Search found 972 matches

by 3504PIR
Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:34 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Sharing college costs with children
Replies: 142
Views: 12799

Re: Sharing college costs with children

I have two high school age kids. Both are strong students with a reasonable shot at top schools. We will not qualify for any need based aid. We could afford to put the through school from employment cash flow and/or savings in taxable. However, I want to create an incentive for them to take the cost of education seriously, including considering the excellent in-state schools where we live and applying for merit based and other scholarships. I would like to hear about your successful strategies for getting the kids to care about the costs of college. Thank you wise Bogleheads! Creating an incentive either has or hasn’t happened over the first 18 years of their lives. My own experience was a daughter who had learning disabilities who was acc...
by 3504PIR
Mon Sep 12, 2022 11:52 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 529 strategy, lump sump?
Replies: 12
Views: 1608

Re: 529 strategy, lump sump?

I honestly think your savings rate for your 529s is on track given your childrens ages. In fact they are likely more than required at this point. Do not oversave in the 529s as previously recommended. Other college savings options include $20,000 for both you and your wife ($10,000 each) in your names, not the childrens which can be withdrawn tax free for your childrens education. Even just contributing $20k per year in i bonds at this point will go a very long way toward paying for 2 for university. Ibonds are paying just under 10% as I’m sure you must be aware. Anyway, you never know what ultimately might happen for your childrens school. My own went private with healthy scholarships on her location of graduation (in Hawaii for a in state...
by 3504PIR
Thu Nov 11, 2021 10:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Inflation 2021/2022 and your retirement plans
Replies: 130
Views: 13998

Re: Inflation 2021-2024 and your retirement plans

jebmke wrote: Thu Nov 11, 2021 12:26 am
Shallowpockets wrote: Wed Nov 10, 2021 11:48 pm There is a lot to cut in those expenses before I take down any hogs.
Apparently you only have to hold out for three years for some reason. :wink:
Sorry about that, I fixed it to what I originally intended.
by 3504PIR
Wed Nov 10, 2021 11:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Inflation 2021/2022 and your retirement plans
Replies: 130
Views: 13998

Inflation 2021/2022 and your retirement plans

Infatuation has largely been absent, for good reason, from the various retirement discussion here on bogleheads over the past decade or more. It often comes up as a topic, rightly so, with regard to the value of a dollar earned vs a dollar needed in the future. We have not had honest to shake our souls inflation until recently, and the projections are, as expected, all over the place due to the unreliable CPI to the other indexes which do or don’t honestly represent the true cost of goods in relation to our daily lives. I rely on the CPI based calculations to match, to some extent, the day to day cost of living we experience. I retired on a series of government pensions linked to the current metric which links payment to an index, along the...
by 3504PIR
Mon Aug 03, 2020 12:46 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to grow food indoors
Replies: 16
Views: 2127

Re: How to grow food indoors

This can absolutely be done given the right conditions. You should only grow vegetables that are non pollinating such as planting seeds designed for a greenhouse and not an outdoor garden. Lack of pollination will reduce your crop to zero unless you plant the right seeds. We have a greenhouse and there are seeds for that environment available on major seed selling websites like Johnnys seeds, but like many things during this pandemic, seeds are in short supply. We grow mostly tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplant in our greenhouse, but you may find a few others in your search.

Start small unless you have a lot of experience. You’ll be surprised how quickly you learn.
by 3504PIR
Mon Aug 03, 2020 12:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I was recently given a 14% raise and...
Replies: 47
Views: 7207

Re: I was recently given a 14% raise and...

What are you doing with your "extra money" now? Do more of that. I have automated quarterly deposits into taxable and 529. Guess I could increase the amount of those deposits to account for the additional income. What about the EF? Is it less risky to reduce that and invest it, or should I still be cautious given everything that's going on? I know you didn’t ask me this question, but while reading your OP this question/ topic was the one that popped into my head from your wording. To be totally honest, there is no other time in history where I would recommend increasing a 20 month EF except now. If I were in your shoes I would ramp it up to 24 months, re-evaluate the current situation and either stop or keep increasing it to 30 m...
by 3504PIR
Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cyclists...where are you getting your masks?
Replies: 65
Views: 6988

Re: Cyclists...where are you getting your masks?

