Search found 159 matches

by pejp
Sat Jan 19, 2019 1:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Son moving to Denver from California
Replies: 47
Views: 4385

Re: Son moving to Denver from California

I have an AWD Honda CRV and live in Denver. I’ve got winter tires, mounted on some basic rims, and I just get them switched out each season. For driving around Denver, I don’t think it’s that necessary, but we go out to the mountains a lot and I’d rather have piece of mind. Think I paid about $1100 for the full set, and the garage charges about $30 each time I switch them out. Of course he could also just do it himself, but I’m lazy
by pejp
Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buy house without agent
Replies: 55
Views: 5560

Re: Buy house without agent

My wife was in real estate in NYC, and something similar happened to her. She worked extensively with someone who was looking for an investment property...multiple weekends all over the city etc...after a few months and an aborted bid due to a legal issue, the investor decided she didn’t want to buy anywhere after all. My wife was disappointed but understood, and then a couple of weeks later a personal check arrived in the mail for $1k with a card thanking her for her efforts. Not suggesting you do that, but if you’ve had a good relationship with the agent, maybe a small gift and an acknowledgement that you’ve appreciated the time spent would be appropriate. Just depends on the situation and how much you’ve worked with them. I know this won...
by pejp
Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Any MD pursued a CFA? Thoughts?
Replies: 35
Views: 8411

Re: Any MD pursued a CFA? Thoughts?

I'm not an MD but am a CFA Charterholder and I would make sure you understand the time commitment required to see this through to the end. I also agree that the work requirement could be an issue given your field. I completed the program about a decade ago by taking Level I in December, Level II in June and Level III the following June. I probably started studying for Level I around June so it was a solid two years of almost nonstop studying. I think I took a few months off after Level II. At that point my wife was in grad school, we didn't have kids and didn't own a home. I basically worked and studied for the CFA, that was it. I can't even imagine trying to do this now with two young kids, both of us working full time and owning a home. ...
by pejp
Thu Jan 17, 2019 1:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Any MD pursued a CFA? Thoughts?
Replies: 35
Views: 8411

Re: Any MD pursued a CFA? Thoughts?

I'm not an MD, but I'm in the midst of studying to level 2 of the CFA. To be honest, unless you have a use for it, I wouldn't bother. You cant become a charter holder without relevant work experience, so even if you pass all 3 exams, you won't be able to actually claim to be a CFA charter holder. It really is a phenomenal amount of work, and whilst a lot of it is directly related to portfolio construction and market concepts, you'll have a lot of stuff that probably wont ever be of any use to you. If you're interested in just learning the material, you can always buy the Schweser books or sign up for the mark meldrum videos, and work through them at your own pace, taking practice quizzes and exams. Otherwise, I don't really see the point if...
by pejp
Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:52 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Gillette Mach 3 alternatives
Replies: 81
Views: 13863

Re: Gillette Mach 3 alternatives

mcraepat9 wrote: Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:49 am Strange direction this thread has gone in.
I just realized, people are actually deciding to boycott Gillette because they released a commercial that offended them :P :P :P
by pejp
Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is buying a $700K first home crazy?
Replies: 70
Views: 9712

Re: Is buying a $700K first home crazy?

Sam1 wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 10:44 am You don’t live in a. VHCOL area if you can buy a decent home for 700k. This would be a studio, one bedroom or decrepit house in a HCOL area. I don’t think you could buy anything in a VHCOL area.
Lol, came in to say this. Where I lived in Brooklyn, $700k might get you a modern studio. An 800 sq ft 1 bed is c. $1mm.
by pejp
Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: NYC restaurant hidden gems?
Replies: 25
Views: 2899

Re: NYC restaurant hidden gems?

