Search found 512 matches

by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Mar 27, 2024 11:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is sewer insurance advisable when renting a house?
Replies: 18
Views: 1717

Re: Is sewer insurance advisable when renting a house?

I heard back today. Long story short, probably an item sneaked in so those unaware (read, yours truly) would pay for coverage. Alas, I removed this coverage with immediate effect.

When I mentioned that I rent (which should have been obvious, given that my premium is less than $200 as opposed to a few thousand dollars), the independent broker's agent said, oh in that case, you really don't need it.

As we'll likely purchase a SFH this year, I asked how much additional coverage they do sell, the response was coverage up to $200k.
by InvisibleAerobar
Tue Mar 26, 2024 2:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Volvo CPO Extended Warranty
Replies: 28
Views: 6016

Re: Volvo CPO Extended Warranty

Update : The dealership offered to drop the price of the extended warranty by $300. So I said I'd do it. But they emailed a contract to me that says it's for 5 years or 100K miles (as opposed to the 5 years and unlimited mileage that we discussed). When I asked about this discrepancy, they said that unlimited mileage would cost $1K more. So it's roughly $4,500 for three years of coverage (plus $100 deductible and exclusions). And it's an aftermarket warranty from a third-party provider, not Volvo. All things considered, hard pass. This bit of info seems a tad confusing. CPO covers 5 years from initial in service date and has unlimited mileage. Your vehicle is MY 2021, so presumably in service in late 2020 or early 2021. So the CPO warranty...
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Autos Collecting and Selling Our Driving Info? Is this real?
Replies: 25
Views: 2782

Re: Autos Collecting and Selling Our Driving Info? Is this real?

Thanks for getting this thread started. I followed a link above and requested LexisNexis to send me whatever info it has on me.

One of the websites mentioned upthread (https://vehicleprivacyreport.com) states that it will act on behalf of a consumer and file the necessary opt-out paperwork. Has anyone used this service?

Otherwise, at least for the manufacture of my vehicle, there is no in-app method for me to request the cessation of sharing.
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Two questions re: hiring of buyer’s agent in view of new NAR settlement
Replies: 4
Views: 655

Re: Two questions re: hiring of buyer’s agent in view of new policy re: buyer's agent compensation

We don't know how things will change in July. I suppose buyer's agents could insist on a dollar payment per showing, with a further payment for negotiation, and a final payment for closing. OR they could require X% from somewhere upon closing, either from the buyer or the seller. I don't see why the seller's agent can't agree to pay commission in the course of negotiations. My understanding is that it just can't be required upfront. Based on present market trends, I'm guessing if it comes down to one buyer paying listing but requesting no buyer's agent compensation while the other buyer is requesting buyer's agent compensation, the former will get the property. I'm also not counting on sellers to lower initial listing price by 2-3% to acco...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Mar 24, 2024 8:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Two questions re: hiring of buyer’s agent in view of new NAR settlement
Replies: 4
Views: 655

Two questions re: hiring of buyer’s agent in view of new NAR settlement

First question related to whether I should put an end date to the engagement contract (to coincide with when the new NAR settlement go into effect). The second has to do with how one gets access to properties in the absence of a true buyer’s agent. The first one is straight forward enough. Though we are currently looking, the prices here tend to peak for closings before the start of the school year, and it’s likely we are still looking by the time the new NAR regulations take effect (whatever the exact date might be). On the off chance that we find a property we deem suitably priced before that mid-July date, we’d be fine with the traditional compensation. But we would not want to have it continue past that mid-July date. Should we only loo...
by InvisibleAerobar
Fri Mar 22, 2024 12:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Choosing a Buyer's Broker (Real Estate)?
Replies: 10
Views: 1183

Re: Choosing a Buyer's Broker (Real Estate)?

Could someone knowledgeable chime on whether the following would be worthwhile asking? -Experience with structuring escalating clauses. I think this is also an implicit indication on whether a realtor knows the market. -Experience with helping buyer avoid major money pits. -Experience with helping buyer find "underpriced" properties. It could be worth asking, but at the end of the day brokers are salespeople, so I doubt you'd find anyone who would willingly admit they don't have experience with these things. In terms of avoiding money pits, it would be hard for a realtor to help with that. You definitely want a good inspector (I'm shocked when people buy and waive inspection), and to be personally familiar with the neighborhood. ...
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Mar 20, 2024 2:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Choosing a Buyer's Broker (Real Estate)?
Replies: 10
Views: 1183

Re: Choosing a Buyer's Broker (Real Estate)?

