Mustachian People Problems (just for fun)

[Squirrel away]

I find it funny when people on here talk about downsizing to a smaller place like under 1000 square foot as my house is under 650.:)

[Timmmy]

I find it funny when people on here talk about downsizing to a smaller place like under 1000 square foot as my house is under 650.:)

Me too.  DW and I live in a 950 sq foot house (no basement) and that includes an "office" that hardly gets used and a formal dining room that only get's used as a room for my 2 large fish tanks.  It feels way bigger than we need.  The office used to be a rented out to a friend of mine.  So there was 3 adults and 3 dogs all living in our sub 1000 house with no problems. 

I think I could easily move in to sub 600 sq foot place without getting rid of anything that I care about.  I might have to downsize to one smaller fish tank.

Speaking of mustachian problems... 

We're shopping for a new place and we're looking for a place with a little bigger lot but every place with a bigger lot also has a bigger house.  I have no idea what we would do with a 2000 sq foot house with a basement.  Maybe get a couple of roommates again. 

[TurtleMarkets]

People look at me like I'm crazy when I say I want to downsize even when I explain that we have over 2500sqft for 2 people and a dog. I think if it was laid out well we would do well in a <1000sqft house even though DH has some space consuming hobbies

That is a reasonable downsize. Going under 1000 seems like counter productive to me. I lived in a place around 600sqft and 1100 and the energy consumption was very close.

Maybe because I was forced/poverty to live in a small place with nothing there is no longer anything romantic or good about it. Maybe if it was a small place in the woods. Then the woods are like your home and the house is only to protect you from the elements.

[frugalnacho]

I lived in a 700 sq ft house with my parents, 2 sisters, 2 dogs, 3 cats, and various other small animals (fish tank, birds, hamsters, etc).  We had 1 bathroom.  It was terrible.  Everyone was constantly fighting over the bathroom.  The family as a whole could have had much less stuff leading to less clutter, but it was still small for a family.  There was also no good place to hang out away from everyone else.  I love my family but also I want to be able to breath.

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

[jordanread]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

[Squirrel away]

I would like two bathrooms too. I am also thinking now about moving (when we retire) to a flat/apartment instead of a house as I like all the rooms on one level.

I'm the same way with hating clutter. I wonder if other people on here have OCD too?

[Kio]

Discover keeps re-sending me a new physical credit card for my existing account.  "We noticed you haven't made a purchase in awhile, and thought maybe you lost your card!"  Ugh.

When they send out a new card, they deactivate the old one, so then I've got to call and reactivate the new one.  I keep forgetting to activate the new one and now I have a pile of these new cards sitting in my drawer.  Haha!

[jordanread]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

What?!  A second bathroom is a luxury.  To think of it as anything else is ridiculous.

Didn't say it wasn't. Just something I rate as important. Also, peeing outside in city limits is against the law.

[jordanread]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

What?!  A second bathroom is a luxury.  To think of it as anything else is ridiculous.

Didn't say it wasn't. Just something I rate as important. Also, peeing outside in city limits is against the law.

Calling something a "must" didn't make it sound like you thought it was a luxury.

You don't have to pee outside if you have one bathroom.  I'm not saying everyone should move into a van down by the river.  This thread has become ridiculous when people start referring to second bathrooms as "musts."  I'm waiting for the next person to call a 3 car garage a basic necessity.

Yeah, I thought I added "for me" to that sentence, which is what I meant. I mean, that's kind of what we are all about here, is determining the value of things instead of doing things mindlessly. When I move, that's something I'm going to keep in mind. You don't have to though, nor do you have to live with my SO. :-)

[Squirrel away]

I want a second toilet as we live with 8 animals, I don't mind if other people on here don't want one.:)

[firelight]

Second bathroom starts as a luxury that fast becomes a need as you increase the number of people living in the same house. I'd take a small house with two bathrooms any day over a large one with just one for four or more people.