Masks? Why do you need a mask? If you’re riding through crowds, bring your regular mask to protect others.
by 3504PIR
Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Learning how to do your own taxes?
Replies: 51
Views: 6696

Re: Learning how to do your own taxes?

kelvan80 wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:30 pm
3504PIR wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:26 pm The IRS runs a program which I participated in but for the life of me, cannot remember the name of but it includes voluntary and tax preparation in the title. I did it through the military but it makes a big difference in learning the process. I can do our taxes with ease and I am not a math guy. I would look at the IRS website for the program or if you have a local military base of any type, call there tax preparer office to find a course with them. It took a week, but I could do basic tax preparation for the average family in my sleep after going through it.
VITA?
That’s it!!! Hopefully it is still around. Taught me a whole lot back in the day. Thanks for the assist!
by 3504PIR
Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:32 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How often to contribute to Roth?
Replies: 38
Views: 2582

Re: How often to contribute to Roth?

It absolutely doesn’t matter unless you don’t contribute the maximum or the maximum you can afford. Worry about important stuff. People here will always tell you the most extreme option but it doesn’t matter unless you don’t do anything.

Regardless of the account, I always put my money into a money market account before investing it, but that doesn’t matter. Success is when you contribute the annual max into the account regardless of its investment destination.
by 3504PIR
Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Learning how to do your own taxes?
Replies: 51
Views: 6696

Re: Learning how to do your own taxes?

The IRS runs a program which I participated in but for the life of me, cannot remember the name of but it includes voluntary and tax preparation in the title. I did it through the military but it makes a big difference in learning the process. I can do our taxes with ease and I am not a math guy. I would look at the IRS website for the program or if you have a local military base of any type, call there tax preparer office to find a course with them. It took a week, but I could do basic tax preparation for the average family in my sleep after going through it.
by 3504PIR
Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Retiring Abroad
Replies: 110
Views: 21539

Re: Retiring Abroad

Personally, my wife and I have long considered moving back to her home of Canada from the US. She has Canadian citizen (as well as US), I do not. I've been retired for 2 years and there's nothing keeping us here in Florida, we moved here only for my job transfer. I would be very happy to move. Finding a suitable place in the US or Canada is the problem...but if we wait too long then there won't be any point in moving. I think it surely must help to have familiarity with whatever ex-US country you want to move to. Fortunately, we have great familiarity with Canada and their systems. And there is the Canadian Bogleheads forum. We're also familiar with the Philippines, my wife's country of birth. We have visited a number of times. I recognize...
by 3504PIR
Wed May 27, 2020 12:40 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Any retirees get through Covid crisis without large cash reserve?
Replies: 63
Views: 5882

Re: Any retirees get through Covid crisis without large cash reserve?

Spirit Rider wrote: Tue May 26, 2020 6:23 pm I find it rather humorous.

When someone who asks the question on here; "where should I invest money I will need in a year?" The near universal response will be to put it in a principal protected matched liquidity investment.

How is that any different when we are talking about money that is already invested, but needed short-term. The cognitive dissonance is dumbfounding.
Amen. Not holding more cash than usual currently is just dumbfounding. Good luck everyone though, honestly.
by 3504PIR
Wed May 27, 2020 12:30 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How can I use 6 weeks of vacation in the next 6 months in the Covid era?
Replies: 37
Views: 4117

Re: How can I use 6 weeks of vacation in the next 6 months in the Covid era?

Your title indicates that you are having a difficult time taking your vacation time.

Your last two sentences/paragraphs indicate you want to go somewhere.

Going somewhere really isn’t an option.
by 3504PIR
Fri May 22, 2020 1:02 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Opinion on Relocating from IL to FL Central Gulf Coast Condo
Replies: 46
Views: 4100

Re: Opinion on Relocating from IL to FL Central Gulf Coast Condo

I think the move would be perfectly fine financially. I honestly don’t know why anyone would move to Orlando in your situation. Orlando does not have much character and many other destinations in FL would be much more desirable, like in the Tampa/Clearwater footprint to start. I realize coming from where you are Orlando may seem like a great place, but many, many, many locations in Florida make it seem like Peoria.

Take your time and do this right.
by 3504PIR
Thu May 14, 2020 1:01 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Will "work from home" destroy the commercial real estate market?
Replies: 169
Views: 15960

Re: Will "work from home" destroy the commercial real estate market?

