Search found 232 matches

by Cunobelinus
Mon Jun 20, 2022 7:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use a VPN?
Replies: 82
Views: 7697

Re: Do you use a VPN?

An EU-based company will tend to have more stringent rules surrounding the collection and selling/distribution of your information than a U.S.-based company. Same applies to a company based out of Turkey or Hungary as compared to Australia. The laws surrounding collection and distribution of customer information vary based on the country.

As a U.S.-based ISP has no incentive to NOT market your information.

It's a personal decision on what you think is most right for you.
by Cunobelinus
Sat Jun 18, 2022 9:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use a VPN?
Replies: 82
Views: 7697

Re: Do you use a VPN?

Security and privacy, like ogres, are like onions. Using a VPN can make you a slightly harder target. It can provide you a little bit more security. But one should not rely on one thing to provide complete protection. Just because you’re a very safe driver doesn’t mean you won’t get crashed into by someone else.

I recall we were able to use our Netflix subscription via VPN while overseas. That isn’t a primary concern for me, but my partner appreciated it. They didn’t see a reason for a VPN till then.

Some countries don’t have the same standards of security and privacy as your home country. A VPN can help there. I wouldnt access certain personal websites from certain other countries, as I’m certain all traffic may be monitored.
by Cunobelinus
Sat Jun 18, 2022 9:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you use a VPN?
Replies: 82
Views: 7697

Re: Do you use a VPN?

For consideration: 1) A self-hosted VPN (perhaps on home network via a RasperryPi or via VPS) that runs pihole, which reduces the advertisements served to your devices. This reduces the amount of bandwidth a mobile device uses, as well as results in objectively faster pageloads while on said mobile device. I started doing this so that I also had access to home network resources from my phone or computer when I was outside my home network. This was purely for convenience, but I really liked that mobile apps had ads and junkware stripped out via pihole. 2) A router-based firewall (e.g., pfSense) with filtering to again reduce the junk (advertisements AND malware) inherent in internet-connected software these days, either via mobile apps or we...
by Cunobelinus
Thu Dec 09, 2021 3:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Encrypted email? Any issues with this scenario?
Replies: 21
Views: 2273

Re: Encrypted email? Any issues with this scenario?

A common misconception is that all of ProtonMail's e-mails are encrypted. When sending e-mail within the ProtonMail ecosystem, the e-mail is unreadable to anyone but the recipient. Once it leaves ProtonMail's ecosystem, say to arrive at gmail or another business, then all bets are off and it's a regular e-mail. Bottom line, no advantage to using ProtonMail or Tutanota if the recipient is also not using that system. *edited to add a conjugated verb.. and the final sentence. Maybe this is a recent addition, but you absolutely can encrypt a message sent to an external user. They will receive a ProtonMail-branded email letting them know they received an encrypted message. They will then click a link to read the message, and enter a password th...
by Cunobelinus
Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Encrypted email? Any issues with this scenario?
Replies: 21
Views: 2273

Re: Encrypted email? Any issues with this scenario?

URSnshn wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 5:27 pm Maybe I'm overthinking ... but this doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

What do you think?
You're not overthinking. It isn't a good idea. As others have said, this person (or company) doesn't have a handle on even basic security practices if they are telling you this.

You can fax or mail. At any rate, once you send them your tax return, by whichever means you choose (fax, mail, e-mail, encrypted portal) you can't really determine what they're going to do with it. If you don't trust them to receive the tax returns, I'm not sure I would trust their ability to handle your tax returns appropriately (not make copies or scan to an unencrypted volume connected to a public-facing network).
by Cunobelinus
Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Encrypted email? Any issues with this scenario?
Replies: 21
Views: 2273

Re: Encrypted email? Any issues with this scenario?

I am being asked to send a copy of my federal tax return to a company that has a legitimate use for it, but they are telling me if I put the word "encrypt" in the subject line it will be encrypted when they get it. That might be true, but heck wouldn't it have already been traveling to their servers unencrypted? What do you think? I'd consider using a real encrypted email service like Protonmail (https://protonmail.com/support/knowledge-base/encrypt-for-outside-users/) for something like this. They have a free tier. motiv8ed A common misconception is that all of ProtonMail's e-mails are encrypted. When sending e-mail within the ProtonMail ecosystem, the e-mail is unreadable to anyone but the recipient. Once it leaves ProtonMail's...
by Cunobelinus
Thu May 06, 2021 8:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Coinbase ID verification
Replies: 26
Views: 6148

