Overheard on Facebook

[kanga1622]

And here all this time I thought we were talking about ceramic mugs...

Nope, large plastic cups that look like this

My husband bought this exact cup at Walmart for about $6. He likes the texture on the cup (sensory input) and he drinks more water because he likes a straw. Decent $6 investment but why would someone need a whole set of them?

[ATtiny85]

Seeing that around here too.  It's kind of schadenfreude to watch the woman who complained that her neighbors were bringing down her property value because they weren't grinding their "ugly" stumps after a tornado came through the neighborhood is now loudly complaining about how much her house value has increased.

Well, in her defense, she could be very correct. The tax man assessment versus a buyer’s assessment need not move in the same direction.

[Sugaree]

Seeing that around here too.  It's kind of schadenfreude to watch the woman who complained that her neighbors were bringing down her property value because they weren't grinding their "ugly" stumps after a tornado came through the neighborhood is now loudly complaining about how much her house value has increased.

Well, in her defense, she could be very correct. The tax man assessment versus a buyer’s assessment need not move in the same direction.

Maybe not.  But to complain about stumps when people still had trees laying on their roofs was uncalled for.  For the record, that is something that insurance doesn't cover and the price I got for having it done was $200/stump.  I lost 23 trees, so unless she was willing to cough up the cash to grind those stumps then she can just learn to look at them.

[Tigerpine]

Seeing that around here too.  It's kind of schadenfreude to watch the woman who complained that her neighbors were bringing down her property value because they weren't grinding their "ugly" stumps after a tornado came through the neighborhood is now loudly complaining about how much her house value has increased.

Well, in her defense, she could be very correct. The tax man assessment versus a buyer’s assessment need not move in the same direction.

Maybe not.  But to complain about stumps when people still had trees laying on their roofs was uncalled for.  For the record, that is something that insurance doesn't cover and the price I got for having it done was $200/stump.  I lost 23 trees, so unless she was willing to cough up the cash to grind those stumps then she can just learn to look at them.

Just be careful that so many stumps don't attract termites.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Seeing that around here too.  It's kind of schadenfreude to watch the woman who complained that her neighbors were bringing down her property value because they weren't grinding their "ugly" stumps after a tornado came through the neighborhood is now loudly complaining about how much her house value has increased.

Well, in her defense, she could be very correct. The tax man assessment versus a buyer’s assessment need not move in the same direction.

Maybe not.  But to complain about stumps when people still had trees laying on their roofs was uncalled for.  For the record, that is something that insurance doesn't cover and the price I got for having it done was $200/stump.  I lost 23 trees, so unless she was willing to cough up the cash to grind those stumps then she can just learn to look at them.

Depending on the kind of tree, this stump destroying hack may be effective.

Drill vertical holes down into the offending stump. Dump in Epsom salts to accelerate rot. Something high-nitrogen, like chicken dung or fertilizer, can attract wood destroying fungus if you're in a damper climate. Since I'm not, I found it amusing to pack the holes with something flammable and set the offending stump on fire.

[turketron]

If any of our trees need to be cut down, my plan is to slowly get rid of the stump over time by inoculating it with gourmet mushroom plugs that I can then harvest. Yum!

[ringer707]

Seeing that around here too.  It's kind of schadenfreude to watch the woman who complained that her neighbors were bringing down her property value because they weren't grinding their "ugly" stumps after a tornado came through the neighborhood is now loudly complaining about how much her house value has increased.

Well, in her defense, she could be very correct. The tax man assessment versus a buyer’s assessment need not move in the same direction.

Maybe not.  But to complain about stumps when people still had trees laying on their roofs was uncalled for.  For the record, that is something that insurance doesn't cover and the price I got for having it done was $200/stump.  I lost 23 trees, so unless she was willing to cough up the cash to grind those stumps then she can just learn to look at them.

Whoa, I'm getting 9 stumps ground up this week for $500. I didn't realize the prices for it could be that high, but to be honest I haven't shopped it around much. But I agree with your original point. I've been staring at these stumps for about 8 years and am just now annoyed enough at having to take the lawnmower around them to get them taken out.

[JAYSLOL]

As a professional landscaper I use a stump grinder fairly often on sites that need a bunch taken out or sites that I just took some trees out of, but don’t actually own a stump grinder.  I just rent a really good one (the largest tracked one) when I need it.  The small ones that aren’t on tracks are slow and tiring and frustrating to use, but the bigger tracked ones are worth the extra cost.  Usually costs ~$200 ,or more if you need it delivered and picked up, to rent it for a full day, but it’s actually incredibly easy to use, and I can blast through dozens of stumps if I need to. 

[Freedomin5]

My housing compound has a group chat where management posts notices and announcements. If residents have a maintenance concern, they should call the management office to arrange for maintenance person to visit. Rather than call and submit a maintenance request, some residents have resorted to airing their complaint via the management announcement group.

This one was submitted last night at 10:30 pm.

