Author Topic: Overheard at Work 2  (Read 1113042 times)

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #400 on: February 16, 2019, 02:29:29 PM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

11ducks

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #401 on: February 16, 2019, 03:41:54 PM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

Exactly- adorably dressed baby sits afront giant elaborate cake and is encouraged to smash, squish and face plant into cake by adoring idiots. Expensive photographer records event for posterity.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #402 on: February 16, 2019, 04:32:01 PM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

@TheGrimSqueaker  I'm sorry that you now know about this idiotic trend.  I'm sure the kid gets in trouble later when it sees another cake and naturally tries to smash it.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #403 on: February 16, 2019, 06:03:05 PM »
Millennials now repeat the smash cake thing for their 30th birthday, too. 

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #404 on: February 16, 2019, 06:16:52 PM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

I've seen this done with a homemade cupcake. It's just an adorable photo-op of a 1 year old trying to navigate eating a delicious messy thing. No $200 cake required.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #405 on: February 16, 2019, 07:30:15 PM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

I've seen this done with a homemade cupcake. It's just an adorable photo-op of a 1 year old trying to navigate eating a delicious messy thing. No $200 cake required.

Cupcake and genuine attempt to eat: fine. Wasteful nonsemse characterized by no attempt to eat: horrifying.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #406 on: February 16, 2019, 08:51:03 PM »
One idiot at work bought a new AMG only to sell it due to relo a little more than a year later. $55k down the drain.







Yeah, it was me.

Thanks, I bought it! Saved me $55k!

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #407 on: February 16, 2019, 11:11:40 PM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

I've seen this done with a homemade cupcake. It's just an adorable photo-op of a 1 year old trying to navigate eating a delicious messy thing. No $200 cake required.

Cupcake and genuine attempt to eat: fine. Wasteful nonsemse characterized by no attempt to eat: horrifying.


AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #408 on: February 17, 2019, 02:41:23 AM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

I've seen this done with a homemade cupcake. It's just an adorable photo-op of a 1 year old trying to navigate eating a delicious messy thing. No $200 cake required.

Cupcake and genuine attempt to eat: fine. Wasteful nonsemse characterized by no attempt to eat: horrifying.

I've seen a number of cake smash birthdays for teeny weenies. It's actually pretty cool. You stick this entire cake in front of a wee one, whose little eyes bug out and little hands take whole fist fulls and stuff their mouths. The look on their faces when they realise it's for them is hilarious. To be fair, no one I know would spend $200 on a cake for this purpose. I've put together a few smash cakes - low sugar plain sponge, plain whipped cream filling and decorated with cream and organic colouring, fruit, perhaps some marshmallows. You don't really want a 1 year old eating the amount of sugar and crap in an adult cake. Pretty sure the last one I made cost about $10, max. The last one year old bday I went to descended into a bunch of happy babies on the lawn covering themselves and each other in cream and cake, while giggling grown ups took photos. Best birthday party ever!

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #409 on: February 17, 2019, 04:35:33 PM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

I've seen this done with a homemade cupcake. It's just an adorable photo-op of a 1 year old trying to navigate eating a delicious messy thing. No $200 cake required.

Cupcake and genuine attempt to eat: fine. Wasteful nonsemse characterized by no attempt to eat: horrifying.

I've seen a number of cake smash birthdays for teeny weenies. It's actually pretty cool. You stick this entire cake in front of a wee one, whose little eyes bug out and little hands take whole fist fulls and stuff their mouths. The look on their faces when they realise it's for them is hilarious. To be fair, no one I know would spend $200 on a cake for this purpose. I've put together a few smash cakes - low sugar plain sponge, plain whipped cream filling and decorated with cream and organic colouring, fruit, perhaps some marshmallows. You don't really want a 1 year old eating the amount of sugar and crap in an adult cake. Pretty sure the last one I made cost about $10, max. The last one year old bday I went to descended into a bunch of happy babies on the lawn covering themselves and each other in cream and cake, while giggling grown ups took photos. Best birthday party ever!

