Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with cost

Cost of living increase for Chicago

Ponderance — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:15:19 -0800

What was the cost of living increase from 2007 to 2008 for Chicago, Illinois. I am going to pitch for a cost of living raise and am looking for some sort of data to show the cost of living increase from 2007 to 2008 for Chicago. The bigger the percentage the better of course, but I do need data to back it up.

I have had no success with google. Please point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

Old Car: How to decide on repair vs. replace?

Juffo-Wup — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:39:05 -0800

I drive a 1992 Toyota Camry with just over 203,000 miles on it. As far as I know, the car is in good mechanical condition except that the rear struts are in fairly desperate need of replacement. How do you calculate the payback period for repairing an old but paid-off car, and how might you use this information to help decide whether to repair the car or buy a newer used car? The Camry is paid off, starts reliably and runs smoothly and quietly. It burns about three quarters of a quart of oil every 3,000 miles, but its rear struts are shot. They make rattling noises going over even the mildest of bumps and over the past few months, the car's ride has become increasingly rough because of this.

So far, I have only obtained one estimate on repairing the rear struts and that estimate was $1,200. That sounds high to me and I plan to get one or two more estimates but regardless of the actual cost, I don't know how to compute the payback period of such a repair. (I'm also not sure that a 'payback period' is what actually needs to be computed in order to make an informed repair vs. replace decision.)

If I were to purchase a newer car, I would most likely buy a 2002-2004 Toyota Corolla, for which I would pay about $10,000. Given my credit rating, I expect the monthly payment on a 4-year $10,000 loan to be about $250. My monthly insurance payment would also increase by about $50, resulting in a net monthly car payment increase of $300. I could afford this but would prefer not to pay it if I don't have to; that is, if it wouldn't cost me even more money to keep my current car running. I expect that I could sell my car in its current condition for about $1,000, which I could use against the first three months' payments or as a down payment, lowering the loan's principal by $1,000.

My initial line of reasoning was as follows: If I pay $1,200 to repair my car, and the car works for another 4 months without needing any further repairs, I will have broken even on the repair since $1,200 divided by 4 (months) is $300. I soon came to realize that this line of reasoning assumes that the car would become undriveable within 4 months if I do not have it repaired. I do not know whether this is the case but I suspect that if push came to shove, I could probably drive the car to and from work (40 miles round trip) for at least another four months without repairing it, letting the ride become rougher until the car possibly shakes some other vital component loose into a state of total malfunction.

As far as other maintenance goes, I replaced the battery and flushed the engine's coolant last year, flushed the transmission fluid (because the torque converter lockup mechanism was sticking; the flush completely fixed this) and replaced the radiator (its plastic end-cap had cracked open) about two years ago, installed new rotors and calipers on the brakes about two years ago, had the air conditioner's condenser replaced about four years ago, and replaced the timing belt at 150,000 miles. I replaced the front struts about 5 years ago as they had gone bad. I'd say the tires have about 25,000 miles left on them.

If I drive the car until it literally dies, I guess I'd be on the hook for the cost of towing it to a junkyard as well as a couple days' rental until I could obtain a newer car. If I preemptively buy a newer car, I feel like I'd be unnecessarily making large insurance and loan payments.

Is there some general formula that can be used in situations like this to help indicate whether a repair is worthwhile? I would also appreciate any specific advice any of you may have.

Estimating utilities in a college town

laskagirl — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:21:57 -0800

Help us to estimate utilities? Howdy, folks. A relative of mine will soon be attending Humboldt in Arcata. I've been to college myself, but it was on the East Coast, and it was ten years ago, so I'm scratching my head trying to estimate utilities for budgeting purposes. Are any of you familiar with the area? She's going to be sharing a two-room studio. So the two renters would be splitting the utilities for that space. Have Googled and come up unlucky. Thanks so much for any help you can provide.

