Canadian couterparts in FI & more

[lucy16076]

I think the Canadians make for "slim picking" on any site, let alone this site....any Canadians out there, living in southwestern Ontario, practicting good morals & financial responsibility ? ...but not to the point of being "cheap!"  I don't enjoy "cheap!" I don't practice extreme frugalism, but do try to use commonsense in my daily spending habits. I don't have cable, the newest phone or any electronic gadgets in my pocket. I don't pay for a landline since I have a cell, & I use coupons matched with sales to get the most out of my grocery budget!! I like to travel & do so at least once a year, pay cash for most things, (or use the  bank or store's money on equal billing-no interest), have no debt other than my home, recently delved into being a landlord & so far it's going well, & am in a better financial situation that most in my friends & family circle due to being sensible, reading MMM & being frugal :) 
I am active, somewhat quiet, but enjoy everything from pubs to fine dining.  I like to travel both near & far, but also stay in on cold days/nights with a movie & bag of chips & dip (that I got on sale of course!;)

Canadians ....... where are you???  Feel free to respond .... I live in a border town as well, so I just may have to jump the creek to meet someone new!!

[lucy16076]

Really....there are no Canadian Mustachians in SWO?  Hmmm....might have to start a club or something!! ;)

[pirj]

South-Western Ontario here too.  You are not alone. :)  Although, I am a little further from the border.  I am in Waterloo.

[Sparky]

We are around... I'm in Alberta!

[YK-Phil]

I rotate between Calgary (two weeks at home), and Yellowknife, three weeks at work. Pretty much like you, my wife and I are frugal most of the time, very cheapo on a few things, but we enjoy good food and international travel, always on a shoestring which was easy to do when I was a flight attendant, less now that we have to pay for our own ticket...

[daverobev]

There are a few near Ottawa.. including me :)

[andru365]

GTA Mustachian here

[frugalamber]

We are also in GTA. Always planned big expenses, but small ones slipped till now.  We do still have some meat to cut-off the budget.

[Li]

I'm in Cambridge and would love to have a thread specific to SWO and money-saving ideas for our area.  Does anybody have any good ideas for reasonable cell-phone plans?  Rogers, Bell and Telus seem to have the same things.  Wind Mobile looks good but doesn't cover enough of the province.

[YK-Phil]

I'm in Cambridge and would love to have a thread specific to SWO and money-saving ideas for our area.  Does anybody have any good ideas for reasonable cell-phone plans?  Rogers, Bell and Telus seem to have the same things.  Wind Mobile looks good but doesn't cover enough of the province.

I think for cellular service, we are pretty much stuck with the big guys with respect to coverage in Canada. I'd love to switch to Wind but I spend three weeks out of five in Yellowknife, way outside of their service area, so unfortunately I am stuck with Bell.

[daverobev]

Question regarding cell phones is:

1. How much time are you NOT on wifi;
2. How many minutes do you use;
3. How urgent/perfect does your coverage need to be?

If you are on wifi most of the time, you can use TextPlus or Skype or Fongo on an Android phone

If you use few minutes, Wind is good even if you're roaming (or PetroCan or 7Eleven) - just get a $40 top up every 6 months, its 20c/min roaming (on Rogers.. so if you can ONLY get Bell you'd need something else).

If you need a couple of hundred minutes and some data then yeah.. you're stuck. If you don't need data there are options. If you only need 50 mins a month Wind will cost you $10. Incoming texts are free.

[daverobev]

Maybe the Personals section is the wrong forum for this, though!

Unless it's a forum for lonely cell phones...

[pirj]

I'm in Cambridge and would love to have a thread specific to SWO and money-saving ideas for our area.  Does anybody have any good ideas for reasonable cell-phone plans?  Rogers, Bell and Telus seem to have the same things.  Wind Mobile looks good but doesn't cover enough of the province.

I'd totally enjoy that thread!

[Dreamer]

I'm in SW Ontario!

[Silverwood]

Im in winnipeg!

[RetiredAt63]

Maybe this thread should move to "Meetups and Social Events"?
Oh, I'm east of Ottawa.

[scrubbyfish]

Yes to the "in Canada" part, but your opening post sounded like you were looking for people in or near southwestern Ontario, specifically.

I'm here, but "here" is BC :)

[Mr. Minsc]

Canadian here living in the Cradle on the Waves.

[skandrae]

Just scraping by in Whitehorse :P

[Mattamatics]

There are a few of us in London, On. Only two of us read MMM or ERE though, but the others still follow a lot of the same tenets laid out on the blogs. If there was a SWO meet up - I know myself and at least one or two others would attend.   

