YES, this is a gloat! The most valuable lesson I ever taught my wife was
that good tools work better and in the long run cost less!

Wes Stewart wrote:

And you can take this to the
bank: divorces are expensive.

My bride's father was a finish carpenter/painter so she grew up around
tools. In fact she says that she couldn't be married to someone who
can't fix things so if I say I'm interested in a tool, she says, "You
handle the money, if you think you can afford it, buy it."

(Is this a gloat?)

It never ceases to amaze me, the number of men afraid of their wives!
Just remember the last time she spent money on something she
wanted..........did she whine and whimper about you being upset about
the money she spent. It's your money, dammit! Wear your damn pants. Beat
your chest. Grunt alot!

The secret of how to avoid getting married, every 5 to 7 years I find a
woman I hate ( you have to really hate her!!!!!!!!!) and buy her a new
house, a new car, and hand her about 40000 dollars. Saves on the lawyer
fees.
H

Tom Kohlman wrote:

...as much as I expect flack and such, it had to be said...and as much as I
would like to do the LOL thing, I can't...

truth is truth!!! LOL

"Bay Area Dave" wrote in message
. com...
how much are they running now? I used to be a Gold Wing owner who got
sticker shock when I checked a few years ago on the prices: $16,000 and
some change!

A new Low Rider runs in the $16k neighborhood. A new 883 sporster will run
around $7k. A Electra Glide with all the whistles and bells can go over
$20K. Those are dealer list prices. Some dealers in metopolitan areas have
been know to get $5K or more OVER list price! No negotiating on price at the
local dealers, they don't need to. List price, plus frieght and set up. If
you don't like the price, don't buy it, they will just sell it to the next
person throught the door!
The RUB's, (rich urban bikers), with money have kept the prices up. Harley
has not been able to keep up with the demand, although I belive they are
starting to catch up. Used bikes in good condition sell for what they were
bought for years before. I am afraird this may turn around as the baby
boomers are looking at retirement, and the bell curve is on the downward
slope. I am not buying as an investment so I am not really concerned.
Greg

Dan wrote:

Only thing is, now that she knows about the Wreck, she wants a SWMBO t-
shirt.

Get her one of those SWMBO thongs.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

"JohnT." wrote in message
...
Look at goldwings...lot less money than a harley of
not-quite-as-well-equipped, and a lot more comfortable to boot.

John


I don't want a dresser. I don't plan on taking any long trips, just day
cruises so a Low Rider is more my liking. I may get a set of bags that you
can just toss on, but I don't see the need for heavy duty luggage!
I have a couple or frinds that ride 'wings. Yes they are nice bikes, I have
put a couple miles on one, but really not what I want.
I have looked at Honda Shadow and VTX lines but they still run over $12k!
Then a jap bike just drops in value from the day you buy it, where a HD will
stay close to it's original price as long as it is maintained.
Greg

"Dan" wrote in message
Hey, knock it off you two! I'm sitting here thinking I'm getting ready for
a nice little second income after I retire and you guys are letting all
the
air out of my parade.

Dan

It works for some people. The problem is that you can enjoy a hobby and
walk out of the shop any time you want. You make what you want and finish
it the way you want. If you can sell it, that is a bonus.

Where you can get into trouble is having people order what THEY want. Ugly
stuff with ugly finishes and I need it by Saturday as it is for a birthday
party I'm going to. When that happens, you no longer have a hobby, but a
job.

People hint that they'd like to have something just like it after seeing
what I made. Most of the time I tell them what the material cost and they
stop hinting. That's OK with me.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

her own money after a decade and a half of not having much of it.

