I’ll admit, in the past I have not been a big fan of Winnipeg. My unimpressed attitude contributed greatly to my choice to head South for Miami, FL… but since I’ve been gone I’ve realized how great it really is.

The Forks, downtown Winnipeg

Winnipeg offers everything that you could want in a big city, on a little budget. You can get a great apartment with all of the amenities you want for under $700 per month, usually including utilities. You can rent the best apartments in the city (think loft style, exposed brick, exchange district) for around $1,200, which you could also rent a great house for.

But with housing prices so cheap, why even rent? As a single 25 year old male, Jeff owned his own house and paid for everything included (insurance, utilities, maintenance, taxes) for $900 a month. A MONTH! And it wasn’t a dud either… it was a completely renovated two-story house less than a 5 minute drive to downtown. It also came with a huge back yard, a deck and a BBQ and enough parking for at least 6 cars. In most cities you can’t even get a 1 bedroom apartment for that much!

Winnipeg also offers a variety of recreational opportunities for whatever you like. In the summer there are ample parks and bike paths to get around town, you can go to a beach or spend your time lounging at a patio with friends. In the winter you can play hockey, watch hockey (what, it’s Winnipeg?), go dog sledding at the forks, build forts and visit a mall and hide out indoors.

Winnipeg also has a fun nightlife that’s affordable for anyone around. Whether you’re a student who works part-time or an executive who has a night off, there’s a place for you… and most drinks are under $5. Compare that to the average drink price of $14 in Miami… it makes a difference.

Deciding where to live isn’t just about the weather or the cost of housing, it’s about the people, the culture and if it works with your lifestyle. Just keep in mind that living in a big city can be great, but it’s not so much fun when you can’t afford to leave your overly priced apartment.

Home Made Solar Power In Action

If you think you’re doing your best to help the environment take a look at this guy. Mike Davis of Arizona (that’s right, no city of residence) moved away from city living to his own remote patch of land in the country. To make up for the lack of electricity to his home, Mike created his own solar panels on some materials you could get at the local home improvement store (and of course some savvy eBay shopping)!

Does this sound like a home project for you? Or do you have something else planned to “Greenify” your home? With all the talk about hybrids and carbon footprints we’re all doing our part to conserve energy. While necessity was the primary cause of Mike’s solar panels, it offers a solid energy alternative for households struggling with skyrocketing energy costs.

What’s more is that this proves you can do it on a buget. This project cost only $104.85 thanks to some resourcefulness and creativity. Read more about Mike Davis’s home project at his website.

What do you do when the news tells you that the Real Estate market is in shambles? Change your spending habits. Become a ‘Cash Buyer’, wait to buy your next home until you can really afford it, and evaluate your own happiness with what you currently have.

Years ago when credit was not so readily available, people would rent, save, and buy a home in cash. To supplement the purchase price and increase in monthly expenses many would take on ‘boarders’ (as my Grandma has always called them).

Obviously current home prices are well beyond most people’s ability to buy in ‘cash’. But by buying a home with a significant down payment, you save thousands on interest and insurance costs, all the while making you less vulnerable to credit crises like the one we’re experiencing today.

Becoming a ‘Cash Buyer’ requires patience of course. Although credit card companies have conditioned us to buy now, pay later, we still have the ability to choose our own financial health. The first step is to learn how to wait for good things to come.

By waiting you leave yourself open to endless possibilities that can result in your own financial wellbeing. Just think, instead of buying that big mortgage, I mean home (oops), last year, you could have waited until now to buy at a significant cash savings!

While money is an extremely important part of our lives, happiness is still number one. If you’re not happy in your current home, what makes you think an extra 500 square feet will make it so? Look at what you have and what you can afford.

If your family is growing in size or your income has increased over the past year, then of course you could probably use a new home. But if you already have luxuries you don’t use and feel you have to move to show off to your friends, the extra costs of your new home will only be a burden on your self and your family.

Ultimately the credit crunch has put many people in a tough situation. Many are homeless and have lost their life savings all while destroying their credit history. By becoming a ‘Cash Buyer’, exercising patience, and doing only what truly makes you happy, you can only benefit from times like this.

With cash in your pocket and low monthly bills you and your family will be able to weather any storm. So enjoy your life, and make the decisions that suit you best. And try not to get caught up in the promises of instant gratification.

Moving from an apartment into your own two story home is a liberating experience. You have more free space than ever before, have room to entertain guests, and can play the TV as loud as you want all night long. But is there a price to be paid? I say yes. It takes away my precious time.

In a recent article a fellow blogger pointed out,

“In the case of larger homes, we sometimes work all weekend long, too — on home improvements, renovations and maintenance.”

While having a large, beautifully renovated home provides the private sanctuary you well deserve, spending all weekend keeping it in shape really defeats the purpose. Seriously, who wants to spend 90% of their free time working to make the other 10% only a little bit better? Not me!

Can you spend a little bit more on your remodel to have it built for you in less time than you could do it yourself? Hiring an expert to do something that enhances your life is the best use of your time. That way you can actually enjoy your new room rather than spend all summer building it.

I opt for buying smaller homes, and choosing only the home projects that will bring meaning to your life and take less time to maintain. When making major life decisions (like buying a new home) consider both the benefit and the sacrifice it takes to enjoy it.

By choosing the right home projects for you, you can improve your life without taking away your precious time. Think of it this way, you may not have the biggest home on the block, but you’re family will appreciate having you around to enjoy it.