Search found 1500 matches

by bligh
Tue Feb 27, 2024 10:45 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: I Bonds Mega Thread (I Bond Heads Rejoice!)
Replies: 6658
Views: 1241476

Re: I Bonds Mega Thread (I Bond Heads Rejoice!)

In theory the better buy would be to buy TIPS in tax deferred accounts right now with their higher yield. Being in a high tax state, one variable I am considering is that when it comes time to withdraw from my tax deferred accounts, I will lose the state tax savings on those TIPS (I believe that taking distributions from my tax deferred account will count as income against both state and federal). Meanwhile, the I Bond offers me more tax deferred savings, while simultaneously saving on the state taxes when I do choose to sell. It's a tough call. To add to that, as a long term buyer, with the awesome real yields on long term TIPS I too have been wondering if I want to buy I Bonds at the current fixed rate or wait till they announce the May r...
by bligh
Thu Feb 08, 2024 12:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Accumulators, what's your response to inflation?
Replies: 146
Views: 13109

Re: Accumulators, what's your response to inflation?

I'm curious to learn what others are doing. Are you cutting the "wants" budget so that your savings rate remains the same as the cost of "needs" increases? Pursuing a side gig? Planning to work longer before FIRE? I have been adjusting my nominal FIRE number upwards to keep up with Inflation. Consequently it is now 20% higher than it was in 2020, which means I must work and save for longer. Unfortunately the 20% higher withdrawal rate will also result in higher marginal taxes and so result in a larger tax burden during retirement. It sucks, But you play the hand you're dealt. Tax brackets are adjusted for inflation. Of course, that is national inflation, not your personal inflation, but it does mitigate this effect. Tha...
by bligh
Mon Feb 05, 2024 11:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Accumulators, what's your response to inflation?
Replies: 146
Views: 13109

Re: Accumulators, what's your response to inflation?

SavinMaven wrote: Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:01 pm
I'm curious to learn what others are doing. Are you cutting the "wants" budget so that your savings rate remains the same as the cost of "needs" increases? Pursuing a side gig? Planning to work longer before FIRE?
I have been adjusting my nominal FIRE number upwards to keep up with Inflation.

Consequently it is now 20% higher than it was in 2020, which means I must work and save for longer.

Unfortunately the 20% higher withdrawal rate will also result in higher marginal taxes and so result in a larger tax burden during retirement.

It sucks, But you play the hand you're dealt.
by bligh
Mon Jan 22, 2024 7:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 529 help requested for "My Three Sons"
Replies: 17
Views: 1863

Re: 529 help requested for "My Three Sons"

100% of funds you will need in 5-10 years is a bit risky. The usual guidance I have seen is to tilt more heavily into fixed income as the kids approach college age.
by bligh
Tue Jan 02, 2024 11:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: At what net worth did you start not sweating the "small stuff"
Replies: 137
Views: 28591

Re: At what net worth did you start not sweating the "small stuff"

Your networth impacts what you consider to be "small stuff". Not whether you choose "sweat" it or not.

$5 @ 100K networth is about what $50 is @ $1 mil networth, or $250 is @ $5 mil networth.

I have never fussed about the small stuff, but I have noticed (perhaps to my detriment) that as my net worth has grown (or perhaps as I have aged) I find myself treating larger and larger sums as "small stuff".
by bligh
Tue Nov 07, 2023 9:29 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying a 120k car... yes, I need your help
Replies: 275
Views: 34109

Re: Buying a 120k car... yes, I need your help

Personally, I would build up my networth some more if I was you. Get some of the benefit of that compounding going.

But honestly, you can afford it. If it will bring you joy and it’s worth it to you, I say go for it. After all that is what we earn for.
by bligh
Wed Oct 18, 2023 12:04 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Theory Question: Can the stock market (US or total world) grow forever?
Replies: 38
Views: 2294

Re: Theory Question: Can the stock market (US or total world) grow forever?

