Search found 1839 matches
- Wed Feb 20, 2019 3:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How Much Home Value Added by Finishing Basement?
- Replies: 34
- Views: 2261
Re: How Much Home Value Added by Finishing Basement?
Are you doing this because you want to do it, or to increase the sales price? How long will you stay in the house? What will you do with the space? I am doing it because I want to do it. It will be a recreation room for kids to play in. A way to keep toys out of the main area of the house. This is ...
- Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How Much Home Value Added by Finishing Basement?
- Replies: 34
- Views: 2261
Re: How Much Home Value Added by Finishing Basement?
Are you doing this because you want to do it, or to increase the sales price?
How long will you stay in the house?
What will you do with the space?
How long will you stay in the house?
What will you do with the space?
- Mon Feb 18, 2019 2:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best PAID music streaming service?
- Replies: 52
- Views: 2737
Re: Best PAID music streaming service?
What a weird time we live in. 30 years ago I wouldn't think twice about spending $30/month in CD's. Now I have 6x the income and I think to myself "no way in hell am I paying $120/year to listen to music". I think what ruined me were those 5 or so years where all music was free on demand. Very funn...
- Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: First thing(s) you'd do when you achieve financial independence?
- Replies: 71
- Views: 5222
Re: First thing(s) you'd do when you achieve financial independence?
Brush my teeth, go to bed and wake up the next day.
- Sun Feb 17, 2019 12:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Car purchase, income ratio
- Replies: 22
- Views: 1665
Re: Car purchase, income ratio
You can afford, but do you really need to spend 46K on a car? Yikes!
Don't forget your increase in licensing (most likely) and insurance.
Don't forget your increase in licensing (most likely) and insurance.
- Sun Feb 17, 2019 12:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Economic vacation spots with a 3 year old
- Replies: 6
- Views: 399
Re: Economic vacation spots with a 3 year old
We love Newport beach. There can be some deals to be had on AirBNB. Have gone 3/4 last years in the summer.
Stay north in the town. Beaches are almost always deserted (I would never stay near the pier).
Stay north in the town. Beaches are almost always deserted (I would never stay near the pier).
- Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:55 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Why Google isn't your friend when shopping ....
- Replies: 12
- Views: 2399
Re: Why Google isn't your friend when shopping ....
This really falls in line with, "don't believe everything you see on the internet".
- Fri Feb 15, 2019 8:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Another "Is it worth it to fix" question [2002 Nissan Sentra]
- Replies: 54
- Views: 3355
Re: Another "Is it worth it to fix" question
Assuming it is reliable and you have kept up on maintenance, seems like an easy decision to fix it.
- Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:23 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Need Advice on Home Sale
- Replies: 15
- Views: 829
Re: Need Advice on Home Sale
Put my home up for sale 15 Jan and received 5 offers within the first three days. Of course we took the highest offer, 10K over asking. The first buyer backed out with the inspection period, although it was not related to the home inspection. Another buyer came forward the next day at 3K over askin...
- Tue Feb 12, 2019 10:27 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Being content with your finances
- Replies: 106
- Views: 8353
Re: Being content with your finances
Though I don't think I will ever be fully content with our finances (there can always be more). We are in a good spot. At this point, we save just under 70% of our income (wife stays at home). We have old cars, a reasonably sized house and don't feel that we are missing anything. So, sort of, yes, w...
- Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:20 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Did you investigate your partner's financial background before committing?
- Replies: 99
- Views: 5666
Re: Did you investigate your partner's financial background before committing?
Yes, STD screening, criminal background and financial credit checks. Did you have some wriggle room? More virtuous than Mother Teresa, but a drunk-and-disorderly bust in college? A vigorous 401(k) saver, but bounced a check or 2? Honorable, but a minor dose of chlamydia in high school? It all came ...
- Sun Feb 10, 2019 6:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Passport Photos ?
- Replies: 85
- Views: 3639
- Sun Feb 10, 2019 1:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Did you investigate your partner's financial background before committing?
- Replies: 99
- Views: 5666
Re: Did you investigate your partner's financial background before committing?
Yes, STD screening, criminal background and financial credit checks.
We did those things mutually, wasn't one way.
This is a life long commitment (well, 50% of them are), why wouldn't you?
We did those things mutually, wasn't one way.
