Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252540 times)

Paul der Krake

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8150 on: May 09, 2015, 12:04:12 PM »
All business owners pass along the costs, why do you think costs are always going up, because their costs are going up, so what you are saying is you would rather the landlord hid the fee in something else.
Yup. The sense of unfairness stems from the fact that you may not even get the place after forking money. Imagine the uproar if employers started charging an application fee to prospective hires.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8151 on: May 09, 2015, 12:45:09 PM »
All business owners pass along the costs, why do you think costs are always going up, because their costs are going up, so what you are saying is you would rather the landlord hid the fee in something else.
Yup. The sense of unfairness stems from the fact that you may not even get the place after forking money. Imagine the uproar if employers started charging an application fee to prospective hires.

It's also not universally true that "all business owners pass along the costs..."  Rational landlords will always charge what the market will pay.  This price is set by the supply/demand curve, not expenses.  Thus, expenses can go up or down without changing the market price, in areas where landlording is highly profitable.  Only at the margin, where increased expenses drive the marginal landlord out of business (for example, if increased expenses drive the ROI below alternative investments), will the increased expenses drive up the market price by reducing supply.

Look at the $1 McDouble... McDonalds didn't start charging a "beef volatility fee" at checkout.  They kept the price steady for years, eating increased costs until they just couldn't do it anymore.  They certainly didn't reprice the McDouble everytime their costs changed.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8152 on: May 10, 2015, 03:02:51 AM »
Back on topic.... My coworker was showing off his apple watch with steel band (costs $1000). He was super proud of it and said his wife and son were getting their watches soon too. Total cost would be easily half their monthly income. All this from a guy who was asking for overtime hours just a few days back. Sigh!

Tallgirl1204

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8153 on: May 10, 2015, 11:47:43 AM »
Back on topic.... My coworker was showing off his apple watch with steel band (costs $1000). He was super proud of it and said his wife and son were getting their watches soon too. Total cost would be easily half their monthly income. All this from a guy who was asking for overtime hours just a few days back. Sigh!

My coworker wAs complaining that her fancy watch flakes back and forth between time zones when she is up on the Arizona/Utah border.  I'm pretty sure this will be a problem for the apple watch too.  My $15 watch from Target?  Not so much.

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8154 on: May 10, 2015, 02:50:10 PM »
Back on topic.... My coworker was showing off his apple watch with steel band (costs $1000). He was super proud of it and said his wife and son were getting their watches soon too. Total cost would be easily half their monthly income. All this from a guy who was asking for overtime hours just a few days back. Sigh!

My coworker wAs complaining that her fancy watch flakes back and forth between time zones when she is up on the Arizona/Utah border.  I'm pretty sure this will be a problem for the apple watch too.  My $15 watch from Target?  Not so much.

"I mean, I obviously have no knowledge of this, but I am going to make the assumption and say it out loud with confidence."

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8155 on: May 10, 2015, 04:15:09 PM »

PS I like "dragonstar" and may use it in the future.

Feel free too. Sorry for this mistake.

Tallgirl1204

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8156 on: May 10, 2015, 05:44:04 PM »
Back on topic.... My coworker was showing off his apple watch with steel band (costs $1000). He was super proud of it and said his wife and son were getting their watches soon too. Total cost would be easily half their monthly income. All this from a guy who was asking for overtime hours just a few days back. Sigh!

My coworker wAs complaining that her fancy watch flakes back and forth between time zones when she is up on the Arizona/Utah border.  I'm pretty sure this will be a problem for the apple watch too.  My $15 watch from Target?  Not so much.

"I mean, I obviously have no knowledge of this, but I am going to make the assumption and say it out loud with confidence."
1.  My friend's fancy watch flip flops between time zones on the state line (where we spend time, so yes it matters.)
2.  So does my I-phone.  Which is made by Apple, at least I assume so based on its advertising.  I failed to mention this in my previous post.  Please forgive me for not laying out every bread crumb.
3.   My $15 watch does not, as one actively has to reset it.

It's not a huge leap to an assumption about the apple watch.  At least, I would ask that particular question if I was buying it.  It's a very annoying feature of my phone, and it's an annoying feature of my friend's watch. 

Don't connect the dots, if you don't want to, but give me credit for thinking before posting.  Thanks so much.




Cathy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8157 on: May 10, 2015, 06:10:15 PM »
It's trivial to turn off automatic time changes in iOS. Go to Settings -> General -> Date & Time and then adjust the "Set Automatically" option.

Tallgirl1204

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8158 on: May 10, 2015, 08:03:23 PM »
It's trivial to turn off automatic time changes in iOS. Go to Settings -> General -> Date & Time and then adjust the "Set Automatically" option.

