Overheard at Work

[MgoSam]

It's also possible to welcome people for meals for not huge amounts - we had my family over for New Years. 2 courses of the 3-course meal, 9 people + child, total cost of 22$ plus the dessert my sister made. (Starter: arugula salad with pears, blackberries, and goat cheese, with white balsamic vinaigrette. Main: roasted vegetables and roasted pork loin with garlic and rosemary. And then we had leftover meat and roasted vegetables for 3 meals for the 2 of us, because we cooked the WHOLE pork loin) You do have to spend SOMETHING - like, it's not a 0$ deal - but it doesn't have to be expensive. Yay sales and cooking skills.

That sounds absolutely delicious, great job. How were you able to get a whole loin (plus everything else) for $22?

[Kitsune]

It's also possible to welcome people for meals for not huge amounts - we had my family over for New Years. 2 courses of the 3-course meal, 9 people + child, total cost of 22$ plus the dessert my sister made. (Starter: arugula salad with pears, blackberries, and goat cheese, with white balsamic vinaigrette. Main: roasted vegetables and roasted pork loin with garlic and rosemary. And then we had leftover meat and roasted vegetables for 3 meals for the 2 of us, because we cooked the WHOLE pork loin) You do have to spend SOMETHING - like, it's not a 0$ deal - but it doesn't have to be expensive. Yay sales and cooking skills.

That sounds absolutely delicious, great job. How were you able to get a whole loin (plus everything else) for $22?

Whole loin at Costco: 14$. Roasted veggies were potatoes (bought on sale 2 weeks before, 2$/10lb, and we used less than half that bag. Half bag of carrots (2$/5lb), and some random root veg on sale at 50c/lb (I think we had a turnip and a rutabaga?) add some onions and garlic and olive oil and salt and pepper (staples bought in bulk at Costco or the restaurant supply store... negligible cost) and there's your main meal.

For the appetizer: Pears were on sale at 50c/lb, blackberries were 99c for the container on sale, and arugula was 2$ on sale for the package and we had some left over from another dinner so count 1$ for that (original plan had been soup, but..  sales happened and seemed worth taking advantage of). Goat cheese was a half-pack of on-sale Kirkland brand goat cheese left over from a previous party's cheese plate (8$ full price, 5$ on sale, so 2.50 for the appetizer). Homemade vinaigrette from pantry staples...

Like, obviously this relies on sales lining up, but the original plan had been a cream of carrot soup as an appetizer. When luxurious ingredients show up at those prices, you pay attention and improvise accordingly. ;)

[dragoncar]

Lol we served Costco pork loon to our guest too! 

[MandalayVA]

Lol we served Costco pork loon to our guest too!

I know this was a typo but it didn't make it any less hilarious.  I'm very easily amused.  :D

[dragoncar]

Lol we served Costco pork loon to our guest too!

I know this was a typo but it didn't make it any less hilarious.  I'm very easily amused.  :D

What?  It was with a side of peas and parrots.

[BuffaloStache]

Lol we served Costco pork loon to our guest too!

I know this was a typo but it didn't make it any less hilarious.  I'm very easily amused.  :D

What?  It was with a side of peas and parrots.

Pork Loon is one of my favorite cuts of pork :-P

[PMG]

Lol we served Costco pork loon to our guest too!

I know this was a typo but it didn't make it any less hilarious.  I'm very easily amused.  :D

What?  It was with a side of peas and parrots.

Pork Loon is one of my favorite cuts of pork :-P

I find it tastes a little funny.

[JAYSLOL]

Lol we served Costco pork loon to our guest too!

I know this was a typo but it didn't make it any less hilarious.  I'm very easily amused.  :D

What?  It was with a side of peas and parrots.

Pork Loon is one of my favorite cuts of pork :-P

I find it tastes a little funny.

Nothing beats some Beef Turkey though

[Taran Wanderer]

Another from the unmustachian woman who in our finance department.

She's in her fifties. She is our treasurer and reports to the CFO. Her husband is a skilled auto mechanic.  She and her husband both work, and they have a large house in a nice rural area with a large shop building with its own auto lift.  Her husband recently fell on some ice and tore up his shoulder, requiring surgery.

