Search found 630 matches

by rj49
Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Staying Proficient on Windows PCs
Replies: 33
Views: 2482

Re: Staying Proficient on Windows PCs

I'd get a Microsoft Surface Laptop with the really comfortable alcantara surface (both in gorgeous burgundy and dark blue), which I find much more pleasurable than cold Macbook aluminum. The basic models are cheap and large and pleasant to use, like a Windows version of a Macbook, without all the bloatware that non-Microsoft companies probably put on. I also haven't used a PC since my working years, but went to some Microsoft classes on a Hawaiian cruise. I found the Surface Laptop quite pleasant to use, and WIndows 10 reasonably intuitive for a Mac/ipad user. You also have to understand that the emphasis now for Microsoft is in cloud and subscription-based software, so the Office software of the past is different now, and downloading free ...
by rj49
Sun Mar 08, 2020 2:20 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: U.S. Stocks during Two Modern-Era Pandemics, 1957 & 1968
Replies: 44
Views: 7153

Re: U.S. Stocks during Two Modern-Era Pandemics, 1957 & 1968

I think there are two important new variables in this not-yet-official pandemic: A delicate global supply chain, and the potential for supply shocks. The 24-hour news cycle, and how it drives consumer behavior. I'm not sure how either of these could improve matters, but I can think of plenty of ways they could make them worse. The other big variable this time is a historically long and large stock bull market and economic expansion, with stocks at all-time highs and considered overvalued by many metrics. The corollary of that is free, instantaneous trading available to all, with a new investing generation of those never tested by an extended market downturn, and older generations who suffered through two extreme market crashes and are skit...
by rj49
Sat Mar 07, 2020 4:23 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Preparation for ZIRP/NIRP (zero/negative interest rate policy)
Replies: 101
Views: 9217

Re: Preparation for ZIRP/NIRP (zero/negative interest rate policy)

There are a lot of options that allow you to avoid fixating on interest rates. A CD ladder, ibonds, TSP G fund, money-market funds, high-yield online savings account all have been part of my approach, since I don't see any upside to bonds at under 1% in the upcoming decades. I also have some money in non-traded REITs through Fundrise, which has paid out a 5-7% dividend in a diversified portfolio and has made it much easier to ride out the current turmoil. Likewise, having most of my investments in 2007 in 6.25% CDs also made it easier to survive that scary time.
by rj49
Thu Feb 20, 2020 12:22 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Paul Merriman "Ultimate buy-and-hold" VS. 3 Fund
Replies: 62
Views: 8223

Re: Paul Merriman "Ultimate buy-and-hold" VS. 3 Fund

I think you also have to think about the current state of the investing world and valuations. If you're going to give equal weight to the SP500 and Small Cap Value, then you're betting your future on companies like Leidos Holdings and PerkinElmer against Apple and Microsoft and Amazon. The investing world was much different when small cap value outperformed significantly--look at the top 10 in SCV and ask if you've ever spent anything on them, vs the top 10 in the SP500. Globalism and the lower ease and cost of international investing also play a role, as does cherry picking by slice and dice proponents--it's easy to show outperformance of small cap or value in the US for 100 years, whereas world wars and collapsing economies don't make int...
by rj49
Thu Feb 20, 2020 11:46 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [Chromebook recommendation]
Replies: 39
Views: 2651

Re: [Chromebook recommendation]

My advice is to get one with an HD screen, because it makes it much nicer to use. The newer ones try to justify higher price with gimmicks like a touch screen or folding to make it like a tablet, but I found that a 14-15" HD screen makes it much more pleasant to use (especially if you're used to the retina screen on an ipad or other tablet). A quick search of Best Buy HD screen shows several good candidates, including an HP and Acer with HD screens for $199. The other thing I advise is to download a good ad blocker, which makes Chrome much more pleasant to use...I use AdblockPlus.
by rj49
Mon Feb 17, 2020 1:11 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Blacklight and invisible ink for password
Replies: 32
Views: 2982

Re: Blacklight and invisible ink for password

The problem with writing down passwords is they constantly change and so you end up with notes and random pieces of paper everywhere. When my stepdad passed this year, it was a challenge trying to figure out all the passwords he had for everything, so I could make it simple for my Mom. I tried starting a written list for her, but every time something had to be updated it was a mess, and I'm sure she has no idea where she put the list. A piece of paper with invisible ink is even worse, because it will likely be lost or tossed out at some point. My solution is to put all my passwords in a document on my computer, where it's easily updated and saved. I give the list a misleading title and don't put it in a document file or use a common word pr...
by rj49
Sun Feb 09, 2020 9:43 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bond Funds Are Hotter Than Tesla [by Jason Zweig, WSJ article]
Replies: 29
Views: 4820

Re: Bond Funds Are Hotter Than Tesla [by Jason Zweig, WSJ article]

abuss368 wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 7:04 pm This means nothing to a buy and hold stay the course investor.

