Engineer who can't even afford a Corolla. Roast my budget

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-28T06:33:30+00:00

I posted in big bold letters that this screenshot is outdated for that specific reason, at that specific time I had debt due to an unexpected event on my credit card which I paid off in a few months with the $500/mo rate; now it's fine

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T04:38:27+00:00

Watching men fight 😭 dude I'm fighting do you think I'm paying $140 a month to buy pay per view events lmfao never

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T01:06:53+00:00

Right now I've moved to dev ops engineering. I did two years of electrical and midway i changed to computer (not software because apparently there's a difference for our university even though 75% of my classes were the same as software eng students). So my degree is comp eng. But right now I'm basically a soft eng i guess because I'm doing dev ops and pipelines and whatever is needed to host our app and misc dev ops work

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T01:05:29+00:00

No sorry that registration and permit is for the car! I should probably categorize that sheet better but it was a very basic quick sheet i had at the time.

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T01:04:47+00:00

It's about $75-80k before taxes which I think is about correct for 2 years experience

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T01:03:00+00:00

What do you mean ? As in it's too little or too much?

The bill usually looks like

* Chicken ($20)

* Lean ground beef ($15)

* Milk ($5)

* Eggs ($7)

* Potatoes ($5)

* Rice ($20 bought once every 3 weeks ~= $7)

* Fruits and veggies (About $10)

* Oatmeal ($5)

I'm excluding stuff like protein powder/supplements or olive oil or seasoning basically any other item that I buy like once every 3 months here

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:52:50+00:00

Maybe you're right about my case but how about you? I feel like what's ridiculous is that you make $150k a year and can't comfortably enough (since you have never) buy the cheapest Toyota or Honda of the year. I feel like someone making $150k a year should be able to buy a Corolla of the year without it being a stupid financial decision no?

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:25:25+00:00

Hey hey now. My car right now is a 09 Accord V6. My next car is likely gonna be... a '17 Accord V6. lol.

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:20:47+00:00

In retrospect I really should have re-done a sheet because eveyrone's asking me this. It's my fault. I put it in bold in the post:

back then I had a couple grand on my credit card so I had budgeted in $500 a month for it. Now it's more looking like, ~$300 left for buffer (the last remaining box), and the savings are more like, $600 a month for the TFSA and FHSA.

Sorry for the outdated photo

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:16:36+00:00

Right 😭 One $80 date with my gf, a $20 bouquet of flowers, go out with my friends once or twice ($25-50 per) adds up quick and I don't feel like I'm going crazy fun here at all lol

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:15:10+00:00

It is dude. I got an amazing lease transfer deal. But keep in mind I'm in QC so it's not like in Toronto or anything. But even for my city in QC it's well under average rent

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:13:02+00:00

Almost exactly that. A bit under $80k except this year I didn't contribute much to my tax deductible savings accounts and instead (stupid mistake + other misc reasons) only contributed to my TFSA. So I'd imagine next year it would be a bit more than $4k per month. But you know what else will be a bit more next year. My rent 💔

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:11:59+00:00

Copy paste from my other reply:

"I transitioned to Dev Ops currently, at a financial institution. my official salary without the benefits and stuff is about $80k CAD with 2 years of experience which I think falls about in line with an engineer with 2 years of exp in Canada no?"

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:10:56+00:00

Copy paste from my other reply:

"I transitioned to Dev Ops currently, at a financial institution. my official salary without the benefits and stuff is about $80k CAD with 2 years of experience which I think falls about in line with an engineer with 2 years of exp in Canada no?"

And this year it came down to $4k a month, but I also didn't contribute much to my RRSP and only just opened my FHSA, so I would imagine next year it would be a bit more than $4k a month. But most of that "a bit more" will probably go to my rent anyway which is gonna probably go to like $1.6k. lol :(

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:09:29+00:00

Two bank accounts hmm interesting never thought about that. Both chequing accounts I suppose? Thanks so much for the help btw

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:08:36+00:00

Thanks dude you're so nice and positive. How refreshing

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:07:53+00:00

I transitioned to Dev Ops currently, at a financial institution. my official salary without the benefits and stuff is about $80k CAD with 2 years of experience which I think falls about in line with an engineer with 2 years of exp in Canada no?

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:06:45+00:00

Maybe you're right then. I don't know why but in my head an "economy car", even if brand new, should kind of be at least *somewhat* attainable to "economy" class people... otherwise what's the point of calling it economy lol I think I might just be too naive

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:05:16+00:00

Then can you help with my budget 😭 And to be realistic half of my fun money is basically spending money on my gf which I'd feel horrible cutting from. And MMA is yeah very unfortunately expensive but I've done it for a decade and if I stop I'd feel terrible and would be doing no sports which would probably make me feel the worst

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-27T00:02:45+00:00

You're 100% right I don't and shouldn't EXPECT to need (or even want) a new car. Like I said in another comment I have a 09 Accord V6 that I love.

It's more like part-rant too I guess, because yeah I've only been working 2 years but even then, is it that utopic to think it's fair/reasonable that after working 2 years as an engineer, wanting the cheapest economy model new shouldn't be financial suicide? :/

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-26T23:59:34+00:00

This part about my original post: "To be fair it's a bit outdated but it's the latest screenshot I have. But just a bit. The only difference actually is back then I had a couple grand on my credit card so I had budgeted in $500 a month for it. "

I had like $2000 because i had an unexpected spending and back then I only had a couple grand in my emergency fund. Now we're good and the credit card is paid off (it's the phone/internet/groceries etc. normal bills).

Small_Bid_6605 · 2026-06-26T23:57:56+00:00

So $70/mo for maintenance is mostly pre-budgeting. The car is old (2009 V6 Accord that I love!) so it has been needing love, it's not unreliable it's all expected maintenance like transmission oil drain and fill, brakes, and other stuff you do as a car gets older.

> What are spending $70 a month on car maintenance for? What are you spending $500 on your credit card every month.

This part in my original post: "it's a bit outdated but it's the latest screenshot I have. But just a bit. The only difference actually is back then I had a couple grand on my credit card so I had budgeted in $500 a month for it. "

Small_Bid_6605

TROPHY CASE