There are just two or three reasons I live here in Florida:
Weather, low taxes, lower cost of living.
The weather is great from Late October to mid June.
We have only sales taxes @ 7%. No other taxes except for real estate taxes for which I pay $760 a year.
No need to have 2 or 3 types of clothes in the closet. One pair of jeans, on warm jacket and a few sweaters, a pair of dress slacks and shoes, and the rest of the closet has 5-6 pairs of shorts and 8-10 golf or short sleeve Polo shirts. Low investment in clothing.
We also have one of the lowest electric utilities in the country - my average monthly bill, including 9 months of AC, is $44.00!
That’s why I live here among the “critters” and old people. 🤪😜🤓
@mjfloyd1 said:
Or pretty stupid. Why not call animal control who knows how to deal with these animals and let the professionals take care of it? I’m surprised that he didn’t get a hand taken off after he stood the trash can up.
There is a longer video that shows him taking it down by water and dumping the trash can on its side. Then he goes back and gets the trash can.
No one wants to walk away from a good trash can.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Today we were banished to the airport garage for the ‘100 one mile test drives’ routine. Not the best start for the day.
So after drudging around for about ten hours I was getting one more set of keys for a car needing cleaning when I noticed two really old women standing near our booth. They were no more than 5’ tall and easily in their 80s. They looked frail and had been standing there for the better part of an hour. I felt sorry for them and asked the agent in the booth if he could find them a chair to sit in while they waited.
About 20 minutes later I returned for my next trip and found the women sitting in two office chairs with several company executive types talking to them. It turned out that these poor creatures had booked a car rental with an off site office of a competitor. They had no way of getting to that office and the airport branch of the competitor told them that the other office was closed and refused to help them in any way.
Here’s the good part.
When, in the process of getting them chairs our people found out what had happened they had two agents from one of our own off site offices bring a car 15 miles in rush hour traffic and deliver it right to the two old ladies in the airport garage. They even loaded their luggage in the trunk.
I for one was blown away with the kindness and service of our staff. I was just glad that I had a small part in instigating it.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
In other good news, I finally got my federal tax refund today. It only took a little over four months. Surprisingly, it was for over a thousand more than I had requested. They said I had miscalculated the tax on my social security even though I calculate it the same way every year and in the past they have said I owe $7-$700 more.
Maybe they all had covid and couldn’t think straight. Anyway, I’m not going to argue with the IRS.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I would read the rules very carefully and recheck your numbers and calculations. I wouldn't trust the person at the IRS to be giving you the correct spiel.
In the past, one of the 3 years they bumped my return on me, I actually had to cite page and paragraph from their own Publication on what was able to be paid from a 529 plan for Junior's higher education, showing that what they said wasn't an acceptable expense actually was listed in their examples. It wasn't even an extrapolation from something similar.
It was hard not to be snarky in my letter and my line-by-line calculations I did for them. I actually had sent the sheets with the calculations with the original return.
I just expected folks working in analyzing a particular type of tax return would be knowledgeable in that kind of calculation.
In other good news, I finally got my federal tax refund today. It only took a little over four months. Surprisingly, it was for over a thousand more than I had requested. They said I had miscalculated the tax on my social security even though I calculate it the same way every year and in the past they have said I owe $7-$700 more.
Maybe they all had covid and couldn’t think straight. Anyway, I’m not going to argue with the IRS.
We got ours last week.
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
I like that alligator video, I thought he was going to turn the garbage can right side up and then see what happened when the garbage truck came along and emptied the alligator into the garbage truck!
The ideal would be to be in Florida from Mid October until the end of April, and own a condo in the North, preferably in Maine or Vermont the other months. I am OK with Southern Ontario for the summer. I really like looking forward to going to Florida for the winter, and then back North for the summer, maybe I was a bird in my last life.
We fly to Florida on Nov 7th....our return ticket is for April 3rd.
I would read the rules very carefully and recheck your numbers and calculations. I wouldn't trust the person at the IRS to be giving you the correct spiel.