I mean eventually the sun is expected to enlarge and Scorch our planet and long after that we do predict the heat death of the universe. So eventually it will have to end someday. But, it can go on for long enough that, when it does stop growing, it doesn’t matter. For example: 1) In a base case, capitalism and science continue to deliver the goods and prosperity continues to grow into the far future .. for millions upon millions of years. Ie. Yes, it goes on long enough that rit doesn’t matter. 2) In the worst case, some kind of calamity/tragedy ends us all in which case, it once again doesn’t matter. 3) In the best case, we develop some kind of new system/technology where capitalism doesn’t need to exist and we live in the garden of Eden....
by bligh
Wed Oct 11, 2023 12:31 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What duration is an iBond?
Replies: 24
Views: 3102

Re: What duration is an iBond?

Beyond the first year lock in period and the 5 year interest penalty. Its duration is basically zero… same as cash.

It’s basically a tax deferred inflation indexed savings account.
by bligh
Fri Oct 06, 2023 1:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is VMFXX a safe place for an Emergency Fund?
Replies: 9
Views: 1644

Re: Is VMFXX a safe place for an Emergency Fund?

It's very safe.

Not as safe as an FDIC insured account or a T Bill, but safe enough that I would sleep fine holding my emergency fund in it.
by bligh
Thu Oct 05, 2023 8:22 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: The role of home equity in retirement
Replies: 42
Views: 5221

Re: The role of home equity in retirement

Home equity for us is primarily a safety net if things go completely off the rails. Otherwise the plan is to leave it as a parting gift for our kids.
by bligh
Tue Oct 03, 2023 8:52 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Selling EE Bonds purchased in the last few years
Replies: 5
Views: 866

Re: Selling EE Bonds purchased in the last few years

Wwwdotcom wrote: Tue Oct 03, 2023 6:51 pm Thanks for the reminder. I need to do the same. Ironically, purchasing eebonds turned out to be a good deal relative to long bonds. FYI, I would find the eebonds Excel sheet people have shared here for the effective yield, to make sure you are making an optimal decision.
Yup, I have been referring to this post that helpfully included the breakeven yield by EE bond age: viewtopic.php?p=6245071#p6245071
by bligh
Tue Oct 03, 2023 4:10 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: we may be close to a bottom
Replies: 36
Views: 4191

Re: we may be close to a bottom

Don't think we are close to a bottom. But I am sticking to my asset allocation, because I know I suck at predicting the future.
by bligh
Tue Oct 03, 2023 4:08 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 529 Plan
Replies: 16
Views: 1225

Re: 529 Plan

The big advantage of the 529 plan is the tax shelter it provides. Both putting money in (depending on what state you live in) and when taking money out (provided you spend them on the appropriate way). The decision to put it in a CD could be mirrored by putting it in a Money market/short term reserves fund within you 529 plan (provided your plan has that option). It's just a decision on how aggressively or conservatively you want the funds invested. The longer you leave your money invested in the 529 plan, the greater the tax benefit. If I had already decided I was going to make a contribution to the 529 plan, and it made sense for my needs, I wouldn't delay contributing to the 529 plan. Now your decision to go to a more conservative asset ...
by bligh
Tue Oct 03, 2023 3:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Selling EE Bonds purchased in the last few years
Replies: 5
Views: 866

Selling EE Bonds purchased in the last few years

Hi All, So I am thinking of selling the EE bonds I purchased back in 2020 and 2021 as part of my EE bond ladder (I did not buy this year and last due to the rising rate environment). I'll likely keep ones that are older than that, but figured that the current treasury bond yields beat the EE Bond YTM by a good enough margin that I do not see a need to keep my cash locked in for the next 17-18 years. I plan to buy stocks in taxable with the money redeemed from the EE Bonds, and sell stocks to buy BND/BIV (Vanguard Total Bond, Vanguard Intermediate Bond) in my tax deferred account by the same amount. I am doing it this way because I am currently in a high tax bracket and that was one of the reasons I was buying EE Bonds to begin with (to expa...
by bligh
Sat Sep 16, 2023 4:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: iPad purchase considerations (lower/entry level)
Replies: 27
Views: 2115

Re: iPad purchase considerations (lower/entry level)

Compare the price with that of the last generation M1 iPad Pro. Certified refurbished from Apple if available.

