Useless Conversation

[Yegolev]

How are we supposed to answer that ?

It's a conversation starter, ya donk.

I would personally go with 'Don't get saddled with a job', but bills need paid, I guess.

Crossed my mind.

The first thing I'm going to work on is karting: http://www.atlantamotorsportspark.com/

Then I might drive a tank over some cars: http://tanktownusa.com/

I've already jumped out of an airplane, poked molten lava with a stick, pissed on a church, driven a Lamborghini, and maybe other things... so I'm just looking for wacky ideas now.

[Ironwood]

No, no, no, no.

It's a conversation starter akin to 'What Hobby should I take up ?'

Doesn't matter how you answer that question, you're fumbling about in the dark.  "hang gliding !!"  "no, I'm afraid of heights."  "Scuba Diving!"  "I hate the water"  "Well, FUCK YOU THEN."

Scottish people ain't got time for that shit.  "I have free time to do the stuff I've always wanted to do !!"  "Good, Go to it and good luck !"

I mean, seriously, karting would just have never, ever have occurred to me.  This conversation would be like the ones I have with my daughter "Daddy, Guess What ?!"  "Fucked if I know, hen.  Clue me in ?"

[Yegolev]

OK, fair point in your case, but I think more people on this site spend a lot of time sitting in their underwear in front of a computer eating ice cream from the tub than you might have originally estimated.

[Morat20]

Just an update on my brother: He had his first chemo session today (a rather grueling eight or so hours, mostly because his veins are all shrunk down so they were shoving a bunch of bags of stuff through a very, very tiny needle. Apparently that'll get better) and all the test results are in. He's in Stage II (it's in his lymphatic system, spread to more than one set of nodes, but is above the diaphragm). The doctor swears he'll start feeling better soon. Turns out the 'other' tumor (turns out he has a second one) is on the same place on the OTHER side of his chest, so it's already started affecting his good lung.

Apparently the term 'football sized' was used to describe the two masses together. Which is not an amount of lung displacement you want if you like having energy and sleeping without choking and coughing all the time.

But Stage II is awesome. 90% or better rates, not out of the lymphatic system.

Just, you know, a few months of being poisoned once a week for several hours and maybe some being bathed in radiation.

We had a big family gathering recently -- we voted him in as "Worst X-man ever".

[Strazos]

Here's a potentially useless topic -

Does anyone use a moneyclip, rather than a wallet? I'm sick of carrying the full thing around (and often times don't nowadays), but the removable piece is falling apart under the sort of use I put it through.

Ideally, I'd like something that held bills and card separately - having to fuss with everything every time you want to remove something is a pain, right?

[Abagadro]

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2015/02/wally_bifold_distil_union_s_slim_wallet_is_perfectly_minimal.html

Read this recently, no personal experience.

[Ironwood]

OK, fair point in your case, but I think more people on this site spend a lot of time sitting in their underwear in front of a computer eating ice cream from the tub than you might have originally estimated.

I have thought of something.  I would repoint all the paving in my back garden.  This isn't so much work as something I've actually always wanted to do.  Odd, I know.

Trouble with that is you rarely get a nice day over here, so I'd probably be pissed on the entire time. 

[lamaros]

I have a tiny wallet, it fits everything. I'd post a picture but I'm not near my computer.

[Yegolev]

[Sky]

Up your hobby game, dude. Without even considering games or books (or chores/house projects), I'd be set for years of 'idle' time between playing guitar and painting. Nice thing is I could make money doing either, as well.

I need a big wallet, I gots too much stuff to carry. None of it is money.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Just an update on my brother: He had his first chemo session today (a rather grueling eight or so hours, mostly because his veins are all shrunk down so they were shoving a bunch of bags of stuff through a very, very tiny needle. Apparently that'll get better) and all the test results are in. He's in Stage II (it's in his lymphatic system, spread to more than one set of nodes, but is above the diaphragm). The doctor swears he'll start feeling better soon. Turns out the 'other' tumor (turns out he has a second one) is on the same place on the OTHER side of his chest, so it's already started affecting his good lung.

Apparently the term 'football sized' was used to describe the two masses together. Which is not an amount of lung displacement you want if you like having energy and sleeping without choking and coughing all the time.

But Stage II is awesome. 90% or better rates, not out of the lymphatic system.

Just, you know, a few months of being poisoned once a week for several hours and maybe some being bathed in radiation.

We had a big family gathering recently -- we voted him in as "Worst X-man ever".

Great news on the brother, Morat. If nothing else, take comfort in the fact that chemo treatments are always changing.  Heck, when my husband was going through his chemo, about 3 months into it, the doctor told him that if he'd been diagnosed then, they'd be using a different cocktail entirely for treatment.  Hope he comes through it okay and starts to feel better soon.

[Morat20]

My god, that captured the essence of my wallet.

Seriously, I had to start cleaning it out every six months or so or it quickly got like that.

[Signe]

Yay, Morat's bro!  I hope it's all good news from now on.  

