chuckv97 - Posted - 07/13/2016:  11:39:42

Yeh, credit card hell......I got myself in trouble with them years ago, blowing money like a drunken sailor. Never again. I remember how good it felt when I finally got clear of debt.

dat - Posted - 07/13/2016:  13:45:20

I don't have anything on a card, but we used to be able to put a little in savings, then it got to where we just maintained, now we've been taking out, which we have had some big expenses come up, but seems like it is sure getting tighter just to get along

chuckv97 - Posted - 07/13/2016:  16:12:23

It's that middle class squeeze

DeanT - Posted - 07/13/2016:  19:25:27

retiree squeeze too...

dmiller - Posted - 07/13/2016:  23:57:51

Back in my younger years - - I worked from paycheck to paycheck.

These days - - - I work from electronic deposit to electronic deposit.

DeanT - Posted - 07/14/2016:  05:02:44

Yep, me too!

dat - Posted - 07/14/2016:  10:37:08

we never have been well to do, but 10 years ago, seemed like we could do things, even with the kids living at home

DeanT - Posted - 07/14/2016:  14:32:20

never behind... but never caught up...

dat - Posted - 07/15/2016:  07:59:02

yep,   made it to pay day with 15 dollars left over from last week,   I guess I had fifteen dollars more than I needed 

DeanT - Posted - 07/15/2016:  12:59:20

and just when you get ahead... the car insurance bill comes....

dat - Posted - 07/15/2016:  14:09:02

or the washing machine springs a leak and the sheetrock in the laundry room soaks up water

DeanT - Posted - 07/15/2016:  16:04:36

and a tree limb comes through the roof

dat - Posted - 07/16/2016:  06:59:34

and a kid needs to go to the doctor

DeanT - Posted - 07/16/2016:  13:52:15

and a dog to the vet

dmiller - Posted - 07/16/2016:  21:56:30

Sadly there is always "something" that comes up.

For me it is property taxes.  Twice a year - - 450 bucks.

For my miniscule lot here in town.   30' wide by 125' long. 



900 bucks a year - - and the city blows every damn dime of mine they collect from me on the crap/ social programs/ that THEY deem important, but are useless/ non-essential/ wasteful/ misspent money and on unimportant things/ never of important city priorities/ yada/ yada/ yada to "common folks" such as myself and others.  I don't like paying taxes, but because I have to and do, I want them to do something good and useful - - like filling the potholes in the streets here from the long winters (of which there are many/ many/ many/ many).  There's too many damn "feel-good" non-profit organizations here in town that are cornering all the money from city hall (these days), with no fiscal responsibility, or reasonable accountability from the folks taking in my $$$, and nothing happens except their pockets all get fatter - - at my expense.   Sorry - - rant over.

DeanT - Posted - 07/17/2016:  07:18:45

Our property taxes are about the same. And our city does the same thing with it. 

OM45GE - Posted - 07/17/2016:  11:58:35

Our property taxes are $3,600 a year. The town seems pretty good with the money and we get a ton of services for it. Most important to me is that the schools are outstanding. 

DeanT - Posted - 07/17/2016:  14:42:04

our schools are going to hell in a handbasket.

dat - Posted - 07/18/2016:  06:04:39

we do have good schools here, but about 4 years ago they spent a lot of money on landscaping, flower beds and fences around the flower beds, outdoor gazebos and stuff to pretty up the place, then laid off four teachers because they said they didn't have the money.

our taxes are about 1400 a year, but the tax money could be spent better

OM45GE - Posted - 07/18/2016:  11:14:33

Laying off teachers. Now there's a plan for the future. Our town announced a plan to layoff some teacher but had it in the budget to hire additional administrators. The town folks turned that one down in town meeting.

DeanT - Posted - 07/18/2016:  16:29:02

Our school funds keep getting raided to cover state revenue deficits. They've even consolidated schools into larger classes, and closed some of the smaller schools because of it. 

chuckv97 - Posted - 07/18/2016:  17:46:19

My ex went to a one room country schoolhouse - when they closed it the kids were bussed to town. She hated it.

DeanT - Posted - 07/18/2016:  18:51:41

I grew up near one of them... they turned it into a restaurant. Blackboards were still on the wall. 

