Breaking News:
Co-worker is on the phone, talking to his Mom about Mother's Day. Here's the current shopping list:
1. A used white ceiling fan w/Tiffany style glass light mount from Craig's List for $100, or a plain white one from Lowe's for $109. This would be the gift for his mother.
2. For his wife, she wants a fitbit, plus they are heading over to James Avery to get her a charm bracelet w/two specific birthstone charms, and while on the phone, checked out the prices on Amazon for a large bottle of her favorite perfume, which is $80 plus shipping, so it can be shipped to his mom's house to surprise his wife.
I'm amused that the mom potentially gets a used ceiling fan, while the wife gets a consumerist crap-ton! This from a guy who complains about money all the time, and goads his co-workers into going out with him to eat lunch every day, even though his co-workers have brought their own lunch from home.
Last week a co-worker loudly complained to another co-worker that his property taxes went up a lot. His VALUE increased a lot, b/c we are in a hot market, but the actual increase in tax rate isn't very much. However, our county makes it super easy to contest, and you don't even need proof, they usually will work with you and give you something off if you just file a protest. Which you can do easily, online.
Rather than do the protest, the co-worker explained that he was going to hire a company to do it for him, which apparently will take 2/3 of the savings! He explained that if they saved him $600, they would take $400 in return, and it was totally worth it, b/c they do all the work. In the very next sentence, he said that he sent them his closing (HUD) statement, and pictures of the inside of the house, so that they can protest for him. Umm, isn't that doing some of the work yourself?
He also conceded that the county already has all the data regarding sold comps, so you don't need to bring in that proof, which is true. I fight it every year, and usually resolve it online in a matter of minutes. Even if I do have to escalate to an in-person meeting, they are very good w/appointments, so you are in and out in 20 minutes. I know he's not making $800 an hour!