Overheard at Work

[AMandM]

Just overheard the guy sitting next to me pay 'the balance' of his kids birthday pay. $175 for a child under 10.

Is that a typo?  Did you mean "birthday party" (which would still be quite the party for a 10yo)?  Or does his kid earn money by staying alive?

[johnny847]

Just overheard the guy sitting next to me pay 'the balance' of his kids birthday pay. $175 for a child under 10.

Is that a typo?  Did you mean "birthday party" (which would still be quite the party for a 10yo)?  Or does his kid earn money by staying alive?

Wow I didn't even catch that. I was reading quickly and my brain automatically filled in party instead of pay (and I agree, $175 for a 10 yo's birthday party is still way too much, let alone a $175 cash birthday present).

[plainjane]

So this wasn't strictly overheard at work, but in a discussion with a former colleague.

"So we were looking at our monthly costs, and realized we were paying all this money for gym memberships that we never really used.  And we wanted to spend money in line with our priorities.  So we decided to rent space in a wine cellar."

[Linea_Norway]

Heard at lunch today: I never eat food that is past the "best before" date.
Luckily there were a number of people at the same table who do eat dried food past the best before date.

[Chris22]

Just overheard the guy sitting next to me pay 'the balance' of his kids birthday pay. $175 for a child under 10.

Is that a typo?  Did you mean "birthday party" (which would still be quite the party for a 10yo)?  Or does his kid earn money by staying alive?

Wow I didn't even catch that. I was reading quickly and my brain automatically filled in party instead of pay (and I agree, $175 for a 10 yo's birthday party is still way too much, let alone a $175 cash birthday present).

Paid around that for my daughter's 4th birthday party.  Couple hours at Chuck E Cheese's, it's like $12/kid including food, drink, tokens, etc.  Had ~12-15 kids.  The appeal is that all you bring is money, there's no cleaning the house before and after, no running around buying and preparing food, decorations, etc etc.  Show up, pay, leave.  Sure beats having 12-15 4-5y/os running around my house. 

[MrGreen]

A co-worker was asking for advise today on framing out an unfinished basement. He has a large family (wife and 6 kids) and they just had a house built last summer. It's a McMansion for sure. He's trying to do the basement work himself because they spent all their money buying the house. I heard him say there would be 3 bathrooms in the basement. That perked my ears up so I asked how many he has now. He said 5 and a half. So when the basement is finished he'll have 8.5 bathrooms for 8 people. I was so shocked that I didn't have a response.

Edit: typo

[cheapass]

A co-worker was asking for advise today on framing out an unfinished basement. He has a large family (wife and 6 kids) and they just had a house built last summer. It's a McMansion for sure. He's trying to do the basement work himself because they spent all their money buying the house. I heard him say there would be 3 bathrooms in the basement. That perked my ears up so I asked how many he has now. He said 5 and a half. So when the basement is finished he'll have 8.5 bathrooms for 8 people. I was so shocked that I didn't have a response.

Always a good practice to have more shitters than you have butts. I mean, what if a guest is over and everyone gets food poisoning with explosive diarrhea at the EXACT SAME TIME?

[TravelJunkyQC]

A co-worker was asking for advise today on framing out an unfinished basement. He has a large family (wife and 6 kids) and they just had a house built last summer. It's a McMansion for sure. He's trying to do the basement work himself because they spent all their money buying the house. I heard him say there would be 3 bathrooms in the basement. That perked my ears up so I asked how many he has now. He said 5 and a half. So when the basement is finished he'll have 8.5 bathrooms for 8 people. I was so shocked that I didn't have a response.

Always a good practice to have more shitters than you have butts. I mean, what if a guest is over and everyone gets food poisoning with explosive diarrhea at the EXACT SAME TIME?

This is what hedges and decorative bushes were MADE for. No? I'm I wrong?

[MrGreen]

A co-worker was asking for advise today on framing out an unfinished basement. He has a large family (wife and 6 kids) and they just had a house built last summer. It's a McMansion for sure. He's trying to do the basement work himself because they spent all their money buying the house. I heard him say there would be 3 bathrooms in the basement. That perked my ears up so I asked how many he has now. He said 5 and a half. So when the basement is finished he'll have 8.5 bathrooms for 8 people. I was so shocked that I didn't have a response.

