Search found 2204 matches

by interplanetjanet
Wed Jul 23, 2014 2:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Android smartphone with physical keyboard
Replies: 44
Views: 7086

Re: Android smartphone with physical keyboard

The market has demanded slim phones with touch interface. Why can't you type on a screen? Saying you absolutely cannot implies you have no fingers...... There are a multitude of aftermarket keyboards (Swype comes to mind) that makes touch typing extremely fast. Go out and test drive a few before you say no. I'm sorry, but for many of us it's simply not good enough. I share madbrain's pain. I frequently have to type in non-English text, in fact text where dictionary substitutions would be disasterous. Abbreviations peppered with symbols, terse commands to be executed. I need the tactile feedback as well, I can do about 55-60wpm on my old G1's keyboard with my thumbs. On my current handset (a Motorola XT860, basically a Canadian Droid 3 with...
by interplanetjanet
Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much energy does water heater use when I'm not home?
Replies: 64
Views: 23552

Re: How much energy does water heater use when I'm not home?

A well insulated water heater loses about 1/2 to 1 degree of temperature per hour. A 50 gallon water heater with a standby loss of 0.75 degree per hour would lose 50 x 8.34 x .75 = 313.33 BTUs per hour. In 24 hours that's 7,506 btus per day. At 3.41 btus per watt, that's 2201 watts, 2.2 kwh per day. At perhaps $0.10 per kwh, that's a cost of about $0.22 per day. There's a small problem with this approximation, though. It assumes that there's no cost to heating the cool water back up after the water heater is turned back on. A water heater will cool down until it reaches room temperature, and the rate at which its temperature drops will also drop. If you are gone for, say, two days, and your water heater drops 36 degrees, then you should ex...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Jul 12, 2014 10:04 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Knowledge gaps + anxiety = shame; gender and investing
Replies: 77
Views: 8562

Re: Knowledge gaps + anxiety = shame; gender and investing

Gattamelata wrote:
LadyGeek wrote: Report the post using the "!" in the top right corner and we'll step in if necessary.
See? I'm complicit, too. I've never done this.
As a warning, the bar is quite high. I have tried in the past to report some fairly outrageous sexism (to my eyes) and after it was determined to be non actionable, I gave up that fight here. As much as I hate to say it, I have more important things to worry about in my life.

I am trying not to be critical of forum management with this post. I fully admit I may be more sensitive to this than some and the moderators are free to have different priorities. These days when I encounter strong sexism here, I just leave for a few weeks until it doesn't bother me so much.
by interplanetjanet
Fri Jul 11, 2014 6:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Car insurance... do you include car rental?
Replies: 33
Views: 3953

Re: Car insurance... do you include car rental?

jendoe wrote:1. Cost. Entreprise was quoting me ~$39/d. When they called and set up the rental through my ins. co. (and we mistakenly thought I'd still be paying), it was reduced to ~$25/day! (Of course, now that insurance is paying for it, I don't have to worry about the cost.)
If you are in an accident again, you may want to ask the body shop that you use about getting a good rental rate. The one I used last time gave me a discount at a local car rental place, with no insurance coverage involved. The numbers were even the same, $39/day before discount, $25/day after.

I don't carry rental car insurance, but we have 2 adults/2 cars in the household and can manage with just one car for months if necessary.
by interplanetjanet
Sun Jul 06, 2014 2:15 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Cannot qualify for physician disability insurance.
Replies: 31
Views: 4985

Re: Cannot qualify for physician disability insurance.

dm200 wrote:One thing that almost any employed individual (up to probably about age 66) can do to provide disability protection is purchase credit disability insurance on loans. It is not cheap, BUT almost always has very minimal pre-existing condition exclusions - as long as the borrower is working 25 hours a week or more.
Are there any good places to shop for this? Even just trying to find out who issues it and what they sell exactly (life/disability, bare disability, ?) has been difficult. My mortgage is by far my largest single expense.
by interplanetjanet
Sat Jul 05, 2014 6:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: House maintenance cost
Replies: 13
Views: 2050

