Author Topic: Overheard at Work 2  (Read 1113015 times)

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #700 on: May 10, 2019, 06:52:35 PM »
For each of the past 4 (or so) years, my wife and I have discussed setting aside $$$ of our yearly budget to upgrade our 10 year old (bought-used 8 years ago) monstrosity of a TV.

This past Christmas we noticed some boxing week sales (week after Xmas for non-Canadians) so went to check them out. Ended up buying a 55 inch 4K Firefox app included TV and it is fucking glorious. Especially for watching hockey. Aaaand I could see what was going on during the pitch black GoT episode a couple weeks ago.

The best part: it was only 500 bucks!! (the smaller 50 inch was $600)

I feel like that was a pretty damned good mustachian purchase of a non-mustachian product. I'll call it a draw.

Tv has definitely advanced in the last decade (at a value price point) but I think the incremental advantages of upgrading every year are pretty much zero.  If you keep this one for another decade you’ll probably be very happy with your next upgrade

Totally! Upgrading a TV every year is insane. There's a 0.0% chance that happens here.
I.just.can't.even........
our 'good' TV, which I was thinking was pretty new, is actually 6.5 years old (I just did the 'math') and it might be older than that.....I wasn't tracking that closely back then.   And we have no immediate plans to replace it....when it dies, we'll start looking....and come to think of it the salesman said they last about 5 years (which doesn't seem like a great testimony to their quality)
These things are designed to have exactly the life that people are willing to pay for. If everyone wanted and needed a television to last for 15 years and were willing to pay for that higher quality, you can be sure the market would respond. What is the point of making something that last for 15 years if most customers will replace it after 3? That would be a waste of resources.

penguintroopers

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #701 on: May 10, 2019, 09:32:03 PM »
We got a television ten years ago as part of a marital compromise. ;) We chose this something-something model that to my eyes looked stunning. The Planet Earth episodes on that screen were a delight.

We still have the same device and I still think it looks great (every month or two when we have a chance to sit down and watch something). No need to go look at new models to see what has advanced if I’m still happy. Comparison is the thief of joy and all that.

For Christmas two years ago, I gifted my husband half of a new TV we got on a black Friday sale. Strangely enough, he gifted me half a TV for Christmas too!

And to continue the trend, the TV it replaced was somewhere in the 8 year old range. We jumped straight from 720p to 4k.

horsepoor

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #702 on: May 10, 2019, 10:40:00 PM »
\....and come to think of it the salesman said they last about 5 years (which doesn't seem like a great testimony to their quality)

That's probably based on watching like 40 hours a week of TV or something.  If you run it less, it should last longer.  My husband watches a lot of TV in my opinion (and turns it on for background noise, much to my chagrin) and the LG flat screen we have is going on 10 years with no issues.

Glad the original TV guy here has other hobbies.  But what will he do when his current house can no longer accommodate the television upgrades?  Need a bigger house for that 80" TV!  However, I find it hard to believe that he isn't watching quite a bit to be bothered by the things you say that he's noted as reasons for needing new TVs.  I actually don't even understand any of it.  Beyond DVR, which is the only thing that makes watching any TV at all tolerable, I guess we don't need ours to do anything special.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2019, 08:05:45 AM by horsepoor »

Nederstash

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #703 on: May 11, 2019, 06:38:27 AM »
My TV collects dust most of the time, except for the occasional movie. I don't have cable but I hook up my laptop with a HDMI cable for a bigger screen.
 
One friend has been gushing about the newest 4k whatever model... insisting I should get one myself because 'it's so much sharper! The quality is so much better!'

Listen dude I haven't upgraded my contact lens prescription in years, I doubt I'll notice the difference.

LennStar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #704 on: May 11, 2019, 09:59:24 AM »
\....and come to think of it the salesman said they last about 5 years (which doesn't seem like a great testimony to their quality)

That's probably based on watching like 40 hours a week of TV or something.  If you run it less, it should last longer.  My husband watches a lot of TV in my opinion (and turns it on for background noise, much to my chagrin) and the LG flat screen we have is going on 10 years with no issues.

