Search found 16940 matches

by TomatoTomahto
Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to find reasonably priced contractors?
Replies: 30
Views: 3027

Re: How to find reasonably priced contractors?

The cost for contractors has gone through the roof since Covid. Nowadays you can be happy if you find people who can do the job at all and I find being left with choices between wildly overpriced and can do the job vs wildly overpriced but has no idea. The good ones who are reasonably priced simply stay busy and do not advertise. It takes work, luck, and persistence to find them. When we moved here, we kept the landscaper that the previous owner had used, even though we had very different intentions for the property. After a short while, we determined that he was dependable and charged reasonably. He had an electrician that he likes, who in turn had a pool guy and carpenter he liked, etc. I probably differ from Bogleheads practice in that ...
by TomatoTomahto
Mon Mar 18, 2024 12:49 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Quicken Mavens: some RSU help?
Replies: 1
Views: 226

Quicken Mavens: some RSU help?

This falls in the category of nice-to-have. Situation: my wife gets RSUs annually. They vest over 4 years. I don’t like to count them as assets until after vesting, so I give them a value of 1% of FMV until they vest. So far, so good and easily handled by Quicken with one annual RSU Grant transaction. Wrinkle: the dividends of the invested shares are “notionally” reinvested in shares; so, if 100 shares were unvested and the dividend is 4%, she now has 104 unvested shares. It’s not a big deal, but I like being able to multiply the number of shares and FMV by 100 to have an idea of what the situation is. Anyone know an easy way to do this in Quicken? It’s not worth it to me to adjust each tranche manually (there are 10 of them outstanding at ...
by TomatoTomahto
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Financial implications of long jury duty
Replies: 24
Views: 1795

Re: Financial implications of long jury duty

Federal juries, especially grand juries, can last months, not meeting every day of the week; in VA, an employer can't fire a person for serving, but they don't have to pay them: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter10/section18.2-465.1/ As for financial hardship: https://www.vawd.uscourts.gov/jurors/information-for-employers/#:~:text=Financial%20hardship%20is%20not%20usually,it%20will%20not%20be%20granted. So someone making minimum wage making sandwiches at Subway for whom a week of missed work means not paying the rent would not be excused? Given what Subway workers make, the jury duty pay might come close to making them whole. ETA: I looked up jury duty pay; it has not kept up with the minimum wage. It varies by locality,...
by TomatoTomahto
Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:44 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5973
Views: 690014

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

Conch55 wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:32 am The Tourist on Netflix. Two seasons of six episodes. A unique Australian-Irish mystery/comedy/drama with plenty of twists.
I enjoyed the first season, but could not get into the second. Maybe I’ll give it another chance some rainy day.
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 17, 2024 1:10 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Awesome Portfolio: 20% Stocks..20% Bonds..20% Cash..20%Real Estate, 20%Gold
Replies: 38
Views: 3896

Re: Awesome Portfolio: 20% Stocks..20% Bonds..20% Cash..20%Real Estate, 20%Gold

As much in gold as in equities . . . surely you’re kidding me. Good luck. Count me out.

For that matter, as much in cash and real estate as in equities. April 1 isn’t for another couple of weeks.
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: The best game-changing financial advice you ever received (or "discovered")
Replies: 120
Views: 11108

Re: The best game-changing financial advice you ever received (or "discovered")

spectec wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:24 am Stop looking for needles in a haystack. Just buy the haystack.
Ding ding ding.
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 17, 2024 10:47 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Have any of you Frugal Zebras Changed Your (Spending) Stripes?
Replies: 129
Views: 10676

Re: Have any of you Frugal Zebras Changed Your (Spending) Stripes?

hmw wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:45 pm Rationally I understand consumption smoothing. But I find it hard to pull the trigger on what I consider to be “extravagant” spending. I can afford to spend on business class airline tickets easily but I just bought 2 economy class trans-pacific tickets for $1550 per ticket. Biz class tickets would cost $5600 per tickets. I fly on biz class on long haul flights about half the time.
Paying for business class was our “final frontier.” We have decided that we will do it for our next trip, probably to London. Note that spending on our house, cars, home theater, expensive vacations, etc. all preceded the flight upgrade.
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 17, 2024 8:52 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Utilities cost?
Replies: 57
Views: 4081

Re: Utilities cost?