She should also have a credit card in her own name also. Can be handy
"just in case"

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 14:47:46 -0600, nunya
wrote:

|Swingman wrote:
|
|
| I balance my checkbook(s) every time I log onto my accounts and know exactly
| how much money I have, to the penny, at ALL times. She, on the other hand,
| thinks that if she has checks she's rich, "dipsticks" her account about once
| every three or four years, or whenever she realizes that she has more
| overdraft protection charges than she thought.
|
|
|
|
| I used to keep meticulous records of how much was in my checking
|and savings accounts but for the last 8 plus years haven't written a
|single entry into the check register. The only time I open my bank
|statement is at the end of the year to see how much interest I earned to
|claim it on my tax returns. I go to the bank every two weeks to deposit
|most of my paycheck and I look at the receipt to see that I have "X"
|amount to play with minus the $100.00 minimum to avoid a monthly charge.
| I know, I know. That's just not the way I am supposed to be doing
|that, I could be 'taken', etc, etc. but that's my way, for right now.
|
| Comments?

Yes. I used to be pretty lax with finances. It cost me money. Now I
reconcile every account to the penny every time a statement comes in.
What I find is things like the occasion when SWMBO bought gas at the
country store. The card reader at the pump wasn't working and she had
to leave her credit card with the clerk and the clerk ran another $20
charge and pocketed the dough.

Or the time that First USA Bank was charging late fees when the
payments weren't late. People who carry balances and don't watch this
stuff are getting screwed. BTW, there was a class action lawsuit over
this one. There were documentated cases of people making on-time
payments by registered mail and still getting late fees.

What else is amazing is the number of times that we charge something
and the charge never makes it on the statement. (No, I don't make it
a point to notify them.) I keep up my books, if they fail to do so
then they can pay like I used to.

SWMBO has her own checking account but when the statements come in I
reconcile her account and tell her how much she has. She is one who
likes "different pockets" for different things. Fine by me; she's
been putting a bit away each month in a different account and when I
mention new table saw, she offered up the dough. I got the Leigh
video on the dovetail jig and she watched it with me. She asked, "Do
you have one of those?"

I replied, "No they're too much money."

She asks, "How much?"

Me, "Four hundred bucks."

She, "Oh, that's not too bad, why don't you get one?"

Me, "Oh."

I still think they're too much money.

"Wes Stewart" wrote in message |Swingman wrote:
|
|
| I balance my checkbook(s) every time I log onto my accounts and know
exactly
| how much money I have, to the penny, at ALL times.


Yes. I used to be pretty lax with finances. It cost me money. Now I
reconcile every account to the penny every time a statement comes in.

I use Quicken. Takes about two minutes to reconcile the statement. I've
been using it for years now and find it simple and fast. It is hand to be
able access your bank on line also. While I only use checks for the monthly
bills, I use a debit card a lot and it makes it easy to peek if you think
you forgot to note a transaction.
Ed

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 12:44:26 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:

|I use Quicken.

Me too.

|Takes about two minutes to reconcile the statement.

Unless you're looking for that 10 cent typo [g]

|I've
|been using it for years now and find it simple and fast. It is hand to be
|able access your bank on line also. While I only use checks for the monthly
|bills, I use a debit card a lot and it makes it easy to peek if you think
|you forgot to note a transaction.

I charge everything and get travel mileage, although the *******s
(Capital One) just changed the terms which had the effect of lowering
the rebate from 2% to 1%. GM Card screwed me too. As a GM retiree I
get employee pricing on cars. The GM card "paid" 5% to be used
against new car purchases. Last year they pulled the offer for
employee purchases. Thus GM did not sell me a new Corvette or
Silverado PU.

I essentially write one check a month to pay the credit card bill.
Everything else is automatic.

Wes

I'll send you my wife's e-mail address (her car is getting old and she could
use the cash)...

"Hal H" wrote in message
...
It never ceases to amaze me, the number of men afraid of their wives!
Just remember the last time she spent money on something she
wanted..........did she whine and whimper about you being upset about
the money she spent. It's your money, dammit! Wear your damn pants. Beat
your chest. Grunt alot!

The secret of how to avoid getting married, every 5 to 7 years I find a
woman I hate ( you have to really hate her!!!!!!!!!) and buy her a new
house, a new car, and hand her about 40000 dollars. Saves on the lawyer
fees.
H

Tom Kohlman wrote:

...as much as I expect flack and such, it had to be said...and as much as
I
would like to do the LOL thing, I can't...

truth is truth!!! LOL

On Sat 21 Feb 2004 02:33:09a, Silvan
wrote in :

(Not being able to afford to accessorize, I can can attest that it's
possible to have a lot of fun with nothing more than a quality mini
lathe, a few hand saws, and a basic set of Chiwanese lathe tools from
Harbor Fright. There are many things I can't do, but I haven't run
out of projects yet.)