Mine is 12 years I think. The replacement for the CRT type TV.
Yes, there is a visible difference to modern TVs in color. But it is still sharp with HD stuff and I have a color deficiency anyway ;)

TVs are not breaking because of the screen. Don't forget is is basically the same technic that made pocket calculators 30 years ago that are still going.
Most TVs break down because of some tiny piece of electronics (like a capacitator) that cannot stand heat and is "inexplicable" placed near a heat source.
You can fairly confident say how many hours it takes for that piece to break based on qualitiy and placing.
That is where the 5 years come from.
For the average user.
If you watch only 1/10 of the average user it might not work 10 times longer, but certainly you get more years out of it.

"TVs" that break down because of the screen has reached the end of life time you can only find at airports, train stations and such like. The huge electronic time tables. They run 24/7 with basically the same picture always and a very high light capacity. If I remember right the German railway company changes them every 4 years, because they are burnt out - which does not mean that they are unusable, mind you. Just that the risk of them getting broken has increased so much that the cost for emergency repairs is bigger than simply replacing them on a regular, planned interval.
 
Now you can, if you want, calculate how long a TV screen can go if you run it 1 hour a day with far less demanding usage.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2019, 10:03:00 AM by LennStar »

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #705 on: May 11, 2019, 10:04:40 AM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

horsepoor

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #706 on: May 11, 2019, 01:40:21 PM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

Haven't noticed.  Our TV is almost literally gaslighting us.

geekette

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #707 on: May 11, 2019, 02:03:41 PM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

Wow, our TV is just fine, and we bought it in 2006.  For as much as we paid way back then, I hope it lasts a lot longer. 

Fomerly known as something

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #708 on: May 12, 2019, 06:24:16 AM »
Most goods I ball park by where I lived when I bought them.  My TV was bought while I was in Georgia so at least 6 years old probably more like 8, I guess I'll be replacing it "soon."

TomTX

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #709 on: May 12, 2019, 07:04:34 AM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

Haven't noticed.  Our TV is almost literally gaslighting us.

My plasma still looks lovely. Even new LCD screens at Costco don't look great by comparison.

OLED look like a suitable eventual replacement - in the far future, as prices are still ridiculous.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #710 on: May 12, 2019, 01:34:14 PM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

Haven't noticed.  Our TV is almost literally gaslighting us.

Curious how much you use it.  I have a 14 year old laptop that I keep around for reasons and it’s definitely noticeable at this point.  But I put in many hours of use everyday on that thing.

Brightness fade is also something that’s hard to confirm unless you happen to have a brand new tv of the same model that you can compare side by side.  I have some LED can lights that I didn’t notice the slight dimness until I had to replace one with a spare that hadn’t been used. 

JLee

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #711 on: May 12, 2019, 04:45:07 PM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

Haven't noticed.  Our TV is almost literally gaslighting us.

My plasma still looks lovely. Even new LCD screens at Costco don't look great by comparison.

OLED look like a suitable eventual replacement - in the far future, as prices are still ridiculous.

Comparable to plasmas back in the day, though.

AMandM

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #712 on: May 12, 2019, 08:55:50 PM »
Most goods I ball park by where I lived when I bought them.  My TV was bought while I was in Georgia so at least 6 years old probably more like 8, I guess I'll be replacing it "soon."

Our TV was inherited from my grandmother, and she died in 2011. I don't know how long she had had it before then. We use it once or twice a month for a family movie night, so I doubt it will wear out for a very long time.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #713 on: May 12, 2019, 09:29:55 PM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

Haven't noticed.  Our TV is almost literally gaslighting us.

Curious how much you use it.  I have a 14 year old laptop that I keep around for reasons and it’s definitely noticeable at this point.  But I put in many hours of use everyday on that thing.

