Overheard at Work

[jordanread]

Blows my mind.  Yes, let's buy a too-expensive ring today just in case we need some cash one day down the line.

Crazy how many people do this or think this is rational, but gotta remember that there's a good chance that he's someone that spends money as soon as he gets it, so for him buying something expensive that can hold it's value might be considered a smart play. That said, I have no idea how good the secondary market is for diamond rings, I suspect that they aren't all that good.

This is too perfect of an opportunity. I must post this:

https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU

[infogoon]

One of the favored raffle around here prizes is use of a reserved space.  I don't walk fast at all, but even my turtle ass can make it from the far end of the back parking lot to the building in three minutes.

Same at my company (that's a raffle I don't care to win). I'm all about automatic exercise to add to my day, so I always park at the back of my lot.

Weirdly, my company gym had a "wellness raffle" and one of the prizes was a parking spot right by the door.

I think they're doing it wrong.

[Vertical Mode]

Blows my mind.  Yes, let's buy a too-expensive ring today just in case we need some cash one day down the line.

Crazy how many people do this or think this is rational, but gotta remember that there's a good chance that he's someone that spends money as soon as he gets it, so for him buying something expensive that can hold it's value might be considered a smart play. That said, I have no idea how good the secondary market is for diamond rings, I suspect that they aren't all that good.

This is too perfect of an opportunity. I must post this:

https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU

+1

[LovesToTravel]

This is too perfect of an opportunity. I must post this:

https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU

Yep!   It's true...

[MgoSam]

Blows my mind.  Yes, let's buy a too-expensive ring today just in case we need some cash one day down the line.

Crazy how many people do this or think this is rational, but gotta remember that there's a good chance that he's someone that spends money as soon as he gets it, so for him buying something expensive that can hold it's value might be considered a smart play. That said, I have no idea how good the secondary market is for diamond rings, I suspect that they aren't all that good.

This is too perfect of an opportunity. I must post this:

https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU

+1

Yeah, a good of mine is engaged and I was talking to her fiance (who I'm also friends with, but not as close as I am with her) and he mentioned how he never wanted to spend the money on a diamond ring cause he thinks it's a waste, but he changed his mind when he fell in love with her. He's starting to freak out about the cost of the wedding..., thankfully he's not going to have an open bar.

[greytbigdog]

Yeah... I mean you can sell it 10 years from now for $0.20 on the dollar as bullion. Makes good sense to me.

Yes...clearly he doesn't realize that diamond rings aren't exactly an appreciating asset...

I have a family member that does this.  He's on disability, but works occasionally as a security guard at a jewelry store.  He spends all his wages + more on jewelry for his wife.  Because it's an "investment".  Meanwhile his wife is trying to work as much as she can so they can eventually retire.  She is always complaining about not having enough money and being too tired for her job, but won't ask/tell him to stop buying.

[MoonShadow]

This is too perfect of an opportunity. I must post this:

https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU

Yep!   It's true...

That's awesome!

[antarestar]

Blows my mind.  Yes, let's buy a too-expensive ring today just in case we need some cash one day down the line.

Crazy how many people do this or think this is rational, but gotta remember that there's a good chance that he's someone that spends money as soon as he gets it, so for him buying something expensive that can hold it's value might be considered a smart play. That said, I have no idea how good the secondary market is for diamond rings, I suspect that they aren't all that good.

This is too perfect of an opportunity. I must post this:

https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU

And for once, I didn't hate myself for reading the comments.

[jordanread]

Blows my mind.  Yes, let's buy a too-expensive ring today just in case we need some cash one day down the line.

Crazy how many people do this or think this is rational, but gotta remember that there's a good chance that he's someone that spends money as soon as he gets it, so for him buying something expensive that can hold it's value might be considered a smart play. That said, I have no idea how good the secondary market is for diamond rings, I suspect that they aren't all that good.

This is too perfect of an opportunity. I must post this:

https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU

And for once, I didn't hate myself for reading the comments.

I actually went back and read some of them after your comment. This one caught my eye because it's almost Mustachian.

