Hope and Glory (1988) watched for free as a guest on Youtube.
This is John Boorman's autobiographical account of growing up as a child during WW2 in England. Have always loved it and on re-watching this week, still think it is one of my favorite movies of all time. Wife's too. It starts off a little slowly but builds into a really wonderful and unique remembrance of the war from a child's perspective. Brilliant!
Search found 84 matches
- Fri Mar 08, 2024 5:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
- Replies: 11037
- Views: 2066178
- Fri Mar 08, 2024 5:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Your Original Medicare OR Advantage Experience: Nightmare or Sublime?
- Replies: 156
- Views: 9906
Re: Your Original Medicare OR Advantage Experience: Nightmare or Sublime?
My wife's doctor was an internal medicine specialist and a sole practitioner.
- Fri Mar 08, 2024 9:09 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Your Original Medicare OR Advantage Experience: Nightmare or Sublime?
- Replies: 156
- Views: 9906
Re: Your Original Medicare Experience: Nightmare or Sublime?
OP, we just went on traditional Medicare with a supplement. Before that we consulted with a Medicare specialist who reviewed all of our doctors and meds. She was great (came highly recommended by nurses my wife had previously worked with). She found that my wife's doctor would not take Medicare, and she recommended that she switch doctors before going on Medicare, which we did. Apparently many doctors in our area will keep you as a patient when you transition to Medicare, but not accept new Medicare patients. She gets a commission on the insurance she sells, and is quite up front about that. Highly recommend a consult specific to your own medical history prior to making your decision.
- Fri Feb 09, 2024 2:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What is your favorite book?
- Replies: 186
- Views: 19917
Re: What is your favorite book?
Patrick O'Brian's nautical series starting with "Master and Commander"
- Thu Feb 08, 2024 11:12 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Hawaii Trip: advice
- Replies: 35
- Views: 3655
Re: Hawaii Trip: advice
We go to Hawaii almost every winter to get out of the cold and wet. Maybe 20 trips to Maui, 10 to the Big Island, 5 to Kauai. Assuming you are going to the dry side of any island; Hawaii is stark, volcanic, and big. It takes more driving to get around but many hidden gems there. Maui is the easiest island for me to just relax on. Beaches are close to where we stay, it's pretty, but have not been back since the Lahaina fire. Kauai is gorgeous (Na Pali coast!) gets more rain in the winter than the other islands. To the OP's questions How to split days between islands Never done that. Any island has enough for me to enjoy to last a whole trip. The flights between islands will take a few minutes. Avoid going thru Honolulu. But packing, loading,...
- Fri Feb 02, 2024 12:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
- Replies: 7638
- Views: 1712411
Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
My sister told me about the "Peter Ash" series by Nick Petrie. If you like Lee Child you will probably fine these very good. These books are a treat. Well written and each is fairly unique.
- Wed Jan 31, 2024 4:56 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Concerned my elderly parents are spending too much of retirement portfolio
- Replies: 69
- Views: 10421
Re: Concerned my elderly parents are spending too much of retirement portfolio
"They have been paying signifiant sums over last 20 years (last year $10k) to a local well regarded nursing home with continuing care options and condo like living arrangements. Unfortunately my father was driver of this and my mom unfortunately doesn't know what these payments entitle them to." Like others have said the best service you could provide may be to do a "hygienic scrub" of their spending and see if they have significant outflows for things that they do not want or need. With over $200K in annual spending and a paid for house there is a lot of outflow there, and it appears your mom may not really understand what it is all for. This doesn't have to be judgmental and controlling, more of a service to them, an a...
- Thu Jan 11, 2024 1:41 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Hearing aid use questions
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1266
Re: Hearing aid use questions
Ditto DetroitRick. When I got my first hearing aids my audiologist explained it this way; "Getting hearing aids is not like getting glasses. You don't just automatically get the equivalent of reading the small letters on line 4 the second you turn them on, like you do with a pair of glasses. Hearing is a complex function that involves the brain. Your brain will adjust to the hearing aids and eventually you will get where you will really notice not having them in".
All turned out to be very true. Also had the same "loud annoying sound" experience as OP, which went away shortly after started use.
That said, not wearing the hearing aids for a few hours at bed time is probably not going to be a problem.
All turned out to be very true. Also had the same "loud annoying sound" experience as OP, which went away shortly after started use.
That said, not wearing the hearing aids for a few hours at bed time is probably not going to be a problem.
