Search found 8480 matches

by lthenderson
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Hybrid Pillows exist?
Replies: 7
Views: 1035

Re: Hybrid Pillows exist?

LaurenRose wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 1:40 pm Does anyone know of a brand or type of pillow that's firm at it's core (so it doesn't go flat)

but also soft and squishy all around the outside? like down fill with sink in, but not bouncy like synthetics?

Thanks.
I have a cool gel memory foam pillow that fits that description.
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:25 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone purchased a RAV4 hybrid recently?
Replies: 30
Views: 3705

Re: Anyone purchased a RAV4 hybrid recently?

Kosh976 wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 12:31 pm We'd been considering a RAV4 hybrid for a couple years, but could never find one to test drive, and were not comfortable buying without driving one.
We ordered our RAV4 Hybrid back in the fall of 2022 and it arrived in the summer of 2023. We put no money down and were allowed to test drive it to ensure everything was a fit before paying for it in full after the test drive. Of course, back then, even if we had backed out, they had a dozen other people waiting on the list so there was no risk to the dealer. YMMV
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Oak kitchen/bath cabinet solutions?
Replies: 11
Views: 836

Re: Oak kitchen/bath cabinet solutions?

Has anyone found themselves in the same position & found a solution? Who will be doing the work? The reason I ask is because to paint older cabinet doors in kitchens especially and even in bathrooms, it very labor intensive if you want to do it right and create a paint job that will wear well over time. The reason is that kitchen cabinet doors and bathrooms gets greasy with age and it is really time consuming to degrease them and sand them well enough to get a new coating to stick well. Nearly all the DIY ones I have ever been around start peeling and sloughing paint off in a matter of a few years, mostly because they weren't cleaned well enough during the prep stages. I should say this is also highly dependent on door style. Simple sh...
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: navigation system for car
Replies: 51
Views: 2205

Re: navigation system for car

For those of us who invested in a good phone, I'm not sure why we'd want to put so much wear and tear on its battery by using it for navigation. Not to mention whatever direct sun exposure it might get through the windshield. I'd rather keep the phone cool, hidden away in a protective case, and in airplane mode while an inexpensive Garmin unit does the hard work, and a better job of it. At least in my case, I maybe use my smartphone as a navigation aid once or twice a year. The rest of the year I know where I'm going and it is safely in my pocket turned off. The wear and tear those two vacations a year put on my phone are much less than the cost of a Garmin or subscription based software. However is I were a driving sales person or taxi dr...
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1637

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

Our flight leaves this Thursday night on an America based airline and connects in Munich Friday morning with Aegean airlines. I was only just notified Monday evening of the impending strike and waiver thing so I didn't have a lot of options from the start. But according to the app, my flight is still "on time" and tomorrow it flies so perhaps I'll luck out and at least make it to Munich for my connection. Whether I make the connection is an entirely different story. I'm curious how this worked out. Germany seems to be trying to be the new Italy in terms of transport strikes this year, but sometimes the impacts are more limited than they seem at first glance. We have a trip partly in Germany coming up shortly, though (mostly by lu...
by lthenderson
Wed Mar 06, 2024 9:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When have you stopped saving for retirement?
Replies: 40
Views: 3890

Re: When have you stopped saving for retirement?

BanjoDonkey wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:10 am I recently stopped contributing to my IRA (temporarily) as I save cash for a couple of short term goals (house and baby on the way).
Like others, I have never stopped contributing to my tax advantaged retirement accounts. I have reassessed my needs a time or two to make sure retirement was much more important than say a bigger house, or a more expensive car. For me retirement has always been a need where as most consumer goods are wants. Once I met my retirement goals, I still didn't stop. I kept contributing to keep moving my retirement sooner until suddenly, it was upon me and I retired.
by lthenderson
Wed Mar 06, 2024 9:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Non-WiFi Dishwasher Needed Software Update
Replies: 33
Views: 2903

Re: Non-WiFi Dishwasher Needed Software Update

Turns out the dishwasher only needed a software update. Glad it was easy, but I’m annoyed and confused by how my dishwasher which cannot connect to wifi would need a software update or even know to stop functioning correctly because of outdated software. Can anyone make this make sense? :) :confused Back in my appliance designing days, we would occasionally uncover a bug in the software that happened due to a unique set of circumstances that we hadn't thought about. We would correct the program to get rid of the bug and new machines going out the door got the new program, but the old ones might never see or need the new program. If the bug was easily repeated with average use, service bulletins were issues so whenever a repair/maintenance ...
by lthenderson
Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1637

