Moving to Nanaimo

[Foxglove]

Yeah, I think it's a major score. I totally got shafted when I got this place. I just feel sorry for the person who takes it when I move, the rent will jump to at least $900. I've been here...3 yrs in April so i got it cheaper when I moved in.

I totally checked Nanaimo bus passes...$60.75 for adult. I'm so jealous. It costs me $84.75...le sigh.

How much is minimum wage at least? I don't know if it's the same as Ontario, ours is almost $10. Not that I'm minimum wage, commission, which is sometimes just as bad, haha.

Yeah but so what, if your place does what it's suppose to, provides warmth and shelter, what else do you need. If I didn't have cats to bring with me, I wouldn't be so picky as looking for a bigger place. I've done extensive search for apartments there, and even their bachelors are like over $500, so you are most lucky indeed.

Whatever will be will be. I'm sure I'll find the place I'm meant to. I know it will be so worth it. I've been thinking about this for 3 years now and really, city life blows, so it's not like I'm going to get disappointed. Moving won't be so expensive, more like, refurnishing an apartment because I have to get rid of all my crap to move. And furniture and beds are expensive, I know because I sell it, lol. So I have to somehow figure out a way to fit my life into 5 rubbermaid containers to ship via greyhound. And then whatever luggage I'm allowed on the plane....or I might VIA rail it to BC. I haven't quite decided yet. But with the cats..probably plane. Less stress for the animals.

[Geoff]

I did do well getting my place for what I did. You are paying lots where you are, and I agree you got shafted. Someone after you will really pay. Minimum wage here isn't much off Ontario. Not sure exactly, but in the $9-10 range is a safe estimate, give or take. My place does what it is supposed to. Provides the basics, and small but effective. Having cats would cause one to be picky, on the size of a place. Been there, done that and had to give my cats up over it. I remember when bachelors were under $500 as the place I lived in with my ex back when we were together was under $500. Times have changed and not really for the best. I'm sure you'll find something workable for you. A big move in the works for a long time, and a change of pace can only be good. Hopefully what you sell goes quickly, and yes you would know on furniture and beds being expensive. Fitting your life into 5 rubbermaid containers won't be easy, and I am sure there will be some tough calls. Sending things by plane is likely quicker, and for the animals less stressful. Hopefully all works out. Got to believe that it will, and remember it does pay to shop around.

[Foxglove]

Well that's good to know. If I don't find something awesome, at least the minimum wage would be enough to cover my expenses. Aww, it sucks you had to give up your cats, I hope they went to a good home. How did you manage two people in a bachelor, was it a decent size?

Yeah it's been in the works for awhile now. Too bad I didn't put away money because then I wouldn't have to rely on my tax return next year, haha. Then again, I waited 4 yrs for my tiger tattoo and the $720 just appeared when I wanted it done. Sometimes the universe isn't only Murphey's law. :P

I'm actually not selling anything. I'm giving away all my furniture including my bed, which I just bought in January, oh well. I'll just have to make sure they are larger rubbermaids. My books are going to be the biggest problem. I already got rid of half of them, and I could still fill two containers with them. That'll probably be the hardest thing to get rid of, I love all the books I have now. They are my favourite of everything.

It will work out. I know it. Three years of thinking about it, I will make it work. Thank you for taking the time to respond. You've been really helpful and awesome. It's nice talking to new people.

[Smokey©]

A possible way of saving money shipping boxes or crates out is to use Canada Post. A few years ago, we found it the cheapest way to send heavy boxes half way across the country.

The Minimum Wage in BC is the lowest in Canada - $8.00. Our food prices may be slightly higher here also.

To check out our food prices, here are a couple of Western Canadian and local store web sites. Quality Foods - SaveOnFoods - Thrifty's

If you are successful in the furniture business on a commission basis, there should be a few places here for you to inquire about, one being The Brick.

[Foxglove]

Awesome! Thanks for the links. I'll look into Canada Post as well.

I actually work for Sears, so I would just transfer to the location in Nanaimo. But only if they needed staff, otherwise, I would probably go to the Brick for sure.

[Geoff]

Giving up the cats was awful. I hated it. But it had to be done. I never want to do something like that again. I was emotionally down over it. I think they did go to a good home. The bachelor was a decent size that we were in. Putting away money ahead of the fact would have been good, but at least you have things moving. Got to keep things moving, and that isn't always easy. It is hard getting rid of things before you move. Some tough calls have to be made. But when you come out here you can always start fresh. It sounds like you have a good attitude on this move, and that can only be a positive. You are most welcome for my time and glad I could help. Even though I have been a member of this forum for a little while, I enjoy talking to new people too.

[Geoff]

Bus passes are cheaper in Nanaimo than here. Here they are $76 from what I remember. I buy bus tickets as I walk most of the time, and bus if need be, such as in bad weather. Don't let what I said about Victoria being expensive, put you off on here. Should things work, I definitely recommend a road trip here. No pressure though. I do take several road trips to Nanaimo each year, and am coming up later in the month. Again not trying to put you off.

