Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13253085 times)

slugline

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20950 on: October 18, 2018, 08:23:26 AM »
Goodness, how high is your prescription?  I'm at 5.something (don't remember, 5.5? 5.75?), and I thought that was bad! (plus age related nearsightedness).

My prescription has been in the minus low to mid-teens my entire life. I would trade for a 5-something in a heartbeat! :) I've never had the convenience of "glasses in an hour" -- the work always has to be farmed off-site.

geekette

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20951 on: October 18, 2018, 08:53:30 AM »
Unfortunately, no one but my optometrist’s office can fill my prescription. Once you need both a high prescription and the usual age related near sightedness, you’re sunk. Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s, Zenni, you name it, I called ‘me. They don’t stock.

Mine were still around $500 all in (high index, scratch protect). They’ll last me 4-5 years, so I suck it up and pay.
Goodness, how high is your prescription?  I'm at 5.something (don't remember, 5.5? 5.75?), and I thought that was bad! (plus age related nearsightedness).
Apparently not quite as bad as @slugline!  Low teens in each eye. I think -12 in one and -13.5 in the other, plus astigmatism and presbyopia. Yay me!  I remember when I went to Costco and they said “We don’t have that in stock”. I said I’m fine with waiting, but what they really meant was that they won’t/can’t even order it.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20952 on: October 18, 2018, 08:58:01 AM »
Unfortunately, no one but my optometrist’s office can fill my prescription. Once you need both a high prescription and the usual age related near sightedness, you’re sunk. Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s, Zenni, you name it, I called ‘me. They don’t stock.

Mine were still around $500 all in (high index, scratch protect). They’ll last me 4-5 years, so I suck it up and pay.
Goodness, how high is your prescription?  I'm at 5.something (don't remember, 5.5? 5.75?), and I thought that was bad! (plus age related nearsightedness).
Apparently not quite as bad as @slugline!  Low teens in each eye. I think -12 in one and -13.5 in the other, plus astigmatism and presbyopia. Yay me!  I remember when I went to Costco and they said “We don’t have that in stock”. I said I’m fine with waiting, but what they really meant was that they won’t/can’t even order it.

Costco doesn't carry the high end polymers that make such prescriptions light enough to stay on my nose.

kms

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20953 on: October 19, 2018, 09:07:52 AM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.
« Last Edit: October 19, 2018, 09:10:24 AM by kms »

AMandM

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20954 on: October 19, 2018, 09:17:59 AM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20955 on: October 19, 2018, 09:17:26 AM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

I think some online places like eyebuydirect don't require to see your prescription (others do make you scan it.)

But since your prescription is more than a year old, you would need to see an optometrist or ophthalmologist to get a prescription; retail outlets can't sell glasses to you without a prescription.  (If you had a + prescription you could go buy off the rack "readers", but I don't think they sell those for -.) Our Walmart charges like $60 for this; their glasses are inexpensive, but you can then take the prescription and purchase them anywhere. 

If your eyes were perfect, you wouldn't need glasses. So that's kind of a weird thing to say...

onlykelsey

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20956 on: October 19, 2018, 09:17:32 AM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.
I believe that you have to have a prescription from the last 12 months in order to buy glasses legally in the US.  I actually had another health problem (unrelated to vision, really) diagnosed by an eye doctor, so I think it makes sense to go every few years even if you had 20/20 vision (which it sounds like you don't).  I'd price shop if your prescription is weak, then immediately get a .pdf of your prescription (which they are obligated to give you but may drag their feet on in order to get you to use the affiliate to buy lenses), and find frames you like online.

AMandM

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20957 on: October 19, 2018, 09:44:40 AM »
My daughter graduated from college two years ago and works for a federal agency.  She asked me the other day, "Would you say I'm middle class?" She has a solid income, and on her salary she and her husband have the comforts of middle class life (rent a pleasant apartment, eat well, go out every so often, buy clothes, go on vacation), so I said Yes and asked why.  Turns out a colleague in her hiring cohort said he couldn't wait to get promoted two levels so that he (single) could be "barely middle-class."  Apparently this guy won't consider any place to live that doesn't have granite countertops and SS appliances--even though she's never seen him eat anything that wasn't made by shaking up a powder in water.

kms

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20958 on: October 19, 2018, 09:59:19 AM »
I don't need reading glasses - I'm shortsighted not longsighted.