How about:  "Dear, will you marry a man intelligent enough NOT to waste money on a diamond, but instead will sock the same amount of money into a money market certificate based on a continuous yield interest rate, and won't touch it until we're 65, at which point it will have tripled or quadrupled in value, and you can do whatever you want with it... buy only if we're still married."

[merula]

I actually went back and read some of them after your comment. This one caught my eye because it's almost Mustachian.

How about:  "Dear, will you marry a man intelligent enough NOT to waste money on a diamond, but instead will sock the same amount of money into a money market certificate based on a continuous yield interest rate, and won't touch it until we're 65, at which point it will have tripled or quadrupled in value, and you can do whatever you want with it... buy only if we're still married."

You had me until "money market". My savings account pays better than my 401(k)'s money market option, plus it's insured.

But there was a time not so long ago that money market accounts had a reliable 5-7% interest rate. Good times.

[jordanread]

I actually went back and read some of them after your comment. This one caught my eye because it's almost Mustachian.

How about:  "Dear, will you marry a man intelligent enough NOT to waste money on a diamond, but instead will sock the same amount of money into a money market certificate based on a continuous yield interest rate, and won't touch it until we're 65, at which point it will have tripled or quadrupled in value, and you can do whatever you want with it... buy only if we're still married."

You had me until "money market". My savings account pays better than my 401(k)'s money market option, plus it's insured.

But there was a time not so long ago that money market accounts had a reliable 5-7% interest rate. Good times.

Yeah, that's why I said almost.

[dsmexpat]

I actually went back and read some of them after your comment. This one caught my eye because it's almost Mustachian.

How about:  "Dear, will you marry a man intelligent enough NOT to waste money on a diamond, but instead will sock the same amount of money into a money market certificate based on a continuous yield interest rate, and won't touch it until we're 65, at which point it will have tripled or quadrupled in value, and you can do whatever you want with it... buy only if we're still married."

You had me until "money market". My savings account pays better than my 401(k)'s money market option, plus it's insured.

But there was a time not so long ago that money market accounts had a reliable 5-7% interest rate. Good times.

In 2008 money market accounts got given a colossal government guarantee that their value would not fall below $1/share in order to stem the tide of panic withdrawals.

Precedent is set.

[Ralph2]

I'm flabbergasted there are multiple people here who didn't know that bi-monthly (or bi-weekly) can mean every other month or twice a month, and sometimes one has to clarify if context doesn't make it clear.  I thought that was common knowledge.

Another late one

In OZ we normally use fortnightly to mean every two weeks (pay period for a lot), never used bi-monthly so no context.

[Metric Mouse]

One of my favorite moments was at the loading zone of an Ikea a few years ago when we loaded up our 2003 Pontiac Vibe with a queen mattress and bed frame (the back seat folds down flat) and closed the hatchback with no difficulty. The guy on our left had an SUV, couldn't close his and was looking at our tiny car with disbelief and envy.

Bought a grill for my Mom from The Home Depot.

I took my '94 Civic hatchback and when I pulled up to the loading area the employee was not happy about it and gave a disgusted type of remark "Is this even going to fit in there??"  ... I just ignored him, folded down the seats, and loaded the grill... He was quite impressed once it was actually in.

I bought a grill for myself in August. Spent like 30 minutes trying to fit it in my Camry, had to open the box and put it in piece by piece while people gawked at me in between walking in the parking lot. Finally got everything in, but was worried that I was missing a piece or two.

I had to disassemble the lawnmower I bought at Sears to fit in the 2-door car I had at the time.  I'm truly jealous of a Vibe.

[JAYSLOL]

One of my favorite moments was at the loading zone of an Ikea a few years ago when we loaded up our 2003 Pontiac Vibe with a queen mattress and bed frame (the back seat folds down flat) and closed the hatchback with no difficulty. The guy on our left had an SUV, couldn't close his and was looking at our tiny car with disbelief and envy.

Bought a grill for my Mom from The Home Depot.