You're severely limiting yourself with the 20mins walk restriction, although apologies if it's down to a mobility issue, but Manhattan (the areas you'd want to be in), really isn't that big. The West Village is literally 10-15mins in a cab from where you are. Midtown is probably the area where NY'ers go out in the least. There are obviously good restaurants everywhere, but you'll have a more 'authentic' experience if you just head downtown. Tourists often have this obsession with staying near Times Sq, when if anything, Midtown is probably the least interesting area you could stay in. I mentioned it on a recent thread, but my two 'hidden gem' restaurants would be Freemans on the Lower East Side, or Supper, which is East Village. Although if...
by pejp
Tue Jan 08, 2019 12:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Mystery supplements received from 301 W. Platt Street?
Replies: 10
Views: 1595

Re: Mystery supplements received from 301 W. Platt Street?

check your debit/credit card immediately. Same thing happened to me last year, and they'd charged my card.
by pejp
Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: NYC restaurant suggestion
Replies: 60
Views: 6611

Re: NYC restaurant suggestion

BashDash wrote: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:46 am Thanks for the suggestions. We will be staying at 320 West 36th Street but am willing to travel of course!
Yeah, NYC is a big city, but Manhattan is only part of it, and really isn't that difficult to get around. You're staying on 36th st, but you could get downtown in a cab in 10mins, or the subway is easy to navigate. The number 1 mistake that tourists make is to stay in midtown and not get out. In my time in New York, 80% of my social time was spent below 23rd st or in Brooklyn.
by pejp
Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: NYC restaurant suggestion
Replies: 60
Views: 6611

Re: NYC restaurant suggestion

OP yet again? Heading back for a night in a few weeks...Any updates? Thanks BH! I lived in NY for 10 years, moved away 3 years ago, but am still back pretty frequently (most recently last month). In terms of just an old standby that I love, Freemans on the Lower East Side is fantastic. Never had a bad meal there, great atmosphere, and great location (it's at the end of an alleyway just kind of adds to the cool factor). If you like whiskey, I'd recommend getting a drink at Copper & Oak first. Around the same area, 'Supper' is also very good if you like Italian. In terms of new restaurants, I went to Momofuku Nishi, which is David Chang's take on Italian, and it was absolutely phenomenal. I've been to Momofuku KO, and I preferred Nishi. ...
by pejp
Thu Jan 03, 2019 5:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Uber/Lyft where do you sit?
Replies: 42
Views: 5387

Re: Uber/Lyft where do you sit?

Elsebet wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 3:30 pm
pejp wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:35 am Front. I feel weird in the back. Yes, they're driving, but it's the same instinct that makes me bristle when people call me 'Sir'. They're not my driver, they're just driving me somewhere, if that makes sense. I used to work for a large hedge fund, and a few of the Portfolio Managers had personal drivers, and a couple of them would just sit there when they pulled up outside the office to wait for their driver to hop out and open the door for them. I'll never understand how someone could get to that level of self importance.
I often feel the same way, are you from the Midwest also? :)
London, originally.
by pejp
Thu Jan 03, 2019 1:41 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Leasing a car
Replies: 27
Views: 4240

Re: Leasing a car

We leased our car, and recently bought it. Wasn't the best financial decision, but it's only a Honda CR-V so we're not talking big money. One thing I wish is that I'd been more realistic about mileage. I got a 12k miles per year lease, therefore lower residual and a higher monthly payment. Ended up doing nowhere close to that by lease end (we've had the car nearly 4 years and that includes 3 Colorado to East Coast return trips, and only just hit 36k miles). It worked out in the end because it met we bought a low mileage car for a below market price, but if we'd planned on swapping it out for a new one, it would have been more of a financial hit as we'd have been returning a car that we'd financed a larger part of the depreciation than we ne...
by pejp
Thu Jan 03, 2019 1:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Engagement Ring (Affordable)
Replies: 136
Views: 12260

Re: Engagement Ring (Affordable)

I bought mine off a guy I know who owns a jewelry store. He said a good way to save a little money is to not buy integers. i.e. people want to be able to say they have a 1ct or 2ct, whereas a 0.9 or 1.85 is pretty much the same, but you won't pay a premium the whole numbers command.

