Author Topic: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money  (Read 4156 times)

bluebelle

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stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« on: January 13, 2020, 03:38:00 PM »
I'm just going to drop this here:
https://torontolife.com/city/how-an-email-marketer-and-an-accountant-spend-their-money/?fbclid=IwAR19xbrKOlTSrVvhLZ7MRzrR4N_dAsSIg_O9ka7jXIFXscfjK09fO-uGUaM

they are driving 20 and 25 miles in some of the worst traffic in north america, if they moved closer to their jobs, housing would be cheaper....

tl:dr
"She’s partial to Hermès, he likes cars and sneakers"

At least they're not moaning about it being hard to make ends meet.   It's their money, but wow, just wow

Freedomin5

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2020, 06:26:25 AM »
Don’t forget their two BMWs and Lexus.

At least they’re close to Sherway Gardens - makes it very easy to buy their Hermès and Gucci and other name brand goods. Priorities, right?

AMandM

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2020, 07:02:43 AM »
Their housing cost seems very reasonable to me, assuming the $1200 mortgage isn't some crazy interest-only payment, and the article doesn't mention car payments among their regular expenses.  Their recurring expenses total less than $4000/month. Imagine what they could save on their $180k/yr if they reined in their "splurges."  If they splurge at that rate every month, they'll soon be candidates for "Til Debt Do Us Part."

bluebelle

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2020, 07:51:11 AM »
Their housing cost seems very reasonable to me, assuming the $1200 mortgage isn't some crazy interest-only payment, and the article doesn't mention car payments among their regular expenses.  Their recurring expenses total less than $4000/month. Imagine what they could save on their $180k/yr if they reined in their "splurges."  If they splurge at that rate every month, they'll soon be candidates for "Til Debt Do Us Part."
true- based on their monthly spend listed, they should be able to save alot....but I think their monthly spend is missing alot....there is no listing for condo fees or property taxes, no mention of cell phones (and that's not cheap in Canada), no mention of vet costs.
And what I find really sad - no mention of any savings at all!

Bloop Bloop

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2020, 12:34:07 PM »
I thought the article was cringeworthy but not so much due to the spending amounts but due to the try-hardiness of the couple. "She likes Hermes" - I was thinking "how the hell does a girl on $60k a year afford a $20k bag" - then I realised she likes Hermes bangles. That's a bit embarrassing. If you're going to go all brand-show-off-y, you've gotta commit! Also, the thing about the two BMWs - on such middle class incomes, just smacks of trying too hard.

Otherwise, their expenses don't seem that much different from the typical poor-yuppie couple who are trying to keep up with the poor-yuppie Joneses.

okits

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2020, 09:32:09 PM »
*shrug*  It's Toronto Life, of course they'll feature profiles of high consumption and ridiculousness.  They have an image to uphold and an aspirational readership to satisfy!  😄

I used to like when they'd include the actual total spent in their "real wedding" features.  My eyes always bugged out.

honeybbq

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2020, 12:47:20 PM »
They are actually not that bad. 400 bucks in groceries. Pretty cheap (ignoring 500 in restaurants).


Freedomin5

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2020, 02:45:13 PM »
I doubt they listed all of their monthly expenses.  And how is having two BMWs and a Lexus while living in a two-bedroom townhome “not that bad”? Knowing the Etobicoke area where they live, their townhome likely has two parking spaces (if it’s an older home), or one parking space if it’s a new build. So they may be paying extra for parking each month. They may not be spending more than they make, but they are definitely spending close to their entire take home income.

ElleFiji

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2020, 07:44:34 PM »
Why on earth would they drive in that direction? It's so confusing. But I'm incredibly jealous of their townhouse/mortgage. Maybe I need to fantasize about townhouses instead of condos.

Freedomin5

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2020, 03:25:24 AM »
Why on earth would they drive in that direction? It's so confusing. But I'm incredibly jealous of their townhouse/mortgage. Maybe I need to fantasize about townhouses instead of condos.

