Mustachian People Problems (just for fun)

[secondcor521]

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.

I think the attribution for vehicle restoration should be to sonofsven, not me, although I was supportive of the idea.  I assumed sonofsven knew what they were doing with respect to safety, that the state of vehicle and any associated repairs were fairly disclosed to any recipients or buyers, and that people have the option to decline a vehicle if they'd rather not receive it.

[sonofsven]

Thanks for all the input! The problem is not so much with the car, but with this "over abundance of optimization" I seem to have. I have other more important things to focus on but instead, when I saw the car sitting there some pathology in me said " I can fix that!". 

[zolotiyeruki]

Thanks for all the input! The problem is not so much with the car, but with this "over abundance of optimization" I seem to have. I have other more important things to focus on but instead, when I saw the car sitting there some pathology in me said " I can fix that!".

You're not alone.  I suffer from the same....psychopathy?  I dunno what to call it.  The irresistible urge to fix/optimize/tweak something can be overwhelming at times.

[406MtnFire]

Do I pay off a 6 plex which would allow me to fire or wait until I move out of my duplex then pay it off? I'd like to move out of my duplex and I only have enough after tax savings to pay off my 6 plex or new house down payment.

[Taran Wanderer]

If you pay off your 6-plex, won’t the incoming rents rebuild your down payment fund quickly?

[crocheted_stache]

Costco's "Executive rewards" certificate arrived. It fell just short of enough to pay the difference between the regular membership and the executive membership. For those not acquainted with Costco's business model, executive members pay $120 per year rather than $60 and there's a 2% rebate on purchases, which for many members makes up the difference and then some.

We still get most groceries from Costco and our pace hasn't changed much. We think the difference between this year and previous years is that DH is also biking his commute almost exclusively now, so we're hardly buying gasoline anymore.

[techwiz]

Costco's "Executive rewards" certificate arrived. It fell just short of enough to pay the difference between the regular membership and the executive membership. For those not acquainted with Costco's business model, executive members pay $120 per year rather than $60 and there's a 2% rebate on purchases, which for many members makes up the difference and then some.

We still get most groceries from Costco and our pace hasn't changed much. We think the difference between this year and previous years is that DH is also biking his commute almost exclusively now, so we're hardly buying gasoline anymore.

We are also executive members and it always works out in our favor, however I remember when signing up they said if it doesn't save you more you could go to the service desk and they would refund the difference. 

[crocheted_stache]

Costco's "Executive rewards" certificate arrived. It fell just short of enough to pay the difference between the regular membership and the executive membership. For those not acquainted with Costco's business model, executive members pay $120 per year rather than $60 and there's a 2% rebate on purchases, which for many members makes up the difference and then some.

We still get most groceries from Costco and our pace hasn't changed much. We think the difference between this year and previous years is that DH is also biking his commute almost exclusively now, so we're hardly buying gasoline anymore.

We are also executive members and it always works out in our favor, however I remember when signing up they said if it doesn't save you more you could go to the service desk and they would refund the difference.

Yeah, I'm aware, but I'm not planning to stand in that line for the single-digit number of dollars I'd get back.

[LennStar]

Yeah, I'm aware, but I'm not planning to stand in that line for the single-digit number of dollars I'd get back.

Okay, I am readying the double facepunch cannon.

[TimCFJ40]

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.

Same here.  In addition to the outside recruiters (there's one company local to me that checks in every 2-3 months), internal jobs keep coming my way.

I've laid out that I'm not interested in relocating (I work remote/hybrid with some travel from a desirable (to us) location that doesn't have any local presence of my company) , I want to stay in my domain area of expertise, and I'm OK if this is career limiting. 

There's one more step up I'd be willing to take before my RE Exit in 5-7 years, but I'm not chasing money and I'm not willing to compromise on quality of life in the short term. 

Some people act shocked when I lay these out, as our corporate culture is one with a lot of ladder climbers.  But so far, I've not received undue pressure, and if I do I'm valuable enough to the company and secure enough financially to stand my ground as needed.  Turning down possible promotions is just not something people do regularly in our company.  The next bridge to cross is the "I'm going to be ready to retire in 6-12 months, and I'm 50" discussion I anticipate in the future....

Post RE, I already have identified a number of volunteer and charitable works that could easily take over the career meaning drive function for me just fine...

[sonofsven]

Costco's "Executive rewards" certificate arrived. It fell just short of enough to pay the difference between the regular membership and the executive membership. For those not acquainted with Costco's business model, executive members pay $120 per year rather than $60 and there's a 2% rebate on purchases, which for many members makes up the difference and then some.

We still get most groceries from Costco and our pace hasn't changed much. We think the difference between this year and previous years is that DH is also biking his commute almost exclusively now, so we're hardly buying gasoline anymore.

If you use the Costco/Citi credit card for all your Costco purchases you get 4% back; 2% from Costo membership and 2% from the credit card.

[crocheted_stache]

Costco's "Executive rewards" certificate arrived. It fell just short of enough to pay the difference between the regular membership and the executive membership. For those not acquainted with Costco's business model, executive members pay $120 per year rather than $60 and there's a 2% rebate on purchases, which for many members makes up the difference and then some.

We still get most groceries from Costco and our pace hasn't changed much. We think the difference between this year and previous years is that DH is also biking his commute almost exclusively now, so we're hardly buying gasoline anymore.