Re: House maintenance cost

I think of 1% of rebuild cost as being about right. That said, expect to pay more in the year after a property is bought and possibly in the year leading up to its sale. There are almost always little things to be taken care of, and a lot of little things add up over time.
by interplanetjanet
Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Mortgage "protection" insurance
Replies: 2
Views: 649

Mortgage "protection" insurance

I recently bought a house, and have been carpet bombed with ads from just about everyone - but what I have received more than anything are ads for mortgage "protection" insurance with no medical exam (usually covering life and disability). I can't qualify for conventional individual disability insurance. I have a group policy at work with some limitations, but I'd like to supplement that. My mortgage is my largest expense, so something that would cover that would be of significant value to me. Are all of these policies pretty much identical? Overpriced insurance with a decreasing payout (as the mortgage principal drops)? Is there a good place to shop these? Any that might give disability coverage without life? Thanks, -Janet
by interplanetjanet
Sun Jun 22, 2014 3:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Washing Machine Lint Traps/Filters
Replies: 24
Views: 13394

Re: Washing Machine Lint Traps/Filters

I might be about to have my first septic system. I'm interested in people's experiences too. Never thought of lint. I suppose the cotton would biodegrade, but the plastic stuff might be another story. Ideally, only toilet paper and what comes out of people should go in. You can test TP by putting it in a jar of water and shaking it gently. Most will break up/dissolve rapidly, and many plumbers recommend Scott brand as dissolving the easiest and putting the least load on the system. Charmin is usually seen as one of the worst. Cotton does not usually biograde rapidly, and items like tampons will not dissolve - plumbers call them "white mice". What kills septic tanks quickly are things that will end up floating in the tank long-ter...
by interplanetjanet
Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Considering Paying off Home
Replies: 17
Views: 1685

Re: Considering Paying off Home

curmudgeon wrote:I don't know that I would fully pay it off, but I would look into what kind of interest rate I could get for a 15-yr refi (or maybe even 5/1 ARM). If you could save 1% on interest, especially on a no-cost refi, it might be worth the trouble (the paperwork for a refi can be a pain these days, though).
Seconded. You could probably even get a lower interest rate than you have currently on a 30-year, but a 15 will definitely be better. I'd be tempted to take a 5/5 as well.

This is a good problem to have. :)
by interplanetjanet
Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:31 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Term Life Insurance
Replies: 23
Views: 3820

Re: Term Life Insurance

When the kids come, a 20 year term is reasonable, but that can be dealt with later. It's another issue altogether. I would be a little more cautious about planning for any insurance purchase off in the future. Health issues do develop, sometimes suddenly. I'd probably get a longer term period up front, pay a little more per year, and then cancel it once the need was past. Excellent example! Many people are over insured, and their coverage mismatches their actual needs and desires. Insurance sales people point out that people buy more, not less insurance as they age. This may be true, or just with their customers, with others dropping insurance coverage they don't need. There is a cost to any insurance, so as needs decrease with age, the am...
by interplanetjanet
Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Engagement Ring - Diamond Help
Replies: 61
Views: 9257

Re: Engagement Ring - Diamond Help

jackholloway wrote:My wife and I shopped for engagement rings together. I would not have picked out the ring she did, so it was definitely for the best.
I'd just like to say...I think that this is a really good idea. If you want her to appreciate the gift and smile every time she sees the ring, at least ask if she wants to be part of the process. Don't be afraid about taking the romance out of the process by doing so, if she really does want the ring to be a surprise then she'll tell you.

She may find something unconventional to her liking. I didn't like diamonds, and went for ruby and onyx. Diamonds have sparkle, but a big ruby in the right setting has real fire. :)
by interplanetjanet
Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying a new mattress and bedding
Replies: 38
Views: 6426

Re: Buying a new mattress and bedding

Other people have spoken about mattresses, I'd like to speak about bedding. First off, despite a near-universal love for higher and higher thread count cotton, I'd like to suggest that you consider linen as a bedding material. It has one downside - it will wrinkle more easily in use. However it has a slight natural slickness that is wonderfully comfortable, feels cool against the skin in summer (good for those of us going through hot flashes!) and warm in winter. It wears like iron, I expect my children to inherit my sheet and duvet cover at this rate. There are a number of manufacturers out there but I have to say that Linoto makes an excellent product. The other thing is your bedding style - I switched to a European style bedding arrangem...
by interplanetjanet
Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Child Life Insurance
Replies: 29
Views: 2906

