Nanaimo fans of Gail Vaz-Oxlade, host of the Gemini award-winning television hit Til Debt Do U$ Part, can learn the tricks of financial planning and acquiring wealth when she visits the Harbour City on Jan. 23.

Vaz-Oxlade has teamed up with national wealth management company Credential Financial to host two money management seminars in Nanaimo.

According to research, only 25% of people have a written financial plan, she said in a telephone interview from her Ontario-based home.

"That means everybody is heading somewhere and they have no idea when they are going to get there," said Vaz-Oxlade.

But mapping out a financial plan is not as difficult a task as many people think it is, she said.

"I am constantly amazed at the number of people that have no idea where to start," said Vaz-Oxlade.

And financial planning is not just about retirement, she said.

"One of my mantras is you have to plan like a pessimist so you can live like an optimist," she said.

Planning like a pessimist means you have all your bases covered, for example an emergency fund, a written will and insurance in place.

"Once you've taken care of all the details you don't have to worry about it," she said. "You are getting wealthy slowly."

At the same time you are busy having a life. You can do the things you want to do because you know how much money you have to spend, she said. And when something does go wrong, like the roof starts to leak, you have an emergency fund to pay for unexpected bills.

Vaz-Oxlade said there are people who think buying lottery tickets is the way to plan for retirement.

"If you want to be a millionaire, then start contributing to an RRSP," she said. The money you would spend on lottery tickets, put in an RRSP and you will become a millionaire, it is only a matter of time."

But, she cautioned, you must also put time on your side. Contributions have to start early in a person's career. Those who wait until they are in the late 40s will have to contribute more annually to RRSPs and other investments in order to have the funds in place when they are ready to retire.

Vaz-Oxlade's television show airs on the Slice Network in Canada, and is about to enter its fourth season. It also airs in the U.S. and in the U.K.

The show centres around Vaz-Oxlade making house calls to the financially stressed, where using a combination of tough love and humour, she brings to their attention the reality of their bad spending habits, cuts up credit card and puts them on a budget.

"The show is as real as it gets," she said, adding there is no script.

Vaz-Oxlade's seminar takes place at the Coast Bastion Inn and are also being hosted by Coastal Community Credit Union and Island Savings Credit Union.

The first session runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with a second session from 8:30 to 10 p.m.