Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13266836 times)

Petunia 100

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10000 on: August 17, 2015, 03:50:47 PM »

Anyway, to cut to the chase, I get a call one day asking if I can give her a ride to work on my way to the office because she was having car troubles. It's on my way anyway so I said sure. I get there and realize she lives with her parents still, so how is she so broke every week? The icing on the cake here turns out to be that the 'car troubles' turned out to be that her car, which she JUST leased, had been repossessed by the bank the night before and she was very upset about it. I asked why it got repossessed, and she informed me that since her insurance payments are over $600 a month, (which I would imagine is slightly more than her weekly check, just based on my own salary, even though I probably make more), she could no longer afford both the car payments AND the insurance payments. She borrowed money from friends and family to get the car back, and apparently has not come close to paying these people back yet.

 Low and behold, the week after was in another major crisis because the car insurance company was cancelling her policy for nonpayment. I asked her why doesn't she consider taking public transport to work, car pooling, or maybe even using a bike since she lives fairly close to the office and she looked at me like I was an alien, she wouldn't even consider this as an option and I should be thrown out for even suggesting it. To me, if you're spending probably over 50% of your salary on car payments plus insurance payments, I would rather just not work and not have the car! Why work so hard for something that is basically just a mechanism for getting you to that job?? I informed her that her car insurance payment alone was more than I pay for my mortgage every month, as I have just bought my first property (have a few small investment properties but this one is for me to live in) and she looked like she thought I was some sort of freak that I already own instead of rent/live with parents (keep in mind I didn't even mention that I have already purchased several other properties for income/investing purposes, I think that would have been a bridge too far). I don't understand how people can get themselves into these types of situations and then, even worse, not see the error of their ways!!!


Why does she need car insurance if her car was repo'ed?

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10001 on: August 17, 2015, 06:04:32 PM »
He looks like money, nice clothes, expensive watch, etc. I figured this is a non-expense to him (or his parents), so whatever. Until I hear him explain to his friend "...no, it's coming out of student loans."

Yep, had friends that went that route too. On the topic of electronics: my coworker was complaining about their replacement laptop adapter was 5 oz heavier than the original one. Never mind that it charges faster than the older version.

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10002 on: August 17, 2015, 06:37:52 PM »
Insurance payments of $7-8k a year?

I have heard of such a thing: ages ago, my 16-year-old male friend was quoted around $7k a year for full coverage if he were to drive (if I remember correctly) an S2000 in CT. Obviously, that idea was nixed very quickly.

For a 40-year-old to have insurance payments for $7k a year, I am imagining either having full coverage on a supercar, or very many DUIs and reckless driving tickets (100+ mph usually). Just one such ticket wouldn't even push the price so high.

Benevolent Anteater

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10003 on: August 17, 2015, 07:28:54 PM »
Anyway, sorry for the long post but I figured you guys would appreciate this example and I really just needed to rant, because if I told people in real life they would just say something like 'well how can you blame her, it's hard to save money these days'. I think people just love to say that because it gives them an excuse/crutch for their own situation
Oh, man, your co-worker is deluding herself.  She can't even see that she's stuck in an absurd cycle.

I agree. If she were to get rid of the car and stop paying the high insurance etc., I figure she could bank at least an extra $700 or so a month, which would quickly translate into a nice $10,000 or so savings or an investment account with almost zero effort involved, so she could go from a debt nightmare to having the beginnings of a nice surplus, but this seems to be of very little interest to her, as does starting a 401k.

Benevolent Anteater

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10004 on: August 17, 2015, 07:31:08 PM »

Why does she need car insurance if her car was repo'ed?

Petunia - she still is paying the insurance because she borrowed money to get the car out of repossession. I don't know how much this costs but apparently she now owes a friend or family member something like $1k to $2k or so, and seems to have not made any effort whatsoever to begin paying them back, and has mentioned numerous times that it's an 'insurmountable' sum of money as if no one could ever have enough for something like this.

Benevolent Anteater

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10005 on: August 17, 2015, 07:33:53 PM »
Insurance payments of $7-8k a year?