[TurtleMarkets]

Im under the believe that a second bathroom is a very cheap way to improve quality of life. The price difference between homes with 1 and 2 bathrooms where I live is minimal. If i was single or with one guy roomate i wouldnt even care. Living with a girl or more than 1 person 1 bathroom can be frustrating. But, I did grow up with 4 brothers and 3 dogs in a 1000sqft house, so I have years of irritation I am willing to pay to avoid.

[frugalnacho]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

What?!  A second bathroom is a luxury.  To think of it as anything else is ridiculous.

I disagree.  A second bathroom is an absolute necessity.  I placed it high on my priority list when I was looking at a house.  If it didn't have 2+ baths, or the space and layout to add a second bathroom then I didn't even consider it.  It will be that way for all future house purchases also. 

Even if it was just me in the house I would insist on 2 bathrooms.  What am I gonna do if I ever have guests, or company, or family over and they are using the bathroom and I have to go?  Maybe I just have a lot of stomache/bathroom issues, and a lot of bad memories of needing to use the bathroom when I couldn't.  We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.  Like a bunch of fucking animals.  No thank you.

[Zikoris]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

What?!  A second bathroom is a luxury.  To think of it as anything else is ridiculous.

I disagree.  A second bathroom is an absolute necessity.  I placed it high on my priority list when I was looking at a house.  If it didn't have 2+ baths, or the space and layout to add a second bathroom then I didn't even consider it.  It will be that way for all future house purchases also. 

Even if it was just me in the house I would insist on 2 bathrooms.  What am I gonna do if I ever have guests, or company, or family over and they are using the bathroom and I have to go?  Maybe I just have a lot of stomache/bathroom issues, and a lot of bad memories of needing to use the bathroom when I couldn't.  We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.  Like a bunch of fucking animals.  No thank you.

I don't know if you have some sort of medical condition, but is it really a big deal to wait a minute or two for someone else to finish?  As long as people are respectful and try to be quick, it shouldn't be an issue. When I'm visiting someone and using their shower, unless I'm the only one awake I always ask if anyone needs to use the bathroom before I shower - I always just assumed everyone does this.

Having a vanity or mirror somewhere outside of the bathroom for people to fix their hair at or whatever can also help.

[CheapskateWife]

Wondering if I should invest our cash horde or pay off the 1.5% APR student loan in full 10 years early....Mustachian people problems indeed!

[Eric]

We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.

Is this a big deal?  That's called "quality time" in my household. 

[Squirrel away]

I want a second toilet as we live with 8 animals, I don't mind if other people on here don't want one.:)

Do your animals use the toilet?

I actually would LOVE to have a second bathroom.  I agree that it would be awesome.  My issue is referring to it as a necessity.  I have a lot of luxuries built into my lifestyle, so I'm not going to fault someone for having a second bathroom.  It's important that we realize how privileged we are to have the second bathroom option!   This is mustachian problems!  Not a thread on a HGTV forum!

Yes, I chuck their spilled crap, pee or vomit down there at times!:0

[Middlesbrough]

We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.

Is this a big deal?  That's called "quality time" in my household.

Same thing here when I was younger.

[johnny847]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

What?!  A second bathroom is a luxury.  To think of it as anything else is ridiculous.

I disagree.  A second bathroom is an absolute necessity.  I placed it high on my priority list when I was looking at a house.  If it didn't have 2+ baths, or the space and layout to add a second bathroom then I didn't even consider it.  It will be that way for all future house purchases also. 

Even if it was just me in the house I would insist on 2 bathrooms.  What am I gonna do if I ever have guests, or company, or family over and they are using the bathroom and I have to go?  Maybe I just have a lot of stomache/bathroom issues, and a lot of bad memories of needing to use the bathroom when I couldn't.  We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.  Like a bunch of fucking animals.  No thank you.

