Search found 1174 matches

by takeshi
Fri Jul 27, 2018 12:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home Theater vs. Soundbar
Replies: 67
Views: 9314

Re: Home Theater vs. Soundbar

For those of you that have wrestled with the same decision, I'd like to hear your thoughts. Haven't really had to decide like this. For our home theater room a soundbar was a nonstarter given that the best audio quality was a must. However, for the bedroom where space was at a premium and the other half wouldn't go for 5 speakers & a subwoofer a soundbar was the obvious solution. It's a high end soundbar and performs very well but is still nowhere near what the home theater setup (which is just 5.1) is capable of. ...and I really wouldn't consider myself an audiophile. A true audiophile isn't going to settle for a soundbar. In your case it sounds like you really just have to determine if convenience or quality is the bigger priority. Y...
by takeshi
Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Explanation of free credit scores
Replies: 16
Views: 2722

Re: Explanation of free credit scores

Seems odd to me but maybe I'm missing something. Can someone shed some light on this? What are you expecting? If you don't understand the tools your expectations may be off. What amount of fluctuation are you seeing? Scores will vary to a degree with normal activity. You might want to consider the relevance of the scores you're getting to the creditors that you use and intend to apply with. Chances are your creditors aren't using the VantageScores you're referencing for credit decisions. If that's the case, I wouldn't advise worrying over the behavior of irrelevant scores. Where do you recommend to get a free FICO score? Discover's ScoreCard site will provide an Experian FICO 8 to anyone that signs up. Not sure of other free options. Most ...
by takeshi
Wed May 30, 2018 7:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Enterprise vs Avis
Replies: 43
Views: 8136

Re: Enterprise vs Avis

On that note, which car rental company do you prefer? Silvercar though their locations are limited. Used to use Hertz at other locations but giving National a shot. Enterprise is at the bottom of my list. Unfortunately, they seem to be what insurance companies prefer. How does Avis stay in business or am I missing something? AWD codes? A number of the companies have something similar. With Hertz it's CDP codes. With National it's Contract ID's. Not sure about Avis but with Hertz I have several CDP's and with National I have a couple of Contract ID's to compare when looking at renting from one of them. There have been times that Avis has had better rates for me so your sample size may be too small for the conclusion you're attempting to make.
by takeshi
Tue May 22, 2018 1:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Multiples credit pulls on a mortgage app
Replies: 15
Views: 1756

Re: Multiples credit pulls on a mortgage app

Even for the non-obvious impact, I'd say it falls under the same sort of consideration that Pajamas stated neared the beginning of this thread. Does the OP foresee doing anything that will require credit assessment in the 2 years that this hard pull will remain on the credit report? How safe does the OP want to play it? In my case, I'd probably inquire about removal but not spend much time on it. A single pull doesn't have much impact in my experience and if it is the straw that breaks the camel's back then it's really more of a symptom than a cause -- i.e. there are other, bigger credit issues at play than the single pull itself.
by takeshi
Tue May 22, 2018 12:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone Using Food Sealing Vacuums (eg FoodSaver)?
Replies: 41
Views: 4372

Re: Anyone Using Food Sealing Vacuums (eg FoodSaver)?

We only use really use ours for sous vide cooking and storing roasted coffee beans in mason jars in the freezer. The coffee beans are purchased in 5lb bags and would otherwise quickly stale. About once a year we get a brisket from my parents and we break it up, vacuum seal it and freeze what we don't immediately use. That said, even with sous vide not everything gets vacuum sealed. Some things just do better with water displacement. it's by far the best way to cook steak and fish It's great for much, much more than just steaks and fish. I usually brine chicken when roasting it in the oven but there's no need when cooking it sous vide. It's great for thick pork chops, thick burger patties, slow cooking ribs, and much much more. Anything thic...
by takeshi
Tue May 22, 2018 12:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Door Dash: Has anyone used?
Replies: 14
Views: 3573

Re: Door Dash: Has anyone used?

