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Whistler's Affordability Guide for Locals 
A Whistler Affordability Guide might sound like an oxymoron to some, but affordability is a relative thing to some extent. It is always possible to live in Whistler more inexpensively or add a bit more to one’s income without sacrificing huge amounts in lifestyle. That is what this guide is all about.
This guide is a result of an “action item” that came out of the Whistler 2020 (Whistler’s community sustainability) Resident Affordability Task Force. In line with the 2020 guiding principles, this guide promotes a “buy local” culture as it helps save the environment and it puts money back into the community. In fact the more “locally” you can buy the better.
Outflows . Income
Outflows
FOOD,
GROCERIES/COOKING
- Obvious one is watch for the sale items: local newspapers usually list them. Budget and Plan to buy extra if possible and freeze
- Plan your meals for the week and in some cases the pay period (for most it’s every 2 weeks) including how you’ll make use of leftovers (this saves a lot of left-over wastage). This also lessens the workload and can save time in the end as it usually means less frequent shopping trips, cooking in bulk to freeze meals for those extra busy days.
- If you take ½ hour to plan a menu for the week you will avoid buying things you don’t need; just prepare the menu and buy only the ingredients you need to make your meals.
- When you shop; shop on a full stomach, then you will avoid the temptation to buy foods you don’t really need.
- Stay in the perimeter of the store; the four basic food groups are all around the outside of the store, the expensive packaged goods are in the middle isles so avoid these sections for healthier and less expensive choices.
- You can really stretch your dollar with tasty and nutritious vegetarian meals. Try some recipes off the internet (there are lots of internet cafes if you don’t have access to a computer from home)
- Generally speaking Nesters is the cheapest of all the grocery stores, however, prices can vary from item to item so know where your favourites are cheapest and plan your trips when you’re out of those items. IGA carries the “Western Foods” brand which is cheaper many of the other name brands.
In the summer you can buy direct from the Pemberton farmers. It’s fun excursion and generally less expensive and fresher than what the grocery stores are able to offer. Across the Creek Organics (Pemberton Meadows rd), The Helmers offer fabulous potatoes (Pemberton Meadows road), The McEwans have potatoes, strawberries, carrots, beets…all pick your own this year and which makes it even less expensive and you can’t get any fresher! (not far out the Pemberton Meadows road), North Arm Farm has all kinds of vegetables, fruits including pick your own strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, flowers and a great array of baked goods. A little pricy but spray free and very yummy (toward Mount Currie).
Whistler and Pemberton Farmer’s Markets also have lots of stalls with fresh veggies and fruit in the summer. Whistler’s market is on Sundays (starting on Fathers Day) from 11:00am-4:00pm in the Upper Village next to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and on Saturdays in Franz’s Trail in Creekside. Pemberton’s market has recently been revived and is on Thursdays from 5:00-7:00 in front of Solstice Organics across from the train station.
Also in the spring/summer you can sign up to rent a “grow box” in one of WCSS’s Community Greenhouses: 2 located at Spruce Grove and one at Myrtle Philip Community School. For $55 for the growing season you will be supplied with organic: seeds, soil, fertilizer as well as the instructions and guidance to help you grow healthy, happy vegetables. Space is limited. A new greenhouse is slated to be built in Spring of 2008, likely a bit further south in Creekside or Spring Creek.
Not sure how to shop and cook healthfully on a shoestring budget. Take a look at our Community Kitchens program.
EMERGENCY AND LOW INCOME FOOD ASSISTANCE
Check the Food Bank and Food Buying Club.
DINING OUT
Always ask if they offer a “locals” discount (often 10%-15%). Be prepared to prove you are a local with proof of a Whistler address (driver’s license, a bill with your home address etc).
From Sept. 1st to October 31st local restaurants often have 3 course specials: see the Dine and Unwind secion of the Whistler Blackcomb website for participating restaurants. Many restaurants will also advertise these specials in the local newspapers.
