Search found 3304 matches

by Random Poster
Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Forced dynamic currency conversion
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Re: Forced dynamic currency conversion

A bit of a bump here, but:

How can you determine if you have been dynamically currency converted, if your receipt shows that you paid in local currency?

Is there something that shows up on your credit card statement showing that DCC occurred?

Or can you tell because the exchange rate for the purchase is significantly off from what it should be?
by Random Poster
Sun Mar 03, 2024 6:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Trip from KC to Bozeman
Replies: 41
Views: 2805

Re: Trip from KC to Bozeman

bob60014 wrote: Sat Mar 02, 2024 1:03 pm
The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument just east of Billings, puts the Native Americans and Custers Last Stand in a whole new perspective.
Might as well take the slight detour to see Pompey’s Pillar too. Nice little walk, good views, and a bit of Lewis and Clark history.
by Random Poster
Sun Mar 03, 2024 6:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Trip from KC to Bozeman
Replies: 41
Views: 2805

Re: Trip from KC to Bozeman

Norsky19 wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 5:26 pm

I live in Bozeman.
Lucky fellow.

To the OP, I don’t have much to say other than if you want a really good donut in Bozeman, go to Granny’s Gourmet Donuts. It looks like the owner has cut back on when the place is open, but the donuts are really good.

And if you want a healthy meal, hit up the Co-Op (the West Main location, preferably). Good food, from the hot and salad bars.
by Random Poster
Sun Mar 03, 2024 1:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5973
Views: 689934

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

NoDoubt wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 1:17 pm The New Look on Apple TV.

The story of how fashion icon Christian Dior and his contemporaries, including Coco Chanel, Pierre Balmain and Cristóbal Balenciaga, navigate the horrors of World War II and launch modern fashion.
Good show.

Like Masters of the Air (also on Apple TV, and one that I really like watching), the episodes are roughly 55 minutes long, but they go by so quickly that they only seem to be 15 minutes or so.
by Random Poster
Fri Mar 01, 2024 2:30 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Announces CEO Retirement and Appointment of President
Replies: 371
Views: 34681

Re: Vanguard Announces CEO Retirement and Appointment of President

Harry Livermore wrote: Fri Mar 01, 2024 7:27 am I'm guessing his annual remuneration was many multiples of my net worth, so he's probably good to go after 6 years.
Maybe he could post a "Portfolio Review" thread and we can advise him?
:D
Cheers
$50 says that the majority of people here would respond to his Portfolio Review request by suggesting that he keep working a few more years just to be safe, since he might live to 115, want to take 14 world cruises, need 24/7 medical assistance for 3 years, and pay off the loans of 6000 med school students.
by Random Poster
Thu Feb 29, 2024 11:15 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: total stock market dividend growth expecation
Replies: 5
Views: 1211

Re: total stock market dividend growth expecation

babystep wrote: Thu Feb 29, 2024 10:47 pm What is the dividend growth rate do you expect for the Total Stock Market Index Fund or Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF for the next 10-20 years in nominal terms?
I estimate about 7% growth each year for estimated tax purposes (so if I got $1 I’m dividends last year, I’ll project $1.07 this year), but for estimated income purposes I use a 3 year rolling average and increase that number by 7% (so if the rolling average number is 0.95, I’ll project $1.02 or so).

I figure estimating high on taxes keeps surprises to a minimum, while estimating low (perhaps) on income keeps the budget in check.
by Random Poster
Thu Feb 29, 2024 7:32 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Announces CEO Retirement and Appointment of President
Replies: 371
Views: 34681

Re: Vanguard Announces CEO Retirement and Appointment of President

Is he the guy who kept cutting benefits for client/owners, rolled out an app that is a significant downgrade from prior versions of the same, increased phone support wait times, and put out a website that is harder to navigate than before?

