hello
i google my website Sweet Dreams Studio and it comes back with description that comes from Body text of the homepage instead of meta Description tag I have for homepage.
Google result is returning this text that is in the homepage body text Wedding & Event Photography Videography & Photo Booth Entertainment. Our passion and experience in a variety of events has made us versatile and artistic ...
when my meta description tag is this
My website is https://sweetdreamsstudio.com
It had previously shown a different body text about "photo booths" so I deleted that text from homepage. But then google results now shows this text from body text. So I now changed the body text to see what would happen but it looks like google results has not updated yet - Gorgeous photography, videography & photo booth for all celebrations wedding, bar bat mitzvah, Sweet 16 birthday party and corporate events & galas.
I was doing some minor edits of my homepages using elementor editor and I submit XML sitemap file to google console using an XML plugin. So I don't know why google results keeps returning body text instead of actual meta description for homepage. I tried checking XML sitemap listings but don't see homepage xml file to see if that has wrong meta description.

i google my website Sweet Dreams Studio and it comes back with description that comes from Body text of the homepage instead of meta Description tag I have for homepage.
Google result is returning this text that is in the homepage body text Wedding & Event Photography Videography & Photo Booth Entertainment. Our passion and experience in a variety of events has made us versatile and artistic ...
when my meta description tag is this
My website is https://sweetdreamsstudio.com
It had previously shown a different body text about "photo booths" so I deleted that text from homepage. But then google results now shows this text from body text. So I now changed the body text to see what would happen but it looks like google results has not updated yet - Gorgeous photography, videography & photo booth for all celebrations wedding, bar bat mitzvah, Sweet 16 birthday party and corporate events & galas.
I was doing some minor edits of my homepages using elementor editor and I submit XML sitemap file to google console using an XML plugin. So I don't know why google results keeps returning body text instead of actual meta description for homepage. I tried checking XML sitemap listings but don't see homepage xml file to see if that has wrong meta description.

I am a novice bass player.
Started in June of last year, went from rental to owner in the fall, and practice each day. I have an understanding of 12 bar blues, basic scales and very basic chord structures and I can find my way around the fret board. Fingering only, haven't tried picks yet, slap is still a complete mystery.
Good God Getty Lee I am NOT. Also 185 years old. Your basic bass playing nightmare.
So ... looking for others in the same boat who want to get together and jam. Pre-performance screwing around. On a somewhat regular basis, maybe every couple of weeks during the summer, maybe every week in the winter.
I can listen to anything, not particular about genre. But blues and I get along quite well. I am often near Liverpool in the summer, but retreat largely back to Halifax when the weather turns cold / curling season starts (October).
So, are you out there, fellow newbs? Want to bang around a bit? Let me know ....

In Atlanta Georgia, where Southern charm meets bustling city life, finding the perfect Event Venue in Georgia can be a daunting task. However, at Hampton Inn Atlanta-Perimeter Center, your search for the ideal spot to host your next event ends here. Nestled in the heart of the vibrant Perimeter area, our hotel offers a blend of affordability, luxury and convenience that sets us apart from the rest.
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At Hampton Inn Atlanta-Perimeter Center, hospitality isn't just a service - it's a way of life. Our friendly and dedicated staff are committed to providing you and your guests with the warmest welcome and ensuring that every detail of your event is taken care of with utmost care and attention.
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Situated just half a mile from MARTA and in close proximity to popular attractions such as Perimeter Mall, Buckhead, and downtown Atlanta, our hotel offers unparalleled accessibility for your guests. Whether they're arriving from near or far, getting to your event couldn't be easier.
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Our Hampton Room, boasting 600 square feet of flexible space, is the perfect setting for a variety of events, including meetings, weddings in Atlanta GA and celebrations of all kinds. Equipped with modern amenities such as complimentary WiFi and audio/visual equipment rental, we provide everything you need to ensure that your event is a resounding success.
Conveniently located in Atlanta GA, Hampton Inn Atlanta-Perimeter Center is the ideal choice for those seeking affordable venues in Georgia. Whether you're attending a wedding, anniversary, birthday party, bar mitzvah or graduation celebration in Atlanta, our dedicated hotel staff is committed to ensuring that your stay is nothing short of extraordinary.
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The house next door to our place is a very run down rental. We’ve always commented that if it ever comes up for sale we should buy it and knock it down because it’s such an eyesore. Well, it came up for sale this week and I’m wondering if it would be dumb to actually follow through on this idea. The issue is that there’s a heritage overlay on the facade (even though it was altered badly at some point before the overlay came in) but I don’t know if that means that we can’t knock it down. Other dilapidated houses on the street have been demolished without being replaced, so I think it’s possible. I’ve called the local council and left a message, but still waiting to hear back. In the medium term we’d probably just landscape the extra block. We don’t need a bigger house for ourselves and we’d prefer not to live next to a building site either. But in the longer term, we might build something on it for family or move away from here and sell both blocks at the same time. Would the heritage overlay apply to a new building as well? Like, would the facade have to look like a victorian workers cottage?

hello! i am going to Chappell Roan at Terminal B at Outer Harbor in a week-ish, and i was wondering two things: - do people line up outside the venue? how early should i get there? i believe doors open at 7 - looking to go out afterwards. what bars are LGBTQ+ friendly/centered?
TIA!

anyone know of any rental places that have free standing bar signs or neon bar signs in CA?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7AdFZIvKwA/
Located on the southern part of Gilroy as part of the expanding Gilroy Sports Park. Right off 101 and Monterey Road This will bring a boost of appreciation to real estate in the area.
80,000 square-foot complex with two NHL-sized rinks, a café, skate rental store, and fitness center. A bar and restaurant will occupy the second floor between the two rinks, allowing people to watch hockey games or skaters through windows overlooking the ice.
Construction cost estimate between $30 – $35 million. The project will be paid for by the Sharks through a bond measure, which involves Gilroy borrowing the money and the Sharks paying the bill.
The new rinks will host figure skating and ice hockey, as well as low income and after-school programs.
What do you think?!