I think that is the price /performance / storage capacity sweet spot at the moment.
by bligh
Sat Sep 16, 2023 1:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tesla savings vs used ICE cars
Replies: 360
Views: 89970

Re: Tesla savings vs used ICE cars

You have to do the math really. There are five inputs in to the equation. 1) Cost of gas in your area and your expectation of the average price of gas over say the next 10 years. (You mentioned you are in Cali. There is a reason the Tesla Model 3 is referred to as the California Camry.) 2) Cost of electricity for you and your expectation of the average cost of electricity. (Do you have cheap electricity, or solar?) 3) How many miles do you expect to drive annually. 4) Additional costs associated with driving a more expensive car. (eg insurance & registration) 5) Estimated savings on routine maintenance (oil changes, services, transmission fluid flushes, etc.) When it was time for me to buy a new car, I plugged in the numbers into a spre...
by bligh
Fri Sep 15, 2023 10:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Family/kid friendly resorts in Baja?
Replies: 34
Views: 3432

Re: Family/kid friendly resorts in Baja?

My 2 cents since I have benefited so greatly off the advice from this community during my own travels. My family (with two pre-teen kids) just spent this labor day weekend in Cabo San Lucas. Over the time we were there, we explored around the marina, the main street near the marina, and through the city to Medano beach. At no point did I feel even a little bit unsafe. Infact, on the beach, I saw some tourists leave their belongings covered with a towel and unattended, which surprised me (I did not do this). The only time I was reminded that there could be danger was when I saw how heavily armed the Marina security team was. But I have seen equally heavily armed guards (actually sometimes, more heavily armed) at various tourist sites in West...
by bligh
Fri Sep 08, 2023 1:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should I have a 529?
Replies: 217
Views: 22571

Re: Should I have a 529?

ThankYouJack wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:21 pm
....
I think it's good to run some estimates for different examples, because many (most?) may not save thousands.

Say I put $200k in a 529 and it grows to $300k. I then cash flow college, but if my future capital gains are taxed at 0% fed, 4% state - going with a 529 saves me just $400 out of $300k, right?
My math says that 4% on a $100K in taxable capital gains is $4,000.
by bligh
Sat Aug 26, 2023 9:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Pay extra to mortgage or invest
Replies: 69
Views: 6337

Re: Pay extra to mortgage or invest

If I was in your shoes my math would boil down to:

1) How stable is your household income? How likely are you or your SO to get laid off in the next recession?

2) Do you have significant liquid assets? In a worst case scenario, Could you go a year or two selling taxable investments if you cut back on non essential expenses? This would also be used to cover emergencies.

A guaranteed 7.2% tax free rate of return is incredibly tempting. The only downside is the lack of liquidity. You would have to sell your house or refinance to pull that money back out. Once the lack of liquidity is no longer an issue, it is a no brainer as an investment
by bligh
Fri Aug 18, 2023 3:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Rethinking "Keep Your Car for Ten Years"
Replies: 466
Views: 49612

Re: Rethinking "Keep Your Car for Ten Years"

I wonder about this too. One of my cars is 12 years old and the way it's going, has many years still left to go. It's a Honda. I am going to be keeping it at least another 3 years, but quite possibly much longer. My other car is a Tesla. The longevity for this car remains to be seen. I have serious concerns about the build quality and the electronics and the cost of repair if/when they break outside of warranty. However, at the same time, the simplicity of the battery/motor design makes me feel like the drivetrain on this car could easily last longer than my Honda. It will be very interesting to see how it plays out. My plan is to wait and see the experience of others who have purchased Teslas before me. I do not see any benefit in coming u...
by bligh
Thu Aug 17, 2023 3:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: YouTube Premium
Replies: 29
Views: 3835

Re: YouTube Premium

We subscribe to Youtube Premium for the family. It includes Youtube Music which lets you use the app to stream music on Youtube, and download it to your device. We find the cost for the family plan to be quite reasonable and we get a ton of use out of it.
by bligh
Fri Aug 04, 2023 4:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cost of transport in Switzerland
Replies: 23
Views: 2151

Re: Cost of transport in Switzerland

Raybo wrote: Fri Aug 04, 2023 1:22 am I just returned from some bike touring in Switzerland. I have no comment about train tickets, but *everything* is expensive in Switzerland. Wait until you get the bill for a bottle of water in a Swiss restaurant or for a plate of pasta.

