Search found 654 matches

by scouter
Sun Dec 31, 2017 7:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to financially assist DD to help continue her Obamacare
Replies: 54
Views: 5657

Re: How to financially assist DD to help continue her Obamacare

There are only two companies on the ACA exchange in our state and neither company covers our doctors or preferred hospitals. That is, in my opinion, your choice to not get insurance that includes coverage for pre-existing conditions. Just get new doctors and, if needed, go to a different hospital. It is certainly possible (my experience several times) that new doctors and hospital for you may be just as good or better than your existing ones. Well, my pre-existing condition is Granulamatosis with Polyangiitis and it nearly took my life in 2014. We’re fortunate to live near one of the top University hospitals in the country, with doctors who are well abreast of the latest research and treatments. A team of four docs, led by a rheumatologist...
by scouter
Sat Dec 30, 2017 2:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to financially assist DD to help continue her Obamacare
Replies: 54
Views: 5657

Re: How to financially assist DD to help continue her Obamacare

2.) Pre-existing conditions are covered by every insurance company in the U.S. now, Obamacare or not. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. This is not true. My wife and I were just turned down by United Health (Farm Bureau) for pre-existing conditions. Health Insurance companies can still sell "traditional" health insurance policies which require underwriting and will exclude you if you have a pre-existing condition. These policies do not count as health insurance as far as ACA rules are concerned so the insured must pay the penalty for "not having insurance". We were forced to try this route as United Health pulled out of the individual insurance market and on Mon. we'll lose our insurance. The same thing happened to us in...
by scouter
Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Free Cell Phone Plans for a Year @ Sprint
Replies: 29
Views: 8086

Re: Free Cell Phone Plans for a Year @ Sprint

lkt102 wrote:I believe it is only available online and not in a Sprint store. I just ordered my new SIM card today and it was very easy. Will report back when the SIM card arrives and I am attempt to port my number from Verizon to Sprint.
Anyone take advantage of this offer yet? Any info or suggestions on the process would be appreciated.
by scouter
Sun Dec 25, 2016 4:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Quartz versus granite
Replies: 44
Views: 7789

Re: Quartz versus granite

We chose quartz nine years ago when remodeling our kitchen and loved it, though we noticed that the patterns in it are more "regular" and look man-made when compared to the random patterns in granite. But this year we used quartz for our two bathrooms and were pleasantly surprised to see how far they've come with it. The pattern in our new quartz looks remarkably like granite. Many of the sub-contractors couldn't believe our vanity tops weren't granite, and they work around counter tops and vanities every day.
by scouter
Sat Dec 03, 2016 8:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: removing mildew/mold from sidewalk
Replies: 45
Views: 40928

Re: removing mildew/mold from sidewalk

"Wet and Forget". I repeat, "Wet and Forget!" Very easy and all you need to know.
by scouter
Sat Oct 29, 2016 10:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Shipping a car
Replies: 13
Views: 2621

Re: Shipping a car

Thanks for all the great suggestions and recommendations. The Bogleheads come through again!
by scouter
Sat Oct 29, 2016 12:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Shipping a car
Replies: 13
Views: 2621

Re: Shipping a car

HIinvestor wrote:Does the Air Force have any recommendations? When S relocated for his fed job, the fed govt recommended a mover and everything went well. For his car, he and our D had a nice road trip from LA to SF to Tahoe to Chicago and ultimately DC. His employer, the fed govt reimbursed for travel, including lodging tho they would not have reimbursed for shipped a vehicle.
The Air Force sent a moving company to move her furniture and clothing, but they don't move cars unless you're going overseas. And they didn't recommend anyone, so I'm hoping a fellow Boglehead has shipped a car.
by scouter
Sat Oct 29, 2016 12:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Shipping a car
Replies: 13
Views: 2621

Re: Shipping a car

navyasw02 wrote:Why not drive and do a partial DITY (do it yourself) move?
My daughter has to report for duty on Monday so she doesn't have time to drive. If I drove it out there, the gas, meals, hotels, and return flight would cost way more than the shipping, plus I would need to take a week off work.
by scouter
Sat Oct 29, 2016 9:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Shipping a car
Replies: 13
Views: 2621

Shipping a car

Need to ship our daughter's car from TN to CA, where she'll be stationed in the Air Force. Anyone have any advice or recommendations for car transport companies?
by scouter
Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Velux skylights
Replies: 27
Views: 7264

Re: Velux skylights

We have 3 Velux skylights (stationary, non-opening) installed 17 years ago, no problems with any of the three.

