My wife does this and it's a habit I've never acquired, but good practice. Lately she stashes a bill between her phone and phone case. Not a terrible plan considering she might be driving any one of our four vehicles
Dollar Tree Yesterday
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Right, but my point is had she been able to put those mandatorily withheld 1980's dollars into an index fund she would be far better off in the 2020s.
We seem to live in an entitled society and that isn't limited to the poor. The middle class seem to expect that they should be able to have everything they want while the truly wealthy captains of industry seem to think they should be obscenely well compensated for ruining the companies they run and then paid again to leave them.
Not sure what the answer is, but I'd sooner die than show up at a check-out with no means to pay the tab, much less accept money from some little old lady to cover it.
There is such a thing as pride and there is also shame. Maybe more people should embrace these concepts?
Not sure what the answer is, but I'd sooner die than show up at a check-out with no means to pay the tab, much less accept money from some little old lady to cover it.
There is such a thing as pride and there is also shame. Maybe more people should embrace these concepts?
You really shouldn't purchase a car that is more than 5% of your net worth. If you are making a lower wage I could see stretching that to get a reliable car. If the Nav was hers shame on her. I do see too many people buy cars they really cannot afford.
Agree that the woman’s behavior in the OP was abhorrent, particularly with daughters in tow (nice to pass that behavior down). But this, and general begging, and sense of entitlement is nothing new. Someone well known once said “The poor you will always have with you”. Watch old movies. Andy Griffith Show and many other popular sitcoms made before and after had these situations incorporated into episodes. Scheming, scamming, stupidity, etc have been around since forever.
From His lips to Judas' ears.
I remember around the time of COVID, my kid's school district allowed for one box of food for every student in the district. None of it was means tested, but it was only supposed to be one for each student. I got a call from the school district informing me of it and I got my kid's student ID number just in case it was asked for. And some of the food was really high quality.
The lines got really long, where the closest pickup site was a high school. I knew a shortcut and sometimes they'd let me cut in but once someone got really angry and I didn't get in line. I ended up parking nearby and did walkup for one box. But it was pretty clear that some of the people didn't need it. A lot of really expensive vehicles. And some of the people picking up seemed too old to have kids in school. Also a lot of requests for multiple boxes, although I'm not sure if they were lying or claiming they were picking up for a friends' kids. I suspect a lot were lying that they had kids in the district and/or the number of kids. I'm sure a lot of it ended up being sold on the sidewalk in certain areas.
On SS - this is pretty easy - for those not willing to look it up...
SS as mentioned - you have to work minimum 10 years. Your actual wages - or "Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME)" is calculated based on your highest 35 years, and those years are adjusted for inflation - so its not always your most recent 35 years, but for most it is. So in the example of someone that worked 10 years, they would have 25 years of zero's added to their AIME.
Once you have an amount, you need to have reason to collect. You either need to be retirement age, or disabled. If your disability is psychiatric in nature, which for many homeless it might be, then you would need a diagnosis and a physician sign off. Its possible that many homeless are possibly eligible but maybe haven't gone through the proper steps, or don't want to see a doctor or whatever.
One last note. Social security is actually progressive - meaning the less you pay in, the more you get back, relatively speaking. For example if you worked minimum wage for 35 years, vs paid max SS tax for 35 years, as a percentage of pay in the minimum wage earner would get more back relative to their salary. So if someone is only getting $200, then they paid in basically nothing.
As for the OP - this is why I have become pretty much cold hearted as I age regarding those less fortunate. Everyone looking for a hand out, whether they need one or not. I know I shouldn't be this way, and wasn't always. I am always happy to help a friend no matter how much is needed. But I have no use for people like the old lady in the OP, and given she is training her grandchildren the same thing, there bloodline will likely always be takers.
SS as mentioned - you have to work minimum 10 years. Your actual wages - or "Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME)" is calculated based on your highest 35 years, and those years are adjusted for inflation - so its not always your most recent 35 years, but for most it is. So in the example of someone that worked 10 years, they would have 25 years of zero's added to their AIME.
