Search found 182 matches

by stilts1007
Mon Feb 05, 2024 8:44 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 10yr update, stayed the course.
Replies: 1
Views: 592

Re: 10yr update, stayed the course.

I 100% agree!

I also stumbled upon this site when we started to get serious about personal finance/investing stuff several years ago and got a lot of advice from other sources (some good, some OK, most bad). Got burned a couple times by sales people masquerading as financial advisers, and decided it would be better to just do it all myself.

It's great that there's a friendly and civil place to discuss various financial things without the usual internet snarkiness or judgmentalness.

Bogleheads definitely helped me make and stick to a plan, and I have pointed several friends & family members to the site for advice as well.

Cheers!
by stilts1007
Sun Nov 05, 2023 8:54 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: My $58 coffee bean burr grinder burned out. Need a new one. Suggestions??
Replies: 58
Views: 4600

Re: My $58 coffee bean burr grinder burned out. Need a new one. Suggestions??

Another vote for Capresso. We've had ours for about 10 years and use it daily with no issues. No clogging/sticking and easy to switch between drip grind and French press grind.
by stilts1007
Tue Jun 27, 2023 9:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: “Central Fill” pharmacy - thumbs up or thumbs down?
Replies: 17
Views: 1583

Re: “Central Fill” pharmacy - thumbs up or thumbs down?

Retail pharmacist here (not Walgreens so I can't speak to their policies specifically) - We are in the process of rolling out central fill stuff in our area currently. Right now it's just for expensive drugs (i.e., you choose to get brand-name Lipitor which costs hundreds of dollars/bottle vs the generic which is a few bucks). They have a wider rollout in other areas of the country. My understanding is that, if you need a refill right away, you can talk to someone at the store and they should be able to fill it locally. If it's a routine no-rush or an automatic-refill rx, it will get filled in central fill and sent to the store. The pros: - As an earlier poster mentioned, statistically the automation at the central fill site makes filling f...
by stilts1007
Tue Apr 04, 2023 10:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Catalytic converter anti theft device worth it?
Replies: 10
Views: 1220

Re: Catalytic converter anti theft device worth it?

The general vibe I got from reading about the anti-theft devices in the past was more or less "don't make it impossible to steal, just make it a little harder to steal than the car next to yours." Kinda like how in the African grasslands, you don't have to be the fastest gazelle, you just have to be the 2nd slowest, to not get eaten by the lion.
by stilts1007
Tue Apr 04, 2023 3:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Catalytic converter anti theft device worth it?
Replies: 10
Views: 1220

Re: Catalytic converter anti theft device worth it?

I remember reading a pretty thorough thread on the topic a few weeks ago, hopefully this will give you some good insight.

viewtopic.php?t=399693
by stilts1007
Sat Mar 18, 2023 10:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Good Modern Science Fiction
Replies: 766
Views: 151004

Re: Good Modern Science Fiction

Sandi_k wrote: Fri Feb 24, 2023 8:41 pm OK, a recent read that I don't remember seeing mentioned here:

- A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine. First in series of two books - both of which won the Hugo.

I really enjoyed them - great character development, innovative premise, action, bloodshed, space opera, cultural wars...what's not to like? ;)
I read the A Memory Called Empire shortly after it came out and I remember enjoying it but I didn't realize it was going to be a series. Looking forward to reading the 2nd book of the series! I'm not sure how much of the first book I remember...

Thanks for the mention!
by stilts1007
Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:51 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: i-Bonds vs CD/Savings
Replies: 12
Views: 2669

Re: i-Bonds vs CD/Savings

The choice depends on your timeline a bit too, I would think.

CDs are offering pretty nice rates right now even for 6 or 12 month terms, whereas i-bonds are typically looking at a longer timeline, no?
by stilts1007
Tue Jan 03, 2023 8:47 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Anyone feel like they missed out by not buying real estate?
Replies: 232
Views: 38158

Re: Anyone feel like they missed out by not buying real estate?