I have heard of such a thing: ages ago, my 16-year-old male friend was quoted around $7k a year for full coverage if he were to drive (if I remember correctly) an S2000 in CT. Obviously, that idea was nixed very quickly.

For a 40-year-old to have insurance payments for $7k a year, I am imagining either having full coverage on a supercar, or very many DUIs and reckless driving tickets (100+ mph usually). Just one such ticket wouldn't even push the price so high.

Gimp - I think you hit the nail on the head - I don't think I am getting the whole story (we're coworkers so I don't blame her for not giving me the gory details in a work environment) but from how she explained it, she has been in 2-3 accidents in the last couple of years, and also has 2-3 speeding tickets at particularly high speeds. I wouldn't be shocked if there was a DUI involved, like you said. Apparently whichever insurance company is insuring her, was the only one that was willing to give her coverage, the others all turned her down.

Benevolent Anteater

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10006 on: August 17, 2015, 07:41:17 PM »
Hi guys, new here, but have been reading/enjoying this thread for about a year and it always gives me a good laugh and the boost I need when I am having a bad day or need a little extra motivation to keep saving! Anyway, I never thought I would actually post here but a recent example that happened to me with a coworker was just so shocking and awe-inspiring that I feel compelled to post for the first time ever, I'm not sure if I should laugh, cry, or both...

~Painful story about painful woman's painful spending~

Anyway, sorry for the long post but I figured you guys would appreciate this example and I really just needed to rant, because if I told people in real life they would just say something like 'well how can you blame her, it's hard to save money these days'. I think people just love to say that because it gives them an excuse/crutch for their own situation

Holy crap, my mind is blown. I've literally never seen insurance payments on a car that high, and never seen someone deluded enough to voluntarily pay them. This takes the cake.


Amen! Why voluntarily pay? Haha. I also like your summary of my middle paragraphs! Haha.

Benevolent Anteater

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10007 on: August 17, 2015, 07:42:57 PM »


Really sounds like all her cash goes up her nose to me.

Silverado - I wouldn't be shocked if this was part of the case. I know cigarettes and constant happy hours are a large part of it so it wouldn't surprise me if that was also a factor.

LeRainDrop

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10008 on: August 17, 2015, 09:24:12 PM »
Insurance payments of $7-8k a year?

I have heard of such a thing: ages ago, my 16-year-old male friend was quoted around $7k a year for full coverage if he were to drive (if I remember correctly) an S2000 in CT. Obviously, that idea was nixed very quickly.

For a 40-year-old to have insurance payments for $7k a year, I am imagining either having full coverage on a supercar, or very many DUIs and reckless driving tickets (100+ mph usually). Just one such ticket wouldn't even push the price so high.

Gimp - I think you hit the nail on the head - I don't think I am getting the whole story (we're coworkers so I don't blame her for not giving me the gory details in a work environment) but from how she explained it, she has been in 2-3 accidents in the last couple of years, and also has 2-3 speeding tickets at particularly high speeds. I wouldn't be shocked if there was a DUI involved, like you said. Apparently whichever insurance company is insuring her, was the only one that was willing to give her coverage, the others all turned her down.

That is a crazy high insurance premium!  A relative has had 3-5 accidents in the last couple years, including one that totaled his car, plus a DUI charge that got dragged out for 18 months (subsequently dismissed), and his premium for a brand new car in non-competitive Massachusetts is $350 per month.  (Well, he just had another accident, so maybe it will go up again or he could be dropped, as what they nearly did after his previous accident.)

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10009 on: August 17, 2015, 09:48:16 PM »
Insurance payments of $7-8k a year?

I have heard of such a thing: ages ago, my 16-year-old male friend was quoted around $7k a year for full coverage if he were to drive (if I remember correctly) an S2000 in CT. Obviously, that idea was nixed very quickly.

For a 40-year-old to have insurance payments for $7k a year, I am imagining either having full coverage on a supercar, or very many DUIs and reckless driving tickets (100+ mph usually). Just one such ticket wouldn't even push the price so high.