I found the prices for food in supermarkets to be a bit more reasonable.

If you want to save money, travel on the Italian side of the border. Some of the same sights at 1/3 of the price.
So, I asked for tap water the night after seeing how much bottled water cost at restaurants. Imagine my surprise when I got charged for tap water too. :sharebeer
by bligh
Sat Jul 29, 2023 9:52 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Site to track your investments
Replies: 39
Views: 4474

Re: Site to track your investments

i would think so... but right now that is not the option.. any other ideas? why is right now not the option? when would it be the right option? Not the OP, but I have my investments with separate brokerages because I am getting benefits/rewards for them that work out for me (One example for me is BofA Premium Rewards where you get a point multiplier on your credit card cash back). To the OP: I do not use it, but I have heard good things about personal capital. I believe they changed their name to Empower now. I personally use a combination of two things to track my accounts/investments 1) Spreadsheet (this is my primary means of managing/monitoring my investments) 2) Quicken (this is a secondary, prettier to look at means of managing/monit...
by bligh
Wed Jul 26, 2023 8:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Amex Platinum in 2023 - worth it to hold and use?
Replies: 63
Views: 9786

Re: Amex Platinum in 2023 - worth it to hold and use?

Startled Cat wrote: Wed Jul 26, 2023 5:02 pm
johnjay06 wrote: Wed Jul 26, 2023 4:58 pm Don't forget the AMEX offers. You can score some pretty decent ones sometimes
But you don't need a premium card for Amex offers.
As a clarification, I have multiple Amex cards (plat, gold and blue) and I see different offers on each. They can overlap, but they are not the same. I recently made use of two offers that were only present on the plat, and have one offer that I plan to make use of next month that only showed up on the blue.
by bligh
Tue Jul 18, 2023 4:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: LG OLED TV (Update)
Replies: 50
Views: 6078

Re: LG OLED TV (Update)

I was researching what new TV To get last year. From my research, if you were getting an OLED, you should get LG. They are the current leader in OLED panels, wish Samsung attempting to close the gap. I have had bad experiences with Samsung products in the past so I tend to avoid their stuff.

I went with an LG C2 Panel and have had it over a year now. So far the experience has been flawless for me, and I am very happy with my choice.
by bligh
Tue Jul 18, 2023 4:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Are we buying too much house?
Replies: 216
Views: 17778

Re: Are we buying too much house?

I can't tell you what you can afford, but I'd avoid anything with an HOA at all costs. HOA is only $80 at least with a lot of playgrounds Let's talk after your first few interactions with the board. :) I live within a HOA. So I jumped on the HOA board and I am the Treasurer. It's not much work. This allows me to keep tabs on what's going on... make sure people on the board don't get power hungry, and to make sure there's competent decision making. Some HOAs are good, and some are bad. Suggesting all HOAs are bad is advice that I wouldn't be comfortable providing to others. The real answer is: It depends. --- Brian I was raised in a home with boats and broken down cars all in the driveways. My dad always talked about hating HOAs. Until I go...
by bligh
Mon Jul 17, 2023 12:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Another Rent vs. Buy
Replies: 38
Views: 3142