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

Our flight leaves this Thursday night on an America based airline and connects in Munich Friday morning with Aegean airlines. Are you flying from Chicago to Athens? It's much easier to find another routing from Newark because United flies to more cities in Europe. There aren't as many options from Chicago. I guess that explains why my lack of options. I hate anything to do with Chicago and flying with a passion and this is just another tick on that list. I was only just notified Monday evening of the impending strike and waiver thing so I didn't have a lot of options from the start. But according to the app, my flight is still "on time" and tomorrow it flies so perhaps I'll luck out and at least make it to Munich for my connectio...
by lthenderson
Tue Mar 05, 2024 4:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1637

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

02nz wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 2:06 pm
lthenderson wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:39 pm I called United airlines and was told that my flight is still considered on time. All their other flights that meet their free change waiver policy, would connect through Frankfurt, Munich or Hamburg. Their suggestion is to just wait and see so I guess that is what I'll do for now.
United's app is excellent, you can "subscribe" to a particular flight's status and it will give you notifications. I would stay on that like a hawk between now and departure.
Thank you. I have done that. The United rep said they generally cancel 2 days in advance so I’m hoping if. I make it to tomorrow evening I should be okay.
by lthenderson
Tue Mar 05, 2024 2:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1637

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

SeekingOmega wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:47 pm
lthenderson wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:39 pm I called United airlines and was told that my flight is still considered on time. All their other flights that meet their free change waiver policy, would connect through Frankfurt, Munich or Hamburg. Their suggestion is to just wait and see so I guess that is what I'll do for now.
This may be your answer: https://onemileatatime.com/news/lufthan ... rt-strike/
Am I missing something? I'm not flying on Lufthansa. I'm flying on United Airlines and Aegean Airlines through Munich, hub for Lufthansa.
by lthenderson
Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1637

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

I called United airlines and was told that my flight is still considered on time. All their other flights that meet their free change waiver policy, would connect through Frankfurt, Munich or Hamburg. Their suggestion is to just wait and see so I guess that is what I'll do for now.
by lthenderson
Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:48 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1637

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

If you can re-route - e.g., via London, Amsterdam, Zurich, Vienna, or Brussels - I would do that. Also: why so secretive about the identity of the U.S. airline? I'm assuming it's United, which issued this alert . But even that aside, assuming you don't have a basic economy ticket, you can just change your ticket for no fee. If there's a fare difference, you can try asking United to waive it. It is United. I wasn't aiming to be secretive but just didn't want to name then for something not their fault. When I use United's website to try and reschedule flight per their notice, I am offered eight options, 7 of which involve a leg with Lufthansa, just through a different airport. I don't know if Lufthansa ground crews at non-German airports are...
by lthenderson
Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:17 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1637

Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

Our flight leaves this Thursday night on an America based airline and connects in Munich Friday morning with Aegean airlines. According to the news, all Lufthansa ground crews will be on strike Wednesday through Saturday morning. The US airline is waiving rebooking fees but all other flights they offer involve a leg with Lufthansa. So I'm left flying into Munich where the Lufthansa ground crew will be on strike and no idea of if or how it will impact my non-Lufthansa flights. A cursory search online shows this has happened quite a bit in the past. Has anyone else flown through a German airport with the groundcrew of Lufthansa on strike? I don't fly very often so can more traveled people share their experiences on what is likely to happen? F...
by lthenderson
Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:03 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Kitchen Cabinet Cost
Replies: 37
Views: 3169

Re: Kitchen Cabinet Cost

It is, at most, 65-70ft linear feet if you add uppers and lowers together. That amount of cabinets is a lot more than normal so I would expect that to affect price comparisons as well. I'm guessing our remodel was maybe 40-45 linear feet total. I guess I am surprised that my small 12x10 kitchen has more linear feet of cabinets than normal. I think in actuality, I am looking at 55-60 linear feet after getting out a measuring tape. For the part of your kitchens that forms an L-shape and at the 12x10 dimensions that would equal a maximum of 44 linear feet (22 feet lowers plus 22 feet uppers) but then you would have to subtract out the one door way, the stove, the dishwasher, upper cabinets over the sink, doorway and possibly over the stove an...
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Getting new car
Replies: 53
Views: 6244

Re: Car Insurance Issues

If you currently have car insurance, call and tell them you will be adding a new vehicle to your policy. Go to the dealership and buy vehicle. Call current agent and complete insurance by giving them VIN number and what limits you want on your policy. Shop around for insurance companies at leisure and switch to new one when ready.