Hi,
I'm working on a car and need to blow out debris from spark plug wells before I remove the plugs to prevent it from entering the combustion chamber, but don't want to throw away money on a pack of compressed air cans that don't work optimally when turned downwards. My main goal is to use an air chuck/blow gun attachment to blow stuff out of the wells a few seconds at a time (how long can it really take?)
As I do this stuff at home and not professionally, I've always used only hand tools and breaker bars have always done me right, but if I'm getting a compressor, I might as well see if it can use air tools like impact wrenches and such for the occasional suspension bolts and whatnot. Looking at some air impact wrenches, they say they need 5-6 CFM at 90 PSI, but the compressor I'm looking at only does 0.65 CFM at 90 PSI; I'm assuming that's due to the smaller 3 gallon tank. Anything remotely close to 5-6 CFM runs about $2-300+ at Harbor Freight, so I don't want to spend more than $100.
If I get the one that I'm looking at, it should definitely be enough for air blowing here and there, right? If I was to hook up an air tool that requires more CFM, what would happen? Would the tank deplete and need to refill sooner? How long would a continuous press of the trigger on an air wrench last?
Thanks!
Edit: Also, what couplefitting do I need to attach a hose to the air outlet of the compressor? From the pics it looks like some kind of quick-disconnect fitting, the manual says it's an "Industrial (M-style) plug" but which one would that be out of these? Here is the hose and the blow gun I'd want to use with it.

I’m (29f) really looking for some help here. I’m not sure how people are supposed to live making under $150k. This is my first job after finishing my masters (in counseling) and I was really excited at first to be making 75k because it sounds like a lot, but it’s really not.
My gross pay is $6250 per month, but after taxes I only net $4375 per month.
My rent is $2250 (living alone now and having roommates was destroying my peace of mind and isn’t something I’m willing to return to), 332 average for utilities, 200 for my phone bills (I absolutely have to have both a personal phone and a business phone for clients).
I’m about to get kicked off my free health insurance for making too much money now and since I’m going to need a plan with mental health care that’ll surely be 400+ per month.
My car insurance is 300 a month, and I spend about 130 per month on gas—the car itself is paid off though.
My student loans from grad school are supposed to be 700 something per month but I’m going to have to just defer them in the hopes that I make more money one day; there’s no way I can afford that.
I don’t go out to eat basically ever but I do buy healthy groceries that cost about 200 a week. Anything less and it hasn’t actually lasted me a week or it hasn’t been truly healthy (variety of fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, etc).
I only go out socially (like to a bar or something) twice a month maximum.
After all of these expenses, which seem totally normal and reasonable, I feel like I have no or almost no discretionary income for clothes, travel, etc, let alone savings. I spend like all my money every month and it’s scary. I’m not really sure how other people get by and I feel clueless. It seems like I’m making more than everyone I know, yet somehow they go out twice a week, go out to eat regularly, and travel twice a year comfortably. I don’t even have any kids and I feel like I’m living paycheck to paycheck on 75k. I want to ask for help but not even sure what to ask. Maybe budgeting tips, passive income tips, etc? I just need help. I feel like I picked the wrong career path for making enough money to live well but going back to school would just cost even more. Maybe I should find a husband to split expenses with but I’ve been happier than ever single.

Grocery list from last week if someone can help me find places to cut. Everything is from Safeway
Groceries: Yogurt $6.45
Tomatoes $4.85
10 oz hummus $7.30
1 package of sliced cheese $5.40
3 apples $4.20
Teriyaki sauce $4.50
12-pack of paper towel rolls $24.70
Pasta $2.60
Frozen broccoli $3.95
Bell peppers $5.75
Coffee $9.70
Cooking oil $5.05
2 cottage cheese cups $3.80
Cranberries+walnuts salad topping $4.50
Hand soap $1.95
Oat milk $5.40
Bananas bunch $2.51
11 oz mixed greens $6.75
Green onions bunch $1.95
Cilantro $2.80
Whole wheat bread $5.05
Carrots $4.35
Chicken breasts 1.79 lb $18.08
Mixed frozen vegetables 32 oz $5.60
8 oz sliced turkey $10.10
Cream of Wheat hot cereal 12-count $6.20
Chick peas canned 15 oz $2.60
Raspberries $4.50
Laundry detergent 36 oz $7.85
Total: $181.04 So maybe its not quite 200 every time but it varies.
I do buy a lot of organic but it seems worth it for the health benefits, no?

I have lived at this current rental for 14 months. It is an older cottage, and had minor issues they told me they were going to fix within a couple months of me moving in, as well as a leak in the main bedroom ( more major of an issue ) Since April of last year, they have not made one repair, and of course things have gotten much worse. I have requested 6-7 times in writing that I need them to complete the repairs. I get bullshit responses about how they will get to it, or they’ve contacted a company etc. The most recent major event was the spare bedroom floor collapsed. 1/4 of the flooring buckled down about 6 inches when I went to get something from in there ( I use the room for storage. ) I reported the floor collapsing over two weeks ago. It took almost 5 days for them to come by, at which time they insisted that it was my fault. Im at the point where it’s really fucking with my days. If I wasn’t before, I sure am now. What is my best option here? I have all correspondence between myself and the landlords, as well as photos from when I moved in, up until today.
Thank you for any sound advice.

