Search found 108 matches

by sdrone
Thu Jan 29, 2015 2:25 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fidelity funds
Replies: 5
Views: 913

Re: Fidelity funds

There are also about 70 ishares ETFs you can buy free. E.g. AGG, ITOT, and IXUS
by sdrone
Mon Nov 03, 2014 10:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Very few kids in our neighborhood-Thoughts?
Replies: 29
Views: 6209

Re: Very few kids in our neighborhood-Thoughts?

Same thing happened to us. We moved into the perfect neighborhood - great schools, close to both elementary and high school, close to expressways, close to restaurants, not a lot of traffic on the street, etc. The neighborhood/subdivision/houses are between 40 and 45 years old. We found that most people in the neighborhood were a bit older than us and their kids were already grown or moved out. There are several things to keep in mind. 1. Kindergarten kids don't socialize like kids who are in school all day. They don't have a lunch period, recesses, etc. So while they have "friends" the friends are different. They don't know where anyone lives. 2. We walk to school each day, but most people don't, even if they live close. So you d...
by sdrone
Wed Sep 24, 2014 10:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: We have a grocery problem... [Household budget]
Replies: 158
Views: 19126

Re: We have a grocery problem... [Household budget]

I don't see a ton of mentions about coupons. We spend about what you spend, probably less, on a family of 4. Hard to tell exactly as your grocery store spending includes non-food items.

Do you use coupons? My wife saves a minimum of $100/month using coupons. Wednesdays are double coupon days at Mariano's (for any coupon up to $1), if there is one near you. It's also awesome-ribeye-sandwich-lunch-deal day there.

Mariano's prices are starting to go up; their prices on many items have been lower than normal as they work to build business in the area.
by sdrone
Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Unlimited cell plans dropping in price?
Replies: 40
Views: 5176

Re: Unlimited cell plans dropping in price?

If all you want is talk and text, Tmobile has 2 plans you can get online with a new SIM (so you'll need to transfer your number to the SIM).

1 . Unlimited data (though face it, there are limits) and text plus 100m talk = $30
2. Unlimited talk/text plus some small amount of data = $30.

There is no contract with these plans.
by sdrone
Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Deck - Best Method of Treatment
Replies: 28
Views: 6204

Re: Deck - Best Method of Treatment

As someone above said, Consumer Reports recommended Flud (Flood? I can't remember) products until the last year or so. They now recommend BEhr products.

I've used both and been happy with the results. Wood will still dry out when it gets a ton of sun, though you can help that by applying more often. We used the Behr "transparent" stain product early this summer and have been happy with the results.
by sdrone
Sat Aug 16, 2014 10:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Google Voice - ring lag problem
Replies: 9
Views: 2074

Re: Google Voice - ring lag problem

I'd rather be using H2O Wireless than Consumer Cellular because it's cheaper. But it seems I'm locked into CC since my GV numbers is my main phone number. Unfortunately there is often a tradeoff in quality for lower price. You're not locked in to CC; you're locked in to what you're willing to pay for. Google is relaying your call from their carrier to another carrier. I haven't done my tests for years, but in the past there was no carrier where each google voice "ring" corresponded to a physical ring noise on your phone. IN your case, I doubt H2O cellular has connections to every other phone company. GV's call is going to their carrier, then to ATT, then most likely to your subcarrier that is using ATT's network. The cheaper wire...
by sdrone
Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:13 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why would a passive investor use ETFs?
Replies: 60
Views: 6597

Re: Why would a passive investor use ETFs?

1. The purchase/sale cost of a Vanguard mutual fund is higher than the equivalent of a Vanguard ETF in the accounts where I make my yearly rebalancing changes. Sure, it might be $5 but cash is cash.

2. NOt that it really matters for the future as I've better defined my buy and hold rules, but in 2008 I did practice market timing on a couple of sales as I moved to a slightly lower equity allocation. ETF sales go through when I hit the button. Mutual fund sales go through at the end of the day.
by sdrone
Thu Aug 07, 2014 2:39 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Maxing roth 401k vs trad 401k in high income tax bracket
Replies: 13
Views: 2811

Re: Maxing roth 401k vs trad 401k in high income tax bracket

dharrythomas wrote:I use the Roth though SC taxes are lower than CA. I'm saving more than I would the other way...
Harry
How are you saving more in the Roth than in a traditional 401k? Am I missing something here? You'd have to contribute significantly more after tax money and take a bite out of your paycheck to save more in a Roth 401k, wouldn't you?
by sdrone
Wed Aug 06, 2014 11:31 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Peak Money Market Fund Yields in 1981-82
Replies: 24
Views: 3377