SWMBO sat down while I was watching "Woodturning Basics" on DIY, then I
noticed she was coming in to watch every time it was on. Third time she saw
it she says "Y'know that doesn't seem all that hard and it looks like fun.
You planning on getting one of those?"

So, now I've got my eye out. :-)

Dan

On Sat 21 Feb 2004 11:41:34p, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in
. com:

Where you can get into trouble is having people order what THEY want.
Ugly stuff with ugly finishes and I need it by Saturday as it is for a
birthday party I'm going to. When that happens, you no longer have a
hobby, but a job.

No argument there. But I think, if I spend a lot of time thinking about it
while I'm watching that retirement date get closer, I can keep that to a
minimum. I've already got some experience telling people "This job can't be
done by then, at any price", and I can afford to eat my estimating mistakes
at first. I'll keep in mind that old Blacksmith's saying: "There's two ways
for a Smith to go out of business; the first is working cold iron and the
second's not charging enough."

And I'm watching the specialty shops around here. Already got two
possibilities for things that seem to be selling well and wouldn't take too
long to set up for batch production runs every now and then. I wouldn't
mind working a week or so every month to get the money to play around for
the rest of it. :-)

Dan

I identify with you. My wife ran the books for several years early in
the marrage. It was after a month in which we had to pay over $300 in
bounced check charges that I took over the books and put them into Quicken.

We too are in the stage of our lives that the income is always more than
the output from the accounts over the long haul (married 24 years).
There is a more than ample reserve in the bank, etc. to handle month to
month fluctuations in revenue. I don't need to balance the books. I
just monitor the balance to the nearest $1000 and go about life.

Any large purchases are discussed in advance to make sure that,if
needed, the proper funds are transfered at the correct time. Between the
HD Bessey close out and PennState Industries, I just added $600 worth
of clamps to the shop. It was my birthday this month!!!!

Now I do still keep meticulous records of where it all goes on the
computer, but I don't even keep a written register anymore. I do monitor
my statements every month to make sure something did not come out that
was not suppposed to.

nunya wrote:


I used to keep meticulous records of how much was in my checking
and savings accounts but for the last 8 plus years haven't written a
single entry into the check register. The only time I open my bank
statement is at the end of the year to see how much interest I earned to
claim it on my tax returns. I go to the bank every two weeks to deposit
most of my paycheck and I look at the receipt to see that I have "X"
amount to play with minus the $100.00 minimum to avoid a monthly charge.
I know, I know. That's just not the way I am supposed to be doing
that, I could be 'taken', etc, etc. but that's my way, for right now.

Comments?

Wrong. MY wife and I agree that there are limits to spending each
month. She has funds to spend or not spend on anything she likes. I
have the same. We agreed that I would draw $200 a week "pocket money"
and she could draw $400 "pocket money" since she usually paid for stuff
for the kids during the month (hamburgers, books, underware, what ever).
This is blind money that can go for anything we want, no reciepts
required, no questions, no complaints, no nothing. Her's to do with as
she pleases. I got no controll over where it goes, just a mutual
agreement about how much will be involved.

Monthly, as different needs arise (tuition, house repairs, car repairs,
etc.) arise, we both make adjustments as needed to keep things from
getting to skewed off budjet.

It's not about controll of my wife, it's about control of our money.

Mark wrote:


Mapdude wrote:



If you go into business with a partner, do you keep separate books for
each guy (if everything is on the up and up I mean)?

I just think if you keep separate account and books in a marriage,
then you got something you want to hide. Pure and simple.




Not hardly 'pure and simple'.

I could state that a husband who insists on only joint accounts has
control issues and believes he must have a hand in every aspect of his
wives life because he feels she isn't to be trusted. Pure and simple.






