Search found 294 matches

by jjbiv
Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Things to do in San Antonio, TX
Replies: 58
Views: 5480

Re: Things to do in San Antonio, TX

Breakfast at Magnolia Pancake Haus.
by jjbiv
Sun Oct 03, 2021 9:08 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to transfer OTC penny stock to sell?
Replies: 15
Views: 3458

Re: Where to transfer OTC penny stock to sell?

Request a physical stock certificate and sell it to a "friend" or family member at a nominal price.
by jjbiv
Sun Oct 03, 2021 8:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: PayPal Bill Pay
Replies: 27
Views: 2301

Re: PayPal Bill Pay

Just me but I would set my cell phone service to be charged to a credit card and then pay the card accounts via auto pay. This optimizes cashback/rewards and convenience. The only bills I pay manually are utilities which don't have a free credit card payment option. For those, I'll pay for several months of service at once using a credit card to take advantage of the flat payment fee and then the credit card account pays itself.
by jjbiv
Sun Oct 03, 2021 8:31 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: PayPal Bill Pay
Replies: 27
Views: 2301

Re: PayPal Bill Pay

Does your bank's bill pay system support ebills? If so,, that would consolidate your workflow to one site. The biller sends the ebill to your bank's bill pay platform and you can pay it either automatically or manually. The bill pay provider then remits the payment. Signing up for auto payment directly with your billers also solves this problem nicely.
by jjbiv
Sun Sep 26, 2021 12:14 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Gifting shares into IBKR account?
Replies: 1
Views: 1229

Re: Gifting shares into IBKR account?

I don't have practical experience with this but according to IBKR, the account registrations need to match
Your Account Name, Tax Identification Number and Customer Type (i.e. individual, joint, Roth IRA), must exactly match the third-party broker account in order for the transfer to take place.
From: https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/s ... nsfers.htm

I would ask IBKR support as I imagine there must be a process to transfer gifted shares as it is a relatively common transaction.
by jjbiv
Fri Sep 10, 2021 11:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?
Replies: 103
Views: 24713

Re: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?

Check the fee schedule here: https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=14718 USD ACH withdrawals (after the first withdrawal of any type in a month) are $1 each. Wow, I regret opening IBKR. They might charge some fees on my CC payments then, this is a bummer. Now, if I have $0 of settled cash but $10K of SPY shares, I'm guessing they can't collect the fee, right? I highly doubt they'd liquidate my holdings to collect a couple of dollars for ACH withdrawals. Or maybe they'll mark my settled cash as $-3 or something. I've never tried an external pull out of IBKR but the test deposits made to link my external accounts to IBKR were withdrawn and I was not charged. So you might be okay if these are external pulls out of IBKR or IBKR mig...
by jjbiv
Fri Sep 10, 2021 2:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?
Replies: 103
Views: 24713

Re: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?

It's just my opinion but IBKR makes a pretty poor hub and it doesn't seem like this is a role they are eager to play. They only allow one free withdrawl per month and their withdrawl hold times are some of the longest I've seen. This has the advantage of keeping their costs down so they can maintain very competitive pricing but I'm not sure this combination makes them a good hub account. Perhaps another online bank e.g. Marcus or Fidelity's CMA (with free wire transfers) would be a suitable alternative? By one free withdrawal, are you talking about wire? My understanding is ACH is unlimited and free. I guess "a hub" is a misnomer (my bad), I'm just connecting low-volume "dormant" type of accounts onto the IBKR side as m...
by jjbiv
Fri Sep 10, 2021 2:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?
Replies: 103
Views: 24713

Re: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?

Other than BoA charging a nominal fee for outgoing ACH and wire transfers, why is it undesirable to initiate the transfer from BoA? Using BoA bill pay to move money from BoA to IBKR is free (and fast with next-day crediting for electronic bill pay deposits). Another option would be to use an intermediary like Ally Bank for transfers. With time (and based on transaction history) they will enable free next day ACH transfers. You can always withdrawl your funds to the financial institution where they originated and then transfer them to another account from there. Or just give the ACH pull a try and see if it works. However, it seems like this workaround would be too easy for it to be allowed. IBKR would have recourse against the initiator of...
by jjbiv
Fri Sep 10, 2021 1:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?
Replies: 103
Views: 24713

Re: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?

