Overheard on Facebook

[Zikoris]

Sale Ad: "Dryer works just fine. Heats great. We had to buy matching set when washer went out. Not very pretty but it does the job."

I just don't understand this.  Is the laundry room now a place where your friends judge your adequacy?

Yes, it absolutely is.  This was actually really hard for me to resist when we moved and I got a washer/dryer set.  I just got plain white so that I could replace easily if one broke; but man, those pretty red ones were calling for me... at double the price.

I suddenly want wildly clashing appliances. Red and purple or something

[ender]

FB post from my fitness instructor (who is a kick-ass instructor, but wow, is he materialistic and shallow):

"The time has come to get a new car! Do I get the BMW 328i X-drive or the Audi A4 or the Volvo S60? (All models 2015) Please comment below! Thanks!"

Most of the comments are from people weighing in on the cars (many of whom have BMWs or Audis).  A few of them are saying cautionary things, like: "You already have a car," or "If you are up to date on saving for retirement.  If not, pinch yourself and remember that you just want the car, you don't need it," or "Wow, being a fitness instructor must pay better than I thought."  All of those comments are completely ignored.   

Literally ONE DAY after this post, he posts a status update from a BMW dealership: "Picking up my new car!!!"  With a shiny new photo of said car.

Aaaannnndddd update:

This same fitness instructor, who bought this new BMW on MAY 8, just posted this status on FB:

"Apple Watch -- GO! Any of you who have one, would love to hear what you think of it. Thinking of getting one!"

SMDH.  Already two cheerleaders are telling him to "go for it!"  What do you think the odds are that there will be a follow-up post tomorrow with a pic of his new Apple Watch?

Hey at least that is tangentially related to his work. It could be beneficial to help others he works with and instructs?

... thinking on the bright side :)

[AlanStache]

Sale Ad: "Dryer works just fine. Heats great. We had to buy matching set when washer went out. Not very pretty but it does the job."

I just don't understand this.  Is the laundry room now a place where your friends judge your adequacy?

Yes, it absolutely is.  This was actually really hard for me to resist when we moved and I got a washer/dryer set.  I just got plain white so that I could replace easily if one broke; but man, those pretty red ones were calling for me... at double the price.

I suddenly want wildly clashing appliances. Red and purple or something

Have known people with fancy new high tech washers/dryers they caused nothing but problems, to many sensors and dials.  Wont let you wash jeans on a tshirt setting...  Meanwhile my stupid simple turn knob dryer comes on has just worked for years.

[cerebus]

Have known people with fancy new high tech washers/dryers they caused nothing but problems, to many sensors and dials.  Wont let you wash jeans on a tshirt setting...  Meanwhile my stupid simple turn knob dryer comes on has just worked for years.

Our 9 year old dryer is a white elephant. Gets used a few times a year when the laundry load gets overwhelming.

[zolotiyeruki]

Have known people with fancy new high tech washers/dryers they caused nothing but problems, to many sensors and dials.  Wont let you wash jeans on a tshirt setting...  Meanwhile my stupid simple turn knob dryer comes on has just worked for years.

Yeah, we're coming up on the 10-year anniversary of our plain ol' electromechanical washer and dryer.  Zero problems except for a door switch on the washer.

[I'm a red panda]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

[Tallgirl1204]

Sale Ad: "Dryer works just fine. Heats great. We had to buy matching set when washer went out. Not very pretty but it does the job."

I just don't understand this.  Is the laundry room now a place where your friends judge your adequacy?

Yes, it absolutely is.  This was actually really hard for me to resist when we moved and I got a washer/dryer set.  I just got plain white so that I could replace easily if one broke; but man, those pretty red ones were calling for me... at double the price.

My husband refuses to own a dryer.  So, alas, we are way behind the adequacy curve...

[justajane]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

This is precisely why we bought ours used from one of those appliances dudes who repairs older, better made machines. Ours are 20+ year old Kenmores that we bought 10 years ago - $300 for the set. Still going strong.

[MgoSam]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

This is precisely why we bought ours used from one of those appliances dudes who repairs older, better made machines. Ours are 20+ year old Kenmores that we bought 10 years ago - $300 for the set. Still going strong.

I like this idea. Where did you find one?

