passion...schmassion

Day 10091 1/2:  Downtown Toronto, lakefront living for only $350/month...

Downtown, lakefront, 10 minutes walk to Queen and Yonge, close to all amenities, restaurants, bars, etc.  All for the low, low, LOW price of $350/month...
 
... let me begin by telling you the story of a young, naive, possibly spoiled girl (who shall remain nameless) who wanted nothing more than a brand new car.  Life was good - good job, low rent, good friends... great lifestyle.  So happy as she was, she bought one - a black little Vibe, she nicknamed JP.  Alas, things were not meant to be for the poor little girl.  Somewhere along the process, she was screwed by the dealer and forced to use up her entire life savings and borrow exorbitant amounts from El Banco de Mama to pay for her dream car, not realizing, of course, that El Banco de Mama would have crazy inhuman exorbitant repayment demands as well.  Then came a time of trouble, and the girl (who is no longer as young and naive as she used to be...but that story, we'll save for another time... oh wait... read Day 10085...), strapped for cash, felt cornered and hopeless.  Until one day, a not-so-little fairy (aka ICBBQ) sat down beside her and listened to her bitch and complain... while he spoke, oh-so-happily of the new condo lease he had just signed... downtown, lakefront property... 10 minutes walk to King and Yonge... close to amenities, restaurants and bars, all for the low, low... HELL-NOT-SO-LOW price of $1250/month (give or take a penny or two).
 
WTF???  Who can afford rent of $1250/month?
 
"Not I!" thought the poor little girl, and went back to bitching and complaining about the crazy monthly payments she was making to El Banco de Mama.  Crazy monthly payments which after her high cost of living will leave her with $500 in the bank... if she's lucky, and IF she sticks to the budget that she's already gone over for the month.
 
*Sigh*  Resigned to her fate, she stared gloomily at the Swiss Chalet chicken sandwich and soup she bought, but didn't really feel like eating... more money down the drain... *sigh* ... how to live downtown, away from El Banco de Mama, but still be able to make the crazy inhuman exorbitant loan payments... hmmmm...
 
Then all of a sudden.  A brainwave.  An idea of such great magnitude, that I (oops SHE) was dumbstruck.  For a split second, she couldn't think of what to say, but then... then, the words just started pouring out.  Can't sell the car, can't figure out how to make MORE money, not willing to give up the great lifestyle... so what if... No, could it work?  YES!!!  SHE COULD LIVE IN THE CAR!!!
 
expenses: 
                    monthly parking downtown lot...       $200.00
                    dogsitting when not "home"...              150.00
 
                    total cost                                                 $350.00 /month
 
$350/month ... too good to be true?  Oh, but it isn't.  In fact, it's so ridiculously possible that I don't know why I never thought about it before... so ridiculously affordable, that I don't know why more people don't do it.  Sure, it may be a little unorthodox, and maybe a little teeny weeny bit cramped, but I'm positive that the Toot and I will be quite comfortable.  It'll be cosy if nothing else.  AND, it gives me options... 
 
A nice air mattress, a ton of pillows a sleeping bag or two - a couple of curtains for a little *ahem* privacy... what more does a girl need.  She's got showers and a locker at the climbing gym.  There's restaurants, movie theatres, bathrooms and friends nearby... she's got privacy, NO ROOMMATE, no utilities cost, A VIEW... what more could a girl possibly want...
 
Have house, will travel - how easy can it be... car-living... Ahhhh, that is the life...  I'm so excited, I'm going home to pack!