Mustachian People Problems (just for fun)

[Dr. Doom]

I lost my wallet last Friday and didn't realize it until Monday of this week because I didn't once need it over the weekend.  If only I'd needed to spend money or drive somewhere, I would have figured it out much faster.

[johnny847]

I lost my wallet last Friday and didn't realize it until Monday of this week because I didn't once need it over the weekend.  If only I'd needed to spend money or drive somewhere, I would have figured it out much faster.

Sorry to hear that.

While most things posted on this thread are "problems," yours is actually a legitimate problem that was spurred on by Mustachianism =(

[Dr. Doom]

I lost my wallet last Friday and didn't realize it until Monday of this week because I didn't once need it over the weekend.  If only I'd needed to spend money or drive somewhere, I would have figured it out much faster.

Sorry to hear that.

While most things posted on this thread are "problems," yours is actually a legitimate problem that was spurred on by Mustachianism =(

I meant it in good fun -- it doesn't appear that there were any charges on my CCs, so everything's cancelled and I'm not bothered by it... thanks for caring though :)  I did mention this to one of my friends and he was just like:  How could you POSSIBLY have not noticed your wallet missing that night or, at the very least, next monrning when you're out and about?  It made me laugh, anyway, and think of this thread, which is highly entertaining.

[johnny847]

I lost my wallet last Friday and didn't realize it until Monday of this week because I didn't once need it over the weekend.  If only I'd needed to spend money or drive somewhere, I would have figured it out much faster.

Sorry to hear that.

While most things posted on this thread are "problems," yours is actually a legitimate problem that was spurred on by Mustachianism =(

I meant it in good fun -- it doesn't appear that there were any charges on my CCs, so everything's cancelled and I'm not bothered by it... thanks for caring though :)  I did mention this to one of my friends and he was just like:  How could you POSSIBLY have not noticed your wallet missing that night or, at the very least, next monrning when you're out and about?  It made me laugh, anyway, and think of this thread, which is highly entertaining.

Haha good to hear.

[sheepstache]

Aw, sorry you have that hassle.  I have to show ID to get into my workplace and sometimes I don't notice until then that I left my wallet at home.  The security guards scratch their heads over how I managed to get to work without it and will sympathetically offer to help me out with cash for lunch or to get the subway home.

[Threshkin]

I lost my wallet last Friday and didn't realize it until Monday of this week because I didn't once need it over the weekend.  If only I'd needed to spend money or drive somewhere, I would have figured it out much faster.

I frequently "lose" my wallet someplace in the house.  After a couple of days, I might start to wonder where it is.  Usually I find it in my bike bag.

[yandz]

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.

Totally with you on the first comment. Our bathroom has no exhaust fan but the technology was certainly available when the house was built in the early 70s.

I can give you our answer to your second rant. Two words: bonded asbestos. I've asked a few tradies if they would install a fan for us with bonded asbestos in the bathroom and the answer has been uniformly hell no. So it has to wait for a few years until we get the bathroom gutted of all asbestos and rebuilt.

In MN, code is that the bathroom needs an exhaust fan OR awindow.  Say whaaaa?  You want me to open a window to let moisture out after I shower in -30 degree weather?  Not appropriate code in the tundra. Nope. nope. nope.  Bought house; had fan installed.  Thankfully no asbestos prevented it.

[dragoncar]

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.

Totally with you on the first comment. Our bathroom has no exhaust fan but the technology was certainly available when the house was built in the early 70s.

I can give you our answer to your second rant. Two words: bonded asbestos. I've asked a few tradies if they would install a fan for us with bonded asbestos in the bathroom and the answer has been uniformly hell no. So it has to wait for a few years until we get the bathroom gutted of all asbestos and rebuilt.

In MN, code is that the bathroom needs an exhaust fan OR awindow.  Say whaaaa?  You want me to open a window to let moisture out after I shower in -30 degree weather?  Not appropriate code in the tundra. Nope. nope. nope.  Bought house; had fan installed.  Thankfully no asbestos prevented it.

Crap, that reminds me I have to install two bathroom fans.  Each bathroom has a window, so it's been fine so far, but come winter...

[Dr. Doom]

Aw, sorry you have that hassle.  I have to show ID to get into my workplace and sometimes I don't notice until then that I left my wallet at home.  The security guards scratch their heads over how I managed to get to work without it and will sympathetically offer to help me out with cash for lunch or to get the subway home.

Good stuff, that's pretty funny (and nice of them to boot.)

