Search found 845 matches
- Mon Nov 27, 2017 11:41 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Insulated shopping bags
- Replies: 14
- Views: 910
Re: Insulated shopping bags
Cool bags aren't designed to be used with ice. The ice will sweat and/or melt and you'll have a dripping mess on your hands. I learned this without doing Livesoft's experiment - the results are already posted in pages of pages of cool bag Amazon reviews written by people who learned the hard way tha...
- Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:49 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Etiquette question: going out to dinner with friends and how to split the bill
- Replies: 86
- Views: 5865
Re: Etiquette question: going out to dinner with friends and how to split the bill
Personally I wouldn't let $65 ruin an enjoyable holiday weekend with friends/family
- Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Pay this off now or not?
- Replies: 33
- Views: 2788
Re: Pay this off now or not?
I'll caveat my post by saying that I'm less emotional about low interest debt that others in this forum.Would you be worried if your mortgage balance was $391K @4% and your student loan balance was $0? If that scenario doesn't bother you then neither should a $291k mortgage @4% and $100k student loa...
- Thu Nov 09, 2017 12:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Strategy for repaying wife's law school loans
- Replies: 23
- Views: 2264
Re: Strategy for repaying wife's law school loans
Your current strategy is kicking the can down the road. But considering the uncertainty around PSLF and your combined incomes, you need to assume that the loans will have to be repaid. Once you accept that reality, I see two options: 1. Pay it all off or refinance, this would leave the wife's repaym...
- Tue Apr 11, 2017 9:25 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Honda Pilot good 1st vehicle for teen?
- Replies: 46
- Views: 3588
Re: Honda Pilot good 1st vehicle for teen?
Keep Pilot. But if I were a parent, I would take out 3rd row of seats or, if the son is trustworthy, strictly limit number of people allowed in the car.
- Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:48 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Telling Family About Daughters 529 For Gifts
- Replies: 52
- Views: 4536
Re: Telling Family About Daughters 529 For Gifts
I give my nieces and nephews cash and assume that it helps their parents teach them about spending vs saving vs investing. If some of it is spent on short-term wants like toys and candy and movies with friends, that's fine with me. There's a lesson in that too.
- Mon Feb 13, 2017 2:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Need quick advice: Pay full year's rent or large security deposit?
- Replies: 47
- Views: 3032
Re: Need quick advice: Pay full year's rent or large security deposit?
Since time is limited, find an airbnb to rent for a month while she searches for a roommate.
- Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best Ways to Buy Time
- Replies: 68
- Views: 8642
Re: Best Ways to Buy Time
Say "NO" to things you don't want to do without guilt. If it is charitable, offer money instead. If it is family/friends, just say no and move on or make an alternative suggestion that requires less time. At work, don't take on extra work that isn't your primary job function or doesn't move your car...
- Sun Jan 08, 2017 8:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: The funk - gym clothes
- Replies: 46
- Views: 4908
Re: The funk - gym clothes
I would toss them and buy new. But I don't spend much on synthetic gym t-shirts for this reason. I do spend a bit more on wool baselayers and they don't seem to get stinky. I let them dry out after working out and never put them in the dryer.
- Tue Dec 06, 2016 5:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Flying Across Atlantic with 98th Percentile 18-Month Child
- Replies: 114
- Views: 8884
Re: Flying Across Atlantic with 98th Percentile 18-Month Child
I'm surprised by all the negative responses here. If you have never flown with your child before, then your child might actually be great on planes and you just might not know it yet. We travel every year to see grandparents on flights with multiple legs, and we never paid for an extra seat. Even w...
- Wed Nov 16, 2016 9:31 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Boston Logan Parking / Hotel?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 2385
Re: Boston Logan Parking / Hotel?
Flying with my family to a wedding. Nearest nonstop flight is out of Logan. We plan to spend the night in a nearby hotel prior to our early morning flight. In the past, I was able to find Park, Sleep, and Fly deals at decent hotels priced equal to or less than a week in the Massport Economy lot (cu...
- Mon Nov 14, 2016 11:00 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Should I change the job?
- Replies: 22
- Views: 2611
Re: Should I change the job?
I disagree with the others who say that you should change jobs based on your employer's performance review process. I work for a MegaCorp and these rankings typically have a very specific rubric for an employee to earn exceeded level, above level, at level, below level (or whatever term your employe...
- Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What should I do with this knack? Super Recognizer
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2382
Re: What should I do with this knack? Super Recognizer
My friends and I do trivia at bars a lot. The questions seem to be skewed toward pop-culture so the people who always win are super-recognizers of celebrities and the movies in which they acted. You might win a few bucks here and there. Downside is that you would have to follow current-day celebriti...
- Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:40 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Why is it hard to find >3 year old cheddar nowadays?
- Replies: 30
- Views: 4570
Re: Why is it hard to find >3 year old cheddar nowadays?
Whole Foods is all over New England and has plenty of options and decent prices, especially when items go on sale. Vermont has a booming craft cheese industry, but maybe not for cheddar. If you feel like traveling try Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, MA - a little pricey but it is a cheese lovers dre...
- Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:15 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is it typical to wait ~24 months for a meaningful/significant raise at work?
- Replies: 45
- Views: 4808
Re: Is it typical to wait ~24 months for a meaningful/significant raise at work?
if you ask me, that's a bit long to wait - especially at the more junior level. 2 years with just COL raises, if that? just seems a bit slow, especially when you can jump ship to other companies after about the 1 year mark and probably get 10% without even trying. your thoughts? I've worked for a n...
- Wed Sep 07, 2016 6:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Personal Shopper/Service for Complicated Purchases
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1514
Re: Personal Shopper/Service for Complicated Purchases
2: An old CD from a garage band that lasted just a few months. The band was 20 20 Faith, before becoming Eleventh Hour (not the Eleventh Hours that's still around) and were centered out of Arizona around 2002. My wife had a 20 20 Faith CD that brings back memories of summer internships, but misplac...
- Wed Aug 31, 2016 3:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Subaru owners - tin can sound, maybe heat shield?
- Replies: 22
- Views: 5229
Re: Subaru owners - tin can sound, maybe heat shield?
My ancient Legacy had this sound as does my neighbor's new Forrester. It must be a feature of Subarus - maybe so your family knows when you're home.
- Mon Aug 22, 2016 4:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Interview Follow-up
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1187
Re: Interview Follow-up
I disagree with those who say it can't hurt to show you're still interested. Annoying the hiring manager by too frequent communication can hurt your chances of being hired. Imagine if you had 8 candidates for 4 positions and each of them emailed you once a week. If it takes a couple of minutes to re...
- Sat Aug 06, 2016 6:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Work in Vancouver, WA..possibly live in Camas?
- Replies: 70
- Views: 6808
Re: Work in Vancouver, WA..possibly live in Camas?
Thanks all for responding, all answers have been extremely helpful. I've basically applied to this potential job offer sight unseen. I did live for a brief time in the other Vancouver..B.C. Which we absolutely loved. I guess I am extremely nervous to pack up my family of 4 without truly knowing the...
- Thu Aug 04, 2016 3:20 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Canary Islands for a Wedding
- Replies: 5
- Views: 669
Re: Canary Islands for a Wedding
Scratching my head wondering whether this a humblebrag or a real question? If you include the dates and times someone might search Kayak and set up an itinerary for you. I imagine the most direct route is probably on a private plane, but it may not be the most cost effective option.
- Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:07 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Advice for child: Computational Biology, Biomedical Engineering
- Replies: 23
- Views: 2196
- Fri Jul 22, 2016 5:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Floor Lamp Recommendations?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 947
Re: Floor Lamp Recommendations?
Honestly, there is very little to say without an incredible amount of more information, not the least being what your design inclinations are. The preexisting style of the house matters too, to some extent, but more so the type of furniture you already have. Floor lamps can be modern, transitional,...
- Thu Jul 21, 2016 2:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Price Limit on Used Car from Private Party
- Replies: 10
- Views: 830
Re: Price Limit on Used Car from Private Party
I'm considering a used car from a private party. It's a 2013 Subaru Impreza with 25K miles priced around $14.5K, and appeared in great condition when I checked it out. I've also checked the KBB value. Do you have an arbitrary maximum for which you would pay for a used car from a private party? I do...
- Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:40 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Adopt my Girlfriend???
- Replies: 38
- Views: 7859
Re: Adopt my Girlfriend???
Adoption of an adult? I hope the presenter was joking. I would be mad that I wasted my time listening to someone who gave a flip response to what is a serious topic. Ask to Bogleheads the same question or pick up one of the many good books the Bogleheads recommend. I bet you'll get a better answer t...
- Wed Jul 20, 2016 9:58 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Why did the car salesman stop replying to my emails
- Replies: 78
- Views: 10392
Re: Why did the car salesman stop replying to my emails
As consumers, this is the shopping experience we've created for ourselves and let's be honest, we deserve it. If you want a better experience, vote with your dollars by going to Carmax and paying a bit more. Totally disagree about this. Car dealers have very, very strong lobbying efforts that have ...
- Sat Jul 16, 2016 2:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Do you tip Uber drivers?
- Replies: 49
- Views: 8289
Re: Do you tip Uber drivers?
Nope. And my user rating is 5-stars. If a driver gives me fewer than 5 stars because I don't tip then I would give them a lower than 5-star rating as well.