Regarding ACH *initiated* by IBKR, this wording is obviously concerning: If funds are withdrawn to a bank other than the originating bank via ACH, a 44-business-day withdrawal hold period will be applied. Now, what happens if I initiate ACH from IBKR to deposit money into IBKR, then have a non-originating bank pull the money by ACH initiated by them? Can IBKR block the ACH transaction or do they have to let it stand? I have not tried pulling funds from IBKR before the withdrawl hold period has expired but I would expect the transfer would be rejected for lack of available funds (or, in a margin account, you would see a margin debt for the amount of the withdrawl in excess of the amount of available funds). It's very easy to avoid this issu...
by jjbiv
Fri Sep 10, 2021 11:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?
Replies: 103
Views: 24713

Re: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?

Regarding ACH *initiated* by IBKR, this wording is obviously concerning: If funds are withdrawn to a bank other than the originating bank via ACH, a 44-business-day withdrawal hold period will be applied. Now, what happens if I initiate ACH from IBKR to deposit money into IBKR, then have a non-originating bank pull the money by ACH initiated by them? Can IBKR block the ACH transaction or do they have to let it stand? I have not tried pulling funds from IBKR before the withdrawl hold period has expired but I would expect the transfer would be rejected for lack of available funds (or, in a margin account, you would see a margin debt for the amount of the withdrawl in excess of the amount of available funds). It's very easy to avoid this issu...
by jjbiv
Thu Sep 09, 2021 12:06 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?
Replies: 103
Views: 24713

Re: TransferWise versus Interactive Brokers - thread?

I took a look at Wise briefly and it seems really good. I like that Wise acts as a broker of banks of both ends, whereas IB obviously requires IB on one end - which means sending from IB is easy, but sending to IB might be challenging. Wise can solve this problem. Agreed. I used Wise a couple of times. Fast, predictable and accurate. I must be missing something here. Wise seems almost infinitely more expensive for transfers than IBKR. I looked at USD.MXN and Wise charges 1.18% all in (and this is for the maximum transfer size Wise allows to Mexico -- a high five figure USD transfer). IBKR is 0.002% (plus any withdrawl or transfer fees to get money to or out of IBKR, which can be avoided by planning ahead and performing one free withdrawl f...
by jjbiv
Wed Jul 14, 2021 2:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ink Tank Printer
Replies: 13
Views: 1745

Re: Ink Tank Printer

Is the paper new and loaded in the printer from a sealed package? Humidity and/or dust on the paper can contribute to paper jams. Worn or bad paper pick up rollers can also be a cause. You might try carefully roughing them up with some sand paper (and vacuuming the debris) or cleaning them with alcohol.
by jjbiv
Fri Jul 09, 2021 7:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: FedEx Shipping Issue - Lost or Just Delayed?
Replies: 7
Views: 1753

Re: FedEx Shipping Issue - Lost or Just Delayed?

One idea is to change the package to be held for pickup at a nearby location. UPS and FedEx both partner with retail stores (in addition to their own locations) to accept packages for recipients to pick up. UPS, FedEx, and even USPS also have programs you can sign up for to be alerted to inbound packages. Their web sites and apps make it easy to redirect an inbound package to a retail location for you to pick up at your convenience. Some stores like Walgreen's will even give you coupons for using their hold for pickup service.
by jjbiv
Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cancun taxis & ubers
Replies: 9
Views: 1477

Re: Cancun taxis & ubers

The taxi union is very strong in Cancún and have managed to keep Uber at bay to preserve their ability to charge above market fares and make bank. When Uber was operating, taxi drivers would attack Uber drivers, damage Uber cars, prevent passengers from getting in, follow Uber vehicles and trap them so they couldn't drive, etc. Very unsavory tactics to say the least. The most economical way to leave the airport is by bus. The ADO bus line leaves from the airport and runs to the bus station in downtown Cancún as well as Playa del Carmen. From the bus station downtown, there are local transit buses to the hotel zone or you can get a non-airport taxi which is much less expensive. You can buy bus tickets at the ADO booth by baggage claim before...
by jjbiv
Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Getting Free Shipping on Banana Republic/Gap Outlet Questions?
Replies: 4
Views: 751

Re: Getting Free Shipping on Banana Republic/Gap Outlet Questions?