Just an anecdotal story. I retired almost 5 years ago from a company that has their headquarters in a high rise office tower in suburban Atlanta where they have four floors with maybe 500+ employees, maybe 100 of them in the IT department that I worked in. About ten years ago they did a major remodel and converted from cubicles with walls that were around six feet tall to mini-cubes that had walls that were only about four feet tall so it was sort of semi-open. If you were standing up you could see maybe 75 people that were in your room. This was also very noisy, distracting, and unproductive. I hated it. Part of the design was that you were suppose to have better communications but many of the people you were sitting near were working in ...
by 3504PIR
Thu May 14, 2020 12:44 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Will "work from home" destroy the commercial real estate market?
Replies: 169
Views: 15960

Re: Will "work from home" destroy the commercial real estate market?

Companies were already well aware of the benefits and penalties of working from home. The more interesting question is where people will want to live if a larger percentage work from home and/or perhaps we have a covid-19 season every year as well as flu season. Since population is no longer rising, the real estate market is affected by what you might call "migration" rather than organic growth, and the winners and losers are already picked out by various factors, given that there is a megatrend of mega-urbanization. As you get more and more of your needs met online and/or electronically, and more of your stuff delivered, you would think that could have an effect on where you want to be. Commercial real estate is already being dr...
by 3504PIR
Thu May 07, 2020 7:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I buy this annuity?
Replies: 18
Views: 1612

Re: Should I buy this annuity?

On the surface it seems that if you needed extra from the muni fund you could just sell shares. I have no idea of the tax handcuffs to the shares you may have, but that would equally apply to the $500k as well. No idea about your overall tax situation either so it’s difficult on that end as well.
by 3504PIR
Sun May 03, 2020 6:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Why doesn't Porsche have better resale value?
Replies: 50
Views: 6827

Re: Why doesn't Porsche have better resale value?

We are on our second Macan. Bought the first as a factory pickup while living in Europe. Paid right at $43,000 after various rebates offered for that transaction, no tax as it was a diplomatic sales contract. Got the car in February 2014. Traded it in in April 2019 for a new one and got $35,000 for it, was offered $42,000 the year before from the dealership. So drove it for 5 years, 2 months at the overall cost (less fuel and insurance, maintenance was covered by Porsche and new tires were $800) of $8,800. Not too bad as far as car math goes.
by 3504PIR
Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:31 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting
Replies: 47
Views: 7775

Re: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting

I retired in August officially after leaving my job on accumulated vacation pay at the end of May at 56 aided by a militant pension which enabled us to hyper save during our post military career. We moved to a radically lower COL location also in May (Hawaii to Western North Carolina). Refinanced our mortgage in February to further improve cash flow. Overall the lock down has saved us in spending due to our cancelled travel plans and overall less consumption the past few months, although I bought a lot of food for the pantry back in January after initial reports on the virus came out. I expect our spending to remain very low through the summer for the same reason. All this matters to us as our biggest concern with early retirement was base...
by 3504PIR
Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:24 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Need some direction.
Replies: 14
Views: 989

Re: Need some direction.

I'm an artist. My love is to screen print limited edition runs. I also do free lance work. I have a small online store that I sell my prints and a few books. I netted $121,500 in 2019. I spent $50,000 on reprinting books, new books, and about a years worth of supplies. My sales this year are 138% of this time last year. My studio is in our house. My wife got a severance package of $34,200 and our health insurance till 7-31-2020. She works in marketing. We have a 13 year old child. Wife and I are 39 and 40. $250,000 20 year mortgage 7 years in with a balance of $64,800 No other debt Primary savings $75,000 Primary checking $15,000 Business savings $25,000 Business checking $856 A collection of gold bars in the safe We both max our retiremen...
by 3504PIR
Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: purchasing a minivan - price on a new Kia Sedona
Replies: 10
Views: 919

Re: purchasing a minivan - price on a new Kia Sedona

Why are you buying a van based on a temporary situation? From your OP that is the best interpretation of what is going on. My read is you ar renting a minivan for $1200 per month while not at your primary residence. Correct? No, dot purchase now. Move, get a new job and all that and revisit this situation. You even admit you dot drive all that much (normally). So this is insane.

