Mustachian People Problems (just for fun)

[Catbert]

I never had a job that paid cash so I never had to figure out how to deal with more cash than I needed.  When I was a teenager with jobs like babysitting ATMs didn't even exist!  (Yes, I am that old.)  I kept what I was going to spend and put the rest in a savings account.  I currently use an ATM once a month or so to get money out because I have some people that want cash (e.g., housecleaner).

First I even knew ATMs took cash was the story I told above about my sister depositing GS cookie cash.

[oneday]

I guess?? I had a lot of small cash-paying jobs or tip-paying jobs in the 90s and was always depositing in machines, so this just feels like it's something that's been so normal for decades to me.

People just don't use cash that much in 2024. They're not usually paying restaurant bills in cash and tipping with bills and coins for waitstaff, either. At least not in the US.

That's why I specifically asked about what people did in the past, when cash was more common, then I referenced the 90s.

If people are just finding out *now* that machines accept not just cheque deposits, but also cash deposits, what were they doing to deposit cash in previous decades when cash was more common??

Your previous reply seems to imply that people rarely deposited cash, which I guess could be true, maybe my experience of even needing to deposit cash was somehow rare??

I'm just kind of baffled.

I remember putting cash into the envelope and into the atm as a kid/teen, so 90s/2000s. It couldn't take coin of course. At some point it switched to no envelope needed, but even so there is still a variety of capabilities with atms today.

As for individuals not realizing this, I learned how to use an atm from watching my parents. Not everyone has that, nor does everyone's parents know how to use a atm fully.

I'm still trying to figure out if people just didn't deposit cash somehow, or if they lined up to have human beings count and deposit cash for them??

Because I'm 99.9% positive that I learned about depositing cash in machines from a teller who rolled her eyes at me and said "you know you can just use the machine to deposit this, right?"

I generally didn't deposit cash in an ATM until I switched to a bank that scanned the bills, within the last 5 years. As @jeroly pointed out, there is no way to prove how much was in the envelope. I had heard horror stories of dishonest bankers taking the contents & the customer getting the shaft. So yeah, if I had cash to deposit I'd go inside.

That being said, I never had a lot of cash around and would usually just spend it down instead of going to the bank. Whoever said they had $800-$1000 laying around most times...that's nearly 5x the amount I would ever have at one time, so it was not usually a big deal. Also in those days I banked at a small regional bank (which is now part of BMO) that didn't keep the number of tellers minimal in order to reduce operating costs, like most banks do now-a-days. So it was a 5-10 minute errand usually, and only a handfull of times a year. Not a big deal.

[secondcor521]

I'm still trying to figure out if people just didn't deposit cash somehow, or if they lined up to have human beings count and deposit cash for them??

Because I'm 99.9% positive that I learned about depositing cash in machines from a teller who rolled her eyes at me and said "you know you can just use the machine to deposit this, right?"

We lined up to have human beings count and deposit cash for us.  At least my family did.

Many reasons for this back then, some of which still sometimes apply:

1.  ATMs, when introduced, were mostly marketed as ways to get cash out of your account.  The ability to deposit, check balances, and transfer money weren't emphasized and may not have been available until later.

2.  Technically I think it's easier for ATMs to dispense cash than to collect it.  For a (long?) while, you put your bills in an envelope, totaled it yourself, sealed the envelope, and then put it in the ATM, where later a teller would take the envelope, open it, double check the total, and then do the deposit for you.  It was possible the teller would come up with a different total, and they'd adjust it for you on the deposit.  Some people who knew how this worked (a) didn't see the envelope and ATM machine as helping much, and (b) didn't like the idea of their deposit being adjusted later.

3.  Some tellers probably viewed ATMs as competition / automation taking their jobs, so they didn't see the incentive of telling customers they could use the ATMs instead of tellers.

4.  ATMs never have, as far as I know, been able to take coins as deposit.  Also, until recently, the ability to take checks as deposit was not available (at least not around here).  Tellers can handle both coins and checks.

5.  Some customers just like to deal with a person rather than a machine.

6.  Similar to #4, one might have another banking matter to handle, such as asking about a car loan, or getting cash back in specific denominations like $2 bills for grandkids or tips, that an ATM may not handle.  Might as well ask the question while the teller is handling a deposit.