Re: Coinbase ID verification

If you don't trust the country's largest crypto broker - which is listed on the NASDAQ and has a market cap of $50B - then I would say you're probably not ready to get into crypto. As a 'safe' alternative you could consider buying a crypto trust like GBTC in your existing brokerage account. That's a good point about the size and financial integrity of Coinbase. Like the OP, I stopped at the point where the Coinbase app asked for a digital copy of my driver's license. I was worried about ID theft, and probably overthinking it. I have just never had to provide my driver's license when opening other online accounts - brokerages, banks, etc. I haven't gone back to the verification process, as I was just going to play around with a small amount...
by Cunobelinus
Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: First time to Hawaii with family
Replies: 55
Views: 7476

Re: First time to Hawaii with family

We spent seven days in Kuai a few years back and had a great time. We rented a place with a kitchenette so we usually did our own breakfasts and lunches and found a nice place out to eat for supper. We didn't have much of an itinerary other than circumnavigate the island stopping here and there to see waterfalls, highest point, beaches, etc. But there were tons of other things like helicopter rides, boat tours, ziplines, organized off-roading adventures, etc. depending on how much money you want to shell out. One recent development is that there is a severe shortage of rental cars in Hawaii now that people are getting out from under Covid's thumb and aren't using mass transportation like buses. Just saw a new report last night where even r...
by Cunobelinus
Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How are the "100% Stocks" people doing?
Replies: 256
Views: 41777

Re: How are the "100% Stocks" people doing?

I wish I had been 100% stocks given the returns over the past 20 years - but I've increased my exposure to approx. 80% from 73% in the past two months with six years to retirement. As long as the Fed is supporting the stock markets - it just doesn't make sense to be heavy in bonds. Perhaps not heavy, but having some allocation in bonds (or really, anything non-equities) permits you to "buy on the dip" when the stock market invariably takes a downturn and you can rebalance. .. and cue the arguments about how it can be shown that with specific criteria you may have better returns if you stay 100% and thus there's no logical reason, given those criteria, to ever consider having any allocation other than 100% equities.. There are som...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Apr 16, 2021 5:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Most secure Two factor authentication out of Fidelity, Vanguard, Charles Schwab?
Replies: 69
Views: 19730

Re: Most secure Two factor authentication out of Fidelity, Vanguard, Charles Schwab?

Who has the most secure two factor authentication options out of Fidelity, Vanguard, Charles Schwab? Ideally, I would love if the custodian allowed the use of hardware keys (eg. Yubikey, Symantec VIP Hardware Authenticator, etc.) provided a QR generated codes that could be used by any authentication app (Google Authenticator, Authy, etc.) allowed you to turn off SMS two factor authentication (if I lose all my keys, I would like to have to call in to be able to log in) In my opinion Fidelity and Schwab provide better security than Vanguard. Vanguard does provide support for YubiKey which is great but it is not possible to prevent fallback to SMS. You can improve security of Vanguard by using Google voice number for SMS 2FA and enrolling goo...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Apr 16, 2021 5:29 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Most secure Two factor authentication out of Fidelity, Vanguard, Charles Schwab?
Replies: 69
Views: 19730

Re: Most secure Two factor authentication out of Fidelity, Vanguard, Charles Schwab?

Vanguard with a hardware key, and set SMS backup to a landline phone that doesn't support SMS? Or use a known fake number? Maybe use Vanguard's own customer service number as your SMS backup! Basically just intentionally sabotage your backup verification method. set your backup method to a google voice number... and there are reports that they wont text it... These reports are not entirely true. While I am just one data point, I just successfully received Vanguard's security code via text on a GoogleVoice number -- like just right now. I've never had an issue with Vanguard and using GoogleVoice, but I have had issues with other sites before. Paypal is the only site that comes to mind at the moment that attempted to lock me out because they...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Apr 16, 2021 5:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Does USPS allow mailing laptop internationally ?
Replies: 12
Views: 3153

Re: Does USPS allow mailing laptop internationally ?

USPS does permit it. I received a laptop sent through USPS last year while overseas. The customs declaration form is quite likely required too, as someone else mentioned. I only ever received stuff through USPS and didn't try to send anything back to the USA via USPS, so I cannot say for sure what is required.