Publix offers a free smash cake when you order a regular cake for a first birthday. It is a tiny cake made just for the baby. My girls had them for their first birthdays, and it was cute to watch them taste cake for the first time. They were a mess!  I definitely wouldn't pay $200 for a smash cake though.

merula

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #410 on: February 17, 2019, 06:11:06 PM »
Made my kids smash cakes for their first birthdays, but I'm absolutely willing to eat food my kids have touched and haven't finished, so the actual amount of food wasted was maybe slightly above an average meal for a 1 year old.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #411 on: February 17, 2019, 07:11:41 PM »
Made my kids smash cakes for their first birthdays, but I'm absolutely willing to eat food my kids have touched and haven't finished, so the actual amount of food wasted was maybe slightly above an average meal for a 1 year old.

Yeah, wash their hands, sit them in their high chair, and eat some smooshed cake once they’re done exploring it.  A $200 cake had better be for a wedding!!!

limeandpepper

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #412 on: February 17, 2019, 07:53:42 PM »

My husband had to explain to a coworker what Aldi actually was. The coworker thought it was a "about-to-expire" food discount store.


Nothing wrong with those either!

+1  I eat BETTER when I shop at a discount store. All sorts of fancy stuff I might not usually buy, that cost less than the price of the regular stuff. The store I go to also has a policy that if there's something wrong with the food I can get a refund. So far nothing has been wrong with anything I bought which is great, but it's good to know that I'm covered if that ever happens.

sapphail

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #413 on: February 17, 2019, 09:06:24 PM »
Then he buys a 3 year old Jeep on a 7 year loan for several hundred a month in payments, plus the increase in insurance and such.  WHAT.

Maybe I'm cynical, but my first thought was that it could that be a ploy to keep from being fired? As in, they wouldn't be so heartless as to let me go, now that I have this huge monthly expense?

Linea_Norway

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #414 on: February 18, 2019, 12:01:02 AM »
Some colleagues were drinking coffee together when I arrived at work and switched shoes.

Co-worker 1 (who drives a similar 8 year old Subaru as I do): <mumbles something I cannot hear>
Co-worker 2 (very interested in cars) to co-worker 1: So now you afford new rims for the car. No excuse anymore!

I guess that co-worker 1 had gotten a financial benefit of some kind.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #415 on: February 18, 2019, 12:55:11 AM »
Some colleagues were drinking coffee together when I arrived at work and switched shoes.

Co-worker 1 (who drives a similar 8 year old Subaru as I do): <mumbles something I cannot hear>
Co-worker 2 (very interested in cars) to co-worker 1: So now you afford new rims for the car. No excuse anymore!

I guess that co-worker 1 had gotten a financial benefit of some kind.

Hey check out this fat cat with more than one pair of shoes

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #416 on: February 18, 2019, 06:59:22 AM »
Young employee, metro area, commutes 1 hr+. Wore out their old car. Needs another car to make commute. Can't afford another car. Waiting to see what they choose to do. Hopefully something smart like some sort of cash car and save hard for something better in a year. I offered my suggestion gently.

There are benefits to short commutes, bicycle commutes, etc.

Dicey

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #417 on: February 18, 2019, 11:45:55 AM »
I just went down to HR to ask if I could change my 401k contribution on just my bonus.  I have now learned that not only can I NOT change my 401k contribution for my bonus, bonuses do not contribute to the 401k at all, not even at my current selected contribution rate!!

It was suggested to me to just up my contribution rate for the next couple of regularly scheduled paychecks, when I asked what the max contribution % I was allowed was, HR had to look it up.

The main reason that I wanted to divert most of my bonus to 401k was to stop the standard 50% from being deducted for taxes.  We are expecting something to happen this year that will make our tax liability basically 0 and I don't want to give the IRS an interest free loan.  Even if I up my current contribution rate and decrease what is currently be withheld for taxes (already set pretty low due to expectations) there is still the fact that I am giving the IRS a pretty hefty interest free loan in March that I probably won't get paid back for 12-14 months. I am annoyed!
Sorry if this has been answered. You have two options: change the number of exemptions, or fill out the necessary paperwork to declare yourself exempt from taxation for X amount of time. Just be sure to reset as needed. In my working days, I was on full commission, so even with 10 exemptions (Is this the correct term? Hope so), I got a shitload of money back. On my CPA's advice, i just let it run until I had had as much withheld as I owed the previous year. Then I shut off the tap. Worked great, though HR didn't like it (tough shit). I just used the same letter with a new date every year.

Sugaree

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #418 on: February 18, 2019, 03:51:33 PM »
Made my kids smash cakes for their first birthdays, but I'm absolutely willing to eat food my kids have touched and haven't finished, so the actual amount of food wasted was maybe slightly above an average meal for a 1 year old.

