Search found 1496 matches

by MoonOrb
Thu Mar 07, 2024 10:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Alaska trip without taking a cruise - help
Replies: 53
Views: 4578

Re: Alaska trip without taking a cruise - help

Hello We (family of 4 - tweens and parents) are hoping to take a trip to Alaska for 2 weeks in July in the summer of 2025. We are hoping to avoid taking a cruise as several members of the family have terrible motion sickness (yes - we have tried all of the many treatments/therapies). So, we are hoping to fly to Alaska and drive and then fly back. It’s a little bit daunting as the state is so big and there is a reason cruises are so popular (easy planning, convenience, etc) Can anybody share an itinerary or suggested itinerary? Any tips ? Thanks Here is an outline of how we did it. Check out the entire thread to learn about the things we didn't do missed! :oops: I'm hoping to go to Alaska in the fall season and have wondered whether it will...
by MoonOrb
Mon Mar 04, 2024 5:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FIRE-ing In, Quitting versus Getting FIRE-d - Talking to Boss Tomorrow
Replies: 148
Views: 22537

Re: FIRE-ing In, Quitting versus Getting FIRE-d - Talking to Boss Tomorrow

... In surveys I've seen, the majority of people are quite happy with retirement. I would speculate that the majority of the unhappy retirees are those that didn't financially prepare for retirement. The number of unhappy retirees who have enough money but miss the "purpose", socialization, and gold stars from work seem like a real but quite small population. It seems that most people find ways to fulfill their human needs better with freedom from paid work than those that have less autonomy due to work time requirements. When that's not the case, it seems there is a lack of imagination/curiosity/life (i.e. I don't know what I'd do with my time if I wasn't working), or some weird moral view (i.e. work is good, enjoyment is evil)....
by MoonOrb
Sat Mar 02, 2024 2:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Mid-career change to law?
Replies: 127
Views: 11691

Re: Mid-career change to law?

I know plenty of lawyers who have switched to law mid-career, it's definitely possible and it's not crazy. I also know plenty of happy lawyers, but I left a law firm ten years ago, where I've worked in in-house roles, and it's my experience that you're more likely to find happier lawyers in in-house roles than in law firms.
by MoonOrb
Thu Feb 22, 2024 7:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FIRE vs Loving your work
Replies: 101
Views: 8367

Re: FIRE vs Loving your work

Things people like about work: -you may do something you feel is meaningful or contribute to a mission or larger purpose of some sort -you may enjoy your work colleagues -you may enjoy the idea that you're helping people or making their lives better in some way -you may like the routine -you may like that it has some rigor to it that it forces you to think or challenge yourself in certain ways I can imagine myself working past the date i'm financially independent; I can also imagine myself quitting as soon as it's feasible. It's really too hard for me to know now what I'll do when that day arrives but I can at least imagine different things I'd miss if I quit working and different things I like enough about my work that would make it feel w...
by MoonOrb
Tue Feb 20, 2024 9:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Just did my own taxes for first time - owed $5k
Replies: 57
Views: 7897

Re: Just did my own taxes for first time - owed $5k

learning30 wrote: Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:54 pm
MoonOrb wrote: Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:24 pm I had something similar happen and now I need to figure out how to have an additional amount withheld, or figure out how to make estimated tax payments--not sure which I'm less enthusiastic about, but I don't want to repeat this next year.
I believe my income will be much lower this year, so I am just leaving the standard withheld amount. Are you commission based also? Because last year doesn't mean it will be the same this year.
No, but I will receive a bonus that can vary in amount, which I'm guessing contributed to the unwelcome surprise when I did my return.
by MoonOrb
Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Just did my own taxes for first time - owed $5k
Replies: 57
Views: 7897

Re: Just did my own taxes for first time - owed $5k

I had something similar happen and now I need to figure out how to have an additional amount withheld, or figure out how to make estimated tax payments--not sure which I'm less enthusiastic about, but I don't want to repeat this next year.
by MoonOrb
Mon Feb 19, 2024 9:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best way to exchange $1000 worth of yen for Japan trip?
Replies: 48
Views: 4318

Re: Best way to exchange $1000 worth of yen for Japan trip?