Brightness fade is also something that’s hard to confirm unless you happen to have a brand new tv of the same model that you can compare side by side.  I have some LED can lights that I didn’t notice the slight dimness until I had to replace one with a spare that hadn’t been used.

Umm, maybe it's on 2-3 hours a day on weekdays and 5 on weekends?  Sometimes less, since H is the main TV watcher (I probably watched 2 hours when he was gone for three weeks - this is why any new TV purchase is on him).

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #714 on: May 13, 2019, 01:47:43 PM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

Haven't noticed.  Our TV is almost literally gaslighting us.

Curious how much you use it.  I have a 14 year old laptop that I keep around for reasons and it’s definitely noticeable at this point.  But I put in many hours of use everyday on that thing.

Brightness fade is also something that’s hard to confirm unless you happen to have a brand new tv of the same model that you can compare side by side.  I have some LED can lights that I didn’t notice the slight dimness until I had to replace one with a spare that hadn’t been used.
A laptop of that age may have fluorescent tubes, which actually *can* be replaced!  (I used to do just that about 10 years ago as a side hustle).

I've discovered a trick with LED light bulbs to extend their life--some bulbs can be effectively downrated by popping off the diffuser and removing one of two resistors from the PCB, effectively turning a 60W-equivalent bulb into a 30W-equivalent.  You kind of have to know what you're doing, though, and a lot of bulbs aren't arranged in a way that makes it easy.  Most recently, I did it for the bulbs for our bathroom vanity.  I believe they were Sylvania brand.  I did the same thing for the bulbs in our night stand lamps--I couldn't find 25W-equivalent bulbs at the hardware store, so I snipped a pair of 40W bulbs.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #715 on: May 14, 2019, 12:45:55 AM »
The backlight will definitely fade over time (led or fluorescent).  I’d guess 80% brightness after five years regular usage is not a bad ballpark.  It’s still usable, but that’s the point it will become more noticeable

Haven't noticed.  Our TV is almost literally gaslighting us.

Curious how much you use it.  I have a 14 year old laptop that I keep around for reasons and it’s definitely noticeable at this point.  But I put in many hours of use everyday on that thing.

Brightness fade is also something that’s hard to confirm unless you happen to have a brand new tv of the same model that you can compare side by side.  I have some LED can lights that I didn’t notice the slight dimness until I had to replace one with a spare that hadn’t been used.
A laptop of that age may have fluorescent tubes, which actually *can* be replaced!  (I used to do just that about 10 years ago as a side hustle).

I've discovered a trick with LED light bulbs to extend their life--some bulbs can be effectively downrated by popping off the diffuser and removing one of two resistors from the PCB, effectively turning a 60W-equivalent bulb into a 30W-equivalent.  You kind of have to know what you're doing, though, and a lot of bulbs aren't arranged in a way that makes it easy.  Most recently, I did it for the bulbs for our bathroom vanity.  I believe they were Sylvania brand.  I did the same thing for the bulbs in our night stand lamps--I couldn't find 25W-equivalent bulbs at the hardware store, so I snipped a pair of 40W bulbs.

The old laptop is definitely fluorescent, but at this point it’s not worth replacing as I mostly run it headless.

Interesting about the bulbs but what’s the downside of just dimming them?  The expense of the dimmer or is dimming harder on the driver circuit?

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #716 on: May 14, 2019, 06:13:50 AM »
My boss asked during the lunch break which car insurance she would buy.
One insurance package would cost 300$ extra to give both of her teenage daughters access to drive both cars.
The other package would cost less, but had an own share of 2000$ in case of damage.

I asked whether she could not just give the daughters access to only one of the cars. But she said it should be nice for them to be able to drive both cars. She also said she didn't have 2000$ in case of a damage.

I really have the impression that my boss has a tight economy. She should be the best paid person in our department.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #717 on: May 14, 2019, 06:50:07 AM »
My boss asked during the lunch break which car insurance she would buy.
One insurance package would cost 300$ extra to give both of her teenage daughters access to drive both cars.
The other package would cost less, but had an own share of 2000$ in case of damage.