Gimp - I think you hit the nail on the head - I don't think I am getting the whole story (we're coworkers so I don't blame her for not giving me the gory details in a work environment) but from how she explained it, she has been in 2-3 accidents in the last couple of years, and also has 2-3 speeding tickets at particularly high speeds. I wouldn't be shocked if there was a DUI involved, like you said. Apparently whichever insurance company is insuring her, was the only one that was willing to give her coverage, the others all turned her down.

Yeah.

I have a friend who had a 90 mph ticket and still paid around $1500 a year, despite being (at the time) under 25.

I have many friends who have had lots of reasonable tickets and their insurance was often bumped by a couple hundred a year because of it.

I know people who own $100k cars (usually a fully built out tesla around here, though quite a few with beamers, porsches, and so on) who pay for full coverage, and still pay in the $2k range.

I know people who own legit supercars - I'm talking ferraris, lambos, and much rarer exotics - who often pay less than $7k/year... for full coverage... even including their track day insurance.

So you can get a $250k car that can do 215 mph, and drive it on the track actually getting near those speeds, and have full coverage, and still pay less than she is paying.

To their credit, none of them have ever crashed their cars in a way that was their fault.

Benevolent Anteater

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10010 on: August 18, 2015, 04:22:03 AM »
Hmm, the only thing I can think of then is that perhaps the payment is lower than she's saying, but that she's inflating the price to gain sympathy or to make it sound more believable for why she's out of money seemingly every month - like she feels it sounds more acceptable to say its because of the car insurance company than from whatever else she's wasting money on.

Actually - just to make things even worse (or more comical) - she has lately been taking advice from a lady there a bit older than her who has been telling her 'oh you don't need to pay the insurance, just don't pay it and when they cancel it, only turn in one of your plates at the DMV, I do it all the time.' Which REALLY doesn't even make sense to me from a logical/feasible standpoint but seems like the worst possible person to take advice from. This is from a person who makes very little money, is constantly complaining about money woes, and yet who goes out for a big entrée takeout lunch at local restaurants every day - I'm not even talking about food court for like $7 or $8 - I literally mean going to a sit-down restaurant like Joe's Crab Shack or Applebee's and bringing back the entrée and appetizer for lunch which I would imagine probably costs $15-20, and eats it when she gets back to her desk since they get a half hour for lunch, so not nearly long enough to go to one of those places, and you get docked pay if you get back late - which, as you might imagine, she frequently does.

On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10011 on: August 18, 2015, 04:53:29 AM »
On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

You know you suck with money when you can't afford to even play the lottery...Just playing the lottery alone is a waste of money, but owing money for the lottery is even more pathetic.

LennStar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10012 on: August 18, 2015, 05:58:01 AM »
On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

You know you suck with money when you can't afford to even play the lottery...Just playing the lottery alone is a waste of money, but owing money for the lottery is even more pathetic.
It reminds me of those investment banks and their "investors" who crashed the housing market.

GuitarStv

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10013 on: August 18, 2015, 06:03:47 AM »
On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

You know you suck with money when you can't afford to even play the lottery...Just playing the lottery alone is a waste of money, but owing money for the lottery is even more pathetic.

 . . . alternatively, it's a genius idea to play a lottery pool for free.  Odds are if they won you would be able to take them to court and sue for your part of the winnings.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10014 on: August 18, 2015, 06:09:28 AM »
Insurance payments of $7-8k a year?

I have heard of such a thing: ages ago, my 16-year-old male friend was quoted around $7k a year for full coverage if he were to drive (if I remember correctly) an S2000 in CT. Obviously, that idea was nixed very quickly.

For a 40-year-old to have insurance payments for $7k a year, I am imagining either having full coverage on a supercar, or very many DUIs and reckless driving tickets (100+ mph usually). Just one such ticket wouldn't even push the price so high.

Gimp - I think you hit the nail on the head - I don't think I am getting the whole story (we're coworkers so I don't blame her for not giving me the gory details in a work environment) but from how she explained it, she has been in 2-3 accidents in the last couple of years, and also has 2-3 speeding tickets at particularly high speeds. I wouldn't be shocked if there was a DUI involved, like you said. Apparently whichever insurance company is insuring her, was the only one that was willing to give her coverage, the others all turned her down.