7.  It's just what we were used to.  I still do some things "the old fashioned way" just because I'm comfortable doing them that way, even though there may be faster / easier ways of which I am aware.  Because change takes effort and I might not have the spoons for it.

[deborah]

The recently I was at a bank with my mother, and people were dumping bags of coins into a coin ATM in the foyer area. The ATM had a chute and counted all the coins as they zoomed in.

[Loren Ver]

I guess?? I had a lot of small cash-paying jobs or tip-paying jobs in the 90s and was always depositing in machines, so this just feels like it's something that's been so normal for decades to me.

People just don't use cash that much in 2024. They're not usually paying restaurant bills in cash and tipping with bills and coins for waitstaff, either. At least not in the US.

That's why I specifically asked about what people did in the past, when cash was more common, then I referenced the 90s.

If people are just finding out *now* that machines accept not just cheque deposits, but also cash deposits, what were they doing to deposit cash in previous decades when cash was more common??

Your previous reply seems to imply that people rarely deposited cash, which I guess could be true, maybe my experience of even needing to deposit cash was somehow rare??

I'm just kind of baffled.

I remember putting cash into the envelope and into the atm as a kid/teen, so 90s/2000s. It couldn't take coin of course. At some point it switched to no envelope needed, but even so there is still a variety of capabilities with atms today.

As for individuals not realizing this, I learned how to use an atm from watching my parents. Not everyone has that, nor does everyone's parents know how to use a atm fully.

I'm still trying to figure out if people just didn't deposit cash somehow, or if they lined up to have human beings count and deposit cash for them??

Because I'm 99.9% positive that I learned about depositing cash in machines from a teller who rolled her eyes at me and said "you know you can just use the machine to deposit this, right?"

My family always went inside so they could teach me things about working with people that worked with money.  One of the lessons was "get to know the employees by taking cookies."  And my dad would take in a batch of my mom's cookies when we went to the credit union to do what ever.  We always got great service, even when we had something difficult that needed to be done, but that was because the ground work was laid with years of good interactions and a sweet touch.  Everyone there loved my parents :).

I don't take in cookies (I'm kinda nervous about doing it-different generation), but DH and I  do deposit cash on occasion.  We always go inside to make sure we meet people, are friendly, and at least get a little face-time.  Turnover is a lot higher than it was back in the 90s though. 

[Dollar Slice]

My family always went inside so they could teach me things about working with people that worked with money.  One of the lessons was "get to know the employees by taking cookies."  And my dad would take in a batch of my mom's cookies when we went to the credit union to do what ever.  We always got great service, even when we had something difficult that needed to be done, but that was because the ground work was laid with years of good interactions and a sweet touch.  Everyone there loved my parents :).

That's great. Back in the day you could probably get a quarter point off your mortgage by baking cookies for five years, LOL.

My parents have been die-hards at their local diner for twenty years, and they tip well and give extra little holiday gifts to the servers. My mom was just telling me that when she mentioned to her waitress that she loved butternut squash but never cooks with it because it's too hard to cut up and peel with a knife (elderly/arthritis/etc) she said to just bring them her squash and she would get the cooks in the kitchen to prep it for her!

Honestly that would be an incredible service for the elderly and disabled if you could make it affordable. Get a few chefs, bring your veg, pay by the minute for however long it takes.

[NotJen]

My parents have been die-hards at their local diner for twenty years, and they tip well and give extra little holiday gifts to the servers. My mom was just telling me that when she mentioned to her waitress that she loved butternut squash but never cooks with it because it's too hard to cut up and peel with a knife (elderly/arthritis/etc) she said to just bring them her squash and she would get the cooks in the kitchen to prep it for her!

Honestly that would be an incredible service for the elderly and disabled if you could make it affordable. Get a few chefs, bring your veg, pay by the minute for however long it takes.

Grocery stores already do this - sell pre-cut convenience veggies - including butternut squash.  It's also possible this might be available in the frozen food aisle, but I don't shop there often enough to notice.

[Dee18]

I love butternut squash, but used to be like your Mom, often skipping it because of the hassle.  But now I cook it frequently.  Just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and roast at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size and whether you still want it firm enough to cut into cubes. The do sell precut squash as several stores near me, but it's about double the price and often dried out.

[deborah]

The skin of a butternut is soft enough that I use a vegetable peeler to get most of it off. The occasional curve needs a knife.

