Bogleheads.org

Well, since no one mention this as option, let me give it a spin. My main TV is actually a projector while my wife is happy with her plasma which you can get from Costco for under $800, 3D at 55". With a projector, one can sell and upgrade w/o breaking the bank. Would never dream off selling an...

We just got a bid for a 20kW whole house generator from Cummins Oman unit. The price is $9300. This system is completely automatic and runs off propane. Looking at a few other options, this is first estimate. While replacing/repairing our basement discovered mold from at least two previous basement...

In Central/South Jersey, $400 is about the norm to have the privilege of all the permits (fire, plumbing electrical and smoke), plus the zoning permit. It was all "approved" in one week. The on-site visit was 5 minutes.

After months of research and inertia, my wife had it. Comparing Kohler, Honeywell (Generac OEM w/ remote monitoring) and Generac, I decided to go with a 17kW Generac and a 12-circuit auto switch panel. Everything is done except the final blessing from the town's electrician. In my area, the town wan...

Allan Roth's review http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57581204/retirement-gamble-a-critical-review/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AllanRoth+%28CBS+News+-+Allan+Roth+%29&utm_content=Google+Reader I do need to point out, Frontline, that you neglected to i...

Let me address your other assumption, continue to work at your age. This job market has not been kind to people who are over 50 and out of the job market for more than 6 months, so ensure that you let everyone in your circle know that you're in transition; don't be shy. Get a business card from Vist...

When we were working, we only spent my salary since my boss made more; she retired at 50 and I at 58.

Now we only own one car with an extra garage space.

Life is too short and then we die.

Well, my wife was an engineering but she and I retired early while our daughter is also an engineer working for a public company with many benefits but not much to show in salary. She is contemplating her career options, public or private. Her position is technical lead with no authority. She was pa...

One more article - 9 Reasons You Need To Avoid Variable Annuities. I'm not a fan of Suze Orman but her quote at the end of this article is worth repeating, “I hate variable annuities with a passion…especially variable annuities that are used in retirement accounts…I think variable annuities were cre...

Welcome to retirement. It could be scary at first until after about 3 months of monitoring our budget, then my wife felt more at ease. Living below our means is a tradition, so we're accustomed to the life style. For SPIA, stay away from this insurance agent who recommended VA (purely for his own co...

Watch out for pickpockets, especially in crowded tourist area.

Have fun.

Well, did it today after shopping patiently for 2 weeks.

Got the 800 model with the convection oven at only $10 over the toaster oven; can't resist a bargain. Now need to find the room for it.

+1. Worthy quotes could apply to my profession as well.

matjen wrote:I skim finance press pornography so you don't have to!

Thank you for your sacrifice.

I do enjoy the gems.

Cheers!

It's not the money but the size between the 2 Breville's. One of these days we'll be downsizing but the northeast housing in our neighborhood is tough to sell. Too many of us old farts want to unload our large houses. Despite the job outlook, I do not think wages are going anywhere but down or flat ...

Ahem! Thanks.

The English Girl Sarah has exquisite taste. She opted for the Breville Convection Oven which is an alternative to using the main oven, but it's another $70-80 more.

Life is full of choices.

Hope I put this in the right forum. We've been looking for one since our current Delonghi had seen its days. The Breville BOV650XL Compact Smart Oven 1800-Watt Toaster Oven with Element IQ is on the top of the list but is also the most expensive. Reviews on Amazon is about 4 stars vs. Cuinsinart's 3...

One of the reasons why our marriage lasts over 30 years is that we agreed early on is not to "criticize" our in-laws. When money is "loaned" out to relatives and friends, it's considered a "gift", not expecting any returns. Your husband is very wise in giving out only $...

+1 on GOT. Waiting for Season 3.

Other than live sporting events, have very little use for TV.

Just DVR Vikings from the History Channel, did not have a chance to watch it yet.

+1.

I just checked through all their Samsung products but it's not there. Guess you could convert to Amazon points and get the Chromebook there.

When I bought my 2013 Mazda CX-5 FWD, I was looking at the Ford Escape, Honda CRV and Subaru Outback. Escape is actually very nice car, but stay away from their turbo stuff with a few recalls already. The CRV has better pickup than my car due to sheer HPs (the 2014 CX-5 has the bigger 2.4l engine) b...

Younger Next Year by Crowley and Lodge

Another anecdote - most life insurance is sold, not bought.

NS, The short answer is that you should get a law degree as well to understand some of your questions/prospectus. I'll stay away from both products. Not sure if the commission is listed in the prospectus, but I recall for WL, about 90% of the 1st year premium goes toward S&A, health exam, manage...

Ahem! Not my cup of coffee. Most Oscar nominated movies are decided by internal politics over popularity contest. My taste leans to more the sci-fi and action genre, more for entertainment value than getting political spins. My other emphasis are on video and audio quality over store lines, i.e., Th...

Toons,

I'll check out the Artic Sound S111; originally I was looking at the Phoenix wireless for more money but colorful.

LadyGeek,

Thanks for the Classical Radio Stations - I was surprise to find a Chinese classical station there.

It's great to retire.

Cheers.