- Mon Jan 08, 2024 8:50 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Dental Graduate Needing Advice - Max Roth IRA vs. Paying Debt Aggressively?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1905
- Tue Dec 05, 2023 7:33 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Couple buying 1 business class seat and 1 economy seat
- Replies: 49
- Views: 7878
Re: Couple buying 1 business class seat and 1 economy seat
Another anecdotal response; Wife and grandchild were told "no" by flight attendant when switching into first class seats occupied by myself and other grandchild mid-way through Alaska flight to Hawaii last month. On return flight we flight attendant asked first and they were allowed to occupy first class seats for the entirety of the flight even though they were not in their names.
- Mon Nov 13, 2023 2:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best Alaska Cruise (other lst time cruises?), quiet, private, ADA compliant, suite a must.
- Replies: 107
- Views: 9610
Re: Best Alaska Cruise (other lst time cruises?), quiet, private, ADA compliant, suite a must.
A few other points based on your own desires; Cruising is a great way to see Alaska! You can just sit on your balcony and let the scenery go by. Bring binoculars and watch to wildlife, you are often close enough to the shore to see Mountain Goats, Dall Sheep, Eagles. It is an especially great way to see remote country if you have mobility issues. Most of the small cities you will stop in will be packed with tourists. They will mostly be the people on your ship and others in port that day. If you stay on the boat those days you will largely have it to yourselves. If you want to do excursions you might look at the pricier ones that have very limited #'s of places, to avoid crowds. Ask about mobility access to the excursions. Most of the large...
- Mon Sep 11, 2023 4:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Gym etiquette [exhausted-put a fork in it]
- Replies: 82
- Views: 8523
Re: Gym etiquette
Human nature is really interesting, and these responses really prove that! I go to a 24 hour fitness every day. This multiple machine behavior happens a fair amount, but is now dwarfed by people that use machines as long term texting chairs. Since I am not interested in confrontation, and am going to the gym to relax and loosen up, my personal solution to these problems is to have about 20 different machines I can use, and just go to one of the ones that is open if someone else is using what I want. Then I use it, wipe it, and get off it for the next person to use. My feeling is that life is too short to get upset by what is clearly selfish behavior! I can't say I am perfect at not letting it bother me, but just like learning to live with a...
- Wed Sep 06, 2023 1:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Snow chains, AWD, or both for winter mountain driving?
- Replies: 75
- Views: 5414
Re: Snow chains, AWD, or both for winter mountain driving?
Added consideration is that many new cars do not have clearance for tire chains anymore. My 2021 Tacoma 4x4 only has clearance in the rear. My 2010 Tundra 4x4 that was not a problem.
- Fri Sep 01, 2023 4:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to pay for a new vehicle with cash?
- Replies: 80
- Views: 7154
Re: How to pay for a new vehicle with cash?
This can be surprisingly difficult to do.
I have had to remove a credit freeze so they could run my credit before they would take a check
I have had the dealer refuse to hold a vehicle for me over the weekend with a cc down payment, to allow me to return with a cashier's check on Monday
It might be fun to bring a big wad of cash (over 10k) to a dealership, but I suspect that they wouldn't take it due to concern over federal money laundering rules
I have had to remove a credit freeze so they could run my credit before they would take a check
I have had the dealer refuse to hold a vehicle for me over the weekend with a cc down payment, to allow me to return with a cashier's check on Monday
It might be fun to bring a big wad of cash (over 10k) to a dealership, but I suspect that they wouldn't take it due to concern over federal money laundering rules
- Fri Aug 18, 2023 2:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Thoughts on Gainbridge OneUp Annuity?
- Replies: 75
- Views: 5670
Re: Thoughts on Gainbridge OneUp Annuity?
I am not as smart as most of those posting on this thread, but it you can get the SP500 return through any number of cheap indexing products through many reputable companies with transparent cost and return information.
You can add the potential of an additional 1% with this product, but to do that you need to lock up your money for years and trust that this company has not hidden a bunch of expenses in an encyclopedic prospectus that even experts may have difficulty parsing out.
Seems like a pretty bad risk/reward situation to me.
You can add the potential of an additional 1% with this product, but to do that you need to lock up your money for years and trust that this company has not hidden a bunch of expenses in an encyclopedic prospectus that even experts may have difficulty parsing out.
Seems like a pretty bad risk/reward situation to me.