Thanks-- that's actually quite useful.  I'll do it.  Don't know if my friend's watch has that option-- will check.  I still like my no-brainer cheap watch though!

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8159 on: May 11, 2015, 02:54:50 AM »
No, it's only benefiting the landlord.  I don't benefit from my LL running a credit check on me, the LL does.  He wants to "choose the right family."  He wants to make sure his tenant is solvent.  He wants he wants he wants.

Still I'd rather live in a neighborhood where all the landlords do checks than one where none of the landlords do.
So if I read that right on the last pages, then landlords only rent to people with no criminal record?
So you get only neighborhoods without people who were in jail? Capital!
Now, I know that it is not the hobby of landlords to do the most important part of the criminal system - to reintegrate criminals - but I think that leaves a bit of a problem.
I mean, if nobody gices ex-criminals a job and noone gives them somewhere to live, it wont help them to reintegrate. Quite contrary it will increase the criminality rate, and I wont even mention that the US already has by far the highest inmate rate in the world. And an increased criminality rate will increase taxes, robberies, murders (of or from police it seems in the US) and not the last lower rental income as a product of this.

Yeah, in the UK, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you would not be allowed to take certain things into account, just as you aren't when someone is applying for a job. (Violent and sexual crimes are excluded, amongst others). The idea being that for minor misdemeanours, they have 'paid for' their crime and shouldn't continue to be punished, or denied jobs or housing, because that will leave people trapped in a cycle of petty crime.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8160 on: May 11, 2015, 08:32:49 AM »

It doesn't just benefit them alone though.

One house goes up for rent for $2500 a month.
40 families apply for it.
How do you choose the right family?  Through applications.  How do you ensure they are solvent?  You run a credit check.  You going to pay to run 40 credit checks?  Or 20?  No.

Around here, housing is so tight that if you want the house or apartment, you pay.  If you are going to be picky about it, you aren't going to have a place to live.

No, it's only benefiting the landlord.  I don't benefit from my LL running a credit check on me, the LL does.  He wants to "choose the right family."  He wants to make sure his tenant is solvent.  He wants he wants he wants.
Landlords who don't properly vet tenants end up having much higher expenses, which puts upward pressure on rents.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8161 on: May 11, 2015, 08:42:51 AM »
CW refi'd his house last year, max cashout, and reduced CC debt to only 15k.

Trying to refi again because rates are down, can't qualify for the best rate because FICO score too low. Deduces with my help and CreditKarma that his primary card utilization is too high (present balance and limit not divulged, but over 80%). The brand-new $39K SUV from "Santa" (payment higher than my mortgage) can't have helped either.

Friday AM, in a casual workgroup meeting our supervisor and I happen to mention our upright electric grills (he paid $120, mine was a rental salvage) and how convenient they are for bad weather.

EDIT (apparently, he reversed course to blow the $$ on something else).

CW proudly announced he was getting one too.
Rationale: he had the money and if he didn't use it for that, it would just get frittered away on small things. Yesterday it turned out that he didn't get the grill, but spent even more on other things at the same store, some of which they've already figured out they don't need.

I think he's basically cool with the idea of working here for 30+ years, but I don't think he realizes how many of his choices guarantee that he will have to.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2015, 06:48:00 AM by zephyr911 »

mlejw6

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8162 on: May 11, 2015, 09:22:13 AM »

Yeah, in the UK, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you would not be allowed to take certain things into account, just as you aren't when someone is applying for a job. (Violent and sexual crimes are excluded, amongst others). The idea being that for minor misdemeanours, they have 'paid for' their crime and shouldn't continue to be punished, or denied jobs or housing, because that will leave people trapped in a cycle of petty crime.

This makes so much sense. Why doesn't the U.S. do this? Oh, right. Our prisons are for-profit. Ah, freedom!

Tallgirl1204

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8163 on: May 11, 2015, 11:03:23 AM »

Yeah, in the UK, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you would not be allowed to take certain things into account, just as you aren't when someone is applying for a job. (Violent and sexual crimes are excluded, amongst others). The idea being that for minor misdemeanours, they have 'paid for' their crime and shouldn't continue to be punished, or denied jobs or housing, because that will leave people trapped in a cycle of petty crime.

This makes so much sense. Why doesn't the U.S. do this? Oh, right. Our prisons are for-profit. Ah, freedom!

I don't know what the tenant law is here.  However, there is in the U.S. federal protection from "job discrimination" against felons who have served their time, IF the job duties are not related to the reason for the conviction.  So, if someone is applying for (say) a dishwashing job, you can't refuse to hire him based on a felony conviction for embezzlement.  However, you could refuse to hire him to run your cash register.  (I'm not a lawyer, this is just how I've worked out the meaning of the law in my mind.)  Hey-- this is something I learned at work-- I'm not totally foamy!   