Re: Child Life Insurance

NoVa Lurker wrote:If they need life insurance later in life, they will certainly be able to get it.
Sadly, some of us do develop health conditions in childhood that make us largely uninsurable. That said, I don't think a whole life policy is generally a good idea, the costs are simply too high for what you get.
by interplanetjanet
Wed Jun 04, 2014 11:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Replies: 40
Views: 4482

Re: Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Coverage

As has been stated before, there are many factors in play here. My own situation is that I cannot qualify (and likely could never have qualified) for individual disability insurance. I have chosen to work for an employer that offers a group policy, with its attendant drawbacks, and try to insure against what risks I can through other avenues. I am only able to get 500k/500k in UMBI coverage through most insurers in my area, which made my decision easy - I carry 500k/500k both to protect against my possible disablement and to help with care for my children if they are badly injured in an accident. $500k seems completely inadequate as long term disability insurance for a high earner. You probably need to hire an attorney to negotiate your se...
by interplanetjanet
Wed Jun 04, 2014 11:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Solar panels, are they worth it?
Replies: 53
Views: 12069

Re: Solar panels, are they worth it?

Seconding (thirding) other posters - find out where the power is going and do what efficiency improvements you can first. Sealing air leaks can make a huge difference in older houses, consider getting an energy audit performed including a blower door test. If a roof replacement is on the horizon, consider more thermally efficient roofs (white painted metal is especially popular in some areas including parts of Australia, where they know about heat). Consider an attic fan or fans if you do not have one already. Your cost for electricity is relatively low and so PV solar will have a longer payback than in many other areas. You are probably right to consider freestanding solar as opposed to roof-mounted given that you have plenty of land. The ...
by interplanetjanet
Wed Jun 04, 2014 10:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Replies: 40
Views: 4482

Re: Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Coverage

As has been stated before, there are many factors in play here. My own situation is that I cannot qualify (and likely could never have qualified) for individual disability insurance. I have chosen to work for an employer that offers a group policy, with its attendant drawbacks, and try to insure against what risks I can through other avenues. I am only able to get 500k/500k in UMBI coverage through most insurers in my area, which made my decision easy - I carry 500k/500k both to protect against my possible disablement and to help with care for my children if they are badly injured in an accident. I pay rates comparable to the OP and have no problem doing so; in fact, I would go higher on my coverage if allowed despite the fact that I mainly...
by interplanetjanet
Tue Jun 03, 2014 2:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: advice regarding hard to find HVAC freon leak
Replies: 50
Views: 13722

Re: advice regarding hard to find HVAC freon leak

The cost of the R-22 freon was $60.00 per pound and he put in 8 pounds. That is a steep markup. Virgin R-22 is going for under $10/lb in 30lb tanks. It's worth mentioning that there are a number of R-22 alternatives that are EPA SNAP approved and while they generally require a full pumpdown, some do not require oil replacement (this makes the cutover much easier). They are not as widely used yet as R-22 is still quite affordable. There is an enormous installed base of R-22 systems and they should be maintainable for some time to come - though as has been mentioned, older systems should be scrutinized for expected lifespan and efficiency. Thanks! Yes it is a steep markup. R-22 sells for under $300 in 30lb containers on Amazon + shipping. Bu...
by interplanetjanet
Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:42 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: advice regarding hard to find HVAC freon leak
Replies: 50
Views: 13722

Re: advice regarding hard to find HVAC freon leak

Abe wrote:The cost of the R-22 freon was $60.00 per pound and he put in 8 pounds.
That is a steep markup. Virgin R-22 is going for under $10/lb in 30lb tanks. It's worth mentioning that there are a number of R-22 alternatives that are EPA SNAP approved and while they generally require a full pumpdown, some do not require oil replacement (this makes the cutover much easier). They are not as widely used yet as R-22 is still quite affordable. There is an enormous installed base of R-22 systems and they should be maintainable for some time to come - though as has been mentioned, older systems should be scrutinized for expected lifespan and efficiency.
by interplanetjanet
Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: [short term job that's] easy to get and pays well?
Replies: 44
Views: 6779

