Re: YA bored Tommy Troll Thread (was ...)

On 3/26/2025 3:49 PM, Alan wrote:

On 2025-03-26 12:06, -hh wrote:

On 3/26/25 12:32, Tom Elam wrote:

[...]
Now we come to the 2015 season that starts next month. Will [Alan] show up or not? You too can find out at https://www.sccbc.net/racers/ results/
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I'll certainly be tuning in come April 26! Join me and watch the mayhem.

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If he has time, he has time.  If not, he doesn't. My recollection is that his car got damaged late last year so there is that work to take care of.

 OH! Is the lying ass trying to attract my attention? Oh, he was!
 And yes, my car was damaged when the car running behind me failed to see that the car running ahead of me had spun soon enough to get stopped before running into my right rear tire with enough force to break every suspension arm on that corner.
 Check it out:
 <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vI5lEa_R0NMNuFevwUI3pF80Roegkfcu/view? usp=share_link>
 And another significant issue for me is that my GP discovered that my blood pressure was sky-high.
 I'm currently taking medication and once my BP has been stabilized at a better level, then he'll sign off on my medical my race license.
 I'm still hoping to make the first weekend, but we'll see.
 

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In the meantime, there was a similarly very old thread where Tommy was trying to suggest that everything's always better with a credit card because of a few percent regained on "cashbacks".
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Well, I just happened to run into this invoice to pay today, and lo and behold, what they're euphemistically calling a "convenience fee" to pay online with a credit card.  Here's the screenshot:
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<https://huntzinger.com/photo/2025/Invoice_convenience_fee_avoided.pdf>
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And yes, you are reading that correctly:  the added fee is a mere +10%.

 Ouch!
 

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Needless to say, I'll be mailing them a check.

Shocking to discover that that the lying ass doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.
  :-)
 

No wonder Alan has high blood pressure. Having to always worry about all your lies will do that to you.
And Alan, if high blood pressure is the issue with missing the first five 2024 race weekends (that was the question, not 2025), then how did you make the 6th? I'm sure you can make up a lie about that. Why not just tell the truth about why you missed all those races last year?
Hugh, there are bills like income taxes, property taxes and our electric bill that we pay with direct debit rather than a credit card. Why? The credit card service fees exceed the 2% cash back on my card. I always watch for those fees, but have not ever see a 10%. However, a travel agency we use charges 5%. I send a check. During 2024 I paid 6 bills by check, spent about $1,600 in cash (ATM withdrawal records). Most of those checks went to the travel agent, the cash was largely for local currency during overseas travel and a few locals that don't take credit cards.
Our charitable contributions also go by check. A check from an IRA account's RMD funds. So that they are QCD deductions off AGI. All of the recipients would take my credit card, and did years ago before QCD was a thing. However, last time I looked at it my 26% marginal federal/state income tax rate is more than the 2% I get on the credit card. The difference is pretty significant.
There was one other notable exception. When we replaced our heat pump last year the company offered 18 month same as cash, check, or credit card. Same price. I took the 18 month deal. There is a balloon payment at 18 months. My opportunity cost is a savings account earning 4.5% APR. There is a monthly payment required, but that declining balance is sitting in account earning more than 2%. I ran the numbers and the after-tax interest earned is about 2x the credit card rebate.
So I do know exactly what I'm talking about. All of our regular expenses paid credit cards that pay 2% cash back. That would include among others, medical, dining, groceries, recreation, auto repairs, personal care, entertainment, some vacation, most home maintenance, improvements and repairs, clothing, pet care, home and auto insurance expenses and other miscellaneous items.