Get yen at an ATM in Japan, just like most of the people here say. We've gone to Japan about half a dozen times in the last six years and have been all over the country including some places that are pretty out of the way and have never needed yen before we arrived. It would be too much of a hassle to me to have $1000 in yen--not only finding a place to get a favorable exchange rate in the US and then taking the time and maybe money to get to that place, but then having to worry about spending $1000 in cash while I was in Japan (which you can definitely do, but it's also just the kind of hassle I wouldn't want to be thinking about). Then there's the exchanging it back if you have any left over, which is also a pain. Our trips have been abou...
by MoonOrb
Sun Feb 18, 2024 9:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite book?
Replies: 186
Views: 19944

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

DoubleComma wrote: Thu Feb 15, 2024 12:56 pm


Enjoyed the A Gentleman in Moscow as well.

Currently I'm about 70% through The Lincoln Highway and am really enjoying it. Both by Amor Towles and available on my Libby App
I'm reading A Gentleman in Moscow (borrowed through Libby, too) at the moment--so far, so good.
by MoonOrb
Sat Feb 17, 2024 1:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite book?
Replies: 186
Views: 19944

Re: What is your favorite book?

vnatale wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 9:53 pm
MoonOrb wrote: Fri Feb 09, 2024 10:08 pm
11/22/63 by Stephen King
You are the only other person I have "met" who has also read that excellent book.

Did you see the TV series, which was also quite good?

Excellent companion to the book.
I saw it and thought it was an okay adaptation but it didn't have the same magic for me as the book. One of the things I loved about the book was the meandering path it took to get to the assassination attempt and I felt like the TV series cut a lot of that out to focus more on the assassination. Which I think made sense for the series, but made me not enjoy it quite as much.
by MoonOrb
Mon Feb 12, 2024 4:34 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Who is buying bonds?
Replies: 69
Views: 8749

Re: Who is buying bonds?

I'm always buying at least some BND each month, but on Friday I hit a rebalancing mark and bought a lot more.
by MoonOrb
Sun Feb 11, 2024 2:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Did we miss anything?? Looking to retire next year!
Replies: 48
Views: 3530

Re: Did we miss anything?? Looking to retire next year!

1. Your built in assumptions are really conservative as has been pointed out.
2. You also have flexibility to lower your spending needed.
3. You've budgeted for other large expenses.

It's hard to see how this could not work--you could always share the figures here and get more specific feedback, though.
by MoonOrb
Sun Feb 11, 2024 1:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite book?
Replies: 186
Views: 19944

Re: What is your favorite book?

Horologium wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 10:35 am
MoonOrb wrote: Fri Feb 09, 2024 10:08 pm The Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson
The Pacific War Trilogy by Ian Toll
Both excellent. I also have Atkinson's book on the Revolutionary War on my list of books to read.

Re the Pacific War, I'd also recommend the late James Hornfischer's Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, The Fleet at Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific, and his best work, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.
I liked Atkinson's book on the Revolutionary War, too, and hope others follow. I thought all three of those Hornfischer books were great, as well.
by MoonOrb
Sat Feb 10, 2024 1:07 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: looking for advice
Replies: 30
Views: 3138

Re: looking for advice

It's about six and one half dozen the other and this is not a decision I'd sweat, personally. Your MM rate is just over 5% now, I think? But your marginal tax rate on gains in that account is about 27%. In your situation it doesn't look like you'll benefit from the added liquidity. I'd do what makes you feel happier: having more liquid funds sitting in a money market account in case you need or want them? Or ridding yourself of the monthly P&I a bit early?
by MoonOrb
Fri Feb 09, 2024 10:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite book?
Replies: 186
Views: 19944

Re: What is your favorite book?