[Dollar Slice]

Cutting it in half is the hard part if you are elderly and lack strength and dexterity in your hands. That is the part my mom won't do. Peeling it is also tough raw, but you could cook it in the skin.

[crocheted_stache]

DH had a huge stash of painter's and carpenter's bibs on hand when he retired. Huge, as in 29 pair, all new and most still in package (NIP). He finally decided to keep two and sell the rest. A few were Dickies and the rest were Carhardtts. He listed them on ebay, where they gradually sold for very modest prices.

For regular  jeans, he prefers Kirkland. In winter, he lives in Weatherproof lined jeans, which I get at Costco if I'm lucky, or on ebay. They wear like iron.

We haven't seen non-stretchy Kirkland jeans in-warehouse or online for several months now. DH is reluctantly trying a stretchy pair because most of his old ones are on their way to garden-only status, if not already there.

[sonofsven]

I received about $750 cash that I need to deposit (so that it can earn interest). My closest bank branch is 5 miles away, but the deal is they refund all ATM fees. So I thought I could just deposit it in a closer bank's ATM. Nope. Deposit was not an option on the screen. Now I have to drive or bike A WHOLE 5 MILES but I learned something about ATMs.

OTOH, it's never a bad thing to have a small cache of cash on hand.

Back to the Carhardtt conversation. DH had a huge stash of painter's and carpenter's bibs on hand when he retired. Huge, as in 29 pair, all new and most still in package (NIP). He finally decided to keep two and sell the rest. A few were Dickies and the rest were Carhardtts. He listed them on ebay, where they gradually sold for very modest prices.

For regular  jeans, he prefers Kirkland. In winter, he lives in Weatherproof lined jeans, which I get at Costco if I'm lucky, or on ebay. They wear like iron.

29 pairs?!
I guess I'm a minimalist, I generally rotate through three pairs of work jeans (Wranglers) that range from really bad ( hole in left knee, always left knee), to kinda bad (wear in left knee), to soon-will-be-bad.
I have another contractor pal who swears by the $19.99 Kirklands for work.
I wore the double front Carhartt logger dungarees for years but they're too heavy, also a number of years ago they changed the sizing and made them all baggy; also, "Wrangler butts drive women nuts", and who wouldn't want that when working?

[Dicey]

I received about $750 cash that I need to deposit (so that it can earn interest). My closest bank branch is 5 miles away, but the deal is they refund all ATM fees. So I thought I could just deposit it in a closer bank's ATM. Nope. Deposit was not an option on the screen. Now I have to drive or bike A WHOLE 5 MILES but I learned something about ATMs.

OTOH, it's never a bad thing to have a small cache of cash on hand.

Back to the Carhardtt conversation. DH had a huge stash of painter's and carpenter's bibs on hand when he retired. Huge, as in 29 pair, all new and most still in package (NIP). He finally decided to keep two and sell the rest. A few were Dickies and the rest were Carhardtts. He listed them on ebay, where they gradually sold for very modest prices.

For regular  jeans, he prefers Kirkland. In winter, he lives in Weatherproof lined jeans, which I get at Costco if I'm lucky, or on ebay. They wear like iron.

29 pairs?!
I guess I'm a minimalist, I generally rotate through three pairs of work jeans (Wranglers) that range from really bad ( hole in left knee, always left knee), to kinda bad (wear in left knee), to soon-will-be-bad.
I have another contractor pal who swears by the $19.99 Kirklands for work.
I wore the double front Carhartt logger dungarees for years but they're too heavy, also a number of years ago they changed the sizing and made them all baggy; also, "Wrangler butts drive women nuts", and who wouldn't want that when working?

His employer provided a work clothing allowance and it had to be spent at a specific store. The annual amount did not roll over, so if the store was out of something he wanted, he'd just grab bibs to make up the total. Also, he was the FNG for most of his career. As guys retired, they often passed on piles of work clothing. None of those 29 bibs, plus the 2 new pair he kept, cost him anything OOP. Finally, he never felt he should resell any clothing while he was working. He did pass some stuff on to his colleagues when he retired, mostly Carhardtt t-shirts.

[Dollar Slice]

Grocery stores already do this - sell pre-cut convenience veggies - including butternut squash.  It's also possible this might be available in the frozen food aisle, but I don't shop there often enough to notice.