"I'm so glad I bought disability insurance because we need both our salaries to live in this house, and husband is going to be off work for 5 months for pre-surgery sinus infection recovery and post-surgery shoulder recovery.  I mean, we could live in smaller house, but we have these four big dogs, and besides, we really like living here.  And, oh, I'm going Florida in February for a week because I need some time away with my sister!"

I don't think they have kids - she only talks about the dogs - they make probably $150k to $200k per year (combined), and yet in their fifties, they can't get by on one salary for a few months while her husband is off work.  And she works in our Finance departmen.  Now maybe they are maxing their retirements and other investments and she just doesn't want to pull money from somewhere else, but I doubt it. It's sad.

[Playing with Fire UK]

Another from the unmustachian woman who in our finance department.

She's in her fifties. She is our treasurer and reports to the CFO. Her husband is a skilled auto mechanic.  She and her husband both work, and they have a large house in a nice rural area with a large shop building with its own auto lift.  Her husband recently fell on some ice and tore up his shoulder, requiring surgery.

"I'm so glad I bought disability insurance because we need both our salaries to live in this house, and husband is going to be off work for 5 months for pre-surgery sinus infection recovery and post-surgery shoulder recovery.  I mean, we could live in smaller house, but we have these four big dogs, and besides, we really like living here.  And, oh, I'm going Florida in February for a week because I need some time away with my sister!"

I don't think they have kids - she only talks about the dogs - they make probably $150k to $200k per year (combined), and yet in their fifties, they can't get by on one salary for a few months while her husband is off work.  And she works in our Finance departmen.  Now maybe they are maxing their retirements and other investments and she just doesn't want to pull money from somewhere else, but I doubt it. It's sad.

I hope this is a wake up call if the situation is as you suspect. The fact that she is seemingly unwilling to make modest changes because 'we like living here' and 'I need some time away with my sister' makes me think that there is little thought towards experiencing some mild inconvenience to save some serious money.

I'm pleased that they have disability insurance. It sounds like it is right for them.

[jslasher88]

My co-workers are always complaining about being broke. Not surprisingly, I notice the following behavior on a daily basis

• Rolling in every morning with the largest size Starbucks drink + breakfasts
• Ordering out for lunch every day at $12-15
• Ordering take-out for dinner on the way home
• DRIVING to the plaza opposite our office, which is 150 yards away, to go shopping. This is done in heavily financed SUVs and trucks which are often warmed up with remote starters for 10 minutes prior to this 8-second journey across the parking lot

[MichaelB]

...which are often warmed up with remote starters for 10 minutes prior to this 8-second journey across the parking lot

Well yeah, the car's not going to warm up in 8 seconds. Are they supposed to be cold during the whole drive? Next you'll be saying they should just walk! Which is really quite hard with the joint inflammation from that tasty restaurant food.

[cheapass]

I don't think they have kids - she only talks about the dogs - they make probably $150k to $200k per year (combined), and yet in their fifties, they can't get by on one salary for a few months while her husband is off work.  And she works in our Finance department.

I'm always perplexed at how many people in finance/accounting/business don't have their shit together, at all, when it comes to personal finance. I mean, of all the people who should understand basic concepts like budgeting, opportunity cost and compound interest, THESE are the ones who should have those ideas so well engrained in their minds right? What the fuck! How does someone spend decades optimizing finances for a business and not give a second thought to their own hemorrhaging of money at home??

[MrMoogle]

I don't think they have kids - she only talks about the dogs - they make probably $150k to $200k per year (combined), and yet in their fifties, they can't get by on one salary for a few months while her husband is off work.  And she works in our Finance department.

I'm always perplexed at how many people in finance/accounting/business don't have their shit together, at all, when it comes to personal finance. I mean, of all the people who should understand basic concepts like budgeting, opportunity cost and compound interest, THESE are the ones who should have those ideas so well engrained in their minds right? What the fuck! How does someone spend decades optimizing finances for a business and not give a second thought to their own hemorrhaging of money at home??

