Mustachian People Problems (just for fun)

[merula]

There's a spending chart making the social media rounds from an article about a 25 yr old Boston man who makes $100K and spends about $33K.   Of course, lots of uninformed comments by the hoi polloi about how it's impossible, etc.

The young man, to his credit, donates over $600 a month for charitable purposes.   This is a source of complete disbelief to a lot of people.  They simply can't comprehend it's possible.   It's only a bit over 7% of his income.  I personally know quite a few families who tithe (that's 10% for those who don't know) and I'm sure you've all seen case studies where people tithe to their church or charities.

So, my MPP problem is that for me to give us as an example, I have to say, "Dude, we buy ENTIRE HOUSES to help other people out.   Three in the last 2 years, as a matter of fact."

Not sure they'll believe that.

I saw that chart going around on FB and there were a number of things that didn’t add up. Like how you earn $100k in a location where rent is $800/mo. The charity thing didn’t make sense when there was no slice in the pie for saving. Charity is nice but that is way down the list after you make sure your own present and future are secure.

I earn almost $100k now and my rent is $745 a month :)  Specialized job in a LCOL area.

I haven't seen the chart though, so can't comment on it specifically.

You can find $800 rent just about anywhere, as long as you're willing to compromise on everything else. Roommates, renting a single basement room in a house, etc.

I live in a MCOL city, earn in that neighborhood, and I can get a variety of studios in the city on public transit routes for $800. They're tiny, not well maintained and have zero amenities, but they're out there.

My mortgage for a 1400 sq ft house would've been about $800-900 if I hadn't gone for the 15 year option.

[ChickenStash]

There's a spending chart making the social media rounds from an article about a 25 yr old Boston man who makes $100K and spends about $33K.   Of course, lots of uninformed comments by the hoi polloi about how it's impossible, etc.

The young man, to his credit, donates over $600 a month for charitable purposes.   This is a source of complete disbelief to a lot of people.  They simply can't comprehend it's possible.   It's only a bit over 7% of his income.  I personally know quite a few families who tithe (that's 10% for those who don't know) and I'm sure you've all seen case studies where people tithe to their church or charities.

So, my MPP problem is that for me to give us as an example, I have to say, "Dude, we buy ENTIRE HOUSES to help other people out.   Three in the last 2 years, as a matter of fact."

Not sure they'll believe that.

I saw that chart going around on FB and there were a number of things that didn’t add up. Like how you earn $100k in a location where rent is $800/mo. The charity thing didn’t make sense when there was no slice in the pie for saving. Charity is nice but that is way down the list after you make sure your own present and future are secure.

I earn almost $100k now and my rent is $745 a month :)  Specialized job in a LCOL area.

I haven't seen the chart though, so can't comment on it specifically.

You can find $800 rent just about anywhere, as long as you're willing to compromise on everything else. Roommates, renting a single basement room in a house, etc.

I live in a MCOL city, earn in that neighborhood, and I can get a variety of studios in the city on public transit routes for $800. They're tiny, not well maintained and have zero amenities, but they're out there.

My mortgage for a 1400 sq ft house would've been about $800-900 if I hadn't gone for the 15 year option.

I haven't seen that particular chart, either, but that income level and rent isn't all that unusual here in fly-over country. $800 would get a pretty nice apartment in my area. That would be for a single person. Roommates and such would drop it accordingly. About the lowest I've seen for a single occupant is $500 but that getting to be a pretty small apartment.

[ixtap]

I thought about turning on the AC, but there was a brown out while I was debating with myself.

A couple of days later, DH mentioned turning on the AC and I pointed out that we probably shouldn't start during high peak hours, given the rolling blackouts in the area. Plus, he couldn't commit to communicating with our roommate who likes the heat and would have to shut her windows to allow us to turn the AC on. Instead, he decided to get up earlier and get some of his work done before it gets too hot.

It is only in the high 80s. I think consecutive days in the mid 90s and we would have gone ahead and used the AC.

[Anette]

There's a spending chart making the social media rounds from an article about a 25 yr old Boston man who makes $100K and spends about $33K.   Of course, lots of uninformed comments by the hoi polloi about how it's impossible, etc.

The young man, to his credit, donates over $600 a month for charitable purposes.   This is a source of complete disbelief to a lot of people.  They simply can't comprehend it's possible.   It's only a bit over 7% of his income.  I personally know quite a few families who tithe (that's 10% for those who don't know) and I'm sure you've all seen case studies where people tithe to their church or charities.