If so, well, may your successor erase all memories of your efforts and corporate existence.
by Random Poster
Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Mega Thread on Speed of 2023 Tax Refunds
Replies: 43
Views: 5020

Re: Mega Thread on Speed of 2023 Tax Refunds

E-filed via OLT.com.

Received NM refund in 4 days.
by Random Poster
Sat Feb 24, 2024 11:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Share your net worth progression
Replies: 4273
Views: 1072263

Re: Share your net worth progression

Citifan wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 10:40 pm
mikejuss wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:28 pm
Citifan wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:02 pm I wonder if I'm being too conservative.
In what sense?
Just seems like others have seen some better progress. All I buy is total market.
You do you and what you are comfortable with.

Don’t worry about what others do, or say that they do.

Remember, on the internet, everyone is young, beautiful, and brilliant (and, here—wealthy).
by Random Poster
Tue Feb 20, 2024 9:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use a second refrigerator/freezer?
Replies: 74
Views: 4584

Re: Do you use a second refrigerator/freezer?

Have a 1980’s Kenmore chest freezer in the garage. It is extremely handy to have—this year’s thanksgiving meal is already all in it, for example, but I do have to keep an inventory list of what we’ve got in the freezer or stuff just gets forgotten about.

I wish that we had an another refrigerator too, but we don’t. Could be my imagination, but refrigerators today do seem smaller inside than what I grew up with.

My mother in law, though, who lives alone, has a huge upright freezer in the garage and two 80’s or 90’s refrigerators in a back room, along with a 3/4 size large dorm refrigerator, and a old subzero refrigerator (without a freezer in it) in her kitchen. All of them stuffed with food.
by Random Poster
Sat Feb 17, 2024 12:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to get my road paved
Replies: 77
Views: 5861

Re: How to get my road paved

In some places, painting obscene pictures or the like on the road, particularly around the problem areas, seems to get the attention of the powers that be and speeds up the repair process.
by Random Poster
Fri Feb 16, 2024 1:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any recommendation of a book that chronicles the downward spiral of an ordinary person
Replies: 102
Views: 9225

Re: Any recommendation of a book that chronicles the downward spiral of an ordinary person

srouen wrote: Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:30 am "Fleishman Is in Trouble," Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Not a bad show on Hulu.
by Random Poster
Fri Feb 16, 2024 1:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Next Year’s Estimated Tax Amount When No Tax Due This Year But Will Owe Tax Next Year
Replies: 5
Views: 826

Re: Next Year’s Estimated Tax Amount When No Tax Due This Year But Will Owe Tax Next Year

newacct wrote: Fri Feb 16, 2024 12:04 am "Better" in what way?
“Better” as in “makes the most financial sense.”

I’m not the kind of person to spend anything beyond what I have to, much less spend everything that is in a bank account.
by Random Poster
Thu Feb 15, 2024 11:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: The Surprising Return of Interest
Replies: 68
Views: 8877

Re: The Surprising Return of Interest

Capster1 wrote: Thu Feb 15, 2024 9:30 pm

I must say this is the first year I found myself wanting less dividends and taking active steps to avoid them. My t-bills, CD’s, and bank account are throwing off a good bit of income and so I now want my equities to do that less!
Why? The taxes are typically less on dividends than they are on interest (to the extent that your interest amounts paid are greater than your standard deduction), so wouldn’t you want more dividends and less interest, on a dollar to dollar basis?
by Random Poster
Thu Feb 15, 2024 10:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Next Year’s Estimated Tax Amount When No Tax Due This Year But Will Owe Tax Next Year
Replies: 5
Views: 826

Next Year’s Estimated Tax Amount When No Tax Due This Year But Will Owe Tax Next Year

For the 2023 tax year, I have no federal tax due. I paid $500 in estimated taxes, and I am due all of it back. For the 2024 tax year, I am projecting a federal tax bill of about $2,150. The IRS says that: You don’t have to pay estimated tax for the current year if you meet all three of the following conditions. You had no tax liability for the prior year You were a U.S. citizen or resident alien for the whole year Your prior tax year covered a 12-month period I meet all of those criteria. But, if you are reasonably confident that you will have a federal tax liability for the current (ie, 2024 or next tax filing) year, is it better to pay quarterly estimated taxes anyway, or is it better to just pay the tax bill in one installment when the 2...
by Random Poster
Thu Feb 15, 2024 6:00 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tax filing software
Replies: 33
Views: 1773

Re: Tax filing software

Olt.com (online taxes) does your federal for free and, if you don’t qualify because your AGI is too high or whatever, a state is $9.95, as I recall.