The following are establishments that came up as top picks of our Board of Directors and staff as having good and varied budget choices for lunch and in some cases dinner:
Java @ Nesters (at Nesters)
Beet Root Café (Marketplace)
Cracked Pepper (Function)
Ingrids (Village)
Dups Burrito's (benind Marketplace)
Behind the Grind (near Whistler gondola)
Gone Bakery (Telus Conference Centre loop)
Alpine Cafe (Gone Bakery in Alpine)
Splitz Grill (lunch & dinner behind Marketplace)
Pasta Lupino (lunch & dinner behind Marketplace)
Sachi Sushi (lunch & dinner behind Marketplace)
Samurai Sushi (lunch & dinner - Nesters and Creekside locations)
Southside Diner (lunch & dinner Creekside)
Wildwood Cafe and Bistro (Function and Tennis Club...lunch and dinner)
Riverside Cafe (Alpine)
The Old Spaghetti Factory (Lunch and dinner Village)
TRANSPORTATION
Public Transportation: monthly or annual passes save a lot off the single trip prices and it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than running your own vehicle, not to mention a lot more enviro friendly!. Check the WAVE website for fares and schedules or call 604-932-4020.
1) Save by buying packs of 10’s 20s
2) Calculate your savings if you take public transit
Gassing Up: fortunately our Husky Station is keeping their gas prices at par with Squamish, kudos to them! You just need to try to time your gas up for when you’re in Whistler Creek so you don’t have to make the special trip!
Get Physical:
cycle, roller blade, skateboard, walk: it’s free!
HOUSING (RENTAL)
Shop around in the spring or summer if you at all can and then lock in with a year’s lease. Landlords will be likely be glad to see you and sometimes more likely to come down in their price although we are currently in a very tight rental market and prices seem to be going up not down.
Rents in Pemberton and Squamish tend to be cheaper than in Whistler, however you do need to factor in the cost of commuting if you work in Whistler and live outside. If you are relying on public transportation to get to and from the areas to work in Whistler, count on spending up to $150-$200/month if you work 5 days per week. Living in Pemberton does present challenges if you work past 9:00pm as the last bus back is at 9:30pm. If you use your own vehicle to commute from Squamish to Whistler 5 days/week expect to spend anywhere from $145 - $255/month on gas depending on your vehicle, and from Pemberton expect to pay $85 - $165/month. In mid winter these additional costs may still be worth it if you are spending upward of $600/room for shared accommodation or want to live on your own. Living on your own in Pemberton or Squamish is substantially cheaper, for example, currently (mid September, 2007) an average 1 bedroom with utilities included in Pemberton is $725, Squamish is $800 and Whistler is $1,200. Even factoring the cost of gas for commuters, the savings is substantial (although the environmental costs are larger!)
Families: There is limited “Rent geared to Income” Housing in Creekside (all 3 bedroom units) offered through the Whistler Housing Authority (office located in Creekside). Unfortunately there is no rent geared to income units available for singles in Whistler at this time. Squamish does offer low income housing as does Pemberton for seniors.
Whistler Housing Authority website is also worth a look for a place to live or to put a “seeking accommodations” ad. In this very tight rental market it seems many landlords prefer to find tenants through word of mouth or through the “seeking accommodation” ads in the newspapers or on the Whistler Housing website. To access word of mouth, tell everyone you run into that you are looking and someone somewhere will have a lead.
The Shoestring Project offers discounted short-term accommodation.
ENTERTAINMENT/ACTIVITIES
Check the Whistler Survival Guide. Pages 37-41 cover free and lower cost “Things to do”.
SHOPPING
The Whistler Chamber of Commerce has offered a locals’ discount card for sale: the Whistler Card. This program is currently on hold while they look at improving and incorporating it with other programs to provide the best fit for the community. Keep an eye out for its rebirth in the year to come.
Re-Use-It Centre : this Thrift Store, located in Function Junction (at the re-cycle/compactor station) is open 7 days a week from 10:00am-5:30pm. It offers all kinds of used (and some new) items ranging from clothing, kitchen goods, furniture, linens, kids stuff, small appliances and electronics and a whole whack of miscellaneous stuff! There are some great bargains to be found….all items in the store longer than 3 weeks go on sale ½ off, there are regular 2 for 1 or ½ off entire store sales. As a volunteer you get 50% off items when you are working (as long as you’re actually working!). All proceed go to support WCSS’s programs and services.
