Life, YAY

[tarcone]

I thought I would start a thread about our lives. We are all going through something or there is some stupid issue you are dealing with.

Want to vent? Want to get something off your shoulders? Want some advice? Lets put it here.

I will start.

Sunday my 9 month old pug decides to dart out of the house and garage and into the street. He gets run over by a truck. Did not kill him. But broke his pelvis. Now, I am saddened by this event and dont get me wrong about the next statement, but this has cost us near %1000. Great dog. But damn.
Then we get our electric bill. Many of you may remember we have solar panels. Well, we reolaced our gas furnace with a heat pump. This is going to pull less kwh. We have been in the negative numbers on our bill all year. Ourr bill this month is $421. WTF? We have used 5000 kwh more in the last month than all of last year. I call our HVAC guy. He comes out and a wire is bad. Gee, really? We got installed 2 months ago. No offer to help with electric bill. I get it, but it pisses me off. Its 2 months old.

So in the last week we have around $1400 of unforseen bills. OUCH.

Im waiting for the 3rd thing to happen. I hope it doesnt. This week has been brutal.

[GrantDawg]

Dude, that sucks.

[NobodyHere]

I'll bite

I'm 35 and I have no idea what I want out of life right now. On paper my life improved a great deal over the last year but lately I've been lacking the will to get out of bed.

[Silver Owl]

Our house was hit by a tornado, our 17 year old dog died, my father-in-law just died and the best man in our wedding was just diagnosed with terminal cancer ... all since April. I will be glad when this year is over
So yeah ... Life,YAY

[Edward64]

Our house was hit by a tornado, our 17 year old dog died, my father-in-law just died and the best man in our wedding was just diagnosed with terminal cancer ... all since April. I will be glad when this year is over
So yeah ... Life,YAY

Wow, sorry to hear all of that. Hang in there.

[Edward64]

Just trying to get both kids through college & job. So for the next 4-5-6 years, very focused on kids future.

[Breeze]

Just spent 4000 getting a new transmission on my wifes car. However, while traveling to Memphis recently, the car started making strange noises in low gears, and then became extremely loud while driving. Found out one of the engine mounting bolts fell out and another came loose causing the engine to rattle around in the hood. The movement broke the exhaust pipe and crushed some of the AC components (though we don't know the extent of that yet). Currently, I'm sitting at $1000 for repair, but that's an early estimate because the dealership can't get the bolts delivered and won't move the car to the shot bay to determine the extent of repairs needed until they can bolt the engine in place. The dealership has had my car on the lot for 5 days already...

[RainMaker]

Just trying to get both kids through college & job. So for the next 4-5-6 years, very focused on kids future.

I feel like I got out of college right before costs just soared. Looking at tuition rates, I feel for you. It's like buying a house for each kid.

[Edward64]

I feel like I got out of college right before costs just soared. Looking at tuition rates, I feel for you. It's like buying a house for each kid.

Maybe not a house but definitely a Benz, Porsche and like.

[tarcone]

Im in for 28000 for my daughters 1st 2 years. Told her she is on her own next year as her sister starts as a freshman. The younger is motivated to get scholarships. Looking for any ideas.

[NobodyHere]

Tell them to join the Air Force

[tarcone]

Tell them to join the Air Force

I wish my older had joined the military. She needs discipline in her life. She will float for years before it sticks.

[Coffee Warlord]

Tell them to join the Air Force

Apply to the Academy, if she gets in, I'll buy you a beer when you're in town to visit. :)

[Lathum]

I feel like I got out of college right before costs just soared. Looking at tuition rates, I feel for you. It's like buying a house for each kid.

We put away enough each month for my 2 kids to each have 200K for college. It is crazy. They are currently 6 and 9.

[tarcone]

We put away enough each month for my 2 kids to each have 200K for college. It is crazy. They are currently 6 and 9.

Thats impressive and what it will cost when they go.

[tarcone]

Apply to the Academy, if she gets in, I'll buy you a beer when you're in town to visit. :)

Daughter wants to be an aerospace engineer. What a great route to take. We have put it in her head. Thanks.

[JediKooter]

I wish my older had joined the military. She needs discipline in her life. She will float for years before it sticks.

I was in the Air Force, loved it. Pay sucked, but, other than that, can't really complain.

[Coffee Warlord]

Daughter wants to be an aerospace engineer. What a great route to take. We have put it in her head. Thanks.

Heh, if by some miracle she gets in, I might even offer a home cooked meal for her once in a very very very blue moon. Friends of FOFC perks.

*coughs* But she has to babysit the kids *coughs* :)

[NobodyHere]

I was in the Air Force, loved it. Pay sucked, but, other than that, can't really complain.