Yeah.

I have a friend who had a 90 mph ticket and still paid around $1500 a year, despite being (at the time) under 25.

I have many friends who have had lots of reasonable tickets and their insurance was often bumped by a couple hundred a year because of it.

I know people who own $100k cars (usually a fully built out tesla around here, though quite a few with beamers, porsches, and so on) who pay for full coverage, and still pay in the $2k range.

I know people who own legit supercars - I'm talking ferraris, lambos, and much rarer exotics - who often pay less than $7k/year... for full coverage... even including their track day insurance.

So you can get a $250k car that can do 215 mph, and drive it on the track actually getting near those speeds, and have full coverage, and still pay less than she is paying.

To their credit, none of them have ever crashed their cars in a way that was their fault.

I had one friend whose insurance ran over $500 a month (I remember because it was bigger than her car payment of $450 per month).  She had been in multiple accidents (her fault) that had left the other cars totaled or totaled hers.  She always joked that she never hit cheap cars.  She also had multiple tickets and had her license suspended at one point because of non-payment.  I almost had a heart attack when she told me she paid almost 1K per month for her compact car and insurance. Her credit was shot also which contributed to the problem.  Fortunately, she did straighten up a lot and has made great strides in getting her finances straight. All that to say, it is possible to have an insurance bill like that, but it takes A LOT to get there.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10015 on: August 18, 2015, 08:01:10 AM »

On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

A good life lesson was learned by me in 5th grade. I lent a classmate a $1 on a field trip, and spent the next year trying to collect. He made every excuse to avoid paying back a $1, even used his mother being sick as an explanation to guilt trip me away. I wrote off the $1 in my head, but it was a valuable lesson in trust.

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10016 on: August 18, 2015, 08:11:24 AM »
You know you suck with money when you can't afford to even play the lottery...Just playing the lottery alone is a waste of money, but owing money for the lottery is even more pathetic.
It reminds me of those investment banks and their "investors" who crashed the housing market.
Sounds like a clever form of leveraged investing that could fit into a well-rounded portfolio.
Just like Frosted Flakes are a nutritious part of a balanced breakfast, if the balanced breakfast includes eggs, kale, grapefruit, and a fiber supplement....

ohana

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10017 on: August 18, 2015, 08:22:59 AM »
Words that came out of a CWs mouth last week (she just got a new, leased BMW):

CW:  It was such a good deal I couldn't turn it down!

Ten minutes later:

CW:  You're so lucky you don't have a kid to put through college like I do.  Well, she's gonna have to pay for a bunch of it herself . . . .

Sigh.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10018 on: August 18, 2015, 12:24:33 PM »

On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

A good life lesson was learned by me in 5th grade. I lent a classmate a $1 on a field trip, and spent the next year trying to collect. He made every excuse to avoid paying back a $1, even used his mother being sick as an explanation to guilt trip me away. I wrote off the $1 in my head, but it was a valuable lesson in trust.

Ha!  I was the asshole on the other side of that once... Little me didn't realize that the kid might actually need the money (still doubtful) and didn't see why it was such a big deal to get a single dollar back.  I wasn't actively trying to steal the money, it just wasn't a priority to pay back a 0% loan!  Early lesson in interest rate arbitrage and payment floats.

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10019 on: August 18, 2015, 12:27:42 PM »
One of my CWs just bought a brand-new car for his son, and then took him to take his license test.

Rained out.

Hehehe

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10020 on: August 18, 2015, 12:30:29 PM »

On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

A good life lesson was learned by me in 5th grade. I lent a classmate a $1 on a field trip, and spent the next year trying to collect. He made every excuse to avoid paying back a $1, even used his mother being sick as an explanation to guilt trip me away. I wrote off the $1 in my head, but it was a valuable lesson in trust.

