Mustachian People Problems (just for fun)

[ixtap]

When we went on an international trip last year, I begged DH to confirm his debit PIN. He did not and was not able to withdrawal any money. Luckily, I had no issues with my card, but I asked him to sort it before our next international trip. Since we are leaving tomorrow, he decided to try it today. And he finally noticed that his card expired over a year ago. And that is how we found out that our bank does not automatically send a new debit card upon expiration if you never actually use your debit card.

Justifiable homicide.

Luckily, he has many redeeming qualities. Following up on the practical just isn't one of them.

[dividendman]

When we went on an international trip last year, I begged DH to confirm his debit PIN. He did not and was not able to withdrawal any money. Luckily, I had no issues with my card, but I asked him to sort it before our next international trip. Since we are leaving tomorrow, he decided to try it today. And he finally noticed that his card expired over a year ago. And that is how we found out that our bank does not automatically send a new debit card upon expiration if you never actually use your debit card.

Justifiable homicide.

A true LOL moment.

[Alfred J Quack]

I am in that position right now. I got encouraged (pushed) into a VP position I did not want and knew I wasn’t ready for and I am crashing and burning. It’s not good. I am trying to learn a new field while still stuck doing my old job, the new job, managing staff and doing subpar work all around.  It is not good for me or anyone around me. I can see how I might enjoy aspects of the work if I can ever get ahead and stop just putting out fires… but will that day ever come? 

I guess my MPP is that I do plan to downshift in a couple years. I might be more motivated to invest more at work but I’ve checked out early. Or maybe this is just burnout and stress talking and not a MPP but I do wish I had not taken the promotion.

@PMG I feel your pain. I was in this position 8-10 years ago. I remember tentatively inquiring about requesting a demotion so that I could go back to work that I loved and was good at, but when I got laughed at "NOBODY wants to be demoted! EVERYBODY wants to be where you are now!", I let it slide as my mental health spiralled. In hindsight, I should have pursued it, and recommend that you consider doing the same - before your health and reputation suffer irreparably.

PM me if you want tips or commiseration.

Been there too, for different reasons. Had a combination of 2 jobs where one was 25% of the hours and the other 75%. The business wanted the 25% fulltime but my co-workers expected me to fill the gap when someone took the day off/sick for the 75%. I told my boss, either give me one or the other fulltime which ended up dropping the 25% as a demotion.

Best choice I ever made!

[oldladystache]

I'm planning on a couple very large purchases this year, so I've been gradually moving money from stocks to short term treasury bills and CDs.

Now that it's time to take out some of that money to spend it, it's very painful to close accounts that are earning so much interest.

[getsorted]

People on Facebook keep sharing a meme that says, "If you skip your coffee every day, you will save $2,000, which will never buy a house in this market so you might as well just have the coffee!"

It drives me bonkers because $2,000 happens to be what I put down to buy my house in 2020.

[dignam]

...and I don't get why some will sit in a drive through line for 15 minutes to pay a ridiculous amount for coffee, when it's faster, cheaper and better tasting to brew at home.

[Alternatepriorities]

People on Facebook keep sharing a meme that says, "If you skip your coffee every day, you will save $2,000, which will never buy a house in this market so you might as well just have the coffee!"

It drives me bonkers because $2,000 happens to be what I put down to buy my house in 2020.

Not to mention that 2k per year invested and compounded for a standard forty year career is over 400K which happens to be the median price of a house...

There is always someone happy to justify screwing your future self over to give your present self some comfort. Some say "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled off was convincing the world he didn't exist". Maybe the Mustachian equivalent is, "The greatest trick marketing ever pulled off is convincing our friends to sell their products for them".

[getsorted]

...and I don't get why some will sit in a drive through line for 15 minutes to pay a ridiculous amount for coffee, when it's faster, cheaper and better tasting to brew at home.

My monthly coffee spend is $6 and I'm trying to give that up!

Not to mention that 2k per year invested and compounded for a standard forty year career is over 400K which happens to be the median price of a house...

There is always someone happy to justify screwing your future self over to give your present self some comfort. Some say "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled off was convincing the world he didn't exist". Maybe the Mustachian equivalent is, "The greatest trick marketing ever pulled off is convincing our friends to sell their products for them".

I am half convinced Starbucks produced this meme.

