Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252813 times)

ginastarke

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2250 on: March 29, 2014, 01:39:03 AM »
About the Gummi Bears: They're also an incredibly effective booby trap for people that won't stay out of or contribute to a common snack drawer. My morning shift team got sick of the night shift team raiding our supplies. One bag of those, and it never happened again. 

DoctorOctagon

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2251 on: March 29, 2014, 08:00:02 AM »
Boss #1 (director at our nonprofit plus teaching position at a university, easily makes 100k+ annually) talking to Boss #2 (director at two nonprofits, very busy, makes 120k+ annually) about how tight money is.  #1 isn't saving at all for retirement, #2 is saving about 10% annual income for retirement, both are worried about their respective futures.  During conversation #1 talks about how she is spending $500/month for phone data plans for her family's iphones and just helped her daughter "buy" (get into debt on) a $300k house... not to mention her daily driver, a huge SUV that averages 8 MPG city.... #2 has spent over $10k on every tech gadget known to mankind and just made genuinely horrid investments - bought an overpriced condo at the very top of the real estate boom in 2007, and continues to invest in volatile micro caps ("yeah, it's gone down 50% but it will go up when company XYZ buys it out!!).  I try not to be the snoopy employee but I can hear every word people say - sound carries too well in our workplace...  Both bosses live month to month excluding their limited "investments" (liabilities?).

countdown

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2252 on: March 29, 2014, 12:05:40 PM »
Coworker just spent $300 shipping 10 boxes of thin mints to friend in Germany. Sweet (pun intended) but REALLY???

ScienceSexSavings

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2253 on: March 29, 2014, 01:02:33 PM »
It occured to me today that in my 7 months in my current lab, I've never seen my supervisor eat any kind of homemade food. The only thing I've seen her with that even came from outside of the building was some sushi.

tariskat

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2254 on: March 29, 2014, 02:09:37 PM »
I was out last night for a social night with a dozen other grad students in our department.  My buddy is mostly quitting school so he can go work full time starting May; when I asked why, he said it's because he can't afford school anymore.  He saved up for 4 years before coming back to school; he interns every summer for real-person wages; and he says he is in the red by May every year. 

For the same exact program and wages, I am contributing to my IRA and paying off my undergrad student loans.

I suggested (perhaps not nicely) that his 1 bedroom apartment, nice car with insurance, constant purchase of new clothes, and ridiculous grocery spending were all part of the problem.  He disagreed that he could do without any of it or cut back any more.  Then when I went home, him and 2 others went downtown to go clubbing at all the places he knows.

Half-Borg

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2255 on: March 31, 2014, 02:43:10 AM »
Those sort of juice cleanses usually run at least $50/day. I don't get it either.
For $50/day cleanses, one might as well use a good scotch.

This is much cheaper and very effective. p.s. read the reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Haribo-Gummi-Bears-Sugar-Free/dp/B000EVQWKC

Damn you! I can not stop laughing :D Bad thing is, I'm at work!

Nudelkopf

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2256 on: March 31, 2014, 04:11:36 AM »
It occured to me today that in my 7 months in my current lab, I've never seen my supervisor eat any kind of homemade food. The only thing I've seen her with that even came from outside of the building was some sushi.
I used to do maths with a guy who ate out for ever meal. He didn't even own a single piece of crockery or cutlery!

FIREman2036

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2257 on: March 31, 2014, 08:36:30 AM »
At my old job i was moving from a day rate to staff contract so would be receiving a 5% match on my pension. I ask a couple of the other younger people there who had been staff for a few years how the pension worked and they told me they had never joined. Apparently they couldn't afford to 'lose' the 5% out their salary as they would be struggling by the end of the month. These people earned around GBP24,000 ($36,000) per year and lived with their parents! Funnily enough one was a cost controller on my multi-million dollar project.