[Travis]

In person from a FB friend so I'm gonna count it :)

"We're still paying on medical bills from my wife's surgery in December. Our part after insurance was $2,000 and we can't afford that so we're on a payment plan of $175/month. We're putting it on a credit card and it's already up to like $800 this month from other bills"

Followed not too long by:

"Oh, and the wife might let me go to Defcon in Vegas!"

Where he will spend top dollar on hotel, food, and probably find new toys he absolutely MUST have.

[zephyr911]

This one may invite minor facepunches, but it's funny how FB feedback can be just as illuminating as actual posts.
DW has been one of the biggest influences in helping me turn down my consumer instincts, but (ironically) in the last year we have encountered more situations where she wanted to spend money that I didn't. She has finally hit her first year of decent earnings after a decade of school (no exaggeration) and initial struggles with underemployment and low part-time wages in her field, and she's kinda itchy to at least see a little of her new earnings turned into nice things.
Anyway, after a few good months (and a relative windfall last week) we let ourselves out to get a few things for our downsized house, and since her 2-year-old purse was starting to fall apart, I sprang for a $35 replacement from Target. Amused by the glee with which she slung all her goods between the two, I posted a picture of the process for our friends - and I guess people actually *do* see my posts, because I got dozens of "likes" and "oohs" and "ahhs" and "whatbrandisthats". I guess they just don't find the articles about lifestyle modifications, investing, or renewable energy as interesting. :P

[justajane]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

This is precisely why we bought ours used from one of those appliances dudes who repairs older, better made machines. Ours are 20+ year old Kenmores that we bought 10 years ago - $300 for the set. Still going strong.

I like this idea. Where did you find one?

Back then I found it in the yellow pages under appliances stores -- used. They had a storefront in the cheaper sketchier part of town. I paid $40 for delivery and they had a 6 month warranty. It's actually a genius side hustle or small business for someone who knows how to fix appliances. Haul away broken machines for free or buy them from somewhere, fix them and turn a decent profit.

[secondcor521]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

This is precisely why we bought ours used from one of those appliances dudes who repairs older, better made machines. Ours are 20+ year old Kenmores that we bought 10 years ago - $300 for the set. Still going strong.

I like this idea. Where did you find one?

Back then I found it in the yellow pages under appliances stores -- used. They had a storefront in the cheaper sketchier part of town. I paid $40 for delivery and they had a 6 month warranty. It's actually a genius side hustle or small business for someone who knows how to fix appliances. Haul away broken machines for free or buy them from somewhere, fix them and turn a decent profit.

I think I've seen them on Craigslist quite a bit also.

[MgoSam]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

This is precisely why we bought ours used from one of those appliances dudes who repairs older, better made machines. Ours are 20+ year old Kenmores that we bought 10 years ago - $300 for the set. Still going strong.

I like this idea. Where did you find one?

Back then I found it in the yellow pages under appliances stores -- used. They had a storefront in the cheaper sketchier part of town. I paid $40 for delivery and they had a 6 month warranty. It's actually a genius side hustle or small business for someone who knows how to fix appliances. Haul away broken machines for free or buy them from somewhere, fix them and turn a decent profit.

Absolutely.Right now I'm renting but am looking to buy a house and will need to furnish it with a washer/dryer, and would love to buy a second hand set, especially as older sets were designed to last.

[Hunny156]

Sale Ad: "Dryer works just fine. Heats great. We had to buy matching set when washer went out. Not very pretty but it does the job."

I just don't understand this.  Is the laundry room now a place where your friends judge your adequacy?

Yes, it absolutely is.  This was actually really hard for me to resist when we moved and I got a washer/dryer set.  I just got plain white so that I could replace easily if one broke; but man, those pretty red ones were calling for me... at double the price.

I suddenly want wildly clashing appliances. Red and purple or something

Have known people with fancy new high tech washers/dryers they caused nothing but problems, to many sensors and dials.  Wont let you wash jeans on a tshirt setting...  Meanwhile my stupid simple turn knob dryer comes on has just worked for years.

I had the fancy front loader set at my old house - I still overpaid, but at least I had a corporate discount, and I only got the white ones.  They worked well overall, until a small part of the washer gasket broke in the 4th year.  Cost me almost $350 to replace, and the poor repair guy had to take half the machine apart to replace it!

