, what exactly do we celebrate at this time with Tu B’Shvat?
We celebrate the first appearance of the first almond, known in Hebrew as sh-k-d, an anagram for ‘holiness’ and also conveying the idea of watchfulness, with a connection to Jeremiah 1:11-12, where the tiny ‘almond’ becomes a ‘watch-word’.
Here is Rashi’s commentary on the ‘almond’ verse, which he wrote in northern France in around 1066, when fellow-Frenchmen were invading England and taking it over at the Battle of Hastings.
The almond is generally regarded as one of the most health-giving foods in existence – and one of its traits is that it is quite hard to crack, starts off with a bitter taste and then becomes sweeter as you get used to it.
This present Covid situation, which first started to be taken seriously in this country around Pesach (Passover) of last year, has everything to do with Exodus and almonds.
As early as Tu Bshvat last year, Israel started to make very difficult decisions in order to combat the oncoming plague. For instance, the spring Purim carnival, much loved by children, was cancelled. It is not yet known whether it will go ahead this year.
The month between Tu B’Shvat and Purim will be a seminal period when decisions will have to be made. Meanwhile all schools are still shut over there.
However, with people under 50 now being inoculated in Israel, it may be that the vast majority of adults will be inoculated by the end of February, just when Purim takes place, a month before Pesach (Passover).
So, during this festive time of plagues tempered with almonds and slavery tempered by liberation, who knows what the outcome will be. The only way forward is eternal vigilance – which has been the watchword of the Jewish people for 4,000 years.
Dr Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic, author and translator who has established university courses on Jewish history, Jewish studies and the Hebrew Bible. She trained as a teacher in modern Languages and Religious Education. […]

God's Love

Get the Covid-19 vaccine, say Scottish faith leaders

(Photo: Unsplash/Michael Marais)
Churches in Scotland have joined other faiths in encouraging people to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
They are among the signatories of a joint letter by Scottish faith leaders voicing support for the Government vaccination programme aiming to innoculate up to 400,000 people across Scotland against coronavirus by the end of February. 
“We faith leaders in Scotland understand the difficulty that our communities are facing during this pandemic,” the letter reads.
“We urge all faith communities to take measures that will ensure their safety and the safety of others.
“Furthermore, we support the Covid-19 vaccination programme across the community and we encourage people to be vaccinated so that they keep themselves and their neighbours safe.”
The letter has been signed by Rev Dr George Whyte, Principal Clerk of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, Bishop Hugh Gilbert, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Scotland, the Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Dr Muhammad Rafiq Habib, Convenor of the Muslim Council of Scotland, and Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Senior Rabbi Of Scotland, among others.
While churches in Scotland have been forced to close for public worship during the latest national lockdown, Dr Whyte said they were still playing a vital role in the community, with a number of church buildings opening up across the country as vaccination centres. 
They include Morningside Parish Church, Edinburgh, and Dunfermline East Church, in Fife.
Scottish Catholic leaders have strongly opposed the suspension of public worship, while the Church of Scotland has been supportive of the measure. 
Dr Whyte said: “The Church of Scotland is working with the Scottish Government to ensure that local churches continue to be part of the effort to suppress the coronavirus outbreak by following the advice to stay at home as much as possible.
“We fully accept that the latest pandemic restrictions mean that we have to close churches again for the time being.
“While recognising that communal worship is an essential element of our faith, we also know that the Church remains present and active in our local communities even while buildings are closed.
“We will continue to work with the Scottish Government to ensure that reopening churches will happen as soon as it can be done safely.
“In the meantime, we are encouraged by the many church congregations across Scotland who are offering essential support -both spiritual and practical – to their local communities.”  […]

God's Love

Trusting God with the Future

Dec 17, 2020
“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”  
Deuterononmy 31:6
Trusting God is one of the Bible’s primary themes. The words faith, believe, and trust are seen over and over. These are ways we receive from God, and they help us develop a solid relationship with God that is not shaken even during the most difficult circumstances. They eliminate worry, and that, of course, includes worry about the future. Trust allows us to enjoy the peace that passes understanding. As a matter of fact, trusting God is what allows us to enjoy life. Without it we find no rest for our souls.
“Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the onewho will divide it among them as their grants of land.”
Deuterononmy 31:7
We don’t even know for sure what will happen in the next five minutes, let alone a year or more from now. After entering into a relationship with God, we begin to learn that He wants us to trust Him and to lean and rely on Him for absolutely everything. This does not mean that we do nothing while God does everything for us, but it does mean that we trust Him more than we trust ourselves or anyone else.
We have the privilege of trusting our Lord for protection, provision, strength, and wisdom—and certainly for the future. You can relax, because no matter what your future holds, God knows all about it, and He will go before you and plan your every step!
Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Deuterononmy 31:8 […]

