Overheard on Facebook

[PrairieBeardstache]

A couple weeks ago a friend posted a picture of a new car.  It was followed by a lot of "wows" and "congrats".   They detailed all the awesome features including stuff that can get paired to their phone.  From reading the comments, the friend revealed the last 8 cars they have "owned" were leases, including this one.

On one hand they are exactly the type of people leases are made for, people that have to the newest and latest, on the other hand 8 leased cars is almost 2 decades of car payments!  I can't wrap my head around that.

I'm really hoping/waiting for the day where a new car will NOT be followed by wows and congrats anymore. That it's the default to not own a car yourself and that needing one is a form of discomfort. Seems like that day is still far far away though.

I feel like I've found my tribe - I'm a pretty serious car enthusiast (I used to compete in motorsports and ran my local club) and have always felt like an outsider by thinking it was strange and even uncouth of people to give congratulations for purchases, especially for car purchases. I'm glad to see that I'm not alone.

From my anecdata it's unlikely that this will change anytime soon - people still come to me for car purchase advice and resist the advice I give: Unless you care about cars as much as I do, buy a cheap Civic or Corolla and be done with cars forever. They seem to want congrats for buying status. *shrug*

[RidetheRain]

A couple weeks ago a friend posted a picture of a new car.  It was followed by a lot of "wows" and "congrats".   They detailed all the awesome features including stuff that can get paired to their phone.  From reading the comments, the friend revealed the last 8 cars they have "owned" were leases, including this one.

On one hand they are exactly the type of people leases are made for, people that have to the newest and latest, on the other hand 8 leased cars is almost 2 decades of car payments!  I can't wrap my head around that.

I'm really hoping/waiting for the day where a new car will NOT be followed by wows and congrats anymore. That it's the default to not own a car yourself and that needing one is a form of discomfort. Seems like that day is still far far away though.

I feel like I've found my tribe - I'm a pretty serious car enthusiast (I used to compete in motorsports and ran my local club) and have always felt like an outsider by thinking it was strange and even uncouth of people to give congratulations for purchases, especially for car purchases. I'm glad to see that I'm not alone.

From my anecdata it's unlikely that this will change anytime soon - people still come to me for car purchase advice and resist the advice I give: Unless you care about cars as much as I do, buy a cheap Civic or Corolla and be done with cars forever. They seem to want congrats for buying status. *shrug*

I remember being severely weirded out by this congratulatory behavior when I got my first car. I was a teenager so I guess the adults of my family were really trying to say that it was good that I was responsible enough to save the money for a car? My teenaged friends were much more what I would consider "correct" behavior which basically boiled down to "lucky you!"

[Imma]

@Kyle Schuant I kind of get what you mean. And I agree with quite some of the things you write; for example how we scrutinize poor people that get 10k in benefits and couldn't care less about rich people claiming massive benefits. As someone with a degree in law, few things get me as pissed off as seeing how a poor person can get into extremely serious trouble for a very minor offence, like possession of a very small amount of drugs. The consequences include possible time in jail, loss of custody of children and loss of a roof over there head, while a rich person can get away with a community service sentence and a fine for a 7-figure fraud. I actually researched white and blue collar crime while at university. I don't think criminals are lazy, by the way, they are often enterprising, clever people, maybe except for crime by desperate drug addicts, which isn't extremely common in this country. They just happen to work in a field that's been outlawed.

I know from experience in that job and in real life that there's a category of people that's just not capable of being a fully functioning member of society. You'll find them in all the social classes, but the wealthier families generally take care of their own. In lower classes, these people end up getting support from the state at some point. In my country, many of these people end up on social security disability benefits (because of low IQ or mental health issues). I worked in what in the US is called welfare. About 80% of those I encountered in my job needed temporary financial support in a difficult season of their life: after divorce, death of a spouse, recovering from serious illness, caring for dependent relatives, returning from prison, newly arriving in this country as a refugee. Most of them were able to get their life back together and were off benefits within 2 years. Then we had the "lifers" and there were three distinct categories:
- Refugees who came from a seriously deprived country like Somalia and just lacking any skills to survive in the western world on their own, even after extensive training.
- People who should have been on disability benefits but aren't for some reason, that have severe mental health issues, low IQ and often also debts and addictions.
- People who gamble the system because they can't be bothered to work.