Do I have to go in debt over my friend's wedding?

gwenlister — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:44:45 -0800

Bridesmaid stress: My friend's wedding is costing ME a huge amount of money (it'll be over a 1000$ all said and done) and I do not have that kind of money to spend on anything. How do I explain this to her? One of my best friends is getting married new years eve this year and I am a bridesmaid. Already I have spent 300$ on the dress and shoes, and that alone is a hell of a lot of money for me. But there is more to come. I still am expected to pay for:
- hair and makeup the day of
- transport to the wedding (no car, so it'll be a 100$ bus ticket)
- paying for a hotel for myself the night of the wedding
- a wedding gift
- supplies for decorating her bridal suite (my assigned bridesmaid task)

Plus I got a message from her this morning that she wants me to supply nicer sheets for her bridal suite because the ones the hotel provide aren't "pretty enough". if the bed is a king size, which it probably is, I would have to purchase a set because no one I know has king size sheets I could borrow.

Basically, her wedding is stressing me out more than it is probably stressing her out. I want to make her wedding day as lovely and wonderful as possible, but does it have to mean costing me a thousand dollars when I am already in debt on my own? I have credit card debt and a student loan, and my salary gives me JUST enough money to pay to live and pay bills and leaves me with very little disposable income. How do I explain, without seeming super cheap and selfish because I am ruining her special day (which is kinda how she might see it), that I can't afford to do all these things? I do want to be involved in her wedding, and it isn't that I want to back out of all bridesmaid responsabilities, because if I did the cost would fall on the other two and both of them are no better off then I am. I know another of the bridesmaids is currently unemployed because she is taking care of her mother as she undergoes cancer treatment, AND she just became pregnant, so guaranteed money is tight with her too....

Am I being selfish? Should I just suck it up since she is my friend?

I'm also worried that if I DO say something she'll get really upset, freak out, and then start telling everyone to never mind, that she doesn't need her bridal suite decorated, that she doesn't need a bridal shower, that she doesn't need a stagette party, and would people please not bring gifts, etc etc etc. and basically cancel everything and go way overboard, when that wasn't the point.

HELP!

Which Shape of Pasta is the Cheapest?

complience — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:52:27 -0800

Which Shape of Pasta is the Cheapest? I've noticed in the supermarket, different shapes of pasta are different prices, now im sure there might be a slight cost difference in producing pasta of a certian shape. But sometimes more than double is alot more than I expected.

What Pasta shape is the cheapest to produce and which is the cheapest to buy? and why?

Tesco Fusilli Pasta Twists (£1.56/kg)
Tesco Penne Pasta Quills (£1.24/kg)
Tesco Linguine Pasta (£1.10/kg)
Tesco Short Spaghetti (£0.90/kg)
Tesco Macaroni (£1.38/kg)
Tesco Tagliatelle (£1.84/kg)

I was reading an article on the standard cost of living in the UK that showed the same thing.

Here

It puts average cost of living at £13,400 (*beyond stupid i know)

Report
however this is not about that.. its about the price index the report used. Simlar to the Retail Price index used for inflation.

It shows

Pasta, dried (fusilli) was 78p

Pasta, dried (spaghetti) was 41p

How to fairly split costs on a roadtrip

biwa-shu — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:51:04 -0800

What's the fairest way to split gasoline and other costs between riders on a roadtrip? We will travel in Japan, and there are many variables in our trip, but I imagine the same information could be used in light of the rise in gas prices in north america!

-One person will incur costs traveling by train to our start point.
-We will travel by toll road.
-We will pick one person up along the way, incurring costs when we exit from the toll road. Does that rider pay the entire cost? Is he responsible for his share of our entire toll burden, or only the cost from his point of pickup?
-Also, should all riders split gasoline evenly, or only depending on how far they travel (eg: we split gas 3 ways until we pick up our 4th rider, then split it 4 ways)?

Because I own the car, I am interested in collecting as much money as I can--I have to think about oil, wear and tear, and cleaning time. Would it be fair to split the entire cost of our trip between all the riders evenly?