I made the mistake of talking about this on Facebook and someone told me "People need JOY!" And they do need joy, but joy is entirely accessible outside of $7 coffees on a daily basis.

I think that's what bothers me the most. Of course people need comfort and joy. But you don't have to waste your money and sabotage your financial security to have either comfort or joy.

[Freedomin5]

...and I don't get why some will sit in a drive through line for 15 minutes to pay a ridiculous amount for coffee, when it's faster, cheaper and better tasting to brew at home.

My monthly coffee spend is $6 and I'm trying to give that up!

Not to mention that 2k per year invested and compounded for a standard forty year career is over 400K which happens to be the median price of a house...

There is always someone happy to justify screwing your future self over to give your present self some comfort. Some say "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled off was convincing the world he didn't exist". Maybe the Mustachian equivalent is, "The greatest trick marketing ever pulled off is convincing our friends to sell their products for them".

I am half convinced Starbucks produced this meme.

I made the mistake of talking about this on Facebook and someone told me "People need JOY!" And they do need joy, but joy is entirely accessible outside of $7 coffees on a daily basis.

I think that's what bothers me the most. Of course people need comfort and joy. But you don't have to waste your money and sabotage your financial security to have either comfort or joy.

But but but…the Starbucks commercial told them that the only way they can experience joy is to buy a $7 super-double-espresso-venti-caramel-mocha-latte-frappacino-with-oat-milk-sprinkles-and-whipped-cream!

[Extramedium]

...and I don't get why some will sit in a drive through line for 15 minutes to pay a ridiculous amount for coffee, when it's faster, cheaper and better tasting to brew at home.

Im with you here.  I'll occasionally splurge on a coffee while out and about, as a true treat.  But I don't kid myself that it's significantly better than my own, and even then I feel a little silly and fancy.  It's not a denial of living the good life to make your own delicious coffee!

[jinga nation]

...and I don't get why some will sit in a drive through line for 15 minutes to pay a ridiculous amount for coffee, when it's faster, cheaper and better tasting to brew at home.

Im with you here.  I'll occasionally splurge on a coffee while out and about, as a true treat.  But I don't kid myself that it's significantly better than my own, and even then I feel a little silly and fancy.  It's not a denial of living the good life to make your own delicious coffee!

Yes! Can buy good quality coffee, and have it in a variety of ways, depending on the equipment one has at home. More fun to experiment. Sugar syrups are for sheeple.

My coffee MPP is that since I've graduated to buying good beans from local roasters and doing a fresh daily grind for the French Press, I now want to explore roasting green beans, wet or dry method, etc (based on another thread on these forums). A potential rabbit hole. Also related, Ze Wife likes to "complain/comment" about my purchases, but enjoys the delicious outcomes.

[merula]

I'm so disheartened by those messages and memes.

People deserve joy, absolutely, on a philosophical and humanist level. Under capitalism, no one deserves anything but what they can pay for.

They're using humanist arguments within a capitalist framework, and now if you say "maybe make coffee at home and bike instead of uber, don't make the billionaires richer", you're interfering with THE JOY THAT THEY DESERVE AS HUMANS.

[getsorted]

I'm so disheartened by those messages and memes.

People deserve joy, absolutely, on a philosophical and humanist level. Under capitalism, no one deserves anything but what they can pay for.

They're using humanist arguments within a capitalist framework, and now if you say "maybe make coffee at home and bike instead of uber, don't make the billionaires richer", you're interfering with THE JOY THAT THEY DESERVE AS HUMANS.

Wow, very well said.

[GuitarStv]

If you're not riding a bike regularly, you're already missing out on the joy you deserve as a human.

[getsorted]

If you're not riding a bike regularly, you're already missing out on the joy you deserve as a human.

I read this in Don Draper's voice, in front of an illustrated poster for Specialized.

[Dave1442397]

If you're not riding a bike regularly, you're already missing out on the joy you deserve as a human.

Some people would disagree :) Not me, though, I'm at 2,538 miles so far this year.

[Metalcat]

If you're not riding a bike regularly, you're already missing out on the joy you deserve as a human.

I read this in Don Draper's voice, in front of an illustrated poster for Specialized.

ME TOO!!!

[eyesonthehorizon]

I'm so disheartened by those messages and memes.

People deserve joy, absolutely, on a philosophical and humanist level. Under capitalism, no one deserves anything but what they can pay for.