If you don't have car insurance now, move to Colorado and search for company. Go out and buy car. Call new insurance company to finish setting up your policy.
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: At what point in a car’s life do you try miracle elixir fixes?
Replies: 36
Views: 3322

Re: At what point in a car’s life do you try miracle elixir fixes?

MikeZ wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 8:40 pm I have a 2014 Camry with 124k miles that is leaking oil from the rear main seal. I was quoted about $2,300 to fix it.
Look at it this way. You pay the $2300 to fix it and drive it for another five years. You are essentially paying $460/year for that repair which is way less than the annual depreciation on a new vehicle.
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:09 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Undersizing whole house generator?
Replies: 62
Views: 4823

Re: Undersizing whole house generator?

snackdog wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 1:54 am Question: is there a way to safely provide automatic transfer switch power to only a portion of the house, eg. only select fuse panels to exclude all the pool/spa/steam/sauna equipment? Has anyone done this?
Ask This Old House featured an example of a automatic switch that does exactly this not long ago. Here is a link to the video of that clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efdEBjW37sY
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:03 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Kitchen Cabinet Cost
Replies: 37
Views: 3169

Re: Kitchen Cabinet Cost

jfmiii wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 9:30 am It is, at most, 65-70ft linear feet if you add uppers and lowers together.
That amount of cabinets is a lot more than normal so I would expect that to affect price comparisons as well. I'm guessing our remodel was maybe 40-45 linear feet total.
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:58 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Kitchen Cabinet Cost
Replies: 37
Views: 3169

Re: Kitchen Cabinet Cost

The cost....$49,000. Installation not included. As someone who builds furniture and cabinets, though not as a business, I can build a lower cabinet with expensive hardware for maybe $300 to $400 today. Multiply that out for an entire kitchen, and materials alone are probably close to $10k these days. Plywood and lumber has pretty much doubled in cost in the last three years. So I guess I am not terribly shocked about a $49k price tag for what you admit are top of the line custom build cabinets. For a price point, we remodeled our entire kitchen 5 years ago, pre-covid when all wood was half the cost of now, and spent about $20k on custom built cabinets that weren't top of the line. I also live in a VLCOL area. There are lots of ways to redu...
by lthenderson
Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you simplify financial details with your love ones?
Replies: 16
Views: 1949

Re: Do you simplify financial details with your love ones?

Not all people want or can understand financial basics. So unless they asked me first, if I see there eyes glaze over, I avoid the subject from then on. Move onto another subject that makes their eyes sparkle. My parents are financially savvy and have done well for themselves but no nothing of Boglehead investing and are 99.9% invested solely in farmland. We rarely talk financial stuff on a granular level. Other than me telling them once that I was financially set for the rest of my life, we haven't talked specifics. These days with only one aging parent left, the only thing we rarely discuss financial is passing on the family estate, all farmland, while minimizing the tax burden. Understood. I wonder how financial advisors deal with this....
by lthenderson
Sat Mar 02, 2024 12:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you simplify financial details with your love ones?
Replies: 16
Views: 1949

Re: Do you simplify financial details with your love ones?

I alway try to explain the concept first but if their eyes glazed over, I try to switch to analogies. Not all people want or can understand financial basics. So unless they asked me first, if I see there eyes glaze over, I avoid the subject from then on. Move onto another subject that makes their eyes sparkle. My parents are financially savvy and have done well for themselves but no nothing of Boglehead investing and are 99.9% invested solely in farmland. We rarely talk financial stuff on a granular level. Other than me telling them once that I was financially set for the rest of my life, we haven't talked specifics. These days with only one aging parent left, the only thing we rarely discuss financial is passing on the family estate, all ...
by lthenderson
Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Products/Services with Automatic renewal
Replies: 22
Views: 944

Re: Products/Services with Automatic renewal

I avoid subscriptions if I can. The ones I do have, I want and don't want to have to opt-in every month. That would defeat the convenience of automatic renewal. All the ones I have send out an email ahead of time stating that they will be renewing on such and such date. Monitor your email. If you have a hard time remembering, I would set a calendar reminder on your smart phone to unsubscribe or at least revisit your need for the subscription before it automatically renews.
by lthenderson
Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Electric mower for mulching
Replies: 30
Views: 2350