I hold a small percentage of my total allocation (less than 5%) in Vanguard's REIT fund (VGSLX) and in going through my year-end portfolio review in the last few days.

The only thing you've missed out on in that fund is about a 20% loss over the last 12 months.

Physical real estate is way too hands-on and risky for me, and I sometimes question why I have the REIT fund at all. But, it's a small enough %age of my total allocation that it doesn't keep me up at night.
by stilts1007
Thu Dec 22, 2022 7:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: High yield CD
Replies: 12
Views: 1775

Re: High yield CD

I have bought CDs a couple times as something to do with money I will for sure need in the near future & don't just want sitting in a checking account earning nothing. Currently have a 12-month CD for soon-to-be down payment money and am thinking about buying another shorter-term one. It isn't going to make or break our finances but is a little something extra which is nice.

I use Ally which usually seems to have near-the-top rates. Currently their 12-month CD is at 4.15%. Since I already have an account with them, it isn't worth it for me to make a new account with another bank for a tiny bit more. But, to each their own.
by stilts1007
Sun Jul 31, 2022 9:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Overall savings between Gas, Hybrid and EV vehicles
Replies: 848
Views: 52684

Re: Overall savings between Gas, Hybrid and EV vehicles

Agreed. When I purchased the car and noticed that 35mpg this past fall, (prior to the fuel change for the winter) I was surprised. So I checked a couple times over the next few fill ups and compared mileage manually to the dash display and they matched up. Pleasantly surprised. I bought a Camry Hybrid in 2014 and I've kept pretty close track of my MPG since I got it (or, more accurately, distance between fill-ups. I have been pleasantly surprised at how consistent it has stayed over the years and miles (I am up around 80k now). I still get pretty close to the 40mpg combined that I think was the official rating when I bought it. Current Camry Hybrid models are about 10mpg better than they were when I bought my car; obviously gas prices are ...
by stilts1007
Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:03 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Investing with a pension
Replies: 17
Views: 2277

Re: Investing with a pension

I'm in a similar situation as you; my wife has a government pension plan that pays out something like 85% of her final salary when she retires. We have always been in "save whatever we can afford to" mode when it comes to retirement plans but I have wondered at times if it was really necessary, as we could probably live on her salary in retirement. We are in our late 30s with 2 young kids and have a good amount saved in our retirement/investment accounts, where I'm confident we would be on track to have enough for retirement even without her pension. The thing is, I don't have a great pressing need to do something else with the money; we have been contributing out of our paychecks for so long that we don't miss the money that's go...
by stilts1007
Sat May 28, 2022 9:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare Mailed New Card, New Number
Replies: 17
Views: 3305

Re: Medicare Mailed New Card, New Number

runninginvestor wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 9:29 pm Edit: they started sending those out back in 2018. Time really flies. May or may not be the case for you.
Retail pharmacist here - it's amazing how often people still come in with their old SSN Medicare cards, and don't know they were sent new ones. I feel like Medicare must not have done a great job publicizing the switch. The old #s worked for a while but have long since stopped. Seems hard to believe that was way back in 2018.
by stilts1007
Thu May 19, 2022 9:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Covid test 8 per mo question - Insurance declined?
Replies: 14
Views: 2136

Re: Covid test 8 per mo question - Insurance declined?

Pharmacist for CVS here. I've found a not-insignificant percentage of insurance plans (maybe 20% or so?) don't cover the tests at the pharmacy through our pharmacy claims-processing system. My understanding is that those people can purchase them and submit to get reimbursed from their plan, but it's a hassle to be sure. There are also some plans (mostly government-funded ones) that require an actual rx from a physician in order to cover tests, as opposed to just being able to walk in and get them. It's certainly worth trying at another pharmacy if the first one you tried isn't working; the systems we all use aren't really set up to do all of this weird COVID-related billing (tests, vaccines, Paxlovid, etc) and it's just kind of jury-rigged ...
by stilts1007
Sun May 15, 2022 7:59 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What would you do with 50k right now?
Replies: 69
Views: 9261

Re: What would you do with 50k right now?