They're using humanist arguments within a capitalist framework, and now if you say "maybe make coffee at home and bike instead of uber, don't make the billionaires richer", you're interfering with THE JOY THAT THEY DESERVE AS HUMANS.

Stunned ovation over here. This is exactly it.

[glacio09]

I'm so disheartened by those messages and memes.

People deserve joy, absolutely, on a philosophical and humanist level. Under capitalism, no one deserves anything but what they can pay for.

They're using humanist arguments within a capitalist framework, and now if you say "maybe make coffee at home and bike instead of uber, don't make the billionaires richer", you're interfering with THE JOY THAT THEY DESERVE AS HUMANS.

Stunned ovation over here. This is exactly it.

I hate with a fiery passion the word deserve. Do I have some nice things? Yes. Do I spend more on coffee than I probably should? Absolutely. But I don't deserve any of these things. I have enough money in the bank and I wanted it therefore I got it. My self worth as a human being or the morality of my choices up to this point has nothing to do with the amount in my bank account. I know people who are super lazy and have made truly stupid decisions that have far more money than me. I also know people who have worked their fingers to the bone and are the nicest sweetest people ever and yet are still scraping by.

Conflating wealth or consumerism and morality is just an excuse to deny human rights to the poor because if they "deserved" things they wouldn't be in that position in the first place. Grumble. I swear I'm becoming more leftist the more money I get. Or more likely to end up in prison because I slapped someone who "deserved" their frappacino.

[dandarc]

I'm so disheartened by those messages and memes.

People deserve joy, absolutely, on a philosophical and humanist level. Under capitalism, no one deserves anything but what they can pay for.

They're using humanist arguments within a capitalist framework, and now if you say "maybe make coffee at home and bike instead of uber, don't make the billionaires richer", you're interfering with THE JOY THAT THEY DESERVE AS HUMANS.

Stunned ovation over here. This is exactly it.

I hate with a fiery passion the word deserve. Do I have some nice things? Yes. Do I spend more on coffee than I probably should? Absolutely. But I don't deserve any of these things. I have enough money in the bank and I wanted it therefore I got it. My self worth as a human being or the morality of my choices up to this point has nothing to do with the amount in my bank account. I know people who are super lazy and have made truly stupid decisions that have far more money than me. I also know people who have worked their fingers to the bone and are the nicest sweetest people ever and yet are still scraping by.

Conflating wealth or consumerism and morality is just an excuse to deny human rights to the poor because if they "deserved" things they wouldn't be in that position in the first place. Grumble. I swear I'm becoming more leftist the more money I get. Or more likely to end up in prison because I slapped someone who "deserved" their frappacino.

You're definitely not the only one.

[LennStar]

You aren't leftist enough if you haven't been called a Nazi at least once for denying someone something they "deserve".

[merula]

You aren't leftist enough if you haven't been called a Nazi at least once for denying someone something they "deserve".

100%, and thank you, I almost never feel leftist enough*

I've been salty about this whole thing since I listened to a podcast that described "the inherent conservative nature of personal finance". I realize they're right on the whole (and they were talking about Rich Dad Poor Dad specifically, so I get it), but the entire FIRE movement is personal finance for people who believe in avoiding the spending traps the ownership class want us to believe are 'the basics', so we can sell as little labor as possible over a lifetime.

*Spouse's family has been socialist for a century, it's a lot to compare myself to :)

[ChpBstrd]

I hate with a fiery passion the word deserve. Do I have some nice things? Yes. Do I spend more on coffee than I probably should? Absolutely. But I don't deserve any of these things. I have enough money in the bank and I wanted it therefore I got it. My self worth as a human being or the morality of my choices up to this point has nothing to do with the amount in my bank account. I know people who are super lazy and have made truly stupid decisions that have far more money than me. I also know people who have worked their fingers to the bone and are the nicest sweetest people ever and yet are still scraping by.

Conflating wealth or consumerism and morality is just an excuse to deny human rights to the poor because if they "deserved" things they wouldn't be in that position in the first place. Grumble. I swear I'm becoming more leftist the more money I get. Or more likely to end up in prison because I slapped someone who "deserved" their frappacino.

Yea, 90% of the time when we hear someone talking about something being "deserved" it is for one of the following goals:

1) To justify harming someone who "deserves" to be harmed by us, the righteous justice warriors of the universe who do not ourselves "deserve" harm in exchange for the harm we do to others, or

2) To justify harming oneself by using one's money in a counterproductive way.