- Fri Jul 15, 2016 8:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Student Loan Payoff Assistance
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1686
Re: Student Loan Payoff Assistance
According to the Nelnet website, the high interest loan was a non-subsidized Grad Plus loan which accrued interest from the outset (interest was simple and never capitalized) vs the slightly lower cost loans which were subsidized and therefore only started to accrue interest after graduation and pa...
- Fri Jul 15, 2016 3:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Student Loan Payoff Assistance
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1686
Re: Student Loan Payoff Assistance -- 1st check how much accrued interest
Before deciding, you need to compare the amount of accrued interest on the various loans. My daughter had 7 loans from 6.5 - 8.55% --some with much accrued interest and some with almost none. We 1st paid off the 8.55% interest note. That was a mistake as interest is not compounded and any payments ...
- Fri Jul 15, 2016 9:56 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Student Loan Payoff Assistance
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1686
Re: Student Loan Payoff Assistance
Everything you describe is exactly correct. Put the extra payment toward the highest interest loan, pay the minimum on the others until the high interest loan is paid off.
Have you tried refinancing the 6.X% loan with SOFI, DRB, Commonbond?
Have you tried refinancing the 6.X% loan with SOFI, DRB, Commonbond?
- Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Need help with a large bonus
- Replies: 25
- Views: 3450
Re: Need help with a large bonus
I'll volunteer. As long as there's no pre-nup.spth wrote:Any plans to get married?

- Sun Jun 26, 2016 7:55 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Price of 2016 Honda Civic LX automatic
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1351
Re: Price of 2016 Honda Civic LX automatic
Anyone here bought a 2016 LX recently? I have done research and got a quote $500 below invoice (Invoice=$18,073, Quote= $17,500). Destination charge $835, taxes and tags are extra. The dealer is part of Sonic dealers in Northern Virginia. The salesman claimed that their price is legit with no press...
- Sat Jun 25, 2016 9:45 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cross country move. Buy car and drive or ship things and fly?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 2592
Re: Cross country move. Buy car and drive or ship things and fly?
I would buy a used car at your destination. Used cars are in much better condition in WA than NY because the roads aren't salted.
Public transportation, Uber, and a car rental can fill in in the meantime. Ship your belongings.
Public transportation, Uber, and a car rental can fill in in the meantime. Ship your belongings.
- Mon Jun 20, 2016 2:23 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: College and beyond without a credit card?
- Replies: 92
- Views: 6208
Re: College and beyond without a credit card?
For relative oldsters like me, our experience in youth isn’t all that relevant. In a small college town in the late 70s, the ATM network was just emerging, we routinely paid with personal checks, we could cash checks at stores that catered to students (with ID, for a fee), many sotes had CC minimum...
- Sat Jun 18, 2016 11:04 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Navient (student loan) amortization sched. Q
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1587
Re: Navient amortization schedule Q
Thanks for your reply Your amortization schedule and the 71 month repayment date is a function of your repayment plan, so it shouldn't change by making principal payments. Why? I now owe them less money and if I were now to pay 220 over 71 months it will exceed what I owe. I've essentially changed ...
- Sat Jun 18, 2016 10:14 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Need investment help for daughter
- Replies: 13
- Views: 993
Re: Need investment help for daughter
Yup. Agree. Put the international in a Roth IRA.JCE66 wrote:KESP....I would make this stupendously simple, and go for the lowest cost.
Fidelity Total Market Index Premium: 80%
Black Rock US Total Bond Index Instl: 20%
Cost matters. A lot.
- Sat Jun 18, 2016 9:54 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Navient (student loan) amortization sched. Q
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1587
Re: Navient amortization schedule Q
Your amortization schedule and the 71 month repayment date is a function of your repayment plan, so it shouldn't change by making principal payments. Because you paid early, your next "required" payment is moved into the future. Meaning that you could take a break and not go into default until you r...
- Mon Jun 06, 2016 3:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: After 30 yrs at Megacorp my IT job was surplussed...
- Replies: 52
- Views: 7716
Re: After 30 yrs at Megacorp my IT job was surplussed...
Sorry to hear about your surplussing. My only tip is to sign up for unemployment when your severance is complete. Some people skip this step. I would probably take the summer off and look for another job in the fall. I wouldn't want to end my career on a layoff. But being able to ER and in a hot jo...
- Mon Jun 06, 2016 2:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: After 30 yrs at Megacorp my IT job was surplussed...
- Replies: 52
- Views: 7716
Re: After 30 yrs at Megacorp my IT job was surplussed...
Sorry to hear about your surplussing. My only tip is to sign up for unemployment when your severance is complete. Some people skip this step. I would probably take the summer off and look for another job in the fall. I wouldn't want to end my career on a layoff. But being able to ER and in a hot job...
