Update XIX: Melancholy and the Infinite Napping

[King]

Bushie, please tell me you at least have some vague indication of your credit score.

He is strongly considering getting one.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

www.creditkarma.com

It's not a "true" credit score but it gives you a decent enough ballpark figure.

[King]

We don't want Bushie to go checking his credit score, guys. He'll end up wasting another $50 on some scam credit check company's report.

Unless this job of his was paying $200/hr and he was saving 75% of to buy a new car in cash, there is no way he can buy a new car this year. It's that simple.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

There's a reason I linked to that site which is free and doesn't require a credit card.

However it's worth noting that if Bushie didn't have the Tulsa apartment or uber-cable package right now, he could probably easily save up enough money from this job for a new car. It's somewhat morally dubious granted to have your parents pay your bills and grandmother board you for free so you can buy a new car, but still far less so than doing so so you can drive an hour and a half one way each weekend to watch some community college football games.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Actually let's do the math. Bushie says this job pays $15/hour, but we know he's not working a full week with all the unpaid time off he's taking. But even if it ends up more like $12/hour, that means he's getting about $370/month after taxes on a rough estimate. If the job runs for about 20 weeks, as he's implied, that equals $7400. But of course Bushie has to flush probably about half that money down the drain all for fourth-tier college football games and some church picnic once a month or so.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I'll also point out that if Bushie worked a minimum wage job for 20 hours a week all those times he didn't work at all and kept coming up with excuses as to why or claiming he wouldn't because he was looking for a better job, he'd probably have enough saved for a new car by now.

[memphis]

His credit score may be decent. Although he had a short sale and his ratio of available credit to used credit is probably awful, he seems to be good about making sure that his bills get paid. Credit score is not the issue though. You can have the best credit score in the world, but if your work/income history is as awful as Bushie's is, nobody is going to make the loan. You still have to demonstrate you have the ability to pay it back.

[Indy Texas]

Actually let's do the math. Bushie says this job pays $15/hour, but we know he's not working a full week with all the unpaid time off he's taking. But even if it ends up more like $12/hour, that means he's getting about $370/month after taxes on a rough estimate. If the job runs for about 20 weeks, as he's implied, that equals $7400. But of course Bushie has to flush probably about half that money down the drain all for fourth-tier college football games and some church picnic once a month or so.

What a full 24 hour week might look like:

$15.00 x 24 = $360.00 gross pay
$360.00 x 0.062 = ($22.32) Social Security taxes
$360.00 x 0.0145 = ($5.22) Medicare taxes
$360.00 x 0.10 = ($36.00) federal income tax withholding
Net Pay = $296.46

This assumes they're doing withholding to begin with, which they might not since he is a "contractor." In that case he's going to have to pay a higher tax rate for SSI/Medicare as a self-employed person.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Actually let's do the math. Bushie says this job pays $15/hour, but we know he's not working a full week with all the unpaid time off he's taking. But even if it ends up more like $12/hour, that means he's getting about $370/month after taxes on a rough estimate. If the job runs for about 20 weeks, as he's implied, that equals $7400. But of course Bushie has to flush probably about half that money down the drain all for fourth-tier college football games and some church picnic once a month or so.

In my defense we just got through with the holiday season when nobody at my place of work worked a full week.  Now, that the holidays are over, I can work 40 hours a week until my dentist appointment on February 2.

[memphis]

You finally got an appointment with the Indian dentist? After 2 years!!!

[Indy Texas]

Actually let's do the math. Bushie says this job pays $15/hour, but we know he's not working a full week with all the unpaid time off he's taking. But even if it ends up more like $12/hour, that means he's getting about $370/month after taxes on a rough estimate. If the job runs for about 20 weeks, as he's implied, that equals $7400. But of course Bushie has to flush probably about half that money down the drain all for fourth-tier college football games and some church picnic once a month or so.

In my defense we just got through with the holiday season when nobody at my place of work worked a full week.  Now, that the holidays are over, I can work 40 hours a week until my dentist appointment on February 2.

You're missing the point. You're in a job where you don't choose how many hours you work - your employer arbitrarily shuts down the works for a light drizzle - and you aren't given any paid time off to make up for that. Essentially, your take home pay is at the whim of your supervisor. What would you do if you bought a new car and a couple of months later, the contract is suddenly going to be finished earlier than planned and they don't have any more work for you?

[King]

Actually let's do the math. Bushie says this job pays $15/hour, but we know he's not working a full week with all the unpaid time off he's taking. But even if it ends up more like $12/hour, that means he's getting about $370/month after taxes on a rough estimate. If the job runs for about 20 weeks, as he's implied, that equals $7400. But of course Bushie has to flush probably about half that money down the drain all for fourth-tier college football games and some church picnic once a month or so.

In my defense we just got through with the holiday season when nobody at my place of work worked a full week.  Now, that the holidays are over, I can work 40 hours a week until my dentist appointment on February 2.

