Search found 2204 matches

by interplanetjanet
Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Piano shopping (full sized upright)
Replies: 40
Views: 5540

Re: Piano shopping (full sized upright)

I've stuck with the Mason & Hamlin "A" that I bought at the end of 2011. It was old (1905) but had been restrung with new hammers and the action gone over, and has a really lovely heart. I haven't felt the need to move on yet - I bought a house recently, and my life's quite full enough with everything else!
by interplanetjanet
Tue Feb 24, 2015 6:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite consumer product?
Replies: 339
Views: 77366

Re: What is your favorite consumer product?

Ktemene wrote:FYI uncooked broccoli and kale etc.have very little taste.
I do think that depends on how your sense of taste is wired - I find raw broccoli (for that matter, all raw brassicas I've tried) to be intensely bitter. Even the taste in my mouth I get when cutting them up is bitter. I'm not picky about food in general, I really think this is a physical reaction - and one I wish I didn't have!

I'm pretty good at tolerating bitterness, I think, given how much food is bitter...but raw broccoli is just off the charts for me.
by interplanetjanet
Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prom budget for teenage girl?
Replies: 88
Views: 12548

Re: Prom budget for teenage girl?

Well, er, I still don't understand. If a girl feels she is going to be pressured for sex from her date just on account of heavy expenses for the date, he is the wrong guy to go to the prom with. Simple. No Deep Thinking required. At the risk of seeming insensitive, I don't think it's as simple as you make it out to be. I don't want to derail this thread any more, though. "Going dutch" seems to be the norm now in my children's generation (or at least pretty commonplace), and I really do think this is progress. Sometimes they go out as couples, sometimes as groups, and it just seems simpler that way. My daughters have prized attentiveness, responsibility, honesty and good communication in the boys they've been involved in. Too much...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prom budget for teenage girl?
Replies: 88
Views: 12548

Re: Prom budget for teenage girl?

texasdiver wrote:Yes times have changed. While the kids who are actually already boyfriend/girlfriend will go to prom as couples, the rest generally seem not to. They tend to go in groups in which they may be semi-paired up but not so much. So say 6 kids will rent a limo together and to to dinner together and then on to prom. That's kind of the way they tend to go out all the time these days, not just for prom.
I've definitely seen more of this - and prom is seen more as a chance to have a big party than a chance to pair off. I much prefer this, I think - it puts less pressure on kids and gives everyone a chance to get out there and just have fun. If this had been the norm when I was in HS I might have gone.
by interplanetjanet
Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite consumer product?
Replies: 339
Views: 77366

Re: What is your favorite consumer product?

hudson wrote:
interplanetjanet wrote:
boroc7 wrote:Fujifilm X100T, hands down--the new Leica.
Wilson Trap Doors.
with Wilson, it's outta sight!
:D :D :D :D :D
by interplanetjanet
Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prom budget for teenage girl?
Replies: 88
Views: 12548

Re: Prom budget for teenage girl?

drawpoker wrote:I must really be out of touch. If the OP has a daughter, why are people mentioning cost of tickets, limousines, photographer pics? The girl's D A T E (guy) pays for all these things. Or have times changed?
Times have changed some. Why are you assuming the date is a guy?

My older daughter has told me that she prefers to pay her own way (or have her way paid for by her parents) on big events like this, because she feels like she doesn't "owe" her date something just for his spending. As her mother, I'd prefer she didn't feel like she owed him either!
by interplanetjanet
Sat Feb 21, 2015 6:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prom budget for teenage girl?
Replies: 88
Views: 12548

Re: Prom budget for teenage girl?

If you don't know why, you clearly have not been watching your MTV, which feeds a constant stream of shows like My Super Sweet 16. This is 2015. Do kids really still watch TV? For a junior prom I don't see the need for big splurges. For a senior prom I'm ok with a $150-200 dress and a few hundred dollars of incidentals, but some of it I wouldn't really budget in my head as "prom" expenses...if my daughter's getting her hair and nails done I'll probably go with her and get mine done too, and mentally file the expense under "girls day out". I live in an upper middle-class area but my children were raised on shopping at thrift and consignment stores, which they don't consider a burden so much as a treasure hunt. This has l...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:09 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prom budget for teenage girl?
Replies: 88
Views: 12548

Re: Prom budget for teenage girl?