I asked whether she could not just give the daughters access to only one of the cars. But she said it should be nice for them to be able to drive both cars. She also said she didn't have 2000$ in case of a damage.

I really have the impression that my boss has a tight economy. She should be the best paid person in our department.

So she can't afford $2000 for an accident but she can afford $4000/yr in additional insurance???? Am I missing something here?

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #718 on: May 14, 2019, 07:16:30 AM »
My boss asked during the lunch break which car insurance she would buy.
One insurance package would cost 300$ extra to give both of her teenage daughters access to drive both cars.
The other package would cost less, but had an own share of 2000$ in case of damage.

I asked whether she could not just give the daughters access to only one of the cars. But she said it should be nice for them to be able to drive both cars. She also said she didn't have 2000$ in case of a damage.

I really have the impression that my boss has a tight economy. She should be the best paid person in our department.

So she can't afford $2000 for an accident but she can afford $4000/yr in additional insurance???? Am I missing something here?

Yes, you are missing the stupid gene. :)

Linea_Norway

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #719 on: May 14, 2019, 07:20:27 AM »
My boss asked during the lunch break which car insurance she would buy.
One insurance package would cost 300$ extra to give both of her teenage daughters access to drive both cars.
The other package would cost less, but had an own share of 2000$ in case of damage.

I asked whether she could not just give the daughters access to only one of the cars. But she said it should be nice for them to be able to drive both cars. She also said she didn't have 2000$ in case of a damage.

I really have the impression that my boss has a tight economy. She should be the best paid person in our department.

So she can't afford $2000 for an accident but she can afford $4000/yr in additional insurance???? Am I missing something here?

No, can't afford 2000$ in case of an accident. Can afford 300$ per year, but complains that it is expensive.

talltexan

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #720 on: May 14, 2019, 07:25:46 AM »
It might not be one $2,000 accident. One of my close friends had three accidents the day he turned 16.

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #721 on: May 14, 2019, 07:53:05 AM »
Overheard at work, epic stupidity oh my FUCKING god.

"Oh, raising children is SO EXPENSIVE, I don't know how anyone does it, etc etc etc.", from someone whose family income is AT LEAST 120K/year (CAD).

Further clarification:
- Can't pay the 8$/day school daycare fee for post-school care for 3 kids, instead pays 300$/week for the post-school nanny.
- The kids (8, 6, and 6) can't POSSIBLY do chores or vacuum or fold laundry or change sheets or help out. Cleaning lady, 150$/week (note: I also have a cleaning person: 80$ every 2 weeks, and we do the in-between work, because it's a balance between sanity and money. I also don't whine about it to my colleagues because it's my choice and I live with it).
- THE SKI. OH MY FUCKING GOD. They're part of a rich-snotty-kid ski club and have related equipemnt purchases and family ski passes and it's 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR. POST-TAX. I was just like... you're aware that cross-country is an option, right?

... For the record: I track my kid-related spending in YNAB (not the extra food, but the stuff specifically for them). Clothes, gifts, swim classes, gear, new car seats, etc - we're looking at an average under 250/month. Which, sure, not cheap (and we could cut it down if we needed), but definitely not utterly outrageous.

Sugaree

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #722 on: May 14, 2019, 08:24:35 AM »
My boss asked during the lunch break which car insurance she would buy.
One insurance package would cost 300$ extra to give both of her teenage daughters access to drive both cars.
The other package would cost less, but had an own share of 2000$ in case of damage.

I asked whether she could not just give the daughters access to only one of the cars. But she said it should be nice for them to be able to drive both cars. She also said she didn't have 2000$ in case of a damage.

I really have the impression that my boss has a tight economy. She should be the best paid person in our department.

