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Dear Bogleheads, I feel like for the amount we spend we should be living in luxury. You ARE living in luxury. I am at about half your spending and I am living in luxury. If it doesn't feel like luxury that is a perception problem, not an actual problem. I have no doubt you can cut, and I believe li...

Age 46 I am 100% stocks in the assets I control, but that is deceptive because my current job provides a pension. So as my pension builds and becomes a larger part of my retirement plan, it has the function of balancing my portfolio in my mind. I do not mind dips or crashes, and have never sold base...

These stories are not worth reading. There is always a "gotcha". The Target Date fund they used had an Expense Ratio of .78%. My Target Date fund is .06% and is much easier to stuff compared to the 7-8 funds I would need to replicate a total market approach and try to keep "in balance". In the arti...

Perhaps some of you can enlighten me as to what I am missing. A good friend of mine just purchased a $10,000 bed. A Temperpedic "California King" bed, which is actually two beds, side by side. With all of the adjustable bells and whistles. I'll spend up for a good car (Lexus)...although the $50,000...

I think the reason they are "cheap" right now is exactly because of all you said. The possibility that it is actually cheap and not just cheap on paper is a reason to buy. The possibility not enough of those markets will show growth is a reason to avoid a large percentage of your assets in the area....

Yes, can accurately verify $15,000 annual expenses in VHCOL area. You do realize that VHCOL stands for Very High Cost Of Living? He said VHCOL area, which doesn't mean he is paying VHCOL. What matters is that if his living condition or job changes, his COL might inflate greatly because of where he ...

Here is a weird one... My wife and I bought tickets to Haiti to visit an orphanage we supported. An hour after we arrived the big earthquake hit. The next few days started a re-evaluation of our entire lives, sort of like a mid life crisis on steroids. We ended up cutting a ton of junk expenses, lef...

I'm not sure what flushing the tank and a new anode rod is going to due to quiet the heating of the tank... If the heating element is making a lot of noise, then that should probably be replaced or serviced. Ig you are selling in a year, then a new hot water heater might help, even if just a basic c...

I have been 100% stocks for a long time now. I don't feel like rebalancing, and am comfortable with market corrections and changes, I won't need the money for a long time anyway. I don't expect to time the market, I have no idea when the bottom is, when the top is, or anything in the middle. Keeping...

I was in PAP Haiti during the big earthquake, so I've been in the disaster situation. It took $600 cash to get on a flight to DR, not exactly a bribe, but it felt that way. Without the cash we would have been there more than two days, but would have been fine. I keep a couple thousand in the safe on...

Ask questions and let him talk. People want to be heard, so start there. Ask what his goals are. Ask how much his savings will add up to over time. Just seek to draw him out into conversation without any real agenda. Answer questions as they come up, but not before. If he doesn't ask, then keep aski...

There are two parts to your question. Should up upgrade early, and will you get a better price. You are very very unlikely to get enough of a better price to counteract the high likelihood your fridge will last quite a while longer. Your fridge might break down next week and you might spend a bit mo...

I am fairly knowledgeable about finances overall, I am happy with the asset allocations of my investments, my 403b is maxed, I am over the cap for typical Roth. I currently have a Vanguard taxable investment account for my extra saving beyond my emergency funds. Married, my wife just started a part ...