They are not the same as fresh, though. I have had serious problems with my hands/shoulder/etc. and the convenience pre-cut veg is often dried out or mushy/halfway to rotting and much more expensive, plus you have to buy a certain amount of it that may not be what you need, leading to waste. Cut fruit is often unripe. Plus it's all in plastic which leads to a ton of plastic waste. It's not great. Imagine all your produce was twice the price and half as good and in plastic. :-(

Frozen is decent, but there are very limited things that are good frozen, and they only cook well in certain applications since they tend to release water (e.g. fine in soups, less good in a stir fry, unusable in crudites).

[sonofsven]

I received about $750 cash that I need to deposit (so that it can earn interest). My closest bank branch is 5 miles away, but the deal is they refund all ATM fees. So I thought I could just deposit it in a closer bank's ATM. Nope. Deposit was not an option on the screen. Now I have to drive or bike A WHOLE 5 MILES but I learned something about ATMs.

OTOH, it's never a bad thing to have a small cache of cash on hand.

Back to the Carhardtt conversation. DH had a huge stash of painter's and carpenter's bibs on hand when he retired. Huge, as in 29 pair, all new and most still in package (NIP). He finally decided to keep two and sell the rest. A few were Dickies and the rest were Carhardtts. He listed them on ebay, where they gradually sold for very modest prices.

For regular  jeans, he prefers Kirkland. In winter, he lives in Weatherproof lined jeans, which I get at Costco if I'm lucky, or on ebay. They wear like iron.

29 pairs?!
I guess I'm a minimalist, I generally rotate through three pairs of work jeans (Wranglers) that range from really bad ( hole in left knee, always left knee), to kinda bad (wear in left knee), to soon-will-be-bad.
I have another contractor pal who swears by the $19.99 Kirklands for work.
I wore the double front Carhartt logger dungarees for years but they're too heavy, also a number of years ago they changed the sizing and made them all baggy; also, "Wrangler butts drive women nuts", and who wouldn't want that when working?

His employer provided a work clothing allowance and it had to be spent at a specific store. The annual amount did not roll over, so if the store was out of something he wanted, he'd just grab bibs to make up the total. Also, he was the FNG for most of his career. As guys retired, they often passed on piles of work clothing. None of those 29 bibs, plus the 2 new pair he kept, cost him anything OOP. Finally, he never felt he should resell any clothing while he was working. He did pass some stuff on to his colleagues when he retired, mostly Carhardtt t-shirts.

Ah, got it. I've never had a clothing allowance so I tend to scrape by. I have Dickies but they're my fancy pants. Although I did wear my black pair to a funeral and realized there was a dime size hole in the thigh, too late.

[eyesonthehorizon]

Grocery stores already do this - sell pre-cut convenience veggies - including butternut squash.  It's also possible this might be available in the frozen food aisle, but I don't shop there often enough to notice.

They are not the same as fresh, though. I have had serious problems with my hands/shoulder/etc. and the convenience pre-cut veg is often dried out or mushy/halfway to rotting and much more expensive, plus you have to buy a certain amount of it that may not be what you need, leading to waste. Cut fruit is often unripe. Plus it's all in plastic which leads to a ton of plastic waste. It's not great. Imagine all your produce was twice the price and half as good and in plastic. :-(

Frozen is decent, but there are very limited things that are good frozen, and they only cook well in certain applications since they tend to release water (e.g. fine in soups, less good in a stir fry, unusable in crudites).

Agreed across the board. What you need is a friend who hates doing financial to-dos (or something else at which you excel effortlessly) & loves to work in the kitchen to trade labor with.

[Shamantha]

Retired July last year, at 57 with a 10 year window until my pension kicks in. Pension and social security are sufficient to live off in 10 years time so the stash is just to bridge these 10 years. I have a combination of shares, index funds and savings. It was always the intention to start drawing down from the shares/index funds, but now that I actually have to start that I am thinking "Noooooooo they are doing so well! I don't want to sell anything! Look at the growth!" Early retirement itself was a seamless shift, but the shift from the accumulation phase to the spending phase hurts!

[scottnews]

Retired July last year, at 57 with a 10 year window until my pension kicks in. Pension and social security are sufficient to live off in 10 years time so the stash is just to bridge these 10 years. I have a combination of shares, index funds and savings. It was always the intention to start drawing down from the shares/index funds, but now that I actually have to start that I am thinking "Noooooooo they are doing so well! I don't want to sell anything! Look at the growth!" Early retirement itself was a seamless shift, but the shift from the accumulation phase to the spending phase hurts!