I should note, we are a two person household, we do two loads/week, so these machines were not abused at all.

I was done at that point, so I sold the set w/the house.  In the new house, I bought a very basic White toploader set, which works great.  My laundry room is now a normal size, so these fit way better than front loaders, but I see the sadness in people's eyes when I show them the house and they don't see shiny, pretty colored front loaders on overpriced pedestals.  I just laugh to myself and think of the difference sitting in my Vanguard account...

[zephyr911]

Absolutely.Right now I'm renting but am looking to buy a house and will need to furnish it with a washer/dryer, and would love to buy a second hand set, especially as older sets were designed to last.

Did this when we downsized in fall, even leaving the nice new one we had recently bought with DW's family $... why move two washers?
I've had generally luck in my home and two rentals over the  years with mostly cheap Craigslist units. There are lots of guys out there who know how to keep them running, and service calls are cheap.

My only cautionary advice: there is more than one way that a washer can break, and more than one way that it can overflow and flood your house. Don't ever leave a newly purchased used washer running and leave the house! My first time it was just a pressure hose that popped loose in transit, and it flooded the entire bottom floor of my newly built $175K townhouse while I was away (for hours). That night sucked. Our latest set had a defective control switch - a cheap and easy repair once we found the problem. Had a minor spillage before that, but fortunately we caught it early.

In the new house, I bought a very basic White toploader set, which works great.

I'll never buy anything else (except maybe a stack unit if/when we move back to Hawaii and every square foot counts).

[merula]

To add to the washing machine foam (ha!), I had a long conversation with my appliance repair guy* about how to buy used washers not long ago. His recommendation was to get a 10-12 year old Whirlpool or Kenmore top-load with an agitator. He said you can usually find them on Craigslist for under $250 and they should last another 20 years with only minor repairs. If you've got to buy new, he suggested avoiding a front-load or a top-load without agitator because they're made to be replaced every 5 years.

(I'll admit to hiring out appliance repair; I don't have any mechanical aptitude.)

[Lorin]

Sale Ad: "Dryer works just fine. Heats great. We had to buy matching set when washer went out. Not very pretty but it does the job."

I just don't understand this.  Is the laundry room now a place where your friends judge your adequacy?

Literally just saw nearly verbatim as on local FB garage sale group. (And I don't live in TX, so I don't think its the same one.) Must be an epidemic.

[Joshin]

Just saw this one: "Making a trip to the food bank Tuesday, I hate telling the kids that a single thing is all that is left... Don't eat too much!"

This post follows the "2015 Disneyland and Legoland Photo Album" that they posted three days ago -- which when they got back from their trip. Seriously, who goes on an expensive two week trip, then comes home and has to go to a food bank to eat?? According to a previous post, she spent $3k on the trip, "which was a steal because she got a discount on park passes through work." If you can spend 3k on vacation, you don't need a fucking food bank.

[cerebus]

Just saw this one: "Making a trip to the food bank Tuesday, I hate telling the kids that a single thing is all that is left... Don't eat too much!"

This post follows the "2015 Disneyland and Legoland Photo Album" that they posted three days ago -- which when they got back from their trip. Seriously, who goes on an expensive two week trip, then comes home and has to go to a food bank to eat?? According to a previous post, she spent $3k on the trip, "which was a steal because she got a discount on park passes through work." If you can spend 3k on vacation, you don't need a fucking food bank.

That's plain sickening.

[Squirrel away]

Just saw this one: "Making a trip to the food bank Tuesday, I hate telling the kids that a single thing is all that is left... Don't eat too much!"

This post follows the "2015 Disneyland and Legoland Photo Album" that they posted three days ago -- which when they got back from their trip. Seriously, who goes on an expensive two week trip, then comes home and has to go to a food bank to eat?? According to a previous post, she spent $3k on the trip, "which was a steal because she got a discount on park passes through work." If you can spend 3k on vacation, you don't need a fucking food bank.

That is seriously annoying, food banks are there for the genuinely needy.

[vivophoenix]

Just saw this one: "Making a trip to the food bank Tuesday, I hate telling the kids that a single thing is all that is left... Don't eat too much!"

