Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13253216 times)

cats

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #150 on: February 10, 2013, 11:05:37 AM »
There are two women in the set of cubes over from mine who are ALWAYS talking about their money woes.  One is currently working on a graduate degree in psychology and is often mentioning how huge her loans are going to be.  But...she goes out to lunch every day.

It just makes me scratch my head as well.

People have a simple inability to understand simple addition. It's a foreign concept to see how spending $10/day for lunch (when you can bring something from home for $2) adds up to $2,800/year. Plus the extra calories.

And when every aspect of their life is like that ("I bought ____ for just $4"), they never see how 'just' $5 here and there ends up keeping them on the verge of financial disaster.

I know.  I don't actually interact with these women (we're in two different work groups in a large corporation), but every now and then I really want to pop my head over the cubicle and just be all "Hey, you know those money problems you have?  HERE'S HOW TO FIX THEM!!"  I think in the case of one woman, it might just be a case of she's in so deep, she figures the best course of action is to just ignore it.

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #151 on: February 10, 2013, 06:30:09 PM »
There are two women in the set of cubes over from mine who are ALWAYS talking about their money woes.  One is currently working on a graduate degree in psychology and is often mentioning how huge her loans are going to be.  But...she goes out to lunch every day.

It just makes me scratch my head as well.

People have a simple inability to understand simple addition. It's a foreign concept to see how spending $10/day for lunch (when you can bring something from home for $2) adds up to $2,800/year. Plus the extra calories.

And when every aspect of their life is like that ("I bought ____ for just $4"), they never see how 'just' $5 here and there ends up keeping them on the verge of financial disaster.

Lots of kids in school thought they were cool because they chose not to learn and thought I was a nerd because I chose to learn more than the schools taught.

Now I get to laugh at them because I can add, understand compound interest, how to do a budget, etc.   All that reading enabled me to apply that knowledge to life and its challenges instead of being surprised by all of them.

My house isn't going to get foreclosed because I didn't buy too much house.  I can afford to put gas in my car because I don't have BCSD Syndrome so I didn't buy a huge gas-guzzling truck.   I saved money so emergencies in their book aren't even "darn it" moments in mine.  I'm not overwhelmed by credit card payments because if we started to overspend, we stopped shortly afterwards and went on an austerity plan until we paid off our overspending.  We didn't just keep on spending.

I like to help folks who choose to take responsibility for their mistakes and choose to fix them as best one can.

I like to stand by and watch folks continue to fail who choose to blame others for their own mistakes and expect others to fix it for them.

In case you didn't notice, I sometimes have trouble feeling sorry for folks who intentionally chose to be so ignorant and also choose to stay that way.   


Adventine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #152 on: February 11, 2013, 02:05:55 AM »
There are two women in the set of cubes over from mine who are ALWAYS talking about their money woes.  One is currently working on a graduate degree in psychology and is often mentioning how huge her loans are going to be.  But...she goes out to lunch every day.

It just makes me scratch my head as well.

People have a simple inability to understand simple addition. It's a foreign concept to see how spending $10/day for lunch (when you can bring something from home for $2) adds up to $2,800/year. Plus the extra calories.

And when every aspect of their life is like that ("I bought ____ for just $4"), they never see how 'just' $5 here and there ends up keeping them on the verge of financial disaster.

Lots of kids in school thought they were cool because they chose not to learn and thought I was a nerd because I chose to learn more than the schools taught.

Now I get to laugh at them because I can add, understand compound interest, how to do a budget, etc.   All that reading enabled me to apply that knowledge to life and its challenges instead of being surprised by all of them.

My house isn't going to get foreclosed because I didn't buy too much house.  I can afford to put gas in my car because I don't have BCSD Syndrome so I didn't buy a huge gas-guzzling truck.   I saved money so emergencies in their book aren't even "darn it" moments in mine.  I'm not overwhelmed by credit card payments because if we started to overspend, we stopped shortly afterwards and went on an austerity plan until we paid off our overspending.  We didn't just keep on spending.