Depending on the insurance company, this may not be possible.  In the US anyway, a lot of insurance companies want to have every licensed driver listed for every covered car.  They assume that everyone will have access to all the keys.  I've even heard of some companies wanting to list platonic roommates.

cloudsail

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #723 on: May 14, 2019, 08:45:48 AM »
Overheard at work, epic stupidity oh my FUCKING god.

"Oh, raising children is SO EXPENSIVE, I don't know how anyone does it, etc etc etc.", from someone whose family income is AT LEAST 120K/year (CAD).

Further clarification:
- Can't pay the 8$/day school daycare fee for post-school care for 3 kids, instead pays 300$/week for the post-school nanny.
- The kids (8, 6, and 6) can't POSSIBLY do chores or vacuum or fold laundry or change sheets or help out. Cleaning lady, 150$/week (note: I also have a cleaning person: 80$ every 2 weeks, and we do the in-between work, because it's a balance between sanity and money. I also don't whine about it to my colleagues because it's my choice and I live with it).
- THE SKI. OH MY FUCKING GOD. They're part of a rich-snotty-kid ski club and have related equipemnt purchases and family ski passes and it's 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR. POST-TAX. I was just like... you're aware that cross-country is an option, right?

... For the record: I track my kid-related spending in YNAB (not the extra food, but the stuff specifically for them). Clothes, gifts, swim classes, gear, new car seats, etc - we're looking at an average under 250/month. Which, sure, not cheap (and we could cut it down if we needed), but definitely not utterly outrageous.

Wait, so 10% of their income goes to ski club?? O.O

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #724 on: May 14, 2019, 10:06:42 AM »
The old laptop is definitely fluorescent, but at this point it’s not worth replacing as I mostly run it headless.

Interesting about the bulbs but what’s the downside of just dimming them?  The expense of the dimmer or is dimming harder on the driver circuit?
The downside is that our lamps don't have dimmers, or dimmers cost money (and take a little time to install), or dimmers get bumped and go too high or too low.  Yeah, these are first world problems, but it doesn't take much time to modify the bulbs.

The other package would cost less, but had an own share of 2000$ in case of damage.
FYI, at least in the US, the "own share" is called a "deductible," i.e. the insurance company deducts this amount from the total cost of repairs.

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #725 on: May 14, 2019, 10:47:49 AM »
Overheard at work, epic stupidity oh my FUCKING god.

"Oh, raising children is SO EXPENSIVE, I don't know how anyone does it, etc etc etc.", from someone whose family income is AT LEAST 120K/year (CAD).

Further clarification:
- Can't pay the 8$/day school daycare fee for post-school care for 3 kids, instead pays 300$/week for the post-school nanny.
- The kids (8, 6, and 6) can't POSSIBLY do chores or vacuum or fold laundry or change sheets or help out. Cleaning lady, 150$/week (note: I also have a cleaning person: 80$ every 2 weeks, and we do the in-between work, because it's a balance between sanity and money. I also don't whine about it to my colleagues because it's my choice and I live with it).
- THE SKI. OH MY FUCKING GOD. They're part of a rich-snotty-kid ski club and have related equipemnt purchases and family ski passes and it's 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR. POST-TAX. I was just like... you're aware that cross-country is an option, right?

... For the record: I track my kid-related spending in YNAB (not the extra food, but the stuff specifically for them). Clothes, gifts, swim classes, gear, new car seats, etc - we're looking at an average under 250/month. Which, sure, not cheap (and we could cut it down if we needed), but definitely not utterly outrageous.

Wait, so 10% of their income goes to ski club?? O.O
That's exactly what I'd say to them, too!

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #726 on: May 14, 2019, 10:55:45 AM »
Overheard at work, epic stupidity oh my FUCKING god.

"Oh, raising children is SO EXPENSIVE, I don't know how anyone does it, etc etc etc.", from someone whose family income is AT LEAST 120K/year (CAD).