“My lightbulb has gone out. Please send someone to come and change my lightbulb.”

[Sibley]

My housing compound has a group chat where management posts notices and announcements. If residents have a maintenance concern, they should call the management office to arrange for maintenance person to visit. Rather than call and submit a maintenance request, some residents have resorted to airing their complaint via the management announcement group.

This one was submitted last night at 10:30 pm.

“My lightbulb has gone out. Please send someone to come and change my lightbulb.”

There are situations where this is a reasonable request. However, these are a minority.

[RetiredAt63]

My housing compound has a group chat where management posts notices and announcements. If residents have a maintenance concern, they should call the management office to arrange for maintenance person to visit. Rather than call and submit a maintenance request, some residents have resorted to airing their complaint via the management announcement group.

This one was submitted last night at 10:30 pm.

“My lightbulb has gone out. Please send someone to come and change my lightbulb.”

There are situations where this is a reasonable request. However, these are a minority.

I did that to my landlords here.  High ceiling and no ladder, plus other things needed to be fixed too.  My last apartment we were told to call them, they had special fixtures and the light bulbs that went with them.

I did change the bulbs in a fixture that I could reach, I'm not totally helpless.  ;-)   But if I had mobility issues (more than just bad knees) I would have needed someone else to change them too.  The fixture was not designed to make replacing bulbs easy.

[GuitarStv]

My housing compound has a group chat where management posts notices and announcements. If residents have a maintenance concern, they should call the management office to arrange for maintenance person to visit. Rather than call and submit a maintenance request, some residents have resorted to airing their complaint via the management announcement group.

This one was submitted last night at 10:30 pm.

“My lightbulb has gone out. Please send someone to come and change my lightbulb.”

There are situations where this is a reasonable request. However, these are a minority.

I did that to my landlords here.  High ceiling and no ladder, plus other things needed to be fixed too.  My last apartment we were told to call them, they had special fixtures and the light bulbs that went with them.

I did change the bulbs in a fixture that I could reach, I'm not totally helpless.  ;-)   But if I had mobility issues (more than just bad knees) I would have needed someone else to change them too.  The fixture was not designed to make replacing bulbs easy.

Valid concern.  We have a light fixture in our house that is 18 ft up, directly over a flight of stairs.  No easy way to get a ladder under it to change the fixture.  Since we bought the house we've basically had a rule to never turn on this light so we'll never have to change the bulb.  :P

[zolotiyeruki]

My housing compound has a group chat where management posts notices and announcements. If residents have a maintenance concern, they should call the management office to arrange for maintenance person to visit. Rather than call and submit a maintenance request, some residents have resorted to airing their complaint via the management announcement group.

This one was submitted last night at 10:30 pm.

“My lightbulb has gone out. Please send someone to come and change my lightbulb.”

There are situations where this is a reasonable request. However, these are a minority.

I did that to my landlords here.  High ceiling and no ladder, plus other things needed to be fixed too.  My last apartment we were told to call them, they had special fixtures and the light bulbs that went with them.

I did change the bulbs in a fixture that I could reach, I'm not totally helpless.  ;-)   But if I had mobility issues (more than just bad knees) I would have needed someone else to change them too.  The fixture was not designed to make replacing bulbs easy.

Valid concern.  We have a light fixture in our house that is 18 ft up, directly over a flight of stairs.  No easy way to get a ladder under it to change the fixture.  Since we bought the house we've basically had a rule to never turn on this light so we'll never have to change the bulb.  :P

My solution to this problem is to get LED bulbs and modify them so they use less power (and produce less light).  Most people don't realize that LED bulbs, if downrated, can last basically forever.  Surprisingly, it seems many bulbs are designed for just such a modification.

[RetiredAt63]

My solution to this problem is to get LED bulbs and modify them so they use less power (and produce less light).  Most people don't realize that LED bulbs, if downrated, can last basically forever.  Surprisingly, it seems many bulbs are designed for just such a modification.
[/quote]

The bulb I had changed was an LED bulb.  They do go. It is my main kitchen light, I only wish it were brighter, not dimmer.  My only solution for it was to replace it with a name-brand LED in hopes of good quality control.

[zolotiyeruki]

My solution to this problem is to get LED bulbs and modify them so they use less power (and produce less light).  Most people don't realize that LED bulbs, if downrated, can last basically forever.  Surprisingly, it seems many bulbs are designed for just such a modification.

The bulb I had changed was an LED bulb.  They do go. It is my main kitchen light, I only wish it were brighter, not dimmer.  My only solution for it was to replace it with a name-brand LED in hopes of good quality control.

That's why I modify them.  I modded a 40W bulb into a ~20W bulb for our kids' bathroom, which is constantly left on, and it's been in there for close to a decade.

[RetiredAt63]

My solution to this problem is to get LED bulbs and modify them so they use less power (and produce less light).  Most people don't realize that LED bulbs, if downrated, can last basically forever.  Surprisingly, it seems many bulbs are designed for just such a modification.

