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takeshi

My son, a rising high school junior, has saved $1500 through summer jobs, chores, gifts, etc. He now wants to spend almost all of it on a gaming computer that he plans to build this summer. I don't have a teenager and I'm not a parent. I'm definitely not qualified to give parenting advice. However,...

takeshi

Is Amex Platinum worth the high fees? Your call to make just as it is with worth on any topic. Worth isn't just a matter of the topic at hand but how well the given topic fits an individual's needs/wants. My wife and I found it worthwhile for a couple of years but not this year, for example, so eve...

takeshi

Shouldn't be a surprise IMO. If convenience trumps all else a Keurig or other single serve is a good fit. Convenience is very popular with many people -- not just with coffee but jut about any topic. I can't stand what comes out of single serve machines though so that's a nonstarter for me. I don't ...

takeshi

Best recommendation? Of course no annual fees and if possible good reward points or sign up bonus. Probably doesn't matter much for someone just starting out. You don't get something for nothing so cards with significant bonuses are likely to come with AF's. If she doesn't want an AF then expect a ...

takeshi

Would it be considered rational to just pay it off? It is 6,000. Or should I just continue my 12 month schedule to pay it down and invest/save the money instead? How much is it bothering you? What's the $ impact (i.e. how much are you really making on investing $6K over the term of the 0% promo)? W...

takeshi

Any advice? Consider using AmEx for such purchases in future. Their process is generally much less hassle than it is with other creditor provided warranty extensions. What (type of) entity actually provides these warranties? Is it banks e.g. Chase, Cap1 etc? Is it payment networks e.g. Visa, MC AmE...

takeshi

How Much Would You Spend on a Blender? Up to several hundred on a refurbed Vitamix or Blendtec but that doesn't really matter unless your usage and preferences happen to align with ours. We use our blender constantly for smoothies, nut milk, cooking, etc. Base your decision on your usage and budget...

takeshi

retire14 wrote:Apple does not have it on its refurbished site (only Air 2 at $339)
I am not in a hurry and can wait for a sale to come on.

Keep checking Apple's refurb inventory. Every refurb I've purchased has been good as new.

takeshi

meebers wrote:Seems like it would offer more protection in the event of fraud, typos etc. Would add to the cash back from my card. Any good/bad experiences doing it this way.

I pay every bill that can be paid with a card without a fee for the reasons you've stated.

takeshi

Can't speak to student loan cancellations specifically but generally speaking with credit: Credit impact is never just about the change itself but a person's credit profile and how the change factors in. If the person does not have any other active installments (mortgages, auto loans, student loans,...

takeshi

Any suggestions from forum members? People seem to tend to fixate on % and the assumption that more is better but do the math to understand the impact in $. Is a difference of X% on your spend just a few bucks or is it a significant amount? How much more is 3% getting you versus 2% and is it worth ...

takeshi

Are there any other options better deals out there? Depends on your priorities for a "deal". It seems like cost is your biggest concern and that sounds like a good fit for you. Some of us, though, need/want durable luggage with a lifetime warranty despite the price premium and for that ro...

takeshi

There have definitely been recent threads on induction cooktops so don't overlook them. Are they any good? What are the pros and cons? Good is up to you to determine based on how the pros and cons specifically suit you -- same as any other topic. Prior discussions cover this but my quick reply is: I...

takeshi

a name came up John Schlorholtz,Ageless Yoga The type of yoga is a good start but even knowing about the type of yoga, one has to consider the specific instructor. It's certainly possible to end up injured with a poor yoga instructor even if the type of yoga is generally considered to be gentle. My...

takeshi

I've found a few threads and Googled for info. Nothing holding them together that could be unscrewed to remove spinning disks to destroy. FWIW I've never run across one I couldn't disassemble to get to the platters. Check under labels and other covers. As other have stated, they're usually Torx scr...

takeshi

What would you do? And why? Not what you're asking but I'd also recommend carefully reconsidering the vehicle choice for reasons stated above and not rushing the decision. Make sure you're buying based on what you're looking for versus trying to justify a decision you've already made. Looking at th...

takeshi

C4NT wrote:So, there may be an amplifier somewhere down stream (probably attic) and this is what supplies it power?

