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m-network
Apr
8
stupidity costs us our dreams
Filed Under philosophical
It’s the stupid things that cost you money in the long run.
Yesterday evening, I left my house keys at work. I’ve done this before, but I normally realise about half way there - it takes me 50 minutes to walk home. This time, I got all the way to the front door before realising. To be fair, it’s not the worst that I’ve done. That would be the time that I went to a comedy club after work, got on the last bus, got to the front door at midnight, and realised I’d left my keys at work.
This is expensive, because by the time I’ve got home, I can’t face walking for another 1hr 40 minutes to go and get the keys and come back. I get the bus at least one way, and if it’s late and the buses have stopped, I’ll get a taxi.
The bus is £1.50 each way, and a taxi is £6 or so. It’s not exactly breaking the bank, but it is a completely pointless and unnecessary expense, and that’s what costs us money. The stupid things that you didn’t mean to do that have a price tag are taking us away from our dreams. Which in my case are a beautiful house, and only having to work 4 days a week. And travelling the world.
Image by JasonRogers
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13 Responses to “stupidity costs us our dreams”
3 pings
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The Friday Gathering: Japanese Maple Edition on
April 11th, 2008 12:05 pm
[…] stupidity costs us our dreams - Wow, 50 minute walk from work! I just gained an even higher level of respect for plonkee! Great article on how stupid little things can chip away at our dreams. […]
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Sunday Morning Middle Class and Hugh Jackman Roundup on
April 13th, 2008 8:31 am
[…] reminds us that stupidity can cost us our dreams. Late fees, extra trips to the store, etc add […]
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Weekly Roundup - M-Network Website Edition on
April 13th, 2008 9:48 pm
[…] Plonkee says stupidity costs us our dreams. […]
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Reminds me of my son’s first haircut. I drove to the toddler haircutting place, paid for an hour parking, got the haircut done in next to no time, got back to the car and saw the keys dangling inside - took the bus home, borrowed my mother’s car to drive to hubby’s work for his keys, took the car back, then tried for the bus again, but got impatient and took a cab and got there just ten minutes after receiving a parking ticket. So baby’s first haircut was more expensive than most of mine. Pretty funny months afterwards, but the ticket still rankles a bit. I think I’ll cut his hair myself from now on.
So true, usually in my case it’s when I decide to go somewhere straight after work only to spill something down myself that requires a wardrobe change. Or, truly annoying, forgetting the tablets that I have taken every day for 6 years so I have to get the bus home in my lunch break to get them. As for the keys do you have a friend that lives in the vicinity? When I lived alone I left spare keys with a friend who was only 10 minutes away, and I kept a spare set of hers.
I believe this is what Ana calls the “stupid tax.” My biggest one is forgetting to put something important on the shopping list and thus needing another trip to the store.
I am hysterically laughing at Mrs. Pillars.
I have so been there! In fact I usually leave something at home or at work up to two or three times a week (I have a VERY bad memory for mundane things).
Usually before I go out I do a quick check: mobile, keys, USB, wallet, Oyster card etc and I usually find that whatever I’ve left isn’t in those top 5, but then is less important. Like mobile charger. I think you should have a spare set of keys with a neighbour - good idea. Or put up a sign on your desk with “HAVE YOU REMEMBERED YOUR KEYS?” or just save a daily reminder on you e-calendar. I have found the latter usually works best.
I never ever do anything like that.
(keels over laughing…)
Shopping is the usual one, missing the main thing I actually went for.
For keys, it is best if there is something on the keyring you need in order to leave a place, like work etc.
Forgetfulness is not stupidity though. Even the occasional person pours their tea in a bowl. Learn from the experience, maybe drinking tea from a bowl is better then a cup…
This reminds me of a time last fall, when I had just started to follow my new frugal budget—I walked off the light rail and toward my card, and realized that I’d left my headlights on. Of course, the battery was dead.
I called a tow truck to have my battery jumped (BTW, it was dark, cold and starting to SNOW—not a happy circumstance). One hour and $50 later, I was finally on my way home. I was so discouraged by this seemingly huge setback that I almost gave up and hauled out the credit cards, instead of paying cash for the jumpstart.
The next morning, I was in a better frame of mind and was able to see it in a more positive light: I had used cash! And, yes, it was a $50 “stupid fee” but now I’m more careful than ever to check the lights before getting out of the car. . . .
I used to work at a 9-1-1 dispatch center and handled a lot of “locked out” calls - locked out of house or out of the car. The locksmith was costly! My solution was to have a spare key made for my house and car and I carry them in my wallet. This works for me as my wallet is ALWAYS in my jeans pocket. (I live/work in a very rural area) It has saved me more than once! Hope you find something that works for you! Good luck!
Oh, what an exercise in frustration!!!
I live in fear of locking my keys (all my keys: house, car, gate, etc.) inside the office. The main office is in another building two blocks from my building…and besides, if this happened after 5:00 p.m., no one would be there to let me in, anyway. Drive home is an hour, so getting a taxicab to schlep me home and back would break the bank. I guess I’d just have to sleep on the ground outside the office door!
Having locked myself out of the car once, I’ve developed a compulsion to physically put my hands on the keys before closing a door. Also, at the office I keep my keys in a pocket.
Ask a neighbor if you can hide a key near her door or under her welcome mat. If the burglar finds it, he won’t be able to get in to her place and probably will think it’s an old key predating a lock change. If the person is not your next-door neighbor, it’s unlikely he’ll figure out which door it actually fits.
I do not think I could stand walking 40 minutes each way to work. Maybe I would run one way but then it would only take about half the amount of times.
More power to you though - I bet you save a fortune in gas money.
To be fair, it’s rarely that hot or cold where I live, although it is known for the rain. Once you get used to doing it every day, it becomes part of the routine.