[Foxglove]

Yeah I can imagine how hard it would be to give them away, they become your children. I live on the 10th floor, and last year Toby fell out the window. When I realized what happened I was in hysterics. He was climbing the screen and it broke. When I saw the broken screen, my heart dropped, I thought he was dead. I looked out the window and saw him look up at me and he was meowing. I freaked out. When I got him to the vets, and about $700 later, he had broken his tail and fractured his pelvis. He's almost completely healed, he can't move the tip of his tail to about 1/3 of the way up. But I was devastated, I still think about what would've happened if he had died, it's heartbreaking.

As for getting rid of stuff, the plan is to start fresh. I'm not really attached to material things, just some stuff. Of course I have a positive attitude, there is no way in this Earth, that moving would be worse than continuing to live in Ottawa or go back home to Hamilton to be near my family. Screw that noise. The only downfall to this move is going to be money and that's it. It's hard to keep things moving though, it's like a kid in a candy store, you just want what you want. This lesson in patience is irritating, haha.

Ah no worries, the only thing that puts me off of Victoria is that it's a city, lmao. I really can't handle people anymore. I'm just too different from them to associate with, other than for customer services purposes at work, and my coworkers are pretty damn awesome. Which helps. I don't understand people. I don't know why they do the things they do. I don't get why people just can't be nice to each other and live in love consciousness. It alludes my brain, so I try and avoid people if I can help it, lol. But BC seems pretty chill, so maybe there are more open hearts like mine out there. One can only wait and see and hope.

[Nostradama]

Yeah see, that was the thing. Apartment searching, I've done extensive in both cities, you seem to get more bang for your buck in Nanaimo. And I'm ALL about saving money. As my rent is almost $800 as it is, and I want to bring it down to at least $650 when I move, whether or not that's inclusive is another story, but whatever. Nanaimo seems to have pretty decent size apartments for under $800 which is awesome for me.

I'd really check out whether or not you're able to rent with pets, especially if you've been looking at apartments that really are apartments in apartment buildings, as opposed to suites in single family dwellings. An increasing number of buildings won't accept pets. I now rent, and having heard some absolute horror stories here where I live, I can understand why. It's not the fault of the animals, it's the fault of their owners.

About the worst I've heard was a couple who rented an apartment and brought with them a pair of dogs which they were either breeding, or intending to breed, which they never took outside. They covered the wall-to-wall carpet with tarps, and figured that would do it. No. When the smell got bad enough that people in neighbouring apartments complained, they got the standard "notice to inspect" and there was damage waaay beyond what their damage deposit would ever cover.

Now, everyone's pets are "grandfathered" in, as in you can keep your existing pet until it dies, but you can't get another pet. There's even a list of which apartments have pets, what the pet is, what approximate breed, what approximate weight. After the experience I've described above and others that weren't much better, I can understand why he's so careful. He's paid thousands of dollars to repair damage caused by animals that were just acting the way animals act--but the humans didn't do what we'd all reasonably expect them to do in looking after them. He didn't like doing it, but a few inconsiderate people just forced him to the wall. When I phoned to report that my cat had died suddenly (for the list to be updated), for example, he did darned near everything except send flowers and a sympathy card. Nice guy, pushed too far.

Have you ever shipped animals by air before?

Make sure you get a chance, if you can, to have a good look at apartments renting at about $650, even if it's only via pix, altho I've known people who've rented here from a distance and then arrived to discover that the rental really wasn't anywhere near as good as it appeared in the pix.

My "seniors service/cleaning lady" (I only get her because we both smoke, and I'm a "grandfathered in" smoker) has contracts with several owners of apartment buildings and revenue properties, to do "move out" cleaning and some of the stories she's told me about what her employees have faced when they've gone in are just beyond description.

[Foxglove]

Yeah that's one thing I noticed, not a lot of animal friendly places. But it seems there are more "small pet" friendly apartments. I've seen a few. That's already something I looked into. It's going to be hard to apartment view. But my two best friends who I'm moving with, they're married, his parents live in Nanaimo, so I can always get them to scout out places I'm interested in. So that's not really a worry. Plus I have some family out in BC, not sure where they live so I'll have to look into that as well.

I've never shipped animals by air before. I've never shipped animals at all. I imagine it won't be pleasant. But I'm hoping to get some kitty gravol or something to keep them calm during flight. But seeing as planes only go to Victoria, it'll be another story getting the animals and myself to Nanaimo. Right now, it's just looking to be a big pain in the ass, but whatever, it will all work out. If money wasn't an issue, I wouldn't have so many concerns as my resources will be limited. So, we shall see how things unfold over the next few months. But I'm hopeful. I will move, lol.

Also, people are pigs and tend to ruin everything for the individuals who have respect for property and other things. It's unfortunate. Thus one of my reasons for not liking people, haha.