In the past, one of the 3 years they bumped my return on me, I actually had to cite page and paragraph from their own Publication on what was able to be paid from a 529 plan for Junior's higher education, showing that what they said wasn't an acceptable expense actually was listed in their examples. It wasn't even an extrapolation from something similar.
It was hard not to be snarky in my letter and my line-by-line calculations I did for them. I actually had sent the sheets with the calculations with the original return.
I just expected folks working in analyzing a particular type of tax return would be knowledgeable in that kind of calculation.
I had to do the same thing when they screwed up a previous social security calculation and demanded an extra $2k. These days if they want to give me more money, I don’t argue.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I already told the wife that if I give her the move back to upper NY, to expect that in a few years we will become snowbirds. But not Fla. Maybe move in down by Qbrozen.
@stickguy said:
I already told the wife that if I give her the move back to upper NY, to expect that in a few years we will become snowbirds. But not Fla. Maybe move in down by Qbrozen.
I’ll let ya know when a unit becomes avail. Lol
Supposedly someone else in the building is from Point Pleasant, BTW.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
It’s going to get harder to do that since they’re hiring $80 billion worth of new IRS agents and making the banks spy on you every time you make a $600 transaction.
I also read that the government is hoping to do away with cash and make you use federal crypto currency so they can track you there as well.
All these years of my hiding from the CIA is for naught. Maybe we’ll get adjacent cells.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
It’s going to get harder to do that since they’re hiring $80 billion worth of new IRS agents and making the banks spy on you every time you make a $600 transaction.
I also read that the government is hoping to do away with cash and make you use federal crypto currency so they can track you there as well.
All these years of my hiding from the CIA is for naught. Maybe we’ll get adjacent cells.
When were yours mailed in? I just checked on my refund again and it hasn't shown up in processing. Mailed May 15 and delivered about 5 days later in Fresno per the return receipt.
In other good news, I finally got my federal tax refund today. It only took a little over four months. Surprisingly, it was for over a thousand more than I had requested. They said I had miscalculated the tax on my social security even though I calculate it the same way every year and in the past they have said I owe $7-$700 more.
Maybe they all had covid and couldn’t think straight. Anyway, I’m not going to argue with the IRS.
We got ours last week.
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
Maybe you should hire me to do your taxes. I’ll get you an extra thousand….or prison.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
It’s going to get harder to do that since they’re hiring $80 billion worth of new IRS agents and making the banks spy on you every time you make a $600 transaction.
I also read that the government is hoping to do away with cash and make you use federal crypto currency so they can track you there as well.
All these years of my hiding from the CIA is for naught. Maybe we’ll get adjacent cells.
When were yours mailed in? I just checked on my refund again and it hasn't shown up in processing. Mailed May 15 and delivered about 5 days later in Fresno per the return receipt.
Submitted just a day or three late in April. Filed for an extension, just to be safe.
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
It’s going to get harder to do that since they’re hiring $80 billion worth of new IRS agents and making the banks spy on you every time you make a $600 transaction.
I also read that the government is hoping to do away with cash and make you use federal crypto currency so they can track you there as well.
All these years of my hiding from the CIA is for naught. Maybe we’ll get adjacent cells.
When were yours mailed in? I just checked on my refund again and it hasn't shown up in processing. Mailed May 15 and delivered about 5 days later in Fresno per the return receipt.
I mailed it the same day as you. My son’s was mailed the same day but hasn’t got his refund yet. He had to put in for the entire $3200 of missing stimulus. I only had to ask for the missing $600 one. The whole system was bizarre. About a month ago I tried tracking progress on the federal “where’s my refund?” site and kept getting nothing. I was getting worried that it had gotten lost in the mail after discovering that one of my investment dividend checks had gone on a wild three month ride where some stranger had opened the envelope before putting it back in the mail. That kind of nonsense never occurred when postmen like Sandy were on the job.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I was getting worried that it had gotten lost in the mail after discovering that one of my investment dividend checks had gone on a wild three month ride where some stranger had opened the envelope before putting it back in the mail. That kind of nonsense never occurred when postmen like Sandy were on the job.
