Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252599 times)

Hedge_87

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1750 on: February 11, 2014, 06:02:49 PM »
Our accounting department will only let us make 401k contributions in $25 increments lol. I really don't understand why either.

Reepekg

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1751 on: February 11, 2014, 06:08:06 PM »
The T&E police made a huge deal about it, and proceeded to send me an e-mail w/directions on how to add in this information.  I followed the instructions, and received a confirmation e-mail.  Two days later, they called to ask me when I was going to respond!  Finally, the woman decided to enter the details herself, and I was eventually paid.

Next time, I'm going to be ridiculously specific.  Breakfast on Monday, 7:14 AM!

A coworker of mine was meticulous about filling out expenses, but then last August our finance department sent a nastygram to him and his boss about a missing expense report while he was still traveling (to another site, but still). He simply stopped filing expense reports and autofowards emails from finance into the trash. A year later it continues to annoy the bejeezus out of them, but it turns out there are actually zero consequences for doing this if you are effective at ignoring people.

When you think about it, reporting expenses is also a huge waste of time when the date, location, and amount of each purchase are already listed on the company's credit card statement. 

« Last Edit: February 11, 2014, 06:10:12 PM by Reepekg »

the fixer

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1752 on: February 11, 2014, 07:16:36 PM »
When you think about it, reporting expenses is also a huge waste of time when the date, location, and amount of each purchase are already listed on the company's credit card statement.
This is something I can only appreciate by being self-employed...

The IRS requires a business to keep records of every deducted expense that show what specifically was purchased, why, and who paid for it. A credit card statement by itself shows only the last of these three things. A receipt itemizes exactly what was purchased, so that satisfies the first requirement but not either of the other two; you could have found that receipt lying on the ground and used it to get a quick tax deduction. This is why your finance people want expense reports and receipts, otherwise they can't write off the expenses.

AccidentalMiser

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1753 on: February 11, 2014, 07:45:41 PM »
We need a term like "first world problems" for Mustachian-specific issues like this. "Dang it, I got a raise and now my 401(k) contribution will go past the annual max!"

How true.

notquitefrugal

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1754 on: February 11, 2014, 08:10:58 PM »
CW2:  Well, my account went up $1,000 one quarter, so that kind of makes up for not contributing a lot

*facepalm*

Do they know that if they did contribute "a lot," their account might have gone up $10,000 in one quarter instead of $1,000?

galliver

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1755 on: February 11, 2014, 08:20:51 PM »
CW2:  Well, my account went up $1,000 one quarter, so that kind of makes up for not contributing a lot

*facepalm*

Do they know that if they did contribute "a lot," their account might have gone up $10,000 in one quarter instead of $1,000?

Don't be silly, "no one can save $10,000"!

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1756 on: February 11, 2014, 09:29:58 PM »
We need a term like "first world problems" for Mustachian-specific issues like this. "Dang it, I got a raise and now my 401(k) contribution will go past the annual max!"

Large mustache problem?


luigi49

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1757 on: February 11, 2014, 09:45:51 PM »
My co-worker just spent $180 outfit each for 1 year olds twins.  WOW

AlanStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1758 on: February 12, 2014, 12:16:07 AM »
Wow I knew I had it good but traveling with other employers sounds like a real pain.  We can file airfare and hotel expense reports before traveling-with no limit I know of-and the cash is normally in my account in 3-4days.   Then most everyone normally does per-diem, so the only real expenses you have to track when you get back are cellphone usage, rental car and maybe some small stuff. 

The accountant knows that when we travel the company makes money so he puts up as few road blocks as he can.  Also I have the 401k set to max out as a percent of base pay, but OT will get me to the limit faster during the year and when I hit the limit he just stops taking that bit out of my pay and sends me a nice email.  Then I have the large mustache problem of having to put even more money into taxable accounts.

Quote
but it turns out there are actually zero consequences for doing this if you are effective at ignoring people
I assume he makes the company money, while the T&E people dont.

Fireman

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1759 on: February 12, 2014, 04:07:34 AM »
We need a term like "first world problems" for Mustachian-specific issues like this. "Dang it, I got a raise and now my 401(k) contribution will go past the annual max!"

Large mustache problem?



+1!

randymarsh

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1760 on: February 12, 2014, 06:35:59 AM »
Then I have the large mustache problem of having to put even more money into taxable accounts.


rocksinmyhead

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1761 on: February 12, 2014, 06:58:34 AM »
hahaha these pictures are killing me!

AccidentalMiser

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1762 on: February 12, 2014, 07:53:13 AM »

[/quote]

I love it!

