Scams, rip offs & stupid mistakes - Share yours so we can all learn

[chickenone]

Never allow your offspring to live at home past 20 yrs. old.

that seems a tad harsh.

How are kids supposed to support themselves while trying to get through college? I love my child and would never just toss her onto the streets because she has reached a certain arbitrary age. As far as I am concerned, as long as she works she can stay forever. I like the company.

 

[savingdogs]

I think it is very hard for kids right now to find employment. I have a 19-year-old son and he found a way to employ himself working from home via internet in Taiwan and other foreign countries when he could find nothing locally. That business would not support him yet however, so he can continue to stay here while he grows it and further educates himself. We have made sure however that he knows this is a different arrangement than when he was under 18 and we ask him to contribute to the household in different ways than when he was a child.

I think everyone's situation is unique. I'm special needs myself and need the assistance of this particular son quite a bit (I'm deaf and suffer from vertigo) so he "works" for his family in a way. We are grateful this grown child has chosen to stay with us and it seems mutually beneficial. Perhaps some day we will think this was a mistake, but for now, we are going to keep him around.

 

[Living the Simple Life]

I agree with SD, everyone's situation is unique. I actually lived at home until I was 32 (eeh, gads!). However, the situation was that my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer just as I was finishing college and instead of moving away I stayed to help mom with his care. He passed away a year later and I stayed on because she could not emotionally handle everything on her own. I continued to stay and save money to buy a house. I paid rent, was responsible for all the outside chores (lawn, snow removal, etc.), the home repair issues, and helped with cooking, cleaning, etc. My mom would have preferred that I not move out (but it was REALLY time). I eventually married and now my DH takes care of snow removal, etc. for her.

On the otherhand, I have an 18yo stepdaughter who will be finishing high school in May and deeply believes that because she is an "adult" she does not have to contribute in any meaningful way to the household, doesn't have to follow house rules and can pretty much do what she wants, when she wants without any regard to how it affects anyone else in the household. She has been told that she is welcome to stay at home after she graduates, but she needs to respect the house rules and the other members of the household and needs to help out around the house, etc. If she is unwilling to do that, she needs to make alternate arrangements.

I have no issues with children staying at home as long as it is not viewed as their entitlement. I have seen too many situations of children being left in the nest too long (including a co-worker who calls her son in college everyday to make sure he got up to go to class). Being an adult is a two-way street...if you want the rights of adulthood, you need to accept the responsibilities of adulthood.

 

[Boogity]

Never allow your offspring to live at home past 20 yrs. old.

that seems a tad harsh.

How are kids supposed to support themselves while trying to get through college? I love my child and would never just toss her onto the streets because she has reached a certain arbitrary age. As far as I am concerned, as long as she works she can stay forever. I like the company.

I've heard that the military is hiring.

 

[chickenone]

Never allow your offspring to live at home past 20 yrs. old.

that seems a tad harsh.

How are kids supposed to support themselves while trying to get through college? I love my child and would never just toss her onto the streets because she has reached a certain arbitrary age. As far as I am concerned, as long as she works she can stay forever. I like the company.

I've heard that the military is hiring.

well, I love my daughter and I don't want to send her to get shot at in a foreign country if I don't have to. I am in no hurry to get rid of her. She has been very helpful to me; and I don't know how I would have gotten by without her during a recent illness I had. I wish I could keep her with me forever. I don't understand why people are in a hurry to get shed of their kids, but to each their own. I like my daughter.

 

[Wifezilla]

I love my daughter and I don't want to send her to get shot at in a foreign country

I love my son too...but he just got back from spending a year in Iraq as a soldier in the Army.

Having a child leave home and know what is like to totally rely on themselves is an important part of growth and development.

While some kids may be helpful to their parents, I honestly believe children get stunted if they do not stand on their own 2 feet.

 

[chickenone]

I love my daughter and I don't want to send her to get shot at in a foreign country

I love my son too...but he just got back from spending a year in Iraq as a soldier in the Army.

Having a child leave home and know what is like to totally rely on themselves is an important part of growth and development.

While some kids may be helpful to their parents, I honestly believe children get stunted if they do not stand on their own 2 feet.

I agree that they need to learn to stand on their own two feet; I just don't think they are all magically ready to do so at 20. They are not even out of college yet.

And while you are surely proud of your son, justifiably so, I don't think you would have sent him off to the military just to get him out of your house.

 

[framing fowl]

Okey dokey folks, back to the topic!

If you're going to buy animals, inspect them carefully! I just purchased 6 laying hens that don't lay. I thought I did a good job. Talked to the guy selling them for about 20 minutes. Their feathers were bright and glossy. They were alert and very friendly. Their eyes were clear and bright. Legs looked good. But I never checked their vents. When I had them home for two weeks and finally had time to check, they were dry as a bone. No wonder I hadn't been getting eggs! Silly me.

 

[framing fowl]

Oh, another thing is be careful with your student loans. I'm sure rules are much different than 10 years ago but we were sent several loan consolidation offers. It seemed like a good deal because it was lower interest than what we were paying individually. As a married couple, we consolidated both of our student loans. Unfortunately, it was a government program where once you do it, you can't refinance again when rates are lower like you can on a house.

The other bad thing is they are in DH's name now so when I go back to school to finish, they will not be deferred.

 

[Denim Deb]

While transferring balances from one credit card to another can work to lower interest rates, don't get extra cash at the same time! My DH did that-w/out me knowing it.