OP, you don’t have one of those water recycling shower systems, do you?

ETA: one example https://www.orbital-systems.com/#:~:tex ... eal%20time.
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 17, 2024 8:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying an Expensive Car
Replies: 81
Views: 6415

Re: Buying an Expensive Car

Ah good catch - go for it! Btw, thank you for posting a side profile pic, and not the front. Because the front looks like a beaver? BMW design has lost its way with the oversized grilles. I generally don’t care about a car’s looks all that much; heck, I’ve had a Tesla Model X for 8 years and figure that I sit on the inside and others have to look at it. When Mercedes delayed building my EQS SUV, I began to consider alternatives: EV Macan not ready yet, Audi meh, Polestar maybe, etc., probably the closest was BMW iX, but man it’s just too fugly. Btw, as an aside for this car interested cohort, anyone have theories about why Mercedes would not build a fully speced EQS SUV I ordered in November and forced me to accept a lower spec EQS for Jun...
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 17, 2024 7:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How much long term care might you need?
Replies: 31
Views: 2266

Re: How much long term care might you need?

I think the general feeling of the folks here is that long-term care is no longer worth paying for, because the premiums keep rising and the coverage keeps shrinking. Yes. Also, BH tend to have oversaved for retirement. So, instead of traveling in business class, buying new cars, going to first class restaurants, etc., IF it comes to pass that we need institutional care, we can spend on that instead. We have also spent considerable amounts on renovations that make our home suitable for aging in place: ADA compliance was one of the design criteria when we remodeled. Our bedroom is nice, and I’ll miss it if we have to surrender it to caregivers when we can no longer do stairs (elevator would be difficult), but c’est la vie . We have much mor...
by TomatoTomahto
Sat Mar 16, 2024 1:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Utilities cost?
Replies: 57
Views: 4081

Re: Utilities cost?

Our water is supplied by our well, so no monthly cost there. Our electricity is supplied mostly by solar. Average cost is around $40/month. During the summer, our excess solar production is sold back to the utility, so we usually have a credit for June, July, August and September. We are on well, septic, geothermal (GSHP), and all electric except for propane generators and my wife still has a gasoline vehicle (soon to be replaced with an EV). We operate at a small profit annually for our 7000 SF home with the various solar and battery incentives. We do not irrigate much (a few plant beds only in drought), have efficient toilets, an efficient dishwasher, our 3 GSHP and 2 ASHP are efficient, and our one energy indulgence is an electric sauna...
by TomatoTomahto
Sat Mar 16, 2024 11:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Garmin Watches: do you wear it at night? if not, does it affect stats?
Replies: 32
Views: 2336

Re: Garmin Watches: do you wear it at night? if not, does it affect stats?

. For those with the Apple Watch, is it more comfortable to wear at night since it's smaller and smoother? Maybe you just get used to having a watch on? I wear my Apple Watch to bed each night and don’t have a problem with it. There are a zillion different bands to use, and I found one that works for me. I have two chargers (one near our sauna where I recharge during a sauna (too hot for the watch warranty) and one on my nightstand where I charge if I didn’t take a sauna that day. I find the sleep information useful to a degree, as it mostly seems to correlate with my subjective assessment of how my sleep was. I use a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) and for whatever reason I find it helpful to do a quick check sometimes during the night. ...
by TomatoTomahto
Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying an Expensive Car
Replies: 81
Views: 6415

Re: Buying an Expensive Car

Hi - have a pretty straightforward question. Recently totaled my existing vehicle (cabinet drawer fell out of the back of a truck in front of me) and received an insurance payout of 17k. Need to purchase a car, and was thinking about getting my dream car (~100k). I’m 30 years old, single, make 260k per year, with a confirmed path to 330k by 33 (vesting stock). Net worth is currently 700k, with 300k in retirement and 400k in savings. No house, and live in a HCOL, with a rent of 2600 per month. No other debt. Was going to buy the car cash - but not sure if it’s a financially ruining decision! Buying new because 1-2 years used only offers a 5-6% discount in the current market. Would appreciate any advice! :confused Subaru Forester Honda Passp...
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 5:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11037
Views: 2066600