Also, I'm sure others have said, but it's all about quality. I bought a very high quality .8ct vs a lower quality 1ct, and it looks so much better. I'm not a proponent of spending crazy money, but if you're going to spend the money, get as high quality as you can get and let size be a secondary concern.
by pejp
Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Adding spouse to deed
Replies: 15
Views: 1103

Re: Adding spouse to deed

dm200 wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:08 pm
pejp wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:56 am Hi, looking for some advice or potential things to look out for. I bought my condo in 2015 when my wife was still my girlfriend. We got married in 2016, but I never got around to adding her to the deed. Anyone done this before? The mortgage is in my name, will I need to change that? Is this the kind of thing I can do myself or would I be better off getting a real estate attorney?
Why?
It's more of a personal thing, but I earn a lot more than my wife, we have seperate bank accounts etc...we want to merge our assets and finances.
by pejp
Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:56 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Adding spouse to deed
Replies: 15
Views: 1103

Adding spouse to deed

Hi, looking for some advice or potential things to look out for. I bought my condo in 2015 when my wife was still my girlfriend. We got married in 2016, but I never got around to adding her to the deed. Anyone done this before? The mortgage is in my name, will I need to change that? Is this the kind of thing I can do myself or would I be better off getting a real estate attorney?
by pejp
Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Uber/Lyft where do you sit?
Replies: 42
Views: 5387

Re: Uber/Lyft where do you sit?

Front. I feel weird in the back. Yes, they're driving, but it's the same instinct that makes me bristle when people call me 'Sir'. They're not my driver, they're just driving me somewhere, if that makes sense. I used to work for a large hedge fund, and a few of the Portfolio Managers had personal drivers, and a couple of them would just sit there when they pulled up outside the office to wait for their driver to hop out and open the door for them. I'll never understand how someone could get to that level of self importance.
by pejp
Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Nicer Denver Areas
Replies: 19
Views: 2859

Re: Nicer Denver Areas

I've lived in Denver for 3 years, but spent the last 3 weeks back in Brooklyn for the holidays, and I'm even noticing the effects of altitude being back here for a few days. As others have said, drink lots of water, and take it easy with alcohol! I'll never forget my first night here, having 4 pints of local IPA, and having genuinely one of the worst hangovers of my life the next morning!
by pejp
Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Corvette vs Cayman/Boxster......anyone owned both?
Replies: 57
Views: 6688

Re: Corvette vs Cayman/Boxster......anyone owned both?

Just anecdotal, but I was in the market for a Cayman recently (decided to hold off until next year) and many of the big enthusiasts websites were of the opinion that the later years of the 987.2 could potentially appreciate, and the 981 might have a little depreciation left in it but the curve could flatten pretty quickly. The 718 was released last year with a 4 cylinder engine, and it really hasn't been a hit. If Porsche decide to stick with the 4 cylinder turbo, the flat 6 models could become more desirable. I've driven both, and the 4 cylinder turbo feels to much faster, and really is a dream to drive, but it just doesn't sound the same, and for a lot of people that's a deal breaker.
by pejp
Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:48 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Nicer Denver Areas
Replies: 19
Views: 2859

Re: Nicer Denver Areas

I live in Denver (Wash Park)...for such a short time, just stay downtown. The 16th St mall sucks, but the area around Union Station is nice. I wouldn't consider Denver particularly great for tourists, but you'll have enough to keep you busy. I had family come to visit last year with young kids, and they loved the aquarium. If you want somewhere a little further out but more upscale with a pedestrian area of shops, restaurants, and a large mall, Cherry Creek is nice. It's considered one of the more ritzier areas of Denver, and downtown is only 10-15 mins drive away, and Wash Park is a 5 mins drive. The JW Marriott is a great hotel, as is the Halcyon. As others have said, Denver is a pretty safe city. There is a large homeless population that...
by pejp
Tue Dec 11, 2018 8:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Donate to homeless?
Replies: 81
Views: 5299

Re: Donate to homeless?