Re: Another Rent vs. Buy

Provided you have a significant 6month/1 year emergency fund separate from this downpayment fund. I would go with Scenario #1 based on the information here. Why? 1) (over Scenario #2) With interest rate @ 6.625%, every dollar put towards the downpayment has a great guaranteed zero risk ROI. Scenario 2 is basically like borrowing @ 6.625% and investing it in the 3 fund portfolio. 2) (over Scenario #3) The difference in monthly outlay between $1,600-$2,400 vs $2,500-$3,800 would allow me to save and invest more each month. Also, assuming a 30 yr fixed mortgage, it would give me control that this payment will not go up over time (unless I choose that outcome). It also gives me the potential to lower the payment in the future (via refinancing i...
by bligh
Mon Jul 17, 2023 10:51 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Success in a career is a risk as you age
Replies: 86
Views: 9947

Re: Success in a career is a risk as you age

I saw the writing on the wall in my 30s. I expect to have issues finding jobs in my late 40s/early 50s. I have been working to be FI and/or self employed by then.

There are some professions where this isn't a risk. Being in health care (eg. physician, or dentist) or in a government or union job such as teaching are all safe from this. Unfortunately, I am not in one of those professions.
by bligh
Fri Jul 14, 2023 1:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Train transportation advice for Switzerland visit this July
Replies: 25
Views: 1918

Re: Train transportation advice for Switzerland visit this July

Just wanted to thank everyone who posted advice to this thread. As advised by many of the posters on this thread, the Swiss rail system is a thing of beauty. I used the SBB app mentioned earlier to know which platform I would be arriving on, and which platform I would be headed to. 5 minute transfers worked totally fine and the trains moved like clockwork. Amazing. Loved the SBB App, super clear and easy to use! We did not get the swiss rail pass, but ended up getting the Jungfrau Rail pass for 3 of the days we were in Wengen and I _think_ we came out just about even or slightly ahead. We just spent so much of the time hiking to where we wanted to go instead of taking the transportation. That pass covers the majority of the trains, buses an...
by bligh
Thu Jul 13, 2023 8:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: As I wait it out for a hybrid Sienna, Honda Odysseys are becoming more available…
Replies: 31
Views: 4379

Re: As I wait it out for a hybrid Sienna, Honda Odysseys are becoming more available…

You cannot go wrong with an Honda Odyssey.

Got one that is 13 years old with 125k+ miles (low mileage - mostly city driving). Only thing that is busted is one of the seat heaters. Would cost $700 to fix so so not worth it.

The thing is a beast, you can use and abuse it but it just keeps going. I expect to have it another 7+ years at this rate.
by bligh
Thu Jul 13, 2023 2:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?
Replies: 122
Views: 11156

Re: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?

You're trying to justify the EV road trip handicap with the benefit of charging it at home while not on a road trip. Correct. I am not just trying to justify it. I am justifying it, (along with the other maintenance time savings). I am also justifying it by pointing out that the vast majority of people, the vast majority of their miles driven are NOT on road trips. Think of what you are saying if this justification does not apply: "I need a car that can complete my road trip journeys spending the minimum amount of time fueling/charging, and I am okay wasting twice as much time the rest of the year just to make sure my road trips can go faster." Again, I grant you that if the majority of your miles are road trip miles, my justific...
by bligh
Thu Jul 13, 2023 2:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?
Replies: 122
Views: 11156

Re: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?

Californiastate wrote: Thu Jul 13, 2023 2:07 pm This thread is about EVs for road trips.
It isn't about owning an EV solely for road trips. This thread is what do you do when you do go on road trips. It doesn't specify what percentage of the over all miles comprise of these road trips. Did the OP mention that 70-100%+ of the miles driven will comprise of road trips? In fact, the OP mentioned doing only 1 road trip a year in the 1000 mile range. I used 6 for my math above.
by bligh
Thu Jul 13, 2023 1:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?
Replies: 122
Views: 11156

Re: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?

