1. “See ya later, Mom and Dad!” Powerpoint by E. Munro

2.  You are an 18-year-old student at Marc Garneau C.I.  You are about to graduate, and you want to work full-time for a year to save money for College  Your parents are moving to another city, but you want to stay in Toronto and live independently  You have a full-time job at Longo’s grocery store on Laird Drive in the Leaside Village plaza  To save the most money possible, rent budget maximum is $600/month

3.  My search criteria was:  T3 Zone in Toronto  Rent up to $599  Shared house, Bachelor or 1-Bedroom  Furnished or Unfurnished  Including basement apartments.

5.  Rent is within budget: $500/month  Rent includes Utilities (…Hydro, water, gas, etc.)  Also includes internet!  Private bedroom with hardwood floors  The room comes furnished with a Queen-sized bed.

6.  The Bathroom is shared with one other person.  No onsite laundry – must go to a local Laundromat.  “Canadian Coin Laundry & Dry Cleaner” is on Pape Avenue… a 15-minute walk away, or I can take the bus 10 mins.

7.  Shared home with 4 other “quiet professionals”  There is Parking  Common areas are the kitchen, brand-new deck, and large backyard!  The backyard slopes onto the Don Valley Ravine 

8. KITCHENHALLWAY/STAIRS GARAGE (for storage)

9.  By Bus: 8 minutes on the 56 Leaside bus

12.  Loblaws @ Redway Road  Iqbal Halal Foods @ Thorncliffe Park Drive  Food Basics @ Overlea  Or… SHOP AT MY WORKPLACE, Longo’s @ Laird Drive

13.  Shoppers Drug Mart @ Pape & Cosburn (14-minute walk)  S. Walter Stewart Library @ Coxwell & Cosburn (18-minute walk)

14.  Scotia Bank @ Pape & Gowan (14-minute walk)  TD Bank @ Pape & Cosburn (15-minute walk)  CIBC Bank @ Pape & Cosburn (15-minute walk)  Toronto East General @ Coxwell & Mortimer (15-20 mins by bus)  Pape Medical Clinic Walk-In @ Pape & Cosburn (15-minute walk)

15.  Frog’s Gym (20 minute walk)  Fight Club Martial Arts (1 minute walk)  Cross-Fit Quantum (15 minute bus ride)  All within 45 minutes by TTC:  SilverCity Yonge-Eglinton  Cineplex Eglinton Town Centre  Fairview Mall, Yorkdale Mall, Danforth Music Hall

16.  WORKING FULL-TIME (35/HOURS PER WEEK) AT $11.25/HOUR…  GROSS SALARY BI-WEEKLY IS $787.50  NET SALARY IS $681.94 (Taxes, CPP and EI are deducted)  TOTAL TAKE-HOME PAY PER MONTH = $1363.88

17.  INCOME = $1363.88  RENT = $500  SAVINGS = $500  That leaves $363/month for:  Cell phone (texts, data, calls)  Transportation (bus, taxis, rental cars)  Entertainment (gym, movies, shopping, concerts)  Laundry (detergent & coins for laundromat)  Hygiene products (shampoo, deodorant, etc.)

18.  That is more than enough to pay for the first year of a college program!  For example, Business Administration Project Management Program @ George Brown costs $3,467 per year.  The extra savings can be put aside for the following year’s tuition, and/or to supplement my income and costs while studying.