Here's one reference if anyone is REALLY interested: 
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/arrest_conviction.cfm


AvisJinx

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8164 on: May 11, 2015, 11:36:21 AM »
50 year old coworker.  New house.  Not smaller, the same size.   New 30 year mortgage, PLUS lots and lots of new plantation shutters added into the mortgage.

Keep us updated. I want to keep tabs on this potential disaster-waiting-to-happen.

I'd like to hear more, too. What do you think the cost of the house is and did they mention a down payment?

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8165 on: May 11, 2015, 12:56:42 PM »

It doesn't just benefit them alone though.

One house goes up for rent for $2500 a month.
40 families apply for it.
How do you choose the right family?  Through applications.  How do you ensure they are solvent?  You run a credit check.  You going to pay to run 40 credit checks?  Or 20?  No.

Around here, housing is so tight that if you want the house or apartment, you pay.  If you are going to be picky about it, you aren't going to have a place to live.

No, it's only benefiting the landlord.  I don't benefit from my LL running a credit check on me, the LL does.  He wants to "choose the right family."  He wants to make sure his tenant is solvent.  He wants he wants he wants.
If you need a place to live and you want the place badly enough, you pay it.
If your alternative is getting kicked out and living in your car, you pay it.
If your alternative is an hour long commute, you pay it.
If your alternative is couch surfing, you pay it.
If you want the house, it is to your benefit.

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8166 on: May 11, 2015, 01:01:59 PM »
It doesn't just benefit them alone though.

One house goes up for rent for $2500 a month.
40 families apply for it.
How do you choose the right family?  Through applications.  How do you ensure they are solvent?  You run a credit check.  You going to pay to run 40 credit checks?  Or 20?  No.

Around here, housing is so tight that if you want the house or apartment, you pay.  If you are going to be picky about it, you aren't going to have a place to live.

I imagine what's rubbing some people the wrong way about the application fee is that they live in areas where a landlord is likely to collect 40 application fees up front and not bother running credit/backgroun checks for 39-40 of the applicants.
Oh, around here I don't know anyone who has done that.  That's too much work.   You start with just a few.  Like reviewing resumes, some go directly into the trash bin, some go into the "phone interview pile" and some go into the "well if the phone interviews don't work out" pile.

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8167 on: May 11, 2015, 01:24:22 PM »

Yeah, in the UK, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you would not be allowed to take certain things into account, just as you aren't when someone is applying for a job. (Violent and sexual crimes are excluded, amongst others). The idea being that for minor misdemeanours, they have 'paid for' their crime and shouldn't continue to be punished, or denied jobs or housing, because that will leave people trapped in a cycle of petty crime.

This makes so much sense. Why doesn't the U.S. do this? Oh, right. Our prisons are for-profit. Ah, freedom!

A very small amount of our prisons and jails are for-profit. They shouldn't be, but let's not pretend that all of them are; that's not remotely close to true.

If you were renting a property, and you had to choose between two almost-identical applicants, but one is a convicted felon - are you saying you would ignore that? No, you would not. You'd go for lower risk, every time.

arebelspy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8168 on: May 11, 2015, 01:40:46 PM »

Yeah, in the UK, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you would not be allowed to take certain things into account, just as you aren't when someone is applying for a job. (Violent and sexual crimes are excluded, amongst others). The idea being that for minor misdemeanours, they have 'paid for' their crime and shouldn't continue to be punished, or denied jobs or housing, because that will leave people trapped in a cycle of petty crime.

This makes so much sense. Why doesn't the U.S. do this? Oh, right. Our prisons are for-profit. Ah, freedom!

A very small amount of our prisons and jails are for-profit. They shouldn't be, but let's not pretend that all of them are; that's not remotely close to true.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_prison
Quote
The US Department of Justice statistics show that, as of 2013, there were 133,000 state and federal prisoners housed in privately owned prisons in the US, constituting 8.4% of the overall U.S. prison population. Broken down to prison type, 19.1% of the federal prison population in the United States is housed in private prisons and 6.8% of the U.S. state prison population is housed in private prisons.

I don't know if I'd call that "very small" or not, but might as well have the actual numbers.
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jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8169 on: May 11, 2015, 02:56:05 PM »

It doesn't just benefit them alone though.

One house goes up for rent for $2500 a month.
40 families apply for it.
How do you choose the right family?  Through applications.  How do you ensure they are solvent?  You run a credit check.  You going to pay to run 40 credit checks?  Or 20?  No.