If you use the Costco/Citi credit card for all your Costco purchases you get 4% back; 2% from Costo membership and 2% from the credit card.

Yep, that's all happening, only we can use the credit card elsewhere, so that refund was a little more than the executive one.

Yeah, I'm aware, but I'm not planning to stand in that line for the single-digit number of dollars I'd get back.

Okay, I am readying the double facepunch cannon.

@LennStar surely there is some upper limit to how long you would stand in line for a one-time $10, especially on a weeknight when you had yet to eat dinner.

Also, that $10 was a 2% rebate, so it represented $500 we didn't spend last year on gas, groceries, or all the other things Costco sells, and I'm pretty sure we didn't miss the mark through disloyalty to Costco. We just didn't spend much. I don't think it's time yet to turn in my mustache card.

[LennStar]

Also, that $10 was a 2% rebate

Now that's a very different thing.

BUt for 10 dollar I would stand there at least half an hour, because that is how long it takes me to make that money. If I had eaten or not would not make a difference. A tiny bit of voluntary discomfort just makes you stronger!

[ChpBstrd]

My brokerage only quotes bonds once a day. Thus on days like yesterday when interest rates fell, I didn't immediately see the boost to my account. This morning I log on and it turns out my account gained $2,000 overnight.

So even if I do the bad habit of checking accounts often, I STILL don't have an accurate view of my net worth. So I might as well quit looking.

[techwiz]

Also, that $10 was a 2% rebate

Now that's a very different thing.

BUt for 10 dollar I would stand there at least half an hour, because that is how long it takes me to make that money. If I had eaten or not would not make a difference. A tiny bit of voluntary discomfort just makes you stronger!

Once you got the 10 bucks back you could get the $1.50 hotdogs and drink deals. However, depending on the individual's time vs money thing I can see just not bothering with the stress of the service desk and going home to eat a healthy meal. No need to turn in anyone's mustache card!

[crocheted_stache]

Also, that $10 was a 2% rebate

Now that's a very different thing.

BUt for 10 dollar I would stand there at least half an hour, because that is how long it takes me to make that money. If I had eaten or not would not make a difference. A tiny bit of voluntary discomfort just makes you stronger!

Once you got the 10 bucks back you could get the $1.50 hotdogs and drink deals. However, depending on the individual's time vs money thing I can see just not bothering with the stress of the service desk and going home to eat a healthy meal. No need to turn in anyone's mustache card!

Hot dogs were on the list until I saw the line at the food counter, at which point the plan became to take the groceries home and cook something, which we did. We made extra portions for the next day's lunches.

I do certain "voluntary discomfort" kinds of things, sometimes to save money. I bike in a range of weather and conditions. I put on a sweater rather than heat my whole house more. But I find have limited patience for dealing with people in this kind of context, and this is below my threshold for getting up the nerve to assert myself. I'm also not at my best when I'm a little hungry.

[Metalcat]

Also, that $10 was a 2% rebate

Now that's a very different thing.

BUt for 10 dollar I would stand there at least half an hour, because that is how long it takes me to make that money. If I had eaten or not would not make a difference. A tiny bit of voluntary discomfort just makes you stronger!

Once you got the 10 bucks back you could get the $1.50 hotdogs and drink deals. However, depending on the individual's time vs money thing I can see just not bothering with the stress of the service desk and going home to eat a healthy meal. No need to turn in anyone's mustache card!

Hot dogs were on the list until I saw the line at the food counter, at which point the plan became to take the groceries home and cook something, which we did. We made extra portions for the next day's lunches.

I do certain "voluntary discomfort" kinds of things, sometimes to save money. I bike in a range of weather and conditions. I put on a sweater rather than heat my whole house more. But I find have limited patience for dealing with people in this kind of context, and this is below my threshold for getting up the nerve to assert myself. I'm also not at my best when I'm a little hungry.

I agree, voluntary discomfort is great, but at a certain point it becomes forcing yourself to do shit you really don't want to do for returns that are in no way worth it.

Adapting to colder temps has a massive payoff if you live in cold climates because you can permanently lower your heating bill for decades, and you can get more comfortable with spending time outdoors in nature despite extreme cold. The dividends on those discomforts are enormous and pay off for life.

Lining up for $10 should be perceived more in terms of getting paid for work.

If 30 minutes in a line feels like easy work for $10, then have at it. For LennStar, that's a decent rate of pay and they're willing to take the job.

I'm not willing to stand in line for 30 minutes for $10. For me it feels like a bad deal. There are so many things I could do with 30 minutes of work that would be worth more to me than $10.

It all comes down to your personal time/energy/money exchange dynamics as to whether any one exchange is a good or bad deal for you.

Also, I stack my Costco customer service visits. I'll usually wait until I have a few returns and then take care of everything at once.so that I'm being paid a higher rate for my time and energy.

Voluntary discomfort is a powerful thing, but I don't voluntarily take bad deals.

[Raenia]

I think the elephant in the room is, it looks like you don't need the Executive membership anymore. Time to downgrade for next year, then you won't have this problem again!

[Metalcat]

I think the elephant in the room is, it looks like you don't need the Executive membership anymore. Time to downgrade for next year, then you won't have this problem again!

Which might require a trip to customer service anyway, lol

[GuitarStv]

Also, that $10 was a 2% rebate

Now that's a very different thing.