It's easy.  Business finance and personal finance aren't very compatible.  In business, many times it makes sense to borrow money instead of save it, since you can use it to make more money than the interest.  That doesn't usually work in personal (except possibly for education and a home).

[Playing with Fire UK]

I don't think they have kids - she only talks about the dogs - they make probably $150k to $200k per year (combined), and yet in their fifties, they can't get by on one salary for a few months while her husband is off work.  And she works in our Finance department.

I'm always perplexed at how many people in finance/accounting/business don't have their shit together, at all, when it comes to personal finance. I mean, of all the people who should understand basic concepts like budgeting, opportunity cost and compound interest, THESE are the ones who should have those ideas so well engrained in their minds right? What the fuck! How does someone spend decades optimizing finances for a business and not give a second thought to their own hemorrhaging of money at home??

It's easy.  Business finance and personal finance aren't very compatible.  In business, many times it makes sense to borrow money instead of save it, since you can use it to make more money than the interest.  That doesn't usually work in personal (except possibly for education and a home).

Agreed there are differences, but I fail to see how someone with the attitude/capacity/work ethic to understand business finance cannot learn about personal finance. And these folks are everywhere.

[solon]

Here's the big difference, and the reason why people good at business finance aren't necessarily good at personal finance.

Business finance is mainly a science - classifying, experimenting, observing. It's an engineering problem, like solving a puzzle. But it doesn't affect the person doing it.

Personal finance is mainly about behavior modification. Everything I do in personal finance requires me to change something that matters to me. It's the same reason people have a hard time dieting or quitting smoking.

[AMandM]

How does someone spend decades optimizing finances for a business and not give a second thought to their own hemorrhaging of money at home??

Don't be too quick to assume that they are successfully optimizing the business's finances!

[Uturn]

How does someone spend decades optimizing finances for a business and not give a second thought to their own hemorrhaging of money at home??

My ex was like this.  She found a niche going into Mom and Pop businesses, fixing their books and optimizing the general running of the business.  She has turned around many businesses that were close to closing, mostly because people open up a shop knowing how to do something but not knowing how to run a business.  She could whip their finances into shape in no time, but personal finance just eluded her. 

Maybe it's the cobbler's kids have no shoes paradox.  I know my home IT stuff is pretty abysmal, but work stuff runs very smooth.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Here's the big difference, and the reason why people good at business finance aren't necessarily good at personal finance.

Business finance is mainly a science - classifying, experimenting, observing. It's an engineering problem, like solving a puzzle. But it doesn't affect the person doing it.

Personal finance is mainly about behavior modification. Everything I do in personal finance requires me to change something that matters to me. It's the same reason people have a hard time dieting or quitting smoking.

Holy crap. That's profound.

[marty998]

Here's the big difference, and the reason why people good at business finance aren't necessarily good at personal finance.

Business finance is mainly a science - classifying, experimenting, observing. It's an engineering problem, like solving a puzzle. But it doesn't affect the person doing it.

Personal finance is mainly about behavior modification. Everything I do in personal finance requires me to change something that matters to me. It's the same reason people have a hard time dieting or quitting smoking.

Holy crap. That's profound.

You will find that the accountants are not really the ones in charge of the money. Sure we keep track of it, record it, manage cash flow, ensure the bills are paid and advise the various department heads what is going on. But ultimately each divisional head is allocated their own budgets to use for the laundry list of items and staff they need.

The overall envelope of money available should be advised by the Finance team and then set by the Board at such a level that the company earns an acceptable rate of return, however, don't go around believing the accountants are at fault when the CEO and his or her other executives start over spending.

Having said all that, I agree with the engineering puzzle analogy. But I've always thought assembling  a set of financials is an art, not a science :)

[Stash Engineer]

Here's the big difference, and the reason why people good at business finance aren't necessarily good at personal finance.

Business finance is mainly a science - classifying, experimenting, observing. It's an engineering problem, like solving a puzzle. But it doesn't affect the person doing it.

Personal finance is mainly about behavior modification. Everything I do in personal finance requires me to change something that matters to me. It's the same reason people have a hard time dieting or quitting smoking.