Re: What jobs are easy to get and pay well? Unpleasant is f

"Exotic dancing". Your gender and body type can make a big difference in your marketability, though.
by interplanetjanet
Thu May 29, 2014 4:05 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cost to change struts in lexus
Replies: 12
Views: 6716

Re: Cost to change struts in lexus

Kinda premature to recommend ball joints without doing the prerequisite tests. At a minimum, the vehicle owner needs to look at the boots for tears and / or cracks. Next check would be to lift the front of the vehicle, grab the tire at the 12 and 6 positions, and try to rock it back and forth. If it has slop, it could be time for ball joints. This is a repair I wouldn't suggest trying yourself - I just paid $450 for the installation of my parts and a 4 wheel alignment. The ball joint replacements I've done have been a lot quicker and easier than strut replacements, but there are counterexamples I am sure. I'd rather use a small puller than a pickle fork but that's personal preference (strong I am not, even a heavy hammer is hard for me and...
by interplanetjanet
Sun May 25, 2014 3:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Septic System Replacement
Replies: 24
Views: 2741

Re: Septic System Replacement

That's interesting, thanks for the link. Turns out many websites say to pump regularly, yet many others still claim a properly designed and maintained system should never need pumping. It might have something to do with capacity, soil quality, user behavior, etc. All the companies we've consulted say ours might never need pumping - it might have something to do with the size - 1500 gal for only 4 people. It probably takes 4 people a lot longer to fill a 1500 gal system. While if you are careful about what you put down your septic system, avoid leach field saturation (don't let a leaky toilet keep running!) and have a properly sized system - you may be able to leave the tank alone for quite a long time. However, sludge and scum can build up...
by interplanetjanet
Mon May 19, 2014 3:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Housing affordability CA
Replies: 22
Views: 3718

Re: Housing affordability CA

The Bay Area is a big place with many somewhat affordable areas along the fringes. Where is it you work as that can determine which outlying areas you can look to live, i.e., commute distance/time. You can look in the Concord/Pittsburg/Antioch/Discovery Bay areas. Many newer homes and more affordable than San Fran/Oakland. However you will have a commute, and traffic on Hwy 4 is thick during commute times. This is putting it mildly - I used to commute a couple days a week into the east bay from the delta, coming in on CA-4. If I tried to beat traffic in the morning, I really had to hit Antioch no later than 6AM or else wait until after 9, in between it was basically a very slow moving parking lot. I think that it's really some of the worst...
by interplanetjanet
Fri May 16, 2014 7:59 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Post-Divorce Portfolio Advice
Replies: 30
Views: 3021

Re: Post-Divorce Portfolio Advice

Tax Filing Status: Single (ex gets 2 kids for taxes) I know you didn't ask this, but... Do the children spend more nights with you during the year than they did with your ex, regardless of whether your ex can claim them for an exemption (usually by you signing form 8332 or having a divorce decree conforming with certain rules)? If so, you can claim Head of Household (assuming some basic other tests are met). This is law and a divorce decree cannot supersede it. There are other potential benefits that you retain even if you let your ex have the exemption, I can go into more detail if this is relevant to you. -Janet Yes, kids live with me. We filed taxes jointly for 2013. Haven't had time to see an accountant yet but obviously need to and wi...
by interplanetjanet
Thu May 15, 2014 11:42 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Post-Divorce Portfolio Advice
Replies: 30
Views: 3021

Re: Post-Divorce Portfolio Advice

rks3 wrote:Tax Filing Status: Single (ex gets 2 kids for taxes)
I know you didn't ask this, but...

Do the children spend more nights with you during the year than they did with your ex, regardless of whether your ex can claim them for an exemption (usually by you signing form 8332 or having a divorce decree conforming with certain rules)?

If so, you can claim Head of Household (assuming some basic other tests are met). This is law and a divorce decree cannot supersede it. There are other potential benefits that you retain even if you let your ex have the exemption, I can go into more detail if this is relevant to you.

