Posts by Kimberly Lopez65

Richard Wright3 said:If you consider having kids a fundamental part of marriage, then thirty is probably the upper limit, in my opinion. If that isn't the goal, however, the timeline matters much less; you could tie the knot at fifty and it wouldn't change the equation.

Even if you want kids, it’s still irrelevant.
Marriage isn't a prerequisite for having children, and having kids isn't a requirement for getting married.

Dennis Bennett28 said:Every single day, Ludica!
I'm fully immersed in it—honestly, in my nickname, the "R" in Dennis Bennett28 stands for romance.

To be fair, I can't quite recall the last time I did something romantic myself... though that might just be because "R" is tucked away at the very end. If I were going by Runol, it would be a completely different story. She’s just better at it.

I once swept someone else's apartment clean—once or twice, maybe? Does that count? Personally, I've always preferred actions over sweet talk. And, of course, high-quality brooms.

Romance isn't lost. I refuse to believe that.
It's just that some of us happen to be a little lost ourselves.

The L in Lunar could also stand for Love.
No matter how you slice it, it works.

Paul Grant67 said:Calling it "degrading" is just your personal opinion. What does that have to do with poets? Are they supposed to be the ultimate authority on how love should be expressed and lived?

Poets are just anomalies in this world.
Just like Sisyphus.

Ashley Vaughn79 said:I guess there is one story about work-life balance that I will remember for the rest of my life.
It isn't a pleasant memory. 😁

I was pretty new at a job back then, and maybe because I wasn't experienced enough, I kept trying too hard to prove myself professionally. That ended up leading to a massive amount of overtime and working through weekends.
That Saturday was no different.

As luck would have it, my parents had organized a big family dinner back in my hometown, and I fully intended to be there. But by that afternoon, I realized I wouldn't make my train, which meant missing the dinner entirely.

I called my mom to let her know I was stuck at the office, and the conversation basically ended with her saying, "Oh well, don't worry... there will be other dinners." 🙂
Life can be cruel, I suppose, because that actually turned out to be one of our last big family dinners; my mom passed away toward the end of that year.

It was just awful... like something out of a bad movie. 😁
The pay wasn't great either, since the company was struggling financially and my paycheck wasn't even consistently on time. 😁

Staying late didn't do me any favors, and missing that family dinner was even worse.
At least I developed that famous backbone of mine, and over time, I learned how to set boundaries so people couldn't manipulate me with the whole "we have so much work" excuse.

It's not that I'm not responsible—I always try to do my job correctly—but I started looking at why the overtime was piling up and why the stress was happening in the first place. Now, I just push that aside or stand my ground. I might ask, "Where was this data until now if it's such an emergency?" There is no such thing as an emergency if the info was available a week ago; it isn't my fault they dropped it on my desk so late. 🙂

I mean, sure, emergencies happen in extreme cases, but I stopped trying to fix everyone else's mistakes at the companies I worked for.

I take a fairly casual approach now, though I guess it's mostly just a defense mechanism.

I really can't stand companies that reward people just for staying late.
Because if you aren't staying late, they assume you aren't doing anything and aren't a good worker (or so my former colleague used to say).

Actually, it just means you know how to manage your time and finish your tasks in eight hours, whereas they are actually the ones who are incompetent. 😬

But, well... I just won't tolerate it.
Luckily, at my current job, I don't have to.

And I wouldn't go back to working for those massive corporations again... a smaller family-run business would always be my preference.

They are just... warmer. 🙂

There's a lesson in there, though.
We all hit those moments in our careers—those little "trial by fire" experiences—that finally force us to grow a spine.

Why is this thread, just like most others here, set up as an either/or proposition?
Is there really no middle ground?
I’m in my 40s, working in IT. My salary is well above the US average, and yeah, I spend most of my day sitting in a chair. But I try to make up for it by staying active—walking, biking, maybe getting back into light jogging soon. So far, I haven't had any issues with my back.
As for stress, I’ve learned how to manage it. It doesn't mean it isn't there, but I handle it much better than I used to.
I hate to be vain, but I still look better than most people my age, honestly even some of the younger crowd.
I wouldn't call my workplace toxic. It's not. There are things I'm unhappy with, sure, but I'm realistic enough to know that nowhere is perfect.