INSURANCE & MORTGAGE

8 Small Steps Toward Financial Protection – Life Happens

About half of all Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Along with exercising more and eating better, many people aim to get a better handle on their finances. 
If you’re in that camp, we’re here to help. Here are some surefire steps to create a more financially secure future for you and your loved ones. 
Create a budget.
The first step toward getting financially fit is to create a budget. Everyone needs an understanding of how much they’re earning, how much they’re spending, and how they’re going to meet their current and future financial goals. The Federal Trade Commission has information on how to create a budget. Once you outline your budget, make sure to stick to it. Also make sure to regularly revisit it and adjust it as needed.
Control and minimize debt.
Your budget will help you keep track of where your money is going. It will also help you identify areas where you’re overspending. It’s critical to cut out any excess spending. Also work to minimize your debt load. So long as you have debt, you’ll be responsible for paying interest. (So definitely make an effort to pay more than the minimum on your credit card each month!) Set goals to pay off your debt and track your progress. 
3. Automate an emergency fund.
An emergency fund is money you set aside for unforeseen expenses. They could be an unexpected home or car repair or a job loss. Most financial professionals recommend having three to six months of basic living expenses in an emergency fund. However, it takes time to build those funds. Automate the process by having part of your paycheck deposited into a special emergency fund account. You can also have your bank automatically transfer funds to a savings account earmarked for emergency expenses. Even a small amount each week can help you get there. 
Get life insurance to protect your loved ones and review it annually.
Life insurance provides your loved ones with money to maintain their lifestyle if you die. This money is known as the death benefit and it can replace your income, pay off debts like a mortgage, and cover funeral costs. It can also help with future expenses like college tuition, retirement, and much more. Experts recommend having life insurance that equals between 10 to 15 times your gross income. For a working idea of how much you need, use an online calculator like the Life Insurance Needs Calculator. Then work with an insurance professional to explore your options and get the right coverage. Make sure to review your life insurance annually or after a big life change like buying a new house, having a baby, or changing jobs.
Protect your paycheck with disability insurance and review it annually.
Disability insurance is one of the best ways to protect your most important asset: your paycheck. Disability insurance typically replaces 50% to 70% of your earnings if you’re unable to work due to a disabling illness or injury. An easy way to calculate how much you might need is to use an online calculator like the Disability Insurance Needs Calculator. Make sure to review your coverage with your HR department or insurance professional as your salary increases.
Keep beneficiaries up to date.
It’s important to update the beneficiaries on your financial accounts like your life insurance or 401(k). This is especially true after major life events such as a marriage, divorce, birth, or death. Not having the right beneficiary can lead to money going to the wrong person or delays in disbursing money. 
Put a will in place.
A will is a document that allows you to specify certain things after you die. They can include how your assets will be distributed, who will make sure your wishes are carried out, and who will take care of any minor children. Without a will, the state could decide who gets your children and more. Fortunately, the process of creating a will is not as complicated as many people believe. And it’s well worth it since it spares your loved ones from all kinds of headaches. A lawyer can help you create a will and discuss other issues like power of attorney.
8. Save for retirement.
Tap into any  available resources to help grow your retirement nest egg. That includes enrolling in your company’s 401(k) plan or looking into other retirement savings options like an IRA. Definitely take advantage of any “matching funds” your company makes to your 401(k) contributions. Matching funds are like “free money.” What’s more, the contributions you make to your 401(k) reduce your taxable income.
Make 2021 the year you become financially fit by following these steps. Each one will create a better, more protected future for you and your loved ones.  […]

FINANCE & TECH

Masks and Money: How COVID-19 is changing social norms – Squawkfox

At first people looked away when I wore a mask. Then they hugged me. Then they berated me. Now masks are en vogue and in Vogue. Whaaat happened?
Social norms are changing quickly thanks to COVID-19.

Let’s start with mask-wearing. Then I’ll Squawk about your money.
I started wearing a face mask in public when my immune system crashed during chemotherapy last summer – seven months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada. Wearing a medical mask in public was odd and isolating; it signaled I wasn’t well. People looked away out of discomfort and I stuck out in public because masks did not fit in. I didn’t look ‘normal’.

