Mustachian People Problems (just for fun)

[secondcor521]

On the original topic, I thought of one the other day:

I can't use KBB to monitor how much my car is worth because the site only goes back to 1994 model years.  (I have a 1993.)

[alibean]

We can't help my kids' school by saving box tops because we don't buy anything where you get box tops.  (all processed junk)

[innkeeper77]

Stocks are on sale (DJIA at 200-day ma again) and it'll take 3 business days to transfer money from one bank to the bank that has my after-tax brokerage account. Grr. Somehow, it's faster to write a check from one checking to the other. Weird.

I currently work at a financial institution- and actually makes some sense. Because the transfers show up once the funds actually move, it takes a while. However, most banks and credit unions accept checks before they actually get funds, because if people deposited checks and had to wait for them to clear they would get upset. When I was being trained, I got chastised for not immediately releasing a check even though the computer recommended a hold- it was a payroll check and people "need their payroll checks as soon as they deposit them!" This wasn't exactly something I had ever thought about.. Feel free to use it to your advantage for faster transfers though! (Holds are far less commonly applied if you have money in the receiving account to cover it in case it bounces)

[Zikoris]

I was reading a finance book recommended in another thread (Smart Couples Finish Rich), and quite enjoyed it, but got stuck on the goals chapter - I couldn't think of a single financial goal other than early retirement, and they want you to come up with FIVE. I asked the boyfriend for help to no avail - we've been thinking about it since yesterday and are still at nothing.

We don't have debt of any kind to pay off. We don't want property or cars or kids or a wedding or further education. We travel a lot, but have enough money to just pay cash when we book something, so not really goal material. We max our retirement accounts and save the most we comfortably can on our incomes in our city.

Good book, anyways.

[Stasher]

I save so much money, I have to use taxable accounts.

That one ^^^ LOL

[Cromacster]

On the original topic, I thought of one the other day:

I can't use KBB to monitor how much my car is worth because the site only goes back to 1994 model years.  (I have a 1993.)

In Minnesota you could get collector plates and not have to pay registration tabs any more!  (but you are required to have an additional vehicle)

[Rezdent]

Got escorted to the checkout at the grocery store lately.

Mr. Rezdent and I were dressed in our weekend work clothes (read: we looked like homeless people).  The store was having a great sale on seafood. I requested a rather large order, which I had to repeat a couple of times before they went and got their manager.   Who actually asked what we were planning to do with that much.  Um, we are going to eat it....
The fish had to be brought up from the back since there wasn't enough in the display.  Although $150 doesn't really buy THAT much seafood - it fit in a medium sized box.
Apparently this caused some suspicion so they insisted on escorting us to checkout and then to my car.

[dragoncar]

Got escorted to the checkout at the grocery store lately.

Mr. Rezdent and I were dressed in our weekend work clothes (read: we looked like homeless people).  The store was having a great sale on seafood. I requested a rather large order, which I had to repeat a couple of times before they went and got their manager.   Who actually asked what we were planning to do with that much.  Um, we are going to eat it....
The fish had to be brought up from the back since there wasn't enough in the display.  Although $150 doesn't really buy THAT much seafood - it fit in a medium sized box.
Apparently this caused some suspicion so they insisted on escorting us to checkout and then to my car.

It's FOR YOUR PROTECTION.  Stop resisting!

[Less is More]

 I had a call from a branch of the IRD  that gives tax credits to lower incomes.(tax department in New Zealand) She was puzzled at my declared income
 as its less the a Sole Woman (with one child )Benefit.
 I am a sole trader in a service oriented business.
 Once I explained my very good financial situation .attitude to life ,lack of debt, and desire for a simple life , and that I only worked 20 hrs a week by choice she was satisfied but somewhat amazed !!.
 I think I may have given her something to contemplate.
Most people just think I am depriving myself because they measure happiness by status symbols and live a in a constant state of status anxiety and debt, so  I doubt many will rush to copy me any time soon.

