Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Credit cards are great if you pay them off on time. I use my Capital One MasterCard that also doubles as my Costco membership for everything as I get cash back for each purchase.

I just checked my statement and it’s up to $280 cash back so far, the cheques normally get sent out in February right around when my car insurance is due. I cash the cheque and give it straight to ICBC :thumbdown:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Shows the poor situation the government puts disabled and low income in, cut supports then recommend obtaining debt.

It's certainly works short term, but long term it never does.

I guess in theory while it would ruin your credit, if your on disability for life, at least in BC its exempt from garnishment, so one could just pay minimum for a few months and stop, can't collect money from those without it.

Also why most reputable lenders wont give credit to people on disability, the banks know they can't collect if it defaults, but the more predatory high interest places like Canadian Tire Bank, they will no issue, but the their interest is so high, they probably make money at the end of the day or they wouldn't be doing it.,

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

That rule works for luxury items, but often people end up in the debt to bridge the gap between pay checks to pay for medication or food or their electric bill or even rent.

Bank fees are a poor persons tax, the minimum are so high, they are unrealistic for people on lower income, but luckily banks like Tangerine offer basic checking without fees, but all the big banks, their minimums to avoid monthly fees is out of reach for the bottom segment of society, yet we still need banking services, we just don't always get the luxury to avoid the fees, Tangerine is good if you can do everything online, so for someone without internet wouldn't be a very useful option.

As they say the less money one has the more expensive life is, can't buy bulk to save, can't avoid fees due to minimum balances required being unrealistic and often more than a person even makes in a month.

Looking at CIBC website.

Pay no monthly fee with a daily balance of $4,000 on their basic account which is $16.95/month their $29/month plan requires you maintain a daily balance of $6,000 or $100,000 in eligible savings and investments.

It is what it is, banks will always cater to those with money, and will even close accounts on people like me because we are a net loss for the bank, TD did that to me, but they worded in a nice way, something like "we value you as a customer, however we feel that at this time we do not have services you require" just a nice way of saying hey your too poor, never have a balance and the $14.95 isn't enough to justify keeping you as a customer.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Not that I would such items anywhere, the spam that has hit the forum tonight, is rather interesting, and I think if I were going to partake in such products, the countries list would be the last ones I would ever try to do it in, poster joined today and is up to 57 posts already, all this one, this is just the headline, the body of the posts list a bunch of options, just in case you missed it, something about buying drugs in those countries just doesn't seem wise.

I wonder if this spam is human or a bot? And do they mean cocaine?

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...f6c713fbd2.png

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I am well aware what it is like to be poor. Granted we were never homeless because we lived in council provided accommodation. Mum often went without food to feed my sister and I. Anyway…I have posted about this before over the years and I am not going to repeat myself. One advantage of growing up like that is…it makes you determined to live a better life.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I think it depends on a number of things. Willpower is a major one but what the 'need' is can also be another one. And how long is it for.

I've been in the position where for every $100 paid off the balance has only gone down by $60 or whatever it was. But there was a period where there was no choice. Tenant disappears owing rent/damage caused, you have to spend something in order to get the next tenant in; family cooker packs up, you need a replacement; heating packs up and it's Canadian winter you have to spend.

A laptop might seem a luxury when you already have a desktop computer but if a kid is using it for schoolwork that takes access away from others. A laptop, connected to a TV could also be the cheap family entertainment ;) cutting out other costs.

If a credit card enables you to buy that $600 laptop for $450 at BestBuy now and you pay it off at $80 a month it costs you less than saving $100 for 6 months to pay full price and you've been $20 a month better off.

Waiting might prove more expensive in the long run. :nod:

Balance transfers to a zero interest card can make a big difference too, so long as you know you can make those payments.

But if you're paying $100 a month and $40 goes in interest and you transfer it to a zero interest for a year card, your debt reduces by $100 a month instead of $60. It's a massive difference.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

In the early 90's I was buying bacon, bread, gasoline, kerosene, candles, matches, and ammunition. 1 bottle of whiskey and 1 pouch of tobacco per month. Too bad I smoked. $140 - $300 / month left no budget for luxuries. When I was young in the early 70's I was really poor for quite awhile. When I saw hard times coming I'd buy a big bag of rice knowing I could always put something together for cheap.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Found this in my picture file and was immediately reminded...

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...5b488e0c1f.jpg

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I see there's a big Lacrosse match coming up this weekend.
Canada East Vs Canada West.

That's going to take some effort to get the ball from one side of the country to the other.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Someone needs to invent a pill that suppresses the body wanting food.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

They have, but they are mainly available on prescription only.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Black coffee does that.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

But those are only available to people overweight, they need to make something for those who cannot afford food so they no longer need to feel hungry.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Have you registered at your local foodbank?

https://cofoodbank.com/client-servic...vices-kelowna/

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I've drunk black coffee (no sugar or sweeteners) for more than 30 years - hasn't worked for me! :rofl:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Yes we go once a month, well every 30 days.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Coffee makes my IBS go cray cray.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

In 1994 the widget thing in the Guinness can won Invention of the Year (based on a public vote in the UK), beating out The Internet to the award.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...44207edd0d.jpg

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Rightly so as you cant drink the Internet.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Well to be fair if I recall in 1994, the internet was still pretty novel, and average person was still without internet and even a PC, because both were rather expensive still.

