Search found 5663 matches

by btenny
Sat Feb 10, 2024 4:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Furniture - It's glued, right?
Replies: 91
Views: 7539

Re: Furniture - It's glued, right?

Is the dresser longer that 6 foot? Or deeper than 30 inches? I bet you can get the dresser into the room if you stand it on the end and slide it into the room. Put the end on a small piece of carpet to slide it and move it.
by btenny
Sat Feb 10, 2024 4:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How old were you when you hit the "No-Go Years?"
Replies: 77
Views: 13595

Re: How old were you when you hit the "No-Go Years?"

My first 17 years of retirement were definitely go-go years. We took several over seas trips, multiple cruises and four 2 month long cross country road trips. Plus we traveled and visited friends and our kids every year. Then I broke my back in 2019. So I slowed down to let it heal. My wife and I were in our early 70s. Then COVID came along in 2020 and made us slow down even more. We still travel back and forth between our summer and winter homes and use our boat in the summer. So I guess we have been in the slow go period for three years. However I think we are nearing our no go period. I am developing balance and coordination issues and my wife is developing knee and hip issues so her mobility is going down as well. So we cannot travel li...
by btenny
Sat Jan 20, 2024 9:00 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Career advice and retirement
Replies: 35
Views: 4338

Re: Career advice and retirement

How old are your kids and what are your family plans as they go off to college or other adventures? What does your wife want to do next year? The next five years? After home schooling is complete?
by btenny
Tue Dec 19, 2023 11:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: My car was stolen Saturday night!
Replies: 62
Views: 9371

Re: My car was stolen Saturday night!

I have had two cars stolen back when it was easy to hot wire a car. My wife's chevy Astro van was stolen from her work office lot. It was recovered 10 days or so later. It was 5+ years old at the time. The interior was cut up and filled with all kinds of litter. Two tires were flat and the gas fill door was riped off. The paint was also a mess. The insurance company fixed it and we drove it for a long time after that. My son got his Honda Civic stolen when he was at his apartment. He was in college at the time. It was stripped for parts. They took the front fenders and hood and all the tires and all the interior stuff and a bunch of engine stuff. It was recovered a few days after it was reported stolen. Again the insurance company fixed the...
by btenny
Mon Dec 18, 2023 12:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?
Replies: 97
Views: 14262

Re: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?

If he wants a PhD maybe it is time for him to look around at other companies (and alternate industries) that value really smart and driven people. Companies like Intel and TSMC and others need lots of materials/chemical engineering like people.

My ChemE PhD friend works in the laboratory for a chip company. He is an expert in "photo resist" and other materials for chip fab.
by btenny
Mon Dec 18, 2023 12:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone using a snow melting mat/pad?
Replies: 11
Views: 1572

Re: Anyone using a snow melting mat/pad?

I have a home in Tahoe so winters are hard and long and snowey. Many of my neighbors and friends use heat mats on their outdoor stairs to keep the ice clear. I do not know the brands but they are all wired electric pads designed for outdoor use. I was told the trick is to remotely control them so you can turn them on when it is real cold and icey with a on/off power switch and have them set next to stair edges.
by btenny
Mon Dec 18, 2023 12:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?
Replies: 97
Views: 14262

Re: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?

OP. The major point I was stressing and Stop also noted is many modern F100 companies and startups will pay thier employees school tuition while they pursue advanced degrees. So talk to your SIL and explain how this employee work and go to school as a side job works.
by btenny
Mon Dec 18, 2023 11:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?
Replies: 97
Views: 14262

Re: SIL considering a PhD in Engineering, worth it?

I know four people who have PhDs in engineering, three are EEs and one is a CHemE. All worked with me in the semiconducter biz in Arizona. All got their PhD while working full time in industry. Each mostly used work activites as basis for PhD research. Each wanted a PhD as a personel accomplishment. I don't think they got extra salary due to having a PhD but all have achieved high rank in R&D groups where they work. Phoenix has a ton of large and diverse semiconducter and technology companies. It is sort of the manufacturing base for the Silicon Valley. Intel, TMSC and dozens of other chip companies have big FABS here and have been building chips here for 40+ years. Right now Intel is building FAB ?? for $20B and TMSC is building their ...
by btenny
Thu Dec 14, 2023 5:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Food related travel
Replies: 108
Views: 19670