I took my '94 Civic hatchback and when I pulled up to the loading area the employee was not happy about it and gave a disgusted type of remark "Is this even going to fit in there??"  ... I just ignored him, folded down the seats, and loaded the grill... He was quite impressed once it was actually in.

I bought a grill for myself in August. Spent like 30 minutes trying to fit it in my Camry, had to open the box and put it in piece by piece while people gawked at me in between walking in the parking lot. Finally got everything in, but was worried that I was missing a piece or two.

I went to a tool and equipment rental place once to pick up (an enormous) pressure washer in my old Camry 4 door sedan, wouldn't fit through any of the doors or into the trunk.  So I left and told the guy I would come back with a vehicle with more space.  I got my old 2 door Tercel sedan, removed the passenger seat (4 bolts, took 2 min) and drove back.  The guy laughs his ass off as I pull up (tercel is like 4' shorter than the Camry), then stops laughing as I open the passenger door and lift the pressure washer inside with ease.

[Taran Wanderer]

Thanks for the morning belly laugh!

[Sibley]

I had an '07 Vibe, it was my first car. Two instances stick out in my memory:

1. My boyfriend went to IKEA to outfit his new apartment (this was years ago). We get out to the loading dock, and I'd driven since his car needed brake work. Anyway, we've got a shopping cart which is overflowing, plus a flat cart which is fuller than full of all the flat packed furniture. All these people are standing around, saying we won't get everything into the car. Half an hour later, we drove off with everything in the car.

2. A friend of my boyfriend's was moving. He asked if we could help. I said I'd be happy to drive. So I drive over, my boyfriend drives over (junker camry), and the friend thinks we'll have to make 2 or 3 trips with both cars. We fill up the camry. Then we start putting stuff into the Vibe. The friend was amazed, but we only made the one trip with both cars.

My vibe got crunched a few years ago, I miss that car.

[Dezrah]

Non-foam story:

I had a coworker who was generally very nice but a very awkward person to engage with.  I think he might have been somewhere on the Autism spectrum or something like that.  My point is his general weirdness felt more like "he can't really help it" than "he's a creep".  He was born in Texas but lived most of his lie in a traditionally conservative part of Mexico, so there may or may not be some cultural factors involved in my story.

He'd occasionally come by my cubicle and we'd chat.  One day he brought up how he was so glad it was payday because their credit card was declined at the grocery store last night.  What?!  I asked what they did for food and he said they just ate what they already had around the house.  He said this sort of thing happens pretty frequently since his wife is always shopping and getting nice things.  He said his greatest worry was he would be approved on another credit card which would mean they'd be maxing out that card as well.  Apparently most of his paycheck would go toward freeing up the revolving credit which they would promptly use again.

I asked him if he had any plans for paying off the credit cards and he said his hope was that his wife would start working since their daughters were older now (preteens) but she really wasn't interested in working.  That or he hoped his wife would curb her shopping habits.

At this point I dropped my polite tone and emphasized how genuinely scared I was for him, that it sounded like the slightest financial issue would be too much for his family to handle.  I use credit cards too and I love them, but I always make sure I still have plenty of cash on hand and pay off the balance each month.  He acknowledged that was very wise but didn't think it was a big deal because it's not like they can do anything to you if you didn't pay (no physical harm or jail time).  I literally could not think of any way to respond to that.

I tried to talk him into listening to Dave Ramsey's radio show which was available daily for streaming (I was often listening at the times he would visit my desk) since he was an expert who knew may more about debt that I (not really, but third parties can help in these intervention situations).  He did report back to listening one episode at least.

A few weeks later I noticed he was absent from the weekly Tuesday department meeting even though he was there yesterday.  By the end the boss told us he had been let go.  I talked to some other coworkers and it sounds like he was probably having communication issues with his team on his projects.  They emphasized that the company has a long history of trying to help those who are struggling with their job in any way with regular feedback and repositioning if necessary.  He'd been with company for nine years, so it's essentially certain that this was not a sudden decision made lightly by management.  This makes it extra sad to me that he apparently knew he wasn't doing well at work and still didn't do anything to try to change the situation at home.