Ha!  I was the asshole on the other side of that once... Little me didn't realize that the kid might actually need the money (still doubtful) and didn't see why it was such a big deal to get a single dollar back.  I wasn't actively trying to steal the money, it just wasn't a priority to pay back a 0% loan!  Early lesson in interest rate arbitrage and payment floats.

It was more the principal. If you give someone your word, then I fully expect the other person to do so. I don't mind loaning a little amount of money to see which people I know are honorable about it, it's a fair wager that if I were to loan you $20 and you were to duck me, then I would consider the money well spent...

I don't understand the "the kid might actually need the money," and "didn't see why it was such a big deal." You sound like one of those people that rail against the banks for foreclosing on their house due to non-payment. Yes, it was a $1, and it didn't make or break me in any way, but a loan is a loan. If the person actually said, "Hey I can't pay you," I likely would have let it go, instead he kept making up bullshit excuses.

iamlittlehedgehog

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10021 on: August 18, 2015, 12:38:17 PM »
I just spoke to the attorney recruiter - she was lamenting about her Treasure Island beach house got flooded in the recent rains. Her permanent residence is in Dunedin, the same county and a 30 minutes drive north -.-

I attached a map for further face palming.

Ashyukun

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10022 on: August 18, 2015, 12:40:33 PM »

On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

A good life lesson was learned by me in 5th grade. I lent a classmate a $1 on a field trip, and spent the next year trying to collect. He made every excuse to avoid paying back a $1, even used his mother being sick as an explanation to guilt trip me away. I wrote off the $1 in my head, but it was a valuable lesson in trust.

Ha!  I was the asshole on the other side of that once... Little me didn't realize that the kid might actually need the money (still doubtful) and didn't see why it was such a big deal to get a single dollar back.  I wasn't actively trying to steal the money, it just wasn't a priority to pay back a 0% loan!  Early lesson in interest rate arbitrage and payment floats.

It was more the principal. If you give someone your word, then I fully expect the other person to do so. I don't mind loaning a little amount of money to see which people I know are honorable about it, it's a fair wager that if I were to loan you $20 and you were to duck me, then I would consider the money well spent...

I don't understand the "the kid might actually need the money," and "didn't see why it was such a big deal." You sound like one of those people that rail against the banks for foreclosing on their house due to non-payment. Yes, it was a $1, and it didn't make or break me in any way, but a loan is a loan. If the person actually said, "Hey I can't pay you," I likely would have let it go, instead he kept making up bullshit excuses.

I imagine you mean 'principle'- but I imagine it was ALSO about the principal... ;P

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10023 on: August 18, 2015, 12:42:30 PM »

On the subject of her - here's my favorite quick story I think you guys will get a kick out of this one - There's a $5 a week 'lottery pool' that most of the people play in. Not only is it bad enough to be in something like this (I personally played out of guilt at first/didn't want to rock the boat since I was new, but quickly stood up for myself and politely backed out after a few weeks) - she actually is 'BANNED' from it/got kicked out of it because she kept saying she'd pay her $5 next week, and racked up a 'debt' with the person who runs it and just keeps making excuses for why she can't play so they told her she's not welcome anymore. If you mention her to any of them they get very defensive/nasty so I don't know how much of a 'debt' she ran up but they are clearly bitter about it lol. So not only are you IN a lottery pool like this which is probably a bad idea - you are in it and you couldn't afford the $5 so you are banned from it! Aye aye aye.

A good life lesson was learned by me in 5th grade. I lent a classmate a $1 on a field trip, and spent the next year trying to collect. He made every excuse to avoid paying back a $1, even used his mother being sick as an explanation to guilt trip me away. I wrote off the $1 in my head, but it was a valuable lesson in trust.

Ha!  I was the asshole on the other side of that once... Little me didn't realize that the kid might actually need the money (still doubtful) and didn't see why it was such a big deal to get a single dollar back.  I wasn't actively trying to steal the money, it just wasn't a priority to pay back a 0% loan!  Early lesson in interest rate arbitrage and payment floats.

It was more the principal. If you give someone your word, then I fully expect the other person to do so. I don't mind loaning a little amount of money to see which people I know are honorable about it, it's a fair wager that if I were to loan you $20 and you were to duck me, then I would consider the money well spent...