Thanks everybody for their input. I don't have a prescription yet as I haven't been to an eye doctor in more than 5 years. Last time I went was to determine whether or not I qualify for corrective laser eye surgery, and the doctor determined that in fact I do not because my shortsightedness is too weak. And by "my eyes are perfect" I mean that my eyesight hasn't changed in the last 20+ years and I have no issues with my eyes whatsoever except for this minor shortsightedness. There are two optometrists in our neighborhood and I've asked around, apparently they both charge close to or upwards of $200 for a new patient eye exam.

I'll probably check out the next Walmart Superstore. Somebody mentioned Costco but I don't have a membership and don't really want to either. Thanks everybody, this was already very helpful :-)

I'm a red panda

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20959 on: October 19, 2018, 10:09:42 AM »
I don't need reading glasses - I'm shortsighted not longsighted.

Thanks everybody for their input. I don't have a prescription yet as I haven't been to an eye doctor in more than 5 years. Last time I went was to determine whether or not I qualify for corrective laser eye surgery, and the doctor determined that in fact I do not because my shortsightedness is too weak. And by "my eyes are perfect" I mean that my eyesight hasn't changed in the last 20+ years and I have no issues with my eyes whatsoever except for this minor shortsightedness. There are two optometrists in our neighborhood and I've asked around, apparently they both charge close to or upwards of $200 for a new patient eye exam.

I'll probably check out the next Walmart Superstore. Somebody mentioned Costco but I don't have a membership and don't really want to either. Thanks everybody, this was already very helpful :-)

It is state dependent, but Costco Optical here you can go in and use the service as a non-member, so check that out too.

kms

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20960 on: October 19, 2018, 10:11:25 AM »
Good to know, thank you.

SynestheticSymphony

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20961 on: October 19, 2018, 02:35:50 PM »
Back on topic:

I have a coworker who is insanely buried in debt and working at McDonald's in addition to his full-time job "in order to get ahead."

He just used the phrase "a cheapie $500-600 desktop" to refer to the computer he's thinking of impulse-buying for his kids.

"cheapie" !== "$500-$600" when you have a negative net worth!!! *bangs head on desk*

SynestheticSymphony

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20962 on: October 19, 2018, 02:48:33 PM »
Back on topic:

I have a coworker who is insanely buried in debt and working at McDonald's in addition to his full-time job "in order to get ahead."

He just used the phrase "a cheapie $500-600 desktop" to refer to the computer he's thinking of impulse-buying for his kids.

"cheapie" !== "$500-$600" when you have a negative net worth!!! *bangs head on desk*

Though to his credit, he did just pay of one of his vehicles today.

SunnyDays

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20963 on: October 19, 2018, 04:10:02 PM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

Can you just buy drugstore glasses in two different strengths and switch out one of the lenses?

OtherJen

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20964 on: October 19, 2018, 06:04:00 PM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

Can you just buy drugstore glasses in two different strengths and switch out one of the lenses?

Do drugstores even sell glasses with negative-value strengths? I’ve only ever seen reading glasses in positive-value strengths (believe me, I’ve looked because my prescription is -0.50).

yourusernamehere

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20965 on: October 19, 2018, 06:05:06 PM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

It's probably a good idea to have an exam after that long not just for your prescription but also for your eye health. We only get the one pair, right? But if you have a very low prescription like 1ish then I think you can pick up cheap readers at a drug store. (Not an expert on that, I can only see about 4 inches without corrective lenses )

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20966 on: October 19, 2018, 06:56:15 PM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

Can you just buy drugstore glasses in two different strengths and switch out one of the lenses?

Do drugstores even sell glasses with negative-value strengths? I’ve only ever seen reading glasses in positive-value strengths (believe me, I’ve looked because my prescription is -0.50).