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Influence by Robert Cialdini
The Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson
The Pacific War Trilogy by Ian Toll
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Purple Cane Road by James Lee Burke
The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly
LA Requiem by Robert Crais
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
by MoonOrb
Wed Feb 07, 2024 6:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Law School Debt: Is It Worth It?
Replies: 115
Views: 10474

Re: Law School Debt: Is It Worth It?

I made a similar decision and went with the state school and it worked out well for me. My thoughts in general: 1. I'm not sure how much better a T20 school is compared to a state flagship, to be honest. T8 might unlock a lot of opportunities that your state flagship won't, but that's dicier as you move down the list. So if by T20 you mean "9" the decision gets harder. If by T20 you mean "20," you should probably go to the public school. 2. Three areas where the higher-ranked schools shine: (a) judicial clerkships, if you really, really want a judicial clerkship; (b) opportunities to go into academics (where having a clerkship would probably help with that, too; (c) getting jobs that are outside of your immediate geograp...
by MoonOrb
Mon Feb 05, 2024 9:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What is your HSA strategy?
Replies: 52
Views: 6650

Re: What is your HSA strategy?

I cashflow medical expenses and invest the HSA in an S&P500 index fund.
by MoonOrb
Mon Feb 05, 2024 8:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Accumulators, what's your response to inflation?
Replies: 146
Views: 12840

Re: Accumulators, what's your response to inflation?

We do what we've always done which is try to avoid lifestyle creep when we get raises, max out our tax advantaged space, put at least half of our raises after tax into taxable. We're in a fine position really--our mortgage rate is really low, no other debt, we're healthy, not educating children, and we already make and prepare almost all of our meals ourselves so although we feel inflation, comparatively it's not that awful and we are just staying the course.
by MoonOrb
Mon Feb 05, 2024 1:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How did you decide your comfortable annual expense?
Replies: 40
Views: 3604

Re: How did you decide your comfortable annual expense?

Kind of a combination of prioritizing how much I want to save, seeing what my actual numbers are of what I spend on, and also being intentional about spending in line with my values when it comes to huge purchases like houses, cars, and education.
by MoonOrb
Sat Feb 03, 2024 3:17 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Recently let go from work while pursuing MBA - need advice.
Replies: 26
Views: 3854

Re: Recently let go from work while pursuing MBA - need advice.

If you're not interested in the MBA program quit it and focus on finding something, anything, that pays bills. After doing that for a while you may reconsider that the MBA program might have been helpful, and maybe then you can go back to it. Alternatively, once you're working for a while you may have found something you like and realize that staying in the MBA program wasn't for you and leaving it was the right choice.

But if you're open to staying in the MBA program and networking with your peers and taking advantage of those opportunities, this could work out really well for you.
by MoonOrb
Fri Feb 02, 2024 8:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I gained 21% this year so far in my IRA. What should I do?
Replies: 49
Views: 6171

Re: I gained 21% this year so far in my IRA. What should I do?

You're asking the wrong crowd. Gambling with our retirement accounts is sort of diametrically opposed to what we're doing here.

But, if I were you, I'd just ask: Am I feeling lucky?

If yes, keep it in!
If no, take it out!

Or flip a coin, or roll a die or something.
by MoonOrb
Fri Feb 02, 2024 8:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Fairbanks Alaska in Feb - rent a car or Uber?
Replies: 6
Views: 934

Re: Fairbanks Alaska in Feb - rent a car or Uber?

I was in Fairbanks a few weeks ago and it was -10F and -20F at Chena; we paid for a shuttle to Chena. I think it would be possible to drive on snow there if you're accustomed to driving on snow--everyone was driving slowly and it was dry and crunchy as someone noted. I didn't want to rent a car because I didn't want to bother with hooking up to the bull rail or plugging in some other way. I've never lived or driven anywhere I've had to do that before and I wasn't confident that it would be simple or I'd know what to do and I didn't want to have an unstartable car. This was probably a good decision as when we got to Chena it turns out the bull rail was not functioning--I'm not sure how people ended up ensuring they could start their cars, as...
by MoonOrb
Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:04 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Echoes of Dot Com Bubble?
Replies: 230
Views: 23997

Re: Echoes of Dot Com Bubble?