-Janet
by interplanetjanet
Wed May 14, 2014 4:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Net worth cost of getting an education [locked]
Replies: 24
Views: 2664

Re: Net worth cost of getting an education

gasman wrote:Being educated has benefits other than financial.
By the same token, there are many ways to be educated. Some of the learning I have done was probably best done in a traditional college atmosphere. Some of it was not. The dividing line will probably be different for different people.
by interplanetjanet
Sun May 04, 2014 4:45 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can you raise kids in a townhouse?
Replies: 35
Views: 15063

Re: Can you raise kids in a townhouse?

I spent my early years living in a tent in a hippie commune. As to whether I turned out ok...well, that's probably open for debate, but I don't think that time affected me negatively. The first house I lived in was around 800 square feet and I distinctly remember that I could hardly believe I was living in something so vast. Buildings in general took some getting used to.

Love and caring and attention makes a home. If you are happy with it, I think your children will be happy with it.
by interplanetjanet
Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Reviewing my insurance now that I have money
Replies: 6
Views: 1152

Re: Reviewing my insurance now that I have money

Appreciate the response, medical payments seems like double-double insurance(liability and regular healthcare). It's not a lot but I'm probably going to pass on it. If I'm not at fault, the other person/insurer should have to pay for it. If I am at fault, my liability will cover it. Either way, not a huge deal compared to the rest of the items IMO. Probably not unreasonable. Medpay usually has a low limit anyway. Again, if someone hits me and they're uninsured I don't see why I should carry insurance to pay for my medical bills for myself(in addition to someone else) when I have health insurance and so does everyone else now thanks to Obamacare. Well...I am certain that there are going to be a number of people out there who will be uncover...
by interplanetjanet
Tue Apr 08, 2014 5:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: California Taxes - Am I Missing Something?
Replies: 142
Views: 16700

Re: California Taxes - Am I Missing Something?

Can anyone explain to me how someone with a 2nd quartile income (let's say $50-80K) can actually pay California real estate prices and actually save enough money to call themselves a Boglehead? It seems impossible to me. I see houses in California listed at $2 Million that would go for $200K in Arizona, Nevada, or Utah. It's such a huge sacrifice it just surprises me to see so many making it. Rather a lot of us in California don't live in either the Los Angeles or the San Francisco metropolitan areas. Prices, especially in the interior of the state, can be drastically lower than in the strip by the coast. The weather is still pretty nice, the produce is fantastic (the central valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the...
by interplanetjanet
Tue Apr 01, 2014 5:46 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Death of co-worker
Replies: 94
Views: 13775

Re: Death of co-worker

I wonder how retirement planning would change if there wasn't such a stigma attached to suicide. I think it's not as much a stigma of suicide as a mis-prediction of one's future self. At the age of 30, or 40, or 50, it's easy to say, "When I run out of money or health, whichever comes first, I will check out on my own terms." But older people are persistently holding on to their lives, and I expect that we will do so, too, when we get there. I'd always thought it was a combination of the two, somehow. I know that I may cling to life more with age, but in an odd way I rather hope that I don't. Death always seemed to me like a relief, on some level - to know that eventually there will be an end, with nothing more to say or do, noth...
by interplanetjanet
Mon Mar 31, 2014 8:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Expensive hobbies and possessions? (B/c you can...)
Replies: 126
Views: 23564

Re: Expensive hobbies and possessions? (B/c you can...)

Gourmet cooking with top-quality ingredients. Food is easily my second largest expense after housing. I figure I can't eat when I'm dead, so...
by interplanetjanet
Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buy Term Life Now or Wait
Replies: 17
Views: 4130

Re: Buy Term Life Now or Wait

Get it now, kids aren't why you need life insurance, income replacement is why you need life insurance and that need is there whether or not you have children. At 32 I did a 20/30 ladder, 750K 20 year and 250K 30 year and pay roughly $45 a month. If the OPs spouse works as well, I'm not sure that I see a need for income replacement. This probably does depend on both of their incomes, though - but if one of them passed away then the others' expenses would likely drop considerably. That said, I would purchase term life now, for both of them. 20 year term if they can reasonably expect to be past the need for insurance by then, otherwise 30 year. By their age I was already permanently uninsurable through no fault of my own, and have had to rel...
by interplanetjanet
Sun Mar 16, 2014 9:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You
Replies: 368
Views: 65054

