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Bootsie

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Everything posted by Bootsie

  1. We took an umbrella-style stroller when traveling with a child that age. it was light weight and easy to fold and carry if needed.
  2. Although we use a local bank, we seldom make a trip to the bank; we handle most transactions online and electronically. However, we find that we ocassionally need a service from the physical location. We have needed a casheir's check for a car purchase. We also have some international banking transactions that we are unable to throuhg a purely online bank.
  3. Today, many universitieis have special programs and grants to help students study abroad, which can make it much more economical than a couple of decades ago. Even without financial aid, it can be cheaper than taking a class at one's university. I am teaching in a program in Europe this summer for which students pay about $5500 if they are degree-seeking students at the university offering the program or about $6500 if they are not. This includes 6 hours of tuition, 6 weeks of accommidations, most meals and field trips (it does not cover airfair). But, it would cost one of my students more than $6000 to take one of the 3-hour classes that I am teaching at my home university this summer (without any room and board). So, studying abroad, the student can get twice as many credit hours, room and board, and some extras for the same price as studying at their home university. (Oh yes, and for all my friends who are envious of my six-week trip to Europe--I will be working, teaching these students.)
  4. Our adult chidren have very different interests, needs, and wants. One lives nearby and another lives on another continent. So, our interactions with the two are much different. One has a birthday very close to Christmas, the other has a summer birthday. We try to even spending out over the long run, but do not for each specific birthday or Christmas. For example, it doesn't make sense for us to buy one child a piece of furniture for a birthday present for a new apartment and then spend the exact same on the other child when the second child will probaly want/need a piece of furntiure for a birthday present next year.
  5. DH and I have been very fortunate to be able to do a great deal of traveling over the years with our children. While we have spent many summers in Europe, most of the time DH or I (often both) were working during that "vacation"; travel is important to us and we have found ways to do so economically. Over the years we have had a number of people tell us "well, we just would never be able to afford a trip to Europe; all we can afford is a trip to Disney World. and a week skiing in Colorado...." Yet, DH and I are spending a lot less money on our trips than they are on their vacations. We have been able to rent an apartment for a month in other countries for what they are paying for a hotel room for three nights. DH and I often respond "Well, we can't afford to vacation in the US"
  6. On the actual day of our anniversary, DD was in town for a visit (she was working overseas) and she invited some of her friends over for a dinner party. We planned to take a Baltic cruise that summer--but that was cancelled because of COVID.
  7. DH and I have had accounts with our bank for over 30 years. It is a local bank that prides itself on old-fashioned customer service. We are assigned a person who is supposed to call us once a year to check on how everything is going and to see if there is anything we need. This is generally a wasted phone call and their end except that it provides a "personal touch" for marketing purposes. We have had had times that we have needed some special bank services (especially for some international transactions) that we have contacted that individual to assist us. Given that interest rates have risen over the past few years, some banks are finding that customers are leaving to chase a higher interest rate on their deposits at other banks. So, they may be calling to get a customer to consider moving their money to a different type of account at the bank to earn higher interest before the customer jumps ship to another bank.
  8. Bootsie

    Wwyd

    I would (and have) posted a bad public review for something that happened involving the business. For example, I recently posted a negative review for a company after the THIRD time they were supposed to make a delivery and did not show up (and did not let us know), but that is something directly related to the business, not something I observed in the private actions of an individual I think is somehow related to the busienss.
  9. Bootsie

    Wwyd

    It is one thing for you to be leery of eating her cooking--but it would be an entirely different matter to POST something about a business the friend is running. Your question was not whether I would be leery of eating her cooking--your question was would I post what I witnessed (which appeared to be witnessing a non-business activity.)
  10. Bootsie