Not all USPS locations have the same level of knowledge, so don't be dissuaded if one tells you that it's not possible. The USPS store nearest to my parents kept telling them that packages (or mail (!!)) could not be sent to the country in which I was living, so they went to a USPS location a little farther away and had no problem.
by Cunobelinus
Sat Mar 27, 2021 3:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car in Hawaii For One Year
Replies: 35
Views: 2944

Re: Car in Hawaii For One Year

A close relative is going to Hawaii for 1 year for work. His employer will pay to ship his Pennsylvania-registered car both ways. Hawaii says he can do that and maintain his PA registration for that period, but must have front and back license plates. PA only issues one (rear) plate. What’s the easiest solution? Register the car in Hawaii. They will give you 2 Hawaii license plates. Notice in Hawaii that are very few out of state license plates. Military newly stationed in Hawaii do the same for their cars. The alternative is to buy a used car in Hawaii for that time but they are indeed used and priced high. Hawaii resident. j :D Register the car in Hawaii or leave it on the mainland and buy an island beater on arrival. There are pros and ...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:57 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Are emergency funds for suckers?
Replies: 202
Views: 19483

Re: Are emergency funds for suckers?

I never really thought an emergency fund was necessary in my situation. I have a stable, well-paying job. My wife did too. I kept about $10k in a savings account as a “just in case” buffer. My job sent me overseas and I spent two months in hotels until I could get into permanent housing. Two months of hotel expenses exceeded the amount I was making every month, and my wife cannot work in this country, at least not for anything close to what she was making in the US. While the hotel expenses are reimbursable, it takes somewhere between 3-9 months to be reimbursed. I was informed about a month before I went overseas that I should routinely keep $20-30k in savings because it can take a long time to get reimbursed for moving expenses, if indeed...
by Cunobelinus
Wed May 06, 2020 7:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pull-ups and Push-ups
Replies: 678
Views: 182131

Re: Need to be able to do 30 chin-ups

[Thread merge into here, see below (next page). --admin LadyGeek] I will be doing chin-ups on July 1. Classic, palms facing me chin-ups. I made a bet with a guy from work that I would be able to do 30 by July 1. He seems to think it is impossible and only some freak of nature would be able to accomplish such a feat. So, my goal is to be able to do 30 chin-ups by July 1, which is 56 days from now. I can currently do 18. What is the best way for me to increase my one set maximum? Do I aim for X number of chin-ups per workout, and do it over however many sets I desire? Or do I do Y numbers of sets and increase the total that way? Last workout I did 15-14-12-8. So 49 total. I can start with 18 to failure, but in subsequent sets I wouldn't be a...
by Cunobelinus
Thu May 02, 2019 11:56 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Whole House Fan; Brand? Considerations?
Replies: 53
Views: 11733

Re: Whole House Fan; Brand? Considerations?

Sorry, I don't recall off the top of my head. ES looks familiar.
by Cunobelinus
Wed May 01, 2019 4:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: bike helmets
Replies: 87
Views: 8831

Re: bike helmets

Deleted
by Cunobelinus
Wed May 01, 2019 4:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: bike helmets
Replies: 87
Views: 8831

Re: bike helmets

This is a great article about bike helmets written by a grad student. The title is “Why It Makes Sense to Bike Without a Helmet” http://www.howiechong.com/journal/2014/2/bike-helmets Howdy I read it. Gibberish to support the writer’s apparent dislike of helmets. Reasoning unworthy of a prospective doctoral candidate. Clearly not a hard science student. Not wearing a helmet while bicycling is stupid.To expand the topic laterally, I have a number of friends here in Texas who motorcycle without helmets. I consider that a best practice, as long as they have signed organ donor cards. There is a tragic shortage of transplant organs, and these guys can help remedy that. So I hope the bicyclists have also signed up as organ donors. W B How often c...
by Cunobelinus
Wed May 01, 2019 4:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 20 countries where 200K in retirement savings will last you decades
Replies: 235
Views: 38248

Re: 20 countries where 200K in retirement savings will last you decades

Here's my geopolitical/quality of life take on the countries on the list. Mind you, I lived in Colombia during the heyday of the drug cartels, so I can tolerate quite a bit of violence before things get to me (so long as I have electricity, good food, and functional plumbing). Ecuador High crime, ongoing political tension, but otherwise OK (until stuff hits the fan, as it periodically does in Ecuador). Nicaragua Stuff has officially hit the fan there this year. Many US retirees living there are stuck in the middle of a quasi-war as the government tries to repress the opposition. Also, very high violent crime rate on top of the political violence, and a looney 80s-era Sandinista dictator and his wife ruling the roost. Pass. Thailand Routine...
by Cunobelinus
Mon Apr 29, 2019 5:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Whole House Fan; Brand? Considerations?
Replies: 53
Views: 11733

Re: Whole House Fan; Brand? Considerations?