Re: Electric mower for mulching

I have gone through 2 Toro gas mowers that have given up the ghost after 3 years. They both worked great until they didn't. :annoyed Anyone have a recommendation? I have never had a gas powered mower just give up and some are nearly as old as I am. What I have found over many years of getting other mowers to work, is 99% of the time they just weren't properly serviced or stored in the off season. Nearly 40 years ago, our high school had a small engine repair class where we gathered up discarded "non-functioning" lawn mower engines, took them apart, cleaned them, and they always all started back up. My recommendation before adding to the pollution stream and increasing your carbon footprint by discarding lightly used mowers, would...
by lthenderson
Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:42 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Questions: Corporate relocation and home buying
Replies: 3
Views: 505

Re: Questions: Corporate relocation and home buying

Unique twist: we are unlikely to be in the new location longer than 6 years (probably 4-5) as there is a high likelihood I'll either get relocated again or retire early. We're very lucky that way! Unless you can find a move in ready house that checks every box on your list, is in a desirable neighborhood and you get it for a deal, I would rent. I always thing those first handful of years in any new home are the most expensive as you do some minor to even major remodeling to make it check all those boxes and you generally only recoup those costs with time and hopefully appreciation of the house. In this case, the time to recoup will be very short. That said, it would also depend greatly for me in what types of rentals were available where y...
by lthenderson
Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Electric mower for mulching
Replies: 30
Views: 2350

Re: Electric mower for mulching

I have gone through 2 Toro gas mowers that have given up the ghost after 3 years. They both worked great until they didn't. :annoyed Anyone have a recommendation? I have never had a gas powered mower just give up and some are nearly as old as I am. What I have found over many years of getting other mowers to work, is 99% of the time they just weren't properly serviced or stored in the off season. Nearly 40 years ago, our high school had a small engine repair class where we gathered up discarded "non-functioning" lawn mower engines, took them apart, cleaned them, and they always all started back up. My recommendation before adding to the pollution stream and increasing your carbon footprint by discarding lightly used mowers, would...
by lthenderson
Fri Mar 01, 2024 9:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best Faucets for Bathroom Sinks?
Replies: 19
Views: 1779

Re: Best Faucets for Bathroom Sinks?

Note, nearly all brands make high end lines, middle of the road lines and cheap lines sold exclusively in big box stores. If you want a quality fixture, I would avoid purchasing them at a big box store and instead find a dedicated plumbing fixture show room. I am not brand loyal, but have never been disappointed with any that I have purchases through the plumbing fixture show room. I have been disappointed consistently with ones bought at a big box store.
by lthenderson
Thu Feb 29, 2024 1:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Sending foreign currency (Chinese Yuan) intra-US?
Replies: 14
Views: 1560

Re: Sending foreign currency (Chinese Yuan) intra-US?

The safest way would be to urge mom to keep the money for her next trip and for you to just order whatever currency you need ahead of time from your local brick and mortar bank. I always keep my extra money from a foreign trip in an envelope in my filing cabinet and use it as seed money until I can hit up an ATM on my next trip there.
by lthenderson
Thu Feb 29, 2024 10:07 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Mini Excavator Question: CAT vs Kubota
Replies: 25
Views: 2652

Re: Mini Excavator Question: CAT vs Kubota

I haven't owned a mini excavator personally but for temporary machinery like this, I much prefer to buy used, even with the added risk of pieces being abused. Construction machinery is way worse than vehicles when it comes to that initial depreciation driving it new off the lot. But then as used machinery, it tends to hold it's value steady for a lot longer than vehicles. I almost always get my money back when selling them after I'm done using them. My guess would be that any depreciation from new to three years old would be much larger than replacing any abused parts along the way.
by lthenderson
Thu Feb 29, 2024 10:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Kitchen remodel
Replies: 14
Views: 1750

Re: Kitchen remodel

If you are not significantly redoing the overall layout, using a designer though a countertop manufacturer/resale place was a good experience for us. They walked us through all the different types of cabinets and features that they have available that weren't even conceivable 20 years ago. Because we used their designer, it was free of charge as long as we purchased our cabinets through them which we did. Because we used their designer and purchased cabinets from them, they also guaranteed everything which came in handy when two cabinets were mis-ordered. They rushed the corrections through their plant and a week later, the designer personally drove halfway across the state to deliver them to us so to minimize the impact on our timeline. I ...
by lthenderson
Thu Feb 29, 2024 9:54 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Neighbor Got Burglarized, How To Prevent
Replies: 74
Views: 8333

Re: Neighbor Got Burglarized, How To Prevent

RJC wrote: Thu Feb 29, 2024 9:45 am What are some of the most cost-effective ways to deter a burglar?
Don't advertise you are gone by posting vacation pictures on social media in real time or otherwise letting people know where you plan to be. I've read most burglaries are committed by people who know in advance you won't be there.