IMO you should differentiate between the junior prom and senior prom; junior being a dry run and senior you get the limo, or higher priced items. Make this clear. Not quite the same thing, but I had a friend who wanted a big Sweet 16 party (really 15, a quinceanera). Her parents told her they would pay for her wedding or a coming out party, which did she want? She decided to forego the party. I do want to say, many quinceanera dresses make fantastic prom dresses, and if you're in an area with a large Hispanic population they can be worth looking at. This is what one of my own daughters did. I remember some kids doing the limo thing when I was in school, but it didn't seem like it was universal by any means (and this was a nice upper middle...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite consumer product?
Replies: 339
Views: 77366

Re: What is your favorite consumer product?

Fujifilm X100T, hands down--the new Leica. I do love my X100. My X-Pro1, on the other hand...it's a relationship with ups and downs, in some ways I'm shocked at what they managed to get right in the X100 and then immediately screwed up in the XP1. I'm dropping a major 5D Mk III package for this little camera as I want a smaller size. The X-Pro1 is problematic--have you tried the xt1? It's a lot better, although 85% of what I'm looking for. I'm waiting for next gen X-Pro or XT. I've tried the XT1 and it's a nice camera, though I still like having the OVF. For my purposes the XP1 is mostly fine - it makes lovely images and I don't demand high performance from the autofocus. The lenses tend towards the expensive side but I really haven't run ...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Feb 21, 2015 1:51 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite consumer product?
Replies: 339
Views: 77366

Re: What is your favorite consumer product?

Barefootgirl wrote:DHC skin cleansing oil
I'm still cross at DHC for ending most of their makeup lines. They had some lovely products.
by interplanetjanet
Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite consumer product?
Replies: 339
Views: 77366

Re: What is your favorite consumer product?

boroc7 wrote:Fujifilm X100T, hands down--the new Leica.
I do love my X100. My X-Pro1, on the other hand...it's a relationship with ups and downs, in some ways I'm shocked at what they managed to get right in the X100 and then immediately screwed up in the XP1.

Nettuno salted anchovies (just salt, no oil). If anything, once you desalt and fillet them they're less salty than the oil packed fillets one finds everywhere. Agostino Recca gets an honorable mention for salted anchovies and sardines, too.

Naturalizer and SAS shoes.

Wilson Trap Doors.
by interplanetjanet
Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: High deductible flood insurance
Replies: 0
Views: 443

High deductible flood insurance

I'm not in a 100-year flood plain, but am just outside of it - flood insurance isn't required by my mortgage company (I think I'm zone "X"). I'm interested in keeping some flood insurance as part of my house is on a slab close to ground level, and having lived in my town for a number of years I know that drainage can be iffy at times. Also, it seems like if I am carrying flood insurance before a reclassification, I can get a grandfathered rate under certain circumstances. When I moved in I bought a policy through State Farm, just to have one in place, but the deductible is low ($500?) and my agent said that they don't offer higher ones. Browsing the NFIP site's documentation I came across adjustments that should yield a lower prem...
by interplanetjanet
Sun Nov 30, 2014 5:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: High quality winter sock
Replies: 35
Views: 9152

Re: High quality winter sock

I finally decided to try some warmer socks last winter. I bought some Kirkland Signature Men's Outdoor Trail Socks at Costco, these are a Merino wool blend. I am happy with them, but do not have any experience with other alternatives. I do like them - the Costco near me has both a "mens" and a "womens" variety. I have both, the mens socks are thicker but seem to fall down a bit easier, while the womens ones are very comfy and stay put but are a little less warm. They have some womens socks in black/white/gray at the one near me in case anyone wants thinner ones but doesn't want pink and purple. I went back and bought $50 of them after I tried the first package out. They feel nice, they're warm, they're washable, life is...
by interplanetjanet
Wed Nov 19, 2014 12:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Landlord wants us to sign an entirely new contract!
Replies: 51
Views: 12258

Re: Landlord wants us to sign an entirely new contract!