Unrelated but if you like Gap brands and ever find yourself in Cincinnati, check out the Gap Clearance Center near the Cincinnati Airport. They have great deals!
by jjbiv
Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Wireless Earbuds/Headphones Recommendations?
Replies: 53
Views: 9788

Re: Wireless Earbuds/Headphones Recommendations?

Hundreds of dollars for earbuds just seemed outrageous to me, especially since they are portable and I tend to lose a pair every year or so. I'm also not a big fan of Apple's approach to solving problems and marketing products. So I started at the lower end of the market and found out they worked more than well enough for my needs (mostly listening to voice audio and speaking on Zoom calls). An audiophile may not be happy with these for hifi audio listening but they work great for me and I don't have to worry about losing them. Less than $30. I would be careful with active noise cancelation unless it's something you really need. ANC requires power to function and the earbuds may be heavier or not last as long without charging them. ANC also...
by jjbiv
Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:02 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Using BOA CC with Bill Pay
Replies: 8
Views: 853

Re: Using BOA CC with Bill Pay

The option to pay other bills with your credit card for free ended after MBNA became part of BoA. It was a nice perk.
by jjbiv
Thu Dec 17, 2020 7:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Two Zoom Meetings at Once
Replies: 8
Views: 1483

Re: Two Zoom Meetings at Once

The Zoom desktop client (at least on Windows) can support joining two meetings at the same time. I do this all of the time when one meeting runs long and I need to join another adjacent meeting on time.
by jjbiv
Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Chase Sapphire Reserve retention offer - was worth the effort
Replies: 102
Views: 18850

Re: Chase Sapphire Reserve retention offer - was worth the effort

I have been wanting to cancel my Sapphire Reserve for a while but am hesitating because I have a lot of points that have been earned under this program and I understand that you get much less favorable use of these points after you cancel. The agent I spoke with confirmed that you have to use any remaining points within 30 days if you cancel. If you opt to switch to the Chase Unlimited Freedom card, you can retain your points with no time limit. But the points are worth less for the travel portal and pay yourself back options. Reserve points are worth 1.5c, freedom points only worth 1c I usually convert points to miles on an airline program. The only time I used the Chase service to book travel it was a disaster. Do you know if you run int...
by jjbiv
Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:52 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ideas needed on work boots
Replies: 9
Views: 765

Re: Ideas needed on work boots

Put on booties (plastic bags also work) when you go inside?
by jjbiv
Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Chase Sapphire Reserve retention offer - was worth the effort
Replies: 102
Views: 18850

Re: Chase Sapphire Reserve retention offer - was worth the effort

My card renewed in September. I called today to check for retention statement credit offers and no surprise there was not one on my account. I don't charge a ton on the card but I do have a checking and savings account with minimal balances with Chase.
by jjbiv
Sat Nov 28, 2020 12:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Deodorants without aluminum?
Replies: 41
Views: 4003

Re: Deodorants without aluminum?

Speed Stick. Nothing fancy but effective both functionally and in terms of cost. Might cause some under arm skin irritation or peeling if you are sensitive to propylene glycol.
by jjbiv
Wed Nov 18, 2020 8:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Orthodontics Coverage
Replies: 15
Views: 1109

Re: Orthodontics Coverage

Check and see if the insurers will pay the maximum benefit all at once or if they will pay it in payments across the course of treatment.
by jjbiv
Mon Nov 16, 2020 2:15 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Dental Insurance
Replies: 76
Views: 9056

Re: Dental Insurance

rj49 wrote: Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:51 pm You could be creative and take a yearly trip to Arizona and cross the border to get dirt-cheap care. You could also make a winter getaway to Mazatlan, Cabo, and Puerto Vallarta, all which have plenty of qualified dentists catering to American tourists. If you need something like a crown, find one that has a CEREC machine, which makes crowns while you wait. Then if you need more work down the road, you could look at something like AARP's dental plan, which I believe uses Delta Dental.
+1 there are fine dentists who do good work and speak English outside of the US. They charge a fraction of what their American colleagues charge.
by jjbiv
Sun Nov 15, 2020 3:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: FedEx Shipping Issue - Lost or Just Delayed?
Replies: 7
Views: 1753

Re: FedEx Shipping Issue - Lost or Just Delayed?