Don't let mail pile up outside, leave a light on or otherwise some sign that someone might be there when you are gone.
by lthenderson
Thu Feb 29, 2024 9:48 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Things to do in Minnesota
Replies: 43
Views: 3180

Re: Things to do in Minnesota

I would highly recommend the North Shore area of Minnesota. There are lots of waterfall accessible by short easy hikes definitely doable by kids that age. You didn't say when but during the summer months, there is a lot of wading going on in the river pools. At some of the nearby ski areas in the iron mountains just to the west of the shore, some have activities like sleds (down concrete chutes), mountain biking down the mountains and catching ski lifts back up to the top. Duluth, the start of the North Shore if you are heading north, also has a lot of activities for families.
by lthenderson
Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Wired mouse
Replies: 20
Views: 3092

Re: Wired mouse

I quite like the simple wired mouse that came with my Dell computer when I bought it.
by lthenderson
Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: rider mower club cadet or john deere
Replies: 21
Views: 2155

Re: rider mower club cadet or john deere

I am looking at either the club cadet lt 46 or 50 or the john deere s140. both are about the same price of $2700-2900 I have a couple acres to mow in northern CA. I want long term reliability and am replacing a 20yo Husky. Is a mulcher needed? Is a 54" zero turn club cadet worth it but might be harder to go around trees? thanks for any advice As far as brand, go with what ever your local dealer sells. Nothing worse than breaking a part and waiting three weeks for the replacement part to arrive via mail while your lawn turns into a jungle. I don't use a mulcher and don't think one is needed if you mow fairly frequently. If you only mow when the grass is quite tall and you windrow your dead grass, them a mulcher is probably needed to pr...
by lthenderson
Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:03 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Blocking callers on Iphone
Replies: 22
Views: 2147

Re: Blocking callers on Iphone

Have you come up with a way to stop these irritating calls? If so let me know how. The best way is to practice good phone number hygene and don't give our your cell phone number to any businesses or online forms. Use a landline/google voice number for those times. I now use a google voice number (transferred my landline last month) for filling out forms. Google Voice is set to mute and just sends a transcribed email to me anytime someone legitimate leaves a message. I get 20+ calls a day on Google Voice, mostly scams. I never get scam calls on my cellphone number. Not that the cat is out of the bag so to speak, your only options are to use third party apps were I've heard aren't always effective or to turn on the setting so it only rings i...
by lthenderson
Wed Feb 28, 2024 8:58 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: SNOW blower Toro Vs Arien (24")
Replies: 21
Views: 2075

Re: SNOW blower Toro Vs Arien (24")

lazydavid wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:03 am
cadzan wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:52 am Whichever dealer is closest and has pickup & delivery service. Unless you are mechanically inclined.
Yep, a good local dealer is key. Buy whichever one you can get from a nearby outdoor power equipment dealer, NOT a big box store. I'm partial to Ariens personally for 2-stage snowblowers, but if there was a great Toro dealer close to me that could tip the balance the other way.
+3

I have a cub cadet because that is what my local dealer sells. They will even pick it up, service it and return it if necessary so you don't have to ponder how you are going to get it to their building for servicing.
by lthenderson
Wed Feb 28, 2024 8:53 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: powdered/dehydrated whole eggs?
Replies: 2
Views: 459

Re: powdered/dehydrated whole eggs?

