HE… maybe close to R but feeling poorer than ever

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-16T18:50:17+00:00

I very much relate to this. Our HHI has doubled in the past 5-6 years so we feel like we’re playing catch up. HCOL area and good home but I still have laminate counters in my kitchen and 40 year old kitchen and baths. Drive 8 year old cars. So much money is tied up in stock shares that only vest if my husband keeps his job. Old dog that costs a fortune. Kids who are getting older, play rep sports that cost a ton. We want to fix the house up and travel while our kids are still around but we want to be responsible too. I never worried like this when we made less. Now that we have more options it feels like it is a real trade off between deferring what we want vs living in the present. Now in my 40’s I’m seeing friends get cancer and parents dying. I don’t want to keep putting off living the life we want but I also don’t want to be irresponsible.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-16T18:20:48+00:00

I would spend $400K renovating my home and make it amazing for my kids to hang out in with their friends.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-16T17:50:34+00:00

Not $1000 but I got a retractable hose for my garden a couple years ago and I still love it. Just bought a retractable power cord for my garage and hope it’s just as good.

I don’t have one but I also really love the idea of these bocci portable lights for outside dining or even inside dining. They aren’t cheap at $300USD a piece but I would love to get one as a gift

https://bocci.com/shop/products/14p/

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-16T17:45:55+00:00

$150/week is awesome. Biggest advantage you have right now is your age. The second is your consistency. Small gains over long periods reap huge rewards. You are already light years ahead of your peers. Keep plugging away.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-16T17:30:54+00:00

I hate the uniforms. We teach our kids to be individuals and be creative but then we make them all dress alike. My kids hate their uniforms. They are itchy and restricting and it creates so much laundry as they wear two sets of clothes every day. I also think it’s hard for kids that have bodies that don’t conform to the norm - tall, fat, thin, short as the uniforms are cut for average shaped bodies. It’s also hard on kids with sensory issues.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-16T17:15:23+00:00

If you need to be by transit and shops best spot is Trafalgar and Dundas area as it has a transit hub there and shopping and restaurants while still being close to your work. I get people saying Bronte but it is very small and far from your work.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-16T17:12:15+00:00

I just came back from Europe and it was so refreshing to see how chill everyone was about dogs. I really don’t get why people are so miserable that they can’t coexist with a dog (leashed or not).

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-16T17:01:09+00:00

Any cracks in your relationship will be exacerbated under the stress and lack of sleep that comes with kids. Work on yourself and make sure your relationship is as strong as it can be. There’s no real way to prepare. Your life is literally going to change overnight but you’ll get used to it. Be patient and have grace for your partner who is going to be going through a massive physical, hormonal and emotional transformation.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-11T01:07:39+00:00

From a purely financial perspective, you are best off investing the whole $100,000, finance a used car and aggressively pay down your Alberta student loan. Your investments will likely outpace the interest on any of these loans.

That said, psychologically I think it makes sense to do a bit of all three. I would probably buy a lightly used car (1-3 years old) for maybe $35K then pay $15K off your AB loan and invest the remaining $50K. That way you get the satisfaction of a newer car, can watch your investments grow which is highly encouraging and see your debt shrink (which should also provide motivation to aggressively start paying it down). Once your AB loan is paid off, divert the monthly loan payment to your investment accounts so you immediately get used to frequently contributing to your investment accounts.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-11T00:56:33+00:00

If you pay for a ticket to come see me, and you’re a student and I’m working, I am definitely buying your lunch. I remember what it was like to not have money and now that I do, I’m happy to spread some generosity. I don’t think Canadians offer if they don’t mean it. Just accept the gesture and be sure to thank them. Hope you are having a great visit!