Always a good practice to have more shitters than you have butts. I mean, what if a guest is over and everyone gets food poisoning with explosive diarrhea at the EXACT SAME TIME?

This is what hedges and decorative bushes were MADE for. No? I'm I wrong?

Pooping on? Lol

[MandalayVA]

A co-worker was asking for advise today on framing out an unfinished basement. He has a large family (wife and 6 kids) and they just had a house built last summer. It's a McMansion for sure. He's trying to do the basement work himself because they spent all their money buying the house. I heard him say there would be 3 bathrooms in the basement. That perked my ears up so I asked how many he has now. He said 5 and a half. So when the basement is finished he'll have 8.5 bathrooms for 8 people. I was so shocked that I didn't have a response.

Always a good practice to have more shitters than you have butts. I mean, what if a guest is over and everyone gets food poisoning with explosive diarrhea at the EXACT SAME TIME?

That actually happened to my family when I was a kid--we only had one bathroom (family of six) and we had friends over for Thanksgiving.  The turkey was bad and everyone except my brother, who didn't like turkey, got sick.  Eleven people, one bathroom.  It was awful.

/froth

[Just Joe]

Our first house had one bathroom. A few times  as we arrived at home after a trip to Grandma's house - use guys would run for the back yard and DW would get first dibs on the bathroom. Joys of living in the near-country.

Hopefully everyone just needed to pee.

Somewhere along the way we decided that a second bathroom was a must along with some other modest expectations (garage).

[mtn]

My FIL's minimum is 3 toilets for a family of 4, basically because of what was posted above. He keeps threatening to put dueling toilets in his master bathroom.

If we ever renovate our house (instead of knocking down or buying "new"), we'll be adding a toilet somewhere. You can never have too many. I'm jealous of my aunt and uncle--they have 6 in their house, for only 4 bedrooms. One of the bathrooms is so tiny--it is shoved under a staircase--that you basically have to pull your pants up outside the bathroom--but it has come in handy many, many times.

[dragoncar]

I dunno... bathrooms are my least favorite to clean and having twice as many pretty much means twice as much cleaning (since bathroom usage tends to scale up in proportion to available bathrooms- or each toilet may get used half as often, but they will probably each be used sometime within the cleaning timeframe). 

If I ever build a bathroom, the number one criteria will be easy cleanability.  I am still considering  designing and patenting my ingenious new toilet design with no nooks, crannies, hinges, etc.  I'll put a drain in the floor and hose everything down with a pressure washer. Ohhh yeah

[shelivesthedream]

I dunno... bathrooms are my least favorite to clean and having twice as many pretty much means twice as much cleaning (since bathroom usage tends to scale up in proportion to available bathrooms- or each toilet may get used half as often, but they will probably each be used sometime within the cleaning timeframe). 

If I ever build a bathroom, the number one criteria will be easy cleanability.  I am still considering  designing and patenting my ingenious new toilet design with no nooks, crannies, hinges, etc.  I'll put a drain in the floor and hose everything down with a pressure washer. Ohhh yeah

Don't worry, the MMM forumhas led me to a solution for that one. This amazing thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/advice-for-making-your-home-interior-easier-to-clean-and-maintain) has recommended Don Aslett's 'Make Your House Do The Housework' several times. I bought it, and he advocates (to a slightly excessive degree, perhaps) suspending everything and not mixing surfaces more than you have to. So you tile your entire bathroom and buy a suspended toilet like this one: http://cdn.stylisheve.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suspended-Toilet-Designs-for-an-Original-Bathroom-Style_3.jpg

This forum is the best.

[Megma]

buy a suspended toilet like this one: http://cdn.stylisheve.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suspended-Toilet-Designs-for-an-Original-Bathroom-Style_3.jpg

This forum is the best.

I want that toilet.

Personally, I think the secret to domestic bliss is at least two bathrooms (no kids) we actually have 2 1/2 and it's perfect because we then have a 1/2 on our main floor and two upstairs by the bedrooms. I would scale down to 2 if we had a 1-level house but I will NOT go to 1 for two people.