Further clarification:
- Can't pay the 8$/day school daycare fee for post-school care for 3 kids, instead pays 300$/week for the post-school nanny.
- The kids (8, 6, and 6) can't POSSIBLY do chores or vacuum or fold laundry or change sheets or help out. Cleaning lady, 150$/week (note: I also have a cleaning person: 80$ every 2 weeks, and we do the in-between work, because it's a balance between sanity and money. I also don't whine about it to my colleagues because it's my choice and I live with it).
- THE SKI. OH MY FUCKING GOD. They're part of a rich-snotty-kid ski club and have related equipemnt purchases and family ski passes and it's 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR. POST-TAX. I was just like... you're aware that cross-country is an option, right?

... For the record: I track my kid-related spending in YNAB (not the extra food, but the stuff specifically for them). Clothes, gifts, swim classes, gear, new car seats, etc - we're looking at an average under 250/month. Which, sure, not cheap (and we could cut it down if we needed), but definitely not utterly outrageous.

Wait, so 10% of their income goes to ski club?? O.O
That's exactly what I'd say to them, too!

According to a quick back-of-envelope calculation, a 120K income leaves around 85K after taxes and supplemental health insurance (Quebec, and she's on my family health insurance so I know how much she pays). 

So technically 14% of the family income goes to 4 months of weekend activities for children under 10.

OMFG, y'all, that's more than my mortgage. And I have a 5-bedroom house on 2 acres of land, near a lake!!

Edit to add: that 300/week of after-school childcare works out to 15K a year, on top of that. Plus the cleaning/folding laundry/bed-sheet-changing services, add another 7-8K.

So that's 1/3 of your take-home pay out, and you haven't even touched cars (2, on payment plans, and they commute separately), house (large-ish, in an expensive town half an hour away from where they both work), food (pre-made, neither cooks), clothes (all new, Banana Republic on the low end, designer rubber boots for rain days, etc)...

.. yeah. No wonder she's complaining about being broke. OMFG. I'm just... boggled.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2019, 10:59:18 AM by Kitsune »

cloudsail

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #727 on: May 14, 2019, 11:11:03 AM »
We paid about $10,000 last year for one of my autistic son's therapies. And I'm stopping it next month because I feel like we've reached the point of diminishing returns, such that it is no longer worth the cost. And we make way more than Kitsune's coworker. I just.... can't even imagine.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #728 on: May 14, 2019, 11:17:34 AM »
"Oh, raising children spoiled ski bunnies is SO EXPENSIVE

Well, that's true.

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #729 on: May 14, 2019, 11:18:47 AM »
We paid about $10,000 last year for one of my autistic son's therapies. And I'm stopping it next month because I feel like we've reached the point of diminishing returns, such that it is no longer worth the cost. And we make way more than Kitsune's coworker. I just.... can't even imagine.

For me, one of the points of saving money is that if (for example) one of my kids was autistic and needed therapy, I could pay for what's needed without a second thought. Because it's important, so kudos to you for doing it.

DadJokes

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #730 on: May 14, 2019, 11:24:20 AM »
I automatically want to facepunch anyone who says children are expensive.

Obvious exception if the children are not healthy

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #731 on: May 14, 2019, 11:34:29 AM »
Not sure WHY these people share so much about themselves when they make such terrible choices but from an educational standpoint - thank you to them...

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #732 on: May 14, 2019, 12:07:54 PM »
I automatically want to facepunch anyone who says children are expensive.

Obvious exception if the children are not healthy
Childcare for my kids is expensive, but less expensive than the opportunity cost of one of us not working.

But I agree with your point. After childcare our largest child-related expense was college savings, until we decided to just front load and stop the monthly contributions.

CoffeeR

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #733 on: May 14, 2019, 12:23:05 PM »
Comparable to plasmas back in the day, though.
I really liked plasma's and I do not understand why they did not survive the market. My 50in 2006 plasma tv (my only tv) has developed a horizontal pixel line. My earlier self would have replaced the unit in no time flat. My present self... well it's amazing what you end up getting used to :-). I will replace it, sooner or later.

