Search found 1928 matches

by frugaltype
Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Lowes Install Services- anyone use them for a new bathroom?
Replies: 22
Views: 39588

Re: Lowes Install Services- anyone use them for a new bathro

I've heard from neighbors that even though we live in a modest home, because we live in an affluent town, contractors routinely bump up prices when bidding on jobs in our town because they think they can get the job at inflated pricing. I have seen this. I live in a beautiful area, because granddad had the foresight to buy land there a century ago. You can see dollar signs appear in contractors' eyes when they arrive. There are honest workmen, but you have to find them by word of mouth and trial and error. I would not lump Lowe's and Home Depot together. I have not had either do work, but I returned a faucet assembly with a defective finish to Home Depot a couple of years ago, and it took months and arguing to get a refund "because it...
by frugaltype
Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ancestry Tests
Replies: 19
Views: 3174

Re: Ancestry Tests

b4real wrote:I've been researching my and my wife’s genealogy for the last few years. I had circumstantial but not conclusive evidence of her paternal lineage to her great x5 grandfather but I could not prove it. We had her uncle (the oldest living male) do a 37 marker dna test and got 4 perfect matches and several 25 and 27 marker matches proving the connection and my research. To us, it was definitely worthwhile.
I am baffled by this - you had DNA from her great x5 grandfather?
by frugaltype
Thu Mar 27, 2014 5:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much water do you drink every day?
Replies: 70
Views: 6402

Re: How much water do you drink every day?

I know medical advice is a no-no on this forum, but - all that extra water you drink does you zero good. You pee out all the extra water you drink. Your thirst is HIGHLY accurate unless you have kidney disease, and the amount of water you drink will depend both on activity/sweat as well as salt intake. You will ingest the EXACT amount of water required to properly dilute your body salt, down to the 1cc. Yes, we actually tested this in med school with a class of 100 healthy med students, and everyone peed out EXACTLYwhat they ingested during a class after a night of full hydration per instructions. Not even off by more than 1%. Eat tons of salty food, you'll have to drink a lot of water. You can trust your thirst. If you're thirst, drink. I...
by frugaltype
Thu Mar 27, 2014 5:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much water do you drink every day?
Replies: 70
Views: 6402

Re: How much water do you drink every day?

Zero, I used to drink tap water where I lived before, but here it tastes awful.
by frugaltype
Thu Mar 27, 2014 3:45 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio help for 83 year old widow lady
Replies: 16
Views: 1926

Re: Portfolio help for 83 year old widow lady

Watty wrote: There are lots of pitfalls with a reverse mortage so I would not hurry into one, but it could be a fallback position.
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/ ... ers-heirs/
by frugaltype
Thu Mar 27, 2014 3:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Lawyer, Small Claims Court, or ?
Replies: 27
Views: 2575

Re: Lawyer, Small Claims Court, or ?

Is a chain link fence not feasible? I know you said no fence, just wondering why?
by frugaltype
Thu Mar 27, 2014 3:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Thinking About a New Laptop
Replies: 46
Views: 5907

Re: Thinking About a New Laptop

My thinkpads are very reliable. The HP laptops were not so much - the hinges and USB ports seemed to be weak points consistently from HP laptop to HP laptop.
by frugaltype
Thu Mar 27, 2014 6:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can't get brokerage tax documents from Vanguard
Replies: 11
Views: 1515

Re: Can't get brokerage tax documents from Vanguard

in_reality wrote: I am sure not many people have to transfer out of Vanguard and this is likely a result of that. They say the brokerage account should be viewable online (other accounts are, that one is not). I had several brokerage accounts (IRA, Roth IRA, Inherited IRA) and maybe they are just confused about which one I am asking for. I told them the account number but...
When I transferred accounts out of Schwab, the online information for those accounts disappeared in a day or two. Live and learn to take screen snapshots. I would call Vanguard again and work up the food chain.
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:54 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Worried about the market
Replies: 24
Views: 3624

Re: Worried about the market

Hello, I've just opened my first IRA mutual fund with vanguard. I've invested in the lifestrategy growth fund (VASGX) However, I'm wondering if this is a bad time to jump in...it seems like the market is overvalued. With the feds pumping money into everything, I'm wondering if I made a mistake. Should I have waited? Should I shift to a more conservative investment? Bonds don't look that appealing to me right now with interest rates as low as they are. Are holding bonds directly better? Don't know where to put my money, nothing seems appealing. Maybe I worry too much, I'm just thinking I should stop contributing until the next correction, or should I contribute regularly no matter what (up to my $5,500 limit per year)? Thanks If people here...
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Sustainable wage increases over the long term?
Replies: 20
Views: 3228

Re: Sustainable wage increases over the long term?

