Ask MetaFilter

I want to buy a 2016 Rav4 which is listed for $20,000 — is right now during covid an opportunity for a cheaper price? And if I'm paying cash, how much should I offer? [more inside]
posted by deern the headlice at 7:04 PM - 12 answers

I and a lot of other people I know are having difficulty with accomplishing much during this time. This is not the first time of crisis in the world; surely someone has has come up with some ideas at some point. [more inside]
posted by bunderful at 9:44 AM - 14 answers

I currently use Mail Merge Toolkit and love it. It does exactly what I need it to: customize subject line and lots of fields in the message, add attachments, cc and bcc people, etc. However, we've been flagged for spamming and are having a hard time getting the issue resolved. I know constant contact can't customize subject lines, which makes it a no-go immediately. Are there any other services that would do what I need? Paid or unpaid is fine. [more inside]
posted by misanthropicsarah at 9:43 AM - 4 answers

Over the past few years, I have worked a bunch of contract positions as a proofreader and copy editor. The positions I’ve found the most rewarding have been at medical journals and pharmaceutical companies. How can I make the jump from short-term contract work to more permanent work? [more inside]
posted by pxe2000 at 9:29 AM - 2 answers

How can I support Pride month in my office when some of us are working from home and none of us can gather? I welcome your ideas for activities in an office where only 5% of us are out. [more inside]
posted by nathaole at 1:48 PM - 6 answers

I'm looking for clear, well-sourced and well-argued articles that push back on the idea that "meritocracy" is possible in a society where some people experience significantly more structural disadvantage compared to others. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:28 AM - 14 answers

My credit score is high. What's the best way to get a mortgage with the lowest rate and the lowest fees? [more inside]
posted by cnidaria at 7:05 PM - 10 answers

My US company has a business bank account (Azlo) that doesn't accept checks from international banks. A Canadian corporation wants to pay us by Canadian check. Getting them to pay in USD is a real hassle, so we'd like to accept the check... but have no idea how to get it into the Azlo account. In your experience, (a) what's the best way to deposit a Canadian check into a US business bank account that doesn't accept checks form international banks, (b) what steps did you take and (c) how long did it take? [more inside]
posted by melancholyplay at 2:58 PM - 4 answers

I am separating a significant number of staff next week as part of downsizing at a large company. I will be doing each call individually over Zoom (given WFH/covid). I will be on video. The separated person can be video/audio (their choice). Thoughts on how to make video conference separations as professional as possible, and, to extent possible, as emotionally less stressful for the impacted staff. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:30 PM - 19 answers

I’m trying to get better about keeping my personal and business expenses separate. Part of that is looking into getting a credit card solely for business expenses (for easier expense tracking, etc.) but do I need a “business” credit card, or can I just get a second personal card? [more inside]
posted by hapticactionnetwork at 2:51 PM - 4 answers

My hospital has sent us a survey about our experiences as healthcare workers during the pandemic. The survey is apparently from WHO and I really wanted to participate and give them my opinions but the questions are phrased in a truly bizarre way. Can you help me figure out what they are asking? I know I can just skip this survey but I'd rather not. [more inside]
posted by M. at 8:29 AM - 20 answers

I've had a decent sum of money come in recently (mid-five figures), but I'm also saddled with considerable (mid-six figure) debt. Obviously, it doesn't get me out of debt, but I can put take a good-size chunk out of the most pressing debt. I don't have to pay it down right away, so can I park the money somewhere for a while and see it grow? [more inside]
posted by CommonSense at 3:04 PM - 23 answers

These days, is it possible to make anything like a living wage as a proofreader or copyeditor of text? [more inside]
posted by cat friend at 7:49 AM - 12 answers

I have a small mortgage loan left on my rental condo for 47k at 4.25% interest rate and have 6 years remaining on the loan. Should I bother inquiring about refinancing? I've never refinanced it before but now that there's talk about record low interest rates I'm wondering if this is something I should be looking into or if it'll even be beneficial for me.
posted by CheeseAndRice at 6:31 AM - 7 answers

We're about to hire someone who's very experienced, and will be working with us basically (after a small initial fee) on commission. It's in the realm of Google Ads and SEO, so any work he does during his time with us should continue to provide benefits for years to come. So, how long should he continue to get his commission, after he leaves us (or we fire him)? [more inside]
posted by omnigut at 12:04 PM - 3 answers

Is it wise to take out penalty free retirement funds for house down payment? [more inside]
posted by turtlefu at 5:11 AM - 25 answers

I've been teaching forklift, aerial work platform, and general safety for a mid-size welding company for the last two years. On top of my regular job as equipment manager, I also maintain the company's training records, and I notify department managers when their employees are due for re-certification. [more inside]
posted by jwhite1979 at 4:24 AM - 7 answers

With Coronavirus, I've been working from home for the past several weeks. I'd like to know if I can claim any of my household bills on my taxes due to my working from home. And if so, which bill can I claim and what portion of them? [more inside]
posted by NoneOfTheAbove at 9:22 PM - 2 answers

I was assigned a project. Another team claims that they are working on it and that I should stop. [more inside]
posted by pando11 at 11:56 AM - 13 answers

After many failed rounds of IUI, I am trying to figure out if there is any way in hell I can finance IVF. Is this something you did? I am interested in hearing how people made it work with the following conditions: [more inside]
posted by rabbits plinkety plinkety plink at 5:58 PM - 11 answers