I like to help folks who choose to take responsibility for their mistakes and choose to fix them as best one can.

I like to stand by and watch folks continue to fail who choose to blame others for their own mistakes and expect others to fix it for them.

In case you didn't notice, I sometimes have trouble feeling sorry for folks who intentionally chose to be so ignorant and also choose to stay that way.   



SwordGuy, I wish I could repost your entire reply on Facebook. But then I'd alienate so many people I'd rather stay on speaking terms with.

galaxie

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #153 on: February 11, 2013, 07:07:46 AM »
There are two women in the set of cubes over from mine who are ALWAYS talking about their money woes.  One is currently working on a graduate degree in psychology and is often mentioning how huge her loans are going to be.  But...she goes out to lunch every day.

It just makes me scratch my head as well.

People have a simple inability to understand simple addition. It's a foreign concept to see how spending $10/day for lunch (when you can bring something from home for $2) adds up to $2,800/year. Plus the extra calories.

And when every aspect of their life is like that ("I bought ____ for just $4"), they never see how 'just' $5 here and there ends up keeping them on the verge of financial disaster.

Lots of kids in school thought they were cool because they chose not to learn and thought I was a nerd because I chose to learn more than the schools taught.

Now I get to laugh at them because I can add, understand compound interest, how to do a budget, etc.   All that reading enabled me to apply that knowledge to life and its challenges instead of being surprised by all of them.

My house isn't going to get foreclosed because I didn't buy too much house.  I can afford to put gas in my car because I don't have BCSD Syndrome so I didn't buy a huge gas-guzzling truck.   I saved money so emergencies in their book aren't even "darn it" moments in mine.  I'm not overwhelmed by credit card payments because if we started to overspend, we stopped shortly afterwards and went on an austerity plan until we paid off our overspending.  We didn't just keep on spending.

I like to help folks who choose to take responsibility for their mistakes and choose to fix them as best one can.

I like to stand by and watch folks continue to fail who choose to blame others for their own mistakes and expect others to fix it for them.

In case you didn't notice, I sometimes have trouble feeling sorry for folks who intentionally chose to be so ignorant and also choose to stay that way.   

Sounds like you are still pretty worked up about your high school experiences.

Khao

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #154 on: February 11, 2013, 07:35:57 AM »
I like to stand by and watch folks continue to fail who choose to blame others for their own mistakes and expect others to fix it for them.

Car just broke down because you couldn't afford to fix it after buying a 60" TV? That damn economy!!
Gas prices go up? Thanks, Obama!
You have to pay overdraft fees on your checking account? The terrorists are taking away my freedom!!!! 'Murrrica!

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #155 on: February 11, 2013, 10:07:58 AM »
Lots of kids in school thought they were cool because they chose not to learn and thought I was a nerd because I chose to learn more than the schools taught.

Now I get to laugh at them because I can add, understand compound interest, how to do a budget, etc.   All that reading enabled me to apply that knowledge to life and its challenges instead of being surprised by all of them.


Sounds like you are still pretty worked up about your high school experiences.

No, I had a very pleasant high school experience.  I had lots of friends who enjoyed learning and being nice to one another.  Still have very dear friends I see on occasion, though we're all scattered to the winds.

I'll admit that Eight grade was pretty rough because one of the jocks decided to hit me in shop class pretty much every week.   His other jock friends egged him on.   That stopped when I ran out of patience and beat the ever-livin' snot out of him.   After that, no one picked on me anymore, nor did they pick on anyone in my presence.   After that, high school was clear sailing.

American schools have a large subset of the student body that can only be described as Smugly Satisfied with Intentional Ignorance.   People like that earn my complete and total disdain in short order and fully retain it as long as they intentionally choose to remain ignorant.

 I have no problem with people who are merely ignorant about important things they need to know.  We're all going to be in that situation more than once!   In fact, it's a necessary precondition to growing as a person!

