Overheard on Facebook

[Kris]

Three posts this week from the same person

Upset that their annual Disney World trip is cancelled
Grateful for restaurant delivery services, because who has time to cook and
Upset that they won't be getting a stimulus check because they cannot afford to pay taxes, therefore does not have returns filed for the last few years

That last one almost literally made my head explode.

[zolotiyeruki]

Three posts this week from the same person

Upset that their annual Disney World trip is cancelled
Grateful for restaurant delivery services, because who has time to cook and
Upset that they won't be getting a stimulus check because they cannot afford to pay taxes, therefore does not have returns filed for the last few years

Wow.  The thing is, Disney is offering some substantial discounts to people who had reservations cancelled because of COVID-19.  I.e. if you had hotel and park tickets, they are giving away free dining plans.

Posting on social media that you haven't filed your taxes the last few years seems...unwise.

[SwordGuy]

Three posts this week from the same person

Upset that their annual Disney World trip is cancelled
Grateful for restaurant delivery services, because who has time to cook and
Upset that they won't be getting a stimulus check because they cannot afford to pay taxes, therefore does not have returns filed for the last few years

Wow.  The thing is, Disney is offering some substantial discounts to people who had reservations cancelled because of COVID-19.  I.e. if you had hotel and park tickets, they are giving away free dining plans.

Posting on social media that you haven't filed your taxes the last few years seems...unwise.

Yeah, with up to a 30% of collected taxes bounty going to the person who reported them...

https://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/personal-income-taxes/how-to-report-tax-fraud3.htm


Given the person's posts they deserve to be turned in.  Even when we were dirt poor we paid our damn taxes.   

[ohsnap]

Someone posted a PSA yesterday on my community's FB page that we should all go out and buy new cars right now because the deals are so good.  "Support your local business people and don’t let these programs go to waste."  He traded in his 2016 SUV for a 2019 and got to keep the same payment.  For 7 years.

Out of 142 comments, only one person pointed out that he'd just put himself into debt for 7 years and would likely be underwater for half of that time.  He got some angry responses to that saying he was just jealous.  The other comments are painful to read.  Lots of folks saying "I have a 2017 and I'd love to trade mine in!"

[Miss Piggy]

Someone posted a PSA yesterday on my community's FB page that we should all go out and buy new cars right now because the deals are so good.  "Support your local business people and don’t let these programs go to waste."  He traded in his 2016 SUV for a 2019 and got to keep the same payment.  For 7 years.

Out of 142 comments, only one person pointed out that he'd just put himself into debt for 7 years and would likely be underwater for half of that time.  He got some angry responses to that saying he was just jealous.  The other comments are painful to read.  Lots of folks saying "I have a 2017 and I'd love to trade mine in!"

I mean...just...wow. I don't understand the car mentality sometimes.

[jinga nation]

Someone posted a PSA yesterday on my community's FB page that we should all go out and buy new cars right now because the deals are so good.  "Support your local business people and don’t let these programs go to waste."  He traded in his 2016 SUV for a 2019 and got to keep the same payment.  For 7 years.

Out of 142 comments, only one person pointed out that he'd just put himself into debt for 7 years and would likely be underwater for half of that time.  He got some angry responses to that saying he was just jealous.  The other comments are painful to read.  Lots of folks saying "I have a 2017 and I'd love to trade mine in!"

I mean...just...wow. I don't understand the car mentality sometimes.

Misery loves company. Birds of a feather...
All too common at my workplace (govt agency) where a lot of the Gov Civilians and Military keep on rolling loans, buying/upgrading/leasing new vehicles, focus on monthly payment only...
Contractors are used to periods of leanness during transition, protests, etc. In the row that I sit in, the 6 contractors have used cars or buy new and keep for life, none commute in trucks (one has a ~1994 Nissan Frontier at home).

[Sugaree]

Someone posted a PSA yesterday on my community's FB page that we should all go out and buy new cars right now because the deals are so good.  "Support your local business people and don’t let these programs go to waste."  He traded in his 2016 SUV for a 2019 and got to keep the same payment.  For 7 years.

Out of 142 comments, only one person pointed out that he'd just put himself into debt for 7 years and would likely be underwater for half of that time.  He got some angry responses to that saying he was just jealous.  The other comments are painful to read.  Lots of folks saying "I have a 2017 and I'd love to trade mine in!"

I mean...just...wow. I don't understand the car mentality sometimes.

Misery loves company. Birds of a feather...
All too common at my workplace (govt agency) where a lot of the Gov Civilians and Military keep on rolling loans, buying/upgrading/leasing new vehicles, focus on monthly payment only...
Contractors are used to periods of leanness during transition, protests, etc. In the row that I sit in, the 6 contractors have used cars or buy new and keep for life, none commute in trucks (one has a ~1994 Nissan Frontier at home).

I see this a lot too.  Contractors never know when a stop-work order could come down.  The civilians are more confident that a paycheck will be consistent for the next 5-7 years.

[wonkette]

On a mainstream women's personal finance group

OP: Is anyone pulling out money from their 401k now that penalties have been lifted?

