Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13253233 times)

Ftao93

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 231
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1950 on: March 05, 2014, 06:33:07 PM »
When I first started scooting to work after scrapping the 2nd car:

"Man, I just traded up trucks and refinanced.  Now my payment is only $250 a month, and it's a little better on gas.  Really only costs me about $600 a month to drive it.  If I don't trade up this time it should be paid off in 5 years."

Me:  I paid 1500 cash for my scoot.  it gets 65mpg (note, this was a smaller and oft abused 50cc), I don't put plates on it, and the insurance is $100 a year for full coverage.

Now, this gent does use a truck, perhaps 15x a year, so, totally justified, right?  :P

rocksinmyhead

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1489
  • Location: Oklahoma
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1951 on: March 06, 2014, 07:54:03 AM »
A coworker upon learning I don't watch television or movies: "Wait, but what do you do?!?!"

Oh I don't know, work, freelance, knit, cook, read, bake, clean, socialize? I have more stuff I want to do than I have time for by a factor of ten!

I unfortunately do waste too much time on TV/movies, but your last two sentences really resonated with me. I get so confused when people say they're "bored." what?!? other than the obvious exception of being trapped in a boring meeting or lecture, I haven't been bored since I was probably 12. there is SO MUCH SHIT TO DO all the time!!! and most of it I like to do/it's interesting! how can you be BORED?!

Samsam

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 273
  • Location: Charlotte
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1952 on: March 06, 2014, 08:09:54 AM »
A coworker upon learning I don't watch television or movies: "Wait, but what do you do?!?!"

Oh I don't know, work, freelance, knit, cook, read, bake, clean, socialize? I have more stuff I want to do than I have time for by a factor of ten!

I unfortunately do waste too much time on TV/movies, but your last two sentences really resonated with me. I get so confused when people say they're "bored." what?!? other than the obvious exception of being trapped in a boring meeting or lecture, I haven't been bored since I was probably 12. there is SO MUCH SHIT TO DO all the time!!! and most of it I like to do/it's interesting! how can you be BORED?!

I learned to make my own fun when I was a kid. If I complained I was bored, my mother would give me chores.

haha yes this!  Although...if I visit home for more than 5 days this still happens to me!  Then my mom tells me to go home :P

Cheddar Stacker

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3700
  • Age: 45
  • Location: USA
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1953 on: March 06, 2014, 08:33:39 AM »
One of the most under appreciated movies ever made.  Probably hits way too close to home for most Americans for comfort.

Plus it's got electrolytes. Great movie.

crumbcatcher

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 129
  • Age: 53
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1954 on: March 06, 2014, 05:26:06 PM »
A coworker upon learning I don't watch television or movies: "Wait, but what do you do?!?!"

Oh I don't know, work, freelance, knit, cook, read, bake, clean, socialize? I have more stuff I want to do than I have time for by a factor of ten!

This!

It's amazing how many things we can do when we aren't sitting in front of the toob!

mgarl10024

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 24
  • Location: UK
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1955 on: March 07, 2014, 01:23:33 AM »
A coworker upon learning I don't watch television or movies: "Wait, but what do you do?!?!"

Oh I don't know, work, freelance, knit, cook, read, bake, clean, socialize? I have more stuff I want to do than I have time for by a factor of ten!

I've known a number of people who were concerned that they wouldn't know what to do with their time when they retired.  Like you, I could retire now, and I reckon that I still wouldn't have enough time to get around to all those interesting things I'd like to do!

mikecorayer

  • Guest
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1956 on: March 07, 2014, 02:47:20 AM »
Quote
I've known a number of people who were concerned that they wouldn't know what to do with their time when they retired.  Like you, I could retire now, and I reckon that I still wouldn't have enough time to get around to all those interesting things I'd like to do!

Absolutely. I took a year off from my job last year and it seemed like all I heard was "don't you get bored?" or some variant of an incredulous "what do you do all day?" implying I couldn't possibly find enough to do without having a full-time job. Of course, this line of questioning was second only to some variant of "what about money?"