My dad carried a money clip AND a fat wallet.  I don't know why.  He had paper so old in that wallet that it had turned to mush.  It smelled weird, too.  

[HaemishM]

The first thing I'm going to work on is karting: http://www.atlantamotorsportspark.com/

The fuck...

From that site:

starting at 15 MPH & some with hyper performance, 0 to 125 MPH in 6 seconds & pulling 3 “G’s” of cornering force, similar to an F1 car. - See more at: http://www.atlantamotorsportspark.com/karting/#sthash.S6HCpYib.dpuf

In a fucking Go kart? Are you mental? Do you want to be? Because I'm pretty sure a tip at 125mph in something with less roll cage and stability than an F1 car would end up with a scrambled biscuit.

[Merusk]

Grats on the brother, Morat. Good to hear things are going well.

I'm in the same boat, Sky.  Lots of cards, very little cash. Even that "slim" wallet linked wouldn't help.  I've got a minimum of 10 cards to carry around on a day-to-day. Then there's the business cards to take when you go to meetings.

[Yegolev]

In a fucking Go kart? Are you mental? Do you want to be? Because I'm pretty sure a tip at 125mph in something with less roll cage and stability than an F1 car would end up with a scrambled biscuit.

It's a pro kart, more or less, which is used by racing pros to hone their skills or people who can't afford a real car.  A go-kart is what I had as a kid but this is a much better machine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXyyyVjcvF0

[Paelos]

Watch out for banana peels and that fucker Luigi.

[Yegolev]

 

[RhyssaFireheart]

Husband is going to need to get a new wallet because all the pockets are stretched out from carrying so many credit cards and now he's got none to carry.  It's not a bad problem to have.

And today was our Q1 potluck, in celebration of St. Patrick's Day and the Cricket World Cup (quarter finals start this week).  So lot's of nummy Indian food, plus a presentation/explanation of cricket.  It sounds crazy when the guys were explaining it but seeing highlights, it makes sense.  Pretty cool sport, IMO.

[Cyrrex]

Totally unrelated to go-karting, but it got me to recall that I was in Abu Dhabi this past December, and took a ride on the world's fastest roller coaster in Ferrari World.  Have any of you ever tried it?  It is MENTAL.  One day that thing is going to fly off its track and end up in Oman.

[Morat20]

Totally unrelated to go-karting, but it got me to recall that I was in Abu Dhabi this past December, and took a ride on the world's fastest roller coaster in Ferrari World.  Have any of you ever tried it?  It is MENTAL.  One day that thing is going to fly off its track and end up in Oman.

So it's like Rollercoaster Tycoon, right?

Speaking of, I think I'll go play that...

[Sky]

I want to get off Mr Bones Wild Ride.

[Morat20]

I want to get off Mr Bones Wild Ride.

Oh god, I'd forgotten about that.

[Sky]

Never forget.

[Samwise]

I've been posting to f13 from Mr. Bones Wild Ride for the past three years.  Help.  THE RIDE NEVER ENDS.

[Cyrrex]

Totally unrelated to go-karting, but it got me to recall that I was in Abu Dhabi this past December, and took a ride on the world's fastest roller coaster in Ferrari World.  Have any of you ever tried it?  It is MENTAL.  One day that thing is going to fly off its track and end up in Oman.

So it's like Rollercoaster Tycoon, right?

Speaking of, I think I'll go play that...

The ride isn't exactly wild, it is more how insanely fast it is.  Something like a dead stop to 240 kph in 4 seconds.  Videos on the net don't do it justice.

[Sky]

THE RIDE NEVER ENDS.

RIP Sam

[Morat20]

So...random questions. My kid has just started working (as a waiter) and I'm looking ahead to tax season next year. (I'm looking for general advice, as I've got software that'll guide me through the specifics come tax time).

First, I'm guessing his yearly income is gonna be roughly 8k for 2015. Most of it tips. CASH tips, that I highly suspect aren't actually reported. (I'll have to press on the specifics of that). Now, I'd normally not be too worried about that as 8000 gross is MUCH less than the standard deduction. But he's my dependent (has to be, to qualify on my health insurance) so he doesn't get the standard deduction, my questions are:

1) Should I be ensuring he puts aside money for taxes? 8000 is high enough to requiring filing, although what his W-2 will report is anyone's guess. (He claimed zero exemptions, but he's waitstaff so the minimum wage is like 2 bucks plus tips and I have NO idea how much of the tips go through their system. Like I said, I suspect cash tips don't at all. If it did, they'd have already pulled taxes).
2) Is there anything else I should watch for? It's been a LONG time since I was a teenager filing for myself.

I've never waited tables, so I'm only vaguely familiar with how the 'real world' works with tips as income. Theoretically it's supposed to be reported. I just don't want him getting hit with a large tax bill because neither one of us knew something like "Oh, yeah, they'll report tips but won't withhold" and "As your dependent, there are zero deductions he can take" and "Also he'll be taxed at your rate somehow".

So yeah. Anyone with experience with a teenage worker (18+) and waiting tables, feel free to give some advice.