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1763 on: February 12, 2014, 09:04:49 AM »
3-4k is a normal limit isn't it? At least here it is... My only proper credit card has a limit of 4,000 CHF. I could probably get more if I really needed, but the most I've spent with it is ca 2.5k a month so there is no point.
I have two credit cards, one with a 20k limit and one with a 14k. It's pretty ridiculous but makes my credit score look good since my credit usage ratio is low :)
I'm not actually sure what my total credit limit on my cards is.  I would have to use them all in order to get statements with that info on them, or call to find out. 

The amount is somewhere around 100,000 USD.   That's totally crazy!     I have zero need for that much credit.   We make damn good money but that's still crazy as hell.

rockstache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1764 on: February 12, 2014, 09:41:10 AM »
My husband started a new job recently. We began by setting his 401K at 10% to see how it would go, and increase it from there. (Yes, sorry to say, we are not yet maxing them out). Yesterday, I ran the numbers, and emailed him to tell him to raise it to 20% (the company has a limit of 25%, and I am hoping to raise it to 25% soon, if we find we can survive with the 20%).

Anyway, apparently as he was doing this, one of his coworkers was watching him over his shoulder (rude!), and started asking him how he could possibly do that, and what he was thinking. She said she is only able to put in 2%, even though the company matches up to 4%. He basically told her that's why he brings lunch every day instead of eating in the cafeteria, and why he doesn't join them for drinks every Friday. I seriously doubt she got the message, but hey, maybe it planted a seed.

Gray Matter

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1765 on: February 12, 2014, 02:53:34 PM »
OK, this does not belong here at all, since it wasn't overheard and it's not shame-worthy.  But I'm too lazy to start my own thread, and this one has the word "work" in the title, so good enough.

A colleague of mine came up to me today and said, "Every time I go to spend money, I think of what you told me:  every bit of money I spend now is taking away freedom of choice from the future me.  Sometimes I still spend it, but sometimes that stops me."

How cool is that?

horsepoor

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1766 on: February 12, 2014, 03:17:22 PM »
That's awesome, Gray Matter, it sounds like you've made an impact for at least one person!  I think it was MMM who framed it as "buying freedom" that really hit home for me, when I've been so lackadaisical about money management in the past.  I bet your co-worker will start seeing  a little accumulation and start getting excited to do more!

Cassie

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1767 on: February 12, 2014, 06:13:53 PM »
Grey Matter-that is so awesome!  It is nice to make a positive impact on people.

Daleth

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1768 on: February 13, 2014, 08:38:11 AM »
Every time I had a baby my feet grew 1/2 size even though I lost all the weight after pregnancy. I had big feet to begin with so 3 kids later I now wear a size 10 shoe-ugh!]

That happened to my grandma too, exactly half a size each time!

Daleth

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1769 on: February 13, 2014, 08:46:19 AM »
What this tells me about corporate America... it's seen as a punishment to be given days off. I'm thinking I understand why suspending kids from schools doesn't work. They don't want to be there in the first place. You're not hurting them in any way, shape, or form.

That is crazy! Congratz on the two-day vacation!

Fireman

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1770 on: February 13, 2014, 09:03:52 AM »
Not overheard per se but I was talking to my close friend/coworker this morning.  He got some OT because of the 'crippling snow storm' and was commenting on the extra money in his paycheck.  "It's not going towards any new toys or anything...I paid the Lasik off last month so this month i'm paying off [her] car and in a couple months, the student loans." 

eyePod

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1771 on: February 13, 2014, 10:22:20 AM »
there is a whole lot differnece between using distilled water for your cooling system and your washer system.
Car manufactures actually tell people to NOT use distilled water in your washer system because it attacks some plastics or something.

The cooling fluid is designed to protect the engine from corrosion, I don't think minerals in the water would help, I don't know if the would do any harm. But as exranger said, 80cent per 40.000 km might not be worth the risk.

To stay on topic:
I had a discussion with my coworkers about valentines day. The range goes from "we just ignore it" to some pricey jewellery. Also a lot of women feel like they should get something extra special, but don't have to get anything in return, but that's for another topic.