I think it's the folks that are the younger ones in our area. My replacement credit cards went into the wrong PO box. Almost 30 days later they showed up in my box. OLDER guy at the window said some clubs and groups only check their boxes once per month for correspondence. That's when they showed up. Meanwhile I had to have new credit cards issued.
Yesterday I got someone's union mail that was put into my box instead of his PO Box. I gave it to the young guy at the counter to make sure they knew someone did the mail wrong inside the post office. He didn't seem to care. I should have waited until I could give it to he postmaster herself.
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
It’s going to get harder to do that since they’re hiring $80 billion worth of new IRS agents and making the banks spy on you every time you make a $600 transaction.
I also read that the government is hoping to do away with cash and make you use federal crypto currency so they can track you there as well.
All these years of my hiding from the CIA is for naught. Maybe we’ll get adjacent cells.
When were yours mailed in? I just checked on my refund again and it hasn't shown up in processing. Mailed May 15 and delivered about 5 days later in Fresno per the return receipt.
I mailed it the same day as you. My son’s was mailed the same day but hasn’t got his refund yet. He had to put in for the entire $3200 of missing stimulus. I only had to ask for the missing $600 one. The whole system was bizarre. About a month ago I tried tracking progress on the federal “where’s my refund?” site and kept getting nothing. I was getting worried that it had gotten lost in the mail after discovering that one of my investment dividend checks had gone on a wild three month ride where some stranger had opened the envelope before putting it back in the mail. That kind of nonsense never occurred when postmen like Sandy were on the job.
E-file your returns, most e-filed returns process and have the refunds out within 3 weeks.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I efiled my and son's fed ; we each had refunds within a few weeks. But, no stimulus/child $ to account for.
Vacationing in coastal DE; just lovely. Perfect weather all week. That just never happens! Drove the A7e, other than the usual I95 traffic disaster that is Fairfield County and NY/GWB, easy drive.
This trip may have been the beginning of the where to retire to (in ~5 years) world tour. I'm digging this area, low taxes!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
It’s going to get harder to do that since they’re hiring $80 billion worth of new IRS agents and making the banks spy on you every time you make a $600 transaction.
I also read that the government is hoping to do away with cash and make you use federal crypto currency so they can track you there as well.
All these years of my hiding from the CIA is for naught. Maybe we’ll get adjacent cells.
When were yours mailed in? I just checked on my refund again and it hasn't shown up in processing. Mailed May 15 and delivered about 5 days later in Fresno per the return receipt.
I mailed it the same day as you. My son’s was mailed the same day but hasn’t got his refund yet. He had to put in for the entire $3200 of missing stimulus. I only had to ask for the missing $600 one. The whole system was bizarre. About a month ago I tried tracking progress on the federal “where’s my refund?” site and kept getting nothing. I was getting worried that it had gotten lost in the mail after discovering that one of my investment dividend checks had gone on a wild three month ride where some stranger had opened the envelope before putting it back in the mail. That kind of nonsense never occurred when postmen like Sandy were on the job.
E-file your returns, most e-filed returns process and have the refunds out within 3 weeks.
You forget who you’re dealing with.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I was hoping for Delaware when it looked like our daughter would be staying there. But she let me down and moved up by you.
It is a great retirement state though.
Lewes, Rehoboth & Bethany Beaches and Fenwick Island. A brief tour of the Ocean City, MD boardwalk and a trip to Assateague Island to check out the wild horses. My fiance spent 25 summers in the area, so she was sharing memories with me.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
@laurasdada said:
Lewes, Rehoboth & Bethany Beaches and Fenwick Island. A brief tour of the Ocean City, MD boardwalk and a trip to Assateague Island to check out the wild horses. My fiance spent 25 summers in the area, so she was sharing memories with me.