Yeah, wash their hands, sit them in their high chair, and eat some smooshed cake once they’re done exploring it.  A $200 cake had better be for a wedding!!!

Having now done three birthday cakes, I can understand why those cakes you see on Pinterest cost $300+.  The last one I did for my son took 3 days and probably cost $40 in ingredients by the time I made and tinted 6 different shades of marshmallow fondant.  I've had people ask if I sell them, but once every other year is enough for me.

jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #419 on: February 19, 2019, 08:37:43 AM »
I feel so much better about paying $9 for a 5# bag of fancy, organic sprouted wheat flour after reading about $8 Vegemite toast!

This week, as part of a larger story, my co-worker told me her SIL and his wife are having a fight currently because she wanted to spend $200 for a custom "smash cake" for their baby's first birthday.  So like, a cake nobody is even going to eat.

What is a "smash cake"? It sounds like food that will intentionally be destroyed. Is it? If so, the correct amount to spend is zero. Buying food to intentionally destroy it is an abomination given that so many go hungry.

I've seen this done with a homemade cupcake. It's just an adorable photo-op of a 1 year old trying to navigate eating a delicious messy thing. No $200 cake required.

Cupcake and genuine attempt to eat: fine. Wasteful nonsemse characterized by no attempt to eat: horrifying.

I've seen a number of cake smash birthdays for teeny weenies. It's actually pretty cool. You stick this entire cake in front of a wee one, whose little eyes bug out and little hands take whole fist fulls and stuff their mouths. The look on their faces when they realise it's for them is hilarious. To be fair, no one I know would spend $200 on a cake for this purpose. I've put together a few smash cakes - low sugar plain sponge, plain whipped cream filling and decorated with cream and organic colouring, fruit, perhaps some marshmallows. You don't really want a 1 year old eating the amount of sugar and crap in an adult cake. Pretty sure the last one I made cost about $10, max. The last one year old bday I went to descended into a bunch of happy babies on the lawn covering themselves and each other in cream and cake, while giggling grown ups took photos. Best birthday party ever!

Publix offers a free smash cake when you order a regular cake for a first birthday. It is a tiny cake made just for the baby. My girls had them for their first birthdays, and it was cute to watch them taste cake for the first time. They were a mess!  I definitely wouldn't pay $200 for a smash cake though.

Was just about to say this, you beat me to  it.
813 represent!

ALso, if you order a bunch of cupcakes instead of a sheet cake for 1st birthday, they'll bunch together a couple of cupcakes in a separate box for baby smashing.

It's fun to watch, it's not expensive if family and friends get into paparazzi mode with their smartphones and DSLRs. Upload all photos and videos to Google Photos or some cloud shared drive.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #420 on: February 20, 2019, 12:59:46 PM »
Some colleagues were drinking coffee together when I arrived at work and switched shoes.

Co-worker 1 (who drives a similar 8 year old Subaru as I do): <mumbles something I cannot hear>
Co-worker 2 (very interested in cars) to co-worker 1: So now you afford new rims for the car. No excuse anymore!

I guess that co-worker 1 had gotten a financial benefit of some kind.

Hey check out this fat cat with more than one pair of shoes
This made me giggle.

eljefe-speaks

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #421 on: February 21, 2019, 11:16:13 AM »
But on-topic - coworkers were discussing budgeting with the usual "I-can't"-isms, and one of them cited among reasons budgets didn't apply well to their situation was that they keep having changes in their circumstances that throw off their planning: a promotion, a raise... how does MORE income throw off a budget?

Well DUH! A person has to spend all of it. Can't leave any money in the bank account at the end of the month. It gets stale like bread.

Nope. It goes bad like milk. Too bad they don't turn it into tasty cheese.

Fun fact: Cheddar isn't naturally yellow.  They add a food coloring so it will be more visible in case of an airplane crash.

Made me literally LOL. Reference appreciated.

jaylbail

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #422 on: February 22, 2019, 05:08:08 AM »
Manager at work is pushing to get everyone AWS certified. The exam costs about $140, and if you pass, you get a full reimbursement. I've signed up for the exam and a couple of other coworkers are joining me.

Of course, neither of them can sign up for the exam just yet - need to wait for next pay, you see. One of these coworkers only started work six weeks ago, so...okay, fair enough. We're not expecting everyone to be Mustachians, here. But the other's been there for seven months. You make six figures, dude. We all do. How do you not have 140 bucks to spare a week before payday?