Re: Food related travel

There is great food all over the world, you just need get out there and explore. Some highlughts I especially liked were Kangaroo steaks in Adelade Australia overlooking the bay. I also loved the spicy Indian curry with different dips (mild red, green, orange and super red hot) in Melbourne. Eating a good Italian dinner late in the evening after dark (when the tourist leave) in downtown Rome is delicious. For mornings I like expresso and pastries at a outdoor cafe on the Champ Elysees in Paris. For late night fun try some tappas and cava champagne in Valencia Spain. Then there is King Crab or scallop feasts in Seattle and Alaska. And lastly go to PIkes Market in Seattle for fresh fish (Salmon or Halibut or Swordfish or Sea Bass or TBD that ...
by btenny
Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Food related travel
Replies: 108
Views: 19670

Re: Food related travel

New Orleans area for Cajan food and various drinks. Get a bag of Beignets for sweet snacks and breakfast. Order Etouffee or Jumbaliya or Gumbo at many places in the French Quarter for lunch or dinner. Listen to the great jazz while walking around and sipping frozen slushee drinks served in to go cups from slushee bars (Hurricanes or Margaritas or Daiquiris or others of your choice). https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=frozen+drink+bar+in+new+orleans&id=B8776D70D139A9416E94377F032E61DFC057AE1B&form=IQFRBA&first=1 Annapolis area for good crab dishes and clam chowder. I favor crab cakes stuffed and baked inside jumbo shrimp at the Italian place next to the marina. Get a side dish of linguini with clam sauce and some veggies. Strol...
by btenny
Wed Nov 29, 2023 4:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Realized/Unrealized Gains in VFIDX and VFSUX
Replies: 2
Views: 350

Realized/Unrealized Gains in VFIDX and VFSUX

I own a lot of these bond funds in my IRA -- VFIDX (Intermediate term bonds) and VFSUX (short term bonds). Both have already had significant losses in the market price as the interest rates have gone up over the last two years. BUT both are also showing big losses (-10% for VFIDX in realized loss and another -14.3% in unrealized loss) and (-5% in realized loss and -6% in unrealized loss for VFSUX). How are these figures related to the current market price?? Is the market price about to drop another 5-14% when or if these losses are passed on to me in late December as the fund owner? I need to understand better how these losses will be or are valued in the market price at year end if they are passed to me. Please advise......
by btenny
Thu Sep 14, 2023 2:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I sell my business?
Replies: 39
Views: 3687

Re: Should I sell my business?

I suggest you sell ASAP if you can get the price you quoted. The profit you quote is stunning and most assuradely will attract competitors. I think you are kidding yourself to think you can keep up this kind of income for long with such low work factor on your part. Yes you may be able to stay ahead of new competitors but you will need to put in a lot more work and take a lot more risk and likely need to make significant investments in the business. SO things might be better or they might crash. Remember how many small businesses went broke in 2008-10 or 2020-21???

Good Luck. Sell now and go enjoy a new FIRE lifestyle.
by btenny
Thu Sep 14, 2023 2:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I sell my business?
Replies: 39
Views: 3687

Re: Should I sell my business?

I suggest you sell ASAP if you can get the price you quoted. The profit you quote is stunning and most assuradely will attract competitors. I think you are kidding yourself to think you can keep up this kind of income for long with such low work factor on your part. Yes you may be able to stay ahead of new competitors but you will need to put in a lot more work and take a lot more risk and likely need to make significant investments in the business. SO things might be better or they might crash. Remember how many small businesses went broke in 2008-10 or 2020-21???

Good Luck. Sell now and go enjoy a new FIRE lifestyle.
by btenny
Sat Sep 02, 2023 8:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Boat Insurance
Replies: 7
Views: 1039

Re: Boat Insurance

I carry insurance for libility coverage mostly. Had $12K on the boat as it was included.
by btenny
Sat Sep 02, 2023 7:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Boat Insurance
Replies: 7
Views: 1039

Boat Insurance

I need some advice on how to handle my boat insurance. I have a 1995 Maxum 2300 Sport Cruiser boat. I have had it for 18 years in Lake Tahoe and use it every summer. Every fall I winterize the engine and shrink wrap the whole boat and store it outside. Last winter we had huge snowfall and snow drifts were 10-15 feet deep. This big snow covered the boat and crushed the wrap scafolding. This collapse crushed the windshield and windshield frame. So this spring (May 2023) when the snow melted I had a broken windshield. I called my insurance company and ask for help and filed a claim. The boat is insured for $10K and the trailer is insured for $2K as numeric values. The insurance company did not come and see the boat damage or look at anything. ...
by btenny
Tue Aug 29, 2023 8:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medigap Plan G-HD (And F-HD Too)
Replies: 14
Views: 1908