Set an asset allocation between stocks and bonds and tune out the market porn.
Jason Zweig actually once came up with a perfect answer when people freaked out or were excited over the market or a stock or bitcoin or gold or some other investing hot topic: "I don't know and I don't care". It came from an article he once wrote about indexing and how it should theoretically remove all fears and interest in stock market moves--I'm not sure how religiously he followed his own advice, since the article was written in 2001 and there have been quite a lot of significant moves in the stock and bond markets since then:

https://jasonzweig.com/i-dont-know-and-i-dont-care/
by rj49
Thu Jan 30, 2020 5:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Wellington and Wellsley over the last 20 years
Replies: 77
Views: 14000

Re: Vanguard Wellington and Wellsley over the last 20 years

Would it make sense to hold 50% of each? 50% Wellesley 50% Wellington I have read many people here do that....at least for part of their portfolio I have both.....both are terrific low cost funds, IMHO Really? The Wellington fund page shows it's underperformed it's composite index for the past 10 years. It suffers from fund bloat and closet indexing (it went from a value fund to owning Alphabet and Apple in its top 10). Both funds benefited hugely from the biggest bond bull market in US history. Where do you see bond gains coming from, with the 10-year treasury at 1.6% and the highest levels of government and corporate debt in history? Do you think every new manager running both sides of each of the funds possesses a magic wizard power tha...
by rj49
Thu Jan 30, 2020 4:33 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Demise of the 4 Percent Rule? -- Wade Pfau
Replies: 179
Views: 17037

Re: The Demise of the 4 Percent Rule? -- Wade Pfau

Amazing how many publications someone can get out of an idea that no one actually ever uses. Who just withdraws a certain amount each year without paying any attention whatsoever to market conditions around them? Pretty much nobody. Any "withdrawal study" that doesn't allow for the retiree to adjust spending in response to particularly good or particularly bad returns early in retirement is pretty much worthless in my humble opinion. I don't even know anybody that knows anybody that knows anybody who blindly pulled 4% + inflation out of their portfolio every year for decades and then ran out of money unexpectedly. Do you? The problem with people writing (and then posting) stuff like this is the paranoid folks among us start diali...
by rj49
Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Irrational Fear of Injury in Small Car?
Replies: 124
Views: 9251

Re: Irrational Fear of Injury in Small Car?

I had similar fears of suffering in a collision when attracted by high-ranked cars like the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris iA. At the same time, I don't want the expense or size of a SUV, since part of the safety equation is being able to park and maneuver easily. In the end I compromised on a Corolla, which has high safety ratings and has all the newest safety features that actually reduce the risk of a collision, like collision/pedestrian warning and emergency braking, lane departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control that means I don't need to worry if someone cuts me off or brakes suddenly, since my car maintains a safe distance and will automatically slow. The other keys to avoiding a collision are to look behind you if traffic suddenly...
by rj49
Fri Jan 10, 2020 10:05 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Firm mattress recommendations
Replies: 37
Views: 3723

Re: Firm mattress recommendations

I got a Signature Sleep Contour Encased mattress on Amazon a few years ago for $225 or so, and it was too firm for me, so might be right for you (I added a piece of memory foam on top to make it perfect for me). No need for a box spring, and I rotate and turn frequently, and haven't experienced any sagging. If it ever has problems, then I'll just get a new one--I find that buying cheap but quality mattresses, eyeglasses, and laptops (Chromebook instead of Macbook) eliminates the regret factor if the purchase doesn't work out or gets ruined. I also use a simple metal frame from Amazon, with no box spring.
by rj49
Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best Credit Card with $0 annual fee?
Replies: 48
Views: 6731

Re: Best Credit Card with $0 annual fee?

The best part about Blue Cash Preferred is that gift cards bought in a grocery store get 6% back. I get things like Arco cards, which also give the cash discount price at the pump. But if you buy lots of gift cards and other things just to get a sign-up bonus, you're playing their game and increasing your spending for a relatively meager reward--by not spending that money at all you get a 100% cash back bonus. And dealing with gift cards can be a real hassle, trying to remember where you left them, trying to remember the balance, and trying to deal with low-balance cards. The Discover card gives 5% back on various categories, including gas, restaurants, Paypal, Amazon/Target/Walmart, and grocery stores, so if you max out the $1500 spending ...
by rj49
Sun Dec 29, 2019 10:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Visible wireless. Any experience?
Replies: 30
Views: 5141

Re: Visible wireless. Any experience?

