Oh, The Irony!

[cytoglycerine]

Greetings, friends!


Tonight, I would like to share a new tale with you...What's that? No one's interested in my tales??? Well, too bad! Until I conquer this pesky cancer thing and go back to work, I have nothing better to do with my time but relay amusing stories, so start liking it!


Tonight's story features a couple who consistently live paycheque to paycheque, mostly due to their inability to NOT spend every dime they have on stuff they don't need. They're the classic example of that person/couple we all know - They blow all their money going out to dinner and buying new cell phones, but somehow coming up with $50-$100 for an unexpected expense is an unsurmountable challenge.


This morning, the couple are waiting out front of their apartment building for the bus, on their way to work as usual. When the bus pulls up, she reaches into her purse for her bus pass, and low and behold, the pass is nowhere to be found. She pays the cash fare so she can board and get to work on time, and for the first few minutes of the ride, she panics and tries frantically to remember what she did with the pass. All the while, her husband is acting quite hostile and angry, saying how she is very careless, and how they "can't afford" a new pass for her (these are monthly passes that cost ~$120).


Later in the morning, it occurs to her that the last time she used her bus pass was on Saturday night when they went out to the bar. They used their passes to take the bus there, but, at his request, they took a cab home. She figures she lost the bus pass somewhere between the bar, and home. If they had planned on taking the bus home, which of course would have been free with their passes, chances are she would have discovered the missing pass soon enough to find it, or may not have even lost it in the first place. But instead, as usual, they paid good money to take a cab ride they didn't need, resulting in the loss of the bus pass, which will in turn cost them even more money to replace.


I always caution them against wasting so much money on cabs, and this time they got burned on both ends...

[happyscooter]

I liked it. Any more?

[cytoglycerine]

Hooray!! Someone liked it!! ;D


There will be more, I promise - This couple has a situation like this happen to them constantly. Never fear, I will make a new thread when the next story unfolds

[cytoglycerine]

Feb 8, 2011 8:07:02 GMT -5 @daphne87 said:

I have a few friends like this, too. Do you think they realize just how ridiculous they are?? (I already know the answer is "No"....)

LOL, no of course not - They think "life is always sh&*%#ing on us!!"...Like my Hubby says "You wanna stop getting sh*&t on?? GET OUT OF THE TOILET!"

[zibazinski]

And because they don't realize they are ridiculous, they actually tell these stories to others as opposed to not realizing they look ridicuous and keeping their mouths shut!!!

[Deleted]

As we listen to them in stunned disbelief and cry realising they are going to reproduce.

[cytoglycerine]

It's SO true!! ;D

[Urban Chicago]

I know people like this. Our school includes a public transportation pass as part of tuition, and we are very easy to get to via the buses and trains in Chicago. We still constantly see students taking cabs or even buying cars (a MAJOR expense and inconvenience on campus).

[cytoglycerine]

There was one month about a year or two ago where the OP couple calculated that they spent $1,400 on cabs!! In only a month!!! You could carry two or three cars for that amount of money! Jeeeez...

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

You seem to have met my brother. In one breath he is asking my husband for money and in the next he is showing off his awesome new bong.

My husband was like "Seriously, how freaking dumb can you be?"

DH is prone to giving him money, but not anymore. He said if he can afford a bong he doesn't need $20 from us.

[zibazinski]

I still can't believe people ask others for money.

[cytoglycerine]

Feb 8, 2011 10:56:52 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

You seem to have met my brother. In one breath he is asking my husband for money and in the next he is showing off his awesome new bong.

These two are exactly the same...They got a dog almost a year ago, but haven't gotten him neutered yet because they "can't afford it". During the same time frame, this couple bought themselves fancy new cell phones, have gone out to countless dinners (some of which were $200+), taken cab rides at every turn, etc. I don't know how much it costs to neuter a dog, but I'm pretty sure it could have been done for a fraction of what they've spent on themselves in the last year.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Neutring is pretty cheap. I don't know off the top of my head what it costs but I know it's significantly cheaper than getting a female dog spayed.

That's plain irresponsible to not get your pet neutured (Unless you plan on using him as a stud). That goes beyond just being stupid.

