Minor rant thread. Post your rants o' the day here!

tuna55 wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

Apexcarver wrote: Think I am going to start turning the ringer off.. Much of it is just that my phone keeps ringing when we are doing things together.

turn the whole damn phone off! I just realized that I post on this thread 5x more often to fix someone's problems than to rant about one of my own. I guess I am an engineer who has a high tolerance for personal problems.

OK, I got one. I have a mortgage, 10 year, 2.75% at $1400 per month. I have two dumb phones at $57/mo incl taxes, I have two normal car using normal gas driving normal distances. I shop at thrift stores. My wife fixes and makes her own clothes. We eat cheaply and simply (maybe $110-$120 per week all in for the five of us that eat), we don't eat out. We don't go to movies. We don't drink (maybe a six pack every few weeks). We have no debt not in that mortgage. I don't eat lunch out. I repair my own cars (obviously). We don't buy -anything- except for stuff for the kids, and we are not extravagant at that. My one big expense is sending Tunakids #1 and #2 to private school, and we get financial aid to do that. I have a good job as an engineer. I work OT and some of the time work a second job. I can't afford Lemons. I can't afford to go to lunch. I can't afford to replace the Cruiser. I can't afford much. I AM OUT OF MONEY And it doesn't look like it's going to get any better. I may not have enough money to buy mig wire and crap for the truck.

This is a result of the top and the bottom getting played against the middle. I'm in the same boat.

Stupid car keys! How did the pointy end of my ignition key get stuck through the keyring like that? I want to start my car, not do a tavern puzzle!

JamesMcD wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

Apexcarver wrote: Think I am going to start turning the ringer off.. Much of it is just that my phone keeps ringing when we are doing things together.

turn the whole damn phone off! I just realized that I post on this thread 5x more often to fix someone's problems than to rant about one of my own. I guess I am an engineer who has a high tolerance for personal problems.

OK, I got one. I have a mortgage, 10 year, 2.75% at $1400 per month. I have two dumb phones at $57/mo incl taxes, I have two normal car using normal gas driving normal distances. I shop at thrift stores. My wife fixes and makes her own clothes. We eat cheaply and simply (maybe $110-$120 per week all in for the five of us that eat), we don't eat out. We don't go to movies. We don't drink (maybe a six pack every few weeks). We have no debt not in that mortgage. I don't eat lunch out. I repair my own cars (obviously). We don't buy -anything- except for stuff for the kids, and we are not extravagant at that. My one big expense is sending Tunakids #1 and #2 to private school, and we get financial aid to do that. I have a good job as an engineer. I work OT and some of the time work a second job. I can't afford Lemons. I can't afford to go to lunch. I can't afford to replace the Cruiser. I can't afford much. I AM OUT OF MONEY And it doesn't look like it's going to get any better. I may not have enough money to buy mig wire and crap for the truck.

This is a result of the top and the bottom getting played against the middle. I'm in the same boat.

I appreciate fully what you mean, and I tend to agree. Not rich enough to live lavishly, not poor enough to need assistance.

JamesMcD wrote: Stupid car keys! How did the pointy end of my ignition key get stuck through the keyring like that? I want to start my car, not do a tavern puzzle!

I hate it when that happens. I had one get doubled back and stuck through the hole in the next key. Took a little time to figure the combination to that one.

All of you sonsofbitches selling cool/interesting cars at bargain prices are on the East coast.
Bargain + 1k to get it home = no longer a bargain

Slightly related note, the SOB who is allegedly a 'motivated seller' for an FB RX7 has stopped responding to my emails.

First day returning to the office . . . Mgmt believes six, yes 6 out nearly 100, employees need to come into the office to impress executives of the account we support.

I've wanted a 64 Fairlane for a long time. Well I found a 66. Different body style. It's 1,500 dollars. Fresh engine and trans (not in). I can swap an FE in about an hour. I want it... Bad.

I'm making payments on a built transmission. My last FE destroyed a C6 racing.

My Hudson Nash Metropolitan is in line for paint and body work In my shop (before the F100 trans)

I just can't stand to let this pass me by, makes me sick. I have the cash on hand but it would wipe me out.

In reply to tuna55:

I've been going through this the last 18 months. Here's what we came up with:
1. Budget the food. When SWMBO really dialed back the food (dried beans, grow more of our own, make everything from scratch) we saved massively, and we already ate "cheap".
2. Go through the bills. Turns out there's always another discount. We got our cable/internet, cell phones, and car insurance all down either by switching plans and/or asking for it.
3. Mind the variables. We really paid attention to combining trips, and doing things like meal planning and only grocery shopping once a week. That brought gas usage way down. Being OCD about the lights and water brought those down as well. I killed the grass and the outside lights.
4. Sell E36 M3. Go through your house/garage. If you haven't used it in the last 365 days, you SELL it. I sold tools, clothes, kitchen E36 M3, you name it, I sold it. Not only did it bring in extra money so I could buy E36 M3 I actually needed now, it made the house a lot cleaner/roomier. Everybody accumulates E36 M3.