Valuethinker wrote: TFR in the US has dropped sharply relatively recently? It was about 2.1 but my data may be old.
1.89 in 2011, I'm too lazy to look more. Below the replacement rate, for sure.
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:30 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 62 years old - starting all over again
Replies: 27
Views: 5957

Re: 62 years old - starting all over again

I think the OP is legit. Huge numbers of IT jobs were lost in SF when the dot com bubble burst. Things didn't get good again until recently, and then probably not for many 62 year olds. JW Been there, done that, at 57. I also think the OP is legit, although there seem to have been some questionable decisions, like having everything in the stock market in stuff that went to zero? I can't tell from the OP's post how much money she needs to live on per year. With that info, we can make better suggestions. I read a lot of house blogs and houses in the center of the country in various places seem to be "free" compared to the coasts. Instead of going to some third world country, I would look into retiring into a low cost of living area...
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:23 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: We Don't want to die with Money
Replies: 45
Views: 6059

Re: We Don't want to die with Money

The Wizard wrote:Sorry if I'm no help, but I don't particularly *like* this topic.
If I die in 20 or 30 years with a net worth of $1M, half of which is my principal residence, then I'm fine, just fine.
I do not understand the mindset of folks who want to come as close to zero net worth as possible.
Why not set up pending Charitable Donations to causes that interest you as time goes on?
+1 There are so many needs in the world, why throw money away on stuff you don't need or enjoy instead of leaving it where it will do good?
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: We Don't want to die with Money
Replies: 45
Views: 6059

Re: We Don't want to die with Money

technovelist wrote:Take all of your money and buy a single premium immediate life annuity.
Problem solved!
Unless the insurance company goes bankrupt.
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: We Don't want to die with Money
Replies: 45
Views: 6059

Re: We Don't want to die with Money

birdy wrote: receiving around $50/year income from rental of farm property.
Are there some zeroes missing in there?
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:49 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: "Spinning Off" my 20 Year Old Son
Replies: 71
Views: 9805

Re: "Spinning Off" my 20 Year Old Son

This all started when on his 18th birthday, instead of having his party, I called for a room cleaning party, and mom and me helped him clean the pig pen. I had ask him repeatedly over 2 weeks to clean his room up. (fire hazard) That's why he moved out. Good luck to all you loving, caring parents. It's tough to see kids grow up into what they are, but we have to cut ties at some point, and I believe nature does a great job of encouraging this. Rusty, that's pretty harsh. His 18th birthday was the big one, the day he officially became a man, and you chose that to make him clean his room? Obviously I don't know any backstory, but if I were him, I'd view that as having my dependence on you rubbed in my face at the worst possible time. Then I'd...
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: "Spinning Off" my 20 Year Old Son
Replies: 71
Views: 9805

Re: "Spinning Off" my 20 Year Old Son

Leesbro63 wrote: I am the OP. Just for the record, my situation does not derive from that situation. My kid IS a kid...and he does have teenager attitude often, but overall he's a good kid doing what we expect him to do. This isn't about punishing him. It's just about making him a bit more independent a bit earlier than usual and about some additional liability protection for me.
Yes. People seem to be assuming the worst here, when the OP's original post did not read that way to me at all.

I went financially independent of my parents when I turned twenty. Although I was done with undergraduate school at that point. Twenty is pretty old to be still in the financial nest, imho. Being financially independent contributes to maturing.
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:37 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do you work part time in retirement?
Replies: 59
Views: 7760

Re: Do you work part time in retirement?

Wildebeest wrote: With people who fell on hard time and retired and have to go back to work to call it, but can not or do not have to work full time semi- retired.
I call someone who could be retired but chooses to work some of the time, semi-retired. It says nothing about their financial status to me.
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:32 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Sustainable wage increases over the long term?
Replies: 20
Views: 3228

Re: Sustainable wage increases over the long term?