I agree with you it's by far the cheapest option to give the 3rd category of people a monthly check and be done with it. But I also think it's morally wrong to feel so entitled to society that you think it's OK you don't have to put in any effort or do anything useful at all and live off other people's work for life. By the way, I don't just have this feeling about useless people on benefits. There are plenty of useless rich people too. You can't help being born into wealth, but if you are born into such immense privilege but it's a choice to live a useless life. I don't think that has to be paid employment, but I do feel that as a member of society you have a moral obligation to do something for this society. It doesn't matter if you're the prime minister, a school teacher, a carer for a disabled person or a fundraiser for charity. 

[Kyle Schuant]

I agree that morally you should contribute something of yourself to others. But some people never will. Here I make a division between what is moral, and what should public policy be. Public policy should be about promoting the public good, which means the greatest good for the greatest number of people while minimising harm to the rest; obviously people will argue the best mechanism for that, whether welfare or "trickle down", and so on; but most will agree that government should be for the public good. And as I said before, the machinery of society will always have its friction, all we can do is minimise it. Friction in machines is heat and sound, friction in society is money spent largely unproductively.

We minimise expenditure on idle poor people by just giving them benefits, and we minimise expenditure on idle rich people by a progressive taxation system. People on this forum are, for some reason, wary of the latter. ;)

[BTDretire]

Yes to the previous post.

Another thing that gets my goat is the smugness of those who have accumulated wealth not by earnings but by general increases in the value of real estate and the stock market.  Yes, well done for getting a bit of capital together and investing it wisely, possibly taking advantage of the gearing available on real estate.

But the real increase in wealth by these methods is a result of society as a whole increasing the wealth of the country as a whole.

 Then why isn't everyone rich? If as you say, "society as a whole increasing the wealth of the country" everyone can take advantage of the countries growth.
 Those that benefited put the effort and work into making it happen, I give them credit. And for those that didn't, they had the opportunity and failed to make the effort.

Which is down to innovation and productivity and trading.   The tide has risen and people have floated upwards on top of it.

The didn't really float, they climbed the wall with effort and work, that many others could have but didn't.

Too often those people seem to think that it's all down to their own efforts, when it is not.

 It is do to my efforts, I didn't have to save money, I didn't have to invest that money.
About 1/2 the families in the US earned more income than my family, but as you know,
most of those spent it and didn't invest. They had the opportunity.
 Yes, society works and the economy grows, and guess what? Those people got paid, for their effort, just as my family did, but they didn't take advantage of the oppurtunity that the society gave them.

Or they think it happens as a matter of course, when it only happens because there is good governance and a society ruled by law that allows economic activity to flourish.  The same investments in would have left the same people impoverished and struggling.  Most of all those people complain about the taxes without which good governance and the rule of law are impossible.

Gah!

 I'll give you some space if your not doing well in Somalia, or Syria, or Zimbabwe.
 Every one has the opportunity in the States.
 And to restate, if it is all do to the society, Why isn't everyone rich?
 The answer, because those that are, put in the effort and work required to take advantage of the oppurtunity.
Gah!

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I'll give you some space if your not doing well in Somalia, or Syria, or Zimbabwe.
 Every one has the opportunity in the States.
 And to restate, if it is all do to the society, Why isn't everyone rich?
 The answer, because those that are, put in the effort and work required to take advantage of the oppurtunity.
Gah!

I firmly disagree. Everyone has SOME opportunity. Not everyone has enough or adequate opportunity.

50 years ago, black people couldn't get mortgages. That's when my grandfather was in his prime working and wealth-building years. He was a white man in a system built to benefit white men, and he took great advantage of that and made a lot of smart decisions, and the result for me was no student loans and a "divorce car." (He bought me a car after my divorce, a nice reliable used Honda.)

If your grandparents were black during those years, then not only did they not have the same opportunities to build wealth, but they were living with institutionalized racism. You think distrust of the system vanishes in a couple generations?

And how about the statistic that black children are twice as likely to be suspended from preschool as white children? Anything happening to three-year-olds is not their personal fault IMO.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/11/07/250-preschoolers-suspended-or-expelled-every-school-day-new-analysis/?utm_term=.135e439b5c5b

No, not everyone has enough opportunity. We have had for a long time and continue to have a system that exacerbates rather than minimizes racial and economic disparities.

[BTDretire]

I'll give you some space if your not doing well in Somalia, or Syria, or Zimbabwe.
 Every one has the opportunity in the States.
 And to restate, if it is all do to the society, Why isn't everyone rich?
 The answer, because those that are, put in the effort and work required to take advantage of the oppurtunity.
Gah!

