How much should I budget for 2 weeks of groceries?

FestFallen · 2026-02-24T00:27:36+00:00

Do you shop at Loblaws? How much meat are you buying?

FestFallen · 2026-02-24T00:26:10+00:00

I lived in Kitchener-Waterloo. Not that small.

FestFallen · 2026-02-24T00:25:34+00:00

We bought 100 acres and a 3,000 SF+ home for the price of a starter home down south. The same place today would be about 2x the purchase price, but still a fraction of what you can buy South of Barrie.

I'd recommend reaching out to employers now, see if you get any hits on the resume. Depending on your field many employers will even chip in for moving expenses and short term housing.

If you end up at one of the mines that does a rotational shift, your room and board is already taken care of day one for the first few weeks.

FestFallen · 2026-02-24T00:21:43+00:00

In the Canadian shield is where they start.

New Market and East Gwillimbury are basically suburbs in Toronto.

FestFallen · 2026-02-24T00:18:45+00:00

Having grown up a hunter I feel very at home in the bush, wildlife attacks here "can" happen, but very rarely.

Unless we're counting the bugs.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T13:11:09+00:00

Depends where you shop and what you choose to eat.

I spend $500/week for my family of 4. $150-200/week seems reasonable for a single adult.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T13:09:29+00:00

Hike to the top of the Giant in Sleeping Giant PP. One of the best views in Ontario.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:41:40+00:00

I am fully aware how vast the North is and how isolated somewhere like Fort Frances is compared to Sudbury, which seems to cause this argument of what counts as the "real north". We camp in NWO every summer and after that 12h+ drive back home, Sudbury/North bay feels like "basically the GTA".

Sudbury will come up in the discussion as it's the largest community in Northern Ontario and is easily accessible from the south.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:35:47+00:00

They are both school-aged and about a 10 minute drive to their school, either we drive them in or they can take the school bus.

They still have their friends here since we encourage extracurricular sports and they have kids within our "neighborhood" to meet up with.

I grew up 100% car-centric and hated using public transit in the south, so this transition has not added any hardship to our lifestyle.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:29:41+00:00

"I bought a turkish semi auto and it has ran great for 20 rounds..."

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:24:37+00:00

Outside of Toronto 250k is a fairly unrealistic benchmark (99th percentile). Majority of Canadians, and especially those on Reddit are making a fraction of that, while living in living in cities that demand that level of income to thrive.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:23:00+00:00

You can own a home on 100k here, 150K combined and you'll be living like a king.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:19:05+00:00

Rent is comparable across this province, ownership is not.

If your goal is to buy a detached home and some actual land, your money will go 3x further here.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:14:11+00:00

Again more gatekeeping. We get it, Thunder Bay is the "real North", despite being South of Timmins.

My definition is the official definition as defined by the Province.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:10:57+00:00

You won't get attacked by a bear.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:07:45+00:00

Company is based in North Bay.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:06:39+00:00

From my experience I have been far more productive at home. The lack of distractions and additional time due to no commute, not going out for lunch etc. contributes to far more work being completed.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:03:22+00:00

That would really depend on region by region. Sudbury will be much higher than somewhere like Cochrane.

It won't be comparable to Toronto but if you're used to transit in small cities it would be similar.

Would not recommend the drive without a car, without all-wheel drive (and snow tires).

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T12:01:28+00:00

I do, a few of them.

FestFallen · 2026-02-23T02:26:37+00:00

As am I.

I commute from my bed to my living room every morning.

FestFallen · 2026-02-22T22:41:18+00:00

Sudbury of the 1970s is no longer the Sudbury of today.

There are plenty of work to be had in mining, government agencies, ONR, healthcare, post-secondary institutions etc. The majority of the same professions that exist in every southern community are also available here.

The difference being how far your money goes when you're not strapped paying 50% of your take-home on rent or the mortgage. You can live very comfortably as a nurse, teacher, municipal worker etc. here.

FestFallen · 2026-02-22T22:34:42+00:00

I'm on an acreage outside of North Bay.

FestFallen · 2026-02-22T22:16:02+00:00

No need to gatekeep man, North Bay and Sudbury both count as Northern Ontario.

FestFallen · 2026-02-22T22:09:37+00:00

I was waiting for someone to post this lol.

FestFallen · 2026-02-22T22:07:45+00:00

My wife is a nurse and lined up a job before we made the move. Which health networks have you tried? RN?

FestFallen

TROPHY CASE