Hi yall, haven’t really talked to anyone about my situation and seeking advice on what you might do in my shoes.
I’ve (34 M) been with my gf (30 F) for 3 and half years, coming up 4 years in October, she has a 5 year old that lives with us and we’ve been living together now for just about a year. Our lease renewal is at the end of the month.
My issue is I caught her lying to me about dropping off her coworker home from work. She’s a server so she gets off work late and sometimes goes to a bar that she and I frequent with her coworkers afterwards.
Well one night, about 2 months ago, she called me when she got off work when I was leaving the bar with some friends and had told me she was dropping her coworker, let’s call her Tammy. I don’t know if it was instinct or if I picked up something in the way she communicated but something felt off. Mind you she’s given Tammy rides home after work before but this was the first time I felt like she was hiding something.
Next morning I went through her phone and checked her recently deleted messages and saw she had deleted messages from her coworker, let’s call him Andy, basically saying hey you better stay for a drink at my place and her replying ok we need to leave rn now then.
We share each others locations and I checked her location the last night when she said she was dropping off Tammy, the same location she always drops off Tammy at, so turned she hadn’t been dropping off Tammy she was dropping off Mike and there had been nights where she’s there until 4 in the morning while I’m thinking “oh she’s hanging out at Tammy’s after she left the bar” when in fact she’s been hanging out at Andy’s. This has happened maybe 3 times.
I lose my cool and wake her up went off on her. She didn’t get defensive or argumentative, her excuse was that she felt weird about befriending a male coworker and felt that I would get mad if I knew who she was with. She swears up and down , on my life, on her life, on her kids life that nothing has happened between them and that it’s always just been hanging out after the bar and having a couple beers. She sobbed and was very apologetic about lying to me, understands why I’m upset and how it looks bad. She understands she broke our trust and it will take time for me to build that trust again. She says she’ll never do anything like that again and doesn’t want to lose me and will prove to me that she can be the partner that she needs to be to make our relationship work.
Some additional bullet points for context. He also has a girlfriend that he lives with. When I went through her messages I didn’t see anything inappropriate exchanged between them. I have female friends and she has male friends and we’ve never been jealous or weird about having friends of the opposite sex. I’ve met her male friends and male coworkers and have gone out drinking with them before and have never had issues or given her reason to feel like she can’t have male friends. I’ve gone through her phone again recently and there hasn’t been any contact between them since then and she hasn’t been going to the bar after work.
My whole issue is I can’t wrap my head around why she would lie about this and why is she spending time with him into the late late night hours after leaving the bar. In my mind you would only do all that if you were doing something you shouldn’t be doing. I can’t shake the feeling that she’s not giving me the whole truth.
Our lease renewal is at the end of the month and it has me wondering if I want to stay in this relationship. I still love her very much but harbor some resentment towards her now, and part of me still feels like there more to the story than what she’s told me. I keep asking myself “Do I want to stay with someone does stuff like this and that lies to me about this almost 4 years into our relationship?”
That’s basically it more or less, sorry for the long rant. What would you do in my shoes Reddit?