Bottom line is nobody gets the life they deserve. Some people are born with terrible deformities from day one. Some live in a place where they starve or get murdered no matter how hard they work, and are legally prohibited from leaving such places only because they're already there. Mother nature gives cancer to children and infects aid workers with malaria or river blindness. People across the planet are suffering terribly, and few if any of them deserve it. Capitalism is more like a highly effective system for incentivizing people to work hard for extended periods of time, not a system to impose fair outcomes on the world. If people understood that the universe is inherently unfair, and this concept of "deserving" does not exist outside our own heads, life would start to make more sense.

[zolotiyeruki]

I don't see how abstaining from consumerism makes someone a leftist.  Isn't capitalism all about economic exchange being voluntary?

But back on topic....

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

[Alfred J Quack]

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

Sounds like copper tubing? Chances are you can get it at a pet-store too because it may be used in aquarium systems.

As for my own MPP:
I'm currently 3 for 3 on job interviews (where one is my current employer). I'm still on the fence but I'm also kind of stressed about leaving my current employer. My wife doesn't like that option because we "only" have 50k in the bank (and no mortgage)...

[zolotiyeruki]

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

Sounds like copper tubing? Chances are you can get it at a pet-store too because it may be used in aquarium systems.

It's black poly pipe, and in 1" diameter, so aquarium tubing won't cut it

[RWD]

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

Sounds like copper tubing? Chances are you can get it at a pet-store too because it may be used in aquarium systems.

It's black poly pipe, and in 1" diameter, so aquarium tubing won't cut it

There's gotta be a cut-to-length option, right? Something like this maybe?

[eyesonthehorizon]

I'm so disheartened by those messages and memes.

People deserve joy, absolutely, on a philosophical and humanist level. Under capitalism, no one deserves anything but what they can pay for.

They're using humanist arguments within a capitalist framework, and now if you say "maybe make coffee at home and bike instead of uber, don't make the billionaires richer", you're interfering with THE JOY THAT THEY DESERVE AS HUMANS.

Stunned ovation over here. This is exactly it.

I hate with a fiery passion the word deserve. Do I have some nice things? Yes. Do I spend more on coffee than I probably should? Absolutely. But I don't deserve any of these things. I have enough money in the bank and I wanted it therefore I got it. My self worth as a human being or the morality of my choices up to this point has nothing to do with the amount in my bank account. I know people who are super lazy and have made truly stupid decisions that have far more money than me. I also know people who have worked their fingers to the bone and are the nicest sweetest people ever and yet are still scraping by.

Conflating wealth or consumerism and morality is just an excuse to deny human rights to the poor because if they "deserved" things they wouldn't be in that position in the first place. Grumble. I swear I'm becoming more leftist the more money I get. Or more likely to end up in prison because I slapped someone who "deserved" their frappacino.

You're definitely not the only one.

Yeah, the more I have the more left I lean, from a pretty conservative start, because the difference between me now & me when I was hungry & scandalously underpaid, is solely that now I'm treated far better, for working fewer hours in a cleaner, safer job, at a less breakneck pace, for several times more money. I know the quality of my peers, & it is not broadly higher than when I was blue collar.

One of my MPPs is moving to a nice neighborhood (not a wealthy one) which has raised my exposure to smug assurances that I'd "get it" when I had some money, often, bizarrely, from people with less than I have. I have to choose between distaste for their metric of worldly experience & the tremendous temptation to use their belief in metric to emphasize how very mistaken they are. Haven't slipped yet.

[PMG]

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

Sounds like copper tubing? Chances are you can get it at a pet-store too because it may be used in aquarium systems.

It's black poly pipe, and in 1" diameter, so aquarium tubing won't cut it

Try a buy nothing group and try your local hardware store and ask the neighbors. Someone is bound to have some they would share.

[Alternatepriorities]

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

Sounds like copper tubing? Chances are you can get it at a pet-store too because it may be used in aquarium systems.

It's black poly pipe, and in 1" diameter, so aquarium tubing won't cut it

Hose and hose clamps? Might not be the official way to fix it but I know of at least one place it held for years and years…

[Alternatepriorities]

Back to coffee for a minute. I was on a long drive Monday and stopped for a coffee. Just a  16 oz Americano. The lady told me $5.70. I couldn’t do it. I apologized and said I just can’t spend that much on coffee. She looked a bit shocked and maybe a little hurt. The last time I got an Americano was less than a year ago and it was under $3. I guess I’ll start taking my jet boil and areo press on road trips.

