The Vent and Rant Thread

[ApK]

Originally Posted by wodin

... and throw it away if it’s broken or there’s a newer shinier model.

Maybe consider giving it away or donating it instead, especially if it's just in the "newer shinier model" category?

[Gardenman]

Originally Posted by ApK

. Plus I'm getting tired of clutter, and if something is sitting in my garage, waiting to be fixed for a year, it probably needs to get out of my life..

I read somewhere that is how you test to see if your really need something.

Put it on a shelf and if you have not touched it for one year you do not need it

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

I read somewhere that is how you test to see if your really need something.

Put it on a shelf and if you have not touched it for one year you do not need it

Yeah, I hear that a lot, but I don't buy it. There are far too many reasonable exceptions.
I suspect that advice started from people who either don't follow it themselves or who have a lot of money to replace stuff frequently (like wodin. )

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

I read somewhere that is how you test to see if your really need something.

Put it on a shelf and if you have not touched it for one year you do not need it

I have a dress that I would prefer never to wear again. It looks brand new. I only wear it to funerals.
And I agree with ApK, too many exceptions.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Oh no, my father has problems with spending money at all. Despite having his own store, when buying other things the concept of inflation is lost on him.

That's not a problem with my dad. If there is something he wants, he basically doesn't care what it costs. When he wanted a new front door in the house, it wasn't a problem when the one he picked cost €3000. When he wanted to pick up air rifle shooting again, after 30 years, it wasn't a problem that the rifle and scope combo I selected cost like €400; had he been able to lift mine (which he thinks is better looking) at his age, he would just as easily have bought that combination, costing over €800.

Actually, he is thinking about just that, and then shooting the rifle from a bench rest. Shooting a rifle using a 12 or 16x scope that way at 25 yeards is ridiculous. You'll *NEVER* miss. If I bench rest my rifle at 25 yards, I can literally shoot the tip off a pencil, or shoot 10 times and you'll only see one hole, even with my extremely poor eyesight.

It'll just be €800 thrown away, as for him, that rifle/scope combination is useless, as it won't pose a challenge when bench rested at his max shooting distance. He still wants it, and I'm sure, at some point, he'll get it.

If the distance was like 50 or 60 yards, shooting at targets the size of 10 eurocent (20mm), then I could completely understand. Then you *MUST* rest the rifle (at least I have to), and when you're going to do that anyway, weight is not an issue. You can then get whatever you want.

Maybe the pleasure to just shoot the thing regardless of challenge is worth €800.

It's only the appliances; the TV, the geyser/central heating, a 5 year old tablet that is getting as slow as molasses because the 2010/2011 vintage CPU can't handle 2016 websites anymore... that sort of stuff doesn't get replaced, although he uses it daily, while the rifle (and one of the mopeds) are just for fun/luxury.

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

It's also the case with things he wants. For the past four years he asks for money for his birthday, father's day and Christmas to get a new notebook. He has enough money for a while now to get one that is better than it needs to be (he only uses it to surf the internet) but he balks at spending more than a couple of hundred euros though he wants a good one that doesn't need replacing within a couple of years.

Incomprehensible to me.

"I want something."
"I want it to be good stuff so it lasts a while and don't need to be replaced soon."
"Damn... that shit costs money! More than the cheapskate crap!"

Like... duh.

Get him a Dell Latitude, a Lenovo L or T series, or an HP ProBook and get a 5 year warranty on it. If it breaks after 5 years, you don't even want it repaired as the cost will probably be uneconomical compared to replacement.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ApK

Yeah, I hear that a lot, but I don't buy it. There are far too many reasonable exceptions.
I suspect that advice started from people who either don't follow it themselves or who have a lot of money to replace stuff frequently (like wodin. )

I have noticed most of those that say that have no hobbies or books.
What I would love to see is an organizer that organizes without making the person throw out their stuff. And bring in all new stuff.
Example: throw out that chest so we can bring in a made from scrap lumber open shelves.
Or let's demolish your cabinets and put in twigs in your kitchen.
Yes actually saw those on TV.
They all say recycle and reuse but they cause more waste by using sledgehammers.

Now if an organizer would like a challenge, organize without throwing out stuff.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

I read somewhere that is how you test to see if your really need something.

Put it on a shelf and if you have not touched it for one year you do not need it

Nah. I've got an chess board by DGT, with computer connection, so it can be used to play against software. I've had it for almost 10 years, and the board has been the same since its introduction in 1996 or so, only moving from serial to USB (the USB-version is basically the serial board, with a serial-to-USB convertor built in) to Bluetooth. All three versions are still available, produced, and supported.