I find it hard to claim that having 2 bathrooms is a necessity. The only things that I really consider to be necessities are food, clothing, and shelter, where shelter means a place where you are reasonably safe and have a roof over your head.
You do not NEED to have a second bathroom in your house. It is certainly nice to have a second bathroom in the situations you described. It's perfectly okay to say that you want to have a house with 2 bathrooms, or that you will only buy houses with at least two bathrooms in the future. But it's not true to say that people have to live in places with 2 bathrooms, because it is not a basic requirement, and people on this forum have told you how they grew up without them.

[pachnik]

I was talking to a neighbor on our doorstep, when his three year old son sneezed violently and the dad asked me for a tissue. I never buy Kleenex - only have old fashioned handkerchiefs , so I handed him a wad of toilet paper. I felt slightly embarrassed when the dad noticed what it was, not sure why.

+1
Hey, I used to think I was the only person in this country using handkerchiefs... but there are 2 of us! :) I always get the "what the hell is that?!?" when I pull one out in public.

+1 I am a Cdn. user of handkerchiefs.  I started using them rather than Kleenex a few decades ago when I developed some allergies.  My mom gave me a bunch of my grandma's handkerchiefs and said using these will easier on my nose.  She told me that the wood fibre in the Kleenex would just cause more irritation.  So been using handkerchiefs ever since even though the allergies left. 

My mom has a stockpile of handkerchiefs from the 'old country' and we've been in Canada for 50+ years.  I guess my MMM people problem is that it is next to impossible find new women's handkerchiefs these days.  Sometimes I buy them at flea markets where older people are downsizing.

[RetiredAt63]

It's a question of priorities re # bathrooms.  Is a second bathroom a necessity?  No - but for a lot of households the second bathroom is more important than a lot of other amenities.  My other "necessity" is a garage for the car - I have lived with and without a garage, and in the middle of a Canadian winter the garage is better.  No snow/ice to clean off the car - and I am talking easily 20 minutes worth of cleaning here.  There are accidents every winter caused by snow/ice coming off a car that was not properly cleaned.  Plus thunderstorms and hail - Ottawa had a big storm a few summers ago, and the hail damage was severe.    My car is not worth a huge amount, but it is worth enough to give it some protection.  Of course if I didn't have a car - but I am in the middle of nowhere, the cars go 70K on my quiet road and 80-80 on the nearest major road, so the bicycle is for fun.

[jordanread]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

What?!  A second bathroom is a luxury.  To think of it as anything else is ridiculous.

I disagree.  A second bathroom is an absolute necessity.  I placed it high on my priority list when I was looking at a house.  If it didn't have 2+ baths, or the space and layout to add a second bathroom then I didn't even consider it.  It will be that way for all future house purchases also. 

Even if it was just me in the house I would insist on 2 bathrooms.  What am I gonna do if I ever have guests, or company, or family over and they are using the bathroom and I have to go?  Maybe I just have a lot of stomache/bathroom issues, and a lot of bad memories of needing to use the bathroom when I couldn't.  We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.  Like a bunch of fucking animals.  No thank you.

I find it hard to claim that having 2 bathrooms is a necessity. The only things that I really consider to be necessities are food, clothing, and shelter, where shelter means a place where you are reasonably safe and have a roof over your head.
You do not NEED to have a second bathroom in your house. It is certainly nice to have a second bathroom in the situations you described. It's perfectly okay to say that you want to have a house with 2 bathrooms, or that you will only buy houses with at least two bathrooms in the future. But it's not true to say that people have to live in places with 2 bathrooms, because it is not a basic requirement, and people on this forum have told you how they grew up without them.

Removed tiredangry post since it did nothing to add value

Apologies all.

[Beric01]

I'm a bit annoyed that you can't rent places smaller than 250 square feet in my city (my current apartment). I'm considering renting a room instead, but it's really not much cheaper - same with roommates.

Why do apartments have to be so large!

Biting my tongue to stop from asking the woman ahead of me in the checkout line at Whole Foods why she was shopping there.