Drawing a pink ribbon on my mask helped a lot. Adding the well-recognized breast cancer symbol to my masked face communicated WHY I was shielded. People now waved, smiled, and even approached me to share stories about their own cancer experiences. I even got a few virtual hugs at the grocery store.
Then COVID-19 happened.
Suddenly, personal protective equipment (PPE) was in short supply and anyone wearing a medical mask in public was called out for it. Whaaat? How did my mask use become so reviled?

Because I’m immune compromised after cancer chemo. Because I still need to eat.Because a chemo nurse gave me the mask.Chill, Jennifer. https://t.co/igSA2GFGdx
— Kerry K. Taylor (@squawkfox) March 28, 2020

I went from being shunned in public, to being approachable, to being despised – all in a hot minute.
Awesome.
Actually, not awesome, but totally horrible. Then something happened. Again.
Fashion houses started creating designer masks, entrepreneurs on Etsy started selling unique face covers, and social influencers donned fashion masks in public places to support a unified front against the spread of COVID-19.

Trudeau says he intends to wear mask on Parliament Hill https://t.co/3ZfhSAlEM3 @GlobePolitics pic.twitter.com/cX1pvd86ra
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) May 20, 2020

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would wear a mask on Parliament Hill to prevent the dreaded “speaking moistly”, and Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer – Dr. Theresa Tam – now recommends wearing a mask in public.

Retailers like Costco have a new mask policy.

“Any business has the right to refuse anyone,” says Premier Doug Ford on the use of masks when shopping.#onpoli #COVID19
— Robert Benzie (@robertbenzie) May 22, 2020

Wearing a mask suddenly became acceptable, required, and very fashionable. Vogue announced that masks are the breakout trend of summer.
My immune system doesn’t care much about Vogue, but people do. We are social animals and we respond strongly to social approval.
To create this level of change, a new behaviour must reach a higher level and hit the status of a social norm. Social norms shift when two things change: our perception of how people should behave (does this look and feel right?), and the notion of fitting in (does this behaviour conform to or violate the norm).
A social norm gets real when we collectively believe we’re doing something others expect us to do. The expectation of wearing masks already existed in the cancer community, but it became a community-backed social norm to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. “We’re all in this together” is the collective thinking that turned mask wearing into a social norm so quickly.
But what about money? If COVID-19 has the power to change face wear, what about our spending, saving, and cash-using habits?
Social Norms, COVID-19, Your Money
When was the last time you’ve used cash during the pandemic? Since lockdown, I’ve noticed retailers moving towards cashless payment systems. The Bank of Canada has asked retailers to keep accepting cash despite COVID-19 concerns because many people depend on cash and have limited payment options.
The administration at my local farmers’ market asked vendors to provide cashless payment as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.
Can you get COVID-19 from physical money? Fair question. Recent science regarding the risk of infection from contaminated surfaces says: “It is possible to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 through indirect transmission, but it appears to be exceedingly rare.”
Science is one thing. Public perception is another. If the public collectively believes passing cash around increases personal risk, then guess what? Mobile payment systems and touchless payment processes increasingly become the social norm and human contact with physical currency becomes less socially acceptable.
So what’s the big deal? As a money expert I’ve been a long time fan of physical dollars and cents because paying with cash increases loss aversion – it feels more painful to pay in cash than it does to tap a credit card – and this pain decreases spending.
Going mobile and cashless is proven to increase spending – check out Behavioral Science: 3 Tricks to Help You Pay Off Debt Faster for the details. My bottom line is I’m a fan of spending less and saving more, so I’m concerned by a further decline of cash.
So what’s the future of cash? It’s unlikely cash will completely disappear, but we may be moving to a “cash-lite” system where contactless payment processing is favoured. As we’ve seen with mask wearing and use, social norms can change quickly in the face of this pandemic.
Social Norms! So where am I going with this?
Social norms and consumption habits are notoriously hard to change. The pandemic has forced us to change shopping patterns too.
Ask yourself this:
What changed your spending habits?
A budget
Hiding your credit cards
COVID-19
Staying at home cuts commuting costs, transit, and fuel. Eating at home cuts restaurant, takeout, and bar tabs. Cosmetic and clothing sales are down. We all need a haircut. Travel and tourism are of course waaaaay down.
In a few short weeks the pandemic has accomplished more change to consumption patterns than any budget spreadsheet I could offer.
As we slowly move out of quarantine, go ahead and reflect on what mattered most in isolation. What was worth the spend? What is worth ditching? You may be surprised how some new habits are worth keeping. Personally, I hated grocery shopping online. Ugh. Awful.
Stay safe, you are loved.
Love love love,Kerry