I'm somewhat in a similar position, and a few poster here who already chimed in have provided helpful feedback previously in this thread (https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=418802). I wonder if it would be at all helpful asking for "past results", knowing full well that it's not a indication of future success. My thinking goes that if a potential broker can't name even a few instances from the recent past where his/her supposed professional knowledge became useful, then it really wouldn't bode well as an indication of "value added". Could someone knowledgeable chime on whether the following would be worthwhile asking? -Experience with structuring escalating clauses. I think this is also an implicit indicati...
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Mar 20, 2024 1:52 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is it possible to over contribute to TSP?
Replies: 22
Views: 2577

Re: Is it possible to over contribute to TSP?

Quick update, I received a deposit of $16 into my checking account, thereby wrapping up the whole saga.
by InvisibleAerobar
Tue Mar 19, 2024 3:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is sewer insurance advisable when renting a house?
Replies: 18
Views: 1717

Re: Is sewer insurance advisable when renting a house?

I've called the insurance agency but got voice mail only. Will report back on what I find. Perhaps it's a requirement to getting the umbrella insurance.
bombcar wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:34 am

It could come down to “caused or uncaused” - if the sewer broke because of age or roots (and the renter wasn’t required to maintain the line periodically) it should be on the landlord; if it backed up because of “flushable” wipes and small toys it would be in the renter.

In general as a landlord I’d expect to maintain the line and pay to unstuck/fix it and even to replace carpet if it happened, but not personal belongings unless it was my negligence.
That sounds quite reasonable.
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Mar 18, 2024 6:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is sewer insurance advisable when renting a house?
Replies: 18
Views: 1717

Re: Is sewer insurance advisable when renting a house?

Thanks for the comments upthread, I'll call my insurance broker to find out Do you know where your line would back up into the house? If you wanted to, you could pay $300 or so to clean and inspect the line (find a commercial outfit that will waterjet AND camera it and give you the footage) and then cancel if the line looks fine. If it would back up in a furnished living area, it's probably not a terrible idea to have. If it would back up into a concrete unused basement, you might be able to go without. As with all insurance, it's "ne'er worth it" because the insurance company is making money. Replacing a sewer line and cleanup is in the $5-20k range I'd guess. Up to you if that would be worth $100/yr. My house is very old and I d...
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is sewer insurance advisable when renting a house?
Replies: 18
Views: 1717

Is sewer insurance advisable when renting a house?

While reviewing my insurance documents, I realized I've been paying for sewer insurance to the tune of $100/year. I know that if we were to own some of the houses nearby built 90 years ago or more, I'd get this coverage. Conversely, if we were renting an apartment on the second floor of a building, I'd pass on this coverage. The complication is that the house we rent is built 40 years ago, and above all, we rent. I figure that should something happen, the damage would be of greater concern to the landlord than it would be to me, but part of me wonders if some of the fault might get shifted onto me (even though I have no say re: structural integrity of the house and its pipes). I do also have umbrella coverage (from the same company that und...
by InvisibleAerobar
Fri Feb 23, 2024 11:01 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Another thread on Tax Implications (in particular FICA) of HSA overcontribution
Replies: 2
Views: 258

Re: Another thread on Tax Implications (in particular FICA) of HSA overcontribution

Thank you for the explanation.

As you mentioned, the FICA treatment aspect is rather murky.

One fewer thing for me to worry about.
by InvisibleAerobar
Thu Feb 22, 2024 1:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Another thread on Tax Implications (in particular FICA) of HSA overcontribution
Replies: 2
Views: 258

Another thread on Tax Implications (in particular FICA) of HSA overcontribution

I somehow managed to overcontribute by $8 in Tax Year 2023 ($1,800 from employer and $5,958 from self, resulting $8 in excess of the $7,750 limit). There is enough cash in my HSA account itself to withdraw $8, so that I don't think I would need to be concerned with earnings generated by that $8.

I would like some clarification on the various taxes owed. First is the relevant federal and state taxes. As the $8 overcontribution was not originally subject to federal and state taxes, I think I need to pay taxes on this.

What is less clear is the implications on FICA taxes and whether an additional payment is needed. If it is, to whom do I write a check and what form do I use? Do I need another W2 as well?