I tried it for a month, but the data speeds were unusable, even in a dense neighborhood. I tried Verizon through Xfinity wireless later and got excellent speeds. I thought of switching back again when they stopped capping speeds, but then they were overwhelmed and people were telling horror stories of waiting days to get contact from customer service (you can only contact them online through the Visible app). There are plenty of other options for good plans. Cricket is running an unlimited data plan now for $40 a month, Red Pocket mobile has ebay annual plans with 15GB a month for $33 a month. I have a Walmart ATT plan with 25GB of monthly data, plus Canada/Mexico data, for $40 a month. If you or a plan partner is over 55, T-Mobile has 2 li...
by rj49
Sun Dec 29, 2019 10:15 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Cadence crowdfunded investments
Replies: 12
Views: 1331

Re: Cadence crowdfunded investments

If you're going to invest in crowdsourcing, invest in something diversified and with a proven record. I invest in Fundrise, since it's diversified by location, property types, and investment goals (property appreciation as well as income from apartment rentals). It's also been around for some time (although it hasn't been stress-tested by a recession in real estate). Another one I invest in for pure yield is Streetshares veterans bonds, which invest in veteran-owned businesses, including many that take up government contracts, so I have more faith and confidence of getting my money. For non-accredited investors they pay a straight 5% yield, with free withdrawals at your investing anniversary. The drawbacks to them is that there's single-com...
by rj49
Sun Dec 22, 2019 11:13 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investments negatively correlated with the stock market?
Replies: 59
Views: 6109

Re: Investments negatively correlated with the stock market?

Strange that nobody mentions cash/CDs. I know that when the market dropped in 2007-2008, I held Penfed CDs yielding 6.25%. If the stock shock event is inflation/rising interest rates, then I'd say cash and CDs are a better diversifier than bonds, which would suffer in such a scenario (except for things like ibonds--TIPS funds did poorly in the last recession). Rental real estate would also seem to be a good diversifier, if stock declines aren't due to a severe recession. At the riskier end of the spectrum, crowdsourcing/p2p funds usually have positive returns above cash, with the risk of losing everything should the businesses fail.I get 7% or so now through Fundrise (investing in rentals/new developments in high-demand areas mostly) and St...
by rj49
Sat Nov 30, 2019 1:32 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Yes, another International vs Domestic Thread
Replies: 212
Views: 14204

Re: Yes, another International vs Domestic Thread

Using past performance for international is flawed, in the long term because of two world wars that decimated Asia and Europe but left the US stronger. Secondly, your cherry picking data point is during the huge Japanese asset bubble, which inflated the international indices but then caused it to lag severely in the 1990s as it deflated and the US once again profited from the Japanese crash, which dragged down the international index with it for well over a decade as it reverted to its mean. Japan should be your example of why not to place all your future in a single country that seems an invincible world economic power--if the Fed and government hadn't reacted to strongly to events in 2007, it's possible to imagine an outcome similar to Ja...
by rj49
Wed Nov 27, 2019 9:49 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Are stocks dangerously overvalued? Not according to new Vanguard yardstick
Replies: 89
Views: 12722

Re: Are stocks dangerously overvalued? Not according to new Vanguard yardstick

People come up with all sorts of "models" to make themselves feel better, it helps them sleep better at night. That is human nature. Similar to changing how the way unemployment was calculated/reported, changing how quarterly earnings are reported, changing how CAPE is reported, changing how the trade deficit is reported, changing how the federal balance sheet is reported, etc. Of course someone wants to feel better about a situation. We simply convince ourselves that it isn't as "bad" as we think." The same goes for those trying to convince us it isn't as "good" as we think. According to John Hussman, the stock market has been dangerously overvalued for over a decade, and he shows lots of charts to prove...
by rj49
Thu Nov 21, 2019 12:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Spending money to make travel easier and luxurious?
Replies: 85
Views: 9690

Re: Spending money to make travel easier and luxurious?

I'm in a similar situation, a lifelong budget traveler trying to make travel less stressful. I found a nice compromise is to pay extra for premium economy on BA and Lufthansa, which have wider seats, more leg room, and better service. Another option you can look at is upgrading on budget airlines, such as the Norwegian Air premium class, with nice recliners and meals for a bargain price. For going from Gatwick, just take the Gatwick Express, which drops you into Victoria Station much faster than any car service would. For hotels, to me it's still just a place to sleep, and I'd rather spend the money on a nicer flight or experiences where I'm visiting. For London, I prefer the Premier Inn chain, which has comfortable, clean hotels and nice b...
by rj49
Sun Nov 17, 2019 9:11 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: I have often wondered how long a person would last in retirement taking dividends and capital gain from the Wellington?
Replies: 19
Views: 4691

Re: I have often wondered how long a person would last in retirement taking dividends and capital gain from the Wellingt