This is a life long commitment (well, 50% of them are), why wouldn't you?
- Sun Feb 10, 2019 9:33 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Newlyweds and medical insurance
- Replies: 4
- Views: 265
Re: Newlyweds and medical insurance
Seems like there's some significant cost savings if we go on one plan, but I have some concerns. I have not often found this the case (worked in HR-Benefits for many years). Employers typically subsidize a significantly higher portion of employee only coverage, compared to family members. It could ...
- Fri Feb 08, 2019 11:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: 29 years left on mortgate - pay down or invest strategy?
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1407
Re: 29 years left on mortgate - pay down or invest strategy?
I would personally max out the second 401K before paying down the mortgage.
Tax sheltered space is limited. Extra payments on the mortgage are not limited by anything and can be done whenever.
It is also worth thinking about how long you want to be in the house.
Tax sheltered space is limited. Extra payments on the mortgage are not limited by anything and can be done whenever.
It is also worth thinking about how long you want to be in the house.
- Thu Feb 07, 2019 10:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is the MBA degree market saturated?
- Replies: 39
- Views: 3441
Re: Is the MBA degree market saturated?
I think there are a lot of degrees being diluted by online/money scamming universities. Essentially you fulfill some time requiremnet, pay the price, and they hand out the degree. Being in healthcare, I see this trend with several new online NP and PA programs. I would be furious to see my previous...
- Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Help me out on paying off Mortgage.....
- Replies: 2
- Views: 637
Re: Help me out on paying off Mortgage.....
Very much the same as my experience from October with some small variations. Final payment had to be wired (though I did have check option, wire was much easier, 3 clicks and only $20). 1) Requested a payoff statement 2) Wired money 3) Fee was included (ours was only $10) 4) Sit back and wait for 3 ...
- Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Removing mold in car carpeting?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 526
- Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:24 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Costco for Mercedes tire set
- Replies: 29
- Views: 1234
Re: Costco for Mercedes tire set
Find tires on TireRack, take the quote to Discount Tire and they will match (they will add shipping to the charge and mounting/balance).
- Sun Feb 03, 2019 1:13 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How: cross-country shipping/moving
- Replies: 17
- Views: 734
Re: How: cross-country shipping/moving
We used ABF Freight. They drop a trailer off, you take what space you need and then they pack the rest the trailer with other shipments. This was significantly cheaper than cube options for us. +1 other comments for getting rid of things. We only kept a few main pieces of furniture and my newborn da...
- Sun Feb 03, 2019 1:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Besides your core.. anyone also hold a play account?
- Replies: 61
- Views: 3142
Re: Besides your core.. anyone also hold a play account?
In the past, yes.
Play account was lending club, low 5-figures.
Other play account was investing in individual stocks and taking a few long shots. This account is roughly $7k, presently. It stays untouched now.
100% index funds now.
Play account was lending club, low 5-figures.
Other play account was investing in individual stocks and taking a few long shots. This account is roughly $7k, presently. It stays untouched now.
100% index funds now.
- Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:23 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Mazda Miata as Daily Commute Fun Car?
- Replies: 94
- Views: 4774
Re: Mazda Miata as Daily Commute Fun Car?
Personally, I also would not commute in a Miata or similar. I drove an E36 M3 for a couple of years (36 miles round trip) and it just wasn't a comfortable car to drive in traffic, speed bumps/large humps/road depressions were terrible with bottoming out, etc. Don't get me wrong, it was fun, but even...
- Fri Feb 01, 2019 9:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Incremental Savings of Keeping Car
- Replies: 27
- Views: 1883
Re: Incremental Savings of Keeping Car
Kywildcat: Browse the Edmunds website for "True Cost to Own." It is an eyeopener. https://www.edmunds.com/tco.html Best wishes. Taylor Another factor is that I am single currently and require a car to get to work so I was also thinking if I would be net better off buying a car sooner rather than wa...
- Fri Feb 01, 2019 11:10 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How much do you keep in checking?
- Replies: 135
- Views: 10310
Re: How much do you keep in checking?
$3,000-$4,000. I usually move it out at the end of the month, though.
- Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:30 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Legos as alternative asset class
- Replies: 36
- Views: 2743
Re: Legos as alternative asset class
Very hard to speculate.
Some people like classic cars. Well, they have had a nice run, but what happens when the older generation dies off? Who wants those old things anymore?