... You may choose to wait while your vehicle charges. I don't have the time.... Funny you should say that .. Perhaps your use case may primarily consist of Road trips? For the vast majority of people who can charge at home, EVs save considerable time over ICEs . I charge at home when not going on road trips past the 300+ mile range of my EV. I went from making 2 trips to a gas station a week to making zero. (I estimate the time savings to be ~10 minutes each time - driving to one, filling up and driving back, or driving out of the way to get to a station (like taking an on ramp/off ramp) - there will be the lucky ones who have a gas station right on the way to their daily commute, on the correct side of the road and that do not over charg...
by bligh
Thu Jul 13, 2023 11:07 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bogles in 40s and 50s, how should I spend 30s
Replies: 91
Views: 15242

Re: Bogles in 40s and 50s, how should I spens 30s

If I could go back in time, I would give the following advice to 30 year old me:

1) Find your life partner if you don’t have one already.
2) If you want to have kids and can afford them, have them sooner rather than later.
3) Exercise and focus on fitness. Not just the gym, but active lifestyle habits and nutrition. You will reap the benefits of this the rest of your life, and it is entirely within your control.
4) Save and invest for the long run. You will be glad you did.
5) Buy a house as soon as you are able to. Not to make crazy amounts of money, but to get control and predictability over your housing costs.
by bligh
Thu Jul 13, 2023 10:16 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?
Replies: 122
Views: 11156

Re: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?

We have done two multi day road trips in our Tesla (though our second car is an ICE). Both around the 1000 mile range... Anything around or under 300 miles roundtrip is a mini road trip to me as well, but I am guessing we do not count those because that would usually be a day trip any way and more or less within the single charge range of the car. For the two mentioned longer road trips we have done so far, it worked out absolutely great. We usually take short breaks every couple of hours for the family to stretch their legs, use the bathroom, eat some snacks, etc. and those worked in with the charging stops perfectly. On one of our road trips the hotel had free level 2 charging included with the stay, so on the days we stayed there (2 nigh...
by bligh
Wed Jul 12, 2023 3:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: If retired early, what do you tell people you do?
Replies: 338
Views: 30186

Re: If retired early, what do you tell people you do?

Most accurate IMO if you do not want to sound retired:

I'm a Professional Investor.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictio ... l-investor


What do you invest in/What kind of investments?

Up to you what you say, but for a boglehead I imagine a good answer is:

Mostly equities and fixed income, but also real estate. Depends on the situation.
by bligh
Tue Jun 27, 2023 2:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FAANG+/CS - Career vs. lifestyle/location/housing
Replies: 121
Views: 8708

Re: FAANG+/CS - Career vs. lifestyle/location/housing

If these were my kids I would tell them to stay in the Bay Area, build up their work experience and resume and save up as aggressively as they can, even if a lot of it ends up in 401Ks. You have to adjust what you consume to the area you live in. When you are in a place like the Bay Area you just have to accept that you need to consume less housing. If consuming housing is a priority, you need a lot of income and wealth to be able to do it in the Bay Area, or Manhattan or in any of the big cities. Living in 800-1000 sq ft isn’t a hardship, it is normal. Renting into your 30s or even 40s isn’t a hardship, it is normal in cities such as these. In its stead you get a vibrant, interesting and diverse cultural cultural and social experience. You...
by bligh
Mon Jun 19, 2023 1:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tesla Model Y
Replies: 133
Views: 16206

Re: Tesla Model Y

gerntz wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2023 12:36 pm Not in market, but is the Y the model where the rear window that is more horizontal than vertical? If so, how do you keep it clear in rain as I've not seen a wiper blade on the rear. Thanks.
The rear wiper blade is unnecessary on the Model Y you can barely see out of the rear window even on a clear day.
by bligh
Fri Jun 16, 2023 6:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Strategy for last internal combustion engine car
Replies: 75
Views: 6541

Re: Strategy for last internal combustion engine car

One EV and one ICE car. Done +1 To this for now. Though, our EV makes up 90%+ of our miles drive, and it has been a great experience and a huge time saver for us so far. I could totally see myself going full EV once my ICE car reaches EOL in 3-5 years. Having said that I dont think ICE cars are going anywhere for a long time. In 10 years, I just see EVs making up a much larger share of the cars on the road in a decade. Perhaps, something like 20-40% or thereabouts. That still means that the majority of the cars on the road will remain ICE. Even the more optimistic projections I've seen, anticipate only 75% of the cars being EVs all the way out in 2050. That is a long long time away, I'd just be happy I was around and driving that far out l...
by bligh
Thu Jun 15, 2023 6:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I am doing it. FIRE
Replies: 30
Views: 8364

Re: I am doing it. FIRE

Congratulations!