But I think that you can access it via the AARP tax aide website and get it all done for free too (although I have put tried that yet myself).
by Random Poster
Wed Feb 14, 2024 3:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Furniture - It's glued, right?
Replies: 91
Views: 7540

Re: Furniture - It's glued, right?

I have to admit that I’m still confused by the dimensions and the problem.

Why can’t the dresser go on a square dolly (just slightly larger than the dimensions of the side of the furniture piece—19” is it?) that has four multi-directional wheels on it?

The idea being that the dolly/dresser goes “north” from the hallway to the vestibule, then the dolly/dresser gets pushed “east” from the vestibule into the room?

No rotating of the dresser, only the dolly wheels move from north to east in a straight and right angle movement.

That way, no corner has to be navigated and there isn’t any tilting or pivoting or angling of the dresser itself.

What am I missing here?
by Random Poster
Wed Feb 14, 2024 3:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Furniture - It's glued, right?
Replies: 91
Views: 7540

Re: Furniture - It's glued, right?

sureshoe wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2024 11:13 am
Doom&Gloom wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2024 11:01 am It's refreshing that you kept your sense of humor about this and have adapted to an alternate solution for your guest room. Good luck with the sale of the larger dresser.

I won't bother trying to post a link of it, but this thread reminded me of the much overplayed recent TV commercial with the woman who is an expert at assessing by eyesight whether something will fit in its intended space.
Ok, now you're killing me, I googled and can't find the commercial.
The commercial is probably this one:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d0HK4NIqJQI
by Random Poster
Tue Feb 13, 2024 4:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Free File Fillable Form Computer Requirement Questions on Mac
Replies: 7
Views: 619

Re: Free File Fillable Form Computer Requirement Questions on Mac

Makefile wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 4:28 pm It's completely web based.
Does that mean that you can use the FFFFs on an iPad?

The instructions say that it can’t be used on a mobile device, but yet the same instructions show a couple with an iPad in their hands…

Or does the IRS not consider an iPad to be a mobile device?
by Random Poster
Mon Feb 12, 2024 8:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Furniture - It's glued, right?
Replies: 91
Views: 7540

Re: Furniture - It's glued, right?

Does the dresser have legs? If not, I don’t see why it can’t go in on its side and shimmed/scooted around the corners.

Alternatively, what is above the dresser’s intended location? Curious if you could cut a hole in the ceiling/floor and drop it in place that way. I kid, but only a little.
by Random Poster
Mon Feb 12, 2024 8:29 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Educate me on VUSXX
Replies: 7
Views: 1099

Re: Educate me on VUSXX

Vanguard provides the percentage that is exempt from state tax with its 1099 document.

And if it doesn’t, Vanguard still publishes the information on its website (personal investors and on the financial advisors websites).
by Random Poster
Sun Feb 11, 2024 3:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Supermarket pizza - any good ones? Any great ones?
Replies: 145
Views: 12479

Re: Supermarket pizza - any good ones? Any great ones?

02nz wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 2:36 pm Try "take and bake" pizza, where the pizza is made but not baked, you bake it in your own oven at home. It's definitely a lot better than frozen and not significantly more work. You can find this in grocery stores, there's even a chain that specializes this whose name I forget.
Papa Murphy’s, perhaps?
by Random Poster
Sun Feb 11, 2024 12:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Supermarket pizza - any good ones? Any great ones?
Replies: 145
Views: 12479

Re: Supermarket pizza - any good ones? Any great ones?