- Mon Jun 06, 2016 8:12 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best AWD Sedan/Coupe?
- Replies: 53
- Views: 5950
Re: Best AWD Sedan/Coupe?
A new version of the Impreza is coming out at the end of the year. Downside is historically Subarus have teething issues in the first year of a new model. So I would hesitate to buy one until later in 2017 or 2018.
- Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Move to Denver (Job) or stay in NoVA ?
- Replies: 53
- Views: 5888
Re: Move to Denver (Job) or stay in NoVA ?
One thing to consider is the college admissions process. Top universities will only accept a couple of students from each high school, even the top high schools like TJ. So the college admission process will probably be easier in Colorado than it would have been at TJ. As you move west, there are fe...
- Fri May 27, 2016 2:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Navient improper processing of IBR - what can I do?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1412
Re: Navient improper processing of IBR - what can I do?
First of all, your IBR payment is based on the prior years income tax returns. So if husband had no income in 2015 then saying income was $0 even though he now has a job isn't fraud. It's how the IBR program works. If the Navient wants you to re-file the form then do it. Again, saying you have no in...
- Mon May 23, 2016 2:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: 2 Big Companies merging = no severance package?
- Replies: 24
- Views: 4569
Re: 2 Big Companies merging = no severance package?
My large employer has merged twice since I started 5 years ago. Going through the second merger right now. Both times employees were grandfathered into the new organization with their prior years of service. No resetting of the clock. That said, specific benefits usually default to what is being off...
- Wed May 18, 2016 10:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Getting married and how to quit my job. This is follow-up post earlier post
- Replies: 16
- Views: 2111
Re: Getting married and how to quit my job. This is follow-up post earlier post
Not much else to add except to say you have no reason to lie. Just be honest and finish out your two weeks.
Congratulations on the wedding and the big adventure. Good Luck!
Congratulations on the wedding and the big adventure. Good Luck!
- Wed May 18, 2016 7:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Pride in no inheritance to kids?
- Replies: 233
- Views: 6152
Re: Pride in no inheritance to kids?
I also think you're mis-interpreting "pride". For the vast majority of people, their primary concern about retirement is whether or not they have enough for their own lifetime. If you're in the financial position where all of your needs will be met regardless of any black swan events, then consider ...
- Sun May 15, 2016 12:36 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Food budget and frequent visitors who stay at our home
- Replies: 43
- Views: 4170
Re: Food budget and frequent visitors who stay at our home
I would put the food expenses in the "entertainment/travel" budget and not in the food budget. You're probably saving money by having family travel to visit you instead of you traveling to visit them. But if you're on a fixed income and can't afford the expense, then include your visitors in the mea...
- Sat May 14, 2016 5:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: 12 Student Loans: Calculating Payoff Right?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1686
Re: 12 Student Loans: Calculating Payoff Right?
AFAIK, Great Lakes is a federal loan servicing company and as such offers federal consolidation loans, which are always the weighted average of the interest rates of the underlying loans. If you want a lower rate you have to refinance with a private loan company like SOFI, Commonbond, and DRB. ETA: ...
- Thu May 12, 2016 9:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: 12 Student Loans: Calculating Payoff Right?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1686
Re: 12 Student Loans: Calculating Payoff Right?
To me it looks like this is a federal loan consolidations, which is simply a new loan that is the weighted average of your current interest rates. So you would lose the ability to repay the highest interest rate loans early AND the benefits associated with the subsidized loan. No upside here. What y...
- Sat May 07, 2016 3:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: 12 Student Loans: Calculating Payoff Right?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1686
Re: 12 Student Loans: Calculating Payoff Right?
Do you think we should leave the loans as is or try to refinance into just a single interest rate? I would definitely refinance the 6.8% loans and maybe the 4.5% loans. The <~4% loans are on the bubble because you may or may not qualify for a lower interest rate. And there is a tangible benefit of ...
- Sat May 07, 2016 12:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: 12 Student Loans: Calculating Payoff Right?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1686
Re: 12 Student Loans: Calculating Payoff Right?
If I am interpreting your approach correctly, you're planning to repay each loan equally over 2 years. Since loan #1 has the highest interest rate I would put all of the extra payments toward loan #1 until it is paid off, while paying the minimum on loans #2-4. Then move on to loan #2 and so on.
- Sat May 07, 2016 11:19 am
- Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
- Topic: Is the smiley face angry?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 2287
Re: Is the smiley face angry?
I think you're over-complicating the smiley.
I do routinely question people's use of
. I scratch my head when the angry guy is used for minor annoyances. To me, he seems sooooo angry.



I do routinely question people's use of