So, my MPP problem is that for me to give us as an example, I have to say, "Dude, we buy ENTIRE HOUSES to help other people out.   Three in the last 2 years, as a matter of fact."

Not sure they'll believe that.

I saw that chart going around on FB and there were a number of things that didn’t add up. Like how you earn $100k in a location where rent is $800/mo. The charity thing didn’t make sense when there was no slice in the pie for saving. Charity is nice but that is way down the list after you make sure your own present and future are secure.

I see your point but you could obviously have differing opinions on that
As @englishteacheralex once put it on this forum

 " Habitual giving trains one's soul to stop thinking of money as a fortress against misfortune or an end in and of itself. We don't give because various charities need money, we give because we need to get rid of money's hold on our soul"

Can't remember when and exactly where he wrote this but I have this quote on my fridge now and think especially the second sentence is really true ( but not the only reason for giving)
I think this feeling of abundance that you can have even while you are earning little is something to be cherished while a scarcity mindset is extremely unhelpful and stressful.

[SwordGuy]

There's a spending chart making the social media rounds from an article about a 25 yr old Boston man who makes $100K and spends about $33K.   Of course, lots of uninformed comments by the hoi polloi about how it's impossible, etc.

The young man, to his credit, donates over $600 a month for charitable purposes.   This is a source of complete disbelief to a lot of people.  They simply can't comprehend it's possible.   It's only a bit over 7% of his income.  I personally know quite a few families who tithe (that's 10% for those who don't know) and I'm sure you've all seen case studies where people tithe to their church or charities.

So, my MPP problem is that for me to give us as an example, I have to say, "Dude, we buy ENTIRE HOUSES to help other people out.   Three in the last 2 years, as a matter of fact."

Not sure they'll believe that.

I saw that chart going around on FB and there were a number of things that didn’t add up. Like how you earn $100k in a location where rent is $800/mo. The charity thing didn’t make sense when there was no slice in the pie for saving. Charity is nice but that is way down the list after you make sure your own present and future are secure.

That chart came from an article.   The article clearly (and I do mean CLEARLY) explains that the young man has 3 roommates.   So rent, utilities, cable and the housecleaner bill would be 4 times as high in total.

The chart showed "spending".   Charity is spending.   Savings is not "spending".

[Travis]

Couponing isn't any fun any more. I used to have such fun matching sales to coupons and getting the 'best deals'. Now I realize I don't need much of that stuff--packaged snacks, makeup, prepared foods. There are more frugal options in most cases.

Most coupons I see for supermarkets are for name-brand packaged items, mostly processed items, not actually healthy despite the labeling.
Hasn't really worked for us since we buy fresh fruit and veg, and store brand items. And if we need to buy bulk, it's off to Sam's Club.

I think it's rare that I see someone using coupons in the checkout aisle.

We only do it when the coupon is in the aisle right in front of the item as we pluck it off the shelf. I tried doing the digital coupon thing, but nothing we buy is ever on offer.

[SwordGuy]

This came across my FB feed this evening and I really like it.   It fits in with the discussion we have about how to help people out.  Sometimes it really is this easy.

And the equally important part is how the lady avoids making the other folks feel like they are receiving charity.   It's not always possible to do that but it's awesome when you can.

[LennStar]

Couponing isn't any fun any more. I used to have such fun matching sales to coupons and getting the 'best deals'. Now I realize I don't need much of that stuff--packaged snacks, makeup, prepared foods. There are more frugal options in most cases.

Most coupons I see for supermarkets are for name-brand packaged items, mostly processed items, not actually healthy despite the labeling.
Hasn't really worked for us since we buy fresh fruit and veg, and store brand items. And if we need to buy bulk, it's off to Sam's Club.

I think it's rare that I see someone using coupons in the checkout aisle.

Haha, similar here often. I get excited to see a big discount just to realize it is for some expensive brand, which is more expensive even with discount than the store brand (which often is similar or even better).
Dang, I can't save money even with a 40% discount!

btw. a few weeks ago I have watched a video of a US couple making a comparison between name brands and ALDI. Holy sh*** where those two dumbfounded that they payed only half for stuff that was 20% better, 50% equally (or nigligible worse) and only 30% noticeable worse than the expensive brands.
T'was quite funny.
(Also watch Americans testing Japanese seven-eleven konbini food to really appreciate how bad your US stuff is :D)

[ysette9]

btw. a few weeks ago I have watched a video of a US couple making a comparison between name brands and ALDI. Holy sh*** where those two dumbfounded that they payed only half for stuff that was 20% better, 50% equally (or nigligible worse) and only 30% noticeable worse than the expensive brands.