Target’s Good and Gather brand thin crust pizza isn’t bad. I think that it is one of the better frozen options out there. They have a few varieties. We usually get a BBQ chicken one and a multi-meat one.

That said, for the price that some frozen pizzas are now going for (including the Target ones if they aren’t on sale), I prefer to just pay a few dollars more and get a freshly made one. Seems like a better value to me.
by Random Poster
Fri Feb 09, 2024 1:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Law School Debt: Is It Worth It?
Replies: 115
Views: 10472

Re: Law School Debt: Is It Worth It?

playdoughguardian wrote: Fri Feb 09, 2024 1:00 pm I've read through the responses so far and I really appreciate everyone's perspective and thoughts. There have also been good questions, so rather than quote and respond to them individually, I'll try to answer most below:
Based on your career preferences: Kentucky.
by Random Poster
Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Law School Debt: Is It Worth It?
Replies: 115
Views: 10472

Re: Law School Debt: Is It Worth It?

Identify the two law schools that you are considering and state what field of law you want to practice.

Without that information, I don’t think I anyone can give you specific advice.

(Obligatory personal comment: if you want to practice oil and gas law, there is only one T14 school worth considering, but there are several mid-range schools that arguably offer a similar education and experience).
by Random Poster
Tue Feb 06, 2024 7:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What's your allocation for International Stocks?
Replies: 101
Views: 6953

Re: What's your allocation for International Stocks?

Was around 10% for about 13 years.

Sold all International last year and am now at 0%.
by Random Poster
Mon Feb 05, 2024 3:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I submit claim to home insurance?
Replies: 39
Views: 3705

Re: Should I submit claim to home insurance?

I likely wouldn’t file (in fact, given the stated facts, I wouldn’t even consider the possibility of filing an insurance claim), but I find it extremely irritating that, when it comes to homeowners insurance, you are effectively penalized for using it, even after you already paid for it.
by Random Poster
Sun Feb 04, 2024 9:47 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fed Chair Jerome Powell: The 2024 60 Minutes Interview
Replies: 14
Views: 2012

Re: Fed Chair Jerome Powell: The 2024 60 Minutes Interview

He lost me when he started off claiming that the inflation that everyone was experiencing was transitory.
by Random Poster
Sat Feb 03, 2024 6:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: DW Laid Off, I'm Panicking
Replies: 166
Views: 20733

Re: DW Laid Off, I'm Panicking

vfinx wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2024 5:29 pm

I would also try to get more of that cash invested.
Why?

It seems to me that the cash+bonds that the OP has gives them a 30% allocation to fixed income. That doesn’t seem to be out of line.
by Random Poster
Sat Feb 03, 2024 3:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Funeral gift (card with money, flower, plant, etc.)?
Replies: 9
Views: 1115

Re: Funeral gift (card with money, flower, plant, etc.)?

Not quite what you asked, but maybe have a meal delivered the evening of or a few days after the funeral?
by Random Poster
Fri Feb 02, 2024 1:27 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: VFWAX: 2023 1099-DIV reconciliation "increase to cost basis". what does this mean, exactly?
Replies: 30
Views: 4635

Re: VFWAX: 2023 1099-DIV reconciliation "increase to cost basis". what does this mean, exactly?

Fclevz wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2024 1:11 pm
Random Poster wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2024 1:05 pm However, as a side question—can you tell me what the foreign tax paid percentage is for the fund?
https://investor.vanguard.com/content/d ... s-2024.pdf
Thanks. Hadn’t seen that sheet yet.
by Random Poster
Fri Feb 02, 2024 1:05 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: VFWAX: 2023 1099-DIV reconciliation "increase to cost basis". what does this mean, exactly?
Replies: 30
Views: 4635

Re: VFWAX: 2023 1099-DIV reconciliation "increase to cost basis". what does this mean, exactly?