We have two quietcool fans installed. They're two different sizes, and the smaller one for the bedroom(s) has only one speed. That's the one we use most often. I just open the windows at the other end of the house to draw ventilation through the house if it's not breezy. The bigger fan, when it's on high speed, is quite noticeable: both in noise production and in ventilation production. If it's going to be a hot day out, if it I start the house fan up at 9am or so and let it run through the afternoon, the house doesn't get hot. If I try to start it at noon or 1pm, the house ends up getting hot. I suspect that primarily has to do with the absorption of heat in the attic and the subsequent heat radiation through our ceiling. Someone mentioned...
by Cunobelinus
Mon Apr 29, 2019 4:39 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Advice for setting up home network with connected devices (security)
Replies: 5
Views: 1136

Re: Advice for setting up home network with connected devices (security)

Pi-hole is super easy. If you have a very basic familiarity with the terminal/command line, it's just a copy/paste of a bash command that they have listed on their website. If you don't have a basic familiarity, then it's just "regular easy." If you're afraid of the command line, then I'm certain there's a image file you could download that has pihole pre-installed. Buying the RasPi, plus micro-SD card, plus power supply runs maybe $35? It's been a few years. It's all configurable after it's up and running (10-15 minutes after booting up the RasPi) via any browser. I have several up and running. I made some for friends and family. Regarding the network setup, running non-critical devices on a guest network is a good idea because I...
by Cunobelinus
Mon Apr 29, 2019 4:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Savings rate
Replies: 104
Views: 11757

Re: Savings rate

Just trying to work out if I save enough. Unfortunately, "enough" can be a very squishy, nebulous term. I don't know what "enough" is for me, but as I get older and closer to when I think I'd like to be done working, I'll figure it out. That I am in my 30s and have 5x my gross salary invested between taxable, rIRA, and 401k, I think I'm doing okay. What that is in terms of my spending rate, I'm not too sure -- at this point, I don't think that's too important. "Enough" where I live right now, in a HCOL area, is much different from "enough" where we are going to be moving to for the next decade or so. I don't have a job that keeps me in one location for decades, so my income and spending is a bit vari...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Apr 12, 2019 10:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do 40 year olds decide what they can afford?
Replies: 85
Views: 11773

Re: How do 40 year olds decide what they can afford?

As I get older I want less and less to buy or own things. Most of the toys I bought in the past I have either moved on from, or I regret. Every now and then I think I want a nice motorcycle or something, but then I realize after a while it would be just one more thing to maintain and insure. I think you are trying to put a $ on the the experience of having/riding a motorcycle. If that's something that you think you can do, then you probably don't actually want a motorcycle because it'll be more hassle than it's worth. I don't know if riding was cheaper, but it was enjoyable 99% of the time. I could get 60-70mpg, but it was also extra money to insure and gear to buy. I ended up never figuring out what the break even point was because I didn...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Apr 12, 2019 10:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do 40 year olds decide what they can afford?
Replies: 85
Views: 11773

Re: How do 40 year olds decide what they can afford?

If you're on the fence about something, wait a month. If you still want it after a month, get it then. Chances are most of the time you won't still want it. I couldn't agree with this more. I wanted a new lawn mower last fall. I decided to wait until spring to see if I still wanted it. I didn't. I'm happy with the old one and a new $12 blade. I think with Bogleheads, we often get more joy out of saving money than whatever joy a new toy or material item would bring. Just can't let it become obsessive. I call this my impulse buy: taking about 6 months to buy a new computer. Most purchases for things more than $20-$30 seem to take me a few months to buy. On the lawnmower, we were looking at a new one when our neighbor had a yardsale. We ended...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Apr 12, 2019 2:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Unique Hit and Run Situation
Replies: 40
Views: 5502

Re: Unique Hit and Run Situation

Any time someone damages your personal property intentionally or unintentionally they are liable and therefore should have stopped and notified you of the accident or left contact info. I'd file with your insurance under your comprehensive coverage and let them chase the driver if they so desire. This type of claim should have no effect on your rates. I believe this would be covered under collision, not comprehensive. In the past when someone hit my car while it was in a parking lot and I was not in it, the claimed was covered under comprehensive rather than collision. Where I live, this seems like a monthly occurrence where my car is hit in a parking lot. My deductible, even at $500, was too high for this to matter. I think I've since mov...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Apr 12, 2019 2:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Gardening 2019
Replies: 121
Views: 14963