Valuethinker wrote: US is different from Europe in that labour force growth long run has been higher: US population rises by c. 1% pa due to higher immigration and a higher natural birth rate (I think in Europe only France gets close to US birth rate; maybe also Sweden).
The U.S. birth rate is below the replacement rate, and lower than France's. The U.S. population grows because of immigration.
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:31 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Sustainable wage increases over the long term?
Replies: 20
Views: 3228

Re: Sustainable wage increases over the long term?

nisiprius wrote:
Sconie wrote:Over the long-run, wages in the US have increased at the rate of inflation plus about 1/2 of 1% annually. To assume inflation + 2% is wishful thinking.
I had been about to say the same thing, but according to the BLS-data-based chart above, real wages in the U.S. did double from 1945 to 1975, so 2% per year for thirty years is certainly possible.
1975 is a long time ago, when the economy/work available was very different. I don't think it is ever going to be that way again, barring a collapse that takes us back to early industrial times or before.
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:17 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying first home in SF - gut check
Replies: 93
Views: 15595

Re: Buying first home in SF - gut check

A lot of what is attractive about San Francisco is disappearing, as diversity, artists, etc. get driven out by tech people with astronomical salaries. I would not buy a house there now, since I value what's being destroyed. Also, there apparently have been attacks on the google buses and so forth.

[OT comments removed by admin LadyGeek]
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:11 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I take this new job?
Replies: 15
Views: 2365

Re: Should I take this new job?

Grt2bOutdoors wrote:
Andyrunner wrote: Being young, and no attachements to your current area take the gamble, go to Chicago and experience it.

Oh...and buy a good winter coat.
Might I add - goose down gloves to keep your hands nice and toasty and a rabbit fur or beaver hat - you will need it with the lake effect and wind.
Or synthetic and save the lives of a few animals.
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: homeowner's insurance up 20+%
Replies: 11
Views: 1771

Re: homeowner's insurance up 20+%

ieee488 wrote: Have people continued to insure for replacement of home or would you switch to insuring for a set $X and just walk when disaster strikes and the home is destroyed?
I've continued to insure for replacement value. I'm attached to this house as it is the long time family home. Also, compared to the property tax, the insurance is a small cost (1/6)
by frugaltype
Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I take this new job?
Replies: 15
Views: 2365

Re: Should I take this new job?

Is it normal nowadays to not get an increase in pay when changing jobs? That would be very odd in my working lifetime years ago.

A year and a half is not long in terms of a promotion, unless you really excel.

I would find out more about the smaller company before deciding.
by frugaltype
Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: homeowner's insurance up 20+%
Replies: 11
Views: 1771

Re: homeowner's insurance up 20+%

The country can't have disaster after disaster without insurance rates going up.

I don't have Amica for homeowners because they no longer write new policies for houses close to the water, but my homeowners went up 15% last year.
by frugaltype
Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car buying experience. Do I have a case to sue the dealer?
Replies: 40
Views: 8352

Re: Car buying experience. Do I have a case to sue the deal

Glad this worked out for you.

By the way, buying a new car is no guarantee. Years ago I bought a new car, my first after college, and it kept going into neutral randomly. I must have taken it back to the dealer three or four times, each time they said they'd fixed it and they hadn't. One time it was suspiciously parked exactly where I had left it off.

It was only when my Dad took it to another dealer where a friend of his worked that the problem actually got found and fixed.
by frugaltype
Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: $8.03! I'm rich!
Replies: 3
Views: 1710

$8.03! I'm rich!

I get an email from Amazon that they have credited my account with $8.03, due to some e-book lawsuit settlement.

But if I don't spend it in a year, I lose it. Of course, I'll probably spend it tomorrow, but I am curious, is there any reason for this limitation other than for either amazon or the defendants (don't know if they are one and the same, and don't care) to fork out less money?
by frugaltype
Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Advice on Parent Entering Assisted Living
Replies: 25
Views: 4370

Re: Advice on Parent Entering Assisted Living

vested1 wrote: Without becoming political it would seem that our country needs to take a more active role in ensuring that seniors check out with some modicum of dignity. Medicare is basically worthless in these situations as it pays for so little.
I'm sorry you have to handle this. But Medicare is very upfront even at the beginning about not covering this stuff, and pointing people at additional insurance.

As to the country, the Scandinavian countries do an excellent job, as far as I can tell, with eldercare, so it is possible. So save the admins time, I will not comment on why that is.
by frugaltype
Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Letting go: Classic textbooks
Replies: 54
Views: 6266

Re: Letting go: Classic textbooks

abuss368 wrote:I understand. I gave up most of my business and accounting books years ago after debating for many years. Once I realized the tax code and financial accounting rules changed just about every year and that the textbooks were out of date I moved on. My bookshelf is much lighter.