Even if there is a lot that is the same about it, there's no reason to think it will unfold in the same way. This is why we diversify our investments, keep our expenses low, don't try to time the market, choose an appropriate asset allocation, etc. We expect that there are times the market will go down and it will go up and we don't know exactly when that time will come so we make sure we're in the market all the time, whatever it's doing, and that we capture the market's return, whatever that is.
by MoonOrb
Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Love my job, told re-lo for RTO or no advancement [Return To Office]
Replies: 128
Views: 9761

Re: Love my job, told re-lo for RTO or no advancement

I think you answered your own question in your 'long story short... You basically have 3 choices: 1) relo to the company office (I'd ask for relo assistance since you were hired remote) 2) remain remote and get zero promotions (and likely minimal salary increases) 3) seek another remote job In the medium term I'd figure out what aligns with your values and priorities and do that; in the short-term I'd choose a combination of options 2 and 3: keep your current job which pays you well and you like and start looking for something new. You'll either find that (a) staying in your current role is the best you can do as there are no better remote options available or (b) you'll find something better, or, possibly (c) you can find some workaround ...
by MoonOrb
Wed Jan 31, 2024 7:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Suggestions on where to move?
Replies: 135
Views: 10692

Re: Suggestions on where to move?

Lancaster, PA
Hot Springs, AR
by MoonOrb
Sat Jan 27, 2024 2:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 20-30X income, is that the "retirement rut"?
Replies: 90
Views: 13512

Re: 20-30X income, is that the "retirement rut"?

Not exactly sure what you're asking here--I view this as "on track" or "still getting there" or "almost there but not quite," and not anything like a rut. I mean, I maybe see what you're getting at here, which is you're just impatient to retire because you don't find work fulfilling but you can't quit work just yet? It would make sense to me to find fulfillment in other places if you can. Work's a major part of our lives when we're doing it, but it's also not the only way to feel fulfilled and satisfied. So if you can make peace with the idea that you don't have to feel amazing about work for the next X years until you don't do it anymore, then maybe you can seek other ways to enjoy your life right now. An alt...
by MoonOrb
Sat Jan 27, 2024 1:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 20-30X income, is that the "retirement rut"?
Replies: 90
Views: 13512

Re: 20-30X income, is that the "retirement rut"?

Not exactly sure what you're asking here--I view this as "on track" or "still getting there" or "almost there but not quite," and not anything like a rut.

I mean, I maybe see what you're getting at here, which is you're just impatient to retire because you don't find work fulfilling but you can't quit work just yet? It would make sense to me to find fulfillment in other places if you can. Work's a major part of our lives when we're doing it, but it's also not the only way to feel fulfilled and satisfied. So if you can make peace with the idea that you don't have to feel amazing about work for the next X years until you don't do it anymore, then maybe you can seek other ways to enjoy your life right now.
by MoonOrb
Sat Jan 27, 2024 12:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What video games are you currently playing?
Replies: 528
Views: 86745

Re: What video games are you currently playing?

FoolStreet wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2024 10:13 pm
MoonOrb wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2024 10:05 pm I just bought a PS5 a few weeks ago and the first thing I've been playing with it is Detroit: Become Human, which I'm really enjoying. If anyone else here loved that game and has recs for things with a similar immersive experience/lots of branching choices, I'd love to hear.
I played that in PS5 and really enjoyed it. A similar one I enjoyed was Until Dawn. A little smaller in scope, but better for it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Until_Dawn

Let me know what you think.
Appreciate the recommendation, thank you! I'm building a list of games that have some qualities similar to Detroit and I'll add this to it.
by MoonOrb
Sat Jan 27, 2024 12:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best cookware to buy
Replies: 143
Views: 13731