Around here, housing is so tight that if you want the house or apartment, you pay.  If you are going to be picky about it, you aren't going to have a place to live.

No, it's only benefiting the landlord.  I don't benefit from my LL running a credit check on me, the LL does.  He wants to "choose the right family."  He wants to make sure his tenant is solvent.  He wants he wants he wants.
If you need a place to live and you want the place badly enough, you pay it.
If your alternative is getting kicked out and living in your car, you pay it.
If your alternative is an hour long commute, you pay it.
If your alternative is couch surfing, you pay it.
If you want the house, it is to your benefit.

dragoncar probably lives in a renter's market. I, and possibly mm1970 and others, live in a landlord's market.

I'm finished arguing with the dragon that landlords should pay for costs of business. It is a cost that will be passed on regardless of how it is hidden.

On the internet I concede to him; can't be bothered to argue with someone who has made up his mind.
In the real world my bank account loves multiple monthly rent deposits.

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8170 on: May 12, 2015, 03:05:37 AM »

Yeah, in the UK, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you would not be allowed to take certain things into account, just as you aren't when someone is applying for a job. (Violent and sexual crimes are excluded, amongst others). The idea being that for minor misdemeanours, they have 'paid for' their crime and shouldn't continue to be punished, or denied jobs or housing, because that will leave people trapped in a cycle of petty crime.

This makes so much sense. Why doesn't the U.S. do this? Oh, right. Our prisons are for-profit. Ah, freedom!

A very small amount of our prisons and jails are for-profit. They shouldn't be, but let's not pretend that all of them are; that's not remotely close to true.

If you were renting a property, and you had to choose between two almost-identical applicants, but one is a convicted felon - are you saying you would ignore that? No, you would not. You'd go for lower risk, every time.

I don't even know how you'd be able to check someone's criminal history in the UK. Maybe a UK Landlord can fill me in on whether this is done. But I've certainly only ever had my -credit- checked when applying to rent a property.

I know that you can check the Sex Offenders Register when, for example, appointing someone to volunteer with children or vulnerable adults. But I don't know whether you would be able to make an application to check someone's criminal history just because you want to, if you know what I mean.

A new law has been introduced meaning that, if I were to get into a new relationship I could go to a police station and ask if the guy had any previous form for violence. But that makes me think it wasn't possible to check someone's criminal history before. In the US, do you guys have an 'experian' equivalent for criminal history? Can anyone check on anyone else for any reason?

Under certain circumstances here it would certainly happen (working for certain government departments, banking etc), but in 'civilian' life I don't even know how you would go about doing it.

I used to work in insurance, and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act was taken very seriously. You cannot treat someone differently because of a spent conviction (for most offences) here by law.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8171 on: May 12, 2015, 03:12:23 AM »
You need the persons permission to check their criminal record. Well that's how it is in NZ.

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8172 on: May 12, 2015, 04:53:11 AM »
You need the persons permission to check their criminal record. Well that's how it is in NZ.
Makes sense.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8173 on: May 12, 2015, 05:35:09 AM »

Yeah, in the UK, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you would not be allowed to take certain things into account, just as you aren't when someone is applying for a job. (Violent and sexual crimes are excluded, amongst others). The idea being that for minor misdemeanours, they have 'paid for' their crime and shouldn't continue to be punished, or denied jobs or housing, because that will leave people trapped in a cycle of petty crime.

This makes so much sense. Why doesn't the U.S. do this? Oh, right. Our prisons are for-profit. Ah, freedom!

A very small amount of our prisons and jails are for-profit. They shouldn't be, but let's not pretend that all of them are; that's not remotely close to true.

If you were renting a property, and you had to choose between two almost-identical applicants, but one is a convicted felon - are you saying you would ignore that? No, you would not. You'd go for lower risk, every time.

I don't even know how you'd be able to check someone's criminal history in the UK. Maybe a UK Landlord can fill me in on whether this is done. But I've certainly only ever had my -credit- checked when applying to rent a property.

I know that you can check the Sex Offenders Register when, for example, appointing someone to volunteer with children or vulnerable adults. But I don't know whether you would be able to make an application to check someone's criminal history just because you want to, if you know what I mean.

A new law has been introduced meaning that, if I were to get into a new relationship I could go to a police station and ask if the guy had any previous form for violence. But that makes me think it wasn't possible to check someone's criminal history before. In the US, do you guys have an 'experian' equivalent for criminal history? Can anyone check on anyone else for any reason?

Under certain circumstances here it would certainly happen (working for certain government departments, banking etc), but in 'civilian' life I don't even know how you would go about doing it.