I don't understand the "the kid might actually need the money," and "didn't see why it was such a big deal." You sound like one of those people that rail against the banks for foreclosing on their house due to non-payment. Yes, it was a $1, and it didn't make or break me in any way, but a loan is a loan. If the person actually said, "Hey I can't pay you," I likely would have let it go, instead he kept making up bullshit excuses.

I imagine you mean 'principle'- but I imagine it was ALSO about the principal... ;P

Typo, but yeah it actually works in this case :-).

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10024 on: August 18, 2015, 04:11:49 PM »
I totally believe that she is indeed paying $600/mo (or not paying), I was just illustrating how insane that is. Multiple at-fault accidents, tickets, and probably a DUI or two, and shit credit. It takes a lot.

Patrick A

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10025 on: August 18, 2015, 05:07:32 PM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup

MoonShadow

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10026 on: August 18, 2015, 05:09:27 PM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup

WOW.

Silverado

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10027 on: August 18, 2015, 07:55:22 PM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup


WOW.

That is simply awesome. At least say "we are trying to get back to 'normal' due to our plane and sprinter by driving electrics day-2-day."

Do you know them at all? Are they clueless or simply stupid?

Patrick A

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10028 on: August 18, 2015, 08:50:12 PM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup


WOW.

That is simply awesome. At least say "we are trying to get back to 'normal' due to our plane and sprinter by driving electrics day-2-day."

Do you know them at all? Are they clueless or simply stupid?

Yup, I know them.  Don't want to say too much more, but if I could you would all revel in the ridiculousness.  ( :

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10029 on: August 18, 2015, 08:57:56 PM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup
Yeah, that's environmentally friendly all right. *facepalm*
Where are these people that I may backhand them for their bullshit?
I frequently do landscaping and small construction jobs out of my Volt....

Suncoast

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10030 on: August 19, 2015, 03:36:27 AM »
I just spoke to the attorney recruiter - she was lamenting about her Treasure Island beach house got flooded in the recent rains. Her permanent residence is in Dunedin, the same county and a 30 minutes drive north -.-

I attached a map for further face palming.

That is just crazy, especially when she passes many beautiful beaches traveling between her main house and her beach house. 

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10031 on: August 19, 2015, 07:27:28 AM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup

Amazing.

Ashyukun

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10032 on: August 19, 2015, 08:48:13 AM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup

Well, if you've got an airplane hangar, you may as well make good use of it! :P
« Last Edit: August 19, 2015, 09:01:34 AM by Ashyukun »

iamlittlehedgehog

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10033 on: August 19, 2015, 09:04:54 AM »
I just spoke to the attorney recruiter - she was lamenting about her Treasure Island beach house got flooded in the recent rains. Her permanent residence is in Dunedin, the same county and a 30 minutes drive north -.-

I attached a map for further face palming.

That is just crazy, especially when she passes many beautiful beaches traveling between her main house and her beach house.


It gets worse but that just blew my mind.

Goldielocks

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10034 on: August 19, 2015, 05:04:57 PM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup

I like that "Point A to Point A"   -- as in driving in circles just for fun?

KittyCat

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10035 on: August 19, 2015, 05:06:28 PM »
I like that "Point A to Point A"   -- as in driving in circles just for fun?
That's the way I interpreted it- probably on a racetrack :)

Patrick A

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10036 on: August 19, 2015, 05:37:59 PM »
I like that "Point A to Point A"   -- as in driving in circles just for fun?
That's the way I interpreted it- probably on a racetrack :)

Joy riding I believe.  That one was a direct quote. 

