Mustachian People Problems (just for fun)

[eyesonthehorizon]

My adult daughter complains about our "exfoliating towels" -- yeah, I guess they're a little stiff from hanging on the line to dry!

Ha!  I would complain too!  In order to combat the stiffness problem, I put a bit of white vinegar in the wash and give the towels a quick shake before I hang them to dry. 

My husband complains about his stiff jeans so much that I've had to dry them.  Luckily a small load of two pairs of jeans dries quickly.

You don't have to dry them entirely using the dryer to get the effect. I hang-dry all my clothes, but since my apartment complex doesn't permit laundry outside in the free softening breeze and free disinfecting sun, they're stiff when they come off the rack. So I put already-dry towels and washcloths in my dryer on heatless tumble for about five minutes - they come out quite nice and it uses a tiny fraction of a real dry cycle. (I also use a bit of vinegar in most washes for odor & oil reasons, though I've not observed a textural difference.)

[Paul der Krake]

The only time I ever go to the bank is to deposit cash. between fiancee and I, we seem to gather more cash than we spend by a large margin, so it's about once a month. When I do go to the bank, the teller always tries to get me to open a savings account (so I can have my money earning the same as in the checking account?) or take out a personal loan, maybe upgrade the car. But I always ask what for. Everything I've got works fine. I'm already engaged and that didn't even break the bank in the slightest. I was also reminded that I have been a customer of this bank for 20 years (I had an account through Wachovia from when I was 5 until I changed it to non custodial at 18). I also seem to qualify for every credit card ever, to the surprise of the tellers. I also don't go for anything as there's no point. If I wanted it, I'd come to them (most likely do it online) not the other way around.

Assumed to be poor with money like 99% of Americans. 1% people problems.

WF is notorious for pushing products onto their customers.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-wells-fargo-sale-pressure-20131222-story.html#page=1

[PMG]

Not really a problem, but not relevant for me.  My credit card company keeps suggesting I download a new app so I have "up to the minute" knowledge of my spending.  Perhaps this makes sense for people with shared cards?  or if you are like many people I know how max everything out every month. But, I know how much I spend. As a reasonably intelligent person I can even remember what I spend from one minute to the next!  I use credit cards as part of a balanced budget.  I pay them off each month.  I never approach my limit.  I check my cards fairly often using the plain old normal app just to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Why do I need a second app?

I have had a few interesting conversations recently where friends cautioned me against using credit cards.  They've switched to cash to help control their spending.  I'm glad it works for them.  The conversation hasn't turned deep enough for me to actually tell them that I have no debt.

[Merrie]

I weaned myself off buying junk food at work. Now when I eat chips or a candy bar it tastes wrong and I'm like "Why'd I eat that?" So if I'm bummed out and think a candy bar would cheer me up, I have to keep reminding myself that I'll just get ticked off if I eat it.

[mozar]

I've been frontloading my 401k for the past 5 months. June will be my last month. I will be so sad in July when my taxes go up :(

[Thegoblinchief]

I weaned myself off buying junk food at work. Now when I eat chips or a candy bar it tastes wrong and I'm like "Why'd I eat that?" So if I'm bummed out and think a candy bar would cheer me up, I have to keep reminding myself that I'll just get ticked off if I eat it.

Chips usually still taste good to me when I have them (rarely) but 99% of candy is disgusting these days. The only thing I occasionally crave is nice, super-dark chocolate.

I've noticed that my sweetness threshold is much, much lower. I've modified quite a few recipes to have less sugar (except where the sugar is critical for texture)  and find they taste just as sweet.

[Alfred J Quack]

People are always saying I 'need to' buy a new TV and if I give the answer 'but it's not broken' and 'I don't really use it a lot anyway' that only makes it worse.. People look at me like I'm crazy..

I find myself in the other spectrum :P My SiL had a 40 inch flatscreen which she didn't use because her boyfriend moved in so DW asked me to swap it with our 32 inch. After a few days the 40 inch started flickering (brightness) which is appearently a know issue with this type. I solved it by setting the brightness to its minimum, I have no problems with this since I only use it in the evenings but appearently my visitors find my lack of resolving this problem annoying.