I used to work in insurance, and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act was taken very seriously. You cannot treat someone differently because of a spent conviction (for most offences) here by law.
My applications say I can do a background/credit check and I pay a company to do it.  It has come back with a felony on a perspective tenant and I refused to rent to them.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8174 on: May 12, 2015, 06:40:50 AM »


I imagine what's rubbing some people the wrong way about the application fee is that they live in areas where a landlord is likely to collect 40 application fees up front and not bother running credit/backgroun checks for 39-40 of the applicants.

Last time we got a new tenant we returned the checks for anyone we didn't run a background check on.

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8175 on: May 12, 2015, 07:02:44 AM »

My applications say I can do a background/credit check and I pay a company to do it.  It has come back with a felony on a perspective tenant and I refused to rent to them.

Which is totally your prerogative in your jurisdiction. I was simply saying that in the UK, it would not be legal to do that - regardless of what might be written in the application. Even if you told them you were doing it, and they agreed to it, it is not legal here (that's my understanding anyway, if anyone knows differently do jump in).

I was just pointing out, 'Oh, that's not allowed here' as a matter of interest.

trobertson79

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8176 on: May 12, 2015, 10:18:38 AM »
Co-worker and wife pull down probably around 100k combined.  Overheard him saying "When we moved in with my wifes parents to save up for a house, we saved money at a CRAZY rate, we stopped buying virtually everything because we wanted to get out of there and in to our own house so bad.  We saved like 12K in 10 months!".   

myhotrs

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8177 on: May 12, 2015, 10:59:25 AM »
Thats pretty funny troberton79! I wonder what they'd think of the CRAZY folks here who really do minimize expenses.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8178 on: May 12, 2015, 11:29:38 AM »
Co-worker and wife pull down probably around 100k combined.  Overheard him saying "When we moved in with my wifes parents to save up for a house, we saved money at a CRAZY rate, we stopped buying virtually everything because we wanted to get out of there and in to our own house so bad.  We saved like 12K in 10 months!".
If we assume (I know it is probably not true) that they MAX their 401Ks, Roth IRAs and an HSA then the extra $12k they save on top of that given their salaries would not be that bad...

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8179 on: May 12, 2015, 12:21:00 PM »
Co-worker and wife pull down probably around 100k combined.  Overheard him saying "When we moved in with my wifes parents to save up for a house, we saved money at a CRAZY rate, we stopped buying virtually everything because we wanted to get out of there and in to our own house so bad.  We saved like 12K in 10 months!".
If we assume (I know it is probably not true) that they MAX their 401Ks, Roth IRAs and an HSA then the extra $12k they save on top of that given their salaries would not be that bad...

Not overheard at work, but from a former neighbor, discussing large tax bills and sacrifices:
Neighbor: "It was a really tough year for us, but we really cut our spending, and paid off $10K worth of taxes and furniture loans in that year.  So glad we don't have to live like that anymore!"

They have two mortgages on their home, spent $20K on an extended patio, both buy new SUV's/pickup trucks every other year, still have furniture loans, the works!!!  Annual income is probably about $120K combined.  I get the feeling they think they are good w/their money b/c they put a few hundred/mo in savings.  I know they contribute the 3% required to get the match on the 401K, and no IRA's.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8180 on: May 12, 2015, 12:34:09 PM »
Co-worker and wife pull down probably around 100k combined.  Overheard him saying "When we moved in with my wifes parents to save up for a house, we saved money at a CRAZY rate, we stopped buying virtually everything because we wanted to get out of there and in to our own house so bad.  We saved like 12K in 10 months!".
If we assume (I know it is probably not true) that they MAX their 401Ks, Roth IRAs and an HSA then the extra $12k they save on top of that given their salaries would not be that bad...

Not overheard at work, but from a former neighbor, discussing large tax bills and sacrifices:
Neighbor: "It was a really tough year for us, but we really cut our spending, and paid off $10K worth of taxes and furniture loans in that year.  So glad we don't have to live like that anymore!"

They have two mortgages on their home, spent $20K on an extended patio, both buy new SUV's/pickup trucks every other year, still have furniture loans, the works!!!  Annual income is probably about $120K combined.  I get the feeling they think they are good w/their money b/c they put a few hundred/mo in savings.  I know they contribute the 3% required to get the match on the 401K, and no IRA's.

And they are the ones referred to in numerous articles as to why "retiring before your 90 is impossible!" cause if they can't do it then no one can!

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8181 on: May 12, 2015, 01:21:28 PM »
Not overheard at work, but from a former neighbor, discussing large tax bills and sacrifices:
Neighbor: "It was a really tough year for us, but we really cut our spending, and paid off $10K worth of taxes and furniture loans in that year.  So glad we don't have to live like that anymore!"

