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Sephiroth_IRA posted:I'm hoping my aunt will still be around when I have a kid because she's working as a full time babysitter atm and I'd much rather have her (paid) watching my kid (and speaking to him/her in spanish/reading to him) than have to pay for daycare. Thankfully my wife is on board with me, and that's one big reason we don't want to live close to her family. I know we still spoil our daughter, but there is some discipline. She doesn't get what she wants, when she wants it, unless it's what we want for her.
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May 21, 2014 18:04
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Bobert51 posted:Ugh. I'm wrapping up the first month I've had a United Chase credit card, and I have it set up to autopay the full amount due from my checking account, but today is the due date and it hasn't autopaid yet. The lady on the phone assures me that it will go through today, but it still makes me nervous. After this month I won't be so worried but I really don't want to be hit with late fees while I have plenty of money to cover it just sitting in my checking account. I guess I'm mostly just worried I copied the debit number wrong some how and it won't go through Well it turns out there was no need for worry, but it didn't go through until almost 7pm on the day that it was due. I guess I appreciate them letting me ride the float of my sweet sweet checking account interest of .05% for as long as possible, but they should have some kind of warning about how close they cut it when first signing up for auto pay.
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May 21, 2014 18:33
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Sephiroth_IRA posted:Can anyone recommend any good finance/frugal living blogs? I really like Mr. Money Mustache but I'm sure there are others. Any (good) life hacky/frugal living/finance stuff would be appreciated as well.
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May 21, 2014 23:54
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Juanito posted:Just make sure you guys are on the same page with the discipline. for her. I lucked out and only have one in-law that lives in the United States. My wife and I are on the same team when it comes to raising kids. edit: I gave in and went out to eat last night for my birthday, $30 bucks later I wish I had stayed home and had sardines. Since it was my birthday I would have opened up the King Oscar instead of the Aldi brand. Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 13:38 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 13:18
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Bumped my 401k up another 2% - about 1200 total going in per month now with employer match. It's definitely starting to be something I feel in the size of the paycheck but still totally manageable. It'd be nice to be able to buy a bunch of stupid poo poo like my coworkers do(and like I used to), but it'll be nice to actually be able to retire and live comfortably in my mid-to-late 50s as opposed to anyone from my family or probably anybody I work with. Everyone I talk to except one friend is doing the minimum 401k contribution to get the match. And most don't have an IRA except for old 401k rollovers. Everybody I know has just accepted "yeah gonna work til I die." 
Nail Rat fucked around with this message at 14:27 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 13:59
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Your mention of your cell phone reminded me that my Dish network contract expires next month. I'm on the phone now to cancel the service.
Folly fucked around with this message at 14:28 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 14:22
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Eh edited it out for fun but no one I work with uses these forums so I'm not sure what the harm is.
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May 22, 2014 14:26
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Buwahahaha... I now know exactly what Nail Rat makes. If only I knew his name, I would know as much about his compensation as is readily available to the general public in Norway! Clearly, the world would burn.
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May 22, 2014 14:35
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Ya, I've always heard that the US is odd about keeping our income secret. And that doing so is not usually in our best interest.
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May 22, 2014 14:38
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Folly posted:Ya, I've always heard that the US is odd about keeping our income secret. And that doing so is not usually in our best interest. Information asymmetry in salary / wage bargaining is a very bad thing, and that's why they try to force you not to share your salaries. (Well, we rather than you. I'm in the USA as well. Generic you.) The employer knows exactly how much everyone makes at his firm and probably, at a large company, has a good grasp of what the rest of the field and local job market makes through wage comparisons. You do not know what anyone else makes at your level, nor do you know what they make anywhere else unless you've been networking with people willing to share salaries. You have no comparator except for your own salary history. It's a very one-sided negotiation, information-wise, and it's completely intentional.
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May 22, 2014 14:45
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Folly posted:Ya, I've always heard that the US is odd about keeping our income secret. And that doing so is not usually in our best interest. It's in the interest of the 1% that write paychecks. I'm just surprised they've somehow gotten the drones to buy into the concept.