[OT comment removed by admin LadyGeek] I don’t give money to them under any circumstances. It really is better spent on services and organizations that cater to them. I don’t feel guilty about that at all, and generally believe it to be more helpful than just handing over cash.
by pejp
Tue Dec 11, 2018 12:27 am
Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
Topic: How do I delete my account?
Replies: 13
Views: 7615

How do I delete my account?

Been on here for a few months, it’s not for me. How do I delete my account?
by pejp
Tue Dec 11, 2018 12:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: To each his own ( I guess ) [Opinions of traveling in retirement]
Replies: 109
Views: 9582

Re: To each his own ( I guess ) [Opinions of traveling in retirement]

Are we nuts? To each their own, I suppose, but not going anywhere except to visit family sounds like a dull way to live. Forget the scenery. Have you ever experienced another culture? Found out how people in those countries actually live? What they eat? What kind of bed they sleep on? What they actually think of America and Americans? It’s eye opening, possibly life changing. You've been listening to too much Henry Rollins. 99.9% of people couldnt care less what people eat, what kind of bed they sleep on, what sports team they like, etc etc. Saying things like that makes you sound pretentious. What a bizarre attitude. Being interested in other cultures is ‘pretentious’? Perhaps 99.9% of people you know couldn’t care less, but I don’t think...
by pejp
Mon Dec 10, 2018 7:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: To each his own ( I guess ) [Opinions of traveling in retirement]
Replies: 109
Views: 9582

Re: To each his own ( I guess ) [Opinions of traveling in retirement]

Are we nuts? To each their own, I suppose, but not going anywhere except to visit family sounds like a dull way to live. Forget the scenery. Have you ever experienced another culture? Found out how people in those countries actually live? What they eat? What kind of bed they sleep on? What they actually think of America and Americans? It’s eye opening, possibly life changing. You've been listening to too much Henry Rollins. 99.9% of people couldnt care less what people eat, what kind of bed they sleep on, what sports team they like, etc etc. Saying things like that makes you sound pretentious. What a bizarre attitude. Being interested in other cultures is ‘pretentious’? Perhaps 99.9% of people you know couldn’t care less, but I don’t think...
by pejp
Mon Dec 10, 2018 5:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is this normal for an HOA?
Replies: 95
Views: 10970

Re: Is this normal for an HOA?

jharkin wrote: Sun Dec 09, 2018 11:45 am I have no advice other than to say I’m adding his to my long list of reasons why I will NEVER live in a development with an HOA. And happy to live in New England where HOA communities are still in the minority.

Do you have to present your “papers” at the guard house too ? :oops:
I'm the HOA president of a condo building, and I completely agree. I'm only president because it's a 15 unit building and nobody else was willing to do it. being part of an HOA really does bring out the absolute worst in people. Never again.
by pejp
Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Nespresso?
Replies: 103
Views: 11069

Re: Nespresso?

I’ve had Nespresso for 6-7 years. Very happy with it. It replaced drip coffee apparatus and a dedicated espresso machine. Coffee is almost as good as drip with expensive beans. Espresso is as good as my old machine and much more consistent. Highly recommend it. As for the comments about coffee geeks, I’ve had espressos for many, many decades. Had it in hyped Williamsburg coffee houses and in European countries that know coffee (Spain, Italy, France). Nothing super special to me. Best espresso I’ve had has been in two places: Miami (around Calle 8) and Buenos Aires (around Calle Florida). BG I sometimes think these things can be situational as well.....i.e. I have no idea on balance if the first espresso I had in one of those standing only ...
by pejp
Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: To each his own ( I guess ) [Opinions of traveling in retirement]
Replies: 109
Views: 9582

Re: To each his own ( I guess )

