Poll: Rep Retirement Lodge 204: Covid 19

[Scarlet]

How do you pay thru the app, though? How does Verizon get the money from you? If you do not literally write out a check and mail to them, they either debit your checking account or charge your credit card. Is there another way? There could be. I just don’t understand what that other way could be. As someone who literally writes checks, I’m obviously missing something that millions upon millions of people do.

 

[Swansong]

They debit my bank account. At this time it's automatically pulled on the due date, but previously I'd log in and push it.

Just enter your bank's routing number and your account number and there it goes. Super easy, barely an inconvenience (I hope someone gets that reference).

 

[leswp1]

Good Evening Lodge!

I am tired. Not sleeping thru sucks

 

[ericredaxe]

Any recommendations on how to cook a filet mignon?

Cast iron skillet, or If you dont have cast iron another pan can work. Salt and pepper, butter, 3-5 min per side depending on thickness and how you like it done.

or a super hot grill...

 

[The Rube]

Sorry. I logged into the Verizon app and made payment there, not sending a check. I manually clicked the "pay" button. I haven't mailed a check for anything other than MA state taxes in a few years now.

It's not auto-pay if you manually release the payment, whether by app, website, or check. TMobile is my autopay, I clicked the wrong button once, and so far so good. I dislike autopay, though. I usually just go through the websites. I do pay by check for rent and insurance (renter's/car) b/c the only other option is auto-withdrawal.

Ordered a Bills Mafia hoodie, hoping to get it for this weekend. Doesn't look likely. Site said "shipped BY Jan 27th. Ugh. Even paid for 3 business day shipping. I still want it, but was hoping to wear it this weekend. Guess the Flutie jersey will do. Admittedly, I have 5 BUF jerseys in my arsenal.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Good morning to tLodge!

 

[Ralph Baer]

Good Morning, MEUSA!


Good Morning to the rest of tLodge!

 

[Scarlet]

It's not auto-pay if you manually release the payment, whether by app, website, or check. .

This is exactly the in-the-weeds, specific info I'm looking for. I am totally old school and pay my bills by check. I do not want to provide anyone any access to my bank accounts. However, I was interested in paying bills through my checking account as a way to avoid postal delays. The guy at AT&T though said that it would not matter, that auto pay is when they deduct it. Gah! So annoying. I am, however, not as concerned about them billing my credit card - not sure why. I need to see if AT&T will do this without a charge.

 

[Scarlet]

Cast iron skillet, or If you dont have cast iron another pan can work. Salt and pepper, butter, 3-5 min per side depending on thickness and how you like it done.

or a super hot grill...

I will do it this way the next time. I got a cast iron skillet for Christmas and used it for the first time. According to the instructions that came with it, it was pre-seasoned so all they said to do was wipe it down with canola oil. The recipe online I found said the sear in the skillet for two minutes each side on high using butter. Then, put the skillet in the oven to bake, with the oven at 415 degrees. I did that and wound up setting the fire alarm off in my condo. I thought it was going to set off the alarm in the whole building, but thankfully it did not. I had the fan on over the stove, on high. I wound up having to bring out a pedestal fan to disperse the smoke. I shut the oven off as I thought I had to go to the lobby of my building - that's when I noticed the alarm just went off in my building. Ugh. So, while it tasted OK, it wasn't as cooked through as I had hoped. Then the next day I put the oven on to bake some salmon and when I opened the oven door - more smoke. Got out the fan again. I need better recipes.

When you say cook it in the skillet, at what temperature do you have the burner?

 

[ericredaxe]

I will do it this way the next time. I got a cast iron skillet for Christmas and used it for the first time. According to the instructions that came with it, it was pre-seasoned so all they said to do was wipe it down with canola oil. The recipe online I found said the sear in the skillet for two minutes each side on high using butter. Then, put the skillet in the oven to bake, with the oven at 415 degrees. I did that and wound up setting the fire alarm off in my condo. I thought it was going to set off the alarm in the whole building, but thankfully it did not. I had the fan on over the stove, on high. I wound up having to bring out a pedestal fan to disperse the smoke. I shut the oven off as I thought I had to go to the lobby of my building - that's when I noticed the alarm just went off in my building. Ugh. So, while it tasted OK, it wasn't as cooked through as I had hoped. Then the next day I put the oven on to bake some salmon and when I opened the oven door - more smoke. Got out the fan again. I need better recipes.

When you say cook it in the skillet, at what temperature do you have the burner?

I usually start the skillet on high when it is "warming up" but then turn it down to medium as soon as i put the fillets in. (I think it gives them a nice sear)

I too have had my smoke alarm go off so I usually end up opening a kitchen window for a bit while it is on. I've also covered the pan sometimes too which I think helps contain the smoke a bit.