I firmly disagree. Everyone has SOME opportunity. Not everyone has enough or adequate opportunity.

50 years ago, black people couldn't get mortgages. That's when my grandfather was in his prime working and wealth-building years. He was a white man in a system built to benefit white men, and he took great advantage of that and made a lot of smart decisions, and the result for me was no student loans and a "divorce car." (He bought me a car after my divorce, a nice reliable used Honda.)

If your grandparents were black during those years, then not only did they not have the same opportunities to build wealth, but they were living with institutionalized racism. You think distrust of the system vanishes in a couple generations?

And how about the statistic that black children are twice as likely to be suspended from preschool as white children? Anything happening to three-year-olds is not their personal fault IMO.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/11/07/250-preschoolers-suspended-or-expelled-every-school-day-new-analysis/?utm_term=.135e439b5c5b

No, not everyone has enough opportunity. We have had for a long time and continue to have a system that exacerbates rather than minimizes racial and economic disparities.

 OK, I just had to say my piece, there are loads of people that have all the opportunity and advantages of society that never
save a nest egg. Those that do, worked at it.
  Absolutely there is racism in society, but their is also culture among races. The Asian culture does much better financially than all other cultures in the US society, even while fight some racism.
  I'm sure the racism against blacks has caused some of the culture they have (big scale here not individual)
This chart could show part of the reason why black children are twice as likely to be suspended from preschool as white children. It's not all racism, small part, yes, maybe some caused by the war on poverty also. (breaking up families)


Just saw a report last night that said 14 to 17 year old blacks have a murder offender rate 10 times that of whites.
 That's culture that needs some fixing and I thing it needs to come from within.

[Raenia]

Can we please keep the political commentary to its own thread?  I come here for quick laughs at other people's purchases, not depressing discussions about race in society.

[Kyle Schuant]

I don't think he was underpaid. [...]

I think the feeling has more to do with how much more I presumably make than him, for doing work that is far less difficult

The discomfort you initially expressed comes from the contradiction between these two statements. You need to resolve this in some way.

[dmac680chi]

Guy on reddit in the Teachers subreddit was lamenting he needed a second job. He's a teacher and his wife watches the kid/baby (not sure how old) during the week. She's a weekend nurse that makes twice as much as him. Seems like they have terrible budgeting and could use an old fashioned face punch. Someone in the comments said to be drowning in student debt but has a house and is fine with "paying loans the rest of my life".


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cali]

The main mall in my hometown has a Hello Kitty truck outside. People waited in line for four hours to buy this stuff.

I've always considered myself incredibly fortunate that even if I'm interested in something trendy, I'm too lazy to stand in long lines for it. Saves me a fortune.

[ptobest]

The main mall in my hometown has a Hello Kitty truck outside. People waited in line for four hours to buy this stuff.

(Facepunch moment, but...) I visited that truck when it stopped near me, and totally bought the $12 cookies. They were not nearly as delicious as they should be for that price, but they were adorable and a friend & myself dressed up and made an outing out of the visit. No line at all for us, though. I think anything more than a 20 minute wait would have made us leave rather than stand in line (after taking the obligatory pictures in front of the truck, of course).

[Finallyunderstand]

"what are your favorite things to buy on Amazon?  I need ideas.  I'm dying to spend money"...  Said by a person who just recently posted a question regarding medicaid that she's on.

[ketchup]

"what are your favorite things to buy on Amazon?  I need ideas.  I'm dying to spend money"...  Said by a person who just recently posted a question regarding medicaid that she's on.

Vacuum cleaner bags, lawn sprinklers, shaving brush, dark chocolate, and a phone charger.  Those are my "favorite things" I've bought on Amazon this month.  Somehow I don't think that's what this person meant...

[Dollar Slice]

"what are your favorite things to buy on Amazon?  I need ideas.  I'm dying to spend money"...  Said by a person who just recently posted a question regarding medicaid that she's on.

Suggest this and see what they say. Make sure you point out the inexpensive used copies :-P

[Hirondelle]

"what are your favorite things to buy on Amazon?  I need ideas.  I'm dying to spend money"...  Said by a person who just recently posted a question regarding medicaid that she's on.

Major confession: I've never bought anything from Amazon in my life. Am I even a human being?

[barbaz]

"what are your favorite things to buy on Amazon?  I need ideas.  I'm dying to spend money"...  Said by a person who just recently posted a question regarding medicaid that she's on.