I am not retired yet, but one piece of advice I have held on to is to “retire to” something as opposed to simply retiring. If I was you, I would be using the next 4 months to figure out what I was retiring to.
by bligh
Tue Jun 13, 2023 3:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should we pay $70-$90k private school tuition for next 12 years
Replies: 183
Views: 19649

Re: Should we pay $70-$90k private school tuition for next 12 years

I was in a similar situation to yours. I went with Option #2 and have been happy with my decision. What is the opportunity cost of $80K * ~10 years? Ask yourself, is private tuition really the best use of that money for you and your children? Paying that much for private tuition for your kids is great if you can do it while also: 1) Living at the standard of living you wish to live at 2) Will be financially independent or retire around the age you want to 3) Will pay for your kids college 4) Will be able to help your kids launch (for example by helping them buy a house and pay for a wedding) If you are going to be doing all of those anyway, and still have money left over, by all means, go ahead and get the private tuition. But if there is a...
by bligh
Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:42 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is Your Hot Water Recirculating Pump Worth It?
Replies: 49
Views: 3466

Re: Is Your Hot Water Recirculating Pump Worth It?

There are two types of hot water recirculating systems.

I too was quoted the four figure cost. Did some research and found out there is another type of recirculating pump that will sit atop the water heater and “push”the hot water into the pipes every 15 minutes or so. The plumber then installed a by pass valve in the furthest faucet in the house. It cost me like $400 all in.

I don’t know how it compares with the full system with the recirculating pipe, but I now get hot water in about 5 to 10 seconds. Much better than the 40+ seconds I used to have to wait before.
by bligh
Mon Jun 12, 2023 4:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Train transportation advice for Switzerland visit this July
Replies: 25
Views: 1918

Train transportation advice for Switzerland visit this July

Hi All, I am looking for advice from any one who might be experienced with the Swiss transportation system who could give me some advice. My family and I will be traveling to Switzerland in the first week of July this year. We land and leave from Zurich, however the primary focus of our trip is the Bernese Oberland. We plan to visit Lucerne (1 day), Zurich (1day) and stay in Wengen for most of the trip (4 days). I have already booked my hotel stays in all three places and was just going through booking the train journeys when things got complicated. The train journey from Zurich airport to Lucerne was straightforward to book as it is a direct train journey with no transfers, however when booking the train journey I noticed that there would ...
by bligh
Thu Jun 08, 2023 10:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Paying Off Mortgage vs Investing Extra Money
Replies: 48
Views: 7035

Re: Paying Off Mortgage vs Investing Extra Money

I wouldn’t pay a loan that low back early. I would hold it for as long as possible.

If I wanted to becomr mortgage free, I would setup a separate brokerage account and invest money in there until it matched the remaining balance on my mortgage and then pay it off all at once.

Paying it off a small chunk at a time is not only not getting you a very good return, but it is also reducing your liquidity while having no effect on your monthly payment. (Though recasts are often available for significant changes in loan balance)
by bligh
Fri Mar 03, 2023 8:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: We're going EV! (maybe?) justifying the financial aspects
Replies: 63
Views: 6005

Re: We're going EV! (maybe?) justifying the financial aspects

I realized that after factoring the lower total cost of ownership, the EV was a lot cheaper than an ICE while giving me really good ride quality and great fun factor A couple years ago, Tesla showed total cost of ownership costs for 2021 Camry and Model 3: Just earlier this week Tesla provided some updated comparison for 2023: The Model 3 did drop from $45k to $43k while 2021 Camry might have been $25k and 2023 Corolla $22k? But there's no units or details for the new comparison, so it's not as clear what changed. Perhaps it is the price of gas that is making the difference? https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&s=emm_epmr_pte_nus_dpg&f=m This shows that the trailing 12 month price of gas in 2021 was likely in th...
by bligh
Fri Mar 03, 2023 12:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: We're going EV! (maybe?) justifying the financial aspects
Replies: 63
Views: 6005