If we build it will they come?

gfrobe — Mon, 26 May 2008 03:45:22 -0800

Say a large web based company like Amazon or eBay wants to roll out a major new feature but first needs to perform a cost benefit analysis. What's the process used to forecast the benefits? Assuming this new feature is something competitors don't offer and is going to cost a lot of money to build and implement,I'm curious what methods companies use to forecast how much additional traffic and revenue the new feature will bring.

How much should I expect to pay for a car? And what do I need to know when looking at used cars?

bobdylanforever — Sun, 18 May 2008 18:26:08 -0800

How much should I expect to pay for a car given my situation and what should I know about when looking for a used car? I'm a college student from the Chicagoland area and need to purchase my first car for next year as I need transportation for daily fieldwork as well as for organizations I'm involved in, etc. Basically, I have limited finances and want to spend the least amount possible for a used car but obviously I can't get a complete piece of junk because I need to count on it for the things listed below.

How much should I expect to pay for a car that will meet the following (and any suggestions of where to go/what to do to get a better deal/what do I need to know when looking at used cars)?

*be reliable and not break down if I'm traveling a long distance about 250- 400 miles depending) once or twice each month
*otherwise for local driving (no more than 15 miles each day)- needs to be reliable to get to field work daily
*Be good for a WI winter
*4 (maybe 2) door Sedan
*not cost me too much in insurance, repairs, gas

It doesn't need to be pretty and I a little need room in it to haul people and the perpetual large amount of stuff I always seem have with me (meaning I need a backseat). I really don't care what kind of car it is as long as it's a sedan. I probably should, but I know nothing about cars, so any insight you have on that would also be welcome.

Average price of a pint of U.S. beer?

Gagglehack — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:46:06 -0800

What is the average price of a pint of beer in the U.S. in 2008? What was it 10 years ago? We're running a story in the newspaper where I work on how the increased costs of hops is driving up beer prices locally. Sad news, I know.

So, does anyone have a source for what the average beer price is nationwide in the U.S.? I've been to www.pintprice.com, which has it at $4.05.

Naturally, I'm aware there's numerous factors that go into beer costs, like region, tax, happy hour discounts etc., but I'd settle for a good estimate that's attributed to a reputable source.

What would people recommend for a low cost, non sport, touring motorcycle?

LittleNami — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:17:10 -0800

What would people recommend for a low cost, non sport, touring motorcycle? My gentleman friend is looking for a touring motorcycle that is not a sport, as low cost as possible, and comfortable. Perfect bike, right? ^^ We tried looking on google with the standard word search and hoping to find comparison sites, but to no avail. We have seen many nice new Hondas and Harley's, but nothing else is coming up past the first couple of pages for other brands or something not quite so new and expensive. Are there any sites, companies, etc, that you guys know of that might help with this? Thanks in advance hive mind!

Custom fit hole-drilling worth the cost? the potential for error?

skyper — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:38:27 -0800

Bowling ball wanted; I'm seeking advice as first-time buyer. My local bowling alley has to special order a 10-lb plastic (for straight rolling) one so I must wait til Monday for it to arrive. They took measurements on my fingers but I am petite/fineboned enough (wrists under 5" around) that on a normal game I'd use an 8 lb ball. At least that's my recollection; I bowl infrequently, just read somewhere how much bacteria etc. finds its way into public-use bowling balls' holes, so it made sense to purchase one.

What does a first-time buyer need to know -- esp. has anyone gotten the holes custom-drilled and *not* found it to their satisfaction? And, since it's a $25 markup for the custom, has anyone found it's just as easy to track down a *used* ball that fits just fine?

(FYI they won't drill until I've arrived to pick it up and, I don't pay til they drill. I'm just uneasy that the drilling could go awry).

How to report tax info I don't have?

daisyace — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:48:20 -0800

What date acquired and cost basis should I put for two items reported on a 1099-B, when there are several unknowns? I have this on a 1099-B:
10/26/07.......Avaya cash merger at $17.50 per.......quant:16.......box 2: $280.00
4/5/07..........LSI corp cash in lieu............................................box 2: $7.94

These companies came from Lucent, which my grandmother gave me years ago, before she died, and I don't know what to put for date acquired and for cost basis.