The bulb I had changed was an LED bulb.  They do go. It is my main kitchen light, I only wish it were brighter, not dimmer.  My only solution for it was to replace it with a name-brand LED in hopes of good quality control.

That's why I modify them.  I modded a 40W bulb into a ~20W bulb for our kids' bathroom, which is constantly left on, and it's been in there for close to a decade.

I would want to modify my 100W bulb to a 150W bulb.  Because I  think seeing what I am doing with a sharp knife is a good thing.

[Dollar Slice]

I would want to modify my 100W bulb to a 150W bulb.  Because I  think seeing what I am doing with a sharp knife is a good thing.

I am not saying this to be rude or flippant, but have you had your eyes checked recently? 150W bulbs are really bright for interior lighting. My parents both have cataracts and they don't use lights that bright.

[Dave1442397]

My solution to this problem is to get LED bulbs and modify them so they use less power (and produce less light).  Most people don't realize that LED bulbs, if downrated, can last basically forever.  Surprisingly, it seems many bulbs are designed for just such a modification.

The bulb I had changed was an LED bulb.  They do go. It is my main kitchen light, I only wish it were brighter, not dimmer.  My only solution for it was to replace it with a name-brand LED in hopes of good quality control.

That's why I modify them.  I modded a 40W bulb into a ~20W bulb for our kids' bathroom, which is constantly left on, and it's been in there for close to a decade.

I started replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs in 2009. The first five were in a bathroom light fixture, and they are still working fourteen years later. The only LEDs that have failed on me were in an outdoor fixture, subject to extreme temperatures. We replaced that light three years ago, and have had no LED failures since.

[JAYSLOL]

My solution to this problem is to get LED bulbs and modify them so they use less power (and produce less light).  Most people don't realize that LED bulbs, if downrated, can last basically forever.  Surprisingly, it seems many bulbs are designed for just such a modification.

The bulb I had changed was an LED bulb.  They do go. It is my main kitchen light, I only wish it were brighter, not dimmer.  My only solution for it was to replace it with a name-brand LED in hopes of good quality control.

That's why I modify them.  I modded a 40W bulb into a ~20W bulb for our kids' bathroom, which is constantly left on, and it's been in there for close to a decade.

I started replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs in 2009. The first five were in a bathroom light fixture, and they are still working fourteen years later. The only LEDs that have failed on me were in an outdoor fixture, subject to extreme temperatures. We replaced that light three years ago, and have had no LED failures since.

I’ve actually had really terrible luck with LED bulbs.  I’ve probably had 20 of the normal style bulbs in various lamps and ceiling light fixtures from multiple brands burn out over the last 5 years, as well as all 4 of the expensive special bulbs I put in a bathroom vanity light, several track lights in a kitchen and several of the long tube lights as well.  Not sure what I’m doing wrong, but while I like the light from LEDs I’m not very happy with having to replace them seemingly every few years

[AMandM]

I would want to modify my 100W bulb to a 150W bulb.  Because I  think seeing what I am doing with a sharp knife is a good thing.

Is this an overhead light fixture, whose light is blocked by your body when you're standing at the counter working with a sharp knife? Maybe what you need is not a brighter bulb, but some task lighting like a table lamp on the counter or under-cabinet lights. I stuck one of those strips of tiny LEDs under my kitchen cabinet and it has made a world of difference to my workspace. (The kids said, "Mama! You have Tiktok lights!" and want to make then flash, change colours, etc. Haha NO.)

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I would want to modify my 100W bulb to a 150W bulb.  Because I  think seeing what I am doing with a sharp knife is a good thing.

Is this an overhead light fixture, whose light is blocked by your body when you're standing at the counter working with a sharp knife? Maybe what you need is not a brighter bulb, but some task lighting like a table lamp on the counter or under-cabinet lights. I stuck one of those strips of tiny LEDs under my kitchen cabinet and it has made a world of difference to my workspace. (The kids said, "Mama! You have Tiktok lights!" and want to make then flash, change colours, etc. Haha NO.)

My (non-Mustachian) parents just renovated their kitchen. Among the addition were several pot lights. The designer pointed out that the minimal set of lights my parents had wouldn't be satisfactory if they had cabinet doors open, because the doors, the cabinets, or a person's body would block the light. The solution wasn't a stronger light-- the beams couldn't be expected to pass through an obstruction-- but more sources of light from a variety of directions. Tiktok lights would probably have done the job more cheaply.