Excellent observation!

I can finally contribute to this thread!  I have a new co-worker that I thought was a closet-mustachian (based on the beater car he drives and the 1-bedroom apt he lives in) and was hoping to finally have someone to talk to about mustachian principles, even if we didn't call it that.  He's single and probably in his late 40's/early 50's.  I was about 99% sure that he is FI and just working to prevent boredom.  Well, he just announced that he bought a brand new car AND a 3200sqft house for just under $400k!  :o  He may still be FI, but certainly isn't mustachian. :/

[dragoncar]

Here's the big difference, and the reason why people good at business finance aren't necessarily good at personal finance.

Business finance is mainly a science - classifying, experimenting, observing. It's an engineering problem, like solving a puzzle. But it doesn't affect the person doing it.

Personal finance is mainly about behavior modification. Everything I do in personal finance requires me to change something that matters to me. It's the same reason people have a hard time dieting or quitting smoking.

Excellent observation!

I can finally contribute to this thread!  I have a new co-worker that I thought was a closet-mustachian (based on the beater car he drives and the 1-bedroom apt he lives in) and was hoping to finally have someone to talk to about mustachian principles, even if we didn't call it that.  He's single and probably in his late 40's/early 50's.  I was about 99% sure that he is FI and just working to prevent boredom.  Well, he just announced that he bought a brand new car AND a 3200sqft house for just under $400k!  :o  He may still be FI, but certainly isn't mustachian. :/

I wonder how many weight loss coaches are fat.  I'm sure some are, if they are famous.  I'm imagining like a boxing coach though.  You can certainly provide information and motivation without applying the principles to yourself

[BDWW]

Here's the big difference, and the reason why people good at business finance aren't necessarily good at personal finance.

Business finance is mainly a science - classifying, experimenting, observing. It's an engineering problem, like solving a puzzle. But it doesn't affect the person doing it.

Personal finance is mainly about behavior modification. Everything I do in personal finance requires me to change something that matters to me. It's the same reason people have a hard time dieting or quitting smoking.

Excellent observation!

I can finally contribute to this thread!  I have a new co-worker that I thought was a closet-mustachian (based on the beater car he drives and the 1-bedroom apt he lives in) and was hoping to finally have someone to talk to about mustachian principles, even if we didn't call it that.  He's single and probably in his late 40's/early 50's.  I was about 99% sure that he is FI and just working to prevent boredom.  Well, he just announced that he bought a brand new car AND a 3200sqft house for just under $400k!  :o  He may still be FI, but certainly isn't mustachian. :/

I wonder how many weight loss coaches are fat.  I'm sure some are, if they are famous.  I'm imagining like a boxing coach though.  You can certainly provide information and motivation without applying the principles to yourself

I've always thought it a bit ironic when I saw Sigi Schmid on the sidelines at sounders games. By all accounts a great coach, but more than a bit overweight. Coaching soccer players, who are among the most in shape of all athletes.

[FrugalFisherman10]

Is it possible that an iPad or tablet is available from work? Per the original conversation it appears that the employee is assuming that FrugalFisherman10 also has an iPad. I know that I wouldn't assume that everyone within the office has one or would even ask specifically about an iPad unless I was fairly certain that it was commonplace.

I guess I was also projecting my own assumptions. Lots of people at my office work remotely on their Ipads, but our company doesn't issue them.  Because the Ipad is so commonplace it is not at all uncommon to ask someone specifically about an issue with them.  We use PCs at work though, and everyone has a laptop to take home. But not everyone likes using those and prefer their own device. As long as it is registered and has the security app on it, we can use them.  (The vast majority of people use Iphones as their BYOD, but you certainly don't have to. As long as your phone is running the version of the software required by security, you can use anything.  I've had many people ask me Iphone questions, which I can sometimes answer, but I just have a cheap Android. When I had to upgrade due to my operating system out of date the phones they suggested were all in the $500-$600 range; but I found one for $50.)

