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I didn't really mean it as they are evil, just more a reminder that those companies aren't in business to help you, they're in it to make money. tuyop posted:I mean credit in general, particularly lines of credit, not credit cards. The idea is that saving up for something is a better than just using a credit card, building up credit is fine, but some people treat it too recklessly. If you can control it, go for it, but I wouldn't recommend using credit cards for people currently in debt, because that's just adding more debt to the pile. I'd put a huge wall of text about how it's okay for cars, and great for education and houses, but it's rather self-explanatory, as they are long-term investments.
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Aug 14, 2013 21:52
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tuyop posted:Yeah, so the trick is to not view credit as free money and instead rely on it only in the most dire, sodomized-by-a-pineapple emergencies. They grow up so fast.  It's nice to see your stance on debt and lines of credit with this statement. It tells me you've come a long way since your OP and will do you well on your track to paying down your debts and living within your means. Like others have mentioned, there's nothing inherently wrong with lines of credit (be it small loans or credit cards or car loans/mortgages) so long as they're treated responsibly and don't cost you a pineapple sodomy shitbucket camventure in a tent in the woods.
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Aug 14, 2013 22:45
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tuyop posted:sodomized-by-a-pineapple Is this some sort of common occurrence in Canada I should look out for, should I visit?
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Aug 15, 2013 00:41
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cstine posted:Is this some sort of common occurrence in Canada I should look out for, should I visit? Just some of the things a young man has to do to pay off his student loans.
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Aug 15, 2013 00:51
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tuyop posted:Just some of the things a young man has to do to pay off his student loans. So finally got that webcam show going.
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Aug 15, 2013 00:57
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Got a call from the insurance company today, I'm approved for the income replacement. My first payment is 1700-something to cover 11-31 August, the regular payment is something like 2880 net. I've got a registered letter coming for me when I get back from the wedding. This will continue until August 2015. 
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Aug 16, 2013 03:55
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tuyop posted:Got a call from the insurance company today, I'm approved for the income replacement. My first payment is 1700-something to cover 11-31 August, the regular payment is something like 2880 net. I've got a registered letter coming for me when I get back from the wedding. This will continue until August 2015. Oh man and the payment actually came in! I have I guess this means things just continue as normal and the current project is saving to pay off the car loan. I feel a ton of relief though.
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Aug 17, 2013 12:45
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tuyop posted:Oh man and the payment actually came in! I have I'm glad the universe is temporarily done making GBS threads on you. It's also good to see you not treating this as a windfall to treat yourself to [macbook air/vacation/whatever dumb choices you used to make].
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Aug 17, 2013 15:51
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Tuyop, I just finished reading the whole thread recently. I never actually figured out if BASIL was code for weed or not. Did your manic brain honestly think you'd be raking in the cash growing an herb that sells for like $1/$2 per ounce? Regardless, congrats on wiping out so much of your debt! You've come a pretty long way from the beginning of the thread.
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Aug 17, 2013 18:02
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WampaLord posted:Tuyop, I just finished reading the whole thread recently. I never actually figured out if BASIL was code for weed or not. Did your manic brain honestly think you'd be raking in the cash growing an herb that sells for like $1/$2 per ounce?  You're ruining the joke by being a dweeb.
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Aug 17, 2013 18:26
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WampaLord posted:BASIL Does it even matter? Higgy posted:I'm glad the universe is temporarily done making GBS threads on you. It's also good to see you not treating this as a windfall to treat yourself to [macbook air/vacation/whatever dumb choices you used to make]. I'm still going to buy a Macbook Air before a six-month cash emergency fund, 20% downpayment, and whatever else that will take us all next year to build up. I'll probably get it when I get my student ID next month for the education discount. As for the future after the car is paid off using my pension, I don't know. We both want to move toward an 80% savings rate, but we're also tired of owning only worn out or broken stuff and dressing like poor college students and living in shitholes. I think we can have a nicer lifestyle without spending a shitload of money, a la MMM, but it's not going to be free. Some planning, saving and soulsearching is in order.
