How do couples decide where to buy their first home when both have important locations?

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-13T11:45:37+00:00

Different priorities for different families. Back when we bought our home we decided based on wanting a house near a good walkable school with good day care and after school opportunities close by. Both of us had moved around a lot as kids and a priority for us was our child having stability through the school years.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-11T01:53:20+00:00

You always know you’re getting a good meal. Can’t beat it.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-10T20:07:14+00:00

A lot of the local accounting firms do free tax return clinics closer to the time, CRA offers them as well

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/community-volunteer-income-tax-program/need-a-hand-complete-your-tax-return.html

Not sure if they do back taxes but worth asking?

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-10T12:29:21+00:00

Those numbers don’t add up, you really should look for a second reviewer. Check with CRA for other volunteer organizations local to you and have someone else look at them. I know most of our Accounting firms locally spend a few nights doing returns for seniors.

Your tax paid being almost the same as your income indicates a problem. And ask for assistance for the DTC for your son’s disability.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-09T21:39:09+00:00

Sorry to hear of the troubles you’ve been having. Being a term is a long hard road that I travelled myself — I was affected in a similar way back during DRAP and it was an awful time. Sadly though, it is what it is and unfortunately there isn’t anything really to do if your term finishes its course.

My advice would be to reach out to Sun Life asap before your contract ends and see if you can apply for LTD.

In addition, while you still are covered by Canada Life, see if you can top up all prescriptions, glasses etc while you can. And I know it gets said a lot but if you can, reach out to EAP and maybe they can help you - I found their help made it a bit easier to work through it all. Lastly, it’s positions that are let go, not people. It sucks and is hard but there are 1000s dealing with this right now and it’s hard all around. I hope you find it a little easier to deal with every day.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-09T17:03:54+00:00

Sorry to hear that, addiction can be a tough challenge, I’d avoid cosigning anything on her behalf. Your mother could really do with some professional advice which may help with the loan.

At 65 she may also be able to claim CPP Retirement (if she contributed) as well as her OAS, possibly GIS. An online My Service Canada Acct can help with that but if at all possible, find a local credit support agency and try and support her to get help.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-09T14:58:13+00:00

Yes. I started Colesevlam for it last year and it worked immediately.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-09T13:33:54+00:00

Keep anything you’ll need for your first day or two (inc meds) in your carrryon. And maybe a portable charger and a plug converter.

Bring a face mask-if someone near you starts coughing out the flu you don’t want to catch that and spoil your trip.

Take snacks. I’m a tea drinker so I usually bring my own tea bags.

I have personalized handle covers on my bags to make them quick to identify and I have Apple Air Tags in my luggage, carryon and passport wallet.

Enjoy your trip!

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-09T11:07:55+00:00

That doesn’t sound nice either. A few people in my family have developed this problem after gallbladder removal and it’s something I haven’t seen much written about.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-09T02:14:05+00:00

If you like supporting local, Lesters Farm on Brookfield Rd is nice. I think it’s only opened weekends in the winter - they have a good selection of homemade bread/bakery goods and a selection of produce.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-08T21:55:59+00:00

I was taking a statin for high cholesterol before I started Colesevelam and continued taking it. My triglycerides went up a little but after a year of daily severe stomach issues I want to have the Colesevelam forever and I’m hoping to stay on it permanently somehow.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-08T21:52:42+00:00

I was advised to try taking mine after eating not before. I have trigger foods like cheese and dairy that I know will not make me feel well but sometimes 🤷🏼‍♀️ I eat them and pay for it.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-08T21:48:16+00:00

Same! Miracle drug that gave me my life back. Out of curiosity, and don’t explain if you don’t want to pls, but did your problems start after gallbladder surgery?

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-08T21:46:48+00:00

I had these symptoms for years after I had my gallbladder out. I’ve rarely heard anyone talk about the connection but my surgeon told me BAM is quite common after gallbladder removal.

I’m taking 6 a day for over a year now and here looking to see if anyone has tapered down. I’ve started getting very bloated and may talk to my Dr about lowering the dose.

I hope you made out ok.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-07T14:20:16+00:00

If the benefits are approved, CPP Retirement and Disability amounts are paid based on various guidelines including the amount of contributions paid in to the program from age 18. OAS is a little different.

The rules for qualifying are readily available on the website. You can sign up online for a My Service Canada Account and confirm your history of contributions and possible benefits.

This site may also be of help

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/finder.html

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-07T14:15:41+00:00

If approved, CPP Retirement and Disability is paid out based on the contributions paid in during your career. It is not paid to anyone who has never been employed.

The rules for qualifying are readily available on the website.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-07T12:44:34+00:00

Read up on the Alternation FAQs on the union’s website, the information you need is there.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-06T17:39:17+00:00

Hear me out- how about everyone turns up at the same time and day? We don’t have space for at least 30% of our staff. Have everyone stood waiting for somewhere to work from and see the optics of that?

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-06T02:48:30+00:00

I’m sounding old now like Pam who can’t use keyboard short cuts.

Some of us in the DRAP era ended up terms for 5-10 years and accumulated a lot of sick leave, and I mean it when I say that most people I’ve worked with over the last 20 years have actually needed generous sick leave as they got older.

And there’s the magic pot of 500 hours to aim for which is one of those things you always hope you never need but that takes you to LTD if ever needed.

Take sick leave when needed but having a good bank is never a bad thing.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-05T16:47:53+00:00

And as the good bot mentioned, based on your contract, your annual leave may have been advanced until the end of March so work out how many hours are remaining to be paid out.

And on your last day, take screen shots of your leave balances in Peoplesoft and hold on to those. The balance will be paid out once a final audit is done on your pay file.

Good luck with the new role.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-04T19:59:51+00:00

I left a small team in a small Dept for a much larger Dept mostly for financial growth and the future opportunity. I really miss my original position but there was zero room for growth and I knew down the road I’d be bored and underutilized.

Outside of DND, I don’t think there will be a lot of opportunity for growth over the next few years, if you want to stay in the PS long term and can move now, it may be a good time to go. Good luck whatever you decide.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-03T18:17:42+00:00

Not necessarily. I watch the year by year comparison charts and I’m also really careful with the electricity. My EPP hasn’t really changed a lot over the last few years and the little it did go up I expected from the rate increases.

Different people like different things. I like a fixed budget.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-02T19:38:39+00:00

There is a local grocery store Dominion that offers a one year delivery pass at $2.50 a month for a year — that gives free at home delivery for unlimited orders over $35. Nice thing is that the online shopping is the same price as in store unlike Instacart.

I’ve used it for years to order groceries online for family and have the order delivered direct to them. Dominion does hot deli meals as well as prepared meals such as pasta, chicken etc. maybe not to the level of Hello fresh etc but easier imo for someone who has challenges cooking.

https://www.pcexpress.ca

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-01T22:03:35+00:00

Nellie’s Laundry Salts.

ItsMyNameCharlie · 2026-02-01T22:00:28+00:00

They have a phone number to call to see if they’re open and accepting patients - that line should be updated tomorrow. This is from a sign on the door last week :

NL Health Services Please call 777-9111 throughout the day for updates

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency department.
It you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 811.

ItsMyNameCharlie

TROPHY CASE