I feel like the fact that you're asking about those 3 options means part of you wants to do each of the 3. So why not split it 3 ways and do a little of each?
A little into stock mutual funds, maybe some i-bonds, a little towards the mortgage, and do something fun with what's left.
by stilts1007
Tue May 10, 2022 9:08 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Oh wow! Cool! This bird (SORA) comes to the marshes near my house every summer and I hear it all the time after dark and have still never seen it. I think it is a shy bird and I was listening to the call on the Cornell site recently. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sora/sounds CALLS The most commonly heard call is a descending whinny that lasts 2–3 seconds. The loud and boisterous whinny echoes across wetlands from spring through summer. Males and females whinny to defend their territory and to keep in touch with each other. They also give a 2-noted ker-wee or sor-ah where the second note rises in pitch, either singly or before giving a descending whinny. Yeah they are sneaky little guys. I heard a couple in a marshy area at the forest...
by stilts1007
Mon May 09, 2022 9:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

This year I decided I would make a point to try and take pictures of as many species as I could while out hiking. I don't have a nice camera so it's strictly a smartphone-through-binoculars endeavor. As of today I'm up to 120 species photgraphed (out of 214 observed total on my life list). Obviously I'm not getting top-notch pictures with my setup, but it's been a fun challenge, and it's given me a newfound respect for photographers out there taking such great shots. I was excited to finally get a picture of a Sora today; I stalked this guy for 20 minutes waiting for it to come out of the reeds. https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/279330644_10109898113029089_6055154139493759270_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=dbeb18...
by stilts1007
Sat Apr 16, 2022 2:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Trudging along in the dense red soil, I soon became aware of two predator birds (I can't identify them, should have taken a picture) circling overhead with that "we have all the time in the world" intimation. I kept walking, they kept circling, moving with me. They never descended, nor posed any threat nor cawed either at me or to each other. Silently they circled. But after a while, the stalking, though purely a formality, made me nervous, and I retraced my steps and headed back. They followed me back. But as I left the hunting ground and attained my own property, they benignly winged off in search of some more promising victim. "No hard feelings; look, this is what we do" was the impression they gave. I don't know whe...
by stilts1007
Fri Mar 18, 2022 9:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

brandy wrote: Fri Mar 18, 2022 1:13 pm I'm new to both birdwatching and Central Indiana. My SinL just put feed into the bird feeder. Cardinals and Bluejays, Robins, what I think are house wrens, and others, have come by. Canadian Geese, Crows, a hawk and occasionally an Eagle shows up. The humming bird feeder hasn't been put out yet.
Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife area in NW Indiana is home to a pretty amazing Sandhill Crane migration stopover site in the Fall. 10,000+ cranes at a time descend on the area on their way south for the Winter. Definitely worth checking out if you are into birdwatching, I went a couple years ago and it was a pretty one-of-a-kind experience.

https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlif ... ll-cranes/
by stilts1007
Wed Mar 16, 2022 8:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

JAZZISCOOL wrote: Tue Mar 15, 2022 5:54 pm Cool! I think it's amazing how birds know how to migrate. Someone said that hummers send "scouts" out ahead to look for food before they migrate.
I just read a really interesting book about bird migration by Scott Weidensaul called "World on the Wing." Lots of cool info on what we know (and all the stuff we don't know) about migration.

https://wwnorton.com/books/978039360890 ... ct-details
by stilts1007
Tue Mar 08, 2022 8:30 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Never saw myself buying gold ...
Replies: 302
Views: 35196

Re: Never saw myself buying gold ...

I own a couple 1oz gold coins (more for fun than anything else) and I'm glad they have gone up in value since I purchased them but my concern would be, if the world order as we know it really hits the fan and stocks/bonds/money as we think of it now becomes worthless, what am I going to do with my 1oz gold coins? Is someone out there going to want to take them and give me fair market value for them, or even anything close to fair market value?