I’m sorry, I just can’t follow this. The Aldi brands are cheaper? Better? Worse? 30% better/worse/more expensive/cheaper?

[PhilB]

btw. a few weeks ago I have watched a video of a US couple making a comparison between name brands and ALDI. Holy sh*** where those two dumbfounded that they payed only half for stuff that was 20% better, 50% equally (or nigligible worse) and only 30% noticeable worse than the expensive brands.

I’m sorry, I just can’t follow this. The Aldi brands are cheaper? Better? Worse? 30% better/worse/more expensive/cheaper?

They were all half the price.  50% of them were as good. 30% were worse.  20% were better.

[ixtap]

btw. a few weeks ago I have watched a video of a US couple making a comparison between name brands and ALDI. Holy sh*** where those two dumbfounded that they payed only half for stuff that was 20% better, 50% equally (or nigligible worse) and only 30% noticeable worse than the expensive brands.

I’m sorry, I just can’t follow this. The Aldi brands are cheaper? Better? Worse? 30% better/worse/more expensive/cheaper?

They were all half the price.  50% of them were as good. 30% were worse.  20% were better.

There is a British show that goes in and swaps out a family's favorites for a week with everything in generic packaging. They can rarely tell which items were switched and which were not. The only problem is, the replacements come from like five different stores, so shopping would be a nightmare.

I find that Aldi's prices aren't any lower than generic, while the grocery store I get my generics at has a wider variety. It seems like Aldi's is similar to Trader Joe's in so far as most of the excitement seems to be around pre made foods and treats, with a limited selection of ingredients.

[ysette9]

btw. a few weeks ago I have watched a video of a US couple making a comparison between name brands and ALDI. Holy sh*** where those two dumbfounded that they payed only half for stuff that was 20% better, 50% equally (or nigligible worse) and only 30% noticeable worse than the expensive brands.

I’m sorry, I just can’t follow this. The Aldi brands are cheaper? Better? Worse? 30% better/worse/more expensive/cheaper?

They were all half the price.  50% of them were as good. 30% were worse.  20% were better.

Got it. Thanks for the clarification.

[ysette9]

btw. a few weeks ago I have watched a video of a US couple making a comparison between name brands and ALDI. Holy sh*** where those two dumbfounded that they payed only half for stuff that was 20% better, 50% equally (or nigligible worse) and only 30% noticeable worse than the expensive brands.

I’m sorry, I just can’t follow this. The Aldi brands are cheaper? Better? Worse? 30% better/worse/more expensive/cheaper?

They were all half the price.  50% of them were as good. 30% were worse.  20% were better.

There is a British show that goes in and swaps out a family's favorites for a week with everything in generic packaging. They can rarely tell which items were switched and which were not. The only problem is, the replacements come from like five different stores, so shopping would be a nightmare.

I find that Aldi's prices aren't any lower than generic, while the grocery store I get my generics at has a wider variety. It seems like Aldi's is similar to Trader Joe's in so far as most of the excitement seems to be around pre made foods and treats, with a limited selection of ingredients.

I’m a TJ’s fan. I appreciate that the selection is narrower because it makes it easier for e to shop: much less mental fatigue. If I go to a place like Safeway I spend way more time shopping and end up vaguely dissatisfied because it is a lot of work to choose between the five brands and six flavors of whatever while taking into account different package sizes and cost per unit and weekly sales. Ugh. Just give me creamy peanut butter and let me be on my way! I also find on average TJ products have fewer ingredients, way fewer gotcha crap additives, and often the taste and quality just seems higher. I went through a period before having kids of being intensely lactose intolerant and found I had a much easier time navigating labels at TJ’s than at Safeway.

[Poundwise]

There's a spending chart making the social media rounds from an article about a 25 yr old Boston man who makes $100K and spends about $33K.   Of course, lots of uninformed comments by the hoi polloi about how it's impossible, etc.

The young man, to his credit, donates over $600 a month for charitable purposes.   This is a source of complete disbelief to a lot of people.  They simply can't comprehend it's possible.   It's only a bit over 7% of his income.  I personally know quite a few families who tithe (that's 10% for those who don't know) and I'm sure you've all seen case studies where people tithe to their church or charities.

So, my MPP problem is that for me to give us as an example, I have to say, "Dude, we buy ENTIRE HOUSES to help other people out.   Three in the last 2 years, as a matter of fact."

Not sure they'll believe that.

I just love your MPP, @SwordGuy !