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

… and that’s what makes horse races. I vividly remember being depressed watching that film, which to my mind had ONLY ONE redeeming moment (where Harrison Ford shrugged his shoulders and used his pistol). I thought at the time that it was the end of good films in theaters, and I’m not sure that I was mistaken. Films have pandered to 12 year old boys since. I tried watching an Indiana Jones film once. Not sure now which one. After the first ten or fifteen minutes I found the cartoonish violence repulsive. I turned it off and never went back. The first one is the only legitimately good one. The second one is not horrible, but not very good at all. The rest are absolutely terrible. an interesting thought that is not mine is had Indiana Jones ...
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11037
Views: 2066600

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) One of my favorite all time movies. Cannot believe it has been 43 years since its release. I recall seeing it at a theatre in the summer of 1981, the memory is still vivid. I saw it I think 3 or 4 times in 1981. I think it played for four straight months at one of the movie theaters. … and that’s what makes horse races. I vividly remember being depressed watching that film, which to my mind had ONLY ONE redeeming moment (where Harrison Ford shrugged his shoulders and used his pistol). I thought at the time that it was the end of good films in theaters, and I’m not sure that I was mistaken. Films have pandered to 12 year old boys since. I tried watching an Indiana Jones film once. Not sure now which one. Aft...
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Navigating Speakers for in home theater
Replies: 41
Views: 2651

Re: Navigating Speakers for in home theater

lazydavid wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:59 pm. By the time I have a complete 8k signal chain in one room . . .
I have a lot of screens in my house. Currently, the largest one is 83” diagonal. I can imagine maybe placing a 100” screen somewhere, but to be honest, 4K is plenty. I’m not one of those Luddites who claims that 1080i is good enough, etc.

Rather than 8k, I wish they’d stop degrading audio quality in particular and streaming bandwidth more generally.
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 2:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Navigating Speakers for in home theater
Replies: 41
Views: 2651

Re: Navigating Speakers for in home theater

Advice from a former chief engineer for a broadcast production company - your biggest bang for the buck is going to be sound dampening for the room. You can go down a big rabbit hole with this topic as well, but get as much soft material in the room as you can. Think...thick carpet, thick drapes, acoustic ceiling if you can, acoustic panels on the walls and especially in the corners of the room, fluffy couches/chairs, etc. A good "dead" room will sound good even with mediocre speakers whereas top of the line speakers will still sound bad in a "hot" room. Yeah, the spatial mapping on modern audio systems helps, but it isn't a substitute for a dead room. +1000! GIK Acoustics has some affordable bass traps and diffusers. Y...
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How much should I leave to nieces/nephews vs. siblings vs. charity I'm passionate about?
Replies: 58
Views: 4237

Re: How much should I leave to nieces/nephews vs. siblings vs. charity I'm passionate about?

How do you setup a "trust that provides for surviving spouse" IF surviving spouse is trustee? Can't the trustee drain the trust? If you name another person as trustee, then you don't trust your spouse? The other question, we would love to start gifting "but only after our possible end of life needs/desires are accounted for". How do you know what amount is required? We are self-insuring for LTC so we are frozen on gifting. If current nursing home costs are $15k per month, then 25 years from now at a 5% healthcare inflation rate would mean we need $50k per month for 1- 3 years for one of us? IANAL, but a good estate attorney should be able to help you set up a suitable trust. There’s a HEMS (health, education, maintenanc...
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: moving from ~600k to ~1.5M income
Replies: 74
Views: 11761

Re: moving from ~600k to ~1.5M income

smitcat wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:41 am
TomatoTomahto wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:21 am
smitcat wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:01 am
"I was reviewing this recently and realized I've doubled my income 9 times since I started working."
That is amazing - if you started out with weekly earnings of $200 they would be $102,400 now.
Yearly that woudl be going from $10,000 per year to $5,324,800 per year.
That’s the chessboard with one grain of wheat in the first square, 2 in the second, 4 in the third …
Is that not what doubling 9 times means?
Or do I have the thought and math all wrong?
I believe that you’ve got it right. It’s not 9x2=18, rather 2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2=512.
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:21 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: moving from ~600k to ~1.5M income
Replies: 74
Views: 11761

Re: moving from ~600k to ~1.5M income

smitcat wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:01 am
"I was reviewing this recently and realized I've doubled my income 9 times since I started working."
That is amazing - if you started out with weekly earnings of $200 they would be $102,400 now.
Yearly that woudl be going from $10,000 per year to $5,324,800 per year.
That’s the chessboard with one grain of wheat in the first square, 2 in the second, 4 in the third …
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How much should I leave to nieces/nephews vs. siblings vs. charity I'm passionate about?
Replies: 58
Views: 4237

Re: How much should I leave to nieces/nephews vs. siblings vs. charity I'm passionate about?