The main things that are affected are the services provided. Rent would be unchanged, but in the current contract, lawn care, water, trash, and sewage are all part of the lease agreement. The landlord would remove those responsibilities in the "correct" contract. These are reasonable expenses traditionally borne by the tenant of a single family home but not the tenant of an apartment. All but the lawn care are probably trivial. It sounds like an honest mistake by the landlord. Be a mensch and sign the new lease. Again, I don't think this is true. At the vast majority of houses I've rented (all but one, and even that one covered it at first), the landlord covered water & sewer. Water/sewer/trash for a sizable house here can ru...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Nov 15, 2014 11:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Landlord wants us to sign an entirely new contract!
Replies: 51
Views: 12258

Re: Landlord wants us to sign an entirely new contract!

Did you honestly think the landlord was going to take care of water/sewage/trash? I cover water, sewer, and trash for my rental townhouse. I priced it into the rent. I don't think it's terribly unusual for the landlord to cover that, at least in this area. The primary reason is that the township can put a lien on the house for failure to pay the sewer bill. I don't want to hand over responsibility to the tenant for that. I've lived in (I think) nine or ten rental houses over my lifetime, in a variety of areas in the western USA. In every single one but one, the landlord covered water and sewer. I think all but two covered trash. I'd find nothing whatever unusual about it not even being mentioned except in a contract. I agree that it's goin...
by interplanetjanet
Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Local bank without any checking account fees?
Replies: 31
Views: 5209

Re: Local bank without any checking account fees?

Sidney wrote:
Toons wrote:Capital One 360 checking,,,NO fees,someone gives you a check,,snap a picture of it with your phone and deposit,,whoosh,
Still cracks me up that in the US we consider taking pictures of little pieces of paper to transfer money "modern".
Oh my yes. It's almost comical thinking about it at times - interpersonal money transfers are more advanced in rural Kenya than in the USA.
by interplanetjanet
Wed Oct 29, 2014 11:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Yet Another Post About Health Insurance
Replies: 3
Views: 785

Re: Yet Another Post About Health Insurance

Mr. Meow wrote:We get health insurance through my wife's employer, who will be offering two plans for 2015, both of which are HDHP/HSA.
Then the premiums are most likely paid for using pretax dollars, so the Plus plan may come ahead in an even greater region - you should probably correct for this by multiplying your premiums by (1-marginal tax rate) first.

I would probably pick the Plus plan; even when it doesn't come out ahead it's not really that far behind.
by interplanetjanet
Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:24 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Benefits to a larger than necessary house (as children grow)
Replies: 31
Views: 4857

Re: Benefits to a larger than necessary house (as children g

My wife and I are going absolutely nuts because we're basically in permanent cleanup mode. When we finally get all the kids to bed (and asleep) for the night and we've finished cleaning up the damage from the day, we're both exhausted and plunk down in bed without hardly even communicating or connecting in any way. Others have spoken to issues with house size and layout - I'll say this. Money spent on a maid or cleaning service can be a cheap recipe for family harmony in some cases - it can make a big difference even when they only come once every week or two. I'll add that some problems just get bigger with more area. At one point I moved our household of six from a 3600 square foot house to a 2600 square foot one and honestly, the 2600 s...
by interplanetjanet
Sun Oct 12, 2014 6:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best solution for clouded auto headlight lens?
Replies: 31
Views: 10195

Re: Best solution for clouded auto headlight lens?

I'll suggest a third alternative that may or may not be useful. Check to see if an ECE/EEC headlamp was made for your vehicle. These are continental European "E-code" headlamps (so the beams point the correct direction) and in many cases they will have glass lenses that stay crystal clear even if the North American lenses for the same model are plastic. You also generally gain a better beam pattern as ECE regulations on beam cutoff are more stringent. You do not want Japanese domestic (JDM), Australian or UK headlamps as they point the wrong direction. Legality can vary by jurisdiction, however given that a properly aimed ECE lamp will produce minimal glare to oncoming traffic it's unlikely to be an issue. This is a fairly common ...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Oct 04, 2014 10:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to look at real estate ROI
Replies: 21
Views: 3835

