Overheard at the gym

[o2bfree]

Ok, so I pay $20/month for a gym membership, but I get so much more from it than a great variety of exercise equipment, a swimming pool, and reduced power usage at home due to showers taken there! There's also entertainment value, which includes jaw-droppers such as this:

One woman who's my age (53) has filled me in on her financial situation and lifestyle. She has an adequate job, but lives paycheck-to-paycheck, doesn't own a home, has a car payment, spends freely on clothes, hair styling, makeup, frivolous home appliances, dinner and drinks out, trips to Mexico or Vegas, etc. 

The last few months she's been talking about getting breast implants, and lamenting that she hasn't figured out how to pay the >$4000 for them. Now this lady already has a fantastic body -- she's tall, slender, curvy in all the right places, and very nicely proportioned. Gets a lot of looks at the gym, even at 53. Also, she has a beautiful face. But apparently she feels she's not getting enough attention. Or maybe she's having a mid-life crisis, I don't know.

Anyway, here's a recent conversation with her:

SB: I won't be at the gym for awhile. I'm finally getting my implants!!
Me: Yeah? Wow...so you got the funding, eh?
SB: Yeah, I just took the money out of my 401k.
Me: Uhm, really?? Do you think that's wise?
SB: Oh, it's no big deal. I only had $5000 in it anyway. So I'll have a little extra for some sexy new bras!
Me: <speechless>...

I suppose those boobs could have a big ROI if they help her land some rich, clueless dude!

[Melody]

Speachless!!!

[patrickza]

Overheard another member talking about his stock picks. Told him it's great he's investing, but wouldn't he be better off buying an index fund. Most people don't beat the index I said. He's not concerned, you just have to pick the right stocks apparently!!!

[Davids]

Overheard another member talking about his stock picks. Told him it's great he's investing, but wouldn't he be better off buying an index fund. Most people don't beat the index I said. He's not concerned, you just have to pick the right stocks apparently!!!

Technically he would not be wrong...

[Giro]

Overheard another member talking about his stock picks. Told him it's great he's investing, but wouldn't he be better off buying an index fund. Most people don't beat the index I said. He's not concerned, you just have to pick the right stocks apparently!!!

Technically he would not be wrong...

Yep.  Just pick the right ones!

[zephyr911]

Literal facepalm.

[forummm]

SB: I won't be at the gym for awhile. I'm finally getting my implants!!
Me: Yeah? Wow...so you got the funding, eh?
SB: Yeah, I just took the money out of my 401k.
Me: Uhm, really?? Do you think that's wise?
SB: Oh, it's no big deal. I only had $5000 in it anyway. So I'll have a little extra for some sexy new bras!
Me: <speechless>...

She's just transferring her 401k into growing some other assets that will return significant interest.

[Psychstache]

OT, but I actually new an exotic dancer and she said her implants paid off in under six months. Hell of an investment, that.

Hope she deducted them as a business expense on her taxes    :)

[KMMK]

OT, but I actually new an exotic dancer and she said her implants paid off in under six months. Hell of an investment, that.

Hope she deducted them as a business expense on her taxes    :)

She was Australian. Can you do that in Australia?

How long will they last for? What's the depreciation rate for that type of capital asset?

[Alternatepriorities]

Several years ago I watched a hybrid SUV circle the parking lot looking for a space closer to the door of the gym. I'm always baffled when people spend minutes driving to a closer spot instead of seconds walking from one of the wide open spaces away from the door. A hybrid owner burning gas to avoid walking an extra 100 feet outside on a beautiful day to access the gym just blew my mind...

[forummm]

OT, but I actually new an exotic dancer and she said her implants paid off in under six months. Hell of an investment, that.

Hope she deducted them as a business expense on her taxes    :)

She was Australian. Can you do that in Australia?

How long will they last for? What's the depreciation rate for that type of capital asset?

Actually, that kind of capital asset has a high rate of appreciation.

[WildJager]

Several years ago I watched a hybrid SUV circle the parking lot looking for a space closer to the door of the gym. I'm always baffled when people spend minutes driving to a closer spot instead of seconds walking from one of the wide open spaces away from the door. A hybrid owner burning gas to avoid walking an extra 100 feet outside on a beautiful day to access the gym just blew my mind...

