Money Matters

((((Louise))))) Our car insurance dropped us b/c we were in a "high risk pool," ie people who pay all their car insurance premiums for years and then have an accident. Hello, that's the whole point of INSURANCE, not you just collect premiums forever from everyone and never pay out!

Good to see there are lots of sane people on here :). I can't believe how many people buy houses completely out of their means just because they can get a loan for it! We were fortunate enough to buy our house in a buyer's market and, being our first home, didn't have the flip side of trying to sell in a buyer's market. We got a very small house for a price you just don't see these days - unless it's a shack - so that made a big difference in our being able to pay it off in 10 years. But I'm glad we went small - we've since added on so what started out as a "starter home" is now probably home for good. Plus, after all the time and money I've invested in my yard, you couldn't drag me away!

And credit cards - there's a topic that just burns me! I hate how many credit card companies actually encourage people to get into so much debt.

True - the credit companies are sleaze, but the person decides to take drugs, becoming a junkie and giving a job to the pusher. It would never happen if people just refused.

I had a friend who had a credit card for his cat once, it was in his cat's name. - go figure.

How could he possibly have done that?

By applying??

That's what he did, he applied -He wanted to make a point of how these cards will accept anybody so he got one for his cat, - no last name either! lol! He used to show it to us as a gag, but it was a valid card!

No large catnip charges??

lol! That was back in the 80's when they were offering credit cards like crazy and not even checking up on the applicant's info.

LOL, Victor! Oh well, if stable were the question, they might have a case!! LOL

Anyone else into individual stocks???

I had a block of pepsi once. Drove me crazy and I dumped it. Around 93 sold for 2,800.

You dumped Pepsi? Must have made a mess.

I'm sure we all know, if it wasn't mentioned above which it probably was, that with CCs, it's not the stuff (which you usually don't need), it's the interest/charges. Even places like Macy's and Sears aren't selling stuff any more, their real revenue comes from over limit charges and late charges and interest charges and interest on the late charges and late charges on the interest charges, etc.

Only stock here is Jetblue stock, comes with DH's job. We'll see.

i have in the past and i found myself checking prices daily - got out of it and stick to mutual funds - i made $$ just to stressful for me - and without real knowledge of the company a crap shoot.

We have real knowledge of JB and it's STILL a crap shoot - he gets stock instead of bonuses!

I would never invest in airlines these days.

I used to have stock in JCP, Coke and Harley Davidson. Cashed it all in to buy our house.

I bought Citigroup in December. Doing nicely. Still have Apple, Research in Motion and a couple of losers.

We used to do our own stocks, but like Bill said, it was so time consuming that we eventually got into index funds instead. My Mom was a whiz at stocks and she did very well with them. She spent a lot of time following the market after my Dad died.

It does take a lot of time, research, patience and chutzpah.

Sure does. I'm short on all of those these days!

The Boys and Girls Clubs has been closing offices and laying people off, yet the CEO of this 'non-profit' snared 1 million in '08 and spent oodles on travel. Nice.

We have restricted stocks in Citigroup and a few other companies, without getting into too much detail they are part of exec management comps given out as part of bonuses my DW gets now and then. We can only sell blocks when they become avail for sale by the company, since DW has several licenses from the SEC and is privy to some sensitive info they watch our stuff very closely. (lol)

But you can whisper to friends, right?? ^_^

Yes... from behind prison bars. hee hee!

This really pisses me off. Am I allowed to delay my payments??

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-11-tax-refunds_N.htm?csp=34

- And we cant charge them interest, which they earn on our money.

- I'll never get over the fact they impose taxes on the money already taxed when earned in your bank acct, that's just plain abuse. Taxes have become outrageous, now they want a soft drink tax too, I know how the colonists felt when they got fed up & thew the tea overboard, very oppressive...

And then they tax it again when you die and want to leave it to your family.

And get this:

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/13/2604016/irs-suits-pay-visit-to-car-wash.html

They have no problem destroying a person for 4¢, they're very powerful.

But it's okay that the secretary of treasury and the (now on leave of absence) chairman of the ways and means committee, who writes lax law, did not pay theirs.

here is taxachusetts they now charge court fees - so if you get a speeding ticket or go through a yellow light and get a ticket for a red light infraction - you have to pay $50 just to go fight it!

the registry also tried to charge $5 if you went to an office instead of doing it on line - that one back fired quickly.

Some heads turn the other way or they have an inside helper.

We posted at the same minute - Bill

yes we did:)

unfortunate there are two sets of rules, ones for the public and one for the politicians - i've been getting the amendment 28 emails daily that talk about changing the health care plan politicians have to the same the public has and a laundry list of other perks these folks have voted on for themselves - the water is simmering now, i think the boil is coming.

Your just getting charged court fees? We've had them as long as I could remember.
I can not believe they are delaying income tax refunds, esp since it's OUR $, you'd be better off having to pay.
They wasted more $ on gas to get a lousy 4 cents.

got our refund a couple weeks back - early bird ...................

The State Dept is spending 5 1/2 million dollars on crystal stemware for the embassies. What recession???? To make things worse, the contract is going to a Swedish company.Some of them will have the seal of the U.S. on them. Incredible.

Well, the Swisse do make the best crystal...