Re: Medigap Plan G-HD (And F-HD Too)

My wife and I have both have had Plan F-HD for 10+ years. I am paying $70 for each of us for this insurance. We have only collected $50. My wife had one very bad year and needed big surgery and lots of tests and doctor appointments. She ended up getting about $50 from the Plan F-HD for that year. I spent $2.2K (as I recall) for that whole year and the various costs. I also have had some medical issues happen during these past years but never got a dime from this insurance. I did some calculations back when for the F-HD plan versus the regular F plan. It was a little cheaper as we saved about $100 per month ($1200 annual) for insurance but spent $50 or so for tests and doctors visits. This savings also comes with a need to track and pay 10-1...
by btenny
Mon Aug 21, 2023 10:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do Long Term Travelers and Nomads handle housing and their stuff?
Replies: 14
Views: 2560

Re: How do Long Term Travelers and Nomads handle housing and their stuff?

There are many bloggers on the internet who talk at length about these subjects.

One example is https://homefreeadventures.com. This lady no longer travels but her book and her early posts about how she sold her home and became a wandering nomad is very good.

See https://theoccasionalnomads.com/ as another nomad blog.
by btenny
Fri Jul 07, 2023 8:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Boat Insurance Question
Replies: 12
Views: 1152

Re: Boat Insurance Question

Taylormade produced the windshield frame and glass originally when the boat was built. They sold some replacements parts way back when. They DO NOT make any repair parts for old boats like mine. Even for newer boats they takes 9-12 months to deliver replacement parts and the price is crazy high. One local boat repair guy told me he repaired one windshield on a newer boat in 2018-2019. They charged him $7K for parts plus shipping. They took 9 months plus shipping time to deliver. The repair guy said he would never work with Taylomade again. If he was forced he said he would let the customer order the parts and deal with Taylormade. Then he would install them.
by btenny
Fri Jul 07, 2023 8:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Boat Insurance Question
Replies: 12
Views: 1152

Re: Boat Insurance Question

Boat is a 1995 Maxum cutty cabin. It is a 24 foot Deep V fiberglass hull with 8 ft beam that rides good in smooth or rough water. Many were sold from 1994-2002 mostly in the mid west. Good boat with big 8.2L engine and nice big cabin and toilet and small cooler. Outside has good layout for 4-6 people. Boat is in good shape but 28 years old so it has some wear. Big engine means 38 MPH top speed and 30 MPH cruise with 4 people at high 6240 feet altitude. Windshield frame is heavy gage c-shaped aluminum bent into swooping curves that wrap around the front boat cockpit. Then rivits and screws are used to hold it's shape and hold the glass and attach it to the boat. Glass is held in big rubber gaskets inside the frame. Completed complex item is ...
by btenny
Fri Jul 07, 2023 3:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Boat Insurance Question
Replies: 12
Views: 1152

Boat Insurance Question

I have a older 23 foot power boat. It was shrink wrapped and stored outside for the winter in a small town in Lake Tahoe. We have stored it in the same yard and using the same methods for the past 10 years. This winter we had huge snow storms and 10-15 feet snow drifts all around our area. We have never had this much snow before. The big winter snow drifts pressed down on my boat and crushed the shrink wrap supports and broke my boat windshields. We saw this damage in March but could not get into the boat and evaluate the damage until June. The windshield is 5 pieces of curved tempered glass. Three of five windshield pieces were broken and shattered into small chips. The windshield frames were bent. There are no boat shops in town that do c...
by btenny
Thu May 11, 2023 9:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any must haves for travelling to Europe?
Replies: 126
Views: 10370

Re: Any must haves for travelling to Europe?

Get a power cube adapter like this.

https://www.amazon.com/International-Un ... 50141&th=1

Discuss with them how they are going to dry their hair. Many/most european hotels will not support big US hair dryers. IF they plug them in they will likely blow the fuze.... So you have to use the hotel supplied hair dryer IF they have them.
by btenny
Wed May 10, 2023 10:00 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to find a service to move a super heavy item locally?
Replies: 11
Views: 1219

Re: How to find a service to move a super heavy item locally?