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Aug 17, 2013 20:26
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Higgy posted:I'm glad the universe is temporarily done making GBS threads on you. It's also good to see you not treating this as a windfall to treat yourself to [macbook air/vacation/whatever dumb choices you used to make]. Oh just wait. I say within 14 days either he gets lost in the woods and spends six weeks living on toxic nuts, or he drives his car into some quicksand, or his house suddenly falls into the largest sinkhole in Canadian history. Possibly he'll be attacked by a flock of rabid geese, trampled by a surprise moose stampede, or a herd of wild boar will invade his house and steal his new Macbook Air.
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Aug 17, 2013 21:09
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tuyop posted:Does it even matter? This change in attitude you're exhibiting is amazing. I've been reading since day 1 and I'm really impressed, you've sure come a long way Tuyop! Keep it up! 
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Aug 17, 2013 21:36
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Did you skip the part about the Macbook Air?
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Aug 18, 2013 09:05
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Yeah I still don't understand why it HAS to be an overpriced Macbook Air.
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Aug 18, 2013 09:11
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Rudager posted:Yeah I still don't understand why it HAS to be an overpriced Macbook Air. Does it matter? It's a computer that will last 3-5 years. I'm going to spend 900-1200 regardless of whether it's a Windows or Apple computer because I don't want a disposable $500 laptop. Who cares if I spend the money on a laptop that I want versus a laptop with specs that I can brag about? That $1200 is equal to five weeks of car expenses in our budget. It's not like buying luxury laptops is the reason I got into debt or the thing holding us back from our wild savings goals.
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Aug 18, 2013 13:59
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Spending money you didn't have is what got you into debt. Spending money you don't have is what's keeping you from saving. A $500 laptop will last 3-5 years easily, and have sufficient specs to run Office, or whatever you need for education school. Nobody cares about your bragging RE: specs, especially if it's about a Macbook. They're all the same and everybody has them; they don't make you special. There's no rational reason for you to need a Macbook. It's a want, not a need. Get a cheap laptop at the army store or whatever it's called. Beside, didn't you have a 17" loaner? Yeah it takes a bigger backpack, but really, it'll meet your needs for the right price. FrozenVent fucked around with this message at 14:06 on Aug 18, 2013 |
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Aug 18, 2013 14:04
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tuyop posted:That $1200 is equal to five weeks of car expenses in our budget. It's not like buying luxury laptops is the reason I got into debt or the thing holding us back from our wild savings goals.
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Aug 18, 2013 14:11
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FrozenVent posted:Beside, didn't you have a 17" loaner? Yeah it takes a bigger backpack, but really, it'll meet your needs for the right price. Nah I only had that for a couple of weeks and had to give it back. Now I have an Acer Aspire One from 2008 that a friend gave me. The battery doesn't work and it runs Ubuntu, but sure I can type and research on it. A laptop is a 100% want item, we've been through this. I can use the library or something. But if it's between saving 3100 next month and saving 2100 and having a laptop, I don't really see the big deal. The only problem is that that's also the cost of a plane ticket to come home for Christmas. 
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Aug 18, 2013 14:16
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tuyop posted:Nah I only had that for a couple of weeks and had to give it back. Now I have an Acer Aspire One from 2008 that a friend gave me. The battery doesn't work and it runs Ubuntu, but sure I can type and research on it. So you're saving only 2100 next month, then the month after you're buying the plane tickets so you're saving 2100, then the month after you're buying Christmas gifts - can you really put a price on family? - and you're saving 2100, then the month after well, you're already saving 2100 so what's a new set of tires... The laptop in itself isn't the issue, your spending habits - the cognitive processes that makes you go "Hey, it's just five weeks of car expenses!" - are. Its like an alcoolic having just one beer.
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Aug 18, 2013 14:22
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Tuyop, people who buy macs are just people too lazy to learn how to use windows or linux. Sure, they're great if you want to waste an extra five hundred dollars so every hipster jerks you off whenever you go to Starbucks, but I can guarantee you they aren't worth what Apple charges for them. Especially since you don't have as much control over it if you just got a dell or an acer. Splurging every once in a while isn't a problem, but you seem to do it too often, especially since you are in debt. You've made so much progress, please don't stop now.