If I ever had to deal with a lockdown, I’d just head out to my place in the countryside. I’d be on my own property with plenty of food and everything else I need already packed up and ready to go.
I can work remotely just fine as long as I have a connection, and I’ve got a mobile hotspot to make sure I stay online.

I honestly want to know who exactly would come after me for stepping into my own backyard just to mow the lawn. 🙂

Lawrence Reed3 said:So, someone pulling in a decent net salary $2000—say if they have to go into quarantine—ends up losing money for that month $667. Honestly, it’s probably no wonder people are saying folks are avoiding reporting cases or even faking contacts just to dodge it. I guess it’s just easier to stay quiet and move on.

But look, if you're stuck in isolation and your job allows it, why wouldn't you just work from home? Why bother with sick leave if you can work remotely—which plenty of us still do—especially if you aren't feeling symptomatic and are perfectly capable of getting things done?
I make significantly more than $2000, and losing that much money based on what Medicare would cover would be a massive hit to my monthly budget. And yeah, I work from home every other week, plus I can usually request to stay remote even during my office weeks.

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Is it because they’ve been slashing everyone's overdraft limits? 🙂

Just a quick thought—I recently moved my direct deposit over to the Federal Reserve, and it took them three whole months just to approve an overdraft line. And that’s despite their flashy brochures claiming you can get it instantly. Then, about a month after they finally approved it—for 50% of my paycheck, mind you (I don't actually need the money, I just keep it as a safety net since I usually stay in the black)—I get this little "congratulations" note from them saying they're cutting my limit down to $500. It’s pocket change compared to what they originally gave me. I haven't bothered going into the branch to complain yet, though I'm thinking about it. My day-to-day finances haven't changed one bit; if anything, my pay bumped up slightly, but no, they still decided to shrink my credit.
Anyway, I got that "greeting" about three weeks ago, and it kicked in last week... which is probably why there's such a massive line at the Federal Reserve right now.

Anyone else dealing with this nonsense?

If anyone is considering switching to the Federal Reserve—don't. Just stay away. Every bank is pretty much garbage; some are just slightly less terrible than others. The Federal Reserve definitely isn't one of the better ones.

And you’re just rolling over without even checking your options first...
Honestly, one of those paid digital assistants would probably be enough for you. You say you don't want them because you plan on tracking everything through the Net. Besides, most banks are hiking up fees for paper statements anyway—it's their way of forcing everyone onto online banking. Plus, it's better for the environment than wasting tons of paper.

BTW, for the experts here, can you actually cancel the Zaba fan SMS alerts? I've had a digital assistant since $10, and I'm paying $1.75 a month for the Zaba fan SMS service, but it's basically useless at this point. I'm not about to throw $1.75 away for nothing. 🙂

I’ve been using online banking since back when it was just basic telephone banking—so, we’re talking at least five years now.
I can’t say I’ve ever actually needed a saved receipt for a transfer in my life. I know there’s always a way to pull a PDF of it, but honestly, I haven't a clue how. 🙂

analogheron75 said:Look, I think First is alright and all, but their mobile banking was a total nightmare for me because of those stupid TAN cards they used to make you use.
Chase is way better since you don't need anything besides your phone, plus they actually give you way more features to play with.

Even if I really wanted to, I just don't see the upside to using Chase over other options, besides:
1. You're getting hit with monthly service fees.
2. You're burning through data—whether it's LTE or 5G, whatever your phone handles—and even if you're barely using any, those tiny increments add up fast if you aren't on an unlimited plan.

And honestly, how many of us are walking around downtown with a folder full of paper bills? Whatever I need to pay, I just need the account info or the number, and I'm not lugging around a stack of mail all day.

Basically, it's a tax on people who value convenience over common sense. The practical benefit is almost zero.