Look on the internet for a spa company near you. They routinely move big spas with a crane to lift the spa to/from a flat bed truck. Also talk to a local AC/heater company. Those guys routinely lift big heavy AC/heater boxes on and off building roof tops. Or call a local tree care service. Those guys use small cranes to lift the tree trunks and big branches when they cut down trees.

Good Luck.
by btenny
Mon May 08, 2023 10:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I Bond Interest
Replies: 6
Views: 1182

I Bond Interest

I have $8K in IBonds from May 2011. I cannot find the base interest rate or the current payout interest rate or the bond values. Can some of you point me to the exact place on the web. Thanks,
by btenny
Thu May 04, 2023 1:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bicycle Questions
Replies: 71
Views: 9075

Re: Bicycle Questions

I know you asked about bikes but have you looked at the small electric scooters??? https://www.amazon.com/s?k=electric+street+scooter+for+adults&hvadid=518158310132&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9029986&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14659478378693046318&hvtargid=kwd-1254393115333&hydadcr=2677_9913973&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_3zjt3xdtuf_e Everwhere I look I see young people riding these small scooters with backpacks for books and stuff. The kids love them and they are fun to ride. Yes they are more expensive ($500 ish) but they are much smaller and easier to maneuver and park than a bike, especially around buildings and sidewalks and walking people. Plus they are so small they can be folded up and carried into your clas...
by btenny
Thu Apr 27, 2023 5:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Much Do You Spend on Lawn Maintenance Services?
Replies: 64
Views: 6969

Re: How Much Do You Spend on Lawn Maintenance Services?

Are you asking for once a week mowing and edging and cleanup or every other week?

How big is your yard? Does the price include front yard and backyard and side yards?

Are four yearly extra tasks price separately from $3K yearly mow price?

Will service include raking and blower cleanup after mowing and edging as needed?
by btenny
Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Valencia, Spain trip
Replies: 12
Views: 1158

Re: Valencia, Spain trip

Hotel Vincci Mercat is nice and well located in city center. Close to science center area and downtown. Clean and modern. NIce breakfast.

Liked the park and bike paths around the science and arts area.

We were there in winter so we did not go to the beach.
by btenny
Tue Apr 11, 2023 6:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Subtle Costs That Increase in Retirement?
Replies: 88
Views: 8324

Re: Subtle Costs That Increase in Retirement?

When I first retired I could do (and did) all my own yard work and small house remodeling and all kinds of other handyman stuff. But as I get older and 20 years into retirement I cannot do many or most of these chores any more. So now I have to hire lawn care ($130 per month). I also pay the lawn guy an extra $150 or so 2-3 times per year for special shrub trims, fertalizing, etc.. My wife hires a window cleaner ($350 ). I need someone to snow blow my driveway ($35 per time or $700 per season). And now we are hiring a full house paint job ($4500).
by btenny
Tue Apr 11, 2023 6:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Possible Parkinson’s diagnosis, how to prepare [finances and investments]
Replies: 30
Views: 4252

Re: Possible Parkinson’s diagnosis, how to prepare [finances and investments]

If the Parkinsones patient has a IRA annual RMD and QCD withdrawals are important. I do not know right now if the spouse of IRA owner can direct the IRA agent (Vanguard or TDA or ???) to make RMDs (or QCDs) or how these are handled. Does anyone here know if the spouse of a Parkinsons patient can direct IRA withdrawals???
by btenny
Mon Apr 03, 2023 10:19 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Retirement Snowbird Own vs. Rent
Replies: 17
Views: 2549

Re: Retirement Snowbird Own vs. Rent

Long time snowbird (twenty + years) between Arizona and northern California. We spend about 5-6 months in each place. Own in Arizona and long term rent in Cal. Have ties to community and friends in both places. Originaly moved around in Cal by renting various places. Now just pay and rent one nice house. Never bought second house as rent was way cheaper. We also did not want to commit to long term cost of owning two homes. And lastly if one of us is widowed it would be too hard to keep up two places and too expensive.
by btenny
Sat Mar 18, 2023 7:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Hiking and Other activities- Tucson AZ
Replies: 16
Views: 1263