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FINANCE & TECH

This could save someone’s life – Squawkfox

I’m known for talking about ways to save money. Today I want to save lives. If this post isn’t for you, it may be for someone you know or love. During my triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) diagnosis and treatment I read many personal blogs by women who have walked this path before me. Cancer can be lonely, these women changed that. So I’m adding my public voice to the breast cancer experience, because f-ck cancer. Early detection saves lives.
You are two types of people. You are the person before a cancer diagnosis. Then you’re the person after.
On May 31st 2019 I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). In the world of cancer survivors and thrivers, this day is often recognized as my “Cancerversary”. So, Happy First Cancerversary to me? Question mark?

To be honest, I’m not sure how to live through this day. Do I celebrate with cake? Cry into my pillow? Buy myself a gaudy pink T-shirt?
F-ck it – I’m gonna write some (hopefully) life-saving stuff.
1 in 8 Women
The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, and 1 in 33 will die from it. It’s too common.
So I’m doing something few women in the public eye do, and that’s talk about the specifics of a breast cancer diagnosis. Too many articles announce “so and so has breast cancer” but fail to explain the type, prognosis, and treatment plan. This glossing over of details and pretty pinkification of the process fails to help those feeling alone or struggling with terrifying decisions.
Celebrities just seem to announce a breast cancer diagnosis and then show up later with pink partnership deals, smiles, and perfect hair. WTF? That’s NOT how it works.
I want to change that. So I’m talkin’. I’ll also talk a bit about finances and how I survived not working for a year.
So let’s do this. F-ck cancer.
Breast Cancer is not a single disease
So, one year ago today I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), Stage 1a (or T1cN0M0 using the newer staging system) .
Unbeknownst to me (at the time) there are several types of breast cancer, it’s not a single disease.
There’s the type of tissue where the boob cancer develops, the tumour grade from 1 to 3 (Grade 3 being the most aggressive), and then there’s Hormone Receptor Status and HER2 Status, and let’s not forget cancer stage. It’s a lot.
You don’t want ANY type of breast cancer, but Grade 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is the one my oncologist likes least.
What is Triple Negative Breast Cancer?
What does Triple Negative Breast Cancer mean? It means I tested negative for all three known breast cancer receptors — estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Having one or all three of these tumour receptors sucks, but there are targeted treatments for hormone positive and HER2 positive breast cancers, making their diagnosis and prognosis more favourable in the oncology world.
While breast cancers fuelled by hormones or HER2 are more common, TNBC is a rarer subtype accounting for around 10-15% of total breast cancers. Triple Negative Breast Cancer tends towards younger women, Black Women, or those with a BRCA genetic mutation. Triple Negative Breast Cancer also tends to grow and spread faster so it’s often found at later stages, has limited treatment options, and many scientific papers report that TNBC has the worst prognosis of all breast cancer types.
High mortality rates with inadequate therapeutic options were part of my initial diagnosis. I was devastated.
Breast Cancer: Early Detection is Key
A key to surviving breast cancer, especially Triple Negative Breast Cancer, is finding it early. Early detection for me started in high school in 1989 during the AIDS crisis. Public health nurses were dispatched to many Ontario high schools to basically teach us how not to die from sex. It was a scary time.
With five minutes left in my class’s AIDS session, our health nurse didn’t waste one second and threw in a super quick lesson on breast health and the signs of breast cancer. She mentioned nipple discharge as a symptom.
Fast-forward 30 years and I’m in my GP’s office with a leaking nipple. I’d like to thank the health nurse for her five minute chat because she f-cking saved my life.
I didn’t have a palpable lump at the time, but my right breast sent an early signal. And I listened.
I’d like to add myself to the growing list of people who saved my life.
You’re not “Too Young” for breast cancer
I’m surrounded by too many women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s who were denied early screening because they were deemed “too young” by their doctors to have breast cancer. This must change.