This post follows the "2015 Disneyland and Legoland Photo Album" that they posted three days ago -- which when they got back from their trip. Seriously, who goes on an expensive two week trip, then comes home and has to go to a food bank to eat?? According to a previous post, she spent $3k on the trip, "which was a steal because she got a discount on park passes through work." If you can spend 3k on vacation, you don't need a fucking food bank.

That is seriously annoying, food banks are there for the genuinely needy.

sounds like they genuinely need food this week. would you prefer they eat the photo album?

[merula]

Just saw this one: "Making a trip to the food bank Tuesday, I hate telling the kids that a single thing is all that is left... Don't eat too much!"

This post follows the "2015 Disneyland and Legoland Photo Album" that they posted three days ago -- which when they got back from their trip. Seriously, who goes on an expensive two week trip, then comes home and has to go to a food bank to eat?? According to a previous post, she spent $3k on the trip, "which was a steal because she got a discount on park passes through work." If you can spend 3k on vacation, you don't need a fucking food bank.

That is seriously annoying, food banks are there for the genuinely needy.

sounds like they genuinely need food this week. would you prefer they eat the photo album?

Thanks for making this point. It is terrible that this person has her priorities all screwed up, but it's not the kids' fault. They should be able to eat regardless of their mother's poor decisions.

[Vorpal]

I would prefer that they sell/pawn something and buy their own food, and use this as a lesson to themselves. If they're taking $3k vacations (and posting about it on the Internet), they have something non-essential (jewelry, stereo, etc.) they can sell for $50-$100.

[Cheryl]

Just saw this one: "Making a trip to the food bank Tuesday, I hate telling the kids that a single thing is all that is left... Don't eat too much!"

This post follows the "2015 Disneyland and Legoland Photo Album" that they posted three days ago -- which when they got back from their trip. Seriously, who goes on an expensive two week trip, then comes home and has to go to a food bank to eat?? According to a previous post, she spent $3k on the trip, "which was a steal because she got a discount on park passes through work." If you can spend 3k on vacation, you don't need a fucking food bank.

That is seriously annoying, food banks are there for the genuinely needy.

sounds like they genuinely need food this week. would you prefer they eat the photo album?

No, of course they should be able to get food when needed.  The point is that they shouldn't have taken a $3000 vacation when they didn't have enough money in the bank to buy food for the rest of the week.

And no, I'm not saying poor people aren't allowed to have fun, or nice things, either.  But there are a lot of ways to have fun that are not $3000 vacations.  Go to Six Flags for the day.  Treat your kids to a nice movie.  Or even better, go play in the park!  There are a lot of ways to have fun, and when you can't feed yourself through the end of the week, then no, an expensive vacation is not an option for you, and yes, shame on this person for taking one anyway.

[Joshin]

sounds like they genuinely need food this week. would you prefer they eat the photo album?

Eh. They can sell one of the giant TVs in the kids' room, get rid of one of the brand new iPhones in the house, or sell plasma. There are people in genuine need that need this food, and our food banks have been low on donations for over a year locally. Knowing this person, chances are there is also plenty of food in the house, but it's probably not up to standards (easy/junky enough). kids are older teens and just as entitled as mom, so it isn't little kids skipping a meal. It would do them all good to live with the consequences of their choices for a day or two.

So in this case, I have no problem being a judgmental prick.

[vivophoenix]

we can all judge, but to complain that the food bank is for the other people with no food is stupid.

[Joshin]

we can all judge, but to complain that the food bank is for the other people with no food is stupid.

It is for people with no food -- It's for those with no food and no other means to get it for their family. In other words, those with genuine need. It is not for those with easily liquidated assets and food in the cupboard. 

[Squirrel away]

Obviously people shouldn't be taking $3k holidays when they think they might be low on food for their kids. I'm saying that they should prioritise better, not that their kids should starve. Food banks aren't meant to be there for people who spent too much on a holiday and forgot they might also need money to buy food.

[infogoon]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

This is precisely why we bought ours used from one of those appliances dudes who repairs older, better made machines. Ours are 20+ year old Kenmores that we bought 10 years ago - $300 for the set. Still going strong.

I've actually thought that this might be a good side hustle -- advertise a haul-away service for broken appliances, and repair and resell whatever percentage of them have an easy fix. You'd make money on both ends of the deal.

