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blaugranamd

TallBoy29er wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 09, 2019 6:01 pm
Pixel 1 owner here. Works fine for me.

Same.

blaugranamd

Thank you Bogleheads for you input. It's been nearly 20 years since we moved / purchased house so we thought we would error on the side of the buyer. Just got back from the former house........DW and I spent the entire day there moving out a few last items and.......I started to cover nail holes in...

blaugranamd

I am not worried about test scores. She took the PSAT and did well enough for aid if she was a junior (but it doesn't count because she did that as a freshman). I think her grades are great (even if she doesn't or others say anything less than all A's is substandard). Like I said, she pretty much h...

blaugranamd

Just my 2 cents but I'll throw in a devil's advocate for having a reputable HVAC company try a diagnosis. Our then 21 year old Carrier system failed days after we moved in. First company said condenser was shot, quoted a while new system. Got a few other quotes from other companies and really didn't...

blaugranamd

I think I know the answer to this but want to see if there are other factors I might be overlooking. We recently PCS'd from Ohio to Florida and can either maintain Ohio residency or become Florida residents. Ohio will exempt us from state income taxes while stationed outside of Ohio. Florida has no ...

blaugranamd

B&J is really good. If you have Graeter's in your area even better. I prefer expensive ice cream mainly so that I will eat less. A small spoon eating a smaller amount keeps me from gorging myself fat. Same approach to beer, he the pricey stuff so I can't afford to be an alcoholic

blaugranamd

Their banking and mortgage rates are completely uncompetitive with other high yield accounts. Auto insurance rates are moderately above GEICO. Mostly keep my checking and savings open for the multi product discount on insurance but keep most of my cash in MM funds elsewhere.

blaugranamd

$32k in CC debt at an average APR of roughly 18%? Get your 401k match and put everything else to the CC debt until it's gone. Maybe see if you can refi it?

blaugranamd

Assuming no fee, no points, and excellent credit those are good. I've seen 15 year rates at 2.875% though from some smaller local lenders so look into local credit unions near you.

blaugranamd

There's some good points here and I'll add (hopefully) one more. You're making the mental accounting error that realizing gains is when you've actually made money. IE: mutual fund has gone up $1000 in value, if I sell and put that money in bonds I officially have made $1000. That's not the case. You...

blaugranamd

I think if you're an anxious type of person, outsourcing can mean that you just worry about another layer of things. It's possible you're talking about a kind of anxiety you'd benefit from talking to a doctor about, but maybe we can get at it from the money side here. What do your annual expenses a...

blaugranamd

Do the analysis based on a 10 year life span for the mortgage. The average life of a mortgage is under 10 years. You may intend to keep the mortgage for 30 years, but in reality very few mortgages go to the full term- they get refi’d, or paid off due to sale. Mortgage buy down points rarely work ou...

blaugranamd

My wife always sends thank you notes. I'm lucky I have her because I don't think I would :wink: Quite the opposite for me. We got married then I went off to military training immediately after the honeymoon. Entrusted the wife with that job while I was gone. Wife was just hanging out the rest of th...

blaugranamd

I've never felt guilty for not tipping at carry out places like pizza or counter serve like Panera. It's these hybrid restaurants that bug me: order at counter, someone brings food to table, I have to get my own drinks and refills at a soda fountain, but someone buses my table? My motto is if I wait...

blaugranamd

My 2009 Subaru Legacy. When I got it at 3 years old with 60k mi, it was the newest, lowest mileage car i'd ever owned in nearly 15 years. In 6 years and 60k more miles has had: starter fail, power steering leak, cracked exhaust pipe, heat shields fall off, CD changer fail, two door lock actuators fa...

blaugranamd

Bogleheads are such ironic beasts sometimes: Bogleheads in general: past performance doesn't predict future returns! VTSAX proponents: USA has outperformed international for a long time. See chart. VTWAX proponent: you can't use past performance! Look at this chart of economies over the past centuri...

blaugranamd

I have a Fidelity Roth IRA that's 100% invested in a lifecycle fund (Fidelity Freedom 2040 - FFFFX). The expense of it is --- embarrassing. But in my defense, I only came to know of the Boglehead method recently. So now I want to scrap FFFFX and implement a Three-Fund approach. My frustration tempt...