Re: Hiking and Other activities- Tucson AZ

Giant underground cave and tours.
https://azstateparks.com/kartchner/

See how the mining industry works with a real tour and ride down into a copper/gold mine. https://www.queenminetour.com/
by btenny
Sat Mar 18, 2023 7:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Hiking and Other activities- Tucson AZ
Replies: 16
Views: 1263

Re: Hiking and Other activities- Tucson AZ

Pima Air & Space Museum
Super cool aircraft storage and museum.
https://pimaair.org/
https://pimaair.org/museum-aircraft/lockheed-sr-71a/

KITT Peak Observatory (closed ???? temporarily for access road repairs from forest fire)
Nice observatory with 21 big telescopes and tours etc...
https://kpno.noirlab.edu/
by btenny
Sun Mar 12, 2023 2:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Calm small dog breed for family
Replies: 142
Views: 13622

Re: Calm small dog breed for family

Lhasa Apso's are great small dogs. Calm and quiet and healthy. Live to 14 years or more. They are basic chill dogs who like to cuddle on the couch next to you or set on the floor next to you. Kids love to drag and carry them around like dolls and the dogs like it. They love people and kids and are good watch dogs who alert with small barks due to outside noise or visitors. They have long hair that needs regular grooming so beware. Their coats are easy to manage if cut into a "short puppy cut" and washed and groomed regularly (monthly or so). Expensive to buy as puppies and they are not plentiful. Many are mixed with Poodles or Shih Szu or a dozen other breds to get other traits. I have owned three while I raised my kids. They are ...
by btenny
Sun Mar 12, 2023 1:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: South Lake Tahoe?
Replies: 16
Views: 2078

Re: South Lake Tahoe?

How are you getting to your hotel/condo? Rental car from Reno airport? Bus? Most tourists to the area rent cars in Reno and drive to South Lake and to various hike trails and beaches and other tourist stuff. You can walk to a few beachs near your hotel. Others are short drive distance. But beware that deep snow will melt and overfill the lake next summer so beaches will be narrow due to high water. You can ride the bus around town but the service routes are not that conveniet so you will have to walk some distances plus the bus ride. Many tourists ride rental "limebike scooters" to sight see around town. Things to do. Several dozen hiking trails and forest areas and small lakes nearby. Bike or moutain bike or E-bike these same wal...
by btenny
Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: please help me get started with TV streaming
Replies: 152
Views: 17946

Re: please help me get started with TV streaming

I do not get it. I think YouTube TV sucks. I cut the cord four months ago and am ready to go back to cable and a user friendly DVR recorder. Yes YouTube TV is slightly cheaper than cable and has lots of channels but the use case is terrible. I have to watch tons of commercials on most shows I record and push tons of buttons to do simple channel changes. It does not have any method to scan for good shows or movies or other stuff. We end up looking at Amazon Prime for movies or regular free YouTube in stead of YouTube TV......

Good Luck but beware......


.
by btenny
Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Changing house (or not) as empty nesters
Replies: 11
Views: 1529

Re: Changing house (or not) as empty nesters

We downsized soon after I retired and my youngest went off to college. We went from a very big house where we had lived for 21 years to a modest city home (2100 square feet) on a small lot with low maintenance landscaping and no pool. The old house had 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car garage, 1.3 acres, big swimming pool, skate board ramp and park, two grass play yards, basket ball court, giant cement circular drive with parking for 6, and tons of other play things and trees and landcaping things. The new house is modest sized with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. It is much easier to clean and lower cost to maintain. Both houses are one story and in the same aea of town. We have lived in the downsized house for twenty two years. My oldest never bounced b...
by btenny
Mon Jan 16, 2023 10:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Blinds for road noise reduction.
Replies: 22
Views: 2409

Re: Blinds for road noise reduction.

I have double pane windows and wooden shutters on most of my windows. This combination reduces outside noise to almost zero...
by btenny
Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Grilling Issue - Flavorizer Bars and Heat
Replies: 30
Views: 3078

Re: Grilling Issue - Flavorizer Bars and Heat

You need to keep the flavorizer plates installed in your grill. They spread out the burner heat and make the grill top temperature unifirm across the surface. Most Weber grills have cast iron grates with a slight truncated triangle shape. I have used them triangle up and triangle down. Both ways seem to work fine for me. Some grills also come with round stainless steel rod grates. These do not work as well because iron is not as good at heat conduction versus cast iron. My Weber Genesis grill has a special searing burner (4th burner) plus three regular burners. I turn them all on at start up so the grill gets hot fast. I also have a Broil King Baron grill with a four burner setup. Both get hot fast and have accurate temperature gages and sp...
by btenny
Tue Jan 10, 2023 3:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: skiing lessons
Replies: 34
Views: 2404