Re: Peak Money Market Fund Yields in 1981-82

My dad was a farmer; he always did almost everything in cash. Times were tough at that time, and he was making extra money in the winter working for some type of accounting service doing work on farm loans. He was not happy about it, as you can imagine, but times were pretty tough. IIRC there were a couple of drought years around this time. He often worked his financial journals on Saturday mornings. I remember going to the main bank in town after he'd updated his financials and buying several CDs at something like 15%, I think. I remember understanding that that was a good investment, but I didn't understand what was going on in the greater economy at the time and how bad it was for farmers. A few years ago (so something like 30 years late...
by sdrone
Fri May 23, 2014 7:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Your advice, ethical dilemma - job interview.
Replies: 30
Views: 3851

Re: Your advice, ethical dilemma - job interview.

"answers were biased towards giving a positive evaluation of something that this office does"

WElcome to every internal survey every Fortune 500 company ever does. They don't want to know that a large portion of the company no longer likes their jobs; they want to know that they've positioned themselves for the future. They don't want to know that they've laid off tons of U.S. employees while hiring people offshore for less money who do a poor job; they want to know that they have a more global workforce, or that they've geographically diversified their employee intelligence.
by sdrone
Fri May 23, 2014 7:30 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: I need a rock solid exposition of Permanent Life Insurance
Replies: 13
Views: 1910

Re: I need a rock solid exposition of Permanent Life Insuran

Hey, sounds like the old variable universal life insurance policy is back!

These were somewhat popular among wealthy people a decade or so ago, but haven't heard much from them since. The idea was that you would buy a large insurance policy and use it to "stash cash" in the form of large premiums. THe insurance company would then let you withdraw some of that money before you died.
by sdrone
Mon May 12, 2014 2:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Squirrels ate through sceen, plastic & wood to get bird feed
Replies: 37
Views: 7929

Re: Squirrels ate through sceen, plastic & wood to get bird

1. Squirrels will do mass suicide charges through hails of machine gun fire to get to sunflower seeds.
2. The way to stop that is to store the seed in a metal garbage can or container that is not easy to open, whether because it latches or because it just fits tight.

I finally found a birdfeeder at Walmart that has a roundish smooth metal top and smooth plastic sides, with no squirrel-usable perches. They eventually gave up attacking the feeder.

THey ate through a plastic garbage can or 2 before I hauled the metal can out of someone's trash pile. That solved my storage problem.
by sdrone
Mon Apr 14, 2014 2:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New homeowner: lawn care advice
Replies: 87
Views: 31916

Re: New homeowner: lawn care advice

Consumer Reports' favorite leaf blower is always the Toro Ultra . It has a metal impeller, and you can reverse it to use as a vacuum to shred leaves. Unfortunately, Home Depot just raised their price by $5.

I picked up one a few months ago and I like it. Instant on, no more fighting the thing trying to get it to start. I did buy a heavier extension cord for it since the motor is a 12 amp motor.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-Ultra-2 ... /203222688
by sdrone
Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: HSA vs. Regular Plan--two very good choices
Replies: 18
Views: 2043

Re: HSA vs. Regular Plan--two very good choices

ARe you staying with this employer forever?

The minute you leave, the HSA starts hitting you with monthly fees, if they don't already. My new employer has an HSA plan, and I talked to the former employer HSA people about moving my money to the new HSA. They got a good laugh out of that.
by sdrone
Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Switch from TW to DirecTV & killed on receiver fees?
Replies: 18
Views: 3521

Re: Switch from TW to DirecTV & killed on receiver fees?

I dropped comcast TV a few years ago. I had negotiated a big discount after the financial crisis. That lasted several years, though I never signed the contract that sent me. Once that stopped and the prices I had went back up, I was not able to negotiate lower prices, and I noticed that their deals often had small text that you could not have been a Comcast customer in the last 30 days or something to that effect. I dropped cable TV and went to DirecTV. I kept comcast internet. Once you drop TV, they will not negotiate internet prices with you. I dropped Comcast internet for a while, but the "last mile" copper issues in my neighorhood that I tracked down 10 years ago for the telco had not been fixed. DSL blew chunks, so I'm back t...
by sdrone
Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Where to put extra money?
Replies: 24
Views: 3923

Re: Where to put extra money?

