Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13267173 times)

coconutpop

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1850 on: February 21, 2014, 03:54:19 PM »
Today a guy at my telemarketing job told me that he only made 100$ this week and in the same sentence told me that he just bought the ps4 with 4 games. The guy has 2 kids a wife that does not work and a 2002 bmw that is in decomposition.

I don't even understand how these people stay alive. 

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1851 on: February 21, 2014, 05:01:26 PM »
There are so many gems in this thread! Unfortunately people mostly don't talk about money at my work, and since we are all engineers, I suspect people handle their money pretty well anyway, generally speaking.

On a completely unrelated note though, I did overhear a wonderful conversation recently in Cubicleland. One coworker complained long and in great detail about his health condition which apparently included hormone therapy, erectile disfunction, and the impact of said health conditions on his sex life.

Sheesh.

I'd almost prefer a good old fashioned spouting of absurd political viewpoints!

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1852 on: February 22, 2014, 08:50:10 AM »
There are so many gems in this thread! Unfortunately people mostly don't talk about money at my work, and since we are all engineers, I suspect people handle their money pretty well anyway, generally speaking.

I work in software for a staff augmentation company.  They sign contracts with the gov't to provide X bodies for Y time period at $$$$$$$$$ per hour, for which they pay us $$ per hour.   But I digress on that last part...

The date the contracts expire is well known.  It's quite common for the new contract holder to hire most of the people who actually did the work on the old contract.  And this is the important part - it's not uncommon for them to do so at a reduction in salary.

So, with several years warning in my pre-MMM days, I decided it would be prudent to pay off as much as I could so that wouldn't be a problem.  Just to make it a real challenge, I made it my goal to be debt free, including the house, by the time the contract was up for renewal.

I mentioned this to some co-workers.  One of them was very concerned about the possibility of a salary reduction because, in his own words, he and his wife lived pay check to pay check. 

We had the usual Murphy issues that get in the way when one gets serious about getting rid of debt (you've all had it happen, too!), so it took us a year longer to put all our debts to rest.  Luckily, there was a contract award dispute that delayed the award of a new contract for a year, so we made our goal anyway.   Since we had such a low minimum expense level, I didn't have to worry overmuch about the wage outcome.

My co-worker was still living paycheck to paycheck.  Hadn't done a thing but coast along.  And yes, the wages were a few percent lower.

Now it's three years later and I overheard him and another coworker lamenting the fact that they'll never be able to retire.  Obviously, he still hasn't changed a damn thing.

On a funny digression, even though my salary was a few percent lower, I actually made more take home pay than I had under the old company.  That's because the old company gave us an option to buy an extra weeks' vacation and I took them up on it.  The new company included that extra week in its base vacation package and paid a higher % of the medical insurance.  I came out a few hundred $ ahead.  If I hadn't been buying the extra vacation hours, I would have had a lower net pay.  Weird how the math works out sometimes, eh?

jba302

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1853 on: February 23, 2014, 01:36:32 PM »
Speaking of math, had a great conservation with someone via email. A friend of mine got a new Leaf. This was acquired to replace his wife's 16mpg commuter. This is completely genius right? Long term planning and all that?

Here's the issue - Both of their vehicles are already paid off, they aren't selling their current vehicles, and they aren't buying the Leaf. They are LEASING a Leaf on top of keeping their 2 other cars. The wife's monthly commute was running them around $250, which is the lease cost of a Leaf. So they are leasing a new vehicle to save gas money which is costing them more overall monthly as they have to hold full comprehensive / collision coverage on the Leaf.  Net loss of a little over $100/month.

Can't make this shit up, I didn't even try to show the math.

randymarsh

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1854 on: February 23, 2014, 01:52:55 PM »
Here's the issue - Both of their vehicles are already paid off, they aren't selling their current vehicles, and they aren't buying the Leaf. They are LEASING a Leaf on top of keeping their 2 other cars. The wife's monthly commute was running them around $250, which is the lease cost of a Leaf. So they are leasing a new vehicle to save gas money which is costing them more overall monthly as they have to hold full comprehensive / collision coverage on the Leaf.  Net loss of a little over $100/month.

Can't make this shit up, I didn't even try to show the math.

This may not be your friend's situation, but I read an article that claimed in some states leasing a Leaf actually causes you to break even on the lease cost or even make money.