Try to NOT sound ridiculous/pretentious/etc. (choose your own adjective) describing your 4th or 5th vehicle in such a manner.

flan

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10037 on: August 20, 2015, 08:30:39 AM »
Started a new job 2 months ago so trying to optimize payroll deductions and reimbursements. I call Fidelity (where our 401Ks go) to inquire about when the company match gets deposited.
  • Fidelity guy: I see here that your current 401K contributions are set at 75%. Did you want me to fix that for you?
  • Me: *secret smile*

I also travel for work a lot, and boss insists on making sure hotel bills are directly billed to the company because it would be "so awful for me to have to carry that balance every month!"
  • Me: *secretly disappointed I'm not racking up free rewards points on dedicated travel credit card*

I'm a red panda

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10038 on: August 20, 2015, 08:52:22 AM »
Quote
I also travel for work a lot, and boss insists on making sure hotel bills are directly billed to the company because it would be "so awful for me to have to carry that balance every month!"

    Me: *secretly disappointed I'm not racking up free rewards points on dedicated travel credit card*

I was so mad when my frequent travel got flagged and I was required to get a company credit card.  The points were really adding up nicely!  Infrequent travelers don't get the cards.

nobody123

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10039 on: August 20, 2015, 09:37:41 AM »
I was so mad when my frequent travel got flagged and I was required to get a company credit card.  The points were really adding up nicely!  Infrequent travelers don't get the cards.

Happened to me, too.  I had never been issued a card and never asked for one, happily booking air / car / hotel / meals on my personal card and getting the rewards.  After several years, the company forced me to get a company card so they could get the rewards instead.  It's extra annoying because I still have to fill out an expense report and pay the card myself, then the company cuts me a check a few weeks later.

Vorpal

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10040 on: August 20, 2015, 09:48:48 AM »
Saw this bumper sticker on a Ram pickup this morning: "I work hard so that I can afford to drive to work." At least s/he recognizes the idiocy :/  Here in the public transport desert, that's basically true, but they could at least help themselves by not commuting in a pickup.

Davids

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10041 on: August 20, 2015, 11:03:49 AM »
I was so mad when my frequent travel got flagged and I was required to get a company credit card.  The points were really adding up nicely!  Infrequent travelers don't get the cards.

Happened to me, too.  I had never been issued a card and never asked for one, happily booking air / car / hotel / meals on my personal card and getting the rewards.  After several years, the company forced me to get a company card so they could get the rewards instead.  It's extra annoying because I still have to fill out an expense report and pay the card myself, then the company cuts me a check a few weeks later.
Yeah my employer requires us to use the corporate card for all travel expenses and if you don't then you better have a good explanation (i.e taxi cab only took cash) however they do pay the card bill, we are not required to pay out initially then wait for reimbursement.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10042 on: August 20, 2015, 11:10:31 AM »
I was so mad when my frequent travel got flagged and I was required to get a company credit card.  The points were really adding up nicely!  Infrequent travelers don't get the cards.

Happened to me, too.  I had never been issued a card and never asked for one, happily booking air / car / hotel / meals on my personal card and getting the rewards.  After several years, the company forced me to get a company card so they could get the rewards instead.  It's extra annoying because I still have to fill out an expense report and pay the card myself, then the company cuts me a check a few weeks later.
Yeah my employer requires us to use the corporate card for all travel expenses and if you don't then you better have a good explanation (i.e taxi cab only took cash) however they do pay the card bill, we are not required to pay out initially then wait for reimbursement.

Which is funny cause cabs charge an insane amount extra for credit card usage, so it does cost the company more.

Yeah, I would not be happy if I was expected to have a corporate card that I would need to front the payment for and then wait a few weeks for payment. If I had to wait a few weeks for reimbursement, I would want the miles...or instead, would love to see if I could get them to pay the interest rate...which is like 25% for some credit cards (not serious about this, but would love to see the look on their faces).

Thankfully I have a company cc, that is paid by the company.

jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10043 on: August 20, 2015, 12:42:07 PM »
I just spoke to the attorney recruiter - she was lamenting about her Treasure Island beach house got flooded in the recent rains. Her permanent residence is in Dunedin, the same county and a 30 minutes drive north -.-

I attached a map for further face palming.

Hilarious! She could easily drive 10 minutes to Honeymoon Island State Park instead of driving the peninsular spine of US-19/Alt-19.