@Threshkin, right, I was initially hoping it'd be in a pair of old shorts or something but no dice.  I realized later that I stupidly left it in my gym bag on Friday morning last week and didn't lock it up because I'd also misplaced my lock somehow, so I'm pretty sure it was lifted by someone.   Should have thrown the wallet in my car instead -- that'll teach me to be lazy ;)

[10dollarsatatime]

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.

There were 9 people in my house growing up... myself, 6 brothers, and my parents.  We had one bathroom.  My parents talked for years about installing another in the basement, but they never got around to it.  And we survived.  I will admit that it is nice to be all grown up in my own house and not have to share the bathroom.  However... I'll always consider a second bathroom an unnecessary nicety... that would have been great to have as a kid in that household.



And... back on topic... I gave myself $25 to spend on whatever I wanted for my birthday... and couldn't think of anything to spend it on.  So I put it toward a student loan.

[johnny847]

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.

And... back on topic... I gave myself $25 to spend on whatever I wanted for my birthday... and couldn't think of anything to spend it on.  So I put it toward a student loan.

Sounds like money well spent!

[Dr. Doom]

We had one bathroom... And we survived.

Silver lining:  The toilet seat must have been perpetually warm.

[Rural]

...and you know, my father grew up one of eleven children in a house with no running water, so I suppose perspective is called for. On the other hand, he's the one who gave us the second toilet for Christmas, so I guess it's okay!

[Cinder]

I lost my wallet last Friday and didn't realize it until Monday of this week because I didn't once need it over the weekend.  If only I'd needed to spend money or drive somewhere, I would have figured it out much faster.

I frequently "lose" my wallet someplace in the house.  After a couple of days, I might start to wonder where it is.  Usually I find it in my bike bag.

+1, I do the exact same thing, it drives the DW crazy!

[sheepstache]

Good news: Grocery store near me goes earth-friendly requiring re-usable bags
Bad news: There goes my supply of free trash bags.

I have electricity and a personal computer with processing speeds unheard of a decade ago and an amazing web of interconnected people to connect with and learn from . . . but an annoying little red squiggle shows up whenever I use "mustachianism" because my browser says it's not a real word.

[johnny847]

Good news: Grocery store near me goes earth-friendly requiring re-usable bags
Bad news: There goes my supply of free trash bags.

I have electricity and a personal computer with processing speeds unheard of a decade ago and an amazing web of interconnected people to connect with and learn from . . . but an annoying little red squiggle shows up whenever I use "mustachianism" because my browser says it's not a real word.

Add it to the dictionary! We all know it deserves to be a word

[Joggernot]

Add it to the dictionary! We all know it deserves to be a word

+1
Already did that!  It's a word in my MSWord dictionary.

[Jane]

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.

One of our rentals is an old condo that was built without exhaust fans. The condo management refuses to allow exhaust fans that vent outside, although I suppose we could put in one that doesn't vent to the outside but I'm not convinced those do anything. Code allows this because there is a window in a bathroom, which is ridiculous. As if people will shower on a first floor condo with a window open, and particularly in the winter? Right.

My home has 2.5 baths, and only one full bath had an exhaust fan since the other two have windows. We had to install a fan in the other full bath. The half bath still doesn't have one. If there are no existing vents, then it requires cutting through the roof our outside wall to vent, plus running electrical. You also have to be careful it is vented properly, because it can cause moisture to build up where it vents, so can cause issues in attics. It's not a DIY job for someone who has never done either. Not the most expensive job to hire out, but not as cheap as simply buying a vent.

[Joggernot]

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.

When we put in a vent we ran the vent to an existing roof vent (turbine style) and that gets it outside the attic.  Seems to work fine.

[frugalnacho]

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.

One of our rentals is an old condo that was built without exhaust fans. The condo management refuses to allow exhaust fans that vent outside, although I suppose we could put in one that doesn't vent to the outside but I'm not convinced those do anything. Code allows this because there is a window in a bathroom, which is ridiculous. As if people will shower on a first floor condo with a window open, and particularly in the winter? Right.

My home has 2.5 baths, and only one full bath had an exhaust fan since the other two have windows. We had to install a fan in the other full bath. The half bath still doesn't have one. If there are no existing vents, then it requires cutting through the roof our outside wall to vent, plus running electrical. You also have to be careful it is vented properly, because it can cause moisture to build up where it vents, so can cause issues in attics. It's not a DIY job for someone who has never done either. Not the most expensive job to hire out, but not as cheap as simply buying a vent.