Re: Pizzasteve and others: my real estate question

Re: taxes. People always overestimate the tax value of deducting mortgage interest and real estate taxes. To get the MARGINAL tax advantage of home ownership vs non-ownership you have to find the difference between what you deduct as a home owner vs what you would deduct as a renter. So if you are an MFJ couple and the total of your mortgage interest, RE taxes, state/sales tax, etc is 12,000, and your standard deduction is 12,200, then your tax benefit from home ownership is zero because you would take the standard deduction either way. It's also important to really work out your tax situation. If you are in AMT territory as a renter (not hard to do as a family with children in California) then your mortgage interest is deductible from the...
by interplanetjanet
Fri Oct 03, 2014 1:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Health Care/ACA question about losing coverage
Replies: 19
Views: 2632

Re: Health Care/ACA question about losing coverage

HoosierJim wrote:You have 60 days to elect Cobra coverage so you can be assured you are covered during this period even if a catastrophic event occurred.
It's worth mentioning that not all employers are required to offer Cobra coverage.
by interplanetjanet
Thu Oct 02, 2014 1:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is my husband a spendthrift? Or I a tightwad?
Replies: 198
Views: 26736

Re: Is my husband a spendthrift? Or I a tightwad?

To me the much more interesting - and important - component of all of this is emotional/psychological. I am in a situation very similar to yours. I just wanted to thank you for this. Coming from a different situation - no family assistance at all, I started working at 17 and left home shortly thereafter, and am estranged from my parents - at times I've looked on those who received gifts from their family with a degree of envy. I don't mention my own situation to try to ennoble myself, it's just how it happened and what I had to do. This thread has made me realize that while my financial life has been more difficult than some, there are some problems I've just never had. I suppose every situation has its bright sides. As a relatively high e...
by interplanetjanet
Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is my husband a spendthrift? Or I a tightwad?
Replies: 198
Views: 26736

Re: Is my husband a spendthrift? Or I a tightwad?

This thread is very interesting. It's been a while since I've seen such strong evidence that the feeling of being rich or poor depends completely on who you spend your time with. So true. In out case, probably not *everyone* around us, but it feels like we live amongst a significant percentage of people with bigger salaries than ours, who have fat bonuses in the 6 figures and stock options up to their ears. We wouldn't have been able to afford this neighborhood on our own, so that makes perfect sense. Btw I didn't realize the very wide range of income and wealth spectrum here. I guess on my previous visits I somehow managed to only read threads started by people with way more than us, and all this time that was my conception of the posters...
by interplanetjanet
Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:10 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Individual Stocks
Replies: 46
Views: 7221

Re: Individual Stocks

The only individual stock I hold is my employer's, and I sell it as soon as my trading window opens. In hindsight I've given up some gains, but I would much rather have money in the hand than stress about uncompensated risk due to lack of diversity.
by interplanetjanet
Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:00 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: We have a grocery problem... [Household budget]
Replies: 158
Views: 19068

Re: We have a grocery problem... [Household budget]

Have you tried Asian supermarkets (99 Ranch, Shun Fat Market, etc)? There are some excellent ones in the south Bay Area. Produce in particular seems to be cheaper there than anywhere else except greengrocers or farm roadside stands (though it helps to haggle with those) and I've found the quality to be excellent. Meat and fish prices are very good as well, often even better than my local Mexican carnicerías. Yes, I have actually. I was amazed recently that one tiny vietnamese market that my husband took me to had oranges for half the price per lb of Costco and 1/3 of Wal-Mart. We did a lot of extra driving for those cheap oranges in my Leaf that day though :) That tiny market didn't have much else we happened to need. I've found smaller et...
by interplanetjanet
Tue Sep 23, 2014 4:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: We have a grocery problem... [Household budget]
Replies: 158
Views: 19068

