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Cheap option: bus to the desert and stay in a motel. Bam, no more grey Seattle. You could also probably find a $500-$1000 deal for an all-inclusive week in Mexico. Neither of those will suit your ego and need to bill yourself as a jet-setter.
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Jan 5, 2014 20:22
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Slow Motion posted:I really want to get the gently caress out of grey Seattle for a while. If anyone has cheaper ideas I'd love to hear them. Unfortunately I don't have any friends to stay with in central America or that would be on the top of my list. Welcome to being an adult, lifes hard.
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Jan 5, 2014 20:22
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Slow Motion posted:I really want to get the gently caress out of grey Seattle for a while. If anyone has cheaper ideas I'd love to hear them. Unfortunately I don't have any friends to stay with in central America or that would be on the top of my list. I like how staying within the country isn't a question, no, when a baller vacations it's only internationally. If you really need time off that bad, drive down to Portland or San Francisco or somewhere else nice on the West Coast, not everything has to be a gallivanting international affair. You could do a great vacation to Portland or SF for like $300-$400 instead of $1800. Seriously, you honestly didn't consider a vacation anywhere in America? Have you been everywhere worth going to already? Pleads posted:Neither of those will suit your ego and need to bill yourself as a jet-setter. loving A, this poster nailed it.
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Jan 5, 2014 20:26
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Slow Motion posted:I really want to get the gently caress out of grey Seattle for a while. If anyone has cheaper ideas I'd love to hear them. Unfortunately I don't have any friends to stay with in central America or that would be on the top of my list. San Diego? Phoenix? Both are a hell of a lot cheaper to get to and hang out in than Dubai and Hong Kong. Or just fly to Hawaii, stay with your friends for a few days, then fly back? Ugh. I shouldn't encourage you. It's not that you don't make enough to live a decent lifestyle...your base salary SHOULD be high enough to live in a fairly nice place, go out on dates, take the occasional vacation, have decent furniture, and still save a fair percentage of your salary. But you just take everything SO over the top...rather than a reasonably priced IKEA bedroom set, you go and get the bed that costs a month of your salary! Rather than getting a place with a roommate or getting a normal one bedroom apartment, you get a penthouse! Rather than flying to Honolulu to chill out with some friends and get away from the cold for a bit, you come up with a complicated trip to Dubai and Guangzhou! Meanwhile, your debt pile keeps growing, all so you can maintain this image you can't afford and doesn't really impress anybody anyway. One small thing unrelated thing to consider: I see you have utility bills that wildly fluctuate each month. Consider calling your electric company and seeing if they offer a payment plan where they average your past bills and give you a stable amount to pay each month. I did this, and it helped my budget a LOT. It makes it so much easier to plan when you know your utility bill be either at or very close to X amount.
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Jan 5, 2014 20:37
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I think when Slow Motion makes any plans he considers how it will sound on his facebook feed. "Going to spend a few days in San Fransisco to relax" doesn't sound nearly as cool as "Can't wait for my trip to Hawaii! After that I'm off to Dubai! Third stop will be China! #lovinmytwenties #youonlyliveonce #noregrets #doin2014right Bugamol fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Jan 5, 2014 |
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Jan 5, 2014 20:45
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blackmet posted:I see you have utility bills that wildly fluctuate each month. Edit: Just kidding, an Acura isn't nearly baller enough anyway.
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Jan 5, 2014 20:45
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The trip is just a way for him to brag about having friends in exotic, rich-people destinations like the UAE. I'm starting to get the feeling that this thread is less about getting your finances in check, and more about showing off your lifestyle. You don't listen to any advice given to you. You don't follow through on any changes you say you're going to make. You're in a worse financial position now than you were 3 months ago and now you're dead set on blowing thousands of more dollars on a vacation. Sure, you say it'll just cost $1800, but we both know you'll end up spending more that that. I'm about to stop caring, stop giving advice, and just cheer you on as you dig yourself deeper.
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Jan 5, 2014 20:46
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emptyspace posted:I'm about to stop caring, stop giving advice, and just cheer you on as you dig yourself deeper. You might be on to something there. SloMo, you're not going to fly coach are you?
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Jan 5, 2014 20:47
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I read the first couple pages of this thread, said hmmm I think with that attitude he will fail and not really change any thing and will continue to blame his problems on external factors outside of his control and then I skip to the last page and I was right haha
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Jan 5, 2014 20:49
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emptyspace posted:Sure, you say it'll just cost $1800, but we both know you'll end up spending more that that. It'll be at least double that, for one he's going to want to do something more than just sleep on people couches all day. Secondly, $100/night for a place on Hong Kong island itself is going to be pretty average hotel and nowhere near up to SloMo's standards. It's the same thing he's done all thread, lowballing his expenses while overestimating his income.