Picking Wellington or Wellesley is a good choice in hindsight, since they didn't have tech stocks in 2001 and benefited from a long-term fall in interest rates. The problem is going forward, where low bond yields with little room to fall to create capital gains creates a potential drag, which is linked to stock performance. So if bonds do badly, you're stuck withdrawing them with the stock portion, and if stocks crash, you have to withdraw them during a bear market, instead of just bonds, if you had two separate funds, particularly a shorter-duration bond fund with less interest rate exposure. The other argument against Wellington is that it's lagged a composite index for the past 10 years, if you look at its fund page on VG. So you'd be pa...
by rj49
Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Dental Insurance
Replies: 76
Views: 9058

Re: Dental Insurance

You could be creative and take a yearly trip to Arizona and cross the border to get dirt-cheap care. You could also make a winter getaway to Mazatlan, Cabo, and Puerto Vallarta, all which have plenty of qualified dentists catering to American tourists. If you need something like a crown, find one that has a CEREC machine, which makes crowns while you wait. Then if you need more work down the road, you could look at something like AARP's dental plan, which I believe uses Delta Dental.
by rj49
Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:45 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: If you were forced to pick an alternative asset...
Replies: 107
Views: 9371

Re: If you were forced to pick an alternative asset...

I'd choose something like Fundrise, which is real estate but diversified across the US in apartment and retail development, with some flipping in high-demand areas like DC and LA. You get to follow new development projects in their various sub-funds and get updates and share in the gains when they pay off. You also get income from underlying rents and capital gains, depending on the kind of portfolio you pick--I get 6-8% in an income portfolio. It would help deal with restless urges to buy and sell, since they limit withdrawals during the first several years and reserve the right to stop redemptions during a recession, so people aren't buying and selling like publicly-traded REITs. It's like being a real estate developer, landlord, or house...
by rj49
Fri Nov 01, 2019 1:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: South Pacific Travel (Bora Bora, Moorea, Society Islands)
Replies: 12
Views: 2414

Re: South Pacific Travel (Bora Bora, Moorea, Society Islands)

Holland America is the best for going to the South Pacific, since they put more emphasis on ports now, as well as food on the ship, so it's a more pleasant and endurable experience. They also have a great wood promenade deck on their ships that are close to the water and with deck chairs, perfect for enjoying the ocean, and their ships usually have somewhere around 2,000 passengers, so it's easy to get around and get to know fellow passengers, without being overwhelmed or dealing with crowds and lines constantly. I actually just was on the start of a South Pacific cruise going from Vancouver to Sydney in 26 days, on the HAL Noordam. I just did the 7 days to Honolulu, but most of the ship was going on from there, with a ton of Canadians doin...
by rj49
Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Living life post smart phone
Replies: 68
Views: 6858

Re: Living life post smart phone

You might read “Indistractable”, an interesting book that tries to deal with the underlying causes of screen addiction and use mindfulness and techniques to limit use, rather than abstinence. Other alternatives I’ve tried have included going with a limited data plan, such as on Red Pocket or Mint Mobile, or switching from an iPhone to a less-appealing Android phone, or going to an iPhone SE with a small screen. I’ve also tried keeping my phone in the garage, particularly overnight, with a Bluetooth connection to my watch so I don’t miss calls, but with no other notifications. I’ve also found that using Brave Browser without importing bookmarks helps, so I’m less tempted to go through bookmarks, and without saved passwords or credit cards, t...
by rj49
Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Indexing beats Wellington and Wellesley right?
Replies: 223
Views: 52973

Re: Indexing beats Wellington and Wellesley right?

Judging based on Wellington's being around so long is a fallacy. First of all, it's been through many different compositions and goals and management teams, so you're in no way investing in what it was even 20 years ago, or when it decided to include a lot of growth stocks, like Alphabet, instead of being a pure large-value fund. Secondly, if you equate worth of investing by longevity, then you should have put all your money in Lehman Brothers, which had been around since 1850--until it suddenly stopped existing. Third, Wellington became hugely popular, when all the magazines and people here touted its superb historical return, which meant it got so big it had to close itself to new investors, managers had billions to spend in the limited n...
by rj49
Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ally Savings Rate drops to 1.8%
Replies: 51
Views: 10072

Re: Ally Savings Rate drops to 1.8%

It still sounds pretty good compared to the .02% or whatever the VG MMFs were earning for years, or the .05% or so that many banks still offer. It's too big a hassle to chase high savings yields, just as it is to move stock investments around just because Fidelity and Schwab and others try to undercut VG's expenses, or offer free or low-cost stock/ETF trades. They're all just loss leaders designed to get you committed, so they can make more money from you off everything else, whether it's milk in a grocery store, 2-day Prime shipping, Costco hot dogs, or a high teaser savings rate. I've been sticking with Discover, simply because of the 5% rotating categories on their credit card, free checks, and no banking fees at all now, as well as 1% b...
by rj49
Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: iPhone question - purchase
Replies: 13
Views: 1965