I, however, felt that I never had nearly enough time for all the things I wanted to do; books I wanted to read, skills I wanted to learn, people I wanted to spend time with, etc. etc. etc.

exranger06

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 100
  • Age: 35
  • Location: CT
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1957 on: March 07, 2014, 07:35:48 AM »
I work for an electric utility. I was out in the field doing some work in a company vehicle, with the company logo on the side. I pulled up in front of a house in kind of a poor neighborhood. A lady opened the front door and asked if I was going to shut her power off. She said she would pay her bill right that minute if it meant not shutting her off. I assured her that I was not there to shut off her power.

RMD

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 159
  • Location: Overland Park, KS
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1958 on: March 07, 2014, 01:33:45 PM »
If I hear "taxmas" from my cube neighbor one more time, I might hurl.

swick

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2877
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1959 on: March 07, 2014, 01:43:06 PM »
I work for an electric utility. I was out in the field doing some work in a company vehicle, with the company logo on the side. I pulled up in front of a house in kind of a poor neighborhood. A lady opened the front door and asked if I was going to shut her power off. She said she would pay her bill right that minute if it meant not shutting her off. I assured her that I was not there to shut off her power.

This is really sad. I get variations all the time at work, usually from parents who can't afford art lessons or activities for their kids. If I know the situation (small, small town) I do what I can to make sure that kid gets help. But most of the time it is two working parent households making well over 6 figures (sometimes each) who's cheques bounce, or who has to wait for the next paycheque to put their kid in a $7.00 class. About all I can do is fit financial literacy and life skills into lessons under the guise of "art" and hope the kids turn out better then their parents.

MooseOutFront

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 506
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Texas
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1960 on: March 07, 2014, 01:46:16 PM »
^ so is water...
you mean water, like, from the toilet?

greenmimama

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 718
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1961 on: March 07, 2014, 03:44:38 PM »
One of my co-workers eats at restaurants everyday because he "doesn't know how to cook". OMG!

Wow, I hear moms say this and I think, then what do you eat? I guess I just don't get it, it's not hard. I'm no gourmet chef but I can cook a lot of great meals from scratch.

nyxst

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 299
    • AgainstAllOdds
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1962 on: March 07, 2014, 04:03:37 PM »


^ so is water...
you mean water, like, from the toilet?

Welcome to Costco, I love you. Welcome to Costco, I love you. Welcome to Costco, I love you. Welcome to Costco, I love you.

dragoncar

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9918
  • Registered member
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1963 on: March 07, 2014, 05:13:24 PM »


^ so is water...
you mean water, like, from the toilet?

Welcome to Costco, I love you. Welcome to Costco, I love you. Welcome to Costco, I love you. Welcome to Costco, I love you.

^I love Costco... that's where I went to law school

nyxst

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 299
    • AgainstAllOdds
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1964 on: March 07, 2014, 08:50:19 PM »
Man, now I need to watch it again :) awesome movie!

Daleth

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1201
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1965 on: March 08, 2014, 09:15:12 AM »
I get so confused when people say they're "bored." what?!? other than the obvious exception of being trapped in a boring meeting or lecture, I haven't been bored since I was probably 12. there is SO MUCH SHIT TO DO all the time!!! and most of it I like to do/it's interesting! how can you be BORED?!

Damn right!

Melody

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1087
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Australia
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1966 on: March 08, 2014, 05:51:28 PM »
I get so confused when people say they're "bored." what?!? other than the obvious exception of being trapped in a boring meeting or lecture, I haven't been bored since I was probably 12. there is SO MUCH SHIT TO DO all the time!!! and most of it I like to do/it's interesting! how can you be BORED?!

Damn right!

Agreed. Oh and long haul flights are pretty boring too, books and movies are only entertaining for the first 12 hours or so ;-)

Reepekg

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 253
  • Age: 39
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1967 on: March 09, 2014, 03:16:02 AM »
As I passed two coworkers maybe in their early 50s on my way out of work the other day, they were speculating about winning the lottery. Cw1 was saying she didn't need $200 million, that hell even $500,000 was all she'd need to get by on.