    Wwyd

    What you saw in the bathroom was not directly related to their business. From a food safety standpoint, the important thing is that they are thoroughly washing their hands before prepping and handling food. You did not oberve a failure to do that. While what you observed may be an inidication of lack of personal hygeine/cleanleness, it is not necessarily an accurate indicator of their cleanliness and health standards when they are running their business. What you witnessed was not a violation of a health standard for their business, it is a sign of what you think their personal habits say about their character and how you think they might run their business; I would not post a comments about someone's personal life/choices as a comment about their business.
  11. Lands End often has sales on their swimsuit pieces, especially in the fall. It can be hit-or-miss as far as color and styles available, but I have been able to pick up a number of basic swimsuit pieces over the years inexpensively. I have a pair of navy board shorts from Lands End that purchased at a greatly reduced price by watching for their sales.
  12. I would like for community leaders to distinguish between emergency information and important information. I would prefer to receive emergency notifications only about an immediate issue for which I need to take an action--e.g. Tornado threat--seek immediate shelter. Emergency notificaitons like "artic air expected in three days and road may ice" are not about emergencies, they are about important information. Or, silver or blue alerts about incidents happening in my state, but hours away, or simply a disruption.
  13. I expect clear, honest, consistent communication. I expect leadership in helping restore basic health and safety needs (clear roads, clean water, etc.)
  14. This has not been our experience travelling internationally with our children. There is no address on the passports to make sure they match. We have had all passports handed back to one person in our party. There has been airline security that has checked identity, etc. But, generally, we have not encountered border patrol until we are reentering the US. Our kids have also travelled internationally without us and with only one parent.
  15. I did too--and that was fancy because I learned to type on a manual typewriter.
  16. I have a relative to who was in a similar situation, but a much younger age. An important thing is to make sure that the ex-wife is no longer listed as the beneficiary on the life insurance policy. Is the youngest child now 17? How long before this person turns 18? IME, the court will let a 17-year old child have a significant say in where they live if a tragedy occurs.
  17. Yogurt with fruit/granola; soup in a thermos; hard-boiled eggs; wraps (I had one child who would eat something on a tortilla that she would not eat on bread as a sandwich; a dip with some form of protein in it and raw veggies
  18. I agree that you would be opening a can of worms to do a collection in this case. A number of people will have a variety of medical issues and bills, or other financial issues, over the years and it would be difficult to determine when to do a collection once a precedent is made. I would suggest that the co-worker consider helping individually by providing a meal or a gift card to the local grocery store (which could even be done anonymously).
  19. High School Investor Challenge - Neeley School of Business (tcu.edu) This looks like what you are looking for, but it is only for students who will be entering their senior year of high school in Fall 2024, and it sounds as if he is grduating from high school this May so it wouldn't work for him. I have seen some universities offering a non-credit type of course for their freshman students along these lines, so you might check and see if there is any such program at the school where he has applied.
  20. I have had several friends who have lived in the French Quarter. In fact, I know a couple who raised to children while living in the French Quarter. Their use of a car was similar to that of people who live in the center of other cities; many daily activities are within walking distance, but driving out of the downtown area is not really any more difficult than other cities, in fact, I have found it easier than some other cities.
  21. That is frustrating. But, at least you got your mail. That is more than I can say for our mail service recently. We have had neighbors' from down the streets OUTGOING mail put in our mailbox by the mail carrier several times recently (different neighbors and different days--all at least 7 houses away) and I had a new credit card mailed on January 4 which has not been delivered and a paycheck mailed January 11 (from the city I am in) which has not arrived. We have no idea what other mail we aren't even receiving.
  22. I am not sure if it is being asked if (1) it is important to raise daughters who could support themselves or (2) my wife, who has not been in the labor force, could support herself if need be is a male perspective. I do not think DH and I view these issues differently. We think it is important for both males and females to think about how they would support themselves in a number of different situations--not only does a female who is not currently working need to be concerned about becoming a widow. The death of a stay-at-home mom can put significant financial strain on a family; the illness of a working parent can be financially devastating; if a person is supporting themselves and becomes incapacitated is especially problematic. No one can perfectly plan or protect against these scenarios, but young people need to consider what resources they do have in place. Is there extended family that can probably help for a while? Are there significant savings than be tapped? Are there other marketable skills that could be employed? Is there enough life insurance to get the family through a period of adjustment? Do those who are working have disability insurance? Neither DH or I think it would necessarily be easy and that a family could continue without some changes in lifestyle or adjustments, but think it is important for both males and females to consider that the unthinkable may happen.
  23. I would start at the pediatrician. When he reported that he was constipated, did he use the wrong word, or was he feeling constipated AND having diarrrhea?
  24. Housing prices have risen significantly more than median household income in the US in the past two decades. What is driving that? The increase in housing prices is correlates with the rapid increases in the money supply, especially in the past 4 years. The rapid growth in the money supply results in inflation, which is being seen in housing prices. Tackling increased housing prices, means tackling inflation, which means tackling the rate of growth of the money supply.
  25. It sounds as if this is more about personal preference rather than about an elderly person who is unable to take care of themselves physically and who is unable cognitively to make sound decisions. If she is capable of working three days a week, it sounds as if she is capable of making her own decisions. It sounds as if this has been her cleaning-style at a younger age, and not something that is a recent change. She may not make the decisions that you would make in her place, or that you would be most comfortable with her making, but they are her decisions to make.
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