Is it that you've traveled and just don't enjoy it? Or that it just doesn't appeal to you? I've known people before who have had the latter attitude, gone to Europe, Asia, or Africa, and have come back with a completely changed perspective, because it was their first time seeing thousand year old buildings, public squares, a different culture, and even something as simple as experiencing mass transit! I used to work with a college grad who took his first international trip, to London, and as I'm from London originally he had lots of questions for me, and I was shocked at how he had basically been conditioned to think that the US was the most advanced place in the world in every regard. He was asking me if the food was safe to eat, if we had...
by pejp
Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Guy's Western US Ski Trip - suggestions?
Replies: 44
Views: 3664

Re: Guy's Western US Ski Trip - suggestions?

BolderBoy wrote: Thu Nov 29, 2018 9:54 pm
TRC wrote: Thu Nov 29, 2018 7:02 amI'm planning a guy's ski trip out west for February where about 6 of us will be flying in from all over the US.
If you are considering Breckenridge or the like, make your trip something like Wednesday-Wednesday; not weekend-weekend. The traffic on weekends is literally unimaginable during ski season.
That's a bit of an exaggeration! I live in Denver, and head up to Copper and Breck pretty often. We've had a few bad experiences, but it's not that bad most of the time.
by pejp
Thu Nov 29, 2018 10:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Employeer taking vacation days on public holidays - is this legal or normal?
Replies: 99
Views: 9319

Re: Employeer taking vacation days on public holidays - is this legal or normal?

Dottie57 wrote: Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:30 pm I have to say the idea of “commission” for a Doctor is frightening as a consumer of healthcare.
Yeah, that's what stood out for me. This post really encapsulates two of the most backwards things about this country....the attitude towards PTO, and Healthcare.
by pejp
Thu Nov 29, 2018 10:47 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Guy's Western US Ski Trip - suggestions?
Replies: 44
Views: 3664

Re: Guy's Western US Ski Trip - suggestions?

I live in Denver, so I love Breck, but the nightlife is fairly laid back. If you're looking for more of a hard partying kind of place, it might not be quite enough for you.
by pejp
Wed Nov 28, 2018 2:17 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How did YOU choose your career?
Replies: 149
Views: 13313

Re: How did YOU choose your career?

Did some summer work with a company my Dad's friend worked for, and they asked me back to work for them during my 'gap year' between leaving school and starting university (gap years are common in the UK). My 'gap year' has lasted 18 years so far.
by pejp
Wed Nov 28, 2018 1:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Restaurant Budget
Replies: 113
Views: 9043

Re: Restaurant Budget

My wife and I are DINK, with HHI around $330k in a fairly HCOL medium sized city. Food is by far our biggest expense. We grocery shop at whole foods, and spend about $1k a month at restaurants. We eat in throughout the week, and will usually splurge once or twice a month. I'd rather do that than multiple meals at the local bar/grill, tex mex or Olive Garden. Your spending does sound quite a lot, but it depends on what you value. For me, I don't have many hobbies, and I really enjoy fine dining, particularly Japanese. My wife will joke that a high end Sushi restaurant is when I'm at my happiest! I know that it's excessive, but it's also very easy to cut back on if I ever had to. For me, there are far worse things to spend money on.
by pejp
Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Name something you had to have and now you regret purchasing it?
Replies: 505
Views: 80051

Re: Name something you had to have and now you regret purchasing it?

topper1296 wrote: Mon Nov 26, 2018 5:28 pm A pair of Saucony shoes that were on sale. I've never had a pair of shoes squeak as much as these do. I'm sticking to Nike from here out. I've had many pairs of Nike in the past and they never squeaked on me. Also, undershirts that don't have a bit of spandex in them to hold their shape. My current ones are so stretched out. Someday I will learn my lesson that you get what you pay for with shoes and undershirts (and several other things in life).
Ha, ironically I've only got one pair of shoes that squeak, and it's my Nike Air Max 95s. They were notorious for it due to some kind of design flaw, but I didn't know that before I bought them.
by pejp
Mon Nov 26, 2018 4:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Name something you had to have and now you regret purchasing it?
Replies: 505
Views: 80051

Re: Name something you had to have and now you regret purchasing it?