Picking nits but that would be upstream. "Up" is towards the cable provider's headend.

takeshi

However, I am curious, what does the duration between these credit enquiries have to be for them to be classified as single hit? http://www.myfico.com/credit-education/credit-checks/credit-report-inquiries/ It's not just the window of time but the inquiries have to be coded properly. There are thos...

takeshi

Nectarineman wrote:Verizon- Why do they treat old customers worse?

It's not just Verizon by a long shot. Many companies work to lure in new customers with offers. If you're an existing customer and you want a better deal then get in touch with the company's retention department or try a bill negotiating service.

takeshi

Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore? Are any of you finding bargains at Amazon? If so, what items, types or categories? Bargain & value are 2 different things. Bargains seem to be less common but even so I still find value with Amazon because of convenience. In most cases their pr...

takeshi

What are your opinions on the sleep number beds vs. platform beds for comfort, your skeletal structure and durability ? It doesn't really matter what my opinion is -- or the opinions of others. What does matter is what specifically works best for you. That said Sleep Number was too uncomfortable fo...

takeshi

A family member who regularly flies Delta had at least one very, very bad experience recently (I recognize we all have "nightmare" travel stories). Also, I think I recall reading about particularly bad computer problems earlier this year (again, I know that plenty of carrier have "is...

takeshi

Is this the right way to do it -- at the router? Like most things in life it's not a one-size-fits-all thing. It depends on what you're specifically looking to accomplish and your preferences. For my concerns, setting up my own VPN didn't make sense since I wanted to keep our ISP from monitoring ou...

takeshi

I guess I was kind of braced for that, but the screen message itself seemed kind of discouraging: "We need to review your request a little longer. We will let you know of our decision by U.S. mail. This could take up to 30 days." There's no telling based on the message itself. If you were...

takeshi

What do y'all think about the gas vs electric cooktop? Is running gas to my kitchen worth an extra ~$1k on a $5k (total) job for a $300 cooktop (on 4th of July sale at Lowe's)? Your call to make as worth is subjective on any topic. I prefer gas to most electrics but I prefer induction over gas and ...

takeshi

Is there any reason to keep a relationship with USAA? It doesn't sounds like it from what you've stated (only investing at USAA) but that's for you to determine. I have insurance & bank with USAA but I don't invest through them. If you need X's products then use X's products. If you don't then ...

takeshi

As long as you're below 30% utilization, your score won't even change based on the purchase (it will change from the account opening, but that already happened). Scores can definitely change for revolving utilization under 30%. I'm under 10% and my scores change with my revolving utilization. 30% i...

takeshi

As with anything, shop around and compare. Our cats haven't made it to their first cleanings though one of them recently had to have 3 extractions and that was a lot more than $101 though we use a specialist instead of our regular vet who would have cost less.

takeshi

If I was a buyer, the shelves would be very appealing to me as extra storage or display space. But would that hold true for the majority of buyers? Even the real estate agents have mixed feelings. There's no way of telling what most buyers will want without actually polling buyers. That said, it do...

takeshi

Wife and I are going to Montreal on July 29th. My credit cards charge foreign transaction fees (we don't travel very much so the issue has never come up). What card(s) would you recommend? Maybe we should add a Marriott or Southwest card to our collection now? We are not frequent travelers (domesti...

takeshi

The amount of data used by itself really isn't helpful in tracking this down. You can see app usage of cellular data and even disable cellular data usage for individual apps (as well as toggle cellular data as suggested above) in Settings->Cellular on your iPhone. You'll probably want to reset the s...

takeshi

I'm debating whether to contact Chase to have my Chase credit cards' credit lines reduced. The motivation would be to minimize the chances of getting rejected for new Chase cards I plan to apply for over the rest of the year. That has no impact on your approval. If your current limits place you at ...

takeshi

My problem is a little of the reverse: my 13 year old car's system takes CD's and cassettes but has no auxiliary input. See if the aftermarket makes an interface for your factrory stereo or replace the head unit entirely with an aftermarket one that has the desired inputs & connectivity. For th...