They have two mortgages on their home, spent $20K on an extended patio, both buy new SUV's/pickup trucks every other year, still have furniture loans, the works!!!  Annual income is probably about $120K combined.  I get the feeling they think they are good w/their money b/c they put a few hundred/mo in savings.  I know they contribute the 3% required to get the match on the 401K, and no IRA's.
FURNITURE LOANS! Bahahahaha!!!
Wow. I'd rather use crates and piles of clothing as furniture than go into debt for "things that hold my butt".
I did try to finance a couch when I was an idiot 21-yo second lieutenant, and thankfully was denied for shitty credit. Later, I figured out how easy it is to find good used stuff. My current couch was $1200 new, and I bought it years later for $200 from a guy who had put it in a loft and barely used it.
I did let DW talk me into a new bedroom set after she moved in, but only because I had a friend working the store who got us a deep discount. New furniture depreciation is even worse than cars... you often lose 50% or more just hauling it out the door.

trobertson79

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8182 on: May 12, 2015, 02:17:07 PM »
Here in Boston the whole city moves on September 1st (tied to school semesters as there's so many colleges) and furniture gets put all over every street.  When we moved into our 6BR house in September we furnished the entire house (we rent rooms to people) with beds chairs desks and couches for free.  (And no bed bugs thank god)

intirb

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8183 on: May 12, 2015, 03:52:28 PM »
Here in Boston the whole city moves on September 1st (tied to school semesters as there's so many colleges) and furniture gets put all over every street.  When we moved into our 6BR house in September we furnished the entire house (we rent rooms to people) with beds chairs desks and couches for free.  (And no bed bugs thank god)

Allston Christmas!!  It's the best!

Hunny156

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8184 on: May 12, 2015, 03:56:03 PM »
Not overheard at work, but from a former neighbor, discussing large tax bills and sacrifices:
Neighbor: "It was a really tough year for us, but we really cut our spending, and paid off $10K worth of taxes and furniture loans in that year.  So glad we don't have to live like that anymore!"

They have two mortgages on their home, spent $20K on an extended patio, both buy new SUV's/pickup trucks every other year, still have furniture loans, the works!!!  Annual income is probably about $120K combined.  I get the feeling they think they are good w/their money b/c they put a few hundred/mo in savings.  I know they contribute the 3% required to get the match on the 401K, and no IRA's.
FURNITURE LOANS! Bahahahaha!!!
Wow. I'd rather use crates and piles of clothing as furniture than go into debt for "things that hold my butt".
I did try to finance a couch when I was an idiot 21-yo second lieutenant, and thankfully was denied for shitty credit. Later, I figured out how easy it is to find good used stuff. My current couch was $1200 new, and I bought it years later for $200 from a guy who had put it in a loft and barely used it.
I did let DW talk me into a new bedroom set after she moved in, but only because I had a friend working the store who got us a deep discount. New furniture depreciation is even worse than cars... you often lose 50% or more just hauling it out the door.

But, it's interest free for the first five years at Rooms to Go, this weekend only!!  That's their logic.  Ironically, hubby noticed a commercial just the other day, and commented that by the time they pay for that interest free furniture in five years, the furniture will be worthless and long gone.  He's right, I wonder if they just let you roll the balance into your new monthly payment, like they do with cars??

WaRpBeast

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8185 on: May 12, 2015, 04:36:39 PM »
Coworker is selling his home 11ish miles away (he currently carpools with another coworker of ours) to build a house 27+ miles away, and in the mean time he'll be living with family 30+ miles away.  Yargh. 

Even if you can take the bus, it is at least an hour each way (on roads currently under heavy construction). 

I have never lived further than 2 miles from my office and have always prioritized being close to transit hubs for the off days I don't ride the bike. Even since before I followed MMM in my college years.  **shutter**

Alabaster

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8186 on: May 12, 2015, 06:13:13 PM »
Not overheard at work, but from a former neighbor, discussing large tax bills and sacrifices:
Neighbor: "It was a really tough year for us, but we really cut our spending, and paid off $10K worth of taxes and furniture loans in that year.  So glad we don't have to live like that anymore!"

They have two mortgages on their home, spent $20K on an extended patio, both buy new SUV's/pickup trucks every other year, still have furniture loans, the works!!!  Annual income is probably about $120K combined.  I get the feeling they think they are good w/their money b/c they put a few hundred/mo in savings.  I know they contribute the 3% required to get the match on the 401K, and no IRA's.
FURNITURE LOANS! Bahahahaha!!!
Wow. I'd rather use crates and piles of clothing as furniture than go into debt for "things that hold my butt".
I did try to finance a couch when I was an idiot 21-yo second lieutenant, and thankfully was denied for shitty credit. Later, I figured out how easy it is to find good used stuff. My current couch was $1200 new, and I bought it years later for $200 from a guy who had put it in a loft and barely used it.
I did let DW talk me into a new bedroom set after she moved in, but only because I had a friend working the store who got us a deep discount. New furniture depreciation is even worse than cars... you often lose 50% or more just hauling it out the door.