Indoor bike trainer so I could 'ride' my road bike during the winter months. I absolutely had to have it, and ended up using it once in 6 months. Sold it for about 40% of what I paid for it.

My Breville Juicer. I saw a documentary called 'fat, sick, and nearly dead', which was fantastic. I made veggie juice every day for 2 weeks, it was going to change my life.....then it was a couple of times a week, then a few times a month...and now it's been about 3 years.
by pejp
Wed Nov 21, 2018 2:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 1 Week vacation in February 2019, to get away from the Midwest Winter
Replies: 45
Views: 4948

Re: 1 Week vacation in February 2019, to get away from the Midwest Winter

Jamaica is fine if you want to stay in a resort the whole time, but personal safety issues are a very real problem there. We were in Ochos Rios for a wedding last year, and were basically told not to leave the resort, particularly at night.

I'd say Barbados. It's absolutely beautiful, the people are friendly, you can stay in a resort if you want that kind of thing, but you can freely travel around without worry.
by pejp
Fri Nov 16, 2018 4:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Finances in NYC
Replies: 127
Views: 16665

Re: Finances in NYC

My sister just moved closer to me (Utah) after spending the past decade in NYC. She was an archivist at NYU, making ~$50k/yr and (by her accounts) lived pretty well for a single woman (although she always had roommates). Yes, NYC is one of the more expensive places in the country to live, but a single individual making more than twice the median household income in the city should have ample resources to live a decent life. I don’t doubt she lived on $50k as many do, but I can’t imagine how. This is what...$3k per month? I’d assume rent was half of her take home pay. Obviously she had roommates and/or lived far outside of the city. Add some savings and you have what, $1k per month to live off of? You’d have to be extremely frugal. I would ...
by pejp
Fri Nov 16, 2018 10:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Finances in NYC
Replies: 127
Views: 16665

Re: Finances in NYC

I wouldn't do it - you'll be living a very tough lifestyle. Everything is expensive, much more expensive than you think. Eating out/bars/groceries are going to seem stupidly expensive. We pay fresh graduates about $185k/year and they all share apartments due to the cost of living. That's ridiculous imo. I'm sure they share apartments to ease the cost of living partially, but also because that's often what people of that age do, plus you can get a lot more at scale....4 x 20 somethings paying $3k each will get a pretty spectacular $12k apartment, whereas $3k individually will get you a nice studio/small 1 bed in most parts of Manhattan. It's easy to see why recent grads would do that whilst it's still somewhat the norm to live with friends,...
by pejp
Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:49 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Finances in NYC
Replies: 127
Views: 16665

Re: Finances in NYC

If you look at Bankrates cost of living calculator you see that $58k in Columbus is equivalent to $145k in Manhattan and $111k in Brooklyn, with the difference being rent/mortgage. From a financial perspective the new wage is comprobale to your current wage adjusted for COL in NYC. OP, I would encourage you not to rule out the Brooklyn option. For NYC commutes, the relevant metric is not the distance, it's the number of stops. You can live across the river in Williamsburg and be downtown in 3 stops, much quicker than some neighborhoods in Manhattan. There are probably neighborhoods in Queens that would work well, too. I lived in Williamsburg for 5 years and loved it, but it's no longer the cheap or 'up and coming' option. If was looking fo...
by pejp
Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Finances in NYC
Replies: 127
Views: 16665

Re: Finances in NYC

I wouldn't do it - you'll be living a very tough lifestyle. Everything is expensive, much more expensive than you think. Eating out/bars/groceries are going to seem stupidly expensive. We pay fresh graduates about $185k/year and they all share apartments due to the cost of living. That's ridiculous imo. I'm sure they share apartments to ease the cost of living partially, but also because that's often what people of that age do, plus you can get a lot more at scale....4 x 20 somethings paying $3k each will get a pretty spectacular $12k apartment, whereas $3k individually will get you a nice studio/small 1 bed in most parts of Manhattan. It's easy to see why recent grads would do that whilst it's still somewhat the norm to live with friends,...
by pejp
Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:55 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How long have you had, or did you have, your HP-12C calculator?
Replies: 72
Views: 4784

Re: How long have you had, or did you have, your HP-12C calculator?