Summer of Adventure Sale – 15% off some of Exodus Travels most popular trips

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Andrew Larder

Summer of Adventure Sale

Summer brings longer days and endless hours of sunshine, making a European summer trip more tempting than ever. Whether you’re looking to soak up the sun in Greece, enjoy local wine tastings in Italy or take rides along countryside lanes in France, we’ve got the perfect hiking and biking adventures for you.
To help you start planning, we’re offering up to 15% off some of Exodus Travels most popular trips, so you can get that Summer of Adventure feeling! Available on selected departures between May 1st and September 30th, 2024. With over 400 trips on sale, talk to our agents today to figure out what summer adventure you want to experience.
In a couple of months’ time, you could be discovering the legendary site of Pompeii and the romantic towns of Positano and Ravello on our Highlights of the Amalfi Coast trip. Or take a journey back in time, on our Highlights of Ancient Greece, to visit the fascinating archaeological ruins of Acropolis, Epidaurus and Mycenae. If you’re interested in biking, consider Cycle Northern France: Brittany to Normandy to take you past stunning medieval villages, the historic Omaha Beach and harbor towns that are known for their oysters and refreshing apple cider.
Make 2024 the Summer of Adventure to remember forever. With tours in over 100 countries on sale, get inspired by checking out a few adventures below or contact us to find your perfect trip.
Our Top Picks for Summer 2024;
With so many trips to choose from, here are just a few to get you started. Culture, Wildlife, Hiking or Cycling; find your adventure this summer!
Highlights of Ancient Greece – Cultural Journey through thousands of years and major UNESCO World Heritage sites
Tour Starting in Athens, this tour covers significant archaeological sites such as the Acropolis, Mycenae, and Epidaurus. It also includes visits to the medieval castle town of Mystras, Olympia—site of the ancient Olympic Games, Delphi, and the stone forest of Meteora, a major Orthodox community. The journey spans the Peloponnese peninsula and central Greece, featuring stunning coastlines, forests, and mountains.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Explore the ancient sites of Mystras and Delphi •Visit Olympia, the site of the first Olympic Games •Enjoy spectacular Meteora
Highlights of the Amalfi Coast – Cultural Discover one of the most fascinating and romantic destinations in the world
Tour Based in quiet Agerola, amid the green Lattari mountains, this tour explores the Bay of Naples’ famous sites, including the well-preserved ruins of Herculaneum and the legendary Pompeii. The journey extends to the dramatic Amalfi Coast, offering excursions to Capri, scenic views from the Path of the Gods, and the charming town of Ravello. Experience the region’s rich cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes, celebrated by artists and writers throughout history.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Enjoy boat trips along the Amalfi Coast and to the island of Capri •See the romantic coastal towns of Amalfi, Positano and Ravello •Visit both Herculaneum and Pompeii •Enjoy Italian hospitality at family-run Hotel Due Torri
Cycling Vietnam – Cycling Experience the real Vietnam by bike
Tour This two-week cycling tour from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi covers diverse landscapes, from colorful fishing villages and rice terraces to jungle-clad mountains and white sandy beaches. Highlights include swimming on a tropical island, exploring the ancient port of Hoi An, and ascending the scenic Hai Van Pass for breathtaking coastal views.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Take a cycling holiday through Vietnam’s most scenic landscapes •Savour mouth-watering cuisine •Crawl through the Cu Chi war tunnels •Relax in charming Hoi An •Cruise among the limestone formations of Ha Long Bay •Overnight on a tropical island
Cycling Puglia & Matera – Cycling Cycle from the UNESCO town of Matera through Italy’s heel to Lecce
Tour Explore the cultural and natural treasures of Italy’s Puglia and Basilicata regions. This itinerary includes Matera’s intriguing Sassi houses and the UNESCO-listed trulli houses of Alberobello. The journey proceeds through idyllic countryside to Ostuni, the White City, and onto Gallipoli along the dramatic Ionian coastline. While cycling across the Salento Peninsula, experience the quintessential Italian lifestyle amidst olive groves, limestone cliffs, crystal-clear waters, and baroque towns.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Ride from the stunning UNESCO town of Matera •Enjoy gentle cycling through olive groves and past conical trulli houses •Sample fine seafood and wine from the Salento coast •Stay in accommodation bursting with character
Loire Valley: Walks, Wine & Chateaux – Hiking Discover regal estates and fine wines in the glamorous Garden of France
Tour Enjoy a walking tour in the Loire Valley, where stunning royal castles meet premier winemaking. Stay in a chateau near Tours and a country manor in Beaumont-en-Véron, ideal bases for exploring the region. Visit notable castles like Amboise and Chenonceau, and tour picturesque vineyards, sampling exceptional wines along the way.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Stay in a 15th-century chateau and 17-century country manor house •Tour Chenonceau, a magnificent chateau stretching over the Cher river •Visit wine producers to sample their celebrated drinks at source •Visit the lavish Château Royal d’Amboise, once home to French monarchs •Meet members of the Loire wine brotherhoods, practically unrivalled in their knowledge of the local produce •Enjoy tranquil walks through vineyards and along the Loire River
Iceland’s Laugavegur Trek – Hiking Hike one of the best-loved walking trails in Iceland to discover otherworldly landscapes
Tour Iceland is renowned as a premier trekking destination with its dramatic landscapes shaped by volcanic activity and glaciers. The Laugavegur Trail is a highlight, featuring a week-long trek from the colorful mountains of Landmannalaugar to the dramatic Thorsmork region, exploring craters from the 2010 eruption. All meals are included while camping. Additionally, early summer treks enjoy nearly 24 hours of daylight, while trips in late August and early September offer potential sightings of the Northern Lights.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Take the best-known trekking route in Iceland •Discover natural hot pools, waterfalls, lava fields, craters and volcanic fissures •Experience 24-hour daylight in July, chance of the Northern Lights in late August and September
Drew Larder FORA Travel Advisor – Amazing DEALS and perks of unforgettable travel. Hotels, cruise lines pay for my travel help, not you!
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My friend lives in a rent controlled apartment in a 4 plex in Los Angeles. She’s been there 10 years total. A new owner came in four years ago and has harassed her non stop. She went to the city and they’ve lowered her rent for several things the landlord took away from her original lease. Use of the yard, parking space, washer and dryer. She is constantly accusing her doing things on or to the property. Last month they removed the bars on the first floor which in a fairly rough neighborhood seems stupid. But only on her apartment.
Now the landlord has stopped cashing her rent checks and is trying to evict her for non payment of rent. She sends the rent certified. The last check she sent certified and they it came back return to sender.
She was sent a list of reasons that were all made up by the landlord. Since the landlord took over it’s been turned into an Air B$B, short term rental for travel nurses and now it’s supposed to be a day care. She tried to evict the last tenant by saying they were gang members. They were a preschool teacher and nurse taking of their aged mother. They went to court and then admitted they were lying about that. Gave them 18k cash for keys. Later they said they were just tired of being harassed by the new landlord. This landlord does everything right on the edge of the law. I had a PI friend of mine look the owners up and they have drug trafficking and child endangerment charges in New Jersey.
It’s just a crazy situation.

Please note this is the original submission I sent Refinery29. In the current post,they have given me a second credit card with a 100$ balance, as well as generational trauma from World War II and cut context for other things. I am trying to get that fixed.
Per previous discussion in comments here: The espresso machine is a Bezzera, which ranges from 2-5K. We got ours on sale for 1.7K, it’s a work house and we use it everyday, still hurts that we spent that money on a coffee maker.
I do understand mortgage is debt but when you compare it to rent to a lesser value condo in Vancouver it feels like not debt at all, which is how I tend to think of it. Yes I owe my mortgage but also I get my house instead of renting-which may not have become clear.
Please see in full the diary, below (edit for formatting via mobile)
Occupation: Sr Business Analyst
Industry: Tech
Age: 30
Location: Vancouver Island, BC
Salary: 92,000$ (Spouse makes 60,000$ for a combined income of 152,000$ before tax)
Net Worth: ~ 1.2 Million ( house is valued at 989,000$ currently, we have a combined 150,000 in pension, and ~60,000 in various company stocks, and GICs)
Debt: 3,000$ in a zero interest credit card for a 10 month period. We balanced transferred and pay 400$/month. Debt was acquired in Q4 2023 when we had to buy Snow Tires, and do a full break replacement as well as Christmas. 480,000$ in a mortgage, we refinanced in September 2023 for five years fixed rate at accelerated biweekly, however I don’t consider our mortgage debt due to the equity we are gaining, and that our mortgage for a five bedroom, 3 bath single family home is less than rent for a two bedroom condo in Vancouver
Paycheck Amount (Every 2 Weeks): 2,555$ after taxes. (Just mine). Spouse makes 2,308$ after taxes. Our pay periods are alternating.
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses Mortgage: 1450$ biweekly (100$ extra to the principal).
Utilities: ~200$ (includes water [paid quarterly], hydro [paid bimonthly], gas, sewetrash [paid quarterly] phone [highly discounted due to work plans for spouse and myself] and car gas) Loan Payments: 400$/Credit Card
Car Insurance: 84$
Life Insurance: 167$ combined (67$ me, 100$ spouse)
Health & Dental Insurance: 60$ deducted from pay (coverage for myself and spouse from my employer. Spouse also has coverage for both of us deducted from pay)
Retirement Contribution: 400$ (Employee matches me), (Spouse has a defined pension through work and contributes ~200$ month)
Union fees: 70$ Spouse
Subscriptions: Crave 22$/month (Recent splurge for Binge watching the Rookie), Playstation Plus 100$ (annual bought on Black Friday Deal), Amazon Prime 80$ (Annual), BCAA 120$ (annual) Gym 30$/month (we both have one so 15$/pp)
Note: My spouse and I have completely commingled finances. I will be tracking both as it’s essentially I spent whatever they spent
Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
There was always the expectation. My father was very clear, we were very smart. There was no way we’d be wasting our potential. He wanted me to be a lawyer, but unlike other immigrant parents, I got to choose my major and went into social sciences and got my masters in history. I deferred my PhD too much so I got dropped by the program.
I chose my university by where I got a full first year scholarship and then after that took about 15k in student loans for my undergraduate. My parents paid my rent and I got a part time job for food.
For my masters, I had a student line of credit and 5 k student loans otherwise it was all my savings and scholarships. With the line of credit, I had a total of 30K in student loans and paid it off in about four years.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
Save. We talked about how you get a dollar allowance and half of it goes into long term saving with 25% in short term and 25% in spend.
Investing came after I was eighteen. Family would like us to invest in property, however I don’t really want to be a landlord, but also we wouldn’t get to really enjoy profit of owning a rental property due to other family circumstances.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
Ice cream parlour I was twelve and my parents made me get it for responsibility. I lasted three weeks because I hated it.
Did you worry about money growing up?
I grew up thinking we were not rich, because we didn’t get big plane vacations (I didn’t count flying from Toronto to Vancouver every summer as a vacation since we were just seeing family but staying in a house my parents owned) and I had only been to Disney twice.
But we had a big new build house in the rich end of town, my mom stayed home to raise all of us. We had to work for things (like going to see a movie opening night or a new CD) but we always had money and got what we wanted. In retrospect, my family was/is fairly well off.
Both my parents grew up poor, with parents working multiple jobs and different shifts to make ends meet, the strive/drive to not have that childhood, and for my father to be able to retire his parents really impacted mine and my siblings and cousins lives. My father showed me the apartment he grew up in Chinatown a few years back. It’s light years away from the house my grandparents owned when I was a kid and how I grew up.
Do you worry about money now?
Of course. Inflation is real and we are actively planning a wedding for the next year, as well as a baby in the next few years. We also need to buy a second car, so we’re saving for that.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
Fully financially responsible? Twenty five. I lived in a family property where I didn’t pay rent in one of the most expensive cities in Canada, so even though I paid all my bills (food and phone), I didn’t have to pay rent. I in fact made money, as I rented rooms out and used the income for house utilities, and paying my student loans down faster. When I moved in with my spouse, I just paid condo fees until we bought our house two years ago which gave me plenty of time to save.
Our financial safety net is family, and our savings. I know my family would bail us out. My spouse’s father would as well. Conversely, we are my spouse’s mother's safety net and we have to keep all our plans in mind that we will be subsidising her.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain. Yes, I received 50K from my parents once they sold my childhood home, as did both of my siblings. I have also received 10K from one set of grandparents which paid off my car and part of my student loans when I was 21. I will be receiving another inheritance when probate is done for around ~100K. My spouse also has received inheritance which allowed them to buy their first condo in their early twenties when the market was much better. That condo, 50k, and the subsequent upgrading helped us afford our house.