Re: We have a grocery problem... [Household budget]

madbrain wrote:Yes, same thing here, even shopping at Costco it would still be at least 2x higher than the prices posted for most of the items on the list. And 4x at a regular grocery store like a Safeway.
Have you tried Asian supermarkets (99 Ranch, Shun Fat Market, etc)? There are some excellent ones in the south Bay Area. Produce in particular seems to be cheaper there than anywhere else except greengrocers or farm roadside stands (though it helps to haggle with those) and I've found the quality to be excellent. Meat and fish prices are very good as well, often even better than my local Mexican carnicerías.
by interplanetjanet
Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:13 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: We have a grocery problem... [Household budget]
Replies: 158
Views: 19068

Re: We have a grocery problem...

dolphinsaremammals wrote:Tomatoes lose a lot of flavor when they're refrigerated. I would refrigerate them if they're cut, but otherwise, no.
I find they keep better after they're cut if they're placed cut side down onto a plate and left out at room temperature...which is about 70-80F in my house during tomato season. Seriously, they keep like that for days, and you don't have to deal with cold tomatoes (blech!). I've had one or two of them go viviparous on me over the years when kept like that, but that might have happened even if they'd remained whole (and it's not dangerous, just weird).
by interplanetjanet
Wed Sep 10, 2014 2:40 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What's the riskiest Bogleheadish asset?
Replies: 81
Views: 11010

Re: What's the riskiest Bogleheadish asset?

tadamsmar wrote:What the single riskiest asset that Bogleheads advocate?
Human capital. It's the only one that virtually everyone is encouraged to hedge against its loss.
by interplanetjanet
Tue Sep 09, 2014 3:25 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is My Car Insurance Plan Enough? - the Bogle way!
Replies: 18
Views: 4244

Re: Is My Car Insurance Plan Enough? - the Bogle way!

Your first, absolute first step should be to increase your liability coverages. It is shockingly easy for damages to exceed your current limits in a car accident, and increasing them to, say, $100k property damage coverage and $300k/$300k liability will be fairly cheap if you have a good driving record. With your net worth I would not want to go significantly lower. This is the most important coverage you have, it will keep you from being wiped out if you are found to have injured someone badly in an accident - and it will also help to ensure that they are made as whole as is possible. Under/uninsured motorist coverage is something to seriously consider if you cannot get adequate disability coverage (I'm assuming for the moment that you hav...
by interplanetjanet
Mon Sep 08, 2014 5:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you keep your electricity bill low?
Replies: 123
Views: 16001

Re: How do you keep your electricity bill low?

gardemanger wrote:Point of terminology - landscape professionals use "irrigation" to mean watering systems for all kinds of landscapes (whether sprinkler, drip, etc.) I have a degree in landscape architecture and learning how to design an irrigation system is one of the head-hurtiest things I've ever had to absorb. I *suffered* for the right to use the jargon :shock:
Yes, I meant it in the broadest possible sense - any watering system for either agricultural use or not. No warranty for fitness or suitability implied. ;)
by interplanetjanet
Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you keep your electricity bill low?
Replies: 123
Views: 16001

Re: How do you keep your electricity bill low?

Valuethinker wrote:Is anyone allowed to irrigate anything in California right now?
Central California still contains some of the most fertile farmland around, and much of it is worth irrigating even at high cost. California grows 80% of the world's almonds - that alone takes up something like 10% of the water used by the state. Agriculture is very big business here.

I'm mostly planting "yard" areas with drought-tolerant native species. I'm not a big believer in expanses of grass, and allergies are no small part of that. I got such allergic reactions from running through fields growing up.
by interplanetjanet
Sat Sep 06, 2014 12:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you keep your electricity bill low?
Replies: 123
Views: 16001

Re: How do you keep your electricity bill low?

Easy Rhino wrote:Barring that, you have to look at what the most likely "heavy hitters" are for electricity usage, and what's the cheapest to fix.
I'll add - a well pump can be a big electricity consumer, especially if you have a water leak or are irrigating a large area.

I do my irrigating, showering, laundry and dishes at night, so I benefit from lower TOU rates then even though I run the AC sometimes during the day.
by interplanetjanet
Fri Sep 05, 2014 5:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you keep your electricity bill low?
Replies: 123
Views: 16001

Re: How do you keep your electricity bill low?