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Jan 5, 2014 20:52
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The Dubai portion of the trip is free? Just do that. And don't go buying a Rolex or Lamborghini at the mall as a reward for saving yourself so much on this vacation.
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Jan 5, 2014 20:54
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tuyop posted:The Dubai portion of the trip is free? Just do that. There's the whole cost of losing billable hours and that "guaranteed bonus" to start with. Also the shame of having one of your friends finance your holiday (which I think is a bigger factor in him ditching the idea myself)
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Jan 5, 2014 20:57
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Rudager posted:There's the whole cost of losing billable hours and that "guaranteed bonus" to start with. He can return the favor in a few years when he's debt free and back to 100%-consumption mode.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:07
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I'd say if a vacation is mandatory (it's not), take a weekend and go to Portland or the Bay area like WampaLord said. Hell, I'd say take a train down and stay in a motel or a Bed and Breakfast. I'd reccomend a weekend, because you do not have the days and work hours to lose.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:11
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wins.
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tuyop posted:The Dubai portion of the trip is free? Just do that. Visiting a friend for free isn't baller. Dubai is kind of the physical manifestation of "more money than sense" though so it might give Slo Mo some more bad ideas.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:15
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Slow Motion posted:It's as much a guarantee as my salary. Which is to say if I work the hours I get paid for them. My problem is motivating myself to work the hours that I used to.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:15
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Fiedler posted:What happens if you don't hit minimum hours and you have $0 in your accumulated bonus? It comes out of the next month's accumulation. poo poo hits the fan if the accrual is negative in December.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:18
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Really? There's no cap on how much negative accrual is allowed during the course of the year?
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Jan 5, 2014 21:21
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I don't know exactly how your review went, but if I gave someone a "so so" review where I talked about their best and worst work, it would be my way of saying that: 1. I acknowledge that you are capable of being a good employee at times 2. You have not been a good employee very often and you are on thin ice You should probably take that review more seriously
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Jan 5, 2014 21:23
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Slow Motion posted:It comes out of the next month's accumulation. poo poo hits the fan if the accrual is negative in December. What did your bonus payouts average out to monthly last year?
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Jan 5, 2014 21:27
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tuyop posted:The Dubai portion of the trip is free? Just do that. It doesn't look like the flight home would be free and a one-way ticket from Dubai back to Seattle is still going to be $800 - $1500 depending on how soon/far away his vacation plans are. I would also say that he's lowballing the cost of flights from Dubai to Guangzhou and Guangzhou home to Seattle. He could potentially get a flight in the $900-$1,100 range, but saying ~$900 seems like its purposefully going to the low end of things in his head so he can justify the cost.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:30
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Fiedler posted:Really? There's no cap on how much negative accrual is allowed during the course of the year? I'm sure it would cause problems if I went too negative. There are no fixed limits as the minimum is so low it's never an issue. So vacation options I've priced: Guangzhou with optional Duabai - $1800 for 10 days Hawaii - $900 for 6 days Staying with friends really cuts the expense on these. Doing a week in socal would be a cheap flight but the hotel would kill me.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:31
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HooKars posted:It doesn't look like the flight home would be free and a one-way ticket from Dubai back to Seattle is still going to be $800 - $1500 depending on how soon/far away his vacation plans are. Have you ever seen a baller in coach?
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Jan 5, 2014 21:32
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I think if he goes to dubai he will end up spending money on more very expensive things that he does not need, because that is what people do in Dubai
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Jan 5, 2014 21:32
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Slow Motion posted:I'm sure it would cause problems if I went too negative. There are no fixed limits as the minimum is so low it's never an issue. That's nice. Where, in your budget, is that money coming from? How are you going to balance your budget?