Not American, but isn’t Medicaid only for people who have no money? Maybe she will really die if she doesn’t spend;-)

[Finallyunderstand]

"what are your favorite things to buy on Amazon?  I need ideas.  I'm dying to spend money"...  Said by a person who just recently posted a question regarding medicaid that she's on.

Not American, but isn’t Medicaid only for people who have no money? Maybe she will really die if she doesn’t spend;-)

Basically correct.  Supposed to support low asset/income people who can't afford basic health care.  Clearly it's not a perfect system if you have money to blow on frivolous things.

[Sibley]

"what are your favorite things to buy on Amazon?  I need ideas.  I'm dying to spend money"...  Said by a person who just recently posted a question regarding medicaid that she's on.

Not American, but isn’t Medicaid only for people who have no money? Maybe she will really die if she doesn’t spend;-)

Basically correct.  Supposed to support low asset/income people who can't afford basic health care.  Clearly it's not a perfect system if you have money to blow on frivolous things.

Or the credit card companies haven't wised up yet.

[ysette9]

My favorite thing I got on amazon was a new manual push mower my husband bought me as a gift. So much fun!

I’m pretty sure that isn’t the sort of suggestion that person was looking for.

[I'm a red panda]

This was an sponsored post that popped up on my page.

More than 95% of U.S. homeowners have positive equity in their home (meaning the house is worth more than their remaining mortgage amount), according to CoreLogic. Of those homeowners, nearly 83% have significant equity (more than 20%) – which creates an ideal situation for putting a down payment on anew home. Are you ready to sell? Now’s your chance! #ReadySetSell

Have positive equity?! Upgrade!!

[MrMoogle]

This was an sponsored post that popped up on my page.

More than 95% of U.S. homeowners have positive equity in their home (meaning the house is worth more than their remaining mortgage amount), according to CoreLogic. Of those homeowners, nearly 83% have significant equity (more than 20%) – which creates an ideal situation for putting a down payment on anew home. Are you ready to sell? Now’s your chance! #ReadySetSell

Have positive equity?! Upgrade!!

Normally I think of the face punches as symbolic, but I really want to hit the person who said that.

[Miss Piggy]

Major confession: I've never bought anything from Amazon in my life. Am I even a human being?

I'm assuming this is a rhetorical question, but just in case, the obvious answer is no. Just like those of us who are not on Facebook...we're clearly not human.

[ketchup]

Major confession: I've never bought anything from Amazon in my life. Am I even a human being?

I'm assuming this is a rhetorical question, but just in case, the obvious answer is no. Just like those of us who are not on Facebook...we're clearly not human.

Going out on a limb here, and maybe there are some that would say the opposite, but Amazon is a hell of a lot more useful than Facebook.

[ysette9]

I’m not saying that I don’t waste a ton of time on FB, but on the other hand it got me in touch with family members I hadn’t seen since early childhood and otherwise would have never communicated with. That was pretty cool.

[dragoncar]

Major confession: I've never bought anything from Amazon in my life. Am I even a human being?

I'm assuming this is a rhetorical question, but just in case, the obvious answer is no. Just like those of us who are not on Facebook...we're clearly not human.

Going out on a limb here, and maybe there are some that would say the opposite, but Amazon is a hell of a lot more useful than Facebook.

That’s just because you don’t have Facebook Premium.  Free 2-day shipping on all thoughts and prayers

[Step37]

I feel slightly guilty for sharing this, but I don’t think there’s much danger that my friend frequents this forum.

Friend: I know you can make it but can you just buy simple syrup?
Commenter: it’s sugar and water. I have faith in you.
Friend: I’m sure bars don’t make it every day. They must buy it.
Commenter 2: you can buy it. Ask at Starbucks for a bottle of classic syrup. Pennies to make, though. I make it all the time, won’t let husband buy it.
Friend: okay, I feel sufficiently shamed and will make instead of buy.

So, maybe this is a success story.

[ketchup]

I feel slightly guilty for sharing this, but I don’t think there’s much danger that my friend frequents this forum.

Friend: I know you can make it but can you just buy simple syrup?
Commenter: it’s sugar and water. I have faith in you.
Friend: I’m sure bars don’t make it every day. They must buy it.
Commenter 2: you can buy it. Ask at Starbucks for a bottle of classic syrup. Pennies to make, though. I make it all the time, won’t let husband buy it.
Friend: okay, I feel sufficiently shamed and will make instead of buy.

So, maybe this is a success story.