Daleth

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1855 on: February 23, 2014, 05:28:51 PM »
Here's the issue - Both of their vehicles are already paid off, they aren't selling their current vehicles, and they aren't buying the Leaf. They are LEASING a Leaf on top of keeping their 2 other cars. The wife's monthly commute was running them around $250, which is the lease cost of a Leaf. So they are leasing a new vehicle to save gas money which is costing them more overall monthly as they have to hold full comprehensive / collision coverage on the Leaf.  Net loss of a little over $100/month.

Can't make this shit up, I didn't even try to show the math.

This may not be your friend's situation, but I read an article that claimed in some states leasing a Leaf actually causes you to break even on the lease cost or even make money.

Yes, it does. Friends of mine in Georgia leased a Leaf for $199/mo for two years, and they get a $5000 tax credit for it. So the car itself (not including insurance and the negligible cost of plugging it in to charge it enough for quickie around-town runs) is actually better than free ($199x12 = $2388 and $2388x2 = $4776).

jordanread

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1856 on: February 24, 2014, 10:24:04 AM »
I had to quote this, just to figure out the facepalm smiley. Alas, it's not built in. And then I realized, I don't think any smileys are built in on SMF :)

: )  Yeah.  No smilies so I had to improvise a bit.  Here's another one I like.


Yeah, I've used a similar one on some other Forums. Gotta love it.

nicknageli

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1857 on: February 24, 2014, 01:12:00 PM »
On Friday my coworker was discussing an exciting new service she's considering signing up for. She pays $200/month, and twice a month, a doctor will show up at her apartment and give her an IV of something (saline and vitamins, I think?) to help her get over her hangover. I really don't even know where to start.

Hahahahaha!  No way!  I busted out loud reading that!

warfreak2

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1858 on: February 24, 2014, 01:26:01 PM »
That's even funnier than it sounds, because you can guarantee the people paying for this service will have many more drinks (at bar prices) on the nights before, so that they can "get their money's worth".

randymarsh

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1859 on: February 24, 2014, 01:36:09 PM »
On Friday my coworker was discussing an exciting new service she's considering signing up for. She pays $200/month, and twice a month, a doctor will show up at her apartment and give her an IV of something (saline and vitamins, I think?) to help her get over her hangover. I really don't even know where to start.

I knew this was a service available in Vegas (http://www.hangoverheaven.com/in-room-treatments/) but didn't realize it was available as subscription lol.

Melody

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1860 on: February 24, 2014, 04:30:40 PM »
And to think I'd been using Berocca this whole time ;-)
(These tablets you disolve in water that have a lot of vit B and ginseng and stuff in them... You get 45 for $20 - deals with months worth of hangovers even for the most hard-core!)

GrayGhost

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1861 on: February 24, 2014, 09:16:13 PM »
I think the way financing works, in many cases, is that banks aren't really banking on your ability to pay off everything, even eventually. What would be great for them is if they got constant cashflow until you're bankrupt, at which point then get your house, and they come out even further ahead.

Remember, the objective of money lenders is, in many cases, to make you their slave. It's even more true in the case of housing, which is an emotionally charged issue with heavy government involvement.

vern

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1862 on: February 24, 2014, 10:19:05 PM »
For hangovers, drink some coconut water before you go to bed.

Elaine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1863 on: February 25, 2014, 07:24:39 AM »
*Raises Hand* Psst, I've got one!

Me: I'm going to costco this weekend!
Co-worker (who had 4 kids): What do you get there? I never find anything there I would use.
Me: Well lots of things. Olive oil, oats, flours, yeast, nuts, and all the supplies I use to make my own cleaning products.
Co-worker: Oh well I'm a really smart shopper. I get all my cleaning products at wallmart.
Me:...
Co-worker: I mean, I get really good deals because I'm such a smart shopper. Usually I drive to Wallmart, then I drive to Target because the fiber one bars at target are only $5 for a big box. Then I drive to B.J.s to buy broccoli and string cheese.
Me: Wow, sounds like a plan, I just walk to Costco then take a $7 car service home.

