Potential Rail/Freight Strike

[petitepedal ★]

my car is still in transit

[Razors Edge ★]

27 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

my car is still in transit

Cars use the roads  You do NOT want to drive your fancy new car on the railroad tracks!!!

It is funny, though, browsing car dealer sites, how much inventory is listed as "in transit".  Close to half at some dealers.

[maddmaxx ★]

Add in the hospital nurses strike that we are facing locally and it's fun times.  Meanwhile old people are being screwed by rising prices and no one gives a shit if we go on strike.

[Razors Edge ★]

8 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Meanwhile old people are being screwed by rising prices and no one gives a shit if we go on strike.

Old people are different than other people?  In what way?

[Square Wheels]

10 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Old people are different than other people?  In what way?

Fixed income, limited earning ability.

[maddmaxx ★]

12 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Old people are different than other people?  In what way?

No future economic growth.  No matter how good I get at being old, my employer won't recognize it with increased compensation.

 

Other than snarky I have no answer for those who haven't figured out that this level of inflation is hurting the elderly more than anyone else.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, Square Wheels said:

Fixed income, limited earning ability.

And getting SOCIAL SECURITY and/or a PENSION and/or IRA distributions and/or MEDICARE.

What am I missing?

 

[maddmaxx ★]

Just now, Razors Edge said:

And getting SOCIAL SECURITY and/or a PENSION and/or IRA distributions and/or MEDICARE.

What am I missing?

 

The usual.............everything.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, maddmaxx said:

No future economic growth.  No matter how good I get at being old, my employer won't recognize it with increased compensation.

Theoretically, like Mick, you should be getting all sorts of increased compensation. Certainly a COLA adjustment and, like him with bonds, able to purchase higher yield ones as rates go up.

Generally, most folks have to change jobs to get SIGNIFICANT raises, and in the private sector, where the businesses are seeing increased costs across the board, that means the balancing act of pay raises and bonuses is not "automatic" like a COLA adjustment will be.

[Square Wheels]

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

And getting SOCIAL SECURITY and/or a PENSION and/or IRA distributions and/or MEDICARE.

What am I missing?

 

I imagine planning a life based on those payouts.  I'll assume there will be some inflation, but the current rate of inflation is likely a burden for many.

[maddmaxx ★]

1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

Theoretically, like Mick, you should be getting all sorts of increased compensation. Certainly a COLA adjustment and, like him with bonds, able to purchase higher yield ones as rates go up.

Generally, most folks have to change jobs to get SIGNIFICANT raises, and in the private sector, where the businesses are seeing increased costs across the board, that means the balancing act of pay raises and bonuses is not "automatic" like a COLA adjustment will be.

Bullshit.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, Square Wheels said:

the current rate of inflation is likely a burden for many.

Yep - the "many" potentially being EVERY person from 18 - 118.  

Many folks get up, work a job, and get a paycheck - fixed at their wage rate.  Other get, go about their day, and get a check from various sources like SS fixed at their benefit rate.

I've got bills. You've got bills. Maxx has bills. We all have bills.  Again, I'm missing why someone else's bills are any better or worse than mine.

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Bullshit.

Which part? You did get a SS bump last year, correct? You will get one this year, and likely again next year ad infinitum.  You also may have investment income, and the opportunity to capitalize on the bonds - ( Current rate:9.62% for bonds issued May - October 2022 ).  

[maddmaxx ★]

Trolling alert

[Dirtyhip]

Inflation has an effect on everyone's finances.  It may ease.  Soon, we may be in a recession and we will get our van parts on discount. I need to figure out how to buy parts that have no service centers here, so that I can get the stuff for free. 

[Dirtyhip]

2 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Trolling alert

You will get a bigger bump than I will.  My COLA raise is 1.5% this year.  It doesn't just affect people on fixed incomes.

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

You will get a bigger bump than I will.  My COLA raise is 1.5% this year.  It doesn't just affect people on fixed incomes.