Or am I going to end up trading them for a crappy shotgun and a couple bottles of whiskey?
by stilts1007
Fri Mar 04, 2022 10:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Support for displaced Ukrainians
Replies: 33
Views: 4790

Re: Support for displaced Ukrainians

I was doing a bit of digging along the same lines; it looks like there is an option to donate to Ukraine Red Cross in USD here. https://donate.redcrossredcrescent.org/ua/donate/~my-donation?_cv=1 (I found the link from a Polish video game studio, of all places. 11-bit Gaming made a game called This War of Mine where you play as a group of civilians in a war-torn city, trying to survive and make it to safety as opposed to shooting your way to victory like most war games. They donated profits from their game sales this past week to Ukraine Red Cross). Doctors Without Borders/MSF is another aid organization most people have probably heard of that is on the ground in Ukraine helping with war victims as well as in neighboring countries assisting...
by stilts1007
Sun Feb 27, 2022 4:57 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Chase as a One Stop Shop
Replies: 61
Views: 11778

Re: Chase as a One Stop Shop

My wife & I have Chase for our checking & savings accounts and have a credit card with them. We also had a mortgage with Chase until we paid it off a few months ago (yay!) My experience overall has been mostly positive; there's a branch a block from my house which is a big part of the reason we haven't looked elsewhere. We have enough money with them that we get a free (3x5) safe deposit box at the branch, which is a nice perk. No fees for basic banking stuff, and haven't gotten any sales pitch-type stuff from them in years. Occasional emails/letters inviting me to invest or take out a HELOC, etc., but nothing major. Local bank staff is super friendly & we loved the guy we did our refinance with. My wife got talked into some hig...
by stilts1007
Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much for Tooth Fairy?
Replies: 111
Views: 8426

Re: How much for Tooth Fairy?

I like the idea of the $2 bills as it's a special thing and we have a BUNCH of them saved up from over the years, but alas, we didn't think of it for the first child's first tooth so it's too late to change it now I suppose.

Our kids get $1 and 2 chocolate coins, which they seem to get more excited about than the real money.
by stilts1007
Thu Oct 07, 2021 8:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any Dota players on this board?
Replies: 13
Views: 1865

Re: Any Dota players on this board?

Searched "DoTA" on a whim as today was the first day of TI 10 and was pleasantly surprised to see anything pop up.

I manage to play a couple games a week, in between work, kids, and whatever else is going on. I play almost exclusively unranked and support, as anything beyond that requires more of a time commitment than I am able to make right now. I probably watch more than I play these days. But it is just as much fun now, 7 years and 2500ish hours in, as it was the first time I played.

In 20 years or so when I'm retired in my late 50s (hopefully), that's when my pro gaming career can finally start to take off! Hopefully DoTA 2 or something like it will still be around.
by stilts1007
Fri Sep 10, 2021 2:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Took some decent pictures today with my smartphone-monocular setup at a nearby forest preserve (Chicago area). Still learning to ID Fall warblers. Palm Warbler https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/241814265_10109428291485229_4492099989329426658_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=V1vH-XvGMzYAX8ZeZPX&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-1.xx&oh=c8cb16c220732527aeb0f6f262a3e911&oe=6140757C Yellow-throated Vireo https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/241728587_10109428284459309_3252388130111161664_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=3sLpzeup1XAAX_lWydG&tn=UfBeapg3sE95865F&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-1.xx&oh=9eed3476f82ddfc2bddc0be94ab3ffba&oe=61411A20 Blackpoll Wa...
by stilts1007
Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: new computer? Apple desktop?
Replies: 85
Views: 8711

Re: new computer? Apple desktop?