Cassie

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #734 on: May 14, 2019, 03:05:40 PM »
On the west coast skiing is very popular and some people do it for life. However, there is a nonprofit ski club that families can join so it’s affordable for a average family. It looks too me like she is using the most expensive option for everything which is stupid.   

economista

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #735 on: May 14, 2019, 03:25:53 PM »

Depending on the insurance company, this may not be possible.  In the US anyway, a lot of insurance companies want to have every licensed driver listed for every covered car.  They assume that everyone will have access to all the keys.  I've even heard of some companies wanting to list platonic roommates.

It's not just every licensed driver, it can be every adult. My husband is blind and doesn't even have a driver's license but I am still required to have him listed on my car insurance since my profile says I am married. It works out because the decrease in premium due to being married is larger than the increase in premium for having him covered, but it still boggles my mind. Every time I have to renew I end up needed to call into customer service because the online system won't let me submit anything without inputting his license number (which he doesn't have).

accountingteacher

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #736 on: May 14, 2019, 08:14:48 PM »
Not sure WHY these people share so much about themselves when they make such terrible choices but from an educational standpoint - thank you to them...

They think it's humble-bragging.  They have no idea what they are actually revealing.

merula

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #737 on: May 15, 2019, 05:21:56 AM »
It's not just every licensed driver, it can be every adult. My husband is blind and doesn't even have a driver's license but I am still required to have him listed on my car insurance since my profile says I am married. It works out because the decrease in premium due to being married is larger than the increase in premium for having him covered, but it still boggles my mind. Every time I have to renew I end up needed to call into customer service because the online system won't let me submit anything without inputting his license number (which he doesn't have).

Check your policy. It's probably because the coverage form says that all household members are covered when driving any vehicle. Probably the insurance company thinks it's as dumb as you do, but is hamstrung by insurance regulation or adverse case law in your state and here's where we all ended up.

-An insurance professional who thinks lots of parts of my industry are dumb.

Hunny156

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #738 on: May 15, 2019, 12:32:12 PM »
Cube mate just recently bought a brand new house, and has been actively spending money to furnish it, mostly using a designer to assist with picking stuff out.  ALL of it is very expensive.

Her son had picked out a storage bed on WayFair that has been OOS for the past 6 weeks, and Mom is tired of waiting for it to come back in stock.  Son is not complaining.

So today she picked a queen headboard/frame for him from Living Spaces.  It's on sale for $450.  She asked me if I think this would fit in the back of the Cayenne.  I said yes, b/c it is an SUV, and this is put together furniture, should be no problem.  Our other cube mate pipes up and says no, laughingly, b/c he doesn't want her to damage the Cayenne.  She agrees w/me that it's not worth the $100 delivery fee, so she's going to pick it up.

Next, she's getting frustrated b/c the coupon code she has won't work.  I come over to take a look, and she's using the wrong code.  I help her put in the correct code, and this time, it works.  Great.  Before she hits submit, I suggest she check and make sure that the code was actually applied to the order.  She sheepishly scrolls up and says, well since I had the coupon code, I decided to pay for delivery.  The code was for $25.  Grand total of the order was roughly $650.  I just smiled to myself and ran over here to post while she went to the cafe to buy her lunch, like she does every day.

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #739 on: May 15, 2019, 06:12:24 PM »
At work: every single person making 50k+ brings in lunch every day.

Every single person making under 50K eats out minimum 3 time spent per week, usually more.

... how does that work, exactly?

The_Big_H

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #740 on: May 15, 2019, 11:32:32 PM »
At work: every single person making 50k+ brings in lunch every day.

Every single person making under 50K eats out minimum 3 time spent per week, usually more.

... how does that work, exactly?

Around my office, the dividing line of going out versus bringing lunch is typically Age >~32ish.  Which is funny because thats about how I did it, ate lunch all the time with the "crew" in 20s, now 35 and havent eaten lunch out more than once a month.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #741 on: May 16, 2019, 12:14:20 AM »
At work: every single person making 50k+ brings in lunch every day.