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Jan 5, 2014 21:33
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OneWhoKnows posted:What did your bonus payouts average out to monthly last year? 1800/mo before taxes. Sadly I earned pretty much all of that in the first six months. FrozenVent posted:That's nice. It would be a matter of spending less of my most recent bonus of debt repayment. People have pointed out that since I've overspent my salary 3 of the last 5 months I should probably put the bonus to debt instead. My salary overspending was ~$1800 in those three months. Slow Motion fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Jan 5, 2014 |
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Jan 5, 2014 21:35
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What are you going to do in dubai. Are you going to stay in your friends apartment the whole time? There will be more expenses and you will be peer pressured into buying more stuff Its like the worlds worst idea ever
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Jan 5, 2014 21:37
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Slow Motion posted:I'm sure it would cause problems if I went too negative. There are no fixed limits as the minimum is so low it's never an issue.  If you updated that graph with November and December, in which direction is it going? Fiedler fucked around with this message at 21:43 on Jan 5, 2014 |
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Jan 5, 2014 21:40
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FrozenVent posted:Have you ever seen a baller in coach? Fun story, on my flight back from San Francisco to Los Angeles they were offering upgrades to first class for only $50. This was a 50 minute flight, but a part of me heavily considered doing it. I've never ridden in first class before, it would be cool to see what it's like, and I can easily afford to blow $50 on something dumb like that. poo poo, I've done dumber things with my money (like Assassins Creed 3 Collector's Edition  ). But then I thought of this thread and I thought of Slow Motion and I said to myself "That way lies madness."So, thanks Slow Motion for helping me to curb my own "baller" instincts.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:40
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"help I need to save money" (takes vacation to most expensive place on the entire planet) I think this is more an issue for EN than the finance people to be honest, this isnt just a twenty something being stupid with money there is a huge disconnect going on here. You need to work more with your therapist, its not normal for your happiness to be this contingent on the thrill and attention seeking stuff you do in EN. Yeah people spend beyond your means all the time but in your case you are in serious denial (dubai wtf??) and probably have some mental health stuff going on. This isnt just a transition thing anymore, the problem is not with your ex wife, it is with you. The same craziness will continue to repeat itself EXTREME INSERTION fucked around with this message at 21:50 on Jan 5, 2014 |
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Jan 5, 2014 21:47
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WampaLord posted:Fun story, on my flight back from San Francisco to Los Angeles they were offering upgrades to first class for only $50. This was a 50 minute flight, but a part of me heavily considered doing it. I've never ridden in first class before, it would be cool to see what it's like, and I can easily afford to blow $50 on something dumb like that. poo poo, I've done dumber things with my money (like Assassins Creed 3 Collector's Edition I flew 1st class once from DFW to JAX, 3 or 4 hour flight. I used some frequent flyer miles that were about to expire, so it didn't cost me anything. The extra legroom was nice, but not really worth what they charge for it.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:47
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A "free" vacation is never free, even for most of us living on planet non-baller. If you take one, seeing your habits, I guarantee you'll be spending 4-figures for your "free" trip, and I'm not just talking airfare.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:47
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SloMo, stay in my guest room in San Diego and I'll slap you every day in the face with a wad of hundred dollar bills to wake you up, how baller is that?
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Jan 5, 2014 21:48
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slidebite posted:A "free" vacation is never free, even for most of us living on planet non-baller. Not to mention the opportunity cost of him taking one. You know what an opportunity cost is right, OP?
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Jan 5, 2014 21:49
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And further cementing his reputation at the office as "that guy who really doesn't want to be here."
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Jan 5, 2014 21:51
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Just coincidentally you chose two of the most expensive places on earth to vacation. I would be a lot more impressed if you spent closer to $6000 on this. No one will take you seriously otherwise.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:52
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moana posted:SloMo, stay in my guest room in San Diego and I'll slap you every day in the face with a wad of hundred dollar bills to wake you up, how baller is that? I would pay  for this kind of bed and breakfest experience. Where do I sign?
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Jan 5, 2014 21:53
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Slow Motion posted:1800/mo before taxes. Sadly I earned pretty much all of that in the first six months. So you're making around $70-80k base and made around $21,600 in bonuses. You're making a great living, but your lifestyle is putting a huge damper on your future. If you're more interested in the here-and-now as well as keeping up an image that nobody really cares about except you, that's certainly up to you. I'm not much older than you, but I was in your shoes about 5 years back and today I'm lucky to still have a great paying job, but I think about the literal 6 figure amount I should have saved up over a 4-5 year period of time and I regret it.
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Jan 5, 2014 21:56
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Slow Motion posted:1800/mo before taxes. Sadly I earned pretty much all of that in the first six months. So you estimated $2,158 POST tax as your average monthly bonus accrual on page one, and ended up with $1800 PRE-tax as your average monthly bonus accrual? That's a pretty big difference in estimates.
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Jan 5, 2014 22:05
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HooKars posted:So you estimated $2,158 POST tax as your average monthly bonus accrual on page one, and ended up with $1800 PRE-tax as your average monthly bonus accrual? That's a pretty big difference in estimates. It really is. See the graph somebody re-posted above. I've not been working anywhere near my usual capacity for the past 6 months. If i had been I could have been done with debt repayment by now. And that's all on me. I have no shortage of billable projects. I just have not been putting in the hours. Even when I'm at work I'm squandering a ton of time on facebook and news websites. I don't get paid for that. Hell, if I could replicate May from that graph for three consecutive months I would be out of debt and have a nice saving cushion. How do I self motivate to do that?
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Jan 5, 2014 22:23
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