Search found 2513 matches

by Shallowpockets
Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:44 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Chart of previous stock market returns 1928-2022
Replies: 48
Views: 6200

Re: Chart of previous stock market returns 1928-2022

This chart should go to dispelling the fear and fallacy of the oft quoted 50% drop, since it is not even in this chart. The biggest drop being only 43.84%.
So when we have these discussions on here and people frequently state 50% drop, either prepared for or not, they are not on point. It only drums up anxiety amount the BHs posters who are not sit and wait, but watch and see their assets declining and they then have all sorts of bad thoughts about where it will go.
by Shallowpockets
Fri Dec 30, 2022 4:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Botched tax lost harvesting
Replies: 28
Views: 2680

Re: Botched tax lost harvesting

Sounds like you were market timing. Jumping out for a loss, but wanting to hold the stock, so looking to buy it back.
You hit the wrong button. But the premise was not quite a thing to do anyway.
You can see the desire for such attempts (TLH and rebuying) on here all the time, especially towards year end.
by Shallowpockets
Thu Dec 29, 2022 9:16 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are your best tips for more comfortable and happy travel?
Replies: 107
Views: 11042

Re: What are your best tips for more comfortable and happy travel?

Travel is inherently poor when using the airlines. The best tip is to adjust your mindset to expecting the worst. Not only are you then never disappointed, but anything less than aggravation, and negative happenings is seen in a positive light.
by Shallowpockets
Thu Dec 29, 2022 9:12 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Are you supposed to prepare for possible deflation?
Replies: 25
Views: 3160

Re: Are you supposed to prepare for possible deflation?

The fed is trying to tame inflation now. Is that the same as deflation? If a pair of shoes is now $50 and does not climb any higher, well.
I am glad this thread is here. Everyone was worried about inflation. But, it has been talked and talked about. Was getting boring. Then, of course the pundits started talking recession. Know one even knows we are or are not in one. Maybe that topic is not as exhausted.
But, now we have this. Where we can think about how to prepare for deflation. And we can worry more about our assets. Allocation anyone?
by Shallowpockets
Tue Dec 27, 2022 7:09 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How often do you remodel your bathroom?
Replies: 67
Views: 9529

Re: How often do you remodel your bathroom?

nedsaid wrote: Sun Dec 25, 2022 11:50 am Oh my Gosh. I must be an awful person. I have not remodeled my bathroom. Was I supposed to? Have I violated some non-spoken obligation here?

Let me think. The toilet has been replaced. Check. I had the fan replaced. Checkarooni. The floor was replaced. Good. I replaced the bathroom cabinet and mirror. Check. Had a "trap door" installed so the plumber can more easily snake the drain pipe. Ought to get points there.

Remodel? No. Definitely not. But I should get partial credit, shouldn't I?
Wow! Me too. Similar here. Is not remodeling like retaining a FA when you should be indexing?
by Shallowpockets
Tue Dec 27, 2022 7:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Amazon Returns?
Replies: 53
Views: 5046

Re: Amazon Returns?

I am curious what people are buying that makes them have to return so many things?
Returns are in the news now and there was one woman who buys and returns things for “sport”.
by Shallowpockets
Mon Dec 26, 2022 8:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare Advantage: the great Medicare ripoff
Replies: 2
Views: 1099

Re: Medicare Advantage: the great Medicare ripoff

Sounds like a rant.
Maybe MA plans run over (3% as per the article) because on traditional Medicare Supplement you pay more than 3% for your care. If you are paying a supplement and it is more than $5 (3% of $170) than you are already over that figure.
I would gladly pay my Medicare cost of $170 plus 3% if it would cover the federal deficit on that particular point.
by Shallowpockets
Mon Dec 26, 2022 6:38 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Intro to home ownership and basic maintenance
Replies: 21
Views: 2723

Re: Intro to home ownership and basic maintenance

I went from zero skills to being more knowledgeable than most of my peers by using YouTube and experience. I like the YouTube format because you can just look up one thing to do at a time as it comes along. But as someone upthread said, a single video might not always be the best method. Sometimes it takes me quite a few videos to find the method that I attempt. Even then, I still fail from time to time due to a unique situation or a cleverly edited video made it look much easier than it really was. That is where experience comes in. The failure becomes a learning experience which helps me in the future. I've kept at it all these years and now, I've pretty much done it all except build the house from scratch which is on my bucket list. Thi...
by Shallowpockets
Sat Dec 24, 2022 4:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Call options if coming into money- pros and cons
Replies: 15
Views: 1486

Re: Call options if coming into money- pros and cons

Let's see. You are coming into some money. You say you do not need the money, so it is a bonus for you on top of your present all well and good finances. You know nothing about options. Yet you want to try and eek out more money over and above this newfound money by selling options?
Sounds like a game to me. And totally unnecessary.
The pro side to this is not worth the effort in light of your situation.
The con side is exactly the same.
by Shallowpockets
Sat Dec 24, 2022 8:52 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Potential long-term non-mild recession: Any actionable advice?
Replies: 144
Views: 13501

Re: Potential long-term non-mild recession: Any actionable advice?