LongerPrimer wrote:I don't use the heater function on the washer bidet seat and I do a cold water wash :moneybag
I just have to say, there are some fantastic bidet seats out there that are well under $100...mine remains one of the best gifts I gave myself.
by interplanetjanet
Fri Sep 05, 2014 5:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you keep your electricity bill low?
Replies: 123
Views: 16001

Re: How do you keep your electricity bill low?

I'm also on a plan with SCE that allows them to cycle off my AC in high use periods (they installed a box near my AC). As far as I know they have never done that. However, it saves me around $200 a year in discounts off of my bill. Wow. PG&E offered me a one time discount of $50 for putting one of those devices on my A/C. $50/year might have gotten me to consider it, but a single discount for it just didn't sit right with me. As an aside - and this is emphatically not a criticism of people who do, but I'm surprised at how low people set their thermostats in the summer, and I was wondering if what I do is unusual. Summers here are hot and dry but with cool, breezy nights (usually!). I normally open windows for a while in the evening to ...
by interplanetjanet
Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you keep your electricity bill low?
Replies: 123
Views: 16001

Re: How do you keep your electricity bill low?

In Honolulu, highest elec rates in country- on Oahu .34 KWH- higher on neighbor islands- 34c/kW-h is high but it's not the highest rate even just comparing to plans that don't meter based on time of use. A couple years back in California, many customers hit over 40c/kW-h average - with the top marginal rate at 50c, this wasn't hard to do if you had significant energy needs. Hawaii may have the highest average rate paid, though - thankfully your energy expenses for heating and cooling tend to be low and there's a decreased need for lighting compared with most of the rest of the USA. I may gripe about high electricity rates at times, but I do have to admit that they've gotten me to conserve, ruthlessly. A 75 watt home server (already on the ...
by interplanetjanet
Thu Sep 04, 2014 1:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you keep your electricity bill low?
Replies: 123
Views: 16001

Re: How do you keep your electricity bill low?

We burn gas in the winter which is high efficiency condensing type. We have a heat pump but it is 30+ years old. Your problem is that your locale has decommissioned nuclear power plants. Well...maybe. I think that the real issue is that during the electricity crisis in California in 2001, legislation was passed that froze the costs of lower usage tiers. As energy costs rose, all of the increase was borne by the higher users; the lower users were paying below market value for electricity (it was not uncommon to see rates at the highest tier be three times as high per kwh as the lowest). This legislation was finally repealed in 2013 and the PUC is once again able to set rates across the board. The net impact is that the marginal rate for pow...
by interplanetjanet
Wed Sep 03, 2014 6:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you keep your electricity bill low?
Replies: 123
Views: 16001

Re: How do you keep your electricity bill low?

I installed a geothermal heat pump (and programmable thermostat), and my electric bill for a 2000 sq. ft. house without any special insulation, is usually about $150/mo. in the summer. And this is in Texas, where the summers are pretty hot, and we don't have particularly low rates (about 11 cents/KWh), and we keep it pretty cool (low 70's). For what it's worth, those rates are quite low compared to many areas - the OP is paying >30c/KWh at the margin. The first step is to identify where the energy is going. Comparing KWh consumption (not just dollar figures, which can fluctuate) between summer and mid spring or fall will give a reasonable starting guess as to how much electricity is spent on cooling. If an electric clothes dryer is used fr...
by interplanetjanet
Fri Aug 29, 2014 6:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When is a trust worth it for an inheritance?
Replies: 3
Views: 1318

When is a trust worth it for an inheritance?

Say you have a gift or guaranteed inheritance (pension plan payout, etc) coming your way. At what point does it make sense to set up a trust (for your benefit) to become the beneficiary of it, for asset protection reasons?