Her bill was $58.+,  she paid with a few paper bills and some rolls of coins.  However, she had to return 2 or 3 items because she didn't have enough money. 

BTW, I was there because I read an article that said that WF had organic milk $2.50 cheaper per gallon than Trader Joe's.  Not true, it is the same price.

Jan

You might want look into milk?  If you like it that is fine, but it really is made for calf consumption and even the organic stuff is homogenized and pasteurized.   My wife likes it even though she drinks skim milk.  I refuse to feed it to guests or children over 2.

I refuse to feed eggs to guests because it's really made for becoming a chicken.

Hah! You're hilarious. :P

[Rezdent]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

What?!  A second bathroom is a luxury.  To think of it as anything else is ridiculous.

I disagree.  A second bathroom is an absolute necessity.  I placed it high on my priority list when I was looking at a house.  If it didn't have 2+ baths, or the space and layout to add a second bathroom then I didn't even consider it.  It will be that way for all future house purchases also. 

Even if it was just me in the house I would insist on 2 bathrooms.  What am I gonna do if I ever have guests, or company, or family over and they are using the bathroom and I have to go?  Maybe I just have a lot of stomache/bathroom issues, and a lot of bad memories of needing to use the bathroom when I couldn't.  We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.  Like a bunch of fucking animals.  No thank you.

I find it hard to claim that having 2 bathrooms is a necessity. The only things that I really consider to be necessities are food, clothing, and shelter, where shelter means a place where you are reasonably safe and have a roof over your head.
You do not NEED to have a second bathroom in your house. It is certainly nice to have a second bathroom in the situations you described. It's perfectly okay to say that you want to have a house with 2 bathrooms, or that you will only buy houses with at least two bathrooms in the future. But it's not true to say that people have to live in places with 2 bathrooms, because it is not a basic requirement, and people on this forum have told you how they grew up without them.

^This!
Having 1 bathroom is amazingly wonderful and I consider it a very nice luxury. Even wanting a second bathroom could only be a first world dream.
To put this in perspective, in 2013:

"783 million people do not have access to clean water and almost 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation."
source: http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/water-cooperation/facts-and-figures/en/

Full disclosure: I live with 2 bathrooms.  I try to remind myself of 2 things everyday.   One, my life is wonderful with all the luxury.
Two, my great grandfather thought the world was going to hell because good decent people were actually pooping INSIDE THEIR HOUSES.  Even when he got running water (in the 70s I think?) he installed the toilet off the back porch.  The idea of having bathrooms inside the house grossed him out and was not an improvement.

Not saying that 2 bathrooms isn't really cool - just saying they aren't a necessity.

[Roots&Wings]

Why are there only account alerts for low balances, and not high balances?  I wish there was a way to set an alert for my Vanguard fund balances, so that once I hit the minimum for Admiral share status, I can request the conversion asap!

[johnny847]

I don't think I can or will ever go back to any living arrangement with only a single bathroom.

That's my thing. I'm finding myself more and more focused on the floor plan than the square footage, but two bathrooms is a must.

What?!  A second bathroom is a luxury.  To think of it as anything else is ridiculous.

I disagree.  A second bathroom is an absolute necessity.  I placed it high on my priority list when I was looking at a house.  If it didn't have 2+ baths, or the space and layout to add a second bathroom then I didn't even consider it.  It will be that way for all future house purchases also. 

Even if it was just me in the house I would insist on 2 bathrooms.  What am I gonna do if I ever have guests, or company, or family over and they are using the bathroom and I have to go?  Maybe I just have a lot of stomache/bathroom issues, and a lot of bad memories of needing to use the bathroom when I couldn't.  We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.  Like a bunch of fucking animals.  No thank you.