I mean, so many things here. The amount of driving, the purchasing of pre-made crap (I mean granola bars are like the cheapest thing EVER to make). I don't think she even understood what I was saying about making cleaning products.

jimmymango

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1864 on: February 25, 2014, 07:36:32 AM »
I'll just post the transcript of a gchat conversation I'm having right now with a friend. She's thinking about a new career path and is planning on using her remaining vacation, then quitting and living off savings until she finds a new job/calling, which didn't sound like the worst idea ever until...

Friend: what I need to figure out is how I'm going to get benefits
haha let alone a job

me:  do you think this is the best idea? how much money do you have saved?

Friend:  it is
some, i'm not telling you LOL
I have my retirement, but I have to look into the penalties of withdrawing from it..i have no idea how it works

me:  ok. just hoping you don't quit and then blow through your savings before you have another job
wait wait wait
no no no
you're going to take money from your retirement savings?
why in the world would you do that?
why don't you just save up enough money, in cash, to live off for a few months after you quit?
dont dip into your retirement. then you're turning retirement years into working years

Friend: it's not that much
who cares

me: but then you won't have any retirement savings...

Friend:  w/ all that and my tax refund
i'll have enough
right, but i'll start making that at my next job
and when I marry [ex-boyfriend], he'll have a great retirement
package LOL

me: ha
let's hope that works out for you

Friend: oh i don't really know what will happen of course
I'll figure it out

me: so what's your next move on the job search?

Friend: well i have my resume out
get a job..that's my move lol

rocksinmyhead

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1865 on: February 25, 2014, 07:44:48 AM »
For hangovers, drink some coconut water before you go to bed.

that makes sense... similar to what I do, which is take an S-cap electrolyte capsule. one before you start drinking, one before bed, one in the morning... tada! originally bought em when I was training for a 50k, but they are great for hangovers too. (and I tend to get BAD hangovers, even when I don't drink a ton)

Paul der Krake

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1866 on: February 25, 2014, 08:13:11 AM »
Friend:  w/ all that and my tax refund
i'll have enough
right, but i'll start making that at my next job
and when I marry [ex-boyfriend], he'll have a great retirement
package LOL
That's some forward-thinking right there. Unless she has figured out a way to marry ex-boyfriends without them noticing?

ThatsMyOtter

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1867 on: February 26, 2014, 05:20:19 AM »
CW1 is single, lives by himself, mid to late 60s and has previously complained about how impossible it is to save for retirement

CW2: How was your weekend?
CW1: Great! I bought a new computer and it was only $600.
CW2: Don't you already have a couple computers?
CW1: Yeah, this is my fourth. I decided I wanted one just to keep in the bathroom [to keep himself entertained while on the toilet].

Turns out CW1 owns four different laptops, all newer than 2009, because he finds it too inconvenient to go to a different room and bring it to the room he wants to be in. So he has one for the bedroom, one for the living room, one for the kitchen/dining room, and now one for the bathroom.

Half-Borg

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1868 on: February 26, 2014, 07:26:43 AM »
for me it would be way to inconvient to sync my data between 4 laptops

mgarl10024

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1869 on: February 26, 2014, 07:29:56 AM »
for me it would be way to inconvient to sync my data between 4 laptops

Sounds like you don't have a file server and home LAN.  ;-)

Hedge_87

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1870 on: February 26, 2014, 07:44:58 AM »
Lol we have one laptop and one tablet and I think that is excessive. Until my gf moved in 4 years ago I didn't have any computers or internet in the house.

GuitarStv

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1871 on: February 26, 2014, 07:45:58 AM »
For hangovers, drink some coconut water before you go to bed.

that makes sense... similar to what I do, which is take an S-cap electrolyte capsule. one before you start drinking, one before bed, one in the morning... tada! originally bought em when I was training for a 50k, but they are great for hangovers too. (and I tend to get BAD hangovers, even when I don't drink a ton)

I have . . . the best hangover remedy.






Don't drink more than you can handle.  :P

Hedge_87

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1872 on: February 26, 2014, 07:47:41 AM »
Best hangover cure is beer for breakfast.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1873 on: February 26, 2014, 11:59:19 AM »
My hangover cure is to sleep until I'm not hungover.  Obviously this corresponds to not getting drunk the night before I got shit to do.  But that's a good thing.

the fixer

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1874 on: February 26, 2014, 12:09:06 PM »
for me it would be way to inconvient to sync my data between 4 laptops

Sounds like you don't have a file server and home LAN.  ;-)
You're joking right? That's a great way to waste your time and electricity, speaking from personal experience.

