"Increasingly, experts in health insurance are becoming concerned that many of these first-time buyers will be in for a shock when they get medical care next year and discover they're on the hook for most of the initial cost."
'Health plan sticker shock ahead for some buyers' http://news.yahoo.com/health-plan-sticker-shock-ahead-buyers-160838205.html On Sat, Dec 14, 2013 at 6:04 PM, Richard Williams <pundits...@gmail.com>wrote: > Taking care of all these cars can really keep a guy busy. There are > maintenance costs; keeping them garaged; make sure they are clean inside > and out and shiny; paying the State inspections and payments to the tax > assessor; and there's oil and gas to buy. Just keeping the right amount of > air in the tires is a chore. > > You used to able to go to your local gas station and they would fill up > your car with gas, check the oil and water, make sure the battery was good > to go, put air in the tires if needed, and wipe the windows clean. > > These days, you have to go to a convenience store like an Exxon Tiger Mart > to get air for your tires. If you purchase gas and then walk inside and > have them turn on the air compressor you can get free air for your tires, > and then half of the time, the air unit is out of order. Otherwise, you > have to pay.50 cents for air and be real quick about it. Go figure. > > The rent is too damn high! > > So, I bought me this handy item tool at Harbor Tool: > > [image: Inline image 1] > > > > > On Thu, Dec 12, 2013 at 7:14 AM, Richard Williams <pundits...@gmail.com>wrote: > >> We've been drinking coffee for years. We know a couple that drive all the >> way to the north side to get their beans. They claim that the beans they >> get are fresher, roasted on the spot. And, it's true, the beans they get >> are great, but they cost nearly $10.00. Whenever we're on that side of town >> we get a bag of their beans. >> >> We're also pretty fond of Starbucks French Roast beans, available at >> Starbucks and Target, which are both close by - $9.00. Most of the >> Starbucks have a coupon and we get a free cup of joe when we return the bag >> to Starbucks - a $2.00 value - sweet! And we love the free Wi-Fi and >> reading the New York Times they provide. We also like the 360 beans at >> Whole Foods - $8.00. >> >> We love to drink coffee, but at those prices, we could go broke before we >> even get awake. Go figure. So, I bought a large can of Folgers ground >> coffee for backup at the local grocery store, so we could drink as much >> coffee as we wanted, all day and night, for cheap. >> >> The rent is too damn high! >> >> >> On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 7:38 PM, Richard J. Williams <pundits...@gmail.com >> > wrote: >> >>> Today we went to the grocery store to get a few things and return >>> about a hundred plastic bags. In the parking lot I turned left to find a >>> parking slot and there was this yahoo in a big truck heading toward me, >>> GOING THE WRONG WAY, driving a Ford F-350 with dual wheels on back. >>> >>> At first I said "You **fukin **#@*&^^!!!#@&*%$#%@ SOB! >>> >>> Then, I realized the poor guy was not only real dumb and half blind and >>> confused, but he was probably driving the only vehicle he owned and paying >>> $600 a month in payments, just to go get a six-pack of beer and a carton of >>> cigarettes at the store. Go figure. >>> >>> So then, in the Christmas spirit, I said: you **fukin >>> **#@*&^^!!!#@&*%$#%@ poor bastard!" and backed up, causing a traffic jam in >>> front of the store. >>> >>> Then, on the way home at a stop light, a guy dressed in overalls with a >>> styrofoam cup in his hand tried to hit us up for some spare change. So, >>> still in the Christmas spirit, I rolled down the window and said real nice: >>> "We don't have any cash - we're living on credit cards. Sorry we can't >>> donate anything - I know it looks like I'm rich because I'm driving a shiny >>> new car, but this where all our money is going, just so we can get to the >>> store to buy some beer and a few canned goods!" LoL! >>> >>> When we got home, the Salvation Army called on the telephone to ask if >>> we could donate anything and to leave it on the front porch FRIDAY THE >>> 13th. You can't make this stuff up! >>> >>> >>> The rent is too damn high! >>> >>> On 12/6/2013 3:10 PM, Bhairitu wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> I used to change the oil myself on my '77 Subaru wagon. But it is a >>> messy job and required a custom oil filter. Current oil changes at the >>> local shop up the street who now do my Subaru maintenance is $40. How much >>> time depends on how busy they are but the longest wait would be about an >>> hour. I watch the oil to see how dirty it is. However I have yet to reach >>> the miles they put on the sticker a year ago. Everything I need is a short >>> trip around here so I don't rack up miles and they always kid me about all >>> the driving I do. >>> >>> I heard a report the other day on why car prices have exceeded inflation >>> over the years and the bottom line was...... you got it... profit. Adding >>> air bags do not add much to the price though companies use safety features >>> as a reason. In 1973 I bought a new Datsun wagon for a mere $1800. I put >>> the figure for my '77 Subaru wagon in an inflation calculator and my $2800 >>> '77 should only cost around $11K these days adjusted for inflation. >>> >>> OTOH, the other day I ordered a new keyless remote for the '98 Subaru >>> since the second of the original pair was beginning to fall apart. A few >>> years back I looked online and found that the price for a remote was around >>> $70. This time I found one online for my year and model for only $15 >>> including shipping. It was easy to setup and works great. >>> >>> On 12/06/2013 11:40 AM, Richard Williams wrote: >>> >>> >>> Our car dealer says we should be changing the oil in our new car every >>> 3,000 miles, in order to insure the warranty. We can do this by driving out >>> to the dealership, waiting in line, and either leaving the car, or wait in >>> the waiting room, and then pay $55. It usually takes more than an hour, if >>> you get there real early during the week. >>> >>> The last time I had the oil changed at 10,000 miles, I took the car to >>> Jiffy Lube - it took only about twenty minutes and I paid them $65. They >>> talked me into getting synthetic oil - Royal Purple. They tried to sell me >>> an air filter for $18 - but I declined. >>> >>> According to Click & Clack, The Tappit Brothers, you can go over 6,000 >>> miles between oil changes. I've always been fond of Texaco oil. I get >>> almost all of my oil from either Spindletop or from the Permian Basin. Dad >>> goes 5,000, because it's easy to remember the numbers. One guy, a car >>> mechanic, once told me that oil never breaks down - all you have to do is >>> change the oil filter and add a quart of oil. Go figure. >>> >>> So, this time I took the car to Pep Boys for the oil change: $19.95 >>> for Pennzoil, with a discount coupon, and half an hour waiting. And, I >>> bought my own filter for $12.95 and put it on myself. >>> >>> The rent is too damn high! >>> >>> >>> >> >