It still makes me physically sick with worry thinking about him.

[Metta]

It still makes me physically sick with worry thinking about him.

I'm so sorry for your friend! I have friends like this at work as well and I worry for them. It is incomprehensible to me that they would dig themselves deeper into financial distress when they dislike the job they are doing and simultaneously fear losing it. It seems a dreadful way to live to me: wage slavery indeed!

[antarestar]

It still makes me physically sick with worry thinking about him.

I'm so sorry for your friend! I have friends like this at work as well and I worry for them. It is incomprehensible to me that they would dig themselves deeper into financial distress when they dislike the job they are doing and simultaneously fear losing it. It seems a dreadful way to live to me: wage slavery indeed!

Ugh! I'm active on another forum board and the things people post about their financial problems/ignorance makes me sick to my stomach for them.
Things like being 50 and only just now thinking about saving for retirement, spouse lost his/her job and they were already living paycheck to paycheck, husband decided to invest their life savings into a landscaping business while knowing nothing about the work and living somewhere where it snows 9 months out of the year, and the worst was "husband is thinking about daytrading - I looked into it and it seems a bit like gambling, can anyone advise?".

[JordanOfGilead]

I'm flabbergasted there are multiple people here who didn't know that bi-monthly (or bi-weekly) can mean every other month or twice a month, and sometimes one has to clarify if context doesn't make it clear.  I thought that was common knowledge.

Another late one

In OZ we normally use fortnightly to mean every two weeks (pay period for a lot), never used bi-monthly so no context.

Not true. Bi-weekly/monthly is every two weeks/months, semi-weekly/monthly means twice per week/month.

[MrMoogle]

I'm flabbergasted there are multiple people here who didn't know that bi-monthly (or bi-weekly) can mean every other month or twice a month, and sometimes one has to clarify if context doesn't make it clear.  I thought that was common knowledge.

Another late one

In OZ we normally use fortnightly to mean every two weeks (pay period for a lot), never used bi-monthly so no context.

Not true. Bi-weekly/monthly is every two weeks/months, semi-weekly/monthly means twice per week/month.

Depends where you're from.  I've had bi-weekly meetings, on Mondays and Thursdays every week.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bimonthly
Simple Definition of bimonthly
1 :  occurring every two months
2 :  occurring twice a month

[JordanOfGilead]

I'm flabbergasted there are multiple people here who didn't know that bi-monthly (or bi-weekly) can mean every other month or twice a month, and sometimes one has to clarify if context doesn't make it clear.  I thought that was common knowledge.

Another late one

In OZ we normally use fortnightly to mean every two weeks (pay period for a lot), never used bi-monthly so no context.

Not true. Bi-weekly/monthly is every two weeks/months, semi-weekly/monthly means twice per week/month.

Depends where you're from.  I've had bi-weekly meetings, on Mondays and Thursdays every week.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bimonthly
Simple Definition of bimonthly
1 :  occurring every two months
2 :  occurring twice a month

The next thing on that link is:
 
Full Definition of bimonthly
1 :   occurring every two months
2 :   occurring twice a month :   semimonthly


If you want to clarify the frequency, using semi for "twice every" and bi for "once every two" is never wrong.

[Elliot]

So bisexual? Semi-sexual? Which one would you expect to get twice as much sex?

That should clear things up.

That's... not how sexuality works.

[maco]

I'm flabbergasted there are multiple people here who didn't know that bi-monthly (or bi-weekly) can mean every other month or twice a month, and sometimes one has to clarify if context doesn't make it clear.  I thought that was common knowledge.

Another late one

In OZ we normally use fortnightly to mean every two weeks (pay period for a lot), never used bi-monthly so no context.

I favor resurrecting "fortnightly" in the US. If I use "fortnightly" and "semiweekly" and just shun "biweekly," there's no ambiguity.

[MoonShadow]

I'm flabbergasted there are multiple people here who didn't know that bi-monthly (or bi-weekly) can mean every other month or twice a month, and sometimes one has to clarify if context doesn't make it clear.  I thought that was common knowledge.