It's the willful, intentional choice to be ignorant and remain ignorant that disgusts me.

grantmeaname

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #156 on: February 11, 2013, 10:22:55 AM »
Humanity has a large subset that can only be described as Smugly Satisfied with Intentional Ignorance.   People like that earn my complete and total disdain in short order and fully retain it as long as they intentionally choose to remain ignorant.
FTFY.

Platypus

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #157 on: February 27, 2013, 03:53:45 PM »
I've reached my breaking point. Ugh. Listening to a coworker talk to a friend on the work phone in the breakroom..

(Background: she's a 70 year old spinster who refuses to retire, spends $$$ every month to feed feral cats in the city.)

The other day she mentioned that she spends $450/mo to heat her house with oil during October - April. This is Seattle. She heats her house all day while she's at work and keeps it hot for her cats. *flail*

Today she was telling a friend on the phone that she's down to only having ONE storage locker left full of junk. She used to have SEVEN. She's ONLY paying $80/month for this one, she used to spend over $400/mo before she started cleaning out her units. She had these SEVEN storage lockers for years and years. *flail*

All of these things just keep piling up in my head as reasons she says she can't afford to retire, even though she has at least two pensions she's entitled to.

Deep breathes, must find my zen place...


sheepstache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #158 on: February 27, 2013, 04:04:04 PM »
I'm often surprised by the common and casual refrain of, "Payday tomorrow!"  Someone here was just like, "Thank god it's payday tomorrow!  So I can pay my rent!"  And kind of a joke about how we make "big bucks." 

I'm always thinking, "Huh.  It's payday tomorrow?"  Like, I seriously never think about it at jobs.  Because I always have plenty of money.

Adventine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #159 on: February 27, 2013, 05:43:11 PM »
I'm often surprised by the common and casual refrain of, "Payday tomorrow!"  Someone here was just like, "Thank god it's payday tomorrow!  So I can pay my rent!"  And kind of a joke about how we make "big bucks." 

I'm always thinking, "Huh.  It's payday tomorrow?"  Like, I seriously never think about it at jobs.  Because I always have plenty of money.

I happily join in the "It's payday tomorrow/today!" excitement at the office, not because I have money to pay the bills again, but because I get to deposit cash into my investment accounts again.

savingtofreedom

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #160 on: February 27, 2013, 05:58:04 PM »
I'm often surprised by the common and casual refrain of, "Payday tomorrow!"  Someone here was just like, "Thank god it's payday tomorrow!  So I can pay my rent!"  And kind of a joke about how we make "big bucks." 

I'm always thinking, "Huh.  It's payday tomorrow?"  Like, I seriously never think about it at jobs.  Because I always have plenty of money.

Agreed. I am a contractor and get paid once my timesheet is approved.  Very infrequently my manager would forget to approve it and was apologizing like it was a big deal.  I had another coworker that freaked out when that happened.  I guess I am lucky in that I make sure to save alot so I am not living paycheck to paycheck.

mm31

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #161 on: February 27, 2013, 06:08:02 PM »
My favorite dates? the 15th and the 1st. Nothing like seeing your net worth go up from hard work and diligent saving

JamesAt15

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #162 on: February 27, 2013, 06:13:41 PM »
I guess I am lucky in that I make sure to save alot so I am not living paycheck to paycheck.

That's not luck, that's the result of you doing awesome, possibly even badass things. Credit where credit is due. ;)

startingover

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #163 on: February 27, 2013, 09:19:28 PM »
I have to jump in and add my story!  One of my coworkers is getting married next year.  (they can't afford it this year).  So she says, "I deserve a wedding of my dreams!"  Last week she went out to lunch 3 times and dinner 2 times, all while complaining that her mother (coworker is 29) wasn't wanting to buy this or that for this dream wedding!  $1500 down for the church/reception hall.  "boo, hoo!  I don't have the money for it."  She got her tax refund this week and is getting a new "smart" phone, and on and on and on!
She almost shit bricks when 22 yr. old coworker said she's getting married in a month.  "A big wedding isn't my goal.  I just love him and want to be his wife." 
Maybe the young ones have been listening!

sheepstache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #164 on: February 27, 2013, 09:28:53 PM »

I happily join in the "It's payday tomorrow/today!" excitement at the office, not because I have money to pay the bills again, but because I get to deposit cash into my investment accounts again.