I worked at a Dairy Queen in high school and we definitely didn't buy it.  I don't know why any restaurant/bar ever would.  Toss a few 5# bags of sugar into a big-ass container, fill with hot water, stir the shit out of it.  Only took a few minutes.  I'm sure it would take even less (probably <1min) if one was making a household-sized amount...

[Kitsune]

I feel slightly guilty for sharing this, but I don’t think there’s much danger that my friend frequents this forum.

Friend: I know you can make it but can you just buy simple syrup?
Commenter: it’s sugar and water. I have faith in you.
Friend: I’m sure bars don’t make it every day. They must buy it.
Commenter 2: you can buy it. Ask at Starbucks for a bottle of classic syrup. Pennies to make, though. I make it all the time, won’t let husband buy it.
Friend: okay, I feel sufficiently shamed and will make instead of buy.

So, maybe this is a success story.

I worked at a Dairy Queen in high school and we definitely didn't buy it.  I don't know why any restaurant/bar ever would.  Toss a few 5# bags of sugar into a big-ass container, fill with hot water, stir the shit out of it.  Only took a few minutes.  I'm sure it would take even less (probably <1min) if one was making a household-sized amount...

Put in mason jar. Put lid on. Shake until the sugar dissolves, about 30 seconds. #complicated

Bonus points for basil-infused simple syrup and then making me a rye sour with it. Ahem.

[JAYSLOL]

A classmate from high school wrote on Facebook today

"Just keep winning free play on our lotto tickets (frowny face), I'd be happy with hundred thou and be out of debt.  Some day I'll win big (smiley face)"

Doubt it.  (Face palm face)

Update time.  Same person just posted a photo of a 65" 4K LED Smart TV with the caption "present for husband".  Dare I ask if she's out of debt now?

Another update, this just keeps getting worse.  Today she wrote

"I feel like the world has fallen on my shoulders, after I get baby to sleep I'm going to call subsidy to see if we qualify, but from the sounds of it we don't so we are basically screwed.  I can't afford $530 a month for daycare, LMAO, I'm already drowning in debt as it is"

I have no words.  No. Fucking. Words.

New update today for this person, I didn't think they could top the last one but boy did they find a way. 
They posted a photo of their truck, which is/was a brand new Dodge Ram with the biggest cab I've ever seen, which apparently they had purchased new 3 years ago, along with the following garbage..

"Call us crazy LOL we have traded in our vehicle a million times, but I'd rather be stuck in a vehicle I actually like!! We are in over our head but I don't care!!  One of these days I'll win the lottery :)"

What does it take for someone like this to see the light?  I just don't understand!

Well, here it goes again.  Train-wreck Facebook friend posted today complaining that she was mad that her "loan place" (payday loan place) wouldn't let her "re-loan" since she paid it off a day early, she would have to wait until tomorrow and come back to "re-loan". 

They got lots of comments from others complaining about payday loan places, not about how big a ripoff they are, but about how they don't like the rules that you can get extra loans and flexible pay back schedules etc. 

One person wrote "they used to let me pay early then re-loan, but it's been a year since I've done one" to which the OP responded "wow, we get loans ALL THE TIME!! LOL!!"

I wish I could un-see this. 

[Step37]

@JAYSLOL, I don’t know how you restrain yourself from commenting or private messaging. What a horrible way to live, and it sounds like they’re just getting affirmation from friends in the same boat, so of course they think everyone lives this way. They feel defeated so just double down on the stupid decisions, addicted to spending. Ugh.

[JAYSLOL]

@JAYSLOL, I don’t know how you restrain yourself from commenting or private messaging. What a horrible way to live, and it sounds like they’re just getting affirmation from friends in the same boat, so of course they think everyone lives this way. They feel defeated so just double down on the stupid decisions, addicted to spending. Ugh.

Yeah, I would totally try talking to her if we had every really been friends in school, but we weren't.  I do wish I could help out, but I don't think me reaching out with advice face-punches would go over well.

[Sibley]

Not on facebook, but close enough.

On another forum I frequent (very much not finance related), there's a poster talking about needing to move. They want to buy a house, but need $5k for a downpayment. They've been trying to save up for 5 years. They think that they can save $50 a month. Other posters were suggesting ways to lock down the budget, not extreme suggestions at all. The OP thinking they couldn't do some of it (buying store brand foods, downgrading the cable channels, etc). Facepunches would really not be appropriate there, so I said nothing.