I actually came here to post this - my coworker has been considering cancelling her gym membership to save money but she still wants to be able to do yoga and is wondering if she was paying for yoga separately if she would end up paying more. She has moved into a new fancy apartment complex with a gym so she can work out there for free (aka included in the high rent). So I ask her, trying to help her see if there is a savings, how much her gym membership is and she doesn't know because it's on autodraft.

How do you not know? Moreover how are you supposed to figure out if the new plan will save you anything if you don't know what you are paying now? SMH.

She also had a leased car until last year which she had to buy because she was way over her mileage from her 40 minute daily commute.

[shelivesthedream]

buy a suspended toilet like this one: http://cdn.stylisheve.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suspended-Toilet-Designs-for-an-Original-Bathroom-Style_3.jpg

This forum is the best.

I want that toilet.

Personally, I think the secret to domestic bliss is at least two bathrooms (no kids) we actually have 2 1/2 and it's perfect because we then have a 1/2 on our main floor and two upstairs by the bedrooms. I would scale down to 2 if we had a 1-level house but I will NOT go to 1 for two people.

Seriously? That is a massively luxurious overabundance of bathrooms. I think one bathroom per two people is optimal.

[Shinplaster]

buy a suspended toilet like this one: http://cdn.stylisheve.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suspended-Toilet-Designs-for-an-Original-Bathroom-Style_3.jpg

This forum is the best.

I want that toilet.

Personally, I think the secret to domestic bliss is at least two bathrooms (no kids) we actually have 2 1/2 and it's perfect because we then have a 1/2 on our main floor and two upstairs by the bedrooms. I would scale down to 2 if we had a 1-level house but I will NOT go to 1 for two people.

Seriously? That is a massively luxurious overabundance of bathrooms. I think one bathroom per two people is optimal.

Our family had Noro for Christmas years ago - after that experience, 1 1/2 baths is my minimum.  Right now we have 3 1/2 for 2 people (empty nesters), and that's too many bathrooms.   Dragoncar is right - because they're there, they get used.  DH has this thing about using every damn bathroom in the house, instead of sticking to 'his'.

[Chris22]

Seriously? That is a massively luxurious overabundance of bathrooms. I think one bathroom per two people is optimal.

Clearly you've never had to take a shit while someone else is in the shower.  No, sharing is not an acceptable option in that scenario to me. 

We also have 2.5 baths, and could do without the .5, but it is nice to have the powder room on the main floor so guests don't have to go to upstairs or downstairs.  But we added the second full bath, at pretty large expense, because it is infinitely easier to have two showers for us to get ready for work, to go places, etc.  We actually passed on a number of houses with 1 or 1.5 baths, and only purchased this one with the knowledge we could add a full bath in the basement. 

[Clean Shaven]

If I ever build a bathroom, the number one criteria will be easy cleanability.  I am still considering  designing and patenting my ingenious new toilet design with no nooks, crannies, hinges, etc.  I'll put a drain in the floor and hose everything down with a pressure washer. Ohhh yeah

For maximal efficiency, why not put in a couple bunk beds too, and make it a guest room?

[Hedge_87]

If I ever build a bathroom, the number one criteria will be easy cleanability.  I am still considering  designing and patenting my ingenious new toilet design with no nooks, crannies, hinges, etc.  I'll put a drain in the floor and hose everything down with a pressure washer. Ohhh yeah

For maximal efficiency, why not put in a couple bunk beds too, and make it a guest room?

Nothing like dropping a morning deuce with your mother in laws head 3 ft away!

[shelivesthedream]

Seriously? That is a massively luxurious overabundance of bathrooms. I think one bathroom per two people is optimal.

Clearly you've never had to take a shit while someone else is in the shower.  No, sharing is not an acceptable option in that scenario to me. 

You are right, that has never happened - and I speak as someone with intermittently malfunctioning bowels. I think there is an unspoken rule in my household that shitting takes priority above all other uses of the bathroom, and users of the bathroom for other activities are happy to make way on the understanding that the same courtesy is afford to them in turn. But seriously, the bathroom is taken up by someone else showering for fifteen minutes in the entire day. I am not having a second bathroom just in case I one day need a poop in those ten minutes. Other bathroom use occurrences take five minutes at a time max. I'm a big girl. I can hold it.