That's one of my few pet peeves if I'm stuck in the car with said driver.  Luckily my usual candidness shames them into parking at the nearest spot before I puke in their fancy leather seats.

[zephyr911]

OT, but I actually new an exotic dancer and she said her implants paid off in under six months. Hell of an investment, that.

Posted months ago in "most anti-Mustachian thing you've ever done", but I contributed the last $500 for a dancer to get a pair. I never heard about the payback period because I realized she wasn't that into me and stopped visiting. *chuckles* when I say I wasted my first decade of adulthood, financially speaking, I mean it....

[fartface]

So...she's 53 and therefore not eligible to withdraw from her 401k w/out a penalty. Assuming at least 28% tax rate + 10% penalty...won't that yield her about $3100?

[MgoSam]

My favorite overheard at the gym story is from about 12 years ago. I was stretching and couldn't help but overhearing two elderly women biking and talking.

A: I found a great website, it has EVERYTHING!
B: That's great! What's it called?
A: Google
B: How do I get to it?
A: I don't know, go to yahoo.com and type in Google.

[Melody]

OT, but I actually new an exotic dancer and she said her implants paid off in under six months. Hell of an investment, that.

Hope she deducted them as a business expense on her taxes    :)

She was Australian. Can you do that in Australia?

Yes you can ha ha. I used to be a tax accountant, entertainers can deduct loads of stuff, make up, clothes etc...

[o2bfree]

So...she's 53 and therefore not eligible to withdraw from her 401k w/out a penalty. Assuming at least 28% tax rate + 10% penalty...won't that yield her about $3100?

The $5k was post-penalty, with I'm pretty sure a 25% tax bracket. Yes, even more shocking.

[Melody]

Went to the gym with someone who I am pretty sure is about my job level or only a little higher at work... $450 box tickets at the football, $700 on two nights accom for a weekend get away... I was like wow... And she doesn't have a boyfriend or hubby. How does she do it? She must be at $0 by every pay day.

[o2bfree]

I've heard several women in the locker room bragging about how much they're spending on a personal trainer. The going rate at my gym seems to be $300-$350 a month. MAYBE I can see one month of training to get your bearings, if working out seems very foreign. But some people I see there have been with their trainer for a year or more.

I guess some people need the motivation of having someone to stand over them and count reps, but man, with all the great info and videos available on the web, you'd think that getting fit while saving hundreds of dollars a month would be motivation enough!

[MgoSam]

I guess some people need the motivation of having someone to stand over them and count reps, but man, with all the great info and videos available on the web, you'd think that getting fit while saving hundreds of dollars a month would be motivation enough!

It's more than just count reps, but yeah. I can see having a trainer for individualized attention and training and tips, and having them there provides added motivation. I have tried working out on my own but wasn't staying on task, so instead I just started Insanity. Didn't have to buy it as I found a friend that had a copy.

[o2bfree]

It's more than just count reps, but yeah.

Yeah, you're right --I was exaggerating some. What I meant was that after awhile you'd get the hang of it, and even have some ideas about how to change up your workout, so the trainer wouldn't be necessary.

Glad you found a workout you enjoy, that's >1/2 the battle, IMO.

[MgoSam]

It's more than just count reps, but yeah.

Yeah, you're right --I was exaggerating some. What I meant was that after awhile you'd get the hang of it, and even have some ideas about how to change up your workout, so the trainer wouldn't be necessary.

Glad you found a workout you enjoy, that's >1/2 the battle, IMO.

Yeah I hear ya. Afterwards, I don't know what I will do, but I would like to learn how to lift weights properly and get a routine down.

[Giro]

I have never paid someone to work out with me, but a partner is worth it!  It's hard to get the last little bit on your own.  I can't get the last rep, so my partner spots me and forces me to do two more.

That's really hard to get on your own.

but yea, you just need to grab someone who is working out at the same time if you don't have a partner. 

[FunkyStickman]

My favorite overheard at the gym story is from about 12 years ago. I was stretching and couldn't help but overhearing two elderly women biking and talking.

A: I found a great website, it has EVERYTHING!
B: That's great! What's it called?
A: Google
B: How do I get to it?
A: I don't know, go to yahoo.com and type in Google.

You talked to my mom at the gym???