We set up a DAF (no harder than setting up any other sort of fund online) but find that it reduces spontaneity... when times are hard, it often coincides with the market being down, which makes me reluctant to sell.  It's a good option for scheduled regular donations.

[Anette]

There's a spending chart making the social media rounds from an article about a 25 yr old Boston man who makes $100K and spends about $33K.   Of course, lots of uninformed comments by the hoi polloi about how it's impossible, etc.

The young man, to his credit, donates over $600 a month for charitable purposes.   This is a source of complete disbelief to a lot of people.  They simply can't comprehend it's possible.   It's only a bit over 7% of his income.  I personally know quite a few families who tithe (that's 10% for those who don't know) and I'm sure you've all seen case studies where people tithe to their church or charities.

So, my MPP problem is that for me to give us as an example, I have to say, "Dude, we buy ENTIRE HOUSES to help other people out.   Three in the last 2 years, as a matter of fact."

Not sure they'll believe that.

I saw that chart going around on FB and there were a number of things that didn’t add up. Like how you earn $100k in a location where rent is $800/mo. The charity thing didn’t make sense when there was no slice in the pie for saving. Charity is nice but that is way down the list after you make sure your own present and future are secure.

I see your point but you could obviously have differing opinions on that
As @englishteacheralex once put it on this forum

 " Habitual giving trains one's soul to stop thinking of money as a fortress against misfortune or an end in and of itself. We don't give because various charities need money, we give because we need to get rid of money's hold on our soul"

Can't remember when and exactly where he wrote this but I have this quote on my fridge now and think especially the second sentence is really true ( but not the only reason for giving)
I think this feeling of abundance that you can have even while you are earning little is something to be cherished while a scarcity mindset is extremely unhelpful and stressful.

I think that I'm missing some subtleties here. @Annette can you help me to understand your position? I quite like the quote that you shared but fail to see how that wisdom differs from what SwordGuy or others who give is doing.  His extreme generosity shows that he is using money as a tool for good, rather than hoarding it just in case.

Is your disagreement rather with the idea that you should maybe give less while you're earning less so that you can build your own stash before helping others? I can certainly see how giving would be a way to ease the scarcity mindset because it lets you see your own abundance (in health, ability to work and other areas, even if not in savings). Where I often cringe in the case studies is when people tithe while increasing their debt every month. So long as they're in the black, I'm all for giving.

Thank you @Sunhat  for asking as I realise now it wasn't obvious what I was referring to.
So I was referring to yvette9s statement, specifically the last two sentences.
 "The charity thing didn't make sense when there was no slice in the pie for saving. Charity is nice but that is way down the list after you make sure your own present and future are secure."

 Security obviously is not easily measured but rather a personal feeling of what does a person need to feel financially secure so the statement is somewhat vague. I imagine a lot of people will be feeling that their future is secure once they reach FI but I feel giving is something I want to do along the way already, enjoying that grateful, humble feeling of abundance, knowing I am blessed and fortunate.

[ysette9]

There's a spending chart making the social media rounds from an article about a 25 yr old Boston man who makes $100K and spends about $33K.   Of course, lots of uninformed comments by the hoi polloi about how it's impossible, etc.

The young man, to his credit, donates over $600 a month for charitable purposes.   This is a source of complete disbelief to a lot of people.  They simply can't comprehend it's possible.   It's only a bit over 7% of his income.  I personally know quite a few families who tithe (that's 10% for those who don't know) and I'm sure you've all seen case studies where people tithe to their church or charities.

So, my MPP problem is that for me to give us as an example, I have to say, "Dude, we buy ENTIRE HOUSES to help other people out.   Three in the last 2 years, as a matter of fact."

Not sure they'll believe that.

I saw that chart going around on FB and there were a number of things that didn’t add up. Like how you earn $100k in a location where rent is $800/mo. The charity thing didn’t make sense when there was no slice in the pie for saving. Charity is nice but that is way down the list after you make sure your own present and future are secure.

I see your point but you could obviously have differing opinions on that
As @englishteacheralex once put it on this forum

 " Habitual giving trains one's soul to stop thinking of money as a fortress against misfortune or an end in and of itself. We don't give because various charities need money, we give because we need to get rid of money's hold on our soul"

Can't remember when and exactly where he wrote this but I have this quote on my fridge now and think especially the second sentence is really true ( but not the only reason for giving)
I think this feeling of abundance that you can have even while you are earning little is something to be cherished while a scarcity mindset is extremely unhelpful and stressful.