Sort out the expenses which may be coming in your life and don’t go into debt or pay out 30k now for convenience. If you bail on the city, and I recommend you do with a plan, you will definitely need this money.
by 3504PIR
Sun Apr 26, 2020 5:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting
Replies: 47
Views: 7775

Re: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting

I retired in August officially after leaving my job on accumulated vacation pay at the end of May at 56 aided by a militant pension which enabled us to hyper save during our post military career. We moved to a radically lower COL location also in May (Hawaii to Western North Carolina). Refinanced our mortgage in February to further improve cash flow. Overall the lock down has saved us in spending due to our cancelled travel plans and overall less consumption the past few months, although I bought a lot of food for the pantry back in January after initial reports on the virus came out. I expect our spending to remain very low through the summer for the same reason. All this matters to us as our biggest concern with early retirement was base...
by 3504PIR
Sun Apr 26, 2020 1:46 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting
Replies: 47
Views: 7775

Re: Early retirees who were close - how are you adjusting

I retired in August officially after leaving my job on accumulated vacation pay at the end of May at 56 aided by a military pension which enabled us to hyper save during our post military career. We moved to a radically lower COL location also in May (Hawaii to Western North Carolina). Refinanced our mortgage in February to further improve cash flow. Overall the lock down has saved us in spending due to our cancelled travel plans and overall less consumption the past few months, although I bought a lot of food for the pantry back in January after initial reports on the virus came out. I expect our spending to remain very low through the summer for the same reason. All this matters to us as our biggest concern with early retirement was based...
by 3504PIR
Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: College in fall
Replies: 549
Views: 56805

Re: College in fall

Additionally for tuition, State schools and JCs have little to no difference in price. The cost difference occurs with room and board, not basic tuition. Private schools will differ. That's not really true about state schools in California, although I realize California has a different higher education structure than many other states by having three levels of state-supported schools. California community colleges are much cheaper than California State University campuses (CSUs) and CSUs are cheaper than University of California campuses. There are also the California community college tuition waiver programs, although I don't know the current funding status of those programs. Fair enough and there are plenty of CA posters here for it to m...
by 3504PIR
Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:31 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Job Uncertainty is Killing Me: How to Cope???
Replies: 22
Views: 2597

Re: Job Uncertainty is Killing Me: How to Cope???

My general recommendation is to ride it out and look for ways to better position yourself in the future. Basically the mid to long game. I realize that this probably isn’t helpful, but don’t kick yourself next time, and there will be a next time.
by 3504PIR
Sat Apr 25, 2020 1:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: College in fall
Replies: 549
Views: 56805

Re: College in fall

My daughter is graduating from high school this June and is planning on starting college this coming fall a state over. I know that our state universities have sent students home where they're taking classes remotely online. Sounds like the best guess at this point is that the virus may or may not wane in the summer months but will most likely rebound in the normal flu season. Are plans changing for kids going to college next fall? Seems like a lot of money to spend if my daughter is going to wind up taking classes from my basement. My advice and what many families are doing: deferring admittance for a semester/year and going to the local Junior College to start. Why pay for a non-refundable room & meal plan if they’re at home anyway? ...
by 3504PIR
Sat Apr 25, 2020 1:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: College in fall
Replies: 549
Views: 56805

Re: College in fall

My daughter is graduating from high school this June and is planning on starting college this coming fall a state over. I know that our state universities have sent students home where they're taking classes remotely online. Sounds like the best guess at this point is that the virus may or may not wane in the summer months but will most likely rebound in the normal flu season. Are plans changing for kids going to college next fall? Seems like a lot of money to spend if my daughter is going to wind up taking classes from my basement. What is the difference? Will you consider delaying her start based on an online semester? I am genuinely confused by your question. If classes are remote in the fall, you will pay for the tuition, books and fee...
by 3504PIR
Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:52 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bonds won't get you anywhere!
Replies: 85
Views: 11088

Re: Bonds won't get you anywhere!

When posters on this site refer to “bonds” they are often referring to bond funds. I own bond mutual funds as well as individual bonds. Benjamin Graham wrote that the purpose of bonds was income, which I agree with. Posters on this site mostly state that bonds are for safety. To fully understand what role bonds will play in your portfolio, I would recommend a full understanding of the bond market and what types of bonds you think may be suited to your overall investment philosophy, to include bond mutual funds. Simply stating that bonds won’t get “you” anywhere without any substance is pointless other than to indicate that you really don’t understand bonds, from ether the BH general philosophy or Mr Graham’s. So given my view, how is it tha...
by 3504PIR
Wed Apr 22, 2020 6:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Any One-More-Year FIRE people sticking to their plan?
Replies: 72
Views: 10529

Re: Any One-More-Year FIRE people sticking to their plan?