At this same job almost nobody entered the employee stock purchase plan which offered stock at 15% discount and could be sold every 4 months (also stock was on the up). Again they claimed they couldn't afford to 'lose the money' out their salary. These were people earning between $40-100,000

Zamboni

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2258 on: March 31, 2014, 10:03:43 PM »
Quote
I would NEVER let my child get into a cab without me. That's insanity.

Yes, that is getting into a car with a stranger.  I take cabs a lot for business travel and I just typed up a long bit about a particularly scary experience I had, but I don't want to divert the thread too much.  Suffice it to say that there are child locks on the rear doors of a lot of cabs, so you can't get out even if you realize you are in trouble.

mgarl10024

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2259 on: April 01, 2014, 03:34:25 AM »
At my old job i was moving from a day rate to staff contract so would be receiving a 5% match on my pension. I ask a couple of the other younger people there who had been staff for a few years how the pension worked and they told me they had never joined. Apparently they couldn't afford to 'lose' the 5% out their salary as they would be struggling by the end of the month. These people earned around GBP24,000 ($36,000) per year and lived with their parents!

I've seen this too.  A manager of another team was on £40,000+ ($66,000+) and didn't join the pension scheme or the sharesave scheme as they couldn't afford it.  Amazes me that for relatively minor sacrifices now you could be significantly better off in the future, and yet this isn't seen as doable.

FunkyStickman

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2260 on: April 01, 2014, 09:27:38 AM »
Just heard this:

Guy: "Hey, come see this!"
Girl: "Oh my god! It's huge! It's so brown and hairy... "


.

They were talking about a spider. O_o

nawhite

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2261 on: April 01, 2014, 10:52:41 AM »
Just heard this:

Guy: "Hey, come see this!"
Girl: "Oh my god! It's huge! It's so brown and hairy... "


.

They were talking about a spider. O_o

Best quote of this thread!

greenmimama

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2262 on: April 01, 2014, 12:01:51 PM »
It occured to me today that in my 7 months in my current lab, I've never seen my supervisor eat any kind of homemade food. The only thing I've seen her with that even came from outside of the building was some sushi.
I used to do maths with a guy who ate out for ever meal. He didn't even own a single piece of crockery or cutlery!

I watched an episode of Oprah probably at least 5 years ago, where a family of 4 ate out every single meal, their kitchen was not really furnished, or used ever, and they spent $29k in a year on take out and fast food, each meal they would even go to 3 drive throughs to get each family member what they wanted.
I can't even wrap my head around that.

geekette

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2263 on: April 01, 2014, 01:11:18 PM »
I know two families who don't like "house food" - they just eat out.

infogoon

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2264 on: April 01, 2014, 02:51:28 PM »
One of my old coworkers ate every meal out. He told me once that he didn't even know if his oven worked; he'd been in the house for five or ten years at that point. He only knew the stove worked because he boiled water on it to clear a clogged drain one time.

homehandymum

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2265 on: April 01, 2014, 03:05:47 PM »
I've seen this too.  A manager of another team was on £40,000+ ($66,000+) and didn't join the pension scheme or the sharesave scheme as they couldn't afford it.  Amazes me that for relatively minor sacrifices now you could be significantly better off in the future, and yet this isn't seen as doable.

I made this mistake myself.  When I first started work, I was a temp employee, so not entitled to the employer match in the superannuation scheme.  I read the paperwork and decided it wasn't worth contributing at that point - I'd be better off paying off my student loan. 

2 years later when I changed to a permanent position with the same employer, I didn't get the full HR induction seminar because I wasn't a new employee, and when asked about the superann scheme, all I remembered was that I had decided it wasn't the best choice.  It completely passed me by that I would now be getting an employer match, that would equate to a 100% return.  It wasn't until after I'd left the job to be a SAHM that it occurred to me that I'd given up a couple of years of employer-matched retirement savings.  doh!

skunkfunk

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2266 on: April 01, 2014, 04:04:04 PM »
I've seen this too.  A manager of another team was on £40,000+ ($66,000+) and didn't join the pension scheme or the sharesave scheme as they couldn't afford it.  Amazes me that for relatively minor sacrifices now you could be significantly better off in the future, and yet this isn't seen as doable.