Another late one

In OZ we normally use fortnightly to mean every two weeks (pay period for a lot), never used bi-monthly so no context.

I favor resurrecting "fortnightly" in the US. If I use "fortnightly" and "semiweekly" and just shun "biweekly," there's no ambiguity.

I would support such a movement.  However, I suspect that will get about as much traction as trying to resurrect "four score" into the common lexicon.  Just as Prospector did, I would suspect that "score" will be incorporated in some sex jokes.

[Papa Mustache]

One of my favorite moments was at the loading zone of an Ikea a few years ago when we loaded up our 2003 Pontiac Vibe with a queen mattress and bed frame (the back seat folds down flat) and closed the hatchback with no difficulty. The guy on our left had an SUV, couldn't close his and was looking at our tiny car with disbelief and envy.

Bought a grill for my Mom from The Home Depot.

I took my '94 Civic hatchback and when I pulled up to the loading area the employee was not happy about it and gave a disgusted type of remark "Is this even going to fit in there??"  ... I just ignored him, folded down the seats, and loaded the grill... He was quite impressed once it was actually in.

I bought a grill for myself in August. Spent like 30 minutes trying to fit it in my Camry, had to open the box and put it in piece by piece while people gawked at me in between walking in the parking lot. Finally got everything in, but was worried that I was missing a piece or two.

I went to a tool and equipment rental place once to pick up (an enormous) pressure washer in my old Camry 4 door sedan, wouldn't fit through any of the doors or into the trunk.  So I left and told the guy I would come back with a vehicle with more space.  I got my old 2 door Tercel sedan, removed the passenger seat (4 bolts, took 2 min) and drove back.  The guy laughs his ass off as I pull up (tercel is like 4' shorter than the Camry), then stops laughing as I open the passenger door and lift the pressure washer inside with ease.

I've done that sort of thing with my old aircooled VW Beetle. Seats come out in a snap. A used transmission will lay right where the passenger seat goes. An engine will lay on the folded back seat.

In either case don't hit ANYTHING b/c you have a huge unrestrained paper weight inside the car with you. Solutions best left to the immortal teens and 20-somethings. ;)

I'll second the tiny trailer towed by any car. Have hauled all sorts of things that initially had the big truck guys snickering at the hardware store. ;) Our old CR-V with the seats laid flat plus the trailer represents a huge amount of space. Recently hauled a whole bedroom suite home.

[BeFree]

One of my favorite moments was at the loading zone of an Ikea a few years ago when we loaded up our 2003 Pontiac Vibe with a queen mattress and bed frame (the back seat folds down flat) and closed the hatchback with no difficulty. The guy on our left had an SUV, couldn't close his and was looking at our tiny car with disbelief and envy.

I had a Toyota Matrix (basically the same as the Vibe) and also will always remember shopping at Ikea with it. I shopped for my entire apartment at Ikea without even thinking about how it was all going to fit in my car to drive home. I got it all to the parking lot and thought "well, sh*t" lol. It was a puzzle, but I got it all in there ;-) I don't even remember all that I had, but it was a LOT of stuff! For my first apartment moving out of my parents...

[nobodyspecial]

I've done that sort of thing with my old aircooled VW Beetle. Seats come out in a snap. A used transmission will lay right where the passenger seat goes. An engine will lay on the folded back seat.

I think things have improved - on modern VWs you only have to carry a spare tire

[ender]

One of my favorite moments was at the loading zone of an Ikea a few years ago when we loaded up our 2003 Pontiac Vibe with a queen mattress and bed frame (the back seat folds down flat) and closed the hatchback with no difficulty. The guy on our left had an SUV, couldn't close his and was looking at our tiny car with disbelief and envy.

I had a Toyota Matrix (basically the same as the Vibe) and also will always remember shopping at Ikea with it. I shopped for my entire apartment at Ikea without even thinking about how it was all going to fit in my car to drive home. I got it all to the parking lot and thought "well, sh*t" lol. It was a puzzle, but I got it all in there ;-) I don't even remember all that I had, but it was a LOT of stuff! For my first apartment moving out of my parents...