BUt for 10 dollar I would stand there at least half an hour, because that is how long it takes me to make that money. If I had eaten or not would not make a difference. A tiny bit of voluntary discomfort just makes you stronger!

Once you got the 10 bucks back you could get the $1.50 hotdogs and drink deals. However, depending on the individual's time vs money thing I can see just not bothering with the stress of the service desk and going home to eat a healthy meal. No need to turn in anyone's mustache card!

Hot dogs were on the list until I saw the line at the food counter, at which point the plan became to take the groceries home and cook something, which we did. We made extra portions for the next day's lunches.

I do certain "voluntary discomfort" kinds of things, sometimes to save money. I bike in a range of weather and conditions. I put on a sweater rather than heat my whole house more. But I find have limited patience for dealing with people in this kind of context, and this is below my threshold for getting up the nerve to assert myself. I'm also not at my best when I'm a little hungry.

I agree, voluntary discomfort is great, but at a certain point it becomes forcing yourself to do shit you really don't want to do for returns that are in no way worth it.

Adapting to colder temps has a massive payoff if you live in cold climates because you can permanently lower your heating bill for decades, and you can get more comfortable with spending time outdoors in nature despite extreme cold. The dividends on those discomforts are enormous and pay off for life.

Lining up for $10 should be perceived more in terms of getting paid for work.

If 30 minutes in a line feels like easy work for $10, then have at it. For LennStar, that's a decent rate of pay and they're willing to take the job.

I'm not willing to stand in line for 30 minutes for $10. For me it feels like a bad deal. There are so many things I could do with 30 minutes of work that would be worth more to me than $10.

It all comes down to your personal time/energy/money exchange dynamics as to whether any one exchange is a good or bad deal for you.

Also, I stack my Costco customer service visits. I'll usually wait until I have a few returns and then take care of everything at once.so that I'm being paid a higher rate for my time and energy.

Voluntary discomfort is a powerful thing, but I don't voluntarily take bad deals.

Agreed.

When it starts to be forcing yourself to do something that you really don't want to do I'm not sure it still qualifies as 'voluntary' discomfort anymore.  Everyone has a little inner masochist who will take things too far, don't let him boss you around!  I would joke about 'forcing' myself to get out of bed in the morning rain, shine, or snow and bike to work . . . but it was a fun thing to do there was no real forcing going on.  At some point in the past we figured that we would be fine with fifteen degree temperatures in the house during winter but all that happened was we had a year of much higher than normal colds/sickness.  Didn't really feel voluntary at that point, so we cranked the heat all the way up to eighteen and were much happier for it.

[markbike528CBX]

Snip......

Agreed.

When it starts to be forcing yourself to do something that you really don't want to do I'm not sure it still qualifies as 'voluntary' discomfort anymore.  Everyone has a little inner masochist who will take things too far, don't let him boss you around!  I would joke about 'forcing' myself to get out of bed in the morning rain, shine, or snow and bike to work . . . but it was a fun thing to do there was no real forcing going on.  At some point in the past we figured that we would be fine with fifteen degree temperatures in the house during winter but all that happened was we had a year of much higher than normal colds/sickness.  Didn't really feel voluntary at that point, so we cranked the heat all the way up to eighteen and were much happier for it.

I've always suspected Canadians were tougher, but 15 is just to much and "comfortable" at 18 is freeky.   
Then I realized C vs F, but still 15 (59F) is damn cold and 18 (65F) is not much better.   
I live in a summertime high heat area (record 120F), so we keep the interior temps at 21C (70F).
When it got to 120F outside, with the AC full on, the interior temps still got to 78F (24C).
Getting in the pool didn't help, the pool was 92F (33C).

I'm not sure of GuitarStv's exact location, but we are 120 miles North of Toronto.  46N vs 43.6N.
Our record low is about -22F (-30C).

[Metalcat]

Snip......

Agreed.

When it starts to be forcing yourself to do something that you really don't want to do I'm not sure it still qualifies as 'voluntary' discomfort anymore.  Everyone has a little inner masochist who will take things too far, don't let him boss you around!  I would joke about 'forcing' myself to get out of bed in the morning rain, shine, or snow and bike to work . . . but it was a fun thing to do there was no real forcing going on.  At some point in the past we figured that we would be fine with fifteen degree temperatures in the house during winter but all that happened was we had a year of much higher than normal colds/sickness.  Didn't really feel voluntary at that point, so we cranked the heat all the way up to eighteen and were much happier for it.

I've always suspected Canadians were tougher, but 15 is just to much and "comfortable" at 18 is freeky.   
Then I realized C vs F, but still 15 (59F) is damn cold and 18 (65F) is not much better.   
I live in a summertime high heat area (record 120F), so we keep the interior temps at 21C (70F).
When it got to 120F outside, with the AC full on, the interior temps still got to 78F (24C).
Getting in the pool didn't help, the pool was 92F (33C).

I'm not sure of GuitarStv's exact location, but we are 120 miles North of Toronto.  46N vs 43.6N.
Our record low is about -22F (-30C).

IDK, I keep my Newfoundland house at 18C and it's pretty comfortable. We wear a lot of wool layers here.