[lucy16076]

I think this is a great start to talking to fellow Canadian frugal toques/MMM followers....anyone make a new group? I'm not that computer savvy so it might take me a bit to get one organised....

[lucy16076]

Question regarding cell phones is:

1. How much time are you NOT on wifi;
2. How many minutes do you use;
3. How urgent/perfect does your coverage need to be?

If you are on wifi most of the time, you can use TextPlus or Skype or Fongo on an Android phone

If you use few minutes, Wind is good even if you're roaming (or PetroCan or 7Eleven) - just get a $40 top up every 6 months, its 20c/min roaming (on Rogers.. so if you can ONLY get Bell you'd need something else).

If you need a couple of hundred minutes and some data then yeah.. you're stuck. If you don't need data there are options. If you only need 50 mins a month Wind will cost you $10. Incoming texts are free.

I'm also looking for a cheaper cell plan.....I'm with Koodo & pay $100 for 2 phones... My son also with Koodo. All we use is text, but need a few minutes on my phone as we don't have a landline.
So....maybe should go with no data?? Can someone get a card that has unlimited text? Not sure how that works...

[daverobev]

Question regarding cell phones is:

1. How much time are you NOT on wifi;
2. How many minutes do you use;
3. How urgent/perfect does your coverage need to be?

If you are on wifi most of the time, you can use TextPlus or Skype or Fongo on an Android phone

If you use few minutes, Wind is good even if you're roaming (or PetroCan or 7Eleven) - just get a $40 top up every 6 months, its 20c/min roaming (on Rogers.. so if you can ONLY get Bell you'd need something else).

If you need a couple of hundred minutes and some data then yeah.. you're stuck. If you don't need data there are options. If you only need 50 mins a month Wind will cost you $10. Incoming texts are free.

I'm also looking for a cheaper cell plan.....I'm with Koodo & pay $100 for 2 phones... My son also with Koodo. All we use is text, but need a few minutes on my phone as we don't have a landline.
So....maybe should go with no data?? Can someone get a card that has unlimited text? Not sure how that works...

Koodoo look to have a $29 plan that has 200 minutes and unlimited text. If you're on wifi most of the time, there is an app called TextPlus that gives you a new free number you can text from/to - unlimited.

[Thespoof]

I'm in Calgary. Been here forever :)

[lucy16076]

Question regarding cell phones is:

1. How much time are you NOT on wifi;
2. How many minutes do you use;
3. How urgent/perfect does your coverage need to be?

If you are on wifi most of the time, you can use TextPlus or Skype or Fongo on an Android phone

If you use few minutes, Wind is good even if you're roaming (or PetroCan or 7Eleven) - just get a $40 top up every 6 months, its 20c/min roaming (on Rogers.. so if you can ONLY get Bell you'd need something else).

If you need a couple of hundred minutes and some data then yeah.. you're stuck. If you don't need data there are options. If you only need 50 mins a month Wind will cost you $10. Incoming texts are free.

I'm also looking for a cheaper cell plan.....I'm with Koodo & pay $100 for 2 phones... My son also with Koodo. All we use is text, but need a few minutes on my phone as we don't have a landline.
So....maybe should go with no data?? Can someone get a card that has unlimited text? Not sure how that works...

Koodoo look to have a $29 plan that has 200 minutes and unlimited text. If you're on wifi most of the time, there is an app called TextPlus that gives you a new free number you can text from/to - unlimited.

I'll have to look into this...I am with Koodo! Thqnsks for that insight...
Now sitting trying to figure out my portfolio...asset allocation since now I have funds with ING & funds with my FP. Can someone tell me how much foreign content I can hold before getting taxed?

[lucy16076]

Maybe this thread should move to "Meetups and Social Events"?
Oh, I'm east of Ottawa.

How do we move this thread? Anyone?

[SweetLife]

I'm in Windsor ... newish member :) Loving this blog!!!

I'm with Virgin ... 2 cell phones about $80/month working on getting this down ... we use wi fi only and lots of texts!

[Mr. Minsc]

How do we move this thread? Anyone?

Not sure, message a moderator maybe?

[daverobev]

I'll have to look into this...I am with Koodo! Thqnsks for that insight...
Now sitting trying to figure out my portfolio...asset allocation since now I have funds with ING & funds with my FP. Can someone tell me how much foreign content I can hold before getting taxed?

Oops, missed this one - no foreign content limitations anymore.

[PtboEliz]

I'm newish.. love MMM. In Peterborough :)

[sleepyguy]

I think we'll be "retiring" in Peterborough... close to water and houses aren't $600k on avg :)

We're in Scarborough now, moved from Oakville (lived there about 10yrs).