Next day, 7-month guy comes in with a $10 bagel for lunch, while I just sit there, eat my meal-prepped spag bol, and try not to have an aneurysm.

jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #423 on: February 22, 2019, 06:14:49 AM »
But on-topic - coworkers were discussing budgeting with the usual "I-can't"-isms, and one of them cited among reasons budgets didn't apply well to their situation was that they keep having changes in their circumstances that throw off their planning: a promotion, a raise... how does MORE income throw off a budget?

Well DUH! A person has to spend all of it. Can't leave any money in the bank account at the end of the month. It gets stale like bread.

Nope. It goes bad like milk. Too bad they don't turn it into tasty cheese.

Fun fact: Cheddar isn't naturally yellow.  They add a food coloring so it will be more visible in case of an airplane crash.

Made me literally LOL. Reference appreciated.

It's a special cheddar. Creates orange foam on contact with ocean water. Hi Viz Cheddar.

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #424 on: February 22, 2019, 08:56:09 AM »
But does it change to blue under certain conditions like high altitude dress shops?

Mesmoiselle

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #425 on: February 22, 2019, 10:26:05 AM »
Millennials now repeat the smash cake thing for their 30th birthday, too.

*Gasp*

We do not! This is the first time this millennial has heard of it!

onlykelsey

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #426 on: February 22, 2019, 12:40:26 PM »
Millennials now repeat the smash cake thing for their 30th birthday, too.

*Gasp*

We do not! This is the first time this millennial has heard of it!
Okay that's actually hilarious.  -a millennial.

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #427 on: February 22, 2019, 01:08:06 PM »
I hadn’t heard of the expression “smash cake” before and I have two littles at home.

Signed: An Old Millenial

CarolinaGirl

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #428 on: February 22, 2019, 01:16:03 PM »
Totally a thing where I live.  My kids are now 14 and 16 and both went to many parties while little where the 1 year old had a smash cake.  The tradition still continues...
« Last Edit: February 22, 2019, 01:20:19 PM by CarolinaGirl »

ixtap

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #429 on: February 22, 2019, 01:21:04 PM »
Totally a thing where I live.  My kids are now 14 and 16 and both went to many parties while little where the 1 year old had a smash cake.  The tradition still continues...

Is this a first child thing or for all the children?

I ask, because anyone who has been around children knows they can make a big enough mess with a cupcake.

TomTX

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #430 on: February 22, 2019, 06:06:02 PM »
Millennials now repeat the smash cake thing for their 30th birthday, too.

*Gasp*

We do not! This is the first time this millennial has heard of it!

I'm going to totally do it for my 50th birthday. And still eat it all.

If I don't forget, of course. ;)

horsepoor

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #431 on: February 22, 2019, 06:09:49 PM »
Manager at work is pushing to get everyone AWS certified. The exam costs about $140, and if you pass, you get a full reimbursement. I've signed up for the exam and a couple of other coworkers are joining me.

Of course, neither of them can sign up for the exam just yet - need to wait for next pay, you see. One of these coworkers only started work six weeks ago, so...okay, fair enough. We're not expecting everyone to be Mustachians, here. But the other's been there for seven months. You make six figures, dude. We all do. How do you not have 140 bucks to spare a week before payday?

Next day, 7-month guy comes in with a $10 bagel for lunch, while I just sit there, eat my meal-prepped spag bol, and try not to have an aneurysm.

Good first post.  It's kind of hard to NOT have $140 when you make 6 figures.  WTF.

Smash cake person has her ailing FIL driving all the way across town on a daily basis in his giant truck to walk her dog, because it is apparently annoying her when she's feeding baby, and she won't hire a dog walker or take it to doggy daycare.

techwiz

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #432 on: February 24, 2019, 04:53:37 PM »
One co-works explaining to another that leasing a car is better than buying one.

Co-worker1 -I am looking at buy this new car.
Co-worker2 -Why make payments for 96 months on a car when you can lease it and get a new one every four years?
Co-worker1 -Yeah you are right 96 months is like 8 years the car will be too old by then.
Co-worker2 -Your payments will be the same and cars last four years with almost everything covered by warrantee.  Getting a new one every four years makes economical sense. 