Early Comment: What? Penalties are lifted? Thanks in advance!

[Many many comments about how exactly to take advantage of this exciting opportunity because "it is your money anyway." There were some comments warning people away from this, but not many.]

Obviously if you are in dire straights you need to do what you need to do, I understand that many people don't have emergency savings, but I think highlighting this "opportunity" is going to lead to a lot of dumb decisions.

[frugalnacho]

The same people in 10 years will be promoting gold or bitcoin and talking about how the stock market is such "a scam" and how after diligently investing (like 3% of their income) for decades they have "nothing" to show for it in terms of investment returns because the whole system was rigged against them while conveniently forgetting to mention that they under saved in the first place, and at the first opportunity decided to sell during a recession and lock in losses to be able to buy a hot tub, and then lock in even further losses with the upkeep of said hot tub.  The crooks of wall street strike again.

[Kris]

On a mainstream women's personal finance group

OP: Is anyone pulling out money from their 401k now that penalties have been lifted?

Early Comment: What? Penalties are lifted? Thanks in advance!

[Many many comments about how exactly to take advantage of this exciting opportunity because "it is your money anyway." There were some comments warning people away from this, but not many.]

Obviously if you are in dire straights you need to do what you need to do, I understand that many people don't have emergency savings, but I think highlighting this "opportunity" is going to lead to a lot of dumb decisions.

This was my reaction to that news, as well. Ugh.

I mean, the problem is, I know some people will find themselves in dire enough straits that this will help them immensely.

But my gut is, the vast majority of people who will pull money out of their 401ks because this temporary lift in penalties will be doing it to buy something big out of a lack of self-control.

[partgypsy]

Similar to the post about everyone should now buy a new car, I am closing in on paying off the car I got in 2016 (366 to go!). So of course included in the most recent invoice for payment is an ad about buying a new car with the great interest rates! I am so looking forward to having a paid off car. I don't understand people who have a paid off car, wanting to go right back into debt again.

[partgypsy]

On a mainstream women's personal finance group

OP: Is anyone pulling out money from their 401k now that penalties have been lifted?

Early Comment: What? Penalties are lifted? Thanks in advance!

[Many many comments about how exactly to take advantage of this exciting opportunity because "it is your money anyway." There were some comments warning people away from this, but not many.]

Obviously if you are in dire straights you need to do what you need to do, I understand that many people don't have emergency savings, but I think highlighting this "opportunity" is going to lead to a lot of dumb decisions.

This was my reaction to that news, as well. Ugh.

I mean, the problem is, I know some people will find themselves in dire enough straits that this will help them immensely.

But my gut is, the vast majority of people who will pull money out of their 401ks because this temporary lift in penalties will be doing it to buy something big out of a lack of self-control.

.

My lil brother told his work that he's not coming in. He's used up all his annual leave now, and now had to decide and send correspondence of how much unpaid leave he wants to take off.
He is kind of freaked out about the virus, especially as my elderly mother lives with him. He said, I took out a 50K on my house. So I'm good for the rest of the year." And I said, and yeah, what about after that? If you want to actually hold onto your house you might need a plan B.

[jinga nation]

Similar to the post about everyone should now buy a new car, I am closing in on paying off the car I got in 2016 (366 to go!). So of course included in the most recent invoice for payment is an ad about buying a new car with the great interest rates! I am so looking forward to having a paid off car. I don't understand people who have a paid off car, wanting to go right back into debt again.

Congrats! You're going to enjoy the next several years and use them to expand your little green army.

Sadly, Mustachians/savers see it as debt, many do not. They see it as "just another monthly payment" akin to cellphone plans, subscription services, gym payments, etc.

[solon]

Overheard on Twitter.

[wonkette]

Overheard on Twitter.

I really wish anyone who described consumables as an investment was required to post a year later about the ROI of said investment. Instagram likes don't count.

The best therapist is the therapist that calls you on your bullshit. The money she's spending on that "investment" also seems misplaced.

[partgypsy]

Overheard on Twitter.

wow that therapist seems like an enabler and yes-man.

[SugarMountain]

Overheard on Twitter.

I really wish anyone who described consumables as an investment was required to post a year later about the ROI of said investment. Instagram likes don't count.

The best therapist is the therapist that calls you on your bullshit. The money she's spending on that "investment" also seems misplaced.

I assume for her (Best of Nextdoor creator), much of her income comes from speaking engagements and her appearances at SXSW are opportunities for her to showcase herself, so it likely is an "investment" that may help her get more gigs.  Whether it's a worthwhile investment is not really for me to say, I don't know whether bookers that would be interested in her care that much about what her hair looks like.

[dragoncar]

Overheard on Twitter.

I really wish anyone who described consumables as an investment was required to post a year later about the ROI of said investment. Instagram likes don't count.

The best therapist is the therapist that calls you on your bullshit. The money she's spending on that "investment" also seems misplaced.

If it was for a paid gig, I could see it.  Unclear from the tweet what the purpose of the purchase was.