We also have two Solatubes in our rec room, installed about 12 years ago. Again, non-opening,sealed skylight tubes for light only. Also, no problems.

Highly recommend both, but personally I would stay away from anything that opens. Much greater chance of problems over the long run.
by scouter
Mon Oct 03, 2016 5:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Roadside assistance Programs
Replies: 49
Views: 11025

Re: Roadside assistance Programs

I asked our State Farm agent if our rates would go up after using Emergency Road Service. He said only if we were towed 3X in one year.
by scouter
Fri Sep 09, 2016 1:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Attic Fan for Ventilation
Replies: 11
Views: 2661

Re: Attic Fan for Ventilation

talzara wrote:Attic ventilation fans rarely save energy:
Several studies show that even in a house with a tight ceiling, a powered attic ventilator uses more electricity than it saves.

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blo ... -they-hurt
Thanks for this article! We have two powered attic fans that have both burned out and I was trying to decide whether to replace them. This article made up my mind and I'll just let them be.
by scouter
Thu Sep 08, 2016 11:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Archiving Videos
Replies: 22
Views: 2717

Re: Archiving Videos

Multiple hard drives at home, some only run when backing up.

Backed up to the cloud through CrashPlan.

Videos also uploaded as private videos to YouTube.

Photos also uploaded to Amazon Cloud.
by scouter
Thu Aug 04, 2016 3:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Gifting equally when children are in very different tax brackets?
Replies: 19
Views: 3686

Re: Gifting equally when children are in very different tax brackets?

I'm a big proponent of parents gifting to kids as evenly and fairly as possible. In this case, that would mean ignoring tax brackets or need and gifting the same to each.

I say this because I've seen how unequal treatment has played a part in tearing my wife's siblings apart, while equal gifting played a part in keeping my siblings close.
by scouter
Sat Jun 11, 2016 3:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Obamacare pricing ?
Replies: 15
Views: 2589

Re: Obamacare pricing ?

When I looked in early 2015, some of the ACA plans (with the same name and deductible) had narrower networks than the same plans purchased directly through the provider. In my case, an important doctor who saved my life two years ago was not in the ACA plans I looked at. And the ACA website doesn't make it easy to find this out, you have to do a lot of digging. We ended up purchasing our insurance directly from Blue Cross.

I'd advise you to take the time and make sure your preferred doctors and hospitals are covered by whichever plan you choose. You don't want to find out later.
by scouter
Tue Jun 07, 2016 10:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Things to Do and See on Kauai, Hawaii
Replies: 75
Views: 11170

Re: Things to Do and See on Kauai, Hawaii

We did a doors-off helicopter tour of Kauai several years ago and while it was thrilling and beautiful, I knew it was somewhat dangerous. Three days after we got home a similar helicopter tour crashed on Molokai, killing the pilot and 4 sightseers.
by scouter
Tue May 31, 2016 5:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Things to Do and See on Kauai, Hawaii
Replies: 75
Views: 11170

Re: Things to Do and See on Kauai, Hawaii

Poipu is a good beach for swimming, sunning, snorkeling (great protected cove with lots of beautiful fish), and I took surfing lessons there as well. Also, at the top of the canyon you can take a hike to the highest swamp in the world.
by scouter
Wed May 25, 2016 9:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do mold test kits work?
Replies: 5
Views: 1017

Re: Do mold test kits work?

I've used those kits and they are helpful. You do an outdoor sample as a control and an indoor sample in the room you want to test, and compare them. The cheap kits don't tell you exactly what kind of mold you're seeing, but you get a good idea of whether the room has more mold than outside and how much more. Worth $10.
by scouter
Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Upgrading car stereo speakers
Replies: 11
Views: 1679

Re: Upgrading car stereo speakers

I've noticed that car companies have begun to use cheap speakers in their regular audio systems and make up for it with a corrective Eq curve built into the standard amp. (it costs them a lot less to build the eq into the amp than to use better speakers.) So if you replace the speakers with higher quality speakers with a flatter freq response, you then hear the exaggerated curve built into the amp.