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May 22, 2014 14:49
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Because one day I'll own my own bar and make the big bucks like my brother Quark. Seriously, I love the Ferengi. Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 18:27 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 15:19
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That advantage is fading, though, due to the availability of information online. But look at careers in the US where compensation information is available. A lot of those paychecks are based on factors unrelated to actual performance. Teachers, government workers, and university staff (excluding coaches) are all government jobs with published compensation. Their pay is usually based on "years experience" instead of performance. So it's not just the 1% that want this, it's probably also the top 20% performers in any job. Or at least it was back when employers gave raises. Edit: *their Folly fucked around with this message at 15:29 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 15:23
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Nail Rat posted:Bumped my 401k up another 2% - about 1200 total going in per month now with employer match. It's definitely starting to be something I feel in the size of the paycheck but still totally manageable. Yesterday I received an email from my mobile phone provider saying they're increasing my monthly bill from $18 to $20. They're also slashing my data allowance (not that I used much in the first place). Strangely, in spite of this they're probably still the cheapest provider in Australia, so I'll probably stick with them. froglet fucked around with this message at 15:36 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 15:27
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No sardines today  Milk and Crackers. I can't wait to move so I can start cooking again. I've been debating about getting a bicycle and making an hour long ride to work and back everyday. Getting up early to do it doesn't bother me but the hour long trip home does because there would be no way to avoid the traffic. I think my best bet is to simply car pool with the wife M-Thursday and take separate cars on Friday since she has to stay at work until 6:30 instead of 5 that day. Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 16:04 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 16:01
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Juanito posted:I really like Get Rich Slowly. Wide variety of topics. quote:So, in my opinion, there are some cases where it makes more sense to spend the few extra bucks instead of saving it. We’ve also done things like: Yeah I stopped reading here.
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May 22, 2014 16:14
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A coworker who eats out everyday tried to convince me to come to lunch today because this time they're going to a sit-down place, which they do about once a week. Last time I did this with them it was $26~, but luckily for me it was the first time eating out in two months. I managed to resist the urge this time. Must stay strong...must stay strong. edit: EugeneJ posted:Yeah I stopped reading here. Is that all you did? After reading that I gouged my eyes out with rusty nails.
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May 22, 2014 16:16
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Gawd damnit. My fiancee's car is about to poo poo the bed. I've never had to buy a car before so I have no real idea about the process. We went out and looked at cars last weekend, test drove a few, and settled on a couple that she fit in (she's 6'2") and would work for our needs. Felt pretty good about the prices until I got home and actually ran some numbers. Holy poo poo! How does anyone afford a car above ~$20k? We make just about $100k a year between us and the cars we were looking at, in the $30k-$35k range, had 5 year payments in the $600-$700 range. gently caress that. I don't know if my perception is off because I've never bought a car before but paying more than $300 a month for a car is insane. I don't know how people do it and I am really not interested in finding out. edit: there used to be a car buying/financing thread around here somewhere that I can't track down. Anybody have a link handy? TouchyMcFeely fucked around with this message at 16:36 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 16:33
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EugeneJ posted:Yeah I stopped reading here. Dear god. This is dumb as hell. I guess that site belongs in bad with money. quote:Holy poo poo! How does anyone afford a car above ~$20k? We make just about $100k a year between us and the cars we were looking at, in the $30k-$35k range, had 5 year payments in the $600-$700 range. It IS insane, but then again so is spending $100 a month on Starbucks and a very large number of Americans do just that. People want a status car. Going to drive my 2008 Hyundai Sonata for another ten years if I can, and my fiancee and I will never have two cars unless she somehow starts making the same kind of money I am. Even then I'd rather let her have one car and I'd walk/take public transportation. There's just so much you can do with $300 a month. Nail Rat fucked around with this message at 16:43 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 16:41
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TouchyMcFeely posted:Gawd damnit. Cars are just so expensive. Just look at the numbers, you're spending Thirty Thousand Dollars for something that will be worth about a third of that (if you're lucky) by the time you're done paying for it. And it costs a non-negligeable amount in insurance, gas, tires, brakes, and any other maintenance that comes up. No getting around it, cars are very expensive. If you can cut your tastes back you can get a new car for around $20k with most of the same bells and whistles. Or find an off lease something or other for $15k and hope you don't have any major issues with it. Also use services like truecar.com or something to get a feel for what a reasonable deal is on a car. Go in knowing what you want to pay, not what your monthly payments are. My wife and I are looking to buy our first ever brand new car this year, we're looking at a '14 or '15 hyundai sonata for the warranty and standard features, mostly. There is a semi-local high volume dealer that has no haggle pricing, they probably sell 1000 cars a month. $18k + tax and tags for a bare bones sonata, lowest price we've found by far. The popular equipment package which has a few extra features like seat heaters and rear parking assist is $1k more. Really waiting to see what the 2015 is like, and whether or not that will drop the price of the 2014 even more, or what. dreesemonkey fucked around with this message at 17:03 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 16:58