Same way toner carriages would be an investment if you have a business.

[Wrenchturner]

Overheard on Twitter.

I really wish anyone who described consumables as an investment was required to post a year later about the ROI of said investment. Instagram likes don't count.

The best therapist is the therapist that calls you on your bullshit. The money she's spending on that "investment" also seems misplaced.

If it was for a paid gig, I could see it.  Unclear from the tweet what the purpose of the purchase was.

Same way toner carriages would be an investment if you have a business.

That's what I was thinking, although I am not qualified enough in the hair department to really know.

(It's also possible the thairapist didn't actually say this or mean this.)

[Davnasty]

Overheard on Twitter.

I really wish anyone who described consumables as an investment was required to post a year later about the ROI of said investment. Instagram likes don't count.

The best therapist is the therapist that calls you on your bullshit. The money she's spending on that "investment" also seems misplaced.

If it was for a paid gig, I could see it.  Unclear from the tweet what the purpose of the purchase was.

Same way toner carriages would be an investment if you have a business.

That's what I was thinking, although I am not qualified enough in the hair department to really know.

(It's also possible the thairapist didn't actually say this or mean this.)

Very true. People hear what that want to hear.

[dragoncar]

Overheard on Twitter.

I really wish anyone who described consumables as an investment was required to post a year later about the ROI of said investment. Instagram likes don't count.

The best therapist is the therapist that calls you on your bullshit. The money she's spending on that "investment" also seems misplaced.

If it was for a paid gig, I could see it.  Unclear from the tweet what the purpose of the purchase was.

Same way toner carriages would be an investment if you have a business.

That's what I was thinking, although I am not qualified enough in the hair department to really know.

(It's also possible the thairapist didn't actually say this or mean this.)

Very true. People hear what that want to hear.

You are right, I am very handsome

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

Overheard on Twitter.

I really wish anyone who described consumables as an investment was required to post a year later about the ROI of said investment. Instagram likes don't count.

The best therapist is the therapist that calls you on your bullshit. The money she's spending on that "investment" also seems misplaced.

If it was for a paid gig, I could see it.  Unclear from the tweet what the purpose of the purchase was.

Same way toner carriages would be an investment if you have a business.

That's what I was thinking, although I am not qualified enough in the hair department to really know.

(It's also possible the thairapist didn't actually say this or mean this.)

Very true. People hear what that want to hear.

You are right, I am very handsome

LOL!

[mm1970]

Today, on FB:

I am in California.  We've been basically shut down for a little over a month.  Our YMCA shut down on 3/17/2020 officially (my last day there was a week before that), and they immediately sent an email to members.  The email has general "this is a hard time, we are hoping to open April 1, etc.) with other useful info like:

1. Please keep your membership active if you can, it is helpful
2. If you need to cancel or put on hold, contact us here (email)

They sent another email a month later.
Their website has a form you can fill out to put your membership on hold.
Their FB page has periodically had updates - including daily streaming workouts, links to other member benefits, and notes that if you choose to keep your membership, you can get future discounts AND take credit for charitable giving on your taxes.

Today, someone asked how to hold the membership because nobody answers the phone.  So I told them: go to the website, there's a contact form.

Someone else goes OFF on me like "they should automatically hold ALL memberships because it's a SERVICE we aren't getting and WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL US RIGHT AWAY."

Um, they did?  Turns out, this particular lady doesn't have email.  So, she's known that the Y is closed since they closed, but hasn't bothered to figure out how to hold her membership?  We are living in the digital age man...

[Bloop Bloop]

I can see the reasoning, though. Service providers who obviously can't provide a service shouldn't be outsourcing their labour costs to their customers. The memberships should simply have been put on hold by default, which is what gyms here have done.

[Dicey]

On a mainstream women's personal finance group...

Which blog might that be? Asking for a friend.

[jinga nation]

Our YMCA is still open, but only to take care of the children of law-enforcement, first responders, etc. I haven't stopped my monthly dues, it's my charitable giving in times of need. A couple of months of dues won't make an effect on my net worth, but I'll be happier knowing my Y will be operational in the future. Been a member since 2006, no plan to stop.

[Goatee Joe]

Today on Facebook:

[paraphrasing]:  "Load up on stocks of XYZ Oil Company!  It's literally too big to fail!!"  Uh oh.  Where have we heard this one before?

Another face-palm from today on FB:

"It is SO important for those near retirement to focus on capital preservation instead of maximizing returns."

Speak for yourself, pal.  While you're busy selling all your stock funds and transferring them to cash, I'll enjoy the next several decades of gains.  (Caveat:  I suppose this could be "good" advice for Joe Sixpack, who retires with close to no savings, no plan, and no ability to control himself and his spending.  For Mustachians.... not so much.)

[ysette9]

Today on Facebook:

[paraphrasing]:  "Load up on stocks of XYZ Oil Company!  It's literally too big to fail!!"  Uh oh.  Where have we heard this one before?

Another face-palm from today on FB:

"It is SO important for those near retirement to focus on capital preservation instead of maximizing returns."