blaugranamd

I would be cautious, the extra slim is really fitted. But they seem to get more snug over time. I'm 5'9" 155 and similar measurements and my extra slim fit shirts are getting to be too restrictive after 4-5 years of wear. I guess we are of different build then. I'm a cyclist and all quads (ok, and ...

blaugranamd

Just got a "3 for $99" on Charles Tyrwhitt. Really thinking of springing for 3 as I need some white shirts. Still good quality? At 5'9" and 180 lbs, with 42" chest and 33" waist, I'm thinking slim fit would be fine? Extra Slim? Either slim or extra slim. Extra slim is still a bit baggy on me (5'8, ...

blaugranamd

Charles Tyrwhitt. I have shirts that are >5 yrs old and still wrinkle-free with regular wear for under $50 (frequently on sale). Shirts also come with bronze collar stays. Second the CT shirts. Their non iron shirts are excellent. I've got a few that are 5+ years old now and look nearly new. Their ...

blaugranamd

New Volvo V60 T6 R Design?

https://www.volvocars.com/us/build/cros ... ?s=B5JE2EX

blaugranamd

Project out what your annual taxable income will be. If it's less than $40k you might as well use the taxable brokerage account and use tax gain harvesting to step up your basis on long term holdings annually. It looks like that will be the case, at least for this coming year for sure. I have heard...

blaugranamd

Project out what your annual taxable income will be. If it's less than $40k you might as well use the taxable brokerage account and use tax gain harvesting to step up your basis on long term holdings annually.

blaugranamd

Well as someone who lived in some "mediocre" and downright horrible areas as a young man, once you have a child, if you are in public school, I think the single biggest factor is school district. In fact, it is my only non negotiable. I would move us to a trailer in the best school district if that...

blaugranamd

Fishing50 wrote: ↑
Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:54 am
Once you move, you can change residency to FL--No State Income Tax!

Yes, excited about that. Should save us about $10k in state taxes. Our property taxes will probably break even despite the increased home cost too from what i've seen. Though, i suspect insurance will eat a lot of the tax savings

blaugranamd

Financially, the situation you have described (unknown duration and reasonable rent vs mortgage) probably lends itself to renting. However, this is a personal decision and the huge ranges for housing prices you have given make it difficult to really run the numbers. If you want to buy, looks like y...

blaugranamd

Greetings fellow Bogleheads! Looking to get some unbiased perspective to help ensure I'm being reasonable with our next home purchase as this is our first real move (out of my born 'n raised city). Emergency funds: No longer holding a true earmarked "emergency" fund of cash now that we have a "sizea...

blaugranamd

krafty81 wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:05 pm
Thanks - book ordered!

Details - one week trip in May.

We like biking, hiking, wine, good food, beautiful sites, beaches.

Sounds like San Sebastian in Basque country is for you.

blaugranamd

Piggy back question to be clear on this since I'm trying to find this answer too: The AGI used to determine the 100% vs 110% of prior years tax to withhold is the PRIOR year's AGI, ie 2017 AGI for this current tax season? For me: withheld 75% of tax liability for 2018 but withholdings were 105% of ...

blaugranamd

Piggy back question to be clear on this since I'm trying to find this answer too: The AGI used to determine the 100% vs 110% of prior years tax to withhold is the PRIOR year's AGI, ie 2017 AGI for this current tax season? For me: withheld 75% of tax liability for 2018 but withholdings were 105% of m...

blaugranamd

Love the SVS love. My budget was around yours when I was looking for a new sub. We have the PB-1000 and it's an absolute monster for games and movies, which was our main use. Our room is 18x40x8 and it can shake nails out of the drywall 😂. I have heard great things about the SB version for music. No...

blaugranamd

Paying for a warranty is essentially prepaying for repairs. You are betting you'll have at least $1200 in repairs over the next 3 years. I paid like $800 for one on my Subaru a while back. Actually got the starter replaced under that warranty but it only cost about $500. So I still technically spent...

blaugranamd

Yes there is sense, but it depends on what accounts you're already using to hold that $24k in retirement per year. Curious how you reached $60-70k in net equity in your home after only a a few years.

Otherwise agree with above to strongly consider renting.

blaugranamd

lthenderson wrote: ↑
Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:08 am
I am more concerned with finding a gas station that has non-ethanol blended gas.