Re: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You

I agree...great descriptions....you have promise for a second career in food journalism. Hah, thank you! There may be guilty pleasures that cost more than $1/gram, but I am hard-pressed to come up with other ones that are legal. Even a Ferrari, I suspect, would not cost more than $1/gram (454 gms/lb....a car weighing even only a meager 1000 lb would have to cost nearly half a million bucks.....) Well just off the top of my head, thinking of consumables... saffron (can go for $2-6/gram) various fish roes including sturgeon (caviar) winter truffles lots of cigars even vanilla pods if you aren't smart about where you buy them For non-consumables I think there are a lot of things that would qualify. Even a nice pair of nylons probably does. Oh...
by interplanetjanet
Sun Mar 16, 2014 8:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You
Replies: 368
Views: 65054

Re: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You

travellight wrote:Impressive and captivating descriptions, Janet!
Thank you!

As an aside, if any foodies out there do want to try a tradizionale balsamico, Fiore Olive Oils has excellent pricing and service:

http://fioreoliveoils.com/collections/a ... -di-modena

$90 with free shipping for an Affinato or $135 for an Extra Vecchio is very good (I can't speak for the 100-year Riserva Oro, though trying it is on my bucket list). Yes, that's around $1 per gram. Expensive compared to some guilty pleasures, cheap compared with others.

One nice thing is that if kept in a cool dark place, it keeps very well. I go through about one bottle a year.
by interplanetjanet
Sun Mar 16, 2014 7:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You
Replies: 368
Views: 65054

Re: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You

Wow, Janet, that's an interesting idea....I'll have to try it. And thanks as well for the port/sherry suggestions- something I know little about. I just thought I'd add a suggestion - you could do much, much worse than to start with Taylor Fladgate's 10-year tawny. It should run about $25 for a bottle, is one of the biggest port brands, is widely available, and I think is an excellent value. Tawnys keep well after opening so there's no need to use up the whole bottle in a few days. Many of my friends like to sip it or something similar, cooled but not chilled, after dinner - it can also be used in cooking wherever you would use a cream sherry, and actually we find that a bit of it really wakes up a cold fruit soup (something we're fond of ...
by interplanetjanet
Sun Mar 16, 2014 7:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You
Replies: 368
Views: 65054

Re: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You

I consume very little alcohol, but one of my favorite things to do with gelato is to chill (not freeze) a few spoonfuls of port or cream sherry style wine (my current favorites for this are the Taylor Fladgate 20-year tawny or Lustau's East India Solera - you want something sweet but not overly so, and fruity and complex). Spoon a bit over the gelato just before serving (simple flavors work best here). You get a dynamic taste experience - normally when you taste ice cream or gelato there's a delayed taste as it comes up to temperature in your mouth, but here you get the fruity punch of the wine immediately, followed by a smooth transition into the creamy sweetness of the gelato. Perfection. . Wow, Janet, that's an interesting idea....I'll ...
by interplanetjanet
Sun Mar 16, 2014 5:21 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You
Replies: 368
Views: 65054

Re: Premium Products That Are Worth It To You

You can never go wrong with Graeter's. And now.... they have added Gelato, which is great. I consume very little alcohol, but one of my favorite things to do with gelato is to chill (not freeze) a few spoonfuls of port or cream sherry style wine (my current favorites for this are the Taylor Fladgate 20-year tawny or Lustau's East India Solera - you want something sweet but not overly so, and fruity and complex). Spoon a bit over the gelato just before serving (simple flavors work best here). You get a dynamic taste experience - normally when you taste ice cream or gelato there's a delayed taste as it comes up to temperature in your mouth, but here you get the fruity punch of the wine immediately, followed by a smooth transition into the cr...
by interplanetjanet
Sun Mar 16, 2014 1:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: LED lights currently worth it personal financewise?
Replies: 55
Views: 5268

Re: LED lights currently worth it personal financewise?