[JAYSLOL]

A classmate from high school wrote on Facebook today

"Just keep winning free play on our lotto tickets (frowny face), I'd be happy with hundred thou and be out of debt.  Some day I'll win big (smiley face)"

Doubt it.  (Face palm face)

Update time.  Same person just posted a photo of a 65" 4K LED Smart TV with the caption "present for husband".  Dare I ask if she's out of debt now?

Another update, this just keeps getting worse.  Today she wrote

"I feel like the world has fallen on my shoulders, after I get baby to sleep I'm going to call subsidy to see if we qualify, but from the sounds of it we don't so we are basically screwed.  I can't afford $530 a month for daycare, LMAO, I'm already drowning in debt as it is"

I have no words.  No. Fucking. Words.

New update today for this person, I didn't think they could top the last one but boy did they find a way. 
They posted a photo of their truck, which is/was a brand new Dodge Ram with the biggest cab I've ever seen, which apparently they had purchased new 3 years ago, along with the following garbage..

"Call us crazy LOL we have traded in our vehicle a million times, but I'd rather be stuck in a vehicle I actually like!! We are in over our head but I don't care!!  One of these days I'll win the lottery :)"

What does it take for someone like this to see the light?  I just don't understand!

Well, here it goes again.  Train-wreck Facebook friend posted today complaining that she was mad that her "loan place" (payday loan place) wouldn't let her "re-loan" since she paid it off a day early, she would have to wait until tomorrow and come back to "re-loan". 

They got lots of comments from others complaining about payday loan places, not about how big a ripoff they are, but about how they don't like the rules that you can get extra loans and flexible pay back schedules etc. 

One person wrote "they used to let me pay early then re-loan, but it's been a year since I've done one" to which the OP responded "wow, we get loans ALL THE TIME!! LOL!!"

I wish I could un-see this.

Aaaaand she just followed that up with a separate post about having fun shopping today

[LeRainDrop]

Well, here it goes again.  Train-wreck Facebook friend posted today complaining that she was mad that her "loan place" (payday loan place) wouldn't let her "re-loan" since she paid it off a day early, she would have to wait until tomorrow and come back to "re-loan". 

They got lots of comments from others complaining about payday loan places, not about how big a ripoff they are, but about how they don't like the rules that you can get extra loans and flexible pay back schedules etc. 

One person wrote "they used to let me pay early then re-loan, but it's been a year since I've done one" to which the OP responded "wow, we get loans ALL THE TIME!! LOL!!"

I wish I could un-see this.

Aaaaand she just followed that up with a separate post about having fun shopping today

It was really stressful to be denied the re-loan. She needed some retail therapy! /sarcasm/

[frugalnacho]

A classmate from high school wrote on Facebook today

"Just keep winning free play on our lotto tickets (frowny face), I'd be happy with hundred thou and be out of debt.  Some day I'll win big (smiley face)"

Doubt it.  (Face palm face)

Update time.  Same person just posted a photo of a 65" 4K LED Smart TV with the caption "present for husband".  Dare I ask if she's out of debt now?

Another update, this just keeps getting worse.  Today she wrote

"I feel like the world has fallen on my shoulders, after I get baby to sleep I'm going to call subsidy to see if we qualify, but from the sounds of it we don't so we are basically screwed.  I can't afford $530 a month for daycare, LMAO, I'm already drowning in debt as it is"

I have no words.  No. Fucking. Words.

New update today for this person, I didn't think they could top the last one but boy did they find a way. 
They posted a photo of their truck, which is/was a brand new Dodge Ram with the biggest cab I've ever seen, which apparently they had purchased new 3 years ago, along with the following garbage..

"Call us crazy LOL we have traded in our vehicle a million times, but I'd rather be stuck in a vehicle I actually like!! We are in over our head but I don't care!!  One of these days I'll win the lottery :)"

What does it take for someone like this to see the light?  I just don't understand!

Well, here it goes again.  Train-wreck Facebook friend posted today complaining that she was mad that her "loan place" (payday loan place) wouldn't let her "re-loan" since she paid it off a day early, she would have to wait until tomorrow and come back to "re-loan". 

They got lots of comments from others complaining about payday loan places, not about how big a ripoff they are, but about how they don't like the rules that you can get extra loans and flexible pay back schedules etc. 

One person wrote "they used to let me pay early then re-loan, but it's been a year since I've done one" to which the OP responded "wow, we get loans ALL THE TIME!! LOL!!"

I wish I could un-see this.