Re: Gardening 2019

The "Florida Weave" technique is something I'll have to try (thank you). This was our first time growing 'maters and the metal trellises that we used held up, mostly. I have some twine and ratcheting strap holding the trellises up because the 'maters become too big/heavy and started to topple the metal trellises. I suspect being a little more diligent with a Florida weave will keep the stalks/branches from taking too much weight and breaking. I'm living presently in a tropical climate where you can start growing any time of year. I was surprised at how fast the tomatoes grew. They ended up crowding out and killing our kale very quickly. Perhaps we'll be more thoughtful of the size and growth of the plants and direction of the sun ...
by Cunobelinus
Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:08 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Computer security
Replies: 52
Views: 5145

Re: Computer security

Always lived in single family house with large lots and only slightly concerned about hacking. Maybe I was wrong. Now moving to big city in multiunit complex. Is it “safe” to do online banking and Vanguard investments via wifi secure network or better to hardwire directly from internet port into desktop or laptop? This assumes I have all the other safeguards (antivirus) on computer. Not mentally ready to do anything on iphone. What is safest option for secure online transactions? Thank you. 1. Keep your computer up to date with automatic updates/reboots. 2. Keep your router up to date with updates/reboots. 3. Use a strong password and encryption scheme for your wireless network (WPA2 + a long string of random characters, 20+ is reasonable)...
by Cunobelinus
Wed Mar 13, 2019 2:55 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Peanut Butter recommendations
Replies: 84
Views: 9542

Re: Peanut Butter recommendations

Try to look around and see what type of peanuts are in your peanut butters. Most of the big names all tend to use the same peanuts (I don't recall the specific name unfortunately) but some of the smaller, niche brands will use a different type of peanut and will have a correspondingly different flavor. To me, most of the peanut butters taste the same, but I try to just have peanuts in my peanut butter (no added salt, sugar, oil). I hope this conversations goes down the rabbit hole like the coffee threads. People talking about what temperature to keep your peanuts at, and how finely to grind them, how long before use you should grind your peanuts, and how freshly ground peanuts are soooo much better than that Big Name peanut butter brand.. :...
by Cunobelinus
Wed Mar 13, 2019 2:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Button Down Shirts / Travel Pants / Light Jacket? Other Tips from experienced Boglehead world travelers?
Replies: 179
Views: 19595

Re: Button Down Shirts / Travel Pants / Light Jacket? Other Tips from experienced Boglehead world travelers?

I saw that this was asked about on the first page or two, but I didn't see that anyone followed up: Recommended immunizations / health info: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/ -- Put in the country/countries you're to where you're looking to travel and it breaks down current health concerns and whether not any special immunizations are warranted. General well-being w/ traveling: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/resources-for-travelers I've had to sign up for this before, but I couldn't tell you that it has ever been super useful: https://step.state.gov/ Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans. -- it gives you alerts on...
by Cunobelinus
Wed Mar 13, 2019 1:55 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Men & Women: What do you pack for travel inside 1 carry-on luggage only??
Replies: 169
Views: 15789

Re: Men & Women: What do you pack for travel inside 1 carry-on luggage only??

I just got back from a month long business trip and did carry on only. - toiletries, of course. Liquids in the plastic bag, and a stick (not gel) deodorant inside the main compartment. Among the liquids I bring packets of detergent for hand-wash. - As somebody mentioned, shoes take up a lot of space. but I try to go to the gym while I'm travelling, so I need to bring the tennis shoes. - I pack two pairs of fast-dry long, dark travel pants. As long as nothing bad happens, that can last you at least a week. - 3-5 fast-dry long sleeve shirts. - Yep, I use fast drying travel underwear, again 3 or 4 pairs, sometimes more if there's extra room. - Quick dry gym shirt and shorts and socks - Socks, preferably quick dry. - Jammies: can't tell you ho...
by Cunobelinus
Wed Mar 13, 2019 1:51 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Men & Women: What do you pack for travel inside 1 carry-on luggage only??
Replies: 169
Views: 15789

Re: What do you pack for international vacation travel??

As little as possible. Take a look at https://www.onebag.com/ for suggestions -- although I wouldn't take that much. Keep in mind that both volume and weight matter -- use those to help choose alternatives. A single multi-use item may or may not be better than multiple single use items -- but it's easier to deal with the single item. Do not try to pack for all possible conditions -- you want to thrive during expected conditions, and survive (get to the stores) for the extremes. Another note: My wife and I have very different feelings about how much clothing is "necessary" and how often we're willinlg to do laundry -- don't assume your spouse agrees with you... I'd echo all of that. I don't mind bringing a lot less, then spending ...
by Cunobelinus
Tue Dec 18, 2018 5:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Marriage and separate accounts - how does it work?
Replies: 98
Views: 7643

Re: Marriage and separate accounts - how does it work?