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TouchyMcFeely posted:Gawd damnit. 1) Take on a shitload of debt 2) Save up a lot of cash ahead of time Most people that drive cars in the >$30k range are probably in category 1, which is obviously not advisable, and it doesn't sound like you're in category 2, so your best option is find a cheaper car. The thread you're looking for is here, by the way: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3213538
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May 22, 2014 17:15
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I'm hoping she can fit comfortably in a Altima. I've had them as rental cars and would buy one in a heart beat if I needed to. I can find them around here with low mileage, all the bells and whistles (as was pointed out), for $15k. Still means we'll need to borrow to get it (which sucks) but at least the payment won't put is in the poor house and we can get it paid off pretty quick. Man it sucks when reality gets in the way of having fun. Those other cars were slick. edit: Thanks for the link. In our case we knew this was coming. She's driving a 2000 Cadillac with something like 160k miles on it. We were hoping it would go a few more years so we could get past the wedding (paid with cash) and have a fully funded emergency fund but it doesn't look like the beast will make it. I'd try to hold off but I really don't want to be in a situation where her car flat out dies and we're stuck in a jam. Worst time to make a large financial decision is when you're desperate. TouchyMcFeely fucked around with this message at 17:36 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 17:32
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Something to consider to is what you get for the money. $15k with no warranty because it is used and you will end up with an interest rate most likely around 6% or higher. On a 4 year loan that is $2000 in interest so $17k total. A new car around $22k and a good credit score can get you a rate under 3% petty easily so you only pay $1000 in interest. So $23k total, plus you get a warranty and such. So you have to weigh if $6000 is worth the warranty and knowing the car is maintained to your standards. I never thought I would buy a new car but after a bad certified pre owned experience I now have a 2013 escape and a 2014 Impreza.... I also am an idiot. (The Impreza was OK since I looked for used ones and 2 years old with 35k miles resulted in saving $3k so decided that was not worth it)
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May 22, 2014 17:57
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True points all around. The intention was to purchase new and drive it into the ground. Unfortunately since we're having to do this earlier than we had hoped we're looking for something that will get us through the next 5 years or so. If we can keep on track we'll be able to walk in and drop enough cash to get the car we want. Hopefully just buy it outright. Thankfully the rates through our credit union are sitting at 2.99 for a 5 year loan on a used car so at least we have that going for us.
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May 22, 2014 18:05
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I'm not sure how much I paid for my 2009 Hyundai Sonata but something leads me to believe that it was around 15-17k. It was my first (probably last) new car purchase and I naively was listening to my dad. The second the papers were signed my dad smiled at me and said "You realize I own you now right? You have a car payment and no job, so you better find one or you're going to be cutting grass or going to the river more often than you used to." I think that was the year I decided to move out with my girlfriend and when I stopped getting financial advice from my parents. The second car I bought was a 2000 Chevy Prizm for 2.5k (seems overpriced but the used car market was really bad thanks to the economy/cash for clunkers) and we managed to pay off the Hyundai in a reasonable amount of time after I landed my job. I hated my dad for it at first after a few years passed I realized that if he hadn't done it I probably would be sitting back home now, single and playing WoW in my old room. EugeneJ posted:Yeah I stopped reading here. Same. Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 18:26 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 18:06
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Trying to gauge interest here, if I were to open up a thread for all things relating to Consulting, Auditing, and Advising, does anyone see if I can better suit that to one of the megathreads? The perspective would be from my experience as an internal auditor/consultant and how companies and corporations need/justify external reviews and the like. Focus would defintely extend way beyond the "It's required by X". Thoughts?
Immanentized fucked around with this message at 18:44 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 18:34
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Get Rich Slowly used to have good content, but several years ago it was sold and the original content writers have been replaced. It is pretty close to worthless now in my opinion, even without the pseudoscientific/antiscience bs. Edit: I'd be interested in the consulting thread.
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May 22, 2014 18:38
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TouchyMcFeely posted:True points all around. The intention was to purchase new and drive it into the ground. Unfortunately since we're having to do this earlier than we had hoped we're looking for something that will get us through the next 5 years or so. If we can keep on track we'll be able to walk in and drop enough cash to get the car we want. Hopefully just buy it outright. I'm not trying to talk you out of buying a used car but you should be able to find a new Hyundai Elantra or Kia Forte for under $20k OTD, and they would have 10yr/100k warranties. My sister has a forte and likes it, her boyfriend is 6'5" and fits fine in the car. Right now hyundai has 0% APR or $1500 customer cash, might be worth a look.
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May 22, 2014 18:44
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handbanana125 posted:Trying to gauge interest here, if I were to open up a thread for all things relating to Consulting, Auditing, and Advising, does anyone see if I can better suit that to one of the megathreads? The perspective would be from my experience as an internal auditor/consultant and how companies and corporations need/justify external reviews and the like. Focus would defintely extend way beyond the "It's required by X". Thoughts? I'd definitely read it. I'm looking to exit the FTE circuit permanently in the next few years, and some consulting info would be useful if my other plans fall apart. 