If you can afford it, use FedEx Express in the future for high value or otherwise important items. You will be less likely to have any issues. The Express network is engineered for service whereas the Ground network is engineered for low cost and high volume.
by jjbiv
Sun Nov 15, 2020 2:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Walmart delivery within a couple of hours?
Replies: 7
Views: 1391

Re: Walmart delivery within a couple of hours?

Walmart will randomly upgrade Walmart.com delivery orders to be fulfilled locally if the merchandise you ordered is in stock at a store which offers their grocery pickup service. In my area, they use DoorDash for delivery. The items arrive in their original packaging or in Walmart shopping bags and are dropped off by folks in their personal vehicles.

For Walmart Grocery delivery orders, you either need to pay a delivery fee or be a Walmart+ member to get these items delivered. However, if the grocery items you want are available on Walmart.com and you are okay with the quoted delivery time, you may get them earlier and still with no delivery fee via locally fulfilled delivery.
by jjbiv
Sun Nov 01, 2020 11:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Has anyone bought a Mazda cx5?
Replies: 37
Views: 3752

Re: Has anyone bought a Mazda cx5?

Own a 2016.5 CX-5 Sport purchased new in October 2017 for $20k without the turbo and it has been a great car. Only oil changes and air filter replacements through the end of the warranty period. It drives and corners beautifully. Easily gets 30 MPG while delivering an outstanding driving experience. Stuff on the carpet in the back will roll around when you take it around a fun corner so get a cargo mat or another way to keep items in their place if this bothers you. Only real negatives are the lack of an infotainment/Android Auto system (which has somewhat been addressed now) and the weak power output of the built-in USB ports (which is easy enough to work around by connecting a USB charger to the DC accessory power connectors). It is a gre...
by jjbiv
Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:27 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New opportunity in Austin vs current employer in california
Replies: 36
Views: 3288

Re: New opportunity in Austin vs current employer in california

Have you looked for another job in California if you prefer the weather there? It seems likely you currently are being underpaid since you have been at the same company for so long. You may not have to move to Texas to fix that issue. Which job would you find more interesting and have more room for growth?
by jjbiv
Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: BoA Premium Rewards status
Replies: 61
Views: 5763

Re: BoA Premium Rewards status

I'm not interested in another brokerage account. It has seemed to me that Premium Rewards is primarily a tool to produce an (at least) annual summons. The physical meting with an employee, is nominally to change some status bit on a savings or money market account, in order to maintain the absolutely highest level of benefits. Having been to one of these, I found it a time-consuming sales presentation to upsell and open brokerage accounts and other things I don't want. Right now, bank interest rates are so low that a 15% bonus (of, say, 0.01%) isn't much of a reward for the tedious meeting. Huh? You don't have to meet with anyone at BoA/Merrill, let alone do so annually. I've had Preferred Rewards for years and have never set foot in a BoA...
by jjbiv
Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:32 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: BoA Premium Rewards status
Replies: 61
Views: 5763

Re: BoA Premium Rewards status

Maybe I am misunderstanding your issue but I pay my BoA credit cards in full automatically every month from my non BoA checking account. Was super easy to set up and now I never have to think about it. No need to use the BoA checking account. You did not understand (correction) MISunderstand my issue. When I tried to set up auto-pay I was not offered a chance to add my checking account, as is my experience with other banks. Someone else described having your experience so I'm adding my bank for ETF transfers, first. Maybe when that's verified it will be available for paying the credit cards. Thanks for the info. Log in to BoA and go to Bill Pay, Manage Accounts, Other Pay From Accounts, Add a Pay From account you own at another institution...
by jjbiv
Wed Aug 19, 2020 11:49 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: BoA Premium Rewards status
Replies: 61
Views: 5763

Re: BoA Premium Rewards status

I have never actually bought or sold any securities in my Merrill Edge account and yes, I got the new account bonus. All I did was move some of my Vanguard ETFs in-kind from Vanguard to Merrill Edge. I simply hold them at ME. When the dividends come in, I move the funds to my BoA checking account and use them to pay bills or whatever. ... My goal is even less activity than that. I set the ETFs to auto-reinvest. One thing that aggravates me about BA is you can pay their credit cards in full automatically only from their checking account. I have zero interest in using their checking account for anything other than establishing Platinum Honors status. My substitute is an ebill through Fidelity. But my brief experience with that is you can't p...
by jjbiv
Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Considering Genesis SUV - any Bogleheads own Genesis vehicles?
Replies: 39
Views: 3896

Re: Considering Genesis SUV - any Bogleheads own Genesis vehicles?

