By MoneySense Editors on March 24, 2022
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Street Cents’ Creo Walters on the dangers of debt, why LeBron James is a finance hero and more

By MoneySense Editors on March 24, 2022
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The financial literacy–focused television show is back—on TikTok. Here’s what one of its content creators has to say about his own financial journey.

street cents hosts pose on an urban doorstep

Clockwise from left: Anisha Joshi, Carley Thorne, Mercedes Gaztambide and Creo Walters are among the cast Street Cents, now available on TikTok. Photo courtesy of CBC.

Remember Street Cents? The award-winning TV series ran in the 1990s/early 2000s, and it featured very doable money tips for kids. Well, CBC has rebooted it—with a twist. Instead of a traditional TV format, it’s coming back on TikTok (@streetcents) and it’s targeted to teens. Through short daily videos, the new series focuses on making financial literacy useful, relatable and entertaining while remaining rooted in facts and journalism, just like the original show.

For our brand-new column, My MoneySense, we chatted with Creo Walters, one of the show’s four young content creators, about his own journey in learning about personal finance.

Who are your money/finance/investing heroes?

Nipsey Hussle, Jay-Z and LeBron James. They all invested in themselves. Watching the way they all built—and continue to build—their empires pushes me to do better.

How do you like to spend your free time?

With my circle of friends and with family. I live at home with my parents, and we have an open-door policy. Between friends and cousins, there’s always someone around, and most visits involve lots of food.

If money were no object, what would you be doing right now?

Everyone I love would own a house and land. I would also have a closet full of sneakers.

What is your first memory about money?

When we were given an allowance, my parents split the money into two jars. One for spending and one for saving. It taught me that money is finite, and you must split it up for different purposes.

What’s the first thing you remember buying with your own money?

I remember going to a shop and buying a bunch of candy by myself. I paid with exact change and was confused when I didn’t get anything back, because I thought you always got change back no matter what.

What did you do with your first paycheque?

My first job was acting in a commercial for the Family Channel when I was 13. We got to play with water guns all day, and it was pretty sweet. I honestly couldn’t tell you what I spent the cheque on, though. I’m pretty sure that cheque went straight to my parents.

What’s the biggest money lesson you’ve learned as an adult?

Don’t get a credit card just because you can. That’s a decision that deserves some clear thinking. I made a lot of credit card mistakes and learned the hard way about paying bills on time, sticking to a budget and what a money emergency actually is. Looking back, my first credit card was a lesson in self-control.

What’s the best money advice you’ve ever received?

“If you can’t buy it twice, you can’t afford it.”—Jay-Z

What’s the worst money advice you’ve ever received?

“Just work hard and pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” It’s not that simple for everyone, and how people get paid is not always based on their effort.

Would you rather receive a large sum of money all at once or a smaller amount of money every week/month for life?

Smaller amounts over time. I feel like a large sum would bring overwhelming responsibilities.

What is the most underrated financial advice, tip or strategy?

Money comes and money goes. Anything can happen, and most of us have seasons of wealth and seasons of drought. I try to adopt the mindset that anything that can change for the worse can change for the better.

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What is the biggest misconception people have about growing money?

Playing it safe with your money. I kind of grew up with this thought also, but I’m slowly realizing it’s OK to take risks at my age. It’s not comfortable, but I’m trying to trust my judgment and learn about new ways of investing.

What does the word “value” mean to you?

Value is way less about the amount I’m spending and more about how I feel about what I’m spending money on. I’ll gladly pay extra for a better concert ticket because that experience and the memories are priceless.

What’s the first major purchase you made as an adult?

I’m big into music production, and I spent months researching and comparing in-home studio equipment. It took me the longest to decide on my recording mic.

What’s your take on debt?

It’s sneaky and dangerous.

What was your most recent splurge?

A pair of classic Allen Iverson Reebok Questions.

What is the last money-related book you read?

Funny enough, I’ve never read a money-related book. I’ve heard people mention The Wealthy Barber a few times, though.

What is something you always have in your wallet?

My debit card. But my auntie always says, “Make sure you have vex (just in case) money,” so I always make sure I have cash, too.

What is your favourite possession?

My 13-inch MacBook Air laptop.

What’s your next money goal?

Next thing I want to do is move out of my childhood home and get a place for myself.

My MoneySense Quick Questions

Rent or own?

If you can afford to, own and have an investment. But I know it’s not always as simple as just deciding.

Save or invest?

Both, if you can.

Budget or not?

Budget—to a point. The $5 coffee isn’t going to ruin my life. Every so often, I’ve got to spend a little extra to do something special with my people. My life motto is “Life is short, eat the cookie.” At a certain point, you’ve got to enjoy things.