For date acquired:
- 1947 is when my grandmother's husband bought att, which both of the above eventually came from.
- 1958 is when my grandmother's husband died. I don't know whether he gave Grandma att before he died, or whether she inherited it.
- Roughly late 90's is when Grandma gave me Lucent, which had come from att.
- 12/1/06 is the date that Avaya spun off Lucent.
- 10/26/07 and 4/5/07 are the dates of the reported events on the 1099-B.

For cost basis, I know that the basis of a gift is the giver's basis. But I
don't know:
- what Grandma or her husband's basis was, and which of those is relevant.
- what percent of the investment that had that basis they gave to me.
- what percent of what they gave me became the two companies in question.

If it matters, my mom thinks that when I was given Lucent, it was worth
about $25 per share, and $9500 all together. Now, all the parts taken together are worth much, much less.

I know that, to be safest, I could treat the entire $287.94 as capital gains even though they may actually be losses. This would cost me $75 in Federal tax, I'm not sure how much in state tax, plus the value of whatever loss I could have written off against other gains. I could try to find a tax advisor to help, but I suspect that would cost more than I'd save (plus, at this time of year, it would be a challenge to find one). I've tried the IRS help line and the investment firm where these are now held, but I reached dead ends because of the information I'm missing.

I'm considering Santa Cruz for my Ph.D work. What should a person expect when moving to Santa Cruz?

noahdubya — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:32:57 -0800

I am considering moving to Santa Cruz for a Ph.D program. I visited the city for 4 days last week and really enjoyed the area. Everyone I have talked to mentions how expensive it is. It is true that housing is extremely expensive, renting too. But, I didn't find the food in the grocery stores to be outrageous, eating out wasn't terrible either. Unless I'm missing something, its the housing which gives the city its stigma for being expensive. Plus, there are 140 Ph.D students at UCSC which obviously make ends meet in some way (albeit poor college student life isn't too bad). Am I close to correct here? Also, I'd love to know what you think of the area!!

Which costs more to make, diesel or gasoine?

Reverend John — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:51:10 -0800

What is the difference in cost to produce diesel fuel versus gasoline? Does one require more oil than the other? I'm involved in a discussion on another forum where the issue of the oil required to produce fuel has come up in relation to comparing the gas mileage of diesel cars to hybrids. I've cited this page claiming that the Union of Concerned Scientists thinks mileage values for diesel engines should be adjusted down 20% to account for differences in oil required to produce the fuels. Another poster has cited this post on a third forum as saying that no comparison can be made.

Does anyone have any harder info on the oil costs of the two fuels?

I'm also interested in the long term price of the two fuels. Diesel has been more expensive on average for the last few years, but was less expensive before that. Does anyone have any info on long term price estimates for these two fuels, especially if diesel was more widely adopted as a car fuel in the US?

How much does it cost to eat (basic food) in San Francisco?

stackhaus23 — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:54:52 -0800

How much does it cost to eat (basic food) in San Francisco? I'm talking anything from Dennys or In-N-Out to some vegetarian places like Love N Haight to take away pizzas? Ok, something I literally have no idea on is how much it costs (in US Dollars) to eat out at cafes, take aways or budget / cheap restuarants. I'm talking anything from Dennys or In-N-Out to some vegetarian places like Love N Haight.

We're (23 year olds, MF couple) coming over from the UK for a couple of weeks and have looked up the places to eat (as tourists) but have no idea how much to budget per day or per meal for food. We'll probably be thinking small breakfasts and lunch, dinner in the evening. As well as how much a coffee or milkshake would cost at the average cafe?

For example; to get a large Pizza over here would be £9.99 or $20. To get a coffee at Starbucks is around £2.50 or $5.

Thanks so much!

Should I bring my iPhone to SE Asia, or go prepaid (and other international phone questions)?

colecovizion — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:23:36 -0800

Should I bring my iPhone to SE Asia, or go prepaid (and other international phone questions)? I travel more than 5 times a year to SE Asia. I'm about to get an iPhone, so the antenna compatibility should be there. International fees can be quite expensive, so my questions are more about pricing.