Mike Scott wrote: Fri Dec 23, 2022 7:07 pm It sounds like you are throwing out random ideas. Figure out where you are now and where you want to be. Then figure out how to get there. Stick to the fundamentals of portfolio development and ignore everything you have been listening to. If you were going to do anything major, it should have been done before now. About the only actionable advice for preparation now is to invest more and spend less.
This. +1.
by Shallowpockets
Fri Dec 23, 2022 7:56 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "A 20% loss won't matter in 20 years"
Replies: 91
Views: 10982

Re: "A 20% loss won't matter in 20 years"

It matters if you are already in retirement. And the farther you are into retirement the more it matters.
20% down don’t matter is for the accumulators. When you need money now, for living or for extended care, 20% down is significant.
There is math and then there is the psychological impact. Usually on the upside it is referred to as the wealth effect. Think of the flip side of that.
by Shallowpockets
Wed Dec 21, 2022 9:45 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are your favorite vacation destinations?
Replies: 120
Views: 13775

Re: What are your favorite vacation destinations?

Remember. Any time you go back, or multiple times, you miss the time to go someplace new.
by Shallowpockets
Mon Dec 19, 2022 8:52 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Drilling into stucco/cement siding
Replies: 36
Views: 3346

Re: Drilling into stucco/cement siding

What is the rationale for not using the hammer drill that you already own?
by Shallowpockets
Sat Dec 17, 2022 2:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Christmas gifts for adult relatives
Replies: 76
Views: 8318

Re: Christmas gifts for adult relatives

Why give someone a gift card? It is like homework. How much do you give? Is it enough to actually buy something they want or will they have to add their own money to make the difference?
Send cash. Then they can use it as they desire. Even a check has to be taken to the bank to cash. That’s homework too.
I am like Jim Gaffigan. He gets a gift, giver says you can take it back back if you don’t like it. He says, nah, I’ll just throw it away.
by Shallowpockets
Sat Dec 17, 2022 12:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Grocery and restaurant avgs
Replies: 23
Views: 3503

Re: Grocery and restaurant avgs

$438 month average over the last year. For two people. Only time we eat out is on overseas vacations. The monthly cost is adjusted for 3 months out of country this year.
My wife is a food shopper par excellence. And an excellent cook. We eat meals at home that surpass that which we might get in a restaurant, and for so much cheaper. The $438 does not include alcohol, but may include some cleaning materials and other stuff I did not take out.
We shop at the local grocery stores, King Soopers and Safeway. And we do go to Costco.
by Shallowpockets
Fri Dec 16, 2022 4:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to deal with seemingly dishonest furniture store?
Replies: 37
Views: 3944

Re: How to deal with seemingly dishonest furniture store?

Is this an example of so many who tout the mom and pop, the local stores as against any bigger national store?
There is less recourse in dealing with the local element.
by Shallowpockets
Fri Dec 16, 2022 10:17 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Two Vehicle Family Driving Mileage Strategies
Replies: 26
Views: 2484

Re: Two Vehicle Family Driving Mileage Strategies

Two vehicles planned to last 10 years then a trade in. Can you afford a multiple vehicle trade in at more or less the same time? Otherwise drive the 55 mile commute car until you need trade in due to mileage and then you can stagger the costs across more years.

Otherwise as said already, A drives A, and B drives B. Because then, of course the 55 mile commute car (if used in this fashion through the years) will end up being high mileage and despite your 10 year horizon can be traded in and the result will be the same.
by Shallowpockets
Fri Dec 16, 2022 10:08 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: If there is a housing crisis upcoming...
Replies: 9
Views: 1126

Re: If there is a housing crisis upcoming...

Isn't there already a housing crisis and has there not been one for quite a while? I guess it depends on where you are on the spectrum. Now for the timing of your wager as if the preceding sentence is true then you have been waiting for your time to jump in.
by Shallowpockets
Thu Dec 15, 2022 11:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How much to tip the taxi driver?
Replies: 81
Views: 7726

Re: How much to tip the taxi driver?