I made this mistake myself.  When I first started work, I was a temp employee, so not entitled to the employer match in the superannuation scheme.  I read the paperwork and decided it wasn't worth contributing at that point - I'd be better off paying off my student loan. 

2 years later when I changed to a permanent position with the same employer, I didn't get the full HR induction seminar because I wasn't a new employee, and when asked about the superann scheme, all I remembered was that I had decided it wasn't the best choice.  It completely passed me by that I would now be getting an employer match, that would equate to a 100% return.  It wasn't until after I'd left the job to be a SAHM that it occurred to me that I'd given up a couple of years of employer-matched retirement savings.  doh!

Are you certain that there was not a long vesting period that would have taken that match away from you when you quit?

Eric

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2267 on: April 01, 2014, 05:06:08 PM »
I know two families who don't like "house food" - they just eat out.

Sounds healthy!

homehandymum

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2268 on: April 01, 2014, 05:15:30 PM »
I've seen this too.  A manager of another team was on £40,000+ ($66,000+) and didn't join the pension scheme or the sharesave scheme as they couldn't afford it.  Amazes me that for relatively minor sacrifices now you could be significantly better off in the future, and yet this isn't seen as doable.

I made this mistake myself.  When I first started work, I was a temp employee, so not entitled to the employer match in the superannuation scheme.  I read the paperwork and decided it wasn't worth contributing at that point - I'd be better off paying off my student loan. 

2 years later when I changed to a permanent position with the same employer, I didn't get the full HR induction seminar because I wasn't a new employee, and when asked about the superann scheme, all I remembered was that I had decided it wasn't the best choice.  It completely passed me by that I would now be getting an employer match, that would equate to a 100% return.  It wasn't until after I'd left the job to be a SAHM that it occurred to me that I'd given up a couple of years of employer-matched retirement savings.  doh!

Are you certain that there was not a long vesting period that would have taken that match away from you when you quit?

No, not at all sure.  That might well be the case.  It was over a decade ago and can't remember details.  Now that you ask, I recall that they also front-loaded the fees, so that the first 2 years would have been really quite expensive.

So, it still was probably the right choice, given that the savings went into student loan and mortgage repayment instead. 

Thanks for helping me see that :)
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 05:18:02 PM by homehandymum »

horsepoor

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2269 on: April 01, 2014, 06:40:13 PM »
I know two families who don't like "house food" can't cook worth a shit

Really, 95% of the restaurant food is not as good as what I make at home on a daily basis.  Going out to eat is more about getting a break from cooking and a change of scenery, or something I can't make at home, like wood fired pizza.

Zamboni

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2270 on: April 01, 2014, 09:05:54 PM »
^Very true.

I did have a colleague (single guy) who ate out every single meal his entire adult life.  He went to the same local cafeteria-style restaurant for dinner every night.  Other than this, though, he was extremely frugal, and when he died (while still working in his 80's) he left a giant pile of money to charities.

warfreak2

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2271 on: April 02, 2014, 03:54:04 AM »
I did have a colleague (single guy) who ate out every single meal his entire adult life.  He went to the same local cafeteria-style restaurant for dinner every night.  Other than this, though, he was extremely frugal, and when he died (while still working in his 80's) he left a giant pile of money to charities.
Did he win a bet against a foolish café owner?

"Hey Frank, I bet you I can put both arms behind my back and pinch my nose."
"That's impossible Joe, there's no way you can do that!"
"Can too!"
"No way Joe, if you can do that then you eat here for life, for free, it just ain't gonna happen"
*puts arms behind back*
"Well? How you gonna pinch your nose now?"
*removes arms from behind back, then subsequently pinches nose*
"Goddamnit Joe, not again..."

Zamboni

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2272 on: April 02, 2014, 05:17:10 AM »
^His name was Jim.  :-)  And he probably had little social conversations with the people working at that cafeteria every night.

AlanStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2273 on: April 02, 2014, 05:32:53 AM »
Good friend of mine swore eating out was cheaper than cooking at home.  She never had more than a few eggs and some cereal at home.  Calmed it was more expensive to buy food for home as it just spoiled.  I would totally call BS but she paid off a large medical bill as a single mother making <50k/year in a few years.  I think the trick to making this work for her was getting large portions and eating the left overs for a second meal.  Maybe not a viable option of physically active men but worked for her.

warfreak2

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2274 on: April 02, 2014, 05:41:09 AM »
more expensive to buy food for home as it just spoiled
Well, yeah, if you buy a bunch of food and don't eat it, that's gonna cost you.

rocksinmyhead

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2275 on: April 02, 2014, 06:47:09 AM »
I know two families who don't like "house food" can't cook worth a shit

Really, 95% of the restaurant food is not as good as what I make at home on a daily basis.  Going out to eat is more about getting a break from cooking and a change of scenery, or something I can't make at home, like wood fired pizza.

this, exactly.

greenmimama

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2276 on: April 02, 2014, 08:16:35 AM »
Good friend of mine swore eating out was cheaper than cooking at home.  She never had more than a few eggs and some cereal at home.  Calmed it was more expensive to buy food for home as it just spoiled.  I would totally call BS but she paid off a large medical bill as a single mother making <50k/year in a few years.  I think the trick to making this work for her was getting large portions and eating the left overs for a second meal.  Maybe not a viable option of physically active men but worked for her.

I am not saying it is cheaper, but when I was single I ate out a lot more, and it never seemed that much more expensive, although I don't eat a lot, a kids happy meal was plenty for me :)

Now with a family of 5, it is by far cheaper to eat at home, but I have come a long way in cooking and baking! A very long way.

AlanStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2277 on: April 02, 2014, 09:28:30 AM »
Quote
I am not saying it is cheaper, but when I was single I ate out a lot more, and it never seemed that much more expensive,

Yes, I can very much see how for some people at some times it could be cost competitive to mostly eat out.  Buying in bulk at Costco and cooking at home will always be cheapest (ignoring growing your own) but if you can get two meals worth of food from a take-out place for under ten bucks that is not to far behind.  (nutrition aside).  10$/day * 30day = 300$ in take-out + 50$ in misc from grocery store: 350$/per month is not crazy high, apply this to someone working 12hr/day and it becomes a reasonable option. 

[ok I am now safely hidden under my desk please commence throwing freely obtained rotten tomatoes for my heresy.  :-)  ]

skunkfunk

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2278 on: April 02, 2014, 09:43:39 AM »
Quote
I am not saying it is cheaper, but when I was single I ate out a lot more, and it never seemed that much more expensive,

Yes, I can very much see how for some people at some times it could be cost competitive to mostly eat out.  Buying in bulk at Costco and cooking at home will always be cheapest (ignoring growing your own) but if you can get two meals worth of food from a take-out place for under ten bucks that is not to far behind.  (nutrition aside).  10$/day * 30day = 300$ in take-out + 50$ in misc from grocery store: 350$/per month is not crazy high, apply this to someone working 12hr/day and it becomes a reasonable option. 

[ok I am now safely hidden under my desk please commence throwing freely obtained rotten tomatoes for my heresy.  :-)  ]

[throws rotten tomato]

You'd be better off buying frozen pre-cooked food and heating it up as needed. When I was single I could buy a frozen something-or-other for a dollar.

sol

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2279 on: April 02, 2014, 09:50:44 AM »
0$/day * 30day = 300$ in take-out + 50$ in misc from grocery store: 350$/per month is not crazy high

Where are you eating out for an average of $3.33 per meal?

I tend to eat four times per day.  When I eat out, even at fast food, the tab is typically at least $9, sometimes $11, for a single meal.  Even if you were not a 6'4" active man and could squeeze two meals out of that and skimp on breakfast, I still can't see how you would average less than $15/day.