Cw1 turned to me and wistfully asked, "Do you ever think about what you would do with $500,000?"

I was super awkward about it, but at least I didn't tell the truth. She's on approximately the same salary as me, and I'll easily hit $500,000 in liquid investments some time in 2015 by, you know, saving it...

dragoncar

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9918
  • Registered member
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1968 on: March 09, 2014, 03:28:48 PM »
Cw1 turned to me and wistfully asked, "Do you ever think about what you would do with $500,000?"


All the time...

Metta

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 773
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1969 on: March 10, 2014, 08:18:31 AM »
From a co-worker who just bought an enormous, very, very expensive house and decorated it from scratch with all new furniture and art (all bought with a HELOC) and who now says that she can't retire because her (grown) children cost too much money:

Me: I'm hoping to retire very soon.

Her: Retire?

Me: Well, we're saving our pennies and working on paying off the house.

Her: Well we're out of debt now.

Me (confused look): Except for the house?

Her: Yes. We did something very smart! We took all our debts and rolled them into the mortgage on the new house. Now we're out of debt.

Me: Except for the house.

Her: Well, yes. Except for the house.

greenmimama

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 718
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1970 on: March 10, 2014, 09:50:45 AM »
From a co-worker who just bought an enormous, very, very expensive house and decorated it from scratch with all new furniture and art (all bought with a HELOC) and who now says that she can't retire because her (grown) children cost too much money:

Me: I'm hoping to retire very soon.

Her: Retire?

Me: Well, we're saving our pennies and working on paying off the house.

Her: Well we're out of debt now.

Me (confused look): Except for the house?

Her: Yes. We did something very smart! We took all our debts and rolled them into the mortgage on the new house. Now we're out of debt.

Me: Except for the house.

Her: Well, yes. Except for the house.

Oh boy, I get that too, "well we have no debt..... except the house and student loans, but I don't really consider those debts"

I wonder if your creditors consider those debts, it just boggles my mind.

PantsOnFire

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 141
  • Location: PA
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1971 on: March 10, 2014, 11:53:55 AM »
"I need to buy a new car and pay it off before I can retire." 

Literally... they are retirement-eligible right now.  They have a working car that they pretty much only use to get to/from work.  But they "need" to finance a shiny new car and work through a few years of payments before they feel free to stop working. 

crumbcatcher

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 129
  • Age: 53
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1972 on: March 10, 2014, 01:35:16 PM »
When I flew from NYC to Kuala Lumpur I knit an entire pair of socks. The stewardesses got a kick out of it.

Woo!  I'm flying from Seattle to Nova Scotia next month, and I reeeeeally need something to distract me (I'm a nervous flyer).  I'd not considered taking my knitting - what a great idea!


norvilion

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 94
  • Age: 37
  • Location: Nashville
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1973 on: March 10, 2014, 02:11:17 PM »
When I flew from NYC to Kuala Lumpur I knit an entire pair of socks. The stewardesses got a kick out of it.

Woo!  I'm flying from Seattle to Nova Scotia next month, and I reeeeeally need something to distract me (I'm a nervous flyer).  I'd not considered taking my knitting - what a great idea!

Just be careful, if you run into a TSA agent who's a fan of the Wizard of Oz series they may think you're planning on staging a coup with those knitting needles.

geekette

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2550
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1974 on: March 10, 2014, 03:06:46 PM »
I just started a pair of socks yesterday, but I think someone could swim to Kuala Lumpur before I'll get them done...

I've never had a problem with needles US/Canada/Europe myself, but my SIL had her circs ripped from her socks flying out of Finland.  I won't fly with expensive needles, and put in a lifeline before going through security, just in case.