I remember my uncle having some version of the internet in/around 1994, then another family member got AOL in I think 1996 which was my first real experience with the internet AOL, and I went on to buy a PC in 1998 when I got a small inheritance from a relative, it was just enough to cover the PC and monitor, I can't remember the cost, but it was the most expensive computer I ever bought, from then on, PC prices just went lower and lower and got better and better, my PC now is obviously light years ahead of what I had in 1998, but cost a fraction of the price.

I kind of miss the dial up sound though, but I certainly don't miss the constant disconnecting or needing to have a 2nd phone line, but I guess dial up was the last big hey dey for landlines, everyone I knew back then had 2 lines, one for internet and one for phone.

AOL hit it's peak around 2003, I moved to Canada in 2004, so dumped them when I moved, but they plummeted from 2004 onward as dial up became a thing of the past and local cable companies and phone companies began offering better internet.

I do remember as people left AOL articles in the news popping up about how to properly format an email address, because so many had AOL back then and with AOL all you had to do to send an email was put in the persons AOL name, no need for @aol.com part, literally everyone I knew back then used AOL, and email was still mostly a novelty, however I knew you needed to do the @whatever.com part if emailing someone not on AOL, but apparently enough didn't......:rofl:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I remember widgets in beer cans. They actually worked as advertised and that blew me away.

But the ones I tore cans open to see were more disc like.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I met up with a couple of old Uni pals on Saturday, we went out for a proper afternoon/evening session. We went into one pub, had a couple of pints each and then the barmaid came over and said our table was booked for some other people at 4pm so would we mind leaving? No problem, said we, and we left to carry on drinking in many other places. Come today's post-mortem and we realised that that pub asked us to leave but never asked us to pay for the 6 pints we had between us. Result!

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I keep one of the round ones in my tackle box as an emergency float.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Just booked flights to see my daughter woohoo, it'll be more than 2 years since I've seen her. I can't wait. She broke up with her boyfriend, moved house bought her own car and got on with things, since I last saw her, can't wait for the hug.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Talk about random, man walking down the street in Vancouver, gets his throat slashed by an apparently random unprovoked attack. Police arrested the attacker a short time later, the man who was injured, was taken to hospital with serious injuries, and has since been treated and released.

https://vpd.ca/news/2021/08/16/vpd-s...d-by-stranger/

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

:thumbup:
People will be asking you for things by proxy :lol:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

She's in Ontario. She'll probable want some moonshine.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...4fe439449.jpeg

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Sometimes you read something then just have to check to see if it's true, and when it is, it's pretty funny. This from 2004:

The BBC quotes German Sports Exchange Programme organiser, Dietmer Doering, as saying a note had been found saying the 23-strong team had gone to France.
"We initially thought the team had got lost in nearby woods while jogging," he said

"We now know they crossed into Italy."

"They even left their dirty laundry," he added.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-09-...anishes/553214

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...0f0efae40f.png

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

The Sri Lankan government weren't lying - they didn't have a national handball team anymore :lol:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

This better not happen in Canada

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58315152

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

The bars here don't have Molson Pilsner in bottles, only cans, so I switched to Bohemian at the club. At first the rumour was it's because they weren't getting enough bottles back during lockdown, and it was temporary, but now I'm hearing it may be permanent. I buy Pil in cans for home, but when I go out I like it in a bottle.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

We've started buying wine in boxes. The quality of wine available in boxes has improved drastically over the past few years, and it's better from an environmental point of view - no need to be transporting heavy bottles halfway round the world.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

That's okay the milkshake machines seem to be broken or being cleaned so not working anyhow. :rofl:

Other than water, I don't recall seeing bottled drinks at McD's, seems they do in the UK though, but eh part of going to McD's is their fountain drinks, they mix coca cola better than just about anyone.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

We first saw wine in boxes in Australia in 1975, bought one to try ................ and it was the same quality as the wine in a bottle. So we began keeping a box of white wine in the fridge.

We got worried about ourselves the night we made scrambled eggs for dinner and had wine with them :nod:

It's taken a long while for wine in boxes to reach other countries.

I see some wine makers are having their bottles made of thinner and thinner, but strong, glass, thus reducing the weight.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Franzia is the most widely known boxed wine in the US, its not associated with quality though, but cheap, but there are some smaller boxed wine makers trying to get consumers to rethink wine in a box with higher quality wines.

Boxed wine has been around in the US at least in California for most of my life, it was at most father gatherings because it was cheap.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Their milk comes in plastic manufactured containers in the US. They don't in Canada???

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

Purely from a cost POV I'd probably stick with bottles if I was in the UK. Just looking at Sainsburys where their own Chardonnay (I remember) was perfectly fine and I see the bottle price is £4.50 while the box is £13, equivalent to £4.33.

I remember Stowells wine boxes were good enough when there was a bigger price difference.

In my bit of Canada there's little to recommend boxes. The first thing I see is the majority are Canadian. I've tried many Canadian wines and the only ones I found drinkable were an Ice Wine (Dessert) and a Rosé.

Looking on the NB Liquor site I see some non-Canadian wines in boxes that either don't have bottle equivalents for me to try first or do have them but but $10 for a 1L bottle indicates to me a cheap wine that I won't like.

Add in that my tastes have changed quite a lot regarding wine and I'm constantly disappointed by every red and most whites (even old reliables) to the point half a bottle is left for cooking. If I risk a box, I'm going to have a near endless supply for cooking. :lol:

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I used to bring wine in cartons back from Amsterdam in the early 80s. It was sold in the UK decades ago.

Re: Random stuff - the anything else thread
 

I've had a few glasses of wine that came out of boxes, but I've never purchased wine in a box. No doubt it will happen some day.