In reply to Javelin:

Thanks

1: we buy everything in "bulk" - and by that I mean out beef by the half, our veggies in a CSA, etc. Beans, tomatoes, carrots, beets, lettuce, radishes, etc come from the garden. We buy up cheapo produce and can/freeze them. We only spend $20-$60 every few weeks at an actual grocery store, and we usually only go every other week or so.

2: We don't have that many! Our cells are super cheap, we have no cable/satellite, we've already been through the car insurance/home insurance (Once the ticket gets off my record, my contacts at Electric Insurance will save us a bit on those policies), everything else (mortgage, school) is non negotiable.

3: We're doing that a bit now - I am going to try and weasel a day off as well as a day or two in which I bring home the boys rather than my wife going out to pick them up in exchange for a few late days. We don't water the lawn, we have two outside bulbs.

4: I really don't have much - and everything is sold on consignment when the kids outgrow it unless it's given to someone at church or something.

I appreciate the ideas, though.

In reply to tuna55:

Well shoot man, wish I had more for you. You could always come weld up all the patches on my Javelin for extra $!

a new one.

My Mom. She's not that old, but is on eight prescriptions for everything ranging from vertigo to rheumatoid arthritis. She can't hold herself together very well. she walks with a cane. She falls asleep - deeply - at random, and has trouble speaking.

her A/C unit stopped working. She called the first place in the phone book.

$1400, they replaced the TXV valve and the capacitor and charged it. That's it. First off, that doesn't match any A/C diagnostic pattern that I can see other than "I have these parts on my truck, then I'll fix the leak and it will work great", but secondly, a cap is what, $20? They charged $189. A TXV is what, $100? Maybe $200? Nope, $819. Good thing they only charged her $329 to charge it!

So how the hell do I get her money back when she refused to cancel the check?

You could just about get a new AC unit installed for that much

mtn wrote: You could just about get a new AC unit installed for that much

I know, I think that is what they tried to sell her and she took option B, if you follow the babbled transcript of the sales pitch

"well, I can fix 'er..."

nocones wrote: You know what I hate. T-shirts and bumper stickers that attempt to build a market or brand based on looking like someone else's established brand. Drives me insane. Create on your own damnit dont just take someone else's popular crap and use it for your identity..

examples ?

tuna55 wrote: In reply to Javelin: 2: We don't have that many! Our cells are super cheap, we have no cable/satellite, we've already been through the car insurance/home insurance (Once the ticket gets off my record, my contacts at Electric Insurance will save us a bit on those policies), everything else (mortgage, school) is non negotiable.

in your original "rant" you said you pay $5X/mo for 2 phones ... I would suggest getting rid of those (when you can without penalty) my phone ... somewhat dumb is $100 every 6 mo. now your price might be higher depending on how much you talk/text ... Net10 and purchase air time twice a yr ... comes with min... if you need more it may or may not be worth the switch ... my phone itself cost only $25

that's all I got for ya

tuna55 wrote: OK, I got one. I have a mortgage, 10 year, 2.75% at $1400 per month. I have two dumb phones at $57/mo incl taxes, I have two normal car using normal gas driving normal distances. I shop at thrift stores. My wife fixes and makes her own clothes. We eat cheaply and simply (maybe $110-$120 per week all in for the five of us that eat), we don't eat out. We don't go to movies. We don't drink (maybe a six pack every few weeks). We have no debt not in that mortgage. I don't eat lunch out. I repair my own cars (obviously). We don't buy -anything- except for stuff for the kids, and we are not extravagant at that. My one big expense is sending Tunakids #1 and #2 to private school, and we get financial aid to do that. I have a good job as an engineer. I work OT and some of the time work a second job. I can't afford Lemons. I can't afford to go to lunch. I can't afford to replace the Cruiser. I can't afford much. I AM OUT OF MONEY And it doesn't look like it's going to get any better. I may not have enough money to buy mig wire and crap for the truck.

I lived like that for the better part of 20 years on one income. As the kids grew, and things got paid off, it did get better. Now that I'm in my 50's, and we have no debt (thanks to living like we had no money for 25 years) I can retire. It does get better, but you have to realize that your major expenses ($1400 mortgage and kids in private school) are your choice. It could be a lot worse.

Moving

Specifically finding moving company. SWMBO got a new job back close to where we're originally from, new employer will foot the bill for moving expense to a point. Their policies are asinine. They'll pay up to $5K for a moving company, and have a "preferred moving company," they suggest using. On the other hand they'll only pay up to $1500 for a moving truck/trailer. Why they're willing to pay so much more for a moving company is beyond me.