Ha, well now that I'm trying not to leave such a huge buffer in my checking account, maybe I'll get on board too. 

Angelfishtitan

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #165 on: February 28, 2013, 10:40:00 AM »
My favorite dates? the 15th and the 1st. Nothing like seeing your net worth go up from hard work and diligent saving

Mine personally is the last day of each month - I get paid and it is time to count up how well I did and throw the extra towards investments/student loans!

The_Dude

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #166 on: February 28, 2013, 11:19:04 AM »
So I was talking with my coworker about commutes as she recently joined our company.  Turns out this is the first job she has had that is over a mile from where she lives.  She then proceeded to tell me though all her past jobs were in walking distance (her most recent job the next block over, about 0.25 of a mile) she always drives...

She literally drove out of one parking garage through an intersection into the next parking garage to go to work.... every single day.

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #167 on: February 28, 2013, 11:27:39 AM »
So I was talking with my coworker about commutes as she recently joined our company.  Turns out this is the first job she has had that is over a mile from where she lives.  She then proceeded to tell me though all her past jobs were in walking distance (her most recent job the next block over, about 0.25 of a mile) she always drives...

She literally drove out of one parking garage through an intersection into the next parking garage to go to work.... every single day.

Oh man, that's terrible!  I used to love walking to work!

startingover

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #168 on: March 09, 2013, 03:20:26 PM »
Okay, so the coworker who is saving for her wedding!  The other day she comes in crying about the credit card that she missed a payment due to "not knowing the date to pay it!"  and the "lawyer" called her demanding $1700.00!!!!!  She just said she blew all(!) her tax refund!  So now she says "I had to use me vet money to pay him and borrow from my boyfriend!"  She cried about how "he" was so mean!  He didn't care about her dog or other bills!  Let allow that princess wedding of hers.
I ended up asking her "Don't you feel bad that everybody else is paying for your wedding but you can't?"  "Did you learn a lesson?"  "Yes, I feel a little bad, but.....NO!  No, lesson learned.  I'll still buy stuff with credit!"   
I was speechless!  You go, Bitch!  The more fuckin' power to you and your future husband!   I also asked her if she thought him paying her an "allowance" would cause trouble in their new marriage.  "No".   
I'm so glad I'm marrying a mustachain and he is too!

ivyhedge

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #169 on: March 11, 2013, 11:30:11 AM »
I once made a "...but I'll be retired by then" comment to an acquaintance at work (during a discussion about the far future).  His bushy, bushy eyebrows shot up into his even bushier hair and he asked, "Really?  Are you independently wealthy or something?"

No, dumbass, but I have a $100k+/year job and I do math for a living.  And so do you.  Why are you not retired yet?

Galaxie, that is independently wealthy to so many folks... ;)

ivyhedge

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #170 on: March 11, 2013, 11:31:31 AM »
I was out for dinner with a co-worker last night (work paid) and he was talking about his new giant diesel truck.  I asked him what he paid for it, and he said it was "A steal at only $60,000". 

Holy fucking fuck!  Apparently the sticker price is $75,000.  :o  And he has it financed, probably over 7 years at that price!

I also have to have a truck for work, but I have a 2006 Tundra that I paid $15,500 cash for 2 years ago.

* Next time: ask for what reasons he "needed" such a vehicle ... ;)

minnie76

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #171 on: March 11, 2013, 11:42:53 AM »
This weekend I was at a free wine tasting with some girlfriends.  There were two couples in their 50's sitting pretty close to us talking to the bartender and amazed when he said that he was 45, was retired from his career and just worked at the winery a few days a week to keep busy and socialize.  Both of the men in the group agreed that they would never be able to retire before they were in their late 60's or early 70's and started complaining about how expensive everything was. 