I once had a coworker who had a network of ~10 computers set up at his house with special setups for his kids to use. He was even running his own Windows small business server with Exchange. I was working in IT at the time and couldn't imagine why someone would want to do my job at home and not get paid for it...

Insanity

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1875 on: February 26, 2014, 07:10:19 PM »
for me it would be way to inconvient to sync my data between 4 laptops

Sounds like you don't have a file server and home LAN.  ;-)
You're joking right? That's a great way to waste your time and electricity, speaking from personal experience.

I once had a coworker who had a network of ~10 computers set up at his house with special setups for his kids to use. He was even running his own Windows small business server with Exchange. I was working in IT at the time and couldn't imagine why someone would want to do my job at home and not get paid for it...

Because I digitize everything and want a back-up process and shared system between my wife and my self.  And when the kids are old enough to have their own, I want to be able to control what they have access to ;)

grantmeaname

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1876 on: February 26, 2014, 08:41:47 PM »
I once had a coworker who had a network of ~10 computers set up at his house with special setups for his kids to use. He was even running his own Windows small business server with Exchange. I was working in IT at the time and couldn't imagine why someone would want to do my job at home and not get paid for it...
You can take things apart and fix them again, and if you really break them you don't get canned.

mgarl10024

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1877 on: February 27, 2014, 01:53:06 AM »
Sounds like you don't have a file server and home LAN.  ;-)

You're joking right?
Nope!

That's a great way to waste your time and electricity, speaking from personal experience.
I once had a coworker who had a network of ~10 computers set up at his house with special setups for his kids to use. He was even running his own Windows small business server with Exchange. I was working in IT at the time and couldn't imagine why someone would want to do my job at home and not get paid for it...
I once had a coworker (coming back to the topic a little) who had a similar set up - 10+ computers.  Because he had scavenged them from various places they were all quite old - which was good that waste wasn't produced making new ones, but terrible from an electricity point of view.  It was so bad that he had an enormous fan on a timer to circulate the heat building up in his house every few hours, and a summer heatwave usually meant a harddisk failure and replacement.

Instead, I have a small microserver, though I'm guessing that I have different requirements to my colleague.  I build it to have a low power consumption (about 40 watts) and it runs 24*7.  As I work in IT, setting it up and learning about something new was an excellent way to keep skills sharp, and for those 40watts I get a safe storage for important photos/documents/music/videos etc. that the family can all access, backups, virus scanning, etc.  While it is not the pinnacle of Mustachionism, compared with the alternatives, I wouldn't be without it.

warfreak2

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1878 on: February 27, 2014, 04:19:17 AM »
I once rescued ~15 computers from a skip at my school. Learned a lot about how computers work, how to fix them, how to work out which parts are OK. I ended up with about 6 or 7 computers made out of the working parts from each, then installed operating systems on them, learned how to set them up on a network, &c. They were tremendously outdated even at the time, but they could run Quake 1 and Command and Conquer with no problems. Good times.

Fireman

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1879 on: February 27, 2014, 07:31:17 AM »
...but they could run Quake 1 and Command and Conquer with no problems. Good times.

Baller.

MooseOutFront

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1880 on: February 27, 2014, 01:22:29 PM »
Yesterday a co-worker was talking to his new hire about loan products at our bank and he said "A cool trick not many people know about is that you can just use a CD to secure a loan and the interest rate on the loan is only 2.5% above what the CD pays.  My mom (also works at this bank) let me use her CD to secure the loan when I bought my fiancé's wedding ring last fall"

So much derp.  I was just all like:


mgreczyn

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1881 on: February 27, 2014, 02:27:06 PM »
Best hangover cure is beer for breakfast.
I respectfully disagree.  The best cure for hangovers is to attempt to complete a triathlon while hungover.  It's sort of a permanent cure, though it is painful and embarrassing.  Rather, it IS a permanent cure BECAUSE it's painful and embarrassing. 

