The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: newideas2013 on June 10, 2013, 11:30:23 AM
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Hi everyone, I just found this site and have been reading a lot of articles. I enjoy the viewpoints presented especially where it comes to saving significant amounts of money, making The Big Move while you're young, etc..
I am close to making The Big Move and have my sights set on either Edmonton, AB or Fort McMurray, AB to find work as a tradesmen. I may work as a labourer for up to a year, probably for good pay, but my ultimate goal is to wind up in a skilled trade such as pipefitter, steamfitter, welder, electrician, HVAC tech or plumber.
I enjoy cars and have been saving as much money as possible lately, cutting out fast food, maximizing grocery savings and cooking interesting meals. With the money i've saved I've been paying down credit and buying tools to work on cars.
I would love the kind of lifestyle where I could walk or bike to work everyday. In some ways I envy local nurses at the hospital, I see so many walking, biking or taking the bus to work even though many are banking 6 figures and could easily drive. I am pretty set on a trades career though, and its one of those careers where a vehicle is darn close to mandatory.
I'd like to save gas in a little 4 cylinder honda civic that I could buy for 1200-1500 dollars and do most repairs on myself, but realistically for living in a cold city like Edmonton or Fort McMurray, should I get a truck?
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I grew up in edmonton. Public transit has recently gone from "ok" to "quite good" with new LRT lines. but if you want a car you can easily make do with a small 4 cylinder, even in winter. You'd only *need* a truck if your job in the trades required it. There is lots of work to do (and money to be made) in Alberta. Good luck!
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Not sure about Ft Mac, but you definitely don't need a truck to get around Edmonton, or any other Canadian city for that matter. Any car will get you around in the cold just fine. Get a good set of winter tires for it and you'll be ahead of many people already. If your work requires you to carry a LOT of tools (that you can't fit into a civic) then you can get a larger wagon.
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I work as an engineering in Fort Mac. I don't often interact with tradesmen professionally, but from what I hear, colloquially, is that quite often in an interview for various trades the first question asked is "Do you have a truck?".