We have a cost of ownership problem in this country.
Agree that the cost of living is a bigger issue, even though the year-over-year inflation rate fell to 7% in August from 7.6% in July. But the cost of owning everything we buy comes with expenses that can easily add up to hundreds of dollars a month for a household. Exhausted by your efforts to cut costs by buying less? Getting rid of some of what you already own might help.
The burden of owning a lot of stuff is evident whenever a vacant lot in your city is filled with storage units. Storage units are a growing business because families have too many things to keep at home.
Include my family in this group. We have a storage locker containing remnants of the downsizing my wife and I did a few years ago when we moved from our family home to a condo. There is a bag of hockey gear belonging to one of our boys, a few bits of camping and fishing gear, various filing folders, and boxes of photos and keepsakes.
I keep planning a family summit meeting to strategize how to get rid of the unit, but that hasn’t happened yet. I’m thinking maybe this weekend, unless I find some easier problems to solve.
Our suburban Ottawa storage unit is a small unit that costs just under $100 per month. Some Google searches revealed that medium and large units can cost you up to $300 to $400 or more per month, with units in larger cities costing more than smaller ones. I can say from experience that the cost of a storage unit increases steadily.
Emptying a large storage unit is a big undertaking, so consider a two-step process. Reduce your holdings enough to move to a medium or small unit at first, then set a 12 month time limit to further downsize or get rid of the unit altogether.
Last spring, I set myself the goal of finishing our storage unit by the end of the summer. Hope you have more success with downsizing than me.
Subscribe to Carrick on Money
Do you read this newsletter on the web or did someone email you the version? If so, you can sign up for Carrick on Money here.
Rob’s Personal Finance Reading List
What Costco teaches us about inflation
A look at the threat inflation poses to household finances this fall, prompted by a trip to Costco to stock up on family essentials.
Where are we on iPhone prices
A global comparison of iPhone prices shows that Canada ranks among the cheapest countries. That said, iPhone prices have become three times more expensive over the past 15 years.
Life, Death and Your Spouse
The Blunt Bean Counter blog on discussing your estate plan with your spouse. If you died, would your spouse have the necessary information about your financial assets? Is there a roadmap for dealing with estate planning issues?
The Great Resignation, one year later
Meet five women in the United States who quit their jobs last fall or were planning to. How did things go?
Ask Rob
Q: Do I have to sell mutual funds in my Tax-Free Savings Account to pay off my mortgage?
A: This is the type of question best addressed by a financial planner who can take into account the many variables that need to be addressed here. Some questions to consider: How urgent is it to pay off the mortgage? Are you concerned about higher renewal payments because interest rates have skyrocketed? What rate of return did you get in the TFSA, and how does that compare to the rate on your mortgage? If you are unhappy with your mutual funds, what other investments could you consider to improve returns? Besides the TFSA, what other investments do you have to achieve your financial goals, including a comfortable retirement? All in all, it’s not a decision to make without an analysis of your wider finances.
Do you have a question for me? Send me. Sorry I can’t answer each one personally. Questions and answers are edited for length and clarity.
Today’s Financial Calculator
Here’s the best calculator I’ve seen on the cost of raising kids. A must have for new parents.
The cashless zone
I love the serene vibe of this new song, Soul Revivers’ Why Dub.
From the Twitter universe
A tweet just about extravagant investment claims involving cryptocurrency.
In case you missed these Globe and Mail articles on personal finance
More Rob Carrick and Financial Hedging
Subscribe to Stress Test on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more money stories, follow me on Instagram and Twitter, and join the discussion on my Facebook page. Gen Y readers, join our Gen Y Money Facebook group.
Even more Rob Carrick coverage:
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jshttps://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js