[frugalnacho]

we can all judge, but to complain that the food bank is for the other people with no food is stupid.

Exactly.  No one should be responsible for their own decisions.  We should all be able to live in houses we can't afford, drive cars we can't afford, and take vacations we can't afford.  Providing food for me and my family is other people's responsibility.  yolo

[vivophoenix]

we can all judge, but to complain that the food bank is for the other people with no food is stupid.

Exactly.  No one should be responsible for their own decisions.  We should all be able to live in houses we can't afford, drive cars we can't afford, and take vacations we can't afford.  Providing food for me and my family is other people's responsibility.  yolo

right im totally advocating for the above, by saying that a resource for people who need food was used for its exact purpose.

new rule: you can only go to the food bank if you need food and you can prove you have nothing valuable at home!

it sucks that they manage money poorly, but its good that we have a way for people to not starve. im sorry if i dont love  to always attack people.

[horsepoor]

Obviously people shouldn't be taking $3k holidays when they think they might be low on food for their kids. I'm saying that they should prioritise better, not that their kids should starve. Food banks aren't meant to be there for people who spent too much on a holiday and forgot they might also need money to buy food.

If the kids are teens and there are some staples at home, it might be a valuable lesson to live on rice, beans and water for a week.

[frugalnacho]

we can all judge, but to complain that the food bank is for the other people with no food is stupid.

Exactly.  No one should be responsible for their own decisions.  We should all be able to live in houses we can't afford, drive cars we can't afford, and take vacations we can't afford.  Providing food for me and my family is other people's responsibility.  yolo

right im totally advocating for the above, by saying that a resource for people who need food was used for its exact purpose.

new rule: you can only go to the food bank if you need food and you can prove you have nothing valuable at home!

it sucks that they manage money poorly, but its good that we have a way for people to not starve. im sorry if i dont love  to always attack people.

They went to the food bank within 3 days of returning from a $3k vacation.  I'd glad the kids don't starve because it's likely not their fault.  I don't think it's a good thing that the parents didn't go hungry though.  They deserved to go hungry for their poor planning and decision making, and I think it's ridiculous that other people are subsidizing these people's food budget while they blow their money on vacations.

[theadvicist]

we can all judge, but to complain that the food bank is for the other people with no food is stupid.

The foodbank is not for people with no food. I have no food at the moment (we have been on vacation, and I intentionally ate everything down first). I also I have a ton of money in the bank. Should I go to the foodbank?

On your logic I should, because, genuinely, I have no food.

Instead, I will go to grocery store.

Grocery stores are for people with no food.
Foodbanks are for people without the ability to get food before going hungry.

So yes, I would argue that the foodbank is for other people with no food. People other than me, who have no way to feed themselves.

And I am very glad (and sad) that the foodbank is available, and regularly donate.

But to say the foodbank is there for ANYONE with no food is (to use your word, I wouldn't generally start throwing insults about) stupid.

[dycker1978]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

I disagree with this.  I have a "new" front load set.  I bought them in 2006 new and have had to replace the door latch($55) and the main PCB ($75) in the washer.  They are both going strong, and I will repair them until I can no longer get parts for them, which is unlikely soon, they are still using the same parts in new ones. 

Of course I did the repair myself so that saved money on the labour.  The new machines are so simple to fix, just need to watch a you tube video.

[MgoSam]

we can all judge, but to complain that the food bank is for the other people with no food is stupid.

The foodbank is not for people with no food. I have no food at the moment (we have been on vacation, and I intentionally ate everything down first). I also I have a ton of money in the bank. Should I go to the foodbank?

On your logic I should, because, genuinely, I have no food.

Instead, I will go to grocery store.

Grocery stores are for people with no food.
Foodbanks are for people without the ability to get food before going hungry.

So yes, I would argue that the foodbank is for other people with no food. People other than me, who have no way to feed themselves.

And I am very glad (and sad) that the foodbank is available, and regularly donate.

But to say the foodbank is there for ANYONE with no food is (to use your word, I wouldn't generally start throwing insults about) stupid.

I agree, not trying to judge anyone but food banks rely on the goodwill of people to contribute food. I contribute food wanting to help out people that are unable to buy food on their own. I will continue to donate food anyways but others might be less inclined to donate if they think that it is going to help those that aren't willing to go to the grocery store.