Boglehead style has to ask. Was he friendly? Did he put your bag in the trunk or take it out? Was his music too loud, or did he talk all the time? Did he get you to your destination on time? Was the taxi clean? Any of those could have triggered the difference in tip.
by Shallowpockets
Tue Dec 13, 2022 5:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Negotiating ER Bill
Replies: 117
Views: 12241

Re: Negotiating ER Bill

I concur with White Coat Invester. I worked in ER for 25 years. When someone came in with a kidney stone they were usually seen right away because the pain was so severe, they could not sit, stand, lay down. It took all my urging for them to be still enough to put out their arm for IV access. They would be in a fetal position on the stretcher. There was no time wasted. IV in, and a verbal order from MD to give morphine, or dilaudid to get the pain under control. That was all that mattered to us and the patient. Was that the OP's situation? If so, tell me how much that is worth to you? It is worth everything, everything before, and nothing once your pain is gone. How easily we flip on our feelings. Anyone who reads this and goes to the ER fo...
by Shallowpockets
Sat Dec 10, 2022 2:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: advice for trip from new orleans to tallahassee
Replies: 27
Views: 1792

Re: advice for trip from new orleans to tallahassee

That’s a whirlwind trip no matter how you look at it. Add at least three more days.
by Shallowpockets
Fri Dec 09, 2022 12:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: When to take Social Security with pension plan and 25 x annual expenses?
Replies: 18
Views: 2384

Re: When to take Social Security with pension plan and 25 x annual expenses?

bg5 wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:35 am
22twain wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:32 am Last April you posted that you all are 41 and 37. So you've got about 20 years to not make up your mind. :wink:
I've def got some time to think about SS. I am eligible to retire and collect my pension in 7 1/2 years so trying to plan ahead :)
A lot could change between now and then. Especially your spending, which would, of course, increase your dollar needs of 25X. Your health insurance sounds low and is either a great great deal, or high deductible. If it is through work now, you have to consider the cost if you leave work. Even at Medicare age it will be more than that for two people.
All in all it sounds like you are planning, but so much could change. You are so far out.
by Shallowpockets
Wed Dec 07, 2022 1:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Traditional Medicare or an Advantage Plan?
Replies: 134
Views: 17668

Re: Traditional Medicare or an Advantage Plan?

Mayo Clinic.
Mayo Clinic.
Mayo Clinic.
It seems to be a theme. Sounds like the problem is Mayo Clinic and what it accepts.
Is Mayo clinic the only way to be treated in the whole country? Do people not do well in any other facility? If you are on your last legs is the Mayo Clinic the only hope at all?
by Shallowpockets
Mon Dec 05, 2022 3:16 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is the worst of the bear market behind us?
Replies: 76
Views: 12424

Re: Is the worst of the bear market behind us?

As the world,has gotten more complicated, the experts know less and less. The economists are at odds with each other and the Fed is playing by the seat of their pants. There is no more guidance than watching a flock of birds and predicting where they are going. As far as I can see, we have already reached the parameters for recession, yet there is still talk of a recession next year. I guess the previous parameters are not valid anymore. So, a recession next year will be on top of the losses this year. The S and P is more or less back to 2020. So, two years of our lives lost. Can’t get that back. Since everything now is so interlinked, it is often the butterfly effect on the markets. And, there is always a butterfly. Very few BHs will be af...
by Shallowpockets
Thu Dec 01, 2022 5:05 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Advice - Elderly family member w/ large stock position
Replies: 45
Views: 4246

Re: Advice - Elderly family member w/ large stock position

I hope I am so fortunate as to have such assets at 96 years old. And I hope if I have similar situation that I do not have a family trying to intervene.
by Shallowpockets
Thu Dec 01, 2022 4:51 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bill Bernstein: "Playing Inflation Russian Roulette in Retirement"
Replies: 776
Views: 69662

Re: Bill Bernstein: "Playing Inflation Russian Roulette in Retirement"

It's odd that in the article the possibility of using both duration matched TIPS and a graded life annuity is not discussed. Instead the two are presented as a binary choice - either all TIPS are all annuitization. BobK I don't think he's ever been a fan of SPIAs but this past year of relatively high inflation soured him and many against them. In the past, he's written that SPIAs have a place in some retiree's portfolios but not with a high preference. Of course, now that interest rates are non-negligible, this might be a time when some people could consider SPIAs more attractive but there's still the uncertainty of future inflation and financial health of the insurance company that offers the annuity. Isn't that kinda one of those apocaly...
by Shallowpockets
Wed Nov 30, 2022 8:55 am
Forum: Non-US Investing
Topic: Help with my Monte Carlo Simulation which is using Historical Monthly Real Returns.
Replies: 42
Views: 6080

Re: Help with my Monte Carlo Simulation which is using Historical Monthly Real Returns.