CommonCents

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2363
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1975 on: March 10, 2014, 03:22:41 PM »
I've flown with my cross-stitch before (even accidentally have taken the razor I used to use to cut my thread through security).  Now i just thread an extra needle or two near the zipper of my bag on the theory it'll be harder for them to pick out and object to it.

galliver

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1863
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1976 on: March 10, 2014, 04:40:49 PM »
I've never brought knitting on a flight, but I've considered it. I've finished several scarves on roadtrips, after all.  When I was poking around this site had some good pointers http://www.freshstitches.com/are-knitting-needles-allowed-on-airplane-flights-advice-international-travel/  I especially liked the ideas of putting the needles in a pencil case and bringing a printout of the TSA, etc page that specifies they're allowed (http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/transporting-knitting-needles-and-needlepoint).

Zamboni

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3879
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1977 on: March 10, 2014, 05:39:51 PM »
^ so is water...
you mean water, like, from the toilet?

Hahahaha.  I can talk to the plants, and they said they want water.

Beach Life

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1978 on: March 10, 2014, 06:00:15 PM »
I joined the forum just so I could post these. :)

From my last job:

CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off."
 
The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off.
 
The two of them combined make $200K+ in our LCOLA. CW #1's career area? Finance.
 
The cobbler's children have no shoes.
 
 
From my current job:
 
I work at the unemployment office, so I have an almost unending variety of tales I can tell on this topic. Here is my all time favorite one:
 
This took place in early January of this year after the unemployment extension wasn't renewed.
 
Customer #1: The system won't let me file my weekly claim.
Me: Were you on an extension?
C #1: Yes.
Me: The extensions have expired. There's nothing you can do (In my head: Where have you been for the past several weeks? This has been all over the news...)
C#1: What do I do next?
Me: There's nothing you can do.
C#1: What is my next step?
Me: There's nothing you can do. The extension is over.
C#2 sitting next to her: That happened to me one time. I had to get a job.
Me: (Turns around so I don't laugh out loud)
 

Mori

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 130
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1979 on: March 10, 2014, 06:32:51 PM »
Me: The extensions have expired. There's nothing you can do (In my head: Where have you been for the past several weeks? This has been all over the news...)
C#1: What do I do next?
Me: There's nothing you can do.
C#1: What is my next step?
Me: There's nothing you can do. The extension is over.
C#2 sitting next to her: That happened to me one time. I had to get a job.
Me: (Turns around so I don't laugh out loud)

LOL. How serious/sarcastic was C#2?

Beach Life

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1980 on: March 10, 2014, 06:36:14 PM »
Me: The extensions have expired. There's nothing you can do (In my head: Where have you been for the past several weeks? This has been all over the news...)
C#1: What do I do next?
Me: There's nothing you can do.
C#1: What is my next step?
Me: There's nothing you can do. The extension is over.
C#2 sitting next to her: That happened to me one time. I had to get a job.
Me: (Turns around so I don't laugh out loud)

LOL. How serious/sarcastic was C#2?

She was matter of fact. That's what made it even more funny to me.

Serve&Volley88

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 75
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1981 on: March 10, 2014, 06:38:11 PM »
A co-worker apparently hit a deer over the weekend. I heard her say to someone, "It's not a big deal, my insurance deductible is $250."

She is probably in her early 40s, which means it's possible she has been paying big bucks for comp/collision for decades. All to cover a one-time cost of $1K.

Insanity

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1021
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1982 on: March 10, 2014, 07:03:37 PM »
A co-worker apparently hit a deer over the weekend. I heard her say to someone, "It's not a big deal, my insurance deductible is $250."

She is probably in her early 40s, which means it's possible she has been paying big bucks for comp/collision for decades. All to cover a one-time cost of $1K.

Regardless of how much her insurance costs her - nobody ever fully uses the insurance they pay for.  I've never understood that one.  It's similar with health insurance.

tariskat

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 304
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1983 on: March 10, 2014, 07:21:31 PM »
I joined the forum just so I could post these. :)

From my last job:

CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off."
 