When we were leaving I saw them loading about 6 cases of wine into their Land Rover.

ivyhedge

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #172 on: March 11, 2013, 12:09:48 PM »
Quote
All these people with their expensive cars are nuts.

This is the callous disregard of others we have to be careful on the blog not to consistently espouse lest we be decried as a bunch of thrifty braggarts (and dismissed accordingly). Maybe many can't afford what they drive, but not all should be so categorized.

Not everyone with a costly car is "nuts". Some have worked incredibly hard at investment and traditional employs - and still retired early. Some paid off multiple homes years ago (or paid cash for them). Grown children. Longevity into their late 70s and 80s. And yearly charitable contributions into the 6-digit range. If they wish to buy SLs or GTs, it's not our place to decry them as "nuts".*

*Two examples of this are close relatives, each of whom found each other after decades of frugal, though enjoyable, living. They invested heavily, and early (as they taught me to do), and have surely earned their "fun cars". They're hardly nuts. In fact, especially considering their ages, they're frakking awesome.

boy_bye

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #173 on: March 11, 2013, 12:30:46 PM »
Not everyone with a costly car is "nuts". Some have worked incredibly hard at investment and traditional employs - and still retired early. Some paid off multiple homes years ago (or paid cash for them). Grown children. Longevity into their late 70s and 80s. And yearly charitable contributions into the 6-digit range. If they wish to buy SLs or GTs, it's not our place to decry them as "nuts".*

*Two examples of this are close relatives, each of whom found each other after decades of frugal, though enjoyable, living. They invested heavily, and early (as they taught me to do), and have surely earned their "fun cars". They're hardly nuts. In fact, especially considering their ages, they're frakking awesome.

my in-laws bought their dream car, a beautiful cream-colored jaguar, when they retired after working extremely hard for many, many years.

after 7 years and countless undiagnosable problems with the jag, they finally got disgusted and sold it along with their second car, to get a honda insight.

this decision continues to save them money and, they were surprised to find that it was just as fun to drive. my in-laws are frugal ninjas with generous souls and sensible minds, aka my heroes!

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #174 on: March 11, 2013, 12:33:39 PM »
If they wish to buy SLs or GTs, it's not our place to decry them as "nuts".

Sure it is. "Nuts" is pretty harmless; all but the thinnest-skinned people should take that in stride.

Agreed though, it's good to have some humility in this category - the discussion can turn into mindless bashing if we're not careful. But it's one of my favourites, I'm a bit ashamed to admit. It kind of reminds me that I'm winning a race against non-mustachians...who don't even know they're in a race.

ivyhedge

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #175 on: March 11, 2013, 12:51:28 PM »
If they wish to buy SLs or GTs, it's not our place to decry them as "nuts".

Sure it is. "Nuts" is pretty harmless; all but the thinnest-skinned people should take that in stride.

Agreed though, it's good to have some humility in this category - the discussion can turn into mindless bashing if we're not careful. But it's one of my favourites, I'm a bit ashamed to admit. It kind of reminds me that I'm winning a race against non-mustachians...who don't even know they're in a race.

Generally I concur that most really haven't a clue. But look at it from my relatives' perspective: they're decamillionaires many times over, enjoy what their prowess earned, and can't understand why *I* haven't yet joined their massive 'stache club. They think that 20yrs of investing is enough time because I have their mistakes as edification. :P

Jamesqf

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #176 on: March 11, 2013, 01:03:03 PM »
Not everyone with a costly car is "nuts".  ...  They invested heavily, and early (as they taught me to do), and have surely earned their "fun cars". They're hardly nuts.

I'd say that depends on how much actual fun they're getting from their cars.  Sure, if you're buying a Lotus or Tesla (Roadster, not the new sedan), you might be getting your money's worth in fun.  But you could probably get 90% of the fun for 10% of the money by buying a used Miata.