Speak for yourself, pal.  While you're busy selling all your stock funds and transferring them to cash, I'll enjoy the next several decades of gains.  (Caveat:  I suppose this could be "good" advice for Joe Sixpack, who retires with close to no savings, no plan, and no ability to control himself and his spending.  For Mustachians.... not so much.)

It also depends on how old you are when you retire. If you retire at 75 then I imagine capital preservation is the most important thing. If you are 35 when you retire then capital preservation is one of the things that you can do that will give you almost no chance of your portfolio going the distance.

[LWYRUP]

I recently got dragged into a convo about babysitting. There's a mom asking a group what a reasonable price would be for a sitter for 4 kids 5 and under (three age 4, one infant).

Well, mostly the responses were $25-30 an hour, maybe $20.

But she didn't really like that.  So I pointed out that it's FOUR kids UNDER the age of 5.  The # of kids and the age of the kids matter.   Then she and two others went on a HUGE rant about how can ANYONE afford to go out, and that's ridiculous.

It moved on to "well, preschool teachers get $15 / hour for 8 kids under 5!"

I mean, aside from the fact that preschool teachers get benefits AND experienced ones get more than that AND they work close to full time - what are you expecting?  Because my babysitter is/was a preschool teacher.  She's in her 30's.  She's WELL WORTH the extra $ because she plays with the kids and they are asleep in their beds when we get home. 

She needs to make a living too, yes?  And $15 / hour is really peanuts here.  Cleaning ladies make $20+.

(FWIW, I was paying $15-18/hr for 2 kids who were 6 and 12).

I didn't SAY it (but thought about it): Look, you don't like the numbers, don't go out.  You find the unicorn willing to watch your four kids under five, and get them to bed, for $12-15 an hour?  Great, enjoy it.  Otherwise?  Find someone to swap with, or do what we did for 10 years.  Don't go out!  The sitters will tell you what they charge, pay it or stay home.

Disagree here.  I live in a very expensive area.  Also part of a relatively conservative catholic church with lots of large families.  We have three little ones and that's below average.  I can usually find a 15 year old for $12 an hour.  They are very experienced because they have siblings and mom and dad are usually just a few blocks away.  When they go to college they usually want more money, but there's a neverending supply of 15 year olds.

For $25 an hour, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would take turns going out for the next four years until the oldest turns 10.  $100 bucks for four hours, probably two of which the kids are asleep anyways?  No way. 

I do agree that market rates are what they are, but nothing wrong in wanting to find a good deal. 

[mm1970]

Disagree here.  I live in a very expensive area.  Also part of a relatively conservative catholic church with lots of large families.  We have three little ones and that's below average.  I can usually find a 15 year old for $12 an hour.  They are very experienced because they have siblings and mom and dad are usually just a few blocks away.  When they go to college they usually want more money, but there's a neverending supply of 15 year olds.

For $25 an hour, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would take turns going out for the next four years until the oldest turns 10.  $100 bucks for four hours, probably two of which the kids are asleep anyways?  No way.

I do agree that market rates are what they are, but nothing wrong in wanting to find a good deal.

A bit of a necro post, but I'll reiterate.

You get what you pay for.

Yes, you can find a 15 year old for $12-15 an hour.
There aren't a lot of them.  Many 15 year olds don't want to work, or don't have to work.
Also, many 15 year olds are not terribly experienced.

What do you want?  Do you want a teenager to play with your kids for a couple of hours?  The last teen I hired, we got home at 11 pm, the 18 month old was still awake, had cried all night, and was wearing a diaper backwards.  The 7 yo fessed up that the kid cried all evening.  Two weeks later we hired the 30-something.  Got home at 10, both kids asleep in bed.

Also, as mentioned above, we were talking about an infant and 3 other kids under the age of 5.  That's a LOT of kids, mostly likely too much for all but the most experienced teenagers.

For the record...we almost never went out, for years.  Until we found that great babysitter. 

[ixtap]

SIL got a new med alert bracelet to add the info on her chemo port. She paid extra for a beautiful, rose gold cuff. The med alert symbol is lost with all the engraving, and ras a cuff it would have to be removed in order to read the information. It doesn't seem designed to do it's job, but I have no doubt it costs more than the $20 standard.

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

Disagree here.  I live in a very expensive area.  Also part of a relatively conservative catholic church with lots of large families.  We have three little ones and that's below average.  I can usually find a 15 year old for $12 an hour.  They are very experienced because they have siblings and mom and dad are usually just a few blocks away.  When they go to college they usually want more money, but there's a neverending supply of 15 year olds.

For $25 an hour, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would take turns going out for the next four years until the oldest turns 10.  $100 bucks for four hours, probably two of which the kids are asleep anyways?  No way.

I do agree that market rates are what they are, but nothing wrong in wanting to find a good deal.

A bit of a necro post, but I'll reiterate.

You get what you pay for.

Yes, you can find a 15 year old for $12-15 an hour.
There aren't a lot of them.  Many 15 year olds don't want to work, or don't have to work.
Also, many 15 year olds are not terribly experienced.

