Bogleheads.org

livesoft wrote:So you finally signed up for Facebook?

Hell no! I saw The Social Network.

For the first time in 25 years, I have not bought a large diary in which to record my daily thoughts and deeds. I had gotten a little lazy over the past 5 years - as marriage + Internet took over my life, but now I've decided to call it a day and free myself of the guilt that enveloped me if I was a...

Great holiday, if you're 22. Others may not be as enthused about lining up to use the can, or slaving away in the kitchen, or getting their stuff nicked.

I'm looking at the back of an envelope and estimating your trip to be at least $3,000 each, with plenty of unknowns. Expect to pay $800 to $1,000 each for return flights from USA to Budapest or nearby Vienna (3 hrs by train) in October, according to matrixitasoftware.com. Prices could go lower with ...

OP, where in Croatia?

Budapest and Croatia are great, relatively economical choices. I like your thinking. Maybe stick to that neighborhood with a trip to Sarajevo - great from a modern history perspective. The other cities you mention are a bit of a drive in the other direction, and Prague is no bargain. As others have ...

"I've never turned blue in someone else's bathroom. I consider that the height of bad manners." - Keith Richards.

via Daily Mail:

Retire on the cheap – and still get endless sun! Research shows you can live on less than a grand a month in world’s 'best value' countries

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... s-sun.html

If you have a good pension there are a number of countries in which you can get a "retirement" visa indefinitely. For example, Thailand will let you stay indefinitely if you either have a $27K per year pension or else park $27K in a Thai bank indefinitely. And then you'll find that if you...

Do you think the people in Downton Abbey call ahead to issue drinking and food preferences, warn of weird dietary hangups and so on? Did we ever see Lord Grantham double over because he was allergic to -- alcohol, dairy products, eggs, nuts, wheat, shell fish, etc? We've become way too picky as a so...

SP-diceman wrote:Years ago I decided to keep my Mona Lisa painting,
and Statue of David, on display at
the Louvre Museum.

If things get tough, I should be able to trade them for some gold.

You might want to ask the Louvre to recover that David for you.

I have collected rock 'n' roll memorabilia - 99% for the enjoyment of ownership and thrill of the chase - stuff from the Johnny Cash estate, lyrics, etc. The *experts* say it is a recession-proof genre, though I obviously take that with a grain of salt. I certainly wouldn't ascribe a value to it, or...

India is a ballsy choice. I'm in Panama City now, ostensibly a little more developed, and I can't imagine how expat retirees survive here.

chaz wrote: It's wonderful to be able to do what gives you pleasure in your declining years.

No need to wait until then.

Healthcare for expats in USA is not really a problem. You get long-term travel insurance from your home country to cover emergencies, and bargain out-of-pocket for other visits. The major issue is the visa. You will likely have to come in as a tourist for 90-day spells. But I imagine over the next ...

Foreign nations could justifiably issue similar alerts on USA in the light of recent events. Anyway, you conveniently omitted the intro: Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year for study, tourism, and business, including more than 150,000 who cross the border every day. The Mexican g...

I came across a Blomberg refrigerator today. I believe this could meet your specifications ...? I don't think this manufacturer is already mentioned in this thread, based on my quick review, but apologies if it is. http://www.blomberginternational.com/coolingFeat.html Intriguing, thanks, though app...

Lon wrote:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/most-interesting-retirement-spot-youve-205421378.html
Pretty neat place-------I spent three weeks there in 2010

Hate to sound like a wuss, but she lost me at "unparalleled exotic wildlife"

The major issue is the visa. You will likely have to come in as a tourist for 90-day spells. But I imagine over the next few decades that the USA will be forced to follow the progressive pro-retiree lead of Asian and Latin American nations. Actually, second thoughts (and I'm not straying into polit...

I wonder how many people are having this discussion of retiring to the United States. Because of the health care and other issues, I believe it is almost impossible. You have to have worked there for some years before retirement. Also I think the visa situation is difficult/ impossible now? The vas...

Thanks for the feedback. You guys are great. It seems my only option is a Summit, perfect dimensions - though it would be nice to see it in person before buying it on Amazon. While the LG looks good, it is just 10 cu - fine for my wife and me -- but we need to think of the needs of potential, foodie...

Wow! Amazing stuff, thanks. Holding my breath to see how much they charge to ship across USA.

The built-in Sub-Zero (born 1983?) that came with my house seems to be on its last legs - with a bottom freezer sustained by $200 bursts of freon. The repairman said it would cost about $1,200 to fix the compressor and other parts. A new fridge would have to fit into a space that's only 24 inches de...

But how will you get the procedure done assuming you missed open enrollment at your new employer? I'm sure your soon-to-be former employer has done very nicely over the years keeping the unspent FSA amounts at the end of the year. PS to answer your question, I believe it's the employer who takes the...

Hello all, I feel as if I've done well saving for retirement, especially since I began in my early thirties. I am 47, and have saved around 300k in well diversified investments in tax deferred, Roth, and taxable. I currently contribute 22k a year, maxing out my Roth and 401k contributions. My spend...