Me- Biting my tongue and not saying anything......(in my head) WTF! a 8 year car loan...just buy a used car for cash!

Linea_Norway

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #433 on: February 25, 2019, 12:45:53 AM »
I hadn’t heard of the expression “smash cake” before and I have two littles at home.

Signed: An Old Millenial

I didn't know what it was either, and was a bit cautious of the word "smash". And indeed, the baby is supposed to smash it's face in the cake...

https://www.angesdesucre.com/blogs/anges-de-sucre/is-cake-smashing-the-dumbest-cake-trend-ever

I guess the parents need to order an additional cake to serve the guests who come to celebrate the baby's first birthday.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #434 on: February 25, 2019, 07:47:12 AM »
We had a smash cake.  I made it.  The icing melted off before he got to it.  Which is just as well because he hated getting his hands dirty at that time.

martyconlonontherun

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #435 on: February 25, 2019, 07:54:45 AM »
Manager at work is pushing to get everyone AWS certified. The exam costs about $140, and if you pass, you get a full reimbursement. I've signed up for the exam and a couple of other coworkers are joining me.

Of course, neither of them can sign up for the exam just yet - need to wait for next pay, you see. One of these coworkers only started work six weeks ago, so...okay, fair enough. We're not expecting everyone to be Mustachians, here. But the other's been there for seven months. You make six figures, dude. We all do. How do you not have 140 bucks to spare a week before payday?

Next day, 7-month guy comes in with a $10 bagel for lunch, while I just sit there, eat my meal-prepped spag bol, and try not to have an aneurysm.

Good first post.  It's kind of hard to NOT have $140 when you make 6 figures.  WTF.

Smash cake person has her ailing FIL driving all the way across town on a daily basis in his giant truck to walk her dog, because it is apparently annoying her when she's feeding baby, and she won't hire a dog walker or take it to doggy daycare.
Besides the MMW-WTF, can't he/she just pay on a card and would get reimbursed by the time the card is due?

But yea, it really has to be hard to make/spend that much to be living pay check to pay check. With that much spending, you think it would just collapse quicker.

jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #436 on: February 25, 2019, 08:29:39 AM »
Manager at work is pushing to get everyone AWS certified. The exam costs about $140, and if you pass, you get a full reimbursement. I've signed up for the exam and a couple of other coworkers are joining me.

Of course, neither of them can sign up for the exam just yet - need to wait for next pay, you see. One of these coworkers only started work six weeks ago, so...okay, fair enough. We're not expecting everyone to be Mustachians, here. But the other's been there for seven months. You make six figures, dude. We all do. How do you not have 140 bucks to spare a week before payday?

Next day, 7-month guy comes in with a $10 bagel for lunch, while I just sit there, eat my meal-prepped spag bol, and try not to have an aneurysm.

Good first post.  It's kind of hard to NOT have $140 when you make 6 figures.  WTF.

Smash cake person has her ailing FIL driving all the way across town on a daily basis in his giant truck to walk her dog, because it is apparently annoying her when she's feeding baby, and she won't hire a dog walker or take it to doggy daycare.
Besides the MMW-WTF, can't he/she just pay on a card and would get reimbursed by the time the card is due?

But yea, it really has to be hard to make/spend that much to be living pay check to pay check. With that much spending, you think it would just collapse quicker.

I have a couple of AWS associate certs. It cost me $10-15 for each Udemy/ACloudGuru course, $20 in Whizlabs practice tests, and $150 for the exam. I charged the exam time to my company, and was reimbursed for training and test expenses. We get a $5k annual training allowance per employee, so everything comes from that pot. Even AWS conferences/summits/local events. Or if you're on an Azure-related assignment, then the same applies to attend Microsoft Ignite.

Right now I have a company-paid annual subscription to Linux Academy to help me prepare for an AWS pro exam.

I've turned down corporate recruiters (I don't deal with the 3rd party staffing firms) if there's no training budget. If they claim it is, I make sure it is written into the employment contract. If they balk at this, I gracefully exit the call.

Everything I learn directly impacts the customer's success and in turn my employer's. It's a win-win-win.

At some point, how much the employer is willing to pay is not the main factor. It's the work and the training and camaraderie that matters. I've turned down offers for 10k+ more just for these reasons.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #437 on: February 25, 2019, 08:34:19 PM »
A colleague is moving house soon.

