For my final episode of Season 8 of the Mo’ Money Podcast, I’ve got a solo episode for you, and it’s all about answering your investing questions. I get investing questions all the time at events I organize or speak at, via email or even through social media. So, since I just did my Level Up Your Moneyevent with Erin Lowry which included a Q&A (but wasn’t part of the recording we did), I thought I would do an episode focused solely on answering all your most pressing investing questions. Now, as a disclaimer, nothing in this episode should be considered financial or investing advice. Heck, nothing on this website or any content I create should be considered advice. It is simple information, facts and opinion. And when it comes to investing specifically, it’s hard to even give a straight answer. You may have noticed that in the panel discussion recording, and some attendees voiced their frustration. I totally get it, but unfortunately, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all investment advice or recommendations. We’re all at different stages in our lives, with different incomes, circumstances, goals and time horizons. It would be ridiculous to say “Do this and you’ll be fine.” And if someone does tell you that, remember, even if they are an investment advisor, that is their opinion on what they think you should do. Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to investing, and it’s not black and white. Paying Down Debt. vs. Investing: Which One Should You Do First? If you’ve got consumer debt (credit cards, line of credit, etc.), focus on paying that all off before investing because it’s unlikely you’ll be able to earn the same or higher interest on your investments that those debts are charging you. If you have student loans or other low-interest debt like a car loan or mortgage, I would say pay down debt and invest. The interest you’re paying is most likely below 5%, and 5% or higher is a very possible return you could make on your investments. Also, no matter what type of debt you have, make sure you have a fully funded Emergency Fund before you start investing. How Do You Know When You’re Ready to Start Investing? You’ve got to have that solid financial foundation first before you start investing. That means you have a budget, you’re tracking your spending and net worth regularly, you have a debt-repayment plan, you have a fully funded emergency fund, and have outlined all of your financial goals (short and long-term) first. How Much Money Do You Need to Start Investing? There’s no perfect number, but I say once you’ve got your financial foundation set, then work on saving up $1,000 as your initial contribution to your investment plan. I say $1,000 because most robo-advisors actually require that as a minimum initial contribution, and some discount brokerages have similar requirements. Is Wealthsimple a Good Robo-Advisor? I get this question a lot, and what I think the real question is is “What’s a good robo-advisor” or “What robo-advisor should I invest with?” Here’s the thing, I do personally like Wealthsimple. I invest with them and have for about 3 years and I like their platform, customer service, and have had an overall good experience with them. But I also invest with Justwealth, and similarly I have had an overall good experience with them too. Heck, I even invest with RBC InvestEase (though a very tiny portfolio with them since I mainly wanted to test them out since I worked with them on a campaign), and I actually really like their platform and customer service to. The reason so many people think of Wealthsimple first is because they are one of the biggest robo-advisors in Canada, they were one of the first, and they also hands-down do the most marketing. And let’s be honest, their branding is amazing. It’s millennial-focused, it’s beautiful and as someone who used to work in marketing, they are doing everything right. But, just because I choose to invest with Wealthsimple, or Justwealth, or RBC Investease, doesn’t mean