I jammed a fullsize sofa into the back of my Focus wagon.

It hung out a bunch of the back but hey, it worked :)

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

One of my favorite moments was at the loading zone of an Ikea a few years ago when we loaded up our 2003 Pontiac Vibe with a queen mattress and bed frame (the back seat folds down flat) and closed the hatchback with no difficulty. The guy on our left had an SUV, couldn't close his and was looking at our tiny car with disbelief and envy.

I had a Toyota Matrix (basically the same as the Vibe) and also will always remember shopping at Ikea with it. I shopped for my entire apartment at Ikea without even thinking about how it was all going to fit in my car to drive home. I got it all to the parking lot and thought "well, sh*t" lol. It was a puzzle, but I got it all in there ;-) I don't even remember all that I had, but it was a LOT of stuff! For my first apartment moving out of my parents...

I jammed a fullsize sofa into the back of my Focus wagon.

It hung out a bunch of the back but hey, it worked :)

Mr. FP put a dining room table and six chairs into a Honda Fit.

He had forgotten to remove the carseats.

[gimp]

Not to rain on your parades, as it's all awesome.  But I must be getting too old, because I was reading about mid-2000 cars and thinking that's pretty new.  My park avenue is a '97 model, I think; and my daughter about to turn 16 has laid claim to it.

Supercharged 3800? :D

[nnls]

A friend at work was telling me how he plans on buying a new car, when I pointed out he got a new one only 6 months ago he said he needed this one was it was a bigger V8, more performance and the new car feeling again. Also his current one was already dropping value and this one is newer plated so it will hold more value.

The benefits of the bigger V8 that it would allow for safer overtaking and easier merging onto the freeway.....

[gimp]

A friend at work was telling me how he plans on buying a new car, when I pointed out he got a new one only 6 months ago he said he needed this one was it was a bigger V8, more performance and the new car feeling again. Also his current one was already dropping value and this one is newer plated so it will hold more value.

The benefits of the bigger V8 that it would allow for safer overtaking and easier merging onto the freeway.....

Only 6 months ago? God damn.

I don't know anyone who can justify wanting a bigger v8 to allow for safer overtaking and easier merging. This isn't 1985 where a 6 liter v8 could put out only 200 horsepower. Since most normal cars are I4s or V6s, it's almost certain that any new v8 is most likely 400 crank... up to 700 these days. There are a lot of honest justifications for wanting a bigger v8: it sounds better, it's faster, it makes you erect. All reasonable. You get under 11 seconds bone stock in a quarter mile, or you can do 180mph top speed. Sure, it does that. Safer overtaking? Of what, the mom-mobiles everyone drives with 150-200 ponies and a slushbox auto, or worse, a CVT? Come on, I can safely overtake at >100mph on the wrong side of the road uphill - anywhere, anyone - in my car, and it only has the above-mentioned supercharged 3800, with half the output of a modern v8.

[Archivist]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

[JordanOfGilead]

So bisexual? Semi-sexual? Which one would you expect to get twice as much sex?

That should clear things up.

That's... not how sexuality works.

Made me laugh pretty hard though.

[JordanOfGilead]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

What's a Toyota Sonata?
There's a Toyota Solara (but these went out of production a while back) and a Hyundai Sonata ...
I also used to drive an 02 cavalier. I traded up when It started to have problems with the motor (somehow I managed to crack the valve cover? among several other problems with transmission and abs systems) and didn't want to bother paying someone to put a new one in (I didn't know how to do it myself at the time). That was at about 150k miles. How many miles do you have on yours?

[zolotiyeruki]

One of my favorite moments was at the loading zone of an Ikea a few years ago when we loaded up our 2003 Pontiac Vibe with a queen mattress and bed frame (the back seat folds down flat) and closed the hatchback with no difficulty. The guy on our left had an SUV, couldn't close his and was looking at our tiny car with disbelief and envy.