Richard3

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #177 on: March 11, 2013, 01:13:22 PM »
Even if you were able to get 90% of the fun for 10% of the money with a Miata (something all my car nut friends would disagree with by the way but let's assume it is true), if you are wealthy enough for the decision not to matter, why wouldn't you get 100% of the fun?


ivyhedge

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #178 on: March 11, 2013, 02:29:00 PM »
Even if you were able to get 90% of the fun for 10% of the money with a Miata (something all my car nut friends would disagree with by the way but let's assume it is true), if you are wealthy enough for the decision not to matter, why wouldn't you get 100% of the fun?

/\ This. /\

With what they have, they are both exceedingly happy with their rides.

Jamesqf

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #179 on: March 11, 2013, 04:15:31 PM »
...if you are wealthy enough for the decision not to matter, why wouldn't you get 100% of the fun?

Sure.  I'm not talking about people who're so wealthy the price difference doesn't really matter.  I'm talking about people more like me, who could buy a Lotus or similar, but would then be stuck with payments (or lost investment income) that'd be a fairly significant issue.  Like the working guy buying the $50K truck...

happy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #180 on: March 30, 2013, 06:28:43 AM »
Overheard in the carpark at the shops today:

2 expensive looking women, in a very large SUV, looking where to return the shopping trolley. Our shops have a gizmo that takes $2 coin that you can retrieve when finished. There are 2 different sized trolleys in use, so sometimes you have to walk around to find the line of trolleys the same size as yours.

"well If you can't find it, just leave it, its only $2".   I nearly offered to return it for her.

Jane

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #181 on: March 31, 2013, 03:02:27 PM »
My last boss, a highly paid VP, would frequently ask me about my car and if I was wanting to get a new one. It was a 10 year old Honda, ran great, good fuel economy, etc. I was fine with it. I'd always respond politely that I wasn't planning to anytime soon. I know this must have confused him, since he looked at my lifestyle, what I made, and probably couldn't understand why I wouldn't want a new car since he assumed I could afford it (and I could, technically). My car was fine. He had a BMW and a sports car that he almost never drove - wouldn't want to let anything happen to it!

So fast forward a couple years, I get married, and one of the first things he asks me when I get back from the honeymoon is..."so, is your husband going to buy you a new car now that you're married?". Ah, so many things wrong with that statement.

He also told me once that he thought that eating out and getting carryout every night for dinner "really isn't any more expensive than cooking".


MooreBonds

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #182 on: March 31, 2013, 09:31:07 PM »
He also told me once that he thought that eating out and getting carryout every night for dinner "really isn't any more expensive than cooking".

Well, I'd actually have to agree with him. 

I mean, when you consider how much they spend on those ready-made-meals from the deli, with the $3 cake slices  for dessert from the bakery, and the $12 container of fruit salad from the produce dept (or buying a few steaks or the $24/lb diver sea scallops), it's damn near a bargain to order Chinese! ;)

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #183 on: April 01, 2013, 07:11:41 AM »
My last boss, a highly paid VP, would frequently ask me about my car and if I was wanting to get a new one. It was a 10 year old Honda, ran great, good fuel economy, etc. I was fine with it. I'd always respond politely that I wasn't planning to anytime soon. I know this must have confused him, since he looked at my lifestyle, what I made, and probably couldn't understand why I wouldn't want a new car since he assumed I could afford it (and I could, technically). My car was fine. He had a BMW and a sports car that he almost never drove - wouldn't want to let anything happen to it!

My car was 'totalled' by hail just under a year ago.  My boss at the time asked me what kind of cars I was looking at.  I said, hail damaged Honda Civics.

GoStumpy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #184 on: April 01, 2013, 07:21:47 AM »

My car was 'totalled' by hail just under a year ago.  My boss at the time asked me what kind of cars I was looking at.  I said, hail damaged Honda Civics.


Self-employed-swami

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #185 on: April 01, 2013, 11:34:01 AM »

My car was 'totalled' by hail just under a year ago.  My boss at the time asked me what kind of cars I was looking at.  I said, hail damaged Honda Civics.



Sweet!