I've never seen negatives in stores, but Amazon does.
https://www.amazon.com/ALWAYSUV-Shortsighted-Nearsighted-Distance-Strength/dp/B07FXGZN98/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1539996905&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=nearsighted%2Bglasses&dpPl=1&dpID=31QDRVJYoPL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

swampwiz

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20967 on: October 19, 2018, 10:35:02 PM »
Quick question: I've only recently moved to the US and may need new glasses now. Not because the old ones don't work anymore or because I broke them but because they're more than 10 years old and the frameless plastic lenses are somewhat scratched at this point. Since I rarely ever wear them (-1 on the right eye, -1.25 on the left) they lasted this long.

What's the standard way to get new glasses in the US? Friends and neighbors have recommended to go see an eye doctor once they found out I haven't had an eye exam in more than 10 years. Do I have to go see an optometrist and go through an eye exam just to get a prescription? My eyes are perfect, I have no family history and no trouble whatsoever, and I really don't believe in paying $200-$250 for a doctor to look at me and tell me everything is alright. I know that already, thank you very much.

You can buy reading glasses in various low strengths (up to about 2.5) from a drugstore for $10-20 but they'll have the same strength in both eyes. At 1/1.25 and since you don't wear them often maybe that wouldn't bother you.

If you want the two different strengths you'll need a prescription. For that you get an eye exam from an optometrist, which costs $60 or less. The you can order the glasses online cheap. Or you can do the standard spendypants American thing, and order glasses from the optician connected to the optometrist and spend hundreds of dollars on frames.

I buy my frames from eBay or Amazon.  I know what size I need, so I make sure that the frames are all about that size.  I then use a place called 39dollarglasses.com to put the lens in for $30 (and often they have a "get the 2nd pair for half off" deal).  Of course, they have frames as well for $9, hence the company name, but they don't appeal to me.  I now have 5 different pairs of glasses - regular (far) Rx, no tint; regular Rx, medium tint; regular Rx, dark tint; near Rx, no tint; middle Rx, no tint - that cost me about $250 total.  I typically get a new Rx every 2 years, even though with the Medicaid expansion I get a free Rx (my eyes don't change much).

Eckhart

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20968 on: October 20, 2018, 09:37:50 AM »
Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.


Fomerly known as something

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20969 on: October 20, 2018, 06:07:31 PM »
Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

You obviously have not actually read this thread.

tralfamadorian

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20970 on: October 20, 2018, 06:36:54 PM »
Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

Yes, because it is absolutely critical that a sprawling, 423 page, self-congratulatory behemoth like OaW stay on track and avoid any actual useful information. lolz

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20971 on: October 20, 2018, 11:26:10 PM »
Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

Yes, because it is absolutely critical that a sprawling, 423 page, self-congratulatory behemoth like OaW stay on track and avoid any actual useful information. lolz

Please stop replying to all.  Also I’d like to unsubscribe

markbike528CBX

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20972 on: October 21, 2018, 01:57:23 AM »
Hi everyone,

Please do me a favor and start a new thread about glasses.  Best to keep this one on track.

Yes, because it is absolutely critical that a sprawling, 423 page, self-congratulatory behemoth like OaW stay on track and avoid any actual useful information. lolz

Please stop replying to all.  Also I’d like to unsubscribe

Yep, the thread has diverged greatly from its original intent of discussing the foamy black and orange boxes.  See pg 101....
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/antimustachian-wall-of-shame-and-comedy/overheard-at-work/msg438011/#msg438011
« Last Edit: October 21, 2018, 02:03:20 AM by markbike528CBX »

APowers

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20973 on: October 21, 2018, 05:04:33 PM »
Congratulations! You have signed up for Black Box Facts! Did you know that black boxes are actually orange?

Please text STOP to 54439 to continue receiving NEW FACTS daily.

Arbitrage

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20974 on: October 22, 2018, 01:09:45 PM »
Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.

onlykelsey

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20975 on: October 22, 2018, 01:13:04 PM »
Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.
To be fair, general retirement knowledge says if you're earning those sorts of salaries, you better have $10 million to retire, and pay for all your kids' school and college and grad school and sports and and and...  I bet a fair number of high earners actually COULD retire if they ran the 4% (or 3% or whatever) rule on their balance sheet, it just hasn't occurred to them.

Arbitrage

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20976 on: October 22, 2018, 01:34:12 PM »
Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.
To be fair, general retirement knowledge says if you're earning those sorts of salaries, you better have $10 million to retire, and pay for all your kids' school and college and grad school and sports and and and...  I bet a fair number of high earners actually COULD retire if they ran the 4% (or 3% or whatever) rule on their balance sheet, it just hasn't occurred to them.