[thyme4change]

I know guys that are so protective of their own reproductive parts they won't neuter their dogs. They feel it is cruel.

And at least half of those guys have an unplanned baby - most often the kind of baby that is 9 years younger than their other kids. And they were not happy about it. Well, duh, we have ways to prevent that ya know.

[cytoglycerine]

I'm of the stringent belief that if you can't afford to neuter your pet, or take it to the vet when it's sick, then you can't afford the pet. Much like how if you can't afford to take your car in for the scheduled maintenance, or get the brakes replaced when needed, then you can't afford the car.

[cytoglycerine]

Feb 8, 2011 11:59:43 GMT -5 @insurancegal said:

Friend 1, on UE for over a year, yesterday: I spent $30 on itunes, and $30 at the bar on superbowl Sunday. Later in the same conversation: I am getting wayyyy worried about money (he has said this for 3+ months now). I need to start looking for a job....

Friend 2, also on UE for over a year, yesterday: I just spent $173 at Wally World, and still need to got to the grocery store. (Hands me a bag of Dove chocolates for Valentine's Day.) Oh, and I have something else for you (goes out to her car and gets me a 3 pack of V-Day socks). Later on in the same conversation: I am getting really broke. There is this one job....do you think I should apply for it? My response? HECK yes!!!

And let me guess...These same two people would also say how "lucky" you are or how "it must be nice" when you finally acquire a big ticket item, or go on a nice vacation you've been saving for. The couple from the OP are constantly saying how "lucky" Hubby and I are to be able to go on the cruise we're planning on taking in the next 6-8 weeks. If they just stopped their BS spending for the next 6-8 weeks, they'd probably save enough to be able to afford to tag along with us.

[sil]

Okay to add our own sad but ironic tales to this thread?

SIL spent all of her savings 2 years ago for a boob job, now has no health insurance.

Other SIL over-leveraged on RE when she bought a rental, now is losing both homes.

BIL is constantly asking for money to add minutes to his cell phone, which he needs to find a job. But whenever he has cell-phone minutes, he gets fired from whatever job-for-the-day he is working because he's spending too much time talking on the phone with whatever girl-for-the-day he is dating.

2 Aunts married guys that they thought would be their meal tickets, both are now getting divorced because they claim their husbands are "selfish"

[cytoglycerine]

Feb 8, 2011 12:37:52 GMT -5 sil said:

Okay to add our own sad but ironic tales to this thread?

Yes, of course! I share first in hopes of getting the ball rolling, and then sitting back and enjoying the show

[Apple]

Feb 8, 2011 12:27:15 GMT -5 @cytoglycerine said:

Feb 8, 2011 11:59:43 GMT -5 @insurancegal said:

Friend 1, on UE for over a year, yesterday: I spent $30 on itunes, and $30 at the bar on superbowl Sunday. Later in the same conversation: I am getting wayyyy worried about money (he has said this for 3+ months now). I need to start looking for a job....

Friend 2, also on UE for over a year, yesterday: I just spent $173 at Wally World, and still need to got to the grocery store. (Hands me a bag of Dove chocolates for Valentine's Day.) Oh, and I have something else for you (goes out to her car and gets me a 3 pack of V-Day socks). Later on in the same conversation: I am getting really broke. There is this one job....do you think I should apply for it? My response? HECK yes!!!

And let me guess...These same two people would also say how "lucky" you are or how "it must be nice" when you finally acquire a big ticket item, or go on a nice vacation you've been saving for. The couple from the OP are constantly saying how "lucky" Hubby and I are to be able to go on the cruise we're planning on taking in the next 6-8 weeks. If they just stopped their BS spending for the next 6-8 weeks, they'd probably save enough to be able to afford to tag along with us.

I am soooooo sick of the "lucky" comments. Really? I've been working since fifth grade, my husband walked out on our son and me while I was in the middle of college and didn't see any child support for almost a year, but I didn't drop out or I'd lose my job, a job that is now full-time and almost an hour from home. Sure, that's luck

[cytoglycerine]

Feb 8, 2011 12:48:14 GMT -5 Apple said:

I am soooooo sick of the "lucky" comments. Really?