What do you want?  Do you want a teenager to play with your kids for a couple of hours?  The last teen I hired, we got home at 11 pm, the 18 month old was still awake, had cried all night, and was wearing a diaper backwards.  The 7 yo fessed up that the kid cried all evening.  Two weeks later we hired the 30-something.  Got home at 10, both kids asleep in bed.

Also, as mentioned above, we were talking about an infant and 3 other kids under the age of 5.  That's a LOT of kids, mostly likely too much for all but the most experienced teenagers.

For the record...we almost never went out, for years.  Until we found that great babysitter.

Teenagers are definitely not all created equal! The good ones would be found by word of mouth.

[ysette9]

An infant and three other kids under the age of 5? I wouldn’t be qualified for that job and I have three kids of my own. No way could I expect there to be a teenager on the face of the earth capable of that.

[Dicey]

Disagree here.  I live in a very expensive area.  Also part of a relatively conservative catholic church with lots of large families.  We have three little ones and that's below average.  I can usually find a 15 year old for $12 an hour.  They are very experienced because they have siblings and mom and dad are usually just a few blocks away.  When they go to college they usually want more money, but there's a neverending supply of 15 year olds.

For $25 an hour, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would take turns going out for the next four years until the oldest turns 10.  $100 bucks for four hours, probably two of which the kids are asleep anyways?  No way.

I do agree that market rates are what they are, but nothing wrong in wanting to find a good deal.

A bit of a necro post, but I'll reiterate.

You get what you pay for.

Yes, you can find a 15 year old for $12-15 an hour.
There aren't a lot of them.  Many 15 year olds don't want to work, or don't have to work.
Also, many 15 year olds are not terribly experienced.

What do you want?  Do you want a teenager to play with your kids for a couple of hours?  The last teen I hired, we got home at 11 pm, the 18 month old was still awake, had cried all night, and was wearing a diaper backwards.  The 7 yo fessed up that the kid cried all evening.  Two weeks later we hired the 30-something.  Got home at 10, both kids asleep in bed.

Also, as mentioned above, we were talking about an infant and 3 other kids under the age of 5.  That's a LOT of kids, mostly likely too much for all but the most experienced teenagers.

For the record...we almost never went out, for years.  Until we found that great babysitter.

I think you kind of missed @LWYRUP's point. In their area, there ARE plenty of fifteen year olds who are experienced with small children. I totally related to that response. I'm the oldest of six and I was an experienced and in-demand babysitter by the age of 12. Most of our neighbors were not Catholic, so their families were smaller than ours. Babysitting two or three kids was a piece of cake, because it was easier than being at home.As I got older, I was so in demand that several families drove significant distances to pick me up and take me home. These families were colleagues of my dad's, so you know there was none of that wet diaper, crying all night shit going on. Also, they paid me door-to-door.

[Ann]

I think you kind of missed @LWYRUP's point. In their area, there ARE plenty of fifteen year olds who are experienced with small children. I totally related to that response. I'm the oldest of six and I was an experienced and in-demand babysitter by the age of 12. Most of our neighbors were not Catholic, so their families were smaller than ours. Babysitting two or three kids was a piece of cake, because it was easier than being at home.As I got older, I was so in demand that several families drove significant distances to pick me up and take me home. These families were colleagues of my dad's, so you know there was none of that wet diaper, crying all night shit going on. Also, they paid me door-to-door.

What does being paid “door-to-door” mean?

[Peachtea]

I think you kind of missed @LWYRUP's point. In their area, there ARE plenty of fifteen year olds who are experienced with small children. I totally related to that response. I'm the oldest of six and I was an experienced and in-demand babysitter by the age of 12. Most of our neighbors were not Catholic, so their families were smaller than ours. Babysitting two or three kids was a piece of cake, because it was easier than being at home.As I got older, I was so in demand that several families drove significant distances to pick me up and take me home. These families were colleagues of my dad's, so you know there was none of that wet diaper, crying all night shit going on. Also, they paid me door-to-door.

What does being paid “door-to-door” mean?

The time from the babysitter’s home and back, rather than amount of time at the family’s home. Essentially, travel time was paid for.

[Imma]

My friend is a professional freelance nanny, as in, has a teaching degree and years of experience. She has literally been offered jobs that amounted to €4/hour pre-tax and parents have been upset that she refused because "due to her greed they can't afford an evening out".

If you can find a reliable young teen and they only need to watch the kid a few hours on a Saturday night, great for you. But it's not fair to expect other people to watch your children for next to nothing.

[Dicey]

I think you kind of missed @LWYRUP's point. In their area, there ARE plenty of fifteen year olds who are experienced with small children. I totally related to that response. I'm the oldest of six and I was an experienced and in-demand babysitter by the age of 12. Most of our neighbors were not Catholic, so their families were smaller than ours. Babysitting two or three kids was a piece of cake, because it was easier than being at home.As I got older, I was so in demand that several families drove significant distances to pick me up and take me home. These families were colleagues of my dad's, so you know there was none of that wet diaper, crying all night shit going on. Also, they paid me door-to-door.