Many thanks in advance
by InvisibleAerobar
Sat Feb 10, 2024 9:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Guidance sought re: obtaining a mortgage with the lowest APR
Replies: 4
Views: 688

Guidance sought re: obtaining a mortgage with the lowest APR

My wife and I have finally reached a point where we can settle down and can finally start looking to purchase a house. The TLDR version of my current plan is to use the auto-generated pre-approval letter(s) from Better.com (up to $750k for now, could be increased if my wife is added onto the application) up to the point when I need to make an offer, and then ask for bids from the five lenders when we find a property we want to purchase. Does this sound reasonable? What blindspots are in this plan? Are there better ways to obtaining a lower rate? There are a lot more info to be found in the long-running refinance thread, but there don't appear to be as much info when it comes to mortgages for a purchase. I've also spent enough time searching...
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Jan 29, 2024 12:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is it possible to over contribute to TSP?
Replies: 22
Views: 2577

Re: Is it possible to over contribute to TSP?

I asked HR about this, and was provided a response from NFC.

The issue is categorized as a system error on the part of NFC. The announcement from NFC states that a refund will be made for over-contribution exceeding $10, and that over-contribution of $10 or less will not be refunded. For the latter scenario, it isn't exactly clear if the amount will be added to TSP contribution, but it does say that the over-contribution will be added to 2023 Federal withholding. Somewhat annoying that there's no explanation as to the exact disposition of over-contribution of $10 or less.
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Jan 29, 2024 12:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Quality of insulation found in SFH of different vintages in the Upper Midwest and possible remedies
Replies: 23
Views: 1901

Re: Quality of insulation found in SFH of different vintages in the Upper Midwest and possible remedies

Thanks again for the trove of valuable information. Definitely going to come back and re-read the various suggestions re: sealing. Also appreciate the suggestion of hiring an auditor prior to purchase; we originally thought of hiring one after the fact, but it didn't quite cross my mind to do so before signing a contract. I think the surprise will be: - a 1970s home can be as bad as a 1930s one in terms of insulation and airtightness If it's a good "hood" 1930s houses tend to hold their value well for all the reasons listed by other posters - craftsmanship. It's not that they were individual, because in fact builders built them in batches, financing the construction of a new one from the sale of the previous one. So you get blocks...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Jan 28, 2024 7:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Quality of insulation found in SFH of different vintages in the Upper Midwest and possible remedies
Replies: 23
Views: 1901

Re: Quality of insulation found in SFH of different vintages in the Upper Midwest and possible remedies

Wow, a bevy of good information. Thanks to all who have chimed in so far! I think I'll definitely be looking into windows. I have to say that I didn't truly grasp the utility of storm windows until posters above pointed to their insulation performances. We also like the architectural flairs of those 1930's brick/ stone houses (currently rent in a neighborhood with quite a bit of these), but I've always wondered about just how much I'd be giving up. In some cases, it'd be a trade of walkability (and proximity to amenities) for cost savings from better insulation. Also edited my original post, as I should have written something more clearly. I was wondering if houses in category 1) might cost $150/ month more for heating/ cooling as compared ...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Jan 28, 2024 4:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Quality of insulation found in SFH of different vintages in the Upper Midwest and possible remedies
Replies: 23
Views: 1901

Quality of insulation found in SFH of different vintages in the Upper Midwest and possible remedies

There's a high likelihood of us settling down this year, most likely in the Upper Midwest (e.g. Milwaukee, Twin Cities, Madison, or Detroit). Based on what we've seen so far, the houses that we are looking for (~two-story 2,500 sq. ft. SFH) tend to fall into the following categories: -1) Brick/ stone construction from the 1920's to 1930's; -2) Stucco construction from the 1920's to 1930's; -3) "Cinder-block" first level and sidings for second level; 1940's to 1960's; -4) Siding construction from 1960's to late 1980's, some with occasional other materials on the façade; -5) Newer construction from the 1990's onwards. If we do live in certain neighborhoods, the choices we have are likely to be overwhelming a mix of 1) and 2). In oth...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Jan 28, 2024 1:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is it possible to over contribute to TSP?
Replies: 22
Views: 2577

Re: Is it possible to over contribute to TSP?

After many years of the last PP of the year being adjusted to not let me go over the max, my latest E&L shows me over-contributing by $4. NFC is our payment processor. My TSP account does show the correct maximum amount contributed, so I assume they didn't accept the extra $4 and that will be refunded to me. Not worried about the small amount, but surprised that this happened. Super annoying, isn't it? Save for 2023, ever since I started making the maximum allowed contribution, the last contribution of a particular year has always been just a bit less than the corresponding penultimate contribution. With my limit being $22,500 for 2023, I divided that number by 26 and rounded up to the next integer ($866). Except at least on the NFC si...
by InvisibleAerobar
Tue Dec 19, 2023 12:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying a home w/o an agent.
Replies: 63
Views: 12677

Re: Buying a home w/o an agent.