" but I want to lower these historical real returns to match current valuations of these assets as I feel the historical returns of these assets"

Well, there you go. You want to change input data because you feel. Is that scientific? Every time MC scenario comes up people dis it according to the vagaries of the data the scenario may be based on even though they do not know the specifics of that data. So the math whizzes may create their own MC spreadsheet, which seems to also be fraught with data that is altered according to things such as feelings.
How can this be any better than a MC scenario such as Fidelity?
by Shallowpockets
Wed Nov 30, 2022 8:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Medicare part D penalty 198 months
Replies: 4
Views: 949

Re: Medicare part D penalty 198 months

Does the 198 months refer to your parents going that long without part D? 16 years. I guess now you can then figure the costs savings over that time period against a possible $65 extra penalty a month now.
What are the stats on that?
by Shallowpockets
Wed Nov 30, 2022 7:30 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bitten by Dogs; How to respond?
Replies: 36
Views: 5357

Re: Bitten by Dogs; How to respond?

Definitely find the owners. I agree that you should contact their homeowners insurance company, but be prepared for the possibility that they either don’t have insurance, or their insurance doesn’t cover the breed of dog involved in the attack. In that case it would be up to your son to sue them. Another note of caution. In my experience, anecdotal though it may be, dog owners are very reluctant to take responsibility (especially financial) for injuries caused by their pets. Maybe it’s an innate psychological bias because they didn’t intend to cause the injury, and didn’t cause it themselves. I’m any case, I’d expect denials, resistance, etc when I eventually located the owner. This is the truth of the matter. You will get no sympathy from...
by Shallowpockets
Sun Nov 27, 2022 11:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Spray on roof?
Replies: 10
Views: 1149

Re: Spray on roof?

As a solution to a leak that you can find it may be a way to investigate. As a solution for entire roof replacement, maybe not so much.
OP states friend had leak repaired. Not with this product. Did that work? Seems now only desires a whole new roof.
Roof repair is not as big a business as roof replacement. BHs will repair a car time and again if car still serves the purpose, but they will never repair a roof as much as call for a new roof.
by Shallowpockets
Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does death book NEED account numbers?
Replies: 85
Views: 10652

Re: Does death book NEED account numbers?

If I am the spouse and wife dies, and we have our death book, can I go into her accounts to see info I may need? Is it legal? Or do I have to contact the institution first with notice of death?
by Shallowpockets
Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:27 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help: Mid-70s mom out of money and needs a place to live
Replies: 22
Views: 4031

Re: Help: Mid-70s mom out of money and needs a place to live

So your mom sounds like she is on the edge of homelessness. She has minimal income to sustain her own place. This is how it happens. Her present living situation is untenable. But it has been successful up until now. So, something changed and it sounds social, not economic. Social, personal, family, something along those lines. As you seek information about resources for your mother, how long before she is out the door, and will she be out the door regardless of wether or not you have found the resources she would need? Something changed heavily to warrant a possible homeless situation for your mother. It is not for me to judge the problem, but it does seem like the edge of homelessness for her and I am wondering how far you all will push i...
by Shallowpockets
Mon Nov 21, 2022 9:48 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: If we "know" 2023 is going to be a down year........
Replies: 43
Views: 5284

Re: If we "know" 2023 is going to be a down year........

Look at 2022. Personally I am down 17% from Jan 1. In dollars that translates to $329,000. So it looks like I could have bought a damn nice car.
Even just a 2% drop would have gotten me a new car. So if you think 2023 will be down, not even like this year, the car is a no brainer.
by Shallowpockets
Mon Nov 21, 2022 6:25 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Sequence of Health Risk: AKA What Age is it Worth Planning For a Full Life To?
Replies: 73
Views: 9386

Re: Sequence of Health Risk: AKA What Age is it Worth Planning For a Full Life To?