[brizna]

$1M feels less than $900K because there's less digits :(

[slugline]

$1M feels less than $900K because there's less digits :(

$1000K -- fixed!

[lakemom]

Got escorted to the checkout at the grocery store lately.

Mr. Rezdent and I were dressed in our weekend work clothes (read: we looked like homeless people).  The store was having a great sale on seafood. I requested a rather large order, which I had to repeat a couple of times before they went and got their manager.   Who actually asked what we were planning to do with that much.  Um, we are going to eat it....
The fish had to be brought up from the back since there wasn't enough in the display.  Although $150 doesn't really buy THAT much seafood - it fit in a medium sized box.
Apparently this caused some suspicion so they insisted on escorting us to checkout and then to my car.

And this is why we strive to teach our children not to judge people by their outward appearance!  I would have been very irritated by such behavior.  My dh grew up working in the family retail business in an area where many affluent people have Summer homes and learned very young that those who dressed "wealthy" were usually broke and those who looked like bums were the true wealthy.  My father -in-law always calls those who try to appear wealthy the "ten cent millionairs."

[mjs111]

Oh my, it looks like the stock market is correcting.   With stocks dropping I'll have to try and remember my brokerage account password so I can buy some of these bargins. 
It's amazing, normal people buy consumer goods when they have 10 percent off sale.  But, they sell their stocks for 10 percent less.  Oh well more for me.

I forget which famous investor it's attributed to, but there's this great saying that the stock market is the only store that when it has a sale it makes people run for the exits.

Mike

[jordanread]

I didn't go into the office this past week, and it really killed my biking mileage. :-(

(Worked From Home)

[DeepEllumStache]

This Last Psychiatrist blog is blowing my mind.  Thanks, y'all.

+1

+1 That blog is interesting.

[tanhanivar]

Trying to convince the non-cyclist who is dusting you off after a fall that they should totally try cycling.

[HappierAtHome]

Forgetting which side of your car the fuel hatch is on...

[oldtoyota]

Nothing to add to conversations among friends and co-workers about the latest TV series.  Don't recognize 80% of the 'stars' populating the tabloids.

Same here. In fact, I've met two TV actors in the past five years. I've never watched any of their shows. It's strange when people assume you will know who they are...especially in the case of a soap opera actor. LOL. Um, no. Don't watch those.

[Middlesbrough]

Nothing to add to conversations among friends and co-workers about the latest TV series.  Don't recognize 80% of the 'stars' populating the tabloids.

Same here. In fact, I've met two TV actors in the past five years. I've never watched any of their shows. It's strange when people assume you will know who they are...especially in the case of a soap opera actor. LOL. Um, no. Don't watch those.

I randomly ended up in a German soap opera. I had to sign a waiver to be on it in the background. I had never seen the program in my entire life and still haven't seen the episodes I was in. Oh well.

[Bateaux]

No way I'd recognize 1 out of 100 actors these days.  Todays celebrities just don't stand out.  Gone is the glamour of decades past.

[LennStar]

Nothing to add to conversations among friends and co-workers about the latest TV series.  Don't recognize 80% of the 'stars' populating the tabloids.

Same here. In fact, I've met two TV actors in the past five years. I've never watched any of their shows. It's strange when people assume you will know who they are...especially in the case of a soap opera actor. LOL. Um, no. Don't watch those.

I randomly ended up in a German soap opera. I had to sign a waiver to be on it in the background. I had never seen the program in my entire life and still haven't seen the episodes I was in. Oh well.

Do you remember which one? Just curious.
Funny fact: One of (or likely) the oldest, named "Lindenstraße" (after the tree "Linde"), just got the "Linde" in the street cut down. I wonder if they rename it?  No-Linden-Street? ^^

[solon]

Goose Gossage opened a burger joint near here about 10 years ago. Apparently, Goose Gossage was a famous baseball pitcher. I walked in on opening weekend, and he was standing there. He said, "Hi! I'm Goose Gossage!" I had no idea, so I just replied, "Hi! I'm solon!" My brother, a serious GG fan, was mortified.