You never vent it inside, that would be ridiculous.  The whole point is to get the moisture outside. 

Yes it requires a little upfront work, but the payout is orders of magnitude better than the work involved.  Kind of like running plumbing and sewer to your house.  It's a pain in the ass, but who would live in a modern society and choose NOT to have that? 

A window in lieu of a fan is ridiculous too.  What about winter time?  What about when you are done with your shower, and you dry off, and then you want to either leave or go to bed but the moisture isn't out of the bathroom?  Do you just hang around with the window open for another 20-30 minutes before you close it?  Every residential bathroom I have been in that doesn't have an exhaust fan has mold growing in it. 

And the house built in the 1970's with asbestos...get that shit taken care of! That bathroom has gone my entire life, plus 10 years, without adequate ventilation.  That's insane! Oh this bathroom doesn't have adequate ventilation, lets just live with it like that for a generation or two.

[frugalnacho]

Got busy and didn't finish reading my library book that is due this week.  Tried to renew it online but I can't because the material has a hold on it.   Now I probably won't have enough time to finish it before it's due, and I can't renew it.  I'll have to request it again to finish it.

[2ndTimer]

My friend got me a free temp membership at her gym.  She meant it kindly but all I can think is what a boring, stupid way to spend time compared to biking and hiking.  I will have to go because I do like her but it does sound dull.

[solon]

My friend got me a free temp membership at her gym.  She meant it kindly but all I can think is what a boring, stupid way to spend time compared to biking and hiking.  I will have to go because I do like her but it does sound dull.

Don't fret too much. There is cool stuff to do at a gym. Like fee weights, and the swimming pool. It's not all treadmills and stair machines.

[2ndTimer]

My friend got me a free temp membership at her gym.  She meant it kindly but all I can think is what a boring, stupid way to spend time compared to biking and hiking.  I will have to go because I do like her but it does sound dull.

Don't fret too much. There is cool stuff to do at a gym. Like fee weights, and the swimming pool. It's not all treadmills and stair machines.

Thanks for the shoulder pat.  I am not actually fretting about it.  More feeling smug that I have an exercise program that I like so much better for free.

[johnny847]

Maybe this isn't quite a Mustachian problem, but

I recently got a Sallie Mae Mastercard (great card by the way, 5% back on first $250/250/750 of groceries/gas/bookstores every month, Amazon is a bookstore, don't need Sallie Mae loans to apply - can get statement credits for rewards). I want to change the statement cycle so it ends just a bit before the end of the month. But they won't let me specify the statement cycle! They only let me specify the payment due date.

I don't care about the due date! I want to consolidate all my statements to the end of the month, when I balance out YNAB and whatnot, and then pay them off immediately.

And yea yea, I know, the payment date is three days before the end of the next cycle. A minor annoyance, I know.

[Primm]

I've wasted the last 2 hours on the interwebz hitting refresh on my online brokerage account because my ETF value is about to hit a major milestone ending in 3 zeroes. Every time I do it's gone up a titch, down a titch. Bastard doesn't want to fall over the line!

There's nothing special I'm going to do with it then, I just want to see it tick over. :) Like slowing down to watch the odometer in your car when you get to a milestone number.

Clearly the housework isn't going to happen.

[Goldielocks]

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.

Totally with you on the first comment. Our bathroom has no exhaust fan but the technology was certainly available when the house was built in the early 70s.

I can give you our answer to your second rant. Two words: bonded asbestos. I've asked a few tradies if they would install a fan for us with bonded asbestos in the bathroom and the answer has been uniformly hell no. So it has to wait for a few years until we get the bathroom gutted of all asbestos and rebuilt.

In MN, code is that the bathroom needs an exhaust fan OR awindow.  Say whaaaa?  You want me to open a window to let moisture out after I shower in -30 degree weather?  Not appropriate code in the tundra. Nope. nope. nope.  Bought house; had fan installed.  Thankfully no asbestos prevented it.

So, where do you think your make up air is coming from? ( if this is about energy efficiency?). Cold air is drawn into your basement or other area, as the fan blows warm air out...  ( fancy modern crv's excepted, but the previous post just mentioned exhaust fan)

Or do you just object to -30 degree air on your wet, um, shoulders?   

[BlueHouse]

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.