Re: iPhone question - purchase

It looks like the 8 plus is $550 on Consumer Cellular. For $25 more you could buy a new iphone X on visible.com, which is what I did--they will send you a Visible SIM (part of Verizon) and give you a number, but by simply not activating service with them, you can just pop in her SIM from Consumer Cellular and it should work, since the phone isn't locked. The iphone X is a huge improvement over the 8 plus in terms of speed, screen color and clarity, and gives more screen area in a lighter and smaller body, so it's easier to hold and use. Face ID is pretty amazing, once you get over the initial setup. If you want to pay more, the Apple Store also sells the X for $676 or so in their refurbished section, so it comes in a like-new condition. The...
by rj49
Wed Oct 09, 2019 1:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Help Me Decide on a New Vehicle?
Replies: 63
Views: 6335

Re: Help Me Decide on a New Vehicle?

I'll be a contrarian. More money has been wasted by retirees on aspiration purchases...'If I get an RV I can see the country...if I get a sailboat I can explore the seas...if I get a huge car I'll go on roadtrips and ski all the time". Don't base a car decision on whether it can fit skis or anything else inside, since it will mean much higher costs and usually less comfort, as well as the decision to get AWD for the few times a year when you'll actually drive in snow (the roads are already destroyed enough by studded tires by the people here having them on all winter just for the 3 days of snow). My choice: get a Corolla and a ski rack to put on when and if you actually ski. The trunk storage is perfectly fine for any road trip, and ev...
by rj49
Mon Oct 07, 2019 1:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Clarifying Broadcasting Rights for NFL Games
Replies: 4
Views: 695

Re: Clarifying Broadcasting Rights for NFL Games

If you want to save multiple hours of your life, you can watch replays of games on the NFL Gamepass apa without commercials in 45 minutes, so you don't have to pay extra for access to certain tv channels either. It also cuts out a lot of pain if your favorite team loses, since you can avoid watching a game afterwards that ends badly, and just watch the highlights on the app if you want to see big plays. The other nice benefit of the app is that it allows you to watch past games and glories for your teams, as well as all the NFL films, with their drama and close-up audio and filming. It's also a convenient way to watch all the game highlights for various teams. I think they have a lot of the games live now through the app, and the gamepass w...
by rj49
Sat Oct 05, 2019 10:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Document Storage: what format? (paper, fiche, scan,..?)
Replies: 43
Views: 4846

Re: Document Storage: what format? (paper, fiche, scan,..?)

Scanners can be complicated, but I went through and scanned all my physical photos, to be more minimalist. Another way to seriously save paper is to download all the product guides you have stored away and rarely use (they're usually on the product website in pdf form). I'd actually just use a good phone or ipad camera to scan routine documents, since it will be faster and simpler--scanners take forever, and it's a pain to get them lined up and the resulting file not upside down. There are plenty of scanning apps out there. Many people probably already use phone scanning apps to deposit checks through a banking app, so the technology is there for getting high-quality copies. My sister simply takes photos of medication lists and such things,...
by rj49
Sat Oct 05, 2019 9:50 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: International Stocks in Taxable?
Replies: 37
Views: 7120

Re: International Stocks in Taxable?

To me it's worth the extra steps in tax software to get money that's owed to me, instead of having it taxed twice, here and abroad. If your international taxable holdings get too large, simply rebalance between taxable and tax-advantaged accounts, or invest new taxable funds in something different. The tax complexity or credit is minor, though, compared to the allocation between US and international, and even more importantly, if volatility in international stocks or politics makes you sell when they're down. It was easy to buy international and emerging markets when they were doing well, but how many would have kept all their international through the 1990s, when the US market was soaring and the international indices were dragged down by ...
by rj49
Fri Oct 04, 2019 11:50 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Jonathan Clements: About half your retirement accumulation is just the dollars you put in
Replies: 92
Views: 19833

Re: Jonathan Clements: About half your retirement accumulation is just the dollars you put in

The other big part of retirement account returns that most people don't take into account is taxation of withdrawals, especially at ordinary income tax rates, and possibly state tax as well. The taxable income also can increase the amount of social security subject to taxation, which would hurt even more, especially if tax rates increase and benefits decrease. Finally, the tax pain continues for heirs who inherit an IRA, who also have RMDs to deal with, I believe. That's one reason why the possible short-term pain of taxing a Roth IRA conversion might be worth it in the long run. I remember an advisor named Ed Slott writing books and doing PBS shows on why people should convert to Roths whenever possible. I have a Roth expressly as longevit...
by rj49
Wed Oct 02, 2019 10:33 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Helping widowed mother with investments
Replies: 19
Views: 2483