If you've got your financial house in order, there's no real reason not to consider dialing up the risk a bit with cash beyond your emergency funds. Consider the fact that you don't have a lot of debt, and you DO have your emergency savings ($24k) taken care of. What that means is that, yes, it's possible you might need this money in the nearish future (new car? house down payment? I dunno) but the odds that you would HAVE to use it in the next year or low. What I've done it that situation is using bond funds that give a higher return with a bit more risk (LQD - corporate bonds, for example) or a Swedroe portfolio, So, for instance, you could take some of the cash beyond the emergency funds and funds needed in a relatively short time frame ...
by sdrone
Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:44 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Deleted
Replies: 28
Views: 3083

Re: How do I start a forum?

Note - One of the Google sites templates has forum area it. You might want to play with that for 30m, see how it works.
by sdrone
Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:58 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Problem using Google Voice with Consumer Cellular
Replies: 9
Views: 3099

Re: Problem using Google Voice with Consumer Cellular

Why did you contact Consumer Cellular? They do not run google voice, nor do they control anything about the google voice application or settings.

If Google won't let you select that number, that's a google problem.

Can you use the google voice app on your phone to call outbound?

There are telecoms you'll find occasionally who don't work well with forwarding, and you'll also find forwarding issues within telecoms (usually internal equipment settings they have to fix).

It's possible that Google knows this and then doesn't allow forwarding to the number, but google would have to tell you why they aren't allowing this setting.
by sdrone
Tue Dec 10, 2013 3:26 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: To Be or Not To Be: Orthodox or Unorthodox Asset Allocation
Replies: 14
Views: 2354

Re: To Be or Not To Be: Orthodox or Unorthodox Asset Allocat

"an unorthodox 4-fund index 30/70 portfolio (10% small-cap value, 10% REIT, 10% emerging market and 70% 5-yr treasuries"

Thanks for the portfolio idea. I love plugging this stuff into spreadsheets and playing with the results.
by sdrone
Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best way to collect rent?
Replies: 23
Views: 3257

Re: Best way to collect rent?

Fyi I think a lot of people use those Amex Bluebird accounts available at Walmart for stuff like this.
by sdrone
Mon Sep 09, 2013 4:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New baby: Do I need a will?
Replies: 43
Views: 4637

Re: New baby: Do I need a will?

OK, so it's not like I create a trust now and transfer assets to it (though some people have phrased it that way to me).


The trust is created when either I or my wife or both die. At that point, assets are transferred to the trust, which becomes "the estate."

Then what, I'd have the person I designated in charge of the trust make a judgement call on whether my children are mature enough, not insane, not running from the law?
by sdrone
Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New baby: Do I need a will?
Replies: 43
Views: 4637

Re: New baby: Do I need a will?

fyi - food in a freezer will defrost/melt during a fire. That could be due to temp outside the freezer, but I'd want to verify that freezers are fireproof before using that method. the gaskets are rubber and could obviously melt/lose seal.
by sdrone
Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New baby: Do I need a will?
Replies: 43
Views: 4637

Re: New baby: Do I need a will?

Can someone give me a common sense answer to this question? I haven't been able to really grasp this.

IF I have a will and....
1. I can specify that my wife gets my stuff
2. I can specify how, if my wife is dead, my assets are split up between my children
3. I can specify a guardian for my underage children

Why exactly do I need a trust? And why would I need to transfer my assets to a trust? Is it in the case of my children being young and i need something to "hold" the assets until they get older?

I don't have specific knowledge of this in my state but when for instance my father in law died in Ohio, he just had a will. It appointed an executor, and the executor split up his assets.
by sdrone
Sun Sep 08, 2013 12:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tennis racket recommendation for beginner (tennis elbow)
Replies: 27
Views: 5597

Re: Tennis racket recommendation for beginner (tennis elbow)

All the rackets I've tried have been light with oversized heads boasting power - which I found out on the internet were exactly the kind that may cause tennis elbow. You've only recently taken up tennis. Why are you blaming the racket for your elbow pain? "light with oversized heads boosting power" describes every racket since perhaps the mid 80s, maybe even earlier. If your elbow bothered you before you took up tennis, you've got an elbow issue you need to resolve. If your elbow only bothers you after tennis, you could have an existing elbow problem that a repetitive motion is simply aggravating. Tennis elbow can be a catch-all term used to describe lots of elbow problems - heck even the herniated disc in my neck years ago first...
by sdrone
Sun Sep 08, 2013 12:23 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Dividend, growth investment strategy
Replies: 98
Views: 15268

