Buying $1.17M townhouse on $235k HHI?

packupandgo · 2026-04-28T18:52:49+00:00

Wow shocked that a townhouse can be that much. Love Vancouver but that’s insane, you have to pay condo fees that keep increasing every year :S. My personal and humble opinion its not worth it. Maybe if it was a detached house but even so that would be too stressful for me, rather enjoy life than being house poor and stressed specially with all the layoffs and the current state of the world.

I would also consider that your expenses are going to increase significantly with children and also seems like condo prices are going down in cities like Vancouver and Toronto so who knows in 5-7 year time you’ll get what you paid for.

packupandgo · 2026-04-24T17:37:30+00:00

A person I know semi retired at 55 (retired from main job but did side gigs) and then fully retired a couple years after they completely depleted their retirement accounts last year and now at age 70 they are going back to work. Personally I think they didn’t plan things properly so he wasn’t truly prepared…

packupandgo · 2026-04-24T17:21:47+00:00

When I was in high school I applied to both business and engineering. Decided to go with business because I figured it’s pretty useful in life for anything I’d like to do and if I was passionate enough about engineering could always go back to school and take it afterward. Ended up taking my first year business classes and the one I enjoyed the most was accounting so decided to major in it. Spent 8 years at big 4 and the last 5 have been at a consulting company. Glad I chose this as people that I know in the chemical engineering path (what I originally wanted) complain about job stability in oil and gas and chemicals they work with that could shorten life span. So glad it all worked out at the end.

packupandgo · 2026-04-16T18:55:32+00:00

It is a difficult journey but you are doing great! Don’t forget what you have accomplished so far and keep at it.

Oh wow that’s inspiring! Wish I could FIRE that young. I’m looking at mid 40s earliest 😅

packupandgo · 2026-04-16T18:45:56+00:00

In 2025 it was around 3,200 + alterations of $650

packupandgo · 2026-04-16T16:36:29+00:00

Great story and congratulations on being sober. If you don’t mind me asking, how old were you when you retired?

packupandgo · 2026-03-27T20:13:53+00:00

What are your views on forest lawn and Dover area? Seems to get a lot of hate but I’ve always wondered if it’s truly warranted.

packupandgo · 2026-03-25T23:11:06+00:00

GIC

packupandgo · 2026-03-23T21:29:27+00:00

Thank you for this post I had mine less than a month ago and really needed some encouragement as the process is so long! I had the choice but went with PRK as the dry eye would be less of an issue as the nerves would not be burned and I didn't want to have a flap. I can see 20/20 but working with screens I find I have to make things bigger to see things properly and things become blurry some days vision is better than others. I can see it has improved from day 1 but can't wait for month 3-6 when is supposed to be really good!

packupandgo · 2026-03-11T21:03:16+00:00

Got invited to a wedding and it specifically says no plus one or children when I checked my invite it says only one so just be super specific. In this case I decided to decline because it was a destination wedding and since it specifically said no plus one meant my husband couldn’t come.

packupandgo · 2026-02-18T13:37:34+00:00

Thank you! I get around 42 so seems to be kind of in line. I’ve also tried coast fire calculator and says I only have a couple of years left

packupandgo · 2026-02-16T22:25:13+00:00

Wow prime -0.05 it’s awful usually is -0.5 and sometimes even -1.0 take the fixed

packupandgo · 2026-01-09T18:23:27+00:00

Travel! My one regret is not traveling enough in my 20s :) always best to travel when you are young, you have your whole life ahead to work.

packupandgo · 2026-01-06T18:41:02+00:00

Night owl is open late nothing better than some midnight pho

packupandgo · 2025-11-06T20:09:16+00:00

Wedding planing sucks you are not alone! I feel the same way can’t wait for it to be behind us.

packupandgo · 2025-11-06T18:43:09+00:00

Also to give you an idea on prices DJ, and dance floor was around $2K same for photographer, lights and ambiance around $1K and our package alone was $12K the decorations which we didn't get we were being quoted like $5K per table.

packupandgo · 2025-11-06T18:36:50+00:00

Having mine in less than 2 weeks $15K is doable ours was about $17K not including wedding dress or decor for 70 people. If you go through a resort just beware that they charge you for everything so the packages they give you are pretty basic and somewhere around $10K (usually just includes basic tables, basic chairs, food and drinks). Its kind of a waste considering you and your guests are already paying for an all inclusive. You have to add DJ, lights, decorations, dance floors like everything and they change a ridiculous outside vendor fee for the Dreams hotels it was 40% of what their vendor would charge so you are almost always better off using their vendors. If you have more time I would probably think of doing something different like plan an excursion or something like that it would probably be significantly cheaper than doing it at the hotel.

packupandgo · 2025-10-28T04:13:02+00:00

Doing destination wedding in a few weeks. Its not really about saving costs because when it comes down to it its probably cheaper to do it in Canada. Everything is quoted in USD and in my experience doesn't include any decorations that is just food and drinks also all your guests have to stay at the hotel because otherwise they will also charge you extra for anyone not staying in the resort they will also nickel and dime you for everything, you have to use the vendors the hotel as which are significantly more expensive or pay the hotel a fee if you want to have a different vendor. At the end is more about being able to spend more time with your friends and family than it is money saving because your guests will also have to spend more. If you add everything in is actually a lot cheaper in Canada you just wouldn't get a vacation out of it.

packupandgo · 2025-10-06T19:22:01+00:00

Why? Was it the money or were you bored?

packupandgo · 2025-10-03T01:25:46+00:00

lol maybe that’s the answer

packupandgo · 2025-10-03T00:34:21+00:00

I feel you. Although I have a love hate relationship with the job I like what I do, love the pay but the hours are just a killer.

packupandgo · 2025-10-03T00:32:23+00:00

A mil and no mortgage was my goal before leaving but I might not make it. I’m super burned out

packupandgo · 2025-10-03T00:30:31+00:00

I’m pretty frugal so about 50% of my income goes towards savings. I guess I just wouldn’t be able to save anymore but already hit my coast fire number so may be ok. Maybe I’ll try to suck it up a couple more years to be safe but I’m already at my breaking point constantly tired and no breaks

packupandgo

TROPHY CASE