Re: Helping widowed mother with investments

The easiest thing would be to put the IRAs into some sort of income fund, like TR or Lifestrategy income, and use the RMD or mortality tables to set up automatic withdrawals. For the taxable mishmash, slowly sell a little each year, to minimize the tax hit and to make it a sort of annuity for your mother. It also allows you to sell selectively based on current valuation, so you're not selling everything during a recession/market decline, with a healthy amount kept in reserve for possible LTC or other medical needs. For savings, you could try finding a local credit union that pays something positive on an account and that your mother would be comfortable visiting. I know BECU pays 6% or so on the first $500 in savings and checking, so someth...
by rj49
Sun Sep 22, 2019 12:13 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TSP in retirement
Replies: 31
Views: 3676

Re: TSP in retirement

If you're confused by the alternatives, the easiest thing to do is what the TSP has set up just for people like you, the L Income fund. It's 20% stocks now, and 75% in the G fund, so it's about the safest fund out there. At the same time, it's planning to slowly grow its stock allocation to 30% by 2028, which is even better for a risk-averse investor not wanting to lose a nest egg early in retirement, particularly after over a decade of a bull market without a significant recession. If you google 'Wade Pfau increasing stock allocation in retirement', he advocates increasing stocks as you progress in retirement. Those who want to put all their TSP in the G fund usually have a lot in stocks elsewhere, usually in taxable funds, so it's a form ...
by rj49
Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: MintMobile... GSM vs. CDMA
Replies: 5
Views: 1281

Re: MintMobile... GSM vs. CDMA

Actually, Verizon is doing away with their CDMA network, with no new CDMA phones starting in January and the transition completed by the end of 2020. Mintmobile has a page on their website to input your IMEI number (they show how to find it on your phone, or it should be on the box it came in) to see if it's compatible. Be warned, though, that older phones might not have the frequency band 12 that T-Mobile (Mint's network) uses, and they also recently added a frequency band 71 for better coverage, which a Verizon phone might not have, so you might not have the best coverage. If you like your Verizon coverage, you might look at Visible wireless, which is owned by Verizon and currently gives unlimited everything for $40 a month, with no taxes...
by rj49
Fri Sep 13, 2019 2:25 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: is real estate dead as a diversifier?
Replies: 52
Views: 7277

Re: is real estate dead as a diversifier?

There are alternatives to private ownership and public REITs. I have money in Fundrise, which are non-publicly-traded eREITs, with a fairly stable NAV and yields far above public REITs--I chose an income-oriented portfolio, and am currently getting 8% or so in dividends quarterly. Unlike public REIT indices, you're also not investing in malls or hospitals, but mostly rentals, new construction, some renovations, and some commercial developments. They have different funds based on geography, including ones in the LA and DC areas, so you get fairly broad diversification by type of housing and location. The big potential drawback is low liquidity, with investments expected to stay in place for several years, until projects are finished or paid ...
by rj49
Fri Sep 13, 2019 2:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Whether to change phone number for elderly parents
Replies: 34
Views: 3901

Re: Whether to change phone number for elderly parents

I agree on the suggestion for something you can monitor remotely, especially a cell phone for a bored elderly person to play with and keep in touch through texting, Facebook, etc. Then when you visit, just scroll through the phone and block every number that's not legit. A new cell phone is also a good excuse to get a good number, and you could port their old number to a cheap cell phone plan, in case they worry about something important being missed, a friend from the past calling, etc., with you keeping control of the old phone number (I do that with a $6/mo Red Pocket plan for holding onto an old number). The other things you might consider are getting access to their email, if they use it, since it likely has severe spam infestation--my...
by rj49
Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Electric Bicycles
Replies: 116
Views: 12541

Re: Electric Bicycles

I have two electric bikes and have had others, so I can correct a lot of the misconceptions I read here. First of all, some bikes are rated Class 3, meaning the electric assist can get up to 28 mph, plus the human input. I had one and always blasted by racer types and flew up hills. Hills are the huge benefit of an electric bike, since they broaden the range of places where you'll ride, allow you to conserve energy and avoid excessive stress, and they make biking fun. There are bikes where you can turn up the pedal assist and use little effort, or even use a throttle, but most of the time you're going to put in some effort, and if you want to maximize battery life for longer rides, it helps to keep a balance of human and electric power inpu...
by rj49
Sun Sep 08, 2019 2:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: IPhone 6 - showing some age
Replies: 100
Views: 12928

Re: IPhone 6 - showing some age

I've been using older model iphones for years, but the problem is that the plus size is too large to feel comfortable in my hand, and the smaller size is too small for me to see now and type on comfortably. I upgraded this summer to the iphone X, but instead of new, bought an excellent-condition one through Visible wireless, a Verizon subsidiary, and then simply didn't establish service, but used it on an ATT prepaid plan. It's really a perfect size and weight, amazingly fast, and the face ID is also amazing to use and gets rid of bezels and buttons. I would think that as soon as the new iphone is announced next week, used iphone X will be even cheaper. A good place to look is swappa.com, which requires detailed photos and descriptions, wit...
by rj49
Fri Sep 06, 2019 3:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Middle Age people with low savings need to take on more investment risk than is normal?
Replies: 52
Views: 6905

Re: Middle Age people with low savings need to take on more investment risk than is normal?