So as Toons said, I'd tend to go to a shop that specializes in upgrading sound systems as they'll upgrade the amp and the speakers. It'll cost a bit more than just swapping out the speakers, but you'll be happier with the results.
by scouter
Sun Apr 24, 2016 4:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Please help with my home office
Replies: 8
Views: 1653

Re: Please help with my home office

Main thing is to make the space exclusively for business use. The IRS frowns on rooms that are dual-use being claimed for offices. So, no TV unless that's needed in your business. A couch is okay if you have clients that would sit there or if you use it while working. A bed is probably a no-no unless you're in the world's oldest profession and then you've got other legal problems to deal with.
by scouter
Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How Did You File Your Income Taxes for 2015?
Replies: 101
Views: 12255

Re: How Did You File Your Income Taxes for 2015?

Prepared with H&R Block software, mailed paper returns for both Fed and State.
by scouter
Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pay TV channels - streaming only
Replies: 15
Views: 3041

Re: Pay TV channels - streaming only

Acorn TV has all the British series, at $5/month.
by scouter
Wed Mar 23, 2016 9:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When does hiring lawyer for auto accident makes sense?
Replies: 26
Views: 3556

Re: When does hiring lawyer for auto accident makes sense?

I would certainly get a lawyer if I were your friend.
by scouter
Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:17 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: File taxes via mail or electronically
Replies: 87
Views: 9875

Re: File taxes via mail or electronically

I've got a good reason to file by paper. I filed electronically for several years until a few years ago when I got an IRS letter saying I had miscalculated our taxes and owed about $2k. I checked my Turbotax file and couldn't find any errors but noticed that the amount they claimed I owed was exactly the same as one of our kids' education credits. After corresponding with them for several weeks, we finally determined that when I e-filed with TurboTax, the program left out that particular education credit form, even though it was included in my paper print-out in my files.

Now I print out and check everything before MAILING it in.
by scouter
Wed Feb 17, 2016 10:19 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I bother itemizing tax deductions?
Replies: 70
Views: 14433

Re: Should I bother itemizing tax deductions?

EmergDoc wrote:Life isn't fair. The sooner you realize that, accept it, learn the rules, and start making it unfair to your benefit, the better off you'll be.
If I had a nickel for every time I've told my kids this...
by scouter
Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:36 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Deleted
Replies: 131
Views: 14458

Re: perfectly happy with cable

We came to despise both cable and satellite and cut the cord a few years ago. It bothered me that we were paying for 300 channels which were full of ads, many of them were all infomercials! (I'm paying to watch infomercials?! That's like paying to hear a timeshare pitch.) So many evenings we'd sit down and "try to find something good on TV", only to give up after 30 minutes of channel-flipping.

We now use OTA antenna (mostly for news and PBS) and a ROKU for Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. We still see a few ads on Hulu but they're short.

Of course, we're not big sports fans and we can see our local NFL team on the major networks. If we were big on college football or basketball, I guess we would be stuck with cable.
by scouter
Wed Jan 27, 2016 9:36 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Properly Assessing Public Schools
Replies: 55
Views: 8950

Re: Properly Assessing Public Schools

We used an old-fashioned method I haven't seen mentioned. When we were considering a move to the county where we now live, we made appointments with the principals of every elementary and middle school in the Northern half of the county, about 12 schools. Actually touring the schools, getting to know the principals, meeting some of the teachers and students, etc, was invaluable. We then combined that with standardized test scores to make our decision and choose which area to live, but we relied most heavily on "gut feeling", which served us well. Our kids are now grown and talk often about how great their schools and teachers were.
by scouter
Tue Jan 12, 2016 7:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Parent Help: Filing Taxes - Music Royalties as Alimony
Replies: 6
Views: 1105

Re: Parent Help: Filing Taxes - Music Royalties as Alimony

Duckie wrote:The taxing of royalties depends on the situation. If the musical royalties are from her work then she reports them on Schedule C. If they are from someone else's work then she reports them on Schedule E. See here.