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May 22, 2014 19:11
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EugeneJ posted:Yeah I stopped reading here. Pretty sure Jesse, the guy who made, YNAB is also big into tithing, I'm certain that one of the blog writers is. Apparently get rich slowly sucks now but don't get all ad hominem about finance advice.
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May 22, 2014 19:16
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tuyop posted:Pretty sure Jesse, the guy who made, YNAB is also big into tithing, I'm certain that one of the blog writers is. Tithing because it's your religious duty is different than Tithing because you think you'll get something in return. The latter is televangelism/prosperity gospel BS.
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May 22, 2014 19:21
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Also pseudoscience is always fair game for ridicule. Suggesting it as a sound investment makes it even more so. Suggesting it as a sound investment ON A FRUGALITY WEBSITE is the worst.
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May 22, 2014 19:27
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spwrozek posted:Something to consider to is what you get for the money. $15k with no warranty because it is used and you will end up with an interest rate most likely around 6% or higher. On a 4 year loan that is $2000 in interest so $17k total. A new car around $22k and a good credit score can get you a rate under 3% petty easily so you only pay $1000 in interest. So $23k total, plus you get a warranty and such. Or network/look around for someone selling a car they no longer want for a much more reasonable price. I've owned 5 cars in my life: 26 year old Volvo that my grandfather gave me when I turned 16. Bluebook value was like $500 and it had 180k miles when I got it but it ran great and I put another 80k miles on it with minimal repairs. $300 for beat up old Camry when I first joined the military. Sold it for $300 when I moved away a year later. $300 for an old beat up Geo Metro. Sold it 2 years later for $200 $2200 for a Toyota Celica. Ran great for 4+ years. Eventually got hit (other driver at fault) and I was paid $1600 in cash for the damage which left it driveable but with damaged suspension. Sold it for $500, would have been $1000 if not for the crazy amount of hail damage it picked up during a nasty storm. $3500 for a Honda Civic. Drove it for 3 years, sold it for $3200. I make (low) 6 figures and spending 15-22k or more on a car is mind boggling to me. Depreciation is huge, and there are so many ways to find a car at a more reasonable rate. Look around, get to know people, let them know you are looking. Almost assuredly, someone will have a car that they don't want anymore and will be fairly relaxed about how much they want for it. Debating used car dealership prices vs a new car is like debating the frying pan or the fire: they both suck.
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May 22, 2014 21:41
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We picked up a used 2009 Toyota Camry for 9k with 20k miles on it in near perfect shape engine wise. It was cheap because of minor cosmetic damage. From what I can tell, that's not out of the ordinary. You just have to get a mechanic you trust help you assess if it's worthwhile.
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May 22, 2014 21:47
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I agree with your advice and all, in fact my last car was just like you describe. We do have other mitigating factors in my situation though and I am sure other people do as well. Today's cars are safer, have cooler technology, etc as well which is nice. For me personally we have to have AWD. My wife lives in Vail and I in Denver, getting around on the mountain passes without a good car that is AWD is bad news. So I sold a perfectly good old car to get the Subaru. I don't think it was smart with money by any means but such is life. My wife having a reliable car while several hours away is worth the money in the end.
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May 22, 2014 22:20
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Nail Rat posted:Also pseudoscience is always fair game for ridicule. Suggesting it as a sound investment makes it even more so. Suggesting it as a sound investment ON A FRUGALITY WEBSITE is the worst. Unless you also own and operate a holistic treatment center.
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May 23, 2014 02:25
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Right now I can't decide whether I should up my 401k by 1% or just continue using that money paying down student loans. I can only adjust my contributions during open enrollment, and that takes place in June. I have a little bit of time to think it over and play with my budget to see how it works out. I like seeing my 401k balance go up up up, but I also like seeing my student loan debt go down down down.
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May 23, 2014 13:14
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Depends on the interest rate really.
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May 23, 2014 15:47
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Veskit is right, my 401k has a year to date return of .15% (in it for the long haul I know) and I have paid about $18k in student loan principle that averages 6.6% interest. Unless you have some sweet deal student loans I think paying them off is better, even though you do get some tax write offs on the interest (unless you are a high earner because then you can't).
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May 23, 2014 16:07
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Take your long-term market return assumptions (typically 7-8%) and subtract your loan rate. If it's 6.6%, you're talking 0.4%-1.4% of non-guaranteed benefit. If it's 2%, you're talking 5-6% of non-guaranteed benefit. To me the first instance sounds like "pay the loans" and the second like "up 401k until your retirement funds are maxed out then pay loans probably."
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May 23, 2014 16:09
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