This won't address exhaust fans for moisture and humidity, but for those looking for the best exhaust fan for other purposes without cutting into a wall, I have one of those fancy toilet seat bidet/washlets and it comes with a filter/deodorizer built into it. It really really works well. Not to mention all the other features that I would no longer want to live without. Yep, it was expensive and I called it the most unmustachian thing I've ever done in another forum, but well worth it IMO. I'd do it again if anything happened to this and I may even get a second one for my guests.
And yeah, for me, a second bathroom was on my list of must-haves when buying this house. I've had to go to gas stations in the middle of the night before. I understand that people can live without it, but I will choose not to.

[frugalnacho]

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.

Totally with you on the first comment. Our bathroom has no exhaust fan but the technology was certainly available when the house was built in the early 70s.

I can give you our answer to your second rant. Two words: bonded asbestos. I've asked a few tradies if they would install a fan for us with bonded asbestos in the bathroom and the answer has been uniformly hell no. So it has to wait for a few years until we get the bathroom gutted of all asbestos and rebuilt.

In MN, code is that the bathroom needs an exhaust fan OR awindow.  Say whaaaa?  You want me to open a window to let moisture out after I shower in -30 degree weather?  Not appropriate code in the tundra. Nope. nope. nope.  Bought house; had fan installed.  Thankfully no asbestos prevented it.

So, where do you think your make up air is coming from? ( if this is about energy efficiency?). Cold air is drawn into your basement or other area, as the fan blows warm air out...  ( fancy modern crv's excepted, but the previous post just mentioned exhaust fan)

Or do you just object to -30 degree air on your wet, um, shoulders?

It's not about energy efficiency, it's about life efficiency.  For minimal upfront cost you can vent shit smell out, vent mold causing moisture out, AND not have to expose your skin to the outside temperature when wet.  Yes I object to -30 degree air on any part of my wet body, especially when it's totally unnecessary.   

The minimal amount of energy lost by venting out heated or air conditioned air out of the bathroom along with the steam pales in comparison to the benefits of having a properly ventilated bathroom.

[LiseE]

I'm trying to get back into tennis and the group of girls that I'm playing with always invite me to join them but it's a clinic with a pro (at $30 for each of us) ... whatever happened to just hitting the ball around?  I'm running out of excuses to not do the clinics .. how should I phrase it to them without sounding so cheap?  "Call me when you are just playing a game and not for clinics?"

[jordanread]

I'm trying to get back into tennis and the group of girls that I'm playing with always invite me to join them but it's a clinic with a pro (at $30 for each of us) ... whatever happened to just hitting the ball around?  I'm running out of excuses to not do the clinics .. how should I phrase it to them without sounding so cheap?  "Call me when you are just playing a game and not for clinics?"

I've thought about doing something like that, but I've found that table tennis rules work great for me. :-)

I'd just tell them you are interested in a game, not a clinic. And then you can start trash talking them, which should get them to meet you at the park to defend their decision to go to clincs. :-)

Some thoughts:

I don't need no stinkin' clinic to woop your ass!

Oh, I'm good enough I don't need a clinic, but if you do, that's cool.

You haven't played real tennis until you've played at <INSERT FREE PLACE HERE>

[dorothyc]

I don't care about the due date! I want to consolidate all my statements to the end of the month, when I balance out YNAB and whatnot, and then pay them off immediately.

I use YNAB and I just reconcile to the online cc statement and pay the current balance by the end of the month. No need to wait for statement close, and it keeps your net worth at the end of the month report more accurate.

[ruthiegirl]

We signed papers to buy a house yesterday.  And of course, when you buy a house you need home owners insurance.  A few weeks ago, I signed us up and paid for the next year's worth of insurance.  Nice deal, since they let me use my credit card and I get 3% back. 

When we sit down and sign the papers, there is a line for insurance and a hefty charge next to it.  "I all ready paid this.  Can we remove this charge?" 

"You what?  Why would you prepay for insurance?  Everyone just includes it in their mortgage payment?" 

Our mortgage broker flipped out, was unprofessional and accused me of being the only client he has ever had in 20 years who paid for their insurance up front. 

His last statement cracked me up.  "Who has $550 to just pay their insurance?" 

Anyway, we get to go back today, sign some more papers that do not have the extra charge.  Thankfully, our broker is busy and we get to meet with his kind assistant. 

And I am giving this asshat a scathing review. 

[johnny847]

I don't care about the due date! I want to consolidate all my statements to the end of the month, when I balance out YNAB and whatnot, and then pay them off immediately.

I use YNAB and I just reconcile to the online cc statement and pay the current balance by the end of the month. No need to wait for statement close, and it keeps your net worth at the end of the month report more accurate.