I had a Toyota Matrix (basically the same as the Vibe) and also will always remember shopping at Ikea with it. I shopped for my entire apartment at Ikea without even thinking about how it was all going to fit in my car to drive home. I got it all to the parking lot and thought "well, sh*t" lol. It was a puzzle, but I got it all in there ;-) I don't even remember all that I had, but it was a LOT of stuff! For my first apartment moving out of my parents...

I jammed a fullsize sofa into the back of my Focus wagon.

It hung out a bunch of the back but hey, it worked :)

Mr. FP put a dining room table and six chairs into a Honda Fit.

He had forgotten to remove the carseats.

Ooh, ooh, I can jump in on this!  I put an entire bunk (that's somewhere in the region of 300) 2x4's in the back of our Honda Odyssey.  The guy next to us in the loading area said "if you fit that all in, I'm trading in my work truck!"  Another time, I put 1200lbs of tile and thinset in my '94 Civic.  Three times.  Once to bring it home, the second time to return it to the store because the finish didn't match the other tile we had previously bought, and a third time to get the right tile home.

[Archivist]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

What's a Toyota Sonata?
There's a Toyota Solara (but these went out of production a while back) and a Hyundai Sonata ...
I also used to drive an 02 cavalier. I traded up when It started to have problems with the motor (somehow I managed to crack the valve cover? among several other problems with transmission and abs systems) and didn't want to bother paying someone to put a new one in (I didn't know how to do it myself at the time). That was at about 150k miles. How many miles do you have on yours?

Oops! I meant Toyota Solara.

[JordanOfGilead]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

What's a Toyota Sonata?
There's a Toyota Solara (but these went out of production a while back) and a Hyundai Sonata ...
I also used to drive an 02 cavalier. I traded up when It started to have problems with the motor (somehow I managed to crack the valve cover? among several other problems with transmission and abs systems) and didn't want to bother paying someone to put a new one in (I didn't know how to do it myself at the time). That was at about 150k miles. How many miles do you have on yours?

Oops! I meant Toyota Solara.

That makes more sense. Absolutely terrible cars in my opinion :P
Welcome to the forum!

[Archivist]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

What's a Toyota Sonata?
There's a Toyota Solara (but these went out of production a while back) and a Hyundai Sonata ...
I also used to drive an 02 cavalier. I traded up when It started to have problems with the motor (somehow I managed to crack the valve cover? among several other problems with transmission and abs systems) and didn't want to bother paying someone to put a new one in (I didn't know how to do it myself at the time). That was at about 150k miles. How many miles do you have on yours?

Oops! I meant Toyota Solara.

That makes more sense. Absolutely terrible cars in my opinion :P
Welcome to the forum!

Thanks! And to answer your previous question (missed it first time), I have 117k miles on the Cavalier. I've started to need work on it in the last 3 years, but nothing too major. I'll probably keep it only a couple more years.

[coolistdude]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

This made me cringe. So much for getting a reality check and sizing down the budget. Seriously, why the lottery?

[MoonShadow]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

This made me cringe. So much for getting a reality check and sizing down the budget. Seriously, why the lottery?

Because it's a tax upon those who don't do math well.  Shush!  If these people didn't exist, we would likely have to pay our fair share, and none of really want that.  And remember to thank the next guy you see smoking, for his extra contribution to the state finances.

[RWD]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

This made me cringe. So much for getting a reality check and sizing down the budget. Seriously, why the lottery?

Because it's a tax upon those who don't do math well.  Shush!  If these people didn't exist, we would likely have to pay our fair share, and none of really want that.  And remember to thank the next guy you see smoking, for his extra contribution to the state finances.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window

[MoonShadow]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

This made me cringe. So much for getting a reality check and sizing down the budget. Seriously, why the lottery?

Because it's a tax upon those who don't do math well.  Shush!  If these people didn't exist, we would likely have to pay our fair share, and none of really want that.  And remember to thank the next guy you see smoking, for his extra contribution to the state finances.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window

The Parable of the Broken window was an illustration of the 'unseen' costs & effects of destruction.  I'm not sure how it applies here.