Thanks for the helpful posts above. In my own very limited experience, I haven't found buyer's agents are that big of an asset. The last one with whom I contracted came highly recommended, and while the agent was generally helpful (e.g., dissuading me from buying certain older properties and pointing out potential trouble spots such as stucco maintenance in a relatively humid area), I felt somewhat let down with one property I was really interested, one that has sat for months back in 2018 and came with an inspection report detailing some major-ish issues. I had an idea of the potential cost of repair (some of which was stated on the inspection report made available) and specifically inquired the ramifications of a) offer to purchase as is ...
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Dec 18, 2023 10:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying a home w/o an agent.
Replies: 63
Views: 12677

Re: Buying a home w/o an agent.

Well, there may or may not be depending on the situation. We interviewed several agents before finding ours and it was shocking how incompetent they clearly were. I mean, they couldn't even answer basic questions and clearly didn't listen to us (ie. sending us listings that were not remotely what we were interested in). "Our guy" is fantastic and we've referred him to several others, but in our case, all he did was show up to the closing and make sure the contract was good to go for his 5-figure paycheck; we did EVERYTHING else on our own, because we are kind of like OP. And, because the home we bought was FSBO, yes, we directly paid him (but, it was our first home and we were scared of what we didn't know...which turned out to b...
by InvisibleAerobar
Thu Dec 07, 2023 11:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pirate Ship - Save Up to 89%
Replies: 32
Views: 6512

Re: Pirate Ship - Save Up to 89%

DMB41 wrote: Wed Dec 06, 2023 7:35 am
TexasPE wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2023 8:11 pm Paypal also has a shipping function

https://paypal.shipstation.com/orders

I believe it retained this functionality when PayPal was spun off eBay
This is what I have used in the past. Simple and easy to use. Curious if anyone has compared prices to Pirate Ship.
I've compared it to three other services (shippo, shipstation, and a broker for shipping niche products). PirateShip usually has the lowest prices, although shipstation isn't too bad.
by InvisibleAerobar
Tue Dec 05, 2023 7:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pirate Ship - Save Up to 89%
Replies: 32
Views: 6512

Re: Pirate Ship - Save Up to 89%

bhwabeck3533 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2023 5:15 pm
runner3081 wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2023 5:04 pm
It is all about their Cubic pricing for USPS. Cheaper than eBay.

Unfortunately, their UPS pricing is now more expensive than eBay.
So, am I now being informed there is at least a 4th shipping alternative to USPS, UPS, Pirate Ship -- and it is ... eBay?
PirateShip is merely a broker service, and it's one of many out there. The discounted rates are lower than what USPS and UPS would offer to their respective individual customers online.

I've must have used it more than 30 times in the past three years. Only drawback is that its insurance option maxes out at $5000/package.
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Oct 18, 2023 8:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: us treasury bonds
Replies: 19
Views: 4340

Re: us treasury bonds

Thank you both for taking the time to explain the details. Didn’t even occur to me to use a spreadsheet for this.
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Oct 18, 2023 10:17 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: us treasury bonds
Replies: 19
Views: 4340

Re: us treasury bonds

I'm bumping this thread as I have a question re: how YTM is calculated and to what extent is accrued interest (as in, interest payment owed to previous owner of the bond) is factored into YTM. Say for the following treasury with CUSIP of 9128284V9, which matures on August 15, 2028. It's trading at ~$91.25, with a coupon rate of 2.875%; it's listed as having a YTM of ~4.95%. Coupon dates are middle of February and middle of August. I understand that quoted YTM are often optimistic, but it would appear to a layperson such as myself that YTM simply ignored the interest accrued part of the transaction. If I were to buy $10k (face-value) of this bond, I would pay $9,124.28 for principal and $50.78 for accrued interest (which works out to be roug...
by InvisibleAerobar
Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Long-haul travel in economy (United Airlines)
Replies: 64
Views: 7739

Re: Long-haul travel in economy (United Airlines)

Typically, IAD-FCO and return is a 777-200, but I trust you on the 767. You can google the United seatmap by aircraft type. 4 more inches of legroom is a fair amount, so think of that in pricing and value. It looks like, unlike the 777, the 767 does not have premium plus , which is basically the same as a domestic first class seat, so also worth it if the price is right. One config. of UA 767-300 ER does not have Prem. Econ. (“P+); the rest do. There appears to be only one config. for UA 767-400 ER, and it has P+. The various configs. are on UA’s website: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/united-airlines-fleet.html Thanks all. I reviewed the United website for the flight we will most likely book. It appears that there ar...
by InvisibleAerobar
Tue Sep 05, 2023 11:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Things to do while cycling indoors
Replies: 30
Views: 3621

Re: Things to do while cycling indoors

I watch bike races (preferably one-day bike races, cyclocross races, and MTB races) or perhaps a game of association football to pass the time and relieve the boredom.

