Give Me Back My Five Bucks

I have gotten a couple of quotes for the minor renovations I want to do on my place. Looks like the entire project (including labour and materials) will probably cost around $3,500-$4,000. I feel like this is a very reasonable price for the work I want done, and will pursue this option late next week once I’m actually living in my place. This has all been budgeted for, and the money is sitting in my savings account, earmarked for this very purpose. Yesterday I went into the bank to sign and finalize my mortgage details. My mortgage payments are $1,098/month. … Continue reading →

I need some serious design inspiration. Ever since I moved to Vancouver, I’ve never had a place that I can truly call home. And because of that, I haven’t spent any time or money designing a unique space, or even buying any furniture. I’ve been saving the whole designing experience for my first home – and now that the time has come … I feel a bit overwhelmed! :) Over the past few days, I’ve been figuring out what kind of furniture I will need, where to put everything in my new space, and of course – paint colour! As … Continue reading →

This is Mt. Kilimanjaro. All 5,895 m (19,341 ft) of it. And it is now officially my goal to conquer. Potentially with Money Rabbit. That’s right, my good blogger friend and I are planning on climbing this epic mountain together! :) How’s that for a close-knit blogging community? To date, the highest mountain I’ve climbed is Grimface Mountain at 2,635 m (8,645 ft). And the longest hiking trip I’ve been on is 4 days. That being said, after reading numerous guides and trip reports on Kilimanjaro over the past few years, and talking to people who have done the climb, … Continue reading →

Please note that this does not include any expenses related to my home purchase or mortgage. Because all of the monies for that transaction came from savings, it does not directly affect my monthly budget numbers. For those who are super curious, I will be documenting every penny that I spend in order to close on my property, and will post it once I tally everything up in a few weeks. Monday 18th $2.58 iTunes Tuesday 19th No Spend Day! Wendesday 20th +$371.50 freelance/side income $15 Earls (dinner & drinks with friend) Thursday 21st No Spend Day! Friday 22nd $16 … Continue reading →

I’m sure you guys are all wondering how much I paid for my townhouse, and also what my mortgage payments and budget will look like going forward. I’ve been careful in not mentioning any specific numbers until I knew the deal was final. But as of Friday, all conditions have been removed and the townhouse is officially mine with a possession date of May 4th. :) Here is a spreadsheet that best illustrates my expenses each month: The budget This is a rough working budget based on my net monthly income, and I feel like I’ve accounted for everything. The … Continue reading →