It's difficult to give 'you need to load up on equities' advice after more than a decade-long bull market, especially with those who didn't have significant losses in 2001 or 2007. You might get blamed if the person starts putting money into stocks and they see suffer a bear market and experience loss aversion. I think Bill Bernstein wrote something to the effect that while a young investor should be in 100% equities, at the first market downturn they're likely to be scared away and retreat to cash, even though investing steadily during downturns is buying equities on sale. I've tried persuading my mother to invest in mutual funds and stocks, but she simply doesn't trust them, so she depends on savings and social security/VA pensions. For a...
by rj49
Thu Sep 05, 2019 1:01 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Larry Swedroe: 3% is the new 4%
Replies: 699
Views: 66272

Re: Larry Swedroe: 3% is the new 4%

DIrk Cotton at theretirementcafe.blogspot.com has written, along with others, how the 4% rule isn't realistic, since nobody would actually follow a rigid 4% with inflation adjustment to portfolio depletion. People spend more when the market and investments are doing well, but if there's a market crash, they cut back spending (if possible). Cotton writes a lot how it's the big unexpected financial and personal setbacks that are more likely to result in bankruptcy and financial catastrophe (divorce, death, illness, addiction, supporting parents or adult children), not bond rates or market downturns. It also ignores decreased discretionary spending with aging, the outsized impact of expensive splurges (sports cars, vacation homes, megamansion,...
by rj49
Thu Aug 29, 2019 10:57 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why own individual stocks?
Replies: 103
Views: 14681

Re: Why own individual stocks?

Some have advocated a small allocation to a play fund, to buy and sell stocks or hot ETFs or even something like Bitcoin, to get the gambling urge out of your system without risking your financial future.

Another reason for individual stocks could be some ancillary benefit, such as cruise credits for those who own at least 100 shares of Carnival or Royal Caribbean. I was considering doing that with Carnival, since I go on several Carnival/Princess/Holland America cruises every year and the stock price is fairly low now and is yielding around 4.5%. I calculated that with my cruise habits the effective yield would be around 10%, although 6% of that would be given as beer on cruises...now that's my kind of capitalism :).
by rj49
Sat Aug 24, 2019 1:42 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Getting equity out of home
Replies: 20
Views: 2417

Re: Getting equity out of home

Sell the condo, rent somewhere, try new cities, travel, be free. It would be less difficult going from a condo to a rental, especially if you're no longer responsible for dues and taxes and have the freedom to move if you get bored or don't like it. It seems a bank would be less interested in a reverse mortgage on a condo than on a house anyway, and since you're not tied to the area by family, a reverse mortgage would tie you to the same place for the rest of your life. Having a pile of cash frees you for all sorts of options for living and travel, such as snowbirding--when I visit Puerto Vallarta in the winter on cruises, it seems like a Canadian province, full of people renting during the winter to escape cold and snow.
by rj49
Sat Aug 24, 2019 1:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best time to purchase airline tickets to London
Replies: 26
Views: 2301

Re: Best time to purchase airline tickets to London

You might look at a US flight to a gateway city for Norwegian Air, which offers very cheap direct flights to Gatwick on mostly new Boeing Dreamliner aircraft. If you want to splurge a bit, you can get their upgraded class at a reasonable price as well, with nice recliner seats. If you fly into Gatwick, it might be worth paying for their expedited customs clearance service, since the customs lines there can be horrendous, and for 10 pounds or so you go through a fast lane--you book online before your trip. There's no penalty on Norwegian for buying one-way flights, and the UK charges an exit tax for US flights from UK, which makes it even more tempting to return to the US from a different country. Other budget airlines that can get you to an...
by rj49
Tue Aug 20, 2019 10:03 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What are your thoughts on USAA for checking? Insurance? Banking in general?
Replies: 44
Views: 5593

Re: What are your thoughts on USAA for checking? Insurance? Banking in general?

The problem I have with USAA, Penfed, and other such banks/credit unions is that they heavily push as many services as possible without expertise in those areas. A lot of them are third-party, just ways for them to increase profits--I ended up with illegal spam emails from a USAA shopping portal which didn't offer an unsubscribe option, which is mandated by law. USAA bank is also a subsidiary and I seem to remember received some sort of government warning for improper practices some time back. I resented the propaganda literature and calendars I got from USAA while in the military, trying to induce military members to use them for financial planning and retirement accounts, when we all know Vanguard would serve mosts people much better (esp...
by rj49
Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best price/timing to buy 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback?
Replies: 18
Views: 2476

Re: Best price/timing to buy 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback?