MrSaturday

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #186 on: April 01, 2013, 11:48:32 AM »
My car was 'totalled' by hail just under a year ago.  My boss at the time asked me what kind of cars I was looking at.  I said, hail damaged Honda Civics.

I used to drive a Taurus everyone referred to as the "golf ball" because of all the hail dimples.  I got an incredible deal on it because of all the cosmetic damage.

mpbaker22

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #187 on: April 01, 2013, 01:40:25 PM »
My car was 'totalled' by hail just under a year ago.  My boss at the time asked me what kind of cars I was looking at.  I said, hail damaged Honda Civics.

I used to drive a Taurus everyone referred to as the "golf ball" because of all the hail dimples.  I got an incredible deal on it because of all the cosmetic damage.

It's really true.  The exact same car that just looks a bit different is now $4,000+ less.  No functional change.  No less of an ability to go from a to b.  But less than half the cost.

marty998

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #188 on: April 01, 2013, 02:56:37 PM »
My car was 'totalled' by hail just under a year ago.  My boss at the time asked me what kind of cars I was looking at.  I said, hail damaged Honda Civics.

I used to drive a Taurus everyone referred to as the "golf ball" because of all the hail dimples.  I got an incredible deal on it because of all the cosmetic damage.

Have you ever seen Mythbusters?. Adam and Jamie tested the drag reduction properties of dimpled golf balls and then applied it to a car. Turns out a dimpled car body is much more fuel efficient due to the decreased drag/better airflow.


dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #189 on: April 01, 2013, 06:04:09 PM »
I'd only be worried about rust on a golf ball car.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #190 on: April 01, 2013, 06:35:54 PM »
Have you ever seen Mythbusters?. Adam and Jamie tested the drag reduction properties of dimpled golf balls and then applied it to a car. Turns out a dimpled car body is much more fuel efficient due to the decreased drag/better airflow.

Aah yes, Speed Holes!

mpbaker22

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #191 on: April 02, 2013, 07:43:10 AM »
Since this is my favorite thread ... a co-worker was complaining about his daughter's college costs this morning.  I think he's actually got things going pretty well for himself, but he gives in too easily to the daughter.  She's in college and lives in a $900/month apartment.

mpbaker22

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #192 on: April 02, 2013, 10:18:02 AM »
Again, this is my favorite thread ...
A woman just left for lunch and warned the office she was going to keep her heater on so the place would be warmer when she got back.  Meanwhile, I'm wearing short sleeves and am overheating because I'm used to my apartment being below 60 and the office is above 70 already.  Maybe she should try wearing something more than capris and a sleeveless shirt if she's so cold.  UGH!

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #193 on: April 02, 2013, 01:05:59 PM »
After complaining last month that she spent all her tax return money and couldn't afford to get her dog to the vet for shots my co-worker said to me,  I forgot my car stickers are up this month!  (it was Fri. 3/29)  I have to pay my car payment, so I guess I'll just risk a ticket!

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #194 on: April 03, 2013, 08:52:01 AM »
Not from a coworker, but at work:

I work at a bar, and a few weeks ago I was chatting with some people who'd driven up from Chicago here to Madison for a day or two. It was a Thursday night. They said that they were walking around town and found a beautiful tapestry for their apartment, but they had to wait a day until their paychecks came through (Friday) to buy it, so they were going to go back tomorrow.

I was more surprised than anything else. Maybe it's a liquidity problem, but if I was one tapestry away from having no money at all, I can't imagine buying a tapestry or even the 7 dollar drinks they were having.

mpbaker22

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #195 on: April 03, 2013, 09:29:43 AM »
I was more surprised than anything else. Maybe it's a liquidity problem, but if I was one tapestry away from having no money at all, I can't imagine buying a tapestry or even the 7 dollar drinks they were having.

Obviously they had just put $1000 to student loans and forgot it was their turn for rent on 4/1, so they were down another $640.  They decided to never make the mistake again, not that it's ever happened to me. :D
So, now they must wait for the paycheck in order to avoid overdraft fees!

