Living Urban but “Off the Grid” – The Changes You Can Make

Katherine Martin • August 12, 2016

For those of us who live in the suburbs or within the city, the idea of going off the grid, while a nice concept, feels completely unattainable. This is for a variety of reasons including: space limitations, cost, municipal bylaws, and time restrictions. “We certainly can’t commit to going completely off grid”, we say; and then we give up and move on.

Maybe this is the boat you find yourself in. Maybe you’ve spent time reading articles about being off grid living, it seems kinda romantic, but you just can’t see yourself making the jump to a composting toilet. That’s okay, living off-grid is more of a journey than a destination (although it is almost certainly a destination as well), especially when you live in the city. It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition, it’s about progress, not perfection.

Here are some changes you can make today that will affect big change, both in your life and in the life of our planet.

Cut Down

Ask yourself the question, “do I need this?”. If the answer is, “no, but I want it” then perhaps it’s something that you can give up. Many of us run our appliances and other household products constantly; we keep our lights on; we keep our televisions on, we keep our air conditioning units on; we run power night and day. This generally tends to happen for three reasons: ignorance, laziness, or apathy, none of which are responsible.
Learn to cut down on your power intake. Make due with less. If you’re reading this, and you see a light on down the hall, get up now and turn it off. This is a small beginning, but it’s a beginning!

Start Small

Don’t try to do everything at once. Here are some simple things to get you going in the right direction:

  • Plant a small garden on your balcony or in your kitchen.
  • Buy 1 or 2 backyard chickens.
  • Install a few solar panels.
  • Collect rainwater.
  • Go power-free for a few hours a day.
  • Choose one day a week where you disconnect from your technology in order to focus on the people you love.

It sounds so incredibly cliche, but you have to learn to walk before you can run. Start small.

Don’t Give Up

As I (not so subtly) alluded to at the beginning of this piece, many dreams of cutting down go unfulfilled because people simply give up. Let me encourage you; keep going! Some of the preparation and implementation will be frustrating in the beginning, but the more steps you can take in the right direction, the better.

But admittedly it’s hard, when you plant a garden and it doesn’t grow, you buy solar panels and its cloudy for the next 3 months, or you set up your rain barrels just to prepare for a drought.

Whatever you do, just keep going!

Understand the Big Picture

If being a more eco-responsible person is your goal, these small steps will do wonders for your life. They’ll open your eyes to the things that you’ve been taking for granted, and help ground you in an understanding of consumption. Your footprint will decrease, your happiness will increase, and you’ll be able to declare that, “I’m doing my small bit to help the planet, my family, and myself!”

What could be better?

 

This article originally appeared in the August 2016 Dominion Lending Centres Newsletter.

Katherine Martin


Origin Mortgages

Phone: 1-604-454-0843
Email: kmartin@planmymortgage.ca
Fax: 1-604-454-0842


RECENT POSTS

Everything You Need to Know About Second Mortgages

By Katherine Martin • September 10, 2025
What Is a Second Mortgage, Really? (It’s Not What Most People Think) If you’ve heard the term “second mortgage” and assumed it refers to the next mortgage you take out after your first one ends, you’re not alone. It’s a common misconception—but the reality is a bit different. A second mortgage isn’t about the order of mortgages over time. It’s actually about the number of loans secured against a single property —at the same time. So, What Exactly Is a Second Mortgage? When you first buy a home, your mortgage is registered on the property in first position . This simply means your lender has the primary legal claim to your property if you ever sell it or default. A second mortgage is another loan that’s added on top of your existing mortgage. It’s registered in second position , meaning the lender only gets paid out after the first mortgage is settled. If you sell your home, any proceeds go toward paying off the first mortgage first, then the second one, and any remaining equity is yours. It’s important to note: You still keep your original mortgage and keep making payments on it —the second mortgage is an entirely separate agreement layered on top. Why Would Anyone Take Out a Second Mortgage? There are a few good reasons homeowners choose this route: You want to tap into your home equity without refinancing your existing mortgage. Your current mortgage has great terms (like a low interest rate), and breaking it would trigger hefty penalties. You need access to funds quickly , and a second mortgage is faster and more flexible than refinancing. One common use? Debt consolidation . If you’re juggling high-interest credit card or personal loan debt, a second mortgage can help reduce your overall interest costs and improve monthly cash flow. Is a Second Mortgage Right for You? A second mortgage can be a smart solution in the right situation—but it’s not always the best move. It depends on your current mortgage terms, your equity, and your financial goals. If you’re curious about how a second mortgage could work for your situation—or if you’re considering your options to improve cash flow or access equity—let’s talk. I’d be happy to walk you through it and help you explore the right path forward. Reach out anytime—we’ll figure it out together.

Going From A Variable Rate To A Fixed Rate Mortgage

By Katherine Martin • September 3, 2025
If you have a variable rate mortgage and recent economic news has you thinking about locking into a fixed rate, here’s what you can expect will happen. You can expect to pay a higher interest rate over the remainder of your term, while you could end up paying a significantly higher mortgage penalty should you need to break your mortgage before the end of your term. Now, each lender has a slightly different way that they handle the process of switching from a variable rate to a fixed rate. Still, it’s safe to say that regardless of which lender you’re with, you’ll end up paying more money in interest and potentially way more money down the line in mortgage penalties should you have to break your mortgage. Interest rates on fixed rate mortgages Fixed rate mortgages come with a higher interest rate than variable rate mortgages. If you’re a variable rate mortgage holder, this is one of the reasons you went variable in the first place; to secure the lower rate. The perception is that fixed rates are somewhat “safe” while variable rates are “uncertain.” And while it’s true that because the variable rate is tied to prime, it can increase (or decrease) within your term, there are controls in place to ensure that rates don’t take a roller coaster ride. The Bank of Canada has eight prescheduled rate announcements per year, where they rarely move more than 0.25% per announcement, making it impossible for your variable rate to double overnight. Penalties on fixed rate mortgages Each lender has a different way of calculating the cost to break a mortgage. However, generally speaking, breaking a variable rate mortgage will cost roughly three months of interest or approximately 0.5% of the total mortgage balance. While breaking a fixed rate mortgage could cost upwards of 4% of the total mortgage balance should you need to break it early and you’re required to pay an interest rate differential penalty. For example, on a $500k mortgage balance, the cost to break your variable rate would be roughly $2500, while the cost to break your fixed rate mortgage could be as high as $20,000, eight times more depending on the lender and how they calculate their interest rate differential penalty. The flexibility of a variable rate mortgage vs the cost of breaking a fixed rate mortgage is likely another reason you went with a variable rate in the first place. Breaking your mortgage contract Did you know that almost 60% of Canadians will break their current mortgage at an average of 38 months? And while you might have the best intention of staying with your existing mortgage for the remainder of your term, sometimes life happens, you need to make a change. Here’s is a list of potential reasons you might need to break your mortgage before the end of the term. Certainly worth reviewing before committing to a fixed rate mortgage. Sale of your property because of a job relocation. Purchase of a new home. Access equity from your home. Refinance your home to pay off consumer debt. Refinance your home to fund a new business. Because you got married, you combine assets and want to live together in a new property. Because you got divorced, you need to split up your assets and access the equity in your property Because you or someone close to you got sick Because you lost your job or because you got a new one You want to remove someone from the title. You want to pay off your mortgage before the maturity date. Essentially, locking your variable rate mortgage into a fixed rate is choosing to voluntarily pay more interest to the lender while giving up some of the flexibility should you need to break your mortgage. If you’d like to discuss this in greater detail, please connect anytime. It would be a pleasure to walk you through all your mortgage options and provide you with professional mortgage advice.
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