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Aug 18, 2013 15:25
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tuyop posted:A laptop is a 100% want item, we've been through this. I can use the library or something. But if it's between saving 3100 next month and saving 2100 and having a laptop, I don't really see the big deal. The only problem is that that's also the cost of a plane ticket to come home for Christmas. So are you sacrificing the plane ticket to go home for Christmas? Or will you do both? You mentioned maybe taking a vacation at some point as well. Are you all done with wedding saving? I don't have a problem with you getting a nice laptop but there is a large difference between $900 and $1200 which you seem to be missing and there are plenty of nice laptops out there that fall in the $500 - $900 range as well that are at least worth considering. Pretty much any laptop is going to last you at least 3 years unless you're treating it like complete crap. Would you be happy with the basic 11" lower memory Macbook Air, with no additions or are you already thinking about going for the more expensive models? Are there any insurance options you would need that might add to the cost? I've got no problem with the Macbook Air but I dont think it's the best choice for someone who's going to be bringing it to and from school everyday. They are light and good for lugging around but they're also flashy and really, if someone is going to a steal a laptop, it's going to be a macbook over other brands. I assume you guys have renters insurance - be sure to add it to your policy if you need to and make sure that it covers off premise theft -- a lot of homeowners or renters insurance will.
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Aug 18, 2013 15:55
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Especially because you will absolutely have to get AppleCare, and that's another $250.
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Aug 18, 2013 16:39
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Regarding the laptop, I've read lots of reviews, looked at the laptop recommendation thread, and I'm pretty set on the Macbook Air, probably 13" with the 256gb upgrade. I don't want a Lenovo Thinkpad regardless of how cool and business chic the silly touch nub is.haplesscardsharp posted:Tuyop, people who buy macs are just people too lazy to learn how to use windows or linux. Sure, they're great if you want to waste an extra five hundred dollars so every hipster jerks you off whenever you go to Starbucks, but I can guarantee you they aren't worth what Apple charges for them. Especially since you don't have as much control over it if you just got a dell or an acer. Splurging every once in a while isn't a problem, but you seem to do it too often, especially since you are in debt. You've made so much progress, please don't stop now. Dude, no offense but you obviously just arrived in this thread and I can think of a exactly one instance in the past two years where I've "splurged" on something (Ikea stuff, $400). This is kind of why I don't understand the "if you buy this one thing this time, you'll always buy this one thing and end up broke and with a pineapple in your rear end" mantra. It's possible to buy a thing that you want and save aggressively for other things, guys. HooKars posted:So are you sacrificing the plane ticket to go home for Christmas? Or will you do both? You mentioned maybe taking a vacation at some point as well. Are you all done with wedding saving? There are a few problems with going home for Christmas, like how the whole thing is going to cost around $2500-$3000 (2100 is airfare if we buy soon) and we only have two months to save for it. And we already paid about 1700 for return airfare home this year. Christmas would likely be the only significant vacation we'd take until 2015. Not going is problematic because it makes it look like we don't care about our families regardless of what we do instead of buying plane tickets. Like, even if it all goes into a retirement fund or down payment or emergency fund, they might not understand and I'm not sure if I like that at all. Not going is on the plate though, yes. The wedding is next weekend and we have enough in the wedding fund for all the rest of the stuff we have to buy, so yes.
