Camp Mustache Canada - 2017

[MonkeyJenga]

Jenga - if you are serious about doing this uberfrugal, there is a Megabus between Toronto and NYC. I don't know what is schedule is like or how safe it is, but it does exist. One of our Aupairs used it and did the trip for under $100 IIRC.

I don't know exactly what my breaking point is, but 12 hours on a bus is past it.

If I stay with you beforehand, is Toronto airport best?

[Le Poisson]

Jenga - if you are serious about doing this uberfrugal, there is a Megabus between Toronto and NYC. I don't know what is schedule is like or how safe it is, but it does exist. One of our Aupairs used it and did the trip for under $100 IIRC.

I don't know exactly what my breaking point is, but 12 hours on a bus is past it.

If I stay with you beforehand, is Toronto airport best?

Yes - Either of the Toronto Airports. (Pearson - YYZ, or Billy Bishop Island Airport - YTZ) Billy Bishop is fastest to our place.

[elaine amj]

So what would be the best way for a frugal couple flying into Detroit to get to CMC?  Rent a car?  Take a bus?  Hitchhike? (we just watched Into the Wild and now hitchhiking seems perfectly reasonable)

Try and hook up with a carpool headed through Detroit? Most people traveling north through Detroit would come up past the airport. I'd suggest if you go this route to get an airport hotel to make it easier for carpool timing. There won't be any buses available to get from Detroit to CMC so car rental would be your next best option.

[Cherry Lane]

Hi All I was just about to drop my Check (cheque) in the mail from the US to Canada and realised thay are a "whole different country up there".

So thought I'd better check on how much postage to put on the envelope.

I got about 4 different answers but according to the USPS website it will cost $1:15 for a 1 ounce letter.

The current value of "forever stamps" is 49 cents.

So you will need THREE stamps.. OK got that?

Great..:)

Or just let Elaine do the money laundering for you. That requires zero stamps.

[elaine amj]

Hi All I was just about to drop my Check (cheque) in the mail from the US to Canada and realised thay are a "whole different country up there".

So thought I'd better check on how much postage to put on the envelope.

I got about 4 different answers but according to the USPS website it will cost $1:15 for a 1 ounce letter.

The current value of "forever stamps" is 49 cents.

So you will need THREE stamps.. OK got that?

Great..:)

Or just let Elaine do the money laundering for you. That requires zero stamps.

In his case, he'd like to mail a check - and that has to go to my Canadian address so I can deposit it in a timely manner (thank goodness for bank apps that let you deposit checks from anywhere!). So yeah - stamp still required in some situations even with my money laundering services. I just got a check for CMC today with a pretty global stamp.

[Le Poisson]

So what would be the best way for a frugal couple flying into Detroit to get to CMC?  Rent a car?  Take a bus?  Hitchhike? (we just watched Into the Wild and now hitchhiking seems perfectly reasonable)

Try and hook up with a carpool headed through Detroit? Most people traveling north through Detroit would come up past the airport. I'd suggest if you go this route to get an airport hotel to make it easier for carpool timing. There won't be any buses available to get from Detroit to CMC so car rental would be your next best option.

Detroit to Camp is 3 hours or so. And (sorry Elaine) its boring highway miles. If you can get a flight at the same price to Buffalo, I think it would be a better option. If you are visiting friends in Detroit, that's a different story.

[CheapskateWife]

Oh, Buffalo is a $50 cheaper flight than Detroit...and we could go see Niagra Falls (there aint nothing I want to see (again) in Detroit.)  This trip is going to be amazing!

[Daisy]

I would probably fly to Buffalo too. I was already scouting out seeing Niagara Falls and maybe the Finger Lakes. It's been a long while since I've been to either of those.

If I am truly FIRE'd by then I won't be in any rush.

I also have to see if I'll take advantage of my free pass to Canadian parks on the trip.

[elaine amj]

I agree - flying to Buffalo would be closer to Camp and yes, even I have to admit it is more interesting driving.


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[arebelspy]

Three sessions!? Aaahh! This is kind of bad news for me - will there be time to get to know people?

The breakout sessions are where you learn things... it's the REST of the time you get to know people.

(That part of the weekend is even better than the sessions.)

:)

[G-dog]

Three sessions!? Aaahh! This is kind of bad news for me - will there be time to get to know people?

The breakout sessions are where you learn things... it's the REST of the time you get to know people.

(That part of the weekend is even better than the sessions.)

:)

So, you agree with me ;)

[arebelspy]

Three sessions!? Aaahh! This is kind of bad news for me - will there be time to get to know people?