I think that I'm missing some subtleties here. @Annette can you help me to understand your position? I quite like the quote that you shared but fail to see how that wisdom differs from what SwordGuy or others who give is doing.  His extreme generosity shows that he is using money as a tool for good, rather than hoarding it just in case.

Is your disagreement rather with the idea that you should maybe give less while you're earning less so that you can build your own stash before helping others? I can certainly see how giving would be a way to ease the scarcity mindset because it lets you see your own abundance (in health, ability to work and other areas, even if not in savings). Where I often cringe in the case studies is when people tithe while increasing their debt every month. So long as they're in the black, I'm all for giving.

Thank you @Sunhat  for asking as I realise now it wasn't obvious what I was referring to.
So I was referring to yvette9s statement, specifically the last two sentences.
 "The charity thing didn't make sense when there was no slice in the pie for saving. Charity is nice but that is way down the list after you make sure your own present and future are secure."

 Security obviously is not easily measured but rather a personal feeling of what does a person need to feel financially secure so the statement is somewhat vague. I imagine a lot of people will be feeling that their future is secure once they reach FI but I feel giving is something I want to do along the way already, enjoying that grateful, humble feeling of abundance, knowing I am blessed and fortunate.

I see what you are saying and I don’t necessarily disagree with you. The specific reason I say that in this example is the person is said to be 25. So unless there is an inheritance involved, this person likely is nowhere near financial security due to having recently started her/his career. If the person were 35 and we could assume they had saved a comfortable cushion in case of hardship, I’d be more likely to agree with you.

[SwordGuy]

The specific reason I say that in this example is the person is said to be 25. So unless there is an inheritance involved, this person likely is nowhere near financial security due to having recently started her/his career. If the person were 35 and we could assume they had saved a comfortable cushion in case of hardship, I’d be more likely to agree with you.

In one year that 25 year old will have more liquid assets than more than 35% of all American households have in total net worth.

Short of a catastrophic medical or legal issue -- which a paltry $600 a month for a few years simply wouldn't make a bit of difference given the US legal and medical systems -- that young man will be just fine.

[LennStar]

I find that Aldi's prices aren't any lower than generic, while the grocery store I get my generics at has a wider variety. It seems like Aldi's is similar to Trader Joe's in so far as most of the excitement seems to be around pre made foods and treats, with a limited selection of ingredients.

ALDI bought Trader Joes. Or they fusioned or they bought brand names rights, something like that. You can even buy Trader Joes brand in Germany (but only nuts I think).

[shelivesthedream]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

[Travis]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

SwordGuy's meme, but asking your neighbor for their junk mail?

[Dicey]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

Next time, you can save the cores and peelings to make vinegar. It's passive, cheap and easy.

[Monerexia]

Not as much a scam as, say, "towels," or "doctors," but a scam nevertheless.

Oh crap what did I miss?

Ummm...towels? Nobody in history ever needed a "towel." Not a single "towel" ever needed to be sold--guess what I've found works: a t-shirt!!

Also, yeah, everybody knows that without the scam of "doctors" nature would take over and world population would be much, much lower and much, much healthier. So, if you care about the environment and public health, no need to look further than this bizarre long-con scam for the problem. :)

Well I'd argue that nobody in history ever needed a t-shirt because guess what else works?  A TOWEL.  That's right you got played.

You are actually quite good at this--plus found another scam--SILVERWARE! Ate my whole chicken breast and a potato today out of the no-name tupperware with my hand. Wash up afterwards and silverware revealed as scam royale.

Couldn't help but hop on this train. What is it with everyone having to have NAIL CLIPPERS?!?!?!? Our ancestors weren't stupid enough to buy and keep such useless junk... Just maintain adequate flexibility by doing yoga daily so you can chew off your toenails 1x/month like a real homo sapien. ;)

You'll be happy to know that this week I have found another scam: DRAINS! For the past three days it's been just bail the bathroom sink out into the toilet a couple times/day--cheaper than a plumber!!

[shelivesthedream]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

Next time, you can save the cores and peelings to make vinegar. It's passive, cheap and easy.

Do you have a link to some instructions? Especially some with science and "why", not just what to do. I would be well up for it, but Mr SLTD might need a bit on convincing. We're likely to have more apples coming our way!

[dragoncar]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

Next time, you can save the cores and peelings to make vinegar. It's passive, cheap and easy.

Do you have a link to some instructions? Especially some with science and "why", not just what to do. I would be well up for it, but Mr SLTD might need a bit on convincing. We're likely to have more apples coming our way!

Entire branch of apples broke and now I've got like 10 gallons that aren't quite ready to eat.  Was thinking apple sauce but vinegar might do the trick.