This year, there was a small difference between what I recorded for dividend distributions from VFWAX (Vanguard FTSE All-World Ex-US Admiral). When I look at the Vanguard 1099-DIV, there is a section on "Other Receipts and Reconciliations", where the 4 dividend dates of VFWAX are listed with a transaction type of "Increase to cost basis". Does anyone know what this means, exactly? I haven’t received my 1099 for this fund yet (I hold mine at Schwab and they haven’t released the tax documents yet). However, as a side question—can you tell me what the foreign tax paid percentage is for the fund? As in, if you received $10,000 in dividends, and the 1099 shows a foreign tax paid amount of $800, then the percentage would be 8...
by Random Poster
Fri Feb 02, 2024 12:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: First time Amtrak train ride. Is there anything I should know?
Replies: 36
Views: 4966

Re: First time Amtrak train ride. Is there anything I should know?

02nz wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2024 10:36 am Search YouTube for some videos that will give you a very good idea of what to expect on this route. Here's one from a YouTuber I like but there are many others.
He does put out good videos.

Here is another recent video of the OP’s route (in reverse), with a guy who seems to travel a bit more low-budget:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eFXwZZbI0KM
by Random Poster
Thu Feb 01, 2024 7:42 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: VUSXX = 80.6% U.S. Treasury for 2023
Replies: 67
Views: 9744

Re: VUSXX to be 100% government obligations in 2024?

brademac wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 7:00 pm Think it is a good assumption to plan on all the 2024 dividends to be all government obligations in 2024 for VUSXX?

With the fast rising interest rates of 2023 the managers got into repos to keep up with other money markets

In 2024 we should be steady to declining so think they should be able to compete by using all treasuries.
Probably, but I’m using a 92.5% government obligation amount for my state tax forecast. No particular reason why I picked that number other than it seemed like a good compromise figure to use, as I doubt that the fund will be less than 90% but don’t want to say that it will be 95% of higher.
by Random Poster
Thu Feb 01, 2024 7:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best towns with great schools, weather, outdoor activities
Replies: 74
Views: 6937

Re: Best towns with great schools, weather, outdoor activities

My wife and I lived in Chicago, South Bend IN and then moved to Fayetteville Northwest Arkansas, Northern Georgia, Middle Tennessee (Cookeville TN, a University town with pretty good schools) and now Las Vegas. By far our favorite town was Cookeville Tn, which is between Nashville and Knoxville off of Interstate Highway 40. We lived there for roughly 35 years. The property taxes and real estate are extremely reasonable and there is no state income tax. Cookeville is the “hub” of 22 counties in Middle Tennessee. The city and county has a good hospital, decent restaurants and some culture with the university. They also have Masters Singers, a local Symphony, and a small Public Broadcasting Station/studio. The school system is pretty good giv...
by Random Poster
Wed Jan 31, 2024 4:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: State liability insurance requirement [Texas]
Replies: 5
Views: 792

Re: State liability insurance requirement [Texas]

No one at the Texas DMV has ever asked me for proof of insurance when I have applied for a new or renewal drivers license.

They only ask for proof of insurance when you (I) are taking a driving test; and (II) are registering (or re-registering) your car.
by Random Poster
Wed Jan 31, 2024 10:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Daily Municipal Money Market SEC Yield Notice?
Replies: 10
Views: 1232

Re: Daily Municipal Money Market SEC Yield Notice?

retiringwhen wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 6:48 am No, I don't have a way to configure. You could edit the email function in App Script, but that is probably more than you want to do.