I can't imagine it leaching plastics as much as any metals.  It will corrode metal a lot faster than regular tap water.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1772 on: February 13, 2014, 12:21:07 PM »
At my last job, I had a coworker (I'll call him M) who was quite well-paid.  He'd been with the (Fortune 5) company over 25 years, I'm guessing he was easily making north of $150k.  Wife working, too, and no kids (DINKs!).  Our employer provides a decent pension, plus matching 401(k) up to 5%.  I was talking to another coworker about M, and commented that M should be in pretty decent shape for retirement.  The response I got: "He's a long way away from being financially ready to retire."  Of course, he *did* have an Infiniti QX35 and lamented the face that the QX55's came out shortly after he bought his, plus he always had the most recent phone, tablet, computer, nice department-store-purchased clothes, etc.  But it still boggles my mind how his paycheck was twice the size of mine, and he had no kids, and his wife had a job, and *I* at the age of 28 was closer to retirement than he was at 50.

fantabulous

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1773 on: February 13, 2014, 01:28:45 PM »
But it still boggles my mind how his paycheck was twice the size of mine, and he had no kids, and his wife had a job, and *I* at the age of 28 was closer to retirement than he was at 50.

The intersection of math and psychology is pretty boggling.

dcsaver

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1774 on: February 13, 2014, 07:59:33 PM »
A conversation with a friend who has a master's degree but doesn't understand money,,,

Him: I went to see Susie's new house. It's nice that she has a new house but she doesn't even have cable.
Me: But she has a HOUSE.

dcsaver

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1775 on: February 13, 2014, 08:27:04 PM »
A conversation with a friend who has a master's degree but doesn't understand money,,,

Him: I went to see Susie's new house. It's nice that she has a new house but she doesn't even have cable.
Me: But she has a HOUSE.

nora

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1776 on: February 14, 2014, 06:38:15 AM »
I could have lived overseas for months with the money I spent on my wedding!

jimmymango

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1777 on: February 14, 2014, 07:28:16 AM »
I could have lived overseas for months with the money I spent on my wedding!

Lord...weddings. I tried to contain the costs of mine, but was steamrolled by my wife and mother-in-law. The in-laws paid for it, so that was the response I got any time I tried to intervene.

They were actually willing to give us the down payment on our house if we had a small, immediate-family-only type thing. I was totally fine with that, but said that after the honeymoon, I wanted to have a blowout party on the cheap for a reception (at a park, rent out a VFW, have it at a friends with a big house/yard...something like that...that's actually how I wanted to do the wedding, but I digress). That was shot down by my wife because she only wanted to have a classy, lifeless cocktail hour.

Lots of irrational, emotion-laden thinking from all parties to mock here (why didn't I just suck it up and take the cash?! I can have parties whenever I want!!!).

reginna

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1778 on: February 14, 2014, 07:55:07 AM »
My co-worker just spent $180 outfit each for 1 year olds twins.  WOW

Perfect. Great morning laugh.

Thanks!

reginna

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1779 on: February 14, 2014, 07:57:46 AM »
A conversation with a friend who has a master's degree but doesn't understand money,,,

Him: I went to see Susie's new house. It's nice that she has a new house but she doesn't even have cable.
Me: But she has a HOUSE.

So classic! Loving this thread

iris lily

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1780 on: February 14, 2014, 12:26:29 PM »
Wow I knew I had it good but traveling with other employers sounds like a real pain. 

I had a couple of employees who were super mustaschian, so when we traveled together our joint expenses were the same as expenses for the average single employee. We didn't take cabs, we stayed outside of the "normal and expected" hotels, we charged only dinner to the expense account etc. because we brought apples, bananas and etc from home (that was before the days when breakfast was commonly included in the room rate.)

clarkfan1979

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1781 on: February 15, 2014, 10:10:47 AM »
Quote
If you weren't instilled with any understanding that taking on that much debt is a poor choice and aren't the type of person who routinely challenges collective assumptions made by those around you, it'd be pretty tought o arrive at a different decision that what everyone else does.

This reminds me of a study that I learned about in school, I wonder how much of the same thing is occurring on a broader scale when it comes to spending habits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPEDS-0jMgs

This was "one of" the first studies on social influence. This concept is used very much by marketers to drive consumerism.

coconutpop

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1782 on: February 17, 2014, 12:38:56 PM »
I work on multiple part time jobs 1 to 2 days a week.

Conversation with one of my new telemarketer colleague:

Him: Wow it is crazy the money you make here you must have everything you want.

Me: Yes I do.

Him: what is your car?

Me: Civic 97.

Him: what are you crazy? you made enough money to buy 3 of those just this week, if I was you I would have bought a cool Mercedez.

Me: I am keeping my money to make a world tour for a few years.

Him: That is silly, Id rather have a Mercedez. Who cares about Africa?

Me: Me...I gotta go, bye.