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Aug 18, 2013 16:51
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tuyop posted:Regarding the laptop, I've read lots of reviews, looked at the laptop recommendation thread, and I'm pretty set on the Macbook Air, probably 13" with the 256gb upgrade. I don't want a Lenovo Thinkpad regardless of how cool and business chic the silly touch nub is. This was bound to happen - once you found out that you have a guaranteed income stream for two years, you're already spending future money in your head (like by justifying an outrageously expensive trip by saying that future-you won't go on vacation, like that matters). No Wave fucked around with this message at 17:00 on Aug 18, 2013 |
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Aug 18, 2013 16:54
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No Wave posted:This was bound to happen - once you found out that you have a guaranteed income stream for two years, you're already spending future money in your head (like by justifying an outrageously expensive trip by saying that future-you won't go on vacation, like that matters). Just like I'm already justifying spending future money on a house in my head by planning to save for a downpayment? When does "spending future money in your head by justifying" turn into "planning and budgeting"? Because that's what I thought I was doing. I've got all the information for things I want like cost, due dates, and income, now I can just lay them all out as dollar amounts and toeshoes and I can decide what we want to do. If we financed those things right now using store cards or lines of credit, I'd call that "spending future money", planning isn't really the same.
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Aug 18, 2013 17:12
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tuyop posted:Regarding the laptop, I've read lots of reviews, looked at the laptop recommendation thread, and I'm pretty set on the Macbook Air, probably 13" with the 256gb upgrade. I don't want a Lenovo Thinkpad regardless of how cool and business chic the silly touch nub is. So you're already talking about a $1299 computer, which is above the $900 - $1200 you estimated you'd spend two seconds ago. And that's without the $250 for Applecare if you were going to get that added on. In your head you've said it's the difference between saving 3100 vs. 2100 but that would be the lowest cost possible macbook air. you're more talking about a difference between saving $3100 and saving $1800 (at best, without applecare, otherwise it's more like $1550). I don't care if you splurge on something you want, I just wouldn't suggest anybody buy a macbook air for a constant commute to school. Its too expensive for that. You just want a sturdy computer that will stand up to the constant wear and tear that the computer will face but you don't want anything so expensive that you'll be really upset if it broken or stolen. And Macbook Air's are just more prone than others to be stolen on campus. And it's not just one thing. Now you're justifying flying home even though it's extremely pricey. You could pick a different time to go home and see family when it's cheaper. HooKars fucked around with this message at 17:18 on Aug 18, 2013 |
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Aug 18, 2013 17:14
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Tuyop, I've been following this thread for maybe eight months or more, I'm not new to the thread. I know all too well that you won't listen to what I have to say out of spite. Despite this fact, I'm still going to try and help you. I'll keep it simple: Stop acting like you don't have debt. Stop acting like you don't have responsibilities. Stop trying to justify stupid things that you can't possibly justify.
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Aug 18, 2013 21:07
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I have a $200 used laptop that's last me about 4-5 years now. I am currently looking to upgrade to a $500 one that I'm hoping will last me just as long. And that's keeping in mind that most of my debts are settled and I have no large expenses coming up. You don't need a Macbook air.
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Aug 18, 2013 21:15
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Macbook Airs are great computers, even for the price, if you factor in build quality, form factor, resale value, and a bunch of tertiary things that Apple tends to do better than competitors (e.g. trackpads). That said, they're definitely high-end/luxury items. You can get a competent but boring PC laptop for significantly less.quote:I think we can have a nicer lifestyle without spending a shitload of money, a la MMM, but it's not going to be free. Some planning, saving and soulsearching is in order. Mr. Money Mustache posted:Apple Products - Unless you earn a living as an iOS/Mac developer, you may own one Apple device per person.. period. Upgrade every five years. Cicero fucked around with this message at 21:23 on Aug 18, 2013 |
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Aug 18, 2013 21:20
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Yeah, I've had the same $500 Dell laptop for like four years now, at least. It still works fine, the only thing missing is the '9' key, and that's only because I'm too lazy to put it back, I still have the key for it.