Unless a kid is hooked up, the military pays better than pretty much any other job out of high school.

[Coffee Warlord]

Unless a kid is hooked up, the military pays better than pretty much any other job out of high school.

But enlisted pay is hot garbage as time passes.

[NobodyHere]

But enlisted pay is hot garbage as time passes.

Not particularly, you'll be earning more than the median income for Americans plus you'll have a pension at only 20 years.

[JediKooter]

Unless a kid is hooked up, the military pays better than pretty much any other job out of high school.

I really don't know how much jobs are paying these days coming out of high school, but, looking at the 2019 pay chart for the military, a new recruit makes about $9.71 an hour. Is that pretty comparable? I honestly don't know haha!

The great thing though is tuition reimbursement. That's one of my biggest recommendations for anyone that's going to join (enlisted), is to take advantage of it. I'm sure you get it if you are an officer, but, don't know if it works differently for them or not.

[NobodyHere]

I really don't know how much jobs are paying these days coming out of high school, but, looking at the 2019 pay chart for the military, a new recruit makes about $9.71 an hour. Is that pretty comparable? I honestly don't know haha!

The great thing though is tuition reimbursement. That's one of my biggest recommendations for anyone that's going to join (enlisted), is to take advantage of it. I'm sure you get it if you are an officer, but, don't know if it works differently for them or not.

That's just basic pay, throw in things like food, housing, and medical and you're probably doing better than most out of high school.

[JediKooter]

That's just basic pay, throw in things like food, housing, and medical and you're probably doing better than most out of high school.

That's definitely true. I was able to live off base and get BAQ and BAS as a single airman due to our dorms being classified as 'condemned'. I think if you are single, no kids and not really sure what you want to do, join the military, but, pick a career field that can easily translate into a civilian job (even if you still don't know what you want to do, at least you have something to fall back on), and use that tuition assistance while also contributing to the GI Bill.

I know the military isn't for everyone, but, it's a good way to avoid staggering college tuition and get work experience.

[spleen1015]

Being in the AF was life changing for me. I didn't use it for college, but what I learned set me up for life, kick started my IT career.

I loved being in the AF, but I got out because I could increase my income by 400%.

[JediKooter]

Being in the AF was life changing for me. I didn't use it for college, but what I learned set me up for life, kick started my IT career.

I loved being in the AF, but I got out because I could increase my income by 400%.

Nice! How long were you in and where were you stationed? It definitely opened up a lot of doors for me, even though my career field was not what I ended up doing in the civilian world. I did take advantage of the GI Bill and that is what got me into what I do today.

[Coffee Warlord]

This should be no surprise, considering where I live now, but....on my street, that I know of (probably more).

4 active duty AF officers.
6 retired officers.
2 retired enlisted.
2 AF civilian contractors.
And the legal counsel for the AF academy.

I know too much about the air force now. :)

And I think I'm like one of about 3 people on this street who doesn't have a security clearance.

[spleen1015]

Nice! How long were you in and where were you stationed? It definitely opened up a lot of doors for me, even though my career field was not what I ended up doing in the civilian world. I did take advantage of the GI Bill and that is what got me into what I do today.

I was in from 1995-1999, stationed at Gunter Annex in Montgomery, AL. Gunter is an annex of Maxwell AFB which is also in Montgomery.

[JediKooter]

I was in from 1995-1999, stationed at Gunter Annex in Montgomery, AL. Gunter is an annex of Maxwell AFB which is also in Montgomery.

Oh man, I was on my way out when you went in, haha! Too funny, went to MEPS at Gunter, small world!

First duty assignment for me was Kunsan ROK, then to Loring up in Maine and finally to Cannon where I got out.

This should be no surprise, considering where I live now, but....on my street, that I know of (probably more).

4 active duty AF officers.
6 retired officers.
2 retired enlisted.
2 AF civilian contractors.
And the legal counsel for the AF academy.

I know too much about the air force now.

And I think I'm like one of about 3 people on this street who doesn't have a security clearance.

Sounds like a Air Force reunion party. But Colorado Springs will do that, haha! I'm sure it's changed a lot since I've been out. Even the uniforms I don't recognize.

[NobodyHere]

I was in from 1995-1999, stationed at Gunter Annex in Montgomery, AL. Gunter is an annex of Maxwell AFB which is also in Montgomery.

I served my time at Maxwell as well

[tarcone]

And #3 dropped, though not bad. My wife had a flat tire tonight. This will be more of time thing than a money thing. I did use my insurance and had someone else change it. It was cold and I was lazy.

The tire needs to be fixed or replaced.

Nothing major, but like I said, things happen in 3s.