I find it hard to claim that having 2 bathrooms is a necessity. The only things that I really consider to be necessities are food, clothing, and shelter, where shelter means a place where you are reasonably safe and have a roof over your head.
You do not NEED to have a second bathroom in your house. It is certainly nice to have a second bathroom in the situations you described. It's perfectly okay to say that you want to have a house with 2 bathrooms, or that you will only buy houses with at least two bathrooms in the future. But it's not true to say that people have to live in places with 2 bathrooms, because it is not a basic requirement, and people on this forum have told you how they grew up without them.

So with my previous responses to this question, I was trying to be respectful, and come from a place of understanding. I know that some people are truly invested in the canon of Mustachianism, as well as the vernacular and verbiage. That being said: Go fuck yourselves. For some reason, 4Alpacas response got my bristles up (no offense to you personally). There are a lot of situations where one is absolutely correct in challenging the assumptions of others. This forum is a good example, especially in the Ask a Mustachian section. However, if the only way you can demonstrate your understanding and commitment to the Mustachian way of life is to focus primarily on the verbiage used (especially with someone who [had you looked around a bit] understands the concepts of Mustachianism), and bash those who don't strictly adhere to your understanding of it, I think you kind of missed the point. Welcome to your Circle of Concern...your Circle of Control is over there.

Shit! Did I miss a couple of words because I typed on my phone? Yes. Did I even bother checking this forum from my phone because it's that important to me? Also:Yes. So for those of you who have gotten caught up in the canon of it all, I think you missed the point. Normally, I'd congratulate you on your enthusiasm, but today, I'm not in the fucking mood. How about you take a minute, think about how much you don't know about the person you are replying to, and reconsider your ignorant answer?

This is not directed to anybody who replied to me, but just something to think about. I'm done being all tolerant and shit tonight.

How exactly am I being ignorant? You're claiming it is my responsibility to check if you are actually Mustachian or not, when you are stating something that is just clearly not true as written? Why exactly is that my responsibility?

[Roots&Wings]

Yes indeed!  And maybe try to think of happier things, like planning your FIREmoon, etc...

[Ybserp]

Yes indeed!  And maybe try to think of happier things, like planning your FIREmoon, etc...

Ooo! Are FIREmoons a thing? Really and truly?!?

::searches internet for private islands available to host gala of the century::
Oh wait. I bet it isn't hardcore to go celebrate FIRE. ::cancels yacht rental::

[G-dog]

And let's get a few beers to soothe the I'mtiredandangry posts...

Yes! ^^
No need to escalate this further, both sides have stated their positions, and it is OK to back off and call it a draw. 

[Cinder]

On the topic of luxuries... We have 2.5 baths in our house.... and the DW's mother has bad knees, and won't visit again till we get taller toilets.   We picked up a 17 inch (previous was 15 inches) for our guest bath.   She absolutely would NOT entertain the idea of me getting one of the tall toilet seats. 

To me, taller toilet height is taller height.. *shrug*

I grew up on a house with only one bathroom (no external vanity area) in a family of 5.  Having this many bathrooms makes me feel like a decedent king.   

The DW doesn't like it when she can't use 'our' bathroom/shower.  I always say 'they are all ours, what's the difference?'.   I guess I'll just never get it!

[johnny847]

I had to google 403b and 401k combined limits (we get both at work) and was annoyed I can't stache 17500 in each one. Grr

And let's get a few beers to soothe the I'mtiredandangry posts...

Yea it'd be nice right? 457b limits aren't combined with either 401k or 403b limits, so for people who have access to both a 457b and either a 403b or a 401k, they can contribute $35000 a year.
And if they're super lucky, they could make after tax contributions to a 401k up to the $52k limit (I'm not sure if you are allowed to make after tax contributions to a 403b or a 457b. 457b's are strange, they're actually "deferred compensation plans" which has different implications).

[MrsStubble]

My in laws always bring a bag of ice to our house when they visit because my fridge doesn't have a built in ice maker  (I have ice cube trays)

[FrugalZony]

AFAIK Vanguard does this automatically ;)

Why are there only account alerts for low balances, and not high balances?  I wish there was a way to set an alert for my Vanguard fund balances, so that once I hit the minimum for Admiral share status, I can request the conversion asap!