Here is what I would do, and did for the most part. Get out of wherever you are in a reasonable timeframe based upon your finding a suitable location. Take some time in conjunction with that search to discover your next chapter. Be fairly conservative with your assets while you are doing both of those. I had a fairly high profile profession on a national level the past ten years, while not making anywhere near what you make or accumulating anywhere near the assets. But I would guess, my level of responsibility and the decisions I was making or part of where probably on par. Think major policy at the strategic level of our government on both a regional and global level. It piled up and got old, particularly toward the end and I decided to m...
by 3504PIR
Wed Apr 22, 2020 6:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: BMW X5 - advice on purchase
Replies: 49
Views: 4718

Re: BMW X5 - advice on purchase

jello_nailer wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 5:49 pm I went from an X3 to a Porsche Macan for reasons above.
We did too and are on our second Macan and have been very happy. Annual maintenance has averaged about $600 since our first purchase in 2015 for the Macan. Had really bad maintenance problems with our BMWs at about the 5/6 year point. I won’t be going back to BMW, but enjoyed driving all of ours, but nothing like a Porsche.
by 3504PIR
Wed Apr 22, 2020 1:54 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Any One-More-Year FIRE people sticking to their plan?
Replies: 72
Views: 10529

Re: Any One-More-Year FIRE people sticking to their plan?

Here is what I would do, and did for the most part. Get out of wherever you are in a reasonable timeframe based upon your finding a suitable location. Take some time in conjunction with that search to discover your next chapter. Be fairly conservative with your assets while you are doing both of those. I had a fairly high profile profession on a national level the past ten years, while not making anywhere near what you make or accumulating anywhere near the assets. But I would guess, my level of responsibility and the decisions I was making or part of where probably on par. Think major policy at the strategic level of our government on both a regional and global level. It piled up and got old, particularly toward the end and I decided to mo...
by 3504PIR
Sun Apr 19, 2020 1:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How many paid for kids' college?
Replies: 282
Views: 18656

Re: How many paid for kids' college?

This is always a question on bogleheads which generates a wide range of answers financially, not to mention philosophically and it often depends on varying experiences. To cut to the chase, my parents fully funded my college degree, and with our child, we have likewise fully funded hers to date. I would never have been able to retire in my early 50s if my parents hadn’t paid for my education. Our daughter is a junior currently and we have and will continue to fully fund her studies. Our intent has been to enable her to eventually graduate (three semesters to go) with an opportunity to maximize her future without any burden of debt for her to restrict her life going forward. She is aware of that and understands the opportunity she has been g...
by 3504PIR
Sun Apr 19, 2020 12:58 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Are you comfortable with your emergency fund arrangements?
Replies: 44
Views: 4397

Re: Are you comfortable with your emergency fund arrangements?

I have $45k in CDs, which is a year of living expenses. I qualify for $1200/week in unemployment if I understand the formula correctly. My company has historically given very generous severance packages (six months benefits, three months salary, accelerated vesting of RSUs depending on years of service). I'm comfortable. Similar to the retirement tripod of social security, pensions and investments, I'm relying on the "unemployment tripod" of cash, unemployment insurance and severance packages. Any one of those legs is enough to support me. All three means I've got lots of backups and options. (Granted, no idea if the packages would be as generous this time as in past layoffs, that's not a given). You may be one of a less than ima...
by 3504PIR
Mon Apr 13, 2020 12:00 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How long after starting investing, did you start to be happy about the power of compounding?
Replies: 186
Views: 23890

Re: How long after starting investing, did you start to be happy about the power of compounding?

thibaulthib wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:49 pm
3504PIR wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:44 pm Still not happy, but was thinking about this very topic the other day. I’d be happy with $30,000,000 of which half came from compounded earnings.
Wouldn't you be happy just knowing 50% came from compounded earnings, regardless the amount?
No, not really. With investment balances, I’m never satisfied.
by 3504PIR
Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Holding EF in something other than cash?
Replies: 32
Views: 2218

Re: Holding EF in something other than cash?

Looking back at the most recent 3-4 weeks, imagine if you were or are to become one of the possible 60,000,000 or more unemployed and ask yourself where would be the best place to have those funds. Everything I’ve read on the matter over that time would seem to suggest both an increase in savings rates (whenever that becomes possible), and a radically more conservative approach to retirement savings.