There is a side benefit for Vanguard Muni investors to track the Fidelity funds though. If the FTEXX swap occurs that is often times a good early warning that the Vanguard fund will swap. The reason is that the Fidelity publishes 1 Day SEC yields, while Vanguard (and almost all other fund providers) only publish the 7-day SEC yield.
Okay, thank you for the explanation. I really do appreciate the work that you put into the spreadsheet. It is all very impressive and extremely helpful.
by Random Poster
Wed Jan 31, 2024 12:02 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Daily Municipal Money Market SEC Yield Notice?
Replies: 10
Views: 1232

Re: Daily Municipal Money Market SEC Yield Notice?

retiringwhen wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 8:49 pm
This sheet does exactly that. Make yourself a copy, run the authorization steps, configure an email address, your tax rates and the funds you are interested in. sit back and get an email every day.
I have to say, this spreadsheet really is quite amazing. Thanks for doing the work to put it together and for sharing it so freely.

I already received the yield info email for January 30.

Perhaps I missed the instructions though, but can you (or how do you) set the email to only receive the yield information for the four Vanguard money market funds?

Getting information on the Fidelity funds is fine, but I’m not really a Fidelity person, so I’m curious if there is a way to delete that information from my email alert.

Thanks again.
by Random Poster
Tue Jan 30, 2024 10:47 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Daily Municipal Money Market SEC Yield Notice?
Replies: 10
Views: 1232

Re: Daily Municipal Money Market SEC Yield Notice?

retiringwhen wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 8:49 pm
Random Poster wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:33 pm Does anyone know of a way to get a daily email/text notice that tells you what the SEC yield is for this fund
Your welcome :-)

This sheet does exactly that. Make yourself a copy, run the authorization steps, configure an email address, your tax rates and the funds you are interested in. sit back and get an email every day.

See this thread for details: Money Market Optimizer Spreadsheet - Releases, Bugs, etc.

You'll want the Vanguard/Fidelity version.
Fantastic!

Thank you.
by Random Poster
Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:33 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Daily Municipal Money Market SEC Yield Notice?
Replies: 10
Views: 1232

Daily Municipal Money Market SEC Yield Notice?

Vanguard’s Municipal Money Market (VMSXX) has had some wild swings in its SEC yield. On January 2, the SEC yield was 3.81; on January 17, it was down to 1.80%; and now it is at 4.00%.

I find it a bit difficult to physically monitor these swings on a daily basis.

Does anyone know of a way to get a daily email/text notice that tells you what the SEC yield is for this fund (or any other money market or bond fund), so that you get such information without having to log in to Vanguard each day to see if there has been a change?

Thank you.
by Random Poster
Sun Jan 28, 2024 1:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Food related travel
Replies: 108
Views: 19685

Re: Food related travel

jaqenhghar wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 9:38 am
Random Poster wrote: Mon Dec 11, 2023 11:03 am Ice cream at Utah State University and South Dakota State University.

We hit up other Universities for their ice cream too, but those two places have been the best so far.

Kansas State is very generous with their portions and has a hamburger offering too, so I guess it gets some points for that.
Do you remember the name of the Kansas State place you mention above?
Call Hall Dairy Bar.

Offers free visitor parking in the front too, for those eating there. I recall there being 5 or so parking spaces.

https://www.asi.k-state.edu/about/servi ... dairy-bar/
by Random Poster
Sat Jan 27, 2024 1:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: No-state-income-tax states are not good for retirees.
Replies: 413
Views: 39172

Re: No-state-income-tax states are not good for retirees.

EnjoyIt wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2024 5:27 pm
Property tax is lower for 65 and over in Texas. There is a senior homestead exemption making it more reasonable.
How much lower? How large is the senior homestead exemption? What does the exemption apply against—school taxes, hospital taxes, MUD taxes, etc?

My father in law, who lives in Texas, has a 100% veteran disability rating, so the in-laws don’t pay any property tax. Without that complete exemption though, I don’t think that they could afford to live there.
by Random Poster
Thu Jan 25, 2024 1:41 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: International (Non-US) versus US Equities (The "Arguments")
Replies: 5216
Views: 830804

Re: International (Non-US) versus US Equities (The "Arguments")

Not sure if this issue belongs here or not, but…

VFIAX (Vanguard FTSE All-World Ex-US Admiral Fund) is showing, on Vanguard’s Advisors website, a 2023 year end QDI% of 63.16%.