Re: Dividend, growth investment strategy

I'm glad someone mentioned VIG. I've thought about using VIG instead of VTI a couple of times in the last several years; one of the main reasons is that it dropped LESS than VTI in 2008. 2008 is always in the back of my mind. HOWEVER, a couple of things my research showed me: 1. It dropped less than 2008, but it does not necessarily keep pace with VTI in big up years. 2. When comparing VIG to VTI, you have to include a little bit of smallcap to do a real comparison. it's quite possible that the smallcap piece (something less than 2% in VIG, something like 6% in VTI) is what makes VTI go down more and up more than VIG. Bottom line, I look at VIG+smallcap vs. VTI about every year now the data does not persuade me to change. One other way of g...
by sdrone
Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Why Can't I Bring Myself to Buy Me a Nice Watch?
Replies: 193
Views: 25494

Re: Why Can't I Bring Myself to Buy Me a Nice Watch?

Just a note - I know several people who enjoy watch shopping on ebay. the cost savings can be significant.
by sdrone
Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best way to mulch yard?
Replies: 26
Views: 5780

Re: Best way to mulch yard?

This is the Bogleheads forum, so let's get this out there. If you're the type to watch your expense ratios, then you shouldn't be the type to buy Scott's mulch. 1. Decide what you want to do with the mulch. Is it for looks? Is it for soil amendment? Is it for mixing with other things to grow stuff in? 2. Looks? Get whatever you want. Decide if you want to stay organic, or you really don't care if there are dyes, etc. Decide on the size - big wood chips? Something medium like pine bark mulch? Something that looks natural like dirt? What about scent? Cypress mulch is popular but you can always smell it. 3. Amendment? Decide what amendment you want/need. CHECK YOUR INGREDIENTS. Yes, mulch is cheaper at Walmart. Sometimes that's good, and somet...
by sdrone
Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:20 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Updated figures and results on slice and dice vs TSM
Replies: 142
Views: 73550

Re: Updated figures and results on slice and dice vs TSM

Hmmm - thanks, I'll go through there again. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what the thread topic was.
by sdrone
Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Updated figures and results on slice and dice vs TSM
Replies: 142
Views: 73550

Re: Updated figures and results on slice and dice vs TSM

I'm glad this post was replied to so that it popped up - I was not aware of it.

I've seen a couple of references to a thread on "TrevH's simplied slice and dice portfolio" using TSM and SV. My google foo seems to be failing - does anyone have a link handy to that thread?
by sdrone
Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Replacement wireless mouse
Replies: 18
Views: 2519

Re: Replacement wireless mouse

I like my Logitech M305. It's small, but not so small that it doesn't fit my hand. Uses 1 AA battery that lasts several months. Usually about $15 at Target. It can withstand drops and the occasional toss against a wall.

It may have been replaced by the M310, which is $20 or under.
by sdrone
Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: looking for best prepaid cell phone and carrier
Replies: 5
Views: 1577

Re: looking for best prepaid cell phone and carrier

One of these days I have to sit down and figure out the best plan for my wife and I.

She needs maybe 20m of talk time per month.

I need about 300 to 400m talk per month, and something like 200m of data per month. I currently have Tmobile and really like both the service and my phone. I think I I can buy Straight Talk or Net10 SIM cards for Tmobile.
by sdrone
Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Phone replaces computer
Replies: 21
Views: 2771

Re: Phone replaces computer

Every year or 2 I try to get rid of one of the computers in my office at home (1 for me that's powerful enough to run games, 1 for my wife that's usually my old one) and replace it with something simpler. I keep running into the things I can't do. 1. Almost anything with a spreadsheet. 2. Any serious word processing (resume, multipage doc, graphic, etc.) 3. Quicken (though I recently figured out how to transfer Quicken data to a google spreadsheet. The spreadsheet just doesn't have all the nice reports) 4. anything associated with work that's not short emails 5. Download and watch movies 6. Store and browse all my family photos 7. Scan and save bills 8. print anything 9. any decent game and so on. I mean, for instance, I use evernote more t...
by sdrone
Tue Feb 19, 2013 1:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Dividend-paying stocks in VTI and VXUS?
Replies: 13
Views: 5218

Re: Dividend-paying stocks in VTI and VXUS?

dbr wrote: It doesn't follow from this that stocks that don't pay dividends don't have good returns.
Neither I nor the original poster suggested this.
by sdrone
Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:52 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Why [do] people have 2 IRAs.
Replies: 33
Views: 4043

Re: Why [do] people have 2 IRAs.

heh. This is kind of like someone growing up in the 90s and thinking stocks always go up!