Re: skiing lessons

Take two half day group lessons over four days. Take a Wednesday morning lesson followed by 1.5 days of practice and then a second half day lesson on Friday followed by another 1.5 days of practice. The idea is to do enough skiing after a lesson to learn what is being taught and to do enough skiing on several consecutive days at a single visit to progress in skill. I like weekday lessons as they are not usually crowded versus Saturdays or Sundays. I also recommend using the same instructer for both lesson if you like the teacher. If you are rich and can afford private lessons do that instead of group lessons. BUT again get lessons a day or so apart and practice on non lesson days. What kind of skis and boots are you using? You need to buy b...
by btenny
Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:04 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Pvt Water Company (Arizona)
Replies: 11
Views: 2096

Re: Pvt Water Company (Arizona)

I lived on a family farm about 70 years ago that my father built. It is way out in the desert north west of Gila Bend. We had 3 wells as I recall for all our water needs. We sold it in the1950s so I have no idea what or how it works today. I also have some friends who live in Rio Verde north of Scottsdale. When they built their home out there they put in a deep well for water. Many of their neighbors just bought water from Scottsdale. Today the city is shutting off water to those people as they never guaranteed this water supply. My friend is OK. I have another friend who lives on a hill top in Wickenburg. He and some of his neighbors share a well. As far as I know it works fine. The big challenge for these wells is periodic maintainence an...
by btenny
Wed Dec 14, 2022 10:10 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Comparison of brokered CDs at various brokerages?
Replies: 14
Views: 2506

Re: Comparison of brokered CDs at various brokerages?

I just bought some brokered 12 month and 9 month CDs. The rate at TDAmeritrade was 4.8% for 12 months. It was 4.75% for 9 months at Wells Fargo. Both were from the same bank.
by btenny
Sun Dec 11, 2022 10:40 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Getting employer to agree to remote work from Europe
Replies: 14
Views: 2218

Re: Getting employer to agree to remote work from Europe

Even if your company approves you for remote work from Europe there may be MAJOR issues that make it impossible. My Daughter moved to England with her husband (active duty military) 9 years ago. They moved all their stuff to a small town way north of London. She started to do her job. She does high level STEM work for a big US company. She found Facetime and other meeting software worked fine. She could interface fine with people. She was OK with payroll and medical. BUT the best internet service she could get would not work well enough or fast enough for her to do her job. The connections often crashed or had slowdowns that made her programs fail. She had long run times and half completed executions. After 3 months of patching and trying v...
by btenny
Tue Dec 06, 2022 2:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How Do You Do Cars?
Replies: 153
Views: 15990

Re: How Do You Do Cars?

I buy new or near new cars and keep them for decades and 120K miles or so. Works well for me. We buy what we like and fills our needs at that time. BUT wife insists on comfortable power seats for both driver and passenger. This eliminated Toyotas and Hondas when we bought. We did own two Datsuns (Nissan) but everything else was US brands. AND yes these US cars were not super reliable. Here are a few cars I have owned recently. Dates and miles are approximates. Sold them as the major repairs started or were coming soon. 1995 Jeep GC, bought in 1997 with 10K miles, sold in 2010 (??) with 125K miles. 2006 LIncoln Zephr, bought in 2009 with 10K miles, sold in 2018 with 95K miles. 1990 Pontiac Bonneville, bought in 1991 with low miles, sold in 2...
by btenny
Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:48 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: No fog winter goggles, safety glasses, sunglasses help?
Replies: 3
Views: 617

Re: No fog winter goggles, safety glasses, sunglasses help?

I have custom Maui Jim wrap around sunglasses that almost never fog up. I have had them for years and love the fit and ease of use and total blockout of sun and wind. They are close fit to my face and dark tint. They have my perscription for distance in single vision lenses. I use them for winter skiing (when sunny) and summer boating and biking and all kinds of outdoor stuff. I also use them all year round for driving when it is real sunny. I also have tried on several other wrap around glasses with clear and tinted lenses for motorcycle use. Some of these had rubber gaskets on the edges to completely seal the glass from outside wind. You might want to try on some of these at the Harley dealer near you. I also use a big pair of ski goggles...
by btenny
Sat Dec 03, 2022 11:19 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Muni bonds: VTEB vs. VWIUX/VWLUX (and why so much difference in distributions?)
Replies: 71
Views: 10185

Re: Muni bonds: VTEB vs. VWIUX/VWLUX (and why so much difference in distributions?)

