Gozit

I agree with you; that's what I was getting at in my other post. Because now there's more and more "stuff" that we "want", and we want to see the world, etc. No my granddad wasn't exactly the norm, he retired really early. But, on the other hand, my other granddad retired around age 55. I think that's another date my generation can watch sail past us


Agreed re the affordable housing.

Anyway, I think all this about retirement dates being later (or possibly not at all) , means that my generation needs to try to get into a job that they enjoy doing. I know when i'm doing what I like to do, I get kind of lost in the moment and feel really happy and accomplished. So yeah if I had to work all my life doing that vs working as a lawyer/doctor just for the money and job stability, I would do what makes me happy.

Jingsamichty

Actually, for once I agree with you Gozit. Perhaps the younger generation ought to get ready for an entire life of flexible in/out working instead of the "40 years-pension-die" treadmill.

Trouble is, the establishment ain't set up for that. Hard to collect taxes and decide to offer mortgages to that kind of worker. So you're going to have to become politically articulate and to ensure that the system is changed from the 'wage-slave' circus to a more free-spirited environment.

Apathetic anarchy is the future, if anyone can be bothered.

Gozit

+1 to apathetic anarchy

I agree, the establishment isn't set up for that kind of thing, but i'm sure its doable...

dishwashing

Funny that. I was having a conversation with a fellow from work and making the exact same point: the 'system'/'establishment' is built to enslave people to 'do better' i.e make money for 'the system'. And this starts from the education system.

It's all very odd imho.

Needs are different to the 'older' times too., today mobile phones, gadgets and of course the WWW are needs, not wants

Gozit

scrubbedexpat091

Housing and wages are the 2 biggest differences between myself, and partner vs our parents at our age (same with my siblings).

All our parents had a good wage and a house which isn't a feasible goal for us because housing has increased so much and the wages don't permit buying in more and more area's without a near 6 figure income. Average house prices where I am are in excess of 400,000, sometimes there are some fixer uppers in the 375,000 range, but it still out of reach.

Where housing tends to be affordable, the jobs are lacking, so moving makes no sense as cheaper housing is useless if you can't find a job.

I grew up in San Diego and lived at home until 25 when I moved to Canada, not because I wanted to live with my dad (I paid rent) but because I didn't make enough working full-time to rent anything in San Diego because I was making 7/hr which was not anywhere close to being enough to rent housing, unfortunately nothing has changed there, and kids are staying home longer and longer because their wages are too low to rent anything.

When I compare myself vs my parents, I comparing the basics wages and housing and not comparing the extra's in life, but my parents took us on multiple trips a year (driving) but even road trips are too expensive for us because gas costs a fortune now, as does just about everything else related to travel. There is no such thing as cheap flights for the most part in North America.


I don't need or want the most modern TV, tech gadgets, computer etc. I buy the cheapest one's I can find when I need one, but I am not going to go without the basics to buy a TV or phone or computer either.

I'd be content with just a decent wage, and the ability to own a house so I can do the things I enjoy in life which can't be done when renting.

Shard

Unfortunately you are from and in two of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. That is the real problem. TV's gadgets etc are relatively cheap these days (relative to income). There are places with much cheaper property across Canada and across the USA. Can you remind me again why Nova Scotia is not an option? It's not great for professional jobs but it would have the usual selection of basic jobs.

scrubbedexpat091

One, we don't have the money to move that far as it would cost a small fortune to do so. We have never been there and it would take a long time to save up the money needed, but that is something doable with a few years saving.

Is the cost of living overall cheaper to account for the higher taxes and such? I've never been there (never been past Port Hope, ON) so if anyone from NS can fill in the blank, let me know. We have talked about moving to cheaper regions in BC, I just want to go to school first which requires us to be within commute of Coquitlam. That is another thing, if I do psychiatric nursing, as of now only the western provinces recognize it, Ontario east won't.

One of my weaknesses is trying to plan things and make decisions, I am adverse to major risk because of bad things happening when I did take risk, so I tend to be too conservative now, and I know I need to find a more middle ground, not too conservative but not taking too much risk either.