Hedge_87

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1882 on: February 27, 2014, 06:07:00 PM »
Best hangover cure is beer for breakfast.
I respectfully disagree.  The best cure for hangovers is to attempt to complete a triathlon while hungover.  It's sort of a permanent cure, though it is painful and embarrassing.  Rather, it IS a permanent cure BECAUSE it's painful and embarrassing.
I thought we were talking about curing a hangover not a drinking disorder... I do admire anybody who has completed a triathlon (especially on a hangover) though. I would love to attempt one some day I like running and biking well enough but swimming for distance/speed is just not fun to me. I prefer to swim for one of two reasons:
not to drown
have a good relaxing cool float around the pool/lake possibly with an alcoholic beverage

windawake

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1883 on: February 27, 2014, 06:11:05 PM »
This isn't an extreme example by any means, but today at work we were talking about beans, canned vs. dry. One coworker said sarcastically, "Who takes the time to prepare dried beans?" I said, "I do, why not?" She said, "It's a lot of work." I said, "No, you just stick your beans in abowl to soak overnight and cook them the next day." She said, "Who thinks ahead that far?" The answer: probably people who are thinking about FIRE.

RMD

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1884 on: February 27, 2014, 07:08:59 PM »
This isn't an extreme example by any means, but today at work we were talking about beans, canned vs. dry. One coworker said sarcastically, "Who takes the time to prepare dried beans?" I said, "I do, why not?" She said, "It's a lot of work." I said, "No, you just stick your beans in abowl to soak overnight and cook them the next day." She said, "Who thinks ahead that far?" The answer: probably people who are thinking about FIRE.

I do a large batch, soaking through cooking, in the crockpot and then pop them in the freezer so they are just as convenient as canned beans.  :)

I find that talking food with coworkers brings the biggest anti mustachian behaviors to light.  Like one of my former bosses who buys plastic silverware and paper plates because she just doesn't have the time to mess with dishes.  I kind of cringe to think about what other things she doesn't have time for and admit to making assumptions about the probable cleanliness of her home.

Hunny156

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1885 on: February 27, 2014, 07:23:57 PM »
This isn't an extreme example by any means, but today at work we were talking about beans, canned vs. dry. One coworker said sarcastically, "Who takes the time to prepare dried beans?" I said, "I do, why not?" She said, "It's a lot of work." I said, "No, you just stick your beans in abowl to soak overnight and cook them the next day." She said, "Who thinks ahead that far?" The answer: probably people who are thinking about FIRE.

I do a large batch, soaking through cooking, in the crockpot and then pop them in the freezer so they are just as convenient as canned beans.  :)

I find that talking food with coworkers brings the biggest anti mustachian behaviors to light.  Like one of my former bosses who buys plastic silverware and paper plates because she just doesn't have the time to mess with dishes.  I kind of cringe to think about what other things she doesn't have time for and admit to making assumptions about the probable cleanliness of her home.

I sometimes forget to think that far ahead, so on those days, I cook lentils.  Or I soak them before I leave for work and then set them to cook while I prep the other components of dinner.

The paper plates thing - my in laws do that.  They buy a 25 count package of Chinet every week, and they have these straw plate holders to help keep the integrity of the plates, which is overloaded w/food.  They also refuse to buy generic, and now that they abandoned their car when it needed repairs they could not afford, they are stuck at home all the time, and they hate each other.  My MIL has replaced her store-shopping habit w/QVC, and my FIL has proudly informed me that they do take-out all the time (delivery), b/c it's the same $ as cooking at home!  I could go on and on, but you get the idea....

galliver

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1886 on: February 27, 2014, 07:32:05 PM »
This isn't an extreme example by any means, but today at work we were talking about beans, canned vs. dry. One coworker said sarcastically, "Who takes the time to prepare dried beans?" I said, "I do, why not?" She said, "It's a lot of work." I said, "No, you just stick your beans in abowl to soak overnight and cook them the next day." She said, "Who thinks ahead that far?" The answer: probably people who are thinking about FIRE.

I dunno if those are truly connected. I'm pretty responsible long-term, but have the hardest time remembering to take chicken out to thaw. And then not having something come up that prevents me from cooking it like staying late at work to finish running experiments...

AlanStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1887 on: February 27, 2014, 07:52:47 PM »
Heck, if it were not for auto-pay on the mortgage my credit score would be 100 points lower! :-)

Years ago I missed a months rent payment-just got distracted and forgot then the landlord did not catch it (how I have no idea-he was not a great guy to rent from) for about six months.  I think I was half moved out by then too.  Paid it after checking with the bank to ensure I did owe the money.