VTEB is a muni fund based on a bond index. It holds intermediate aged bonds. It is passively managed. VTEAX is the mutual fund version of this ETF.

VWIUX is a actively managed muni fund. It has no ETF version. It has different holdings and is not the same fund as VTEB. Vanguard managers buy and sell bonds in VWIUX to maximize returns. It has better distribution yield than VTEB now due to this management. It also has better total returns YTD and for past five years than VTEB.
by btenny
Mon Nov 28, 2022 12:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: MacBook Air 13.3" (M1 Chip) sells at Costco for $800
Replies: 24
Views: 3842

Re: MacBook Air 13.3" (M1 Chip) sells at Costco for $800

I replaced the battery in my HP laptop 13 inch last year for $150 including the installation. The old battery was 3-4 years old. It died becasue I usually kept it plugged in. I bet your Dell is similar.
by btenny
Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:07 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Wash sale ???
Replies: 4
Views: 526

Re: Wash sale ???

Thanks for the discussion. So I did as you suggested LiveSoft and found a lot of discussion about daily versus monthly accural. This made me decide that ETFs with the monthly accural scheme were not the best for tax loss harvesting and short time trading. That six month rule is complex if you trade in 30-60 days.

So I did some more looking and found VWSUX (Vanguard Admiral short term Muni fund). This muni fund looks like a better vehicle for my tax loss purposes. BUT I am not sure it is safe from wash sale rules. Can someone point me to some details on how to figure if this fund is OK for tax harvesting?
by btenny
Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Wash sale ???
Replies: 4
Views: 526

Wash sale ???

I need to do some tax loss selling of Vanguard Muni mutual funds. I have VWIUX (intermediate muni fund) that I want to replace with MUB or VTEB for a short time. Both are muni ETFs that hold intermediate bonds. Are these subject to wash sale rules? How do I find out what is similar or different enough to be considered???
by btenny
Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are options for temp living arrangements if house is being rebuilt
Replies: 43
Views: 2337

Re: What are options for temp living arrangements if house is being rebuilt

Live in Tahoe part time. So we have issues with fires and other things. Two friends got burned out in the Angora fire in 2007. One moved in with husbands brother for a year or so. Then decided to buy a different home and sell burned home after it was rebuilt. Whole process took over 2 years. Other friend rented a furnished home for 2 years before moving back. A third friend had a house fire due to electrical short in 2019. She lived in a house rental for 2 years and then moved back into her home that is only partially rebuilt. She is still wrangling with insurance over various things. A fourth friend had a tree fall on her house last winter. Damage looked simple, maybe $10K. No move out necessary, they thought. She hired contractor and star...
by btenny
Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:05 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Contractor died- what to do with the tools?
Replies: 66
Views: 8881

Re: Contractor died- what to do with the tools?

A friend of mine had this exact thing happen last year. Her painting contractor died. His tools were in her garage. The job was half finished. He was painting the house on Friday and did not show up to work for the next week. She called around to the paint store and to the painters phone and was told he died. She called the mortuary listed in the newspaper obituary for his relatives phone number and names. She then called his parents and ask them to come and get his tools and talk to her about payment for the work that was done. A few days later his dad come over and picked up the tools. His Dad asked for half of bid price for the partial paint job. She agreed and paid his Dad and got a receipt. She then hired a new painter to finish the job.
by btenny
Sat Nov 05, 2022 5:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Require License and Insurance for Snow Removal?
Replies: 11
Views: 1516

Re: Require License and Insurance for Snow Removal?

I have a part time home in Tahoe. We get tons of snow every winter. Almost everyone uses some sort of snow removal service. A few medium sized companies do snow removal for businesses with big trucks with front plows or dedicated snowcat plows. Those people are very well organized and expensive and probably have insurance. But tons of home owners like me and my neighbors use single person plow services. These people are yard guys and roofers in the summer and plow guys in the winter. All of them have a small single blower or a small plow on their pickup. I am pretty sure none of these guys have specialized plow insurance. But I do know my guy say he has car/truck liability insurance. But who know if this would cover a big crash or major iss...