- Wed Aug 16, 2023 12:35 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Planning Kauai Visit - Reccomendations for First-Timer
- Replies: 36
- Views: 4609
Re: Planning Kauai Visit - Reccomendations for First-Timer
Lots of good advice already. I will second the Na Pali cruise as a must, Also if you are ever going to ride a helicopter anywhere in your life, than do it with a helicopter tour of Kauai. Unbelievable scenery and some of the terrain is so steep and spectacular that there is literally no other way to see it.
As a fellow amateur boogie boarder who has paid the price of bad decisions I do have one bit of personal advice on boogie boarding or surfing in Hawaii. If you are not an expert, and you see a lot of young Hawaiians rushing towards the ocean with surfboards and boogie boards to play in the spectacular surf, STAY OUT! It will be too rough for you
As a fellow amateur boogie boarder who has paid the price of bad decisions I do have one bit of personal advice on boogie boarding or surfing in Hawaii. If you are not an expert, and you see a lot of young Hawaiians rushing towards the ocean with surfboards and boogie boards to play in the spectacular surf, STAY OUT! It will be too rough for you
- Tue Aug 15, 2023 7:48 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Wild Caught vs Farm Raised Fish
- Replies: 92
- Views: 10571
Re: Wild Caught vs Farm Raised Fish
Each summer the largest salmon fishery in the world occurs in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Fresh sockeye are caught in the millions. These are generally available fresh, at least on the west coast. My Costco has them for $9.99 a pound. They are deep red, high in fat content, mild flavored, and in my opinion the best eating salmon around. The season of availability is limited to several weeks and peaks around July 4th, but they were still available in Oregon last weekend. I literally cringe when I see shoppers buying farm raised Atlantic salmon for $14.99 a pound that are displayed right next to the wild caught sockeye. All wild caught salmon are subject to run timing and the availability, taste, and quality of the various other wild-caught salmon i...
- Tue Aug 08, 2023 1:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: $900+ Plumber Bill for 1 Hour Work
- Replies: 81
- Views: 9022
Re: $900+ Plumber Bill for 1 Hour Work
There seems to be a new, post-covid reality for any trades work;
Pre-covid - get recommendations, check references, get 3 bids, select the best, get the work done.
Post-covid - "You mean you will actually will take the job? I've been trying to get someone to return my calls for months!"
Very frustrating
Pre-covid - get recommendations, check references, get 3 bids, select the best, get the work done.
Post-covid - "You mean you will actually will take the job? I've been trying to get someone to return my calls for months!"
Very frustrating
- Thu Aug 03, 2023 2:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How much state pension to leave spouse?
- Replies: 46
- Views: 4133
Re: How much state pension to leave spouse?
In addition to SRT7's clarification Not sure "give" is correct either. Here in Oregon if you are married at the time of retirement your choice requires spousal consent. In divorce your pension assets are treated as a joint asset.
- Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:16 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Maui or Scotland trip with kids?
- Replies: 72
- Views: 6117
Re: Maui or Scotland trip with kids?
True story: watching the weather report in Maui in December a few years ago and the forecaster turned to the camera and said (without irony) "tomorrow we will have the best weather on the planet". I doubt that happens in Scotland very often.
- Tue Jun 13, 2023 2:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Pinot Noir on the lower end?
- Replies: 96
- Views: 10208
Re: Pinot Noir on the lower end?
We drink pinot as our go to red wine. Jumping in for Oregon pinots in the OP price range. One that has not been mentioned is "Wine by Joe" from Dobbes Family Estate in the Willamette Valley. It is sub $14 here in Oregon. Also would agree with those that mentioned the Kirkland bottlings at Costco. They often have Pinots available - I've seen California and Oregon AVAs. Those are almost always worth a shot and are generally bottled by named producers incognito. There are web-pages out there with people guessing "who produced the Kirkland Carneros Pinot Noir of 2021...?"
- Thu Jun 08, 2023 7:34 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Home Warranty
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1195
Re: Home Warranty
We have a home warranty on a house we bought last year and just had our AC fixed. It covered some, but not all of the expense - ended up spending $1,095 for a new coil and the multiple visits. Without any expertise I have no way of knowing if the coverage saved us thousands, nothing, or something in between. I do know that we now have working AC. Several other claims for appliance issues. A few things to note - I think the companies low ball vendors on what they will pay, which means in the current environment they don't get the best - those people already have more work than they can handle. You don't get to pick the vendors, they do. We have had many problems with scheduling, general rudeness, and no shows (But then that is reality withou...