Aaaaand she just followed that up with a separate post about having fun shopping today

Maybe she bought this

[Imma]

Friend of mine is a lawyer and I happen to know she doesn't have student debt. Tuition is low in our country and she lived at home as a student. My educated guess is that she makes around €50k/year - certainly not less than 45k. She lives in a small studio apartment in a LCOL area (rent probably lower than 500/month) and she has great benefits.

Friend is constantly complaining she has no money, talking about how broke she is and can't wait until payday. She claims she has no money left over for 'adult stuff' like buying a house. I want to punch her everytime I read it.

[limeandpepper]

Not actually on Facebook but someone I know was saying that a 2 bed, 2 bath place was too small for her and her boyfriend. It's not like they have a home office or recording studio or anything like that. I just don't understand how that can be too small? That's literally one bedroom and one bathroom per person which is basically the definition of sufficient. I wanted to ask her but didn't know how to phrase it in a way that didn't seem judgemental haha.

[Raenia]

Not actually on Facebook but someone I know was saying that a 2 bed, 2 bath place was too small for her and her boyfriend. It's not like they have a home office or recording studio or anything like that. I just don't understand how that can be too small? That's literally one bedroom and one bathroom per person which is basically the definition of sufficient. I wanted to ask her but didn't know how to phrase it in a way that didn't seem judgemental haha.

Was she talking about a specific place that was too small, or saying that they need more bedrooms?  I'm half of a couple in a 2 bed, 1 bath place, and it is way too small - my kitchen is smaller than some people's walk-in closets, the living space is horribly laid out for maximum inefficiency, and there's no storage space at all.  It would be nice to have space to actually set up my computer on a desk, instead of using the dining table and having to move everything so we can eat, for instance.

If she was saying they need 3+ bedrooms for a single couple, then yes, that's crazy.

[limeandpepper]

^We were just talking about bedrooms and didn't mention overall size at all so I think she really did mean the number of rooms? And generally I would say in Australia, 2 bed, 2 bath places are not too tiny - it's the studios and 1 bedrooms that are more likely to be very small. I live in a 40sqm place with my partner (and he's got a home office set up in here too) and I can understand that might be too little for many people, but I would have thought with an extra bedroom and bathroom on top of that, it should surely be enough for a typical couple.

[Imma]

We managed perfectly as a couple living in a flat with 2 bedrooms. The largest room was our study and we divided it into two - I worked from home back then. The kitchen was absolutely tiny (built in the space underneath the stairs) but we just put the fridge and a large cupboard for tools in the living room.

We now have 3 bedrooms and it feels like a palace. We have a study each. What more do you want? And only one bathroom - I don't get why a couple would need more than one.

[ysette9]

We lived with one bathroom for 5 years and now having two toilets is SUCH a luxury. I just love being able to pee when I need to and not wait for the 4 year-old to decide that she is finally finished with her business. Having a separate bath for guests is also a wonderful treat that I very much appreciate.

[dragoncar]

We managed perfectly as a couple living in a flat with 2 bedrooms. The largest room was our study and we divided it into two - I worked from home back then. The kitchen was absolutely tiny (built in the space underneath the stairs) but we just put the fridge and a large cupboard for tools in the living room.

We now have 3 bedrooms and it feels like a palace. We have a study each. What more do you want? And only one bathroom - I don't get why a couple would need more than one.

We didn't think we needed more than one bathroom until both of us got food poisoning at the same time. My poor husband had to knock on the neighbor's door at 10pm to ask for their bathroom. It was the first thing we'd spoken to the neighbors.

What, you don’t have a spare bucket?  Too good for the sink?  Pipes is pipes.  They all go to the same place.  I’m gonna call a plumber

[Imma]

We managed perfectly as a couple living in a flat with 2 bedrooms. The largest room was our study and we divided it into two - I worked from home back then. The kitchen was absolutely tiny (built in the space underneath the stairs) but we just put the fridge and a large cupboard for tools in the living room.

We now have 3 bedrooms and it feels like a palace. We have a study each. What more do you want? And only one bathroom - I don't get why a couple would need more than one.

We didn't think we needed more than one bathroom until both of us got food poisoning at the same time. My poor husband had to knock on the neighbor's door at 10pm to ask for their bathroom. It was the first thing we'd spoken to the neighbors.

What, you don’t have a spare bucket?  Too good for the sink?  Pipes is pipes.  They all go to the same place.  I’m gonna call a plumber

As a non-native speaker of English I'm always confused with the use of the word bathroom, which sometimes means actual bathroom and sometimes is just a euphemism for toilet.