Mine has been in storage for some time now, as I don't have a lot of time to play chess right now. At this time, I'm also more into go (baduk). I know, however, that at some point, I'll get back into chess again, and then the board will come out again. For how long? Two weeks? 3 years? I don't know yet. Both are feasible, as history tells.

Same with my photography gear. I've photographed extensively, up to semi-professional and freelance level, between 2004 and 2010. Then I basically quit for two years, after which I replaced my gear with smaller stuff. I went from a Canon DSLR to a Leica/Zeiss/Voigtländer M-mount, using a converted system camera, and started taking pictures again, this time for fun only, for almost 3 years. Now everything has been in storage for over a year... until next time.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by ApK

Maybe consider giving it away or donating it instead, especially if it's just in the "newer shinier model" category?

Yes, yes! I do that frequently. Unfortunately my wife who loves to frequent the thrift shops, usually sees it, wants it, buys it, and drags it back home.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by wodin

Yes, yes! I do that frequently. Unfortunately my wife who loves to frequent the thrift shops, usually sees it, wants it, buys it, and drags it back home.

Thrift shops are evil.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I have noticed most of those that say that have no hobbies or books.
What I would love to see is an organizer that organizes without making the person throw out their stuff. And bring in all new stuff.
Example: throw out that chest so we can bring in a made from scrap lumber open shelves.
Or let's demolish your cabinets and put in twigs in your kitchen.
Yes actually saw those on TV.
They all say recycle and reuse but they cause more waste by using sledgehammers.

Now if an organizer would like a challenge, organize without throwing out stuff.

The only answer I have ever found is the in/out rule. If you want to buy something, you have to get rid of something else of the same size.

(Yes, I know - "every day, the paper boy brings more.")

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

The only answer I have ever found is the in/out rule. If you want to buy something, you have to get rid of something else of the same size.

(Yes, I know - "every day, the paper boy brings more.")

My best idea is not bring something new in. Which is getting easier.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by wodin

Yes, yes! I do that frequently. Unfortunately my wife who loves to frequent the thrift shops, usually sees it, wants it, buys it, and drags it back home.

We get a lot of gifts from my MIL that we have no use for despite asking her to stop as we have too much stuff as it is. Her love language is gifting and she means well but we just don't have the space. We have found that if we donate them she will either see them in the thrift shop and purchase a "second" one so we have a matching pair (oops) or, for more unusual items, assume that we donated it after she gave it to us (probably correctly) and get VERY bent out of shape.

We have had to start driving to a location about 20 miles away to donate things in the hopes that they won't make it back to our area in order to get rid of them.

[Blossom]

My husband has a pack rat mentality. We have a 12x12 storage we pay $80 a month for because he makes excuse after excuse to get rid of stuff. It's all sentimental junk for the most part. I've tried several times in the past year to get him to take me there to go through and get rid of stuff so we could at least downsize.

As for appliances I'm counting the days we can get a washer and dryer. We haven't had one since we left Raleigh and the closest laundry mat that is clean enough to use is two towns away. We've done laundry every other month due to no money. I can say I've slept on the same yucky sheets for two months. I finally was able to wash a load last week now hubby is working. We plan next month to get that washer and dryer. Laundry mats are expensive. It will take a week to launder everything but that's my dream. I want to never worry about clean clothes and linens again.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Blossom

My husband has a pack rat mentality. We have a 12x12 storage we pay $80 a month for because he makes excuse after excuse to get rid of stuff. It's all sentimental junk for the most part. I've tried several times in the past year to get him to take me there to go through and get rid of stuff so we could at least downsize.

As for appliances I'm counting the days we can get a washer and dryer. We haven't had one since we left Raleigh and the closest laundry mat that is clean enough to use is two towns away. We've done laundry every other month due to no money. I can say I've slept on the same yucky sheets for two months. I finally was able to wash a load last week now hubby is working. We plan next month to get that washer and dryer. Laundry mats are expensive. It will take a week to launder everything but that's my dream. I want to never worry about clean clothes and linens again.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Glad to see hubby found work.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Blossom

My husband has a pack rat mentality. We have a 12x12 storage we pay $80 a month for because he makes excuse after excuse to get rid of stuff. It's all sentimental junk for the most part. I've tried several times in the past year to get him to take me there to go through and get rid of stuff so we could at least downsize.

Selling stuff you don't longer need and, if possible, cancelling the storage rental, would save a lot of money.

...now hubby is working. We plan next month to get that washer and dryer.

So things are finally looking up? Good luck. I hope it lasts