They've tried many times to get us to use their "preferred" movers, even though they flat cannot work with our schedule. New employer suggested changing our moving date, not possible with current lease agreement, and new lease on place we're moving to. Still new employer makes same suggestion over and over.

No other moving company can work, either due to our schedule, are way above the $5K max, or won't accept payment via purchase order from new employer.

Further silly policy, we can only be reimbursed if we go the truck/trailer (U-Haul) route, not if we go moving company or LTL truck route, really wanted to use ABF U-Pack.

We finally have a U-Haul reserved, but with the distance we have to move we'll still be paying out of pocket for most of our fuel.

• Lee

Can't find a job where I live so more than likely I will have to move. I am not opposed to living somewhere else I just REALLY hate moving. Also doubt I would find another place with a shop that is bigger than the house.

tuna55 wrote:

JamesMcD wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

Apexcarver wrote: Think I am going to start turning the ringer off.. Much of it is just that my phone keeps ringing when we are doing things together.

turn the whole damn phone off! I just realized that I post on this thread 5x more often to fix someone's problems than to rant about one of my own. I guess I am an engineer who has a high tolerance for personal problems.

OK, I got one. I have a mortgage, 10 year, 2.75% at $1400 per month. I have two dumb phones at $57/mo incl taxes, I have two normal car using normal gas driving normal distances. I shop at thrift stores. My wife fixes and makes her own clothes. We eat cheaply and simply (maybe $110-$120 per week all in for the five of us that eat), we don't eat out. We don't go to movies. We don't drink (maybe a six pack every few weeks). We have no debt not in that mortgage. I don't eat lunch out. I repair my own cars (obviously). We don't buy -anything- except for stuff for the kids, and we are not extravagant at that. My one big expense is sending Tunakids #1 and #2 to private school, and we get financial aid to do that. I have a good job as an engineer. I work OT and some of the time work a second job. I can't afford Lemons. I can't afford to go to lunch. I can't afford to replace the Cruiser. I can't afford much. I AM OUT OF MONEY And it doesn't look like it's going to get any better. I may not have enough money to buy mig wire and crap for the truck.

This is a result of the top and the bottom getting played against the middle. I'm in the same boat.

I appreciate fully what you mean, and I tend to agree. Not rich enough to live lavishly, not poor enough to need assistance.

Yup...same here. I live in California. Can't afford to live here and to broke to leave

Zomby Woof wrote:

tuna55 wrote: stuff about money

... you have to realize that your major expenses ($1400 mortgage and kids in private school) are your choice. It could be a lot worse.

I do, and it could.

In reply to tuna55:

Tuna,

I'll echo what others have said about the phones. A while back, we went from a typical phone plan that was costing us ~$90/month with all taxes, etc. for 2 phones. Not smartphones, just dumb phones. Finally had it, and called up Kitty Wireless (a Page Plus dealer). Page Plus is a pay as you go provider on Verizon's network. We were able to go to month to month, 29.95 per phone, no taxes, and got smart phones with a small amount of data and plenty of minutes/texting. Seriously, one of the BEST things about going to the pay as you go is that you get to cut out the taxes/faux fees/below the line price increases that the big carriers tack on to all of the bills.

If you don't need texting and/or data, you can get by for a lot less. I put my parents on it for their "emergency on the road" phones. They went from paying ~$30/mnth for their 2 phones (on my plan - This was on top of my $90) to ~$60/year.

Good Luck.

After the 4th "loading..." screen trying to watch a streaming Netflix 22 minute episode I give up. berkeley you very much AT&T internet.

I went to fire up the Xbox this morning and was greeted with a lovely update. 10 minutes later, I started to wonder if Microsoft had merged with Sony, and were having one big berkeleying laugh at my expense.

Why does Xbox charge money to use internet I already have? I understand charging money to use the whole Xbox live multiplayer thing, but I shouldn't need a Gold Subscription to access internet I already pay for to watch Netflix which also is paid for separately.

wbjones wrote:

tuna55 wrote: In reply to Javelin: 2: We don't have that many! Our cells are super cheap, we have no cable/satellite, we've already been through the car insurance/home insurance (Once the ticket gets off my record, my contacts at Electric Insurance will save us a bit on those policies), everything else (mortgage, school) is non negotiable.

in your original "rant" you said you pay $5X/mo for 2 phones ... I would suggest getting rid of those (when you can without penalty) my phone ... somewhat dumb is $100 every 6 mo. now your price might be higher depending on how much you talk/text ... Net10 and purchase air time twice a yr ... comes with min... if you need more it may or may not be worth the switch ... my phone itself cost only $25 that's all I got for ya

We pay $57 for the two of us, no home phone, taxes and everything included. We get more minutes (550), and some months we use them (especially when you add in night & weekend and mobile-mobile) and more (rollover) than the Net10 1500 would allow, and all of the other Net10 stuff is very similarly priced.