Tales from the federal contracting workplace:
1. A few weeks ago, I was talking with GovtGuy1 about cars and exercise. In a response to one of his questions, I mentioned I purchased my wife a 2019 Honda Insight (bought new, cash, as we keep our cars until they die).
Last Friday, in the breakroom, GovtGuy2, who must have overheard the chat with Guy1, asked if my wife liked her car, and how much was the monthly payment.
Me: the wife loves it, and there's no payments.
Guy2: what? how?
Me: Bought in cash
Guy2: Oh, you contractors make a lot of money
Me: We didn't have car payments for 13 years. (And in my head: yes, we get paid well because we do the actual technical work, that you guys can't learn and apply.)
Guy2: walks away... from the water/ice dispenser
2. Went for lunch with a high-ranking govt guy (GovtGuy3),another contractor (C1), and my co-worker (CW, fellow saver, investor, etc). GovtGuy3 talks about how he bought his wife a uber luxury SUV, she didn't drive it much as it was too big, so he bought her a smaller, imported luxury SUV. I was wondering how much he paid, when he mentioned the actual price and the payments. CW and I gave each other that look of "Oh... duh!" Guy3 frequently takes short-term overseas assignments to get the extra money to blow on "luxuries".
Then C1 talks about buying a top-of-the line, fully-loaded Toyota Highlander for his wife. He says he has 4 kids, he wanted a boy, so they got "lucky" on the 4th. CW and I look at each other, later on talk about the college-funding C1 will be doing, unless his kids join Uncle Sam's Military.