I'm not looking forward to this.   Thoughts of the good things that can be done with this money, OMY, and barista FIRE start rolling through my math.

[NorthernIkigai]

Retired July last year, at 57 with a 10 year window until my pension kicks in. Pension and social security are sufficient to live off in 10 years time so the stash is just to bridge these 10 years. I have a combination of shares, index funds and savings. It was always the intention to start drawing down from the shares/index funds, but now that I actually have to start that I am thinking "Noooooooo they are doing so well! I don't want to sell anything! Look at the growth!" Early retirement itself was a seamless shift, but the shift from the accumulation phase to the spending phase hurts!

I'm not looking forward to this.   Thoughts of the good things that can be done with this money, OMY, and barista FIRE start rolling through my math.

The only good thing about being far from FIRE is that this problem is still far, far in the future ;-)

Who am I kidding, Mustachianism is a good thing where ever you are on the path: not feeling the need to buy all kinds of crap, being in control of your finances, understanding how investing works, having goals, not stressing about money, developing a strong internal locus of control, having to come up with silly problems that others can only dream of,...

[dragoncar]

Just eat the skin of the squash.  It’s good for you, makes everything pretty easy

[rantk81]

Since they are starting to get a little bit better real yield (in my opinion), I've started to buy some Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS).  In the past, I had read about how they are taxed, but I wanted to refresh my memory.  My MPP:  So today, I googled "How are TIPS taxed", and I ended up getting a bunch of search results warning bartenders and wait-staff about reporting their tipped income.  :facepalm:

[SwordGuy]

I've been taking an art class per semester from local colleges.  I'm using it to improve my artistic skills for the artwork I'm doing.

I talked over what would be my best option for fall semester and registered for the class online.  And, because it's simpler to just pay for it now rather than worry about having to remember to do it before class starts, I tried paying for it.

Couldn't get the system to let me pay for it!   

Was on campus the next day anyway so I stopped by the bursar to find out what I was doing wrong.

They haven't figured out what the tuition will be next fall so they won't let anyone pay until the 2nd half of July.

I'm probably the only person on the campus who would have this problem.

[crocheted_stache]

In a similar vein, I have to pay a not huge amount of estimated taxes this year. It's an amount smaller than my usual checking account balance, and smaller than what used to be my mortgage payment, which I automated.

IRS website will let me schedule a payment for dates up to 365 days away. I paid the balance of last year's taxes in April and paid the April estimated taxes the same day, in a separate payment. I realized I can schedule the one for June, so I tried to do that. I expect to be busy in June. Nope. Two transactions is the limit per day, even if the actual transaction won't happen for months to come.

I went back the other day and scheduled June and September and hit the limit again. I made a calendar entry for January. I suppose I could go back and schedule it now.

[curious_george]

Money doesn't motivate me anymore.

Now I have to find something else to motivate me.

[naturalhattrick]

Struggling to hit the required minimum spending on a credit card to get the bonus reward.

[Taran Wanderer]

Money doesn't motivate me anymore.

Now I have to find something else to motivate me.

I hear you. I’m in the same boat.

[Dicey]

Money doesn't motivate me anymore.

Now I have to find something else to motivate me.

I hear you. I’m in the same boat.

Go to a Camp or a Meetup! You'll find lots of other cool people with the same MPP.

[NorthernIkigai]

Money doesn't motivate me anymore.

Now I have to find something else to motivate me.

I hear CrossFit / veganism / parkrun / Duolingo is looking for new recruits 😉

[curious_george]

Money doesn't motivate me anymore.

Now I have to find something else to motivate me.

I hear CrossFit / veganism / parkrun / Duolingo is looking for new recruits 😉

Well...I am already mostly vegan (I am a social meat eater, lol).

But parkrun and CrossFit do sound interesting.

Thanks for the ideas - especially parkrun since I had never heard of it before. Sounds interesting.

[LennStar]

Well...I am already mostly vegan (I am a social meat eater, lol).

Watched a comedy yesterday. By "The Death". (Simplified:) He has gone Vegetarian, he only kills Vegetarians now.

[Dicey]

Well...I am already mostly vegan (I am a social meat eater, lol).

Watched a comedy yesterday. By "The Death". (Simplified:) He has gone Vegetarian, he only kills Vegetarians now.