She asked me if I thought she should buy plastic tubs ($8 each) because "they're almost the same price as buying moving boxes" ($4 each).

1. $8 is not "almost the same price" as $4.
2. Paying for plastic tubs or paying for new cardboard boxes are not the only two options. I suggested she could buy second-hand boxes from a moving company, or look online for freebies. I even found a set of 50 moving boxes for free less than 20km from her place. She said it would cost too much in fuel.

I looked at a moving house calculator online. For her size house and level of stuff, it estimated 140 boxes. That would be $1120 worth of plastic tubs.

I just mentioned that we have a heap of spare bubble wrap, packing peanuts, newspaper, etc, in the office if she's interested. "Nah, I'll just buy bubble wrap and butcher paper."

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #438 on: February 25, 2019, 09:39:01 PM »
Seems like her mind is already made up and she really isn't worrying about the cost of fuel.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #439 on: February 25, 2019, 10:57:00 PM »
Seems like her mind is already made up and she really isn't worrying about the cost of fuel.

Exactly. She wasn't asking for my opinion; she just wanted me to agree with her.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #440 on: February 26, 2019, 12:56:22 AM »
A colleague is moving house soon.

She asked me if I thought she should buy plastic tubs ($8 each) because "they're almost the same price as buying moving boxes" ($4 each).

1. $8 is not "almost the same price" as $4.
2. Paying for plastic tubs or paying for new cardboard boxes are not the only two options. I suggested she could buy second-hand boxes from a moving company, or look online for freebies. I even found a set of 50 moving boxes for free less than 20km from her place. She said it would cost too much in fuel.

I looked at a moving house calculator online. For her size house and level of stuff, it estimated 140 boxes. That would be $1120 worth of plastic tubs.

I just mentioned that we have a heap of spare bubble wrap, packing peanuts, newspaper, etc, in the office if she's interested. "Nah, I'll just buy bubble wrap and butcher paper."

The last 2 times I moved, I got boxes for free, from work or from a neighbour. The first time I bought a pile of el cheapo boxes that were a good bargain.

One issue to consider nowadays with moving boxes, even official ones, are grey silverfish (Ctenolepisma longicaudata). In Norway many houses are now affected with these critters and they come in with carton boxes. They are difficult, if not impossible to remove from your house and your house might not be equally attractive for new buyers.

Some plastic crates can come in super handy, if you want to use them for storage later. We use those boxes for tools, camping gear and some other stuff. But not 140 of them.

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #441 on: February 26, 2019, 09:39:28 AM »
Last time we moved we slowly collected cardboard moving boxes from our work. I even asked the janitor who was happy to hand some off to me. Those boxes are nicer than the ones you can buy because they have a nice closing design on the top. The best thing is that my husband packaged them up ten at a time and made a little $ after the move selling then on Craigslist!

Kahooli

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #442 on: February 26, 2019, 03:40:34 PM »
A colleague is moving house soon.

She asked me if I thought she should buy plastic tubs ($8 each) because "they're almost the same price as buying moving boxes" ($4 each).

1. $8 is not "almost the same price" as $4.
2. Paying for plastic tubs or paying for new cardboard boxes are not the only two options. I suggested she could buy second-hand boxes from a moving company, or look online for freebies. I even found a set of 50 moving boxes for free less than 20km from her place. She said it would cost too much in fuel.

I looked at a moving house calculator online. For her size house and level of stuff, it estimated 140 boxes. That would be $1120 worth of plastic tubs.

I just mentioned that we have a heap of spare bubble wrap, packing peanuts, newspaper, etc, in the office if she's interested. "Nah, I'll just buy bubble wrap and butcher paper."

The last 2 times I moved, I got boxes for free, from work or from a neighbour. The first time I bought a pile of el cheapo boxes that were a good bargain.

One issue to consider nowadays with moving boxes, even official ones, are grey silverfish (Ctenolepisma longicaudata). In Norway many houses are now affected with these critters and they come in with carton boxes. They are difficult, if not impossible to remove from your house and your house might not be equally attractive for new buyers.

Some plastic crates can come in super handy, if you want to use them for storage later. We use those boxes for tools, camping gear and some other stuff. But not 140 of them.
I'll take silverfish over bedbugs any day.
I don't use anything second-hand that I can't sterilize.

bluebelle

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #443 on: February 26, 2019, 04:56:35 PM »
Seems like her mind is already made up and she really isn't worrying about the cost of fuel.