[Raenia]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

Next time, you can save the cores and peelings to make vinegar. It's passive, cheap and easy.

Do you have a link to some instructions? Especially some with science and "why", not just what to do. I would be well up for it, but Mr SLTD might need a bit on convincing. We're likely to have more apples coming our way!

Entire branch of apples broke and now I've got like 10 gallons that aren't quite ready to eat.  Was thinking apple sauce but vinegar might do the trick.

Both, actually.  The vinegar uses the parts of the apple that sauce doesn't.  I've done it before - it's fun, but I don't go through enough cider vinegar to justify it, especially since it can't be used for canning as the acid concentration isn't standardized.

[Dicey]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

Next time, you can save the cores and peelings to make vinegar. It's passive, cheap and easy.

Do you have a link to some instructions? Especially some with science and "why", not just what to do. I would be well up for it, but Mr SLTD might need a bit on convincing. We're likely to have more apples coming our way!

I have never tried it, but I got the idea from this post. Scroll way down to the bottom. I have a corer like that, and a couple of packets of champagne yeast, so it caught my eye. Googling it is on my to-do list.

https://granolashotgun.com/2020/08/10/lazaretto-dining/

[ysette9]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

Haha, somewhat in the same vein, we are looking after our neighbor’s house while they are camping and I wanted to clean out their guinea pigs’ cage, but don’t have anything resembling a newspaper to line the cage.

[Dicey]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

Haha, somewhat in the same vein, we are looking after our neighbor’s house while they are camping and I wanted to clean out their guinea pigs’ cage, but don’t have anything resembling a newspaper to line the cage.

Paper towels? A paper grocery bag? MPP for sure.

[dragoncar]

We've almost eliminated junk mail, we don't buy newspapers, we're as paperless as possible... and now our compost heap has too many fruit peelings from a load of free apples we got and froze and we don't have enough "browns" to put on it. Oh the humanity!

Haha, somewhat in the same vein, we are looking after our neighbor’s house while they are camping and I wanted to clean out their guinea pigs’ cage, but don’t have anything resembling a newspaper to line the cage.

Paper towels? A paper grocery bag? MPP for sure.

Neither of those work.  It's for the articles.

[ysette9]

Paper grocery bag... now there is an idea

[Monerexia]

Not as much a scam as, say, "towels," or "doctors," but a scam nevertheless.

Oh crap what did I miss?

Ummm...towels? Nobody in history ever needed a "towel." Not a single "towel" ever needed to be sold--guess what I've found works: a t-shirt!!

Also, yeah, everybody knows that without the scam of "doctors" nature would take over and world population would be much, much lower and much, much healthier. So, if you care about the environment and public health, no need to look further than this bizarre long-con scam for the problem. :)

Well I'd argue that nobody in history ever needed a t-shirt because guess what else works?  A TOWEL.  That's right you got played.

You are actually quite good at this--plus found another scam--SILVERWARE! Ate my whole chicken breast and a potato today out of the no-name tupperware with my hand. Wash up afterwards and silverware revealed as scam royale.

Couldn't help but hop on this train. What is it with everyone having to have NAIL CLIPPERS?!?!?!? Our ancestors weren't stupid enough to buy and keep such useless junk... Just maintain adequate flexibility by doing yoga daily so you can chew off your toenails 1x/month like a real homo sapien. ;)

You'll be happy to know that this week I have found another scam: DRAINS! For the past three days it's been just bail the bathroom sink out into the toilet a couple times/day--cheaper than a plumber!!

WOW--added bonus I have discovered--I usually flush once/day but I have found that with the bailing of the sink it flushes the toilet by itself so no need to waste that sink water ever again--who knew I had been being scammed all these years by that simple drain?!

[Monerexia]

Not as much a scam as, say, "towels," or "doctors," but a scam nevertheless.

Oh crap what did I miss?

Ummm...towels? Nobody in history ever needed a "towel." Not a single "towel" ever needed to be sold--guess what I've found works: a t-shirt!!

Also, yeah, everybody knows that without the scam of "doctors" nature would take over and world population would be much, much lower and much, much healthier. So, if you care about the environment and public health, no need to look further than this bizarre long-con scam for the problem. :)

Well I'd argue that nobody in history ever needed a t-shirt because guess what else works?  A TOWEL.  That's right you got played.

You are actually quite good at this--plus found another scam--SILVERWARE! Ate my whole chicken breast and a potato today out of the no-name tupperware with my hand. Wash up afterwards and silverware revealed as scam royale.