By your math that gets you to $450/month for a small person to eat small amounts of crappy food for a month.  I can feed enormous healthy meals to my family of five all months long for that amount of money.  Not only is eating out not cost effective, it's not even close.

huadpe

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2280 on: April 02, 2014, 10:15:30 AM »
0$/day * 30day = 300$ in take-out + 50$ in misc from grocery store: 350$/per month is not crazy high

Where are you eating out for an average of $3.33 per meal?

I tend to eat four times per day.  When I eat out, even at fast food, the tab is typically at least $9, sometimes $11, for a single meal.  Even if you were not a 6'4" active man and could squeeze two meals out of that and skimp on breakfast, I still can't see how you would average less than $15/day.

By your math that gets you to $450/month for a small person to eat small amounts of crappy food for a month.  I can feed enormous healthy meals to my family of five all months long for that amount of money.  Not only is eating out not cost effective, it's not even close.

Lunches tend to be much better deals than dinners for most eating out.  E.g. the Chinese food place by me has lunch specials in the $5-7 range, and they give you a lot of food.  Fast food also charges you for a drink, which you usually don't need. 

Cooking at home is definitely cheaper, but if you're going to eat out, there are ways to be more efficient about it. 

AlanStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2281 on: April 02, 2014, 10:19:13 AM »
Just checked local Chinese take-out place: 9$ will get you the most expensive thing on the menu (not counting family meals) is a big plate too-includes rice.  Yes, as I said this probably will not work for active man and is based on getting leftovers out of one purchase.  When my gf packs my lunch she includes about half of what I would pack for myself. 

300th post.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2014, 10:21:57 AM by AlanStache »

OneDogGP

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2282 on: April 02, 2014, 10:53:43 AM »
How about this one:

Our CFO was discussing operating costs with another exec and when he found out the average salary of our employees he said, "How do they live on that?!  I spend more than that each year just on wine!".

Not that anything will be done for any of these nice people, but it disgusts me every time I think about it.



geekette

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2283 on: April 02, 2014, 11:10:06 AM »
0$/day * 30day = 300$ in take-out + 50$ in misc from grocery store: 350$/per month is not crazy high

Where are you eating out for an average of $3.33 per meal?

I tend to eat four times per day.  When I eat out, even at fast food, the tab is typically at least $9, sometimes $11, for a single meal.  Even if you were not a 6'4" active man and could squeeze two meals out of that and skimp on breakfast, I still can't see how you would average less than $15/day.

By your math that gets you to $450/month for a small person to eat small amounts of crappy food for a month.  I can feed enormous healthy meals to my family of five all months long for that amount of money.  Not only is eating out not cost effective, it's not even close.

Lunches tend to be much better deals than dinners for most eating out.  E.g. the Chinese food place by me has lunch specials in the $5-7 range, and they give you a lot of food.  Fast food also charges you for a drink, which you usually don't need. 

Cooking at home is definitely cheaper, but if you're going to eat out, there are ways to be more efficient about it.
True - our local take out Chinese place charges $5 for lunch.  My mom occasionally comes over to help me with big yard projects, we can split that, and she takes the leftovers home for dinner.  One of the few ways I actually enjoy veggies.

CommonCents

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2284 on: April 02, 2014, 11:25:09 AM »
I've seen this too.  A manager of another team was on £40,000+ ($66,000+) and didn't join the pension scheme or the sharesave scheme as they couldn't afford it.  Amazes me that for relatively minor sacrifices now you could be significantly better off in the future, and yet this isn't seen as doable.

I made this mistake myself.  When I first started work, I was a temp employee, so not entitled to the employer match in the superannuation scheme.  I read the paperwork and decided it wasn't worth contributing at that point - I'd be better off paying off my student loan. 