Yet I could have sworn that, in the late 2023 Vanguard preliminary QDI numbers, Vanguard was showing 69% for this fund.

If Vanguard did have 69% as the preliminary QDI estimate, but the final QDI number is 63%, that is quite a miss.

Meanwhile, the QDI estimates for VTIAX and VCLAX were actually lower than the actual, which is a good surprise.
by Random Poster
Tue Jan 23, 2024 3:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best car for icy weather? Advice about driving in snowy conditions?
Replies: 113
Views: 7459

Re: Best car for icy weather? Advice about driving in snowy conditions?

I have not used it myself but have heard good things about all-weather tires from Nokian. These are not all-season tires and they have snow emblem. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15338788/all-weather-tires-explained-merging-all-seasons-and-winter-tires/ https://www.nokiantires.com/weather/ When I lived in Calgary, I bought NOKIAN WRG3 tires (they are no longer made, I think they now are WRG5) for my 2wd CR-V. Anyway, they aren’t true snow tires, but they act as though they are, and you can run them year round, which is what I did. They could get a bit squirmy in 90 degree heat—driving in Montana during a hot summer day, the ride felt a bit soft and steering seemed a tad unsure, but below that temp they were fine and—as much as I tried—...
by Random Poster
Tue Jan 23, 2024 1:46 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: 🎁 🎉Happy 100th Birthday to Taylor Larimore 🎊🎂
Replies: 429
Views: 41924

Re: 🎁 🎉Happy 100th Birthday to Taylor Larimore 🎊🎂

Reaching 100 is certainly something to celebrate.

Congratulations on reaching that milestone and I hope that you have a very happy birthday.

And thank you for all of your advice and encouragement that you have given me over the years. When I first joined this forum, I asked a question about portfolio allocation and asset location. You were one of the first to reply, and your answer has undoubtedly saved me thousands of dollars that would have otherwise been lost to taxes. I definitely appreciate the guidance that you gave me then and afterwards.

Happy birthday!
by Random Poster
Tue Jan 23, 2024 1:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New house replacing locks
Replies: 36
Views: 4076

Re: New house replacing locks

What brand of door lock is on the house now?

Kwikset has a smart key lock system that lets you rekey the locks without changing the actual hardware, or you can buy a new set and rekey them all yourself.

https://www.kwikset.com/smartkey-security
by Random Poster
Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: No-state-income-tax states are not good for retirees.
Replies: 413
Views: 39172

Re: No-state-income-tax states are not good for retirees.

Mr. Rumples wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 3:00 pm One has to really dig to find out whether no-income tax states mean anything at all. For example, the Commonwealth (state) of VA gives income tax breaks to seniors. Localities are also able to offer tax breaks, but they vary from county to county and can be significant. In Henrico County VA, there are two real estate tax break programs. One has limits of income of $75K and net worth of $500K (not counting value of home and land); another has a $105K / $750K.
How does the county verify what someone’s net worth is? And on what date is one’s net worth measured and determined?
by Random Poster
Thu Jan 18, 2024 12:01 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How to prove that I am not losing money with bond funds?
Replies: 118
Views: 14625

Re: How to prove that I am not losing money with bond funds?

Beensabu wrote: Wed Jan 17, 2024 10:15 pm Have you held a bond fund for its stated average maturity and lost capital yet?
Is this a trick question?

From what date do you measure the applicable holding period? Retrospectively, from the date of each purchase into the fund? Or prospectively, from today’s date?

And given that the average maturity likely isn’t constant, but rather fluctuates a bit over a period of time—even during the fund’s original average maturity period—what number should you use?

Isn’t a bond fund (like an intermediate term one) constantly rolling, such that there is no real maturity of the fund or it’s holdings, as they get sold off when they age out of the fund’s preferred holding term period?