[johnny847]

AFAIK Vanguard does this automatically ;)

Why are there only account alerts for low balances, and not high balances?  I wish there was a way to set an alert for my Vanguard fund balances, so that once I hit the minimum for Admiral share status, I can request the conversion asap!

They do, but from what I gather over at the Bogleheads forum, Vanguard can be a bit inconsistent about how long after hitting 10k they convert your shares to Admiral.

[horsepoor]

Well, it's a luxury, but I'm very glad to have more than 1 bathroom in our house.  DH announces he has to poop, then spends like 30+ minutes in there.  Don't know what the hell he's doing, but not going to go in and breath the fumes after him.  Also, housekeeping in there is his issue, and last time I went in there, I was sorry.  2 bathrooms makes for a much happier marriage.  Peeing outside didn't work too well when I had a 1 bathroom house with 4' tall chainlink fences and an alley behind.

[LennStar]

A second bathroom is not somehting I would pay for for 2 normal people only.
But if you are 4 persons or more, then at least having a second toilet is really worth the money. Especially if one is upstairs and one downstairs and you have old people or some other way slightly handicapped people (like me with knee damage) who are really happy when they dont have to take 20 stairs each time ;)

It's a question of priorities re # bathrooms.  Is a second bathroom a necessity?  No - but for a lot of households the second bathroom is more important than a lot of other amenities.  My other "necessity" is a garage for the car - I have lived with and without a garage, and in the middle of a Canadian winter the garage is better.  No snow/ice to clean off the car - and I am talking easily 20 minutes worth of cleaning here.  There are accidents every winter caused by snow/ice coming off a car that was not properly cleaned.  Plus thunderstorms and hail - Ottawa had a big storm a few summers ago, and the hail damage was severe.    My car is not worth a huge amount, but it is worth enough to give it some protection.  Of course if I didn't have a car - but I am in the middle of nowhere, the cars go 70K on my quiet road and 80-80 on the nearest major road, so the bicycle is for fun.

A person I know had a car that was damaged in a hail. Hails are not very frequent here, especially heavy ones. The one I am talking about was ~5km away from my home and made holes in everything in a village, including roofs and walls (but seemed to have stopped in the middle at the big street, the other half of the village had nearly no damage - a really small, concentrated hailstorm).
Luckily the car had no broken glass and no holes, but it looked like a flat golf ball all over. That is really something you dont see that often...
The insurance considered it a full damage and payed the full prize of the car. That person still drives that car around (most others affected this way have gotten a new one) and saved the money. He isnt a mustachian, but that move was a M move ;)

[RetiredAt63]

We know we are blessed.  When I was house-hunting I looked at older (>100years) houses - generally they had one small bathroom on the main floor, and nothing upstairs with the bedrooms.  If I had bought one of those, the first thing (before moving in) would have been the installation of a bathroom upstairs - not only do I like to shower in a semi-private part of the house, I would have broken a leg or ankle some night heading downstairs at 3AM.  Old knees on steep stairs with worn treads in the middle of the night are not safe.

So, as I now live in a bungalow with my bathroom about 8 steps from my bedroom, and another toilet in the basement laundry room, I consider myself to be living in the lap of modern plumbing luxury.

A second bathroom is not something I would pay for for 2 normal people only.
But if you are 4 persons or more, then at least having a second toilet is really worth the money. Especially if one is upstairs and one downstairs and you have old people or some other way slightly handicapped people (like me with knee damage) who are really happy when they dont have to take 20 stairs each time ;)

[Rural]

While we don't yet have two full baths, my husband got the toilet installed in our unfinished second bathroom over the summer. Certainly it's not necessary (we can pee outside without issues other than weather) but damn it's nice. Definitely worth the cost of a little more PVC pipe (no cost to us for the toilet; it was our Christmas present from my parents, who totally rock).