--

Mark

N.E. Ohio


Never argue with a fool, a bystander can't tell you apart. (S. Clemens,
A.K.A. Mark Twain)

When in doubt hit the throttle. It may not help but it sure ends the
suspense. (Gaz, r.moto)

So true. I also insisted that my wife buy her new car in her own name
with out mine on the title. That way she has her own credit history
with very stong entries.

Then we paid it off six months later with home equity, and she has a
really strong credit profile to fall back on if she needs it.

Yeah, she has her own Amex too. We cut up all the Visa / Mastercard /
Discover cards a long time ago when we got them paid off. All we carry
now is debit cards and Amex.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"Dave Balderstone"

She just got back into the workforce after raising two kids and set up
her own account for her payroll deposit. She wants to feel that she has
her own money after a decade and a half of not having much of it.


She should also have a credit card in her own name also. Can be handy "just
in case"

In rec.woodworking
Howard wrote:

(Bruce) wrote:

If she wants a dress or some girly thing
and has the money, she buys it. I do the same.

Hmmm... one of my wife's best customers is named "Bruce". That
wouldn't be *you*, would it???

Hey, keep it quiet or I'll shop somewhere else Howard.

Howard wrote:

I got the opposite circumstance. My wife is a CPA. Our exchance
would go something like:

The wife of a CPA told me it stands for "Cheapest Person Around." ;-)

-- Mark

And I'm watching the specialty shops around here. Already got two
possibilities for things that seem to be selling well and wouldn't take too
long to set up for batch production runs every now and then.

Care to share what these possibilities might be? I've been cutting cedar
porch brackets, building gable louvers and exterior shutters for new home
builders.

On Mon 23 Feb 2004 04:18:27p, "mel" wrote in
m:

Care to share what these possibilities might be? I've been cutting cedar
porch brackets, building gable louvers and exterior shutters for new home
builders.

Actually no. I wanna experiment with it before I shoot my mouth off. But
I'll share the third because I can't set up for it now. I was in Cost Plus
getting my obligatory Secret Santa present, and sizing up the 44-bottle
wine racks on sale for 35 bucks. Man, were they were _cheap_ looking. Pine
sticks stapled together in a framework that held bottles. Solid pine top.
No finish. Looked like they were thrown together by drunk monkeys.

People were buying them in twos and threes. They were lined up four deep at
four checkouts, congratulating each other on the good deal. I've gone back
since Christmas, and they're not selling as fast as that, but they're still
selling. I figure if a guy set up with the right jigs, he could work up to
cranking those out at least five or six a day, maybe ten, that were ten
times more solid than that and a lot better looking too. I'd make up some
stock and see if I could find wherever those folks hung out. Maybe it would
work, maybe not. But from what I could see it'd be worth the trouble
finding out.

Dan

"Dan" wrote in message
...
getting my obligatory Secret Santa present, and sizing up the 44-bottle
wine racks on sale for 35 bucks. Man, were they were _cheap_ looking. Pine
sticks stapled together in a framework that held bottles. Solid pine top.
No finish. Looked like they were thrown together by drunk monkeys.

People were buying them in twos and threes. They were lined up four deep
at
four checkouts, congratulating each other on the good deal. I've gone back

It's amazing what people will consider buying. A single bottle of wine can
easily be worth many times the cost of one of those racks. The chance of it
collapsing and losing a sizeable chuck of cash in the process probably never
occurred to one of those anxious to buy purchasers.

Mapdude wrote:

have the same. We agreed that I would draw $200 a week "pocket money"
and she could draw $400 "pocket money" since she usually paid for stuff

A WEEK?

Good grief, you just spent my entire pre-tax salary on "pocket money" every
week.

We have a similar arrangement, but divide it by 10.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 00:11:56 -0500, Silvan
wrote:

Mapdude wrote:

have the same. We agreed that I would draw $200 a week "pocket money"
and she could draw $400 "pocket money" since she usually paid for stuff

A WEEK?

Good grief, you just spent my entire pre-tax salary on "pocket money" every
week.

We have a similar arrangement, but divide it by 10.


