Careers vanish after subprime freefall

[packrat44]

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Originally Posted by FIREdreamer Why would you put those babies on a diet? Plus we get a lot of our wine for free...

What is your address again? I am on my way.

[DblDoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREdreamer Why would you put those babies on a diet? Plus we get a lot of our wine for free...

No but I would hide them. I think cat was one of the few things Goonie or NotMuchLonger haven't tried eating yet...

DD

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet What?

Darn I just got the joke! I spent all day lugging around mulch bags for the MIL, I am spent. Maybe I should go to bed...

Quote:

No but I would hide them. I think cat was one of the few things Goonie or NotMuchLonger haven't tried eating yet...

The babies are well protected, don't worry. Plus I've heard that cat meat is not so yummy anyways.

[brewer12345]

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Originally Posted by FIREdreamer Plus I've heard that cat meat is not so yummy anyways.

Is this a frequent topic of conversation at your house?

[metabasalt]

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Originally Posted by Notmuchlonger Im not sure what part of the country you live in. However I live in California and the COL tends to be higher than just about any other place in the US. Groceries seems to be on the high side. Eating healthy is really worth it in the scheme of things. Or at least I like to think that

We currently live on East Coast in a large city but it was living in the Bay Area in the 70s that convinced me to eat healthily, with a lot of fresh, local produce, organic if possible. Though I'm shocked at how much we spend on food we have decided like you to try to eat healthily and that it is worth the extra cost.

We also grow some of our own vegetables and herbs and belong to a CSA, where we get organic vegetables from a farm for about 6 months. The cost of that is under $400 and covers most of our vegetables for those 6 months. When I write that down then I'm puzzled all the more at how we manage to spend about $10-12,000 in a year. I think the only solution is for me to track this much more closely than I currently do in MS Money........And maybe put the cats on a diet.

But to return to the original point, we've always thought it made sense to pay a little more for food if it helps us to live longer, healthier lives. Of course there's no proof it will do so, but it does seem likely. It's just when I actually total up the numbers that the cost of it hits me over the head.

Of course so do our utility bills........ The non-California winters have a lot to do with that!

[FIREd]

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Originally Posted by brewer12345 Is this a frequent topic of conversation at your house?

It was when my grandmother was alive. When we wouldn't eat our supper, she would tell us how, during the WWII German occupation, they would eat dogs and cats on occasion when things got tight. She didn't like either one, but she used to say that cat meat was especially bad. You gotta do what you gotta do to survive.

[Milton]

If you're into that sort of thing, there are any number of 'survivalist' books available that contain recipes for animals that we would normally considerable inedible.

[megacorp-firee]

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Originally Posted by Milton If you're into that sort of thing, there are any number of 'survivalist' books available that contain recipes for animals that we would normally considerable inedible.

except for a few poisonious creatures (like fugu for instance) I don't think anything is inedible. You may not want to eat them because of cultural or religous reasons, but they are edible. For instance, horse meat in France is good, bad in US. Dog meat is good in China, bad in US. Beef is good in US, bad in India, ... you get the idea.

[P.S.]

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Originally Posted by Bestwifeever Costco tip: Even if you let your Costco membership expire your card will still get you into the store for sample diving....

way too much work for just a couple dollars worth: driving there, parking, walking a half mile around the store. Spend 8 more minutes, buy $70 worth of stuff, then you save $70 plus count the $2 of samples as extra.

I will add though, that hitting Whole Foods on the right days can be very profitable. Stopped by to quickly do some shopping, on a day that happened to be the Sat before Valentine's day. That sample orgy errand run was quite memorable:
(from door entrance to checkout)
- dark chocolate fondue fountain (Callebaut chocolate) for dipping large chuncks of pineapple, cantaloupe, bananas, and whole big strawberries
- big fat grapes
-shrimp in mole sauce
- pasta as side
(at this point I am full)
- chocolate cookies
- Brown cow chocolate yogurt
(by this point I am stuffed.. and apparently the best is yet)
- chocolate ice cream
- chocolate truffles
- spiced tea
- various fancy breads
- hot chocolate
-chocolate covered popcorn
- chocolate covered homemade marshmallow (local company)
- fancy dark chocolates cut in half (at the gourmet chocolate counter)

....then there was still the whole center of the store with local foodie companies promoting their products. I didn't even hit this section. Then as I'm walking out the store, they announced commencement of the monthly wine tasting in the wine department.

[Maurice]

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Originally Posted by Milton You mean: American society. As the book's subtitle ("A Guide Through the American Status System") implies, Fussell does not purport to comment on other Western countries. I agree that it is an excellent and insightful book. His comments regarding 'Prole Drift', and the 'college swindle', are spot-on.

I thought this book was extremely insightful. The whole 'X' class seemed weak, though, almost like Mr. Fussell was looking for a way to opt himself out of his own analysis.

[Milton]

Fair criticism.

I might also add that Fussell's follow-up book, Bad, or, the Dumbing of America (1992), is not as good as Class. While it makes some very good points, the general tone is more angry than ironic.

[tuixiu]

They've been opening up a lot of Fresh & Easy stores around here. One thing I like is all the ready prepared fresh meals for two that go for $4, pop it in the microwave and you're done. It's nice to be able to grab their lasagna on the way home, add salad and you've got an ok dinner on the cheap.

[barbarus]

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Originally Posted by Maurice I thought this book was extremely insightful. The whole 'X' class seemed weak, though, almost like Mr. Fussell was looking for a way to opt himself out of his own analysis.

Exactly. Fussell is upper-middle and it galls him that he'll never rise higher.

He is the well-off kid who will forever have his nose pressed against the wealthy window looking in.

Class should still be required reading in all high schools.