Questions you want answered.

trichy wrote:

My wife lost the extra fob for her 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The dealership is quoting us nearly $500 to replace it. Is there a cheaper alternative?

This?

It's not the fob itself that's expensive, it's the programming.

Jonman wrote:
trichy wrote:

My wife lost the extra fob for her 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The dealership is quoting us nearly $500 to replace it. Is there a cheaper alternative?

This?

and these instructions might help you avoid the programming fee.

I take back everything I said. It's cheap and simple.

I'm glad I randomly hopped into this thread at this time because my wife lost her 2014 Fusion Hybrid remote fob a few years back and she took mine at that point. I just accepted that given the normal price, which we were also quoted up around $500, we'd probably replace the car before we replaced the remote. But hell, if I can grab one for $140 and just program it myself (googled the directions for her car)... I'm going to order one at the end of this week and finally have a key to her car again. It's been a bit worrisome that we didn't have a backup remote anyway.

maverickz wrote:

I take back everything I said. It's cheap and simple.

Like most things in a dealership service department, it's a scam to get extra money out of consumers who don't know better or aren't in a position to find out. also see: Undercoating.

I dunno... I bought the gap insurance and it saved me a ton of money when someone t-boned me and totaled my car before it was paid off. That was a good deal.

I got gap insurance too. I think that's a good bet, esp since i was replacing a car i lost due to circumstances i couldn't control: a deer running sideways into my corner panel

I got a tax question and Google is failing me.

I'm in the process of selling my house to a developer.
The sale closes in 2020, but some earnest money is released in 2019.

QUESTION: If I leave that earnest money in escrow (i.e. don't withdraw it into my own bank), do I have to claim it on taxes? I guess the question is: at what point do I have to consider that money as mine, for tax purposes.

SUBTEXT: I'm trying to avoid paying tax on that earnest money at income tax rates, as opposed to capital gains at a much lower rate. If the earnest money arrived in the same year as the house sale, it'd be a no-brainer to roll the lot into a house sale (tax-free up to a threshold, taxed at capital gains above that threshold).

Danjo Olivaw wrote:

The secret to remembering why the Monty Hall problem works, and other some other non intuitive problems, is extrapolate. Imagine the same setup with 100 doors instead of 3.

1 pot of gold and 99 nothings.
Contestant picks a door.
Host opens 98 doors with nothing.
Contestant may swap.

I am a mathematician, and I still could not quite grok "why Monty Hall". This post pushed me over the edge. Amazing, and thank you!

Jonman wrote:

I got a tax question and Google is failing me.

I'm in the process of selling my house to a developer.
The sale closes in 2020, but some earnest money is released in 2019.

QUESTION: If I leave that earnest money in escrow (i.e. don't withdraw it into my own bank), do I have to claim it on taxes? I guess the question is: at what point do I have to consider that money as mine, for tax purposes.

SUBTEXT: I'm trying to avoid paying tax on that earnest money at income tax rates, as opposed to capital gains at a much lower rate. If the earnest money arrived in the same year as the house sale, it'd be a no-brainer to roll the lot into a house sale (tax-free up to a threshold, taxed at capital gains above that threshold).

It would be hard to argue that that money is not a part of the consideration received for the sale of the property. While individuals are generally cash basis tax payers, if that money is left in escrow, you really have not constructively received it until that escrow account is closed.

Also, the only way the federal gov't receives any inkling that this sale is happening is if the title company handling the sale issues a 1099-S.

So that money should be included in proceeds from the sale when it occurs (2020). Also be aware that if this is your principal residence the gain from it can be adjusted down $500,000 for married filing joint taxpayers in this year (I assume that is the tax free threshold you speak of), although I don't see that changing much come 2020. That is if you have occupied the home 2 out of the last 5 years.

You are welcome to PM me if you have any other questions. I am a CPA licensed to practice in the State of Idaho, but there should not be any specific state consequences to you since you are in Washington, land of no income tax.

Muchos gracias, Beuks.

I've been watching Great British Bake Off, and I have a question: what in the ever loving f*ck do the British think a pudding is? I am fine that they don't use the word like we Americans do. That doesn't bother me. But I've watched multiple pudding challenges, and I would be hard-pressed to identify any similarity that applied across everything being labeled there as "pudding". Pudding seems to be anything that is baked that is not bread and not French.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I've been watching Great British Bake Off, and I have a question: what in the ever loving f*ck do the British think a pudding is? I am fine that they don't use the word like we Americans do. That doesn't bother me. But I've watched multiple pudding challenges, and I would be hard-pressed to identify any similarity that applied across everything being labeled there as "pudding". Pudding seems to be anything that is baked that is not bread and not French.

Pudding is UK talk for dessert, not a subset of dessert

Then why are some of them savory?!

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Then why are some of them savory?!

You've never had a savory dessert? Like a poppy seed pastry?

From wikipedia it sounds like it was originally savory and the term morphed to become desserts.