[GuitarStv]

Although softened up and living in the tropical GTA, I grew up deep in Northern Ontario in a hundredish year old log house (with a second floor add-on) and we heated entirely by wood.  So as a kid I got pretty used to temperature swings in winter.  The wood stove would heat the house up to about 30 degrees, but the crappy insulation and regular -40 temperatures outside would mean that it could very chilly if someone forgot to add wood to the fire in the middle of the night.  Water bottles, good blankets (wool sure, but beaver fur is the best I've ever used), flannel pajamas, stockings, and a heavy housecoat and you get through the night fine in cold temperatures.

I've never adapted to heat and humidity though.  Can't sleep, and feel miserable in that stuff.  Anyone who can get comfy in tropical places has my respect.

[Metalcat]

Although softened up and living in the tropical GTA, I grew up deep in Northern Ontario in a hundredish year old log house (with a second floor add-on) and we heated entirely by wood.  So as a kid I got pretty used to temperature swings in winter.  The wood stove would heat the house up to about 30 degrees, but the crappy insulation and regular -40 temperatures outside would mean that it could very chilly if someone forgot to add wood to the fire in the middle of the night.  Water bottles, good blankets (wool sure, but beaver fur is the best I've ever used), flannel pajamas, stockings, and a heavy housecoat and you get through the night fine in cold temperatures.

I've never adapted to heat and humidity though.  Can't sleep, and feel miserable in that stuff.  Anyone who can get comfy in tropical places has my respect.

This is how I grew up too, except the house never actually heated up. It wasn't well insulated and it was built into a rock, so even in summer, it was often freezing cold.

My Newfoundland house is over 100 years old and heating here costs a fortune, so a cozy sweater is way more comfortable than a $1000/mo heating bill.

At my Ontario house though where I share 5 walls and heating to a balmy 21-22C is extremely cheap, I live in a tank top and shorts all winter often never even needing to turn on the heat because everyone else does.

[crocheted_stache]

My MPP: I posted here about my Costco executive rebate falling short by something less than $10, because I did not spend "enough" money last year on groceries and especially on gas. Now I have an entire thread full of people eagerly advising me on reclaiming an amount of money I've already indicated is, for me, not worth the bother in relation to the benefit. (Also, somehow, on relative thermostat settings in winter.)

For me, the amount changes nothing about my lifestyle. It delays FIRE not one bit. I can afford to ignore or defer this one. It's not the beginning of some profligate spending pattern or cavalier attitude toward money, either.

I find this kind of activity intensely undesirable, and I'd rather reserve the mental energy for things that are more important to me.  I know it's a privilege to be able to do that. (Edit to add: it's this privilege that makes "mustachian people problems" not really problems and therefore humorous.)

If you would be all about standing in line to get back your $9.xx and convert your membership, then that's exactly what you should do. I wish you all the privilege and the wisdom to be able to choose time and happiness over small amounts of money when it's right for you, too.

[Alternatepriorities]

Although softened up and living in the tropical GTA, I grew up deep in Northern Ontario in a hundredish year old log house (with a second floor add-on) and we heated entirely by wood.  So as a kid I got pretty used to temperature swings in winter.  The wood stove would heat the house up to about 30 degrees, but the crappy insulation and regular -40 temperatures outside would mean that it could very chilly if someone forgot to add wood to the fire in the middle of the night.  Water bottles, good blankets (wool sure, but beaver fur is the best I've ever used), flannel pajamas, stockings, and a heavy housecoat and you get through the night fine in cold temperatures.

I've never adapted to heat and humidity though.  Can't sleep, and feel miserable in that stuff.  Anyone who can get comfy in tropical places has my respect.

My story growing up was not so different than yours. I did eventually adapt to the heat of NM after 9 years and running a marathon in the summer, but never have made peace with humidity. When I moved back to AK, I adapted back to the cold in all of a year...  DS is the one I'm really worried about in the heat though. He seems to regard 70F/ 21C as absurdly hot and unbearable. He won't sleep and scratches his skin raw. It might be interesting when we do manage to get to the tropics with him. Maybe we should wait until he can talk.

[markbike528CBX]

Although softened up and living in the tropical GTA, I grew up deep in Northern Ontario in a hundredish year old log house (with a second floor add-on) and we heated entirely by wood.  So as a kid I got pretty used to temperature swings in winter.  The wood stove would heat the house up to about 30 degrees, but the crappy insulation and regular -40 temperatures outside would mean that it could very chilly if someone forgot to add wood to the fire in the middle of the night.  Water bottles, good blankets (wool sure, but beaver fur is the best I've ever used), flannel pajamas, stockings, and a heavy housecoat and you get through the night fine in cold temperatures.

I've never adapted to heat and humidity though.  Can't sleep, and feel miserable in that stuff.  Anyone who can get comfy in tropical places has my respect.

My story growing up was not so different than yours. I did eventually adapt to the heat of NM after 9 years and running a marathon in the summer, but never have made peace with humidity. When I moved back to AK, I adapted back to the cold in all of a year...  DS is the one I'm really worried about in the heat though. He seems to regard 70F/ 21C as absurdly hot and unbearable. He won't sleep and scratches his skin raw. It might be interesting when we do manage to get to the tropics with him. Maybe we should wait until he can talk.

My mother grew up in a coal warmed house without much heat in her second floor bedroom.   