This is my point. There is pain across the buying/consumer public. NONE of us are spared. Not sure why seniors seem to think they are only ones feeling a pinch or not getting the "raise" they want (or think they deserve).  Yes - working folks have some options - like taking on a second job or shopping around for higher paying jobs - but I know enough seniors STILL working to know that it can be done if that's a worry.  

[bikeman564™]

44 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Cars use the roads

 

not if you buy the train option

[bikeman564™]

Hey @petitepedal. this thread.

3..2... 🙄

[Dirtyhip]

10 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

This is my point. There is pain across the buying/consumer public. NONE of us are spared. Not sure why seniors seem to think they are only ones feeling a pinch or not getting the "raise" they want (or think they deserve).  Yes - working folks have some options - like taking on a second job or shopping around for higher paying jobs - but I know enough seniors STILL working to know that it can be done if that's a worry.  

The only reason that we are not feeling more pain is because we have set our life up to be relatively easy.  If we had debt and kids, it would be another story.  We are definitely feeling it.  Thigs like eating out are just not a reality these days for us.  I can't accept the idea of high priced food and expected tips on top of that.  Forget it.  I understand that tips are needed, but only because the industry doesn't pay their workers enough.  We will not be bridging the gap for them.   

[maddmaxx ★]

200% of the federal poverty level fro 2022 is $25,760 for a single person.  At least 15 million seniors are below this level.

Female seniors are more likely to be in economic distress because of wage discrimination and years out of SS earning for child rearing.

Over half of Black and Hispanic seniors are below the 200% point.

More accurate measures of economic well-being—including the Elder Index™ and the Institute on Assets and Social Policy’s Senior Financial Stability Index—show millions of older adults struggling to meet their monthly expenses, even though they’re not considered “poor” because they live above the FPL.

To cover health expenses in retirement, the average couple 65+ would need $315,000 in after-tax savings.

You can talk about cola but SS cola hasn't caught up with the dark years yet.....and as I said, most of the elderly don't get additional raises for working harder or changing how old they are.

YearCOLA

2015   0.0

2016   0.3

2017   2.0

2018   2.8

2019   1.6

2020   1.3

2021   5.9

[maddmaxx ★]

^^^^  It's probably their own fault.

[Wilbur ★]

7 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

^^^^  It's probably their own fault.

Those pesky black Hispanic child bearing women!  

[petitepedal ★]

I will be there when the time comes..which is why I am buying a vehicle now instead of waiting another 40,000 moles or so

[Dirtyhip]

14 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

2015   0.0

2016   0.3

2017   2.0

2018   2.8

2019   1.6

2020   1.3

2021   5.9

I am in no way stating that you should not get a COLA.  But, looking at this data, you SS people have received bigger COLA raises than I have during these years while I worked at my current job. With the exception of 2015.  I think we got 1.5 around that time.  Companies often do not pay well at all.   I have not received a 6% raise in a year at my job.  Way back in the 90's, I did get a hefty bonus and raise.  Different industry, different time.  The moment that company went public, the raises, bonuses and perks ended abruptly for all the mid and lower level staff.  The upper management got big perks with stock options.  The company went belly up a year after I left.  Boom to bust in a few short years. 

[maddmaxx ★]

6 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

I am in no way stating that you should not get a COLA.  But, looking at this data, you SS people have received bigger COLA raises than I have during these years while I worked at my current job. With the exception of 2015.  I think we got 1.5 around that time.  Companies often do not pay well at all.   I have not received a 6% raise in a year at my job.  Way back in the 90's, I did get a hefty bonus and raise.  Different industry, different time.  The moment that company went public, the raises, bonuses and perks ended abruptly for all the mid and lower level staff.  The upper management got big perks with stock options.  The company went belly up a year after I left.  Boom to bust in a few short years. 

Where I worked we got two raises a year, one of which was cola and one of which was performance based.  You have an awful job if your only raise was your cola.  I've seen this happen though.  My last 4 years with my last company I cot cola only till I walked into my bosses office and said WTF, you are hiring people off the street for me to train and paying them more than me.  They gave me a 6 dollar an hour raise and an appology.  6 months later they eliminated my job.  