OM45GE - Posted - 07/19/2016:  03:01:57

Were the menus multiple choice tests?

DeanT - Posted - 07/19/2016:  04:53:29

they should have been! 

dat - Posted - 07/19/2016:  05:45:31

our church when I was a kid had been a school house during the week and a church on Sunday, it wasn't a one room though, it had a fireplace in the middle with a half wall that made it a two room.    by the time I came around it wasn't a school any more though, only a church by then.    I think back as a kid going to church and school in South Louisiana with no A/C, and the people now complain if the thermostat isn't set how they like it

dmiller - Posted - 07/19/2016:  06:58:28

I used to work with a guy who quit his church because they put an addition (with a kitchen) onto it to use as a "social area".  His thinking was that a church should have one function and if you wanted to socialize - - go somewhere else.

dat - Posted - 07/19/2016:  07:44:31

we're Baptist, socializing is a big part of getting together, Sunday meet and eat, everybody cooks and brings something, then we throw out the feed sack after the preacher finishes

dmiller - Posted - 07/19/2016:  07:55:32

Yup - - I think the same way when it comes to church. It's a great place to congregate  My co-worker was a bit different that way.  He also did NOT have a bathroom in his house.  His bathroom was in a small building right outside his back door (with indoor plumbing/ heat/ all the amenities/ etc.), but he didn't want anyone "doing their business" inside his house.  The sink and the tub were inside the house for cleaning up - - but the toilet was outside.  Go figure, eh?

DeanT - Posted - 07/19/2016:  10:00:12

My parents left their church when they voted to build a gym, instead of financing more missionaries. 

dat - Posted - 07/19/2016:  10:49:53

a gym can be good for the local kids, 

OM45GE - Posted - 07/19/2016:  12:24:35

There's certainly enough churches that everyone should be able to find one they're comfortable with, if they're so inclined.

chuckv97 - Posted - 07/19/2016:  13:14:28

I go to the church for drunks ,...AA meetings

dat - Posted - 07/19/2016:  13:23:42

Yep, everybody has their own reason to go,   or not to go

OM45GE - Posted - 07/19/2016:  13:56:31

I go for weddings and funerals.

dat - Posted - 07/19/2016:  14:18:59

or as I used to say meaning the same thing,     "for funerals and burial services"

DeanT - Posted - 07/19/2016:  17:21:27

I'm a friend of Bill too

OM45GE - Posted - 07/20/2016:  02:44:05

I used to see a lot of "Friend of Bill" bumper stickers but can't remember the last time I saw one. 

DeanT - Posted - 07/20/2016:  04:47:16

I used to have a ODAAT bumper sticker

OM45GE - Posted - 07/20/2016:  04:51:11

Yeah, I don't see those much any more either. 

dat - Posted - 07/20/2016:  05:48:48

I had to look those up,  I don't think I've ever seen either one

OM45GE - Posted - 07/20/2016:  06:28:31

I've never been big on putting stickers of any kind on my cars.

dat - Posted - 07/20/2016:  08:26:02

I have a small "Lets Roll" sticker on the corner of my back window right above my tool box on my truck,   my brother gave it to me when he was still in the Air Force, but I never have been a bumper sticker sticker

DeanT - Posted - 07/20/2016:  10:07:46

I have local radio station bumper stickers on the back window of my Honda. 

Edited by - DeanT on 07/20/2016 10:08:11

dat - Posted - 07/20/2016:  10:33:05

I like this one

chuckv97 - Posted - 07/20/2016:  16:53:26

I saw one the other day - a guy had a big one on the back of his truck tractor, "I'll See You in Hell"

dmiller - Posted - 07/20/2016:  17:44:39

I used to have 4 or 5 stickers on my VW microbus - -  but that was back in the  mid 70's.

I had a BHO sticker on my last car and it looked cool. I'm pretty much "non-sticker" now.  

DeanT - Posted - 07/20/2016:  20:10:27

all the minivans have stick families in the back window...

OM45GE - Posted - 07/21/2016:  02:50:35

I saw a "Question Authority" sticker on a very dirty Subaru at a ski area. I couldn't resist writing "Says Who?" in the dirt next to it.