Joint and individual accounts here for over 5 years: one checking and one savings account. No issues Our joint checking account is where all of the bills and generally "joint" or family money comes from. Almost any bill or expense comes from here, now that I'm thinking about it. We have two (joint) credit cards that autopay from this account. Again, most of our spending is on those joint credit cards. My paycheck gets deposited into my account my spouse's paycheck gets deposited in their account. We generally know what we're going to get payed every two weeks, so an autotransfer of ~50% of our net paycheck happens the day after payday. It's probably easier to state what doesn't get put on a joint credit card: gifts that I get for ...
by Cunobelinus
Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:02 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: New Navy Federal CU Certificate Offering
Replies: 7
Views: 2166

Re: New NFCU Certificate Offering

It should be noted that you can set an allotment in MyPay to put, say, $20 a month into NFCU and that counts as a Direct Deposit. It's not particularly challenging. Maybe 2-3 minutes of your time.

This applies to military folks, and anyone else who has MyPay (federal employees? I don't know).
by Cunobelinus
Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:19 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Saving for 2019 ROTH; keep in savings or brokerage
Replies: 4
Views: 977

Re: Saving for 2019 ROTH; keep in savings or brokerage

Trying to unpack your question(s). I think you're stating that you have 2019's Roth IRA's full contribution amount in an Ally CD. You're asking if you ought to sell your funds (VOO and SWPPX -- S&P 500 index funds) to further save for calendar year 2020's Roth IRA contributions? I think this is a standard question of "should I sell X?" If you sell shares of VOO or SWPPX (or any fund), you will incur short-term and long-term capital gains taxes. To avoid taxes on that and let the shares appreciate, you could also just divert a small amount of money from your paycheck(s) to put into an account to save for 2020, 2021, 2022. You could also look into a CD ladder for this purpose. The general rule of thumb is that if you plan on nee...
by Cunobelinus
Thu Nov 08, 2018 10:16 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: HIPAA Information available to out of town ER or not?
Replies: 19
Views: 1495

Re: HIPPA Information available to out of town ER or not?

Edit: my uninformed opinion is indeed uninformed. Should've stopped after writing the disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional.

My understanding of HIPAA leads me to think this is a CYA thing. I'd be interested in hearing from the myriad medical professionals here though.

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professio ... index.html
"The Security Rule defines “confidentiality” to mean that e-PHI is not available or disclosed to unauthorized persons. The Security Rule's confidentiality requirements support the Privacy Rule's prohibitions against improper uses and disclosures of PHI."

I would think a hospital with you as a patient would not be an "unauthorized person."
by Cunobelinus
Thu Nov 08, 2018 10:06 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TSP over contribution
Replies: 12
Views: 3362

Re: TSP over contribution

Edit: original thread looked to be for AD personnel and you look like a fed. Not sure if what I've written is germane: I've maxed out the TSP, early, for years with only one issue. The first time it happened, I had to restart my TSP contributions in January (took effect February). But my contributions were still stopped at the max. Every other time, they stop my contributions once I've reached the max and then restart it in January. Never had any additional paperwork or anything other than a note on my LES indicating I'd reached the max for that year. I've not heard of any AD folks ever having an issue with "over contribution" either. That could also be because people are hesitant to talk about money though. My local PSD/CSD offic...
by Cunobelinus
Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:04 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How real is cyber risk?
Replies: 176
Views: 16827

Re: How real is cyber risk?

I think Vanguard would be responsible for that. I said "if you are hacked" and I meant you not Vanguard. I don't think that is the most likely scenario. All the cases I know of involved hacks of individual investors or seemed to involve hacks of individual investors. Never heard of a hack of a brokerage firm's password file. For the types of hacks you're talking about, most of the advice in this thread is useless. If someone pwns your phone, it doesn't matter that you use two-factor authentication or strong passwords. They have access to your password because you type it on your phone and they have access to the SMS text codes which get sent to your phone. 2FA and strong passwords are designed to protect you against dictionary at...
by Cunobelinus
Thu Sep 20, 2018 5:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub
Replies: 13
Views: 4551