[mtn]

Have you and a loved one never had food poisening at the same time? Or the "flu"?

That was a fun night. We had a trash can on standby for... things that a trash can should never be used for.

[shelivesthedream]

Have you and a loved one never had food poisening at the same time? Or the "flu"?

That was a fun night. We had a trash can on standby for... things that a trash can should never be used for.

No. I have not vomited since last millennium and I have no plans to in the future. As for the other option, it's never happened but I guess we could take turns??

[DTaggart]

Huh. Hubby and I only have 1 bathroom in our house, lived there for 14 years now. We are often in there at the same time, one showering or whatever, one using the toilet... not awesome I admit, but its hardly the end of the world. It was inconvenient one time when I had food poisoning, and he happened to be pooping at the exact moment I was going to puke. So I puked in the kitchen sink, and cleaned it up when I was done. Miraculously, we have survived.

[MrGreen]

Hiking the AT has changed my perspective on the bathroom situation. Pooping au natural just isn't that difficult or as scary as we think it is.

[DTaggart]

Hiking the AT has changed my perspective on the bathroom situation. Pooping au natural just isn't that difficult or as scary as we think it is.

Yeah we hike and camp a lot so that may be part of the reason why we're not very squeamish about these things.

[Alim Nassor]

A neighbor lady who can't keep a job and whose husband might make 30k a year was telling my wife yesterday that they got a $4800 tax refund last week.   She is currently doing elder care for my wife's mother at 18 hours a week and 8.75 an hour and we chip in 3 bucks an hour to raise the rate a little.

  She was telling my wife this when she dropped by to get her money for the week so she could go buy groceries.  The tax refund?  Gone.  Trip to the local casino, new video games for her 2 adult sons who live at home and don't work and assorted other stupid spending.  They don't have 2 nickels to rub together, and every summer complain they don't have the money to take a vacation.   It's all I can do not to face palm her.

[druth]

Seriously? That is a massively luxurious overabundance of bathrooms. I think one bathroom per two people is optimal.

Clearly you've never had to take a shit while someone else is in the shower.  No, sharing is not an acceptable option in that scenario to me. 

Sure, but I just hold it or if I know I'll be quick I just use it anyways and yell "Don't Look, I'm Poopin!" through the shower curtain.

[pbkmaine]

Seriously? That is a massively luxurious overabundance of bathrooms. I think one bathroom per two people is optimal.

Clearly you've never had to take a shit while someone else is in the shower.  No, sharing is not an acceptable option in that scenario to me. 

You are right, that has never happened - and I speak as someone with intermittently malfunctioning bowels. I think there is an unspoken rule in my household that shitting takes priority above all other uses of the bathroom, and users of the bathroom for other activities are happy to make way on the understanding that the same courtesy is afford to them in turn. But seriously, the bathroom is taken up by someone else showering for fifteen minutes in the entire day. I am not having a second bathroom just in case I one day need a poop in those ten minutes. Other bathroom use occurrences take five minutes at a time max. I'm a big girl. I can hold it.

My husband spends a LOT of time in the bathroom. He seems to find it an ideal space for video games and general meditation. Sharing a bathroom, which we did for 6 years, was a nightmare. Never again.

[LadyFIRE]

Just overheard the guy sitting next to me pay 'the balance' of his kids birthday pay. $175 for a child under 10.

Is that a typo?  Did you mean "birthday party" (which would still be quite the party for a 10yo)?  Or does his kid earn money by staying alive?

Wow I didn't even catch that. I was reading quickly and my brain automatically filled in party instead of pay (and I agree, $175 for a 10 yo's birthday party is still way too much, let alone a $175 cash birthday present).

Hahaha, woops, yepp that was a typo. Definitely talking paRTy! Although the amount of cash kids get for their birthdays as 'gifts' could easily be considered pay for making it through another year.

[moof]

Hiking the AT has changed my perspective on the bathroom situation. Pooping au natural just isn't that difficult or as scary as we think it is.