Day 1
10 AM: I drive to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. Not how I want to start my Sunday morning but y’know. Normally I’d walk since it’s about 20 minutes but I have a UTI. I’m “lucky” that despite not having a dr because of the health care shortage, my work pays for the Maple app so I could get a dr to write the prescription and order the lab work at 1 am. I’ll do the lab work later this week when I can get an appointment but will take the relief now. Insurance makes the antibiotics free, but I also buy hydrogen peroxide because we’re out and we have a dog that thinks everything is meant to be in her mouth. We’ll buy a bigger one at Costco later. I also bought some oral wound mouthwash because we were out. I come home and my spouse made us breakfast.
Total: 15.90$ paid with debit.
1-2:30 PM: We do our taxes. I have a mini meltdown when I realize the part time bakery job I had for a few months didn’t take off income tax last year, so I owe 800$. Luckily, my partner is getting a refund so we net out positive 400$. The bakery took off income tax in 2022, so unsure why they didn’t in 2023. I made us lunch.
3-6:30 PM: We walk the dog, and watch the Rookie. Some time during that time period, a venue emails us back and is surprisingly affordable at 3k. I also get told that the tattoo artist I want to book with, has not chosen me.
6:30-7:30 PM: I explain what lazy girl dinner is to my spouse and make a lazy girl dinner. After not really grocery shopping since Feb for things besides fresh veg, we need to do a big pantry shop and neither of us want that. We debate about buying a food saver and if we should wait for a sale. My spouse is more frugal than me and has determined we should.
8-9:30 PM: We start season 3 of The Rookie, and then after two episodes we go to bed
Day One Total: 15.90$
Day Two
5:45-8 AM: Wake up and start work. I get up to date with what’s happened on the weekend and check that my automated reports. Sometime before 6:30, I get the kettle on for my spouse’s pour over before I go back to my meetings. There’s a twenty minute gap where I get changed and do my skin care and brush my teeth. I’d love to be a skin care person but honestly I’ve spent too much money on product that I don’t use and that just goes bad. Washing my face and using sun screen is a win.
I also make sure that Spouse’s lunch is in his bag and I get our travel mugs ready. Before, we used to go to Starbucks every day. Starbucks used to do free refills on coffee and tea if you were a rewards member if you bought a coffee or tea so it would cost us $5/day (2.5/pp), and we could get refills all day. While that’s 20$/week, 80$/a month and yes, we could have saved it but back then, that 80$ wasn’t turning the dial anywhere significantly for us—a privileged view.
But now, after COVID where I stopped drinking tea after one day working from home having like 10 cups and thinking I was dying, and Spouse has bought a good grinder and we recently splurged on a stupidly expensive espresso machine we call his Engagement Espresso since it costs the same price as my stupidly expensive ring, we bring our coffees.
8-8:30 AM: We drive to work. Prior to buying our house, we were both work from home and lived in a city with amazing transit. We only needed the one car. Since buying the house and moving to a city where public transit is a joke (the one bus goes past our house every 1.5h), Spouse changed jobs and is in office every day and I have to go in 3 days a week. We need a second car or the e-bike rebate to come through. We debate this in the car, since I’m done at 1 pm, and Spouse works normal hours, I either have to take the bus home, or go to the gym for three hours. Today though, I drop Spouse off. I will pick him up later as he has a half day because of the dentist
8:30-12:30 AM/PM: Work. I find a tech manager and ask them to get me more triple a batteries. Work won’t provide or let me expense batteries for my mouse, despite them replacing my usb mouse with a battery one. The poor admin had to tell me the decision is that we’ll all supply our own batteries. Luckily the tech managers have to have batteries on hand and give them out freely.
I ask my boss how the work from home tax forms work, and he is going to find out.
I run more meetings and work on a request for a dashboard and a business case for a new feature that I have to convince leadership to spend money on.
12:30-1 PM: I drive back to my Spouse because he has a dentist appointment.
While I wait for a spouse, I am incredibly hungry. I’m usually not hungry/don’t eat a proper meal until around 1 in the afternoon and my two granola bars I already ate at the office. I go to the bakery by Spouse’s work and buy a cheese bun for me (3.65$), and an apple pie scone (2.55$) for Spouse as a snack. Spouse points out he won’t be able to eat until after his appointment.
Total: 6.20$ debit
1-1:30 PM: I drop Spouse off, and the car stops working. The engine won’t catch. I try multiple times and then run into the dentist to dramatically announce to Spouse and the receptionists that the car won’t start. Spouse asks me what he wants me to do about this, since he’s about to go into an appointment. A very kind receptionist tells me it might be the alternator. I don’t know what that is.
I go back to the car to Facetime my father. He also asks what I think he can do to help since he lives 3000 km away. Weirdly, and sexistly, I thought a man who grew up at race tracks, in a racing family, or the man who has collected and worked on sports cars for forty years might be able to help.
Spouse texts me to remind me we have BCAA while my father also tells me that. I finally get the engine to catch and drive the very long way home, going the speed limit and getting stuck in traffic, construction and a bus. It takes me 20 minutes to get home instead of 10.
1:30-2:30 PM: I walk the dog, mail a (late) birthday card and then start researching what an alternator is. The car is over a decade old and until the house, the most expensive thing I ever bought at 12K back in 2015. We have the funds for the cost, but it’s my first car and the fact it might be the end of its life is scary.
Alternators can cost between 400-800$ repair with labour, so that’s fun.
My dad calls me back and apologises for asking me what he could do away. He advises me that there’s probably a bald spot on the alternator and advises me to go to the mechanic to check or replace it, if the car doesn’t start again.