Re: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub

I effected an 80% fix, by my estimation. I couldn't satisfactorily remove all of the rust. I ended up loading up the faucet-side of the tub with waaaaaay more silicone caulk than I thought necessary, and it looks a lot better. I was hoping the volume of caulk would provide a reasonable barrier against further corrosion, and it was at least 50% effective based on the brown rusty spots visible now. This may be one of those things I commission a professional before if we rent/sell the house. Thanks to all -- appreciate the feedback =) And this corrosion stuff shouldn't scare you away. But the centipedes should: https://www.google.com/search?q=asian+red+centipede&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwik2fX0tcndAhUQYxoKH...
by Cunobelinus
Thu Sep 20, 2018 5:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dental work and hypertension issue
Replies: 42
Views: 5158

Re: Dental work and hypertension issue

Unfortunately, current day dentists trying to 'practice' medicine instead of practicing dentistry is a new phenomenon. I am not impressed when they don't even KNOW how to take an accurate blood pressure reading with a real mercury column sphygmomanometer and don't even know how to select the properly sized arm cuff for measurement. Fascinating you prefer the dark ages of healthcare. Trephination anyone? This is not practicing medicine. You can take your own blood pressure at home without a medical degree. There are very real risks to local anesthesia, including further elevation of blood pressure an heart rate which can push an at-risk person over the edge into having a heart attack or stroke. You are exactly the person who will complain a...
by Cunobelinus
Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:47 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Greatest Risk for Intrusion/Hacking Etc.
Replies: 8
Views: 1245

Re: Greatest Risk for Intrusion/Hacking Etc.

It looks like your heart is in the right place. "Risk" is difficult to try to convey. Backing up your information to an offline source is useful. Verifying it periodically is far more useful than just backing it up and hoping that it'll work when you need it to. This helps to mitigate the risk of being locked out of your computer on account of malware/ransomeware. Your idea of using a chromebook for your important accounts is useful. Ensuring your online accounts are secure with a robust 2-factor authentication (2FA) is far more useful. You're more likely to be exposed to a phishing attempt than to have someone break into your specific computer. An up-to-date chromebook is likely to keep malware at bay, but it likely won't save yo...
by Cunobelinus
Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:25 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Transunion Credit Lock or Freeze? Credit Report Hell!
Replies: 9
Views: 1629

Re: Transunion Credit Lock or Freeze? Credit Report Hell!

As others have stated, the downside to a lock is that it's subject to ever-changing terms and conditions from each organizations, while a freeze is a state-legislated item. A lock is a responsive product that the industry has created, rather than a freeze which is (nowadays) a proactive product. The only hassle I've had with having a credit freeze on my accounts is when I find out last-minute that I need to unfreeze it. The process, with a computer nearby, takes maybe 10 minutes to unfreeze all three. On a phone, it's a bit tougher I find.. maybe 15-20 minutes, all the while being stared down from my significant other who believes it's wholly unnecessary to have a freeze. I still recommend freeze(s). It was easy enough to setup, and it's ea...
by Cunobelinus
Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub
Replies: 13
Views: 4551

Re: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub

Sandtrap wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:26 pm Once the tub starts rusting like this, you can only scrape and clean and dry it to best effect. Rust treatments last a little longer but risk staining the tub.
Rust converters get a lot of good press in this situation, but the tolerances between the tub and the wall are fairly small. I don't know that I'll easily get an acid brush in there.

When you say scraping it clean, are you referring to using sandpaper, or something else?
by Cunobelinus
Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub
Replies: 13
Views: 4551

Re: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub

Yeah, Kailua here. I attempted a recaulk a while ago, but the before the caulk was dry, it was already turning rust-colored. I do wonder if I tried a latex caulk then. The one I got for this job is silicone though, for sure. We have central AC, which I thought may actually exacerbate the issue: the bottom of the tub is exposed directly to underside of the house and thus the high humidity and temperatures, while the inside of the tub is in an air conditioned environment. Is there any point to really trying to get a silicone-based caulk all the way back in there, so as to preclude the tub's metal edge from even being exposed to the elements? I could try accessing it from the bottom of the house. If it's not possible for air and humidity to re...
by Cunobelinus
Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub
Replies: 13
Views: 4551

Re: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub

Sure, Amazon would be easy; however, Amazon doesn't ship a lot of stuff to Hawaii. Something or other about shipping costs or that we haven't been a state long enough..

