No More D&D for awhile... [slightly OT]

[howandwhy99]

I should say that if you're looking to help people who have debt problems and to teach "financial literacy", try working for a not-for-profit agency instead of a for-profit one. Your local chapter of CCCS (consumer credit counseling services) may be a good place to start. It really does depend on the chapter and how it is run.

IME, most credit counseling agencies on the net (or otherwise) are duplicitious and are really just looking to make money off of those already in debt. By giving a "consolidation" loan, even though they may lower your monthly bill amount, they add more to your total debt in the long run.

 

[John Crichton]

Posted deleted. See my post below, please.

 

[Ysgarran]

The problem with this whole debt free movement is that you are not truely debt free, no one is. You are just paying less interest since it seems to be politically unpopular to pay 21% interest right now.

Could you explain this more? Are talking about the fact that a large percentage of my taxes (USA) are going towards paying the national debt or something else?

I'm curious because I don't have any debt at all.

Ysgarran.

edit:
OK, after reading your message again what you are refering to is the fact that re-financing doesn't get you out of debt. correct?

 

[Arravis]

Ysgarran, I think he means actual debt... most people have it (well, at least those on their own). Be it car payments, mortgage or rent (rent is simply proxy debt, but debt none the less), student loans, etc... It takes rare person not to be in any kind of debt.

Btw Ulrick, I do agree with the posters above. If you want to help people out, there are plenty of ways to do it that are guaranteed to actually help real people with real problems. What I'm about to say might sound a bit odd, but give it a listen.

If you really want to make a difference in people's lives (not simply change who they owe money to) and get a chance for some actual adventure, world exploration, and just a general amazing experience... join the Peace Corps. It's an amazing organization, I'd look into it.

http://www.peacecorps.gov

 

[Arnwyn]

So you are getting a new job. Allright. Fair enough. But I'm not
really getting why that means you'll be leaving gaming.

You mean you'll just be too busy, or am I missing something?

That's the first thing that I thought, too. Heck, I'm a senior financial analyst for a mid-size company, and even *I* have enough time to game once every 2 weeks.

But, good luck in your endeavors anyways.

 

[BV210]

Only slightly related to this thread and the direction it has gone . . .

Darn double post - see actual post below.

 

[BV210]

Only slightly related to this thread and the direction it has gone . . .

[climbs up on soapbox]

I don't know doodly squat about Primerica or any other organization that helps one get out of debt. I do know of one sure fire method that can help everyone, regardless of income level. It is a little thing called DISCIPLINE. My wife and I went though the Dave Ramsey "Financial Peace University" course sponsored by our church. Basically, it all boils down to discipline. If you don't have the money, don't spend it or borrow it. We went from being a typical family ($$$$ in debt) to only owing on one car (for one more year) and our house in no time flat. Was it because I'm rich? Heck no, I work for the government. It was simply discipline.

[climbs down off soapbox]

Resume gaming chat.

 

[jezter6]

To climb back up on BV210's box:

It does require discipline. Lots of it. And the 'free' financial analysis your primerica rep will give you DOES in fact give you a great way to reduce your debt by teaching you ways to pay off your debt more quickly. (IE: Paying more money on high interest debts each month and making minimum payments on your lower debt. In theory, you'll pay off the higher debt sooner saving you that extra interest money.)

But, that great free information comes with the...YOU NEED LIFE INSURANCE because you're going to die in less than 25 years (see rant above about how term life insurance is a gamble against your own life...not a bet I intend on making!)

It's the second, and then third part of it that gest people. You pay out the wazzoo for their term life, THEN they recruit you to work under them after you've already paid their commission check. And of course, they send you ALL KINDS of cool propaganda on how much money you 'can' make. I'd love to take some pictures of the crap in my dad's office, but I'm just too lazy.

Anywho, here's a quick and dirty look at the 'pyramid' scheme:

Level 1 - Apply to be an analyst - 0% commission
Level 2 - Get lisenced - 25% commission
Level 3 - Recruit 3 of your friends and get THEM lisenced - 35% commission, plus 10% of THEIR commissions on each sale
Level 4 - Get one of your friends up to level 3 - 50% + about 15% of their sales
Level 5 - Get one of your friends up to level 4 - 60% + about 20% of their stuff
Level 6 - Get 2 more friends up to level 4 70% + about 20% of their stuff
Level 7 - 3 more friends at level 4, plus 1 level 6 or 3 additional level 4's that go to SOMEONE ELSE'S POCKET! Now you're making about 90% on a sale, plus all the bonus xx% from under you.

All the + xx% means you're getting money on their sales, plus the percentage of someone ELSE below them, PLUS someone below THEM, etc, etc.

After level 7, they just keep expecting you to get your friends up to level 7 so you can sponge off the 6 people THEY had to build to get to level 4, which requires each of them to have 3 people under them.

Yeah, PYRAMID. Nuff said

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

Yeah, PYRAMID. Nuff said

Noo, a pyramid scheme would be illegal. See, this one is more of a trapezoid.

 

[Mercule]

That's the first thing that I thought, too. Heck, I'm a senior financial analyst for a mid-size company, and even *I* have enough time to game once every 2 weeks.

But, good luck in your endeavors anyways.

Likewise (more or less). I don't share arnwyn's career, but I'm awfully busy (70+ hrs/week plus a newborn) and I'm still gaming every Monday.

Of course, sometimes people misinterpret a good message. It's really easy to get "busy" with TV, video games, softball, whatever. Harkening back to the whole "discipline" theme above, some (many?) people need to "recreate" a bit less if they really want to be constructive. Some "success speakers" point this out, but it comes off as "don't have fun" rather than "set priorities".

Man, you need to take keep some balance in your life. Stephen Covey calls it "Sharpening the Saw" and it basically means that if you use you tools (yourself) non-stop, they are going to get dull and break. You need to do some maintenance on them (again, yourself) every now and again.

The trick is knowing what really refreshes you. If you walk away from a D&D game feeling high (and there aren't any chemicals there), then you probably ought not give it up. If you are doing it to "pass time" or, worse, feel frustrated after games, then you probably ought to give it up anyway -- it is without purpose.