[dsmexpat]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

This is precisely why we bought ours used from one of those appliances dudes who repairs older, better made machines. Ours are 20+ year old Kenmores that we bought 10 years ago - $300 for the set. Still going strong.

I've actually thought that this might be a good side hustle -- advertise a haul-away service for broken appliances, and repair and resell whatever percentage of them have an easy fix. You'd make money on both ends of the deal.

I heard of a guy doing this in the town I grew up in. He was an immigrant from West Africa and still had connections over there. Got a job as a garbageman because he had no education/skills, quickly learned how much working stuff we threw away and started repairing stuff and shipping it out to a cousin back home. Made a fortune off of fridges that were the wrong colour, tvs that aren't flat enough, things that look too hard to repair etc.

[mm1970]

Sale Ad: "Dryer works just fine. Heats great. We had to buy matching set when washer went out. Not very pretty but it does the job."

I just don't understand this.  Is the laundry room now a place where your friends judge your adequacy?

Yes, it absolutely is.  This was actually really hard for me to resist when we moved and I got a washer/dryer set.  I just got plain white so that I could replace easily if one broke; but man, those pretty red ones were calling for me... at double the price.

I suddenly want wildly clashing appliances. Red and purple or something

Ha!  I think the washer and dryer that came with our house were made in 1987.  We replaced the washer a year ago (it just wasn't getting our clothing clean, and would tear it).  We got a reasonably priced, low water top loader with no agitator in the middle.  Takes forever to run though, and is easily unbalanced.

Still have the old dryer, which is kind of yellow now.

[Elderwood17]

I heard of a guy doing this in the town I grew up in. He was an immigrant from West Africa and still had connections over there. Got a job as a garbageman because he had no education/skills, quickly learned how much working stuff we threw away and started repairing stuff and shipping it out to a cousin back home. Made a fortune off of fridges that were the wrong colour, tvs that aren't flat enough, things that look too hard to repair etc.
[/quote]
He was able to make a profit on used refrigerators shipped back to West Africa?  Cool.  I would have thought the shipping costs would be too high unless he was doing a high volume.

[Cheryl]

sounds like they genuinely need food this week. would you prefer they eat the photo album?

Eh. They can sell one of the giant TVs in the kids' room, get rid of one of the brand new iPhones in the house, or sell plasma. There are people in genuine need that need this food, and our food banks have been low on donations for over a year locally. Knowing this person, chances are there is also plenty of food in the house, but it's probably not up to standards (easy/junky enough). kids are older teens and just as entitled as mom, so it isn't little kids skipping a meal. It would do them all good to live with the consequences of their choices for a day or two.

So in this case, I have no problem being a judgmental prick.

Okay, that just pisses me off.  If you have MULTIPLE TVs in the house then you have no business even knowing where the food bank is unless you go there to donate directly.

I mean, how do you just have THAT little ability to plan for the future?  Did they not notice they were running low on both food and money?  I figure if you're going to the food bank it's because you've been out of work for a while, and you've been trying to stretch your money and sell things and... you just ran out of money before you could get back on your feet.  Or maybe you had some financial emergency and, not being a Mustachian, you're now out of money and food and payday isn't today.  It's a food bank, not a grocery store!  You go to the food bank because it's that or go hungry, not because it's that or you have to do something inconvenient like downsizing your life a bit.

Arg, I hate stories like this.  I can practically feel myself turning into a bitter, the-poor-are-all-freeloaders republican.

[RunHappy]

sounds like they genuinely need food this week. would you prefer they eat the photo album?

Eh. They can sell one of the giant TVs in the kids' room, get rid of one of the brand new iPhones in the house, or sell plasma. There are people in genuine need that need this food, and our food banks have been low on donations for over a year locally. Knowing this person, chances are there is also plenty of food in the house, but it's probably not up to standards (easy/junky enough). kids are older teens and just as entitled as mom, so it isn't little kids skipping a meal. It would do them all good to live with the consequences of their choices for a day or two.

So in this case, I have no problem being a judgmental prick.

Okay, that just pisses me off.  If you have MULTIPLE TVs in the house then you have no business even knowing where the food bank is unless you go there to donate directly.