I used to use them many years ago on multiweek backpacking trips in the mountains. I used them one for one in recipes after reconstituting them. I even used them to make scrambled eggs out of them but the taste is quite different than fresh eggs. In the mountains though, one becomes hungry enough that the taste of powdered eggs turned into scrambled eggs is passable. All this was 30 years ago. I'm sure they are better these days.
by lthenderson
Tue Feb 27, 2024 2:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pressure Treated Decking Lumber
Replies: 26
Views: 2313

Re: Pressure Treated Decking Lumber

My guess is that cost is an issue. Treated wood is 50% of the cost of the cheapest composite at my big box store and I'm sure the cost difference is magnified the better quality composite you get. I was just there yesterday looking for a cheap composite for a project I'm doing (not a deck) and quickly went to plan B of using treated.
by lthenderson
Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pressure Treated Decking Lumber
Replies: 26
Views: 2313

Re: Pressure Treated Decking Lumber

I'm going to be replacing the decking on my daughter's deck. It currently has pressure treated 5/4" decking and will be replacing with the same. When picking out boards at the "Big Box" retailers, is there a way to examine a given board to determine its likelihood of warping, twisting, cupping etc. as it dries out? Does the end grain pattern provide any clues? These days, dimensional softwood lumber is grown on trees farms at a fast rate so you are unlikely to find any far enough from the center of the tree to be stable. Saying that, I find picking out the driest and lightest treated boards will probably yield the best results for warping, twisting and cupping, etc. The treated ones that feel wet and heavy when you pick them...
by lthenderson
Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Zelle Questions: safety, speed, uses?
Replies: 57
Views: 5492

Re: Zelle Questions: safety, speed, uses?

2. There were recent news stories about Zelle fraud that made it sound like it was incredibly unsafe. But when you actually read the stories, they were all people who sent money to a fraudster rather than someone hacking their Zelle account. They were mad that their bank didn't refund the money, but that type of fraud could happen with check or cash too, so it seems like the security concerns are overblown, or am I missing something? 3. Do you use Zelle and find it convenient? If so, what do you use it for? 2. When I have sent money via Zelle, it actually prompts a warning about scams asking for money and verifying that you are aware of this and still want to sent the money. I don't view it as any less safe than paying by check or handling...
by lthenderson
Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:24 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to deal with/spend too much money?
Replies: 91
Views: 8904

Re: How to deal with/spend too much money?

How do you expand? How do you help family/friends? How do you justify spending more money? What do you spend on? What values or mores influence your decisions? As we get older, we have significantly given more back to our community. That brings me a lot of pleasure when I can see my impact versus just donating it to some random charity. You mentioned family in your original post and I try to steer clear of giving money to family when I wasn't asked first by the one in need. Money is the root of many family disagreements. But if someone asks, I have given money to family members but always as a gift, never a loan and I never ask about how they spent it, never. Once it is out of my hands, I forget about it unless they bring it up. Consider e...
by lthenderson
Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:12 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Divorce and co mingling asset question
Replies: 42
Views: 5686

Re: Divorce and co mingling asset question

teacher2163 wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:35 am We have had one meeting so far, which didn't go great. But there is a decent chance we can settle this and it not get ugly. I would assume the more I can prove on paper with bank statements, the better.
Speaking from point of view of someone who has never been divorced and still happily married, I think my first inclination would be to sit down and have a talk with my soon to be ex-wife about how to split up our assets in a matter that is agreeable to both parties. Perhaps you keep the amount of the inheritance that you can justify went into your taxable accounts in trade for some asset that is more meaningful to her.
by lthenderson
Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:06 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to deal with/spend too much money?
Replies: 91
Views: 8904

Re: How to deal with/spend too much money?

How do you expand? How do you help family/friends? How do you justify spending more money? What do you spend on? What values or mores influence your decisions? We're in the same situation though we have two kids so a good portion of the excess will be left to them as a legacy to easy their lives a bit. We expanded just a bit. Instead of the cheapest motel, we seek mid range places mostly because they tend to be quieter and more clean on average. We don't buy luxury cars but we get top models of basic cars. We both drive Limited model Toyotas. We aren't into all inclusive destination vacations like many are so our vacations are normally quite cheap in comparison. We don't fly often so don't go first class though on longer legs we due purcha...
by lthenderson
Tue Feb 27, 2024 5:03 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: File Amended Return?
Replies: 11
Views: 1274

Re: File Amended Return?