Every single person making under 50K eats out minimum 3 time spent per week, usually more.

... how does that work, exactly?

Around my office, the dividing line of going out versus bringing lunch is typically Age >~32ish.  Which is funny because thats about how I did it, ate lunch all the time with the "crew" in 20s, now 35 and havent eaten lunch out more than once a month.

Either the 50K+ people are Mustachians and have seen the light. Or they are old enough to have started to worry about their cholesterol and have figured out that a lunch from home is healthier than eating out.

Dicey

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #742 on: May 16, 2019, 12:31:02 AM »
With the right brand shoes can really last. I bought "cheap" shoes for years and years before finding shoes that suddenly lasted 3-4 times longer than the cheap shoes and felt good enough to wear everyday.

Imagine that - feels good and lasts too.
An even better hack is to buy at least two pair of this perfect shoe. Wear them on alternate days and always keep them on shoe trees when not in use. You will be amazed at how much longer they last.

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #743 on: May 16, 2019, 07:46:04 AM »
At work: every single person making 50k+ brings in lunch every day.

Every single person making under 50K eats out minimum 3 time spent per week, usually more.

... how does that work, exactly?

Around my office, the dividing line of going out versus bringing lunch is typically Age >~32ish.  Which is funny because thats about how I did it, ate lunch all the time with the "crew" in 20s, now 35 and havent eaten lunch out more than once a month.

Either the 50K+ people are Mustachians and have seen the light. Or they are old enough to have started to worry about their cholesterol and have figured out that a lunch from home is healthier than eating out.

You're totally right. The age divide is not absolute (there are a few people in their 50s who eat out) but it's definitely a link.

... mind, people don't 'eat out', it's the wrong term. They order in, and then eat their take-out lunch at the lunch table with everyone who brought their lunches.

Apple_Tango

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #744 on: May 16, 2019, 08:01:59 AM »
Are the people eating out single? Young people are usually single and above age 30 more people are usually married. Married people/people with families tend to not eat out as much because they have more responsibilities and bills, and because they cooked dinner the night before, or their wife/husband packed them a lunch.

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #745 on: May 16, 2019, 08:59:39 AM »
Are the people eating out single? Young people are usually single and above age 30 more people are usually married. Married people/people with families tend to not eat out as much because they have more responsibilities and bills, and because they cooked dinner the night before, or their wife/husband packed them a lunch.

No, that's 50/50, not related to age.

talltexan

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #746 on: May 16, 2019, 09:25:11 AM »
At work: every single person making 50k+ brings in lunch every day.

Every single person making under 50K eats out minimum 3 time spent per week, usually more.

... how does that work, exactly?

That's an awfully specific knowledge of your co-workers' salaries there?

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #747 on: May 16, 2019, 09:28:01 AM »
At work: every single person making 50k+ brings in lunch every day.

Every single person making under 50K eats out minimum 3 time spent per week, usually more.

... how does that work, exactly?

That's an awfully specific knowledge of your co-workers' salaries there?

I process payroll.

... and I'd never give out detailed information, but I still know it.

talltexan

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #748 on: May 16, 2019, 11:50:56 AM »
I also have an update: I've been overhearing a series of conversations between my mid 30's female co-worker, and a mid 20's female she has been quasi-mentoring.

The "mentee" has announced that she's moving out of her parents' house...into a $340,000 condo she will be renting from her parents. Over the course of several discussions, she has laid bare many insecurities regarding the level to which she is still dependent on them.

But the "mentor"--while giving tough love to the mentee--waits until she leaves and then (to me) will express genuine envy that parents are making things so easy. AFAICS, both of them have good jobs, but the real kicker is: "mentor" has put herself deeply in debt through buying cars and houses wayyy out of line with her income and constant travel far away places. And there's the matter of student loans still dogging her, too.

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #749 on: May 16, 2019, 12:30:51 PM »
I feel sorry for both of them