[Viin]

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2015/02/wally_bifold_distil_union_s_slim_wallet_is_perfectly_minimal.html

Read this recently, no personal experience.

I use their iPhone case + wallet: http://www.distilunion.com/collections/wally-wallet-cases/products/wally-iphone-6-wallet-case
I like it a lot because I just carry my license and a credit card or two. I also (almost) never forget my wallet or my phone since I'm bound to remember one of them.

[Merusk]

I'm guessing it's the first service industry job in the family, Morat?  Sisters & Brothers were both waiters (and one still is) through college, here's what I learned from mom's complaints:

1a) Yes, you should be ensuring he puts enough aside for taxes.
1b) Generally, nothing cash goes through the system. Only credit cards tips. These will be taxed by good companies, which means not most restaurants.
1c) That 2bucks will be taxed so he's already paying SOME, but probably not enough.

2) Yes, you're not holding enough back.

To expand on #2, where did you get $8k from? It's so low as to be a problem once you actually see the bill next year.  You're assuming he's only making $160 a week if we do 50 weeks.  Even going with 44 weeks from this week, that's only $182 a week. Is he working only one shift and only during the day or something? 

My brother would make about that in tips on a slow Friday. (Women make more in tips so I went with him. They all made lower during the week, I think they lowest they ever brought home was a $75 day)  My sister works 5 days a week and earns in the 32k range.  Her first year waiting tables she had to borrow money from my parents because they, too, underestimated her taxes and didn't save.

Here's how you should be doing your estimate:
* What's the price range of the restaurant he's serving at? If it's a mid-priced sit down you can assume an average bill around $35 per person.
* Assume an average tip rate around 6% (because some people don't tip) and a 2 person party
* Ask him how many tables he's waiting on a slow night. It's probably between 20 & 30 tables for a 6 hour shift, unless it's a dive that doesn't get much traffic.

 Id' be surprised if he wasn't actually pulling in closer to $120 a night once you do this.  Working 3 days a week, all slow and non-holidays (Mother's day is HUUUGE as he'll learn) and you're at about $16k, which seems more accurate. 

[bhodi]

So yeah. Anyone with experience with a teenage worker (18+) and waiting tables, feel free to give some advice.

I can speak to this about 15 years ago, which is better than nothing but possibly not relevant anymore.

You've pretty much got it all; It all boils down to what the W2 says. If they do an "honor system" style thing where they round up all the waiters and make them fill out a form declaring how many tips they got, he should be able to tell you that and what he wrote. If he's declared his tips to them on paper (or in some automatic distribution system), they'll most likely forward that to the IRS and it'll be declared as taxable income but no tip money is being withheld so you'll need to save. But maybe his work didn't declare tips to the IRS and it's less than $6,200 so he won't have to file at all. You're gonna have to wait for the W2 to know for sure, or talk to him and see how shady they are. My experience was with a shady-as-fuck place with a slip of paper where you had to officially "declare" your tips which was of course the minimum semi-believable figure.

[Paelos]

If the restaurant is a chain there's a higher liklihood they are doing things right.

If it's just a local joint, they likely are doing things all wrong, so who the hell knows what they are reporting. I'd check his paystubs and see what they are reporting weekly.

[Chimpy]

If it is a chain, they will use that $2 an hour to cover the tax withholding which will be calculated based on an assumption that tip income is a percentage of sales set by the IRS (when I worked at TGI Friday's in the 90s, it was 9%.)

Of course, while that sounds awedome if you are thinking your average tip is going to be 15%, at those chains you are usually required to "tip out" a flat percentage of sales to the service bartender and bussers as well.

[Morat20]

Chimpy's right. I made the kid specifically ask last night.

Basically, at the end of the night they turn in ALL their cash (tips too). Their actual totals (what customers were charged) is added up, and a 15% tip added to that. That 15% gets reported to the IRS as income. They use THAT when doing his weekly pay (at the 2 bucks or so an hour) and so a lot of times your 'paycheck' is zero dollars because it's eaten up with your taxes on tips.

Back of the envelope says he's averaging about 10 bucks an hour in tips, plus 2 in wages -- so 12 bucks an hour and they can withhold 2, so that's 17%. Bottom bracket rate is 10%, next bracket up is 15%, so he's good I think. He's my dependent, which means he can't claim a standard deduction, but he can file as an individual, and use that rate. Which is, you know, lower than mine. :) (I made darn sure he knew 'zero exemptions' on his W-4)

Merusk:
30 hours max a week, at an IHOP, for only ten months. Started beginning of March. Averaging between 90 and 130 a night (not getting the good shifts yet). He's aiming for 200 a week. He might get closer to 300 though.

He's charming, I've been told he's good looking, and his managers already consider him dependable and not needing oversight. His goal is to work there for awhile, and then see if he can more upscale a bit for more tips. OTOH, IHOP is 24-7, which means he's got a lot more potential shifts that aren't on top of his classes.

[Sky]

So I started a motherfuckin' Deadpimp conversion project. If that don't win me some dough, I don't know what will. I don't want to know.