[JAYSLOL]

I’ve been noticing what I consider a disturbing trend on my Facebook feed lately.  I don’t really spend much time on Facebook, 98% of my usage is to buy and sell through marketplace, but I occasionally just scroll through stuff for a min to see what’s up.  For the last few weeks I’ve been noticing a very high percentage of the ads that appear in my feed are what appear on the surface to be feel-good local news stories posted about people winning the lottery.  Some are $100k, some are $5m, some in the $10k+ or so range.  It’s not just from one news source either, so I’m beginning to suspect the lottery corporation around here is paying insane dollars to push out stories of people winning to up sales.  It’s not clearly identified as an ad, it just looks like news, so I really think they found a sneaky way to scam a lot of desperate people into spending (even more) money that they probably can’t afford into lotto tickets because of all this stuff they are pushing online. 

[geekette]

I’m mostly on FB for the Buy Nothing group. Other than those posts, much of my feed is “suggested for you” posts. I get mostly recipes and cute animal videos interspersed with sponsored ads are often “news”, although I haven’t seen any lottery stuff.  If you click on one thing, they really push anything similar (hence all the dang recipes for me).

It’s gotten so bad that I don’t think many of my actual friends are posting much anymore.

[Dicey]

I’ve been noticing what I consider a disturbing trend on my Facebook feed lately.  I don’t really spend much time on Facebook, 98% of my usage is to buy and sell through marketplace, but I occasionally just scroll through stuff for a min to see what’s up.  For the last few weeks I’ve been noticing a very high percentage of the ads that appear in my feed are what appear on the surface to be feel-good local news stories posted about people winning the lottery.  Some are $100k, some are $5m, some in the $10k+ or so range.  It’s not just from one news source either, so I’m beginning to suspect the lottery corporation around here is paying insane dollars to push out stories of people winning to up sales.  It’s not clearly identified as an ad, it just looks like news, so I really think they found a sneaky way to scam a lot of desperate people into spending (even more) money that they probably can’t afford into lotto tickets because of all this stuff they are pushing online.

I don't do FB, but I'm on the internet a lot. I've had three stories in the past week about people who have won big lotteries, lost it all and ruined their lives.

Oh, and that David Bromstad show on HGTV called "My Lottery Dream Home" sure seems like nothing but an extended lottery ad.

[dragoncar]

My solution to this problem is to get LED bulbs and modify them so they use less power (and produce less light).  Most people don't realize that LED bulbs, if downrated, can last basically forever.  Surprisingly, it seems many bulbs are designed for just such a modification.

The bulb I had changed was an LED bulb.  They do go. It is my main kitchen light, I only wish it were brighter, not dimmer.  My only solution for it was to replace it with a name-brand LED in hopes of good quality control.

That's why I modify them.  I modded a 40W bulb into a ~20W bulb for our kids' bathroom, which is constantly left on, and it's been in there for close to a decade.

Interested in hearing more details on this mod.  What if you just dim it?  I know that can cause annoying flickering but otherwise would it have the same positive effect on longevity?

[BDWW]

Earlier and some cheaper LED bulbs use resistors to control the voltage to the LEDs.  You use to be able to just up the resistance (often just by removing one of a set of parallel resistors).  Most of the newer ones I've taken apart now use a transformer set-up that's more difficult to modify.

As for the longevity, LEDs are more efficient,produce less heat and last way longer when run at lower power.  When you drive them to 100% of their rating, they end up producing more heat proportionally, and dying quicker.

For example:  Running an LED at 50% of its maximum rating might produce 70% of it's maximum lumen output. Then you have to double the power to get the remaining 30% light. The excess is heat which degrades the LED, makes them unsuitable for enclosed fixtures etc.

A large part of this planned obsolescence and no I'm not wearing a tinfoil hat. Long-lasting efficient LED bulbs exist, you just have to have the money/power of a nation state behind you to get them. Dubia was able to contract with Philips to actually create a long lasting efficient LED bulb.  They feature more LEDs run at lower power so that they actually last.

It's annoying knowing superior bulbs exist, they just won't sell a quality bulb to us plebs.

[zolotiyeruki]

Earlier and some cheaper LED bulbs use resistors to control the voltage to the LEDs.  You use to be able to just up the resistance (often just by removing one of a set of parallel resistors).  Most of the newer ones I've taken apart now use a transformer set-up that's more difficult to modify.

As for the longevity, LEDs are more efficient,produce less heat and last way longer when run at lower power.  When you drive them to 100% of their rating, they end up producing more heat proportionally, and dying quicker.

Exactly this.

For example, I've attached a photo of a Sylvania 60W-equivalent LED bulb.  To derate it to a lower power, simply snip off one of the two current-sense resistors (circled).  That's literally all you have to do. You don't even need a soldering iron.  Flush cutters (sometimes called "dikes") are perfect for this job.

[RetiredAt63]

I would want to modify my 100W bulb to a 150W bulb.  Because I  think seeing what I am doing with a sharp knife is a good thing.

Is this an overhead light fixture, whose light is blocked by your body when you're standing at the counter working with a sharp knife? Maybe what you need is not a brighter bulb, but some task lighting like a table lamp on the counter or under-cabinet lights. I stuck one of those strips of tiny LEDs under my kitchen cabinet and it has made a world of difference to my workspace. (The kids said, "Mama! You have Tiktok lights!" and want to make then flash, change colours, etc. Haha NO.)