A bit later I suggest to DW to swap back the 40 inch for the 32 inch because at least that one worked fine but she didn't want to scale back in size... Luckily, she doesn't notice nor mind the super low brightness setting...

[Zaga]

Rolled over a 401-K because of a new job (husband) and when he handed over the check he told them what funds to invest in.  Somehow that info got "lost" so 2 weeks later I had to go in to the website and manually buy the funds. 

Ah well, at least the stock market hasn't done much during the time the money wasn't invested.  I was sort of hoping it would go down a bit :-)

[dorothyc]

You don't have to dry them entirely using the dryer to get the effect. I hang-dry all my clothes, but since my apartment complex doesn't permit laundry outside in the free softening breeze and free disinfecting sun, they're stiff when they come off the rack.

You might be able to challenge that - I believe clothesline bans are against the law in Texas:

http://daily.sightline.org/2012/02/21/clothesline-bans-void-in-19-states/

[Threshkin]

Forgot to put the trash out last night.  Rushed down this morning to get it out and discovered that the bin was empty.  Checked around the house and couldn't fill up one bag.

Many of my neighbors have the biggest bin filled to overflowing every week.  I have the smallest and usually only have a single bag in it.

[I'm a red panda]

My neighbors add bags to my trashcan most weeks.

I've told them its okay.  We rarely have more than 1 bag a week and the trashcan sticker is paid yearly, so it makes no difference if it is full or empty.  (If you have more than what fits in your can, you have to buy tags and pay per bag.)


We recently found out we don't have to have a trashcan before. It will save us some (not much, but a tiny bit) money to pay per bag, so I think we will switch to that next year.

[Sibley]

My roommate and I generate garbage at a rate that allows us to take out the can every 2-3 weeks. However, it's warming up, so the trash can is starting to smell up the garage so we have to remember to take it out every week.  (Yes, I know I need to wash it. Feel free to come do it for me).

[Slam]

I'm hanging out on the couch trying to earn some Swagbucks for filling out surveys.  The problem is that I don't qualify for any surveys because I never buy anything.  I guess this is the dark side of Mustachianism.  *sigh*

Seriously, I have the same problem!  I've heard great things about Swagbucks, but I just don't qualify for any of the surveys.

[I'm a red panda]

Seriously, I have the same problem!  I've heard great things about Swagbucks, but I just don't qualify for any of the surveys.

I get survey's about my investments at least every other day.  They are always long and a pain in the ass though...

I get kicked out of a lot of them for not buying enough junk or having TV though.  Since I'm pregnant now, I'm getting more about that.

[dragoncar]

Not really a problem, but not relevant for me.  My credit card company keeps suggesting I download a new app so I have "up to the minute" knowledge of my spending.  Perhaps this makes sense for people with shared cards?  or if you are like many people I know how max everything out every month. But, I know how much I spend. As a reasonably intelligent person I can even remember what I spend from one minute to the next!  I use credit cards as part of a balanced budget.  I pay them off each month.  I never approach my limit.  I check my cards fairly often using the plain old normal app just to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Why do I need a second app?

I have had a few interesting conversations recently where friends cautioned me against using credit cards.  They've switched to cash to help control their spending.  I'm glad it works for them.  The conversation hasn't turned deep enough for me to actually tell them that I have no debt.

Eh, I have my cc company send me a text for every purchase.  That helps me know quockly if a fraudulent charge happens.  It also let's me immediately check that the total was keyed in correctly (some places use those little readers where it's easy to mistype the total, and if it's small they don't ask me to sign.  Getting a text is easier than asking for a copy of the credit slip)


But!  I'm not sure why ou would need two apps.

[Thegoblinchief]

I'm hanging out on the couch trying to earn some Swagbucks for filling out surveys.  The problem is that I don't qualify for any surveys because I never buy anything.  I guess this is the dark side of Mustachianism.  *sigh*

Seriously, I have the same problem!  I've heard great things about Swagbucks, but I just don't qualify for any of the surveys.