I agree.  However, I wasn't about to start giving that kind of advice to my boss's boss's boss.  :-)

Linea_Norway

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20977 on: October 22, 2018, 11:56:43 PM »
Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.
To be fair, general retirement knowledge says if you're earning those sorts of salaries, you better have $10 million to retire, and pay for all your kids' school and college and grad school and sports and and and...  I bet a fair number of high earners actually COULD retire if they ran the 4% (or 3% or whatever) rule on their balance sheet, it just hasn't occurred to them.

I agree.  However, I wasn't about to start giving that kind of advice to my boss's boss's boss.  :-)

Some people have a guaranteed pension from the age of 67 of 66% of their salary of the best 10 years. Pretty good for Mustachian standards. But they think that is very low and get nervous.

One of my co-workers told me the following. He had for 15 years been living in a rental apartment in a fancy part of the capital, paying only 10% of normal market rent. When the apartment got upgraded and the rent was adjusted to normal rate, he had to move out. This was maybe a decade ago. Now he had only one financial goal in life and that was being debt free at retirement.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20978 on: October 23, 2018, 03:57:21 AM »
Co-worker 1 (27 years old): "When I applied for this job, I didn't look at the pension they offered. Pensions are just not interesting.
Me: But when you are 67, you will receive only (approximately) 50% or your current salary in pension. Will you be able to handle that? (FYI: In our country we don't have 401s and IRAs).
Co.worker 1: I just want to live and have fun! Not thinking about pensions like co-worker 3 wants me to do.

Co-worker 2 (41 years old): I would also like to work 80% (like me). Not right now, but when I have paid down some more debt.

mountain mustache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20979 on: October 24, 2018, 06:43:23 PM »
overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

Slee_stack

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20980 on: October 25, 2018, 12:29:36 PM »
overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"
Big Ass Truck FTW!

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20981 on: October 25, 2018, 12:51:28 PM »
And don't forget that neighborhoods built without streetlights and sidewalks are alot cheaper than the "deluxe package" with those items.

Around here I was told the average property developer is/was responsible for all these things initially and then the city or county would take over the maintenance if it was constructed to code. I guess the average developer here wants to build on the cheap if buyers aren't demanding sidewalks.

Nobody walks, nobody bikes - we are all supposed to load up the family hauler and go to the mall and then out to eat. -eye roller-

Ugh.  There''s some busybody in town advocating that the city put sidewalks in my neighborhood and then assess homeowners.  Her house, of course, wouldn't be affected because she already has a sidewalk.
Sidewalks should be paid for by the city, for residences, when not part of the a development permit.

We went through this several years ago. Neighbor circulated a petition to have street lights added all over our semi-rural neighborhood. Nothing came of it b/c apparently we collectively prefer the dark. Besides as the town grows there is unfortunately enough light pollution to see the pavement many nights.

I might have signed on to pretty old fashioned cast iron street lights that were dim and created a nice warm shadowy light but I know what we would have gotten - typical street lights with buzzy transformers and sodium bulbs (?) that cast an unappealing light all over. No thanks.

AMandM

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20982 on: October 25, 2018, 02:01:31 PM »
overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

OK, not everyone is into early retirement. I understand that someone would, in the name of fun, prefer a higher-spending, longer-working life. But I don't understand people who advocate for more "fun" when that costs so much present stress.  I mean, really, who's having more fun?  The guy who thinks his income is inadequate and his expenses are too high, or the one who's confident that he'll be financially secure all his life?

LennStar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20983 on: October 26, 2018, 02:50:34 AM »
overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

OK, not everyone is into early retirement. I understand that someone would, in the name of fun, prefer a higher-spending, longer-working life. But I don't understand people who advocate for more "fun" when that costs so much present stress.  I mean, really, who's having more fun?  The guy who thinks his income is inadequate and his expenses are too high, or the one who's confident that he'll be financially secure all his life?

