Solo travel, money scripts and shut up, Kevin O'Leary!
It’s March and I am over the deep freeze. Give me a few degrees above zero, please. I took a look at the weather for the next week and it’s going up to five degrees Celsius. Amazing. Also, this time of the year makes me think about vacations.
Now, I’m not going on vacation anytime soon (sob!) but people definitely are and solo travelers are right there. A Harvard study confirms that social isolation is on the rise, but group travel might be the fix. According to WeTravel’s latest data, solo travelers now make up 25 per cent of group trip bookings for 2025. That means more people are skipping the awkward “who wants to go somewhere?” texts and just booking the damn trip.
Travel isn’t just about seeing new places, it’s about connecting with other travelers, with locals, and even with yourself. The same survey found that 30 per cent of operators are seeing more demand for immersive, community-based tourism. Some companies are catching on with 18 per cent of surveyed businesses by WeTravel are launching solo traveler only group trips in 2025. Another study by Travelport found that we take longer trips, up to 19 days.
Now, none of this is new but it’s nice to see it grow. So if you’ve been craving a trip but don’t want to go it completely alone, your options just got a whole lot better.
I did reach out to WeTravel to ask why the focus has only now landed on solo travelers but they didn’t get back to me in time for publication.
Kevin O’Leary does not speak for us
Kevin O’Leary is at it again, claiming that Canada should just go ahead and join the U.S. in some kind of integrated economic union. To which 90 per cent of Canadians say: Absolutely not. A January poll from CBC found that we’re quite happy being Canadian, thanks. I bring this up because tariffs are coming but may not be 25 per cent?
O’Leary barely lives here. He’s got his American residency, loves to trash-talk our economy while cashing Canadian cheques, and still wants us to take him seriously. Case in point: CBC’s Ian Hanomansing had O’Leary on the show Cross Country Checkup about Trump’s 51st state comments. I’m not going to rehash the show but O’Leary lied about the Canadian economy. He’s not the best at facts. But let’s be real, Kevin O’Leary wants himself to be American, which he can by getting his citizenship. The rest of us? We’re good.
Also, yes, we are absolutely continue the boycotting of American goods and I think there’s enough momentum to keep it going for a long time, as I wrote here for The Walrus.
Did Donald Trump not expect tariff retaliation?
What our money beliefs say about us as solo earners
An article in Forbes by Tim Maurer, called Intersectionality And Money: Why Financial Planning Is More Personal Than Finance had me thinking. He and his spouse took a survey about their approach to money and found that they had similarities and differences. He goes on to say that our financial choices are shaped by experiences, upbringing, and values we may not even realize. This is where "money scripts" which are ingrained financial beliefs from childhood influence us. These unconscious patterns, defined by financial psychologists Dr. Ted Klontz and Dr. Brad Klontz, influence how we save, spend, and view financial security.
As I’ve written before, personal finance is just as much about psychology and behaviour as it is about math. For solo earners, this is especially true since every financial decision rests solely on our shoulders.
For solo earners, understanding these money scripts is crucial. Without a second income to fall back on, financial resilience often depends on balancing long-term security with present-day needs. If you were raised in a household where money was tight, you might prioritize savings over enjoyment. If financial stability felt guaranteed growing up, you may be more comfortable taking risks. Or if you’re like me and went through media layoffs, you definitely have a healthy emergency fund. None of this is wrong but recognizing your personal financial history helps you make more intentional choices.
Maurer says it’s also easy to fall into self-judgment based on financial labels: spender vs. saver, risk-taker vs. conservative, secure vs. struggling. But these oversimplifications don’t tell the whole story. One solo earner might aggressively invest in their future, while another prefers the stability of a sizeable emergency fund (hi!), both are making responsible choices based on their circumstances. Of course, I’m not saying to cling to your money history as the reason for your actions now. That can hinder your growth but it can explain some of your behaviours.
At the end of the day, financial success isn’t about having the “right” mindset. It’s about understanding your own money story, questioning assumptions, and building a financial plan that aligns with your values and goals. Because when you're the sole decision-maker, clarity and confidence are your best financial tools.
Finding the why for your money resolutions
This week’s readings:
By me: Hit burnout at work? It’s time for a micro retirement (Toronto Star)
‘I did all my research’: Canadians lose hundreds of thousands in GIC investment scam. (CTV)
Women live longer but aren’t saving enough for retirement. Here’s what to do if this is you. (Toronto Star) This isn’t new as I talked about this two years ago.
I find #4 and #5 the most interesting. Generative AI for money management: 5 use cases (Britannica Money)