It's a tough call, since there isn't likely to be much inventory, unlike for the sedan, which will be everywhere and thus dealers will be anxious to get them off the lot. If you're not absolutely set on the hatchback, the 2020 sedan has most of the features of the hatchback, I believe, and would get you more savings and options of styles/colors. Another option, which I did, was to lease for 3 years until the new Corolla came out, and I was able to get a lease with no down for $180 a month. Yet another option would be to hire a car broker, if there's one in your area, who will do all the researching and haggling and paperwork for you, for a fee. People pay to have a realtor negotiate for them and pay a mutual fund manager to buy stocks for t...
by rj49
Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any Minimalists on here?
Replies: 345
Views: 43763

Re: Simplicity ["Minimalism” Movie on Netflix]

I read the Minimalist blog for many years and watched their movie, but I found them horribly pretentious and misguided. They bragged so often about their former corporate cell phone manager jobs that it was obvious that they missed that status, but instead of simply finding less stressful and more meaningful work, they thought they'd be happier living off blog income and (very bad) creative writing. They lived in Dayton, then moved to Montana, and now one is raising a family in LA, which doesn't lend itself well to living a minimalist lifestyle. I'm thinking that with a wife and daughter in LA he has more than a few shirts and a table in an apartment and that his goal is to go back to making lots of money, selling his faux minimalist philos...
by rj49
Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Has anybody bought Wellington,Wellesley,LifeStra and just said the heck with the taxes or is that just dumb in taxable?
Replies: 48
Views: 4635

Re: Has anybody bought Wellington,Wellesley,LifeStra and just said the heck with the taxes or is that just dumb in taxa

Looking at past performance, before or after taxes, can also be dumb. At the same time, if choosing something like Wellesley for the dividends, feeling of safety, and being able to avoid selling assets during a downturn, then any tax hits can be worth it. While the ideal of having stocks in taxable and bonds in tax-advantaged might make academic sense, Rick Ferri once wrote that in practice it doesn't work well, since people feel more exposed that way and are likely to panic and sell, or get greedy and have too high a stock allocation, so he proposed having a set mix of bonds and stocks replicated in all accounts. It also ties in with loss aversion that most investors have, including me. When the market goes down 3% in a day, having only TS...
by rj49
Sat Aug 10, 2019 2:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you afford to travel?
Replies: 116
Views: 18311

Re: How do you afford to travel?

For mid-range super-cheap travel, look at Globus Escapes, which offers group tours around the world including airfare for deep discounts, but go off-season. I used it for a 9-night trip around Spain with flights for $1500 in early November, and for a Paris-Nice trip for the same price in the beginning of April. You'd avoid the huge crowds now everywhere in Europe, avoid all the hassles, and you'd meet people from around the world also. Then if you eventually feel comfortable traveling around Europe on your own, I'd simply follow Rick Steves guidebooks and his videos, which get you the best budget hotels and overlooked spots and valuable suggestions (he's also a big advocate of off-season travel for lower costs and smaller crowds). For cold-...
by rj49
Sun Jul 28, 2019 1:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best place to buy Pistachio and Salmon?
Replies: 30
Views: 3989

Re: Best place to buy Pistachio and Salmon?

Trader Joe's is good for variety of salmon, including fillets, a salmon frozen dinner with rice, and various kinds of smoked salmon (as well as canned salmon, which I haven't tried but I expect is better than most). My other option for coping for salmon prices is to go on an inexpensive cruise, particularly Holland America, where you can get Pacific coastal cruises for as low as $50 pp per day, and they always have salmon on the dinner menu, sometimes at lunch, and always smoked salmon at breakfast. For pistachios, Amazon sells a subscribe-and-save box of nine 1.5 oz pistachios for $6.94, which is best for me, because if I buy in larger bags or in bulk I go through them quickly. This gives me portion and calorie control, and the 73 cents a ...
by rj49
Fri Jul 26, 2019 6:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Quelling Car Fever
Replies: 57
Views: 4152

Re: Quelling Car Fever

One way to avoid new car fever is to avoid broadcast tv. While watching a football game at my parent's house, I was amazed how many car/truck ads there are, and they can be quite seductive (especially the holiday barrage of Toyotathon ads and other nonsense around the holidays, with a spouse delighted to get a new car as a Christmas present, pure manipulation of emotions and desires. If you watch regular tv, then you can try something like only doing DVR, even sports events, and use the time otherwise wasted on commercials to do something productive. Other ways to avoid new car lust: looking back at previous big-ticket purchases and realizing how the initial delight turned to boredom, asking yourself mindfully if the car is part of an aspir...