You confuse fun with the feeling of secureness.
Money does not make happy (or fun for most people), but it calms tremendously.

mountain mustache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20984 on: October 26, 2018, 07:45:31 AM »
overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

OK, not everyone is into early retirement. I understand that someone would, in the name of fun, prefer a higher-spending, longer-working life. But I don't understand people who advocate for more "fun" when that costs so much present stress.  I mean, really, who's having more fun?  The guy who thinks his income is inadequate and his expenses are too high, or the one who's confident that he'll be financially secure all his life?

You confuse fun with the feeling of secureness.
Money does not make happy (or fun for most people), but it calms tremendously.

This, exactly. I don't see myself as denying fun to save money. More, I see how I feel more secure, and happy, and enjoy my free time more, and one could even say I have *more* fun now that I am on the path to being financially secure=less worrying.

auntie_betty

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20985 on: October 27, 2018, 08:30:36 AM »
overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

To which, the answer is "yep, it IS too short. That's why I'm not working a day more than necessary".

MMM_Avid_5432

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20986 on: October 27, 2018, 05:23:04 PM »
Today, I was filling out an application. They required 4 forms of identity to prove I am a Colorado resident. One of those was car registration in my name. What an assumption I own a car!

BFive55

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20987 on: October 28, 2018, 09:56:48 AM »
I work for the government. So I know what people hired after me get paid because we're all on the same pay scale.

This one guy I know has been there about two years. He had a motorcycle and an expensive car. The monthly payments were over $1,000 total. My car payment was less than $175 and I hated paying that much (I had put like $5,000 down) and I paid my car off early.

This in combination with a house he was paying for which cost more than mine. I would have been getting sick at the mortgage + car payments and I make more (I have seniority, so I was making about $12,000 more plus my overtime rate was higher and I worked more overtime).

The saving grace of this situation is that we have very good pensions and the pension obligations are automatically deducted from our paychecks. So even with the outrageous spending he'd still have a very decent retirement with like an 85% pension.

Steeze

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20988 on: October 28, 2018, 02:24:15 PM »
My co-worker won a lottery for low-income housing.
His rent is stabilized at 2300$/mo. for a 1br.

Low income in NYC is weird.

SmoothUpperLip

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20989 on: October 30, 2018, 06:52:52 PM »
Deeply unpleasant colleague who is just earning over the minimum wage passive-aggressive humble bragging about her rich sister and brother-in-law:

'No, you can't live off the interest on a million pounds. My sister has got a million pounds sat in a bank account and with the current interest rates it will only earn her £13,000 interest this year.'

This made me thinks of two things:

1) If you are smart enough to make (or grow) a million, why would you invest it in such a poor way?
2) In the UK, should the bank with which you have invested your money go under, each customer is only guaranteed the return of the first £85,000 of their money by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, so anyone investing more than that amount in any one financial institution is a fool.

Alfred J Quack

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20990 on: October 31, 2018, 04:22:47 AM »
Deeply unpleasant colleague who is just earning over the minimum wage passive-aggressive humble bragging about her rich sister and brother-in-law:

'No, you can't live off the interest on a million pounds. My sister has got a million pounds sat in a bank account and with the current interest rates it will only earn her £13,000 interest this year.'

This made me thinks of two things:

1) If you are smart enough to make (or grow) a million, why would you invest it in such a poor way?
2) In the UK, should the bank with which you have invested your money go under, each customer is only guaranteed the return of the first £85,000 of their money by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, so anyone investing more than that amount in any one financial institution is a fool.
13k per year is still 1.3% interest. Since my banks only pay 0.3 and 0.1% so she is definitely doing something other than a basic savings account, maybe fixed term savings?

On the rest, I definitely agree. But you have to be careful too because a few internet banks offer a higher interest but operate under the same license as the main bank (which in Holland means you only get max 100k restituted of the combined sum of savings on all banks under the same license).

The funny thing about my investment company though is that by law their operating firm is financially seperated from the investment collective. Should the firm go bankrupt the investments are still 100% ours. The firm gets "payed" a fee by the collective to manage their money, any more money gets wired and the local equivalent of the IRS is on their doorstep.
Should they want to be malicious they can be of course but this setup makes it a lot harder for them to achieve that.