Technically, we have one bathroom and two toilets, but once we built the second toilet (in the upstairs bathroom) we stopped using the first. We live in an old home built before the age of indoors toilets, so the first bathroom is built in an annex off the kitchen that is very cold in winter, very hot in summer and doesn't have a window or ventilation.

The only reason why we haven't turned the old toilet into a large cupboard yet is because we've been told it's "strange" to not have a toilet downstairs. We rarely have guests we don't know well enough that we wouldn't want to direct them to the upstairs bathroom.

It might be useful in case of joint food poisoning though. We haven't hit that relationship milestone yet.

[jinga nation]

It might be useful in case of joint food poisoning though. We haven't hit that relationship milestone yet.

When your spouse and your kids get it first, and in the spirit of generosity you help them clean up each time, and then you get it too, and there's no one to help you, that's quite the experience. It's also quite the bonding experience.

[sherr]

As a non-native speaker of English I'm always confused with the use of the word bathroom, which sometimes means actual bathroom and sometimes is just a euphemism for toilet.

In American English "bathroom" is the name of the room that the "toilet" is in. A bathroom does not have to have a shower / bathtub in it, it can just be a toilet and sink. Also in homes bathrooms are almost always designed for single occupancy, so it would be understood that if one bathroom was in use and there were no others then there was no available toilet.

[Davnasty]

As a non-native speaker of English I'm always confused with the use of the word bathroom, which sometimes means actual bathroom and sometimes is just a euphemism for toilet.

In American English "bathroom" is the name of the room that the "toilet" is in. A bathroom does not have to have a shower / bathtub in it, it can just be a toilet and sink. Also in homes bathrooms are almost always designed for single occupancy, so it would be understood that if one bathroom was in use and there were no others then there was no available toilet.

And the ones with only a toilet & sink are known as "half baths". Makes perfect sense, right?

[merula]

As a non-native speaker of English I'm always confused with the use of the word bathroom, which sometimes means actual bathroom and sometimes is just a euphemism for toilet.

In American English "bathroom" is the name of the room that the "toilet" is in. A bathroom does not have to have a shower / bathtub in it, it can just be a toilet and sink. Also in homes bathrooms are almost always designed for single occupancy, so it would be understood that if one bathroom was in use and there were no others then there was no available toilet.

Also, in many languages including British English, the word for the actual porcelain throne is the same as the word for the whole room. This is not the case in American English; toilet ONLY refers to the throne; the room (elsewhere WC) is a bathroom, restroom, powder room, etc.

[Sibley]

As a non-native speaker of English I'm always confused with the use of the word bathroom, which sometimes means actual bathroom and sometimes is just a euphemism for toilet.

In American English "bathroom" is the name of the room that the "toilet" is in. A bathroom does not have to have a shower / bathtub in it, it can just be a toilet and sink. Also in homes bathrooms are almost always designed for single occupancy, so it would be understood that if one bathroom was in use and there were no others then there was no available toilet.

To expand on that, in the US, if you ask for the "bathroom", "toilet", "restroom", "John", "head", "little girls room", "little boys room", "ladies' room", "men's room", "porcelain throne" and probably others, you will get directed to a place that contains a toilet. John and head may not be universally understood. If you're using the little girl's or boy's phrase, there needs to be a young child involved otherwise you're probably coming off as creepy. Some people are weird about what phrase you use, ie bathroom vs restroom, they'll understand but may judge.

Adding - I've heard toilet used to refer to the room as well as the actual toilet in the room. YMMV.

[zolotiyeruki]

To expand on that, in the US, if you ask for the "bathroom", "toilet", "restroom", "John", "head", "little girls room", "little boys room", "ladies' room", "men's room", "porcelain throne" and probably others, you will get directed to a place that contains a toilet. John and head may not be universally understood. If you're using the little girl's or boy's phrase, there needs to be a young child involved otherwise you're probably coming off as creepy. Some people are weird about what phrase you use, ie bathroom vs restroom, they'll understand but may judge.

Adding - I've heard toilet used to refer to the room as well as the actual toilet in the room. YMMV.

Heh, it seems like American English has an unusual wealth of colorful euphemisms/synonyms surrounding bodily waste.  "Worshiping the porcelain goddess," and "see a man about a horse" come to mind as well.  Although "loo" and "bog" don't seem to have emigrated from the old country.

It'd be interesting to explore this further--you never hear about a restroom in a residence, unless maybe it's a shared (dormitory-style) one.  And a public restroom is never a powder room.  And a powder room never contains anything more than a toilet and a sink.