The breakout sessions are where you learn things... it's the REST of the time you get to know people.

(That part of the weekend is even better than the sessions.)

:)

So, you agree with me ;)

Oh, I see the disconnect.

Prospector didn't add any extra sessions to the weekend in terms of TIME... he added a 3rd session WHILE the sessions are going on, to have an extra choice.

In other words, there were already X sessions (hard to classify exactly "how many" that is, cause do you count an opening kickoff session with no choices? do you count an icebreaker activity as a session? workouts? closing Q & A?)... most of those sessions had 2 sessions (speakers), and you could choose which presentation you wanted.  Now he added a "3rd session" or (in other words) a 3rd speaker, so you have 3 choices instead of two.

There is still the same X number of sessions, and still just as much hanging out time.

I knew this, but I see how you thought the "3rd session" was making the number of sessions X+1, meaning less socializing time. This isn't the case, luckily, it's a "3rd speaker" for some of the sessions already existing. So there is just more choice during those X sessions.  :)

[Le Poisson]

Valid points ARS. See op for updated speakers schedule.

[monstermonster]

I'd recommend two things: have cash in your account that you can show the guards if requested (they will turn you away if you have too little liquid cash, and the you will have trouble getting into Canada for the rest of your life) and if you're driving or flying, PLEASE don't bring merchandise without declaring it. No stacks of tshirts, stickers, zines, books. That is a fast track to a world of Canadian border police hurt.

Is anyone else going by train? I'm likely coming up by train from Albany or Vermont.

[Le Poisson]

As far as I know, you are currently the only trainee.

Fiji and I are both convenient to GO Train lines, but because I am biased I hope you choose our Auberge - as I was riding into the Toronto meetup this week I was thinking of you and how much you would enjoy the Lakeshore East Line through the Scarborough beaches.

Of course, we have a dog, and we are not vegan, so Fiji might be a better choice since her food cupboard comes closer to speaking your language. I think she's at least vegetarian (not entirely sure).

[ElleFiji]

The train might also stop at Oakville. One stop away from me and I can pick you up

[Le Poisson]

2 bunks just opened up to the standby list - if you're on it watch your inbox tonight. As soon as I get home I'll send out messages.

[Kriegsspiel]

Kriegser is coming.

[okits]

Kriegser is coming.

AMAZING.

[Le Poisson]

There was mustache mail at the barnhouse!!!!

A letter arrived from Calgary.

[Le Poisson]

Speaker Intro for April 1:

We all know and love him as AxeCleaver, but the truth is Mr. Axe is a lot more than a soft spoken, big messaage mustachian. He is a businessman who has found a winning combination of technical, managerial, and self promoting know how to build a successful consultancy. I am excited to announce AxeCleaver as our speaker intro for April. His bio reads like a how-to manual of business accumen, and his presentation will share tips not just on building a business - but also on building and promoting yourself. Please read on:

Start Your Services Business

AxeCleaver speaker started his first consulting business in 1996 at the age of 25. After two failed starts, last year, his third company employed seven people and generated $956k in revenue across two lines of business. Lessons learned apply to anyone who trades their time for money.

Axe covers these topics:

* Before you Launch
* Negotiating: Selling You
* Business Plan
* Winning: Three Things you Must Do
* Don’t Quit Your Day Job
* Setting Rates
* Pipeline Management
* Growth: Adding employees
* An Extended Q&A

[Exflyboy]

Mr Axe is definitely a high quality individual.. The rest of us will do our utmost to lower the tone..:)

[Le Poisson]

Waitlist applications are now coming from Reddit. Does that make us internet famous? I dunno. I'm not on Reddit, but I've heard that if you get mentioned on there you are special or something.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BONUS SPEAKER INTRO: CanuckExpat on Post-FIRE life.

Sometimes, you need a nudge to pull the trigger and FIRE - sometimes you don't. With 2 kids and a strong career, CanuckExpat decided to take the plunge and hasn't looked back since. In his session, Expat will discuss topics of interest to the newly FIRED and to those wondering what the light at the end of the tunnel really is. One-year POST-FIRE and living a nomadic life, this session promises a peek into what FIRE can be, and what steps to take to prepare your clan to be unemployed.

In his own words:

You're ready to quit your job and retire early?

Discussion on that topic from someone who did just that without thinking ahead.The key takeaway: build the life you want, then find a way to pay for it.

My wife and I quit our jobs last year, ending 10 and 5 year careers. We've been travelling around Canada and the US, exploring post FIRE life, tackling dual stay at home parenthood, and figuring out what you do with your days when nothing else gives you a schedule. I'm planning for an interactive session, where everyone can share their
experiences, hopes, and thoughts, and the group discussion can help bring structure to those plans.