That doesn't change the fact that you are not on pace to be able to afford a new car.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Actually let's do the math. Bushie says this job pays $15/hour, but we know he's not working a full week with all the unpaid time off he's taking. But even if it ends up more like $12/hour, that means he's getting about $370/month after taxes on a rough estimate. If the job runs for about 20 weeks, as he's implied, that equals $7400. But of course Bushie has to flush probably about half that money down the drain all for fourth-tier college football games and some church picnic once a month or so.

In my defense we just got through with the holiday season when nobody at my place of work worked a full week.  Now, that the holidays are over, I can work 40 hours a week until my dentist appointment on February 2.

You're missing the point. You're in a job where you don't choose how many hours you work - your employer arbitrarily shuts down the works for a light drizzle - and you aren't given any paid time off to make up for that. Essentially, your take home pay is at the whim of your supervisor. What would you do if you bought a new car and a couple of months later, the contract is suddenly going to be finished earlier than planned and they don't have any more work for you?

That is definitely something I have to take into account, because it is a real possibility with a contract job, some might say inevitable.  I am very encouraged with what I am hearing on the contract length, but then again, at some point the contract will end whether it is this Spring, this Summer, or next Winter.  I'm not entirely sold on a new car and there are a lot of variables that I have to consider.  You all are raising very valuable points and it would behoove me to take them into consideration.  On another hand, and this is something my pastor brought up Wednesday night after church, if I can hang on to the car I have now and ride it into the sunset, then I could still be on track to get out of debt sometime in late 2017 and be able to move to Kenya sometime in 2018 like I want to.  I cannot move while I still have debt.

[Indy Texas]

You said that if you get another contract in OKC, you'd get an apartment close to work. You don't need a new car in that scenario because you're not going to be driving very much.

If you don't get another contract and go back to Tulsa, you have no business buying a new car until you get a full-time non-contract job.

I don't see any scenario where you both need a new car and can afford a new car.

[Joe Biden 2020]

You said that if you get another contract in OKC, you'd get an apartment close to work. You don't need a new car in that scenario because you're not going to be driving very much.

If you don't get another contract and go back to Tulsa, you have no business buying a new car until you get a full-time non-contract job.

I don't see any scenario where you both need a new car and can afford a new car.

All indications are that I will be moving to Oklahoma City anyway as this contract should go into April.  Of course, that didn't come from management and they can't say for sure because they really don't know at this point.  You're right, though, if I move to OKC, I'll be driving a lot less and if I go back to Tulsa, then I will still be driving less because it is a smaller metro.  So, coming to the conclusion that I really don't need a new car unless this thing really starts breaking down sooner than I anticipate.

Now, here's another question for everyone.  Even with the possible long-term factor of this contract, it is still a contract.  After I put in a couple more months, should I put in my two weeks notice and look for permanent employment, so I can start saving up in case my hand is forced into a new car?  Mind you, I wouldn't quit without a two weeks notice.

[memphis]

You don't need to quit a job to look for another. You can have a job and still look for something better.

[King]

You don't need to quit a job to look for another. You can have a job and still look for something better.

But how can he find enough to time to search for jobs and fill out applications when he's working 9 to 5 and has TV to watch 5 to bed?

[Indy Texas]

All indications are that I will be moving to Oklahoma City anyway as this contract should go into April.  Of course, that didn't come from management and they can't say for sure because they really don't know at this point. 

[WalterMitty]

Dare I ask how much your computer was?  Did you at least get no interest?

18 months no interest.  I'm not going to say the actual amount.

Oh you dont have to tell me, you got the deluxe model with all the bells and whistles because you have to run all dem high powered CADD programs, that you don't use anyway.

It wasn't the top of the line.  I didn't put THAT much on my card.  It should only take me 6-7 months to pay off.

How does one in your financial situation get credit to begin with?

why wouldnt a store give someone like bushie a card with a 20%+ apr? 

[Joe Biden 2020]

After talking to my mother about a few things, I am not going to give up this job to look for another job.  I've got too good of a job here and I have too good of a boss to let this one go.  I am going to let this job play all the way out.  It will eventually come to an end, but I'm going to let them tell me when the end is.  I'm not going to arbitrarily end it on my own.  I'm getting paid good money and now with the holidays over, I should be able to put in some good 40 hour weeks and assembling a few nice paychecks.  I'm going to put the car on the back burner for now and focus on gaining some good experience and paying down some of the bills I have now.

[memphis]

That was ominous. Sounds like Bushie will be let go sooner rather than later.

[WalterMitty]

wait... bushie was (again) considering quitting his job to look for another one?  wtf?

[Joe Biden 2020]

That was ominous. Sounds like Bushie will be let go sooner rather than later.

No, I assure you, nothing is afoot here.  This job will end at sometime, but it will end when the contract is over.  My boss is pleased with my work.

[Joe Biden 2020]

wait... bushie was (again) considering quitting his job to look for another one?  wtf?

I wasn't seriously considering it.  I was just throwing out the option of looking for a permanent job.  I'm not doing that now unless and until the contract ends.

[memphis]

I think looking for a permanent job is a great idea. Why would you think that you need to quit your contract job in order to do it?