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I hated 2008-2009. I was scared . I was worried . ... The pucker factor was pretty high for us as well. It was unclear what was going to happen to the US/World financial system during the winter of 08. It seemed that politics was taking precedence over common sense. We sold everything and transferr...

My parents were both highly educated professionals. When I observed them and their friends aging, I was struck by how many deteriorated as soon as they gave up their jobs. In that generation, many were forced to do this at 70. They embraced retirement with enthusiastic plans to write books, take co...

I'm pretty certain I've reached & now exceeded my number. Wasn't so sure in '08-'09. I'm naturally frugal in that I seek to spend the least amount I can to get the value I want. That said, there are always more & better tools. :) I'm still working as a consultant. I love what I do and will p...

We recently had an in-state corporate "assisted" (meaning a fixed $ allowance) move of the contents of a 3br house + tool-guy garage 400 miles. I considered full-service, pods-like & DIY U-haul with "guys" on both ends. Some thoughts: ⋅ Quotes varied widely, ranging...

Ok, the MM Laundry Detergent Issues topic covered detergents, amounts, etc. How do BogleHeads deal with hard water when washing clothes? I've had great success with adding citric acid to the detergent for our dishwasher. The dishes now come out clean with less detergent and no hard water deposits. I...

Falling in love with specific tile / fixtures can cost you a fortune. In my experience, the cost of most remodeling decisions can vary at least an order of magnitude - do you want the $10/ft^2 tile or the $1/ft^2 tile? Add listello border @ $25/ft? Stone tile @ $30/ft^2? $50 fixture or $500? ... My...

What you can do depends to an extent on the size & existing doors/windows of course, though these could be moved for $$$. We did a gut & remodel Things we liked: ⋅ Walk-in shower with bench, skylight/fan/light, shower head + handheld on a pole, no door / glass / grody enclosure cor...

I don't think there is much savings after the "hook" expires. If you compare post-discount period pricing, you'll likely pay about the same for each {TV, ISP, Phone}, regardless of vendor, assuming you have a choice. I'm excluding the more DIY independent VOIP setups here, since they would...

This for me as well: I used to use non-stick pots and pans, but decided to go with stainless steel and cast iron to reduce my exposure to the plastics and chemicals used in many non-stick surfaces. ... The "teflon" non-sticks all wear out. It seems that one has to be ingesting some of the ...

I'd consider solar screens - OP mentioned the windows don't have screen tracks, but mounting screens is pretty simple, particularly if simply blocking light is the concern. I've got to think mounting screens is simpler than installing film on each pane. There's usually a reveal in the exterior trim ...

My advice is to suck it up and add another valve so you have four zones. Then you can get both sides just right without wasting water. Probably 4-500 at the prices you're paying, which seems like a lot, but then it will just work.

... I do. It's small (1 month expenses [rent/utils/food/loan payment] ) I'd build out my EF, balancing with the loan paydown. Peace of mind. ... I've had the job, off and on (it paid my monthly expenses through grad school). It's essentially on-call (very large catering company) and you work when y...

OP, I went with a Hitachi dual stack oiled like this for the sort of use you describe some years back. It will run a framing nailer punching 3" nails into decking as fast as you can go all day. It is portable, but at 60# is a beast to climb stairs with. It has served me well for a couple renova...

I'll echo others in saying it's all about having options. Not only to retire early, but to take on work or a job or promotion or not, to leave one that isn't fun anymore, to work less when your spouse's job is all-consuming, to be there for your kid's first years. I'd add that having one's net worth...

Apologies to the OP for veering off-topic... The on-demand recirculating pumps work by pulling hot water to the faucet and pushing it back down the cold line... But doesn't that mean you're putting hot water, which you aren't really supposed to drink, into your drinking water pipes? Won't kill you b...

I've used one of the old "brick" Chilipepper recirculating pumps for ~4 years. Their new one is a different design. The on-demand recirculating pumps work by pulling hot water to the faucet and pushing it back down the cold line, where it eventually makes its way back to the water heater. ...

From the story that has unfolded here, some legal advice might be in order. Remember that HR is in place to protect the company from liability for say, your boss' behavior.

Off-topic follow-up, apologies. Wow, this ranks right up their (sic) where in college I would dream I signed up for a course and forgot to attend all semester until the final. ... Who knew this was a common outcome of the "college experience"? Mine is similar, but I signed up and then didn...

Conventional asset allocation wisdom has one shifting to more fixed income as one ages. The discussion in Adjusting Strategy when you hit your # early is interesting. I found this post by Livesoft most thought provoking. Hopefully others will as well. It seems exactly right - one needs the most pred...

Bad capacitors was a stretch - you seem to have too much working. You mention HDMI & HW render, both tied to the graphics hardware. I wonder if it _is_ booting, you just have no graphics. Does the disk access seem like a norma boot or a quick blip & stop? I might be inclined to try something...

I see you've become a victim of the MS secret plan to force hardware upgrade when upgrading to windows 8. :twisted: Admittedly, most of the following is a stretch. So the MB boots the BIOS. Does the BIOS ID the drives ok? I'm thinking so, since they spin up when you attempt to boot. AHCI vs ide mode...

What getting approved for a mortgage does for sure is make your agent feel good about the likelihood of getting a commission, both in terms of the surety of your finances and in terms of reducing the obstacles to the transaction, though that can backfire if the purchase won't appraise. There is curr...

...The viewable area of the lens looks somewhat like an hourglass; wide for distance, narrows as it progressively transitions to reading, and then widens out again a bit for reading. The reading area tilts inward, though, to accommodate your narrowing focus with close in vision, so the reading area...