When they first rolled out those Go! cards, they were offering a $2,000 limit. 😲

Nah, I didn't grab one. 🙂 I honestly don't get the logic behind people carrying around half a dozen different credit cards. I mean, seriously, every single one of those cards is just a DEBT that you have to settle at the end of the month (or whenever). Having some kind of "limit" doesn't mean you actually have that money in your pocket. It’s not like you're spending what you've already earned; you're just playing with imaginary money that you'll have to go out and earn later.

No thanks, I'm not interested in falling for those spikes. Visa handles everything I need perfectly fine, and it's not like I've been exactly stingy lately. ☕

David Booth3 said:Honestly, you’re probably one of the better ones since you actually pay for everything you use—and man, those banks really do charge for every little thing! I picked up that Jaws package (the flexible one) right before my summer vacation, after having their basic bundle before. I was really eyeing that mobile banking setup and, oh my god, I am seriously obsessed. I don't even touch the old web portal anymore; I don't need a computer or those annoying security tokens because everything is just right there on my phone. It’s so easy and honestly just super convenient. I mean, okay, maybe some people don't care about that, and if you're someone who still loves logging in on a desktop, you'll probably think this is awesome too. Plus, with this Jaws plan, I get a ton of free transactions included, which feels like such a steal now that they’ve jacked up the fees for everything else. But honestly, all that is secondary to how much I love the global assistance feature. I’ve actually used it once or twice already—once for a plumber and once for roadside assistance—and it worked perfectly without any drama... and that’s really the whole point of having insurance, right? You have no idea when things are gonna go sideways, and when they finally do, you’re just lost, but with this, you just make one call and boom, it’s handled.
Anyway, I was super skeptical when my personal banker was walking me through it all because it sounded so pricey, but I have to—even if it kills me—admit that this Jaws thing is actually a pretty solid deal 👍

Convenient?
I don't know about that. To me, it isn't practical at all having to carry physical bills around just so I can pay them through an app. 🙂 Besides, I always have my laptop nearby, usually hooked up to a hotspot, so I can access my online banking pretty much anywhere. I’m sure the mobile app is a solid tool, but for me—and I suspect for most people too—it feels redundant alongside the web portal. Like I said, if you want to pay a bill through the app, you basically still need to have the actual bill on you. And when it comes to tracking my balance (knowing what I’ve spent, when my credit card statements are due, and roughly how much cash I have left, +/- $33?), I prefer the desktop view.
So, I don't see any real-world advantage to using the mobile app daily, other than paying the bank fees they charge just to use it. 🙂

Personally, I feel ripped off when I'm forced into a flat fee for something I don't use, or barely use (like insurance, or in this case, a mobile banking fee if they were to charge one...).

But hey, to each their own. My philosophy is simple: if I’m not using it or consuming it, why should I be paying for the "potential" to use it?

Steven Reed said:But honestly, you're paying more than if you just hired a dedicated payroll assistant 😍
—say, a modern service provider that costs you about $6.75 monthly 😉

And what even is this "payment assistant" nonsense? Just another way to sell us snake oil, because:

"Who is the Payment Assistant, and what is the Shopping Set?

Every Jaws customer has a Payment Assistant—a suite of services designed to let you handle all your payments, investments, and obligations on your own schedule and in the way that suits you best.

Jaws also offers a Shopping Set—a range of options to help you afford more, manage your expenses rationally, and again, do it entirely on your own terms.

This means you choose how you want to deal with the bank. JPMorgan Chase ensures it’s as cost-effective as possible for you—you won't pay fees for using your chosen channels or for accessing your account information, and transactions that usually carry a fee are free for you, ranging from 12 to 25 transactions a month depending on which Jaws tier you selected.

It also means you decide how many cards you want, whether they are debit or credit, or have delayed payments, and you pick your own overdraft limit. JPMorgan Chase makes sure it stays affordable—no enrollment or membership fees for your primary or additional cards, and automatic transfers for card payments are free. For overdrafts, the interest rate is lower than standard overdraft rates outside of the Jaws program, and notifications regarding upcoming overdraft amounts are provided at no charge."