But, it's interest free for the first five years at Rooms to Go, this weekend only!!  That's their logic.  Ironically, hubby noticed a commercial just the other day, and commented that by the time they pay for that interest free furniture in five years, the furniture will be worthless and long gone.  He's right, I wonder if they just let you roll the balance into your new monthly payment, like they do with cars??

On a related note: how crazy is it that you can roll forward debt on cars?

Also: I heard a radio commercial today for a bank that was suggesting you take a loan for a dream car ... or vacation.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2015, 06:15:21 PM by Alabaster »

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zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8188 on: May 13, 2015, 06:32:15 AM »
CW mentioned yesterday having a $273 monthly phone bill.
One guy, his wife, and a teenager.
Even with an iPad... how?

Hunny156

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8189 on: May 13, 2015, 09:50:53 AM »
Co-worker qualified for the early retirement package, which included 1 year of pay and insurance premiums paid for the next 10 years or until you qualify for Medicare, whichever comes first.  He did not take it.  :(

Same co-worker complained about how much he will hate being here for the next five years until he retires.  I asked him why he didn't take the package (he could even go work elsewhere, just not in our industry), and he said that he couldn't afford it, b/c he's paying for his daughter's college.

Nice sentiment, and she is smart, getting a useful degree, and going to a state school, but I often wonder about the finances.

To save money, his wife cuts his hair, and she doesn't do it frequently.  It grows way out of shape, and then she shears him like a dog in summer, lol!

They both have solid careers - she's a nurse, he's an engineer.  House was purchased new close to 20 years ago, so the mortgage, if any, should be pretty small.  But he does go out to eat every day, and every year he trades in his Kia for another one.  I'll bet the wife and kids cars are on the same plan.

Their son is a (self-imposed) drain on them - barely made it through high school, repeatedly dropped out of college, just recently married and got the wife pregnant already, and the parents are still covering car insurance, cell phone, and probably some rent too, at this point.

Sad to see someone make such solid choices in some areas, and poor ones in other areas.  I can't imagine being in my early 60's and hating the next five years of my life.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2015, 12:56:20 PM by Hunny156 »

Gazelle

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8190 on: May 13, 2015, 01:20:16 PM »
CW mentioned yesterday having a $273 monthly phone bill.
One guy, his wife, and a teenager.
Even with an iPad... how?

There is a recurring conversation in my workplace about cable services.  I'm always the crazy person trying to convince everyone to drop it, but no one ever has the guts.

One coworker is paying Comcast over $230/month for cable, internet, and home phone.  Oh, and for renting the modem/router, a DVR, and SIX cable boxes for all of the rooms that have TVs.  The worst part is that most of that goes unused, because they have a Netflix subscription too, and the kids just watch that on their laptops/tablets/whatever.  There is also an unspecified amount that goes to paying for smartphones for CW/Spouse/3 kids.  I believe this to be $250/month minimum, but probably more.

The first time this came up, I told CW to think of all of the unwatched TV going to waste, and suggested hiring some people at minimum wage to come over and watch TV to make sure she was getting her money's worth.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8191 on: May 13, 2015, 03:13:37 PM »
CW mentioned yesterday having a $273 monthly phone bill.
One guy, his wife, and a teenager.
Even with an iPad... how?

There is a recurring conversation in my workplace about cable services.  I'm always the crazy person trying to convince everyone to drop it, but no one ever has the guts.

One coworker is paying Comcast over $230/month for cable, internet, and home phone.  Oh, and for renting the modem/router, a DVR, and SIX cable boxes for all of the rooms that have TVs.  The worst part is that most of that goes unused, because they have a Netflix subscription too, and the kids just watch that on their laptops/tablets/whatever.  There is also an unspecified amount that goes to paying for smartphones for CW/Spouse/3 kids.  I believe this to be $250/month minimum, but probably more.

The first time this came up, I told CW to think of all of the unwatched TV going to waste, and suggested hiring some people at minimum wage to come over and watch TV to make sure she was getting her money's worth.


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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8192 on: May 13, 2015, 03:59:43 PM »
The $273 number is pretty easy to come by with one of the big carriers. Let's just use AT&T...

Using Mobile Share Value, for 10 GB to share, you pay $100.

Then you add the per person device charge, which is $40. Assuming 3 people, that's $120.