I'm lucky!! I woke up one morning and *POOF*, I had multiple savings and retirement accounts, a car and a condo. I didn't have to make a single sacrifice or work for a damned thing...Isn't that how all people in good financial positions get there?

[NancysSummerSip]

Cyto, how can you be home getting better and still write about someone I work with? Dang, you're good!

You've obviously met my coworker. Eight bald tires on her and DH's cars, so they rent one to buy two designer dogs from a breeder three states away.
She eats lunch out three days a week, their dinner is picked up from the grocery store or a restaurant pretty much every night because their stove and fridge need replacing. The bank is calling him or her pretty regularly about overdrafts now. I'm just waiting for the really big shoe to drop at this point.

[flopsy]

Feb 8, 2011 11:00:13 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

I still can't believe people ask others for money.

can i borrow some money?

[zibazinski]

FLOPSY!!!!!

[soon2bmomof3]

Friend who was living the good live while married (LV purses, designer clothes, shoes) was going through a divorce while pregnant. Divorce took well over a year and she went into some CC debt paying for her lawyer. While all this is going on, she had her baby, and then spent $1,000 on a fancy European brand stroller, NOT travel system, just the stroller.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

My brother knows exactly where I stand, which is why he was going behind my back and asking my DH. DH also knows where I stood, but I can't control what he chooses to do with his spending money.

The bong incident is what finally got my DH on board with me. It shocked him that someone would ask for money on Tuesday and then show off their brand new bong to the person they just asked to borrow money from on Wendesday.

[tea4me]

Niece is a single mother going to school part-time and working part-time. I was buying child gifts and buying niece gifts and giving them gift cards for groceries and necessities. Niece bought new furniture. Apparently she does not need my assistance.

[cytoglycerine]

Feb 8, 2011 15:44:11 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Sorry, but this always gets me peevish.

Have the dignity for yourself and others to just STOP being friends with people you despise and ridiculing them behind their back.

If you wouldn't feel comfortable showing the friend or relative what you've written here - don't write it.

In my opinion, this always reflects more on the speaker than the spoken about.

I have stopped being friends with people in the past for reasons stemming from their complete inability to manage any kind of money or responsibilities. Hubby and I aren't as close of friends with these two as we used to be because they drive us crazy with their financial follies! We could just outright them, but we do still have good times with them, and we honestly do try to help them out with financial advice. Yeah, it's true, I vent about their issues here...If that makes me a bad person, so be it. If you aren't enjoying the thread, there's no reason you have to continue reading it.

[tea4me]

Feb 8, 2011 16:03:23 GMT -5 @cytoglycerine said:

Feb 8, 2011 15:44:11 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Sorry, but this always gets me peevish.

Have the dignity for yourself and others to just STOP being friends with people you despise and ridiculing them behind their back.

If you wouldn't feel comfortable showing the friend or relative what you've written here - don't write it.

In my opinion, this always reflects more on the speaker than the spoken about.

I have stopped being friends with people in the past for reasons stemming from their complete inability to manage any kind of money or responsibilities. Hubby and I aren't as close of friends with these two as we used to be because they drive us crazy with their financial follies! We could just outright them, but we do still have good times with them, and we honestly do try to help them out with financial advice. Yeah, it's true, I vent about their issues here...If that makes me a bad person, so be it. If you aren't enjoying the thread, there's no reason you have to continue reading it.

On another message board I posted that I determined I had nothing in common with irresponsible people and I was going to distance myself from them. I was accused of being judgmental.
(I was talking about friends in their 40s that live with their parents and do nothing to improve their situation.)

[cytoglycerine]

Feb 8, 2011 16:06:51 GMT -5 @tea4me said:

On another message board I posted that I determined I had nothing in common with irresponsible people and I was going to distance myself from them. I was accused of being judgmental.
(I was talking about friends in their 40s that live with their parents and do nothing to improve their situation.)

Good point Tea...It would seem as though you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't. I guess we're just not supposed to complain about anything or anyone...

[tea4me]

I guess you are not even supposed to vent on anonymous message boards.