Wait till you've had to crap on a portaledge while multi-day climing.  You are often just a couple feet away from the action.  "Go to you're happy place!"

Good times.

[LennStar]

If you want an easy to clean toilet, just go asian style. You only need a bucket of water to clean ;)

btw: If you are prone to have a hard go, try it: instead of sitting, squat. You wil be mightily (and happily) surprised.
Reason is that western "sitting" position is pressing on your inside and very effectivly blocking the way. Squatting does the opposite. Even just putting your legs up in sitting position will do a difference.

It is not only the food that explains why asien countries have far less chronic constipation problems.

[Linea_Norway]

For a household with 2 people 1 bathroom plus a separate toilet is ideal. My DH and I leave the bathroom unlocked for each other, as we need to go through it to reach the bedroom. But we don't share it when the other is on the toilet. I always knock in case of doubt.

Yes, I have experience with staying at other people's house who have only 1 bathroom and having to hold up my needs while one after the other takes a long shower, including drying off, drying hair, get dressed, put on makeup, etc. An extra toilet would solve the problem.

We have a small mountain cabin with only 1 toilet. When we have guests, we all need to wait for each other after breakfast when bowels start moving. In that place we can live with the inconvenience.

When having guests at your home regularly, it is an advantage having an simple guest bathroom. This bathroom only needs to be cleaned when receiving guests. This is what we had in our previous house. I think I have needed to use the second toilet twice in a bowel emergency. About running outside in an emergency, you still need to bring the toilet paper that is in the locked bathroom.

[I'm a red panda]

First- let me preface by saying this is not a complaint, more of a "wow, other people are so different from me". I greatly appreciate the gift, and this person's generosity.

My coworkers threw me a baby shower yesterday. They were amazing and I got a lot of really cute stuff, some amazing books, and some really practical things.

One coworker gave me two sleepers (in a very useful 6 mo and 9 mo size, rather than NB).  She left the tags on and included a packing receipt for the online store in case I wanted to exchange for different style/color/size.

Apparently these are some European brand made with organic cotton.  They cost $36 each! 
I went to the website and couldn't find a sale or anything like that.

$36 is more than I pay for almost every item of MY clothing.  For a baby sleeper!

So on one end, I'm amazed that she thinks highly enough of me to give my baby this kind of gift. On the other end- OMG almost $80 for two baby sleepers!

[mtn]

Have you and a loved one never had food poisening at the same time? Or the "flu"?

That was a fun night. We had a trash can on standby for... things that a trash can should never be used for.

No. I have not vomited since last millennium and I have no plans to in the future. As for the other option, it's never happened but I guess we could take turns??

Not the vomiting that was the problem... It was the other end. Thankfully it didn't end up being used for that, but we had it in position just in case. There were a few close calls that day. Scared me off of vegetables for a solid month.

Hiking the AT has changed my perspective on the bathroom situation. Pooping au natural just isn't that difficult or as scary as we think it is.

Yeah we hike and camp a lot so that may be part of the reason why we're not very squeamish about these things.

I don't disagree... until you get the days that it is 15*F/-10*C outside. And windy. Nope, no thanks.

(I've also spent weeks at a time without a toilet all together)

[Megma]

buy a suspended toilet like this one: http://cdn.stylisheve.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suspended-Toilet-Designs-for-an-Original-Bathroom-Style_3.jpg

This forum is the best.

I want that toilet.

Personally, I think the secret to domestic bliss is at least two bathrooms (no kids) we actually have 2 1/2 and it's perfect because we then have a 1/2 on our main floor and two upstairs by the bedrooms. I would scale down to 2 if we had a 1-level house but I will NOT go to 1 for two people.

Seriously? That is a massively luxurious overabundance of bathrooms. I think one bathroom per two people is optimal.

Apparently people have really specific ideas about bathroom quantity (not just me!). Honestly, not sure we'd need more than 2.5 even if 5 people lived with us but, we want 2 for the 2 of us. Probably don't need the, both but want them.

Honestly we're house browsing at the moment and I find myself ruling out lots of houses for being too big that have 3-4 bathrooms. I really want a garage and it our area that seems to mean I want 5 bedrooms and 4 baths....but I don't.