Roth IRAs were introduced by the Tax Payer Relief Act of 1997. I think I had 2 401k rollovers by then.
by sdrone
Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Dividend-paying stocks in VTI and VXUS?
Replies: 13
Views: 5218

Re: Dividend-paying stocks in VTI and VXUS?

nisiprius wrote:The gospel of dividend-paying stocks is Just Another Stock-picking Theory.
Weeeeeeellll, except that I'm guessing your chart is total return, with dividends re-invested. And don't get me wrong - I love charts!

Been a while since I read this, but I believe something like half the returns of the S&P 500 over long periods of time are due to re-investing dividends.

Yes, chasing specific dividend paying stocks is just stock-picking. But the importance of dividend paying stocks is a reality.

I did like a funny reference, I think it was Morningstar's review of VIG. They referred to it as the Berkshire Hathaway of dividend paying indexes or something like that.
by sdrone
Sun Feb 17, 2013 11:24 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Tilting to SmallCapValue & IntlSmall...Thoughts?
Replies: 18
Views: 2466

Re: Tilting to SmallCapValue & IntlSmall...Thoughts?

Snowskier - I like it. That's essentially what I do now, minus the REIT allocation. I'm comfortable with it, and I think long term it will give me a better return with acceptable risk compared to the straight 3 fund portfolio.
by sdrone
Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:49 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [domain name stolen]
Replies: 11
Views: 2222

Re: How to steal a domain name

That's odd. I don't use my Yahoo email account for years at a time, and it's always there when I login. But to be honest, it wasn't stolen. If something expires without your renewal........
by sdrone
Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:38 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: WSJ: Why Most Value Investors Will Burn Out
Replies: 48
Views: 9580

Re: WSJ: Why Most Value Investors Will Burn Out

Unfortunately, it's true for me. I drift towards value/smallcap value investing in rising markets (via rebalancing, adding funds), then drift right back to a 3 fund portfolio in falling markets.

Though hmm, as I've done portfolio research I think I've usually used Vanguard value funds/ETFs rather than the iShares Russell 1000 value ETF. Might be something to play with later today for fun. You'd think I'd have more fun hobbies than experimenting with portfolios in spreadsheets.
by sdrone
Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:34 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Deleted
Replies: 18
Views: 1744

Re: S&P 600 and Tilts

EDN wrote:
3. 40% TSM, 60% S&P 600 Value has about a 0.35 sensitivity to size and value -- a nice balance. About a 2% higher-than-market expected return, which positions you to generate greater wealth, or hold less in stocks (and more in bonds) yet sill earn a similar return as TSM, and provide you some support when TSM goes in the tank (+4% per year higher returns from 2000-2012).

Eric
That's interesting, but wouldn't that be small cap equity with a large cap tilt? Heh.

TSM includes something like 9% smallcap + microcap. Ignore midcap for a minute. Your portfolio would be something like 63% to 64% smallcap, the rest large/mid cap.
by sdrone
Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Can a Frugal Boglehead date and marry a non Boglehead?
Replies: 34
Views: 6125

Re: Can a Frugal Boglehead date and marry a non Boglehead?

Absolutely. Now, my wife is not a big spender; we both spend within our means. But she will not, no matter how much I work it, take input from me on her investments. She's a stay at home mom now, but still has a 401k and stock account from pre-marriage, and we contribute to a Roth IRA for her. The funny thing is, this solidifies the idea of a "Random Walk Down Wall Street." Her portfolio is almost all stocks, and she really does zero research ("I heard about it on the Today show" or something like that). Her investments beat mine (3 fund portfolio with some small cap tilt) something like 50% of the time. But she never checks them, so she never knows if they are getting destroyed. I've had to gently remind her to get rid ...
by sdrone
Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:40 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ditch whole life insurance?
Replies: 20
Views: 3193

Re: Ditch whole life insurance?

HomerJ wrote:
A plain old stock index fund in a taxable account is very tax-friendly.

People worry way too much about taxes, and not enough about fees...
I'm simply saying that it would be great if I could stash more savings in a cash sheltered investment. Given the choice, I'd love to have the ability to stash more retirement savings in something like a Roth IRA . Variable universal life policies, for instance, seem awesome - except for the massive fees and the inability to completely control your investment, of course.
by sdrone
Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ditch whole life insurance?
Replies: 20
Views: 3193

Re: Ditch whole life insurance?