Sharing memories with you? I don’t have that luxury in my area down here in South Florida! No one within 2 miles of my Condo has any memory of anything! 🤪😜🤓
Yesterday I called our car insurer, CAA which is like AAA but in Canada, to put a vacation stop on my car insurance for 5 months while in Florida. I was on hold for an hour and a quarter. It reminded me of when we had the big accident and I called our insurance company from the accident and I was on hold.....I wanted them to arrange a tow truck etc. The cops wanted to go home, so they said if they don't send a truck within 5 minutes we'll call one. I still didn't get through so the cops got me a tow truck. Just as the guy wanted me to sign all these papers for storage the rep from the insurance company came on, she said don't sign anything. They can take the car to their compound overnight, and then we will pick it up. I think the tow truck guys were charging excessive rates, and in talking to the tow truck driver he seemed to be untrustworthy to put it nicely! The rep came on just before I signed the papers...she said don't sign anything.
After waiting for an hour and a quarter yesterday I told them what I wanted to do, and the agent said I had to call back closer to the day....within 2 weeks of going. An hour and a quarter of my life wasted!
Yesterday I called our car insurer, CAA which is like AAA but in Canada, to put a vacation stop on my car insurance for 5 months while in Florida. I was on hold for an hour and a quarter. It reminded me of when we had the big accident and I called our insurance company from the accident and I was on hold.....I wanted them to arrange a tow truck etc. The cops wanted to go home, so they said if they don't send a truck within 5 minutes we'll call one. I still didn't get through so the cops got me a tow truck. Just as the guy wanted me to sign all these papers for storage the rep from the insurance company came on, she said don't sign anything. They can take the car to their compound overnight, and then we will pick it up. I think the tow truck guys were charging excessive rates, and in talking to the tow truck driver he seemed to be untrustworthy to put it nicely! The rep came on just before I signed the papers...she said don't sign anything.
After waiting for an hour and a quarter yesterday I told them what I wanted to do, and the agent said I had to call back closer to the day....within 2 weeks of going. An hour and a quarter of my life wasted!
Grrr, nothing comes easy…
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
@sda I guess that is what happens if you want low rates...we probably saved $500 with CAA, but if I go off the road and am 200 yards off the road down in some valley then I don't want to be on hold for an hour!
@driver100 said:
Yesterday I called our car insurer, CAA which is like AAA but in Canada, to put a vacation stop on my car insurance for 5 months while in Florida. I was on hold for an hour and a quarter.
It reminded me of when we had the big accident and I called our insurance company from the accident and I was on hold.....I wanted them to arrange a tow truck etc. The cops wanted to go home, so they said if they don't send a truck within 5 minutes we'll call one.
I still didn't get through so the cops got me a tow truck. Just as the guy wanted me to sign all these papers for storage the rep from the insurance company came on, she said don't sign anything. They can take the car to their compound overnight, and then we will pick it up.
I think the tow truck guys were charging excessive rates, and in talking to the tow truck driver he seemed to be untrustworthy to put it nicely! The rep came on just before I signed the papers...she said don't sign anything.
After waiting for an hour and a quarter yesterday I told them what I wanted to do, and the agent said I had to call back closer to the day....within 2 weeks of going. An hour and a quarter of my life wasted!
After what you went through when your car was hit by the garbage truck, why would you keep them as your insurance company. Now after losing over an hour of your life for nothing, it doesn’t sound like you could do much worse with anybody else. I couldn’t live with myself if I continued doing business with a company like that.
You’ve got to stop dealing with a wannabe insurance company.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Geez, @driver100 - I'm with CAA also, though I went through a local broker. Your experience makes me question the value, though like you, the rates were by far the lowest. And I could never get through to TD (my former company) last year either.
@sda said:
Hate to say but many contact centers are currently under staffed and are strained beyond capacity. Hopefully, this too shall pass.
I had to call USAA twice in the last week. Both times their system told me they had a heavy volume of calls and gave me wait times of 5 minutes and 10 minutes on the second call. Both were relatively correct.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Hate to say but many contact centers are currently under staffed and are strained beyond capacity. Hopefully, this too shall pass.
I can verify that. I am in that area of the business, and right now finding people is very hard. And we have to hire a bunch now for seasonal spikes and that is even harder since you are trying to get temp people, not even full time. And of course, nobody wants to pay more than crap for workers still!
Hate to say but many contact centers are currently under staffed and are strained beyond capacity. Hopefully, this too shall pass.