You are not “too young” to get breast cancer. Younger women tend to have more aggressive cancers. Check your breasts. And advocate for yourself — ask for an ultrasound or MRI along with your mammogram if you have dense breasts.
I’m getting my post chemo mammo and US today. #tnbc https://t.co/oPk6cYXbID
— Kerry K. Taylor (@squawkfox) May 27, 2020

Breast cancers in premenopausal women tend to be more aggressive and are often missed because young women are considered “too healthy” to get cancer. This can lead to a Stage 3, or a Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) diagnosis.
My advice to every woman is to advocate strongly for yourself. Be bold and tell your doctor you want a mammogram or an ultrasound. Then tell them again. OR find another doctor who takes action. This is not a drill.
Putting off a breast exam because you’re scared is normal. Not wanting to see a doctor because you found a lump or are experiencing a breast change is normal. Go anyway. Find the f-cker early. You have my permission. Now go.
My GP took my concerns seriously and I was monitored early. When a lump became palpable three weeks after an initial check, my case was escalated for an ultrasound with a core needle biopsy.
Given the aggressiveness of my tumour (Grade 3), and because it grew from nothing to 1.8 cm in three weeks, I was on the surgeon’s table a week after my diagnosis.
I’d like to add my GP and surgeon to the list of people who saved my life.
Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation (F-ck Me)
My tumour was located at the 12-o’clock position in my right breast. Given the size and solid shape of the mass, my surgeon performed a lumpectomy. The breast cancer surgery process often includes a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) (F-CKING OUCH), where a chain of nodes are removed to test for cancer spread within the lymphatic system.
To locate the sentinel nodes, I was injected with a radiotracer before surgery and then injected with a blue dye during surgery.
My pathology came back with clear margins and no lymphovascular invasion. All three of my removed sentinel nodes tested negative for cancer cells, so my cancer stage was deemed Stage 1a, or T1cN0M0 — nomenclature for the new staging system stating my tumour was between 1 and 2 cm (T1c), with no spread to my lymph nodes (N0), and no sign of metastasis (M0).
My boob is still blue from the injected dye. My oncologist refers to my blue boob as a “Bloob”. This is the only joke my oncologist has ever made, so let’s go with it.
Chemo, Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Stage 1a
Many Stage 1a breast cancer patients often skip the whole chemotherapy thing. I wasn’t so lucky. Being diagnosed with a Triple Negative Breast Cancer tumour, I was in the rare scenario where I found it early, but I still had to get hit hard with 8 rounds of dose-dense chemotherapy. F-ck.
These words from BC Cancer still haunt me:

“Chemotherapy is strongly recommended for all fit patients with TNBC of T1cN0 or higher stage, regardless of age and menopausal status.”