We don't have much humidity here (occationally down to single digit Relative Humidity), but I will smackdown clowns that say "it is a dry heat".   
Anything over 40C/105F is beastly, not matter what the humidity.
Standing in 44C/112F feels like your brain will melt/explode at any instant. Even with hair/head covering.
120F/49C sends even me to the basement to cower for the day. 

[Alternatepriorities]

Although softened up and living in the tropical GTA, I grew up deep in Northern Ontario in a hundredish year old log house (with a second floor add-on) and we heated entirely by wood.  So as a kid I got pretty used to temperature swings in winter.  The wood stove would heat the house up to about 30 degrees, but the crappy insulation and regular -40 temperatures outside would mean that it could very chilly if someone forgot to add wood to the fire in the middle of the night.  Water bottles, good blankets (wool sure, but beaver fur is the best I've ever used), flannel pajamas, stockings, and a heavy housecoat and you get through the night fine in cold temperatures.

I've never adapted to heat and humidity though.  Can't sleep, and feel miserable in that stuff.  Anyone who can get comfy in tropical places has my respect.

My story growing up was not so different than yours. I did eventually adapt to the heat of NM after 9 years and running a marathon in the summer, but never have made peace with humidity. When I moved back to AK, I adapted back to the cold in all of a year...  DS is the one I'm really worried about in the heat though. He seems to regard 70F/ 21C as absurdly hot and unbearable. He won't sleep and scratches his skin raw. It might be interesting when we do manage to get to the tropics with him. Maybe we should wait until he can talk.

My mother grew up in a coal warmed house without much heat in her second floor bedroom.   

We don't have much humidity here (occationally down to single digit Relative Humidity), but I will smackdown clowns that say "it is a dry heat".   
Anything over 40C/105F is beastly, not matter what the humidity.
Standing in 44C/112F feels like your brain will melt/explode at any instant. Even with hair/head covering.
120F/49C sends even me to the basement to cower for the day.

You can come visit Alaska next time those temps show up. The only place you'll find 120F here is in the sauna where it should be.

[Metalcat]

Although softened up and living in the tropical GTA, I grew up deep in Northern Ontario in a hundredish year old log house (with a second floor add-on) and we heated entirely by wood.  So as a kid I got pretty used to temperature swings in winter.  The wood stove would heat the house up to about 30 degrees, but the crappy insulation and regular -40 temperatures outside would mean that it could very chilly if someone forgot to add wood to the fire in the middle of the night.  Water bottles, good blankets (wool sure, but beaver fur is the best I've ever used), flannel pajamas, stockings, and a heavy housecoat and you get through the night fine in cold temperatures.

I've never adapted to heat and humidity though.  Can't sleep, and feel miserable in that stuff.  Anyone who can get comfy in tropical places has my respect.

My story growing up was not so different than yours. I did eventually adapt to the heat of NM after 9 years and running a marathon in the summer, but never have made peace with humidity. When I moved back to AK, I adapted back to the cold in all of a year...  DS is the one I'm really worried about in the heat though. He seems to regard 70F/ 21C as absurdly hot and unbearable. He won't sleep and scratches his skin raw. It might be interesting when we do manage to get to the tropics with him. Maybe we should wait until he can talk.

My mother grew up in a coal warmed house without much heat in her second floor bedroom.   

We don't have much humidity here (occationally down to single digit Relative Humidity), but I will smackdown clowns that say "it is a dry heat".   
Anything over 40C/105F is beastly, not matter what the humidity.
Standing in 44C/112F feels like your brain will melt/explode at any instant. Even with hair/head covering.
120F/49C sends even me to the basement to cower for the day.

True.

It hit 42C once here in Newfoundland last year, which is absolutely unheard of. Around 24C/75F the Newfies start howling about how abnormally/unbearably hot it is.

I can handle up to 40C, it's not comfortable, but it's fine, but above that gets pretty brutal. I was cooking over a hot stove for hours on that 42C day in a house with no AC, and I got brutal heat stroke.

I was distracted because I needed to get cooking done, and it would have been close to 50C in my kitchen by the end of the day and I lost my ability to think straight.

I was on two crutches at that point and just b-lined without thinking into the ocean. The ocean, which was 300 yards away, down a rickety, steep flight of stairs, across a difficult to traverse pebble beach, on crutches, lol, but that's all I could think of, getting into the water.

But FUUUUCK, the water here, even on a 42C day and having heat stroke, it's so mutherfucking cold I could only make it in up to mid thigh and only for about 45 seconds.

It's like having buckets of ice thrown at you over and over and over again. No one here ever goes into the water. I've never seen it, not in 3 years of summers here.

[markbike528CBX]

Although softened up and living in the tropical GTA, I grew up deep in Northern Ontario in a hundredish year old log house (with a second floor add-on) and we heated entirely by wood.  So as a kid I got pretty used to temperature swings in winter.  The wood stove would heat the house up to about 30 degrees, but the crappy insulation and regular -40 temperatures outside would mean that it could very chilly if someone forgot to add wood to the fire in the middle of the night.  Water bottles, good blankets (wool sure, but beaver fur is the best I've ever used), flannel pajamas, stockings, and a heavy housecoat and you get through the night fine in cold temperatures.

I've never adapted to heat and humidity though.  Can't sleep, and feel miserable in that stuff.  Anyone who can get comfy in tropical places has my respect.