The modern usage of the word pudding to denote primarily desserts has evolved over time from the originally almost exclusive use of the term to describe savory dishes, specifically those created using a process similar to that used for sausages, in which meat and other ingredients in mostly liquid form are encased and then steamed or boiled to set the contents. Black pudding, Yorkshire pudding, and haggis survive from this tradition.
Tanglebones wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

Then why are some of them savory?!

You've never had a savory dessert? Like a poppy seed pastry?

I'm not sure I've ever had a poppy seed pastry that wasn't sweet.

LeapingGnome wrote:

From wikipedia it sounds like it was originally savory and the term morphed to become desserts.

Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I've been watching Great British Bake Off, and I have a question: what in the ever loving f*ck do the British think a pudding is? I am fine that they don't use the word like we Americans do. That doesn't bother me. But I've watched multiple pudding challenges, and I would be hard-pressed to identify any similarity that applied across everything being labeled there as "pudding". Pudding seems to be anything that is baked that is not bread and not French.

OK Clock. Are you sitting down? I've got some disturbing news for you.

Some words have more than one meaning.

Fact is, in certain regions (and certain historical periods) "pudding" can be used interchangeably with "dessert". So in that regard, yes, it can be applied to literally anything you eat after the main course.

That said, my personal conception of a pudding is mostly about it's shape. Think of yer traditional British Christmas pudding....

IMAGE(https://keyassets-p2.timeincuk.net/wp/prod/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2010/11/christmas-pudding.jpg)

Which of course is cooked in a "pudding basin".

As for savory, you need to get your mental timescales calibrated to a European standard. Many classic items of British cuisine pre-date sugar being brought back to the Western world.

Sweet foods didn't exist in Europe until the import of sugar? Well, I'll bee.

maverickz wrote:

I take back everything I said. It's cheap and simple.

Buying a fob on my Subaru was relatively cheap but reprogramming was convoluted / a pain. Instructions change between years and models (groups of models, I think). At least they did for the cars made in the mid-2000's. My mechanic sourced the fob and some instructions that turned out to be the wrong instructions, so I eventually found the right ones, and it still took me longer than it should have to get it to work the first time.

An awful lot of old puddings consisted of bits of salt pork or beef, chunks of fat, and lots of bread or flour, with raisins or dates or plums and maybe a bit of citrus. This was all mushed up, squished into a bag, and boiled for hours. Then, just cut it up and serve it out. Very popular in naval circles, largely of necessity.

Of course, sailors and soldiers also took the remnants of bacon or salt pork and the fat it produced and cooked hardtack in it. That was called "slush". And it could be used as a lubricant, so... That preparation was popular in the US up through at least the Civil War. Again, most likely due to necessity.

Although... it is tasty. Further deponent saith not. Likely due to permanent heart damage...

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Sweet foods didn't exist in Europe until the import of sugar? Well, I'll bee.

They existed because of course other sweeteners existed (hi honey!), but the conception of dessert as a sweetened thing to finish a meal didn't come along until the ubiquity of sugar.

Is that because sugar was something to highlight, originally?

Jonman wrote:

OK Clock. Are you sitting down? I've got some disturbing news for you.

Some words have more than one meaning.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/mOqznUp.jpg)

Jonman wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

Sweet foods didn't exist in Europe until the import of sugar? Well, I'll bee.

They existed because of course other sweeteners existed (hi honey!), but the conception of dessert as a sweetened thing to finish a meal didn't come along until the ubiquity of sugar.

The Ubiquity of Sugar is the title of Wes Anderson's next film.

mrtomaytohead wrote:
maverickz wrote:

I take back everything I said. It's cheap and simple.

Buying a fob on my Subaru was relatively cheap but reprogramming was convoluted / a pain. Instructions change between years and models (groups of models, I think). At least they did for the cars made in the mid-2000's. My mechanic sourced the fob and some instructions that turned out to be the wrong instructions, so I eventually found the right ones, and it still took me longer than it should have to get it to work the first time.

My experience was also with a Subaru. It was unpleasant.

maverickz wrote:
mrtomaytohead wrote:
maverickz wrote:

I take back everything I said. It's cheap and simple.

Buying a fob on my Subaru was relatively cheap but reprogramming was convoluted / a pain. Instructions change between years and models (groups of models, I think). At least they did for the cars made in the mid-2000's. My mechanic sourced the fob and some instructions that turned out to be the wrong instructions, so I eventually found the right ones, and it still took me longer than it should have to get it to work the first time.

My experience was also with a Subaru. It was unpleasant.

Glad I'm not the only one. Not because you also suffered through it, but because I don't feel as incompetent.

Does anyone know what these flowers are called? I bought some a couple of weeks ago and they're still looking lovely today, I wouldn't mind getting them again in future. They kinda look like lillies, but the flowers are half the size and the petals are a lot more delicate.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/6oVDRuV.jpg)

Alstroemeria a.k.a. Peruvian Lily

(Found via lucky google image search!)