How do you setup a "trust that provides for surviving spouse" IF surviving spouse is trustee? Can't the trustee drain the trust? If you name another person as trustee, then you don't trust your spouse? The other question, we would love to start gifting "but only after our possible end of life needs/desires are accounted for". How do you know what amount is required? We are self-insuring for LTC so we are frozen on gifting. If current nursing home costs are $15k per month, then 25 years from now at a 5% healthcare inflation rate would mean we need $50k per month for 1- 3 years for one of us? IANAL, but a good estate attorney should be able to help you set up a suitable trust. There’s a HEMS (health, education, maintenanc...
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 8:17 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11037
Views: 2066600

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

vnatale wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:50 pm
Chv396 wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 12:06 pm “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)

One of my favorite all time movies. Cannot believe it has been 43 years since its release. I recall seeing it at a theatre in the summer of 1981, the memory is still vivid.
I saw it I think 3 or 4 times in 1981. I think it played for four straight months at one of the movie theaters.
… and that’s what makes horse races.

I vividly remember being depressed watching that film, which to my mind had ONLY ONE redeeming moment (where Harrison Ford shrugged his shoulders and used his pistol). I thought at the time that it was the end of good films in theaters, and I’m not sure that I was mistaken. Films have pandered to 12 year old boys since.
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 7:39 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 5M, probably enough to retire to a frugal lifestyle
Replies: 180
Views: 15187

Re: 5M, probably enough to retire to a frugal lifestyle

tibbitts wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:58 pm That's an interesting observation that people live close to family, but from a quick search it appears than only about 55% live close to even extended family members, so while that's technically "most", it's definitely not the "vast majority."
I’m sure that I’m not the only one who, if he wanted to live near family, would have difficulty finding a location that is less than, on average, a few thousand miles from family. Easier to pick a location with good access to an airport.
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 15, 2024 7:18 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How much should I leave to nieces/nephews vs. siblings vs. charity I'm passionate about?
Replies: 58
Views: 4237

Re: How much should I leave to nieces/nephews vs. siblings vs. charity I'm passionate about?

I have, but I'm concerned about possible long-term care issues. On the other hand, both my spouse and I feel very strongly about making sure we have the legal and medical tools at hand to prevent such a need (how's that for vague on a public forum?) My father’s side shares that view, and most took matters into their own hands near the end. I would suggest keeping enough assets should circumstances change your view and you want to be able to fund expensive care. Without children, I’d have trusts that provide for surviving spouse and protect assets for your charitable interests. In our personal case, with children, it’s a discussion between us as to how much we should leave them. The older I get, the more I want to set aside for charity, but...
by TomatoTomahto
Thu Mar 14, 2024 7:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Letter to heir - what would you include?
Replies: 90
Views: 7242

Re: Letter to heir - what would you include?

Chardo wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2024 4:19 am If you don't believe in "controlling from the grave", why have trusts?
You have already won the non-sequitur of the day award, and it’s early.
by TomatoTomahto
Wed Mar 13, 2024 11:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When is the right time to set up a trust?
Replies: 31
Views: 3137

Re: When is the right time to set up a trust?

toddthebod wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 11:04 am Also I wouldn't want my kids to get unrestricted access to $4-5 million each on their 18th birthdays.
30 is the new 18. Seriously, what could go wrong?

I have one child who probably will never get unrestricted access. Love him a lot, and he’s a good kid, but no!
by TomatoTomahto
Wed Mar 13, 2024 11:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What UN-frugal thing do you do? What do you splurge on?]
Replies: 785
Views: 82858

Re: Frugal heros - what is your one guilty consumer splurge?

Halicar wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:45 am I only buy hardcover books.
I have tried Kindle and paperbacks, but I have come back to hardcover.
by TomatoTomahto
Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When is the right time to set up a trust?
Replies: 31
Views: 3137

Re: When is the right time to set up a trust?