- Thu May 25, 2023 8:00 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Home Purchase Hawaii
- Replies: 16
- Views: 2052
Re: Home Purchase Hawaii
I don't think this is a traditional "timeshare", this is 67% partial ownership of a unit. So you are going to have some sort of relationship with the other owners if you buy, and will only at most be able to occupy the unit 2/3 of the time. I would anticipate that most of these units are used by owners for vacations and then rented out the rest of the time as vacation rentals. One issue not discussed is in a complex like this your HOA dues will be very high, as they will be paying for maintenance, etc. Think thousands per month on top of your mortgage. That price for a 2/2 oceanfront on Maui is actually quite low, so some due diligence is needed there as well. Rental units need renovation and upgrades regularly. That one looks OK ...
- Thu Aug 04, 2022 2:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Stock up +28075.96%, what would you do?
- Replies: 71
- Views: 8029
Re: Stock up +28075.96%, what would you do?
Ask yourself which you'd hate worse, holding on to your stock and watching it go to zero, or selling your stock and watching it go up another 1,000%.
- Tue Apr 19, 2022 2:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Maui, Hawaii Trip: Need Restaurants recommendations
- Replies: 64
- Views: 6610
Re: Maui, Hawaii Trip: Need Restaurants recommendations
If you want a simple, cheap (for Maui) breakfast or lunch place walk down the beach trail a half a mile or so to Castaways Cafe. Food is nothing special but they are friendly and it is a fantastic location.
- Tue Jan 25, 2022 3:20 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: When are tires too old??
- Replies: 91
- Views: 9083
Re: When are tires too old??
In Oregon tire shops will not repair, rotate, or work on tires that are more than 10 years old. Liability issues? Not sure if there is a law.
- Tue Aug 17, 2021 2:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Buy vs Lease
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2700
Re: Buy vs Lease
I have been in Squirm's camp for longer than I care to admit, but am starting to wonder if this strategy will continue to work with all of the high priced and complicated electronics in cars now. Average repair bill for a Toyota Tacoma was said to be $3,500 by salesman when I purchase my new truck a few months ago. Could it be time to shift to "somebody else's problem" to repair and maintain? Thoughts?
- Mon Aug 02, 2021 3:55 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: The FED- Help me understand how their owning Treasuries & mortgage securities works- NOT POLITICS Just Banking theory
- Replies: 20
- Views: 3477
Re: The FED- Help me understand how their owning Treasuries & mortgage securities works- NOT POLITICS Just Banking theor
I think there may be a point being missed here, in that the Fed "purchases" these securities by directly creating the money that goes to the seller, independent of any governmental limit or restriction. As I understand it, there is no limit to the Fed's ability to do this (practical, not political). This increases the money supply without directly indebting the government. If the federal government purchases something there is some sort of authorization by the political establishment - an appropriation, a bond issue, etc. which does indebt the government, so the Fed and the Federal Government are fundamentally different in this way. That is my understanding, at any rate.
- Thu Jul 08, 2021 5:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Filing a life insurance claim
- Replies: 24
- Views: 2606
Re: Filing a life insurance claim
We are going through this now with my niece. My sister passed away recently and when my niece (adopted only child, no spouse for my sister) contacted the company as the assumed beneficiary they would not answer any questions about the policy without her being named as an executor. Turns out (we think, still working this through) that the policy, purchased before my niece was adopted, lists "the estate of..." as the beneficiary. Will trigger probate and extra costs that all could have been avoided with an updated beneficiary designation. I know for a fact that my sister intended everything to go to her daughter, but....
- Tue Jun 22, 2021 4:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Charter, NetJets, WheelsUp
- Replies: 95
- Views: 14924
Re: Charter, NetJets, WheelsUp
Will never get to this point myself, but to go back to the original question I would think that if the annual entry point is something like Sentient - 25-HOUR PRICE: $147,275; HOURLY RATE: $5,891, then wouldn't the "when I switched question" for a Boglehead be something like "$147k is only X times what I am paying for air travel each year now, and for this increase I get Y improvement in services, convenience, privacy, (or whatever other factors are important to you), so it's worth it and a good value for me.
- Tue Jun 01, 2021 3:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What are your travel plans in 2021 and beyond?
- Replies: 350
- Views: 36369
Re: What are your travel plans in 2021 and beyond?