Re-Build-It Centre: Coming Soon! This centre will accept donations and sell left-over and re-usable construction and reno materials including kitchen cabinets, working appliances, flooring, lighting, lumber, bathroom fixtures, sinks, tubs etc. ! We are hoping to open in 2008 or 2009 and the location is yet to be determined.
Dollar Store: Whistler now has one (behind Marketplace)
Many local merchants offer some kind of local’s discount (usually 10%-15%) or customer loyalty program, so it’s always worth asking. Just make sure you are prepared to prove that you are a local (e.g. driver’s licence, a bill with your mailing address etc).
Sales at our local stores can produce some surprisingly great prices and shopping in the off season for seasonal clothing and equipment will usually produce the best results. It’s a great idea to call ahead to your favourite stores to find out when items you may be looking for will go on sale.
Bike Swap: This happens in May. For details and dates go to www.worca.com
Whistler Blackcomb Turkey Sale: Whistler Blackcomb puts on a huge blow-out sale on ski and snowboard gear and clothing. It happens Thanksgiving weekend.
Ski and Snowboard Swap: This event is put on by the Whistler Mountain Ski Club and is the same time as the Turkey Sale on Thanksgiving weekend. You can have your gear sold on consignment for you and pick up a great deal on equipment.
Strut Your Stuff (KidSport Sports Equipment Swap): This one-stop-shop registration day for kids’ sport programs offers an equipment swap. This event happens every year on the first Saturday in September at Whistler Secondary (watch the local papers for dates and times).
NEW AFFORDABILITY INITIATIVES
Keep your eyes out for WCSS’s Resident Affordability actions coming out of the Whistler 2020 Affordability Task Force for 2008: a plan for a Whistler food co-op and a plan for an Affordability Coordinator. In addition, WCSS is working on an 80,000 square foot Commercial Greenhouse that would produce organic vegetables locally and pass some of the savings on to consumers through local grocery stores (in addition to funding more community social programs!).
MANAGING FINANCES
Budgeting in a resort town is a bit of tricky feat given the seasonal nature of most of the work available. There are still two down-times or “shoulder” seasons when employees may experience layoffs or reduced hours and/or gratuities. Manoeuvring through these lower cash-flow periods requires a bit of planning and awareness of spending. To plan for these times, set up a savings account during the time of plenty (Christmas is a good time) that is solely for the down times and set up an automatic transfer from your main account. If you’ve been through the shoulder seasons before, you’ll have some idea of how much your income is reduced and can work out how much you need to save and transfer each month. You may not have to save a lot of money for the leaner times but it can make a world of difference in your stress levels when you get there.
Here are further words of wisdom on stretching your dollar from Karen Peddie, local financial wizard with 15 years of experience in the financial world:
Firstly, be clear on your goals for the next season or year. Are you here for the season, a year or a lifetime? Saving for travel or education, or just happy to get by and have some fun?
The best way to be certain the basics are covered is to have two accounts. One for daily expenses, food, gas etc., and the other for your non negotiable living expenses or “fixed” costs. Add up your monthly expenses, include everything that’s not negotiable, rent, bus pass, utilities, phone, dog food, medications etc. Add it up divide by two and put this amount aside each pay day. This will ensure funds are always available for the essentials regardless of which day of the month the rent comes due. The second account gets the rest …and yes ..this is how much you have to get by on over the next two weeks. If there is a gap between what you need and what you have ….adjustments need to be made either to your income or your expenses.
Security, make certain your money is safe. Use the debit cards systems and purchase a service package to reduce service charges from your bank or credit union. Deposit your tips and bonuses to keep you from spending. Keep your passwords secret, change it if you feel it may have been compromised.
Have medical insurance for this province, keep the premiums paid. It’s a great to have an active lifestyle, but accidents happen.. Consider and plan what you would do if disabled for a period of time. It is best to have some savings, or investigate disability insurance options.