I am interested in why you asked this question and where you are considering putting emergency funds? I am not calling you out but the majority of the country will be looking for access in the near future, and not for exotic yield angles.
by 3504PIR
Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:44 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How long after starting investing, did you start to be happy about the power of compounding?
Replies: 186
Views: 23890

Re: How long after starting investing, did you start to be happy about the power of compounding?

Still not happy, but was thinking about this very topic the other day. I’d be happy with $30,000,000 of which half came from compounded earnings.
by 3504PIR
Wed Apr 08, 2020 2:00 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Safest way to get food
Replies: 168
Views: 15475

Re: Safest way to get food

It really comes down to where you live on a number of levels doesn’t it? I went shopping for our family yesterday and had latex gloves on when I went into the store, as I have for the past three weeks. I disinfected my cart with a wipe I brought in. Took my gloves off as I left the store as if I was coming out of mop 4. Unloaded my bags into car, disinfected my hands. Drove home and wiped everything down outside and took off my shoes also outside.. Took a shower and washed clothes. Put wiped down items away. Now required to wear a mask of some sort and will although everyone keeping their distance here. Where I live we have had one case in the county. Governor had to issue an additional order to expedite the shopping process as whole exten...
by 3504PIR
Wed Apr 08, 2020 1:56 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What did you do cool with your money today?
Replies: 125
Views: 12228

Re: What did you do cool with your money today?

I feel kind of silly for this, but since we ar not eating out and my parents thoughtfully sent some gourmet food through the mail I thought, hey, what is out there for high end mail order food? I didn’t get very far in my search and bought a decent amount of interesting beef from both Snake River Farms and Holy Grail. Once those items arrive and we do some evaluations, I will probably do a deeper dive into that world beyond just dry aged high end beef. I am curious to see what is out there.
by 3504PIR
Sun Apr 05, 2020 1:13 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Safest way to get food
Replies: 168
Views: 15475

Re: Safest way to get food

It really comes down to where you live on a number of levels doesn’t it? I went shopping for our family yesterday and had latex gloves on when I went into the store, as I have for the past three weeks. I disinfected my cart with a wipe I brought in. Took my gloves off as I left the store as if I was coming out of mop 4. Unloaded my bags into car, disinfected my hands. Drove home and wiped everything down outside and took off my shoes also outside.. Took a shower and washed clothes. Put wiped down items away. Now required to wear a mask of some sort and will although everyone keeping their distance here. Where I live we have had one case in the county. Governor had to issue an additional order to expedite the shopping process as whole extend...
by 3504PIR
Tue Mar 31, 2020 11:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Did you move for better weather? Did you regret it?
Replies: 246
Views: 32655

Re: Did you move for better weather? Did you regret it?

Hawaii > Northern Arizona HCOL vs> LCOL ++++ City vs> Country +++++ Congestion, Traffic, Noise, Stress vs > Quiet > More free range cattle than people ++++ Golf Weather Year Round vs> 4 seasons -- + -- -- -- + White sand beaches vs> Mountains and open range land - - - - - - International / Hawaiian/Asian Tropical Island Culture vs ???? -- + -- + -- + Fish and Poi / international authentic foods vs Steak n Potatoes - - - - - City lifestyle (cramp) vs outdoor lifestyle +++++++++ When moving, there are more factors to consider than weather. . . :shock: Do not regret the move as it was a long range plan. DW is happy, very happy. Do not regret the move. DW is happy. . . . . . . "Auwe!". . "koʻu maikaʻi"! :shock: j :happy 1 m...
by 3504PIR
Tue Mar 31, 2020 12:24 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: It's Not Different This Time
Replies: 379
Views: 48433

Re: It's Not Different This Time

Your focus is very narrow, in what bonds are doing today. The requirement to by bonds doesn’t rest on today. Bonds are available to purchase every day with different yields. You limit your income in retirement potential by focusing on the near term and not the length of time you would be retired. I have a comfortable amount of 2 and 10 year notes that have nothing to do with the current situation or the current yield. Bonds 5 or 6 years ago didn’t yield what they do today. Surely you can see that today doesn’t equal decisions that have been made in the past and in the future? Stop thinking in terms of bond fund yields and begin to look at the whole spectrum of bond offerings over a longer timeframe. You are frankly limiting your options wh...
by 3504PIR
Mon Mar 30, 2020 11:07 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: It's Not Different This Time
Replies: 379
Views: 48433