Once you have an amount, you need to have reason to collect. You either need to be retirement age, or disabled. If your disability is psychiatric in nature, which for many homeless it might be, then you would need a diagnosis and a physician sign off. Its possible that many homeless are possibly eligible but maybe haven't gone through the proper steps, or don't want to see a doctor or whatever.
One last note. Social security is actually progressive - meaning the less you pay in, the more you get back, relatively speaking. For example if you worked minimum wage for 35 years, vs paid max SS tax for 35 years, as a percentage of pay in the minimum wage earner would get more back relative to their salary. So if someone is only getting $200, then they paid in basically nothing.
As for the OP - this is why I have become pretty much cold hearted as I age regarding those less fortunate. Everyone looking for a hand out, whether they need one or not. I know I shouldn't be this way, and wasn't always. I am always happy to help a friend no matter how much is needed. But I have no use for people like the old lady in the OP, and given she is training her grandchildren the same thing, there bloodline will likely always be takers.
The pan handlers around strategic intersections are a nuisance to traffic and dog help you if you hit one. Most are better dressed than my average outfit when I worked. The guy at the entrance to the shopping center HF is in aggravates me. Practically every operating store has a help wanted sign. Grrrr
MrQuackers
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I did that at Dollar Tree just recently. A mother and young daughter. The girl had a helium balloon but at checkout the mother told her she was not buying that. After she paid for her merchandise, I offered to buy her daughter a helium balloon. The cashier dashed off to the balloon corral and picked out a cute Paw Patrol mylar. She was a very happy camper!At the checkout line next to mine. A 40 year old woman with two teenage girls is short $15 and asks if they take a check and the cashier says no..
The elderly lady behind her offers to give her $15 and it's accepted.
The lady leaves the store and is parked up front and hops into a new Lincoln Navigator.
The older lady that coughed up the $15 sees what I see and she yells out how she got fleeced....
I guess she assumed they were poor...
Later as I'm leaving I see them take off in their Tesla.
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One time I was in dollar tree getting these cleaners seemed good for $1. A spray bottle and a refill. Still have it.
I grab the divider and place it on the conveyor, and the clerk yells, “Oh no you don’t!”
She grabs it and puts it back.
I think to myself this is a weird place.
I grab the divider and place it on the conveyor, and the clerk yells, “Oh no you don’t!”
She grabs it and puts it back.
I think to myself this is a weird place.
Spare me! Making sound judgements are essential to life.
As a former public school teacher I have to agree. Delayed gratification and impulse control aren’t really valued behaviors anymore.
Last week in Lexington, KY I saw four panhandlers at the same intersection. They appeared to be in a dispute about which ones needed to ply their trade elsewhere. First time I've seen that. One almost got squashed running across the highway to yell at the other.
Glad to hear that you know her situation personally and exactly
I’ve had “wealthy “ people bounce $9.95 checks, banks fees make it not worthwhile
Cost of a new Lincoln Navigator is $80k-$110k. It wouldn't take too much "judgement" to figure that this lady has no clue about how to budget her money and her thankless attitude takes the cake.
Well, there are those who choose to take advantage of situations. There are those who haven't put too much into SS over the years. There are those who made a lot of life mistakes.
I love homeless, broken down people. I used to be one.
Today, nothing makes me happier than helping others. I can't control the BS nor do I like it, but I can do a little where I see fit; I call this opportunity for happiness.
IMO, there are far better people to be bitter against than the poor. Just my 2 cents.
All good, @SC Maintenance .
I hear what your saying, and I know you help a lot of people. I commend you for it. Like I said I didn't always think this way.
I actually grew up very, very poor. My mother told me fate helps those that help themselves. So I did. I realize not everyone has these skills, but everyone has a gift, and everyone should try to do the best that they can.
As for SS, I look at a broken system, that has been manipulated and stolen from for decades, and I look at my children's generation who will be expected to pay into it their entire lifetime and most likely get zero out. I will be lucky to get anything out, it will likely be long bust before I turn 62.
Charity should be those who need it, not those who only need it due to their own choices. At some point bad choices are supposed to hurt.
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