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Keep your credit rating clean., and avoid penalty interest and fees ! Utility, loan and credit card payments must be made on time., If you can’t make the full payment, make the minimum payment on the due date. Use automatic payment , telephone or on-line banking systems, to make certain these are organised and you don’t have to run to the bank before closing.
Watch out for the “latte factor” this is the $2, $4, or $6 that slip out of your wallet on impulse purchases, coffee, movie rental snacks etc. If your living on a tight budget, even a “sale” isn’t a good idea if it’s something you don’t need.
Keep focused. I’m a firm believer that you can have any ‘thing” you want in life…but you can’t have every thing ..choose wisel
Income
EMPLOYMENT
Employment in Whistler these days abounds, so most of the time you can be as over employed or under employed as you like. Wages have crept up recently and benefits more plentiful as employers seek attract employees in a very competitive market. When choosing employment be sure keep in mind that the extra goodies like a ski pass or gym pass don’t feed you during lean times.
A part-time home based business can be a rewarding and fun way to turn a hobby into some extra cash. Crafts can be sold at the Whistler Farmers Market, Franz’s Trail Market in the summer and fall months, and the Bizarre Bazaar Christmas Craft Show in early December. Both require adjudication (they judge your wares) and you need to apply early. Contact the Whistler Chamber of Commerce for details.
Services are also great like hair cutting, massage (as long as don’t try to pass yourself off as a professional registered massage therapist if you are not!), child minding are all flexible ways to make a bit more cash if you need it. And, for the fully developed scenarios (business licence, PST and GST registered etc) there are also the tax benefits of the home office.
Keep in mind, as well, that if you are on Employment Insurance you may be able to access assistance in starting your own business while you continue to collect EI. Just in case you forgot, the 2010 Winter Olympics are coming bringing the world to our doorstep and lots of opportunities to bring in more money if you’re in for the longer haul.
OTHER
If you’re stuck for cash, there are a few things you can do for a quick cash influx (that are not illegal!) and some ideas include (and are certainly not limited to): casual cash jobs including those found at WERC (Whistler Employment Resource Centre), go door to door to offer an “odd jobs” service (gardening, show shovelling, yard clean up, take people’s recycling for a fee or take the “cashable’ recycling and get the $$ for returning bottles etc. yourself); Garage Sales are handy if you have extra stuff … make sure to put up plenty of signs and get an ad in advance in the Question or Pique. The Whistler Question provides a garage sale “kit” with posters etc.
INVESTING ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET (contributed by Ralph Forsyth)
Budgeting is tough for everyone; one trick to avoid having to make difficult budgeting decisions is to “pay yourself first”. Here’s how it works: most employers offer a direct deposit payroll service, sign up for it. Then go to your bank and sign up for an investment savings account or an RRSP (registered retirement savings account) that you cannot access via the bank machine, this way you will avoid the temptation to take money out. These type of savings accounts offer higher interest rates or investment options, that will increase your savings over time. (Banks and credit unions offer financial services and advice free of charge so take advantage of it!)
When your cheques get deposited (even if your employer does not offer direct deposit you can sign up at your bank, for an automatic withdrawal from your account) an amount that you decide on will go directly to your investment account. The key is to set up your account so it’s automatic, if you just try to “put money away” it will never happen. If you begin investing $100 a week, when you are 25 years old, it will be worth approximately $1.3 Million when you’re 65, $100 a week is a lot of money, but even if you only invested $25 every week it would not take long to accumulate a significant amount of money. If you just take about an hour of your time to do this you will feel good about yourself and you will have made an important step to financial independence and creating wealth for yourself.
By following this simple approach to investing, (even though I worked in a low paying job in the service industry) I was able to save enough money over a six year period to put a down payment on my first home, so that’s the proof that ANYONE can do this.
One simple way to save a lot of money is to not own a car. Typically owning a vehicle will consume 20% of your income. Imagine if you could invest 20% of your income, if you made $12 dollars an hour and were able to invest 20% of your annual income rather than own a car that would be $4600 a year that you could save and invest.