This is one of the many items that does not ship to Hawaii. Two-day shipping also can take up to two-weeks, if it's even offered.. hence my desire to find it in a local shop.
by Cunobelinus
Thu Jul 19, 2018 7:49 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub
Replies: 13
Views: 4551

Re: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub

I just looked into Ospho, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Neither Home Depot nor Lowes carries it. Maybe a marine equipment or boating store?

Thanks for the feedback. I'm leaning towards using a rust converter. I just have to see if I can put an enamel on top of that. I swear my googling skills were better in my younger years -- I just can't seem to find useful information anymore.
by Cunobelinus
Thu Jul 19, 2018 5:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub
Replies: 13
Views: 4551

Home maintenance question - rust beneath caulk in tub

Aloha, Our caulk in the shower tub started "rusting." I removed the caulk this morning and found that it's bare metal beneath the caulk, and on the seam on the showerhead/spout side, it's bare metal with a helpful coat of rust. I'm looking for a good way to move forward with this that does not involve replacing the bath tub. If at all possible, I'm looking to do this myself. I'm looking through home repair/maintenance websites and DIY websites too, but I'm continually impressed by the wealth of knowledge that the Bogleheads possess. So I figured I'd ask here. I think a good way forward is to dry the rusty area out, remove the rust (CLR?), try to put down some enamel with an enamel repair kit, then recaulk it. I don't know how I'm ...
by Cunobelinus
Tue Jul 17, 2018 12:07 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: For those of you who handle all the finances, how do you keep your spouse "in the know"
Replies: 107
Views: 17613

Re: For those of you who handle all the finances, how do you keep your spouse "in the know"

Every year or so I give her a State Of Our Investments talk. She mostly doesn't care, but tries to act interested . For a while. Then we watch Netflix. lol.. glad I'm not alone. Once or twice a year, she'll ask a question about finances. I pause to think about how to reply, then inhale, and it's at that moment that she usually gives me an exasperated sigh. I usually have about 2-3 minutes of her attention before she cuts me off with "I'm sorry I asked." In all reality, logins are stored in Apple Keychain and LastPass. I have a spreadsheet that I update once or twice a year with all of the account balances so that I can more-or-less keep track of how I'm doing. She'd just have to look at that spreadsheet to see what accounts are o...
by Cunobelinus
Mon Jul 16, 2018 11:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Travel to Mainland China - Cyber Security
Replies: 27
Views: 3418

Re: Travel to Mainland China - Cyber Security

This thread is ridiculous in multiple ways. What makes the OP so special? Is he the first boglehead Congressmen? Why does the OP think the Chinese government has a particular interest in his personal email account? Then, the responses are equally ridiculous. The Chinese government effectively controls the internet for a billion people. You think you can outsmart them? Because you did an internet search and read something about VPNs online? Pump the brakes. Just because he might not be the CEO of a MegaCorp doesn't mean that he doesn't want (potentially) state-run malware on any electronic device that he brings into the country. Don't bring any devices that you don't want compromised. Don't log into any websites with any credentials that yo...
by Cunobelinus
Sat Jun 02, 2018 2:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Have $2.5M at 30, career advice needed
Replies: 49
Views: 10214

Re: Have $2.5M at 30, career advice needed

Sometimes we wonder whether we can achieve FIRE in this area at all due to the high cost of property tax. I would consider reevaluating this statement. Property tax of $30k/year is not the thing that prevents you from retiring early.. while you're living in one of the most expensive areas in the US with plans for an additional $20k*2 (=$40k) / year expense for the next 18+ years. It all adds up. My advice is to reconsider what your goals are for you and your family and then chart a reasonable course. You can do the math and see at what year you will meet your minimum net worth to retire, but my gut says that's not any time soon (>15 years) when you're choosing to live in the Bay Area with an expensive house and projecting $40k/year for the...
by Cunobelinus
Tue May 22, 2018 8:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Babymoon - Hawaii Recommendations/Expected Costs
Replies: 27
Views: 3076

Re: Babymoon - Hawaii Recommendations/Expected Costs

Wife and I will be having our first baby in November. We are looking to do our "babymoon" in Hawaii and are looking for suggestions and estimated costs for it. It will be my wife's first time going to Hawaii and all she really is wanting to do is relax/enjoy the beach and maybe do a spa item. I have not much experience other than when my parents took me when I was younger, so I thought I'd poll the broader audience here to help out and what associated costs I should have for the budget. Probably going to go for 3-4 nights. What island, what hotels, what activities, etc. For a first time trip to Hawaii, I recommend the big island. It has the most variety in terms of landscapes and things to do and see. Congrats on the baby! My wif...