Lol, my smart-ass brother swears PITA means People Eating Tasty Animals. I'll have to recommend this to him.

ETA: I meant PETA. It's my brother who's the PITA.

Thanks, AJQ, for spotting my conflation. Do you know my brother?

[Alfred J Quack]

Well...I am already mostly vegan (I am a social meat eater, lol).

Watched a comedy yesterday. By "The Death". (Simplified:) He has gone Vegetarian, he only kills Vegetarians now.

Lol, my smart-ass brother swears PITA means People Eating Tasty Animals. I'll have to recommend this to him.

You mean PETA in stead of PITA right? Because PITA is Pain In The Ass as far as I know (which may also apply to the smart ass brother) 😂

On topic:
Had an argument at the pharmacy where they switched meds to a cheaper one with the same effective ingredients. However, that one was fluid rather than powrder inhaler (hay fever season FTW). She refused to swap it because the insurance wouldn't cover it, I wanted the powder one because that one works much better (which she disputed) and I'm like, what do the powerder inhalers cost?
Paid the €90 and asked her to give me the choice next time my doctor prescribes something that my insurance doesn't cover.

I can also deduct medical cost not covered by insurance in tax application so I'm not even out that much.

[curious_george]

I made an extra random 2k from a special dividend from one of the companies I have shares in that I was not expecting.

It's sort of frustrating because most of the dividends are pretty predictable, but this company will completely randomly hand out special dividends. I want to sell the shares to get out of the company, but that would mean another 50-60k in capital gains that I don't want to pay taxes on because it's in my taxable account.

So...I guess I will just accept the random nature of these dividends.

[Sandi_k]

My MPP is on brand: I got a promotion, effective 1-1-24, and the data was entered in the payroll system 2 months ago. Our retirement estimator did not update in March. Nor in April.

I logged on this morning, and it is FINALLY allowing me to do a retirement estimate based on the new salary...and they have the effective date as April 1, 2024, instead of January! It probably only means a $25 per month difference in retirement, but I find myself annoyed. :-)

[Sibley]

My MPP is on brand: I got a promotion, effective 1-1-24, and the data was entered in the payroll system 2 months ago. Our retirement estimator did not update in March. Nor in April.

I logged on this morning, and it is FINALLY allowing me to do a retirement estimate based on the new salary...and they have the effective date as April 1, 2024, instead of January! It probably only means a $25 per month difference in retirement, but I find myself annoyed. :-)

Ask them to fix it. That's not ok. It's not just the money, it's the inaccurate record keeping. Sometimes that causes problems in weird ways.

[Catbert]

I made an extra random 2k from a special dividend from one of the companies I have shares in that I was not expecting.

It's sort of frustrating because most of the dividends are pretty predictable, but this company will completely randomly hand out special dividends. I want to sell the shares to get out of the company, but that would mean another 50-60k in capital gains that I don't want to pay taxes on because it's in my taxable account.

So...I guess I will just accept the random nature of these dividends.

Assuming you're in the US consider setting up a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) and donating the stock.  You can then make donations to whatever charity you want.  You get the tax deduction (assuming you itemize) and don't have to pay capital gains on the sale.

[zolotiyeruki]

I made an extra random 2k from a special dividend from one of the companies I have shares in that I was not expecting.

It's sort of frustrating because most of the dividends are pretty predictable, but this company will completely randomly hand out special dividends. I want to sell the shares to get out of the company, but that would mean another 50-60k in capital gains that I don't want to pay taxes on because it's in my taxable account.

So...I guess I will just accept the random nature of these dividends.

Assuming you're in the US consider setting up a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) and donating the stock.  You can then make donations to whatever charity you want.  You get the tax deduction (assuming you itemize) and don't have to pay capital gains on the sale.

And the nice thing is that you don't have to direct those grants to a charity until you're good and ready.  And that DAF can be invested, so that it, too, grows alongside your own investments!

[techwiz]

Having to call to get my credit limit raised to pay for a new roof. Will still pay it off at the end of the month, but want the points. Then having to call again to lower my credit limit to lower the exposure to credit card fraud.

[merula]

Having to call to get my credit limit raised to pay for a new roof. Will still pay it off at the end of the month, but want the points. Then having to call again to lower my credit limit to lower the exposure to credit card fraud.