My story growing up was not so different than yours. I did eventually adapt to the heat of NM after 9 years and running a marathon in the summer, but never have made peace with humidity. When I moved back to AK, I adapted back to the cold in all of a year...  DS is the one I'm really worried about in the heat though. He seems to regard 70F/ 21C as absurdly hot and unbearable. He won't sleep and scratches his skin raw. It might be interesting when we do manage to get to the tropics with him. Maybe we should wait until he can talk.

My mother grew up in a coal warmed house without much heat in her second floor bedroom.   

We don't have much humidity here (occationally down to single digit Relative Humidity), but I will smackdown clowns that say "it is a dry heat".   
Anything over 40C/105F is beastly, not matter what the humidity.
Standing in 44C/112F feels like your brain will melt/explode at any instant. Even with hair/head covering.
120F/49C sends even me to the basement to cower for the day.

True.

It hit 42C once here in Newfoundland last year, which is absolutely unheard of. Around 24C/75F the Newfies start howling about how abnormally/unbearably hot it is.

I can handle up to 40C, it's not comfortable, but it's fine, but above that gets pretty brutal. I was cooking over a hot stove for hours on that 42C day in a house with no AC, and I got brutal heat stroke.

I was distracted because I needed to get cooking done, and it would have been close to 50C in my kitchen by the end of the day and I lost my ability to think straight.

I was on two crutches at that point and just b-lined without thinking into the ocean. The ocean, which was 300 yards away, down a rickety, steep flight of stairs, across a difficult to traverse pebble beach, on crutches, lol, but that's all I could think of, getting into the water.

But FUUUUCK, the water here, even on a 42C day and having heat stroke, it's so mutherfucking cold I could only make it in up to mid thigh and only for about 45 seconds.

It's like having buckets of ice thrown at you over and over and over again. No one here ever goes into the water. I've never seen it, not in 3 years of summers here.

The Columbia River is quite cold, not nearly Newfoundland cold.   Range from 4C to 20C.   
One of the reasons for the Hanford Site (Manhattan Project plutonium production) being here was the year round, large volumes of cold(er) water.
People do splash around / float in the dead of summer.   
I've gotten hypothermia by staying in for several hours, but I'm pretty sensitive that way.

The 20C (40F ) temperature difference between the air temp and water temp is a good incentive to stay on your skis. 
Slapping what _seems_ like ice cold water at speed is a good way to rapidly improve. your skiing ability.

[LennStar]

Above 40°C will be normal day temps for half of the earth once climate change really kicks in. Have fun!

And have fun with tens of millions of "illegal immigrants" per year because climate change is a hoax, you !§$% right wingers!

Sorry, I promise it will be the only rant.

[Gerard]

My mother grew up in a coal warmed house without much heat in her second floor bedroom.   

I misread this as "coat warmed house" and thought, yeah, my mother too. As in "if you want to be warm, put on a coat!"

And Metalcat, I was once told that the reason very few Newfoundlanders know how to swim is that if you fall in the water, you're just gonna freeze to death.

[Alternatepriorities]

The 20C (40F ) temperature difference between the air temp and water temp is a good incentive to stay on your skis. 
Slapping what _seems_ like ice cold water at speed is a good way to rapidly improve. your skiing ability.

The first time I water skied was on an oxbow lake. It rose and fell a little with the river, but there wasn't enough movement to keep the water from stratifying, the top was "warm" probably 50F/10C, but go down a foot or two and it was obvious the lake had been frozen not long before. The story of exactly why my friends family had a speed boat for a lake only liquid four months a year probably belongs on another thread... Still, I found myself out there with them at 11 pm one fine summer evening. Everyone had wet suits, but none of them fit me and I really wanted to try water skiing. I stood up on my very first attempt. Everything was going well until a moose swam in front of the boat while they were turning at one end of the lake. It took several attempts to get out of the water again after that distraction.

 

[Metalcat]

My mother grew up in a coal warmed house without much heat in her second floor bedroom.   

I misread this as "coat warmed house" and thought, yeah, my mother too. As in "if you want to be warm, put on a coat!"

And Metalcat, I was once told that the reason very few Newfoundlanders know how to swim is that if you fall in the water, you're just gonna freeze to death.

LOL! Yeah, that actually makes a lot of sense. Not a ton of opportunities to actually swim around here, despite there being water literally everywhere.

Half the population here spend most of their lives out on boats on the water, but have likely never actually been *in* the water.

[GuitarStv]

Although softened up and living in the tropical GTA, I grew up deep in Northern Ontario in a hundredish year old log house (with a second floor add-on) and we heated entirely by wood.  So as a kid I got pretty used to temperature swings in winter.  The wood stove would heat the house up to about 30 degrees, but the crappy insulation and regular -40 temperatures outside would mean that it could very chilly if someone forgot to add wood to the fire in the middle of the night.  Water bottles, good blankets (wool sure, but beaver fur is the best I've ever used), flannel pajamas, stockings, and a heavy housecoat and you get through the night fine in cold temperatures.

I've never adapted to heat and humidity though.  Can't sleep, and feel miserable in that stuff.  Anyone who can get comfy in tropical places has my respect.

My story growing up was not so different than yours. I did eventually adapt to the heat of NM after 9 years and running a marathon in the summer, but never have made peace with humidity. When I moved back to AK, I adapted back to the cold in all of a year...  DS is the one I'm really worried about in the heat though. He seems to regard 70F/ 21C as absurdly hot and unbearable. He won't sleep and scratches his skin raw. It might be interesting when we do manage to get to the tropics with him. Maybe we should wait until he can talk.