Exactly. She wasn't asking for my opinion; she just wanted me to agree with her.

BTDretire

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #444 on: February 27, 2019, 11:31:06 AM »
HUD, if your dad is older he may watch more tv.  We never had it when raising the kids but have it now in our 60’s.  We watch tv more than we used to when working. We pay 200 for cable, internet and house phone. If we let the house phone go it’s more expensive.
Get a firestick and learn how to load some Apps on it. (use youtube videos)
Apps aften called APKs on the android (Firestick like boxes.)
You will get way more stations than you get on cable.
I pay $45 for my internet (60Mbs) and have three Apps.
These three are plenty for us, Mobdro, Cyberflix and PlutoTV,
oh, also have Amazon Prime but only use it occasionally.
 It's a different style of watching, you need to pick what you watch, not just flip channels.
  You'd save $1,800 a year to spend on other things.

Sugaree

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #445 on: February 27, 2019, 11:56:29 AM »
HUD, if your dad is older he may watch more tv.  We never had it when raising the kids but have it now in our 60’s.  We watch tv more than we used to when working. We pay 200 for cable, internet and house phone. If we let the house phone go it’s more expensive.
Get a firestick and learn how to load some Apps on it. (use youtube videos)
Apps aften called APKs on the android (Firestick like boxes.)
You will get way more stations than you get on cable.
I pay $45 for my internet (60Mbs) and have three Apps.
These three are plenty for us, Mobdro, Cyberflix and PlutoTV,
oh, also have Amazon Prime but only use it occasionally.
 It's a different style of watching, you need to pick what you watch, not just flip channels.
  You'd save $1,800 a year to spend on other things.

I've been considering PlutoTV.  How do you like it?

10dollarsatatime

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #446 on: February 27, 2019, 01:47:09 PM »
One of my employees... No rent, although I think he recently started paying the electric bill.  No transportation costs.  He lives less than two blocks from work, so he walks.  Still spends every penny he makes, usually on electronics and fast food.  Makes me sad.  At some point his benefactor will pass away and I'm not sure how he'll survive.

haflander

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #447 on: February 27, 2019, 01:50:40 PM »
... Mobdro, Cyberflix and PlutoTV ...

Would love to hear more about these. Are they free? Where does the content come from? What kind of content is available? Is it legal? Do I need a VPN? Is there a primer somewhere?

Maybe we could start a new thread.

+1

BTDretire

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #448 on: February 27, 2019, 02:02:49 PM »

But then she starts telling us about her extended warranty, gap coverage, and how her payments are only $455 a month.

  Getting old must throw off a persons frame of reference.
 My first mortgage was $336 a month with a mortgage interest rate of
13.75%, including taxes, insurance, and PMI.

Ya, sorry about the PMI, but not really, I got layed off exactly one month
after the closing, glad I didn't use all my savings on the down payment.
 No, I didn't see the layoff coming.

hudsoncat

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #449 on: February 27, 2019, 03:21:53 PM »
Two co-workers were discussing car woes. Both drive cars that are 9 years old. CW1 is thinking about a new car because her spouse bought a (new to them) car and she wants something newer now too. CW2 has a car that over the last few months has been costing a lot of work. I'm sitting at the same table with them at lunch and I have worked with them for years for context as to why I butted into their conversation.

CW1: Did you get your car back [from the mechanic]?
CW2: yes. It's running fine now. But I'm still looking for a new car. I've averaged out our spending over the last 6 months to about $200 per month. That's basically a car payment!
CW1: Yes. I have been looking too. It's not fair that [spouse] drives around in a such a nicer car than mine.
CW2: Cars are so expensive to maintain though. I'm thinking about leasing this time.
CW1: Yeah, I like the peace of mind from a lease.
Me: Leasing is almost never fiscally smart in the long run. Really run those numbers, especially since you have 90+ mile daily commute (roundtrip for CW2). I'd imagine those miles would add up fast.
CW2: Probably, but those miles would be a lot more fun in a brand new car!
CW1: I agree. Can you send me any information you find? I need to convince [spouse]!

While certainly not to this board's standards, I would generally have considered both of these co-workers reasonably fiscally responsible. They drove older cars and usually bring their lunches from home... I hope that research will also telling them leasing is a bad idea, but I got the sense they were looking for information to support a decision already made.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2019, 07:08:33 PM by hudsoncat »