[jordanread]

Goose Gossage opened a burger joint near here about 10 years ago. Apparently, Goose Gossage was a famous baseball pitcher. I walked in on opening weekend, and he was standing there. He said, "Hi! I'm Goose Gossage!" I had no idea, so I just replied, "Hi! I'm solon!" My brother, a serious GG fan, was mortified.

I've always thought that was the best response. It's ambiguous enough not to offend anyone...except those who deserve it. :-)

[Eric]

Trying to convince the non-cyclist who is dusting you off after a fall that they should totally try cycling.

Hahahahaha!  Dude, now that is funny!

[hybrid]

Got escorted to the checkout at the grocery store lately.

Mr. Rezdent and I were dressed in our weekend work clothes (read: we looked like homeless people).  The store was having a great sale on seafood. I requested a rather large order, which I had to repeat a couple of times before they went and got their manager.   Who actually asked what we were planning to do with that much.  Um, we are going to eat it....
The fish had to be brought up from the back since there wasn't enough in the display.  Although $150 doesn't really buy THAT much seafood - it fit in a medium sized box.
Apparently this caused some suspicion so they insisted on escorting us to checkout and then to my car.

And this is why we strive to teach our children not to judge people by their outward appearance!  I would have been very irritated by such behavior.  My dh grew up working in the family retail business in an area where many affluent people have Summer homes and learned very young that those who dressed "wealthy" were usually broke and those who looked like bums were the true wealthy.  My father -in-law always calls those who try to appear wealthy the "ten cent millionairs."

Good for you lakemom, the reality is most humans are wired this way for better or worse. No sense railing against it IMO, people are going to keep tripping over the same snap judgment hurdle over and over and over again. Hate the game, not the player. Then play the game. If someone walks into a store looking homeless, they can and should expect extra attention given the very real issue retailers have with shoplifting and the like. Sure reads like the store overreacted, but OP stirred their suspicions to begin with because how many people dress terrible and then order $150 worth of seafood? Damn few, and thus the extra attention.

[jordanread]

Got escorted to the checkout at the grocery store lately.

Mr. Rezdent and I were dressed in our weekend work clothes (read: we looked like homeless people).  The store was having a great sale on seafood. I requested a rather large order, which I had to repeat a couple of times before they went and got their manager.   Who actually asked what we were planning to do with that much.  Um, we are going to eat it....
The fish had to be brought up from the back since there wasn't enough in the display.  Although $150 doesn't really buy THAT much seafood - it fit in a medium sized box.
Apparently this caused some suspicion so they insisted on escorting us to checkout and then to my car.

And this is why we strive to teach our children not to judge people by their outward appearance!  I would have been very irritated by such behavior.  My dh grew up working in the family retail business in an area where many affluent people have Summer homes and learned very young that those who dressed "wealthy" were usually broke and those who looked like bums were the true wealthy.  My father -in-law always calls those who try to appear wealthy the "ten cent millionairs."

Good for you lakemom, the reality is most humans are wired this way for better or worse. No sense railing against it IMO, people are going to keep tripping over the same snap judgment hurdle over and over and over again. Hate the game, not the player. Then play the game. If someone walks into a store looking homeless, they can and should expect extra attention given the very real issue retailers have with shoplifting and the like. Sure reads like the store overreacted, but OP stirred their suspicions to begin with because how many people dress terrible and then order $150 worth of seafood? Damn few, and thus the extra attention.

I still kind of like the mental image of them escorting them out so that someone doesn't try to jump them for all that deliciousness.

[frugledoc]

I can't take advantage of 0% offers on credit cards for 1 - 2 years because I'd rather just pay the cash outright and then forget about it.

