Recoil
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
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I live in Toronto, Ontario where real estate prices are generally higher than in most other areas of the country. We purchased our first condo about a year ago for and bought a new Audi. It seems to me we have a reasonable divide between home and car, but I find the mentality of people in this city is to pour all of their money into their property and skimp on the car and other things. In the small town I come from a nice house would be cheaper than a condo in Toronto and the owner would probably have two nice cars to go with it. I find that in Toronto people think the way we spend our money is strange. Maybe I see it as normal because I come from that smaller town.
We opted for this route because we felt it was pretty balanced, we have a nice condo -- a good size we're no tripping over ourselves (no kids) -- a nice car, we eat out and we travel a little. All of this is still while paying a student loan off and saving decently. What do folks think, is it strange in a big city with high value real estate not to pour that extra car payment into a better property? To make things even stranger (accordingly to Toronto people) I'm looking to get a second car, perhaps a Porsche Cayman, as a weekender only. We don't make tons of money, but we've not in any real debt either. Maybe I'm in the wrong, maybe I should be solely focused on the property? I just feel this puts your life so far out of whack to have an amazing property only to drive a Honda Civic. Maybe because I'm into cars I value them more, but I find that no one in my situation/age range/income level places the same value on this idea of balance. I get the impression from Torontonians that only million-dollar property owners should be driving above-average cars, because you need to get that crazy property and only then you indulge if you can afford it.
Thoughts on balancing car/home/travel/shopping?
We opted for this route because we felt it was pretty balanced, we have a nice condo -- a good size we're no tripping over ourselves (no kids) -- a nice car, we eat out and we travel a little. All of this is still while paying a student loan off and saving decently. What do folks think, is it strange in a big city with high value real estate not to pour that extra car payment into a better property? To make things even stranger (accordingly to Toronto people) I'm looking to get a second car, perhaps a Porsche Cayman, as a weekender only. We don't make tons of money, but we've not in any real debt either. Maybe I'm in the wrong, maybe I should be solely focused on the property? I just feel this puts your life so far out of whack to have an amazing property only to drive a Honda Civic. Maybe because I'm into cars I value them more, but I find that no one in my situation/age range/income level places the same value on this idea of balance. I get the impression from Torontonians that only million-dollar property owners should be driving above-average cars, because you need to get that crazy property and only then you indulge if you can afford it.
Thoughts on balancing car/home/travel/shopping?
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