So I dont think I will be doing that well with beans any time soon.  Is all about knowing your limits and working around them.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2014, 07:56:01 PM by AlanStache »

horsepoor

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1888 on: February 27, 2014, 08:04:59 PM »
my FIL has proudly informed me that they do take-out all the time (delivery), b/c it's the same $ as cooking at home!  I could go on and on, but you get the idea....

Well, takeout comes with containers and utensils so you save all that money on the Chinet...


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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1889 on: February 27, 2014, 08:10:25 PM »
I have a co-worker who shares all sorts of nonsense:
 - says she does laundry three times a week, using the coin-op machines in the basement of her apartment building.  Mind you, she is single, has no pets, and wears a uniform at work (which gets laundered at work for her).  I cannot imagine what she might be washing, except maybe she washes her sheets and bath towels frequently, and does very small loads each time.  She says it saves her a lot of time so that she doesn't have to spend her days off "doing such a big pile of laundry".     
 - She buys little tubs of pre-cut, usually out of season fruit, plus those silly bottled-smoothie drinks.   I've seen her eat PB&J sandwiches bought in the freezer section with the crusts cut off.  I've also seen her eating an apple that was bought pre-cut at the store, all sealed up in plastic and called "Dippers"
 - She was complaining that she misses her car (which she left home in Michigan when she came to Utah to work a 4-month season at a ski resort), but when asked why she didn't bring it with her, she said "Because it would've cost $1,500 to ship it here here" (on top of her plane ticket to ship herself here.  Doh!)
 - One day the battery on her phone permanently died, just a few hours before she was supposed to be at work.  So she took a taxi to the nearest verizon store ($20 each way) because she needed to buy a new phone that very same day "just in case her family needed to get in touch with her".  Mind you, if she had waited until the next day, she could've taken public transportation to the same store very conveniently, although it may have taken a half hour more out of her day. 
 - Oh yeah, and she likes to buy expensive scented candles.  (If I were to share the link on how to make scented candles for 1/4 the price, she would absolutely wrinkle her nose in disgust.  Ewww, saving money is gross!)

She makes $11-$12 an hour, and is 35 years old.   
   

Tempe

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1890 on: February 27, 2014, 08:17:39 PM »
I have a co-worker who shares all sorts of nonsense:
 - says she does laundry three times a week, using the coin-op machines in the basement of her apartment building.  Mind you, she is single, has no pets, and wears a uniform at work (which gets laundered at work for her).  I cannot imagine what she might be washing, except maybe she washes her sheets and bath towels frequently, and does very small loads each time.  She says it saves her a lot of time so that she doesn't have to spend her days off "doing such a big pile of laundry".     
 - She buys little tubs of pre-cut, usually out of season fruit, plus those silly bottled-smoothie drinks.   I've seen her eat PB&J sandwiches bought in the freezer section with the crusts cut off.  I've also seen her eating an apple that was bought pre-cut at the store, all sealed up in plastic and called "Dippers"
 - She was complaining that she misses her car (which she left home in Michigan when she came to Utah to work a 4-month season at a ski resort), but when asked why she didn't bring it with her, she said "Because it would've cost $1,500 to ship it here here" (on top of her plane ticket to ship herself here.  Doh!)
 - One day the battery on her phone permanently died, just a few hours before she was supposed to be at work.  So she took a taxi to the nearest verizon store ($20 each way) because she needed to buy a new phone that very same day "just in case her family needed to get in touch with her".  Mind you, if she had waited until the next day, she could've taken public transportation to the same store very conveniently, although it may have taken a half hour more out of her day. 
 - Oh yeah, and she likes to buy expensive scented candles.  (If I were to share the link on how to make scented candles for 1/4 the price, she would absolutely wrinkle her nose in disgust.  Ewww, saving money is gross!)

She makes $11-$12 an hour, and is 35 years old.   
 

The pre-cut fruit anythings make me shake my head. It would be fine if you really didn't want to buy something like a watermelon and know you won't finish it all. It is another thing to buy pre cut watermelon at 5-7$ for a couple ounces multiple time a week. Or mixed grapes and melon for the same price. I had coworkers who did both. Sheesh, I have a hard time buying watermelons at out of seaon prices, let alone buying a couple ounces for the same price all year long.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1891 on: February 27, 2014, 09:17:04 PM »
Another person here who is unlikely to thaw, soak, or marinate anything the night before.  If I did, it would probably end up being one of those days where I need to stay late at work and eat free food.

