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  • Come enter the Ridemonkey Secret Santa!

    We're kicking off the 2024 Secret Santa! Exchange gifts with other monkeys - from beer and snacks, to bike gear, to custom machined holiday decorations and tools by our more talented members, there's something for everyone.

    Click here for details and to learn how to participate.

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
24,691
12,484
In the cleavage of the Tetons
Help, amigos, I could use a few birthday ideas for wifey. Her birthday is the 22cnd. Just looking for token appreciation ideas, she already got tickets for a trip to Hawaii. (It's her 50th). She definitely doesn't want me spending much.
I know the snarky replies will be epic, but I'm asking anyway...
 
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stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
22,002
7,886
Colorado
whelp, test drove the CX5 but the dealer was pushing hard for new vs. the CPO one that I had picked out. 90% of the trip was for trade value and to test drive the car, but it was a frustrating experience.
Do yourself a favor and look a KBB/CarMax/etc offers. You can usually get way more for negligibly more time, even after the tax benefit of the trade-in.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,832
7,086
borcester rhymes
Do yourself a favor and look a KBB/CarMax/etc offers. You can usually get way more for negligibly more time, even after the tax benefit of the trade-in.
KBB instant cash isn't great, sometimes they won't even give me one because I drive a weird italian car. Along those lines, Carmax offered me beans (5k less than KBB bottom end range) because they don't sell Alfas...the car would have to go to auction. All I'm learning is that there's a reason that Carvana exists...
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
22,002
7,886
Colorado
KBB instant cash isn't great, sometimes they won't even give me one because I drive a weird italian car. Along those lines, Carmax offered me beans (5k less than KBB bottom end range) because they don't sell Alfas...the car would have to go to auction. All I'm learning is that there's a reason that Carvana exists...
Wow. We got notably over KBB offer when I sold MIL's car on Friday.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
88,815
27,030
media blackout
Help, amigos, I could use a few birthday ideas for wifey. Her birthday is the 22cnd. Just looking for token appreciation ideas, she already got tickets for a trip to Hawaii. (It's her 50th). She definitely doesn't want me spending much.
I know the snarky replies will be epic, but I'm asking anyway...
hitachi.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,832
7,086
borcester rhymes
Wow. We got notably over KBB offer when I sold MIL's car on Friday.
My KBB range is 25.3-28.1. I was offered 25k. It wasn't way off, but I had hoped to be in the middle, at least for buying a new car. I didn't even attempt to negotiate the price of the car, just my trade (which I figured was just another way of negotiating the price of the car). I was turned off by the "yeah but buy new" attitude...threw me for a loop and I wasn't sure if I was being dumb buying an inflated used car vs. an inflated new car.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,703
3,168
If the weather holds up I will do my first bike ride this week post collarbone break.
Holler if you are bike-fit again. In Svanninge Bakke a new "bike park" openend. Two flowy downhill trails and a jump/ pump track at the bottom. Check my pic of the pump track in the "...last ride..." thread.
 

eric strt6

Resident Curmudgeon
Sep 8, 2001
24,386
15,155
directly above the center of the earth
Here. Up late studying. I have 3 weeks to finish off this section of the CFP study and it's slow going, dense material. I don't deal with insurance at all and the more I learn detail, the more I am convinced it's a deep racket. I can't get beyond how anything individual life insurance that's not basic term, isn't a money grab for negligible benefit. If people were educated even to the basics of economics or even math, whole life and variable life policies would collapse under the weight of their own bullshit. I was already a supporter of Medicare for all, but holy shit... The things the healthcare industry can legally get away with?! And long-term care? That needs to be wrapped up into Medicare for all instead of just being a Medicaid (welfare) program. You can only have $2k to your name before you can get onto the Medicaid LTC program. It forces you to either spend $5-7k/yr for decades to buy a plan or go into poverty to get support. And if you have the wrong person look after you, they can deny the claim for reimbursement outright. What the fuck is that?

I pay somewhere around $80k/yr between income taxes and FICA, and healthcare premiums/deductibles. I would need to spend another nearly 10% annually on top of that to make sure that I have full healthcare when I get old. I understand that my household is upper income, but even then it's a hard sell. If you make $50k/yr as a household, you can just plan on living in poverty in retirement, assuming you ever get to stop working. Our country is fucking broken.

Oh, the cats are getting spayed today and will likely be getting adopted out soon.
As a former agent I can honestly say the whole thing is a scam. You are betting that you will die and their actuarial are betting you won't. Aside from accident insurance and possibly long term care policies. It a guilt driven pile of bullshit. I quit after 3 months because I will not lie to sell pure bullshit.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,508
In hell. Welcome!
Help, amigos, I could use a few birthday ideas for wifey. Her birthday is the 22cnd. Just looking for token appreciation ideas, she already got tickets for a trip to Hawaii. (It's her 50th). She definitely doesn't want me spending much.
I know the snarky replies will be epic, but I'm asking anyway...
1634244051868.png
 

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
22,056
12,782
I have no idea where I am
Help, amigos, I could use a few birthday ideas for wifey. Her birthday is the 22cnd. Just looking for token appreciation ideas, she already got tickets for a trip to Hawaii. (It's her 50th). She definitely doesn't want me spending much.
I know the snarky replies will be epic, but I'm asking anyway...
The correct answer is always, jewelry.
 

bdamschen

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2005
3,378
157
Spreckels, CA
My fat and out of shape friend bought an ebike from my other fat and out of shape friend's motorcycle shop. Now we're planning a convergence of fat and out of shape ebikers to go do illegal nighttime party laps tomorrow night when fat and out of shape friend 1 comes down to pick his new diabeetus sled up.

I check with my wife to make sure it's all good if we congregate at our house and then head out for the aforementioned bad idea. The first thing out of her mouth:
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