[getsorted]

Back to coffee for a minute. I was on a long drive Monday and stopped for a coffee. Just a  16 oz Americano. The lady told me $5.70. I couldn’t do it. I apologized and said I just can’t spend that much on coffee. She looked a bit shocked and maybe a little hurt. The last time I got an Americano was less than a year ago and it was under $3. I guess I’ll start taking my jet boil and areo press on road trips.

I take instant packets with me and get hot water from gas stations in a travel mug. I ask but they have never charged me. (I put the instant coffee in afterwards, in the car). Also do this on planes, because plane coffee is terrible.

[Alfred J Quack]

One of my MPPs is moving to a nice neighborhood (not a wealthy one) which has raised my exposure to smug assurances that I'd "get it" when I had some money, often, bizarrely, from people with less than I have. I have to choose between distaste for their metric of worldly experience & the tremendous temptation to use their belief in metric to emphasize how very mistaken they are. Haven't slipped yet.

You're the oddball to them if they knew, why "waste away" when you can afford luxury? Would that be considered their sense of entitlement speaking?

[charis]

One of my MPPs is moving to a nice neighborhood (not a wealthy one) which has raised my exposure to smug assurances that I'd "get it" when I had some money, often, bizarrely, from people with less than I have. I have to choose between distaste for their metric of worldly experience & the tremendous temptation to use their belief in metric to emphasize how very mistaken they are. Haven't slipped yet.

I've be so tempted to let something slip.  I had a coworker in payroll who is aware of my retirement and HSA contributions and once let this little comment fly, in the context of her own retirement account (at least 20 years in), "I think people would be pretty surprised if they knew how much was in there." 

[dignam]

There was a period earlier in my career where I would buy my daily coffee on the way to work.  At some point I realized it was expensive and wasteful (and home-ground coffee is much tastier).  That said, if that's what people want to spend their money on, that's their choice.  I'm sure some people are financially well off enough that $6 daily coffee isn't going to make a big difference, BUT that is the minority I'm sure.

One thing I will never understand is waiting in a long drive through line for coffee for 15-20 minutes.  The line for the Dunkin near me spills out into the street some mornings. 

[dividendman]

There was a period earlier in my career where I would buy my daily coffee on the way to work.  At some point I realized it was expensive and wasteful (and home-ground coffee is much tastier).  That said, if that's what people want to spend their money on, that's their choice.  I'm sure some people are financially well off enough that $6 daily coffee isn't going to make a big difference, BUT that is the minority I'm sure.

One thing I will never understand is waiting in a long drive through line for coffee for 15-20 minutes.  The line for the Dunkin near me spills out into the street some mornings.

$6??? McDonald's raised their price to $1.50 from $1 and I stopped going.... who the hell pays $6 for coffee? Where are they going? The Ritz?

[dignam]

There was a period earlier in my career where I would buy my daily coffee on the way to work.  At some point I realized it was expensive and wasteful (and home-ground coffee is much tastier).  That said, if that's what people want to spend their money on, that's their choice.  I'm sure some people are financially well off enough that $6 daily coffee isn't going to make a big difference, BUT that is the minority I'm sure.

One thing I will never understand is waiting in a long drive through line for coffee for 15-20 minutes.  The line for the Dunkin near me spills out into the street some mornings.

$6??? McDonald's raised their price to $1.50 from $1 and I stopped going.... who the hell pays $6 for coffee? Where are they going? The Ritz?

People like to load up their drink with various forms of sugar and carbs.

[dividendman]

There was a period earlier in my career where I would buy my daily coffee on the way to work.  At some point I realized it was expensive and wasteful (and home-ground coffee is much tastier).  That said, if that's what people want to spend their money on, that's their choice.  I'm sure some people are financially well off enough that $6 daily coffee isn't going to make a big difference, BUT that is the minority I'm sure.

One thing I will never understand is waiting in a long drive through line for coffee for 15-20 minutes.  The line for the Dunkin near me spills out into the street some mornings.

$6??? McDonald's raised their price to $1.50 from $1 and I stopped going.... who the hell pays $6 for coffee? Where are they going? The Ritz?