[Basenji]

I have to endure repeated, increasingly frantic snail mail and email reminders from magazines (subscriptions I've decided to let expire) that THIS IS YOUR LAST ISSUE!

[kyanamerinas]

Nothing to add to conversations among friends and co-workers about the latest TV series.  Don't recognize 80% of the 'stars' populating the tabloids.

Same here. In fact, I've met two TV actors in the past five years. I've never watched any of their shows. It's strange when people assume you will know who they are...especially in the case of a soap opera actor. LOL. Um, no. Don't watch those.

Lol, that happened to me a few years ago too. Some guy who won Survivor....Rupert maybe....came into a store I worked at. Everyone was freaking out and getting pictures with him and I had no freaking clue who he was. I have still never watched an episode of Survivor and don't care to at all

i worked in hospitality (usually normal people upgrading for a special occasion rather than vips) and once spent 20 minutes chatting some famous american comedian, still can never remember their name. don't know if they were offended by my lack of fuss or impressed.

[The Borgs]

Nothing to add to conversations among friends and co-workers about the latest TV series.  Don't recognize 80% of the 'stars' populating the tabloids.

Same here. In fact, I've met two TV actors in the past five years. I've never watched any of their shows. It's strange when people assume you will know who they are...especially in the case of a soap opera actor. LOL. Um, no. Don't watch those.

Lol, that happened to me a few years ago too. Some guy who won Survivor....Rupert maybe....came into a store I worked at. Everyone was freaking out and getting pictures with him and I had no freaking clue who he was. I have still never watched an episode of Survivor and don't care to at all

i worked in hospitality (usually normal people upgrading for a special occasion rather than vips) and once spent 20 minutes chatting some famous american comedian, still can never remember their name. don't know if they were offended by my lack of fuss or impressed.

I was volunteering at a charity shop when a couple came to the counter with a stack of cookbooks to purchase. I asked if they were planning anything special and they said yes, they asked if I watched "My Kitchen Rules". I said no, I wasn't into reality TV at all and found those kind of shows to be a bit catty. I mean, if someone cooks you dinner, even if it looks like turd on a plate, you smile, try and eat what you can, smile some more and thank them profusely. You don't nitpick every part of the meal, it's cooking - sometimes it goes wrong, but mostly it's edible. Turns out they were on the show....

[LennStar]

I won't get myself a credit card because I am quite sure I can't get the 2000€ minimum/year to have it free of fees. And I will be damned if I pay someone to spy on me.


btw: putting "I" in italics looks LOL in code ;)

[2ndTimer]

Trying to look interested when people tell you about what they saw on television.   

[jo552006]

I do so many things myself that I am almost ashamed when I have to outsource something.  It is worse when I outsource something because I am personally not bad-ass enough (like my roof on a tall colonial) or I don't want to do something, because then I feel it's a frivelous expense.

[horsepoor]

I want an excuse to leave work and go run errands, but there's nothing I need to go do or buy, not even groceries (going for a walk won't work, a thunder storm is rolling in right now).

[Bob W]

On my recent family vacation (there were 22 of us)  I couldn't get over how obsessed everyone was with talking about restaurants and the food they ate there.    My father in law took several of us to a pricey steak house.  I ordered a hamburger.  It was terrible and I only ate half.   I know that most everyone there has huge debts but they were spending money on $40 dinners like it was their favorite hobby.

My in debt father in law even joked that I was wearing a nice shirt instead of the 5 year old ones I normally do. (a thrift shop purchase)  I smiled knowing that he is 69 and still working hard because he is in debt. 

So I guess my biggest problem is that I really don't get it?  If you're 60K in student loan debts why in the hell are you buying $40 dinners and $4 coffees?

My second biggest problem.  How do you explain to someone that buying $40 dinners when your in debt is a bad idea?  An worse yet,  "why are you on vacation, when you should be working to pay off that debt?"

Being frugal is certainly a different lifestyle that most others live. 