Yea I do that too, but only once a month. I want to be able to sit down once a month and download all my statements and punch in all the transactions from my receipts and/or credit card statements. If my statements don't come out around the same time, then I can't pull this off.
Right now, they're not consolidated, and I end up spending too much time staring at YNAB and projecting my savings rate every time I fire it up to enter my transactions [there's a Mustachian problem!]. I need to stop thinking about money so much, and sitting down once a month to reconcile all of my transactions will help me do that.

[solon]

We signed papers to buy a house yesterday.  And of course, when you buy a house you need home owners insurance.  A few weeks ago, I signed us up and paid for the next year's worth of insurance.  Nice deal, since they let me use my credit card and I get 3% back. 

When we sit down and sign the papers, there is a line for insurance and a hefty charge next to it.  "I all ready paid this.  Can we remove this charge?" 

"You what?  Why would you prepay for insurance?  Everyone just includes it in their mortgage payment?" 

Our mortgage broker flipped out, was unprofessional and accused me of being the only client he has ever had in 20 years who paid for their insurance up front. 

His last statement cracked me up.  "Who has $550 to just pay their insurance?" 

Anyway, we get to go back today, sign some more papers that do not have the extra charge.  Thankfully, our broker is busy and we get to meet with his kind assistant. 

And I am giving this asshat a scathing review.

You can prepay home owner's insurance? Hmm...

[Emilyngh]

Every two days or so, I have to go out to our garden to pick armloads of virtually free produce.   Which, we then have to eat/pickle/can/freeze in time before it goes bad.   Waah.

[Louis the Cat]

Every two days or so, I have to go out to our garden to pick armloads of virtually free produce.   Which, we then have to eat/pickle/can/freeze in time before it goes bad.   Waah.

This!!! Right now, I have two plum trees that are dropping plums faster than we can pick them and I don't have the first idea how we're going to find the time to process them because I'm having the busiest month I've had in 10 years! And that doesn't include the tomatoes and peppers that are also ripening all at once...

[Elle 8]

Hi!  On a beautiful, sunny, breezy day I feel like saying "Ahhhh, what a perfect clothes drying day!" (on the clothesline).  But I don't because I don't want to sound strange.

[Travisthetruth]

My parents thinks i'm dumb and that what i'm doing can't be attained 

[4alpacas]

My parents thinks i'm dumb and that what i'm doing can't be attained

I'm sure your parents don't think you're dumb.  If you provide an outline for how you obtain your goals, you'll have more success. 

Good luck with high school!

[frugalnacho]

We signed papers to buy a house yesterday.  And of course, when you buy a house you need home owners insurance.  A few weeks ago, I signed us up and paid for the next year's worth of insurance.  Nice deal, since they let me use my credit card and I get 3% back. 

When we sit down and sign the papers, there is a line for insurance and a hefty charge next to it.  "I all ready paid this.  Can we remove this charge?" 

"You what?  Why would you prepay for insurance?  Everyone just includes it in their mortgage payment?" 

Our mortgage broker flipped out, was unprofessional and accused me of being the only client he has ever had in 20 years who paid for their insurance up front. 

His last statement cracked me up.  "Who has $550 to just pay their insurance?" 

Anyway, we get to go back today, sign some more papers that do not have the extra charge.  Thankfully, our broker is busy and we get to meet with his kind assistant. 

And I am giving this asshat a scathing review.

You can prepay home owner's insurance? Hmm...

It was my understanding that that is all escrow does.  It rolls the first payments into the mortgage, then starts an escrow account that makes you pay $x so that when insurance and tax time comes you have the full balance to pay those bills.  And thus your insurance is paid in full on the due date each year.

Also aren't all forms of insurance pre paid?  Kind of takes the risk out of the equation if they give you coverage without requiring payment.

[Primm]

We signed papers to buy a house yesterday.  And of course, when you buy a house you need home owners insurance.  A few weeks ago, I signed us up and paid for the next year's worth of insurance.  Nice deal, since they let me use my credit card and I get 3% back. 

When we sit down and sign the papers, there is a line for insurance and a hefty charge next to it.  "I all ready paid this.  Can we remove this charge?" 

"You what?  Why would you prepay for insurance?  Everyone just includes it in their mortgage payment?" 

Our mortgage broker flipped out, was unprofessional and accused me of being the only client he has ever had in 20 years who paid for their insurance up front. 

His last statement cracked me up. "Who has $550 to just pay their insurance?"

Anyway, we get to go back today, sign some more papers that do not have the extra charge.  Thankfully, our broker is busy and we get to meet with his kind assistant. 