If you have a spare screen, do the encrave activities on discovery mode. My wife typically had one of these running on either her laptop or phone pretty much 24/7 while awake. But it's still only $15 or so each month, so it's not as if it's a big deal.

Before that she tried the surveys and had the same issue with never qualifying.

[eyesonthehorizon]

...(dumb laundry rules at my apartment)...

You might be able to challenge that - I believe clothesline bans are against the law in Texas:

http://daily.sightline.org/2012/02/21/clothesline-bans-void-in-19-states/

LINK APPRECIATED. As soon as I have the money and a backup plan on where to live I'm going to get noisy about that. Until then I'm trying to be a painless tenant and look good by comparison (look, nobody has ever had to call the cops on me, no inexplicable holes in the wall or carpet, no smoke rings on the ceiling, ain't I somethin'!!) so I can keep my rent down.
My aspiration, once I've FIREd and found somewhere I want to be long-haul, is to buy a house where I can fence the backyard in, uproot the lawn for veggies, and dry any clothes I want. Even big bedsheets. In the meanwhile, for those in no-right-to-dry states or unfriendly HOAs, opening two windows generates a great crossbreeze and the clothes dry quick.

[Rural]

...(dumb laundry rules at my apartment)...

You might be able to challenge that - I believe clothesline bans are against the law in Texas:

http://daily.sightline.org/2012/02/21/clothesline-bans-void-in-19-states/

LINK APPRECIATED. As soon as I have the money and a backup plan on where to live I'm going to get noisy about that. Until then I'm trying to be a painless tenant and look good by comparison (look, nobody has ever had to call the cops on me, no inexplicable holes in the wall or carpet, no smoke rings on the ceiling, ain't I somethin'!!) so I can keep my rent down.
My aspiration, once I've FIREd and found somewhere I want to be long-haul, is to buy a house where I can fence the backyard in, uproot the lawn for veggies, and dry any clothes I want. Even big bedsheets. In the meanwhile, for those in no-right-to-dry states or unfriendly HOAs, opening two windows generates a great crossbreeze and the clothes dry quick.

Check the law itself - if I'm reading right, the Texas law applies to HOAs but may not apply to apartment complexes.

[ambimammular]

I know that putting my extra cash into long term stocks makes the most financial sense, but not paying off our low interest rate student loan is like the itch that I just can't scratch!

 

[Dances With Fire]

When the lunchtime conversation turns to expensive vacations, new SUVs, and credit card debt, I just sit there like a lump. :)

seriously really a issue for me at work. I explain FI then i get these looks. i hear after the fact that i am "full of myself" and "think i am better then everyone"

I love how it's ok to brag about spending money like a drunken sailor while trying to one-up each other on status symbols, but as soon as you hint in any way that you save money, the 'you think you're better than us' attitude comes out.

^This!!!  Exactly Sean, this is why I no longer discuss saving & investing a work. (Or around family for that matter.)

[link_417]

Parents love giving you a little extra, that does not stop when you are all grown up. But I want to turn this around and start pampering them, but how do you do that without disclosing you have more money coming in than they do?

I'm not in a position to make monetary gifts now, but when I'm FI in the future I would like to pay back some people who have supported and encouraged me through the years.  Like you, I'm not sure how to go about it without raising some questions about my financial situation -- someone's bound to mention to so-and-so that I gave them X amount and it'll be revealed that I also gave X to someone else and so on...

[mozar]

If I don't find a roommate soon, I'll "only" be able to save $31k this year.

[Arktinkerer]

This thread reminded me of an issue I had some years back.

Work offered to put everyone who increased their 401K contributions in for a drawing of some sort of prize.  I think it was a weekend getaway somewhere in state.  I called and complained that I was already maxing out my 401K contributions and this made me ineligible.  For some reason that didn't get me any traction...

[hoosier]

Work screwed up my payroll deposit ... computers-meh......
Much panic and rushing around because they couldn't get a check printed before monday, offering to go to the bank etc.