AtlasShrugged? wrote: Sun May 20, 2018 1:05 pmIs it worth using? Was the time estimate they provided correct? Or is this more of a novelty? You do it once, and then feel guilty you blew the money.
Worth, novelty and all that is subjective. I've used a number of different delivery services at times when we don't feel like leaving the house but there's nothing to eat at home. Door Dash doesn't really stand out significantly better or worse from the rest of the pack based on what I can recall off the top of my head. It's not my go-to option but try it for yourself and see -- especially if you have a discount code.
by takeshi
Tue May 22, 2018 12:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Air conditioner recommendations?
Replies: 17
Views: 2487

Re: Air conditioner recommendations?

You should really get quotes from several companies since prices can vary greatly. +1 Asking for recommendations online is the wrong way to go about this. It's not just a matter of the system or specific components but all the specifics details of the home evaluated by someone knowledgeable and experienced with HVAC. You don't want just random internet commenters. I'm in Houston as well and would suggest Richmond's Air as an option. They just replaced our system and were very helpful in providing information, ensuring correct sizing, addressing existing issues such as a problem with one of our returns, and providing different options without pushing for one over another. because of the space limitations I think we have to go with same bran...
by takeshi
Sun May 20, 2018 12:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dash camera
Replies: 21
Views: 4257

Re: Dash camera

Any recommendations on dash cams you have used? Mobius Action Cameras have worked well for us. However, I'd highly recommend using resources such as Dashcam Talk for up to date information on current offerings as we selected these camera several years ago. I'd probably be looking at a 2 channel setup these days with something from either Thinkware or BlackVue despite the fact that they cost much more. If you want recommendations, it would help to have some more specifics on what exactly you're looking for from your dashcam and what sort of budget you have in mind. I'd suggest staying away from cameras that have GPS in them. In the event of an accident, you don't want the police/other insurance company to know you were going 7 MPH over the ...
by takeshi
Sun May 20, 2018 12:07 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Moving to Texas - [Request for clothes, car window tint] recommendations
Replies: 42
Views: 4613

Re: Moving to Texas - [Request for clothes, car window tint] recommendations

The second item is regarding window tint for the car (2018 Honda Accord). I want to get some recommendations on the best places to get this done, what materials to use, and how much to expect for cost - and if it's even worth it. Tint with high heat rejection (not the same thing as dark) is definitely worth it. We have Spectra Photosync in one of our vehicles but there are many options out there. Pricing's going to depend on the film, shop and how much glass needs to be tinted. You really just need to call around for quotes. Search around and read reviews for shops. Fridays there are pretty chill on the wardrobe front, but a typical office clothing environment otherwise. What, exactly, is their dress code? Business casual? If so, you don't...
by takeshi
Thu May 17, 2018 1:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What exactly causes a spring mattress to wear out?
Replies: 27
Views: 4957

Re: What exactly causes a spring mattress to wear out?

PrettyCoolWorkshop wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 12:04 pm Exactly what causes a spring mattress to wear out?

In my engineering opinion, the springs would not be a wear component of the mattress. As long as a steel spring is not stressed to fatigue or yield, and it does not rust, it has an infinite lifetime.
No idea on your question but Vispring mattresses have lifetime warranties. However, they do come with very high price tags.
by takeshi
Tue May 15, 2018 10:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit card with no credit history
Replies: 15
Views: 1742

Re: Credit card with no credit history

Credit unions can also be a good place to look if the person qualifies for membership at one with more lax approval criteria. I'd also suggest Discover for someone with a thin/new but clean (no late payments, chargeoffs, etc) credit profiles. Be aware that many secured cards still require credit approval though the approval criteria may be easier than an equivalent unsecured card. American Express is also very loose with their standards for approving someone, so you also may want to start there. Their charge cards generally have easier approval criteria. However, not all of their credit cards do. Therefore, I’ll look into checking credit score Be aware that there are different scoring models. Currently the most used model for credit cards i...
by takeshi
Tue May 15, 2018 10:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Must See in South Dakota
Replies: 59
Views: 7752

Re: Must See in South Dakota

It has been years since we went but I remember really liking the Delmonico Grill in Rapid City. We liked it enough to dine twice while spending about a week in the area.