[arebelspy]

I had a coworker who would continually surprise me with her bad decisions with money. She was 54 and had been through a divorce a few years prior that left her with nothing and she ended up filing for bankruptcy. She made around 45-50k. She had a 45+ minute commute each way and paid over $1100/month for rent in a nice suburb. There were much cheaper places to live near work but she was convinced that the entire city that our workplace was located in was a ghetto and she'd get shot if she lived here (this is nowhere near the truth). When she found out that HR automatically enrolls you in the 6% 401k + 6% match, she immediately had it switched to zero contribution because she needed that money in her paycheck. She was living paycheck to paycheck and would say "I need to start playing the lotto more" when things got scary. She didn't get all of her points for the work wellness plan her first year, so her insurance premiums went up $1,000 annually for the next year. She drove a Toyota Sonata that she was making high payments on, but would constantly wish she could drive a Lexus again. A couple of months before her car was paid off, she was in a car accident that totaled her car. What kind of car do you think she got next? A Lexus SUV, of course! (Used, at least.) Even though neither of us work at that place anymore, we occasionally meet up for lunch. First thing she asks me is if I've gotten a new car yet. Nope. I drive a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that is looking rather shabby these days, but it's saving me too much money right now to consider upgrading quite yet.

This made me cringe. So much for getting a reality check and sizing down the budget. Seriously, why the lottery?

Because it's a tax upon those who don't do math well.  Shush!  If these people didn't exist, we would likely have to pay our fair share, and none of really want that.  And remember to thank the next guy you see smoking, for his extra contribution to the state finances.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window

The Parable of the Broken window was an illustration of the 'unseen' costs & effects of destruction.  I'm not sure how it applies here.

From the intro paragraph of that Wikipedia article: "illustrate why destruction, and the money spent to recover from destruction, is not actually a net benefit to society"

You can draw the lottery or smoking parallels yourself, I'm sure.

[MoonShadow]

The Parable of the Broken window was an illustration of the 'unseen' costs & effects of destruction.  I'm not sure how it applies here.

From the intro paragraph of that Wikipedia article: "illustrate why destruction, and the money spent to recover from destruction, is not actually a net benefit to society"

You can draw the lottery or smoking parallels yourself, I'm sure.

Ah, I see.  Well, I can agree with that, but since the prospects of ending these forms of self-destruction are nil, I'll take whatever silver lining I can conjure.

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

Because the health costs of the smoker and the societal costs of gambling are more than their contribution to the tax coffers? Just a guess.

The administrative costs of the lottery are quite substantial on their own, not just negative effects from gambling.

[MoonShadow]

Because the health costs of the smoker and the societal costs of gambling are more than their contribution to the tax coffers? Just a guess.

The administrative costs of the lottery are quite substantial on their own, not just negative effects from gambling.

Please!  Stop killing my hope!

[Papa Mustache]

I've done that sort of thing with my old aircooled VW Beetle. Seats come out in a snap. A used transmission will lay right where the passenger seat goes. An engine will lay on the folded back seat.

I think things have improved - on modern VWs you only have to carry a spare tire

I hope so!!!

My late 90s VW MKIII is a mess. Always needed a little this or that. Eats ignition switches every few years. Cheap and easy to replace but still. Would never recommend a VW to anyone as much as I've enjoyed mine. Definitely not a car for the mechanic dependent.

The old aircooled VWs just need alot of TLC aka frequent maintenance. Its myth that they last forever. The average consumer won't do what is really necessary to make them last forever - lube for everything, replace the perished rubber items, constant adjustments per maintenance schedule and component rebuilds. 3000 miles of daily driving would go by awfully fast... ;) I used my Beetle daily years ago. Always a little Sat or Sun tuning needed. 30 mins or 45 mins to tweak this or that. The aftermarket parts quality for aircooled VWs was abysmal back then. Don't know that it is much better now.  I had a set of rubber gaskets/seals that lasted one year before they dry rotted and required replacement.