Fclevz wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:12 pm
stilts1007 wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 9:14 pm Even files you throw on the desktop on the new Macs go to your cloud storage! And I did a lot of digging and could not find a way to change it in the preferences to have it just save to the hard drive.
Uncheck Desktop and Documents Folders under iCloud settings: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206985
Thanks!
by stilts1007
Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Slim/minimalist wallet suggestion
Replies: 139
Views: 18117

Re: Slim/minimalist wallet suggestion

djheini wrote: Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:21 pm I've been using this wallet from Saddleback Leather since 2010 and have been nothing but happy with it

https://saddlebackleather.com/leather-wallet-mens-front
Another vote for Saddleback. Small, slim, room for what I need, and very stylish. I've had mine for 10 or 12 years and it seems like it could easily last another few decades.
by stilts1007
Fri Aug 27, 2021 9:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: new computer? Apple desktop?
Replies: 85
Views: 8711

Re: new computer? Apple desktop?

We just got a new 27-inch iMac to replace our 8- or 9-year old one that finally died. We sprung for the extra big hard drive (2TB) because I hate that Apple (and other services) seem to be pushing everything toward cloud storage and then charging you a monthly fee for it. My wife takes lots of pictures which she likes to keep organized on here, and I do some gaming, so it's nice to not have to worry about the space. Even files you throw on the desktop on the new Macs go to your cloud storage! And I did a lot of digging and could not find a way to change it in the preferences to have it just save to the hard drive. I have the 8GB ram and have never noticed any issues while gaming, or having lots of programs open at once, or anything like tha...
by stilts1007
Fri Aug 27, 2021 3:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: The Vermouth Thread
Replies: 54
Views: 6377

Re: The Vermouth Thread

UpperNwGuy wrote: Thu Aug 26, 2021 4:38 am Is this Fernet beer made in the US or imported from Italy?
It's made by Forbidden Root in Chicago. I'm not sure how often they produce it; it's definitely not one of their year-round flagship beers. They used to do a lot more "botanical" beers, aka beers with non-traditional-beer ingredients. They've moved toward hazy IPAs in the last couple years but still make some one-off batches with weird stuff. Their strawberry basil hefeweizen is another unusual/interesting one.
by stilts1007
Wed Aug 25, 2021 6:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: The Vermouth Thread
Replies: 54
Views: 6377

Re: The Vermouth Thread

davedci1 wrote: Wed Aug 25, 2021 2:38 am My two suggestions for vermouth/amaros would be Amaro Averna and Fernet Branca Menta.
I'm surprised this is the first time I've seen Fernet mentioned (though technically it's not a vermouth, I guess?) The mint version sounds...strange. I would be interested in trying a pour of it. Not sure I want to commit to a whole bottle.

One of the more unusual beers I've ever had is Fernetic from Forbidden Root. A collaboration with the Fernet folks, it's a black ale brewed with all the herbs, roots, spices, and whatnot that make Fernet taste like Fernet. I love it, about 3/4 of the people I've ever shared it with hate it. A fun beer to try for sure.

Cheers! :sharebeer
by stilts1007
Tue Aug 24, 2021 5:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: The Vermouth Thread
Replies: 54
Views: 6377

Re: The Vermouth Thread

One of my most memorable and unexpected drinking experiences (and I have had many; our trips often revolve around what good breweries are in the area...) involved vermouth. My wife and I and a friend were wandering the streets of Barcelona (after several beers) when we came across an unassuming storefront with a couple barrels outside and a sign that just said "Vermut." Curious, we wandered in and found ourselves in a tiny little vermouth bar with no seats, just a few barrels as tables to stand around. It was one of those moments like in a Western film, where the music stops and all the regulars look up at the strangers that just walked into the bar. The only drink they had was (sweet, red, house-made) vermouth, although they had ...
by stilts1007
Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

Anyone try the Merline Bird ID app from Cornell. This columnist in the NY Times says that it has a high degree of accuracy. Last month, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology released an updated version of its Merlin Bird ID app, which allows users to identify birds by song. There are other voice-recognition apps for birds, but they are accurate barely 50 percent of the time. Though Merlin doesn’t claim to be 100 percent accurate, it comes very close. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/26/opinion/cornell-birdsong-id-app.html Although she reports that it only covers N. America, in fact, when you download the app you see that there are bird packages for many countries. Not including Thailand yet, but probably in the future. I have used Merlin for years...
by stilts1007
Tue Jul 06, 2021 2:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Off beaten path Europe with kids
Replies: 49
Views: 4952

Re: Off beaten path Europe with kids

Do you guys speak any foreign languages fluently? This might affect suggestions.