Don't torture your kids with a cruise! Wait until they are at least 65. Agree with VictoriaF ... Paris would be a good base (well, adequate under the circumstances), and you can take the train to London for a few days, and/or somewhere like Amsterdam. Yes, yes, walking around is "educational&qu...

This is partly light discussion but also will help me relate to the rest of the group. I am listing mine below. Please go into the level of detail you feel comfortable. 1. Career dissatifaction - not climbed enough ladder, salary below peers. Even questioning if I am in the right line of work. 2. M...

Notwithstanding #3, you didn't mention any physical ailments, which puts you ahead of the masses. So that's a positive. Maybe couples counseling in addition to your ongoing therapy? Presumably her lack of professional ambition did not arise overnight and has been eating away at you for years? Now th...

I'm the world's laziest + worst sportsman - can't catch/throw a ball to save myself. Swimming is my only saving grace, though it's not great for losing weight. Butterfly and breaststroke - my specialties - are the best calorie burners. As others state, the best workout is the one you enjoy. Similarl...

I'd buy one if I felt like being on the losing end of a wedgie.

Bogle himself has said that this is the toughest environment for investing he has ever seen. I'd tend to agree. And that means a lot coming from Bogle, a man who's 83 & has spent his entire adult life in the investment industry. I look around and see nothing cheap. It's all expensive vs even mo...

Facebook stock? Berkshire-Hathaway? Facebook (FB +12.59%) jumped even as investors positioned for the expiration of lockups that will make about 804 million shares available for trading on Wednesday—nearly double the amount of the existing public float. Some market watchers said buyers jumped in wh...

USAA, mentioned here a few times, only for military types. Maybe shop around for another credit union, or see if your current one has various elite customer levels. Mine has 5 fee-free withdrawals per month for mid-level customers, and unlimited withdrawals for "platinum" members.

bungalow10 wrote:I have two kids, five years old and three years old. Both are very aware that college is in their future and that we are saving money for it. Both are excited to go.

Precocious! Only things on my radar at that age, and up to about 12, were sweets, birthdays and Christmas.

Facebook stock? Berkshire-Hathaway?

Compromise suggestion between Livesoft and everyone else ... Mindful of the recent posting by a chap spending a bundle on his young sons' tennis exploits, how about chipping in for summer school expenses, musical instruments, sports gear?

Over the years, the most rewarding for me has been volunteer classroom aide in grade schools. Only trouble is, a male has to break through a wall of suspicion about motives. But once you hook up with a teacher who knows how to put you to good use, it's fantastic for everybody. Men looking to do any...

I have done well with individual stocks, including DIS, FAST, held for long-term enjoyment. Then I took someone's advice here, sold some and bought an emerging markets fund, which has been a disaster.

I immediately rolled over my 401(k) after I was fired, but now wish I had given it a little more thought. I lost access to the Pimco institutional fund PTTRX and stable value fund. Also, asset protection - as stated above - is something to think about if you are in a state where your retirement savi...

Confused wrote:Yeah, I have problems.

Sorry. That's no fun. You may want to get some counseling. Sure there are free options at local med schools, county health facilities.

I am physically unable to take medication. There is a psychological block there. My spouse has tried many different techniques to get me to swallow a pill, including physically clamping my mouth shut after jamming a pill (a cut-in-half pill, no less) in there. I can't do it, not I won't do it. A ho...

HSBC is a good start, though I found their international synergies wanting on the ATM level -- foreign withdrawals got dinged with fees and lousy rates. I see they have an "Expat" package that requires a minimum balance of 25,000 pounds. I am sure there are simpler options. Certainly, open...

It's getting tougher for American citizens to open and maintain foreign bank accounts, because of the compliance costs thrust on the banks by the U.S. government. Expats are going nuts. It might be best to try and open an account sooner rather than later, and brace yourself for a letter at some poin...

Even funnier. Find a math teacher clueless about his/her investments.

Good to see the angle was determined in advance: people with less-than-positive experiences. Another balanced PBS report.

I have Webroot on one computer - good for erasing files and the like. My main one has Trend Micro Titanium antivirus -- on recommendation from the earnest chap at Geek Squad.

I have not been to a doctor in ten years. I have not been to a dentist in five. My spouse has not been to a doctor in the three years we've been married (I don't know when the last time actually was). Wow! Mildly speechless. Are you Honey Boo Boo's parents?! Even without much insurance coverage, I ...

I belong to one in California called Wescom. I mostly use it for credit card and for foreign ATM transactions, as well as a HELOC at 3.75%. My salary was direct-credited to a big bank. Like other credit unions, I assume, they offer more benefits for frequent users (eg $25 gift cards per $3500 spent ...

The beggar kids are a front for their adult minders. Either way your generous contributions are not going where you intended and are probably just aggravating the situation. Sorry. It's the same overseas. These kids spot a generous westerner a mile away and go in for the kill. It's tough. I got take...

Funny how we are all so different. I have absolutely zero desire to live like that. +1 Moving is inherently stressful, let alone dealing with culture differences and not speaking the language. The people you need to speak too will all speak English, often exquisitely. That may not be the case here ...