We had a required "Teen Issues" class in 9th grade that included personal finance - but it was laughably out of date. No online resources for balancing a checkbook (the class materials assumed we would still do it on pen & paper in special notebooks), & a whole lesson on how to write a check. Still, they did a good…

And the RA job gives you a reference when you're applying for jobs after graduation, which is a huge plus. It's a great way to show responsibility and dependability to employers without needing a lot of explanation.

New Yorkers are definitely nicer than people give them credit for - they won't go out of their way to show how nice they are 24/7, but if you ask for help, they'll help you out and don't act put out, either. I was on a subway car last week where two women from out of town were debating with each other over whether…

Here's the thing about the "friendly local" scam - there are actually friendly locals out there who will help you figure out machines, directions, etc without trying to pickpocket or scam you. You say this guy helped you and didn't steal anything. Are you absolutely sure he would have tried anything?

I've heard about it - but from my parents who moved out of NYC in the 80s, so not sure if it's still a thing. They confirmed that they'd had people try it on them in the 80s/90s,

So all you do is explain to the retired client why you invest the way you do, & why you suggest something different for them. Why is that so difficult? It's a great way to illustrate why they should follow your suggestions (they're left thinking, "well I'm not mid-career, so I don't want to do what the planner's…

It was one of those two day affairs (Irish people and their wakes) where the family organizing it thought "we'll give everyone a break at that point so they can just do what they want for dinner." But didn't think about the fact that everyone was staying at the same hotel & had only a couple food options anyway.

I normally associate tip jars with coffee shops/counter service, not a restaurant or cafe with waiter service - and this article is clearly addressing places where you get a check delivered to your table. The biggest difference is that the cashier has a different minimum wage than a waiter, & a different expectation…

A courageous thing to admit on a Jezebel post! Harassment and crazy just keeps us from having a meaningful discussion on the topic. I'm politically pro-choice but would love to see more efforts towards reducing abortion in productive ways (comprehensive sex ed, accessible birth control, resources/support for…

You'd be surprised. I ended up with a group of 30 people after a funeral who all ended up together at the same restaurant afterwards. Luckily it was a *very* slow night, and the group was willing to do what we could to make it easier on servers (sitting according to the check, just bring whatever food is ready, no…

I only do that at my favorite place with my favorite server/bartender, because they go above & beyond for me. 20% is more than respectable.

My groups are almost always the opposite - we're glad that the server thought to ask, since we might not have until the bill came. I'm shocked you get this response (but then again, not really - there are jerks everywhere...)

I usually do this to round up - calculate 20%, then add some change to get a round number at the end, so the server gets slightly more than 20%. The round number's easier to remember, and makes it easier when my credit card bill comes in for a discrepancy to stand out. And round numbers are just more pleasing, like…

In the US, coins are something you toss in cups for beggars or musicians on the street, or leave under children's pillow when they lose a tooth (although I've heard the going rate has gone up in the suburbs). That's an oversimplification, obviously, but there is a certain insult level to dumping coins as a tip.

It's the worst. I've gotten so used to having to scrounge up the tax and tip from groups sharing checks while trying to be nice about it. Then once I was out with a large group of cousins I don't see often that included a bartender & former waitress (and overcompensating tipper me) - the bartender & I got out a phone…

I was with a group once that was so bad at math and stingy with tips that when they handed the cash (not split checks, unfortunately) to the waitress, she had to come back and tell us it wasn't enough to cover the bill. It was absolutely humiliating (and I've since broken up with the boyfriend who was part of that…

Yes. I have a habit of saying "OK Bye!" or "great, talk to you later" out loud every time I see someone on TV hang up basically in the middle of a conversation. 24 was the greatest offender - no "call me when you're done" or anything, just "do this" *click*. But normal people in America say good bye, see you soon, etc.

Now see, not asking who's speaking doesn't completely remove that interaction. Back when I was young calling my friend's landlines, the "correct" conversation when their parent answered the phone would sound like "Hello, [Lastname] Residence." "Hi, this is [Caller name], is [Friend] home?" "Oh, hi [Caller name]! How…

Winners are chosen by the number of votes on their photos by their largely male fanbase. (they admit themselves that they're mostly men). It's not based on the most popular photo taken of the logo, but the most popular photo of a "lovely lady."

It makes it a little less "wtf?" but still worrisome. Is anyone else picturing the writer in a fedora? The insistence on referring to their fans as "ladies," with phrases like "beautiful female fans," "lovely ladies," "gentlemen fashion" is giving me creepy vibes. I get what they're going for, but I have to think no…