So - no problem, just add it to next month,
But you will need the money !

I make $100K, who makes $100K and can't skip a pay check ?
Didn't want to tell them that every other pay check goes straight into Vanguard and a fair slice of the other goes into a cash account.

We recently went from monthly pay to weekly.  A lot of folks had a hard time making the switch...on 4 months  notice.  Sigh.

[solon]

Work screwed up my payroll deposit ... computers-meh......
Much panic and rushing around because they couldn't get a check printed before monday, offering to go to the bank etc.

So - no problem, just add it to next month,
But you will need the money !

I make $100K, who makes $100K and can't skip a pay check ?
Didn't want to tell them that every other pay check goes straight into Vanguard and a fair slice of the other goes into a cash account.

We recently went from monthly pay to weekly.  A lot of folks had a hard time making the switch...on 4 months  notice.  Sigh.

Wow. I can't imagine being upset about more frequent paychecks!

[mohawkbrah]

not so much a  problem but...


when i was on the phone to my ISA(Uk version of ROTH) stock broker, the young lady asked my birth date for security clarification, i told her. and she sounded shocked when she said, so... you're 19?

and i just promptly say "yep"

probably a rare case for her to hear someone young with an investment account XD :D

[MEJG]

Have to research tIRA income limits - think we might not be able to contribute this year, when we really need to lower our taxable income.

[dragoncar]

I bent my wookie

[Pooperman]

Have to research tIRA income limits - think we might not be able to contribute this year, when we really need to lower our taxable income.

You can always contribute to a tIRA. It just might not be deductible. There's always the Roth (to a point). The backdoor Roth solves this if you don't have any (or little) tIRA contributions.

[Threshkin]

not so much a  problem but...


when i was on the phone to my ISA(Uk version of ROTH) stock broker, the young lady asked my birth date for security clarification, i told her. and she sounded shocked when she said, so... you're 19?

and i just promptly say "yep"

probably a rare case for her to hear someone young with an investment account XD :D

Good for you!

My daughter took a finances class in high school and was the only one to raise her hand when the teacher asked if anyone had a 401k account. She was 16.

[FrugalShrew]

I was talking to my dad and sister, and my dad shared that he had heard advice about taking a month off work as a "trial retirement" (as he approaches traditional retirement age).

I promptly piped up and said that one month might not be representative, because in your first month off from work, you might need that time just to decompress, and plus it may take awhile to ramp up to regular activities: set up a volunteer schedule, find others who are free during the day, sign up for an exercise class, etc.

My sister laughed, "What are you? Some kind of retirement expert?"

No, I've just been reading a lot about (early) retirement lately!

[1967mama]

I was talking to my dad and sister, and my dad shared that he had heard advice about taking a month off work as a "trial retirement" (as he approaches traditional retirement age).

I promptly piped up and said that one month might not be representative, because in your first month off from work, you might need that time just to decompress, and plus it may take awhile to ramp up to regular activities: set up a volunteer schedule, find others who are free during the day, sign up for an exercise class, etc.

My sister laughed, "What are you? Some kind of retirement expert?"

No, I've just been reading a lot about (early) retirement lately!

Hilarious!!

[Squirrel away]

not so much a  problem but...


when i was on the phone to my ISA(Uk version of ROTH) stock broker, the young lady asked my birth date for security clarification, i told her. and she sounded shocked when she said, so... you're 19?

and i just promptly say "yep"

probably a rare case for her to hear someone young with an investment account XD :D

Good for you!

My daughter took a finances class in high school and was the only one to raise her hand when the teacher asked if anyone had a 401k account. She was 16.

Brilliant!:D I only wish I was that savvy as a teenager.

[Sam E]

not so much a  problem but...


when i was on the phone to my ISA(Uk version of ROTH) stock broker, the young lady asked my birth date for security clarification, i told her. and she sounded shocked when she said, so... you're 19?

and i just promptly say "yep"

probably a rare case for her to hear someone young with an investment account XD :D

Good for you!

My daughter took a finances class in high school and was the only one to raise her hand when the teacher asked if anyone had a 401k account. She was 16.