Mazda SUVs might be worth checking out. Very sporty and nice performance with luxury at the high trim levels. Also very reliable and low maintenance.
by jjbiv
Sun Jul 26, 2020 10:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Looking to negotiate a price reduction for a vitamin D test invoiced about triple or quadruple the going rate
Replies: 12
Views: 2504

Re: Looking to negotiate a price reduction for a vitamin D test invoiced about triple or quadruple the going rate

Here, Quest is one of the most transparent health care companies i have dealt with. They provide the cost of each test up front and attempt to collect payment for the portion the patient is responsible for at the tine of service.

Does your insurance not have a negotiated rate for this test? You should still get the benefit of paying that rate even if you are paying and the insurance company is not. For instance, we have a high-deductible insurance plan with UHC and this test would cost us $26 in our area. It sounds like Quest billed you the full rate for this test, not the discounted rate. Is Quest an in-network provider for your insurance?
by jjbiv
Mon May 04, 2020 5:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Steel-framed Residential Entry Doors
Replies: 34
Views: 3596

Re: Steel-framed Residential Entry Doors

Hello, Does anyone have any experience in purchasing and/or installing residential steel-framed entry doors? I'm looking at upgrading our entry doors and found several systems from larger manufacturers such as Mastercraft and MMI (Jeld-Wen). However, other than some short Home Depot comments, I have been unable to find any thorough consumer/installer reviews. Any help is much appreciated. Thank you. :beer What happens if your local Fire Department has to gain entry? Genuine question. Not intended to be a snark. Around here (wood frame doors, UK) they have special battering rams (I have bolts through the frame, on the hinge side of the door - it would make a mess) and special devices to cut through window bars. They open the Knox Box, take ...
by jjbiv
Sun May 03, 2020 9:09 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Airline Stocks
Replies: 42
Views: 22842

Re: Airline Stocks

VLRS and SAVE have intrigued me, but not enough to invest...yet. Airlines are difficult businesses to run and notoriously bad investments. LUV might be the lone exception amongst the US airlines.
by jjbiv
Sat May 02, 2020 2:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?
Replies: 33
Views: 11314

Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Call before you go. Many Walmart Auto Centers are closed where I live.
by jjbiv
Thu Feb 20, 2020 4:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Showing receipt at Walmart
Replies: 44
Views: 2499

Re: Showing receipt at Walmart

I do not use the self-checkout stands and I'm rarely stopped. If stopped, I simply hand them the receipt and keep walking. If I want a record of what I have purchased, I use Walmart Pay or scan my receipt in the Walmart app to keep an electronic copy of it.

Has anyone who has been stopped and checked had the employee find an error in your favor?
by jjbiv
Tue Sep 10, 2019 10:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [Buying 1/2 pint milk in bulk for school lunches?]
Replies: 68
Views: 11175

Re: Buying 1/2 pint drinks in bulk for lunches?

Check Restaurant Depot (if you know a restaurant owner as access to the warehouse-style store is restricted) or with a local dairy. This is primarily a food service item but you should be able to purchase some.
by jjbiv
Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do I need title insurance?
Replies: 62
Views: 9573

Re: Do I need title insurance?

The title search is going to be performed for the lender's title policy if you will have a mortgage. The owner's policy is to protect your interest (equity) in the property. It's a ripoff but that doesn't necessarily mean that you don't need it. If you do purchase a policy, pay attention to items which the insurer is excluding coverage for. Those are items which are known and could cause issues. The insurance part of title insurance is to protect against anything rare that is not discovered during the title search.
by jjbiv
Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who's flying?
Replies: 83
Views: 12498

Re: Who's flying?