Sammmy wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:13 pm Should I file an amended federal and state return?
On the IRS website, it says they don't require amended returns for math errors, which is essentially what this is. They do require amended returns if you make an error that affects your tax liability. This doesn't qualify for that.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/if-you-mus ... our-return
by lthenderson
Tue Feb 27, 2024 4:47 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best water heater with solar
Replies: 55
Views: 5253

Re: Best water heater with solar

It's going to take 29 KW to equal 100Kbtu or 1 therm of natural gas. Natural gas pretty much is always the cheapest way to heat water. If you are getting paid back what you pay for electricity I would buy the natural gas water heater and collect the check from the energy company. Keep it simple, no high efficiency gas water heater or heat pump.I was in the plumbing trade for 26 years and did the math when I needed to replace a water heater in my house. The only thing that took natural gas in the summer months was the water heater. We ended up spending around $30 month to heat our water. A regular power vented water heater cost about $800, a high efficiency one was $2200. There was no way it would ever pay for itself in the savings. Now if ...
by lthenderson
Sun Feb 25, 2024 11:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is it time to stop contributing to PA529 plan
Replies: 4
Views: 714

Re: Is it time to stop contributing to PA529 plan

I think the answer will vary between people. If you have high salaries and can afford to cashflow the cost of a college education if it should exceed what you predict it will have when needed, then you've saved enough. Do you need the tax reducing advantages if PA is one of the states that provide them for 529 contributions? Are you going to have more kids? I personally have found that as our child aged, it became much clearer how much we needed to save for them. Our eldest is definitely on path to get her doctorate degree and likely we will cashflow some of her later years after the 529 is used up. Our younger one is definitely not on that past and most likely, we already have too much in her account. At the end of the day, the 10% penalty...
by lthenderson
Sun Feb 25, 2024 11:00 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Pay off mortgage or not
Replies: 15
Views: 1592

Re: Pay off mortgage or not

She has asked my opinion and I can see benefit of having a paid off home, but then again why pay it off? As others have said, this is really personal preference. When I was actively saving for retirement, I paid the minimum amount and invested everything else to get a better return. Eventually I reached a point where my retirement wasn't an issue anymore. Then, it felt nice to be debt free for the first time in my life and hopefully the rest of my life. I love that feeling and don't regret paying off my 30 year mortgage in 10 years even with the low interest rate we locked in. Others like the feeling of having gained a few extra percentage points on their portfolio by paying the minimum on their mortgage and investing. I don't think any of...
by lthenderson
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Turbotax Print "all worksheets" does not include all forms..
Replies: 14
Views: 1203

Re: Turbotax Print "all worksheets" does not include all forms..

sdsurfista wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:09 am That link is voicing the same complaint as mine. If the form is not required to be sent in with your return it will be very difficult to find, and there is no option for saving all forms as a PDF or printout.
I guess I am failing to understand why you want to print it out or save it when it doesn't need to be filed to the IRS. It can easily be recreated from your existing information that was filed should you be audited in the next three years. Why print it out and create more paperwork that you must store somewhere?
by lthenderson
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:46 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What got you out of poverty?
Replies: 111
Views: 12862

Re: What got you out of poverty?

physics911 wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:32 am For those who grew up in poverty and now have that far behind you, what do you see as some of the biggest decisions/opportunities/whatever, that got you out?
Staying in school and then going to college absolutely brought me out of poverty. Once out of poverty, the thing that took me from living paycheck to paycheck to FIRE was reading The Millionaire Next Door.
by lthenderson
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Roof repair - reasonable?
Replies: 40
Views: 3570

Re: Roof repair - reasonable?

Slow leak around chimney. Apparently not flashed properly. Repairs will be to re-flash properly, replace two sections of sheathing and re-shingle area (asphalt). Estimate is $3,500 To add onto smitcat's list: 1. It can depend on the size of the chimney/roof intersection. 2. Where the chimney is located. If on an outside wall, typically there is only three sides flashed. If located on an interior wall, four sides can be flashed. I've seen rooms on an interior wall of the lower level and exterior wall of an upper level resulting in nearly double the amount of flashing that needs to be done. 3. You didn't way what the material of your chimney is. My is clad in wood and fairly easy to reflash. Brick is more involved to reflash. Honestly though...
by lthenderson
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:25 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any woodturners here?
Replies: 3
Views: 464

Re: Any woodturners here?

I want to have some bowls made from some freshly cut wood. I've seen someone online say to turn the bowl into a rough shape, then let it sit for months. Another person said to seal the wood now, age, then turn it. Which is correct? If sealing now, what do I seal with and how do I stack? Both ways are acceptable but I find turning it to rough shape and then sealing it is faster than sealing the wood, aging it and then turning it. However, if you seal first and age, you limit your risk to splitting or something catastrophic happening, especially if it is a rare or expensive chunk of wood. Turning it to rough shape and then sealing, doesn't completely eliminate the risk of splitting. If you want another method that is even faster than those t...