I could not believe I needed chemo, and I lived in denial throughout the whole course. Part of my brain is still in denial that I did chemo. The other part is mostly relieved I did it.
The next five months I went through dose dense AC-T adjuvant chemotherapy (PDF). For the science nerds the ‘A’ is Doxorubicin (Adriamycin), ‘C’ is Cyclophosphamide, and ‘T’ Paclitaxel (Taxol). Adriamycin is often referred to as the “Red Devil” because it’s a hard, hard chemo to go through and it’s cardiotoxic. It’s also blood-red in colour. Personally, I found Taxol far more challenging. Everyone is different.
I lost 20% of my total body weight and was hospitalized twice. Some women gain weight due to stress and the steroids they give you, but I lost all my muscle mass and body fat. It wasn’t pretty and I looked deathly.
For some reason pop culture likes to focus on chemo hair loss and head shaves. I dunno why – I was more buggin’ about losing my eyebrows. Everything grew back.
My advice to women (and men) about to start chemo for breast cancer is to find a young adult support group. The support I got from my local group meant everything to me as I navigated through the side effects and even challenges of parenting through cancer treatment. I got talked off more ledges and cliffs than I wish to count. They had my back, my front, and all the bits in between. Cancer can be a lonely diagnosis and treatment. Finding a group can change that.
My chemo nurse, Mary Beth, also brought the love. Her advice to me during chemo was to “Keep moving”. Daily exercise, from big walks to small baby steps made all the difference to recovering.
I’d like to add my cancer support group (May Cause Radiance), my oncologist, and Mary Beth to the growing groups of people who saved my life.
Radiation for Breast Cancer
The fatigue from radiation for breast cancer is underrated. Most days I could not get out of bed from the exhaustion. It is indescribable how radiation fatigue feels – it flattened me. I may be a writer but I do not have the words.
My radiation course for node-negative Grade 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer with clean surgical margins was 60Gy, or 25 whole breast sessions and 5 boost sessions to my tumour bed. I was mapped and tattooed with three dots circling my breast for precise radiation treatment. Some people don’t care about the tattoos, but I despise those dots and will have them removed with laser treatment. Everyone is different.
Also, ask your radiation oncologist for all the skin care recipes – from saline soaks to specific creams to use. Do the skin care. Rest. Do more skin care. I healed with no skin discolouration. Do the skin care, it can help.
BRCA Genetic Testing
A simple blood test can reveal a lot. For Angelina Jolie it revealed she has a BRCA1 gene mutation. In her New York Times opinion pieces — My medical choice and Diary of a surgery — she explains her prophylactic double mastectomy and oophorectomy to reduce her risk of developing cancer.
Not everyone with a genetic mutation will develop breast cancer or ovarian cancer. Not everyone without a genetic mutation will be spared from a cancer diagnosis. But knowing where you stand can lead to life-saving decisions.
Within a day of being diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer my oncologist had me filling out forms for genetic testing. Because there is a strong link between Triple Negative Breast Cancer and the BRCA1 gene mutation (and because I’m considered young to have this disease) my oncologist wanted to be sure we were making the right treatment choices. I was tested for a full panel of possible genetic mutations beyond BRCA because there are many that can lead to breast and ovarian cancer.
Check out the site Facing Our Risk for a list of hereditary cancer genes and the prophylactic treatments available to become a cancer previvor.
So you’re all better now?
I said it at the beginning: You are two types of people. You are the person before a cancer diagnosis. Then you’re the person after.
I look at old photos and I don’t recognize myself – I don’t know that girl. She’s gone. A cancer diagnosis and treatment leave mental, emotional, and physical scars. And it’s OK to be not OK. I’m getting closer to fine but I’m not gonna spew some toxic happy cancer bull$hit to lessen the shock for people around me. I’m still in a state of shock myself, to be honest.
As a former high performance athlete with clean eating habits I’m still in a suspended state of disbelief that I got cancer. Cancer happens, full stop. We like to believe we have control over all the variables in our lives and can prevent cancer. News flash: you don’t and you can’t. The hard truth is cancer burst my illusion of the control bubble and left me gasping for air. I’m still catching my breath.
Stuff I’ve written about breast cancer so far:
Cancer Ghosting, for real!
And it’s not just me who changed. Cancer reveals a lot about those around you – your friends and your family. It’s really something when people you thought would be there for you suddenly disappear. Poof. Gone? The phenomenon is called cancer ghosting – the process of cutting ties with someone suddenly and with no explanation after a cancer diagnosis. This is prevalent in the cancer community. The upshot is you learn very quickly who matters in your life.

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”– Maya Angelou

I’d like to add my shrink to the never ending list of people who, you know, saved and continue to save my life. She also likes my writing, and that helps. Smile.
Disaster Proof Your Financial Life
I haven’t forgotten I’m a money expert and this is supposed to be a financial blog where money is sexy, delicious, and fun. But let’s keep it real – sometimes money ain’t fun. And sometimes $hit gets serious.
I’ve written a bit about what to do in an emergency with Your Money During the COVID-19 Pandemic. I’ll save how to deal with money after a diagnosis for another day, ‘cause that’s a big big topic deserving of another post.
Right now I’m Squawking about being prepared financially BEFORE life gets scary and real. After dealing with decades of job changes, multiple recessions, depression, and now a breast cancer diagnosis I’m a f-cking pro at disaster proofing my financial life.
Knowing the steps is easy. Taking the steps is a little harder. You have my encouragement, take the steps.
Build an Emergency Fund
I started keeping a stash of cash on the ready over 20 years ago. Building this fund has served me well and has helped me weather too many storms over the years. I started my emergency fund by making an automatic contribution of $10 to a high-interest savings account every paycheque with my first-ever job. I increased that amount, again making it an automated contribution from my checking account to a high interest savings account, as I got raises and got better at budgeting.
The automation is KEY because it removes the temptation and mental friction from having to make that choice to save and move the money twice a month. By making the saving process automatic I forgot the process was in place and the automation prevented the mental load of doing the thinking work to save. I didn’t have to remake the choice every month — the banking system did it for me.
Seeing the fund grow can be tempting. But I stopped myself from spending it by thinking how my Future Self would feel if I needed that money to survive. And the answer was always my Future Self would thank my Present Self for saving emergency money. Years of experience with being blindsided by layoffs, recessions, and now cancer have reinforced the habit of keeping an emergency fund on hand. I covered my own butt automatically. Thank you Past Self for saving the butt of my Future Self. Signed, all my Selves.
Critical Illness Insurance
I never thought I’d get cancer. I never thought I’d make the claim on my critical illness insurance policy. But I needed it. And I made the claim after my breast cancer diagnosis.
My oncologist helped me fill out the forms. He said, “It’s good you have this policy.” I said, “It sucks I need it.” But DAMN losing that bet against my health paid off when I didn’t HAVE to work during my cancer treatment. I didn’t have financial stress during the most stressful chapter in my life. I’ve seen too many women in chemo go back to work because they needed the income. It’s too much. Dealing with a potentially terminal disease AND making rent is just too much.
I got my policy 7-ish years ago when I went freelance, I was nearly 40. The premium was annoying to pay and wasn’t cheap. And to be honest I nearly cancelled the policy a year before my diagnosis, but again I thought about my Future Self. Would my Future Self appreciate the sacrifice of my Present Self? And more importantly, did my Present Self welcome the peace of mind insurance can bring? Yes and yes.
Explaining how to get or where to find critical illness insurance is worthy of another post. But for now I suggest looking into what your financial institution offers to get to know your options. I’ll be interviewing an expert on the topic for you soon.
So where am I going with this?
I don’t know. Life comes at you fast. One day everything changes. But some things remain the same — you guys are one of those things.
Many of you have been with me for over five or even ten years. Over this time you have shared your very personal stories and often cite how something I’ve written has touched you.
Thank you for reaching out to me.
All walks, many countries, all generations. Thank you.
Love love love,Kerry