My mother grew up in a coal warmed house without much heat in her second floor bedroom.   

We don't have much humidity here (occationally down to single digit Relative Humidity), but I will smackdown clowns that say "it is a dry heat".   
Anything over 40C/105F is beastly, not matter what the humidity.
Standing in 44C/112F feels like your brain will melt/explode at any instant. Even with hair/head covering.
120F/49C sends even me to the basement to cower for the day.

I much prefer heat without humidity.  Not saying it's not hot - it's ridiculously hot . . . but somehow my body feels better in it.

We went on vacation once to Las Vegas in the middle of the summer.  It was mid-40s every day we were there and that we were there.  Opening the door from the hotel A/C felt like sticking your head in the oven.  But because the heat was dry my sweat would evaporate, but it cooled me (slightly)!  This was such a strange but more comfortable feeling that the wet dripping that happens all summer long around here.  Either I wear synthetic clothing that wicks sweat away and then stinks in very short order, or I wear natural fabrics that log down with water and cause chafing.  In Vegas I felt like cotton might be an option.

[crocheted_stache]

We're planning a trip this summer, and through years of mustachianism (and also pretty good pay), we can easily afford the various hotels where we'll be staying.

The MPP: through years of mustachianism, we have concluded that hotels are nowhere near as much fun as staying with friends and family, but doing that for this trip is probably not going to work out. Meanwhile, the Couchsurfing account has probably been inactive a little too long to be a shoo-in for requesting to stay somewhere. (At one point pre-pandemic, we were active hosts with plenty of positive feedback that no doubt helped get to the front of the line the time we decided to try staying somewhere.)

It's tough, but I suppose we'll manage to sleep in a room that isn't shared with the home gym/sewing machine/pets/kids.

[crocheted_stache]

This definitely goes here.

I have one credit card that I keep because it's the oldest. I don't particularly like the issuer, so I try to make some small purchase every so often, just enough so it doesn't get deemed inactive and closed for me.

A month or so ago, I made a $32.97 purchase on this card.

I had somehow accumulated $33.97 in cash-back rewards on this card, so I redeemed that to pay for the purchase. Apparently, redemption is all-or-nothing.

I just got a statement explaining (not very well) that I "owe" -$1.00.

Now I need to go buy something else so I stop getting statements, so I don't worry that something is going to get messed up and charge me late fees for the -$1.00 I "owe,"  and so I can go back to ignoring my least favorite credit card.

[Dollar Slice]

I just got a statement explaining (not very well) that I "owe" -$1.00.

That happened with my phone bill while I was at university when my dad accidentally overpaid a bill they were sending home (a "typo" but by hand, I guess). He ended up writing them a check for -$0.10 to clear it up.

I would never do that since checks and stamps cost money these days, but back in the 90s he was probably getting free checks and it came in a prepaid postage reply envelope.

[sonofsven]

MPP: I'm fairly diligent churner of credit cards but I was recently turned down for two business cc's, and I put myself on a personal cc moratorium until August, when I'll be under 5/24, so on an upcoming trip none of the incidental expenses are going towards a CC bonus; ooh, it burns!

[Dicey]

MPP: I'm fairly diligent churner of credit cards but I was recently turned down for two business cc's, and I put myself on a personal cc moratorium until August, when I'll be under 5/24, so on an upcoming trip none of the incidental expenses are going towards a CC bonus; ooh, it burns!

Surely one of your existing cards earns points/mileage/rebates?

[sonofsven]

MPP: I'm fairly diligent churner of credit cards but I was recently turned down for two business cc's, and I put myself on a personal cc moratorium until August, when I'll be under 5/24, so on an upcoming trip none of the incidental expenses are going towards a CC bonus; ooh, it burns!

Surely one of your existing cards earns points/mileage/rebates?

Yes, but my normal spend is so low I like to optimize any extra towards a bonus.

[AnotherEngineer]

MPP: I'm fairly diligent churner of credit cards but I was recently turned down for two business cc's, and I put myself on a personal cc moratorium until August, when I'll be under 5/24, so on an upcoming trip none of the incidental expenses are going towards a CC bonus; ooh, it burns!

Surely one of your existing cards earns points/mileage/rebates?

Yes, but my normal spend is so low I like to optimize any extra towards a bonus.

I was well over 5/24 from churning, so changed course to use 0% interest cards and save the payment at 5% interest plus 2% cash back and a bonus. The return isn't quite as good as optimal churning, but it is worth considering.

[crocheted_stache]

I just got a statement explaining (not very well) that I "owe" -$1.00.

That happened with my phone bill while I was at university when my dad accidentally overpaid a bill they were sending home (a "typo" but by hand, I guess). He ended up writing them a check for -$0.10 to clear it up.

I would never do that since checks and stamps cost money these days, but back in the 90s he was probably getting free checks and it came in a prepaid postage reply envelope.

Family lore has it that someone received a bill/statement stating he owed $0.00. He naturally interpreted this as not needing to pay, so he didn't. The (perhaps early, at the time) computer system didn't see it that way and pretty soon, he was getting late notices. It may even have been sent to collections. After several fruitless phone calls to try to straighten out the problem, he finally gave up and in desperation mailed a check for $0.00, and apparently this satisfied the computer and the notices stopped.

