Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't tip anymore. It was hard at first but once I realized servers make the minimum wage, I felt better about it. I don't tip hair dressers either. Mine owns her own chair and can charge what she wants....and she does.

You suck, and should feel bad about it. Do better, or stay home.

Actually it used to be that no one who was just working at a coffee bar would dream of asking for tips. This was mission creep during COVID for them being in person and they never gave it up. Tips are for table service and things like delivery men or hairdressers. I never tip for counter service it’s just an 18% upcharge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

The K shaped economy means that lots of people have plenty of money. It's a very weird situation.

I hope that house cleaners, nail techs, restaurants get enough to survive or transition to a recovering industry

Similar to many:
—stayed in the small house refied during Covid
—public high school
—solar
—2 hybrid cars
—minimal eating out aside from 1x takeout a week and special occasions
—coffee out of home infrequently for me, never for DH
—older phones
—my haircut is expensive but I go 4x a year and don’t need color yet
—cut back on manicures aside from special occasions
—drugstore makeup for some products (eye makeup)
—kids like to thrift, so do I. They aren’t big on brand names. They do get pricier gifts for bdays/christmas
—mostly DIY landscaping
—DH has gotten good at simple home repairs with YouTube
—have home exercise equipment in the garage and walk/run in neighborhood
—have nonmaterialistic friends/family
—look at what’s on sale at grocery store before going
—judicious use of CC points for hotels but probably not getting max value
—Libby and rotate streaming subscriptions but usually not the expensive ones like youtubetv

We spend a good deal on college savings and travel and a moderate amount on kid activities and live events. We have a monthly housecleaner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so ready to do solar. We have the right roof for it but I'm so worried about choosing the right installer and how maintenance will work that I've never been able to pull the plug. (haha punny)

I don't have recommendations because we rent but maybe someone will?
And maybe rentals will have solar? That seems very star trek, but still.

Look into plug-in solar panels, or balcony solar panels. Can lower costs right away.
Things are about to get much worse. Gas is expected to be $6.50-$7 at pump, which of course raises price for groceries etc.

We need to cut down on takeout, fancy coffee etc. we’re already planning more roadtrips than flights. we have two teens. What we already do:

- kids love thrifting for clothes. My older teen has suggested selling clothes on Depop. Since they have so much, why not?
- color my own hair; do our own nails; we do get haircuts (husband shaves his head)
- exercise at home/walking (though I have been doing weekly group classes for myself)
- one car- plug in hybrid
- very old iPhone for me
-no house cleaners or landscapers. We do it ourselves and it’s less than perfect
- self study using apps for SAT; no tutors


Next year, we need to start doing our own taxes, but we have some circumstances that make it complicated.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

The K shaped economy means that lots of people have plenty of money. It's a very weird situation.

It's good to be a coastal elite. Downtrodden patriots vote for my self interest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

Restaurants are busy. We go out maybe three times a month. They’re full of people.

I’m sure the 11 remaining restaurants in the DMV are busy, lol.

I’m not understanding this post.

There’s no need to understand dumb hyperbole.

Anonymous wrote:I am so ready to do solar. We have the right roof for it but I'm so worried about choosing the right installer and how maintenance will work that I've never been able to pull the plug. (haha punny)

I don't have recommendations because we rent but maybe someone will?
And maybe rentals will have solar? That seems very star trek, but still.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

Restaurants are busy. We go out maybe three times a month. They’re full of people.

I’m sure the 11 remaining restaurants in the DMV are busy, lol.

I’m not understanding this post.

Many restaurants in DC have closed. The few that are still open, are very busy.

I see. Thanks.
We haven't noticed any closures, but some new ones have opened. We are in Fairfax Co.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

Restaurants are busy. We go out maybe three times a month. They’re full of people.

I’m sure the 11 remaining restaurants in the DMV are busy, lol.

Yup none of our favorite places are open anymore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

Restaurants are busy. We go out maybe three times a month. They’re full of people.

I’m sure the 11 remaining restaurants in the DMV are busy, lol.

I’m not understanding this post.

Many restaurants in DC have closed. The few that are still open, are very busy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

Restaurants are busy. We go out maybe three times a month. They’re full of people.

I’m sure the 11 remaining restaurants in the DMV are busy, lol.

I’m not understanding this post.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

Restaurants are busy. We go out maybe three times a month. They’re full of people.

I’m sure the 11 remaining restaurants in the DMV are busy, lol.

??

Yes, we are busy. Please come on colder and rainy days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don’t go out to eat much like many of the other posters. It makes me curious about how restaurants and servers are faring; I used to waitress on and off in my teens through thirties as a second job and would make great money.

Restaurants are busy. We go out maybe three times a month. They’re full of people.

This. Same with concerts, plays, top golf, etc. People everywhere spending money like to grows on trees.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm renting space in my garage to a company that does aquamation of pets. They have freezers with animal remains in my garage. Veterinarians drop the remains off and then the aquamation company comes and picks up the remains and brings them to their facility. The freezers are locked so my kids can't open them.

Say what?

I know! I feel like this deserves its own thread.