Zwift on its own can get mind-numbingly boring, and my tolerance for it is perhaps 20 minutes. I have to have either something else to focus on (say an interval) or be in a group-ride of sorts to get through it. YMMV.
by InvisibleAerobar
Fri Sep 01, 2023 10:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Main Cabin Preferred on AA
Replies: 10
Views: 1252

Re: Main Cabin Preferred on AA

I'm looking at some flights on American, and there's an option to pay for Main Cabin Preferred which "allows you to choose preferred seats at no extra cost if available." If I book regular (or even basic) Main Cabin tickets, presumably I can just pay a la carte for the extra leg-room seats. Are there any benefits to booking the preferred ticket versus just picking the preferred seats at seat selection? Preferred refers to the regular economy seats a bit further up front. Usually not sold as its own branded product and more of a seat selection upcharge only. Having looked into this recently, the biggest benefit to Main Cabin Plus is allowance for one checked bag for travelers with peon status (such as yours truly). A la carte does...
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Aug 30, 2023 2:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Zelle payment for rental checks, in particular via BoA and Chase
Replies: 6
Views: 886

Re: Zelle payment for rental checks, in particular via BoA and Chase

Thanks for the posts Can you do Venmo or some other payment system? Can you do multiple transfers from Chase? FWIW, I use Ally Zelle with no issues. I only use my Ally account for Zelle and Venmo. I just keep a small amount in there until I need to do a transfer. I could, and I think that's what I'll do for the next few months, but it's added hassle for both sides. OP, sorry to hear about your situation. I have Zelle with Ally and BofA and prefer BofA because that is my trash account and BofA has higher daily limits than Ally. One question for the Chase folks. First, my reading of their website Zelle FAQs is this: From Consumer Chase checking accounts, you can send up to $5,000 in a single transaction. So does Chase "slap" people ...
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Aug 30, 2023 8:24 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Zelle payment for rental checks, in particular via BoA and Chase
Replies: 6
Views: 886

Zelle payment for rental checks, in particular via BoA and Chase

Due to a peculiar set of circumstances, I am currently unable to use the preferred payment method to pay my rent. I would greatly appreciate it if the scope of discussion in primarily on Zelle and in particular with BoA or Chase. Long background warning. I have been paying rent (at least a week before due date) using BoA Zelle. The landlord somehow changed his recipient account settings, and when I tried to make a payment in late July, I had to add him anew. Turns out it was due to a quirk in the system, where things reset when someone else paid him using his email address as opposed to phone number. I cannot presently add anyone on BoA Zelle, b/c I've forgotten my PIN and do not live close enough to a place with a BoA. So I swapped to usin...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Aug 20, 2023 1:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are some liability concerns when selling used tires? Is it actually worth it?
Replies: 5
Views: 673

Re: What are some liability concerns when selling used tires? Is it actually worth it?

"WHAT ARE SOME LIABILITY CONCERNS WHEN SELLING USED .......ANYTHING?" I wouldn't overthink it. To be fair, I sell a lot of my used stuff. Used car tires (and to a lesser extent used bicycle tires) have more direct influence on safety than the other things I normally sell. Therein lies the main difference. People sell used cars, with used tires all the time. I don't see a problem. I know, but I think the fact that these tires in particular are for safety-related purposes (better winter traction) and that they are sold as separate items (as opposed to parts of a working vehicle) may invite more scrutiny. Alas my concern. But as I mentioned, I'm perhaps more cautious on this front than most, and having differing views presented help...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Aug 20, 2023 1:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are some liability concerns when selling used tires? Is it actually worth it?
Replies: 5
Views: 673

What are some liability concerns when selling used tires? Is it actually worth it?