Some countries have a lot higher percentage of English-speaking people than others, and bigger cities are obviously a lot more likely to have English speakers than smaller towns.
by stilts1007
Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

I saw my first Yellow-Breasted Chat last week at one of the forest preserves here in NE Illinois. Really cool-looking bird that makes some crazy noises. I heard it at first and had no idea what to make of the sounds I was hearing. From allaboutbirds.com: "Males have a large repertoire of songs made up of whistles, cackles, mews, catcalls, caw notes, chuckles, rattles, squawks, gurgles, and pops, which they repeat and string together with great variety." https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-breasted_Chat/id I took Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Warbler Identification course online this spring prior to warblers coming through the area and it was amazing how much easier I was able to ID them from audio and visual clues this migra...
by stilts1007
Thu Mar 11, 2021 7:50 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Non-fungible tokens (NFTs): anyone investing in those?
Replies: 272
Views: 32657

Re: Non-fungible tokens (NFTs): anyone investing in those?

I didn't see this linked yet (apologies if I missed it) but this is a short article/podcast about the NBA Top Shot NFT market from a couple days ago that I found helpful/interesting:

https://www.npr.org/2021/03/09/97545017 ... 0k-nba-nft
by stilts1007
Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:50 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Restricted Stock Units Tax Reporting Question
Replies: 5
Views: 450

Re: Restricted Stock Units Tax Reporting Question

sailaway wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:02 am Do your etrade documents include a supplemental form? If so, the adjusted cost basis (the corrected number to put into turbo tax) should be on there.

Turbotax has made these adjustments easier than ever this year.
It did include a supplemental form! Glad to see TurboTax is set up to handle these things. I have been only buying rather than selling stocks the last several years so I don't have any experience doing sales stuff in TT yet...

Thanks for your response!
by stilts1007
Tue Feb 16, 2021 9:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Restricted Stock Units Tax Reporting Question
Replies: 5
Views: 450

Restricted Stock Units Tax Reporting Question

I was (somewhat unexpectedly) awarded a small stock grant from my employer this year, and they gave very little info on tax reporting requirements. From what I can tell, I was "awarded" 12 shares, but was only "issued" 7; I assume this was to cover taxes associated with the grant? From what I have read, this is a pretty standard way of dealing with the taxes associated with stock grants. This would be considered normal income that is included on my W-2, correct? I sold the shares a couple days later at a loss of a few dollars, so I shouldn't have to report any capital gains. The 1099-B from E-Trade is just confusing me, as it makes it look like I have to pay taxes on the proceeds. I'm hoping I can just ignore the E-Trade...
by stilts1007
Thu Feb 11, 2021 12:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Walgreens has insurance info I didn't give them
Replies: 17
Views: 2852

Re: Walgreens has insurance info I didn't give them

CVS pharmacist here. Our computer system is able to do an "Eligibility Check" with a patient name, DOB, and ZIP code (or Medicare ID # for 65+) that will find coverage with most major insurance companies. There are some insurance companies that don't seem to be in the database, and sometimes we don't find your coverage if we have an old address, name spelled wrong, etc. or it spits out old info for coverage that is expired or inaccurate. But I would say that maybe 75% of the time, if we add a new patient who has insurance, it will pull up with the Eligibility Check. Always good to bring your most current insurance card with, just in case. We bill in real-time at the pharmacy, which means we know as soon as we type up your Rx if it...
by stilts1007
Tue Sep 22, 2020 9:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is your favorite reasonably priced bourbon?
Replies: 362
Views: 54246

Re: What is your favorite reasonably priced bourbon?

