30M in Alberta – $130k base, rental income – Am I budgeting reasonably? Should I be saving more?

Hi everyone,

I’m a 30M in Alberta, married, no kids (yet). I work in finance and recently started tracking my spending closely. I’d appreciate feedback on whether my budget is reasonable for my income and whether I should be saving more.

Income (Net)

•	Biweekly salary (first 6 months due to CPP/EI): \~$3,260

•	Biweekly salary (second half of year): \~$3,600–3,700

•	Rental income from legal basement suite: $1,250/month

•	Annual bonus: $30k gross ($20–25k after tax typically)

For budgeting purposes during CPP/EI months:

•	\~$6,500–6,800/month net salary

•	+$1,250 rental income

•	≈ $7,700–8,000/month net household income

Monthly Budget (28-day cycle)

Fixed Costs

•	Mortgage: $3,065

•	Property tax: $416

•	Home insurance: $205

•	Car insurance: $452

•	Car payment: $393

•	Utilities: $500

•	Phone: $125

•	Internet: $125

•	Gym: $52.90

•	LOC interest: $100

Variable

•	Groceries: $750

•	Eating out: $200

•	Fuel: $200

•	Junk/snacks: $50

•	Subscriptions: $100

•	Clothing / personal: $100

Total monthly spend budget: ~$7,391

Target savings per cycle: ~$900–1,000

Current Situation

•	Line of credit: \~$22k outstanding (limit $50k)

•	\~$6k of that is a short-term loan to a friend (expected back end of Feb)

•	\~$5k cash on hand

•	\~$100k in retirement accounts

•	Employer retirement match: I contribute \~$400/month and employer contributes \~$1,200/month

What I’m Looking For Feedback On

1.	Is this lifestyle/budget reasonable for my income level?

2.	Is saving \~$900/month too low given my earnings?

3.	Should I prioritize paying down the LOC or building a larger emergency fund first?

4.	Am I being unrealistic expecting to feel “further ahead”?

Appreciate any objective feedback.