Yeah, recent rains were a bitch to deal with, resulting in cracked water/sewer pipes under the road, just by my driveway.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10044 on: August 20, 2015, 12:47:57 PM »

Which is funny cause cabs charge an insane amount extra for credit card usage, so it does cost the company more.

Yeah, I would not be happy if I was expected to have a corporate card that I would need to front the payment for and then wait a few weeks for payment. If I had to wait a few weeks for reimbursement, I would want the miles...or instead, would love to see if I could get them to pay the interest rate...which is like 25% for some credit cards (not serious about this, but would love to see the look on their faces).

Thankfully I have a company cc, that is paid by the company.

Maybe this depends where you are.  I've never seen a credit card use surcharge when I've gotten cabs for work (mostly in NYC).  I just looked at reciepts, and I don't see one.

My corporate card does not require me to pay it and float the money. The company pays it directly. I just have to tell them they need to.  The other way I think I'd throw a bit more of a fuss about it!

jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10045 on: August 20, 2015, 12:50:57 PM »
Oh boy, here's one. 

Co-worker and wife are extremely environmentally friendly liberal people.  To prove it, he tells us they both have new electric cars, but also a sprinter van for groceries (because duh), and a "fun only, for driving point A to point A" sports car, that they park . . . wait for it . . . in their airplane hanger at the local airport with their plane. 

Yup

My hiring manager in BigAerospace was exactly that. She and husband were DINKs. Drove latest Corvettes. Had a Huge RV (bus-sized). And a 6 seater plane. They would fly from Clearwater to St. Augustine or somewhere for dinner and then fly back. I was a dumb newbie engineer, asked if they had so much cash, how about sell everything and retire early or consult like some of the other engineers and managers (who used to be engineers). She gave me a deadpan look and said she needed to work to maintain that lifestyle, including taking shit from directors, taking shit from engineers and technicians, and stressing about securing RV and plane in hurricane season.

CmFtns

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10046 on: August 20, 2015, 03:03:59 PM »
I was talking to someone at work and came up in conversation that they drink an average of 8, 12oz sodas per day. Now I know who averages out the ridiculous averages of soft drink consumption in the US.
« Last Edit: August 20, 2015, 03:05:56 PM by comfyfutons »

seanc0x0

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10047 on: August 20, 2015, 03:08:08 PM »
was talking to someone at work and came up in conversation that they drink an average of 8, 12oz sodas per day. Now I know who averages out the ridiculous averages of soft drink consumption in the US.

Back when I was a Spendypants McConsumersukka, I used to drink 4-8L of cola a day. The thought now turns my stomach, not to mention how much I was spending on something that is completely useless... it was the first habit to go when I had my mustachian awakening.

CmFtns

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10048 on: August 20, 2015, 03:14:40 PM »
was talking to someone at work and came up in conversation that they drink an average of 8, 12oz sodas per day. Now I know who averages out the ridiculous averages of soft drink consumption in the US.

Back when I was a Spendypants McConsumersukka, I used to drink 4-8L of cola a day. The thought now turns my stomach, not to mention how much I was spending on something that is completely useless... it was the first habit to go when I had my mustachian awakening.

This doesn't even seem possible to me... If someone told me I had to drink 4 2L of soda I don't think I would be able to

Travis

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10049 on: August 20, 2015, 03:29:36 PM »
was talking to someone at work and came up in conversation that they drink an average of 8, 12oz sodas per day. Now I know who averages out the ridiculous averages of soft drink consumption in the US.

Back when I was a Spendypants McConsumersukka, I used to drink 4-8L of cola a day. The thought now turns my stomach, not to mention how much I was spending on something that is completely useless... it was the first habit to go when I had my mustachian awakening.

This doesn't even seem possible to me... If someone told me I had to drink 4 2L of soda I don't think I would be able to

My SIL used to drink nearly a six pack a day of Coca Cola until it almost destroyed her teeth.  Most of my friends who want to diet cut out the sodas first and drop 5-10 pounds in the first couple months just from that.  I sat in a nutrition class recently where the doctor passed around sandwich bags full of sugar representing the amount in particular snack items.  It's really disgusting how much extra sugar we consume when you view it from that angle.