If you need any of: directional light (to replace spotlights, for example) colored light frequent on-off cycles operation in cold areas operation is a very inaccessible fixture constant light over the lifespan of the lamp then I think they are basically a no-brainer at this point in time. If none of these are needed, fluorescents (not necessarily compact fluorescents!) may be a lower cost option. For new commercial installs, centrally ballasted fluorescent systems still eke out more efficiency per lumen (but this is offset by bulb replacement costs, so it's not necessarily an obvious choice). I'm not aware of how vibration resistance compares between different lamps, but I would think that LEDs would tend to be hardy, certainly hardier than...
by interplanetjanet
Sat Mar 15, 2014 8:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Where do you order business checks from?
Replies: 18
Views: 3350

Re: Where do you order business checks from?

neurosphere wrote:Awesome! I poked around a little at the costco site and somehow just completely missed that the quicken compatibility group.

Yes I know someone with a membership. Thanks! No need for me to pay ONE DOLLAR or more per check from another site, huh? :D
Glad to help! I know checks are a crazy anachronism, but they're still sometimes the most convenient way to do some things. I do like the ones I've gotten so far from costcochecks.com, the paper feels nice and the printing is crisp, and they don't bleed ink even when I use a fountain pen (with a "bulletproof" ink, of course, I don't want them washed).
by interplanetjanet
Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Where do you order business checks from?
Replies: 18
Views: 3350

Re: Where do you order business checks from?

neurosphere wrote:Along those same lines, anyone happen know of inexpensive, one-per-sheet checks which work with standard laser printers and are compatible with the format/output required by Quicken?
I put in "Quicken 2006 or later" on costcochecks.com and came up with these:

https://www.costcochecks.com/product.as ... ctid=88823

One per sheet, 9c per check if a regular member, about 7c if an executive member ($45 or $36 for 500 checks). There are other choices as well (click on "computer checks" on their site and enter your software details). Got any friends with a Costco membership handy?
by interplanetjanet
Fri Mar 14, 2014 1:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Where do you order business checks from?
Replies: 18
Views: 3350

Re: Where do you order business checks from?

As a Costco member, I use http://www.costcochecks.com. They're inexpensive ($25 or so for 600 "business sized" checks suitable for a binder) and seem fine to me. I use them even for personal checking as I like a binder much better than a small checkbook and I appreciate the extra space. I second this. 25$ was only a fraction of what my bank wanted to charge for business checks. At my current rate those 600 checks would last me about 20 years, so I would have rather paid less for fewer of them but didn't find anyone who sold them inexpensively in small quantities. I'll probably move before then and have to reorder. I do want to reiterate that there is nothing magic about "business" checks, and the OP could order checkboo...
by interplanetjanet
Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:06 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Child Support... what counts?
Replies: 27
Views: 2559

Re: Child Support... what counts?

trailrated wrote:No it was not, I was pushing for the legal route. We filled out paperwork and met with 3 separate government agencies (had to take time off work for the "free consultations") and finally gave up after being told to go back and forth for additional paperwork etc.
If everything has been agreed to, the cost to get it submitted to the court, even with an attorney involved, should not be very high. They will certainly be far less than if there is contention down the road over what has been paid and how things were agreed to. Please, for your own safety going forward, get things official in the eyes of the court.
by interplanetjanet
Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:03 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Child Support... what counts?
Replies: 27
Views: 2559

Re: Child Support... what counts?

A future spouse's income and assets are not considered for child support because your spouse has no legal obligation to support a child that is not theirs. It's actually kind of interesting how some states handle this. In California, for example, a high earning spouse of someone paying child support will actually *decrease* the amount of guideline support. The principle here is that support is calculated off of after-tax earnings, and with a high earning spouse, the payor is subject to a higher average tax rate - therefore guideline support will go down. Marrying a nonworking spouse will, in general, decrease total tax owed - which will increase the guideline support payable to the other parent. I know it sounds weird, but that's how it wo...
by interplanetjanet
Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Setting up a spendthrift trust for a child
Replies: 8
Views: 3688

Setting up a spendthrift trust for a child

Hi all, I have a child who has some special needs and who has been very irresponsible with money in the past, and I expect this to continue for the forseeable future. He turns 18 this year. While I hope that I live for a good long time and can help him financially in ways that won't get squandered, I know that anything can happen. After doing some research it seems as though setting up a spendthrift trust for him and making it a beneficiary of my life insurance and my estate would make the most sense. I have a lawyer available who does trust creation and plan to use her for this, but I'd like to hear if anyone has any experience and advice with this kind of situation - what were you glad that you had done, what do you wish you had done diff...
by interplanetjanet
Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Where do you order business checks from?
Replies: 18
Views: 3350

Re: Where do you order business checks from?

