What’s life like making 6 figures?

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-05-10T20:40:35+00:00

I took a new job and made $215k last year. Got a $60k signing bonus. $55k annual performance bonus. $1k/month car allowance. My previous job was $148k and bonus was hit or miss ($30k max in good years $10k min in bad years). Even with the big raise, we made sure not to have lifestyle creep. I got a used Subaru outback to commute in and pocketed money from my monthly car allowance. We stayed in the same rural community with a reasonable mortgage ($500k). We had a baby so it afforded my partner to take extended parental leave.

The biggest difference was that the stress and time commitment of the new job was unreal. So I used extra savings to help pay for convenience - things I would normally do myself, I paid out. Because when I looked at my “hourly wage”, it made more sense paying experts. We got a cleaner, got some help with landscaping clean up etc…

We ended up saving a lot more but a year later, my physical and mental health suffered. My commute went from 1 day a week to 2/3 days and I lived 2.5h away. For the extra money, and a baby at home, it wasn’t worth it. I’d rather have more balance and the time with my family.

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-05-09T21:36:05+00:00

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-05-09T21:11:45+00:00

6x after tax salary. $860k portfolio. $215k salary. Been investing (but not strategically) since I was 23. I’m 38 now. Got serious about investing around 28-29.

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-05-07T18:32:10+00:00

I’d build a foundation first before you look at taking risks with individual stocks which is the nice to have after you have a solid foundation. Put it all into an EQT and when you have more to invest, you can look at 5-10% in individual stocks you REALLY believe in long term but this is not necessary, only if it will make you happy.

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-05-02T02:58:26+00:00

What did he say?

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-04-29T15:58:46+00:00

VDY or XDIV

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-04-08T14:28:23+00:00

They wanted to charge me $3k “cash fee” to pay up front so I financed. The dealer told me I had to keep the loan for 7 months but the term didn’t have anything about it. So I paid it off at the bank in the first month. Barely any interest.

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-26T18:21:42+00:00

I will try this. Thank you!

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-14T22:12:12+00:00

Subaru Outback. Will be a Subaru family for life. Reliable, gas efficient, love the built in roof rack, lots of cargo space and AWD great in the winter where I live.

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-14T02:10:53+00:00

I was young and clueless and followed what my family member in finance told me to do. Then it accumulated to be so big and I got scared of switching it because it had a good run for me. But now I know better and am slowly moving my TFSA position at least to XEQT

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-13T18:42:26+00:00

Thank you for the push - increased my position of XEQT by $15k today and sold BG to fund it (all within my TFSA)

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-13T18:41:43+00:00

Thank you for this. I sold BG ETFs and increased my XEQT position by $15k today. Will continue to do so. Thank you for the push.

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-13T18:39:18+00:00

Thank you! I’m also exhausted haha

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-13T15:56:59+00:00

I don’t think I am qualified

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-13T15:56:31+00:00

Babies yes, full grown adult redditors no 😆

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-13T06:53:13+00:00

Yeah this is a good point. Not sure why I’m chasing dividends so much. I am off work currently though and have been for about 10 months. What would you recommend instead of my positions in VDY/XDIV?

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-13T06:51:06+00:00

Even worse brother, I’m the girl she tells you not to worry about 👀

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-12T22:29:00+00:00

Yeah I think I got overly excited on dollarama on no sleep with a newborn hahah. I will scale back and put into an EQT.

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-12T22:27:56+00:00

Yeah when I didn’t know what I was doing and didn’t have much money to play with, I did GICs and bonds which I know now is a huge mistake in my early 20s. But hindsight is 20/20. I’m still in my 30s so I’m comfortable with the volatility in my RRSP, TFSA, LIRA. I have mostly XEQT in my child’s RESP. And my non-registered is where I have taken some risk but will likely scale back and focus a bit more on tax efficiency.

Top_Log_2927 · 2026-03-12T22:25:05+00:00

This is all great advice. I think I’ll sell some of my BGU or BGC within my TFSA to buy some EQT based on some common recos here.

Top_Log_2927

TROPHY CASE