The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off.
 
The two of them combined make $200K+ in our LCOLA. CW #1's career area? Finance.
 
The cobbler's children have no shoes.
 

She could have been hedging.  Just like mustachians here talk about a 38k$ payment on a car (a.k.a., just buying it with cash and none of that loan business) and then covering it by making up fake numbers of payments.

So, maybe she just didn't want to go?  They could have been plotting their retirement in a year!

AlanStache

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3166
  • Age: 44
  • Location: South East Virginia
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1984 on: March 10, 2014, 08:13:57 PM »
Quote
CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off.

Depending on what what he is doing and how much time away from work he will have, her going could not be that much fun and distract him from the job.  Also Italy is big and its more than Rome, maybe he was going to Italy's equivalent of Columbus Ohio.  I travel for work and having a SO come along would sometimes just not be fun, I just dont always have the time and mental energy.  Money can be just an easy excuse. 

I dont know, may there visa is maxed out and they could not make the next car lease payment.

re-Columbus: sorry, just making the point that America is more than NY and LA, and maybe parts are not worth dropping 2k to visit for a week.

HappierAtHome

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8015
  • Location: Australia
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1985 on: March 10, 2014, 10:31:32 PM »
"I think a 20% deposit is impossible. They should really make it 10% deposit as the amount you need." - someone who earns more than I do, meaning, way more than is necessary to be able to save a 20% deposit for a house.

AlanStache

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3166
  • Age: 44
  • Location: South East Virginia
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1986 on: March 11, 2014, 05:53:19 AM »
Quote
"I think a 20% deposit is impossible. They should really make it 10% deposit as the amount you need." - someone who earns more than I do, meaning, way more than is necessary to be able to save a 20% deposit for a house.

I also really like the "its hard so the the rules should change, you know so I can get what I want" undertone.

Beach Life

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1987 on: March 11, 2014, 06:09:03 AM »
I joined the forum just so I could post these. :)

From my last job:

CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off."
 
The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off.
 
The two of them combined make $200K+ in our LCOLA. CW #1's career area? Finance.
 
The cobbler's children have no shoes.
 

She could have been hedging.  Just like mustachians here talk about a 38k$ payment on a car (a.k.a., just buying it with cash and none of that loan business) and then covering it by making up fake numbers of payments.

So, maybe she just didn't want to go?  They could have been plotting their retirement in a year!

It's possible, but I doubt it. I was in HR so I knew things like:
- CW#1 had done a $50K 401(k) hardship withdrawl in recent years
- CW#2 had done one for an unknown amount before that
- CW #2 contributed nothing to his 401(k) though he was eligible for an immediately vested 75% match on the first 10% that he contributed

They have 2 kids in an expensive private school, she drives an enormous SUV, he just bought a huge new truck, and they have a boat and a camper. Nothing wrong with any of these, but taken together I'd say they are just cash poor.

The trip was to Parma. Several coworkers went, and they had a great time.

grantmeaname

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5950
  • Age: 31
  • Location: Middle West
  • Cast me away from yesterday's things
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1988 on: March 11, 2014, 06:22:17 AM »
Columbus does not suck. The place you are sucks.

So there.

randymarsh

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1369
  • Location: Denver
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1989 on: March 11, 2014, 06:41:22 AM »
Columbus does not suck. The place you are sucks.

So there.

True, but I'm not sure I would spend ~$1,200+ and 9 hours in a plane to visit Columbus for just a week. Not if I'd already seen it or a similar location.

AlanStache

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3166
  • Age: 44
  • Location: South East Virginia
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1990 on: March 11, 2014, 07:08:04 AM »
Quote
Columbus does not suck. The place you are sucks.

So there.

Hay come on, lets keep this civil!  I considered going with Dayton but they have the Air Force-airplane museum and that place is really cool.  Never been to Columbus I promise I will give it a chance next time I am in Ohio.  :-)

tariskat

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 304
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1991 on: March 11, 2014, 07:33:50 AM »
I joined the forum just so I could post these. :)

From my last job:

CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off."
 
