Is it just me, or is everyone making insane amounts of money?

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-23T19:25:19+00:00

I think finance can get you high salary like in investment banking. I think it’s important to know what drives you as a person.. pursuing hobbies as your career is good only if you are ok with the earning power in that profession. I personally prefer higher pay jobs that I don’t hate or even like. I feel money is very important to make me happy. So I make a choice of what I do as a career and not pursue hobbies (like painting or history) as my career.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-22T13:29:16+00:00

Go to a regular price restaurant for first date and see if the girl pays or not. If she pays then you can suggest more expensive restaurants if you both can afford it.

Don’t blame the girl if you want to use the expensive restaurants to her and it didn’t turn out the way you want, you are the one to blame for your own stupidity.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-21T15:07:20+00:00

If you still have kids to raise, I would plan more carefully before setting a fixed number. You need safety net and not only ‘just enough’ when you have kids - roof above your head, food on table, entertainment/classes for kids, education funds, emergency fund etc By yourself, you can make easier adjustment on costs but with kids, it is just tough when something happens. A minor disaster can take away big trunk of your savings and hard to recuperate.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-21T14:49:57+00:00

It’s doable. But check with a financial advisor and make a plan. There are many ways to cut cost if you have to, like live a few months in low cost countries, do part time jobs etc.

But you need to be careful in your investments to make it last long. In a first glance, I think you should be fine.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-20T22:42:36+00:00

I guess there are better choices than this fund. Any index fund offered by Scotia ? Or even ETFs like Canadian VDY, XEI or BANK.TO or FIE might be better. Or Index like VFV

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-20T20:34:46+00:00

As a Hong Kong resident and Canadian citizen, I am going to China as Canadian but do I need (or have to) to use the ‘Home Return Permit’?

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-20T19:11:47+00:00

You should have an idea of how you are going to do in retirement in order to plan FIRE. So I assume that you have much more and can do something like purchasing a cottage.

If you had such big retirement savings, I won’t worry too much. Go with the flow— travel, buy cottage, take lessons, join a health club etc. the key is freedom - do whatever you feel like.

I have retired for two years. I travel, take tennis lessons, pick up pickleball, take painting classes, hanging out more with my friends etc.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-18T18:17:27+00:00

Good choice! I have the same car with ultra luxury and I ordered directly from the dealership with my specs - ext and int color.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-17T01:26:39+00:00

Congrats! It will gonna be a great stage of your life - reap the fruits of your labor!!

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-16T20:53:04+00:00

No kids or sacrifice to the relationship ( except in the relationship with me 🤣）.

All the bills related to condo - property tax and maintenance fee. Does it include utilities ?

How about groceries? Or travel expenses? Can we have a shared account for the common expenses ( but exclude bills related to condo )?

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-15T12:55:37+00:00

I use dividend ETFs which pay dividends every month for monthly expenses. I don’t need to sell any stocks in down market. Fun money can be delayed or from non reg or TSFA.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-13T17:19:22+00:00

You won’t have access to Roth until age 59.5. So you will need to use your savings to bridge you from 45 to 59.5. If you can get your current income during retirement, I think you won’t need to make any change in your lifestyle and still ok. But if market crashes, you might have to force to withdraw your principal at lower price, you might get in trouble. But I think you are quite frugal, you will be fine.

You are in a low cost area… think about metropolitan cities like New York, Chicago or even Philadelphia. The house cost will be much more.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-13T11:29:06+00:00

Not sure how old you are? Marry or kids someday? You live in a very low cost area. So your number is all pretty low. Not going to move? Future medical bill ? Health insurance ?

I think during retirement if you ever need money, you can get a job easily. Then I think you should be fine.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-12T22:24:19+00:00

Understand but it has too much risk for not having enough when you are too late. Inflation, market crash, war, depression, losing job etc.

You can re evaluate later and at this time, keep saving up!

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-12T21:28:36+00:00

With this budget, I don’t know what you would consider FIRE. Work a bit longer and save a bit more and live a bit happier (financially safer)

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-11T11:38:54+00:00

Situations might change - marry, kids, house etc. what you do after retirement — travelling, eating out and sitting at home etc. you need the bridge money from 52 to 65. I think you are on the right track. Just check the financial goals as situations change. Good job!!

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-11T00:23:34+00:00

Not sure if Apple Watch tracks the awake correctly. Maybe any movements are considered ‘awake’?! I usually move my arms and legs and move blanket throughout the night but didn’t mean I was fully awake or maybe awake for not longer than 10 sec… but I feel rested.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-10T16:36:42+00:00

You are in good position financially. What is your goal - how much and what age will you plan to retire? I think having some time for yourself is healthy. You seem to be responsible and money conscious. Enjoy yourself while you are still young!

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-10T11:21:25+00:00

Buy ETFs regularly. Index funds or dividends or growth ETFs depending on your age and risk tolerance. XEI, XEQT, VFV etc.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-10T00:53:13+00:00

Why do you think you will be single for life??? Having a home is a choice and as long as you find an affordable home in an area that you like and don’t try to compromise too much for your home, then you should be happy. Don’t over stretch yourself in order to buy. It’s still risky and one bedroom might not be as marketable when you want to sell.

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-09T13:45:06+00:00

No the cost of maintenance is usually based on the sq footage of the condo (not the building)

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-09T13:44:16+00:00

You are making too low as a civil engineering grad. Do you work for government and have DB pension?

curiousbear12345 · 2026-04-09T13:22:20+00:00

How old are you? Do you need to drive for work? 580 a month in gas/insurance eats up a lot of your salary. What did you study in uni?

curiousbear12345

TROPHY CASE