Spoiler

I might point out that 1.5% of a small number is shit where .75% of a large number is more dollars per year.

[Dirtyhip]

1 minute ago, maddmaxx said:

Where I worked we got two raises a year, one of which was cola and one of which was performance based.  You have an awful job if your only raise was your cola.

And sadly they are one of the "better" places to work in my area.  They have always said that you can get performance based raises, but no one that I know has ever seen one or heard of one.  Some might argue that maybe I am not a good worker.  My performance evals are flawless.  They sing me praises, but no money.  It just isn't an industry that tends to give raises.   They spend plenty for my benefits, which is mainly why I stay.  I guess the rise in healthcare insurance ends up being my raise for the year.  

Companies do not want to pay.  It is possible they want to keep the cash in the balance sheet instead. 

[maddmaxx ★]

10 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

And sadly they are one of the "better" places to work in my area.  They have always said that you can get performance based raises, but no one that I know has ever seen one or heard of one.  Some might argue that maybe I am not a good worker.  My performance evals are flawless.  They sing me praises, but no money.  It just isn't an industry that tends to give raises.   They spend plenty for my benefits, which is mainly why I stay.  I guess the rise in healthcare insurance ends up being my raise for the year.  

Companies do not want to pay.  It is possible they want to keep the cash in the balance sheet instead. 

Oooohhhhh.  You get benefits.    Wait till you have to go on medicare.

The average SS in this country: April 2022, the average monthly benefit for retired workers was $1,666.49.   The 5% cola amounts to a whopping $85.  Most of that was absorbed by increased medicare costs.  (ss folks have to purchase Medicare B and C and D from that)  No, I don't think you want to convince yourselves that SS critters are getting as much or more than you working people are.

[Dirtyhip]

2 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Oooohhhhh.  You get benefits.    Wait till you have to go on medicare.

The average SS in this country: April 2022, the average monthly benefit for retired workers was $1,666.49.   The 5% cola amounts to a whopping $85.  Most of that was absorbed by increased medicare costs.  (ss folks have to purchase Medicare B and C and D from that)  No, I don't think you want to convince yourselves that SS critters are getting as much or more than you working people are.

Most jobs do offer benefits.  There are a few that don't but most workers get some sort of benefits.  

This is why I am saving like heck and have been for years.  I am concerned about my future.    I think my last raise amounted to about 50 bucks a month.

 

[maddmaxx ★]

2 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Most jobs do offer benefits.  There are a few that don't but most workers get some sort of benefits.  

This is why I am saving like heck and have been for years.  I am concerned about my future.    I think my last raise amounted to about 50 bucks a month.

 

As I posted above, IMO your employment sucks.  You need to move on.  You and I could live on razor left overs.

[Dirtyhip]

13 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

As I posted above, IMO your employment sucks.  You need to move on.  You and I could live on razor left overs.

Not many choices to move on to.  I am not going back to college for a career change at my age.  It doesn't even pencil out to be a good idea.   Like I mentioned, there really isn't much of a better option for me without moving or going back to school.  I am not doing either of those things.

[Dirtyhip]

@maddmaxx  It concerns me each time they talk about "entitlement" programs, and use that term for SS.  I fear they will abolish it.  Then what?  Then we all work till we drop, unless you have a big investment egg.

[Prophet Zacharia]

38 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

  You have an awful job if your only raise was your cola. 

I get neither a COLA nor an annual performance pay increase. But I still agree with your premise that working during this time probably provides a lot more flexibility and security than being retired on a fixed income with decreased ROI from retirement funds.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

To get this locomotive topic back on track, I hope your new car isn’t delayed too long by this pending strike. Good luck @petitepedal

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

20 hours ago, petitepedal said:

my car is still in transit

Yes it is. Rail strike seems to have been averted. New car smell is coming to a dealer near you. The most used feature in my CX-5 is auto-hold. When you stop, the car holds the brakes for you so you don’t have to keep your foot on the pedal. Useful for red lights and traffic jams. 