Finally, think about what you want to do with your investments: do you just want to be wealthy, do you want to own a home, do you want to give it all to charity? Whatever you want to do is up to you, but if you don’t have a goal to achieve, it will be almost impossible to reach any financial stability in your life.
There are several excellent (they aren’t boring… honest!) books that can help you understand investing. Here are a few that I can recommend: The Wealthy Barber, by David Chilton; Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki and The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley & William Danko
LIVING FRUGALLY or “Live simply so that others can simply live” Gandhi
It can be easy to get drawn into our “hyper-consumerized” society which can tend to make you feel like you never have enough money. For most of us in North America abundance, or lack of it, is indeed a state of mind. Here is one local’s perspective on making Gandhi’s famous quote a reality.
LIVING SIMPLY AND SAVING MONEY, ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE (Contributed by Sara Jennings)
I am very careful with how I spend my money. This is not because I am saving for anything in particular, or because I find Whistler expensive. I have never known the feeling of living from cheque to cheque, yet when I discuss finances with friends who live this way I often have one of the lowest salaries of them all. Instead I am able to save easily because I have a passion for the environment and believe deeply in human rights. How is this linked to saving money?
Environment: I do not own a car, and instead ride around Whistler, year round, and occasionally for visits or meeting to Pemberton too. When I am not riding my bike I take the bus, and this includes trips to Vancouver. If I am going to Vancouver for a few days I may even take my bike to save on the higher city bus rates.
Less stuff. Every item that is made takes energy to make and to ship, so the less I buy the better. Before I buy I think:
1. Do I really need this item?
2. Can I borrow or rent it instead
3. What is the lifecycle of the product, can it be re-used or recycled after its initial purpose? If the lifespan of the object is short and the item will not be able to be re-used or recycled afterwards, I will often not buy it.
I live in a very small space (160sqft). I do this because I believe in living within a small footprint ecologically. This also means I can not collect unnecessary things, so this keeps my buying to a minimum.
I grow as much as my own food as possible. This means no carbon dioxides emitted for transportation, and no pesticides leaching into waterways. So I share a garden with my landlord, grow herbs on my kitchen window, and pay for a box in one of the community greenhouses.
Giving gifts: I often give hand made gifts or make up vouchers for fun things we can do together. And even the youngest members in my extended family enjoy receiving these non-materialistic presents.
Before placing something in the recycle bin I think to myself;
1. Can I re-use this item for something else?
2. Can I repair it?
I make things last as long as possible. This has made me learn how to sew and has greatly extended the lifespan of my clothing (though my sewing talents probably don't always leave me looking too fashionable!) Thankfully, Amos and Andes a local sweater shop will repair old sweaters for free.
Social justice: I absolutely refuse to allow other humans to work in slave labour conditions. In many countries where clothing and other products are made, mostly young women are forced to take the only jobs they can get working for less than a liveable wage, in usually unsafe conditions, with few or no benefits. I would not accept these working conditions in Canada or for myself, so I do not support them for others. A lower price for me is not worth making another human suffer.
This means that I check every label of every new item I buy and means that I often go without, or buy second-hand. In fact, almost everything I own is second hand. I may need to wait several months for something to turn up at the Re-Use It Centre, but this long wait often allows me time to think about whether I really 'need' the item.
I refuse to purchase bottled water as I believe water to be a human right that should not be bought or sold. Many bottling plants also deplete local public water sources and in some cases have been known to privatize all water in an area and demand that locals purchase it from them for higher prices with no added infrastructure.
Saving Money and Supporting a Local Economy: All of the above actions help me save money as I buy less or I buy second hand, and I have had no difficulty saving. This has enabled me to spend more money on things I enjoy. This also means I can spend money on other things that will benefit the environment and human rights. I spend more money on good quality, in season, local, organic foods or fair trade products (ones where the farmer or creator is guaranteed a liveable wage). I eat and shop at small locally owned stores rather than large discount places or chain stores. And I give back to the community with my time and give more money to charities. By supporting local growers, merchants, and community groups I hope that I am playing a role in building a stronger locally based economy.
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