I have under the counter lights.  But sometimes it would be nice to just have a brighter overhead light.  I mean I can live with the 100W bulb, but a bit more light would be nice.  This is a kitchen in a rented condo, so no windows in it and I can't make changes.  The living and dining rooms (and bedrooms of course) get the windows.

It was redecorated before I rented it, and a lot of it looks like the renovations were for show, not function.  I'm noticing it especially because my last apartment was really well designed, the space was well used.

[GuitarStv]

Part of the problem is that most of the 'XXX watt equivalent' bulbs I've seen don't put out anywhere near as many lumens as a typical XXX watt incandescent bulb.  I've had 100 watt equivalent LEDs that were about as bright as 75 watt incandescents.

[RetiredAt63]

Part of the problem is that most of the 'XXX watt equivalent' bulbs I've seen don't put out anywhere near as many lumens as a typical XXX watt incandescent bulb.  I've had 100 watt equivalent LEDs that were about as bright as 75 watt incandescents.

I've seen variability by brand.  Of course the old incandescent bulbs also varied by brand.  And batch.

I want a bunch of pot lights that are on several switches so I can have few to the full number turned on, and control the amount of light I have.  Since I am a renter for the rest of my life, that isn't going to happen.   ;-(

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Part of the problem is that most of the 'XXX watt equivalent' bulbs I've seen don't put out anywhere near as many lumens as a typical XXX watt incandescent bulb.  I've had 100 watt equivalent LEDs that were about as bright as 75 watt incandescents.

I've seen variability by brand.  Of course the old incandescent bulbs also varied by brand.  And batch.

I want a bunch of pot lights that are on several switches so I can have few to the full number turned on, and control the amount of light I have.  Since I am a renter for the rest of my life, that isn't going to happen.   ;-(

Are there any "smart" bulbs that can be individually controlled by remote? It seems like a product that should have been developed by now. You might be a customer for that kind of technology.

[JAYSLOL]

I’ve been noticing what I consider a disturbing trend on my Facebook feed lately.  I don’t really spend much time on Facebook, 98% of my usage is to buy and sell through marketplace, but I occasionally just scroll through stuff for a min to see what’s up.  For the last few weeks I’ve been noticing a very high percentage of the ads that appear in my feed are what appear on the surface to be feel-good local news stories posted about people winning the lottery.  Some are $100k, some are $5m, some in the $10k+ or so range.  It’s not just from one news source either, so I’m beginning to suspect the lottery corporation around here is paying insane dollars to push out stories of people winning to up sales.  It’s not clearly identified as an ad, it just looks like news, so I really think they found a sneaky way to scam a lot of desperate people into spending (even more) money that they probably can’t afford into lotto tickets because of all this stuff they are pushing online.

⅞
I don't do FB, but I'm on the internet a lot. I've had three stories in the past week about people who have won big lotteries, lost it all and ruined their lives.

Oh, and that David Bromstad show on HGTV called "My Lottery Dream Home" sure seems like nothing but an extended lottery ad.

Yep, I’m convinced there’s money being pushed around to put this in peoples faces.  The most amusing “headline” I saw was about a guy that just won $100k who has been playing the same numbers for over 30 years.  Sound cool like all that determination paid off, right?  Well not so fast, I don’t know how often he played or the exact cost of the tickets, but if he spent $1/day over the last 35 years, and instead had put that money in the S&P500, which averaged 9.75% over the last 30 years, he really only broke even.  He could have had right around $100k by now, and not the tax bill that would go with it. 

[Dicey]

I’ve been noticing what I consider a disturbing trend on my Facebook feed lately.  I don’t really spend much time on Facebook, 98% of my usage is to buy and sell through marketplace, but I occasionally just scroll through stuff for a min to see what’s up.  For the last few weeks I’ve been noticing a very high percentage of the ads that appear in my feed are what appear on the surface to be feel-good local news stories posted about people winning the lottery.  Some are $100k, some are $5m, some in the $10k+ or so range.  It’s not just from one news source either, so I’m beginning to suspect the lottery corporation around here is paying insane dollars to push out stories of people winning to up sales.  It’s not clearly identified as an ad, it just looks like news, so I really think they found a sneaky way to scam a lot of desperate people into spending (even more) money that they probably can’t afford into lotto tickets because of all this stuff they are pushing online.

I don't do FB, but I'm on the internet a lot. I've had three stories in the past week about people who have won big lotteries, lost it all and ruined their lives.

Oh, and that David Bromstad show on HGTV called "My Lottery Dream Home" sure seems like nothing but an extended lottery ad.