Re: Best cookware to buy

Le Creuset: Dutch oven, sauce pan, casserole dish All-Clad: 12" skillet with lid Tramontina: 12" tri ply saute pan with lid Cuisinart 8" nonstick omelette pan Viking Steel Baking sheets A cheap 6 or 8 qt pot for cooking pasta That's my entire set up and it is great, in my opinion. This is a great list. What I use almost every day — inexpensive 10-inch and 12-inch nonstick skillets with clear lids that unfortunately don’t fit too well. What I use almost every week: large stainless stock pot for pasta. What I use every couple of weeks: a Dutch oven (mine is Made In) and a baking sheet. What I occasionally use: my lodge cast iron skillet, my all-clad stainless skillet, my cheap sauce pan, and my paellero. Dream addition: a larg...
by MoonOrb
Fri Jan 26, 2024 10:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What video games are you currently playing?
Replies: 528
Views: 86745

Re: What video games are you currently playing?

I just bought a PS5 a few weeks ago and the first thing I've been playing with it is Detroit: Become Human, which I'm really enjoying. If anyone else here loved that game and has recs for things with a similar immersive experience/lots of branching choices, I'd love to hear.
by MoonOrb
Thu Jan 25, 2024 9:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone wished they had worked a few more years before retiring?
Replies: 89
Views: 14582

Re: Anyone wished they had worked a few more years before retiring?

I'm not in exactly the same situation but I'm in a relatively similar situation and my plan is going to be to keep working as long as these things are all true:

1. I enjoy working
2. There is nothing specific that I want to be doing instead of working
3. I'm healthy and fit

It's not really about the money at that point, it's more just about enjoying my life and if I'm enjoying my working life and don't have anything else that I believe I'll enjoy more, why trade that away?

I suspect that as I approach the date on which I can retire that I will either have enough days where I really don't like working or I'll have thought about things I'd rather be doing than working, so I kind of expect this issue will take care of itself.
by MoonOrb
Tue Jan 23, 2024 11:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I buy my first house?
Replies: 17
Views: 1370

Re: Should I buy my first house?

I think you should go through the exercise of saying, "It's a few years from now and this has gone terribly. I know now it was a bad decision to buy this house. What went wrong?" When you think through it this way it can help you to see some risks and downsides that you might not be seeing. It might surface things like: I got a new job that is a 2 hour commute away and now I can't unload this house It flooded/sustained significant storm damage The cosmetic repairs are costing way more than I thought and I have lost the enthusiasm for doing them/the cosmetic repairs are a lot harder than I thought so I can't take care of them myself like I thought I could It turns out the repairs aren't all cosmetic and the resulting work is expens...
by MoonOrb
Tue Jan 23, 2024 9:08 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are some of the things that improved YOUR quality of life?
Replies: 254
Views: 41965

Re: What are some of the things that improved YOUR quality of life?

Daily or near daily trips to the gym.
Purchasing a treadmill so we can run even at inconvenient times or in poor weather.
Paying to have our yard mowed.
Moving to a neighborhood where we can walk to most things that we want to do.
HBO subscription.
Selected purchase of high quality cookware.
Buying a good mattress.
by MoonOrb
Sun Jan 21, 2024 10:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security Calcuation
Replies: 12
Views: 1342

Re: Social Security Calcuation

Eagle33 wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 9:14 pm
MoonOrb wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:08 pm I didn't understand this for a long time so I learned how to calculate PIA myself and that process helped me get a better handle on it. it was on the labor-intensive side but I appreciated what I learned from it.
Not so labor intensive if one uses ssa.tools website to calculate PIA.
Of course--but I would have learned so much less!
by MoonOrb
Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security Calcuation
Replies: 12
Views: 1342

Re: Social Security Calcuation

I didn't understand this for a long time so I learned how to calculate PIA myself and that process helped me get a better handle on it. it was on the labor-intensive side but I appreciated what I learned from it.
by MoonOrb
Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:55 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Early Retirement Plan - Age 38 w/over $2 million
Replies: 120
Views: 28649