I can verify that. I am in that area of the business, and right now finding people is very hard. And we have to hire a bunch now for seasonal spikes and that is even harder since you are trying to get temp people, not even full time. And of course, nobody wants to pay more than crap for workers still!
Until about 5 years ago I managed multiple contact centers for a financial services company. I am very familiar with the challenges, seasonal needs and pay that does not reward the level of responsibility that the representatives are tasked with. I can’t say that I miss it.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
Yesterday I called our car insurer, CAA which is like AAA but in Canada, to put a vacation stop on my car insurance for 5 months while in Florida. I was on hold for an hour and a quarter.
It reminded me of when we had the big accident and I called our insurance company from the accident and I was on hold.....I wanted them to arrange a tow truck etc. The cops wanted to go home, so they said if they don't send a truck within 5 minutes we'll call one.
I still didn't get through so the cops got me a tow truck. Just as the guy wanted me to sign all these papers for storage the rep from the insurance company came on, she said don't sign anything. They can take the car to their compound overnight, and then we will pick it up.
I think the tow truck guys were charging excessive rates, and in talking to the tow truck driver he seemed to be untrustworthy to put it nicely! The rep came on just before I signed the papers...she said don't sign anything.
After waiting for an hour and a quarter yesterday I told them what I wanted to do, and the agent said I had to call back closer to the day....within 2 weeks of going. An hour and a quarter of my life wasted!
After what you went through when your car was hit by the garbage truck, why would you keep them as your insurance company. Now after losing over an hour of your life for nothing, it doesn’t sound like you could do much worse with anybody else. I couldn’t live with myself if I continued doing business with a company like that.
You’ve got to stop dealing with a wannabe insurance company.
jmonroe
It is a different insurance company this time, but the same problem. I have a feeling most companies are the same these days, they try to run on minimum service, wait times are long. We had to wait on the phone for over an hour to get our plane tickets (Air Canada, we aren't happy unless we can make you unhappy) to Florida - and that was at 9 a.m., the first time we called at 3 p.m. and no one answered in an hour and a half so we gave up. How can you be in a service business and have such contempt for your customers? At least with Westjet they ask for your number, but then they called back in 2 days......you don't like to hold off on plane tickets.
At least they didn't go on about how they appreciate my business and want to help me.
Geez, @driver100 - I'm with CAA also, though I went through a local broker. Your experience makes me question the value, though like you, the rates were by far the lowest. And I could never get through to TD (my former company) last year either.
I think most will be the same. When they see one does it and it seems to work for them the others do the same, if it saves them money.
Driver, everything now is designed to just DIY on the website. Not sure why you were calling but that should really be for dealing with problems or special situations the Website can't handle.
get used to it. I was talking with my boss recently about our current staffing issues, and he predicted that within 10-15 years call centers as we know them just won't exist. So just calling up and talking to a person, will be a rare thing.
Yesterday I called our car insurer, CAA which is like AAA but in Canada, to put a vacation stop on my car insurance for 5 months while in Florida. I was on hold for an hour and a quarter. It reminded me of when we had the big accident and I called our insurance company from the accident and I was on hold.....I wanted them to arrange a tow truck etc. The cops wanted to go home, so they said if they don't send a truck within 5 minutes we'll call one. I still didn't get through so the cops got me a tow truck. Just as the guy wanted me to sign all these papers for storage the rep from the insurance company came on, she said don't sign anything. They can take the car to their compound overnight, and then we will pick it up. I think the tow truck guys were charging excessive rates, and in talking to the tow truck driver he seemed to be untrustworthy to put it nicely! The rep came on just before I signed the papers...she said don't sign anything.
After waiting for an hour and a quarter yesterday I told them what I wanted to do, and the agent said I had to call back closer to the day....within 2 weeks of going. An hour and a quarter of my life wasted!
Why would you insure with a company that did that to you? For what it’s worth AAA down here has been something of a disappointment lately as well.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Driver, everything now is designed to just DIY on the website. Not sure why you were calling but that should really be for dealing with problems or special situations the Website can't handle.
get used to it. I was talking with my boss recently about our current staffing issues, and he predicted that within 10-15 years call centers as we know them just won't exist. So just calling up and talking to a person, will be a rare thing.