Yep, I’m convinced there’s money being pushed around to put this in peoples faces.  The most amusing “headline” I saw was about a guy that just won $100k who has been playing the same numbers for over 30 years.  Sound cool like all that determination paid off, right?  Well not so fast, I don’t know how often he played or the exact cost of the tickets, but if he spent $1/day over the last 35 years, and instead had put that money in the S&P500, which averaged 9.75% over the last 30 years, he really only broke even.  He could have had right around $100k by now, and not the tax bill that would go with it.

To be fair, the investor would still owe taxes. OTOH, one method is a total crapshoot and the other is virtually guaranteed.

[JAYSLOL]

I’ve been noticing what I consider a disturbing trend on my Facebook feed lately.  I don’t really spend much time on Facebook, 98% of my usage is to buy and sell through marketplace, but I occasionally just scroll through stuff for a min to see what’s up.  For the last few weeks I’ve been noticing a very high percentage of the ads that appear in my feed are what appear on the surface to be feel-good local news stories posted about people winning the lottery.  Some are $100k, some are $5m, some in the $10k+ or so range.  It’s not just from one news source either, so I’m beginning to suspect the lottery corporation around here is paying insane dollars to push out stories of people winning to up sales.  It’s not clearly identified as an ad, it just looks like news, so I really think they found a sneaky way to scam a lot of desperate people into spending (even more) money that they probably can’t afford into lotto tickets because of all this stuff they are pushing online.

I don't do FB, but I'm on the internet a lot. I've had three stories in the past week about people who have won big lotteries, lost it all and ruined their lives.

Oh, and that David Bromstad show on HGTV called "My Lottery Dream Home" sure seems like nothing but an extended lottery ad.

Yep, I’m convinced there’s money being pushed around to put this in peoples faces.  The most amusing “headline” I saw was about a guy that just won $100k who has been playing the same numbers for over 30 years.  Sound cool like all that determination paid off, right?  Well not so fast, I don’t know how often he played or the exact cost of the tickets, but if he spent $1/day over the last 35 years, and instead had put that money in the S&P500, which averaged 9.75% over the last 30 years, he really only broke even.  He could have had right around $100k by now, and not the tax bill that would go with it.

To be fair, the investor would still owe taxes. OTOH, one method is a total crapshoot and the other is virtually guaranteed.

Well, that’s true if they were investing outside of a tax advantaged account, but I guess my point is if I won $100k, I’d invest it, but I’d have to pay tax on it first.  If I invested money and got up to $100k, I’d leave it invested and wouldn’t have to pay tax on it.  So in one scenario I’ve got $100k of my own money invested and in another I’ve only got $70k or whatever of found money invested. 

[Dicey]

I’ve been noticing what I consider a disturbing trend on my Facebook feed lately.  I don’t really spend much time on Facebook, 98% of my usage is to buy and sell through marketplace, but I occasionally just scroll through stuff for a min to see what’s up.  For the last few weeks I’ve been noticing a very high percentage of the ads that appear in my feed are what appear on the surface to be feel-good local news stories posted about people winning the lottery.  Some are $100k, some are $5m, some in the $10k+ or so range.  It’s not just from one news source either, so I’m beginning to suspect the lottery corporation around here is paying insane dollars to push out stories of people winning to up sales.  It’s not clearly identified as an ad, it just looks like news, so I really think they found a sneaky way to scam a lot of desperate people into spending (even more) money that they probably can’t afford into lotto tickets because of all this stuff they are pushing online.

I don't do FB, but I'm on the internet a lot. I've had three stories in the past week about people who have won big lotteries, lost it all and ruined their lives.

Oh, and that David Bromstad show on HGTV called "My Lottery Dream Home" sure seems like nothing but an extended lottery ad.

Yep, I’m convinced there’s money being pushed around to put this in peoples faces.  The most amusing “headline” I saw was about a guy that just won $100k who has been playing the same numbers for over 30 years.  Sound cool like all that determination paid off, right?  Well not so fast, I don’t know how often he played or the exact cost of the tickets, but if he spent $1/day over the last 35 years, and instead had put that money in the S&P500, which averaged 9.75% over the last 30 years, he really only broke even.  He could have had right around $100k by now, and not the tax bill that would go with it.

To be fair, the investor would still owe taxes. OTOH, one method is a total crapshoot and the other is virtually guaranteed.

Well, that’s true if they were investing outside of a tax advantaged account, but I guess my point is if I won $100k, I’d invest it, but I’d have to pay tax on it first.  If I invested money and got up to $100k, I’d leave it invested and wouldn’t have to pay tax on it.  So in one scenario I’ve got $100k of my own money invested and in another I’ve only got $70k or whatever of found money invested.

And there's another sad tale of woe today:
https://www.the-sun.com/news/7895457/won-lottery-jackpot-only-million-regret-old-life-back/amp/

[Dicey]

And another one:
https://www.the-sun.com/news/7923170/powerball-winner-life-after-lottery-saving-money/amp/

I notice they're coming from the same source. I wonder if there's a reason for that. Something crazy like The Sun was trying to get the lotteries to advertise in with them but couldn't land the accounts. Or they used to have them and lost them? That's pure speculation on my part, but it's kind of funny to see this. Surely there's a reason.