I call the mechanic to book an appointment, and to also get the snow tires off and to buy new rims for the snow tires. The mechanic lets me know that the alternator part is 500$, and an hour of labour so with taxes we’re looking at around 700$
That future appointment next week (we’re going down a highway this weekend which requires snow tires) will cost ~1.5K, assuming we replace the alternator.
I make lunch and sigh.
2:30 PM: The car starts thankfully. I drive incredibly slow. I pick up Spouse by idling the car. We get an email back from a venue saying they cost 75,000$ minimum. The timing is hysterical.
Due to the nature of the dentist, Spouse owes 618$, as they haven’t flipped it under my insurance. They split it in half, as he has a follow up in two weeks. After the next appointment they will flip the whole amount under me and we’ll get reimbursed for the whole amount.
Total 309$/credit card.
3-10 PM: We walk the dog, make dinner (Spouse makes white sauce pasta, with chicken and peas) and watch The Rookie. There are thirteen episodes in season three, and we will be busy every night this week besides Friday and Sunday, and I would like to finish season three so we can start season 4 next Monday. I don’t want to pay for more than one month of Crave. We have five episodes left
Day Two Total: 315.2$
Day Three
1 AM: 100$ is automatically transferred from our account to the credit card debit. We have an auto transfer of 100$/every Tuesday to a Visa where we balance transferred both our cards. We have an offer for 0 interest for 10 months, so we did that for some of the bigger expenses (snow tires, break replacement and general Christmas) and are on track to pay it back within the next 6 months. That visa is our emergency card that we just have in the back end and utilise for promos like this. It allows us to keep our two cards balances manageable and lets us pay in an easier way than taking big chunks out of our various savings.
Total: 100$/direct deposit
5:45-9 AM: Work. Meetings, reports, trying to convince a colleague that the process does include them and refusal to follow it means that their requests won’t be done. Spouse has another half day so I can go into the office at my leisure—if the car starts
9-9:20 AM: The car starts, I get into the office and refresh a data flow before a meeting with a new stake holder. It takes longer to drive into work today because the tourists are starting to come and their van builds or campers are not exactly highway speed and with a two lane highway, if you don’t merge over fast enough you’re stuck.
10:05-10:20 AM: Meeting done, car starts again and I drive home for more meetings. The least amount of time in the office is preferable for me.
10:30-11AM : Meeting with my manager where we discuss future salary and promotion. I am due for a promotion in the start of Q2, which would push me to six figures. I’ll believe it when I see it but, I’m really excited at that possibility for my family.
11:15 AM: Spouse leaves for work, we discuss what groceries are needed, as well if he’ll go to Home Depot tonight to buy more clover seeds for the yard, as we need to reseed before it starts raining. I eat a muffin and my dog and cat decide to try and eat each other.
11:15-1:30 PM: Work runs late. There’s some issues with the data and we can’t figure it out. We call it a night, and I’ll record the video presentations tomorrow, once we fix the data.
1:30-4 PM: Nap time! It’s bad for me, but honestly I don’t sleep well during the night so naps are what keep me alive.
4-6 PM I prep dinner (smash burgers and fries), and get chores done and walk the dog.
6-7:30 PM: Spouse comes home, we eat dinner. Groceries come to 96.83 for two 7 pound pork loins, two packs of bacon, chicken nuggets, coffee, pop, 8 pack of peppers, milk, tomato, pickles, rice, avocado, mushrooms, sour cream and lettuce.
Not too bad, we average about 300$/month in groceries because we can buy bulk and have a second freezer.
For the month of March we are currently at 123.61$ for groceries and there is twelve days left. We went on a small weekend away, so we ate out a fair bit but even then our current food budget is 272.27$ today.
Total: 96.83/ debit
7:30-10 PM: Spouse makes a coffee and plays video games with his friends. They do it every week. I have a shower, fold and put away laundry and read in bed.
Day Three Total: 196.83
Day Four
1AM: Our biweekly accelerated mortgage payment comes out of 1450$. I’m tracking it here to be honest on our spending but I tend not to think of it as money spent because in my head it’s already money gone. To pay for a house equivalent in Vancouver, the mortgage would be over 6k. Renting a two bedroom condo would be 3K. It feels like the mortgage is just cheaper rent, even though each time I own more of my house.
5:45-9 AM: Work. I find out the limits of how many people I can invite to a Teams Meeting as well as that the Thursday before Good Friday is a catholic holiday when a few people ask me to reschedule a training forum for over a thousand people. Sometime in there I make us coffee, make sure Spouse has lunch packed (leftovers). Spouse has walked the dog and has the recycling and compost out for pick up. I drop Spouse off at work.
10-11:45 AM: I leave the office for home and more meetings. I walk the dog and go record training videos. I get an email that Amazon is doing their big spring sale. I send a link to a robot mop and vaccum that’s on a big discount to Spouse. We want one, but I’m not in charge of the research on it. I send links to play grounds to my friends with toddlers
11:45-12:30 PM : I shove lunch in my mouth, last night’s left overs. I’m running late, and decide to get myself later by collecting all the random dishes and mugs that just show up places and start the dishwasher. I get to the lab ten minutes early but need to buy gas on the way home.
I tell my team I’ll be MIA for a bit and leave the work phone in the car.
I buy 15.6L of gas for 30$ at 1.879/l it sucks. I don’t fill up because we’re going to my in laws this weekend and there’s a Costco Gas Bar there.
Total: 30$/credit card
12:30-1:30 PM: Work goes long again.
1:30-2:30 PM: Nap!
2:30-4:30 PM: Walk the dog and drive to the gym. I usually go three times a week but with last week’s weekend away and this week’s weird half days from Spouse, today’s the only day. I make it up by doing both upper and lower body and a 30 minute circuit.
4:30-7:30 PM: I pick up Spouse and we go to Costco. We pick up nachos, ham, cheese buns and some other items. We debate buying our friend’s kid a toddler set of clothes and decide no. We end up buying work pants for Spouse, and a garden hose. It comes out to 116.90
I order our Costco dinner of hot dogs and fries for a grand total date night of 6.41$