Weller bourbon is tasty but not worth the price & the difficulty in finding IMO.

One bottle I will always have in my liquor cabinet (also made by Buffalo Trace) is E.H. Taylor Small Batch. It's tasty to drink on its own neat or with a little ice, but it's not TOO expensive or hard to find so I don't feel too bad using it in a cocktail in a pinch (or when friends come over and want to drink in quantity).

It's around $40 a bottle which may seem expensive compared to some of the stuff people have listed on here, but that's around the sweet spot for me. I have a couple special-occasion bottles that cost way more, but for me, it's mostly diminishing returns around $40 or $50 a bottle.
by stilts1007
Sun Sep 06, 2020 7:10 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Edelman "Telling" Investors to Sell
Replies: 49
Views: 6636

Re: Edelman "Telling" Investors to Sell

JoeRetire wrote: Sun Sep 06, 2020 10:05 am Your recollection is a bit hazy. Edelman has never advocated a three-fund portfolio.
I read one of Ric Edelman's earlier books and, aside from bashing mutual funds in favor of ETFs, I thought it was a pretty good overview of the buy-and-hold index fund portfolio. The book I had (it was either The Lies About Money or The Truth About Money) had portfolio suggestions based on a number of factors, and all of the portfolios included large, medium, and small cap funds, as well as bonds and REIT.

So, not a 3-fund portfolio, but a lot less complicated and more index-y than a lot of advisors' books would suggest.
by stilts1007
Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Spiked Seltzers?
Replies: 46
Views: 4107

Re: Spiked Seltzers?

Chicago Tribune did a review of all the seltzers they could get their hands on in Chicago last summer (although several have come out since then).

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/d ... story.html

As an avid meadmaker (and mead drinker!), I find the most refreshing fruity summer adult beverage to be mixing a nice tart fruit mead with some sparkling water, about 1 part mead to 2 or 3 parts water.
by stilts1007
Mon May 25, 2020 8:59 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "The stocks are up but the economy's down"--good "Indicator" podcast episode
Replies: 20
Views: 3470

Re: "The stocks are up but the economy's down"--good "Indicator" podcast episode

"The Indicator" and its parent podcast "Planet Money" are both great listens. Lots of interesting and unusual topics related to economics, as well as some in-depth but easy-to-understand coverage of what's been going on the last few months.
by stilts1007
Sat May 16, 2020 8:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

iceport wrote: Sat May 16, 2020 2:01 pm Of much greater interest was what looked like might be a great blue heron, but it was darker grey than others I've seen. I only caught a couple of fleeting glimpses through the trees. Huge bird... definitely as big as a great blue heron, with a long curved neck. Is there anything similar?
Could it have been a tricolored heron? Those are smaller than GBHs but have a similar body shape, and tend to be darker blue-gray with a white neck stripe and belly. They only live in FL and the Gulf coast area.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tricolored_Heron
by stilts1007
Fri May 08, 2020 2:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Shipping Wine in Warm Weather
Replies: 23
Views: 1724

Re: Shipping Wine in Warm Weather

Can't speak as much to wine but with beer, trucks are not refrigerated, and distributor warehouses are mostly not refrigerated. I would guess wine would be similar. Traveling for a matter of a few hours from winery to distributor, or from distributor to retailer, would likely not be hugely detrimental. I would be more concerned about people who purchase wine that is shipped to them via fedex or other package carriers, especially over a weekend, where a package might sit in a hot truck for days at a time. I know some meaderies will not ship if the temperature is above a certain level, or will only offer expedited shipping. Same goes with very cold weather, where bottles freezing could be an issue if they are left in cold weather for a long t...
by stilts1007
Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?
Replies: 2857
Views: 230315

Re: Bird watchers – what birds are you seeing?