[tanhanivar]

I kind of keep up on TV indirectly via overheard social media conversations. It's the discussions of recent funny/offensive advertisements that catch me unawares.

[robotclown]

I "misplaced" about 1000 dollars on my financial spreadsheet (thought I had it set to sum, but it was actually added individually, and I forgot to link it.)

So, like unmustachians, my whole paycheck was gone by payday.  Unlike them, it only took two button clicks to recover it.

[eyesonthehorizon]

Ooh! I finally have one!

I was using Learnvest's free site to track my financial picture and slow slog out of debt, and checking my finances got to be a daily or multiple-times-daily ritual, but now I've paid off all my student loans. When I pull up the mobile app a good chunk of screen real estate at the top, devoted to a summary calculation of Assets - Debts = Net Worth, is now borderline useless since my debts are at most $100 from paying all my bills at once on a credit card.

Best "problem" ever. I guess I need to move to Personal Capital?

[LennStar]

I had to restart my new computer 20 times to find a good undervolting spot for everyday use.
Currently I am fighting with the 50W frontier for the whole system (not screen) for full (~30% underclocked) CPU use.

Other people overclock, I do the opposite, getting 70% of power for 50% of juice. And can always change to max power if I need. But try to tell that someone else.
"You slow your system intentionally?"
"No, you dont feel it. I just have 2 configurations, one for gaming demanding games, one for everything else, and saving 100-200€ over the livetime for a day or two of fiddling and 3 clicks sometimes."


Disclaimer: Normal people are better off just using the now very effective and advanced power saving things that are active by default on not-old computers. A desktop idling under 30W is amazing.
If you - like me - are donating computer power to science, it pays to undervolt, especially if you run it 10+ hours a day or even 24/7

[Alfred J Quack]

@LennStar: Windows 7 also has some excelent options to reduce consumtion (I'm nog going undervolt my laptop :P). Things like max CPU percentage and PCI bus speed settings were quite helpfull.

This laptop with a Core i3 and Samsung SSD is clocked at around 25W with display on. With the display off I'm guessing it's around 12W when not doing too much.

I've also recently "upgraded" my server. It's now running on a Wyse C10le thin client with under 7W of continious draw. The little bugger hosts a Wordpress site, proxyserver (for filtering adds on my devices) and runs a terminal server for LibreOffice and such. Works pretty fast too :)

[stripey]

Forgetting which side of your car the fuel hatch is on...

+1

Also, having not being able to find a pair of suitably sized jeans at the op shop recently and requiring a pair for various reasons relatively soon, I resolved to purchase a pair new. Went into the shop, needed a lot of help from the sales assistant because not only did I not know what jeans size I usually take, I had no idea of what style I usually have. The poor lady could not comprehend that I had never purchased a pair of jeans new before... ever.

[2ndTimer]

I recently stopped to ask another female bicyclist her opinion of the best padded shorts for long distances.  Turned out that she didn't know anything about new shorts either since she too had bought hers at a thrift store.  Realized I should have asked a cyclist outside REI instead of one outside Value Village.

[tardis]

I'm upset at how much I have spend on food and the time I need to cook/eat in order to counteract a fast metabolism.  :(

I've been eating the same as ever but a bit cheaper post MMM (long time vegetarian, making my own bread, making almost everything from scratch, dried beans, sale items, buying in bulk etc.) and still spending the same on groceries only for me as some of the lower numbers people mentioned for a couple in one of the "how much do you spend on groceries" threads.  On top of that, I was losing weight I didn't really expect/want to, and doing the same or less exercise as ever (+/-4-6km walking per day and a desk job) so I decided to tally up how many calories I was eating.  Turns out it was around 3500 most days.  On the plus side, I'm doing a good job money-wise of feeding the equivalent of of two people.