Cincinnati and San Antonio have been completely normal during the shutdown. Flying to Newark next week, which is always a mess, so we’ll see how it goes.
by jjbiv
Sun Dec 16, 2018 5:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much do you pay for internet only?
Replies: 79
Views: 7448

Re: How much do you pay for internet only?

Have a legacy TWC deal which was $15/month for 2 mbps down/1 mbps up (actual speeds are ~20% higher). I own my own modem. After the Charter/Spectrum merger, the price has been going up $5/year. Speed went up by 50 percent after the first increase so that seemed reasonable. Starting in December it will be $25/month with no apparent performance boost. Still it’s the least expensive option and sufficient for our needs (including working from home and two-four cell phones on WiFi at a time). We don’t stream video to a TV which helps.
by jjbiv
Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Why is Costco gas so much cheaper
Replies: 119
Views: 14306

Re: Why is Costco gas so much cheaper

I believe they sell gas at a slim profit margin to drive traffic to their stores and to provide members with a tangible reason to renew their membership, which is where Costco makes its real money.
by jjbiv
Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Why do rental car companies give you all keys?
Replies: 6
Views: 1095

Re: Why do rental car companies give you all keys?

Keeping track of the other keys would be a significant pain for the rental car company as vehicles travel around their network of branches. If you lose the key, they charge you (they don’t eat the cost).
by jjbiv
Sun Nov 04, 2018 11:30 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: [WSJ: The New Retirement Plan: Save Almost Everything, Spend Virtually Nothing]
Replies: 74
Views: 11159

Re: [WSJ: The New Retirement Plan: Save Almost Everything, Spend Virtually Nothing]

Then stop calling it retirement:) Just say your FI and nobody will care. Of course that doesn't have a good marketing hook and you might not feel as good about yourself:) It seems like you don't understand the word 'retirement' because it does not imply "never working again" in common usage. There's no reason to project such finality onto it. Do you also object to calling it retirement when professional athletes stop playing and later start to coach? How about when members of the military end their service and start a business? What about a doctor who leaves their practice and starts a personal finance blog or writes books? Not that I disagree with your general point but we do generally refer to retired profiesisonal athletes and...
by jjbiv
Sun Sep 23, 2018 11:22 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Traveling overseas .. credit cards? cash exchange?
Replies: 43
Views: 3582

Re: Traveling overseas .. credit cards? cash exchange?

I am exploring best options for using cash, credit cards, and/or debit cards overseas. All the credit cards I have include a 3% fee on international transactions. Just as a reality check: if you spend $1,000 then the international transaction fees will come to $30, which is probably less than a single lunch/taxi/etc. I stopped worrying about international transaction fees a long time ago. I probably waste more than $30 by overspending on mediocre restaurants, or tourist attractions that aren't that great, or buying some souvenir that ends up buried in a drawer for the next 20 years the minute I get home. I can make up the $30 by picking a slightly cheaper different hotel room for a single day or by going to a slightly cheaper spa or...(mor...
by jjbiv
Wed Aug 29, 2018 1:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: journaling with Office 365 online hosted exchange
Replies: 4
Views: 636

Re: journaling with Office 365 online hosted exchange

Commvault works well for journaling Exchange and O365 messages but it does require some infrastructure components which may be more than you’re looking for if journaling email is your only use case.
by jjbiv
Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:20 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank of America/Merrill Edge - Preferred Rewards
Replies: 7054
Views: 890841

Re: Bank of America/Merrill Edge - Preferred Rewards

No, there is no bonus on top of the BoA deals offers.
by jjbiv
Sat Jan 20, 2018 4:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank of America/Merrill Edge - Preferred Rewards
Replies: 7054
Views: 890841

Re: Bank of America/Merrill Edge - Preferred Rewards

Yes, you can setup an automatic payment for the account balance. However, you need to sign up for ebills first and wait until you receive the first bill electronically. Then you can create the automatic payment to pay future statements. It’s a little clunky but works once it it is setup.
by jjbiv
Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to research specific optometrists?
Replies: 8
Views: 1097

Re: How to research specific optometrists?

See if you have an optometry school near you. I’ve found the services to be very high quality and include a built-in quality control mechanism as the doctor checks the student’s work. The downside is it can take longer than a standard appointment but the exams have been very thorough.