When we moved to the upper Midwest, I bought a set of winter tires for the primary car we were driving at the time. That car has since been sold, and we now have four winter tires with really low mileage (~3,500 miles, IIRC), used for 2 winters and an entire year during which we didn't get around to doing the swap. Treads are still at least 8/32" all around. Being a somewhat cautious person, I'm hesitant about potential liabilities when selling these tires. I would think that by most objective indication, the tires would be considered to be in very good conditions and still have a lot of service life, but would I also be opening myself to headaches down the road? Eventually, if I don't decide to sell, even their disposal costs money (a...
by InvisibleAerobar
Thu Aug 17, 2023 8:56 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Trip/Travel Insurance: per trip, annual, or credit cards?
Replies: 15
Views: 1464

Re: Trip/Travel Insurance: per trip, annual, or credit cards?

The annual plans have cancellation cost caps of $2,500 to $5,000, which would barely cover the air-fare for a family. It never used to be an issue but travel has changed dramatically in the last couple of years, especially considering extreme weather and the general cost of trips. I'd be tempted to get the Amex Platinum or Chase Reserve if I am getting the same features as a stand-alone plan. I'll call TIS and report back on what they offer. The details all differ, and it's important to read the fine prints. Chase Sapphire seems to have a $10k/person and $20k/trip cap (I think that's per annum). So a bit better than $2.5k/5k. We have found the credit card coverage (for Chase Sapphire Reserve, in this case) to be extremely difficult to work...
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Aug 07, 2023 10:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Extended car warranty (Volvo specifically)? Experience with Steingold?
Replies: 7
Views: 1246

Re: Extended car warranty (Volvo specifically)? Experience with Steingold?

Do you spring for a manufacturer's extended warranty when buying a CPO vehicle if you intend to keep it longer than the manufacturer's original warranty? Given how electronic the modern Volvos are, I thought it would be worth considering. The dealer offered what was basically a 35% discount off the "list" price if we bought the Volvo warranty through them, but I've seen a lot of people recommending Steingold Volvo, which is the same Volvo warranty, but generally cheaper. All of these are Volvo warranties, not a third-party, and my understanding is that they are fully transferrable (which should increase trade-in value when it's time for us to get something else). There are several packages available with varying deductibles. It c...
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Aug 02, 2023 1:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: PHL Airport Transportation
Replies: 14
Views: 978

Re: PHL Airport Transportation

Can anyone recommend a reliable, not-overpriced car or shuttle service to get to/from Philly International and the Philly western suburbs? Looks like standard fare is $300 round trip, which does not make my frugal self happy. No friends or neighbors available to provide transport. Thanks for any thoughts. Depends on how far out "western suburbs" is. Circa 2019, a ~20 mile trip one-way was ~$55. That may have changed though. It was offered by one of the car service companies I found (using Yelp, iirc). Call around, and you should be able to get a quote. Unfortunately, I don't recall the name of the company, but it had decent ratings on Yelp and courteous drivers. As suggested above, there's always the Septa R1, but it runs only on...
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Aug 02, 2023 8:24 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Eva and China airlines - Taiwan airlines
Replies: 33
Views: 4395

Re: Eva and China airlines - Taiwan airlines

bendix wrote: Tue Aug 01, 2023 7:57 pm Years ago the Taiwanese airlines had some issues with safety I believe to recall, thus I havent used them regardless of price, convenience, service, cleanliness and all that. Do your own research as people have wildly differing views on this matter.
The subpar safety record pertains to China Airlines (CI); for a while, it was a somewhat frequent occurrence.

But you used a plural and appear to have been referring to all Taiwanese airlines. While pedantic, it has to be said that EVA has not had any passenger fatalities, and StarLux just started operating barely three years ago and also has not had any passenger fatalities.
by InvisibleAerobar
Tue Aug 01, 2023 12:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Chase Sapphire Reserve travel insurance - how many claims?
Replies: 14
Views: 2920

Re: Chase Sapphire Reserve travel insurance - how many claims?

If that has in fact changed, then that would be big news indeed. Will update when I go through the process, for now just seems a bit different from what I recall the language being last time I looked many years ago. Any update? After a whole lot of back and forth got most of the claims covered. Mileage award was brought up once then we moved on. Missed a few smaller charges where I didn't have the itemized receipts. It worked but my dollar per hour invested recovery rate was quite low. I didn't mind as I wanted to go through the process but it would be more than just a hassle & hobby if there were large sums at play that mattered to me. Allianz (the actual party handling the claims) is the worst. Indicated >5 missing items when there w...
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Vehicle safety: is size a consideration for you? What's the sweet spot?
Replies: 118
Views: 7657

Re: Vehicle safety: is size a consideration for you? What's the sweet spot?