I choose how many cards I want regardless—thanks, but one is plenty for me.
As for the overdraft limit—it's something I think is useful to have, but only for emergencies. Personally, I don't use it. I take pride in being in the black every single month. It's not a massive surplus, but it's something. Why? Because I'm disciplined with my spending and I don't have the habit of spending money I haven't earned yet. Because of that, I couldn't care less about overdraft interest rates, since, like I said, I don't use them. Honestly, they should be paying me interest on my balance, not some pennies on an overdraft...
And a notification about a future overdraft amount is "free," get this? Am I the only one seeing how ridiculous that is? I see those alerts on my online banking portal, and frankly, I don't need paper notifications from the bank at all, nor any other physical mail. I don't want it. I specifically asked the bank to stop sending me anything via mail. I have digital banking for all of that, which I'm already paying for.

I'm probably the worst kind of client a bank could ever imagine.

Steven Reed said:Checking $1.75 monthly
foreign currency $1.00 monthly
ECMC continues $50 annually
online banking via JPMorgan Chase $3.25 monthly
JPMorgan Chase transactions $0.33 internal, $0.67 external

And honestly, it's still half the price compared to grabbing a Windmill Package loaded with all those useless extras you don't actually need.

Steven Reed said:@Kimberly Lopez65, your math is slightly off—if you want to be precise. 😉
Your calculation works fine until August 1st; however, after that date, both domestic and foreign currency accounts are billed monthly. 😉

So, how much are we looking at for those monthly fees?

Kimberly Nguyen said:post quot-an s topica Why Bank of America is losing its customer base.

I used to be on a standard Package before I switched over to the Windmill plan... but then they hiked up all the fees and suddenly the "deal" didn't feel like much of a steal anymore. Now, looking back, I think it's actually 🤷

here is my current breakdown:
- checking + 2 authorized users => used to be $13 annually, now it's $36 🤷
- foreign currency account + 2 authorized users => used to be $28 annually, now it's $28 🤷
- savings account => used to be 0.00, now it's 🤷
- debit card + 1 extra => annual fee $83
- gold tier + 1 extra => annual fee $100
- online banking => annual fee $40
- mobile app => annual fee $40

Basically, if I don't have the Windmill plan, I'm out $288 every year without the mobile app (which I don't even really need), and $328 with the mobile app

the Windmill plan costs me $20 per month, which works out to $240 annually. That said, I get retail discounts, zero fees for up to 15 online or mobile transactions (though I barely touch the app anyway), and when I withdraw cash abroad at Chase ATMs, there's no commission plus Mondial (people who use that say it's a lifesaver)

Plus, I'm planning to swap out my gold tier for the Visa Air Force mall card this fall because it's basically the same thing, just with better discounts at the mall and free parking for three hours...

@Steven Reed ... did I miss anything or get any of this wrong? 😉

So, I ran the numbers. For what I actually use, the Windmill isn't worth it—it just ends up costing more. Most of those perks bundled into the Windmill aren't things I need anyway:

Checking account - $6.75 annually (without authorized users)
Standard Mastercard - 150 annually
Online banking - 120 annually
Foreign currency account - 35 annually

Total is $108 per year.

The cheapest Windmill option would run me $240 annually, which is more than double what I'd pay otherwise.
Personally, there's no logic in it. I have no intention of paying for stuff I might never touch—random rewards programs, home assistance, various insurances... just different ways for them to squeeze a few more bucks out of you.

I'm not biting on any Windmills or Packages. I'll just stick to individual services. The day when the cost of my specific services hits within roughly $10 of the cheapest Windmill tier, maybe then I'll consider it. Until then? No thanks. I'm not handing over a cent more than I absolutely have to. 🙂

P.S. Now I'm annoyed with my girlfriend because she blew money on travel insurance for both of us for a full year... we traveled everywhere, never needed it, and I'm the one who footed the bill. Can I actually get my money back? 😉 That money was meant for an "in case of emergency" scenario, but since no emergency happened, I'd like my cash back. Thanks, please, goodbye. 🙂

And you actually have the nerve to ask if there’s anything that can be done about this?

You earned this one. Just shut up, pay the fine, and please—for everyone's sake—never sit behind the wheel again.