Don't lower your credit limit! Having higher amounts of credit available improves your credit score and doesn't impact your exposure to fraud. As long as you're reporting any fraud in a reasonable timeframe, any decent card issuer will take care of it without cost to you regardless of if you have a $1,000 limit or a $100,000 one.

[fuzzy math]

I took out a home equity loan last year for a down payment on a home ... I've had half the balance saved up sitting in my bank account for months because the loan doesn't allow partial payments. It would have been years before we had the rest saved up. So what did I do? I took a loan from a different account for the other half of the first balance and I'm paying off the first and having accelerated payments for the new smaller 2nd loan.

[Alfred J Quack]

Having to call to get my credit limit raised to pay for a new roof. Will still pay it off at the end of the month, but want the points. Then having to call again to lower my credit limit to lower the exposure to credit card fraud.

Don't lower your credit limit! Having higher amounts of credit available improves your credit score and doesn't impact your exposure to fraud. As long as you're reporting any fraud in a reasonable timeframe, any decent card issuer will take care of it without cost to you regardless of if you have a $1,000 limit or a $100,000 one.

I think the problem would be when the issuer, for whatever reason, tries to dispute the fraud. I've read about that is the past on another forum I'm active at. Totally not the fault of the card owner but the bank felt different. Ended up in court and the card owner won, bank appealed but lost again. Lowering your limit also lowers the risk (and it's easier to part ways with 1k than 100k).

That said, I'm not living in the USA so we don't have credit limits etc. All I have is a pre-paid creditcard besides the regular debit card.

[crocheted_stache]

Another week, another hopeful recruiter in my inbox. This one is actually closer to home than my current job and it's also pretty close to my current job/skill set. Posted pay range is 1.5–2x my current salary (base, anyway). It's management-track-light, with some responsibility for project budget (which I imagine I could handle with some guidance) and "mentoring" younger employees, which I do anyway. If I were serious about applying, I'd ask to talk to someone in a similar role and be sure to understand those details.

My MPP, or perhaps more like the recruiter's MPP: I don't want to 2x my salary, especially if it means taking on management duties and feeling obligated to stay longer. I don't particularly want to reduce my bike commute by a third, either. It's just right, right now.

Anyway, I like most of the people I work with now, and I've kind of always had in mind that where I am now is my last pre-RE job*. I should probably honor the (only?) recruiter who's sent me something truly local and relevant with a polite reply, and I'll try to resist insisting that it's because the bike commute is too short.

If there's a post-RE job, it might be volunteer/part time/nonprofit or if in my field, a for-fun project.

[Dollar Slice]

Anyway, I like most of the people I work with now, and I've kind of always had in mind that where I am now is my last pre-RE job*. I should probably honor the (only?) recruiter who's sent me something truly local and relevant with a polite reply, and I'll try to resist insisting that it's because the bike commute is too short.

I would love to hear their response if you told them you weren't interested because the salary is too high and the commute is too short.

[LennStar]

Anyway, I like most of the people I work with now, and I've kind of always had in mind that where I am now is my last pre-RE job*. I should probably honor the (only?) recruiter who's sent me something truly local and relevant with a polite reply, and I'll try to resist insisting that it's because the bike commute is too short.

I would love to hear their response if you told them you weren't interested because the salary is too high and the commute is too short.

I am sure they wil find a way for the money problem and you can always make a detour.

[sonofsven]

Not sure this is an MPP, or just a "me" problem.
A friend called me a make-do man, a bottom feeder, and a man who sees value where there is none (all compliments).
The issue? My mom had a 2003 Honda Pilot , garage kept and dealer maintained, which she gave to my sister's family in 2019 for their youngest.
They are "bad with car" people, and after driving it a few years they let it sit and are now planning on donating it, and I am thinking that maybe they should donate it to me.
It's suffered a mouse infestation, and subsequent half hearted "clean up", the interior has a fine coating of mold, and the exterior has a combination of green algae and baked on pollen. It was last driven in early '22
But underneath I *know* that it is still a good car.
 I jumped it and it started right up.
I drove and idled it for forty five minutes with no signs of overheating.
Once I pulled the blackberry vines out of the brake calipers it went down the road just fine
With all the windows open (and my mouth clamped shut) l couldn't smell the mice pee at all.
Whywhywhy? I've always been attracted to derelict cars and houses and fixed them up. I bought a '59 bug once that had sat on a reservation for twenty  years, cutting down trees to haul it out, and rebuilt it (it was $50!) I bought houses that were trashed and needed everything, from the foundation up, and rebuilt them.
My idea is that I'll give this to DD, who is graduating from college next month and without a car since her old Avalon was damaged (it's currently waiting for me to fix it but I'm laid up waiting for surgery and not sure when I can get to it)
She could use it to move her stuff. She could use it for a road trip (she's been wanting an Outback  because you can sleep in them).
She's moving to Japan in August on a two year contract teaching English, so I would offer it to my partner's DD, who bought a newer Subaru and is lamenting the payment (I advised her not to, to no avail).
Or I could sell it, or trade it,  or?
It bothers me to see this car go to waste. Am I crazy? My folks have always taken good care of their stuff, and lived frugally, invested in the market, and retired early. Sound familiar? Lol, my sister's fam, let's just say, are a little different. They trash their vehicles and their house is a mess.
With a bit of elbow grease and some routine maintenance this could be a fine vehicle again.