Current State Department Travel Advisory list;
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... ries.html/
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... ries.html/
- Fri May 28, 2021 5:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Homeowners Insurance - Aren't they all the same? [Quotes Included]
- Replies: 48
- Views: 7013
Re: Homeowners Insurance - Aren't they all the same?
100% agree that service is more important in insurance than price. Just had our the wood floors refinished in our entire single story house after a dishwasher leak that wrecked about 25 square feet of oak flooring. The insurance adjuster told me - "there is no way to refinish part of contiguous wood floors without leaving a line". Also paid for removing and replacing all the furniture and a hotel stay while work was done and the floor dried. This is our third claim with the same company and agent over 35 years. They have probably lost money on us personally but all my kids and several of my friends are customers for life. Just got the new homeowners insurance statement for renewal. Cost went up $100 - I don't think it was even rel...
- Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:56 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: TurboTax update unemployment
- Replies: 25
- Views: 2470
Re: TurboTax update unemployment
From CNBC news story on the unemployment taxation change, posted 3/22/21;
"TurboTax plans to issue an update for its desktop software on Friday, a spokeswoman said."
"TurboTax plans to issue an update for its desktop software on Friday, a spokeswoman said."
- Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:38 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: TurboTax update unemployment
- Replies: 25
- Views: 2470
Re: TurboTax update unemployment
This is still not working as of 3/25/21. Deleted unemployment, re-entered, including federal tax withheld, Forms view is showing unemployment included in total income on line 9, therefor taxes owed calculation is applied to income including unemployment after standard deduction applied ????
- Tue Oct 06, 2020 11:51 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Who is your favorite fiction author and what is your favorite book of theirs?
- Replies: 284
- Views: 30271
Re: Who is your favorite fiction author and what is your favorite book of theirs?
Great thread!!! Thanks for all the new suggestions and reminders of old favorites.
One author I have not seen here yet is Deon Meyer. Current South African Mystery writer, very gritty, good, and a whole different world for me - police work in post-apartheid South Africa.
But my recommended book of his to start is not a mystery, but particularly appropriate for today's world - "Fever" - about a pandemic and post-pandemic survival, also set in South Africa.
One author I have not seen here yet is Deon Meyer. Current South African Mystery writer, very gritty, good, and a whole different world for me - police work in post-apartheid South Africa.
But my recommended book of his to start is not a mystery, but particularly appropriate for today's world - "Fever" - about a pandemic and post-pandemic survival, also set in South Africa.
- Sun Oct 04, 2020 1:38 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: 60/40 days are over? - Vanguard Balanced Fund -Inconsistent return
- Replies: 26
- Views: 5234
Re: 60/40 days are over? - Vanguard Balanced Fund -Inconsistent return
Actually;
VBIAX 1 year 12.54%; 3 year 9.52%; 5 year 10.11%; 10 year 9.73%
vs.
VWELX 1 year 7.55%; 3 year 8.13%; 5 year 9.90%; 10 year 9.61%
I noticed the underperformance of Wellington vs. Balanced a while ago and sold out and into Balanced. Another active fund (albeit a great one) bites the dust.
VBIAX 1 year 12.54%; 3 year 9.52%; 5 year 10.11%; 10 year 9.73%
vs.
VWELX 1 year 7.55%; 3 year 8.13%; 5 year 9.90%; 10 year 9.61%
I noticed the underperformance of Wellington vs. Balanced a while ago and sold out and into Balanced. Another active fund (albeit a great one) bites the dust.
- Thu Oct 01, 2020 4:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Olympic NP from Eastern WA
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1010
Re: Olympic NP from Eastern WA
I drive from Portland to Forks regularly. Hwy 12 from I-5 West is fine, 2 lane to 4 lane. Hoquiam - Aberdeen is a long slow stretch just because the road runs all the way thru two towns, lots of lights. Fuel up there if you use that route because 101 north to Forks is pretty much open two lane through forest land (reservation, public and private). Nice stretches right along the ocean in Olympic NP. Very few services from Aberdeen to Forks.
If you go that "southern route" you should avoid the Seattle area and a whole lot of traffic aggravation. You can also decide to loop back via Hood Canal and the bridges and ferries if you want a change of scenery on the way home.
If you go that "southern route" you should avoid the Seattle area and a whole lot of traffic aggravation. You can also decide to loop back via Hood Canal and the bridges and ferries if you want a change of scenery on the way home.