People like to load up their drink with various forms of sugar and carbs.

I've never actually been to a fancy coffee store (i.e. Starbucks or whatever they are now), but I thought the cream and sugar and stuff was free to add?

[glacio09]

Oh I have an interesting problem! I've been looking for a bed frame for about two years now (I have very specific wants involving a very annoying cat but the free one I have is still fine). I finally found one that was still stupid expensive, but it was the first under $1,000 that I've found. Bought it online a week ago, paid for it, got the email and it showed up under pending on my credit card. I've been waiting for it to move out of pending so that I can pay for it out of my fun money account. Instead it disappeared. I asked my husband and he looked at the website. There is no longer a record of the sale in his account. We figured that because it was a clearance sale that someone else bought the last one before us and the deal was cancelled. No harm no foul for us since it was a bit more money than I wanted in the first place. I was annoyed that we didn't get an email but whatever.

THE TWIST: Last night my husband got an email that the delivery is scheduled for tomorrow. Thankfully we're both working from home so no big deal, but WTF. Are we getting the frame? Are we not? The MPP is the moral quandary if they do delivery and we're never charged. Most non-mustachians would never know they weren't charged, but also they would pissed if they hadn't realized they weren't charged.

I'll probably give them a call this afternoon. Being a mustachian is not having blissful ignorance.

[getsorted]

It's not at all hard to spend $6 at Starbucks. Or more-- I think they charge something like 70 cents per extra pump of their flavored syrups (I can't be sure; I can't stand sweet coffee or flavored coffee).

You can get an Americano or brewed coffee for less and add milk and sugar for free, but it's still going to be $3-4.

Source: Have been to a Starbucks. (I'll turn in my Mustachian card on my way out)

[LennStar]

One thing I will never understand is waiting in a long drive through line for coffee for 15-20 minutes.  The line for the Dunkin near me spills out into the street some mornings.

I can't say from personal experience, but in every video I have seen where people actually got into those drive through stores that was a free parkign spot in the front and (nearly) nobody inside, so they actually got their burgers or whatever faster than in the drive in. All while not having to be careful to move whenever one car is finished. 

Drive thoughs, probably the most mysterious thing in the US for me. After the gun and religious nuts, that is.

[Blissful Biker]

Drive thoughs, probably the most mysterious thing in the US for me.

Ha!  I agree.  Drive through banks, drive through pharmacies, drive through vaccinations, WTF?  It's the strangest thing.

[erp]

Back to coffee for a minute. I was on a long drive Monday and stopped for a coffee. Just a  16 oz Americano. The lady told me $5.70. I couldn’t do it. I apologized and said I just can’t spend that much on coffee. She looked a bit shocked and maybe a little hurt. The last time I got an Americano was less than a year ago and it was under $3. I guess I’ll start taking my jet boil and areo press on road trips.

What? $6? That's alarming. It does make me feel better about my splurge on the aeropress though - I think it was about $60, but I use it almost every day and it's just so good.

[getsorted]

Back to coffee for a minute. I was on a long drive Monday and stopped for a coffee. Just a  16 oz Americano. The lady told me $5.70. I couldn’t do it. I apologized and said I just can’t spend that much on coffee. She looked a bit shocked and maybe a little hurt. The last time I got an Americano was less than a year ago and it was under $3. I guess I’ll start taking my jet boil and areo press on road trips.

What? $6? That's alarming. It does make me feel better about my splurge on the aeropress though - I think it was about $60, but I use it almost every day and it's just so good.

I used a friend's Aeropress years ago and it does make such a great cup of coffee. I keep hoping I'll find one at a yard sale eventually.

[Alternatepriorities]

Back to coffee for a minute. I was on a long drive Monday and stopped for a coffee. Just a  16 oz Americano. The lady told me $5.70. I couldn’t do it. I apologized and said I just can’t spend that much on coffee. She looked a bit shocked and maybe a little hurt. The last time I got an Americano was less than a year ago and it was under $3. I guess I’ll start taking my jet boil and areo press on road trips.

What? $6? That's alarming. It does make me feel better about my splurge on the aeropress though - I think it was about $60, but I use it almost every day and it's just so good.

I used a friend's Aeropress years ago and it does make such a great cup of coffee. I keep hoping I'll find one at a yard sale eventually.