And here my near total monthly living expense amount to $370 a month,
and that includes property taxes, food, car insurance, and utility
bills. I had to take a roommate to help split the bills. Not enough
money for medicine nor health insurance. Hey Bush, I need a job!
:-(

Yeah, I have a hard time going through $200 in a week. Since I work
"downtown" from my house, I end up eating out for lunch most days, and
at $7 to $10 average a day, I can easily spend $50 to $60 (with tip) a
week just on lunch. Anything and everything I want to buy for the week
comes out of that money (beer, magazine, carwash, movie ticket, etc.)

I usually only end up spending about $100 a week, if that much. The
rest just goes back into the bucket until I need it.


Silvan wrote:
Mapdude wrote:


have the same. We agreed that I would draw $200 a week "pocket money"
and she could draw $400 "pocket money" since she usually paid for stuff


A WEEK?

Good grief, you just spent my entire pre-tax salary on "pocket money" every
week.

We have a similar arrangement, but divide it by 10.

Mapdude wrote:

Yeah, I have a hard time going through $200 in a week. Since I work
"downtown" from my house, I end up eating out for lunch most days, and
at $7 to $10 average a day, I can easily spend $50 to $60 (with tip) a
week just on lunch. Anything and everything I want to buy for the week
comes out of that money (beer, magazine, carwash, movie ticket, etc.)

If it's some kind of eatery where a tip is expected, I can't afford to eat
there. Our idea of fine dining is one of those rare trips to Burger
King.

Oh well.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

Silvan responds:

at $7 to $10 average a day, I can easily spend $50 to $60 (with tip) a
week just on lunch. Anything and everything I want to buy for the week
comes out of that money (beer, magazine, carwash, movie ticket, etc.)

If it's some kind of eatery where a tip is expected, I can't afford to eat
there. Our idea of fine dining is one of those rare trips to Burger
King.

You might want to check your lunch time costs in a place that needs tips. Fast
food these days is not cheap.

Charlie Self
I don't approve of political jokes. I've seen too many of them get elected.

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/m.../business.html

Silvan wrote:


If it's some kind of eatery where a tip is expected, I can't afford
to eat there. Our idea of fine dining is one of those rare trips to
Burger King.

Eating out can be expensive. I see more and more truckers carring their
lunch. Many of the rigs have fridges and microwaves in them now, but some
just carry a cooler.

My lunch is usually leftovers. We intentionally cook extra so I can make a
lunch for the next day or so. Aside from the fact that there is little to
choose from near work, it is cheaper and I eat better.
--
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

I tried bringing my lunch, but that got old. Got tired of leftovers.
Don't eat sandwiches. Low carb diet. Cafeteria downstairs at the
office has marginal food at best. Mostly tastes like cardboard.

So, the alternative is eat out at restaurants downtown. You get waited
on, you need to leave a tip. Lots of places where you can get a meat
and 3 for $7.00. Lots of places to eat. Food is great. Get to get out
of the building for a while. I wouldn't have it any other way. I love
working downtown.

Silvan wrote:
Mapdude wrote:


Yeah, I have a hard time going through $200 in a week. Since I work
"downtown" from my house, I end up eating out for lunch most days, and
at $7 to $10 average a day, I can easily spend $50 to $60 (with tip) a
week just on lunch. Anything and everything I want to buy for the week
comes out of that money (beer, magazine, carwash, movie ticket, etc.)


If it's some kind of eatery where a tip is expected, I can't afford to eat
there. Our idea of fine dining is one of those rare trips to Burger
King.

Oh well.

Charlie Self wrote:

If it's some kind of eatery where a tip is expected, I can't afford to eat
there. Our idea of fine dining is one of those rare trips to Burger
King.

You might want to check your lunch time costs in a place that needs tips.
Fast food these days is not cheap.

I have. It's still considerably cheaper. Especially after factoring in the
15% tip that today's wait staff expects.

Not to mention all the places around here that need tips are standing room
only. 75,000 college students and many of them stupidly going into debt
hand over fist with their shiny new credit cards. (Been there, done that.
Oh the stupid things I paid thousands for in the end.) The only time a
real person can get into a decent restaurant is when the damn college
students have gone back home to D.C./NoVA.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

Eating out can be expensive. I see more and more truckers carring their
lunch. Many of the rigs have fridges and microwaves in them now, but some
just carry a cooler.