Then you add 2 tablets at $20 each, so $40.

And you're already at $260. Plus tax should easily be $273. Thankfully I pay nowhere near that.

Personally I think tablets on data plans are a redundant charge. Why not just tether and use the phone as the access point? Not to mention I so rarely use the tablet in a non Wifi scenario.

Beaker

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8193 on: May 13, 2015, 04:31:56 PM »
Personally I think tablets on data plans are a redundant charge. Why not just tether and use the phone as the access point?

When I had Verizon (not so long ago) they would charge $10/mo to enable tethering. Not for the extra data, mind you, just to enable the feature.

Personally, I never really figured out why you'd want mobile data on a tablet. Whatever.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8194 on: May 13, 2015, 07:01:37 PM »
Personally I think tablets on data plans are a redundant charge. Why not just tether and use the phone as the access point?

When I had Verizon (not so long ago) they would charge $10/mo to enable tethering. Not for the extra data, mind you, just to enable the feature.

Personally, I never really figured out why you'd want mobile data on a tablet. Whatever.

My entire bill is $10.00+tax.  So someone with Verizon pays as much just to tether something as I pay total..... 

And they wonder why they are broke.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8195 on: May 14, 2015, 07:06:48 AM »
Coworker just danced by "It's payday!!! Is everyone super excited!"

I resisted the urge to say "is it really?" because the last time I did that people were shocked.  I didn't know today was payday (on a Thursday?)

I have no idea when we get paid as it doesn't matter.  I mean, I would notice if the company stopped depositing the money, and I would certainly be annoyed about it- but the day I get the money is meaningless to me.

TexasStash

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8196 on: May 14, 2015, 07:15:41 AM »
Coworker just danced by "It's payday!!! Is everyone super excited!"

I resisted the urge to say "is it really?" because the last time I did that people were shocked.  I didn't know today was payday (on a Thursday?)

I have no idea when we get paid as it doesn't matter.  I mean, I would notice if the company stopped depositing the money, and I would certainly be annoyed about it- but the day I get the money is meaningless to me.

That's pretty funny. I have elements of both in my experience. I'm excited for payday, but it's mostly because I am anxious to shift even more money into my taxable accounts. Like you, it doesn't matter to me which exact day the money comes. My lifestyle and ability to pay bills is unaffected.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8197 on: May 14, 2015, 07:29:22 AM »
Coworker just danced by "It's payday!!! Is everyone super excited!"

I resisted the urge to say "is it really?" because the last time I did that people were shocked.  I didn't know today was payday (on a Thursday?)

I have no idea when we get paid as it doesn't matter.  I mean, I would notice if the company stopped depositing the money, and I would certainly be annoyed about it- but the day I get the money is meaningless to me.

That's pretty funny. I have elements of both in my experience. I'm excited for payday, but it's mostly because I am anxious to shift even more money into my taxable accounts. Like you, it doesn't matter to me which exact day the money comes. My lifestyle and ability to pay bills is unaffected.

Payday for me is tomorrow, and I do get excited for it. But that is mostly becuase I'm currently set up on a pretty razor thin budget to meet my short-term savings goals; I am down to $22 in my personal use bucket.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8198 on: May 14, 2015, 07:31:20 AM »
I may have told this story before, if so I aplogize.  I know a fellow cabinet installer who's always bragging how much money he makes every year, yet he has to travel out of town to get work because he's a hack and burns bridges.  But I digress...

He was working up in Boston last year and could not believe that most of the carpenters up there had second homes in NH, and could not care less that it was Friday (ie payday.) he tells me he had to run to pick up his paychecks so nothing would bounce.  But his reasoning was that they made so much more per hour.  I don't think it occurred to him that these guys were pros and most likely were better at handling their money than he was.


RunHappy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8199 on: May 14, 2015, 07:47:26 AM »
Coworker just danced by "It's payday!!! Is everyone super excited!"

I resisted the urge to say "is it really?" because the last time I did that people were shocked.  I didn't know today was payday (on a Thursday?)

I have no idea when we get paid as it doesn't matter.  I mean, I would notice if the company stopped depositing the money, and I would certainly be annoyed about it- but the day I get the money is meaningless to me.

That's pretty funny. I have elements of both in my experience. I'm excited for payday, but it's mostly because I am anxious to shift even more money into my taxable accounts. Like you, it doesn't matter to me which exact day the money comes. My lifestyle and ability to pay bills is unaffected.

Payday for me is tomorrow, and I do get excited for it. But that is mostly becuase I'm currently set up on a pretty razor thin budget to meet my short-term savings goals; I am down to $22 in my personal use bucket.

I still get excited every payday, especially the middle of the month.  This is the paycheck I don't spend.