EnglishGirl's post resonated with me as well. Not-fun is doing what other people think is fun, but for you, not so much. IMO, what the diverse Boglehead community is in part about is making good financial decisions so one has the freedom to have fun and not worry about the rent, job, etc. I am so no...

... I'll be using a fiberglass pan for the shower floor. ... I plan to use a vapor barrier behind the cement board for the shower walls but I'm looking at RedGard instead. The idea behind this change is that I can put a layer down on the "dry" areas of the bath as well. To overthink it, y...

A couple thoughts: Thanks all for the suggestions, ... - I also like the idea of a curb-less, walk-in shower with a bench but not enough space. I wasn't so much thinking curbless as door & glassless. You're right, @ 34x48", it's tight. The showerhead & valve were by the opening in a for...

⋅ A proper tile walk-in shower - no doors / glass / grody nooks & crannies to clean. ⋅ A "shaving the legs" bench/corner in the shower. ⋅ A temperature / pressure balancing shower valve with volume control. ⋅ Locate the shower valve & head s...

So if you come to think you'll like this position, what about negotiating the travel requirement? Possibly never, at your discretion, block off dates on the calendar. If the travel is non-negotiable, then you stay where you are. Of course, if you evolve into "the guy" on your team, it will...

Some things to think about / google up past topics on this forum: ⋅  What it means to be an IC in the eyes of the IRS. Good to have in mind as you work with your clients - they ask for what, you decide when, where and how much. ⋅  Dig into contracts and get legal advice if needed...

More comments: 1) The firewood splitter is called a MAUL ... So named for what it will do to your leg if you aren't paying attention. 2) You need a CHAINSAW, at least a 16" bar ... or two. Could be renamed a "maimer". 3) You need multiple tape measures and utility knives... if you ow...

OP, That's a good start! I own almost all of that list and then some. Note to self: Get impact driver, worm saw and oscillating tool. Don't forget gardening, tree work, painting, plumbing, electrical, concrete, welding and auto maintenance. There is a lot of crossover, of course. You've heard of the...

We all too often walk into a prospective house or design and look at the interior layout. That's important of course, but to add to everything Valuethinker & texasdiver said, think of the siting of the home on the lot. Ask yourself "how do sun, wind and water" flow around this home? Ou...

I have a Panasonic 902 canister, plus a wide floor brush. (the included floor brush is 9" - somewhat narrow for open floor work).

... unless the locking device is provided with a key which cannot be removed when the door is locked from the inside. ... Hmm. If security is important, say you have glass in your doors, and your code reads like this, I'm thinking a locksmith would know about locks that keep the key captive when lo...

Bengineer: Thanks for the detail. This is a BIG DEAL, so I want it right. Last year's was perfect, but I didnt take notes. So, you are saying direct heat initially then spread the coals for indirect heat...correct? Ed Pressure's on! I understand. Yes. If you want to sear first, you'd do that direct...

Man, this brings back memories! We did a tenderloin one year. There was nearly a fight over the last piece... ⋅ Meat Prep: How do people like their meat? A tenderloin has a tail, giving you a natural range of donenness. OTOH, if everyone likes medium rare, you might tie the tail back on th...

Time! Maybe something like "I'll take care of the kids tonight" tickets?

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The split between the land value and the building (improvements) value does matter for some situations. For example, if your building were a rental property, you would typically only be able to depreciate the building value and not the land value (and to some degree the split you use on your Sch E ...

I cut the cord 3 or 4 years ago. Luckily I get about 25 channels OTA where I live via a $20 outdoor antenna. I use it together with Tivo, Hulu for Comedy Central shows, Netflix for movies, and ESPN3.com for some (but not all) additional sporting events. How do you get access to ESPN? I have cable T...

Is it possible to run a wifi hotspot in your home to avoid internet service and charges? Sounds too easy, right? Yes you can. Just get a mi fi device and you can use it at home and take it with you when you go on the road. Some of them can connect up to 10 different devices (multiple computers, tab...

...If it's the dryer, my money is on a loose belt. The belt will stop squeaking after the dryer has run a while because it "warms up" and becomes more pliable. We had a belt begin to fail on a dryer and it did just this. Was about a $100 repair--there is a lot of info out there on doing i...

Linux for personal use since the mid 90's. I develop on whatever environment my clients need. I'd have to admit to using TTax on windows. I've also found it difficult to work with complex word / excel documents that clients have authored and so often have to resort to the MS versions when editing ba...

Speaking of chemicals, white vinegar aka acetic acid has served me well for removing urine odor.

One question I'd ask myself is what percentage of my net assets does the home represent and do I feel comfortable with that amount in a non-diversified illiquid investment consumption item?

Why would you carry either on a car unless you weren't able to self-insure?

Maybe the flexi hose is kinked when your dryer is in place. You could pull it out from the wall so you can see that the hose isn't kinked and run a load. Maybe the dryer is blocked with lint internally. Yikes! You could disconnect the hose and fire it up to be sure the dryer is pushing air. Maybe t...

Very interesting. Six coats. Hmm. How long does it last for you? Does it withstand fajitas or blackening much better than the usual "keep it oiled" seasoning? I've gotta think so. Thanks very much IPJ! I've learned something here. I'm trying this ASAP. It works terribly well. I routinely ...

Cast iron takes some maintenance, but it's really no bother. Scrub off the pan with hot water and a stiff brush (no soap) until the bits come off, wipe dry, rub on a bit of veggie oil if the surface looks flat and put away. If you really burn off the season, say with a major batch of fajitas, you c...

Our selling agent on the last house provided a stager. She came in and described what we needed to do in each room. Later she came back with a few items to dress up certain areas. We sold in a week for well north of asking. Needless to say, I think staging is worth it. They offer an objective view o...