Author Topic: So I was doing a survey...  (Read 4101 times)

Roe

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So I was doing a survey...
« on: November 06, 2017, 12:35:25 PM »
...and it asked me about my next car purchase. How much would I be likely to spend?

I put in 7k, and hit next. But instead of going to the next page, bright red banners gets plastered over the screen.

Give a complete answer to the question. You must write a higher amount.

Apparently 7k isn't a high enough amount to qualify as a car purchase.


boyerbt

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2017, 12:39:08 PM »
Wow - what was the survey for?

Roe

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2017, 12:52:57 PM »
From my point of view: for getting a small reward for de-stressing ;)

Their point of view: car preferences. Clearly not too cheap cars tough!

Dollar Slice

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2017, 12:56:52 PM »
That happened to me one time with a non-finance question. Apparently my answer had more digits in it than they had planned for... and the error message came across as very judgmental. It went something like -

Q: How many times a year do you attend cultural activities such as plays, museums, concerts, etc.?
A: 200
Error: <200> IS TOO HIGH!
Me: Um... sorry?  :-(

MMMers live unusual lives, outside the bounds of normal social expectations, I guess. ;-)  I sent them a screenshot and they laughed and apologized for underestimating their customers, and updated it to accept more digits.

LeRainDrop

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2017, 05:39:50 PM »
Ha!  Both of those stories were entertaining.  Thanks!

Travis

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2017, 07:37:33 PM »
I ran into that years ago when I applied for car insurance.

"How many miles a year do you drive?"

My answers was somewhere between 5000-8000 miles and their website spit back an error.  At the time the lowest number it would accept was 10,000 miles.

Laura33

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2017, 06:10:47 AM »
That's awesome -- thanks for the chuckle.

When I run across stupid stuff like that, or those dreaded "answer a question to read the article" things, I just tend to type in a number that has no connection to reality.  Because (a) the survey is stupid, (b) they are annoying me, (c) how are they going to know, and (d) why should I care?

Morning Glory

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2017, 06:14:15 AM »
I had one recently from Fidelity. It was a "financial wellness checkup" quiz. I only got 90% because I said I manage my investments on my own without help from others. The right answer was to use a financial advisor. The savings rate question also only went up to >20%.

londonstache

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2017, 06:35:47 AM »
I had one similar experience recently, asking about the unsecured personal finance I had. Apparently, the answer "none, wouldn't take on any even if I was on fire" is not a valid answer.
How silly of me to forget that consumer debt was essential!

paddedhat

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2017, 08:00:59 AM »
I had one recently from Fidelity. It was a "financial wellness checkup" quiz. I only got 90% because I said I manage my investments on my own without help from others. The right answer was to use a financial advisor. The savings rate question also only went up to >20%.

Well, once you wiggle past the slick suited bullshitters who demand their cut, and foolheartedly decide you can manage your own investments, you enter another world. Whilst passing signs that say, "Go back! There be dragons ahead". Don't be silly,  everybody knows that.

PoutineLover

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2017, 08:30:51 AM »
My bank sent me a new online financial advising tool so I went to check it out. There is no setting to increase your savings amount year over year, although it does automatically increase your living expenses by 2.5% and your salary by only 2%.. because everyone knows you should be increasing your spending faster than your income right??

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2017, 08:35:14 AM »
My bank sent me a new online financial advising tool so I went to check it out. There is no setting to increase your savings amount year over year, although it does automatically increase your living expenses by 2.5% and your salary by only 2%.. because everyone knows you should be increasing your spending faster than your income right??

There's never a mechanism to adjust for things that boost your income substantially, like finishing off a degree, getting payoff on a good side hustle, or moving up to management.

Travis

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Re: So I was doing a survey...
« Reply #12 on: November 07, 2017, 09:12:24 AM »
My bank sent me a new online financial advising tool so I went to check it out. There is no setting to increase your savings amount year over year, although it does automatically increase your living expenses by 2.5% and your salary by only 2%.. because everyone knows you should be increasing your spending faster than your income right??

I find that a common annoyance on financial and retirement calculators. I mean whose income increases every year by a predictable fixed percentage?