Same, my motorcycle is notorious for having issues running E10. Cars tend to have an mpg bump on pure gasoline vs 10% ethanol blend that makes up for the cost difference.

blaugranamd

Just remember unless you are saving a very large amount for down payment, the difference between a 2.5% money market fund and a 3.5% short term bond fund or CD is going to be a couple hundred to maybe a thousand dollars over that short duration.

blaugranamd

IIRC, the $3000/year is solely income offset. You can still use the rest to offset any capital gains for the rest of your life as well.

blaugranamd

It means VTSAX is now your only choice! Congrats!

blaugranamd

Couple of posts asking what are these cash reserves doing and case of opportunity cost. Let me put it this way as I have a different take on this. If my portfolio went up more than I expected in the last few years, which it did, then my need to take risk has reduced, therefore building up new money...

blaugranamd

This is why these dry powder type situations are not very sound: Most recent peak was in Mid/Late Sept at around $74 for VTSAX 10% drop puts you at about $66.7 If your cash has been waiting since Mar 2018 or earlier, you're likely losing money. 20% drop? Any cash waiting prior to May 2017 probably l...

blaugranamd

Ron Paul is calling this the Biggest bubble in the history of mankind and is forecasting a 50% drop in stocks: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/05/ron-paul-us-barreling-towards-a-recession-and-theres-no-escape.html Even Jack Bogle suggested to sell 5 or 10% of equities at the Bogleheads conference, and...

blaugranamd

2) When they respond, their response will optimize for the new investor. It will not benefit the existing, loyal Fidelity customer. For the existing Fidelity customer to get the benefit they must do a sale/buy in to the new fund (ie a taxable event). Not correct. They cut ERs on their existing fund...

blaugranamd

... I'm not saying FDIC/NCUA insurance isn't useful/valuable. But just to consider what it's actually insuring you against: your bank failing and your money "disappearing" along with it. Money in a savings account is used by the bank itself as capital to produce interest (for the bank and you) via ...

blaugranamd

I think people tend to overvalue FDIC. It ensures your money if the bank/CU goes under up to a certain amount. Vanguard's federal MM vmfxx is paying over 2% now. For that fund to have a problem it would mean the US government is not paying on its securities, in which case your dollars are going to ...

blaugranamd

I think people tend to overvalue FDIC. It ensures your money if the bank/CU goes under up to a certain amount. Vanguard's federal MM vmfxx is paying over 2% now. For that fund to have a problem it would mean the US government is not paying on its securities, in which case your dollars are going to b...

blaugranamd

Eureka! I solved it! The clutch is the silver and black section in the middle that's spinning inappropriately (bumps the steering arms so you know it's not supposed to spin). Looked at the parts schematic for the engine/clutch and there's nothing that seems to hold it in place. But there's that smal...

blaugranamd

Tell them no and inform your realtor that you don't want to be contacted again. The house closed, it's done. Can't stress this plan enough. Ignore them ENTIRELY and tell your realtor to have ZERO contact with them. If they are scamming you they will go away. If they are legit your realtor may accid...

blaugranamd

We actually had the same issue happen but as buyers: bought a home, HVAC was about 18 years old, about a week after we move in it's dead. Had one company recommend replacing everything. Had a friend's dad who does HVAC look at it, found a loose fitting and no refrigerant, tightened up and refilled. ...

blaugranamd

Who cares? Ive been a "victim" of credit card fraud like 5 times. Doesnt bother me one bit. Simply call the credit card company, explain the situation, they kill that card and send you a new number. Its not like you're responsible for the charges. Yes, I know they can charge you a fee...they never ...

blaugranamd

Been on Fi for 3 years. The network is great and overseas has worked flawlessly in St. Lucia and Scotland. We had two Nexus 5x and they were crap. Two screens broke way too easily, both phones bootlooped and had to be sent in for repair. One phone the rear camera glass broke. All that in less than 2...

blaugranamd

Always surprised where people choose to ask questions. Lawnmower repair forum... Good places for parts are www.repairclinic.com or www.jackssmallengines.com. Both sites have diagnosis aids and / or videos. It's annoying to start a new forum and experiences on Bogleheads are varied. Hoping maybe som...

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