A broad question, I know.
by interplanetjanet
Fri Aug 29, 2014 5:41 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: which engine and transmission options to choose for Tacoma?
Replies: 44
Views: 6124

Re: which engine and transmission options to choose for Taco

Wiess wrote:
The Wizard wrote:It looks like you may have missed my earlier post about 4x4 pickups generally having winter-capable tires as standard equipment. We're not talking about passenger cars here...
I have to disagree, stock tires on a truck do not equal tires rated for use on snow and ice.
I absolutely agree. "All Season" tires truly aren't - there is an ocean of difference between them and a half decent snow tire.
by interplanetjanet
Thu Aug 28, 2014 6:37 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Worst Investment You Can Make: Buying a Home
Replies: 135
Views: 26603

Re: The Worst Investment You Can Make: Buying a Home

I admit that when I was buying I did more due diligence on the location and tried to ensure that I bought in an area where values weren't likely to be depressed in the near term - I also paid more attention to flood risks. In the end, though, I stuck with the same sort of housing and can't really see why I wouldn't have. Really? When people buy they have to 'foresee' their future needs. Family sizes do not always stay static... They do not, but I had my children young (three by the time I was 25). They're teenagers now, I don't foresee more (it would be a miracle), and even if they do leave I want to have enough space so that they can come back for a while if they need to in the next decade. I was renting during the time I had them, and I ...
by interplanetjanet
Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: California residents - do you have earthquake insurance?
Replies: 54
Views: 6731

Re: California residents - do you have earthquake insurance?

My parents in Sacramento hadn't even realized there was an earthquake when I called them later that day. So where was the biggest earthquake I've ever experienced? I have spent about half my life in California, but it was right here in Virginia (5.8). I'm in the Sacramento area and I was for Loma Prieta as well. I definitely felt both the quake earlier this week and LP, but if I'd been asleep at the time I might not have woken up (I was standing on a chair fixing a fluorescent ballast at 3AM, don't judge me!). They both felt like a mild but prolonged side to side sloshing. I had to look over and see a chandelier gently swinging before I knew for sure it was a quake and not just a moment of vertigo, it was mild. The worst quake I went throu...
by interplanetjanet
Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Worst Investment You Can Make: Buying a Home
Replies: 135
Views: 26603

Re: The Worst Investment You Can Make: Buying a Home

A more relevant comparison is of the homes one would buy or rent, and considering that these are not the same types of homes, the results are more likely to favor rent. I find this interesting. When we rented, we rented what fit our needs - 3-4 bedroom single family homes with yards (we had small children and pets). When we bought, we bought the same type of housing (slightly smaller, actually). Renting gave us a mobility advantage at the time, owning will be slightly more cost-effective in the long term. I admit that when I was buying I did more due diligence on the location and tried to ensure that I bought in an area where values weren't likely to be depressed in the near term - I also paid more attention to flood risks. In the end, tho...
by interplanetjanet
Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: California residents - do you have earthquake insurance?
Replies: 54
Views: 6731

Re: California residents - do you have earthquake insurance?

dgdevil wrote:Well, actually ... I'd venture most of California is at risk. The last few big earthquakes, including the Napa one, occurred along fault lines that were largely unknown to seismologists. They don't know a helluva lot more than we do.
Most of *coastal* California is at risk. Most of the interior has a much lower degree of seismic activity and the structure of the underlying earth helps to diminish the effects of what does happen. Sacramento is filled with computer data centers precisely because the seismic risk is considered very low.
by interplanetjanet
Wed Aug 20, 2014 12:33 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Worst Investment You Can Make: Buying a Home
Replies: 135
Views: 26603

Re: The Worst Investment You Can Make: Buying a Home

avenger wrote:
Rainier wrote:Pretty sure having kids is far worse. Who is going to write that article?
I do love the elephant in the room that no one brings up on this forum. Of course, we are quick to judge people for buying $50k cars. :annoyed
Obviously the solution is to get them used after the initial depreciation has taken its hit. :D
by interplanetjanet
Mon Aug 18, 2014 7:30 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is buying two SUVs a sane/good financial move?
Replies: 63
Views: 7239

Re: Is buying two SUVs a sane/good financial move?

berntson wrote:The full report can be found here. The authors in fact consider the driver distribution issue and present data in an appendix. They find that once we adjust for the fact that older drivers tend to drive midsize cars, midsize cars are in fact even safer compared to SUVs than the chart indicates. Here is what the authors say at the end of the paper:
If driver distribution has been controlled for, there are still some very puzzling anomalies here. The Geo Prizm, for example, was basically a rebadged Corolla - yet the two have noteworthy differences in driver risk in this chart.
by interplanetjanet
Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any Opinions on Mirrorless Cameras?
Replies: 40
Views: 4563

Re: Any Opinions on Mirrorless Cameras?