- Wed Sep 16, 2020 5:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: "Refinance" mortgage for a family member @ 2%?
- Replies: 46
- Views: 3834
Re: "Refinance" mortgage for a family member @ 2%?
I have done this. Suggest you start here with Jonathan Clement's story;
https://humbledollar.com/money-guide/my ... or-hannah/
And then here if you want to pursue;
https://www.nationalfamilymortgage.com/
Our relative has since refinanced out of this mortgage and paid us off. In the end, the fear was that if the relative got into trouble and needed money, we could always help, but if they got into trouble and couldn't pay the mortgage, we were not going to foreclose, so we might have been out the total value of the loan.
However, service was professional, would recommend this company if you decide to do it.
https://humbledollar.com/money-guide/my ... or-hannah/
And then here if you want to pursue;
https://www.nationalfamilymortgage.com/
Our relative has since refinanced out of this mortgage and paid us off. In the end, the fear was that if the relative got into trouble and needed money, we could always help, but if they got into trouble and couldn't pay the mortgage, we were not going to foreclose, so we might have been out the total value of the loan.
However, service was professional, would recommend this company if you decide to do it.
- Tue Aug 25, 2020 2:40 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Refinance Mega Thread
- Replies: 12862
- Views: 1265164
Re: Refinance Mega Thread
Applying with Better.com and trying to get a counter offer to negotiate from Loan Cabin. Applied with Loan Cabin Thursday, August 20th. Have heard nothing back. Emailed to inquire about status of a quote and got this message from Loan Cabin this morning, August 25th; Hello, Thank you for your interest in Loan Cabin. Due to high volume we are experiencing longer than usual turn times. We are working diligently to do our best to get back to all our customers as fast as we can. As of today, we are reviewing all refinance applications submitted on 07. 30. 2020. All purchase applciations are being reviewed within 24-48 hours. Thank you for your patience. We are confident this will be worth the wait being Loan Cabin offers the best rates with no ...
- Fri Aug 23, 2019 3:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Optional Life Insurance (through employer)?
- Replies: 34
- Views: 2132
Re: Optional Life Insurance (through employer)?
From the perspective of someone at the other end of this age equation (term policy just ending, re-upping for another 10 years would cost many $thousands per year), I'd say - buy it yourself after shopping around. Buying a long, level premium term insurance policy is probably the first financial thing anyone with dependents should do - before investing, buying a house, etc. It's really cheap when you are young. The risk of dying is low (that's why it's cheap) but the consequences of being uninsured for your dependents is devastating if it should happen. Pick a good solid insurance company. Get more than you think you need, for longer than you think you need. The premiums will look ridiculously small in 20 years. It's not for you, it's for t...
- Wed Jan 23, 2019 5:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cleaning cast iron skillet
- Replies: 37
- Views: 3510
Re: Cleaning cast iron skillet
So here is a rather astounding trick that I have seen done with cast iron skillets myself. It will be the "nuclear option", so only use when you are about to toss the skillet out; WARNING: This could be both dangerous and also cause cracking if the skillet is flawed. It does work on old, crusty, rusty skillets though. Go camping or some other place where you can build a good fire. Use hardwood or other fuel that can really develop some coals. Build a fire as hot as you can get, and get a bed of coals that is really red hot and big enough to completely bury the skillet. Put the skillet in the fire, cover with coals, and keep the fire going until the skillet is red hot - and I mean glowing, cherry red. Let the fire die down - at lea...
- Wed Dec 05, 2018 1:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best values at Costco? Honestly, a little disappointed...
- Replies: 188
- Views: 27323
Re: Best values at Costco? Honestly, a little disappointed...
We shop at Costco for many of the items that others have mentioned (wine, meat, electronics, household essentials like laundry and bathroom products, etc.) because of prices and because their quality is better. Their meat in particular is just a higher grade than I can find elsewhere.
One other thing that has not been mentioned - Costco stores in Hawaii have virtually the same items, at the same prices, as the mainland. They are located near the airports on the islands we go to and we save an incredible amount of money compared to what things used to cost there. I don't know how they do it. In addition to tourists, the stores are packed with Hawaiians, so I think they appreciate Costco on the islands as well.
One other thing that has not been mentioned - Costco stores in Hawaii have virtually the same items, at the same prices, as the mainland. They are located near the airports on the islands we go to and we save an incredible amount of money compared to what things used to cost there. I don't know how they do it. In addition to tourists, the stores are packed with Hawaiians, so I think they appreciate Costco on the islands as well.