Hirondelle

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20991 on: October 31, 2018, 04:32:32 AM »
Deeply unpleasant colleague who is just earning over the minimum wage passive-aggressive humble bragging about her rich sister and brother-in-law:

'No, you can't live off the interest on a million pounds. My sister has got a million pounds sat in a bank account and with the current interest rates it will only earn her £13,000 interest this year.'

This made me thinks of two things:

1) If you are smart enough to make (or grow) a million, why would you invest it in such a poor way?
2) In the UK, should the bank with which you have invested your money go under, each customer is only guaranteed the return of the first £85,000 of their money by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, so anyone investing more than that amount in any one financial institution is a fool.
13k per year is still 1.3% interest. Since my banks only pay 0.3 and 0.1% so she is definitely doing something other than a basic savings account, maybe fixed term savings?


As your location tells me you're in the Netherlands and the poster posted the money sums in pounds I assume they have higher interest rates for regular savings accounts there? If I look at some of the numbers of the US folks here across the ocean they're definitely higher so I wouldn't be too surprised if this was true across the canal too :)

Alfred J Quack

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20992 on: October 31, 2018, 06:10:07 AM »
Deeply unpleasant colleague who is just earning over the minimum wage passive-aggressive humble bragging about her rich sister and brother-in-law:

'No, you can't live off the interest on a million pounds. My sister has got a million pounds sat in a bank account and with the current interest rates it will only earn her £13,000 interest this year.'

This made me thinks of two things:

1) If you are smart enough to make (or grow) a million, why would you invest it in such a poor way?
2) In the UK, should the bank with which you have invested your money go under, each customer is only guaranteed the return of the first £85,000 of their money by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, so anyone investing more than that amount in any one financial institution is a fool.
13k per year is still 1.3% interest. Since my banks only pay 0.3 and 0.1% so she is definitely doing something other than a basic savings account, maybe fixed term savings?


As your location tells me you're in the Netherlands and the poster posted the money sums in pounds I assume they have higher interest rates for regular savings accounts there? If I look at some of the numbers of the US folks here across the ocean they're definitely higher so I wouldn't be too surprised if this was true across the canal too :)
Checked Barclays, 0.75% with 100k+ savings. Still not 1.3%, but granted that interest varies more than I expected. The 0.3% I mentioned was the highest interest in Holland a few months back, it's likely to drop in the negatives of the banks keep going.

chaskavitch

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20993 on: October 31, 2018, 09:02:16 AM »
This isn't a comedic thing so much as a sad thing, but it's a coworker, so it goes here.

I have a coworker, married with three small kids, whose family has had a lot of health issues and hospital visits this year.  They keep getting turned away from Urgent Care and sent to the Emergency room for some reason, for things I feel like Urgent Care should really be able to handle.

The problem is, they signed up for our HDHP for 2018, but DIDN'T OPEN AN HSA.  I just found this out during our open enrollment meeting this week.

Our company contributes $2000 over the course of the year to your HSA if you have a family plan, regardless of if you add any money yourselfTWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!!!!!  I think they didn't realize that they had to go through the paperwork and open an account to get the money, so they've been paying full (maybe insurance discounted) price for multiple ER visits, at least one hospital admission, and a bunch of other small chronic things, without using any tax advantaged funds or free money from our employer.  I feel so bad.  If I'd known they didn't have an HSA opened earlier in the year, I could have told them to open one and helped them with it.  You're allowed to change or update your contribution amount at any time, and it would have helped them SO much to get that extra money.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2018, 09:50:39 AM by chaskavitch »

daveed

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20994 on: October 31, 2018, 09:40:07 AM »
Just re-upped our agreements for 2019 for benefits.

Had a coworker proudly tell me, "I just opt out of everything, including the 401(k), so that I can do what I want with my money"

Oh boy. Been here for 1.5 years and still haven't told a soul that I max out 401(k) and HSA as fast as I possibly can.

Alfred J Quack

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20995 on: October 31, 2018, 12:31:46 PM »
Just re-upped our agreements for 2019 for benefits.

Had a coworker proudly tell me, "I just opt out of everything, including the 401(k), so that I can do what I want with my money"

Oh boy. Been here for 1.5 years and still haven't told a soul that I max out 401(k) and HSA as fast as I possibly can.
Did he also say what he wanted? Or is it basically the same consumerist dream getting fulfilled by whimsical purchases using borrowed money on his over-leveraged accounts as every other?