You did a good analysis. I am 72, still traveling. But I can see the validity of older as less. I would say that overall you should concentrate on your health. That is a basic. Because even if you retain interest in activities as you age up, you may not be able to do them. Also anecdotally, you do not see many obese people even living beyond 80. That being one side of health. So assess yourself in that area. Your full life should start now. It needn’t be an all in thing. You could still work and play. At 39, maybe you could take a gap year and see how it goes. Maybe all the things you think you want to do will not occur even then due to some sort of self limitation. It is easy to dream the dream but once in it, 24/7, maybe you will find to ...
by Shallowpockets
Sun Nov 20, 2022 3:39 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Accuracy of the "Monte Carlo" Simulations?
Replies: 128
Views: 10199

Re: Accuracy of the "Monte Carlo" Simulations?

I think I was aware of that tool back when I had a 401(k) at Fidelity. It didn't impact what I was going to do at all for retirement, so I am wondering how you think it will have an impact on your life. For instance, would you save and invest more based on the simulation? Or would you spend more now and not save as much as you could? In any event, I would not bet my life on anything that it told me. But nor would I get any extra "peace of mind" from the output either. Curious. If you doubt the validity of input and that doubt extends to all Monte Carlo simulations, what do you use? Do you do no projection at all of your assets into the future? Do you, as some have said in past like discussions, create your own spreadsheet with yo...
by Shallowpockets
Sun Nov 20, 2022 3:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Accuracy of the "Monte Carlo" Simulations?
Replies: 128
Views: 10199

Re: Accuracy of the "Monte Carlo" Simulations?

What is consensus on the validity of these types of protection tools? I have been using the "significantly below average market" approach to (presumably) be safe. I suspect the consensus answer you receive here will be to dismiss the simulations out-of-hand. There's a distinct anti-intellectual streak among some (though definitely not all) frequent participants. If you asked a group of people with actual professional expertise, you'd get the opposite answer I'm sure. Monte Carlo analysis is a completely legitimate tool but, as with any planning tool, it's only as useful as the inputs are good. I don't know the details of the assumptions that Fidelity includes in their analysis, but if they are using raw historical data as inputs ...
by Shallowpockets
Sun Nov 20, 2022 7:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car with tech bells and whistles that’s not a Tesla
Replies: 63
Views: 6757

Re: Car with tech bells and whistles that’s not a Tesla

I have a Forester. It has sunroof that opens. I rarely use it. I don’t even open the sunroof cover to let in more sun. It makes the interior too bright. That is that on sun roof use. So as a major criteria for buying a car, I would put sun roof way down the list.
by Shallowpockets
Sun Nov 20, 2022 5:32 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Cash in Schwab account - How to earn best interest rate?
Replies: 44
Views: 9116

Re: Cash in Schwab account - How to earn best interest rate?

How much money are you talking about? A home down payment could be anything, I guess, but I will go with 20%. So let’s say the home cost is $1 million. 20% is $100,000.
The best CD rate I have seen was 5.18%. So you reap $5k for a one year CD. However, OP may need the money sooner and could not tie up his money for that long. So any interest rate will be considerably less than 5.18%.
Therefore, a quest to find a great rate of return for your money is doomed to not produce enough to make a lot of work on this issue worth it.
I have a Schwab account and I have not seen any rate that is worth more than a few dollars overall.
by Shallowpockets
Sun Nov 20, 2022 5:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Squared Away: "Spouse in Nursing Home Raises Poverty Risk"
Replies: 43
Views: 5259

Re: Squared Away: "Spouse in Nursing Home Raises Poverty Risk"

When I read this what jumps out at me is the average pay to be in the nursing home is $19,000. That is for average of 9 months and then you die? Immediately I am thinking, can I afford that? Fortunately I can. I know it is simply an average and maybe I would have to pay more, but even at twice that rate, I could afford it. However, the premise of the post is not about me. It is about those who that $19,000 would be a hardship. This is where you get to the point of saying 20-50x annual expenses to be secure in retirement, plus another $19,000. That is simplistic, but you get the point. I don’t know if here may be such a policy one could buy to achieve what OP wants. I am not familiar at all on insurance regarding LTC. An update. I have close...
by Shallowpockets
Fri Nov 18, 2022 12:56 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What "IF" there is a recession?
Replies: 78
Views: 7514

Re: What "IF" there is a recession?

MMiroir wrote: Fri Nov 18, 2022 10:14 am As an economist, we were in a recession earlier in the year. What is happening now is people are responding the earlier recession, which might cause a second recession next year.
There you go. There is an official definition of a recession, but despite that the talking heads have been debating whether or not we are in/were in a recession. So, no one knows until it becomes history and we have a look back.
It sees we are already down quite a bit and the OP should base his question on, what is”, not what if?
by Shallowpockets
Sat Nov 12, 2022 10:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Durable and lightweight bags for International travel
Replies: 46
Views: 4068

Re: Durable and lightweight bags for International travel

Its too simple and cheap to satisfy people but I traveled 200 days a year for decades and this was one of my favorites. https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/classic-backpack Looks like a solid well-priced bag that would make a solid one-bag for everything option. For those put off by the rectangular shape remember airline sizers are all rectangular so bags that maximize available volume within airline limits will be the same (my Aeronaut is the same). All that said I am curious when you bought your RS bag(s)? It sounds like it was once made out of Cordura polyester but over the years has been cheapened somewhat to keep the price low and is now made out of nylon. Still a solid option for the price but it may not be as robust as older version...
by Shallowpockets
Fri Nov 11, 2022 2:05 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can I cancel a call option [and alternatives if not]?
Replies: 45
Views: 3213

Re: Can I cancel a call option [and alternatives if not]?

OP. You sold a covered call for the sake of a total of $90. You did not do your research. You should have known how to buy to close, before you made the CC. This seems to be prevalent among BHs. Fooling around with some sort of fun money at a level that is of little benefit even if it works out. .90 is .36%. You made 90$, so good for you. Excepting now you want to retain the stock, but only because it went up. Now you have visions of greater gains. So exercise a buy to close or buy back the stock again after it exercises. Maybe you can get it for less than you bought it. I would say that a risk of a .90 option should probably be no more than a week out. Maybe better in the last few days before expiry on the Friday. If you do want to retain ...
by Shallowpockets
Thu Nov 10, 2022 12:20 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: The Ten Cheapest Countries to Live in
Replies: 5
Views: 1226

Re: The Ten Cheapest Countries to Live in

Is this a thread for actually moving somewhere or just some speculative discussion to no real end?
Cheapness, healthcare. If that is your criteria then look at it that way. But there are a host of other factors for living somewhere.
by Shallowpockets
Tue Nov 08, 2022 11:29 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Annual Wellness Visit with the Primary doctor
Replies: 15
Views: 3098

Re: Annual Wellness Visit with the Primary doctor

If you tell the doctor when the visit commences (when s/he walks into the exam room) that you would like only the wellness visit and nothing more (no additional billing), that should hopefully do the trick. Every question the doctor asks respond with your desire that visit be kept within the bounds of the wellness visit. Of course, you'll have to schedule an additional, billable visit to discuss anything of consequence. So why not just get it over with in a single appointment? I am not on Medicare yet. Why is the discussion of cholesterol levels outside the realm of the annual physical? My doctor orders bloodwork and we discuss it in relation to my health. Well, you had better school yourself for your future or risk some problems.
by Shallowpockets
Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:53 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New Zealand travel - South Island
Replies: 42
Views: 3801

Re: New Zealand travel - South Island

South Island is large and mountainous. 6 hour drive Christchurch to Queenstown. You are only going for a week or so?
If you want to hike you will have to wing it for day hikes, or plan for longer. Make a plan. Otherwise you will waste time.
I would try a google search. There is a plethora of hikes and things to do.
Physically fit is one thing. Hiking in NZ is another. Mountains and elevation gain.
by Shallowpockets
Tue Nov 08, 2022 7:09 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Detective work on an early medicaid question
Replies: 31
Views: 2318

Re: Detective work on an early medicaid question

Since your friend is bright, why not have her google a lot of this and then she can post here herself. Presently it seems you are going back and forth here to provide info about her situation in reply to posts.
by Shallowpockets
Sun Nov 06, 2022 2:52 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) vs Refinishing Hardwood (HW)
Replies: 47
Views: 6619

Re: Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) vs Refinishing Hardwood (HW)

Journeyman510 wrote: Sat Nov 05, 2022 11:25 pm I'd take into consideration the expectations of future buyers. In my neighborhood LVP is viewed as low end and frowned upon. This is likely market specific.

Wow.
I have no idea of the frowns and such in my neighborhood. Nor do I think that buyers will yeah or nay a house based on flooring alone.
by Shallowpockets
Sat Nov 05, 2022 3:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Math for when or if to trade in a phone
Replies: 27
Views: 3306

Re: Math for when or if to trade in a phone

OP.
You ran the numbers in your post. How much else do you need? Must you parse it down to a penny? Where is the line for you?
Maybe don’t trade in the phone. Use it like a BH car, for twenty years. Average that out. Do you even need a phone at all?
What about your provider costs?
Sometimes math can take you on the crazy route.