Budget Beavers — Articles https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/ Articles from the Budget Beavers desk — Canadian FIRE math, housing, cars, tax, and budgeting, with every claim run through our own calculators. en-ca Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT The $812 Confession: Our Restaurant Budget Was a Work of Fiction https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/credit-card-confession-812-restaurants/ https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/credit-card-confession-812-restaurants/ An Ottawa couple budgeted $300/mo for restaurants. Eight months of statements said $812. On visibility, shame, and choosing your number on purpose. Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT At 6.09%, a $700K Toronto Condo Never Breaks Even in 10 Years https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/rent-vs-buy-toronto-2026-break-even/ https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/rent-vs-buy-toronto-2026-break-even/ We ran our rent-vs-buy calculator twice on the same $700K Toronto condo — at the stale 5.49% default, then the real 6.09%. The verdict flipped entirely. Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT RRSP or TFSA First? For Helen, the Order Is Worth $26,541 https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/rrsp-or-tfsa-first-drawdown-order/ https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/rrsp-or-tfsa-first-drawdown-order/ Two confident advisers gave Helen, 61, opposite withdrawal orders. We ran her $500k retirement through the live drawdown tool: the order is worth $26,541. Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT David's 13 Years: What Happens to a Vancouver FIRE Plan in Chiang Mai https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/davids-9-years-chiang-mai-fire/ https://budget-beaver.ca/blog/davids-9-years-chiang-mai-fire/ David, 41, has $680,000 and a 13-year runway to retirement in Metro Vancouver. The same numbers in Chiang Mai say he is already done. Here's the honest math. Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT