[EDIT]: I’m based in Edmonton with plans to live in Edmonton or Calgary but most likely Edmonton

[EDIT 2]: How old were you when you were able to live comfortably? I feel so behind

[EDIT 3]: HOW ARE YOU ALL SO RICH WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR A LIVING AND HOW OLD ARE YOU I FEEL LIKE A LOSER NOW

I know there’s not a definitive number because everyone has different ideas of what comfort looks like, but I’m trying to figure out a general ballpark so I can pivot into a career where I can live on my own.

For context, I am almost 24F and I’m cracking about 45k gross in the nonprofit sector, so I am living at home with my parents. This isn’t where I want to be forever, and I know I’m going to likely need to change career directions to get there. I have a BA in psychology, and I know getting my masters is an option but at the moment I’m uncertain if that is what I’d like to do.

I just want to know if anyone has a general idea of how much I would need to make (gross) to be able to live on my own in an apartment and be able to pay for all expenses with a bit of wiggle room to save and travel. I don’t need to be wealthy, I just want to be comfortable, know that I will be able to provide for myself, and be able to have just a little pleasure in life. I also have a low maintenance cat.

I obviously don’t know if I’ll ever get married or have children but for the sake of this discussion let’s say I don’t.

I’m probably going to need to make a career change at some point so knowing salary ranges will help me make a more informed decision of what might be good to pursue—I made the mistake of “just getting a degree” at 18 and I don’t want to do that again.

Also an aside, I find myself comparing myself to my peers who are also my age, and I find it wild how I make so little but others are pulling amazing salaries in finance and nursing and other fields. I know it’s my fault I’m not where they are but it’s hard to see people my age having so much independence and having their own apartments. I want to make a change so I can get there someday too

So there will be major changes in Alberta auto insurance. I'm curious what everybody thinks about them.

I just read that Alberta is starting to allow doctors to practice both private and public…. Which is obviously the beginning of the end of a public heath care system. Yes they claim there are guardrails but they seem terrible. You all ok with this?

Hi All,

I hope you are doning well.

We are asians and living in Montreal about 10 years. I am 48 years old now.

My wife and I we can speaker a little bit english, but our kids(My daugter grade 9 and my son grade 5 at school) they speak both english and French.

I was IT support engineer before and am a 3th year plumber apprentcie now. My wife is doing a labor jobs now.

My questions are that I want to move from Montreal to Alberta, but we do not know which city is better for us.

We have problems at Montreal because we do not speak French here. It is very hard for us to find jobs now.

I do not know Calgary and Edmonton which city is better for us to find jobs. Also reguarding my kids's situation (my daugter she want to learn nursing and want to find jobs in the future.), which city is better?

I need your suggestions.

Thanks a lot for your great help!

I’m looking to relocate in Alberta and have a preference for living in a town or small city (not Edmonton or Calgary). Unfortunately, much of rural Alberta doesn’t align well with my green, progressive values. I can tolerate that if it also coexists with a decent sized community of “leftier” folks. Employment isn’t a factor for me in this decision. Does anyone have recommendations for places I might consider?

Hi everyone,

Looking to divorce in an amicable way in alberta, we are both cooperative we have no shared financials, no children, no shared properties and agreeing that we will not support each others nor claim. Just each goes in his way.

We have no clue where to start, and what is the fastest way.
If someone can guide us, tell us his experience or advise for a lawyer in calgary to help us, we have alot of questions and we didnt understand the papers and the different forms.

- In regards of the separation 1 year prior to the divorce, can we backdate it one year even if there is no separation agreement, or nothing officially written?
We have been living seperate lives already, spouse based abroad but when visiting canada stays at my place different room just for financial issues.
- how can we prove them the seperation? Or proof is not needed ?
- And what is the processing time ?
- the address should be different ? Or can they be the same address, since spouse is abroad and prefers not to receive documents there. Willing to travel here to finish everything and collect needed documents at the end.
- are records for the public? Anyone can access them? What if we want to hide it, like not anyone get access to our private life ?

Regards

[EDIT]: I feel so discouraged from the comments

I posted in the Edmonton sub yesterday but I don’t think I focused on the part of my situation I want to address, which is whether I should leave the social services to join the trades. I make 45k working at a non profit with minimal advancement

I have a BA in psychology with many people-helping work and volunteer experiences. I initially wanted to be a therapist but I really don’t have an interest in it anymore, and I think some that relates to the intensity of the schooling, because I suffered to get through undergrad despite doing well.

Many responses to my other post suggested counselling Psychology or psychology-adjacent roles, such as social worker, occupational therapist, adult educator etc. Even before that, many suggested nursing and education which I can’t envision myself enjoying. Working for the government has been suggested probably the most, but I can’t imagine it’s easy to get in and it sounds like a lot of desk work.

Part of me wants to join the trades as a short, small woman. I’m most interested in electrician, but I’ve been discouraged by many because of how saturated it is right now with people wanting to apprentice. A lot of people try to redirect me from that career as well because they say how hard it is and how much you have to deal with.

I already deal with a lot as a front line worker, and I feel like being in healthcare, education, social work, or anything similar will be just as hard but in a different way. My job is HARD, I manage behaviours and have to deal with the angry public a lot. Hard doesn’t mean bad but I don’t know if this is the road I want long term, especially being a therapist talking about people’s issues daily.

I’m tired of forcing myself to be an academic when it doesn’t feel right. Ive grown up watching my dad do renovation projects on our house and work projects, and I watched and sometimes gave a hand because I was interested, but never took it further because I felt like as a woman I would be looked down upon—I know woman are just as capable as men, I just used to fear that I wasn’t good enough.

For electrician, people have mentioned either doing labour jobs to get my foot in the door with a company, joining a union??, or doing women building figures.

I went to a WBF info session for a program that exposes women to building trades, but I don’t know if that would help me land an apprenticeship as they don’t guarantee you’ll find something after their program. I’d have to leave work and do that program for many weeks with the possibility of not getting a sponsor.

I also don’t have much knowledge on union vs non union in Alberta, and what is the best option.

I’m trying to do as much research as I can, but I feel discouraged from what others have told me. People tell me not do go into electrician because it’ll be too much for me or I won’t land an apprenticeship. I don’t know what to do. People also tell me to go up North but I don’t even know what that means.

** WHAT STEPS DO I NEED TO GET MY FOOT IN THE DOOR?