An Influencer Shares How She Affords Life In Toronto & What 3 Jobs In 20 Hours Looks Like
"I can't imagine living in another Canadian city."
Content creator Erin Chau.
Toronto living isn't cheap and a local influencer recently opened up about how she affords life in the city. Digital Creator Erin Chau posted a video on her Instagram and TikTok channels on March 28 that gave viewers a glimpse into her multi-job workday.
"A lot of the times I get asked, 'Erin, Toronto is so expensive, how do you live in Toronto?'" Chau says in the video. "My answer is, I work three jobs."
Chau takes viewers through her day, which begins at 5:45 a.m. when she gets up for her volleyball coaching job. She then exercises, works her 9 to 5 as an Associate Strategic Engagement Manager, plays volleyball, and begins her influencer work at 10:30 p.m. Her day finally concludes at 1:30 a.m.
The video has gained nearly 100,000 views since it was posted with many commenters giving her credit for her "hustle."
"Overall, the response has been quite positive," Chau told Narcity in an email. "My audience has always encouraged me to do what I love and they really like how vulnerable I am when sharing parts of my life."
She addressed some of the "burnout" comments, saying that her "main way of combating it is to make sure every day is different." For example, she doesn't coach volleyball every morning, which means that she can sleep in on some days.
"Toronto is VERY EXPENSIVE to live in," Chau admitted. "However, I really do love the city and the opportunities it brings me (especially on the influencer side) so I can't imagine living in another Canadian city."
She spoke about some of the lifestyle changes that allowed her to afford life in Toronto. "[...] Eating more home-cooked meals definitely helps save money! We have family dinner every week and my mom makes sure to pack goodies for me to bring home to enjoy throughout the week."
"I also rely heavily on walking / TTC," she said. "My motto is (weather permitting), if it's less than a 45 min walk, I'm walking."
She had some suggestions for saving money when hanging out with friends.
"Eating out really adds up quickly, so we try to do things like farmer's markets, going on walks, having girls' night in and making pizzas, doing a fun little skincare night together, or having a picnic," she explained.
"I'm really lucky and thankful to be able to call Toronto my home and continue to work hard to improve, grow, and build strong fundamentals for my future self."
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.