[Le Poisson]

Balance due notices were sent out this AM - please check your email and your junk. I sent them out in batches of about 5 recipients per email, and cut-pasted the message. Google bounced one send back to me as spam, so your message may get filtered.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR JUNK FOLDER IF YOU DIDN'T GET AN EMAIL!!!

If you are already paid in full and you got a "balance due" email, please reach out to me for confirmation. Between Elaine and I we have pretty robust records of all payments, but things can get missed.

Thanks everyone,
Prospy.

[CanuckExpat]

Waitlist applications are now coming from Reddit. Does that make us internet famous? I dunno. I'm not on Reddit, but I've heard that if you get mentioned on there you are special or something.

What subreddit is it coming from?

[Le Poisson]

No idea - just the last person to go on the list came over from Reddit - they didn't have a MMM handle.

[Le Poisson]

174 days...

I tried to slide a countdown timer into the first message, but I couldn't get the frames to work. So yeah... 174 days.

[jordanread]

174 days...

I tried to slide a countdown timer into the first message, but I couldn't get the frames to work. So yeah... 174 days.

I'm not a fan of tickerfactory, but as of right now, I don't have the bandwidth to host a dynamic image. I'll look around for others at some point.

Like this one:

[Le Poisson]

CMC Speaker Bio for May 1:

FIFoFum’s Frugal Pupsters
 
Have you heard that pets – especially dogs – are not Mustachian? Who would ever say such a silly thing? Of course, those of us with animal companions know better and couldn’t imagine a life without the enrichment that comes from our furry pals.
 
In May 2016, at the age of 40, FIFoFum quit his day job so he could devote his time as a SWAMI to his true passion – training dogs. He has years of experience providing pet adoption support, animal care, and facilitating healing partnerships between people and dogs. Throughout his journey, FiFF has spent far too much money learning what not to do.
 
In this session, FIFoFum will discuss how to stay frugal without sacrificing the bellyrubs and why the right dog breed for many would-be owners is a cat.
 
Topics covered include:
 

• Biggest lies of the Pet Industry (aka caring for pets on a budget)
• Choosing the right pet for your life
• Solving pet problems
• How to make money working with animals
• Finding community - connecting with people through animals
• Traveling with pets

[Le Poisson]

BONUS Speaker bio for May:

I am pleased to introduce PBKMaine and Deborah who will be presenting Cheap Style and Gardening in breakout session 3 on Saturday.

PBKMaine has all sorts of credentials, none of which have anything to do with decorating or design. She is, however, expert at 1) dragging things off the side of the road and 2) sewing things that only require a straight seam.

Deborah says she started out as a failure - getting an F for every mechanical or artistic course she did at school - so she ended up working in IT. But she didn't let labels stop her, and (stupidly) decided in university to make an outfit for her cousin's wedding (the last time she had touched a sewing machine was when she had failed dressmaking at school). To cap it off, she bought a house in dire need of renovation. Somehow she managed to convert it to the house of her dreams, complete with fruit trees and vegetable garden. She then had to move to another part of the country where she magically reduced her energy bills by half.

Both Deborah and Paula believe from the tips of their toes to the top of their heads that imagination and creative use and reuse of materials are much more fun than buying expensive stuff.

This will be a group Q and A session. Bring questions, problems or projects. We will crowd source solutions together.

[Exflyboy]

This will be a lot of fun...:)

[Le Poisson]

June's Speaker intro - DAYS early!!

Wanna see the world? Want to do it on a dime?

After hearing about travel hacking for awhile, Ali and her husband Joe (arebelspy) decided to take the plunge and try it out several years ago.  Within three months they had accumulated over a million miles and thousands of dollars worth of points that could be redeemed for cash (if travel isn't your thing). Since then they've taken dozens of domestic and international trips, nearly all free.

Although many of the travel hacking principals are the same across the border, and Canadians will hopefully be able to learn from the session as well, there will be a fair amount of specific information that is only applicable for the US attendees.

The session will range from beginner level to advanced, depending on the needs and questions of the participants.

[rockstache]

Yayyyy! More exciting speakers!

[elaine amj]

I know I'm a little late to respond but I missed this update. I am geeked out about the travel hacking session! AND we get to here Ali speak!

[Exflyboy]

I better start figuring out how to actually get there!

[deborah]

You COULD start walking now.

[Daisy]

I better start figuring out how to actually get there!

Me too! I haven't made any travel plans yet.

[Lews Therin]

You COULD start walking now.

The right answer is wait a few weeks and bike.