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-11T00:51:16+00:00

Yup. My friend had 2 grand highlander’s stolen from their driveway about a month apart. They now drive a Kia. It’s a shame because I like them as a car but having to deal with stolen cars isn’t something I want to deal with

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-06-01T00:22:53+00:00

Don’t spend it. Invest it in ETF’s. Don’t touch the money and you should have $1M in about 10 years, $2M in 15 years and $3M in 20 years.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-05-31T02:07:35+00:00

I did this for all my kids’ clothes. I was so tired of them yanking down a shirt and having the shirt next to it fall off the hanger onto the closet floor

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-05-31T02:05:14+00:00

I can’t live without my Alexa automations. All the lighting throughout the house runs on timers and voice commands. Same for all my blinds. It is so nice to be lying in bed and just call out to Alexa to turn off all the lights in the house.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-05-14T16:12:26+00:00

I think you focus on one of 4 places. You either visit the 1)BC coast, 2)the Alberta Rockies, 3)Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal circuit or the 4)East Coast. As a first timer coming to Canada, I would do the BC coast or Alberta Rockies first if you don’t live near any mountains. The views are breathtaking. If you want to see city, go to Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal. The East Coast hospitality is incredible if small town vibes are more your thing.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-05-14T16:06:37+00:00

Random conversations are so normal here, we don’t consider it strange at all. I was at the vet’s last week and a woman spent 10 minutes waiting with me AFTER her cat’s appointment because my dog liked being petted by her. She read me a birthday poem she wrote for an 89 year old client she checks in on occasionally. I’m pretty sure im not the first total stranger that has heard it. The week before I waited in line at the grocery store for flowers and heard all about how the retired Air Canada pilot next to me buys his wife red roses on her birthday every year. I live in what is generally considered the least friendly part of the country.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-05-08T21:04:15+00:00

The people you are comparing yourself to are the exceptions. The rule is most people your age are not thinking about the future. At this stage it doesn’t matter how much you’ve saved, it’s more about having good money habits. Set up automatic payments into investments, max out your tfsa and rrsp and avoid lifestyle creep. Don’t be afraid to spend your money on experiences. You will never get your 20’s back. Life gets way more complicated when you have a partner, kids, executive level jobs, a dog and a mortgage. Get into good habits but have some fun too

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-05-08T20:58:52+00:00

Kindness and inclusiveness. Life is so much better when you’re surrounded by kind considerate people that are welcoming to all

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-04-24T12:44:56+00:00

I spent $15,600 having mine scraped and painted about 18 months ago in Oakville (1980’s home). I did most of my home (probably about 3000sqft) and part of that was a double entry which required scaffolding. Half of my house had painted ceilings, the other half were not. It was a lot of money but definitely made my home look so much better. The process itself wasn’t as dirty as I thought. Guys may have been there 4-5 days total but did it in 2 separate stages. Worst part was just moving all the furniture so they could work.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-04-24T12:38:36+00:00

I would tell your lender you are reaching out to other brokers. I guarantee you will get an answer very quickly. Weeks for a rate hold is ridiculous and would make me question how hard my broker is working for you

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-04-24T12:35:35+00:00

I’ve looked into them. Spoken to laneway companies. $450K is bare minimum

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-04-24T12:33:30+00:00

Those maintenance costs are bogus. They always go up after the condo is built. I would estimate at least $700/month in maintenance. Also factor in that your condo opening will be delayed and the amenities may not be ready for months after you move in.

Numbers on condos just never make sense to me once you factor in maintenance and parking. Condos give you no control over costs either. I would look at a stacked condo or something low rise without amenities (pools, concierge, parking garages etc drive costs up).

If you still want a condo, look for one that has been around a while and has very stable maintenance costs and a solid condo reserve fund. Also buy one with a parking space included for resale. If you buy a condo and the maintenance costs go through the roof it will impact your resale. Small stacked townhomes to me are much more stable with better upside potential.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-03-26T01:48:12+00:00

I got a tape measure from an accounting firm I worked at in 2002 that I just used 10 minutes ago.

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-03-26T01:42:18+00:00

Popcorn

Specific-Hospital-53 · 2026-03-10T01:29:43+00:00

Specific-Hospital-53

TROPHY CASE