Re: Early Retirement Plan - Age 38 w/over $2 million

My line of thinking goes this way: 1. If it's just a math problem, you have solved the math problem correctly. If your inputs are correct, you'll be fine. After all, if your withdrawal rate is 2.5% or so and your expenses stay constant and you have a little bit for cushions, this will be fine. 2. The tricky part for me comes from two pieces here: (a) the extraordinarily long time horizon--50 or 60 years, maybe; and (b) the very low expenses. I know it's frustrating for you to have people challenge whether your expenses are REALLY as low as you say they are (and whether they will really stay that low), but I completely understand where this is coming from. Part of it is of course biases that we bring with us--we're drawing on our own experie...
by MoonOrb
Sun Jan 21, 2024 9:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Need your expert/experience advice w.r.t to buying house Now or later?
Replies: 58
Views: 4803

Re: Need your expert/experience advice w.r.t to buying house Now or later?

If your current rental situation isn't working for you how much will it cost you in rent each month for something that would work for you?
by MoonOrb
Sat Jan 20, 2024 12:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Treadmills
Replies: 59
Views: 5510

Re: Treadmills

txaggie wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 10:06 pm
h82goslw wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 8:02 pm I’ve had a Sole F80 treadmill for 5 years. Had some initial isssues that were covered under warranty but other than that it’s been great. I put it together upon delivery…very easy to assemble with basic tools.
My Sole F80 has been great too. I really like the simplicity of it. My only complaint is that the built in cooling fan is useless.
We've had a Sole for almost 13 years and it gets a lot of use. Would buy again.
by MoonOrb
Fri Jan 19, 2024 6:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Lancaster PA trip
Replies: 65
Views: 7196

Re: Lancaster PA trip

For hiking maybe you want to try Muddy Run.
Seconding the recommendation of Lititz.
by MoonOrb
Fri Jan 19, 2024 12:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best cookware to buy
Replies: 143
Views: 13731

Re: Best cookware to buy

Le Creuset: Dutch oven, sauce pan, casserole dish
All-Clad: 12" skillet with lid
Tramontina: 12" tri ply saute pan with lid
Cuisinart 8" nonstick omelette pan
Viking Steel Baking sheets
A cheap 6 or 8 qt pot for cooking pasta

That's my entire set up and it is great, in my opinion.
by MoonOrb
Wed Jan 17, 2024 1:57 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Am i doing ok for my age?
Replies: 44
Views: 5964

Re: Am i doing ok for my age?

At your age you're doing better than okay, you're doing great. If you want to optimize and improve on your situation there are lots of ways you can do that, but with close to $1.5M invested and saved at your age, you are in fine shape.
by MoonOrb
Tue Jan 16, 2024 8:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Wisdom of owning house after retirement
Replies: 54
Views: 10255

Re: Wisdom of owning house after retirement

Financially, you should be considering: Expected appreciation in the home, if you keep the home Expected maintenance and home-associated expenses, if you keep the home Expected insurance/mortgage/taxes, if you keep the home Expected return of delta between home ownership and renting, if your monthly cost of ownership is lower and if you are going to invest and not spend that delta Whether there are anticipated tax benefits to owning the home, if you keep the home Expected net selling proceeds, if you sell the home Expected monthly rental costs, and any rental-associated home expenses, if you sell the home Expected return of invested sale proceeds, if you sell the home and invest and not spend the proceeds Then you just have to consider ever...
by MoonOrb
Sun Jan 14, 2024 11:32 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Our Plan To Sell Everything & Travel Full-Time - Plan & Portfolio Review Request
Replies: 65
Views: 11357

Re: Our Plan To Sell Everything & Travel Full-Time - Plan & Portfolio Review Request