And I am giving this asshat a scathing review.

Who buys a house without $550 (at least) left over to pay for "shit I forgot"???

If you can't afford that, you can't afford a house. That astounds me.

[Cressida]

Also aren't all forms of insurance pre paid?  Kind of takes the risk out of the equation if they give you coverage without requiring payment.

I used to work in insurance billing. Agents would routinely bind coverage over the phone without a payment - most commonly for auto insurance, but sometimes home insurance too if it wasn't paid through the lender. The policy will cancel for nonpayment after a given number of days, but you do have coverage during that period.

[Primm]

I've always wondered about that Cressida, if you were to make a claim on the insurance during that period (premium not yet due and unpaid), would it be paid out? Or would you have to pay the premium first? Or would the company pay the claim *minus* the premium amount?

[Cressida]

I've always wondered about that Cressida, if you were to make a claim on the insurance during that period (premium not yet due and unpaid), would it be paid out? Or would you have to pay the premium first? Or would the company pay the claim *minus* the premium amount?

Yes, it would be paid, regardless of whether the premium was paid. I don't know if they would offset the unpaid premium against the claim, but I doubt it because I never saw a policy that had been adjusted for that reason. Actually, I take that back; it almost certainly depends on state law (insurance companies are regulated by the state). So companies probably can't do that in WA since I never saw it, but it might be true in other states.

[dragoncar]

We signed papers to buy a house yesterday.  And of course, when you buy a house you need home owners insurance.  A few weeks ago, I signed us up and paid for the next year's worth of insurance.  Nice deal, since they let me use my credit card and I get 3% back. 

When we sit down and sign the papers, there is a line for insurance and a hefty charge next to it.  "I all ready paid this.  Can we remove this charge?" 

"You what?  Why would you prepay for insurance?  Everyone just includes it in their mortgage payment?" 

Our mortgage broker flipped out, was unprofessional and accused me of being the only client he has ever had in 20 years who paid for their insurance up front. 

His last statement cracked me up.  "Who has $550 to just pay their insurance?" 

Anyway, we get to go back today, sign some more papers that do not have the extra charge.  Thankfully, our broker is busy and we get to meet with his kind assistant. 

And I am giving this asshat a scathing review.

You can prepay home owner's insurance? Hmm...

It was my understanding that that is all escrow does.  It rolls the first payments into the mortgage, then starts an escrow account that makes you pay $x so that when insurance and tax time comes you have the full balance to pay those bills.  And thus your insurance is paid in full on the due date each year.

Also aren't all forms of insurance pre paid?  Kind of takes the risk out of the equation if they give you coverage without requiring payment.

A lot of car insurers offer handy monthly payment plans on their 6-mo premiums.  You pay a few extra bucks per month for this "service."  Ask me how I know.

[LennStar]

Every two days or so, I have to go out to our garden to pick armloads of virtually free produce.   Which, we then have to eat/pickle/can/freeze in time before it goes bad.   Waah.

This!!! Right now, I have two plum trees that are dropping plums faster than we can pick them and I don't have the first idea how we're going to find the time to process them because I'm having the busiest month I've had in 10 years! And that doesn't include the tomatoes and peppers that are also ripening all at once...

Put up a sign "plums, self picking, X$/kg".
People carry the stuff away for you and you even get paid for their "waste disposal"!

[Two9A]

You can prepay home owner's insurance? Hmm...

I wasn't aware you could do it any other way. In the UK at least, home insurance is entirely separated from the home loan provider, and insurance providers run advertisements on a regular basis stating that you can pre-pay for the year, or monthly.

(Of course, the monthly payments are actually repayments on a high-interest one-year loan the provider gives to you, but that's another story.)

[ruthiegirl]

A lot of car insurers offer handy monthly payment plans on their 6-mo premiums.  You pay a few extra bucks per month for this "service."  Ask me how I know.

That is how our car insurance is as well and yes, I was also a dope who paid that 'service charge' for a few years till I changed my naughty ways. 

Our new papers are signed.  Our broker was not present and his associate was lovely.  She apologized for him which was unnecessary and dished about his money woes.  He is in deep for alimony and a boat and something called a toy hauler.

The deed is done and we get the keys today!

[Pat]

I've shaved my head every week since I joined the military. My $10 clippers were 10 years old when they died. I was excited to soon be under $1/yr on 'hair products,' but then I had to buy another set for ~$10 (yes, I did some troubleshooting and attempted to repair the clippers before my wife insisted "it's dead, you need a new one.")