[secondcor521]

With a bit of elbow grease and some routine maintenance this could be a fine vehicle again.

I see no problem whatsoever.  In fact, I see a lot of solutions - you're providing value to them by taking it off their hands, value to whomever you give or sell it to, and maybe keeping a car from being junked so helping the environment.

Probably just need to manage your car fixing and surgery schedules well.

[Sibley]

If you are 1000% positive that you can get ALL the mold out, ALL the mouse pee and droppings out, then ok. But if you leave even a speck of mold or mouse pee and then give it to your daughter, you would be a massive and irredeemable piece of shit in my view. There absolutely NO reason whatsoever that justifies giving a moldy, mouse pee contaminated vehicle to someone.

Here's your test: it sits in the sun for 2 weeks with the windows closed and there isn't a hint of mold or mouse pee to the person with the most sensitive sense of smell you can find. If you can pass that test, ok, give it to your daughter. But if you can't, then under no circumstances should you give it your daughter. You are welcome to keep it for yourself to drive (and no other passengers). If you sell it, then you disclose the mold and mouse pee.

I don't know if its possible to clean it up to that extent. But you are welcome to try.

[SwordGuy]

Re: used dirty vehicle, refurbishing, mold and mouse pee.

Just for perspective...

When a tank or armoured fighting vehicle is recovered on the battlefield, the charred, dismembered, and/or rotted corpses inside it are removed for burial, and then it's hosed down, disinfected, repaired, and sent back into battle with a new crew.   Blow up, rinse, repeat.

It's not uncommon for awesome collector's cars to be discovered forgotten in some barn for decades, with all the resultant issues from that.  They clean up well enough to look and run great and also sell for a pretty penny.

There are times that cleaning up a passenger car won't be feasible and times it will.  It just depends on the type and duration of the damage, the thoroughness of the cleaning, and the climate the car will be operated in.  Or, for a different demographic other than ours, whether you want the choice of a car with that history or no car at all.

[Sibley]

Re: used dirty vehicle, refurbishing, mold and mouse pee.

Just for perspective...

When a tank or armoured fighting vehicle is recovered on the battlefield, the charred, dismembered, and/or rotted corpses inside it are removed for burial, and then it's hosed down, disinfected, repaired, and sent back into battle with a new crew.   Blow up, rinse, repeat.

It's not uncommon for awesome collector's cars to be discovered forgotten in some barn for decades, with all the resultant issues from that.  They clean up well enough to look and run great and also sell for a pretty penny.

There are times that cleaning up a passenger car won't be feasible and times it will.  It just depends on the type and duration of the damage, the thoroughness of the cleaning, and the climate the car will be operated in.  Or, for a different demographic other than ours, whether you want the choice of a car with that history or no car at all.

There is absolutely no comparison between a tank in battle and a passenger vehicle one is considering gifting to your daughter. None whatsoever. It is irrelevant. It does not provide perspective. It does provide gruesome images, but again, not relevant to the vehicle being discussed.

A collector's car being found in an old barn and getting restored is closer to the situation, but someone is going to CHOOSE to have that vehicle. They are welcome to make that choice for themselves. It's when you're making that choice for others (and they don't have other choices) that it becomes problematic.

If secondcor521 wants to acquire this vehicle and clean it up for his use, he is welcome to. But subjecting others to a potential health hazard in the form of mold or mouse pee is not ok. That's why the high bar.

[deborah]

Have the rodents chewed the wires?