I've only had mine a couple of years. I got it when I started on my CFA journey (studying for Level 2 right now).

I don't know how true this is, but I read that apparently when you do any kind of complex calculation, the flashing 'RUNNING' used to be because the calculator genuinely needed time to process the calculation, but is now purely aesthetic. They found that when working out an NPV or something like that, 12C users just didn't trust the calculation if it came back instantaneously, as the modern versions are perfectly capable of, so it's artificial on the modern models because it's just part of the 12c character. Again, take that with a grain of salt, but it's one of those stories that I really hope is true!
by pejp
Fri Nov 09, 2018 10:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Moving to NYC without a job
Replies: 33
Views: 5839

Re: Moving to NYC without a job

LadyGeek wrote: Fri Nov 09, 2018 10:00 pm I removed several off-topic posts regarding living conditions NYC. The discussion is getting derailed.

Please stay focused on helping the OP decide (or not) to move to NYC.

Got it, no more challenging of very obviously racially charged comments.
by pejp
Wed Nov 07, 2018 5:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Planning first international trip - London/Paris
Replies: 74
Views: 6497

Re: Planning first international trip - London/Paris

Mainly we tried to walk (I say tried because my mom has very bad arthritis and we just ended up taking a cab a lot). The cab rides were nice though and I enjoyed talking to the cabbies. Not to hijack the thread, but this brings up a point I’ve been wondering about. My wife and I will be in London for a couple of days in mid-January, and it appears we’ll need to take a cab from the hotel to one of the planned attractions one night. In researching, I happened across the London public transit site, and from the way it reads there are some real safety concerns with riding London cabs (having to do with the behavior of the drivers). Did you folks feel safe with them? What was your impression? From London, whole family is back there, and I’m bac...
by pejp
Wed Nov 07, 2018 4:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: High Earners - What's Your Profession?
Replies: 1217
Views: 223015

Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Director, Front Office Technlogy - Investment Management. I’m 36. $220k base + roughly 25% cash bonus + around 20% in restricted stock, so about $300k all in. I didn’t go to college. Started fairly low level when I was 18 at a company that outsourced tech staff for financial institutions....started with trading floor desktop support like replacing phones, doing desk moves, replacing keyboards, fixing printers, telecommunications etc and managed to learn enough about finance to move into application support and finance specific tech stuff and just took it from there. Spent most of my career at a large macro hedge fund, and moved into the more traditional asset management industry a few years ago. Not quite as interesting, but certainly less...
by pejp
Wed Nov 07, 2018 4:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Planning first international trip - London/Paris
Replies: 74
Views: 6497

Re: Planning first international trip - London/Paris

Mainly we tried to walk (I say tried because my mom has very bad arthritis and we just ended up taking a cab a lot). The cab rides were nice though and I enjoyed talking to the cabbies. Not to hijack the thread, but this brings up a point I’ve been wondering about. My wife and I will be in London for a couple of days in mid-January, and it appears we’ll need to take a cab from the hotel to one of the planned attractions one night. In researching, I happened across the London public transit site, and from the way it reads there are some real safety concerns with riding London cabs (having to do with the behavior of the drivers). Did you folks feel safe with them? What was your impression? From London, whole family is back there, and I’m bac...
by pejp
Wed Nov 07, 2018 11:58 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: High Earners - What's Your Profession?
Replies: 1217
Views: 223015

Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Director, Front Office Technlogy - Investment Management. I’m 36. $220k base + roughly 25% cash bonus + around 20% in restricted stock, so about $300k all in. I didn’t go to college. Started fairly low level when I was 18 at a company that outsourced tech staff for financial institutions....started with trading floor desktop support like replacing phones, doing desk moves, replacing keyboards, fixing printers, telecommunications etc and managed to learn enough about finance to move into application support and finance specific tech stuff and just took it from there. Spent most of my career at a large macro hedge fund, and moved into the more traditional asset management industry a few years ago. Not quite as interesting, but certainly less ...
by pejp
Wed Nov 07, 2018 10:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How much money did you receive from family? (Gifts/inheritance)
Replies: 127
Views: 17811

Re: How much money did you receive from family? (Gifts/inheritance)

Both my parents are only 63 and in good health, so hopefully it's not something I'll have to think of for a while. However, I thought this was apt.......I collect watches and have done for a long time. I truly love them, and focus primarily on vintage watches, but my collection over the years has included all kinds of things. I was recently quoted in the NY Times about watch collecting, I was interviewed by IWC a few years back...you get the idea, it's more than just a hobby, it's my passion. Anyway, a few years back, I bought my Dad a Rolex GMT for Fathers Day. He wasn't expecting it, and was very touched, to the point that he was quite emotional. He grew up in a fairly poor background, and a Rolex is not something he ever expected to own....
by pejp
Wed Nov 07, 2018 10:30 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Planning first international trip - London/Paris
Replies: 74
Views: 6497

Re: Planning first international trip - London/Paris

I was born and raised in London, and still go back pretty frequently. Others have said it, but with such limited time, just focus on quality time rather than trying to see everything. London is both physically and culturally vast (a lot of tourists hit the sights, wander around zone 1 for a few days and then say they've "done London"...those people are wrong), you could live there for a year and barely scratch the surface. If you just accept that with only 6 days you'll just get a taster, then you'll have a better time. Some tourists just go from place to place, taking pictures, and seem more interested in checking off their list rather than actually being present and enjoying it. I'd say a good ratio is 50% seeing the tourist sig...
by pejp
Thu Oct 11, 2018 3:45 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: U.S. stocks in free fall
Replies: 36221
Views: 4653364

Re: U.S. stocks in freefall

This place is obviously working on me. I'm 95% US Equities, 35 years old so I've got a fairly long time until retirement, so I'm actually enjoying this. I wouldn't have been saying that a few years ago :D
by pejp
Thu Oct 11, 2018 3:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Lucrative careers?
Replies: 467
Views: 61381

Re: Lucrative careers?

People seem to be under the mistaken belief that you have to live in SF and work at FAANG to make $200k+ per year in tech, and that's not even remotely the case. We're not talking about the 1% of software engineers or only the best of the best, here. We're talking about C students at state universities. I still have no idea where you get this idea that these numbers are common. Just because a bunch of anonymouse uses on Blind say it doesn make it true. The BLS statistical data is out there and easy to find.... I work with developers with advanced degrees from MIT, Cornell, etc..most folks I know here in New England are only in the low-mid 100s base (mid 100s to low 200s with equity and bonuses) And Im talking mid 40s/mid career folks. Most...
by pejp
Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Lucrative careers?
Replies: 467
Views: 61381

Re: Lucrative careers?

I've worked in tech for 25 years. I suggest looking at the MEDIAN salaries for a particular job role. There is no doubt good paying jobs in tech, but you need to be realistic. I, too, have worked in tech for a long time. Two problems with that: 1.) The median never captures equity, which is a large part of tech compensation at many companies. Looking at the median will ALWAYS underestimate actual compensation. 2.) The median software developer is very low-skilled. Practically everyone who is a software engineer that would even consider applying to one of these jobs is already in the top 20%. That's because there's a wiiiiiiide range of skillsets and no standardization in job titles. Two people with the title "software developer" ...