The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off.
 
The two of them combined make $200K+ in our LCOLA. CW #1's career area? Finance.
 
The cobbler's children have no shoes.
 

She could have been hedging.  Just like mustachians here talk about a 38k$ payment on a car (a.k.a., just buying it with cash and none of that loan business) and then covering it by making up fake numbers of payments.

So, maybe she just didn't want to go?  They could have been plotting their retirement in a year!

It's possible, but I doubt it. I was in HR so I knew things like:
- CW#1 had done a $50K 401(k) hardship withdrawl in recent years
- CW#2 had done one for an unknown amount before that
- CW #2 contributed nothing to his 401(k) though he was eligible for an immediately vested 75% match on the first 10% that he contributed

They have 2 kids in an expensive private school, she drives an enormous SUV, he just bought a huge new truck, and they have a boat and a camper. Nothing wrong with any of these, but taken together I'd say they are just cash poor.

The trip was to Parma. Several coworkers went, and they had a great time.

Lol. There good the benefit of the doubt.. But  I agree with an above poster- I've brought my SO to a conference. He couldn't come to the actual event so he was bored out of his skull. He no longer is interested where I go for conferences, lol.

GuitarStv

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 23048
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1992 on: March 11, 2014, 08:46:10 AM »
A co-worker apparently hit a deer over the weekend. I heard her say to someone, "It's not a big deal, my insurance deductible is $250."

She is probably in her early 40s, which means it's possible she has been paying big bucks for comp/collision for decades. All to cover a one-time cost of $1K.

The biggest moustachian fail here would be not butchering the carcass of the deer to fill the freezer for a few months.

CommonCents

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2363
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1993 on: March 11, 2014, 12:25:14 PM »
I joined the forum just so I could post these. :)

From my last job:

CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off."
 
The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off.
 
The two of them combined make $200K+ in our LCOLA. CW #1's career area? Finance.
 
The cobbler's children have no shoes.
 

She could have been hedging.  Just like mustachians here talk about a 38k$ payment on a car (a.k.a., just buying it with cash and none of that loan business) and then covering it by making up fake numbers of payments.

So, maybe she just didn't want to go?  They could have been plotting their retirement in a year!

It's possible, but I doubt it. I was in HR so I knew things like:
- CW#1 had done a $50K 401(k) hardship withdrawl in recent years
- CW#2 had done one for an unknown amount before that
- CW #2 contributed nothing to his 401(k) though he was eligible for an immediately vested 75% match on the first 10% that he contributed

They have 2 kids in an expensive private school, she drives an enormous SUV, he just bought a huge new truck, and they have a boat and a camper. Nothing wrong with any of these, but taken together I'd say they are just cash poor.

The trip was to Parma. Several coworkers went, and they had a great time.

Lol. There good the benefit of the doubt.. But  I agree with an above poster- I've brought my SO to a conference. He couldn't come to the actual event so he was bored out of his skull. He no longer is interested where I go for conferences, lol.

Yeah, I had been going to agree that joining at conferences isn't much.  (Afterwards can be, but DH is always trying to catch up on work after, plus there's always rules about doing this that make it complicated.)  Not to mention some here claim poverty as an easier explanation for why they don't want to spend money on something.  It might be easier to say "no time/money" than say, "well, boss keeps DH working so hard I wouldn't see him any, and I'd prefer we burn our vacation time together."

Not saying that's the case here.  I just wouldn't immediately tag that conversation line as bad.

jefffff

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 28
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1994 on: March 11, 2014, 12:42:46 PM »
What does "The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off." mean? Usually people have a finite amount of vacation time per year(and in finance are pressured not to use it). "I don't have enough time off" could very well mean "I have other things I want to spend time off on which are not hanging out in Italy alone while my husband is at a conference".

Quark

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 94
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1995 on: March 11, 2014, 01:30:40 PM »
A co-worker apparently hit a deer over the weekend. I heard her say to someone, "It's not a big deal, my insurance deductible is $250."