Re: It's Not Different This Time

As per Benjamin Graham, bonds are for INCOME! At today's yields, that bond income is pretty sparse. If one is to eschew total returns in retirement in favor of pivoting to income, where is the income coming from? Your focus is very narrow, in what bonds are doing today. The requirement to by bonds doesn’t rest on today. Bonds are available to purchase every day with different yields. You limit your income in retirement potential by focusing on the near term and not the length of time you would be retired. I have a comfortable amount of 2 and 10 year notes that have nothing to do with the current situation or the current yield. Bonds 5 or 6 years ago didn’t yield what they do today. Surely you can see that today doesn’t equal decisions that...
by 3504PIR
Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:48 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: There Is No Gold
Replies: 160
Views: 15587

Re: There Is No Gold

willthrill81 wrote: Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:00 am
3504PIR wrote: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:42 am And you can’t even eat gold, at least with any nutritional value.
You can't eat dollar bills either.

An item being inedible doesn't mean that it's not valuable in some other way.
You’re sarcasm meter is way off.
by 3504PIR
Mon Mar 30, 2020 12:30 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: It's Not Different This Time
Replies: 379
Views: 48433

Re: It's Not Different This Time

I’ll add that the boglehead assumption has been that “coming back” is a near term clockwork event. This time, the market with is grand moves up and down would seem to indicate the same. While none of us know where the market will go, posts over the past years since 2008 or even before back to 2000 all assume a positive overall market trend following events such as this. I don’t agree overall. I think as investors we need to look at the overall purpose of or portfolio regarding income, rather than the “total return” mentality as we approach and enter retirement. I think we must invest our resources to acknowledge the overall decline of the total on a glide scope with its ultimate decline to zero rather than the assumption of a total return o...
by 3504PIR
Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:08 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is the 2 Fund Portfolio the new "3 Fund portfolio"?
Replies: 59
Views: 8049

Re: Is the 2 Fund Portfolio the new "3 Fund portfolio"?

I recently re read Jack Bogles thoughts on international investing and essentially, his belief due to the international component of all US stocks now, that an international portion may be unnecessary. With the recent market roller coaster, i am seeing that when a black swan occurs, there really is no place to hide. I am starting to think a 2 fund total market fund and total bond fund is the way to go, or a total stock fund and a bond and cash reserve mix. anyone else thinking that "international" exposure doesnt help? PoultryMan: In 2016 I wrote a post about international investing here. I continue to feel that adding a small amount (20%) of international stocks is worthwhile. When knowledgeable investors disagree it usually mak...
by 3504PIR
Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:54 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: There Is No Gold
Replies: 160
Views: 15587

Re: There Is No Gold

watchnerd wrote: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:50 am
3504PIR wrote: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:42 am And you can’t even eat gold, at least with any nutritional value.
But you can use it as a TP substitute.
Hadn’t thought of that! And baller too!
by 3504PIR
Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:47 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: USAA Tow Truck--Social Distancing
Replies: 30
Views: 2222

Re: USAA Tow Truck--Social Distancing

DTalos wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:45 pm
ryanpj wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:40 pm Bruh...
Just call them and ask

And if they say no, the limit is 10 miles, then what would you suggest I do?
Then I would post the question here or maybe pay for a tow myself. Seriously.

Why do you need to ride in the tow truck?
by 3504PIR
Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:42 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: There Is No Gold
Replies: 160
Views: 15587

Re: There Is No Gold

And you can’t even eat gold, at least with any nutritional value.
by 3504PIR
Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:40 am
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: [Archived] Bogleheads community discussion - Coronavirus
Replies: 4963
Views: 298549

Re: Bogleheads community discussion - Coronavirus

And it will go up. Aside from restaurants being closed, it’s business as usual where I am. I had to go grocery shopping today and have not left the farm in well over a week. It is definitely business as usual here and every day it remains the same is another day of the same. And my comment doesn’t even account for the lack of testing which is another whole discussion. I was mildly surprised at the lack of stay at home, but not shocked. Disappointed more than anything. Business as usual and we will go on, and on. No idea where everyone is driving to, but unless the State government closes more than restaurants and schools, nobody will fear what they cannot see. I got some looks today grocery shopping with latex gloves on, and I was alone we...
by 3504PIR
Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:37 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: So bottom is probably behind us....right?
Replies: 709
Views: 76656

Re: So bottom is probably behind us....right?

bog007 wrote: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:36 am Dead cat bounce. I'd be surprised if we get above 2800 spx anytime soon. 1800 spx likely target
1700 is the ugly spot, and I am not holding my breath.