Alimony is taxable when received and goes on Form 1040 line 11. See here.
+1 on this. If you are actively involved in creating or publishing the music, you must report on Schedule C. If you aren't, Schedule E. The advantage of Schedule E is you don't have to pay Social Security (both halves, or about 15%) on the royalties.
by scouter
Thu Jan 07, 2016 4:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5973
Views: 690112

Re: Netflix, Your Current Favorite Show

+1 for Foyle's War
by scouter
Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Saved half of income last year - struggling to see the point
Replies: 62
Views: 14521

Re: Saved half of income last year - struggling to see the point

Things can change a lot between your thirties and your fifties. No matter how satisfied you are now with your jobs and where you live, that could all be drastically different and beyond your control in a few decades. The career I loved and dedicated my life too ended due to changes beyond my control. My wife's job became unbearably stressful. But because we have always saved and invested the way you are doing now, she was able to retire at 58 and I had the freedom to switch gears and do something else I love on a part-time basis.

It's all about giving yourself (and your kids) freedom and choices in the future.
by scouter
Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:11 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 1/2/16 Deal - H&R Block 2015 @ Amazon
Replies: 30
Views: 3972

Re: 1/2/16 Deal - H&R Block 2015 @ Amazon

Not to change the subject too much, but has anyone used H& R Block for foreign tax credits?
by scouter
Mon Dec 28, 2015 10:13 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Probably A Dumb Question [Put tennis shoes in dryer?]
Replies: 35
Views: 7146

Re: Probably A Dumb Question [Put tennis shoes in dryer?]

I used to occasionally wash tennis shoes in the washer and dry them in the dryer (along with towels or jeans), but I noticed that they didn't last as long as when I didn't wash them. Seems like the stitching would start to come undone sooner and the shoes would fall apart. So now I only wash them once or twice near the end of their 1-2 year lifespan.
by scouter
Sun Nov 29, 2015 1:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: I received 'Money' magazine for free. Anyone read it?
Replies: 40
Views: 6785

Re: I received 'Money' magazine for free. Anyone read it?

It was an article in "Money" where I first learned about this new thing called the Individual 401(K) Plan. Since then my 401 has grown to a tax-sheltered $350,000. I don't read "Money" anymore but I'm glad I saw that article!
by scouter
Mon Oct 26, 2015 7:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 2016 HC.gov health insurance pricing is up
Replies: 51
Views: 7138

Re: 2016 HC.gov health insurance pricing is up

Ours is increasing by 36%. Ouch.
by scouter
Fri Oct 02, 2015 12:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Suggestions from Netlfix (or possibly Amazon) fans?
Replies: 62
Views: 9006

Re: Suggestions from Netlfix (or possibly Amazon) fans?

Foyle's War. Possibly the best TV series I've seen. Note that each episode is about 90 minutes.
by scouter
Tue Sep 29, 2015 1:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Name your top favorite tv shows
Replies: 188
Views: 33503

Re: Name your top favorite tv shows

Foyle's War
by scouter
Sat Sep 19, 2015 3:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Records of belongings for insurance purposes
Replies: 8
Views: 1596

Re: Records of belongings for insurance purposes

I do ours with video so I can narrate at the same time.
by scouter
Wed Sep 16, 2015 4:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 20th Century Stereo in a 21st Century World
Replies: 71
Views: 10117

Re: 20th Century Stereo in a 21st Century World

I use the Apple Airport Express (3 of them) to receive music from our home computer on each of three different old-school stereo systems around the house, all in sync. Our music library includes all our old vinyl and CDs as uncompressed WAV files and I use a program called "Airfoil" to manage the broadcast and "Foobar" as a leaner, simpler alternative to iTunes. Took some time to set up but works like a charm.
by scouter
Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Home Office Tax Deduction
Replies: 35
Views: 3319

