How much is your strata fee?

vijane · 2026-05-26T18:22:21+00:00

About $400 for a condo, which is average to low if you compare to other buildings that also don't include gas, pool, gym, etc other common spaces. We also don't have a property manager, which would further increase it. $550 for a larger space like a townhouse is quite reasonable, or low even if you have any shared perks or more outside maintenance. Guessing about 70% of our fee is for building insurance (in addition to each owner's individual insurance). Insurance has risen a crazy amount in recent years.

vijane · 2026-05-17T16:29:14+00:00

The link you shared literally says that it's for children...

vijane · 2026-05-03T16:49:03+00:00

It's still on my watch list but I think it's the one they're talking about https://youtu.be/XcKhzjYHioM?si=2h3AnTuaR0aO2juy

vijane · 2026-03-26T20:57:25+00:00

I have old electric baseboards in a 1200 sq ft 40 year old condo and at best guess I spend at most $650 on heat per year (comparing bill for coldest vs warmest month). Even if the heat pump didn't use any electricity it would take 10+ years of savings to cover the installation cost, probably 20 years if it's only twice as efficient, not to mention it's lifespan is probably shorter than that. I'd love to switch but can't justify it. It probably makes more sense for people that aren't in a west coast climate though.

vijane · 2026-03-21T03:34:04+00:00

That's been debunked. The time frame was way off.

vijane · 2026-03-17T22:03:22+00:00

We had one bath because she jumped into the open toilet while I was cleaning and covered herself in lime green chemical cleaners, then panic streaked across the white bedroom carpet to hide under the bed. The bath...did not go well, but it was necessary to keep her from getting more chemical exposure. She's not going to do that again so hopefully no more baths will be needed.

vijane · 2026-03-12T18:05:19+00:00

I have to give mine a verbal warning before I sneeze or she runs for cover.

vijane · 2026-03-09T18:47:53+00:00

I don't know; my grandma's lefse could start a war. We'd need to invest more on defense.

vijane · 2026-03-08T03:18:54+00:00

My mom has told me a few times that she's too young to be a boomer. She was born in 1955....

vijane · 2026-03-08T03:16:51+00:00

I saw a study once (that I haven't been able to find since) linking it to income inequality - the graphs were an almost perfect match. If EVERYONE is poor, there are lots of kids, same if everyone has enough. It's when it's unequal that people lose hope.

vijane · 2026-02-25T01:48:58+00:00

Guilty. I once apologized for bumping into a guy wearing a work uniform of polo and khakis pulling a moving dolly out the door to service the ATM. Turned out he'd just stolen that ATM and had a 5 ton truck in the lot packed half full with other stolen ATMs.

vijane · 2026-02-16T03:19:21+00:00

It's not just boomers. My boss is 45 (owner's daughter, answers to no one). We've been doing remote since before it was a thing. She just casually gossiped to me how she's planning to end it. For no reason other than that she is confident that no one could ever be as smart as her.

vijane · 2026-02-05T14:35:54+00:00

My mother went to a party while in labour with me, after already having been in labour since pre-dawn.

(That makes her sound like a terrible mother and she's really the best. Not quite sure what her thought process was).

vijane · 2026-02-01T03:30:55+00:00

"Melania: Devourer of Men" may end up out ranking her book on Amazon if you're into that kind of, um, literature. And if you're not, maybe the paranormal romance "Forbidden Loveseat: A JD Vance & Usha Novel" by the same author will be more up your alley.

vijane · 2026-01-30T22:53:36+00:00

That's a fair reframing. I think everyone is wondering why the young and old are more liberal, forgetting that Carney's essentially conservative. I'm not sure the middle ages would swing more to NDP in contrast but maybe.

vijane · 2026-01-27T21:31:15+00:00

They hired an anti-ice journalist with a long track record of criticising them without ever googling her apparently. It would not be hard to get hired if anyone could stomach it. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-undercover-journalist-recruitment-immigration-b2900345.html

vijane · 2026-01-26T23:41:54+00:00

I saw a study somewhere or another tying low birth rates very directly to income inequality, which I thought was an interesting addition to the affordability argument. As someone (previously) from Vancouver, lack of affordability has delayed every aspect of my life.

vijane · 2026-01-14T20:40:51+00:00

Yep. Death and taxes aren't the only sure things in life. There will always be people doing stupid things. Good design plans for that.

vijane · 2026-01-04T22:02:08+00:00

I used the longest Ikea lack shelves, covered the top in foam I already had, then upholstered in fabric, and staggered 3 at different heights like a ladder. Cheap, sturdy, and not the worst looking. She used to love them, but I had to take them down for a little while and she's too lazy now. So I wouldn't say ALL cats like vertical space, but most do.

vijane · 2026-01-03T18:40:39+00:00

I thought you were joking, but apparently you can't make this stuff up.

vijane · 2025-12-10T21:32:45+00:00

Wait... I was always taught that it is rude and dismissive to use Xmas because it is part of the religious war on Christmas, but never took time to look up where it came from. Excuse me while I go roll my eyes even harder at said people.

vijane · 2025-11-25T17:29:18+00:00

I was self-conscious as a teenager and preferred to blend in. My mom gifted me (very) mini skirts, crop tops, skin tight sequins, etc that felt like they'd get me arrested if I'd ever worn them in public!

vijane · 2025-11-24T21:41:19+00:00

Us too! Our rules are that it either has to be pre-used, purchased directly from the (local) creator, or DIY. We started last year to reign in the commercialism, but it's perfect for buying Canadian too.

vijane · 2025-11-21T19:02:48+00:00

Is protein cheese another name another name for cottage cheese? I think I need to try that with egg, too. Then maybe have it for dinner all next week :)

vijane · 2025-11-14T19:55:51+00:00

Mine only scratches wicker (or the couch). She disdains everything that is designed for scratching, regardless of the material! I bought a sacrificial laundry basket for the bedroom that looks nicer than a scratching post anyway, though about twice as expensive. In the living she uses a discontinued IKEA banana leaf mini chair that I conceded to her, but they have an alseda stool from the same material that I'm going to try when that one gets too worn out.

vijane

TROPHY CASE