What does being paid “door-to-door” mean?

The time from the babysitter’s home and back, rather than amount of time at the family’s home. Essentially, travel time was paid for.

Which reminds me of a story. A colleague of my dad's and neighbor of ours met and married. They bought a house on the other side of town together and adopted two toddlers. They would drive, at least 25 minutes by freeway, to pick me up. One Saturday morning, the dad picked me up with his two-year-old son safely tucked into his car seat in the back of the car. The darling little boy was enamoured of trucks, but not yet in possession of the "tr" sound, so he replaced it with an "f". Consequently, every time he saw a big, shiny vehicle he would shout, "Look, Daddy, fuck!". There were many of these vehicles on the freeway that day and he excitedly pointed them all out. I thought his dad was going to die. Daddy gently corrected him every single time. I thoroughly enjoyed his embarassment, and focused all my energy on not laughing. So @Peachtea is correct. The driving time is paid and it was occasionally quite hilarious.

[penguintroopers]

I had a little boy do exactly the same thing haha. He played with all of his toy cars that way.

[Apples]

Disagree here.  I live in a very expensive area.  Also part of a relatively conservative catholic church with lots of large families.  We have three little ones and that's below average.  I can usually find a 15 year old for $12 an hour.  They are very experienced because they have siblings and mom and dad are usually just a few blocks away.  When they go to college they usually want more money, but there's a neverending supply of 15 year olds.

For $25 an hour, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would take turns going out for the next four years until the oldest turns 10.  $100 bucks for four hours, probably two of which the kids are asleep anyways?  No way.

I do agree that market rates are what they are, but nothing wrong in wanting to find a good deal.

A bit of a necro post, but I'll reiterate.

You get what you pay for.

Yes, you can find a 15 year old for $12-15 an hour.
There aren't a lot of them.  Many 15 year olds don't want to work, or don't have to work.
Also, many 15 year olds are not terribly experienced.

What do you want?  Do you want a teenager to play with your kids for a couple of hours?  The last teen I hired, we got home at 11 pm, the 18 month old was still awake, had cried all night, and was wearing a diaper backwards.  The 7 yo fessed up that the kid cried all evening.  Two weeks later we hired the 30-something.  Got home at 10, both kids asleep in bed.

Also, as mentioned above, we were talking about an infant and 3 other kids under the age of 5.  That's a LOT of kids, mostly likely too much for all but the most experienced teenagers.

For the record...we almost never went out, for years.  Until we found that great babysitter.

Oh my gosh, I *did* this job.  Except the kids were 5, 3.5, 2, and 6 months.  I got them fed, played with, and in bed.  I was 17, and had previously babysat at 15 and 16 when there were only 3 kids.  It was hard, but fun.  I found evening jobs where they were going to end up in bed easier than trying to entertain them through a late morning to afternoon time, and they all wanted to do different things and the toddlers would throw tantrums and the baby would randomly cry.  People like to joke to my DH and I that one day when we have kids, we won't know what hit us!  After that experience, (and having younger siblings, though only 2), I think I know exactly what is in store.

[ixtap]

Disagree here.  I live in a very expensive area.  Also part of a relatively conservative catholic church with lots of large families.  We have three little ones and that's below average.  I can usually find a 15 year old for $12 an hour.  They are very experienced because they have siblings and mom and dad are usually just a few blocks away.  When they go to college they usually want more money, but there's a neverending supply of 15 year olds.

For $25 an hour, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would take turns going out for the next four years until the oldest turns 10.  $100 bucks for four hours, probably two of which the kids are asleep anyways?  No way.

I do agree that market rates are what they are, but nothing wrong in wanting to find a good deal.

A bit of a necro post, but I'll reiterate.

You get what you pay for.

Yes, you can find a 15 year old for $12-15 an hour.
There aren't a lot of them.  Many 15 year olds don't want to work, or don't have to work.
Also, many 15 year olds are not terribly experienced.

What do you want?  Do you want a teenager to play with your kids for a couple of hours?  The last teen I hired, we got home at 11 pm, the 18 month old was still awake, had cried all night, and was wearing a diaper backwards.  The 7 yo fessed up that the kid cried all evening.  Two weeks later we hired the 30-something.  Got home at 10, both kids asleep in bed.

Also, as mentioned above, we were talking about an infant and 3 other kids under the age of 5.  That's a LOT of kids, mostly likely too much for all but the most experienced teenagers.

For the record...we almost never went out, for years.  Until we found that great babysitter.

Oh my gosh, I *did* this job.  Except the kids were 5, 3.5, 2, and 6 months.  I got them fed, played with, and in bed.  I was 17, and had previously babysat at 15 and 16 when there were only 3 kids.  It was hard, but fun.  I found evening jobs where they were going to end up in bed easier than trying to entertain them through a late morning to afternoon time, and they all wanted to do different things and the toddlers would throw tantrums and the baby would randomly cry.  People like to joke to my DH and I that one day when we have kids, we won't know what hit us!  After that experience, (and having younger siblings, though only 2), I think I know exactly what is in store.