MMM wise... we are on track from pretty early retirement (40-42) or semi-retirement.  It's not cause we really try too hard though to be honest, our household income is quite high.  We also enjoy cheap vacations (camping, road trips, canoeing, etc).  I'm personally not a huge fan of travelling and seeing tourist destinations.

I'm newish.. love MMM. In Peterborough :)

[PtboEliz]

I highly recommend Peterborough - it's great and cheap, with lots going on, and as close enough to the GTA as you want to be :)

[SandyBoxx]

I'm in BC as well, though I'm only a couple of hours from Calgary :)

[Koogie]

I think we'll be "retiring" in Peterborough... close to water and houses aren't $600k on avg :)
We're in Scarborough now, moved from Oakville (lived there about 10yrs).
MMM wise... we are on track from pretty early retirement (40-42) or semi-retirement.  It's not cause we really try too hard though to be honest, our household income is quite high.  We also enjoy cheap vacations (camping, road trips, canoeing, etc).  I'm personally not a huge fan of travelling and seeing tourist destinations.

Wife and I are also frugal by nature and probably also going to be retiring early next year (41/48)   We're renting in Mississauga now (sold the horrible mini mansion a few years ago) and have been been recently looking at houses in Peterboro and up north (Barrie/Collingwood).
We're struggling with the idea of home ownership again since we both like to travel and it would definitely cramp that idea for a few years.      Glad to see there are others in the same boat locally !

[Zikoris]

Representing Vancouver! I think there are a few of us here.

[amandamechele]

Great thread!

I'm in Dundas Ontario (Hamilton area).  I've been reading MMM and a few other early retirement blogs for a few months now.  We are late starters, so early retirement will be closer to 55 years old, than to 40 (which my husband and I are now).

I am paying a fortune ($105) for 2 cell lines with Koodo too! I'm glad to see this discussion and it's ideas. I am hesitant to give up my land line. I have 4 young children and worry that if there is ever an emergency, a land line telephone is easier to find when looking and that your address doesn't autofill for 911 calls from a cell phone, but it does from a land line.  Is that a realistic concern, or should I get over it?

I'm interested to hear how others are allocating their retirement savings using Canada's tax savings accounts - TFSAs, RRSPs, RESPs, RPPs. Is it best to just max everything out?

[sleepyguy]

Both of use do not have Gov't like pension plans... we have basic matching plans through work (better than nothing I guess).

We max out our RRSP and our TSFA.  With 2 kids we max out their RESP as well.

Our asset allocation is basically a generally formula.

RRSP/TSFA allocation
1/2 age to bonds (both at 35 currently so 17% bonds)
divide up the rest somewhat equally among the other 3 indexes.

17% bonds
33% US index
25% Can index
25% International index

Even once FIRE we'll still keep this formula until we have zero side income or part-time jobs... then we'll switch to a 1:1 bonds/age % allocation.


RESP allocation (we don't use any bonds and of course we get the max grant of $500/yr up to $7200 lifetime)
33% US index
33% Can index
33% International index


Our surplus investment cash we invest in non-reg indexes through BMO investorline (we have alot of business with them).  As with most Canadians though we are HEAVILY tied into real estate as the market is a BONKERS.  That and we also own a downtown investement condo.

Great thread!



I'm in Dundas Ontario (Hamilton area).  I've been reading MMM and a few other early retirement blogs for a few months now.  We are late starters, so early retirement will be closer to 55 years old, than to 40 (which my husband and I are now).

I am paying a fortune ($105) for 2 cell lines with Koodo too! I'm glad to see this discussion and it's ideas. I am hesitant to give up my land line. I have 4 young children and worry that if there is ever an emergency, a land line telephone is easier to find when looking and that your address doesn't autofill for 911 calls from a cell phone, but it does from a land line.  Is that a realistic concern, or should I get over it?

I'm interested to hear how others are allocating their retirement savings using Canada's tax savings accounts - TFSAs, RRSPs, RESPs, RPPs. Is it best to just max everything out?

[The Fake Cheap]

I'm in the Maritimes.  Not many of East Coasters around here. 

[The Fake Cheap]

I'm in Cambridge and would love to have a thread specific to SWO and money-saving ideas for our area.  Does anybody have any good ideas for reasonable cell-phone plans?  Rogers, Bell and Telus seem to have the same things.  Wind Mobile looks good but doesn't cover enough of the province.

I've have been using Petro Canada Mobil for over a year now.  No major issues.  I bought my phone outright for about $100 and spend about $15/mth for my limited use, incoming texts are free, free voice mail, free long distance, free call ID, no data of course.  Coverage is pretty decent here on the east coast (I think they use Rogers for coverage), so I'm sure yo would be fine in Ontario.

[The Fake Cheap]

Great thread!