2 years later when I changed to a permanent position with the same employer, I didn't get the full HR induction seminar because I wasn't a new employee, and when asked about the superann scheme, all I remembered was that I had decided it wasn't the best choice.  It completely passed me by that I would now be getting an employer match, that would equate to a 100% return.  It wasn't until after I'd left the job to be a SAHM that it occurred to me that I'd given up a couple of years of employer-matched retirement savings.  doh!

Are you certain that there was not a long vesting period that would have taken that match away from you when you quit?

No, not at all sure.  That might well be the case.  It was over a decade ago and can't remember details.  Now that you ask, I recall that they also front-loaded the fees, so that the first 2 years would have been really quite expensive.

So, it still was probably the right choice, given that the savings went into student loan and mortgage repayment instead. 

Thanks for helping me see that :)

I did this too.  I knew I would be applying for law school in 1-2 years (ended up going in 2.5 years, due to timing of applications/school years).  Due to vesting, I wouldn't get anything but a tiny fraction of the match, so I didn't do it.  Still regret it, but so it goes.  I did contribute the max to my Roth IRA while there at least.

zinnie

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2285 on: April 02, 2014, 11:33:18 AM »
How about this one:

Our CFO was discussing operating costs with another exec and when he found out the average salary of our employees he said, "How do they live on that?!  I spend more than that each year just on wine!".

Not that anything will be done for any of these nice people, but it disgusts me every time I think about it.

Things to not say out loud when you are an exec.  Eek.

Insanity

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2286 on: April 02, 2014, 11:58:16 AM »
Quote
I am not saying it is cheaper, but when I was single I ate out a lot more, and it never seemed that much more expensive,

Yes, I can very much see how for some people at some times it could be cost competitive to mostly eat out.  Buying in bulk at Costco and cooking at home will always be cheapest (ignoring growing your own) but if you can get two meals worth of food from a take-out place for under ten bucks that is not to far behind.  (nutrition aside).  10$/day * 30day = 300$ in take-out + 50$ in misc from grocery store: 350$/per month is not crazy high, apply this to someone working 12hr/day and it becomes a reasonable option. 

[ok I am now safely hidden under my desk please commence throwing freely obtained rotten tomatoes for my heresy.  :-)  ]

And from a social aspect if you can afford it you are paying someone a wage to provide you a service allowing them to support themselves…..  Similarly to having someone clean your house ;)

nawhite

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2287 on: April 02, 2014, 12:58:26 PM »
And from a social aspect if you can afford it you are paying someone a wage to provide you a service allowing them to support themselves…..  Similarly to having someone clean your house ;)

I see what you did there ;-)

But seriously, wow, do I hate that thread. Whenever I get drawn into it, my facepunch muscles go into overdrive but they play so much complainypants defense that I feel like I'd just be trolling.

pdxbator

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2288 on: April 02, 2014, 01:11:16 PM »
A woman at work (part-time mind you) who recently graduated with large school loans is always talking about how much she is in debt. Then she shares that she goes out nearly every night for dinner because she is so bored with cooking her lunches. Then she just shared today that she saw Cirque du Soleil which is in town with her husband. Tickets usually run at least $100/person for them. Meanwhile I'm 41 now and plan to be FI and out of the workplace by 50.

aclarridge

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2289 on: April 02, 2014, 03:32:54 PM »
A woman at work (part-time mind you) who recently graduated with large school loans is always talking about how much she is in debt. Then she shares that she goes out nearly every night for dinner because she is so bored with cooking her lunches. Then she just shared today that she saw Cirque du Soleil which is in town with her husband. Tickets usually run at least $100/person for them. Meanwhile I'm 41 now and plan to be FI and out of the workplace by 50.

Cirque du Soleil was worth the $100 IMO. Just fyi :)

LucyBIT

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2290 on: April 02, 2014, 04:37:33 PM »
Him: How do you like the new car?
Her: Well, I feel guilty.
Him: Why?

enter me thinking it's because she spent a lot of money on a shiny new car

Her: It's not a hybrid.