Support Squawkfox
You’re wonderful, and your patronage helps keep my independently run blog alive. Your kindness covers hosting fees, new articles, and videos. My content covers debt, saving, investing, financial planning, and behavioral economics. Support Squawkfox from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
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FINANCE & TECH

Getting out of debt with the Debt Reduction Spreadsheet 2021 – Squawkfox

Debt is not your friend, and you should not be friendly with your debt. It’s time to end the relationship with your debt by getting debt-free. Tiny steps today reduce big interest charges tomorrow.
The household debt numbers are rising across the United States and Canada, and Canadians are leading in indebtedness with a debt-to-income ratio at a record 1.71% – so for every dollar of household income there is $1.71 in credit debt. This is a BIG number, and it includes consumer credit, mortgage, and non-mortgage loans. With interest rates on the rise, your debt repayments will be higher too.
So let’s do something about it. To get started on this getting out of debt journey you’ll need two things. First, you need to be brave and find your sense of debt-hating desire. To get out of debt you must want to do it, badly. Don’t hide from it. Don’t feel stuck. Get into action.
Second, you’ll need bills and statements from creditors. If you’ve already listed the numbers and names in your Budget Spreadsheet (which shows your income, expenses, and what your owe) — then pull up those files. If not — no worries. We’ll get the stuff together today. Kudos.
Getting out of debt!
I have TWO getting out of debt spreadsheets for you, and both are easy to use. There’s the new one for 2021 with graphs, and there’s the original version. Both spreadsheets calculate your numbers and give you the big picture — but a spreadsheet doesn’t do the work for you. You do the work for you.
Regardless of which debt reduction version you choose, I’ve kept things super simple by listing the biggest debt-busting categories and showing you how it all adds up.
Debt Reduction Spreadsheet (2021)