Conversation with 2 guys from my house painting job that already came to my apartment. (I have no TV and no computer)

guy1: Yo, how the hell do you live bro. Your the craziest guy I ever saw.

guy2: Yeah man, how do you live without a TV. I watch it like 4 hours a day.

Me: I don't watch it.

guy2: You are really missing out something. I am gonna buy a new 3d tv tomorrow that cost 1500, it is such a deal. (guy has 700 in bank)

Me: I think you guys are the one missing.

guy1: Oh shit that is a good deal where is that, i am going to buy it too and what could we be missing?

Me: gym, numerous outdoors activities, girls, trips, drawing, music... 

Guy 2: Wow I have no times for all these things anyways. (dude you just admit to watch Tv 4 hours a day)

Guy1: yeah and all those activities must be expensive, I don't have money to travel. (but you have to buy a 1500$ TV. Shit what a deal bro)

I love people I work with, they make me laugh a lot. At first I was finding these type of people annoying but now I just find them incredibly funny.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1783 on: February 17, 2014, 01:34:03 PM »
Yeah, I find it funny how many people say that they have no time for things yet watch TV for a few hours each day.

FunkyStickman

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1784 on: February 17, 2014, 01:39:31 PM »
Yeah, I find it funny how many people say that they have no time for things yet watch TV for a few hours each day.

If only I could bottle this up and sell it as liquid truth. I'd be a trillionare.

Insanity

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1785 on: February 17, 2014, 01:47:46 PM »
Guy 2: Wow I have no times for all these things anyways. (dude you just admit to watch Tv 4 hours a day)

I will say this - the time watching TV is a little different than "having free time".  I watch a lot of TV at night.  But I wouldn't necessarily be able to do a lot because I need to be home in case the kids wake up or I am working on something else. 

ThermionicScott

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1786 on: February 17, 2014, 05:33:13 PM »
I have to agree with the "bros" about the computer.  How do you live without having a computer at home??  ;^)

nyxst

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1787 on: February 17, 2014, 06:22:40 PM »
@insanity- I use the time I'm stuck at home while the kids are sleeping to study something new... When I'm between classes, I find collecting licenses to be entertaining :) right now, I have my realtor license, notary license and a ham radio license... Its a funny hobby in my own head :) Who knows, maybe some day they will come in handy :)

Insanity

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1788 on: February 17, 2014, 06:44:25 PM »
@insanity- I use the time I'm stuck at home while the kids are sleeping to study something new... When I'm between classes, I find collecting licenses to be entertaining :) right now, I have my realtor license, notary license and a ham radio license... Its a funny hobby in my own head :) Who knows, maybe some day they will come in handy :)

And I use it to work on side projects, but TV is just on in the background.  That's all I meant.  I can do other things while watching TV, but it isn't like I could be working on plumbing or doing carpentry around the house while operating power tools ;-)

nyxst

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1789 on: February 17, 2014, 07:20:27 PM »
Huh... I trained my kids young to sleep though the noise of a reciprocating saw... They never even notice!  They wake up and... "Uh, mom? Didn't there used to be a wall here?" Hehehe!
« Last Edit: February 17, 2014, 07:34:01 PM by nyxstar10a »

tariskat

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1790 on: February 17, 2014, 08:55:55 PM »
@insanity- I use the time I'm stuck at home while the kids are sleeping to study something new... When I'm between classes, I find collecting licenses to be entertaining :) right now, I have my realtor license, notary license and a ham radio license... Its a funny hobby in my own head :) Who knows, maybe some day they will come in handy :)

Notary - fill out a form, don't have a checkered past, and send in 120$? Is that really all it takes to be a notary?

edit: can't spell

Russ

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1791 on: February 17, 2014, 09:05:30 PM »
^ pretty sure there's also a test

the fixer

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1792 on: February 17, 2014, 09:36:50 PM »
And I use it to work on side projects, but TV is just on in the background.  That's all I meant.  I can do other things while watching TV, but it isn't like I could be working on plumbing or doing carpentry around the house while operating power tools ;-)
This seems to be a personal preference. I know people who love just having the TV on as "background." I also know people, including myself, that get terribly distracted by the TV and can't do or pay attention to anything else. For people like me, "watching TV" is an activity in itself and cannot be multitasked. I'm more successful with the radio, but it depends on what I'm doing (e.g. I can't read anything long/complicated and listen to the radio at the same time, but I can cook, clean, or play a game)

Good point that some people do not operate this way.

nyxst

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1793 on: February 17, 2014, 10:32:13 PM »
Plus an online class or two... At least in PA. And renewal classes every 4 years.  Still, I get a fun stamp with my name on it :)

ginastarke

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1794 on: February 17, 2014, 11:46:43 PM »
I'm a "tv as background" person, too. It used to drive my husband crazy, until we compromised that I sit still and don't get up while we're watching something he cares about and wants to share with me.