She is probably in her early 40s, which means it's possible she has been paying big bucks for comp/collision for decades. All to cover a one-time cost of $1K.

The biggest moustachian fail here would be not butchering the carcass of the deer to fill the freezer for a few months.

Only if you hit it right. If you hit the deer broadside, the meat is so full of blood that it isn't even worth grinding. That being said, if you hit a deer nice and cleanly and snap its neck, you should totally bring it home with you once the police put a kill tag on it.

Everyone knows that...

In Texas it is illegal to take roadkill...so we just toss it in our truck and take it home without notifying anyone. I feel bad about this but I'd feel worse about wasting the deer we hit last year. The reasoning? Someone told me it is because running over a deer is an illegal method of taking game :D

kt

  • Guest
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1996 on: March 11, 2014, 02:07:23 PM »
A co-worker apparently hit a deer over the weekend. I heard her say to someone, "It's not a big deal, my insurance deductible is $250."

She is probably in her early 40s, which means it's possible she has been paying big bucks for comp/collision for decades. All to cover a one-time cost of $1K.

The biggest moustachian fail here would be not butchering the carcass of the deer to fill the freezer for a few months.

Only if you hit it right. If you hit the deer broadside, the meat is so full of blood that it isn't even worth grinding. That being said, if you hit a deer nice and cleanly and snap its neck, you should totally bring it home with you once the police put a kill tag on it.

Everyone knows that...

In Texas it is illegal to take roadkill...so we just toss it in our truck and take it home without notifying anyone. I feel bad about this but I'd feel worse about wasting the deer we hit last year. The reasoning? Someone told me it is because running over a deer is an illegal method of taking game :D

It's illegal? That's stupidly wasteful! In Alaska, there are charity groups of women who will show up, butcher the roadkill moose (meese? mise?) and distribute it to the needy. Granted, it's a lot more worthwhile with a moose. They're huge.
it's also illegal in the UK (apparently) - but you can pick up road kill legally if someone else killed it. it is to stop people deliberately killing game etc.

alternatively you could train your cat to kill game birds. our cat did actually bring in an adult pheasant. a friend plucked and hung it and made a pie for us from it. she said it had been very cleanly killed by the cat (neck break and two small teeth marks).

mgreczyn

  • Guest
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1997 on: March 11, 2014, 02:44:01 PM »
I joined the forum just so I could post these. :)

From my last job:

CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off."
 
The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off.
 
The two of them combined make $200K+ in our LCOLA. CW #1's career area? Finance.
 
The cobbler's children have no shoes.
 

She could have been hedging.  Just like mustachians here talk about a 38k$ payment on a car (a.k.a., just buying it with cash and none of that loan business) and then covering it by making up fake numbers of payments.

So, maybe she just didn't want to go?  They could have been plotting their retirement in a year!

It's possible, but I doubt it. I was in HR so I knew things like:
- CW#1 had done a $50K 401(k) hardship withdrawl in recent years
- CW#2 had done one for an unknown amount before that
- CW #2 contributed nothing to his 401(k) though he was eligible for an immediately vested 75% match on the first 10% that he contributed

They have 2 kids in an expensive private school, she drives an enormous SUV, he just bought a huge new truck, and they have a boat and a camper. Nothing wrong with any of these, but taken together I'd say they are just cash poor.

The trip was to Parma. Several coworkers went, and they had a great time.

Lol. There good the benefit of the doubt.. But  I agree with an above poster- I've brought my SO to a conference. He couldn't come to the actual event so he was bored out of his skull. He no longer is interested where I go for conferences, lol.
So get creative.  I'm being sent to Germany for a week.  Spousal unit coming toward the end of the work week, then we're spending another week exploring Belgium + Netherlands.  50% off round trip airfare for two to Europe is an opportunity to be grabbed while the grabbing's good.  As long as you can "afford" it.