I was 11 and there was an angry rabbit in the kitchen. They didn't ask how old I was. They went to their meeting, someone asked who was with the kids, and responded "You left 4 children with an 11 year old?" Most people assumed I was older at that point, as I was fully grown and quiet. I was very much whatever about the kids, but when I babysat for them in the future, they had to put the rabbit outside.

[LWYRUP]

Disagree here.  I live in a very expensive area.  Also part of a relatively conservative catholic church with lots of large families.  We have three little ones and that's below average.  I can usually find a 15 year old for $12 an hour.  They are very experienced because they have siblings and mom and dad are usually just a few blocks away.  When they go to college they usually want more money, but there's a neverending supply of 15 year olds.

For $25 an hour, I'm pretty sure my wife and I would take turns going out for the next four years until the oldest turns 10.  $100 bucks for four hours, probably two of which the kids are asleep anyways?  No way.

I do agree that market rates are what they are, but nothing wrong in wanting to find a good deal.

A bit of a necro post, but I'll reiterate.

You get what you pay for.

Yes, you can find a 15 year old for $12-15 an hour.
There aren't a lot of them.  Many 15 year olds don't want to work, or don't have to work.
Also, many 15 year olds are not terribly experienced.

What do you want?  Do you want a teenager to play with your kids for a couple of hours?  The last teen I hired, we got home at 11 pm, the 18 month old was still awake, had cried all night, and was wearing a diaper backwards.  The 7 yo fessed up that the kid cried all evening.  Two weeks later we hired the 30-something.  Got home at 10, both kids asleep in bed.

Also, as mentioned above, we were talking about an infant and 3 other kids under the age of 5.  That's a LOT of kids, mostly likely too much for all but the most experienced teenagers.

For the record...we almost never went out, for years.  Until we found that great babysitter.

Oh my gosh, I *did* this job.  Except the kids were 5, 3.5, 2, and 6 months.  I got them fed, played with, and in bed.  I was 17, and had previously babysat at 15 and 16 when there were only 3 kids.  It was hard, but fun.  I found evening jobs where they were going to end up in bed easier than trying to entertain them through a late morning to afternoon time, and they all wanted to do different things and the toddlers would throw tantrums and the baby would randomly cry.  People like to joke to my DH and I that one day when we have kids, we won't know what hit us!  After that experience, (and having younger siblings, though only 2), I think I know exactly what is in store.

Sounds about right. 

[Goldielocks]

An infant and three other kids under the age of 5? I wouldn’t be qualified for that job and I have three kids of my own. No way could I expect there to be a teenager on the face of the earth capable of that.

By the age of 15 I was a very experienced babysitter, having started with 9-yr olds when I was 11.  (It was a different generation).

I would not have picked up an evening gig with 4 kids, though, and had only just started sitting for two-three kids, where one was under 18 months.  I also had the experience to say no to the unruly kid families after a meet and greet.

I do recall, at age 14, that one set of parents I sat for (kids aged 3 and 6), were quite upset with me.   You see, I had fallen asleep.  yep.  Friday night, and teenage me had been up since 6am to make my extra-cirricular team before school, and they had intended to be home before 11pm.  And were upset that I had fallen asleep before they got home, late, at midnight.

You get what you pay for.  If you hire a 14 year old.   

FWIW, they found me asleep at the top of the stairs just outside of the kids' room where I was sitting waiting for the kids to fully settle down and I would be walked upon if they got up.

And I was paid $2/hr.

[Rural]

One wonders if they ever slept while the kids were in the house.

[Freedomin5]

This was just posted in our neighborhood chat group. Someone was looking for the contact info of a specific butcher shop so they could host a BBQ for over 100 people. This shop imports premium fresh meat from Australia. Just for fun I looked up the prices online. A meat set that serves 20 was $360. So the cost just for meat for this BBQ would be around $1800.

[SwordGuy]

One wonders if they ever slept while the kids were in the house.

:)

[dcheesi]

Today, on FB:

I am in California.  We've been basically shut down for a little over a month.  Our YMCA shut down on 3/17/2020 officially (my last day there was a week before that), and they immediately sent an email to members.  The email has general "this is a hard time, we are hoping to open April 1, etc.) with other useful info like:

1. Please keep your membership active if you can, it is helpful
2. If you need to cancel or put on hold, contact us here (email)

They sent another email a month later.
Their website has a form you can fill out to put your membership on hold.
Their FB page has periodically had updates - including daily streaming workouts, links to other member benefits, and notes that if you choose to keep your membership, you can get future discounts AND take credit for charitable giving on your taxes.

Today, someone asked how to hold the membership because nobody answers the phone.  So I told them: go to the website, there's a contact form.

Someone else goes OFF on me like "they should automatically hold ALL memberships because it's a SERVICE we aren't getting and WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL US RIGHT AWAY."

Um, they did?  Turns out, this particular lady doesn't have email.  So, she's known that the Y is closed since they closed, but hasn't bothered to figure out how to hold her membership?  We are living in the digital age man...