Stick, most things we do online. Doing a vacation change has to be done via the telephone, for some reason.....it would be great if I could do it online. We always do airlines online, except you have to call if you have a dog. We can get our tickets online, then we have to call and give the particulars for Trixie so that she can get a ticket too. They only allow 6 pets on a flight, and they have to confirm there is no one with allergies around, and they ask her weight and size etc.
Yesterday I called our car insurer, CAA which is like AAA but in Canada, to put a vacation stop on my car insurance for 5 months while in Florida. I was on hold for an hour and a quarter. It reminded me of when we had the big accident and I called our insurance company from the accident and I was on hold.....I wanted them to arrange a tow truck etc. The cops wanted to go home, so they said if they don't send a truck within 5 minutes we'll call one. I still didn't get through so the cops got me a tow truck. Just as the guy wanted me to sign all these papers for storage the rep from the insurance company came on, she said don't sign anything. They can take the car to their compound overnight, and then we will pick it up. I think the tow truck guys were charging excessive rates, and in talking to the tow truck driver he seemed to be untrustworthy to put it nicely! The rep came on just before I signed the papers...she said don't sign anything.
After waiting for an hour and a quarter yesterday I told them what I wanted to do, and the agent said I had to call back closer to the day....within 2 weeks of going. An hour and a quarter of my life wasted!
Why would you insure with a company that did that to you? For what it’s worth AAA down here has been something of a disappointment lately as well.
For one thing, you don't know they are going to do it to you until you find out. When we got hit by the garbage truck that was the first time we ever called about an accident. We changed our insurance to CAA last year in October....we didn't go to Florida so I didn't call to do a vacation stop, now we signed up for another year and I don't have time to shop around and sign up with another company - that will take even more time
Must admit, the post office has changed a lot since my time. Total lack of service & not caring about the customer seem to be the new norm. Not really happy about this new breed of so called "service" but it is what it is. Hard to believe that next week, I'll have been gone for 11 years!
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
@Sandman6472 said:
Must admit, the post office has changed a lot since my time. Total lack of service & not caring about the customer seem to be the new norm. Not really happy about this new breed of so called "service" but it is what it is. Hard to believe that next week, I'll have been gone for 11 years!
The Post Office just announced that delivery of mail will take even longer due to cost-cutting initiatives being implemented. I don’t even send mail to my family in California any more because it takes 10-12 days for mail to get to the Coachella Valley from here in South Florida.
Most of the mail I receive is advertising junk. I pay all my bills electronically without exception. “The Neptune Society” continues to send invitations to me which only remind me of my impending mortality. Now that Medicare Advantage Plans are into their annual enrollment cycles, my incoming mail will increase geometrically.
The problems with our postal service stem back decades when the US Mail became known as “snail mail” and the need to improve service was ignored.
Comments
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
There are just two or three reasons I live here in Florida:
Weather, low taxes, lower cost of living.
The weather is great from Late October to mid June.
We have only sales taxes @ 7%. No other taxes except for real estate taxes for which I pay $760 a year.
No need to have 2 or 3 types of clothes in the closet. One pair of jeans, on warm jacket and a few sweaters, a pair of dress slacks and shoes, and the rest of the closet has 5-6 pairs of shorts and 8-10 golf or short sleeve Polo shirts. Low investment in clothing.
We also have one of the lowest electric utilities in the country - my average monthly bill, including 9 months of AC, is $44.00!
That’s why I live here among the “critters” and old people. 🤪😜🤓
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
No one wants to walk away from a good trash can.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Today we were banished to the airport garage for the ‘100 one mile test drives’ routine. Not the best start for the day.
So after drudging around for about ten hours I was getting one more set of keys for a car needing cleaning when I noticed two really old women standing near our booth. They were no more than 5’ tall and easily in their 80s. They looked frail and had been standing there for the better part of an hour. I felt sorry for them and asked the agent in the booth if he could find them a chair to sit in while they waited.