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #196 on: April 03, 2013, 10:23:05 AM »
Not from a coworker, but at work:

I work at a bar, and a few weeks ago I was chatting with some people who'd driven up from Chicago here to Madison for a day or two. It was a Thursday night. They said that they were walking around town and found a beautiful tapestry for their apartment, but they had to wait a day until their paychecks came through (Friday) to buy it, so they were going to go back tomorrow.

I was more surprised than anything else. Maybe it's a liquidity problem, but if I was one tapestry away from having no money at all, I can't imagine buying a tapestry or even the 7 dollar drinks they were having.

Or, they might not use the credit cards, preferring cash.  They might usually invest their excess savings so they don't have a large checking account balance, hence the wait for payday.  They might have a really big investment stache.

But if I had to bet my house, knowing just what you related to us, I would bet they're one tapestry away from having no money too. :)

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #197 on: April 03, 2013, 12:48:27 PM »
My coworkers often complain about "kids these days", referring to people 25 and under.

I regularly have to hear about how my generation is spoiled rotten and feels entitled to everything. The worst offenders drive huge trucks 70km per day for a commute back and forth from their 450k homes on a <100k salary.

One day I couldn't take it anymore and said, "Your generation is my generation's parents, and you've lived all your lives on our borrowed time and resources and health. You drive enormous vehicles and live in enormous houses just because you can all while you fail to save for retirement or minimize your impact on my and my children's land, water, and air. All I want is to work in a job that doesn't destroy my health or mind while living within my means so that I can try to improve my tiny corner of the world so that my children and grandchildren can do the same. If there's any entitlement in my outlook, I know who to blame for that influence."

The crickets chirped for a moment, and then a junior manager said, "Yeah well that's YOU, but we're talking about the rest of you!"

:(

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #198 on: April 03, 2013, 01:42:10 PM »
My husband's boss likes to show off by telling my husband about the things he spends money on. He recently went on a 1 day trip to Miami (we live in Manitoba, Canada) to see a sports event, and apparently the hotel's cheapest drink on the menu is a rum & coke that costs $40.
They work in autobody and my husband had been drooling over a particular car they had in the shop and told his boss that he loved that car. The very next week his boss took my husband on a ride out to a dealership (on company pay) so that his boss could pick up the brand spankin' new car he just bought, and it just happened to be the one my husband had made comments on.
My husband has only worked in this particular autobody shop for 6 months and he's already had to fix the bumper on his boss' son's vehicle 3 times, and of course his boss doesn't pay for the repairs...
His boss made my husband wash his boat... in the dead of winter on company pay...
His boss made my husband look up a phone number to a christian bible camp in colorado that he plans to send his kids to, but he actually didn't need to phone number he just needed an excuse to tell my husband about this rediculously expensive camp.

I could literally go on with stories about this man for days

brewer12345

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #199 on: April 03, 2013, 03:38:42 PM »
My husband's boss likes to show off by telling my husband about the things he spends money on. He recently went on a 1 day trip to Miami (we live in Manitoba, Canada) to see a sports event, and apparently the hotel's cheapest drink on the menu is a rum & coke that costs $40.
They work in autobody and my husband had been drooling over a particular car they had in the shop and told his boss that he loved that car. The very next week his boss took my husband on a ride out to a dealership (on company pay) so that his boss could pick up the brand spankin' new car he just bought, and it just happened to be the one my husband had made comments on.
My husband has only worked in this particular autobody shop for 6 months and he's already had to fix the bumper on his boss' son's vehicle 3 times, and of course his boss doesn't pay for the repairs...
His boss made my husband wash his boat... in the dead of winter on company pay...
His boss made my husband look up a phone number to a christian bible camp in colorado that he plans to send his kids to, but he actually didn't need to phone number he just needed an excuse to tell my husband about this rediculously expensive camp.

I could literally go on with stories about this man for days

Somehow "expensive" and "christian bible camp" (WTF?) just refuse to go together in my head.