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Aug 18, 2013 21:22
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tuyop posted:There are a few problems with going home for Christmas, like how the whole thing is going to cost around $2500-$3000 Five words: "We can't afford it, sorry." If they've got a huge boner about you being there for Christmas, they can pass the collection plate and buy you the tickets, or they can deal with the fact that you can't make it this year. Going home for any sort of holiday is a hilarious luxury, and since it's going to cost you an enormous amount, either don't do it, or get them to pay for it if it's something your family is going to value to that extent. As for the Macbook Air, I'm going to buck the trend here and say that, while it's a luxury good, it's not SUBSTANTIALLY more expensive than similar quality products from Asus, Acer, Samsung, or even Dell. As for durability, the wife drags her pro to and from work 6 days a week in a backpack full of poo poo, and has done so for nearly three years with zero issues doing so. They're not ming vases that'll break if you look at them sideways. The thing is, that you can't have a wedding, and an air, and a trip home, and new furniture, and a new bike, and new bike shoes, and BASIL and and and - you have to figure out a priority list, pick one, and make a budget based around that. (As for what MMM would say about my apple collection, woo. I've got probably $15,000 worth of apple hardware sitting in my office right now....)
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Aug 19, 2013 00:13
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^^^They are in fact substantially more expensive if you compare them apples to apples. Where is home, how can it cost $2100 for two people to fly somewhere? That is crazy. There are no trains or anything you could take instead? Jeffrey of YOSPOS fucked around with this message at 00:24 on Aug 19, 2013 |
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Aug 19, 2013 00:18
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Leopards don't change their spots - even after 96 pages.
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Aug 19, 2013 00:19
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Jeffrey posted:^^^They are in fact substantially more expensive if you compare them apples to apples. You're quibbling pennies. A 13" laptop that's under 3lb, has a SSD, and lasts 12 hours on battery and has a screen that isn't 1280x768 is going to be a thousand bucks plus regardless of whoever made it. This really doesn't have anything to do with the thread, other than it's not COMPLETELY ABSURD THREE TIMES THE PRICE like some posters seem to think.
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Aug 19, 2013 00:40
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Jeffrey posted:^^^They are in fact substantially more expensive if you compare them apples to apples.
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Aug 19, 2013 00:56
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Jeffrey posted:^^^They are in fact substantially more expensive if you compare them apples to apples. In Tuyop's defense on this one, Canada is very wide and expensive to travel in. I probably live about a comparable distance away from my family as Tuyop does from his, and it'll be costing me somewhere in the $800-$900 range for a round trip in October. Taking the train would mean almost two days of travel each way instead of a six-hour flight. This is my first trip home in four years because it's just not doable on a regular basis. Going to see my extended family is a funerals-only deal because it means a six-hour flight plus an eight-hour drive, or a six-hour flight plus a three-hour train ride plus a four-hour drive.
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Aug 19, 2013 01:04
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Yeah, going from Edmonton to Nova Scotia by bus sounds like its own special circle of hell. That said, life's about choices, and saving for things ahead of time.
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Aug 19, 2013 01:11
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cstine posted:You're quibbling pennies. A 13" laptop that's under 3lb, has a SSD, and lasts 12 hours on battery and has a screen that isn't 1280x768 is going to be a thousand bucks plus regardless of whoever made it. Does an education student need that kind of specs, though? gently caress no. The most demanding thing he might run is the Office suite. Jeffrey posted:Where is home, how can it cost $2100 for two people to fly somewhere? That is crazy. There are no trains or anything you could take instead? Canada's really expensive to travel in, and he's looking at a train journey of 24 hours plus. I think they're talking Edmonton to Halifax. He's looking at 1500 a person flying out the saturday before Christmas and back the Sunday after on Air Canada, $1400 on Westjet, and Via Rail apparently doesn't even offer that service, what the heck. Edit: Greyhound is $420 per person (Sweet military discount!) one way, but it's a 3 days trip, one way, so I guess we can discount that. We're talking 3700 kilometers as the crow fly, about the distance from Vigo, Spain to Moscow. FrozenVent fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Aug 19, 2013 |
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Aug 19, 2013 01:12
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Considering tuyop's luck with transportation and the fact that he's going to be biking around with it in his backpack everyday, the only laptop he should buy is one that can survive hitting a wall, getting run over by a car, and spontaneously combusting. At the same time. The more I think about it, the more I realize he needs an absolute tank of a business laptop. Two days on a train isn't that bad. I've done a day and a half by Greyhound.
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Aug 19, 2013 01:18
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