About 20 minutes later I returned for my next trip and found the women sitting in two office chairs with several company executive types talking to them. It turned out that these poor creatures had booked a car rental with an off site office of a competitor. They had no way of getting to that office and the airport branch of the competitor told them that the other office was closed and refused to help them in any way.
Here’s the good part.
When, in the process of getting them chairs our people found out what had happened they had two agents from one of our own off site offices bring a car 15 miles in rush hour traffic and deliver it right to the two old ladies in the airport garage. They even loaded their luggage in the trunk.
I for one was blown away with the kindness and service of our staff. I was just glad that I had a small part in instigating it.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Maybe they all had covid and couldn’t think straight. Anyway, I’m not going to argue with the IRS.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I wouldn't trust the person at the IRS to be giving you the correct spiel.
In the past, one of the 3 years they bumped my return on me, I actually had to
cite page and paragraph from their own Publication on what was able to be paid
from a 529 plan for Junior's higher education, showing that what they said wasn't an acceptable expense
actually was listed in their examples. It wasn't even an extrapolation from something
similar.
It was hard not to be snarky in my letter and my line-by-line calculations I did for
them. I actually had sent the sheets with the calculations with the original return.
I just expected folks working in analyzing a particular type of tax return
would be knowledgeable in that kind of calculation.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You must’ve gotten some of ours, as they said our CPA miscalculated on our submission.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Or while your shoveling snow in sub zero temps.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
The ideal would be to be in Florida from Mid October until the end of April, and own a condo in the North, preferably in Maine or Vermont the other months. I am OK with Southern Ontario for the summer. I really like looking forward to going to Florida for the winter, and then back North for the summer, maybe I was a bird in my last life.
We fly to Florida on Nov 7th....our return ticket is for April 3rd.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
Yeah ... no. Not going there. I have a healthy respect for the system.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
I’ll let ya know when a unit becomes avail. Lol
Supposedly someone else in the building is from Point Pleasant, BTW.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Most likely, at least initially, we would try it out by renting for a few months. Should be cheaper off season. Make sure we like it before buying.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
That’s why I like to do my own cheating.
jmonroe
It’s going to get harder to do that since they’re hiring $80 billion worth of new IRS agents and making the banks spy on you every time you make a $600 transaction.
I also read that the government is hoping to do away with cash and make you use federal crypto currency so they can track you there as well.
All these years of my hiding from the CIA is for naught. Maybe we’ll get adjacent cells.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
It’s going to get harder to do that since they’re hiring $80 billion worth of new IRS agents and making the banks spy on you every time you make a $600 transaction.
I also read that the government is hoping to do away with cash and make you use federal crypto currency so they can track you there as well.
All these years of my hiding from the CIA is for naught. Maybe we’ll get adjacent cells.
@Michaell @oldfarmer50
When were yours mailed in? I just checked on my refund again and it hasn't shown up in processing. Mailed May 15 and delivered about 5 days later in Fresno per the return receipt.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
When were yours mailed in? I just checked on my refund again and it hasn't shown up in processing. Mailed May 15 and delivered about 5 days later in Fresno per the return receipt.
Submitted just a day or three late in April. Filed for an extension, just to be safe.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
When were yours mailed in? I just checked on my refund again and it hasn't shown up in processing. Mailed May 15 and delivered about 5 days later in Fresno per the return receipt.
I mailed it the same day as you. My son’s was mailed the same day but hasn’t got his refund yet. He had to put in for the entire $3200 of missing stimulus. I only had to ask for the missing $600 one. The whole system was bizarre. About a month ago I tried tracking progress on the federal “where’s my refund?” site and kept getting nothing. I was getting worried that it had gotten lost in the mail after discovering that one of my investment dividend checks had gone on a wild three month ride where some stranger had opened the envelope before putting it back in the mail. That kind of nonsense never occurred when postmen like Sandy were on the job.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Yesterday I got someone's union mail that was put into my box instead of his PO Box. I gave it to the young guy at the counter to make sure they knew someone did the mail wrong inside the post office. He didn't seem to care. I should have waited until I could give it to he postmaster herself.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
E-file your returns, most e-filed returns process and have the refunds out within 3 weeks.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Vacationing in coastal DE; just lovely. Perfect weather all week. That just never happens!