The iPad is not work-issued.
This guy has proven to be fairly aloof in other regards too...he's new to having us as a client, and I'm new to the company as well, so I feel for him a bit in terms of not knowing how things work, culture, who to talk to, etc.
Sucks for him too because my coworker on the first day this new consultant shows up says under his breath to the rest of us "man, Piss on those consultant guys! Ugh! lousy!"
Being a former consultant myself,  I had never actually seen/heard this mentality towards us (although I was certain it existed somewhere/sometimes). So the dude is fighting an uphill battle from the get go.

On Fridays, someone brings in breakfast for members of the "breakfast club" list. (You get to eat some only if you're on the list.)
So then the coworker that said he didn't like consultants breakfast day comes around, and he brings in donuts. About an hour into the morning I hear the consultant walk behind us, grab a donut and say "oh man, you guys have donuts on Fridays?!"

 ...
Smh

(SENT from my FREAKING smartphone man I'm a hypocrite look at me spending all this money I watch it go down the drain as I piss away just like my COWORKER PISSES ON CONSULTANTS)

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Edited to add: Apologies iowajes..I quoted the above response wrong, but I realize you were the one defending me, not attacking me. Thanks

[Maverick44]

Had a coworker tell me about her new truck that she had to have. There are so many bad decisions involved in this story, it was hard to hear. Here's the quick gist over several days of stories that I was told:
   - She knowingly bought a used truck with $6,000+ negative equity in it.
   - When it was in the shop for work, Dodge gave her a 2017 decked out truck for her loaner. She fell for that trick and decided she NEEDED a brand new decked out truck.
   - Goes to the dealer and negotiates them from $50,000 to a 3 year lease for $450/month and then buying the car through financing for $22,000 after the lease is up.
   - Proudly reiterated the salesman saying "You're in a used truck for $350/month when you could be in a new truck for $450/month!"
   - She does absolutely 0 hauling or outdoor work of any kind, but mentioned that she feels safe now in her big, comfortable, luxurious truck (read: giant, gas guzzling, expensive clown mobile).
   - She traded in the old truck to get this deal, which the plus side is that they ate the negative equity, but she thinks that she got a $50K truck for $38K when she really got a $50K truck for $38K + the $11K that the trade in was worth + the interest...

*face palm*

[slugline]

   - She knowingly bought a used truck with $6,000+ negative equity in it.

Is this another way of saying she paid $6000+ more than similar trucks being offered for sale? Because I didn't think someone would literally assume someone else's upside-down loan.

[boarder42]

Had a coworker tell me about her new truck that she had to have. There are so many bad decisions involved in this story, it was hard to hear. Here's the quick gist over several days of stories that I was told:
   - She knowingly bought a used truck with $6,000+ negative equity in it.
   - When it was in the shop for work, Dodge gave her a 2017 decked out truck for her loaner. She fell for that trick and decided she NEEDED a brand new decked out truck.
   - Goes to the dealer and negotiates them from $50,000 to a 3 year lease for $450/month and then buying the car through financing for $22,000 after the lease is up.
   - Proudly reiterated the salesman saying "You're in a used truck for $350/month when you could be in a new truck for $450/month!"
   - She does absolutely 0 hauling or outdoor work of any kind, but mentioned that she feels safe now in her big, comfortable, luxurious truck (read: giant, gas guzzling, expensive clown mobile).
   - She traded in the old truck to get this deal, which the plus side is that they ate the negative equity, but she thinks that she got a $50K truck for $38K when she really got a $50K truck for $38K + the $11K that the trade in was worth + the interest...

*face palm*

plus if you consider the 450 per month lease you're looking at a total of 49200. 

[Just Joe]

I bet the salesman got a free lunch courtesy of the sales manager for that one.

[Maverick44]

I also forgot to mention that the used truck she bought was purchased in MAY OF 2016. Aka 8 months ago.

[JAYSLOL]

I bet the salesman got a free lunch courtesy of the sales manager for that one.

More like a $250 gift card for _insert local expensive restaurant here_ + his regular commission

Depends heavily on the car dealer, but some places the incentives are crazy like all inclusive trips, $10k volume bonuses after reaching certain targets etc.  And then there's the other side of the incentives, if you are the lowest performing salesperson that month, you get shit canned.   