We've looked at replacing one of our crossover SUVs with a Volvo wagon, but the size concerns me. While Volvos are extremely safe, I'm just not sure how well one would fare against someone in a three-quarter ton truck comes barreling through a red light. What is the sweet spot of size vs. safety? From a size perspective, a large sedan or wagon would be ideal for our other car, but the safety aspects concern me with a family. We have a SPA V60 CC. Its curb weight just a tad over 4,000 lbs, which is comparable to the weight of the XC60. The V60 CC is technically classified as a small SUV. If you think the V60 to be small, there's always the V90 (~200 lbs heavier), but really, given that the front end and sides are quite comparable to a V60, ...
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Jul 26, 2023 2:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: If/when to fly business class? (Length of flight vs. cost)
Replies: 207
Views: 27355

Re: If/when to fly business class? (Length of flight vs. cost)

toblerone wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 1:10 pm
You seem very knowledgeable about P+ seats so I have a question: do you know if they have taller headrests than standard economy?
As a tall person with a long torso, my main problem with economy is the headrest which usually lands on my shoulders. This makes sleeping impossible and relaxing also near impossible. So I have purchased business class (lie flat) the last 2 times for international flights. The price is painful and I almost chose P+ last time, but the airline would not respond to my emails asking about headrest height.
Bummer, i wish i could help you, but i don’t recall (i’m also of average height). Flyertalk is probably worthwhile checking, as the regulars there really travel a lot.
by InvisibleAerobar
Tue Jul 25, 2023 1:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: If/when to fly business class? (Length of flight vs. cost)
Replies: 207
Views: 27355

Re: If/when to fly business class? (Length of flight vs. cost)

For a Europe to US day time flight Premium Economy works great but for the over night return Business Class is much better to get a good rest. I agree. We've flown United's "premium plus" on the wide-bodies which is different than "economy plus" on their smaller aircraft. It's a separate cabin with 2 less seats per row (so the seats are a bit wider), you have a foot rest, and extra leg room. I would (and have) paid a few hundred extra for these seats, but lately on popular routes, I see them going for a couple thousand extra, which I would not pay. Even though they are more comfortable than normal economy and recline a tad bit more, they still don't recline enough for me to sleep (still feel like I'm sitting upright). I...
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Jul 24, 2023 9:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Eva and China airlines - Taiwan airlines
Replies: 33
Views: 4395

Re: Eva and China airlines - Taiwan airlines

Actual service on EVA is pretty good, and one gets meals on at least certain intra-Asia flights. That was a surprise.

Quibbles. The North American customer service lines are unreachable, and the best service number to call is the EVA Japan office. Also, the equipment type tends to swap a bit, so one might think one has reserved a pair of window seats in a 2-4-2 configuration A330, only to be swapped to a B787 with 3-3-3 seating.

The flights into the U.S. are also very inconvenient on EVA. Okay if a large airport is the final destination, but most often requiring overnight stays if connecting (which often can’t be purchased on the same ticket).
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Jul 24, 2023 2:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Intl. airline ticket prices... why so expensive / strategies for finding discounts?
Replies: 67
Views: 8220

Re: Intl. airline ticket prices... why so expensive / strategies for finding discounts?

How much is around? Are we talking $2,500 as around $2,000, or is the upper limit more like $2,250? Also, how convenient is the routing? Did you need to drive more or have more transfers than you otherwise need? Routing has been exactly what I wanted from my home airport. I stick with OneWorld as I have top tier status with them so typically BA to Europe. For this summer’s trip I booked exactly what I wanted on the days I wanted for $2,028 per person to Munich in business class. Last summer was London in business class on BA, the exact dates I wanted, it was $1,601 per person. Both of these deals were flagged by Thrifty Traveller and I stacked the British Airways AARP ($200 off) and Chase (10% off) discounts on top. I find there are typica...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Jul 23, 2023 2:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Intl. airline ticket prices... why so expensive / strategies for finding discounts?
Replies: 67
Views: 8220

Re: Intl. airline ticket prices... why so expensive / strategies for finding discounts?