As a Costco member, I use www.costcochecks.com. They're inexpensive ($25 or so for 600 "business sized" checks suitable for a binder) and seem fine to me. I use them even for personal checking as I like a binder much better than a small checkbook and I appreciate the extra space.
by interplanetjanet
Wed Mar 05, 2014 4:36 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What was your dumbest financial decision?
Replies: 173
Views: 25545

Re: What was your dumbest financial decision?

Waiting until almost my mid 30s to really research personal finance in detail. Many sites helped me with this but this one helped more than most.
by interplanetjanet
Mon Mar 03, 2014 7:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Move to California means what $ ?
Replies: 55
Views: 7147

Re: Move to California means what $ ?

Northern California is big, and includes terribly expensive high-priced areas (mostly those close to San Francisco), very economically depressed low-priced areas, and an awful lot in between. The climate ranges from mild to some of the heaviest snowfall in the lower 48. You really have to narrow it down some to get some useful information, even "wine country" covers a sprawling area that goes nearly to the coast and fairly far inland.
by interplanetjanet
Wed Feb 26, 2014 3:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do children become less expensive as they grow up?
Replies: 93
Views: 13187

Re: Do children become less expensive as they grow up?

This is a piece of a post I wrote a few years ago. I think it's still relevant. What it "costs" to raise children, more than anything else, is time. If you see your hours as a way to make money, the opportunity cost of raising children will dwarf the direct monetary cost for most people. Sometimes the tie between time spent with/on children and expenses is explicit, such as with childcare. Sometimes it is much more vague. Sometimes even the best of parents look at the time they're spending and are frustrated, but when it's worth it, it's really worth it. Children aren't a job, in the normal sense. You don't get to spend X hours a day and then say ok, we're done for now. You're tied to them, somehow, for as long as you have each ot...
by interplanetjanet
Mon Feb 03, 2014 8:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: At what age to drop term life insurance?
Replies: 21
Views: 7289

Re: At what age to drop term life insurance?

I'd like to chime in agreeing with the other posters here. If your assets can cover the loss of your future earnings (or non-joint pensions) then the insurance has probably outlived its usefulness.

My own situation is different but I'm looking at dropping my life insurance by around age 40. I'm a single parent and my assets have risen to the point where I expect they could cover raising my children through college (they're teenagers now) - since I don't have anyone else to support but them, it makes things easier. If I find another spouse at this point in my life I'd expect them to be self-supporting. So...take a hard look at what risks you *need* to cover. Risks that you can handle otherwise generally don't call for insurance.
by interplanetjanet
Mon Dec 16, 2013 4:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying snow tires
Replies: 55
Views: 8087

Re: Buying snow tires

You have not said what type of vehicle you will use the snow tires on. If you have a front wheel drive vehicle, you should put snow tires on all four wheels. If you just put them only on the front, you may have trouble controlling the car when you stop on slippery surfaces. On a rear wheel drive vehicle, two snow tires will suffice. Jeff I would be cautious with only two snow tires. On a RWD vehicle, having snows on the rear will help you get going more easily, but the considerable majority of braking force and all steering force is applied through the front wheels. Braking and stopping are pretty high priorities for me! That said, in a RWD vehicle that's really front-heavy (like a 2WD pickup or a car without balanced weight distribution) ...
by interplanetjanet
Wed Dec 11, 2013 1:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Rib Roast, Prime Cut vs. Choice Cut
Replies: 23
Views: 30887

Re: Rib Roast, Prime Cut vs. Choice Cut

bhsince87 wrote:True prime-graded cuts are hard to find for sale to the public, and when you do find them they will be very expensive. Most prime-graded cuts go to top restaurants. I always buy choice-graded “prime rib” roasts, but will occasionally splurge for a prime-graded steak.
I've been happy to find them regularly at Costco, and take advantage when the price is right (the marginal increase in cost over choice seems to vary a lot). A good prime ribeye can be sublime.