If she doesn't have email, then she's probably technically illiterate in general. Older folks really have a hard time with all this new-fangled technology. It's not just that it's unfamiliar and they don't want to learn --it's that often they can't learn it the way younger people can.

My dad used to be an engineer for the telephone company, and was an early adopter of personal computing at home in the '80s. Nowadays, he can usually muddle through using software that he's familiar with, but as soon as something goes wrong, he's utterly lost. And if he forgets a password? Might as well just close that account, as he'll never figure out how to recover it. New websites and software are completely beyond him.
 
And this is a guy who's still generally competent, able to make reasoned decisions, balance his checkbook (yes, he still does that), etc. It's just that unfamiliar technology places demands on aging brains that are different and harder than everyday offline life.

Our YMCA is still open, but only to take care of the children of law-enforcement, first responders, etc. I haven't stopped my monthly dues, it's my charitable giving in times of need. A couple of months of dues won't make an effect on my net worth, but I'll be happier knowing my Y will be operational in the future. Been a member since 2006, no plan to stop.

I've been paying for YMCA membership that my SO and I used maybe twice (typical gym membership best-intentions scenario, though at least we didn't sign up in January). I'd been meaning to cancel, but I've decided to wait until they're open again to do it. I can afford it, and cancelling now would feel too much like kicking them while they're down.

[Dave1442397]

If she doesn't have email, then she's probably technically illiterate in general. Older folks really have a hard time with all this new-fangled technology. It's not just that it's unfamiliar and they don't want to learn --it's that often they can't learn it the way younger people can.

My dad used to be an engineer for the telephone company, and was an early adopter of personal computing at home in the '80s. Nowadays, he can usually muddle through using software that he's familiar with, but as soon as something goes wrong, he's utterly lost. And if he forgets a password? Might as well just close that account, as he'll never figure out how to recover it. New websites and software are completely beyond him.
 
And this is a guy who's still generally competent, able to make reasoned decisions, balance his checkbook (yes, he still does that), etc. It's just that unfamiliar technology places demands on aging brains that are different and harder than everyday offline life.

My father should be hired as a QA tester at a tech company. When faced with a tech problem, he pushes buttons until something happens, and it's not usually something good. He once managed to disable the sound on the TV by getting into some service menu that no one else has ever discovered, and his home laptop is unusable at this point. I used to access it remotely to fix it, but he managed to delete that app, and being 3,000 miles away doesn't help.

[Zaga]

If she doesn't have email, then she's probably technically illiterate in general. Older folks really have a hard time with all this new-fangled technology. It's not just that it's unfamiliar and they don't want to learn --it's that often they can't learn it the way younger people can.

My dad used to be an engineer for the telephone company, and was an early adopter of personal computing at home in the '80s. Nowadays, he can usually muddle through using software that he's familiar with, but as soon as something goes wrong, he's utterly lost. And if he forgets a password? Might as well just close that account, as he'll never figure out how to recover it. New websites and software are completely beyond him.
 
And this is a guy who's still generally competent, able to make reasoned decisions, balance his checkbook (yes, he still does that), etc. It's just that unfamiliar technology places demands on aging brains that are different and harder than everyday offline life.

My father should be hired as a QA tester at a tech company. When faced with a tech problem, he pushes buttons until something happens, and it's not usually something good. He once managed to disable the sound on the TV by getting into some service menu that no one else has ever discovered, and his home laptop is unusable at this point. I used to access it remotely to fix it, but he managed to delete that app, and being 3,000 miles away doesn't help.

Your dad is impressive!  One time I managed to get an error in German on a program.  My boss was pretty amazed that I managed that.  The people who wrote the program were also pretty amazed.  (To be fair though, it was a German program).

[DadJokes]

If she doesn't have email, then she's probably technically illiterate in general. Older folks really have a hard time with all this new-fangled technology. It's not just that it's unfamiliar and they don't want to learn --it's that often they can't learn it the way younger people can.

My dad used to be an engineer for the telephone company, and was an early adopter of personal computing at home in the '80s. Nowadays, he can usually muddle through using software that he's familiar with, but as soon as something goes wrong, he's utterly lost. And if he forgets a password? Might as well just close that account, as he'll never figure out how to recover it. New websites and software are completely beyond him.
 
And this is a guy who's still generally competent, able to make reasoned decisions, balance his checkbook (yes, he still does that), etc. It's just that unfamiliar technology places demands on aging brains that are different and harder than everyday offline life.

My father should be hired as a QA tester at a tech company. When faced with a tech problem, he pushes buttons until something happens, and it's not usually something good. He once managed to disable the sound on the TV by getting into some service menu that no one else has ever discovered, and his home laptop is unusable at this point. I used to access it remotely to fix it, but he managed to delete that app, and being 3,000 miles away doesn't help.

I sometimes feel like Newton Pulsifer from Good Omens. Despite being fairly knowledgeable with technology (I actually work in info systems audit), devices inexplicably go to shit when I touch them for no apparent reason.