What happens if you don't have an 8% return? I also don't understand the SS plan: are you going to return to the US to work each year for a little bit? How sophisticated has your modeling of future SS payments been? The benefits estimate you get, as Watty pointed out, assumes you're going to work until FRA and continue at the same inflation-adjusted rate of earning. Are you readily employable as remote workers? The car/fuel card info makes me think maybe not. I'd sell all the collectibles immediately, I don't know what you're talking about there, but that sounds like a nightmare of a project and I'd want to get on that ASAP. Suppose you try this plan for a year or two and for one reason or another you decide this lifestyle isn't for you, is...
by MoonOrb
Mon Jan 08, 2024 1:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: A few thoughts on the 25x (4%) shorthand
Replies: 42
Views: 7887

Re: A few thoughts on the 25x (4%) shorthand

Yes I treat this as a rule of thumb and helpful heuristic not as some talismanic figure that determines whether I can stop working today or not.
by MoonOrb
Mon Jan 08, 2024 11:05 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What to budget for retirement healthcare costs?
Replies: 16
Views: 2331

Re: What to budget for retirement healthcare costs?

I'm doing this myself and penciling it out to be:
Retirement age until Medicare: about $28k for two adults
Post-Medicare: about $14k for two adults

As I get more and better information I'll make adjustments but these have seemed like reasonable starting points that I can use to plan.
by MoonOrb
Mon Jan 08, 2024 9:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: If you are able to accomplish these, please tell me how
Replies: 112
Views: 24925

Re: If you are able to accompliesh these, please tell me how

If you can flex on any of these things (except raising a family) doing some of it is better than doing none of it, so it's not a binary distribution where you either do all of it or none of it and completely succeed or completely fail. For example: I listen to audiobooks during most times that I walk somewhere or commute somewhere and probably finish 1-2 books a month this way that I would not otherwise finish. I don't know if you can't this time as reflection or study or not but my head is constantly filled with ideas as a result of this practice. I go to the gym every single day and I deliberately chose a gym that is very convenient to where I live and is also close to public transportation if I'm taking that to work. It is probably worth...
by MoonOrb
Mon Jan 08, 2024 8:53 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Am I Crazy? Every Account is SP500 Index
Replies: 61
Views: 10176

Re: Am I Crazy? Every Account is SP500 Index

It's not crazy it's just risky--and the nature of risk is just because the odds might be for or against you, there's no knowing how things will play out.

So you'll be able to better answer your question in 30 or 40 years. You've chosen a portfolio that can have highly variable outcomes--if the outcomes are favorable to you, you'll tell yourself that you were really clever and made strategic choices. If the outcomes are unfavorable, you'll tell yourself that you made sound choices at the time, but you were just unlucky.
by MoonOrb
Sun Jan 07, 2024 1:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: We are stuck with the house... !?)
Replies: 38
Views: 7405

Re: We are stuck with the house... !?)

I think you need to take a breath--when I read that you didn't stage it particularly well and it was only listed for a week it was easy to understand why it didn't sell. It's also the first week of the new year--a huge swath of people have plenty to do in their lives and are not looking at houses right now.

I feel like you've substituted a less important reason (highway noise) for the more important reasons that house has not sold: listed and yanked off market after a week, mediocre staging, listed during the holidays, selling price probably a bit too hig
by MoonOrb
Sat Jan 06, 2024 12:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Monthly Housing Costs in Retirement - 50% of expenses?
Replies: 27
Views: 3893

Re: Monthly Housing Costs in Retirement - 50% of expenses?

I don't look at it as a percent of total spending. I look to see if I can afford it and is it a good value. I spent 4% on housing (taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs) last year. I'm not sure how that helps you. This year if I don't do Roth conversions and I have to do a repair, I could spend 20%. If you and your spouse will get the value from the new house and can afford it, then do it. I agree with this! I don't really understand the reasoning behind % of total spending. Either you have enough to meet your needs or you don't--and if you want to spend additional money on housing instead of other discretionary things, go for it. I think the "% of spending" rule of thumb is sort of useful when you're building a budget from the bo...