Anyway, I'm thinking it's easier to just use this credit card to buy the next sandwich-or-whatever, than find out how/whether this institution's computers mess up when there's a statement credit sitting there.

[Dollar Slice]

Family lore has it that someone received a bill/statement stating he owed $0.00. He naturally interpreted this as not needing to pay, so he didn't. The (perhaps early, at the time) computer system didn't see it that way and pretty soon, he was getting late notices. It may even have been sent to collections. After several fruitless phone calls to try to straighten out the problem, he finally gave up and in desperation mailed a check for $0.00, and apparently this satisfied the computer and the notices stopped.

Anyway, I'm thinking it's easier to just use this credit card to buy the next sandwich-or-whatever, than find out how/whether this institution's computers mess up when there's a statement credit sitting there.

I don't know how it works now, but certainly at some point, a person would have to open the envelope, see the check and enter it into your account. At which point they would say "aha, our computer is generating an error and I need to fix it". And this is probably why sending a check for no money or negative money fixed the situation... it got the problem in front of the person who knew how to fix it, i.e., the person who actually handled payments all day for a living.

My mustachian people problem today is that I had a grocery delivery where I ordered a bulk pack of Kleenex boxes, and they delivered paper napkins instead (in spite of me saying: no substitutions). I got a refund, but how do I frugally use up 200 paper napkins? They're so wasteful. I never buy them.

[RWD]

I got a refund, but how do I frugally use up 200 paper napkins? They're so wasteful. I never buy them.

Do you use paper towels? Substitute a napkin whenever that can handle the job instead.

[Dollar Slice]

I got a refund, but how do I frugally use up 200 paper napkins? They're so wasteful. I never buy them.

Do you use paper towels? Substitute a napkin whenever that can handle the job instead.

It takes me months to get through a roll of paper towels as it is. But yeah, I guess I can try that.

[LennStar]

I got a refund, but how do I frugally use up 200 paper napkins? They're so wasteful. I never buy them.

Do you use paper towels? Substitute a napkin whenever that can handle the job instead.

It takes me months to get through a roll of paper towels as it is. But yeah, I guess I can try that.

Give them to someone who needs them?
People who do a big birthday party, the local fire fighters for their party, old people homes and whatever.

[NorthernIkigai]

I just got a statement explaining (not very well) that I "owe" -$1.00.

That happened with my phone bill while I was at university when my dad accidentally overpaid a bill they were sending home (a "typo" but by hand, I guess). He ended up writing them a check for -$0.10 to clear it up.

I would never do that since checks and stamps cost money these days, but back in the 90s he was probably getting free checks and it came in a prepaid postage reply envelope.

Family lore has it that someone received a bill/statement stating he owed $0.00. He naturally interpreted this as not needing to pay, so he didn't. The (perhaps early, at the time) computer system didn't see it that way and pretty soon, he was getting late notices. It may even have been sent to collections. After several fruitless phone calls to try to straighten out the problem, he finally gave up and in desperation mailed a check for $0.00, and apparently this satisfied the computer and the notices stopped.

Anyway, I'm thinking it's easier to just use this credit card to buy the next sandwich-or-whatever, than find out how/whether this institution's computers mess up when there's a statement credit sitting there.

I have a credit card that used to work normally, ie I pay it off if I’ve used it and that’s it. Then they started hitting me with a fee if they had to send a bill. So now I sometimes use it because it’s more secure to use a credit than a debit card (in case of disputes), but straight away pay it off so that that no bill is formed and I’m not charged any fees. However, for some reason (I think legally) they have to still send me the bill since it had items on it. So most months I get a paper bill which has 0,00 on the last line + I get the same bill in an electronic system (not the bank’s own) where I can go click that “I have paid this bill”…


My actual MPP is that I am here reading all about other people’s churning and getting points here and free travel there, and we don’t have any of that where I live. We only pay for our banking services, we don’t get anything back :-(

[crocheted_stache]

I got a refund, but how do I frugally use up 200 paper napkins? They're so wasteful. I never buy them.

Do you use paper towels? Substitute a napkin whenever that can handle the job instead.

It takes me months to get through a roll of paper towels as it is. But yeah, I guess I can try that.

Give them to someone who needs them?
People who do a big birthday party, the local fire fighters for their party, old people homes and whatever.

Or list on your local Buy Nothing group or equivalent. If you got something you obviously couldn't use (like the pantiliners that got sent by mistake to a man I know), you wouldn't be looking for frugal ways to use them up, you'd be looking for someone else who could use them. I'd suggest that approach here.

[Alfred J Quack]

Family lore has it that someone received a bill/statement stating he owed $0.00. He naturally interpreted this as not needing to pay, so he didn't. The (perhaps early, at the time) computer system didn't see it that way and pretty soon, he was getting late notices. It may even have been sent to collections. After several fruitless phone calls to try to straighten out the problem, he finally gave up and in desperation mailed a check for $0.00, and apparently this satisfied the computer and the notices stopped.

I'm pretty sure this is a rounding issue where there may be 0.001 in balance that the callcenter could not fix but the person that processed the cheque could.

We even had a discussion about which data type to use in a database schema because some data types can have rounding errors for financial data (though at something like 8 digits past the decimal).