Drove the A7e, other than the usual I95 traffic disaster that is Fairfield County and NY/GWB, easy drive.
This trip may have been the beginning of the where to retire to (in ~5 years) world tour. I'm digging this area, low taxes!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
It is a great retirement state though.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
You forget who you’re dealing with.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Here's the real Myrtle Beach.
You might like it.
Some occasional rough language and this might get deleted for the finger gesture.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Sharing memories with you? I don’t have that luxury in my area down here in South Florida! No one within 2 miles of my Condo has any memory of anything! 🤪😜🤓
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
It reminded me of when we had the big accident and I called our insurance company from the accident and I was on hold.....I wanted them to arrange a tow truck etc. The cops wanted to go home, so they said if they don't send a truck within 5 minutes we'll call one.
I still didn't get through so the cops got me a tow truck. Just as the guy wanted me to sign all these papers for storage the rep from the insurance company came on, she said don't sign anything. They can take the car to their compound overnight, and then we will pick it up.
I think the tow truck guys were charging excessive rates, and in talking to the tow truck driver he seemed to be untrustworthy to put it nicely! The rep came on just before I signed the papers...she said don't sign anything.
After waiting for an hour and a quarter yesterday I told them what I wanted to do, and the agent said I had to call back closer to the day....within 2 weeks of going. An hour and a quarter of my life wasted!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
I guess that is what happens if you want low rates...we probably saved $500 with CAA, but if I go off the road and am 200 yards off the road down in some valley then I don't want to be on hold for an hour!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
After what you went through when your car was hit by the garbage truck, why would you keep them as your insurance company. Now after losing over an hour of your life for nothing, it doesn’t sound like you could do much worse with anybody else. I couldn’t live with myself if I continued doing business with a company like that.
You’ve got to stop dealing with a wannabe insurance company.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
I had to call USAA twice in the last week. Both times their system told me they had a heavy volume of calls and gave me wait times of 5 minutes and 10 minutes on the second call. Both were relatively correct.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
Probably the best thing about Geico is doing everything through the app.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
After what you went through when your car was hit by the garbage truck, why would you keep them as your insurance company. Now after losing over an hour of your life for nothing, it doesn’t sound like you could do much worse with anybody else. I couldn’t live with myself if I continued doing business with a company like that.
You’ve got to stop dealing with a wannabe insurance company.
jmonroe
It is a different insurance company this time, but the same problem. I have a feeling most companies are the same these days, they try to run on minimum service, wait times are long. We had to wait on the phone for over an hour to get our plane tickets (Air Canada, we aren't happy unless we can make you unhappy) to Florida - and that was at 9 a.m., the first time we called at 3 p.m. and no one answered in an hour and a half so we gave up. How can you be in a service business and have such contempt for your customers? At least with Westjet they ask for your number, but then they called back in 2 days......you don't like to hold off on plane tickets.
At least they didn't go on about how they appreciate my business and want to help me.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
get used to it. I was talking with my boss recently about our current staffing issues, and he predicted that within 10-15 years call centers as we know them just won't exist. So just calling up and talking to a person, will be a rare thing.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
We always do airlines online, except you have to call if you have a dog. We can get our tickets online, then we have to call and give the particulars for Trixie so that she can get a ticket too. They only allow 6 pets on a flight, and they have to confirm there is no one with allergies around, and they ask her weight and size etc.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
The Post Office just announced that delivery of mail will take even longer due to cost-cutting initiatives being implemented. I don’t even send mail to my family in California any more because it takes 10-12 days for mail to get to the Coachella Valley from here in South Florida.
Most of the mail I receive is advertising junk. I pay all my bills electronically without exception. “The Neptune Society” continues to send invitations to me which only remind me of my impending mortality. Now that Medicare Advantage Plans are into their annual enrollment cycles, my incoming mail will increase geometrically.
The problems with our postal service stem back decades when the US Mail became known as “snail mail” and the need to improve service was ignored.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger