u/mejdicirn

Hi all,

I’ve been working in Big 4 audit for about two years now. I’m really into snowboarding, but unfortunately busy season makes it pretty difficult to get out much during the winter.

I’m thinking about planning a snowboarding trip to Western Canada at the end of March and wanted to get some opinions on whether taking vacation around that time is looked down on or not.

I have three main clients during busy season. I roll off one file in late December, another in mid-February, and my last one in late March. My plan would be to take a week of vacation immediately after I roll off that final March file.

I asked a manager I work with frequently what she thought, and she said it should be fine. I’m probably overthinking it, but I’m curious what other people in Big 4 audit think. Is taking a week off right after your final busy-season file generally reasonable, or could it still be frowned upon?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on whether the Scotiabank Gold Amex is worth it for my situation, or if there’s another card that would be a better fit.

About me:
$75-80k annual income
~810 credit score
No debt
Always pay my credit cards in full
Current cards:
BMO Cashback Mastercard (no annual fee)
Simplii Cashback Visa (no annual fee)
Current credit limits:
$3,000
$5,000

Monthly spending (roughly):
Total: $800–$1,200
Restaurants/eating out: biggest category
Public transit and Uber
Groceries: ~$150–300/month
Miscellaneous shopping

Travel:
I only travel about once a year.
I don’t have loyalty to any airline or hotel chain. I usually just book whatever flight/hotel or all-inclusive is the best deal.
I’m about to book a $4,000 Expedia vacation package, so I could easily hit a welcome bonus spending requirement.

My questions:
Is the Scotiabank Gold Amex worth the $120 annual fee for someone like me?
Is the first-year welcome bonus the main reason to get it, or does it continue to provide good value after that?
Since I already have two no-fee cashback cards, is the Scotia Gold enough of an upgrade to justify the annual fee?
Is there another credit card you think would be a better fit for my spending and travel habits?

Thanks in advance!

Hi all,

My girlfriend and I rent a condo in Toronto in a building that is over 20 years old. We recently reported four issues:
- The blinds still raise/lower, but the tilt cord and plastic attachment came off.
- A sliding door has become misaligned and catches the floor.
- A wood floor plank is loose and has cracked slightly.
- The front door lock is becoming increasingly loose.

To the best of my recollection, the lock and floor plank were already somewhat loose when we moved in. The blinds and sliding door worked initially but deteriorated over time.

Our landlord says the unit was rented “as is,” that all four issues were caused by us, and that we must pay for the repairs. He is threatening to serve an N5 if they are not repaired by the end of the month.

Our lease also says the tenant is not responsible for damage caused by normal wear and tear, and that the landlord will arrange necessary repairs after being notified.

We take good care of the unit and are willing to pay for anything we actually damaged through negligence. These issues seem more like aging fixtures and ordinary maintenance.

Do these sound like normal wear and tear or tenant-caused damage? Does the “as is” wording make us responsible, and what should we do about the N5 threat?

Thanks.

Hi all,

My girlfriend and I rent a condo in Toronto in a building that is over 20 years old. We recently reported four issues:
- The blinds still raise/lower, but the tilt cord and plastic attachment came off.
- A sliding door has become misaligned and catches the floor.
- A wood floor plank is loose and has cracked slightly.
- The front door lock is becoming increasingly loose.

To the best of my recollection, the lock and floor plank were already somewhat loose when we moved in. The blinds and sliding door worked initially but deteriorated over time.

Our landlord says the unit was rented “as is,” that all four issues were caused by us, and that we must pay for the repairs. He is threatening to serve an N5 if they are not repaired by the end of the month.

Our lease also says the tenant is not responsible for damage caused by normal wear and tear, and that the landlord will arrange necessary repairs after being notified.

We take good care of the unit and are willing to pay for anything we actually damaged through negligence. These issues seem more like aging fixtures and ordinary maintenance.

Do these sound like normal wear and tear or tenant-caused damage? Does the “as is” wording make us responsible, and what should we do about the N5 threat?

Thanks.

Hi all,

I have IBS-D and live in a large city in North America, so day-to-day life generally isn’t too much of an issue. There are usually public restrooms nearby, and most stores are pretty accommodating if I need to use one.

That said, I’m interested in travelling more and haven’t done much international travel yet. My IBS is one of the main things holding me back. I’d love to visit countries in Western Europe and various places throughout Asia, but the thought of being somewhere unfamiliar and potentially not having easy access to a restroom makes me nervous.

For those of you with IBS-D who travel regularly, especially internationally, how do you manage it? Do you have any tips, strategies, or things you wish you had known before travelling abroad?

Thanks!

Hi all,

I’m looking to get a new pair of white minimalist sneakers.

I’ve come across a couple of pairs of Geoxs that are very reasonably priced and look nice. Does anyone has experience with them?

I’m also considering Cole Hann and Thursday.

I can’t get a lot of other popular brands as they don’t ship to Canada (Beckett Simonon, Greats, etc).

Thanks!

Hey all,

Looking to grab a new pair of casual minimalist white sneakers for dinner and what not.

I’ve found a couple online and wondered if anyone has experience with them.

- Cole Hann Grand Kittery Court Shoes
- Beckett Simonon Reid
- Beckett Simonon Corso
- Beckett Simonon Morgen
- Great Royale 2.0

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working in Big 4 audit for about 1.5 years and have noticed that many of my coworkers seem eager to get staffed on the largest engagements. I work in a large city office, so there are plenty of clients of different sizes, but there definitely seems to be a preference for the biggest files.

From what I’ve seen, these engagements typically involve larger teams, longer hours, and year-round involvement. Personally, I’m currently assigned to three main clients, all of which are large public companies, and I’m pretty happy with my setup.

I’m curious, are there any advantages of being on the largest files? Is it better for career progression, learning opportunities, visibility with leadership, or something else?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working in Big 4 audit for about 1.5 years and have noticed that many of my coworkers seem eager to get staffed on the largest engagements. I work in a large city office, so there are plenty of clients of different sizes, but there definitely seems to be a preference for the biggest files.

From what I’ve seen, these engagements typically involve larger teams, longer hours, and year-round involvement. Personally, I’m currently assigned to three main clients, all of which are large public companies, and I’m pretty happy with my setup.

I’m curious, are there any advantages of being on the largest files? Is it better for career progression, learning opportunities, visibility with leadership, or something else?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m in the market for a new helmet for next season and came across the Smith Method MIPS at a great price. I was wondering if anyone here has experience with it.

From what I’ve seen online, it looks like a great helmet, but I’d love to hear some real-world opinions. Does it look as good in person as it does in the photos? What goggles pair well with it? And are there any pros, cons, or other things I should know before pulling the trigger?

I’ve also seen the Smith Rodeo and was wondering if one helmet is superior over the other.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I struggle with extremely dry hands (often cracking and turning into deep cuts), and was thinking that getting better hand soap would be a good idea.

I have read online that Dove Advanced Care Deep Moisture Hand Wash seems to be quite good for dry hands and wanted to get opinions/experiences.

Thanks!

Hi,

I’m looking to book a snowboard trip in late March (would go Jan/Feb but can’t due to work). I was wondering out of the below options, which has the best conditions during late March?

- Mont Tremblant
- Vermont
- British Columbia (anywhere in the province)
- Alberta (anywhere in the province)

Thanks!

Hi,

I’m looking to book a snowboard trip in late March (would go Jan/Feb but can’t due to work). I was wondering out of the below options, which has the best conditions during late March?

- Mont Tremblant
- Vermont
- British Columbia (anywhere in the province)
- Alberta (anywhere in the province)

Thanks!

Hi,

My girlfriend and I (we are both 23) are planning a vacation to either Punta Cana or Cancun this coming October (mid/late October).

We came across Rui Latino and are wondering if it is a good fit for us and if anyone has opinions/experiences with it.

Our preferences are:
- Adult only
- Not too busy (preferably don’t have to wake up super early to get a seat beside the pool/beach)
- Good food
- Good pools
- Nice room
- Clean
- Not a crazy party place

Thanks.

Hi,

My girlfriend and I (we are both 23) are planning a vacation to either Punta Cana or Cancun this coming October (mid/late October).

We came across TRS Turquesa and are wondering if it is a good fit for us and if anyone has opinions/experiences with it.

Our preferences are:
- Adult only
- Not too busy (preferably don’t have to wake up super early to get a seat beside the pool/beach)
- Good food
- Good pools
- Nice room
- Clean
- Not a crazy party place

Also, we have read that the restaurants are spread across multiple resorts that they are linked to. Is this the case? If so, are the other resorts adult only, or will we see kids?

Thanks.

Hi,

My question is the title of my post. The bag is on marketplace for a great deal and wanted to make sure it’s not too large. I haven’t had a snowboard bag before so I’m not too sure.

Thanks.

Hi everyone,

From what I understand, the main exit opportunities from Big 4 Audit seem to be things like FP&A/corporate finance roles in industry, fund accounting (including potentially in PE), internal audit, and similar paths.

For me personally, the actual day-to-day work across these options all seems relatively equal in terms of enjoyment, so I’m trying to think more about long-term compensation and lifestyle.

I’m 23 right now, and until around 30, I’m okay working somewhat longer hours (around 50/week) if it means higher earning potential and stronger career growth. Longer term though, I’d ideally like to transition into something closer to 40 hours/week with solid work-life balance.

Given that, which path tends to offer the best combination of:

- strong earning potential in your 20s,
- good long-term compensation growth,
- and the ability to eventually settle into a more balanced lifestyle later on?

Would especially appreciate hearing from people who started in Big 4 Audit and made one of these moves.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m pretty new to investing and had a question about ETFs and TFSA investing.

Every month I contribute to my TFSA and buy ETFs (usually around $1,000/month). Over the past week or so, the ETFs I invest in have gone up a lot, like 12%, and it feels kind of weird buying when prices are already so high.

Should I just keep investing consistently every month regardless of whether the market is up or down? Or does it make sense to wait a bit when things jump that much?

Thanks!