I think it's a terrible excuse to ignore your future for no other reason than to gratify your present self... Yes, there is some self loathing in there because I have some impuls control issues due to a concussion which have led to some, ah, unnecessary purchases. No debt though, thankfully.

wild forest

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20996 on: October 31, 2018, 12:35:32 PM »
Having dinner while on work travel with some higher-ups:

"I keep bouncing back between 2 and 5 years left before I can manage to retire.  Every time I think I'm getting close to be able to handle it, something happens and I'm back up to 5 years."
- General Manager, late 50s/early 60s, pulling in over half a million in salary+benefits (I know this for a fact)

"I've probably got at least 20 years left before I can manage it."
- Principal Engineer, mid-40s, earning about $250k in salary

I am continually baffled by where upper middle class/upper class people are spending all of their money.  If they have no interest in retirement, that's one thing, but these are people who claim that they would like to retire.

I think if these people don't hit a brick wall, they would not understand the concept of frugality. I mean, if their habits and life styles are in the high ends dining, Mercedez, boat, and international vacations; how can they go back to a $2.00 homemade Ham sandwich!?

Sound to me like the majority of these people are irresponsible spenders, which is good for the economy I guess. Because if the don't spend money on cars and CC, business will slow down. And if business slow down, that won't be good for the economy as whole and the market will tank, which is also bad for your investments :-). Imagine if all of your co-workers, neighbors, and friends are Mr. and Mrs. Mustachians, car dealerships probably won't stay in business for long :-). 

ScreamingHeadGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20997 on: October 31, 2018, 01:03:24 PM »
overheard today: "Oh, I sold my motorcycle yesterday!" (his "spare"). I said "that's great, making extra money is always nice" to which he responded, "yeah, now I'm going to go buy a big truck!"....seriously?!? He complains multiple times a week about not making enough money, about how many expenses he and his wife (dual income, no kids) have...and he's going to go buy a Tundra. He (and all of my other co workers) are also always giving me a hard time about saving any money for retirement because "life is short, have fun for as long as you can!"

To which, the answer is "yep, it IS too short. That's why I'm not working a day more than necessary".

My sentiments exactly.

SunnyDays

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20998 on: October 31, 2018, 06:37:43 PM »
When I was still working (retired 2 years), I had a co-worker (30 years old) who said she had been dreaming about retiring since she started working, at around age 22.  Same woman who spent $40,000 renovating her kitchen, ate lunch out EVERY work day, to the tune of about $15.00 per day, (yup, overweight) and hired a house cleaner while she spent 4 HOURS a night reading.  Then she wants to only work 4 days per week because it's just too much to do 5 days in a row.  Not allowed, so she went down to half-time and started her own part-time business.  Not sure how that went, as I left soon after, but she gave up a great defined benefits pension and an excellent benefits package.  Yikes!

a286

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20999 on: October 31, 2018, 06:54:59 PM »
This isn't a comedic thing so much as a sad thing, but it's a coworker, so it goes here.

I have a coworker, married with three small kids, whose family has had a lot of health issues and hospital visits this year.  They keep getting turned away from Urgent Care and sent to the Emergency room for some reason, for things I feel like Urgent Care should really be able to handle.

The problem is, they signed up for our HDHP for 2018, but DIDN'T OPEN AN HSA.  I just found this out during our open enrollment meeting this week.

Our company contributes $2000 over the course of the year to your HSA if you have a family plan, regardless of if you add any money yourselfTWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!!!!!  I think they didn't realize that they had to go through the paperwork and open an account to get the money, so they've been paying full (maybe insurance discounted) price for multiple ER visits, at least one hospital admission, and a bunch of other small chronic things, without using any tax advantaged funds or free money from our employer.  I feel so bad.  If I'd known they didn't have an HSA opened earlier in the year, I could have told them to open one and helped them with it.  You're allowed to change or update your contribution amount at any time, and it would have helped them SO much to get that extra money.
Ack. Ours puts in $500 for a single person or $1k for a family, and $25 if you have a pet (pet food company). Here I just upped my contributions for the rest of the year because I had to lower my 401k contribution so I wouldnt go over

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!