No, it's not a hybrid, it's an Infiniti G37x, which a quick google tells me is MSRP $30,000+.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2014, 04:41:46 PM by LucyBIT »

BlueHouse

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2291 on: April 02, 2014, 09:58:17 PM »
Quote
Due to vesting, I wouldn't get anything but a tiny fraction of the match, so I didn't do it.
To anyone else with similar thoughts:  Please don't let an unfavorable vesting schedule dissuade you from investing at least up to the match. First, plans change and we often stay longer than planned. Second, vesting is one of the most easily negotiated items when leaving a company. Employers can and often do allow someone to be vested fully as part of an exit buyout. You have to ask for it though. You never know what can happen, so don't assume it's not worth it.

Target2018

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2292 on: April 03, 2014, 07:50:12 AM »
Just this morning in the breakroom, someone is talking about a friend that won 1.2 million with a scratch-off lottery ticket.  A company Director (in his mid 50s) comments, "If I won that I could probably cut the number of years I have left to work by 10". I'd be out of here today

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2293 on: April 03, 2014, 10:27:04 AM »
Just this morning in the breakroom, someone is talking about a friend that won 1.2 million with a scratch-off lottery ticket.  A company Director (in his mid 50s) comments, "If I won that I could probably cut the number of years I have left to work by 10". I'd be out of here today

Hey, same here!

CommonCents

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2294 on: April 03, 2014, 11:08:02 AM »
Quote
Due to vesting, I wouldn't get anything but a tiny fraction of the match, so I didn't do it.
To anyone else with similar thoughts:  Please don't let an unfavorable vesting schedule dissuade you from investing at least up to the match. First, plans change and we often stay longer than planned. Second, vesting is one of the most easily negotiated items when leaving a company. Employers can and often do allow someone to be vested fully as part of an exit buyout. You have to ask for it though. You never know what can happen, so don't assume it's not worth it.

Agreed I wouldn't do this now - but at the time I was 21, making a very small salary in an expensive city with expensive student loans.  We all don't optimize.  I'm pretty pleased I walked away from that time of life with no further debt and some student loans paid down.  (And I did leave as planned.)  That said, I'm pretty skeptical that a low level employee would receive an exit buyout.  (I know you say it happens, but even in general, I find it doesn't make sense for the company to agree to it, when you are leaving.)

AlanStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2295 on: April 03, 2014, 12:40:43 PM »
Generic question from someone who has had very few "adult jobs" but what are you negotiating with when you are leaving a company that you could get the vesting taken care of?

Bigote

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2296 on: April 03, 2014, 12:54:59 PM »
Generic question from someone who has had very few "adult jobs" but what are you negotiating with when you are leaving a company that you could get the vesting taken care of?

I think the idea of negotiating it on your way out is unusual to say the least.   The whole idea of vesting is to give you the incentive to stay.  The one exception (in my experience) is if the company lets you go -  then it is pretty common or even standard to have vesting accelerated.   

Its also common, at least in the investment banking world, for the acquiring bank to make you whole on any unvested stock from the bank you're leaving.  e.g. you quit JP Morgan to go to Credit Suisse, leaving $X worth of shares on the table vesting over 3 years.   Credit Suisse then gives you the equivalent value in their shares vesting over the same timeframe - they've kept you whole, in other words.

Zamboni

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2297 on: April 03, 2014, 01:29:45 PM »
How about this one:

Our CFO was discussing operating costs with another exec and when he found out the average salary of our employees he said, "How do they live on that?!  I spend more than that each year just on wine!".

Not that anything will be done for any of these nice people, but it disgusts me every time I think about it.

Wow, just wow. 

alphalemming

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2298 on: April 03, 2014, 01:30:46 PM »
Negotiating accelerated vesting sounds like something more common when negotiating a severance package

ritz

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #2299 on: April 03, 2014, 10:52:01 PM »
A partner, talking about one of her clients with another partner: "That talk you gave <client> really opened his eyes. He sold off $70,000 of his wine collection to pay down some of his debts!"