[boy_bye]

two bathrooms has been a game changer for us. in our last house in the ghetto, we had only one, and my husband takes a long time in the morning, while my system's demands are quick and urgent. so if he got in first, things could get quite uncomfortable for me. a few times i had to get dressed and run to mcdonald's or the library to use their loo.

it sure is nice to not have that problem any more :)

[Roots&Wings]

AFAIK Vanguard does this automatically ;)

Why are there only account alerts for low balances, and not high balances?  I wish there was a way to set an alert for my Vanguard fund balances, so that once I hit the minimum for Admiral share status, I can request the conversion asap!

Interesting!  I had asked Vanguard about this, and was told they do a random quarterly review and will upgrade to Admiral shares (or downgrade from!) depending on the balance.  Otherwise, you have to monitor the balance yourself and request the conversion...unless you are patient and wait for the random quarterly review upgrade.

I'm quite excited about graduating to Admiral share status, although my friends don't share this excitement :)

[theadvicist]

On the topic of luxuries... We have 2.5 baths in our house.... and the DW's mother has bad knees, and won't visit again till we get taller toilets.   We picked up a 17 inch (previous was 15 inches) for our guest bath.   She absolutely would NOT entertain the idea of me getting one of the tall toilet seats. 

Sounds like a great way to avoid the in-laws visiting if you ask me! Especially if they are as demanding as that... buy and fit me a new toilet or I won't come? It would be "here's the high seat, nice to see you" from me.

[theadvicist]

My last post sounded harsh... to clarify, I absolutely would make the alteration needed to accommodate her decreased mobility. I would just do it in a sensible way that solves the problem (high seat). I would not fit a brand new toilet. (But I think it's very nice of you to have done so OP).

[Squirrel away]

I wake up everyday and the first thing to do is to check my financial details and bank account. I'm waiting to feel a bit calmer about money. I'm hoping the honeymoon phase must wear off over time!

While we don't yet have two full baths, my husband got the toilet installed in our unfinished second bathroom over the summer. Certainly it's not necessary (we can pee outside without issues other than weather) but damn it's nice. Definitely worth the cost of a little more PVC pipe (no cost to us for the toilet; it was our Christmas present from my parents, who totally rock).

That made me laugh as my garden is absolutely tiny and is overlooked by a lot of my neighbours, I don't think any of them would appreciate us peeing outside. Lol.:)

[frugalnacho]

We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.

Is this a big deal?  That's called "quality time" in my household.

Maybe i'm just weird but I prefer to be alone when I shower and when I poop.   Especially when the timing is fucked up.  Oh you have to rush in and take a diarrhea RIGHT NOW? You can't wait 5 fucking minutes, because I was about to turn the water off in 30 seconds?   I guess not, I guess i'll just stand here in the shower while I listen to (and smell) you taking a diarrhea.  LIKE A FUCKING ANIMAL!

[Squirrel away]

We had to share the bathroom, ie poop when someone else was showering and vice versa.

Is this a big deal?  That's called "quality time" in my household.

Maybe i'm just weird but I prefer to be alone when I shower and when I poop.   Especially when the timing is fucked up.  Oh you have to rush in and take a diarrhea RIGHT NOW? You can't wait 5 fucking minutes, because I was about to turn the water off in 30 seconds?   I guess not, I guess i'll just stand here in the shower while I listen to (and smell) you taking a diarrhea.  LIKE A FUCKING ANIMAL!

That's not weird at all IMO!

[frugalnacho]

I find it hard to claim that having 2 bathrooms is a necessity. The only things that I really consider to be necessities are food, clothing, and shelter, where shelter means a place where you are reasonably safe and have a roof over your head.
You do not NEED to have a second bathroom in your house. It is certainly nice to have a second bathroom in the situations you described. It's perfectly okay to say that you want to have a house with 2 bathrooms, or that you will only buy houses with at least two bathrooms in the future. But it's not true to say that people have to live in places with 2 bathrooms, because it is not a basic requirement, and people on this forum have told you how they grew up without them.