Re: We're going EV! (maybe?) justifying the financial aspects

Here are my questions: 1. A 2022 M3 long range with less than 5k miles is going for 47-50k. $Is this a good deal, or are these prices inflated due to the fact that you can't buy a new M3 long range right now? (most I've ever spent on a new car is 28k so new car prices sicken me, but that's every car now...). I should also note that I'd love to buy new, but our income is too high to qualify for tax breaks. I got the LR because when I got it the prices between the two models were closer, and the additional cost for the extra performance was worth it to me. 2. Teslas seem to hold their values well, but the used ones on the market all have less than 40k miles. Is there a certain sweet spot where is makes sense to sell a Tesla and get something...
by bligh
Fri Mar 03, 2023 10:55 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cars: Max you'd pay? How long do you keep cars? Plans to go EV?
Replies: 99
Views: 9073

Re: Cars: Max you'd pay? How long do you keep cars? Plans to go EV?

There have been lots of car threads on here lately and it seems like there's a wide range of thoughts on car ownership here. I'm curious what other Bogleheads think about car prices, how long to keep a car, and what your justification is. On the one extreme you have the person who will always reply that you should buy a cheap Asian car (bonus points for 10 year old Camrys) and drive it to 250k miles. On the other extreme you have people who buy new 70k luxury SUVs or Teslas every few years. 1. What is the most you'd be comfortable paying for a car? (not necessarily what you can afford, but what you'd pay) 2. Do you buy new, used, or CPO? Why? 3. How long do you keep your cars? Why? (i.e. until the wheels fall off, until your lease is up, o...
by bligh
Tue Jan 31, 2023 4:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buy vs. Rent
Replies: 951
Views: 58720

Re: Buy vs. Rent

How's that an answer? It isn’t an answer it is more like a null hypothesis. There’s not really any evidence that when controlled for things like SES that a person comes out ahead by buying. So I would really consider how much of this decision rests on the idea that it is a superior financial move as opposed to a reasonably acceptable one. Exactly. In terms of building equity, investing in broadly diversified stocks and bonds is more likely to be successful than homeownership adjusting for expenses. The only financial advantage of homeownership is as a built in savings mechanism. If someone doesn't have other investments it's better than nothing. As the previous post said, financial considerations should be secondary to needs and lifestyle ...
by bligh
Tue Jan 31, 2023 4:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buy vs. Rent
Replies: 951
Views: 58720

Re: Buy vs. Rent

So many of the posts on this threads are "it depends...", "..it could", "...it might", "...laws", etc. etc. Look, the biggest advantage of a mortgage over a rent is the predictability of your monthly payment. Your monthly housing expense (which, for most people is also their biggest expense) is locked in for the next 30 years. You can choose to have it go higher, or might be able to get it to go lower. With rents you dont get to pick. Others do. The market, your landlord, the government. Not you. With a house, as long as you are making your monthly payments you get to choose if and when you want to move. With a rental, you have to leave if your landlord asks you to regardless of whether you have been ...
by bligh
Tue Sep 13, 2022 8:48 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: I Bonds Mega Thread (I Bond Heads Rejoice!)
Replies: 6658
Views: 1241476

Re: I Bonds Mega Thread (I Bond Heads Rejoice!)

I have owned I Bonds for several years for my wife and myself, however this year I am planning on using the gift method of pre-buying next years I Bonds as gifts. I took a look at the treasury direct site and have a good idea of how I am going to 1) Use my account to purchase $10K in I Bonds to gift to my wife (that I can then deliver at a future date - next year or the year after for example) 2) Use my wife's account to purchase $10K in I Bonds to gift to me (that I can then deliver at a future date - next year or the year after for example) I get that the year at which I gift these $10K in I Bonds will count as the purchase limit for that year. So say if I deliver these gifted I Bonds next year, I will not be able to buy additional ones. ...