Re: Home Office Tax Deduction

TooLateSmart wrote:
2. If you sell the house later, you have to subtract all the deductions you took from the cost basis of the house as part of the capital gain calculation. By the time you dig out all the records and pay the tax guy to figure out the reports, where's the benefit?
As long as you don't claim the home office deduction in the two years before you sell the house, this doesn't apply. If you know when you're going to sell you can plan accordingly, if you need to sell in a hurry, this could be a nuisance.
by scouter
Sun Aug 30, 2015 3:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prius owners and rest of Bogleheads
Replies: 44
Views: 7065

Re: Prius owners and rest of Bogleheads

Really hard to beat the Prius overall, especially when considering reliability. A recent Consumer Reports mentioned that their auto testers are always questioned at parties and dinners and their stock answer is "just get a Prius."
by scouter
Mon Aug 17, 2015 7:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to soundproof interior walls
Replies: 24
Views: 4794

Re: How to soundproof interior walls

Sorry to say that acoustic foam won't do hardly anything except dampen reflections within your room, and it will only dampen high freq. unless it's extremely thick. To stop sound transmission through the wall you'll have to add mass and decouple the new layer from the existing layer using resilient channels, etc. It will be a big job and not cheap unless you can do your own drywall work.
by scouter
Thu Aug 13, 2015 11:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone not own a Smartphone
Replies: 76
Views: 7622

Re: Anyone not own a Smartphone

No smart phone here, don't want to be one of the zombies. I look around in airports and lobbies of public buildings and it's comical to see 50-100 people all lost in their phones. Half of them trying to walk at the same time. It could have been a 70s SNL sketch about the future.
by scouter
Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Odd skunk smell inside the house
Replies: 28
Views: 159457

Re: Odd skunk smell inside the house

Examine the area around your HVAC unit(s). Skunks like to burrow under the units, (even under a cement slab under the unit) to get under the house. They can get in through a tiny hole that doesn't look big enough for a squirrel. They're quiet, you might not hear them under there.
by scouter
Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: negotiating pain and suffering claim for minor car accident
Replies: 23
Views: 19991

Re: negotiating pain and suffering claim for minor car accident

One detail you should check on is the statute of limitations in your state. In our state it's one year, so you must either settle or file a lawsuit before the anniversary of the accident, or the insurance company is relieved of all responsibility and they won't pay anything.

You can always go back to the insurance company with a counter offer for what you think is fair.
by scouter
Wed Jul 22, 2015 3:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: honda civic or Prius?
Replies: 86
Views: 22600

Re: honda civic or Prius?

Prius.
by scouter
Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:18 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I tipped 15% and got a dirty look
Replies: 129
Views: 17021

Re: I tipped 15% and got a dirty look

For dirty looks, I tip 0%.
by scouter
Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:17 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I tipped 15% and got a dirty look
Replies: 129
Views: 17021

Re: I tipped 15% and got a dirty look

russelljohnson wrote:15% for acceptable service
0%-15% for bad service
15% - 20% for exceptional service

90% of the time, I receive acceptable service.
+1
by scouter
Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Worst financial book you have read (or will admit you have read)
Replies: 94
Views: 26655

Re: Worst financial book you have read (or will admit you have read)

sunny_socal wrote:- "Your Money or Your Life" by Robin. Some good points, but very wordy. Did not finish.
- "The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need" by Tobias. As above.
Wow, surprising! Tobias' book was the first financial book I read (when it first came out) and I would say it was directly responsible for my wife and I starting on a path that made us financially independent in our fifties.
by scouter
Sun Jun 28, 2015 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Under the sink reverse osmosis water filter recommendations?
Replies: 20
Views: 9291

Re: Under the sink reverse osmosis water filter recommendations?

Also know that RO filters waste 5 gallons for every gallon of filtered water. When I found that out, we got rid of ours and went with a simpler 2-stage filter.
by scouter
Sun Jun 28, 2015 2:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 2014 Lexus ES350
Replies: 37
Views: 15256

Re: 2014 Lexus ES350

We recently bought a 2011 ES 350 (30k miles) for $23k, and it's a very nice car. The ES models take regular gas. We've owned Camrys and driven Avalons, and the Lexus is very different- much quieter, rides much smoother, feels heavier, doors are more substantial. Also, the seats are more comfortable than Avalons or Camrys we've driven. Very comfortable for long highway trips.