I "watch" (really listen to, mostly) most of my DVD's/netflix/youtube  when I'm  cooking and cleaning-  especially musicals.

rocksinmyhead

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1795 on: February 18, 2014, 05:57:43 AM »
And I use it to work on side projects, but TV is just on in the background.  That's all I meant.  I can do other things while watching TV, but it isn't like I could be working on plumbing or doing carpentry around the house while operating power tools ;-)
This seems to be a personal preference. I know people who love just having the TV on as "background." I also know people, including myself, that get terribly distracted by the TV and can't do or pay attention to anything else. For people like me, "watching TV" is an activity in itself and cannot be multitasked. I'm more successful with the radio, but it depends on what I'm doing (e.g. I can't read anything long/complicated and listen to the radio at the same time, but I can cook, clean, or play a game)

Good point that some people do not operate this way.

yeah, I'm the same way, soooo not a multitasker. I can MAYBE watch TV while folding laundry... other than that I'm pretty much maxed out at "listening to NPR while cooking." seriously I struggle to walk down the street without hitting anything while talking on the phone.

grantmeaname

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1796 on: February 18, 2014, 06:59:41 AM »
yeah, I'm the same way, soooo not a multitasker. I can MAYBE watch TV while folding laundry... other than that I'm pretty much maxed out at "listening to NPR while cooking." seriously I struggle to walk down the street without hitting anything while talking on the phone.
That's how I am too. I'm really pretty bright but I can't even imagine having the wiring to pay attention to even two things at once.

brighteye

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1797 on: February 18, 2014, 08:43:45 AM »
Coworker has invited her sister to a week long trip to New York (flying there from Europe). She wanted to treat her sister to sth. because she just got divorced and is notoriously short on money. Which is a nice gesture but I am not sure that New York is the right place to be if you don't want to spend money. So I play along like other non-mustachians and tell her "make sure you take the gold credit card with you for shopping" and she says "oh no, the trip is already expensive and I have to watch my expenses". Ok, I guess she is trying. Two days later she asked me: "How do you get from the airport into the city?". Well, I say, we took the train which was easy and the budget friendly option, but you will have to look up the details online. 5 minutes later: "I just pre-booked a limousine from the airport to our hotel, it's just so much easier than every other option."
And now while she is in New York she is posting "Doing power shopping" on facebook. So much for trying...
I have a constant headache from all the facepalming I have to do :-)

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1798 on: February 18, 2014, 08:50:52 AM »
I had to fly with the VP of Marketing from my company to a client visit (She makes easily 4x my salary).  In the limo ride to the airport she starts to tell me how difficult it is to have two houses.  You see, she and her husband bought a house on the other side of lake Michigan (from Chicago) to have a place to go on the weekends.  She says, "You have no idea how much it costs to have two houses.  You need two of everything, vacuum cleaners, stoves, and don't get me started on my husband having to have a home theater setup in both locations.  This is costing me a fortune."

She is right that I have no idea (and never want to).

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1799 on: February 18, 2014, 12:03:56 PM »
Overheard some folks I don't know at work during my lunch break:
She: So has your son decided where to go?
He: Not exactly.
She: [To other co-worker] He's paid into the state pre-paid program, but his son doesn't know if he wants to stay here.
He: We talked about it this week, and Son just isn't sure where he wants to go. He did remind us that we promised him a new car when he graduates high school. I told him he has a better shot at a new car [I presume otherwise it would be used, lol] if he stays in state. That way he'd get the new car, have 4 years of college paid for, and it will give us those 4 years to save up for his graduate school. I hope he chooses that.
She: Yeah, that's the best option. Hopefully he'll realize that soon.

I know the whole "should you pay for your kid's college" thing depends on your parenting/financial philosophy, but if you're willing to pay for college, shouldn't you...I don't know...get to have a say in where the kid goes?? A 17-year-old is not capable of making such a big decision, nor should his parents just sit idly by while their son makes decisions on what their money should go toward! And saving up for his graduate school, too? This guy looked older, at least in his late 40s/early 50s; I think that money would be better served going into his retirement fund.

Never mind the whole idea of buying a college freshman a new car when most college campuses either don't have room for or straight up don't allow cars your first year. And what do you need one for? You can walk most campuses pretty easily and really only need to bum rides to the airport or train/bus station to go home for the holidays. Sheesh.

 

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