IMO, the right time was yesterday. Trusts can be modified as circumstances change.
by TomatoTomahto
Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:44 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is Raymond James beating the SP500? That's what they are claiming.
Replies: 59
Views: 4606

Re: Is Raymond James beating the SP500? That's what they are claiming.

Stinky wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:26 am
p1db wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 7:53 am The said report only covers the years 1993-2002.

https://www.raymondjames.com/advisorcho ... report.pdf
Yep, I’m going to invest with RJ because of its investment performance when Bill Clinton was President……

I wonder how many more years (or decades) until RJ stops using this ancient report to advertise its services.
Hey, what’s a few decades between friends? I had hair back when Clinton was president!
by TomatoTomahto
Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:21 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is Raymond James beating the SP500? That's what they are claiming.
Replies: 59
Views: 4606

Re: Is Raymond James beating the SP500? That's what they are claiming.

Tell him that ARKK beat Raymond James by a bunch, until it didn’t.
by TomatoTomahto
Wed Mar 13, 2024 5:29 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Late Bloomer Seeking IUL [Indexed Universal Life] Surrender Help/advice/push
Replies: 6
Views: 810

Re: Late Bloomer Seeking IUL [Indexed Universal Life] Surrender Help/advice/push

Stinky wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 5:19 am

And please do keep reading on this Forum, and posting your questions here. You'll get better quality information on this Forum than you'll get from the vast majority of "financial advisors" and insurance salesmen.
Yes, welcome to the forum! The above posts from Stinky, blimp, and ExodusNH are the kinds of good advice without ulterior motives you can get on Bogleheads on any number of topics. I hope your misadventure with IUL is over soon.

There is no need for embarrassment. I once lost $10k on a complete scam.
by TomatoTomahto
Tue Mar 12, 2024 3:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: One spouse retiring earlier than the other?
Replies: 38
Views: 2994

Re: One spouse retiring earlier than the other?

MrCheapo wrote: Tue Mar 12, 2024 10:27 am.
Has anyone retired/earlier later than their spouse how did it work out?
I’m the earlier retiring part of the couple. Twenty plus years ago, I became a SAHD (stay-at-home-Dad), which I don’t count as being retired. Once the kids went off to college and moved out of the house, it could be said that I retired. Financially, it wasn’t a big deal for us.

I spent the better part of a decade trying to get my wife to retire. Only recently did I make my peace with the fact that my wife enjoyed her job and that it was selfish of me to encourage her to retire. I plead guilty to being stupid, and we are both much happier now. The only condition I put on her is that, if work becomes more pain than pleasure, that she would retire.
by TomatoTomahto
Tue Mar 12, 2024 12:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: moving from ~600k to ~1.5M income
Replies: 74
Views: 11761

Re: moving from ~600k to ~1.5M income

I'm always fascinated when people with million dollar incomes have spare time to spend getting financial advice from the internet. I can’t speak to what fascinates you, but I wonder why it does. Assuming that there’s advice to be be had on the internet that’s valuable, this forum being one such place, at what levels of income would you find it less fascinating? Higher or lower income? What is fascinating? I would think such ultra high earners are very busy, with precious free time for non-work pursuits. The handful of such people I know hire pros for most things, because they would rather spend their money than their time. The higher the income, the more valuable that time is, and usually more scarce too. I understand it when it comes to h...
by TomatoTomahto
Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: moving from ~600k to ~1.5M income
Replies: 74
Views: 11761

Re: moving from ~600k to ~1.5M income

Chardo wrote: Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:44 am I'm always fascinated when people with million dollar incomes have spare time to spend getting financial advice from the internet.
I can’t speak to what fascinates you, but I wonder why it does. Assuming that there’s advice to be be had on the internet that’s valuable, this forum being one such place, at what levels of income would you find it less fascinating? Higher or lower income?

What is fascinating?
by TomatoTomahto
Tue Mar 12, 2024 10:29 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: College degree worthwhile for marketing?
Replies: 112
Views: 7116

Re: College degree worthwhile for marketing?

I just heard on Bloomberg Surveillance that the number of marketing majors exceeds the number of jobs. That isn’t to discourage the student, but it is a very popular major.
by TomatoTomahto
Tue Mar 12, 2024 10:12 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How is a broker going to make money off me?
Replies: 62
Views: 5786

Re: How is a broker going to make money off me?

