Hope no one minds me just venting my frustration-of-the-day here. The thing is, I have a decent job with a big company but can barely afford life. I have been eating toast or potatoes for every night for like 3 months. I live in a freaking ghetto area of town-complete with lofts with red lights, hookers on the corners (even during the day), and drug deals in the bus shelter. I hate it here, but it is the only thing I can afford in a city with an inflation rate of 5%!!! Anyway, I have learned to deal with this and then I come home to find a note under my door. They are raising my rent by 22%! It is just so high and so unfair for this hole. There are no other choices, though. The whole city is doing it. I hate it here. I can not afford that much more every month and I will have to quit the gym or my Internet & phone. It just seems so unfair. Why do prices just keep going up and up, but salaries stay the same? I do not understand how anyone can afford this. I can not afford clothes or entertainment or anything. Am just so upset about this. It does not go into effect for three months, but that is hardly any time. I am going to have to get a second job just to keep my current *****y lifestyle. </rant>

Is moving and getting a new job in another city or even state out of the question? If not that's always an option. If you can't move away could you find a room mate or something if you don't already have one? I'm really tight with money too right now, good thing I'm still in school so my parents are still willing to help me out a lot. No matter what happens I'm sure you will find a way to deal, keep your chin up!

I'm sorry; I agree, times are tough and increasingly tougher for a lot of people out there. I seem to sink in deeper every time I get a raise or cut back on something; it's like something else always takes it's place. I'm sorry you are having such a rough time, and on top of that, that you have had to eat potatoes and toast for months, yuk!

I would start to look for another place soon, it sounds like you are really unhappy there. Is there any other place you can look into for a living situation? Maybe find a friend to go in on something with you? In any event, I hope things get better for you.

I am trying desperately to save up to move, but I am $8,000 away. It is just another hurdle. They just seem to keep popping up right when I think I have everything figured out. I will be fine with it in a bit I am sure. . .it was just such a wall when I was all happy after-work-Nadia dancing to my iPod and *Boom*, suddenly I am $1500ish a year poorer.

Poor thing, it's always a bummer when you had a good day and are in a good mood and then something comes along to ruin it! At least you are able to vent, I tend to bottle things up...not good...

You don't by any chance live somewhere in the Bay Area (California), do you? Cause I could have written that post, almost. Luckily I'm a student still so my dad's paying my housing, but even so, it's way expensive for a little two-person student-rate dump. And finding a decent job? I'm totally gonna end up living in my car once I graduate. Or moving back in with my mom, and I will go stark raving mad if I move back to Squarefield. I hate that place.

:hugs: You'll make it. Keep yourself open to opportunities. Maybe it's time to ask for a raise? Stuff like that can really make the difference.

I'm so sorry to hear about that I know that money problems always stink PM me though because I think I have something for you that could really help.

hope your week gets better

Aww, thanks everyone. I am feeling better now. It is just life, I guess. I hate being a "grown-up" sometimes! lol. And, nope, not in Cali-way up north in Canada.

I don't know much about rentals in Canada but I'm don't think a 22% increase is legal. Can you check that out somehow?

Nadia, there is almost no way a 22% rent increase is legal. Are you in Ontario? If so, the current allowable rate of rent increase is 2.6% per year.

Now, your landlord can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board to have that 2.6% increased, but the LTB will generally only raise to a max of 3% more unless property taxes have gone insane or something. They'd have to have a pretty damn good reason to take it all the way up to 22%.

If you aren't in Ontario, you should check out your provincial statute on landlord or tenant rights. You should definitely protest this; it's a totally ridiculous rent increase. Last year they tried to raise mine 4% in Toronto, and I went and argued with my landlord until they took it down. LOL. I thought I had it bad.

Are you in Calgary? I think it is legal in Alberta, but I don't know...I just remember how startling the rent was moving when I was still living there.

Nadia, sorry you're having such a rough time. I agree w/ other posts - I don't think 22% is legal. A lot of cities and/or counties have clauses like what people have mentioned that landlords can only raise rent X dollars/year. And check your lease. Also, could you use this as a way to help get a raise at work? Could you try going to your boss and saying, "I work very hard, and I enjoy my job here but I'm going to have to quit due to living expenses in the area." Perhaps you could get a raise to help cover costs. Hang in there!

Yeah, I am in Calgary, and the general consensus seems that it is quite legal as long as they do not increase more than twice a year and give you at least three months notice. Unfortunately our city has a big "boom" which means everything is going up in price all the time because if the people who are here can not afford it, the next in line will basically. The inflation rate is a solid 5% (Toronto's is around 2.5). I am still bitter, but there are no vacancies in the city for anywhere near what I am paying, so I guess I should be glad. Just do not like paying 14 months rent for 12 months. To top that off, I started doing my income taxes hoping to get a bit back and found that this year I owe $268. But get this, if I had made $800 less last year, I would have had a refund of $1221! Just on the wrong side of a bracket, I guess. Just the way the cookie crumbles, I guess-but what a mess! Not angry/sad anymore. Just annoyed.

(here is a quote i found:
Last year I did some research into Alberta's laws relating to tenants and landlords. A quick Google gives most of the same information: Landlords can increase rent at the end of the lease by any amount they choose, regardless of if the lease allows the tenant to move to a monthly lease. This is radically different than other provinces, for instance in Ontario, the maximum rent increase in 2005 was 1.5%, in 2006 it is 2.1%. The Globe and Mail is running an article claiming that homelessness is up 32% from 2004 in Calgary, blaming the "red hot economy". Tenants in some parts of the city have received notice that their rent will triple in the coming months. This is unacceptable, but unfortunately unsurprising.)

God that sucks. I'm sorry that's not very helpful but I do feel your pain
I'll be moving to New York after I graduate and that's going to be a huge hike in rent to live in a much smaller place. I'm sorry you're haveing such a crappy day and the income tax thing just adds insult to injury.