Russ

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1892 on: February 27, 2014, 09:36:42 PM »
I always soak my beans in hot/warm water for an hour, then dump that and actually cook them. works just fine

ginastarke

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1893 on: February 28, 2014, 03:08:15 AM »
Ugh, Laundry. That sucking sound in my budget- at least until May when we finally see the sun again.  Roughly 2 loads a weeks here  because I have 3 pairs of pants that fit until I find some new ones I like at the thrift  shop.


windawake

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1894 on: February 28, 2014, 05:46:04 AM »
I get it that some people aren't into prepping ahead of time. I was just awed by the idea that soaking is way too much work. I just make a big batch of beans on Sunday to have throughout the week and freeze part for later. I wonder what she'd say about me baking my own bread!

Ugh, Laundry. That sucking sound in my budget- at least until May when we finally see the sun again.  Roughly 2 loads a weeks here  because I have 3 pairs of pants that fit until I find some new ones I like at the thrift  shop.

I only have 3 pairs of pants (2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of cords for work) and only do laundry once every two weeks. Even when I do laundry I usually only wash one pair of pants. I do tend to wear skirts or dresses (with leggings or tights) about 4-5 days out of the week, though.

Hunny156

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1895 on: February 28, 2014, 08:45:47 AM »
my FIL has proudly informed me that they do take-out all the time (delivery), b/c it's the same $ as cooking at home!  I could go on and on, but you get the idea....

Well, takeout comes with containers and utensils so you save all that money on the Chinet...

If only!  No, the food gets scooped out of containers and dumped onto Chinet, then nuked b/c it got cold (warm?) while they were delivering it.  Hubby still does this - he can't eat leftovers out of a tupperware, he puts his food on a plate (we use Corelle).  When he's away on business, I eat straight out of the pot!  :)

I feel bad for the delivery guy, b/c my in-laws will place the two orders on the same call, but separate billing.  When the doorbell rings, one will go up first, pay for his/her food, and once they re-enter the apartment, the other one goes to the door and handles the remaining transaction.  I'm surprised they haven't labeled the leftovers in the fridge yet...

LibraTraci

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1896 on: February 28, 2014, 10:18:47 AM »
I get it that some people aren't into prepping ahead of time. I was just awed by the idea that soaking is way too much work.
Maybe my standards are low, but it seems to me that when you see your bag of dried beans, you put them in the crock pot and forget about them until sometime the next day.  (I'm sure there are people with really high standards, who like their beans fully cooked, but still very firm, and would throw the whole batch away if it were mushy -- I am not one of those people.)

Then, you put them in the fridge (or freezer) until you decide to use them. 

It must just be a mental block with some people -- something that sounds so alien and foreign that they can't imagine how they'd do it.  When you think about it, it's no work at all.  Less active time than opening 4 cans of store-bought beans. 

Cromacster

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1897 on: February 28, 2014, 10:33:17 AM »
I get it that some people aren't into prepping ahead of time. I was just awed by the idea that soaking is way too much work.
Maybe my standards are low, but it seems to me that when you see your bag of dried beans, you put them in the crock pot and forget about them until sometime the next day.  (I'm sure there are people with really high standards, who like their beans fully cooked, but still very firm, and would throw the whole batch away if it were mushy -- I am not one of those people.)

Then, you put them in the fridge (or freezer) until you decide to use them. 

It must just be a mental block with some people -- something that sounds so alien and foreign that they can't imagine how they'd do it.  When you think about it, it's no work at all.  Less active time than opening 4 cans of store-bought beans.

It's just their excuse to be lazy.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1898 on: February 28, 2014, 10:53:13 AM »

It's just their excuse to be lazy.

Hey!  I don't need an excuse to be lazy!

Dr.Vibrissae

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1899 on: February 28, 2014, 11:36:42 AM »
I feel bad for the delivery guy, b/c my in-laws will place the two orders on the same call, but separate billing.  When the doorbell rings, one will go up first, pay for his/her food, and once they re-enter the apartment, the other one goes to the door and handles the remaining transaction.  I'm surprised they haven't labeled the leftovers in the fridge yet...
This seems like a whole new level of separate finances...