Purchasing Power | Manage your finances like you do yoga

The homeownership rate in Quebec is at its lowest in more than 20 years, we learned Wednesday from an analysis by Statistics Canada. For young people, the dream of buying a home is difficult to achieve, especially in the face of inflation. We spoke to three yoga teachers among them. So how do these balance experts approach their finances?

Stephanie Berube
Press

flexibility

They have many points in common. All three of them are in their early thirties, self-employed and not employers; They have no RRSP, no insurance, but little savings, especially when a project is on the horizon.

“I decided in January that I wanted to go on a yoga retreat, so I saved up to make it happen,” says Melanie Langlais, who lives in the co-op and thank heavens. Affordable rent gives it a lot of flexibility. With access to the family chalet, it perfectly complements his real estate enjoyment. Splitting her professional life between the two professions of an actress and a yoga teacher, she says, “I have a privilege that few people get. “I can’t live exclusively on my salary as a yoga teacher, or I have to put in long hours. What she doesn’t do.

“I could work more, but I work enough. Because I don’t need more than that, explains Melanie. If my goal is to buy myself a nice big condo, I should do more, but that’s not my goal. »

what next

She has a flexible schedule to fit in with her family life, being an aunt to two children she prefers to be home in the evenings and weekends.

Among his priorities is traveling twice a year. In order to have enough flexibility to manage her projects, Melanie saves elsewhere. She cooks a lot for the family, practices zero food waste, changes everything, which allows her to use the best quality ingredients, and the end result is economical. “To me, that’s the solution,” she said. It is easy to talk about inflation, but we should also talk about food education. »

“For me, living well is now being able to say no to certain things. To me, that’s luxury,” she continues.

Rooting

Yoga teachers teach their students the importance of feeling the ground beneath their feet, especially when doing mountain pose Tadasana

Are you thinking of owning one day in this environment of declining access to property?

Yes, admits Alexandrine Brawley, the only one of the three to own the project, which often seems like an unattainable goal for her.

“I’m 34 and sometimes I wish I lived somewhere with a nice floor! Why don’t I have a stainless steel fridge? Why don’t I have an outdoor space? She also asks out loud that a financial plan that allows her to define and achieve her goal… looks like a mountain!

“I’m starting to think that one day I’m going to retire,” Alexandrine continues.

“I want to see a financial planner, but in my head a financial planner is someone I don’t want to talk to who doesn’t understand my reality,” explains Alexandrine Brawley. I am looking for someone who will help me, understand me and not judge me because I don’t have an RRSP. »

With the current economic climate, the pressure is mounting and finance, especially access to property, has become a topic of discussion like never before. “With my friends, we talk about it constantly. »

the balance

“When I came to Montreal three years ago, I was doing 21 weeks of lessons and it was too much for a basic salary,” says Gabrielle Ouellet, who now wants a more balanced workload and more consistent hours.

“Am I going to have enough lessons? Am I going to take too many classes and burn myself out? I have to find my balance in all this. »

Gabrielle previously had another job with a stable schedule and benefits. Despite the uncertainty that comes with starting a career as a yoga teacher, she doesn’t regret her choice and says she lives a good life.

What is

“Don’t stress when you go to the grocery store and pay your rent,” she replies bluntly.

For savings, wait.

“I know it’s important, but I don’t think about it too much. As a self-employed person, I am very much in the moment, explains Gabrielle Ouellet. We are coming out of the pandemic. Now is not a good time for a yoga teacher to save money. We are looking for contracts, we are looking for ways to renew ourselves, we are wondering if it is still viable to continue our work. »