[Grid]

I'm upset at how much I have spend on food and the time I need to cook/eat in order to counteract a fast metabolism.  :(

I've been eating the same as ever but a bit cheaper post MMM (long time vegetarian, making my own bread, making almost everything from scratch, dried beans, sale items, buying in bulk etc.) and still spending the same on groceries only for me as some of the lower numbers people mentioned for a couple in one of the "how much do you spend on groceries" threads.  On top of that, I was losing weight I didn't really expect/want to, and doing the same or less exercise as ever (+/-4-6km walking per day and a desk job) so I decided to tally up how many calories I was eating.  Turns out it was around 3500 most days.  On the plus side, I'm doing a good job money-wise of feeding the equivalent of of two people.

Wow!  I thought I had it bad.  I'm 6'4" and should be eating 3500 calories a day when not so active.  I am somewhat upset at the effort that goes into eating enough food to stay healthy - enough so that when I'm not careful I only end up with 2000 and start losing weight.  I'm complaining about just being a relatively large person and active at this point, but food is also the largest item in my budget.

[iris lily]

I can't take advantage of 0% offers on credit cards for 1 - 2 years because I'd rather just pay the cash outright and then forget about it.

I know, and I keep thinking that in retirement when we have more time to fuss around with this stuff, maybe we should leverage those offers.

DH is very old school and he pays bills by check, but holds them until the last minutes to earn every cent of interest we can on the money. And of course in this environment of low low interest, it's crazy not worth it. But maybe with a substantial purchase, it might be worth using one of those credit cards. Unfortunately we aren't up for a new anything in the new few years, it's all nickel and dime stuff for home improvements.

[tardis]

Wow!  I thought I had it bad.  I'm 6'4" and should be eating 3500 calories a day when not so active.

I'm 5'-9", 145 pounds and female....  :(  I eat more than my 6-2" 19 year old brother, though admittedly I'm usually more active than he is.  I was actually kind of worried about all of this and phoned my parents (both doctors) and they, having had me eat them out of house and home for years, told me not to worry, haha.

Edit:  Just rechecked my chart because the numbers seemed a bit off.  The calorie count was low 3000s rather than 3500 which makes more sense.  My memory was inflating things.

[Paul der Krake]

DH is very old school and he pays bills by check, but holds them until the last minutes to earn every cent of interest we can on the money. And of course in this environment of low low interest, it's crazy not worth it.

Unless he uses something like BillPay, you also need to account for envelope and stamps. That could add up to a full $10 per year if he mails two checks per month!

[Astatine]

I'm upset at how much I have spend on food and the time I need to cook/eat in order to counteract a fast metabolism.  :(

I've been eating the same as ever but a bit cheaper post MMM (long time vegetarian, making my own bread, making almost everything from scratch, dried beans, sale items, buying in bulk etc.) and still spending the same on groceries only for me as some of the lower numbers people mentioned for a couple in one of the "how much do you spend on groceries" threads.  On top of that, I was losing weight I didn't really expect/want to, and doing the same or less exercise as ever (+/-4-6km walking per day and a desk job) so I decided to tally up how many calories I was eating.  Turns out it was around 3500 most days.  On the plus side, I'm doing a good job money-wise of feeding the equivalent of of two people.

If this weight loss is a new thing, might be worth getting checked out by a doctor. There's a whole bunch of conditions that can cause weight loss (eg overactive thyroid, type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune conditions). It might be nothing, but IMO worth getting it checked out with some blood tests.

[solon]

For American fusion/farm-to-table/whatever it's called, the restaurants that we feel are a good value typically run us $130 to $170. We budget for one or two of these meals a month.

What some examples of these restaurants?

[dorothyc]

Forgetting which side of your car the fuel hatch is on...

+1

My daughter told me recently that if there is a little sideways pointing arrow next to the image of a gas tank on your instrument gauge, the triangle points to the side of the car that the hatch is on. I never knew that before. Per Lifehacker - the side of the hose might be the clue:
http://lifehacker.com/instantly-see-which-side-of-your-car-the-gas-tank-is-on-1174049329