Couldn't help but hop on this train. What is it with everyone having to have NAIL CLIPPERS?!?!?!? Our ancestors weren't stupid enough to buy and keep such useless junk... Just maintain adequate flexibility by doing yoga daily so you can chew off your toenails 1x/month like a real homo sapien. ;)

You'll be happy to know that this week I have found another scam: DRAINS! For the past three days it's been just bail the bathroom sink out into the toilet a couple times/day--cheaper than a plumber!!

WOW--added bonus I have discovered--I usually flush once/day but I have found that with the bailing of the sink it flushes the toilet by itself so no need to waste that sink water ever again--who knew I had been being scammed all these years by that simple drain?!

Guess nobody's really excited about my mensa-level hack. Weird i thought everybody would be rushing to plug their bathroom sinks and elevate me to Justin Bieber status before Q4.

[LennStar]

I am not really sure if I understood the details... but in cramped japanese bathroms it is not that unusual to find the sink above the flush canister.

https://agonzojournalist.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/p9200576.jpg

[zolotiyeruki]

I am not really sure if I understood the details... but in cramped japanese bathroms it is not that unusual to find the sink above the flush canister.

https://agonzojournalist.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/p9200576.jpg

Yup, been there, seen it, used it.  It's pretty awesome--you reuse the grey water from the sink to flush the toilet.  In the installation I used, when you flush the toilet, the faucet starts running, and you use that water to wash your hands.  Basically, instead of the toilet fill valve going directly into the tank, it comes out the faucet instead.  It also happens to run for the right duration for properly washing your hands :)

[SwordGuy]

I am not really sure if I understood the details... but in cramped japanese bathroms it is not that unusual to find the sink above the flush canister.

https://agonzojournalist.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/p9200576.jpg

Yup, been there, seen it, used it.  It's pretty awesome--you reuse the grey water from the sink to flush the toilet.  In the installation I used, when you flush the toilet, the faucet starts running, and you use that water to wash your hands.  Basically, instead of the toilet fill valve going directly into the tank, it comes out the faucet instead.  It also happens to run for the right duration for properly washing your hands :)

I'm guessing that's new water coming out of the faucet, not water from the toilet.   It's early and when I first read that while somewhat bleary-eyed, you should have seen my eyes bug out of my head!

[Abe]

Haha. I made a setup like that and thought it was great. My wife didn't. Should try it again with a preschooler, he may find it amazing.

[Monerexia]

I am not really sure if I understood the details... but in cramped japanese bathroms it is not that unusual to find the sink above the flush canister.

https://agonzojournalist.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/p9200576.jpg

Yes yes! Looks like a bit of a reach/straddle deal, however.

[LennStar]

I am not really sure if I understood the details... but in cramped japanese bathroms it is not that unusual to find the sink above the flush canister.

https://agonzojournalist.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/p9200576.jpg

Yes yes! Looks like a bit of a reach/straddle deal, however.

In a luxuriously big US house there is no reason to not make it sideways reachable or even detached.
The (un)funny thing though is that now that everyone has water saving toilets there is often not enough water flow in old canals, which were designed for higher flows.
Perfect example of where a good change inadvertedly turns into shit ;)

[zolotiyeruki]

I am not really sure if I understood the details... but in cramped japanese bathroms it is not that unusual to find the sink above the flush canister.

https://agonzojournalist.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/p9200576.jpg

Yes yes! Looks like a bit of a reach/straddle deal, however.

In a luxuriously big US house there is no reason to not make it sideways reachable or even detached.
The (un)funny thing though is that now that everyone has water saving toilets there is often not enough water flow in old canals, which were designed for higher flows.
Perfect example of where a good change inadvertedly turns into shit ;)

Yup, the good ol' law of unintended consequences.  Kinda like California and solar power :)

[dcheesi]

I find that Aldi's prices aren't any lower than generic, while the grocery store I get my generics at has a wider variety. It seems like Aldi's is similar to Trader Joe's in so far as most of the excitement seems to be around pre made foods and treats, with a limited selection of ingredients.

ALDI bought Trader Joes. Or they fusioned or they bought brand names rights, something like that. You can even buy Trader Joes brand in Germany (but only nuts I think).

Yes and no. The confusion stems from the fact that the original Aldi in Germany is split into two separate entities (Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd). One of these owns ALDI in the USA, while the other owns Trader Joe's.

[dragoncar]

I find that Aldi's prices aren't any lower than generic, while the grocery store I get my generics at has a wider variety. It seems like Aldi's is similar to Trader Joe's in so far as most of the excitement seems to be around pre made foods and treats, with a limited selection of ingredients.