It's really too bad there aren't good investment vehicles in this space. I max my tax-avoidance accounts (401k, Roth IRA) and I've got term insurance. I wish there were SOMETHING good in this space to stash more savings in a tax-friendly manner.
by sdrone
Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:20 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Breaking the "slice and dice" habit
Replies: 40
Views: 5695

Re: Breaking the "slice and dice" habit

I find it interesting that you moved your account to Vanguard, instead of simply not listening to the Fidelity rep. now you have a Vanguard rep giving you suggestions, but that doesn't make you happy either.

You can do the same Vanguard investments in the Fidelity accounts on the cheap using ETFs.

I think my advice here is "don't make moves just to make moves." Step back and make a plan before doing anything.
by sdrone
Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:02 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: YES OR NO? 'Freebies' or Dollar Cost Averaging?
Replies: 11
Views: 1546

Re: YES OR NO? 'Freebies' or Dollar Cost Averaging?

I'm not sure if it's only for existing investors or new investors, but Sharebuilder is currently handing out $500 just for depositing that amount of money; there are smaller freebies for smaller deposits. Of course, I made my big deposit BEFORE that offer was available.

Once you're in Sharebuilder, weekly buys are only $4.
by sdrone
Fri Jan 25, 2013 3:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Baseball Cards
Replies: 26
Views: 2934

Re: Baseball Cards

You could try selling the sets on Craigslist. I buy mostly that way these days, instead of Ebay.

Hopefully you'll find someone who'll pay more I'm willing to pay!
by sdrone
Fri Jan 18, 2013 7:59 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Google Voice quality?
Replies: 35
Views: 6113

Re: Google Voice quality?

Google tells me the wifi problem is mostly with the Nexus. And yes, if you don't use wifi for a while, it will cut off to save power.

Yes, the Google Voice app will make calls. You can configure it to ask you for either international calls or all calls.
by sdrone
Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Google Voice quality?
Replies: 35
Views: 6113

Re: Google Voice quality?

Were you using 3G (or 4G) or WiFi? 3/4G are generally too slow for VoIP. WiFi will work, but Android cuts the power down on WiFi when the screen goes off (at least the phone version does. i'm not 100% sure about the tab version). There is an app to fix that. I dont recall the name. There are also apps to config wifi juice during a call. 3G/4G have enough bandwidth for calls equivalent to cellular quality. There are many people who use the Google Voice app for all calls on their cell phone. It's an interesting experiment, and will tell you where you have good data throughput and where you don't. Perhaps the specific phone you have or the specific version of Android from your cell vendor cuts wifi power; Android does not generally do that. O...
by sdrone
Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Google Voice quality?
Replies: 35
Views: 6113

Re: Google Voice quality?

The problem isn't with Google voice quality, as much as it's your bandwidth, and is your equipment Quality Of Service Ready. Your network makes the big difference with any voice over IP vendor. VOIP does not need dedicated bandwidth, by definition. That said, a good VOIP connection needs anywhere from 32k to 100k of bandwidth depending on the software. You can have any size connection you want as long as you aren't filling it up. Your home equipment has almost zero effect on VOIP quality. Most modern equipment "respects" QoS packet marking, but all that means is it won't strip the markings if they are there. Your software (softphone, etc.) or hardware (Ooma, etc.) may or may not mark the packets as VOIP. Once it leaves your house...
by sdrone
Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Google Voice quality?
Replies: 35
Views: 6113

Re: Google Voice quality?

curiouskitty wrote:I've had text messages sent to a friend's Google Voice number take 6-12 hours before showing up on his always connected Android phone with LTE. Something to be aware of! (it has ruined our plans to meet several times..)
In theory, Google addressed that a few years ago. I used to have that issue a lot, but I haven't seen it in a couple of years.
by sdrone
Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Google Voice quality?
Replies: 35
Views: 6113

Re: Google Voice quality?

The problem with wireless and voice is not bandwidth. the problem is completely unpredictable latency and packet retries/drops. It's often useful to look at all the points of failure. If you're using wireless, you've got.... Google voice DSL (slower than cable, but perfectly acceptable)\ wireless Gchat Whatever app you're using Try to eliminate some of the points of failure here. Start with wireless - it's horrible for VOIP, especially home wireless. Yes, 20 people will chime in and say "it works great for me!" but then 50 people will call our helpdesk with complaints because their VOIP call on the home wireless network sounds horrible. Google voice over DSL is a given - it'll work fine, in spite of the fact that many/most ISPs do...