JayB wrote: Tue Mar 12, 2024 10:04 am Places like Fidelity are playing the long game, and counting on referrals to friends and family. So even if they are not making much money off of you, you may be the catalyst that helps bring in more profitable business from those you know.
A related question to ask is what incremental cost you represent to the broker. Salespeople (er, customer support/financial advisors) have to interact with you, try to persuade you to invest in a product, hold your hand when the market gets rough, etc., and that costs more than the heavily automated back office required to keep track of what you’ve bought and sold. In any case, the back office is a cost of doing business. You cost a lot less in the front office.
by TomatoTomahto
Tue Mar 12, 2024 8:03 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How is a broker going to make money off me?
Replies: 62
Views: 5786

Re: How is a broker going to make money off me?

It almost sounds like you miss being the fish.
by TomatoTomahto
Tue Mar 12, 2024 7:24 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Embracing Principles [during the dot-com bubble and tech surges?]
Replies: 43
Views: 3955

Re: Embracing Principles Amidst Bitcoin and Nvidia's Surge?

1moreyr wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 10:16 pm As a boglehead , I accept I will never have "stories" about how I killed the market.

I will (and do) have stories how slow and steady reliably got me to a point I could retire by 49/50 and the kind of FI I always dreamed of.

I also don't have stories about how I lost everything and at 65 I can't retire.


This kept me focused
+1

I am glad that I don’t have to swing for the fences.
by TomatoTomahto
Mon Mar 11, 2024 1:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: tax / estate planning for Roth IRAs
Replies: 6
Views: 827

Re: tax / estate planning for Roth IRAs

You’ve already done some of the possible work by converting to Roth. The tax laws don’t differentiate between traditional tax deferred and Roth accounts, so you have “stuffed” more value into your estate. As far as using life insurance, I am not an expert, but I have not seen it work out better for anyone other than the salesperson. You’re too young for it, but we will be taking full advantage of QCDs ($105k/year/person, inflation adjusted) to draw down our tax deferred accounts. If we could make a gift of an amount equal to the lifetime exclusion without worrying about our needs in the future, we would. It assumes that the government won’t clawback the difference between exclusion amounts, but I think that’s a safe bet. Since we live in MA...
by TomatoTomahto
Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:09 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Have any of you Frugal Zebras Changed Your (Spending) Stripes?
Replies: 129
Views: 10676

Re: Have any of you Frugal Zebras Changed Your (Spending) Stripes?

simplesimon wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 7:33 am
I'm looking at flights from Boston to Sydney next year and am contemplating spending the $10k for business class. The leg from LAX to Sydney is 16 hours.
Quit your contemplation; just do it! I decided a while ago that biz class to London is what I will do from now on; Sydney is twice the duration.
by TomatoTomahto
Mon Mar 11, 2024 6:42 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Have any of you Frugal Zebras Changed Your (Spending) Stripes?
Replies: 129
Views: 10676

Re: Have any of you Frugal Zebras Changed Your (Spending) Stripes?

capran wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:06 pm We're 50-50 on the kid front. The youngest is even more frugal than us, which I didn't think humanly possible. The other is married to a spender.
It is really food for thought. Our two kids were raised with the same parents, home, and basic values. One said he didn’t need a new hockey stick the season after he grew 3 inches, and after we insisted, bought last year’s model at a discount. The other always wanted whatever hockey gear was latest and greatest.

That has persisted into their adulthoods. The frugal one makes gazillions, but if his GF hadn’t insisted, he’d still be skiing with a rented helmet and boots.

Whatever parents choose to believe, we really only can steer the ship a couple of degrees this way or that.
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 10, 2024 3:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Have any of you Frugal Zebras Changed Your (Spending) Stripes?
Replies: 129
Views: 10676

Re: Have any of you Frugal Zebras Changed Your (Spending) Stripes?

Hogan773 wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 2:47 pm It will be interesting to see if I talk myself into Porsches etc later in life when it is clear that spending that $120K vs a $50K Honda Pilot won't actually change anything on my portfolio numbers, or whether my stripes will prevail and I will feel like I'm not getting anything more of value for all that extra money.
I resisted for many years, but recently ordered more car than I need to replace a car that didn’t really require replacing. I’m doing my part for capitalism.