I mean, how do you just have THAT little ability to plan for the future?  Did they not notice they were running low on both food and money?  I figure if you're going to the food bank it's because you've been out of work for a while, and you've been trying to stretch your money and sell things and... you just ran out of money before you could get back on your feet.  Or maybe you had some financial emergency and, not being a Mustachian, you're now out of money and food and payday isn't today.  It's a food bank, not a grocery store!  You go to the food bank because it's that or go hungry, not because it's that or you have to do something inconvenient like downsizing your life a bit.

Arg, I hate stories like this.  I can practically feel myself turning into a bitter, the-poor-are-all-freeloaders republican.

so the kids should starve because their parents make dumb decisions?

[HairyUpperLip]

sounds like they genuinely need food this week. would you prefer they eat the photo album?

Eh. They can sell one of the giant TVs in the kids' room, get rid of one of the brand new iPhones in the house, or sell plasma. There are people in genuine need that need this food, and our food banks have been low on donations for over a year locally. Knowing this person, chances are there is also plenty of food in the house, but it's probably not up to standards (easy/junky enough). kids are older teens and just as entitled as mom, so it isn't little kids skipping a meal. It would do them all good to live with the consequences of their choices for a day or two.

So in this case, I have no problem being a judgmental prick.

Okay, that just pisses me off.  If you have MULTIPLE TVs in the house then you have no business even knowing where the food bank is unless you go there to donate directly.

I mean, how do you just have THAT little ability to plan for the future?  Did they not notice they were running low on both food and money?  I figure if you're going to the food bank it's because you've been out of work for a while, and you've been trying to stretch your money and sell things and... you just ran out of money before you could get back on your feet.  Or maybe you had some financial emergency and, not being a Mustachian, you're now out of money and food and payday isn't today.  It's a food bank, not a grocery store!  You go to the food bank because it's that or go hungry, not because it's that or you have to do something inconvenient like downsizing your life a bit.

Arg, I hate stories like this.  I can practically feel myself turning into a bitter, the-poor-are-all-freeloaders republican.

so the kids should starve because their parents make dumb decisions?

Sounds like they just upset about the situation and the abuse. I don't think anyone is implying kids should be left starving.

[frugalnacho]

sounds like they genuinely need food this week. would you prefer they eat the photo album?

Eh. They can sell one of the giant TVs in the kids' room, get rid of one of the brand new iPhones in the house, or sell plasma. There are people in genuine need that need this food, and our food banks have been low on donations for over a year locally. Knowing this person, chances are there is also plenty of food in the house, but it's probably not up to standards (easy/junky enough). kids are older teens and just as entitled as mom, so it isn't little kids skipping a meal. It would do them all good to live with the consequences of their choices for a day or two.

So in this case, I have no problem being a judgmental prick.

Okay, that just pisses me off.  If you have MULTIPLE TVs in the house then you have no business even knowing where the food bank is unless you go there to donate directly.

I mean, how do you just have THAT little ability to plan for the future?  Did they not notice they were running low on both food and money?  I figure if you're going to the food bank it's because you've been out of work for a while, and you've been trying to stretch your money and sell things and... you just ran out of money before you could get back on your feet.  Or maybe you had some financial emergency and, not being a Mustachian, you're now out of money and food and payday isn't today.  It's a food bank, not a grocery store!  You go to the food bank because it's that or go hungry, not because it's that or you have to do something inconvenient like downsizing your life a bit.

Arg, I hate stories like this.  I can practically feel myself turning into a bitter, the-poor-are-all-freeloaders republican.

so the kids should starve because their parents make dumb decisions?

Why does it keep getting presented like this?  As if the only two options are either starving children, or food bank mooching.  What about a third option that everyone keeps bringing up, like not prioritizing a fucking $3k vacation over groceries? 

[gimp]

Well that's the problem with money and aid, innit? Money is fungible.

Give someone $500 to spend on buying their kids food, now they spend their own $500 on a toy. They didn't use government money for it, but they did, but they didn't, but they did... and so it goes forever. Want to buy $500 worth of food and send it to the kids instead? Same thing, now the parents can use their money for other means. The more you ensure kids get the right nutrition, educational supplies, etc etc - the less shitty parents have to spend on their kids to keep them at a bare minimum level of cared-for so they don't get arrested for child neglect, and the more they can spend on other things.

