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My Fixed Expenses

      ** Mobile Users, hold your phone sideways for this one **


      The Fixed Expenses

      - costs are calculated monthly

      - every monthly cost you see is averaged out over a year. For example, utilities will of course fluctuate depending on the season so the monthly cost swings from $140 to $250


       Total: $1,247.92       Annual: $14,975.04

      • Kitchener Detached 1200sqft: $568.8

        • Property Taxes: $243.72

        • Utilities (all 3): $199.22

        • The Cooperators Insurance: $57.48

        • Fido Internet: $62.15 - I need to chop this down again, should be able to get it under $50

        • Water Softener Salt: $6.78


      • Food: $417.45

      • Two adults, one toddler and one infant (on breastmilk). Toddler eats a portion of what we’re eating.

      • Therefore, we average around $2.45~ per meal.

      • I’m 99% plant-based. My wife is 50% or so. Toddler is probably 75% depending on which parent is arranging her meals that day.

      • Shop primarily at Zher’s, a Loblaw store. I choose this store because: 

        • closest grocery store, walkable distance

        • self-serve checkout

        • underground parking (for bad weather)

        • high-quality produce

        • a large variety of plant food in the frozen section

      • The prices are second to Wal-mart, which is in the same plaza as my Zher’s. However, this Wal-Mart lacks a produce section which is kind of a big deal for a plant-based guy. They also don’t have self-serve checkouts which means waiting in line more often than not. I used to split my grocery bill between the two in a timely fashion but it’s an added complexity that saved me approximately 5% (or $5 per $100 spent) each time. My time and simplicity are worth more than that.


      • 2012 Toyota Corolla: $221.51

      • Bought used to cash so no payments

      • Fuel Costs: $108.28

      • Insurance: $86.2

      • Maintenance: $17.03

      • Licence Plate Sticker: $10


      • Misc: $40.16

      • Spotify Family Plan Music Streaming: $16

        • I share this family account with a few family members - in return I get access to Netflix and Disney+ for free.

        • This price will go up once Spotify is required to collect HST.

      • Professional Certificate Fee: $14.16

      • Hygiene: $10 

        • Trying new soap or face masks is discretionary and not included


      • Phone Plans: $0

      • Two Public Mobile phone plans.

      • $15 account for me and the $25 account for my wife. 

      • Both are at $0 because my readers used my referral codes. You guys are the best.


      • Banking: $0

      • Tangerine Chequing: no fees

      • EQ Bank: no fees

      • Rogers Elite Mastercard: no fees

      • Canadian Tire Mastercard: no fees

      • Wealthsimple Trade TFSA: no fees

      • Wealthsimple Trade RRSP: no fees

      • RBC LIRA: $0 (DRIP in place)

I don't show discretionary spending because it doesn't really matter, as described in these articles: "The Anti-Budget is on FIRE!" and "Fixed Expenses Path to FIRE."

~ Affinity R.M.

Picture: Photo by 青 晨 on Unsplash

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