[Paul der Krake]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

[RWD]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

I work from home. :(

[shelivesthedream]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

Real Mustachians work from home. (No commute!)

[alewpanda]

Ironically, this foam reveals some about potty habits, and much much more about "bathroom" habits. 

As in, apparently people use their bathroom for more than simply pottying and a 5 minute shower.


If I cannot wait 5 minutes to use the toilet, then I'm desperately ill and will use it anyway or kick the other person out, regardless of who else might be using the shower or be next in line for the toilet.  Obviously, some of you do things like makeup, hair, 30 minute showers, getting dressed, and other stuff(?) in the bathroom which then renders it unusable for its primary purpose....which is, going to the bathroom.


We had 7 people in a 2 bathroom house.  Even with the occasional sick kid on the bathroom floor all night issue, there was another bathroom.  You only used the bathroom privately for showering and using the toilet.  Your showers were 10 minutes (this includes shaving/putting on a towel or robe to go to your room).  Washing faces, brushing teeth, and make up (if you didn't do your makeup in your room), were done with the door open, so more than one person could be in there at a time, doing similar activities.    Hair, nails, getting dressed, and often makeup were done in your bedroom.  Suck it up buttercup...your 4 siblings all use this bathroom too. 


I still get mad that we bought a 3 bed, 2 bath house, only to find out we can't have kids. We are committed to downsizing to something with 2 bed, 1 bath...for the simple fact that I hate cleaning, and cleaning a bathroom is the worst.

[theadvicist]

I think this problem is also diminished here (UK) because there are no plug sockets in bathrooms - it's against building regulations (code)*. So you couldn't dry or curl your hair in the bathroom, even if you wanted to. So everyone does that stuff in bedrooms, meaning more time that the bathroom is 'free'.

* there are low voltage sockets for razors / toothbrushes.

[BJacks]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

My husband likes to calculate how much he gets paid for pooping at work.

[paddedhat]

I think this problem is also diminished here (UK) because there are no plug sockets in bathrooms - it's against building regulations (code)*. So you couldn't dry or curl your hair in the bathroom, even if you wanted to. So everyone does that stuff in bedrooms, meaning more time that the bathroom is 'free'.

* there are low voltage sockets for razors / toothbrushes.

As an electrician/homebuilder in the states, this whole concept brings a delightful, and fiendish smile to my face.  I typically end up with separate circuit feeding each bathroom. It used to be common to put 2 to 2-1/2 baths on the same receptacle circuit, but at this point, that would be nothing but problems, since there are times when a household has two blow dryers and a curling iron running at the same time.  The no receptacles in the bath idea would make life a hell of a lot easier for electricians. The flip side is that most women would be calling for your head on a pole, so there's that.

[Chris22]

In the US, its code to have at least one outlet in the bathroom. Against code to have zero. However they have to be GFCI.

[dandarc]

In the US, its code to have at least one outlet in the bathroom. Against code to have zero. However they have to be GFCI.

What's the code say about having an electrical panel in a bathroom?

[dragoncar]

What's the opposite of anal retentive?  Anal dismissive? 

I do understand that it can be unpleasant to use a bathroom immediately after someone else, but in that case, you could install an oversized bathroom fan -- much cheaper than another bathroom

[Chris22]

In the US, its code to have at least one outlet in the bathroom. Against code to have zero. However they have to be GFCI.

What's the code say about having an electrical panel in a bathroom?

No idea, but I bet it's verbotten.

[solon]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

That reminds me... I'll be back in a few minutes.

[Chris22]

Your showers were 10 minutes (this includes shaving/putting on a towel or robe to go to your room).  Suck it up buttercup...your 4 siblings all use this bathroom too. 

I mean, if you HAVE to live like that sure, I'm not going to argue it can't be done.  But I'm not going to intentionally structure my life so that I can't read an article or three while on my throne in my own house without someone banging on the door for me to hurry up.  But I also am not going to have more than 2 kids, either, which makes it easier.  I spent my time in the Navy, I'm going to enjoy my Hollywood showers, thanks.

[ketchup]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

That reminds me... I'll be back in a few minutes.

Dude, smartphones.