Among the best $60 I spend each year is on Thrifty Traveller Premium.. they track airfares and advise when a good deal is available from your home city. Between that, Google Flights, and old fashioned daily checking I’ve gotten business class to Europe for around $2000 per person for my family each summer since 2014 (except the COVID summer when I didn’t travel) on full service airlines like BA, Austrian, etc. It is possible, but requires a lot of patience and fortitude. This summer and last I didn’t get a hot fare until April or May, but it eventually appeared. Just need to be ready to book as soon as it shows up because the best sales often only last for hours. How much is around? Are we talking $2,500 as around $2,000, or is the upper l...
by InvisibleAerobar
Wed Jul 19, 2023 11:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Asia trip next year. How does one minimize flight costs?
Replies: 43
Views: 2546

Re: Asia trip next year. How does one minimize flight costs?

turnturnturn wrote: Wed Jul 19, 2023 10:57 am
coalcracker wrote: Wed Jul 19, 2023 9:50 am The "worst" seats on that plane were premium economy, which is what we flew.
Do you mean there were no economy seats, just premium economy, business, and first? Or do you mean premium economy seats were worse than regular economy? Curious which airline, if you don't mind sharing. (Singapore Air?)
There are no standard economy seats on that particular flight (on a A350-900 Ultra-long Range). 161 seats total, 94 being premium economy and rest lie-flat seats.

See this page https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/us/f ... -a350-900/
by InvisibleAerobar
Mon Jul 17, 2023 10:36 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13545

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

IYKYK? That's extraordinarily helpful... *NOT*! We are trying to LEARN here. IWKWWNHTA. ["if we knew we would not have to ask."] Please explain how to get 21% cash back, or stop claiming it is possible. Axtually, anything above 15% would be terrific, truly. It would help if it were for other than "very occasional" purchase categories, or it won't be genuinely helpful for most of us. Many thanks. RM I looked up relevant posts here re: "ShopYourWay" credit card by Citi, and it seems that the double digit cash backs are the result of periodic offers, which for whatever reason happen frequently enough such that one could probably fit one's annual grocery budget onto it. The cash back is offered either in the form ...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13545

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

Just curious what you spend on credit cards per year? I gather from the discussion above that another poster spends roughly $80k, which is similar to what my family burns through (which seems ridiculous, but that does include expenses like college lodging and utilities). Certainly if you're spending only $20k per year it's going to take a long time to accrue enough points for a couple of 180k point trans-pacific tickets. It can be done in a couple of years by assiduously pursuing sign-up bonuses, but it does take a lot more effort. Also, if you only have the Freedom and Sapphire, consider also getting the Freedom Unlimited. That's critical because you get 1.5 points/dollar, and there's no annual fee, so not much reason not to do it. Or, as...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Jul 16, 2023 3:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13545

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

Apologies for being a bit dense on this, what are the 2% cash back cards that allow points to be transferred to airlines? Also, assuming ~200k points needed for round-trip lie-flat seats to Europe, wouldn't that still require $100,000 in underlying expenditure? As Cruise pointed out, there is no card that gives you 2 points per dollar spent, that can then be transferred to airline FF programs. However, there are cards and strategies that get you pretty close. For example, the Chase Freedom Unlimited card gives you 1.5 points/dollar on every purchase. If you also hold one of the Sapphire cards (Preferred or Reserve), you can combine points across cards and transfer them to airlines. On top of that, Chase has other Freedom cards, one of whic...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sat Jul 15, 2023 6:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13545

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

The point of 2% cashback cards give you cashback, not for transfer to airlines. So, $100,000 of spend will give you $2,000 cash back---certainly not enough to purchase lie flats to anywhere. That is why using points to transfer to an airline program, where 200,000 points or miles can mean lie-flats, means you are optimizing the use of your spend. Re how to acquire 200K points, it can be a combination of miles earned on travel, miles or points earned on cc spend, or miles or points earned on signup bonuses (SUBs). The reality is that unless one is chasing new cards and SUBS (I do not), the only way to make point/mileage accumulation work is to spend a lot of money, and spend a lot on categories for which some cards provide bonuses points. E...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sat Jul 15, 2023 12:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13545

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

Again, others have noted upthread that it may still be viable for people willing to make a hobby out of this. Perhaps your suggestions may be useful to those folks. The OP hasn't indicated whether they're in that category of people. I only know that I'm not. Currently, I don't have time to reorganize my credit card program memberships. The next time I do, I'll probably cancel the cards that earn any kinds of points and just go with a 2% cash back card, as many people suggested upthread, and as I summarized already: At this stage, my impression is that 2% cash back might be the more cost-effective route, unless one doggedly plays the "SUB" (sign-up bonus) game. Getting 2 cents of value per frequent flyer mile seems like an iffy pr...
by InvisibleAerobar
Sun Jul 09, 2023 3:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Trip to Amsterdam
Replies: 53
Views: 4462

Re: Trip to Amsterdam

.....