So you're never going to get everyone to agree what the right level of aid is, to whom it should go, in what form it should be delivered... and so on.

[Joshin]

Jesus, of all the FB bitching in this thread, this is the post that gets jumped upon? Just to put an end to the whole "but what about the children?!?!?" crap going on here:

I know these people fairly well, unfortunately. No one is in danger of starving. The kids are in danger of having to eat, god forbid, a vegetable or something that isn't a hot pocket or toaster strudel. These people have a decent paycheck coming in, but they have a long history of poor financial choices and questionable ethics. Nothing as bad as food stamp mooching, but they have used food banks and scammed holiday toy drives in the past (and bragged about it -- namely that they managed to hide income during the income verification process for one drive). They own  new vehicles, rent a huge, overpriced house, and she and her daughter have their hair done at a fancy salon every four weeks. 

But yeah, I am an asshole. I'm cool with that. I'm not the only asshole, though, because about a third of her friend list has already called her out on the food bank thing.

[greenmimama]

We don't have fancy washer dryer combo, they are white and normal looking and not even the same brand.

We are selling our house and the last people to go through, said they would have to remodel the laundry room, I mean it doesn't look like a Pinterest LR but still, it has tile floor and white baseboards, a lovely fresh aqua color, I wanted a sunny bright color, there isn't anything wrong with the room, it was a little disheartening.

It made me chuckle a bit because if they had any sense at all, they could look up that washer, it is very expensive, I did a lot of research before buying it, it is supposed to be made to take apart and be able to fix by yourself, which we have done once in the 12 years we have used it, it is made in the USA and I love it!! it uses less water than the average front loader and still loads from the top, it's awesome and we are taking it with us when we move.

[dragoncar]

Old washers were made to be fixed. New ones are made to be replaced.

I like that the new ones use so much less electricity and water, but since they will have such a short lifespan, I wonder what the actual energy savings is...

I disagree with this.  I have a "new" front load set.  I bought them in 2006 new and have had to replace the door latch($55) and the main PCB ($75) in the washer.  They are both going strong, and I will repair them until I can no longer get parts for them, which is unlikely soon, they are still using the same parts in new ones. 

Of course I did the repair myself so that saved money on the labour.  The new machines are so simple to fix, just need to watch a you tube video.

I was starting to wonder if I was the only once who hasn't had problems with modern appliances I couldn't fix myself/cheaply.  Just fixed my fridges water dispenser for a few bucks.  Even if I didn't, it's just equivalent to an older fridge with no dispenser.  An escalator doesn't break, man, it just temporarily becomes stairs.  Water dispenser out of service: sorry for the convenience

[Malaysia41]

We don't have fancy washer dryer combo, they are white and normal looking and not even the same brand.

We are selling our house and the last people to go through, said they would have to remodel the laundry room, I mean it doesn't look like a Pinterest LR but still, it has tile floor and white baseboards, a lovely fresh aqua color, I wanted a sunny bright color, there isn't anything wrong with the room, it was a little disheartening.

It made me chuckle a bit because if they had any sense at all, they could look up that washer, it is very expensive, I did a lot of research before buying it, it is supposed to be made to take apart and be able to fix by yourself, which we have done once in the 12 years we have used it, it is made in the USA and I love it!! it uses less water than the average front loader and still loads from the top, it's awesome and we are taking it with us when we move.

Post the FB response thread please - if it's not too much work cutting out the usernames.  I'd love to see what her friends wrote.   /gawk.

[greenmimama]

I mean it doesn't look like a Pinterest LR but still,

What the hell is a pinterest laundry room? People actually need their laundry rooms to be anything more than functional??? Please tell me that is not a real thing

I am assuming this is what she meant, that it wasn't perfect with matching w/d colored combo with a folding granite counter top and built in cabinets, that is what I mean by a Pinterest laundry room.

It does have a white W/D with plenty of storage in floor to ceiling shelving, a utility sink and tiled floor, newly painted trim and walls and ceiling. I guess none of that is good enough for her. It is a high end home, so I can see where she is coming from a little bit, just expecting more maybe? I am sure it is a real thing, not a need but a want.