We actually looked at townhomes in Etobicoke over Christmas. The two bedroom stacked townhomes are going for $700k-$850k. The three bedrooms are $900k-$1M. Maybe they bought a few years ago, or maybe they (or their parents) put down a large down payment.

Metalcat

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2020, 06:22:53 AM »
I don't understand this "article" at all.

It's just a random couple indicating what they spend on random luxury items. What is anyone supposed to glean from this pointlessly incomplete picture???

OtherJen

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2020, 06:35:49 AM »
I don't understand this "article" at all.

It's just a random couple indicating what they spend on random luxury items. What is anyone supposed to glean from this pointlessly incomplete picture???

It’s “aspirational.” Presumably we’re all supposed to want the fancy name brands mentioned in the article, and feel inspired to buy them.

Metro Detroit has a similar magazine that is basically a giant ad catalog for upscale brands and trendy expensive restaurants. I suspect most cities/regions do.

Metalcat

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2020, 06:55:40 AM »
I don't understand this "article" at all.

It's just a random couple indicating what they spend on random luxury items. What is anyone supposed to glean from this pointlessly incomplete picture???

It’s “aspirational.” Presumably we’re all supposed to want the fancy name brands mentioned in the article, and feel inspired to buy them.

Metro Detroit has a similar magazine that is basically a giant ad catalog for upscale brands and trendy expensive restaurants. I suspect most cities/regions do.

Lol, oh...aspirational???

...oh...

ElleFiji

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2020, 07:45:31 AM »
I don't understand this "article" at all.

It's just a random couple indicating what they spend on random luxury items. What is anyone supposed to glean from this pointlessly incomplete picture???

It’s “aspirational.” Presumably we’re all supposed to want the fancy name brands mentioned in the article, and feel inspired to buy them.

Metro Detroit has a similar magazine that is basically a giant ad catalog for upscale brands and trendy expensive restaurants. I suspect most cities/regions do.

Lol, oh...aspirational???

...oh...

I regularly, including RIGHT NOW have a hair elastic of unknown origin on my wrist. You can aspire to be me, if the purse-bangles aren't doing it for you

ElleFiji

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2020, 07:48:40 AM »
Why on earth would they drive in that direction? It's so confusing. But I'm incredibly jealous of their townhouse/mortgage. Maybe I need to fantasize about townhouses instead of condos.

We actually looked at townhomes in Etobicoke over Christmas. The two bedroom stacked townhomes are going for $700k-$850k. The three bedrooms are $900k-$1M. Maybe they bought a few years ago, or maybe they (or their parents) put down a large down payment.

....meaning that a condo with fees is still winning. With their ages, I suspect a decent downpayment a few years ago. I think friends in liberty village stacked 2 bed towns paid 3-400 a 5 years ago, and I'm sure that the initial release of the etobicoke ones took an extra year or two to skyrocket.

Metalcat

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Re: stupid Toronto Life - how a couple spends their money
« Reply #15 on: January 16, 2020, 08:06:25 AM »
I don't understand this "article" at all.

It's just a random couple indicating what they spend on random luxury items. What is anyone supposed to glean from this pointlessly incomplete picture???

It’s “aspirational.” Presumably we’re all supposed to want the fancy name brands mentioned in the article, and feel inspired to buy them.

Metro Detroit has a similar magazine that is basically a giant ad catalog for upscale brands and trendy expensive restaurants. I suspect most cities/regions do.

Lol, oh...aspirational???

...oh...

I regularly, including RIGHT NOW have a hair elastic of unknown origin on my wrist. You can aspire to be me, if the purse-bangles aren't doing it for you

I just gave away a Louis Vuitton bangle to someone I've only met a handful of times. I have no interest in costume jewelry, especially absurdly expensive costume jewelry.

I would happily take a wrist elastic instead, my hair is just long enough now to need one.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!