[ddoren]

Listened to a recent “money with Katie” podcast (Are Most Millionaires Actually “Self-Made”?) where she referenced the fact that the trope of most people going broke after winning money in the lottery is not true and there are no valid data supporting it. Surely this is the first time the media have misled us about financial topics…(looking for the sarcasm font on my computer….)

[SwordGuy]

Listened to a recent “money with Katie” podcast (Are Most Millionaires Actually “Self-Made”?) where she referenced the fact that the trope of most people going broke after winning money in the lottery is not true and there are no valid data supporting it. Surely this is the first time the media have misled us about financial topics…(looking for the sarcasm font on my computer….)

I assume you meant "most people winning huge sums of money" because "most people winning money in the lottery won a trivial amount of money.

It would not surprise me if we don't have data one way or the other.   We certainly have a goodly amount of true incidents where people who won gobs of money in the lottery crash and burn rather spectacularly.

My parent's cross-the-street neighbors one $10 million in a slot machine in MS.  Nice couple, I had met them.  Within a few years the couple were divorced, husband went drinking in sorrow and passed out in the driveway and died of hypothermia.  Wife and son lost everything, including the son's house he had already paid for.  Only the daughter kept her head.   3 out of 4 crash and burns in one family.   

Scary stuff.

[NorCal]

Listened to a recent “money with Katie” podcast (Are Most Millionaires Actually “Self-Made”?) where she referenced the fact that the trope of most people going broke after winning money in the lottery is not true and there are no valid data supporting it. Surely this is the first time the media have misled us about financial topics…(looking for the sarcasm font on my computer….)

I wouldn’t be surprised to see data indicating either positive or negative outcomes.

It’s not like someone who takes lottery or inheritance earnings to pay off their mortgage and retire quietly make the news or turn up in our database of online anecdotes.

[MilwaukeeStubble]

Part of the problem is that most of the 'XXX watt equivalent' bulbs I've seen don't put out anywhere near as many lumens as a typical XXX watt incandescent bulb.  I've had 100 watt equivalent LEDs that were about as bright as 75 watt incandescents.

I've seen variability by brand.  Of course the old incandescent bulbs also varied by brand.  And batch.

I want a bunch of pot lights that are on several switches so I can have few to the full number turned on, and control the amount of light I have.  Since I am a renter for the rest of my life, that isn't going to happen.   ;-(

Are there any "smart" bulbs that can be individually controlled by remote? It seems like a product that should have been developed by now. You might be a customer for that kind of technology.

IKEA has a pretty good set of smart bulbs/products including bulbs and remotes that can spine set to control one or several bulbs directly.

[ysette9]

I thought it was just me with the LED bulbs burning out. They seem to die with pretty much the same frequency as the old school energy hog bulbs. It got me wondering if it was more the stress of turning them on and off that wears more than hours of burn. I’m keeping one floor lamp on indefinitely as a sort of experiment.

I, too, read somewhere recently that the stereotype of lottery winners going quickly broke isn’t supported by data. Maybe it makes for a more interesting story than “couple wins lottery and leads a quiet and content life”.

This paper seems quite old, but supports the idea that it is a stereotype more than reality: https://www.stat.berkeley.edu/~aldous/157/Papers/kaplan.pdf

More recent Time article https://time.com/5427275/lottery-winning-happiness-debunked/?amp=true

[Dollar Slice]

I just got in a whole argument on social media for my extremely sizzling hot take that people, generally, should not buy the new $3500 Apple goggles thing if they have to save up for it, because that means you don't have the money and can't afford it. I was told that saving up for things is a responsible way to buy them. Even if it's a tech toy that costs as much as multiple months' rent/mortgage. They got so mad and said all kinds of rude things to me and said I don't know anything about being financially responsible (LOL). When I told them I've been saving and investing a substantial amount of every paycheck since I was 21, they told me they didn't believe me. When I explained about putting away money out of every paycheck IN ADVANCE so you don't have to save up AFTER you decide to buy something, they stopped replying.

What I really wanted to tell them was that you probably can't afford toys like that without a six-figure net worth...

[Apples]

That's generally the amount of money I save up for a trip, and I still take trips.  I'd say you were being a bit of a jerk on that one.  My DH and I live on a budget, so if we wanted that we'd figure out how we wanted to reprioritize our spending and saving in order to also save up for that thing.  (The hilarious part for me is that I have no idea what the thing is you're talking about - Apple goggles - I assume some kind of VR lol.)

[Dollar Slice]

That's generally the amount of money I save up for a trip, and I still take trips.  I'd say you were being a bit of a jerk on that one.

Note that I said if they "have to" save up for it because they "don't have the money", i.e. they can't buy it right now with assets on hand, their liquid assets are less than $3500, and they're choosing to save up and then spend 100% of their assets back down to zero on a tech toy. That person cannot afford it and I stand by that.