ALDI bought Trader Joes. Or they fusioned or they bought brand names rights, something like that. You can even buy Trader Joes brand in Germany (but only nuts I think).

Yes and no. The confusion stems from the fact that the original Aldi in Germany is split into two separate entities (Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd). One of these owns ALDI in the USA, while the other owns Trader Joe's.

One of them owns TJ in the USA.  The other owns TJ in europe.  That's a trademark nightmare.

[Imma]

I find that Aldi's prices aren't any lower than generic, while the grocery store I get my generics at has a wider variety. It seems like Aldi's is similar to Trader Joe's in so far as most of the excitement seems to be around pre made foods and treats, with a limited selection of ingredients.

ALDI bought Trader Joes. Or they fusioned or they bought brand names rights, something like that. You can even buy Trader Joes brand in Germany (but only nuts I think).

Yes and no. The confusion stems from the fact that the original Aldi in Germany is split into two separate entities (Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd). One of these owns ALDI in the USA, while the other owns Trader Joe's.

One of them owns TJ in the USA.  The other owns TJ in europe.  That's a trademark nightmare.

So that's why we have TJ branded products in my local Aldi (Nord)! Just the nuts and some "American" convenience products like readymade pancakes. That aren't actually produced in the US but are TJ brand for marketing reasons.

We live in a border area and across the border we have Aldi Süd. They sell some products our Aldi Nord doesn't and I think the shops look slightly nicer. But our Aldi is 90% about the basics and stocks a lot less pre-made foods and treats than a regular supermarket. You don't go to Aldi for fancy chocolates but for cheap produce and canned beans.

[Poundwise]

I am not really sure if I understood the details... but in cramped japanese bathroms it is not that unusual to find the sink above the flush canister.

https://agonzojournalist.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/p9200576.jpg

Yes yes! Looks like a bit of a reach/straddle deal, however.

In a luxuriously big US house there is no reason to not make it sideways reachable or even detached.
The (un)funny thing though is that now that everyone has water saving toilets there is often not enough water flow in old canals, which were designed for higher flows.
Perfect example of where a good change inadvertedly turns into shit ;)

Yup, the good ol' law of unintended consequences.  Kinda like California and solar power :)

What happened with solar power?

[SwordGuy]

Made such a big principal paydown on my mortgage that the system couldn't handle the desired amount.  Had to split it into two transactions over two days to make it work.

[solon]

Made such a big principal paydown on my mortgage that the system couldn't handle the desired amount.  Had to split it into two transactions over two days to make it work.

So sorry you're going through this...

[Dicey]

Made such a big principal paydown on my mortgage that the system couldn't handle the desired amount.  Had to split it into two transactions over two days to make it work.

So sorry you're going through this...

So am I, but probably for different reasons ;-)

[Alternatepriorities]

Made such a big principal paydown on my mortgage that the system couldn't handle the desired amount.  Had to split it into two transactions over two days to make it work.

That sounds like a fun mustachian challenge.

[SwordGuy]

Made such a big principal paydown on my mortgage that the system couldn't handle the desired amount.  Had to split it into two transactions over two days to make it work.

So sorry you're going through this...

So am I, but probably for different reasons ;-)

@Dicey , I even have the go-ahead to pay off my mortgage from over in your favorite thread...

Already fired.  Plenty of net worth.   Big stock portfolio I don't need to use for routine expenses so I can grow it for the future.  With this mortgage paid off we'll have a 0% SWR.   A budget surplus from non-stock income I can invest.  And I cut my annual expenses by another $1400 a month once it's paid off, which will increase our quality of life quite nicely.   

I don't need more wealth.   We're giving to charity.

We're selling another house which will pay off the mortgage right away, and if it doesn't sell, we'll still be done within a year.

At this point I want to simplify my life.   

[LennStar]

My MPP: I now have a credit. I never intended to get a credit. But it have now.

Because it is effectivly 1,5% interest per year for the sum, for ten years.
So if I put it in index funds, at 4% withdrawel rate, I make 1,5% profit after taxes. Not to mention if I don't sell and let compound interest work on that 4%, too.

It is not only more expensive to sell investments than to get a credit, it is actually more expensive to not have a credit at all!

[BicycleB]

Made such a big principal paydown on my mortgage that the system couldn't handle the desired amount.  Had to split it into two transactions over two days to make it work.

Ha!

You have fulfilled your screen name. Because you sliced the payment in two. Swoosh!