[team scooter]

20 hours ago, petitepedal said:

my car is still in transit

Are the dealers still able to give you updates on its progress, or are they too busy these days? We got updates when our Miata arrived at the port in California. Its progress by train to Minnesota. And when it got loaded on the truck to Milwaukee. The last update was worded, " It just came off the ramp when it arrived at the dealer". I took it that after all that, it fell off the truck ramp.  

But it arrived unscathed.

[MickinMD ★]

20 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

And getting SOCIAL SECURITY and/or a PENSION and/or IRA distributions and/or MEDICARE.

What am I missing?

 

Note that Pensions usually have a 2.5% to 3% annual COLA max.  3% is what I got in July.  Back during the Ford/Carter/Reagan Presidencies, many pensioners lost more than half the buying power of their pensions due to high inflation.

Social Security recipients got a 5.9% raise for 2022, but Medicare premiums rose 14.55%.  Some recent years the increase in the Medicare premium has been bigger than the COLA and not only was there no raise in the clear check, it counted against future years.  From 2015-2018 the total increase in clear Soc.Sec. checks was about 0.2% vs 7% inflation.  In 2018, the COLA was 2% while the Medicare Premium increased 23%, wiping out the COLA except for $2 to $3/month for the avg. person.

Medicare does not pay for a lot of things.  83% of Medicare recipients have a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplemental Plan to cover more.  My Medicare Supplemental Plan costs $716.42/month for individual coverage, for which I pay $179.11/month.  I also pay $9.46/month for Dental, also 1/4 of the total premium, and $3.95, 100% of the premium, for Vision.  I'm very lucky I worked for a very large organization - the 35th largest school system in the USA - so the premiums are a lot lower than normal for near-Cadillac coverage.  Also, retired teachers are educated and tend to take better care of themselves and that helps keep premiums low.

Single, retired teachers are targeted by women at Senior Centers, etc. in our county who can afford only Medicare because they know we can add a spouse to our insurance at any time for only $130/month more.

[maddmaxx ★]

3 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

Note that Pensions usually have a 2.5% to 3% annual COLA max.  3% is what I got in July.  Back during the Ford/Carter/Reagan Presidencies, many pensioners lost more than half the buying power of their pensions due to high inflation.

Social Security recipients got a 5.9% raise for 2022, but Medicare premiums rose 14.55%.  Some recent years the increase in the Medicare premium has been bigger than the COLA and not only was there no raise in the clear check, it counted against future years.  From 2015-2018 the total increase in clear Soc.Sec. checks was about 0.2% vs 7% inflation.  In 2018, the COLA was 2% while the Medicare Premium increased 23%, wiping out the COLA except for $2 to $3/month for the avg. person.

Medicare does not pay for a lot of things.  83% of Medicare recipients have a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplemental Plan to cover more.  My Medicare Supplemental Plan costs $716.42/month for individual coverage, for which I pay $179.11/month.  I also pay $9.46/month for Dental, also 1/4 of the total premium, and $3.95, 100% of the premium, for Vision.  I'm very lucky I worked for a very large organization - the 35th largest school system in the USA - so the premiums are a lot lower than normal for near-Cadillac coverage.  Also, retired teachers are educated and tend to take better care of themselves and that helps keep premiums low.

Single, retired teachers are targeted by women at Senior Centers, etc. in our county who can afford only Medicare because they know we can add a spouse to our insurance at any time for only $130/month more.

Don't let facts try to convince Edgie that SS folks aren't as rich as everyone else.

[Dirtyhip]

1 hour ago, team scooter said:

Are the dealers still able to give you updates on its progress, or are they too busy these days? We got updates when our Miata arrived at the port in California. Its progress by train to Minnesota. And when it got loaded on the truck to Milwaukee. The last update was worded, " It just came off the ramp when it arrived at the dealer". I took it that after all that, it fell off the truck ramp.  

But it arrived unscathed.

Yay.  We need new car pics, soon.