I should know the answer but don't

Cookie said:

I look at things much simpler and find the golden rule works well. Treat others as you would want to be treated works for me.

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I thought the golden rule was, "He who has the gold, makes the rules".

I'm eating government cheese right now

And I'm not poor.


Come and get the thief! I did pay full price for the crackers at the dollar store. I always take the shopping cart home...thought I'd clear the air so everyone knows and doesn't "make assumptions".

Go for it.

molo said:

OK HJ,
You ask a Good Question, now I'll ask you or anyone to define "charitable intervention" and it's parameters.

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Woman loses her husband, she was a stay at home with the 3 kids under 10, now has to work but doesn't make much.
Comes home one day to discover her copper lines are starting to give up - the whole homes copper water lines have to be replaced.
She's faced with several options,
- A refinance which will effect her homes equity, not likely the payments size.
- She could sell the home, which would leave her with paying rent thats maybe a little less than her mortgage was, but she would at least have the leftover equity to invest.
- She could have two dozen plumbers come in and look, telling each about her financial woes, in hopes that she'll get one willing to work for low wages.
I think it was Rugged that said it, a plumber thats willing to cut corners to get work is a bad sign. They either have a bad reputation and have to drop prices to get work, they're too new to have a list of regulars, or..the worse scenario..they aren't licensed/insured.
Molo, bottom line, a homeowner has an asset - a big one...their home.
As for dentists, I know plently who've taken out equity loans to pay for their kids braces.
This is America, there's almost no way you'll go hungry or without shelter like many third world countries.
The mentally ill or handicapped who are overlooked and allowed to live on their own, make their own decisions is an exception, but I seldom see any that own homes...if any at all.
They usually rent, or live in gov't subsidized housing, plumbing repair isn't something they usually pay for.

She might not qualify for a home equity loan. A home refinance usually will affect the payment since she might take out some additional money. She could sell but, whatever money probably she might need more than to invest. And, rents are high especially if you got a family of 3 and want to live in a safe neighborhood or stay in the same neighborhood where her kids are in the schools and where their friends are at. Sadly, there are far too many hungry in the USA. Yes, there are group homes for the physically and mentally challenged.

Cookie said:

She might not qualify for a home equity loan. A home refinance usually will affect the payment since she might take out some additional money. She could sell but, whatever money probably she might need more than to invest. And, rents are high especially if you got a family of 3 and want to live in a safe neighborhood or stay in the same neighborhood where her kids are in the schools and where their friends are at. Sadly, there are far too many hungry in the USA. Yes, there are group homes for the physically and mentally challenged.

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I propose we take the unfit and eat them with our eggs for breakfast. They will help to make us sicker, so that others can feed on us.

My own definition of charitable intervention...my own mother is an example. Her social security is just over $600/mo. Her house needs a new roof, new heating system, and part of the plumbing replaced. The house is paid for, but she doesnt qualify for an equity loan because first, her income is too low, and second, because she is splitting the property with us, her children, and third, because she puts her medical and her basic needs that she cant afford on credit cards, and her income and debt ratio is too high. The plumbing repairs, she's been told 8 to 10k to replace a sewer line, 6 to 8 k for the roof, and as much as 10k for the heating system! None of the state organizations will help simply because (and in their own words) she owns the home! And the really bad part...we have a local habitat for humanity, and THEY can give brand new houses away to people who have never even tried, and you can drive by these new houses 6 months later, and they've been destroyed by their alcoholic or drug addicted owners (there's 3 habitat homes within 5 miles that I wouldnt take if the owners gave them to me!) yet there's nobody to help out anyone who already owns their home! Im not saying that some people dont deserve a habitat home...Im just saying that if there is no real way to check a background, then maybe we should either spread the help out fairly, or stop it altogether! My own situation...on the job injury, went through surgery 3 times, was out on medical leave, got a bill from the hospital for 36k, and a collection notice giving me 30 days to pay. A lein was put on my house, wife couldnt deal with it all, and walked out sticking me with it all, so I had to file bankruptcy, or lose my home. Home equity loan for me? I dont think so! Spent almost 3 months with plumbing that actually had a broken line spliced together with a section cut out of a garden hose, and two clamps. Oh well...it worked! Spent half a winter in the cold because the furnace broke. If it wasnt for our own former vaplumber who use to be there for everyone, I wouldve had more broken pipes that winter, but thanks to him, the heat was fixed, the plumbing was fixed, and he wouldve never taken a dime even if it were shoved down his throat. His own son is a lot like him, and has his heart in the same place that his dad's was. (I think this young guy is going to keep the shop right on track with where his dad put it)...His idea...To be a lawyer here, you have to donate so many hours of your time as pro-bono, or else you dont get a license. Vaplumbers son says that he thinks the same thing should apply to any business owner, be it a plumber, electrician, garbage collecter, doctor, or mechanic....material recovery with a legit profit margin, of course, but donate so many hours of time a year! Just my thought on the subject.

Cookie said:

She might not qualify for a home equity loan. A home refinance usually will affect the payment since she might take out some additional money. She could sell but, whatever money probably she might need more than to invest. And, rents are high especially if you got a family of 3 and want to live in a safe neighborhood or stay in the same neighborhood where her kids are in the schools and where their friends are at. Sadly, there are far too many hungry in the USA. Yes, there are group homes for the physically and mentally challenged.

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Around here, you couldnt pay me enough to live in a subsidised appartment! Right down the street, there's been 3 shootings in a "housing autority" appartment complex in the last 2 years! Across town, a murder in a government subsidised duplex last year, and on the other side of town, a stabbing and two rapes in a subsidized complex! Seems like the only hope for the needy in this town is to give up, join a street gang, get pregnant, and start drinking and dealing, then they'll give you the free ride all the way to the end!

There is one thing that might work for your mother regarding the house. She might be able to do a reverse mortage. This is something worthwhile looking into Biker. I know alittle about it, if you want to PM me.

Unless you were doing all this as a favor you don't seem to have enough knowledge to be working on and billing people for this work.

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..........ouch!

Cookie said:

You just donated 3 grand somewhere.

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I got an email from the division of plumbing stating they are sending the check back as it is a conflict of interest.

Was surprised to see this happen but I guess in a court of law if I was doing work pulling permits all the time.....it would look fishy.

I don't know how else to get money to them. I don't know if donations or anything else is suitable for this situation but I don't want to do this outside of the walls of what govern me and my fellow tradesmen.

There is always anonymously. Or maybe, consider using a lawyer to set it up he could iron out the conflicts.