[sneeds]

My husband came home from work last night with the following story about one of his coworkers:

His coworker has 4 young children and recently set up a Go Fund Me page asking for a goal of $34,000 in donations to pay for his children's future braces and orthodontics needs.

Now mind you, the children are all young at this point and the guy doesn't even know if they will all need braces, but he said he's "planning ahead."

That's right... He's "planning ahead" for the future expense by asking other people to start donating to this "cause" now. He potentially has years to save up for this expense if he really thinks his kids are all going to need braces, but no... he's asking for donations.

Most importantly, my husband and his coworkers all have good careers and make a comfortable income. There's no reason why this guy should not be able to pay for his own kids' braces.

My husband checked out the guy's Go Fund Me page out of curiosity. Currently he has received $0 towards his $34,000 goal.

[tarheeldan]

That's right... He's "planning ahead" for the future expense by asking other people to start donating to this "cause" now.

Man. I don't know how it became socially acceptable to beg publicly like that. I think there was a thread about gofundme's here somewhere and someone pointed to one where people were asking for money in order to get cookware!

[gimp]

Does GoFundMe allow donations of $0.01?

[cheapass]

My husband came home from work last night with the following story about one of his coworkers:

His coworker has 4 young children and recently set up a Go Fund Me page asking for a goal of $34,000 in donations to pay for his children's future braces and orthodontics needs.

Now mind you, the children are all young at this point and the guy doesn't even know if they will all need braces, but he said he's "planning ahead."

That's right... He's "planning ahead" for the future expense by asking other people to start donating to this "cause" now. He potentially has years to save up for this expense if he really thinks his kids are all going to need braces, but no... he's asking for donations.

Most importantly, my husband and his coworkers all have good careers and make a comfortable income. There's no reason why this guy should not be able to pay for his own kids' braces.

My husband checked out the guy's Go Fund Me page out of curiosity. Currently he has received $0 towards his $34,000 goal.

This is so fucked up. Maybe it's a cultural thing (entitlement, etc.) but I would be selling everything I own, moving into a smaller house, stop eating at restaurants, stop spending money altogether before I'd even consider begging people for donations.

Something tells me this gentleman and his family aren't cutting out frivolous spending... so if someone were to donate to his GoFundMe, they would actually be financing the useless spending that SHOULD be paying for his own kids' damn braces.

[CindyBS]

This is so fucked up. Maybe it's a cultural thing (entitlement, etc.) but I would be selling everything I own, moving into a smaller house, stop eating at restaurants, stop spending money altogether before I'd even consider begging people for donations.

My kid has cancer, and I still totally agree with you.  I do however, graciously accept the money (usually a $25 gas or grocery gift card) that people send us but I have never asked anyone for money.  My son's school did a fundraiser for us - I said ok but it was their idea.  I still made sure a big chunk of it went to a childhood cancer charity.  My parents have offered money if we really need it, and I think we would have to be pretty desperate to even ask them. 

[I'm a red panda]

Cancer and braces are not remotely comparable. It's good you are taking help offered: people want to show they care, but it is hard to know how.
I hope your son has a full recovery.

[Dezrah]

Cancer and braces are not remotely comparable. It's good you are taking help offered: people want to show they care, but it is hard to know how.
I hope your son has a full recovery.

Cindy is the zombie apocalypse mom.  http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/my-life-fell-apart-this-year-and-i-still-increased-my-net-worth/

[LeRainDrop]

I got lunch this week with an attorney friend who still works at the law firm I left last year.  Her assistant was telling her about this awesome sports camp that her teenage daughter had been invited to participate in in a distant large city, but that it was going to cost $5,000, so she was going to start a GoFundMe to pay for it.  The daughter is old enough to work but does not work.  The assistant sent the link for the GoFundMe to all the attorneys in her practice group, basically asking all her bosses to donate money to pay for her kid's camp.  Let alone the fact that this particular assistant is one of the best paid in the office and gets the highest bonuses each year (because she truly does an excellent job).  So then, after the lunch, I went up to the office to visit my former co-workers, including this assistant, and she was telling me about the camp, too.  Turns out that her daughter did this camp last year, but wants to do it again, so why not ask for the money?  Um, okay.  Seems so inappropriate to me to send a GoFundMe request to your co-workers, especially for something that's clearly a want.