I carry a cooler myself, and I keep enough of a stock of dry goods in the
truck to survive for several days.

SWMBO is the one who goes for the leftovers, but then she has a microwave at
work.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

Silvan wrote:

I have. It's still considerably cheaper. Especially after factoring
in the 15% tip that today's wait staff expects.

Are you old enough to remember Earl Nightengale's "Our Changing World"? (I
wish he was still around.) Always good food for thought.

I've invested several thousand $ in "self help" etc. tapes over the years
and have profited greatly thereby. When my car was broken into I noted to
the police that several low $ items were stolen but the theives left the
tapes series (on time management IIRC) on which I'd spent over $250. It was
really ironic -- they left the HIGHEST value items in the car. ;-)

You write well, therefore you think well. You can leverage this into
income, some how, some way. People who can think are valueable.

The most valuable self-help materials I have are written by Christian
millionaires / billionares. I know that probably freaks you out but I have
plenty of "secular" books & tapes too. Ping me offline & I'll send you a
copy of Napoleon Hill's "Think & Grow Rich" if you're interested. It's good
brain food. ;-) I'd also be willing to lend (not give g) you a Earl
Nightengale tape series.

I clearly recall about 15 years ago when our finances improved to where
going to McDonald's occasionally wasn't a budget buster. Though 2002 and
2003 were challenges in the post-dot-com-crash world I've always had cash on
hand to pay a couple months bills if all income stopped. (It did a time or
two, too.) 2004 is (finally!) looking pretty good. It's still February and
already I've earned 50% of the total I made in 2002.

My financial prosperity has come from what I've learned in church, books &
tapes. Why not take me up on my offer? ;-)

-- Mark

"Mapdude" wrote in message
...
I wouldn't have it any other way. I love
working downtown.


Where I work is one block from downtown. Downtown is two blocks long, has a
pizza shop and now a Subway. There is even a traffic light right in the
center of downtown. To get back and forth from work, I have to drive right
through downtown. At rush hour, I've already hat to wait two changes of the
light to get through the intersection. That gets me PO'd because it then
takes me 34 minutes to get home instead of 33.

OB woodworking: There is a lumber yard around the corner. Great place if
you need a 2 x 4 or sheet of plywood. They even carry three sizes of nails.
Ed

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

Where I work is one block from downtown. Downtown is two blocks long, has
a
pizza shop and now a Subway. There is even a traffic light right in the
center of downtown. To get back and forth from work, I have to drive

Our town is a bit larger, but there still aren't too many places to eat
downtown. Domino's, Pappa John's, Subway, a local deli (imagine that... a
non-chain restaurant!), a Burger King.

To get to the food, you have to move out to the edge of town, where I live.
Used to be nothing out here but trees and farms. Now everything is out
here excecpt for TGI Friday's and Ruby Tuesday.

OB woodworking: There is a lumber yard around the corner. Great place

The lumber yard here is over in town proper. Really inconvenient to get to
from here because of the 30 minutes spent waiting at stoplights to go five
miles. They don't stock much, and their prices are anything but cheap, but
they have walnut, and that's all it takes to keep me going back.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

On 27 Feb 2004 02:53:07 GMT, otforme (Charlie Self)
wrote:

Silvan responds:

at $7 to $10 average a day, I can easily spend $50 to $60 (with tip) a
week just on lunch. Anything and everything I want to buy for the week
comes out of that money (beer, magazine, carwash, movie ticket, etc.)

If it's some kind of eatery where a tip is expected, I can't afford to eat
there. Our idea of fine dining is one of those rare trips to Burger
King.

You might want to check your lunch time costs in a place that needs tips. Fast
food these days is not cheap.


I have not ate at a fast food restaurant since 2000, and then it was a
Subway. But, I stopped eating lunch altogether since 1992 and
exercise for 40 minutes, but I do eat one piece of fruit before lunch
time.. My weight is down 35 pounds and no major sicknesses (nor flu)
since. Not only saved on lunch money, but medical expenses.