CommonCents

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2363
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1998 on: March 11, 2014, 02:53:01 PM »
I joined the forum just so I could post these. :)

From my last job:

CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off."
 
The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off.
 
The two of them combined make $200K+ in our LCOLA. CW #1's career area? Finance.
 
The cobbler's children have no shoes.
 

She could have been hedging.  Just like mustachians here talk about a 38k$ payment on a car (a.k.a., just buying it with cash and none of that loan business) and then covering it by making up fake numbers of payments.

So, maybe she just didn't want to go?  They could have been plotting their retirement in a year!

It's possible, but I doubt it. I was in HR so I knew things like:
- CW#1 had done a $50K 401(k) hardship withdrawl in recent years
- CW#2 had done one for an unknown amount before that
- CW #2 contributed nothing to his 401(k) though he was eligible for an immediately vested 75% match on the first 10% that he contributed

They have 2 kids in an expensive private school, she drives an enormous SUV, he just bought a huge new truck, and they have a boat and a camper. Nothing wrong with any of these, but taken together I'd say they are just cash poor.

The trip was to Parma. Several coworkers went, and they had a great time.

Lol. There good the benefit of the doubt.. But  I agree with an above poster- I've brought my SO to a conference. He couldn't come to the actual event so he was bored out of his skull. He no longer is interested where I go for conferences, lol.
So get creative.  I'm being sent to Germany for a week.  Spousal unit coming toward the end of the work week, then we're spending another week exploring Belgium + Netherlands.  50% off round trip airfare for two to Europe is an opportunity to be grabbed while the grabbing's good.  As long as you can "afford" it.

And this is why retailers just love 50% off the second item sales.

If you don't need it/want it/prefer to spend it elsewhere, don't buy it, no matter what the form the BOGO 50% off takes.

mgreczyn

  • Guest
Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #1999 on: March 11, 2014, 03:24:47 PM »
I joined the forum just so I could post these. :)

From my last job:

CW #1 & CW #2 are married. Someone asked CW #1 if she was going to join CW #2 on his upcoming week long business trip to Italy (her only cost would be airfare and meals). She said "No, I can't afford it and I don't have enough time off."
 
The time off excuse was bogus. She could have easily gotten it off.
 
The two of them combined make $200K+ in our LCOLA. CW #1's career area? Finance.
 
The cobbler's children have no shoes.
 

She could have been hedging.  Just like mustachians here talk about a 38k$ payment on a car (a.k.a., just buying it with cash and none of that loan business) and then covering it by making up fake numbers of payments.

So, maybe she just didn't want to go?  They could have been plotting their retirement in a year!

It's possible, but I doubt it. I was in HR so I knew things like:
- CW#1 had done a $50K 401(k) hardship withdrawl in recent years
- CW#2 had done one for an unknown amount before that
- CW #2 contributed nothing to his 401(k) though he was eligible for an immediately vested 75% match on the first 10% that he contributed

They have 2 kids in an expensive private school, she drives an enormous SUV, he just bought a huge new truck, and they have a boat and a camper. Nothing wrong with any of these, but taken together I'd say they are just cash poor.

The trip was to Parma. Several coworkers went, and they had a great time.

Lol. There good the benefit of the doubt.. But  I agree with an above poster- I've brought my SO to a conference. He couldn't come to the actual event so he was bored out of his skull. He no longer is interested where I go for conferences, lol.
So get creative.  I'm being sent to Germany for a week.  Spousal unit coming toward the end of the work week, then we're spending another week exploring Belgium + Netherlands.  50% off round trip airfare for two to Europe is an opportunity to be grabbed while the grabbing's good.  As long as you can "afford" it.

And this is why retailers just love 50% off the second item sales.

If you don't need it/want it/prefer to spend it elsewhere, don't buy it, no matter what the form the BOGO 50% off takes.
No, you don't get it, you see I HAVE to go... oh nevermind.  Going to Europe, have plenty of money, did not get snowed by a stupid sign at Target.