The kids are taken care of. Charity is taken care of. It’s not that we have denied ourselves much, but as the phrase goes, “if you’re not flying at the front of the plane, your kids will.”
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 10, 2024 2:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank of America Outbound ACH Fee now zero!
Replies: 22
Views: 2008

Re: Bank of America Outbound ACH Fee now zero!

02nz wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 2:12 pm
gotoparks wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:37 am I've only been a credit union member for my entire life. I am surprised people would stick around with a bank that charges a fee for ACH.
People also stick around with banks that offers them 0.01% APY on their savings accounts when other banks offer 500 times that! Some people like having branches (or are even convinced brick and mortar banks are "safer"), for some it's just inertia.
My wife has had a BoA account for probably 30 years. We use it for checking and credit card only. We don’t leave a lot of money sitting there.
by TomatoTomahto
Sun Mar 10, 2024 11:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank of America Outbound ACH Fee now zero!
Replies: 22
Views: 2008

Re: Bank of America Outbound ACH Fee now zero!

Slightly different topic: can you ACH to anyone whose routing and account information you have? This year, there was a moment of panic when some irregularity occurred with my daughter’s annual gift check; everything was fine in the end. If I have her details, could I just ACH to her next year?
by TomatoTomahto
Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:13 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How could I have known dental claim would be denied?
Replies: 43
Views: 4405

Re: How could I have known dental claim would be denied?

CygX1 wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:45 am
Yes, we got the estimate (without insurance) and it is very expensive. That's why I got the insurance. Yes, I know that dental insurance is mostly a joke, that's why we haven't had it for many years. But this time I researched very extensively. I thought I had it covered.
US health insurance is a scam that most countries wouldn’t tolerate. I feel for you, You did what you thought was prudent and extensive research, and the insurance company found some way to avoid doing the right thing. They’re filling up that special circle of hell.

Every joke eventually comes to the punchline, but US health insurance seems to have infinite life.
by TomatoTomahto
Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:03 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Are white, red, blue and other bright colors safer [for cars] than other colors???
Replies: 45
Views: 3870

Re: Are white, red, blue and other bright colors safer than other colors???

I had an Audi many years ago painted what they called “Safety Orange.” It was ugly but visible. Since then, I generally buy silver cars because they don’t show dirt. I always have my headlights and taillights on. My new car will have digital headlights that are smarter than I am, not blinding oncoming traffic, highlighting bicyclists, pedestrians, and animals in the road. Look up Mercedes DIGITAL LIGHT. Your new car can have it but you may not be allowed to use it. https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/15/cars/headlights-tech-adaptable-high-beams-cars/index.html Can’t believe it’s taking so long to get the regulations sorted out in the US. On many forums for European cars there are instructions on how to code the car to enable these features since t...
by TomatoTomahto
Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How could I have known dental claim would be denied?
Replies: 43
Views: 4405

Re: How could I have known dental claim would be denied?

Dental insurance isn’t really insurance.

If auto insurance ran according to the dental insurance scheme, you would be covered for oil changes but not accidents.
by TomatoTomahto
Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:30 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Retired and escaping the grandkids?
Replies: 13
Views: 1632

Re: Retired and escaping the grandkids?

retiredjg wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:13 am My suggestion: You will find the most support from people who have already been there. Find an al-anon group and attend at least 5 meetings in order to understand your role in this problem and what steps to take to regain control of your life.

If you do not find a home in one group, find another.
Yup!
by TomatoTomahto
Fri Mar 08, 2024 2:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Are white, red, blue and other bright colors safer [for cars] than other colors???
Replies: 45
Views: 3870

Re: Are white, red, blue and other bright colors safer than other colors???

I had an Audi many years ago painted what they called “Safety Orange.” It was ugly but visible. Since then, I generally buy silver cars because they don’t show dirt. I always have my headlights and taillights on. My new car will have digital headlights that are smarter than I am, not blinding oncoming traffic, highlighting bicyclists, pedestrians, and animals in the road. Look up Mercedes DIGITAL LIGHT. Your new car can have it but you may not be allowed to use it. https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/15/cars/headlights-tech-adaptable-high-beams-cars/index.html Sometimes it’s the penalty for living in a third world country. Oops, did I say that out loud? ETA: now that I think about it, the videos about the headlights were from UK and Germany. You k...