- Sun Jul 22, 2018 1:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Buy house for retired mother?
- Replies: 72
- Views: 6382
- Fri Jun 01, 2018 2:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Top Shelf Liquor Overrated?
- Replies: 191
- Views: 25900
Re: Top Shelf Liquor Overrated?
The NPR podcast on vodka was an absolute hoot! thanks for posting, we have a friend who has to drink Gray Goose and I can't wait to share it with her. For those commenters on wine specifically, there is a pretty empirical test to at least prove that there is a discernable difference in taste in wines - the master sommelier test requires that you taste wines from around the world blind. You must be able to distinguish vintage, grape varietal, wine growing region, etc. It is incredibly difficult, but it can be done. Whether the differences are "worth it" in price is entirely your own judgement. Sadly, I find that with age my palate is deteriorating and I can't really tell that much difference between a $20 and a $100 bottle of Orego...
- Thu Apr 12, 2018 2:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Partial shift from bond funds to CD ladder
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1890
Re: Partial shift from bond funds to CD ladder
I frankly don't understand the math of the argument for investing a bunch of cash in bond funds as interest rates rise vs. CDs as a short - medium term strategy. I know that this is a form of market timing, but it appears to be as close to a sure thing in that regard as you are going to get, with a very low risk - if rates go down or stay stable instead of going up - what have you lost? I am in the same boat as OP, rolled a retirement plan into a Fidelity IRA, large amount of cash, desired AA of 45/55, but I can't bring myself to invest in a bond fund that is pretty much guaranteed to lose 5% or so in NAV if the Fed does what they say they will do. Please explain why, if these admittedly impossible to guarantee assumptions come true, it is ...
- Sun Dec 31, 2017 10:57 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Share your net worth progression
- Replies: 4273
- Views: 1072022
Re: Share your net worth progression
1997 $112,087
2002 $277,833
2005 $445,347
2007 $712,314
2009 $668,436
2012 $1,003,300
2015 $1,279,405
2017 $1,522,385
I am 64 and this is basically the progression since I stopped trying to be smarter than everyone else and instead implemented the Boglehead philosophy. We have been lucky - Two earner couple, good jobs, gross return right at 15% per year (including our own contributions), but we are basically just W-2 income people who paid ourselves first. My only regret is that I am not articulate enough to explain how simple this is to others in my family!
2002 $277,833
2005 $445,347
2007 $712,314
2009 $668,436
2012 $1,003,300
2015 $1,279,405
2017 $1,522,385
I am 64 and this is basically the progression since I stopped trying to be smarter than everyone else and instead implemented the Boglehead philosophy. We have been lucky - Two earner couple, good jobs, gross return right at 15% per year (including our own contributions), but we are basically just W-2 income people who paid ourselves first. My only regret is that I am not articulate enough to explain how simple this is to others in my family!
- Tue Nov 21, 2017 2:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Trip to Hawaii - what do I need to know
- Replies: 54
- Views: 8574
Re: Trip to Hawaii - what do I need to know
Actual TV weather forecast from Maui in January, 2011:
...Trades winds this, surf that, yada, yada, yada (weatherman looks directly into the camera) "to summarize folks, tomorrow we will have the best weather on the planet"
...Trades winds this, surf that, yada, yada, yada (weatherman looks directly into the camera) "to summarize folks, tomorrow we will have the best weather on the planet"
- Thu Sep 28, 2017 7:42 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: The Expert's Dilemma - How can I know I'm getting a good physician without being one myself?
- Replies: 199
- Views: 17157
Re: The Expert's Dilemma - How can I know I'm getting a good physician without being one myself?
You could also ask a nurse who works with patients recovering from your procedure who they would use.
- Thu Sep 28, 2017 7:37 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Good camping sleeping pad
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2270
Re: Good camping sleeping pad
Roll a Cot with a Thermarest pad to fill in the "sag" between the metal bars (exists on any cot in my experience), topped with a 3" foam pad, along with a nice pillow from home.
- Sun Sep 24, 2017 6:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: california homeowners - do you have earthquake insurance?
- Replies: 97
- Views: 14594
Re: california homeowners - do you have earthquake insurance?
We live in Oregon and have been told that before our house is even eligible for earthquake insurance it would require a retrofit (est. cost at least $15-20k). Do those of you in California not have this requirement?