First some usage stats:

* I travel mostly to Singapore and Malaysia (Penang)
* I travel on occasion to Thailand and the Philippines
* I wouldn't do a lot of calling/texting. Less than 200 minutes /month
* I'm not very familiar with the prepaid plans in SE Asia

Now, the questions:
* Can I get a SIM card for my iPhone out in Asia with prepaid minutes?
* Typically, how competitive the international rates on prepaid minutes? Ideally, I'd like to get one Singapore number that I can use in Malaysia/Philippines/Thailand.
* Would it be cheaper to get a prepaid account in the countries I visit most?
* Typically, when do the prepaid accounts expire? 6 months?

Thanks!

Two Cats are Better than One?

By The Grace of God — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 10:17:55 -0800

I want two kittens. My husband wants one. Help me win this argument. I think:

The cost of having two kittens/cats isn't much more than one (barring vet bills - is this the case? We're in the UK.)
Mess from shedding, hairballs, stray vomit and poop, etc. isn't much more from two than one.
They will be indoor kitties and will be fitter and healthier with playmates.

Husband thinks:

It will be spendier, messier, etc. by a factor of two if we get two kittens.

Why are professional schools so expensive?

Paul KC — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:13:03 -0800

Why are professional schools like medical and dental school so expensive? Do they charge so much because they can or do they charge so much because they must?

"Ma'am, if you didn't have a vagina, these repairs would cost you considerably less."

numinous — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:55:45 -0800

[Automotive-Repair-Filter]: I dropped off my car at the dealership for it's scheduled maintenance and to have some loudness checked out. Now I'm being told that despite wheel-bearings being the noise-culprit, my car needs $1000+ worth of repairs. Am I getting shafted? After weeks (I know, I know) of my car growing louder and louder while driving at speeds greater than 40 mph, I finally dropped it off at the dealer to have the problem diagnosed (I know that going to a dealer is probably more expensive than a good mechanic will be. I only chose the dealer as my parents had given me the remaining balance on their Dealer Gift Card to use for payment). I dropped off my car - a 2001 Ford Focus Wagon - noting that my car grew increasingly louder at highway speeds, and that I needed the scheduled 75,000 maintenance.

Upon inspection, the service department representative called me and ran down a list of things that the mechanic felt needed repairing. They are (and seriously, I have no idea what half of this means):

^nd

^th

As an added bonus (read:WIN!), my car could stand for:

At the time of this posting, the rep. has given me a preliminary estimate of $890, which includes:

• the cost of the diagnosis ($100)
• transmission work ($605)
• my initial 75,000 mi. scheduled maintenance ($185)

but which does not include the cost of:

• wheel-bearings
• new tires
• new wiper-blades
• a brake-flush
• a power-steering flush
• replacement of bulbs
• all labor required therein

I am bottoming out on my loans as it is (thanks, university administration!), so paying this amount (a) seems like a joke, and (b) leaves me feeling apprehensive about putting food in my mouth for the next 3 months. For the diagnosis, transmission work, and 75k scheduled maintenance, does the amount of $890 seem reasonable? Am I being ripped-off? What is a reasonable price for this type of work? I live in Southern California, and the dealership is located in Costa Mesa, if this matters at all.

I would appreciate all input, as I will be speaking with the rep. sometime in the following day, and would like to go into the discussion equipped with the knowledge of whether I’m being taken for a ride, or if the amount appears reasonable. I will update this post with the additional estimates for the remaining work for which I have yet to receive the estimated amounts.