How does a 16 year old get access to a 401k account?

[Pooperman]

not so much a  problem but...


when i was on the phone to my ISA(Uk version of ROTH) stock broker, the young lady asked my birth date for security clarification, i told her. and she sounded shocked when she said, so... you're 19?

and i just promptly say "yep"

probably a rare case for her to hear someone young with an investment account XD :D

Good for you!

My daughter took a finances class in high school and was the only one to raise her hand when the teacher asked if anyone had a 401k account. She was 16.

How does a 16 year old get access to a 401k account?

+1. I looked at my 401k documentation and it says 18 and older.

[Threshkin]

She had it through her work.  The IRS does not put any age restrictions on 401k plan but does allow employers to restrict participation up to the age of 21 if they want.  It is up to the employer to decide if they want to allow participation under the age of 21.  Over 21 they cannot restrict participation.

http://money.stackexchange.com/questions/23648/why-can-employees-under-21-enroll-in-401k-plans

[MEJG]

Have to research tIRA income limits - think we might not be able to contribute this year, when we really need to lower our taxable income.

You can always contribute to a tIRA. It just might not be deductible. There's always the Roth (to a point). The backdoor Roth solves this if you don't have any (or little) tIRA contributions.

Pooperman - I know you can always contribute but it might not be deductible, I should have said need to figure out our best tax strategy for IRAs in 2015

[2ndTimer]

Just got back from a trip that took us past our favorite Greek Restaurant in Portland.  This time we talked about stopping but realized that we like my versions of our favorite dishes better.  The dough for the flatbread is rising as I type. 

[401Killer]

Gift cards given to us for Best Buy, or Target, garbage restaurants like Olive Garden and other places go unused as there is nothing we want/need. I've gone into Best Buy twice with $100 in gift cards and have come out with nothing...

[Dicey]

This thread reminded me of an issue I had some years back.

Work offered to put everyone who increased their 401K contributions in for a drawing of some sort of prize.  I think it was a weekend getaway somewhere in state.  I called and complained that I was already maxing out my 401K contributions and this made me ineligible.  For some reason that didn't get me any traction...

You wuz robbed...

[4alpacas]

Gift cards given to us for Best Buy, or Target, garbage restaurants like Olive Garden and other places go unused as there is nothing we want/need. I've gone into Best Buy twice with $100 in gift cards and have come out with nothing...

I sell gift cards through a site online.  I get a fraction of the gift card deposited in my PayPal account. 

[jfisher3]

My Mustachian problem:

I'm the youngest person in my office by about 15 years. I'm talking about retiring in 8 years at the age of 35... all of my coworkers are over 40 and either laugh at me, or quietly hate me.

I'm getting dirty looks from coworkers for buying a $180k house with $100k worth of land [the house we plan to retire in, and 10 acres for hugelkultur farming]  because someone of my pay grade "can't afford that" because THEY can't afford it. Never mind that I've brought my lunch every day since I started here, and my wife works too, unlike their SO's.

Being happy with my 'new' 2012 Mazda 3 and it's 45mpg/hwy while everyone else drives their $70k F-250s to work, talking about their horse power... I learned to not mention my mpg because they all get butt hurt and talk about pulling my car with tow straps.

I can't hang out with my pre-mmm friends because all they want to do is go out to the bar, and I'm tired of being used as a DD because I don't feel like dropping $100 for a few drinks.

[The Accidental Mustachian]

My car insurance company rep 'you cant be retired at 47, the computer wont accept that'

Me ' hmmm what are we going to do then, because i am definitely retired'

Rep 'but c'mon you must do something?'

me '........i walk the dog everyday??'

Rep (increasingly desperate) 'Voluntary work... Part time.... anything?'

me ' errrr ...... nope'

Rep 'ok i'm just going to stick with your old occupation, that'll be fine.'

[dragoncar]

My Mustachian problem:

I'm the youngest person in my office by about 15 years. I'm talking about retiring in 8 years at the age of 35... all of my coworkers are over 40 and either laugh at me, or quietly hate me.