Total: 123.31/ credit card
8-9 PM: Dance class! We bought a series of six lessons of introduction to ballroom back in December for a new date night idea. We paid 60$/pp and this is the fifth lesson tonight.
9 pm: We’re home, we let the dog out. Spouse spends an undetermined amount of time watching ballroom videos while I sleep.
Day Four Total: 1603.31$ or 153.31 excluding the mortgage payment.
Day Five
5:45-9 AM: Work. All the meetings. Thursday is the meeting day. I debate with a friend what’s the earliest call we’ve had. 4:30 am still wins. I pack lunch for Spouse and his coffee and he leaves. I end up cleaning up cat puke as the cat decides to drink milk from Spouse’s cereal and vomit it up on camera in a meeting.
9-9:30 AM: I make myself a matcha and walk the dog.
9:30-1 PM: Work and I treat myself to a lunch of a cheese bun and ham sandwhich. We used to eat it every Sunday while growing up but the cost of ham has been outrageous. The deal at Costco yesterday was 1.5$/100 g which is really good.
1-1:30 PM: I seal the wooden deer Christmas decoration we bought last year. It sits outside our front door and needs to be weather proofed, and I’ve been putting it off for five months. But the weather is good and we have newspapers. We have left over wood sealer after the sign we bought a year ago so I use that. The dog and the cat both don’t like my wooden deer.
1:30-4 PM: Nap!
4-5 PM: I basically just watch youtube and drink a root beer. I have no energy.
5-6:30 PM: Spouse comes home, we walk the dog and I make dinner (Kraft Dinner and nuggets–I swear we eat veggies but today is not that day). We discuss the possibility of our dog at our wedding as a flower girl, and if she’ll be in a tutu or a cheongsam like me. I am now researching if they make dog cheongsams and if she can match us. The cat, despite all my heart wanting it, won’t physically be there because he will have an anxiety attack and probably die.
6:30-10:30 PM: Board game night! We go to a friend’s to repeat the same scenario we’ve lost two weeks in a row.
10:30-11 PM: I pack Spouse’s breakfast (oatmeal and frozen berries), lunch (spicy tuna and mayo) since he’s trying to go to the gym before work, and feed the animals before we go to bed.
Day Five Total: 0$
Day Six Friday
5:45-9 AM: Work. I have a deep focus block which means I can get the script for the training I have to run. Public speaking is not my strong suit and it’s a group of a thousand people so I’m not looking forward to it. Spouse almost makes it to the gym. I get an email that my new work phone has shipped. I’m surprised because they wouldn’t order us any for the past four years, but I guess my new iPhone will show up next week. I might give my old work phone to my mother in law, since she smashed the camera on the phone we bought her last year.
9-9:30 AM: I walk the dog, make a matcha and make a todo list for what we have to get done before we leave to my in laws tomorrow. I text my mother in law happy birthday, and hope that she got the card in time. She did.
9:30-11:30 AM: My last meeting for the week ends and I’m debating calling it a day so I can nap. Instead I make lunch (cheese bun and ham), text my other mother in law our plan for Saturday, and unload and reload the dishwasher and go back to work for at least another hour.
12:30-1 PM: I shower and do skin care
1-3 PM: Nap! Somewhere in this time FedEx comes and since I’m sleeping, we have to pick up on Monday. I’m not too sure what it is, I assume it’s our custom address stamp from Etsy because that’s the only thing I’ve bought recently but not too sure. I just realized in retrospect, this might be my new work phone.
3-5 PM: I prep dinner (nachos), unload the dishwasher, pack my overnight bag and confirm all our venue tours by email. I start a load of laundry and do a quick clean. I feel like this is not the best image of our diet. I swear we generally eat healthy but we both have been feeling really blah over the past two weeks so have been going for quick and easy over healthy and balanced. I do have three whole peppers and two whole avocados in the nachos though.
5-7 PM: Spouse comes home, we walk the dog, have dinner, and plan out next week. We have a big Wednesday next week (mechanic, I have a nails appointment, dance class), and we are having our friends over for Easter so we need to prep for that. We pack the car so tomorrow is a very easy start.
Spouse also gets paid today. We’re lucky that we’re on alternating pay periods, we used to be on the same and it always felt stressful. Spouse also lets me know his union has secured a 3% cost of living raise to start in Q3. I really like his union for negotiating a base 2% year of cost of living raise, with potential addition raises depending on inflation. It’s a bit away but that’s still good news.
7:30-10:30 PM: We finish The Rookie Season 3 and head to bed. Crave reminds me that I have 10 days until I’m charged again. Sadly, I think we’ll have to pay for 2 months.
Day Six Total: 0
Day Seven Saturday
8:30-9:30 AM: Wake up. No one (except the dog) slept well so we’re not in a morning mood. Spouse makes coffee and walks the dog, while I finish packing the car and give the cat a lot of attention. Our first venue tour is at 11 and the one that is the most expensive (8-10K), but also the one we probably want the most. We live about an hour away but the highway is two lanes and one accident can back everything up for hours.
10:40-1 PM: We visit our dream venue. We stay way longer than expected. Basically if the quote is under 10K, we’ll get it. Just waiting now.
1-2 PM: We get to our in-laws and have a lunch of egg salad sandwhichs. We need to buy gas. My in laws drive us to a pottery painting store.
2-4 PM: We paint pottery. My mother in law only wanted to do this for her birthday. They’ll pick it up in a week after it’s been thrown. I paint a vase (28$), Spouse paints an Easter egg (18$), father in law paints a mug (30$), and mother in law paints a plate (50$)
Total:143.36/credit card
4-5 Pm: We see another venue. It’s an instant no. My in laws decide they want to try Korean fried chicken. We call ahead for take out to get two fries and 16 pieces of half and half. It comes to 50.83$ that my in laws pay for.
5-10 PM: We come back and see that our dog has pooped in their house and also has gotten into their pantry and eaten an entire bag of dog food. It is not a fun night.
We spend the night drinking wine and discussing the wedding and watching TV.
10PM: We go to bed. That’s the end of this week, but tomorrow we will be buying gas and probably lunch for my other mother in law as we will be touring another venue.
Day Seven Total: 143.36$