Please forgive the sarcastic tone of my post. I am feeling a little burnt by the feeling that I am being given a run for my money, and am not wholly trusting of dealerships that tend to exploit my automotive ignorance.

refugees in louisville?

sacho — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:15:01 -0800

hi, friends. hope everyone in the states had a great holiday! i am interested in learning about louisville, kentucky as a possible destination for a young, refugee couple from liberia that have been living in san diego for two years. i have some friends - recent immigrants from liberia in the past 2 years - who are currently living in san diego and looking to move. they are really interested in louisville, kentucky (a friend lives there), but before they quit their jobs (he's an airport security guard, she's a CNA) and pack up their kid (they have a one-year-old), they want to make sure there they will find affordable housing, good jobs that pay enough to improve their quality of life, and opportunities for further education and advancement (both have learned to read and write english in the past two years; the wife has ambitions of going to nursing school).

they've asked me to help them do a bit of research, but i'm struggling with how to search for answers for them. for my own part, i am a bit worried about the number of immigrants from west africa that may or may not be there (will they find a community?) and if they will be able to afford to live in a safe neighborhood or whether they will end up in another slum.

most info that i can find is based around opportunities for white color workers or entrepreneurs. what can a lower-income, immigrant couple expect when they reach louisville? where might one find realistic information about this?

Stockholm to Aarhus - Train or Plane?

divabat — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:49:20 -0800

Would it be cheaper to get to Aarhus (Denmark) from Stockholm (Sweden) by budget air or by train? I'm going to Europe next week - I'll be in Stockholm from the 2nd to 4th of November, then in Aarhus from 5th to 7th, then back to Stockholm to fly home.

I've tried looking up train fares, but I've only found information for the Eurail multicountry passes, which are exorbitant and unnecessary (as they're meant for more frequent travel). The prices for budget air sound great, but as I haven't managed to get individual train ticket prices, I can't make a fair comparison.

How much does a return trip from Stockholm to Aarhus cost? Is it better to fly or go on a train (overnight?)? Which is safer? I'm a 22-year-old Asian female travelling alone.

(also, any Mefites willing to host me in Stockholm? :P)

How can I get cheap mobile internet access in France?

ascullion — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 01:50:46 -0800

I'm going to be spending quite a bit of time in France (Paris and Bordeaux and Lyon) over the next 6 weeks. What's the cheapest way to get mobile internet (3G or wifi)? I live in the UK and have an unlimited subscription to a wifi provider, which allows roaming to pretty much any other provider - so I never spend more than £6 a month on wifi costs. And I have free data through my mobile phone, which fills in the blanks when no wifi is available.

But of course, as soon as I go to another country, that goes out the window - data roaming is tres expensive.

So.. do French wifi operators offer free roaming in the same way? If so, can I subscribe, even though I'm not resident in France? Or is it perhaps possible to buy a SIM card for my mobile that will provide cheap 3G access?

All ideas welcome.

Cost segregation - Real or scam

growabrain — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:51:15 -0800

Taxing question regarding "Cost Segregation": Does it actually work? (More inside) We were approached by an outfit that offers an expensive "engineer-based" study for apartment buildings & other commercial properties (in order to reduce the depreciation of some 'personal' property portions of larger assets)
I am looking for feedback from people who actually got these studies done, and passed IRS scrutiny. What are the real savings? Neither my CPA nor my tax lawyer are familiar with the practice.
Google teaches me that there's a new phenom of franchising this service, so what is your real experience with it?

Which costs can we deduct, if any?

lpctstr; — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 22:15:41 -0800

I started a voip company in California, with a friend which we will give up soon. Costs were: dedicated hosting, buying servers, telephony hardware, web hosting, headsets, and our own Internet / cell phone services. My question is, what can we deduct on our taxes, if anything? This seems like it should be a common situation. Oh, and we never registered as a corp or partnership.

How much to put in the kitty kitty?

kidsleepy — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:33:29 -0800

How much money should I save up before adopting a kitten? I grew up with over a dozen cats (not all at once), and know how to physically take care of them. However, I've never been soley financially responsible for one before. I've decided that the time is ripe to adopt my very own kitten (finally out of school and have a stable place to live). Before I do that, I want save enough money in my "kitty kitty" to cover the basic costs of the first six months of kitten-care. What kinds of shots do kittens need and how much do they cost? How about the cost of neutering/spaying? Cat food and litter and litter box? Any other expenses I forgot to factor in?