I donated to our local library.
Our library accepts donated books, but not textbooks. They have no need for them, and they have no buyers when their donated textbooks books go on sale to raise funds.
by frugaltype
Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:58 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do you work part time in retirement?
Replies: 59
Views: 7760

Re: Do you work part time in retirement?

joe8d wrote:I retired 10 years ago due to company closure.I've been working P/T at my local public library for the last 8 years.I enjoy working with the public and It's been the only thing I look forward to doing.
I would love to do this, and the local library really needs my IT knowledge, but it is not even possible to volunteer with no pay at the library, due to the contract the town has with the union. (It isn't possible to work for pay, either, since there is no money to hire additional people. So the library is short-staffed, a solution is there, but it can't be implemented.)
by frugaltype
Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:26 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Filing a Social Security Restricted Application
Replies: 13
Views: 6148

Re: Filing a Social Security Restricted Application

Given this thread, I don't want to hear any more whining about the marriage penalty on income tax! :D
by frugaltype
Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:21 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Surrender life insurance?
Replies: 4
Views: 909

Re: Surrender life insurance?

[OT comment removed by admin LadyGeek]
by frugaltype
Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tough college choice
Replies: 72
Views: 19982

Re: Tough college choice

URI, which has a close relationship with RISD.

http://www.uri.edu/hss/tmd/grads.html
by frugaltype
Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:46 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tough college choice
Replies: 72
Views: 19982

Re: Tough college choice

self deleted.
by frugaltype
Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:34 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can you please convince me to get a credit card?
Replies: 101
Views: 101154

Re: Convince me to get a credit card

stan1 wrote: I no longer use cash, except for a few $5 and $1 bills I keep in my car for tips or to chip in with co-workers for food brought into the office.
My car was trapped in a parking area where the automated machine to process ticket payments had stopped reading any credit cards. I guess it would still be there, 2 hours away from where I live, if I hadn't had $9 in cash to feed the machine.
by frugaltype
Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:30 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car buying experience. Do I have a case to sue the dealer?
Replies: 40
Views: 8352

Re: Car buying experience. Do I have a case to sue the deal

Cherokee8215 wrote:I'm not a lawyer but I can't see you having much of a case against the dealer if they are willing to fix the issues and you refuse. Your chances of having a court forcing them to buy back the car, beyond anything you negotiate with them directly are probably slim to none.

Under the UCC language you cite, if the car is not "fit for transportation" under the warranty period, they have to make it fit - and they are willing to do that in this case.
I can understand the OP's reluctance. Who knows what the dealer will mess up this time. However, I think you're right.

OP, don't forget to post online reviews of the dealer, to help out potential customers.
by frugaltype
Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Amazon Prime Increase
Replies: 185
Views: 17215

Re: Amazon Prime Increase

mhc wrote:
frugaltype wrote: And stuff that's crucial and the world will end if I lose it, I generally have more than one of. Not refrigerators, of course, but I suspect you aren't ordering those via Prime.
Could you forward me your calendar for when things will break or be lost by a child?
See original remark.
by frugaltype
Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: IRS Refund Fraud
Replies: 41
Views: 5809

Re: IRS Refund Fraud

manwithnoname wrote: I don't know about you but most of the taxpayers whose returns I prepare don't make a lot of money and need the refund to pay expenses. Why should they wait an extra week for the return of their own money which under IRS rules makes them overpay their withholding. Way to fix the problem is to reduce withholding tables but then govt will not receive interest free loan from taxpayers.
Way to fix this is to have the correct amount withheld. I had no trouble doing that over years.
by frugaltype
Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: IRS Refund Fraud
Replies: 41
Views: 5809

Re: IRS Refund Fraud

BrandonBogle wrote: I would recommend putting at least fraud alerts on your wife's credit reports. We put freezes on my mom's since the lady tried to open cards and called into some of my mom's credit card companies saying she lost her card and needed a new one at an alternate address.
female.
by frugaltype
Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Installing Win8.1 on an old PC - one successful data point
Replies: 24
Views: 3030

Re: Installing Win8.1 on an old PC - one successful data poi

johng wrote: I decided not to buy a new PC mainly because my existing desktop PC was built to be extremely quiet. To get another super-quiet PC was not going to be cheap.
My thinkpads are silent. I have to hold the one I'm using about one inch away from my ear to hear anything.
by frugaltype
Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:26 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 8% ROI needed
Replies: 28
Views: 5118

Re: 8% ROI needed

80000/500 = 160 months. How old is the mom?