Fuji - my personal favorite (I own an X100s). This is becoming a very close second to Sony in terms of what I recommend people. And that is because I think Sonys are a bit more user-friendly and less intimidating. But if you are a manual shooter, Fuji is much better. It is an "enthusiast" brand. They are also doing it "right" in my opinion, by offering some terrific lenses. None are duds. One huge advantage for the more "hobbyist" photographer that might just want to shoot in JPEG is that Fuji has the best straight out of camera JPEGs I've seen yet. Just produces lovely images. Yep, I'm a Fuji fan. Nice summary! I own an X100 and I do have to agree - Fuji has done some truly excellent things, especially after ...
by interplanetjanet
Fri Aug 08, 2014 3:50 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Worst Investment You Can Make: Buying a Home
Replies: 135
Views: 26603

Re: The Worst Investment You Can Make: Buying a Home

Not much is new here. All real estate is local, and what makes sense in one area probably will not in others. The "ownership premium" is radically different between single-family homes in, say, Omaha and San Francisco. I rented for eleven years between periods of home ownership, and I think it was the right thing to do at the time - renting does come out ahead some of the time, so does buying. For young mobile professionals I think that renting is probably the best in many locations as the ability to pull up stakes and move easily has real value to your career. I do think it's worth stressing that even in a market where buying is a "better deal", it still doesn't make it the right decision. Buying without sufficient rese...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Aug 02, 2014 4:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Kitchen Aid Folks - I need your help!
Replies: 7
Views: 1332

Re: Kitchen Aid Folks - I need your help!

This is kind of a complicated subject. Kitchenaid used to be a brand owned by Hobart, a large commercial mixer manufacturer. Their stand mixers were just about as tough as rocks. In the '80s, Hobart sold off Kitchenaid and they were eventually acquired by Whirlpool. A number of changes crept into the design after that. The Whirlpool ones are generally not quite as robust but if maintained well and operated within their limits they can still be excellent tools. The #1 failure mode in these mixers is a fiber gear that most of them have in the geartrain. If you heavily stress a mixer with one in it, it will strip and require replacement. This is actually not very hard if you're mechanically inclined, and my own Kitchenaid ran better than it ev...
by interplanetjanet
Mon Jul 28, 2014 3:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do I need umbrella insurance?
Replies: 35
Views: 7358

Re: Do I need umbrella insurance?

I am 30 years old, living at home, and driving car listed in my father's name. Have accumulated significant assets (no rent, living like a cheapskate boglehead) and recently advised in general by vanguard personal advisor to have liability insurance. Do not own home/car, car ownership done in father's name for business deduction/tax purposes, this may change when father passes business to me. My understand from reading the "umbrella covering children driving my car" threads was that I would be covered under my father's umbrella insurance, which is 1 M. Do not own any other boat/property. The real answer here will only come if you read the policy descriptions for the various insurance policies involved (auto, homeowners/renters, u...
by interplanetjanet
Wed Jul 23, 2014 2:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Android smartphone with physical keyboard
Replies: 44
Views: 7086

Re: Android smartphone with physical keyboard

The GSM SIM card requirements rules out the following on that list. - 7. LG Mach - 2. LG Enact - 1. Motorola Photon Q 4G There is a modification to the Photon Q to use other SIM cards, but it's invasive. Also, the keyboard shares the same issue as the Droid 4's (more below). - 4. Motorola Droid 4 . Looks like a slower phone, 1.2 GHz CPU only. Also runs on more expensive Verizon in the US. Display is better at 960x540, though. Camera is better. This is a rather ancient phone though, 2.5 years old. If you do a lot of typing, look critically at the Droid 4's keyboard (almost the same as that of the Photon Q). The Droid 3 has a full set of symbols on the keys with a Fn button to let you type them directly, as do most handsets with physical key...