Download: Debt Reduction Spreadsheet (2021)
Original Version
Download: Debt Reduction Spreadsheet (original)
The idea is to track your creditors, list the balances due, see the interest rates on your debt, make your monthly payments, and then target one debt using an amount you have available for extra payments.
Related:
Read all those debt-busting articles. Many posts include TV and video if you prefer watching over reading. I want you to succeed.
Step 1: Get the tools.
Download the version you prefer. All the data is stored on your end, so it’s private.
Step 2: List it out, add it up!
I want you to take a close look at your debts. Start by listing all your creditors or lenders in the left column. Then move down and across.
List your lenders: List your credit cards, student loans, HELOCs, line of credit, and the IOU from grandma.
Balances Due: Following along, enter the balances due — your total amount owing each lender.
Interest Rates: Next up is your interest rate on the debt. If you’ve got credit card debt then you may have rates over 18%. Track it all down.
Minimum Payments: Keep up with your minimum payments to maintain a good credit score. But to reduce debt you’ll need to increase the minimum amount to dig into the principal.
Now that everything is entered, see how the numbers add up! In the example above, you’ll see a total debt of $274,987.45 with an average interest rate of 4.50% (totalling $1,031.56 in average monthly interest), and a total monthly payment of $2,596.46. In this example, there’s cash available to put against debt — $379.54 to be exact.
Step 3: Finding more money.
For those with little wiggle room in your budget for debt repayment, there are few options. The answer is simple, but not easy.
Cut costs: Cutting back and spending less money on your variable expenses is a surefire way to add additional dollars to your debt repayment plan. Cut repeatable expenses, subscriptions, streaming, automatic billings you forgot about. Reduce your grocery bill (buy generics, switch to discount grocers, cook at home, don’t eat out). See 50 Ways to Save $1,000 a Year for a few more ideas.
Boost income: This is where you have to really want to get out of debt. Working an extra shift, freelancing, finding an off-hours gig, selling unneeded items are all tactics I have taken to boost my income. This works.
Negotiate a lower credit card interest rate: Asking for a lower rate is free. And since most credit cards charge anywhere from 0% to 20% in interest, making a five-minute phone call could save you hundreds, even thousands in interest charges. See How to negotiate a lower credit card interest rate for the script.
In the next step I’ll deal with how to apply this extra repayment against your debt.
Step 4: Make extra payments against ONE of your debts.
Yes, you must pay more than the minimum payment on your credit cards to get out of debt. How do you choose what to pay down first? You can attack the balances in one of two ways:
One: Target your highest rate: Go with the mathematical reality that your highest rate debt is costing you the most money. Attack your highest interest rate debt first and when it’s paid off, move on to the next highest interest rate.
Two: Pay off your lowest balance: Need a mental win? Work on the card with the lowest balance to give you the psychological boost of accomplishing debt repayment. You’ll feel good seeing results quickly and be motivated to tackle the next credit card. If you have two debts with similar balances, then pay off the debt with the higher interest rate first.
Step 5: Pick a debt-free date.
Your debt-free date is the projected day you plan to pay off all your debt. Your debt-free day is projected because life comes at you fast and who knows what your income, housing, and life’s needs will look like in two to three years. Look at how much money you owe, and roughly divide your payments into months. Don’t take more than three years to pay it off, ok? You’ll feel frustrated, so aim for under three years. Write this date on your calendar. Shoot for sooner.
Step 6: Stick with it!
Whether you pick to pay off your smallest balance to start or choose to end the debt with the highest interest rate first, the point is to stick with it! Once you’ve retired one debt, move that payment to your next creditor on your Debt Reduction Spreadsheet.
And don’t forget: How to set money goals that slay and get my free budget spreadsheet.
You don’t have to track all your money, just the cash you want to keep!

Love love love,Kerry

Support Squawkfox
You’re wonderful, and your patronage helps keep my independently run blog alive. Your kindness covers hosting fees, new articles, and videos. My content covers debt, saving, investing, financial planning, and behavioral economics. Support Squawkfox from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
Become a Patron! […]

FINANCE & TECH

Big News: Two Shows One Host – Squawkfox

Actual live footage of me starting TWO new shows — SquawkfoxTV and The Cash and Kerry Podcast.

It’s live, and YES that’s world-renowned behavioral economist Dan Ariely raising a glass of vino. OMG, guys. CHEERS!
SquawkfoxTV and The Cash and Kerry Podcast are both written, produced, and created by me (Kerry) and build on the interviews and stories from my viral blog, Squawkfox.com. I’m beyond thrilled to have a very large subscriber-ship and worldwide audience of all ages, life stages, and generations. There is something here for everyone.
SquawkfoxTV

SquawkfoxTV is full of fun, smart, and actionable advice to help you make smarter financial decisions and build better money habits to increase your wealth, health, and happiness.
Because money isn’t just about math, we explore:
Behavioral Economics
Emotions & Money
Saving & Spending
Investing
And the VERY relatable irrational habits we have when it comes to money!
With a little wit and a lot of wisdom, my guests reveal the everyday money mistakes and missteps that can affect your future, and how to fix it!
Get inspired, grow stronger, and build confidence with your finances.
The Cash and Kerry Podcast
Prefer podcasts? The Cash and Kerry Podcast is the sister ‘audio only’ version of SquawkfoxTV. Same amazing guests, just delivered on your fav podcasting platform.
I’d love your help
If you enjoyed my first episode (shhh, it’s with Dan Ariely on Breaking Bad Financial Habits using Technology), please subscribe and leave a comment.
Comments are the BEST way for others to find me on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. I’d super appreciate it.
Love love love,Kerry

Support Squawkfox
You’re wonderful, and your patronage helps keep my independently run blog alive. Your kindness covers hosting fees, new articles, and videos. My content covers debt, saving, investing, financial planning, and behavioral economics. Support Squawkfox from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
Become a Patron! […]