By the way, if you find a safe investment returning 8%, let me know. Heck, 4% let me know.
by frugaltype
Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Amazon Prime Increase
Replies: 185
Views: 17215

Re: Amazon Prime Increase

I often have the opposite experience. Last thing I bought at Lowes was seeds. It was quite easy, even including driving time to peruse them all and select the ones I wanted. I think to buy off Amazon you'd have to look up each individual packet. That would take forever. There are nice seed/garden supply websites that have a wider variety of seeds than Lowe's. Although I am also a Lowe's devotee. I'm not ordering bags of topsoil through the mail, and there's usually something interesting when I browse through their garden department, like 12 columbines packaged bareroot in an ingenious plastic bag that are currently soaking in my kitchen sink. Home Depot lost me as a customer when it took months of effort to get a faucet, bought online that...
by frugaltype
Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Amazon Prime Increase
Replies: 185
Views: 17215

Re: Amazon Prime Increase

Here are some examples of things that fall in in between immediate and 1 week: 1. Leaving on a trip in 4 days, need some items, and too busy to go to the store (working long hours to finish a project at work before leaving for vacation) 2. On vacation at a hotel or relatives house for a few days and realize you need something and you want it delivered while you are there. Small window for delivery, but not in a hurry. For example, I was just on vacation at a hotel for 5 days without a car or any local stores. 3. Forgot about a gift for someone who does not live close enough to hand deliver it. These seem like uncommon possibilities that could even then be easily avoided by forward planning. At worst, would you spend $79 each year on next d...
by frugaltype
Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:03 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Any experience pricing yourself out of a neighborhood?
Replies: 15
Views: 4867

Re: Any experience pricing yourself out of a neighborhood?

I just hope you don't turn yours into a monster house out of size scale with the other houses in the neighborhood. The last neighborhood I lived in had that happen. I thought my present neighborhood had escaped this, but there's a completely out of scale house like a blight on the landscape a couple of blocks away now.
by frugaltype
Sat Mar 22, 2014 4:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Healthcare & HSA Math Assistance
Replies: 3
Views: 637

Re: Healthcare & HSA Math Assistance

wanderlust wrote: I recently learned my family is entitled to free health care for life, so am looking at dropping my employer plan.
Are you sure this is going to be there for the entirety of your family's life?
by frugaltype
Sat Mar 22, 2014 3:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Options for the medical grad but no residency
Replies: 98
Views: 17476

Re: Options for the medical grad but no residency

Does she qualify to be an RN with no or little additional training?
by frugaltype
Sat Mar 22, 2014 3:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cheap UPC scanner to inventory home library / DVD collection
Replies: 7
Views: 1767

Re: Cheap UPC scanner to inventory home library / DVD collec

TimeRunner wrote:Another approach: Sorted out the books so that only a few remain - the rest went to the local library (for accessioning) or library friends group (for fundraising).
+1 I have been taking grocery bag after grocery bag of paper books to the library these recent weeks, more to go.
by frugaltype
Sat Mar 22, 2014 6:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Telephone Harassment
Replies: 36
Views: 6965

Re:

LynnC wrote:The other side of this coin, are the telemarketers just trying to make a living and pay their bills.

LynnC
Maybe those nice telemarketers should take up burglary. :oops:
by frugaltype
Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Charity sent wrong amount, taxes already filed
Replies: 7
Views: 1077

Re: Charity sent wrong amount, taxes already filed

caseynshan wrote:A charity that i give to miscalculated my giving by $2000. They just sent me an update. (Yes I should have noticed.)
I always use the number from my own records when I do my taxes. I do check, of course, that checks, credit card payments, have been processed.

This is just my paranoia. But I did notice that last year I got an incorrect reported amount from one, due to that particular charity also running a kickstarter campaign which they did not include.
by frugaltype
Fri Mar 21, 2014 5:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: POLL: Do you have a financial advisor?
Replies: 37
Views: 4284

Re: POLL: Do you have a financial advisor?

Grt2bOutdoors wrote: My portfolio at one time was 2 figures - that's right, $20! If anything, those who have less, start with less should use these polls as a motivating factor to save more, invest more, earn more. Don't be discouraged, we all were crawling before we walked, we were walking before we ran. Things take time usually.
I remember the days of my 2 figure portfolio in grad school :)
by frugaltype
Fri Mar 21, 2014 5:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Would you buy this immediate annuity at age 80?
Replies: 14
Views: 2546

Re: Would you buy this immediate annuity at age 80?

asterix0 wrote:You are in the land of subjective decisions. I almost died in 2010 (age 58) and had a 4% chance of dying before 2011. If I live to be your age I will be grateful.
I was given six months to live in 2007. Modern medicine has a lot in common with voodoo. I would not base my plans on it except in rare cases.