If you're doing that with your vacations I'd say you can't afford your vacations. But if you have a 3-month emergency fund and are saving 20% to a 401k or IRA and then another 5% towards your vacation fund, that's not quite the same scenario, is it?

And yeah, I was probably being a little bit of a jerk, but it was honestly alarming to me that someone that apparently had no money in the bank was trying to buy something worth $3500 with little practical use. Maybe they'll think twice about it. I don't care if they don't like me if they start rethinking their crazy spending habits.

[dragoncar]

That's generally the amount of money I save up for a trip, and I still take trips.  I'd say you were being a bit of a jerk on that one.

Note that I said if they "have to" save up for it because they "don't have the money", i.e. they can't buy it right now with assets on hand, their liquid assets are less than $3500, and they're choosing to save up and then spend 100% of their assets back down to zero on a tech toy. That person cannot afford it and I stand by that.

If you're doing that with your vacations I'd say you can't afford your vacations. But if you have a 3-month emergency fund and are saving 20% to a 401k or IRA and then another 5% towards your vacation fund, that's not quite the same scenario, is it?

And yeah, I was probably being a little bit of a jerk, but it was honestly alarming to me that someone that apparently had no money in the bank was trying to buy something worth $3500 with little practical use. Maybe they'll think twice about it. I don't care if they don't like me if they start rethinking their crazy spending habits.

You’re not exactly wrong, but I still vote kinda a jerk.  In this forum people signed up for facepunches, but that doesn’t mean you should hand them out to the general populace.  I understand you were trying to help them but some people just don’t want it and they were being relatively responsible in their mind vs just throwing something on credit. 

FWIW I’m also kinda a jerk so not judging too harsh

[charis]

That's generally the amount of money I save up for a trip, and I still take trips.  I'd say you were being a bit of a jerk on that one.

Note that I said if they "have to" save up for it because they "don't have the money", i.e. they can't buy it right now with assets on hand, their liquid assets are less than $3500, and they're choosing to save up and then spend 100% of their assets back down to zero on a tech toy. That person cannot afford it and I stand by that.

If you're doing that with your vacations I'd say you can't afford your vacations. But if you have a 3-month emergency fund and are saving 20% to a 401k or IRA and then another 5% towards your vacation fund, that's not quite the same scenario, is it?

And yeah, I was probably being a little bit of a jerk, but it was honestly alarming to me that someone that apparently had no money in the bank was trying to buy something worth $3500 with little practical use. Maybe they'll think twice about it. I don't care if they don't like me if they start rethinking their crazy spending habits.

 

If you are assuming this, I vote "jerk".  If you know this to be true about the poster's bank account, maybe less jerk.  I think it's stupid, but I put all of our "savings" in a high yield savings account that is mostly an emergency fund and consider it untouchable if I want to splurge on something dumb and would require myself to save up.

[ixtap]

That's generally the amount of money I save up for a trip, and I still take trips.  I'd say you were being a bit of a jerk on that one.

Note that I said if they "have to" save up for it because they "don't have the money", i.e. they can't buy it right now with assets on hand, their liquid assets are less than $3500, and they're choosing to save up and then spend 100% of their assets back down to zero on a tech toy. That person cannot afford it and I stand by that.

If you're doing that with your vacations I'd say you can't afford your vacations. But if you have a 3-month emergency fund and are saving 20% to a 401k or IRA and then another 5% towards your vacation fund, that's not quite the same scenario, is it?

And yeah, I was probably being a little bit of a jerk, but it was honestly alarming to me that someone that apparently had no money in the bank was trying to buy something worth $3500 with little practical use. Maybe they'll think twice about it. I don't care if they don't like me if they start rethinking their crazy spending habits.

 

If you are assuming this, I vote "jerk".  If you know this to be true about the poster's bank account, maybe less jerk.  I think it's stupid, but I put all of our "savings" in a high yield savings account that is mostly an emergency fund and consider it untouchable if I want to splurge on something dumb and would require myself to save up.

Agreed. We tend to phrase it in terms of how long it will take us to cash flow something, but it amounts to a a waiting.period to save up for the new thing.

Even if they are cutting out a usual discretionary expense.to.ssve up for it, that is far better than putting it on credit and paying interest.

[Dollar Slice]

When did this thread become a knock-off version of AITA? LOL. :-)

[dragoncar]

When did this thread become a knock-off version of AITA? LOL. :-)

Now lets roast him!

[ATtiny85]

Agreed. We tend to phrase it in terms of how long it will take us to cash flow something, but it amounts to a a waiting.period to save up for the new thing.

Hmm, interesting thought to make a metric related to time to cash flow. “Apple VR? Sheesh, that’s a two-monther”. “Yeah, I’m thinking about a two year car, but our four month vacation might come first”

This assumes only the discretionary dollars.

Oh, and 'Slice, you are not the A.