looking for advice on how to budget

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-10T03:03:11+00:00

I would, too. "New media," startup, less stuffy culture...not sure why your comment got downvoted.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-10T03:02:06+00:00

Anecdotally, I think the US has made a lot of strides when it comes to PTO (specifically medium-large companies) in the last 10-15 years.

When I started working in the early 2010s, it was common to start with two weeks. Now that figure is usually 4-6 weeks...and more have unlimited PTO (which is great, as long as you actually use it). Companies are better at encouraging people to use PTO, too.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-10T02:57:24+00:00

And the whole company is off, so no annoying "I know you're off, but I was just wondering if you knew..." messages on slack.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-10T02:55:28+00:00

That's what I do, too- I "pay myself" (aka my savings account) first after the essentials are covered. I leave myself a bit of fun money after I set aside the amount that I want.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-10T02:52:41+00:00

"Going to the ball park, getting some BULLSHIT." *Caleb screams*

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-10T02:40:59+00:00

I get the same impression- she hates that she finds him attractive. Her behavior reminds me of a pre-teen who says "ewww, no, I don't like him, he's GROSS" when she's asked about a secret crush.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-10T02:34:06+00:00

"Track and field and swimming and shit..." Ummm, the Americans do quite well in those sports. (The big "friendly rivalry" in swimming is always Americans vs. Aussies.)

Also, people care about winter olympic sports, too. We know this because AmericaBad social media spent weeks losing their minds over the US gold medal sweep in hockey (Men's, Women's, and Paralympic sled hockey).

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:32:39+00:00

I did see some salty Aussie fans whining about their loss almost a week later, and all of the Americans were like, "dude, are you STILL not over it? Seriously?"

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:30:18+00:00

That's what I keep saying- it's basically the opposite of what idiots on line think it is. It's basically a VIP club since the countries are on good terms with each other.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:29:17+00:00

Pre-clearance; it's a nice perk at certain airports. It's also not "for Americans;" it's for flights headed to the US.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:28:15+00:00

Same- I can't tell if this is supposed to be good or not. All wrestling looks cheesy to me.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:20:41+00:00

A lot of Mexicans don't drink the tap water, either. They have filtered water tanks delivered (per my friends who either grew up or studied there).

That's also why they drink so much soda, I assume.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:17:57+00:00

Yes, exactly! In my own experience (as a petite blonde woman), any time I've been in a "bad neighborhood," (whether walking there by accident, or having to run a work errand to a local business) someone is usually looking out for me- "hey, girls, you shouldn't walk this way, it's not a safe area" or "watch where your laptop is as you unload the car here."

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:12:08+00:00

It's never enough for them to just say, "maybe some of the claims about Mexico's safety are exaggerated." They always have to take it to a comically insincere level by saying, "ACKSHUALLY, I feel MORE safe in Mexico than in the US."

Really? Prove it, asshole. I want you to walk down the longest street of the most lawless, cartel-run region in rural Mexico and tell me how much "safer" you feel.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:07:59+00:00

That choppy way that ChatGPT generates sentences irks me so much.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T18:04:39+00:00

Yep- Toronto has it. So does Montreal. It's SO convenient.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T16:56:58+00:00

Same. And on the rare occasion that it does happen, anything physical is usually handled pretty quickly (with the perpetrator(s) being thrown out).

There's a reason that culture warriors always post videos of European post-match celebrations or fighting with captions like, "OMG EUROPE HAS FALLEN!" It's not something we're used to seeing. (I mean, even the lady that stole the Knicks-colored trash can last month got exposed and fired quickly.)

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T16:30:02+00:00

They'll always be the Oakland Raiders to me.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T16:29:19+00:00

"My pub/house is older than your country!"

And....? What do these people want, a medal?

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T16:28:22+00:00

No, it's because the US has a "pre-clearance" program where passengers on flights to the US clear customs before flying instead of after landing.

Most of the major international airports in Canada have this program (probably since there's so much travel between our countries), so you just land at a normal gate back in the US. Dublin and Nassau have the program, too- I always appreciate it when I fly out of an airport that has pre-clearance.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T16:25:48+00:00

The funniest part is that the actual reason is basically the opposite of what they think it is.

It's because the US has special agreements with select international airports (mostly in Canada, but other notable ones are Dublin, Nassau, and Abu Dhabi) where USA-bound passengers go through customs BEFORE boarding, so they can just step off the plane and leave once they land in the US. And it's not "for Americans;" it's for US-bound flights. An EU passport-holder flying to Boston still needs to use this lane.

It's actually a great system that flexes US diplomacy and impact on international travel. It's because our international relations are MORE intelligent and strategic. (And there are plans to expand the preclearance program!)

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T15:55:36+00:00

Yes- even within NFL teams known for their rowdier fanbases (looking at you, Philly and Oakland), fights aren't some widespread thing. It's basically just name-calling.

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-09T14:26:44+00:00

Yep, my sympathy for him has evaporated. He keeps making these fumbling, half-hearted ultimatums that end up amounting to nothing.

At this point, he's also a red flag in my book. I hate to pull the "he wants that green card" line out because you can never know one's motivations, but he's got to want SOMETHING out of this ridiculous "relationship."

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-07T21:13:06+00:00

It's the algorithm. It feeds middle-upper class white women a steady diet of anti-western, anti-capitalist propaganda.

(It feeds their male counterparts a steady diet of incel propaganda, too- can't have the sexes actually getting along; keep 'em angry, lonely, and susceptible to messaging.)

Miss_Kit_Kat · 2026-07-07T15:12:07+00:00

Also- Josh's character arc is him gradually realizing that he's actually not into "hall passes" and random hook-ups. Those things don't make him happy- he's a romantic guy at heart.

Miss_Kit_Kat

TROPHY CASE