I'm in Dundas Ontario (Hamilton area).  I've been reading MMM and a few other early retirement blogs for a few months now.  We are late starters, so early retirement will be closer to 55 years old, than to 40 (which my husband and I are now).

I am paying a fortune ($105) for 2 cell lines with Koodo too! I'm glad to see this discussion and it's ideas. I am hesitant to give up my land line. I have 4 young children and worry that if there is ever an emergency, a land line telephone is easier to find when looking and that your address doesn't autofill for 911 calls from a cell phone, but it does from a land line.  Is that a realistic concern, or should I get over it?

I'm interested to hear how others are allocating their retirement savings using Canada's tax savings accounts - TFSAs, RRSPs, RESPs, RPPs. Is it best to just max everything out?

Regarding your investment choices, and what registered accounts you use it really depends on YOUR situation.  I would be happy to provide some advice (and I'm sure others would too) if you want to give more details on your current financial situation and what your goals are. 

[Mr. Minsc]

I'm in the Maritimes.  Not many of East Coasters around here.

Smaller population to draw from so I'm not all that surprised.  Good to know there's a fellow Maritimer here. :)

[Deano]

Brantford here-a fairly easy place to be Mustachian. Housing is cheap, there is stuff to do (and Hamilton is close by), easy to get around by bike.

amandamechele, do you not find Dundas an decidedly un-Mustachian place these days? I used to live there-it's not the same place as when I was there, that's for sure.

And yes, like other Canadians, I pay too much for cell phones.

[Jon_Snow]

I'm torn on the cell phone thing. Yes, very expensive here in Canada. But I also own a fair bit of Canadian telco stocks, especially Bell. I think I receive about $2000 annually from Bell dividends (I am getting a 6% yield on it). So, part of my ER income comes from the telcos continuing to gouge us.

[lucy16076]

I was away for a bit but glad to have come back to see so many south western Ontarians in this thread!! Way to go Ontario! (and the few other Canadians mixed in from across the country)

Landlines are a thing of the past...let them goooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Cell plans well....we only can deal with what they offer us.....I hear WIND mobile is good, but don't have experience with it... anyone?

Investments? I'm currently using Tangerine's Equity portfolio, but am gearing up the courage to go out on my own with TD e-series.  I was shown the difference in accumulated MER's & wow!!! Tangerine is good, but TD e-series is where it's at! I just have to find the courage to make the jump to managing it all on my own!

Found a company that will deliver a years worth of groceries to my door WITH a freezer for about $100/week!! Thinking' that's a great deal since I hate grocery shopping & I spend about that anyway..... anyone else try this ??  The company is called "Nutrafarms"

Landlording is going well! Contemplating a second rental home soon .... another big jump!

As far as meetups & social events....doesn't seem to be enough Frugal Toque's in our area to host a meet up so we can keep in touch online here & share frugal tips amongst us Canadians!

[YK-Phil]

I was away for a bit but glad to have come back to see so many south western Ontarians in this thread!! Way to go Ontario! (and the few other Canadians mixed in from across the country)

Landlines are a thing of the past...let them goooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Cell plans well....we only can deal with what they offer us.....I hear WIND mobile is good, but don't have experience with it... anyone?

We got rid of our Shaw land line/internet combo at home a month ago, cutting $60 a month. My wife just got a Wind smartphone as her main phone, which includes unlimited calls/text within a Wind zone -which is good enough because we live downtown Calgary where service is excellent and she never ventures out of the core except during vacations, and "unlimited" data which is in reality topped at 5 G, then over that, speed is really limited. Nevertheless, so far so good. We do not have a TV and our internet use is limited to email and reading (no games, music or video) so for $35 a month, Wind is perfect for us. The only drawback for us of not having a landline is that nobody can buzz our apartment from the condo building entrance. As for me, I work in Yellowknife, so I am stuck with Bell mobility. There are cheaper options available locally if I lived in YK permanently, but they do not make sense for me because I fly back and forth between the two cities every few weeks.

[Joseppi]

We are around... I'm in Alberta!

Where in Alberta Sparky??

[csr]

Toronto and BC

[Acadian]

I'm in the Maritimes.  Not many of East Coasters around here.

Smaller population to draw from so I'm not all that surprised.  Good to know there's a fellow Maritimer here. :)

I'm in Sudbury ON. Originally from Moncton, NB. Definitely still an East Coaster at heart (been here 6 years).

[bierisgood]

Hi! I'm new here!

I'm originally from Vancouver, but have lived outside of Canada since 2011 (USA, India, South Africa, Germany, and soon to be Ireland). I still have a lot of financial ties and look forward to seeing what other Canadians are doing.

[YYCMomma]

Calgary AB here!