The older Toyota Avalon (2012 or earlier) runs on regular gas, or Buick LaCrosse.

Happy New Year, again (Snake). Well, finally spoke with our CPA this week. Our meeting was postponed due to his mother passed away in January. He did recommend to convert our IRA's to ROTH, after I filed the 2012 income tax to get a better handle on our income which will entirely be based on dividen...

I don't buy books these days if I could borrow from our library. If they do not have it, I could request. Based on some of the reviews here, there is no need to waste my money or time. I see little reason to knock others to make yourself look good (no one is perfect here). "I'm from the governm...

This will be my last year paying and filing for my LLC annual report.

I still called myself an IT Consultant, or simply Retired - getting dumb and happy (but not fat - doing 3 miles plus daily)!

+1.

Great history lessons. Hopefully, lessons learned but not forgotten. Passive investing should not be exciting. If it's exciting, then it's not passive.

GLTA.

Congrats. You sounds like you coudl afford to be neurotic.

Now if your annual expense budget is 5% or more of your portfolio and your body is in poor health, then $4.4m is not a lot of money.

For NYC, $1.2m 2-bedroom apartment is still nice. Enjoy it.

In a retirement mode so finally unload my 99 BMW 323iC with 75k original miles. Down to one car - 2013 Mazda CX-5 with 8k frugal miles, over 30 mpg on highway. My worst tank was 27 mpg. It has little power so I do use the 6-speed auto/manual occasionally when passing. Our friends were amazed how we ...

That is the kind of Reality TV I can deal with, better than the Kadashians. The whole thing about MLM and pyramid scheme draws a very fine line, so not sure who buys these Herbal Life stuff - totally outside the domain of the FDA. Wonder if there will be a SEC investigation. From this round, looks l...

Amen!

From Marketwatch today:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/forget ... iteID=mktw

Ranger wrote:http://www.avsforum.com/f/173/2-channel-audio

AVS forum is one of the best forums out there

+1, Audi and video.

I still got my NAD turntable (about 20 years) but rarely got to use it now.

This was as intense for me as anything I've ever seen, and if anyone has seen the movie, they can immediately identify this by the third line Get under the bed. Tell me when you're there. I'm here. - Now, the next part is very important. They are going to take you. Kim, stay focused, baby. This is ...

I bought new, used and refurbed. The one I'm on now is a Dell Latittude D620 running XT which was purchased about 5 years ago and it is still going, except the battery, so I need to plug it in all the time thus limiting mobility. My original cost was $200 w/ a 90-day warranty from eBay vendor. Last ...

renter wrote:That one scene in Body Heat. What a great movie.

Now I've to dig it up and re-watch.

Thanks.

As couple have already wrote, The Ring got me jumped the 1st time around while Audition still gives me the chills.

In case you missed the article from Friday WSJ on TSP:

Inside the Self-Driving Index Funds That Finish First

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 4114.html#

Will be talking w/ 3 different people, including my CPA before end of January prior getting my ducks in a row.

Wow! I'm overwhelmed and got much more than I bargained for. Really appreciated. 1. Looks like I need another set of eyes on my taxes. I might have missed couple years on the Roth conversion windows. Peter, will check out Schwab's calculator. 2. As far as AA, I'm definitely on the more adventurous s...

Bill, At one time I worked for an insurance company. The industry itself (like AIG) maybe great investment per Buffet but I have my bias against annuity and most insurance products, losing in both head and tail scenarios. As for Cayenne, do not need another expensive 4-wheel drive to maintain. Sold ...

Hate to get off tangent since I never considered converting to Roth. Let me keep it simple to keep my traditional (non-deductible was only less than $10k) out of the picture. Our IRAs (including deductible and SEP) worth about $140k today. For easy math, lets say the gains were $40k. Our pre-convers...

Calm Man, I don't really have a choice, sort of. My motto has been killing me during the last 2 years - "It's OK to be easy, but never be cheap." I did turn down consulting jobs since I was not willing to take anything in 5-figures. There are times I do climb walls but have been volunteeri...

Bill,

Firecal is extremely generous comparing to my wife who did not believe that a grown man needs a Porsche, though we did have our shares of toys when younger.

I'll play around with it some more.

Cheers.

Neither of us work, so there is no income in 2013, other than Vanguard and stock dividends ($30k in 2012). Unless I w/d from either account, there is really zero income for us. I estimated our 2012 tax bracket is about 25% due to year end selling prior to the fiscal cliff. Our only major deduction i...

DS,

Using TaxCaster, my AGI is only at $55k, which brought down my marginal rate to only 15%, not 25%.

Happy New Year! Based on 3 different sources, it's time for me to stay unemployed for the rest of my career. I've celebrated my 39th birthday for the 21st time, so I could w/d from our tax-favored account which is $1.4M w/ about 15% in bonds only while our taxable account has also $1.4M w/ about 30%...

Is it a Generac or other brand?

curlyq,

Great; the $1,399 option is better than $2,999. I do have affinity for cats too, but mine is virtual; wife does not like to cat-sit and cat-bound.

nonnie,

OTOH, $200s sound much better now that my yard is finally cleaned up after Sandy and the Nor'easter.