Some people like classic cars. Well, they have had a nice run, but what happens when the older generation dies off? Who wants those old things anymore?
- Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:29 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Excessive mortgage payoff fee
- Replies: 15
- Views: 2047
Re: Excessive mortgage payoff fee
Just paid ours off in October. Colonial Savings charged a total of $10.
- Tue Jan 29, 2019 9:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: All my PayPal bank accounts less 2 disappeared
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1401
Re: All my PayPal bank accounts less 2 disappeared
Wow you really trust PayPal with a lot of linked bank/brokerage account information. I would suggest monitoring all those accounts for unusual activity. I had a couple of thousand stolen from my bank account via PayPal. I got the funds back but my PayPal experience was so terrible I de-linked my ba...
- Mon Jan 28, 2019 5:27 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: What’s the Best HSA out there?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1344
- Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
- Replies: 4161
- Views: 1112224
Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Last one was, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas".
The old cartoon one.
The old cartoon one.
- Sun Jan 27, 2019 4:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Mortgage Principal-Only Payment Issue
- Replies: 33
- Views: 1832
Re: Mortgage Principal-Only Payment Issue
JPMorgan services my mortgage and they cap online principal-only payments to $10,000. I wanted to pay more, so instead of doing daily $10k payments I chose to write them a check and it processed within a week or so. Same here with Colonial Savings, they capped $10K per day for ACH on incoming loan ...
- Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:21 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: H&R Online: Entering Educator Expenses
- Replies: 4
- Views: 249
Re: H&R Online: Entering Educator Expenses
Might be worth reaching out them. It is possible that they moved this into a "paid" version of the software as well.
- Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How much car maintenance for low value, high mileage car?
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1748
Re: How much car maintenance for low value, high mileage car?
I am not sure what "value of car" has to do with maintenance/repairs. If anything, the cost of the care you are looking to purchase as a replacement means more than the value of the current car in this situation for me. If you have a car you like and it has been reliable, keep it running and buy ano...
- Sat Jan 26, 2019 3:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Car maintenance - dealer or independent shop?
- Replies: 51
- Views: 2625
Re: Car maintenance - dealer or independent shop?
I use dealerships for my BMW’s knowing they are more than expensive. I value consistency, experience, and recourse. If you can find an experienced private shop that you trust than it could certainly make sense. Depending on the type of car, I guess. I would argue that you end up with better technic...
- Sat Jan 26, 2019 3:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Amazon marketplace delivery problem: who is to blame?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 954
Re: Amazon marketplace delivery problem: who is to blame?
Yes it does matter. When an item is FBA, Amazon does the shipping from their nearest warehouse. If the shipping is late or MIA, it is not the seller's fault. I think you should revise your review if it is indeed FBA. Couldn't disagree more. Amazon's feedback process is garbage. If a 3rd party selle...
- Sat Jan 26, 2019 12:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Office Decor Ideas.. (Budget)
- Replies: 14
- Views: 652
Re: Office Decor Ideas.. (Budget)
Over the years, I have gone with having a very empty looking office. As of now, I have a picture of my daughter, a family photo and some artwork my daughter made. Nothing else. In fact, I don't like any paper out on the desk. There is nothing on my walls. Funny thing is, the empty office is a conver...
- Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:16 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Anyone use Teamviewer (remote access) software?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 927
Re: Anyone use Teamviewer (remote access) software?
TeamViewer had had numerous questionable security incidents e.g. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/06/teamviewer-users-are-being-hacked-in-bulk-and-we-still-dont-know-how/ I would not let their software within a thousand feet of any system I actually cared about. My previous emplo...
- Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What lifestyle creep made you happier?
- Replies: 291
- Views: 24977
Re: What lifestyle creep made you happier?
GPS Running Watch.
- Wed Jan 23, 2019 12:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What is Considered Middle Class?
- Replies: 36
- Views: 3142
Re: What is Considered Middle Class?
I find it interesting that we even need to define classes. It really doesn't mean anything.
- Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:54 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Is there ever a smart time to trade a vehicle ?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 843
Re: Is there ever a smart time to trade a vehicle ?
If you discover there are major mechanical issues that are not overly noticeable. That is when it is time to trade.
Otherwise, sell private party.
Otherwise, sell private party.
- Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: 1980s Vacuums vs Today
- Replies: 27
- Views: 2790
Re: 1980s Vacuums vs Today
Yes, but you can find bagged ones. We have the Hoover Tempo Widepath.DTalos wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:25 pmAre most newer vacuums the bag-less kind?runner3081 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 6:11 pmAll I know is that I despise bag less vacuums. Such a mess. Bags are easier and very cheap.
- Mon Jan 21, 2019 6:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: 1980s Vacuums vs Today
- Replies: 27
- Views: 2790
Re: 1980s Vacuums vs Today
All I know is that I despise bag less vacuums. Such a mess. Bags are easier and very cheap.
- Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:03 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Have you searched for your unclaimed property?
- Replies: 50
- Views: 3732
Re: Have you searched for your unclaimed property?
I have, always comes back with nothing.
To be honest, I am pretty diligent/OCD when it comes to money. Not likely to forget a closed bank account, etc.
To be honest, I am pretty diligent/OCD when it comes to money. Not likely to forget a closed bank account, etc.
- Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:01 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Rent vs Own Assumptions
- Replies: 46
- Views: 2583
Re: Rent vs Own Assumptions
The maintenance/repairs seem very high (assuming this is not remodeling/updating bundled in). Only so many things can break in a house that are major expenses (roof, heating/cooling, leaks, etc). $163k is very high for these over 15 years. Though only one data point, we are 6-years in our house and ...
- Sun Jan 20, 2019 10:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Paying thousands per ticket to attend the NFL Super Bowl?
- Replies: 138
- Views: 6607
Re: Paying thousands per ticket to attend the NFL Super Bowl?
Absolutely not. Had a chance a few years ago to watch my hometown team playing about 30 minutes from where I live. Didn't even consider it, simply not worth the money to me.
I have sort of grown out of my sports fanatic days.
I have sort of grown out of my sports fanatic days.
- Sun Jan 20, 2019 4:13 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Grocery shopping strategy
- Replies: 146
- Views: 8989
Re: Grocery shopping strategy
We are fortunate. There are three separate chains within 1-mile of our house (Sprouts/Safeway/Fry's (Kroger).
Makes it very simple to shop the ads.
Those stores make up 90% of our grocery spending and we mix in some WalMart and discount grocers, on specific items.
Makes it very simple to shop the ads.
Those stores make up 90% of our grocery spending and we mix in some WalMart and discount grocers, on specific items.
- Sun Jan 20, 2019 11:27 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Saving accounts
- Replies: 46
- Views: 3541
Re: Saving accounts
Seems like a fair amount of work, I have no need for that, personally.indexonlyplease wrote: ↑Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:49 amAt my Bank of America I have multiple account. Savings, checking, house spending, vacation and xmas. Does anyone else do this?
I suppose it is good for someone who is unable to save appropriately for their wants/needs?
- Sat Jan 19, 2019 8:05 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Buying Property in Northwest USA - Advice?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2024
Re: Buying Property in Northwest USA - Advice?
I have no particular insight. However, if you want to stay close to family, check out other Montana towns: Missoula, Great Falls, Billings. Spokane, Washington is a great town. Lot's to do there. Prices have moved up, but not ridiculously. Ellensburg, WA, and Medford, Oregon are other areas worth c...
- Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:58 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: diagnostic fee for car under warranty?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1168
Re: diagnostic fee for car under warranty?
I haven't seen this explicitly, but nothing a dealer does surprises me.
Don't think about it for more than a second. Find another dealer for warranty work and start sourcing in independent mechanic in the meantime (warranties cover non-dealer work).
Don't think about it for more than a second. Find another dealer for warranty work and start sourcing in independent mechanic in the meantime (warranties cover non-dealer work).
- Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:55 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What do you read?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 559
Re: What do you read?
I would love to read more, but I just don't have time. I read three fiction books in 2018. Zero non-fiction books in the last 2-years. Not technically a millennial, just fall out of the group on the higher end. My wife reads pretty heavily and her books are 100% free from the library, both paper and...
- Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:49 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: So when do you sell?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 2702
Re: So when do you sell?
If you don't need the money, do you just hold onto your investments for years until you die then pass them on to your heirs if you have them? Do heirs receive taxable account investments on a step-up basis, or is that just Roth IRAs (forgive me I know little about the tax efficiency of bequeathment...