I was given mine by a friend as a thank you gift. At the time I really didn't think i needed another way to make coffee, but it's my preferred tool now... Sometimes, if I'm feeling fancy, I still use the espresso machine another friend gave me to foam some cream.

[Alfred J Quack]

I've got one of those ceramic filter holders that you put over your cup/mug. Bought it to replace our nespresso machine and haven't wanted to go back since. It may not be quite as fast but it uses regular coffee and it tastes great. Also saves a ton of room vs the machine 😗

[NorCal]

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

Sounds like copper tubing? Chances are you can get it at a pet-store too because it may be used in aquarium systems.

It's black poly pipe, and in 1" diameter, so aquarium tubing won't cut it

Hose and hose clamps? Might not be the official way to fix it but I know of at least one place it held for years and years…

Cross shop between Lowe’s and Home Depot. I had that same problem a few years back. One store only had 100’ sections and the other had 25’ sections IIRC. I forget which one I bought it from. It’s still overkill, but less so.

You could also probably make it work with 3-4 connectors and a few small cut sections. Each connector extends the line by maybe 1”. Although it introduces more potential for future leaks.

[zolotiyeruki]

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

Sounds like copper tubing? Chances are you can get it at a pet-store too because it may be used in aquarium systems.

It's black poly pipe, and in 1" diameter, so aquarium tubing won't cut it

Hose and hose clamps? Might not be the official way to fix it but I know of at least one place it held for years and years…

Cross shop between Lowe’s and Home Depot. I had that same problem a few years back. One store only had 100’ sections and the other had 25’ sections IIRC. I forget which one I bought it from. It’s still overkill, but less so.

You could also probably make it work with 3-4 connectors and a few small cut sections. Each connector extends the line by maybe 1”. Although it introduces more potential for future leaks.

It's a section of hose between two barbed fittings, so there's only about 1/2" between the fittings.

As it turns out, Menard's actually *does* sell 5' lengths.  But a neighbor had some spare that he gave to me, so we're all good.  I already had a crimp tool on hand, so the repair cost me about $3.50--the cost of the crimp clamp things.

[Dave1442397]

Drive thoughs, probably the most mysterious thing in the US for me.

Ha!  I agree.  Drive through banks, drive through pharmacies, drive through vaccinations, WTF?  It's the strangest thing.

My wife asked me to pick up a breakfast sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts when I was out early one morning. I purposely parked and went in to avoid the drive through, and the solitary worker behind the counter proceeded to ignore me for five minutes while she took drive through orders. Not her fault, I know, but she finally took my order when I started slowly waving a $20 bill in front of her. So much for being faster to go inside.

[fuzzy math]

I have a MPP:  we have a sprinkler system that has a burst pipe.  I dug it up and diagnosed it last night, and the repair requires a whole four inches of pipe and a few crimp bands.  The hardware store only sells the pipe in rolls of one hundred feet.

Sounds like copper tubing? Chances are you can get it at a pet-store too because it may be used in aquarium systems.

It's black poly pipe, and in 1" diameter, so aquarium tubing won't cut it

Hose and hose clamps? Might not be the official way to fix it but I know of at least one place it held for years and years…

Cross shop between Lowe’s and Home Depot. I had that same problem a few years back. One store only had 100’ sections and the other had 25’ sections IIRC. I forget which one I bought it from. It’s still overkill, but less so.

You could also probably make it work with 3-4 connectors and a few small cut sections. Each connector extends the line by maybe 1”. Although it introduces more potential for future leaks.

It's a section of hose between two barbed fittings, so there's only about 1/2" between the fittings.

As it turns out, Menard's actually *does* sell 5' lengths.  But a neighbor had some spare that he gave to me, so we're all good.  I already had a crimp tool on hand, so the repair cost me about $3.50--the cost of the crimp clamp things.

You guys are reminding me of a scene from A Man Called Otto....  :o

My MPP:

My former employer sent out a notice that certain people are going to be offered a pension buyout. There's a webpage, a formal notice etc with all this info on how the planning committee came up with the option and the timeline. In true govt fashion, the notice was mailed in May and the specifics of my options won't be mailed until Sept, with elections happening starting in Oct. Don't they know how obnoxious that is??? I've been stewing every day since about what it might be. Give me the 3-4 months notice to evaluate the offer, not tell me there will be an offer and the evaluation period will be short!