[arebelspy]

I better start figuring out how to actually get there!

Me too! I haven't made any travel plans yet.

Ditto!

Frank's post today actually inspired me to look at flights!

Though it means though we gotta figure out an airport to fly FROM. Who the heck knows where we'll be in October?

Today we discussed some options. Cabo seems like a good one.

[Le Poisson]

I better start figuring out how to actually get there!

Me too! I haven't made any travel plans yet.

Ditto!

Frank's post today actually inspired me to look at flights!

Though it means though we gotta figure out an airport to fly FROM. Who the heck knows where we'll be in October?

Today we discussed some options. Cabo seems like a good one.

Yes. Cabo to YYZ is a regular route and you can get cheap flights with www.Sunwing.ca on one of their charters. Of course, on points you are likely looking to fly into Buffalo, which will probably put you on a US carrier. (SW? USAir?)

[arebelspy]

Yes. Cabo to YYZ is a regular route and you can get cheap flights with www.Sunwing.ca on one of their charters. Of course, on points you are likely looking to fly into Buffalo, which will probably put you on a US carrier. (SW? USAir?)

Why would I fly to Buffalo because I'm using points?

Is Buffalo closer or easier for someone to give me a ride to than Toronto?

All of N America (Canada to Mexico) is the same (N America is one region), going to US vs Canada doesn't cost less points.

Looks like I'll likely be using ~24k of our 500k Chase Ultimate Reward points (just for the one way--after CMC I'm flying to FinCon, and Ali/Annabelle will fly to Vegas to visit her sister, and then we'll meet back in Cabo the next week).

Unless you tell me something better about Buffalo that I should be flying there. I thought Toronto was the place to fly to.

I just looked at that Sunwing, but it seemed more expensive than paying for an American Airlines flight (even if I wasn't using points).

[Le Poisson]

Price in your whole package costs when you figure it out. I had assumed that carriers like SW and USAir would not have as many routes into YYZ, but you likely better know better than I do how to work the hacks.

Flying to Buffalo is usually cheaper than Toronto because the airport fees are considerably lower, but sometimes you can find an airline that has a seat sale or other deal that allows YYZ to beat out BUF.

If you fly to BUF you almost have to get a rental car. If you can share costs, with another traveller, good for you! Add to this border tolls ($2.75???) and fuel (2 tanks of gas?)

If you fly into YYZ you will be paying for transit in town. I'll let Fiji speak to those costs since I only use the Lakeshore line. Ever.  But the UP from Pearson to Toronto is around $10 per person (I think) and the GO Lakeshore line to the Auberge is going to be another $10 per person or so, IIRC. Fiji knows best. I use a magical Presto card so infrequently that I don't even know what a per trip cost is. I just top it up when it gets empty.

If you choose not to stay at L'Auberge, you will need to find a hotel on points (not hard) in Hamilton/Brantford and add on taxi/Uber/bus fares.

[deborah]

Or you could stay with me, as I will have a spare bedroom.

[arebelspy]

Or you could stay with me, as I will have a spare bedroom.

Where are you going to be?  Is it for before CMC, or after?

[deborah]

Before

[Exflyboy]

Well apparently dw and I will be flying into Philadelphia and I am getting a bus from there somehow..

DW will be spending a few days with Mumsie and then they are driving up to pick me up from CMC on the Sunday.

I have not looked at any of this so I'm going on faith here..:)

[Le Poisson]

Well apparently dw and I will be flying into Philadelphia and I am getting a bus from there somehow..

DW will be spending a few days with Mumsie and then they are driving up to pick me up from CMC on the Sunday.

I have not looked at any of this so I'm going on faith here..:)

You might proclaim to them that its almost 500 miles from Philadelphia to Toronto.

the finish by singing... "I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more..."

[Exflyboy]

Well apparently dw and I will be flying into Philadelphia and I am getting a bus from there somehow..

DW will be spending a few days with Mumsie and then they are driving up to pick me up from CMC on the Sunday.

I have not looked at any of this so I'm going on faith here..:)

You might proclaim to them that its almost 500 miles from Philadelphia to Toronto.

the finish by singing... "I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more..."

Yup 16 hours on the bus.. Its an adventure right?..:)

How do I get from the coach terminal on bay street to CMC.. I assume I'll come in the day before on the 19th.

[Le Poisson]

See if your bus ticket can be shortened by stopping in Hamilton.

Then check your PM's

[CanuckExpat]

We found flying to Buffalo advantageous in the past because we specifically wanted to fly Southwest (companion pass, lots of SW points, and relatively pet friendly compared to other airlines).