I'm getting dirty looks from coworkers for buying a $180k house with $100k worth of land [the house we plan to retire in, and 10 acres for hugelkultur farming]  because someone of my pay grade "can't afford that" because THEY can't afford it. Never mind that I've brought my lunch every day since I started here, and my wife works too, unlike their SO's.

Being happy with my 'new' 2012 Mazda 3 and it's 45mpg/hwy while everyone else drives their $70k F-250s to work, talking about their horse power... I learned to not mention my mpg because they all get butt hurt and talk about pulling my car with tow straps.

I can't hang out with my pre-mmm friends because all they want to do is go out to the bar, and I'm tired of being used as a DD because I don't feel like dropping $100 for a few drinks.

After your first herd of hugelkultur are breeding, can I get a few to start my own farm?

[jfisher3]

My Mustachian problem:

I'm the youngest person in my office by about 15 years. I'm talking about retiring in 8 years at the age of 35... all of my coworkers are over 40 and either laugh at me, or quietly hate me.

I'm getting dirty looks from coworkers for buying a $180k house with $100k worth of land [the house we plan to retire in, and 10 acres for hugelkultur farming]  because someone of my pay grade "can't afford that" because THEY can't afford it. Never mind that I've brought my lunch every day since I started here, and my wife works too, unlike their SO's.

Being happy with my 'new' 2012 Mazda 3 and it's 45mpg/hwy while everyone else drives their $70k F-250s to work, talking about their horse power... I learned to not mention my mpg because they all get butt hurt and talk about pulling my car with tow straps.

I can't hang out with my pre-mmm friends because all they want to do is go out to the bar, and I'm tired of being used as a DD because I don't feel like dropping $100 for a few drinks.

After your first herd of hugelkultur are breeding, can I get a few to start my own farm?

lol. You can get some logs from the woods out back... :D It's a type of farm, rather than a crop that is produced.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%BCgelkultur 

[Rural]

Coworker brought me a Starbucks gift card as a thanks for helping Her out. I didn't have the heart to tell her I haven't been in a Starbucks since 2012 and have no wish to drive 15 miles each way in the wrong direction to get to one and then buy nasty coffee. Guess I'll sell it.

[Adventine]

Coworker brought me a Starbucks gift card as a thanks for helping Her out. I didn't have the heart to tell her I haven't been in a Starbucks since 2012 and have no wish to drive 15 miles each way in the wrong direction to get to one and then buy nasty coffee. Guess I'll sell it.

You could use it to buy one of their food items - granted, it's still overpriced, but you could get a serving of fresh fruit or veggie sticks for free.

[dragoncar]

Coworker brought me a Starbucks gift card as a thanks for helping Her out. I didn't have the heart to tell her I haven't been in a Starbucks since 2012 and have no wish to drive 15 miles each way in the wrong direction to get to one and then buy nasty coffee. Guess I'll sell it.

Woah, snob alert!  You can PM me the code if you don't want it ;-P

[Rural]

Coworker brought me a Starbucks gift card as a thanks for helping Her out. I didn't have the heart to tell her I haven't been in a Starbucks since 2012 and have no wish to drive 15 miles each way in the wrong direction to get to one and then buy nasty coffee. Guess I'll sell it.

You could use it to buy one of their food items - granted, it's still overpriced, but you could get a serving of fresh fruit or veggie sticks for free.

Not free since I have to drive an extra 30 miles, though. :-)

[Rural]

Coworker brought me a Starbucks gift card as a thanks for helping Her out. I didn't have the heart to tell her I haven't been in a Starbucks since 2012 and have no wish to drive 15 miles each way in the wrong direction to get to one and then buy nasty coffee. Guess I'll sell it.

Woah, snob alert!  You can PM me the code if you don't want it ;-P

I think you've mislabeled me. I can't stand Starbucks coffee, true, but I've recently switched coffee brands for my drip machine at home from the cheapest generic 34 oz can at Walmart to its equivalent store brand at Dollar General, so I don't think I'm a coffee snob. It's not me, it's them.