[JAYSLOL]

Ugh.  F@#k all this GoFundMe stuff, I can't believe people straight up ask for handouts like that for things that people should be saving for or don't need at all.  I know sometimes that site is useful for people in real need, but damn there are so many other people that just have no shame. 

[Torran]

Sure I posted about this before, when the situation was in the early stages ... but anyway, a woman I work with (I think she's early twenties) inherited money (£11,000 approx) and decided to use it as a deposit on a flat. She has updated me on the following events:

1. The first thing she did was get a fancy car (financed, obviously).
2. The bank wouldn't give her a mortgage, partly because of her debts (car loan + other stuff she didn't mention in detail).
3. So she got another job on top of her full time job, to bump up her wage.
4. But the bank then said that since this extra job wasn't a permanent contract thing, it didn't count.
5. Enraged by all of this, she cheered herself up by going on a £4000 spending spree with some of that deposit money.

I was feeling kind of bad for her, because it sucks when you think you're doing the right things and the bank keeps saying no. Until she got to the £4000 spending spree update. I asked what she bought and she said 'handbags'. So I just mashed my face into my desk.

[Carlin]

Friday at lunch:

Me: Did you want to go eat lunch with me?
CW: No, I'm just going to stay at my desk today, because I was in a rush this morning and just grabbed a jar of peanut butter and jelly and some bread to make a sandwich. 
Me: Oh okay....well, I pack my lunch too.
CW: I don't want anyone to see that I have Great Value Peanut Butter and Jelly. 

Do we really live in a world where someone has to be embarrassed that they have off brand peanut butter?!?!

[Jakejake]

I was feeling kind of bad for her, because it sucks when you think you're doing the right things and the bank keeps saying no. Until she got to the £4000 spending spree update. I asked what she bought and she said 'handbags'. So I just mashed my face into my desk.

Well - she showed them!

(You know you get bonus points if you can convince her to start a gofundme to pay for the purses, right?)

[marielle]

A 20 year old at work makes $13/hr. He bought a used z71 pickup with 80k miles (I think) and is still going to end up paying over $35k for it.

I think his payment and insurance is $400+ a month, I don't remember the exact numbers.

[GuitarStv]

Friday at lunch:

Me: Did you want to go eat lunch with me?
CW: No, I'm just going to stay at my desk today, because I was in a rush this morning and just grabbed a jar of peanut butter and jelly and some bread to make a sandwich. 
Me: Oh okay....well, I pack my lunch too.
CW: I don't want anyone to see that I have Great Value Peanut Butter and Jelly. 

Do we really live in a world where someone has to be embarrassed that they have off brand peanut butter?!?!

Ask your co-worker if he or she would be prouder to display 'Bad Value' peanut butter.

[Kitsune]

Friday at lunch:

Me: Did you want to go eat lunch with me?
CW: No, I'm just going to stay at my desk today, because I was in a rush this morning and just grabbed a jar of peanut butter and jelly and some bread to make a sandwich. 
Me: Oh okay....well, I pack my lunch too.
CW: I don't want anyone to see that I have Great Value Peanut Butter and Jelly. 

Do we really live in a world where someone has to be embarrassed that they have off brand peanut butter?!?!

Ask your co-worker if he or she would be prouder to display 'Bad Value' peanut butter.

And on a similar note, depending on the crowd you're in, homemade peanut butter is either wonderful and healthy and etc, or something to be embarassed of having because really you should just buy it. There's no winning if you play the game.

(We're mustachians. Fuck the game.)

[With This Herring]

Sure I posted about this before, when the situation was in the early stages ... but anyway, a woman I work with (I think she's early twenties) inherited money (£11,000 approx) and decided to use it as a deposit on a flat. She has updated me on the following events:

1. The first thing she did was get a fancy car (financed, obviously).
2. The bank wouldn't give her a mortgage, partly because of her debts (car loan + other stuff she didn't mention in detail).
3. So she got another job on top of her full time job, to bump up her wage.
4. But the bank then said that since this extra job wasn't a permanent contract thing, it didn't count.
5. Enraged by all of this, she cheered herself up by going on a £4000 spending spree with some of that deposit money.

