u/EnchantedEnchantix

Granted, some of that was for my family (I live away from home) and some of it was Costco items (lotion, deodorant, a few necessities in bulk like that).

However, it’s genuinely shocking that I spent that much. I’m so so ashamed. I don’t know how I did that. I’m pretty good at not ordering in (I better be wtf) but this is crazy spending for 1 persons groceries.

Does anyone have any tips to keep them organized and within budget? I want to keep it under $500 (CAD). I’m too ashamed to ask anyone in my personal life because I don’t have any memory or explanation of how this happened. I’m going to start collecting my receipts so I can understand where my spending goes.

But PLEASE if anyone has any strategies, I’d really appreciate it. Would you believe me if I said this is including my 10% discount 🥲😭

I have a ft job but I’m living paycheque to paycheque. I’m hoping for a pt job (5-7 hours a week) just to help out a little. My ft job isn’t 9-5, I do have some evenings and very occasional weekends (though rarely), but I’m able to flex it Mondays and Tuesdays to finish earlier most consistently (some Fridays but not as consistent).

Does anyone have any suggestions for any pt jobs I can apply for? Preferably online but open to anything. I’m worried about burning out but I also have financial responsibilities.

Does anyone know how to improve deep sleep and rem with this medication? I find that I get very little restful sleep, even if I was active all day.

Hi hi,

I recently got the milk hydro grip primer off Sephora bazaar and I think it looks so good at first. My issue is wearing glasses and/or touching up. If I try to touch it up, it will peel right off and then start pilling. It literally peels the makeup off my face when I take off my glasses. Is this a common issue? Do people just not touch up their makeup? If so, I think I’ll go back to not using primers again 😅😅

Is the elf dupe like this too??

Hi hi,

I recently got a new job post-grad (yay!) but it only pays 62K CAD (booo). After taxes in Ontario, I take home up to ~45K. I’m moving to a new place but I want to know what I should ideally be looking to pay and I was hoping to get some help with this. As well as how much I can/should allocate towards savings, wants, and loan repayments.

Some of my fixed expenses are:

- Gas = ~$240 (depending on gas prices and how much I travel as my family lives 2.5 hours away)
- Insurance = $350/month (new driver with no record 🥲)
- Subscriptions/bills = $80.5/month (I already went through and cancelled what I could)

Here are some more fluid expenses:

- Medication/health related expenses = ~$550-600/month (it’s expensive being mentally ill lol)
- Groceries = ~$500/month
- Haircuts = $120/3-4months
- Oil change = ~$85 (not sure how many times I’ll need it a year, new driver)
- Tire change = ~$250 x 2
- Filter changes = ~$60 (again, not sure the frequency I’ll need)

Some things to consider/remember but not quite sure how to add into my budget:
- Birthday gifts and outings
- Home maintenance (since I’m moving and need new things)
- Clothing, makeup, skincare, haircare
- Entertainment
- Food + Drinks

I’m sure there are things I’m forgetting to include but I think this pretty much covers it. I do most of my beauty maintenance at home to save money, I only get haircuts. I rarely order food if I’m just sitting at home. Most of my money spent on food is either groceries or I went out with people or cafes/little treats (trying my darnest to reduce this category). I love crafts and have multiple hobbies but I spend maybe a maximum of $40 a month on them and it’s not very consistent.

I’m so sorry for this super long post. Most things I found online rely on the 50-30-20 rule but unfortunately with how expensive everything is these days, it’s hard not to spend 80% on just needs. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear it. Moving in with my family is not an option atm.

Thank you in advance :)

Has anyone been able to get an iron transfusion in London? I don’t have a family doctor and from my understanding, it’s very hard to get a referral to it. Would a walk in clinic help me? Is there a naturopath who works with a medical team here in London? My ferritin is at 25 which is below the normal range but optimal range is around 100 anyway so I’m way below that. I’ve been feeling the effects of it severely.

Any guidance would be appreciated!

I’m looking at renting a unit at 565 proudfoot lane and I’m so suspicious because everywhere else has been crazy outrageous pricing. Are there bugs there? Is it not a safe area? Is there something I should know?

I’m currently living around the west end so not that far from it and I generally like the area, however I don’t know what it’s like further down. I am leaning towards getting it but I feel uneasy because it seems too good to be true. I did search this group for reviews and found a few but only one is within the last year. The rest seem to be from 5+ years ago. If anyone has any current information or experiences with 565, I’d appreciate it!!

Salam!

I have a male therapist who specializes in the issues I’m experiencing. I used to have a Muslim female therapist who was wonderful, but she left the practice and has a full time job elsewhere and I can’t follow. So I looked in the area and I found one therapist who seemed to have all the things I was looking for help with. I’ve been seeing him for a year or so now and I’ve mostly felt okay about it because I know when it comes to health, it’s exempt (like a male doctor), especially if a woman is not possible.

However, I’m getting the point where I want to talk about some of my body image issues but I’m not sure how to go about that in an Islamic way if that makes sense? I’m a hijabi (hence the group haha) and one of the things I want to talk about is how I feel so masculine a lot of the times, one of the things contributing to it being that I have short curly hair. Is that weird to talk about? Is it haram to reference that? I don’t know. Mental health isn’t talked about where I am so I’m scared to ask a sheikh.

Also, growing up, my mom used to make me wear push up bras because she said bigger boobs would make me look smaller since I was fat. I no longer wear push up bras as an adult and I’ve lost weight, including in my breast and butt. My family makes comments about it A LOT and I feel insecure in my body. While I’m okay talking about being fat with my therapist, I don’t ever reference those specific aspects because I feel guilty and I don’t know what the right answer is.

Does anyone have any insight, opinions, or experience with this kind of thing? It would be very much appreciated!! JazzakuAllah khayr

Hi hi,

I have 3b/3c fine, high (VERY high idk why) porosity, and low density hair. My hair isn’t damaged, just gets tangled and dry after 2 maybe 3 days.

My routine:

I currently use olaplex clarifying shampoo and their regular hydrating shampoo, along with olaplex conditioner. I use aphogees 2 minute keratin treatment with verbs hydrating mask, or aphogees 2 step protein treatment (depends on the week). I also alternate with olaplex 4-in-1 hair mask (maybe once a month?).

For styling, I use innersense sweet spirit leave in, bounce me curl balm, curl keeper gel, and innersense volume mousse. I break the cast with the olaplex oil and then maintain with verb ghost oil or garnier fructis miraculous oils. I brush them all in and brush style with something similar to the bounce curl brush (a knockoff). I diffuse and sleep with a bonnet and satin pillowcase.

I bought olaplex in bulk when I was dying and bleaching my hair frequently. The last time I dyed my hair was 2023 and I haven’t had any dyed pieces left since early 2025. I’m finding that the olaplex is actually making my hair more stiff even though it was wonderful before. I know it’s primarily for damaged hair and so I think I will be retiring it until I need it again. I absolutely LOVED the verb ghost oil and their hydrating mask but I am no longer purchasing from them for political reasons.

Can anyone recommend any clarifying shampoos, hydrating shampoos, conditioners, hydrating hair masks, and an oil similar to verbs ghost oil? I would prefer drugstore to keep it affordable but I’m open to higher end as well.

Thank you in advance!

I wanna straighten my hair but my issue is that it’s SO hot, meaning that I’m sweating from my scalp. When I shower, the edges of my hair still manage to get wet no matter what I do.

In the past, I’ve just gone back and straightened it again, but I’m trying to avoid doing that bc of heat damage. I definitely noticed a texture difference when I did that consistently for some years.

What do you guys do to help mitigate the frizz and reverting back? TYIA!

Hi hi

I’m an Ontario certified teacher but I am currently working as a social worker. My pay isn’t amazing, I will be living alone, and I have tons of student loans I’m wanting to pay off. I’m thinking of doing tutoring on the side maybe 5-6 hours a week just for a little extra income.

Does anyone have any suggestions on good companies or websites or how to get your own clients? I’m technically I/S and my teachables are English and social science, but I have lots of experience with the younger grades too.

TYIA!!

Hi hi,

I’m having a pretty hard time finding rentals in the north end of London that fit my criteria (I wonder if I’m asking for too much 😭). I’m open to houses or apartments but I want to live with 1-2 other people MAX.

My main requirements is that it’s in a safe and quiet neighbourhood (I’m not a student but might be living with some but they don’t party at all), has ensuite laundry, no bugs/pests, built in 2018 and before, and it’s not a basement/no one is living in the basement. I’m personally willing to pay up to $1200 but in total w/ my other roommates, a total of $3000 max. Obviously I’d prefer for it to be under that.

Is this not doable? Am I looking at the wrong places? Should I get a realtor? I’ve been looking on Facebook marketplace, rentals and realtors. I know a lot of the family or quieter areas might reject students but I’m a recent graduate and my other roommates would be mature students who don’t drink, smoke, or party. I can also get a great reference from my landlord of 4 years and I have a credit score of 804 if that changes anything.

If anyone has any suggestions, I’d really appreciate it!! Thank you

Hi hi,

I have ADHD and I live a busy life (graduate school) which means that I don’t have a lot of time or willpower to cook. I generally hate cooking AND I’m an insanely picky eater. Like I hate eggs, hate salad dressing, hate/can’t tolerate spicy things, hate nuts, etc etc.

Ive searched up ways other people like me handle meal prepping and a lot of them get premade food from the store (like rotisserie chicken or something) but I live in Canada which means that a lot of that premade food isn’t halal. I also just suck at cooking meat 😭 I’m not even exaggerating.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what to do? Any easy meals? I’ll probably go to my local Arab store to get some preseasoned meat but every time I cook it, it turns out chewy or something.

I have low iron and low energy and have been losing weight bc I’m simply not eating proper meals. I’m living off of bags of chips and air fried foods. At least I’ll have fruits and veggies with it but it’s not great. I want to make sustainable changes.

TYIA!

Hi hi

I’m finishing my final semester rn and looking at repayment options. I was registered under permanent disabilities for OSAP. I have ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

Has anyone applied for this and had any success? Anything I should know about? I saw the form and downloaded it and will be talking to my doctor about it. I just don’t know if the chances of me getting it are low.

I’m applying for a job that pays between 58-62K + living alone. I spend some money on medication + therapy related to my diagnoses. I have about 85K in loans.

Any tips would be appreciated!! Thank you!

I got a new job and was considering living alone as I don’t know anyone I would room with. I’m looking for places in northwest part of London.

Is this plausible? I haven’t lived on my own before and I’ve been lucky enough to pay under 1k in rent in student housing.

My car insurance costs $370, gas about $240 a month, give or take depending on travel, groceries are around $450 a month, + bills and subscriptions are roughly $150 if I’m rounding up. That’s about $1,200 a month without rent, about $14.520K a year.

Perhaps this is silly but I also noticed that Ontario taxes will take about 11K when I used the online calculator, making my actual income $47K. This is my first job where I’ve been taxed a proper amount as I’ve been making 30K and less previously.

I’d also like to build a small savings and start paying off my student loans, at least the one that can gain interest. I worry that with all these bills, I won’t be able to survive on my own but I also have never done it so I’m not sure what’s possible.

TYIA!