I've never tried the moving it to the oven technique but I know some swear by it.... as to "done-ness" that is something you will have to experiment a bit with to get the feel of how long it takes to cook it to your liking (and every stove is different). I don't mind the seared on the outside and medium-rare to rare in the center but i bet you will be able to dial it into your liking within a few tries.

Did butter splatter or spill inside the oven which caused the smoke the next day?

 

[Scarlet]

Did butter splatter or spill inside the oven which caused the smoke the next day?

Yeah, I'm assuming something like that happened. I don't have a window in my kitchen so doing that won't work. I asked for the cast iron skillet as a gift but now it seems it way too high maintenance. A friend posted on Facebook this huge list of what to do to pre-season it, how to clean it, etc. that is making it seem like way more trouble than it's worth.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I do not want to provide anyone any access to my bank accounts.

You realize there's more risk using a paper check? If somebody were to intercept the mail they would have your routing and account numbers, and likely your address.

There's very strict rules in place in the financial world to protect auto-pay/auto-debit transactions. Its like direct deposit (do you use that?) in reverse.

I use auto-pay for everything. Your bank should also have a "bill pay" option that essentially is you telling the bank to send a check to so-and-so.

 

[Scarlet]

You realize there's more risk using a paper check? If somebody were to intercept the mail they would have your routing and account numbers, and likely your address.

There's very strict rules in place in the financial world to protect auto-pay/auto-debit transactions. Its like direct deposit (do you use that?) in reverse.

I use auto-pay for everything. Your bank should also have a "bill pay" option that essentially is you telling the bank to send a check to so-and-so.

I do use direct deposit. And while I need to research my bank's bill pay option, from Brent's earlier post, that's still considered to be a manual pay. My biggest issue is I direct deposit my paycheck into my savings account and transfer money when I know I need to pay a bill. So, I don't always have proper funds in my checking account. I know I can figure out when these bills will be debited from my account. I'm just kinda lazy about doing all that set up.

 

[wolverineTrumpet]

Yeah, I'm assuming something like that happened. I don't have a window in my kitchen so doing that won't work. I asked for the cast iron skillet as a gift but now it seems it way too high maintenance. A friend posted on Facebook this huge list of what to do to pre-season it, how to clean it, etc. that is making it seem like way more trouble than it's worth.

I felt that way at first with my cast iron skillet. Even with the pre-seasoned the first few times you should treat it, or use more oil/fat than you normally would when you cook.
After those first few times, it's easy to just wipe down. We sometimes put it back on the burner after rinsing, and allow the heat to dry it out so it won't rust.

 

[ericredaxe]

I felt that way at first with my cast iron skillet. Even with the pre-seasoned the first few times you should treat it, or use more oil/fat than you normally would when you cook.
After those first few times, it's easy to just wipe down. We sometimes put it back on the burner after rinsing, and allow the heat to dry it out so it won't rust.

I agree and also do the back on the burner trick... just enough to dry it off

 

[The Rube]

I do use direct deposit. And while I need to research my bank's bill pay option, from Brent's earlier post, that's still considered to be a manual pay. My biggest issue is I direct deposit my paycheck into my savings account and transfer money when I know I need to pay a bill. So, I don't always have proper funds in my checking account. I know I can figure out when these bills will be debited from my account. I'm just kinda lazy about doing all that set up.

I have to use direct deposit. The issue with auto-pay is that THEY get to choose when to get my money. I prefer to have control over it. I use manual (online) pay for most everything.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Good morning to tLodge!

 

[Ralph Baer]

Good Morning, MEUSA!


Good Morning to the rest of tLodge!

 

[Swansong]

I have to use direct deposit. The issue with auto-pay is that THEY get to choose when to get my money. I prefer to have control over it. I use manual (online) pay for most everything.

This was my rationale for manually triggering payment through websites or apps, but now that my finances are in better shape and I always have a cushion, I just have them auto-pulled by the billers. I don't think my car insurance let's me do this for some reason, and at this time that's the only bill that won't. We manually pay gas bills for the new house so we can monitor usage (new house, new to gas, unsure of how much to budget for it).

My bank - and likely everyone else's - has a bill payer feature. Enter the payee info (bank name, address, routing, account, etc.). They will either send electronically or via paper check, on your schedule.

 

[Ralph Baer]

I do use direct deposit. And while I need to research my bank's bill pay option, from Brent's earlier post, that's still considered to be a manual pay. My biggest issue is I direct deposit my paycheck into my savings account and transfer money when I know I need to pay a bill. So, I don't always have proper funds in my checking account. I know I can figure out when these bills will be debited from my account. I'm just kinda lazy about doing all that set up.

Before I retired, I used direct deposit. Somehow I divided that up between savings and checking. I don't recall if the division was at the sending or receiving end. I suspect it was the latter.

Now that I am retired, I use direct deposit also. IIRC, I have to use direct deposit on that.