I was feeling kind of bad for her, because it sucks when you think you're doing the right things and the bank keeps saying no. Until she got to the £4000 spending spree update. I asked what she bought and she said 'handbags'. So I just mashed my face into my desk.

Wow.  Every step she took was wrong.  That's impressive/depressing.

Can she still return the handbags?  Or sell them?  Return the car?

• Don't take on any new debt if you want to buy a flat.  Stick with the car you have/public transport.
• Cut expenses and don't buy useless things like purses.
• Get a part-time job on top of your full-time job to pay off your other debts (not to bump your wage).
• After paying off your other debts, continue working part-time job to save more money if the bank won't give you a mortgage now.

[Carlin]

Friday at lunch:

Me: Did you want to go eat lunch with me?
CW: No, I'm just going to stay at my desk today, because I was in a rush this morning and just grabbed a jar of peanut butter and jelly and some bread to make a sandwich. 
Me: Oh okay....well, I pack my lunch too.
CW: I don't want anyone to see that I have Great Value Peanut Butter and Jelly. 

Do we really live in a world where someone has to be embarrassed that they have off brand peanut butter?!?!

Ask your co-worker if he or she would be prouder to display 'Bad Value' peanut butter.

Great comeback! I actually told her I'd be more embarrassed if I paid extra money just for a name on a jar.  She kind of furrowed her eyebrows and walked away. 

[MgoSam]

Friday at lunch:

Me: Did you want to go eat lunch with me?
CW: No, I'm just going to stay at my desk today, because I was in a rush this morning and just grabbed a jar of peanut butter and jelly and some bread to make a sandwich. 
Me: Oh okay....well, I pack my lunch too.
CW: I don't want anyone to see that I have Great Value Peanut Butter and Jelly. 

Do we really live in a world where someone has to be embarrassed that they have off brand peanut butter?!?!

Ask your co-worker if he or she would be prouder to display 'Bad Value' peanut butter.

Great comeback! I actually told her I'd be more embarrassed if I paid extra money just for a name on a jar.  She kind of furrowed her eyebrows and walked away.

You could offer to find her the label of a fancy-pants PB brand so she can tape it over her PB?

I love PB, thankfully the Aldi's and Kirkland brands are excellent a great price (Kirkland comes to $2.7/lb for organic).

[Carlin]

Friday at lunch:

Me: Did you want to go eat lunch with me?
CW: No, I'm just going to stay at my desk today, because I was in a rush this morning and just grabbed a jar of peanut butter and jelly and some bread to make a sandwich. 
Me: Oh okay....well, I pack my lunch too.
CW: I don't want anyone to see that I have Great Value Peanut Butter and Jelly. 

Do we really live in a world where someone has to be embarrassed that they have off brand peanut butter?!?!

Ask your co-worker if he or she would be prouder to display 'Bad Value' peanut butter.

Great comeback! I actually told her I'd be more embarrassed if I paid extra money just for a name on a jar.  She kind of furrowed her eyebrows and walked away.

You could offer to find her the label of a fancy-pants PB brand so she can tape it over her PB?

I love PB, thankfully the Aldi's and Kirkland brands are excellent a great price (Kirkland comes to $2.7/lb for organic).

I currently have a jar of Kroger Natural Crunchy sitting on my desk along side some apples.  I really should get better about keeping tabs on how much some of my food costs, because I don't know! All I know is that I have a $300/mo grocery budget, and I remain inside it. 

[Malum Prohibitum]

And on a similar note, depending on the crowd you're in, homemade peanut butter is either wonderful and healthy and etc, or something to be embarassed of having because really you should just buy it. There's no winning if you play the game.

(We're mustachians. Fuck the game.)

  I had never considered home made.  Your post made me Google it.  Apparently, it is a lot easier to make than I thought.