I got into birdwatching about a year ago with my 2 very curious kids (3 and 5). It's been a great hobby to get into, both for them and for me. We live in a condo but have a lot of great forest preserves & natural areas nearby (Cook County, IL). Definitely a good excuse to get out and explore, especially with all the extra free time we've had lately. I'm not a photographer but I do have a pair of binoculars with a smartphone attachment that I've been able to take some pretty nice pictures with. I TRY and not let the bird watching/picture-taking get in the way of spending time with my kids. A couple recommendations for free smartphone apps, especially for those who are new to birdwatching. Merlin has extensive info on likely birds in your...
by stilts1007
Thu Feb 20, 2020 10:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Having a baby in April 2020 - Whats your best financial advice for a new parent
Replies: 102
Views: 11355

Re: Having a baby in April 2020 - Whats your best financial advice for a new parent

I went down to part-time at work about a year ago; it was a tough decision to make and my hours/salary are much more uncertain now, but being able to spend more time with my kids (5 and 3) has been absolutely worth it. I've yet to meet someone who said "I wish I spent more time at work making money instead of being at home with my kids" when discussion our situation. Yeah, the retirement account has taken a hit, but my wife works full-time at a job she likes with good pay & benefits, and for me, the worst day at home with the kids is better than the best day at work. The small-ish cuts and lifestyle changes we've had to make are definitely worth the decreased stress/craziness, and the increased time we get to spend as a family...
by stilts1007
Mon Feb 03, 2020 3:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What video games are you currently playing?
Replies: 529
Views: 88361

Re: What video games are you currently playing?

Anyone playing The Witness? It's really fascinating. I'm about 90% of the way through and am reaching the point where I can't get any traction on the last few puzzles. Really lovely game though. Wife and I played through the Witness a few years ago. We loved it! It helps very much having two people to bounce ideas back and forth. Really had a good time with this one and would highly recommend it for fans of Myst or logic puzzles. I loved the Witness. Played it a few years ago when it first game out, and now I'm replaying it with my daughter (who is a little out of her depth with most of the puzzles but "helps out" and loves to explore the world.) Another similar mind-bending first-person puzzle game that I enjoyed playing is call...
by stilts1007
Tue Dec 10, 2019 1:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: COBRA logistics
Replies: 17
Views: 1495

Re: COBRA logistics

As a pharmacist (for CVS, incidentally), I can tell you that everyone's COBRA seems to get handled differently by their employer, and often poorly/confusingly, especially when it comes to Rx coverage. People are often told "nothing will change" when, in fact, things do change. Some plans continue the same coverage more or less uninterrupted. Some people stay with the same pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) but get a new ID card with new processing information. Some people, it seems, have to pay out of pocket for their meds and get reimbursed from the COBRA people later. Unless you've been sent an Rx ID card processing information from the COBRA people, don't assume your old coverage will work. If you need the meds right away and can ...
by stilts1007
Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:51 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Transitioning my Account ~ Not Mandatory
Replies: 61
Views: 6665

Re: Transitioning my Account ~ Not Mandatory

My wife also got the same angry email shown above about Vanguard "retiring their old platform." We each have a Roth with Vanguard and we have a joint taxable account; hers was the only 1 of the 3 that even gave me the option to "transition" which I found odd. Wouldn't ours all have to be switched to a brokerage account? I'd just as soon do them all at once.
Following...
by stilts1007
Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: PC Games
Replies: 32
Views: 3568

Re: PC Games

I bought Civ 6 a few months ago when it was on sale on Steam & have been enjoying it. There are a bunch of fun & shorter scenarios to play when you don't feel like committing to a brand new from-scratch Civ game. As far as turn-based strategy games, there are a lot of good RPGs out there that scratch the same itch for me as games like Civ. Divinity: Original Sin is the one I played the last few years that comes to mind immediately; there is a 2nd game in the series that I have yet to play (they're still working on a Mac-friendly version). I have recently played a few really enjoyable games that I guess would be classified as "interactive narrative adventures?" Kind of reliving a first-person story, almost like a choose-you...