Welcome • User Guide
ToS • Privacy • Canary
Donate • Bugs • License

©2025 Poal.co

1.4K

The last year at my former employer was also the last year of Trump's presidency before the deadly coronavirus killed us all. The company had one it's best years in a decade, and we all got a substantial year-end bonus - something on the order of $5000 after everything had been taken out.

(The kid that took over the place from his parents whined that no one groveled before him until someone told him that everyone saw this as the raises his parents never gave anyone.)

When I got that deposit in my account, I looked at it. Didn't touch it. A day later, something said to me "That's about what you have left on your car. You should pay that car off with that money. Don't just let it sit there, pay it off now." So I did. Made the final payment and got the title. The day after I made that payment, I stopped by the local "Dayum these doughnuts are good!" bakery and picked up a couple dozen. Dropped them on the table because fuck you I paid off my car and that's the only open loan I had.

My boss gave me this weird look when I told him why I brought doughnuts.

To give you some context, he was, is, and always will be a fucking redneck hick. He's constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses. Constantly buying vehicles. Motorcycles. Bought a condo timeshare. Whined about not being able to afford a pool like his neighbors. Has a giant McMansion in a high-price area that he can barely afford. If he was a woman, he'd get a boob job. Terrible with money, never has two dimes to rub together. His parents are the same way, they lost a decently profitable dairy farm because they're terrible with money.

(To be fair, private dairy is a hard business because you're constantly squeezed by governmental regs and big players.)

But back to the look. This was a look of total not understanding. How could you pay off your loan just...like that? He's never going to pay off anything, never will be able to pay off anything, and the look on his face was simply priceless because I could hear the gears shattering and springs coming undone. I really wanted to say something like you need to quit spending money like a nigger and just buckle down a little, but I didn't because it wouldn't go over well and it wouldn't do anything regardless. The money he got was spent on beer and food and crap, and it was gone in short order. Oh the amount of beer that was consumed...

The company has since closed and I know he took a job that pays more. Apparently, new things were had when that new money came in because why save a little of it by not spending every cent you get?

But the reason for the story? I was laid off 4 months after this bonus pay out. Someone was looking out for me, and I appreciate that.

Thank you for coming to my Fred talk, you've been a wonderful audience. Tip your waiter.

↓ expand content
The last year at my former employer was also the last year of Trump's presidency before the deadly coronavirus killed us all. The company had one it's best years in a decade, and we all got a substantial year-end bonus - something on the order of $5000 after everything had been taken out. (The kid that took over the place from his parents whined that no one groveled before him until someone told him that everyone saw this as the raises his parents never gave anyone.) When I got that deposit in my account, I looked at it. Didn't touch it. A day later, something said to me "That's about what you have left on your car. You should pay that car off with that money. Don't just let it sit there, pay it off now." So I did. Made the final payment and got the title. The day after I made that payment, I stopped by the local "Dayum these doughnuts are good!" bakery and picked up a couple dozen. Dropped them on the table because fuck you I paid off my car and that's the only open loan I had. My boss gave me this weird look when I told him why I brought doughnuts. To give you some context, he was, is, and always will be a fucking redneck hick. He's constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses. Constantly buying vehicles. Motorcycles. Bought a ~~condo~~ timeshare. Whined about not being able to afford a pool like his neighbors. Has a giant McMansion in a high-price area that he can barely afford. If he was a woman, he'd get a boob job. Terrible with money, never has two dimes to rub together. His parents are the same way, they lost a decently profitable dairy farm because they're terrible with money. (To be fair, private dairy is a hard business because you're constantly squeezed by governmental regs and big players.) But back to the look. This was a look of total not understanding. How could you pay off your loan just...like that? He's never going to pay off anything, never will be able to pay off anything, and the look on his face was simply priceless because I could hear the gears shattering and springs coming undone. I really wanted to say something like you need to quit spending money like a nigger and just buckle down a little, but I didn't because it wouldn't go over well and it wouldn't do anything regardless. The money he got was spent on beer and food and crap, and it was gone in short order. Oh the amount of beer that was consumed... The company has since closed and I know he took a job that pays more. Apparently, new things were had when that new money came in because why save a little of it by not spending every cent you get? But the reason for the story? I was laid off 4 months after this bonus pay out. Someone was looking out for me, and I appreciate that. Thank you for coming to my Fred talk, you've been a wonderful audience. Tip your waiter.

(post is archived)

You are currently inside a comment thread.
Click here to see all the comments (30).
[–] • 1 pt 8mo

My credit is shit because I don't have any loans at all now.

[–] • 4 pts 8mo

Mine was up around 842ish until I paid off my only remaining loan last year, a modest mortgage on my old house (the one I am selling shortly). Since then my Discover Card statement says my credit score sunk down to around 820 (they show you your current credit score on the monthly statement). I pay my card off in full every month. I don't really care, I don't foresee taking out any more loans in this life. Interesting to watch it change over time, I'm not doing anything differently.

[–] • 3 pts 8mo

Mine has been in the 830s for years, but I have heard once you get over like 760, it really doesn't matter as far as loan rates are concerned.

[–] • 0 pt 8mo

I remember reading that the Biden Admin was artificially tweaking credit scores a while back, to bring the sub-600s up to around 640ish in order to make more people able to qualify for housing loans.

I think when you are in the 800s with assets, it can help in the size of the loan, particularly commercial loans. It might allow a higher ceiling on what they are willing to lend and possibly 1/4pt better terms. My banker and I had that conversation 20 years ago, so it may have changed since then.

[–] • 2 pts 8mo

I tried letting one of my cards run until the end of the statement and paid it all at once. Score dropped 15 points immediately.

Fuck that, back to paying it as soon as the charge shows up.

[–] • 1 pt 8mo

The hell? How's that work? You don't owe and your rating is bad?!?

[–] • 3 pts 8mo

Credit ratings are NOT about how likely you are to default or not on a loan, the ratings are about how good a customer you are for lenders .

[–] • 2 pts 8mo

No loans, so I don't have a good "credit mix." The reports constantly complain about lack of information regarding a mortgage.

[–] • 0 pt 8mo

No credit cards? Make purchases, get reward points, and just pay the card in full same day as the purchase. Use the reward points for payments on card or to travel.

[–] • 0 pt 8mo

I have plenty of cards. Just no loans.

[–] • 1 pt 8mo

I built my original credit with just cards. It all comes down to how much money you can use vs how much you are using. This is why credit scores take a hit when you pay off a loan or close a credit card account.

Of course, they now report credit usage multiple times a month, making it harder to maintain excellent ratings. This is why I try to pay cards in full ASAP.