Most importantly though, my GF/spouse would lose her disability since it provincial and one we left BC, BC would cut her off and she would have apply in the new province assuming that province has a disability program. (Looking at the Nova Scotia website, it appears they may not have a disability assistance program that provides financial support above the general assistance rates.) But I am not 100% sure, every province has different rules, but if anyone knows about Nova Scotia and disability let me know, as we are open to a move, it just won't happen overnight and will take a lot of planning and saving.

We have a complicated situation because of her disability.

MarkG

Yes. We're seeing the end of the industrial era, and the 'establishment' is the product of an industrial society. It won't survive, nor will 'jobs' in the sense we've become used to.

Why would someone want to go to the same place to do something boring for eight hours a day, five days a week if they can make most of the things them need with a 3D printer? How is a government going to tax them to support itself? How are they going to justify paying $500,000 for a house that machines can make in a couple of days?

The end of the 21st century will be a radically different world to the one we live in today, even more so than the 20th.

BristolUK

That says what I was trying to say on a thread in Canniversary

I always think too much is made of higher taxation. It may be that for higher earners it makes more of a difference.

Putting $20k into a tax caclulator comes up with net pay of $18509 for BC ($1542 a month) and $17708 ($1475) for NS. ($18,139/$1511 for NB).

It's hard for me to compare NS and NB given virtually everywhere outside Halifax is so much smaller than several cities in NB. It may be that housing in Halifax is cheaper but not enough for that $67 loss to be worth it. Outside Halifax it may be worth it financially but not in other ways.

However, the net pay on $20k in NB is $31 a month less than BC and I would think one would have the benefits of city living in a few places for significantly lower rents than BC.

My one bedroom apartment (duplex) rents for $540 monthly and it's one of the more expensive (although worth it) places.

The Disability benefits are a complication but as well as different policies, they have different names.

Because of my old job I have more than a passing interest in these things and there are several programs in NS that seem fairly enlightened compared to other places. NB, not so much.

scrubbedexpat091

It's the disability that complicates the issue of moving the most. I found on Nova Scotia website some info, but it doesn't appear they offer much in financial support, which wouldn't be needed if I could make an income sufficient to support 2 adults including medication costs (about 250 a month based on BC cash prices, but she has coverage her so she doesn't have to pay out of pocket.)

I've just never been there, so I don't know if 20k is doable for 2 adults assuming no disability. (I don't know what the wages are like out there, I've looked a bit but the hotels don't seem to be listing their salary in the ads.)

But I am still looking at the policy manual I found online for Nova Scotia trying to make sense of it, but they seem to have made theirs even more confusing then BC and I thought BC's was confusing enough.

If it didn't cost so much to get there, I'd take a trip out to check the place out and such, I don't really wan't to relocate across the continent without visiting and checking the area out first...

If it's ever doable, I certainly not write off moving out there if it makes life easier and we find a place we like and can make a life.

I'd just want to make sure I had sufficient funds saved to get either to BC or California in the event of a family emergency or something of that sort. Parents are not getting any younger.

Aviator

Persons with disabilities can claim a disability tax credit as well, with a T2201, so someone on $20k would pay no tax, may even get working tax credits if income is low enough.

BristolUK

When we first moved to Moncton we were two adults and two teens. Our highest ever income as four was just over $21k (net) including child benefits. We managed well enough including paying out (then) £170 a month for prescriptions.

We were mortgage free but that's not the living 'rent free' that people think. An apartment would have added about $300 a month to what we were already paying as owners, so another $3600 on top of the $21k would have sufficed.

With the loss of child benefits - kids hitting 18 but still being in school - and the fall in the £ that affected my UK income, our financial position worsened but always remained manageable.

We had a really rough patch just over a year ago - had to replace heating/ac for the home and a tenant trashed the rental when she left also owing rent.

The repayments on the money borrowed are a problem for us. But when I look at how much I've paid off this year, I see what would be quite a bit of spare money had those issues not arisen or if we'd been minimum wagers in a typical rental property.

My wife's disabled too. Wheelchair user, so just about everywhere needs a taxi.

scrubbedexpat091

But the CRA is not automatic. My GF doesn't get it (she has applied but CRA denied it) even though she has PWD status in BC and receives disability assistance from BC government.

BristolUK

Good point - so long as one has enough income to pay income tax and have it reduced.