takeshi

USAA if you can qualify. This. Coverage and price are certainly also considerations but the most important thing IMO is how the company performs when you need them. USAA really shines on this aspect in my experience. Granted, researching this sort of stuff to comparison shop is a lot more difficult...

takeshi

ON the site it only shows Points OR use $$$. I am going to try to buy points if I can't figure the combo thing out. Choose points. Point & dollars will be among the options if avaialable. I just did this recently to book a room where I was short of what I needed for the entire stay but was able...

takeshi

What do you say when you cancel an account that you only opened for bonus? "I want to close this account" -- same as with any account I want to close. It really doesn't matter if the account was only opened for a bonus or for other reasons. Reps don't always ask why but if they do then &q...

takeshi

Presenting information about how things work is not advocacy for absurd conclusions. What the OP quoted was absurd despite the OP categorizing it among "good comments". Yes, you can't change the laws of physics but vehicle size is not the only consideration for safety despite how many see...

takeshi

I remember SR 1 being very scenic, and we'd still get SOME of SR 1 on the way to San Simeon, but would we get the pretty/best part(s)? From what I recall the more scenic parts of the PCH are north of the collapse. If we DID just do Northern California, one option would be to not rent a vehicle, and...

takeshi

Recently we've noticed Amazon has started using an "uber-like" model for their deliveries with some scary looking individuals in their personal vehicles delivering packages to our front door without any identifiable markings, id's, signage, etc. I emailed Amazon to better understand their...

takeshi

Does it ever make *more* financial sense to buy a used luxury car over a regular new / used car? Can you find outlier data points that are far off a given trend? Yes. Are you likely to end up as one of those data points? Probably not. As opposed to a "normal car" you're lucky to get 10 ye...

takeshi

Are any of the credit card companies more/less skittish about the decrease in salary, i.e., are there any cards I should apply for sooner rather than later? Income does play a part but we don't have full details for how very creditor assesses such things. If a creditor is skittish then applying soo...

takeshi

You won't find the info on the statements as they only provide current balances and payment options. You can get policy-to-date totals by looking at each policy and doing the math but year-to-date is going to require even more number crunching. Do you not use Mint or another similar solution? I spli...

takeshi

How to apply for a credit card if I am a stay at home mom? +1 to comments above about using household income and selecting "other". Maybe is this because I have 2 late payments in 2016 which I do no remember how it happened. I saw it on Equifax report. You need to address these if you can...

takeshi

If you have NFC do you find you use it often and with what results. Recommended or not? You can poll but personal preference plays a big part in this and you'll find people in both camps and that won't tell you which one you're in. Best bet is to try and see for yourself. I find Apple Pay very usef...

takeshi

On all of my other vehicles, I use Mobil 1 at 5,000 intervals. None of my other vehicles consume oil. The 14,000 mile interval was too long for engine preservation, especially if you plan to run the vehicle 100,000+ miles. My opinion based on my experience. UOA's would be the way to determine that ...

takeshi

It's probably not worth paying the interest to build a credit history if she can build her report by reliably paying credit cards and utility bills. Utility bills won't really help. FICO 9 can change that but it isn't widely used yet. Still pay them on time as not paying can have an adverse impact ...

takeshi

I made some points to consider above but the intent was not to promote financing. Whether or not financing makes sense is going to depend on what she can qualify for. With a new credit profile and, as far as i can tell, only 1 account, I suspect that she is not going to get favorable terms. A cosign...

takeshi

Some more details would help. Are you looking to funnel points into Marriott and/or Delta or just to get max value whether points or cash? What sort of amount of spend are you talking about? Are you willing to open multiple new cards or just one? Chase UR cards have been mentioned and Marriott is a ...

takeshi

My other question is whether it makes sense to move away from the Venture card permanently and employ some sort of combination of Chase products, such as this Sapphire Preferred credit card and perhaps one of the Freedom cards. I've read a lot of good things about this combo, but I'm not sure how t...

takeshi

I use Mint and look at my transactions daily and have had no problem reconciling my expenses. Am I missing something by not taking them with me or having the clerk print them out? Can't speak to whether or not you're missing anything as that's for you to determine. I need them to accurately reconci...

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