Need advice with my budget, thanks!

[DebbieL]

You heard wrong then. I don't know of very many people who get a pension through work at all (actually the only ones I know who have one are government employees). Really VERY few companies offer them. Most of us are on our own for retirement savings outside of our forced CPP contributions (which as I said the income from that doesn't amount to much) and the small old age pension. Actually SS payments can be way larger than our CPP payments. We are stuck at about the $800/month maximum (and that's only if you earned enough for enough years to have contributed the maximum into the plan).

[maat55]

Originally Posted by jIM_Ohio

OP has some liquid cash ($400/month) to throw at problem, and I hardly call 24 months of paying off debt to be "long and difficult".

Jim, we're not talking about you or I, If OP doesn't get a roommate or second job, it will be a long difficult process.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Get a second job and by the time she's done paying it off the CC debt I bet she'd be doing a lot better! Or a roommate, but I like the second job idea better.

And nope my MIL has a pension university worker, 2 of DH's friends are in banking, 1 lawyer pension, and 10 are in oil companies. They are all around 28-35 with pensions. We've asked them and discussed differences. Some came to the US like DH for graduate school and went back, others stayed. He was interested in knowing the benefits and differences of working in the US versus canada.

Also we know about 15 people in Pharmaceuticals in Quebec and they have pensions. Maybe it's the type of jobs they have. Oil is definitely doing well, recall you mentioned Fort Mcmurry, very expensive right now. Now know three people who are canadians working overseas for a short bit in oil doing very well. Nice lucrative jobs and fat pensions. Guess you have to be in the right field. Should have been in oil :P

[jIM_Ohio]

Originally Posted by maat55

Jim, we're not talking about you or I, If OP doesn't get a roommate or second job, it will be a long difficult process.

OP could apply the $423/month to the debt and it is wiped out in two years. That is best solution and a second job is not needed.

[maat55]

Originally Posted by jIM_Ohio

OP could apply the $423/month to the debt and it is wiped out in two years. That is best solution and a second job is not needed.

She could prove me wrong, I hope.

[agatha1939]

Originally Posted by maat55

She could prove me wrong, I hope.

And I will hehehe...

PS: I'm reading TMM by Dave Ramsey, I am very focused on not having any debt in my life!

[maat55]

Originally Posted by agatha1939

And I will hehehe...

PS: I'm reading TMM by Dave Ramsey, I am very focused on not having any debt in my life!

You go girl.

[Scanner]

You're "house-poor."

Been there. Done that. Have the t-shirt.

One thing that will work to your advantage is inflation. If your mortgage is fixed, and you keep that house, your $1300/month mortgage payment will seem cheap in 7 years as your salary climbs.

I sometimes wish we had our old house, which had a mortgage of $523/month (not including escrows).

It's only when you get seduced by being upwardly mobile does it seem like you are moving no where.

Just now, after 4 years, our $1028/mortgage is starting to seem "cheap." Becasue of that, I want my DW to realize I'd like to park our butts here, like. . .until they nail shut my coffin.

All that being said, don't ignore the other advice and just wait to "inflate yourself" out of house-poorness. Be pro-active.

Good luck.

[ActYourWage]

Originally Posted by agatha1939

And I will hehehe...

PS: I'm reading TMM by Dave Ramsey, I am very focused on not having any debt in my life!

Nice choice!

[cptacek]

I wouldn't just jump into getting any roommate just for the extra money, but it is nice to come home and have someone there sometimes. When I moved away from all my friends to get closer to my family and DH (just boyfriend at the time) I didn't know anyone. My cousin eventually moved in with me, and just having someone to watch tv with and eat with helped my mental state. The help with the mortgage and bills was just a bonus!

[DebbieL]

I am just the opposite. I would HATE to come home to a roommate or have someone else there when I am trying to veg in the evenings. I would sell a place if I couldn't afford it without taking on a roommate.