Yea, I grew up without a second bathroom (and already bitched about it in this thread) and it was absolute insanity.  We weren't on welfare, we had a house, we had 2 cars, we had pets, we went out to eat, we went on vacations, smoked cigarettes...and we also shared a single bathroom between 5 peoples whose eating/showering/pooping schedules were all intentionally lined up together.   Absolute insanity.  What the fuck were my parents thinking to not prioritize a second bathroom over a second car? Or several of the vacations we took? Or all the food we ate out? Or my mom's fucking cigarette habit?

I've been through the war zone.  I cannot unexperience that.  It left a mark in me so deep that I cannot even fathom living in a house with a single toilet as a permanent option.

[CheapskateWife]

Lone woman in a house with 4 boys and D.  That's right, 5 males.  There is a second bathroom in our home, and for it I am eternally grateful.  DH is the ONLY person with a penis allowed in ours.  Period.  Also installing an exhaust fan with switch timer has probably saved our marriage. :)

It really makes you think about the grandfather mentioned previously, who viewed indoor toilets as "not an improvement"....that fellow might have been on to something there. 

[frugalnacho]

I don't know if you have some sort of medical condition, but is it really a big deal to wait a minute or two for someone else to finish?  As long as people are respectful and try to be quick, it shouldn't be an issue. When I'm visiting someone and using their shower, unless I'm the only one awake I always ask if anyone needs to use the bathroom before I shower - I always just assumed everyone does this.

Having a vanity or mirror somewhere outside of the bathroom for people to fix their hair at or whatever can also help.

I have been to the dr but have not been diagnosed with any medical condition, other than I get stomach cramps poop frequently.  Apparently nothing medically wrong with me though.   

As long as people are respectful and try to be quick, it shouldn't be an issue, unless you both have diarrhea at the same time.  Then it totally sucks.  Having 2 bathrooms opens up a whole other realm of freedom.  You no longer have to ask if anyone needs to use the bathroom before you shower, you no longer have to worry about rushing to get out of the shower because someone is having stomach cramps, you no longer have to worry about other people showering or using the toilet while you have stomach cramps.  It's a wonderful kind of freedom.

[frugalnacho]

Lone woman in a house with 4 boys and D.  That's right, 5 males.  There is a second bathroom in our home, and for it I am eternally grateful.  DH is the ONLY person with a penis allowed in ours.  Period.  Also installing an exhaust fan with switch timer has probably saved our marriage. :)

It really makes you think about the grandfather mentioned previously, who viewed indoor toilets as "not an improvement"....that fellow might have been on to something there.

I did the same thing as soon as I got my own house.  You can get a timer for like $10, and it's super easy to install.  I don't understand why everyone doesn't have one.  You can put the timer on after you poop and let the room vent out for 10, 20, 30, or however long you need depending on the damage.  It's also great for after a shower, I can just hit the 30 minute timer and know all the moisture will be sucked out, but I won't accidentally leave the fan on if I go to bed or leave the house.   

What I understand even less is bathrooms with no exhaust fan at all.  Who built a bathroom without an exhaust fan? It boggles my mind.  And who lives with that bathroom and doesn't install an exhaust fan?!?  HELLO PEOPLE, we have the technology, for minimal cost you can vent all the shit smell and all of the mold causing moisture right out of your bathroom.

[Zaga]

I'm all about our exhaust fan timer!  We got it in the past year and it's just great.  DH actually uses it to keep his showers short, he sets the timer at about 10 minutes when he turns on the water, then when it turns off he knows he has to get out of the shower.

Also, by turning on the vent while you're showering there is never any buildup of steam in the bathroom, which is good for the walls/paint and as soon as you step out of the shower you can use the mirror.

Same for while you're pooping, turn that sucker on before you go, keeps the stink to a minimum.