It is a bit out of the way but we also really liked the Wild Horse Sanctuary though we took a smaller, private tour versus the bus.
by takeshi
Tue May 15, 2018 10:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Rental Car : Paying Toll tax in Texas for a CA resident
Replies: 15
Views: 2329

Re: Rental Car : Paying Toll tax in Texas for a CA resident

Definitely check with your rental company though, as stated above, most will bill you much later after the toll charge is processed and will tack on a hefty fee. That's one reason I prefer using Silvercar wherever they are available. They only bill for actual toll charges.
by takeshi
Tue May 15, 2018 9:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Lexus RX 350, Audi Q5, or Volvo XC 60 (update)
Replies: 121
Views: 19889

Re: Lexus RX 350, Audi Q5, or Volvo XC 60

ugaDAWGS09 wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 6:10 pm I was hoping the RX would get closer to 24-25 mpg.
That's about what I get with our 2015 450h. However, I have a lead foot. The better half tends to get better fuel economy.
by takeshi
Mon May 07, 2018 11:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit card payment allocation?
Replies: 7
Views: 1469

Re: Credit card payment allocation?

Definitely do not use a card carrying a balance transfer at a 0% promo rate for purchases unless you also have 0% on purchases. You lose your grace period when you are carrying a balance so purchases immediately begin to accrue interest. In other words, you can't avoid paying interest on new purchases. EDIT: Barclaycard, and possibly some other creditors, do offer an option where you can make a payment and avoid paying interest on purchases subject to interest while carrying a balance on a promotional offer. I'm not sure of the specifics but they will tell you the amount you need to pay on your statement. I guess I'm not following. Are you asking how much you'd pay under the 0% interest program to avoid any interest? If so, is the balance t...
by takeshi
Mon May 07, 2018 10:29 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit Score Question
Replies: 25
Views: 3010

Re: Credit Score Question

Today I was shocked to discover that my credit score dropped from 820 last month to 780 this month. If it's a FICO 8 then you're still well above the point where best terms are generally offered. That said, like someone posted above, ~20 points or less is the threshold I'd normally suggest as treating as noise while ~40 points is probably worth looking into. Make sure you're aware of both the scoring model and the CRA used as a data source for any score you're referring to. Your source should state this info. If not, you can inquire to find out the specifics. Also be aware that you don't have just one credit score. There are many models used by creditors for credit decisions and for most models you have a score with each of the 3 major CRA...
by takeshi
Mon May 07, 2018 10:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best cash-back credit card right now?
Replies: 204
Views: 47574

Re: Best cash-back credit card right now?

TheBogleWay wrote: Sun May 06, 2018 2:38 am So, for cash-back cards, and a person who has an annual CC spending of about $15,000, what gets you the most cash back?
What are your major spend categories for this $15K? If most of it is noncategory then definitely get a 2% card.
by takeshi
Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:49 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Charles Schwab international ATM (worth the hard credit pull)
Replies: 25
Views: 4645

Re: Charles Schwab international ATM (worth the hard credit pull)

Is the damage done to my credit score worth the savings on ATM fees? Hard pulls have a small impact. Some may see a bigger impact from hard pulls but such people have much bigger issues (derogs, high revovlving utilization, young/thin credit profile, etc) to worry over with their credit than a hard pull. In such cases the impact of a hard pull is more of an effect than a cause. Additionally, a hard pull loses its FICO scoring impact at 1 year and falls off the credit report entirely at 2 years. Current Transunion credit score is 822 If that score is a Trans Union FICO 8 you have nothing to worry about a hard pull. The low end of the range where best terms are generally offered is around 740-760 with FICO 8. If that score is some other scor...
by takeshi
Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit card that offers high limit for no fee balance tranfers
Replies: 16
Views: 1808

Re: Credit card that offers high limit for no fee balance tranfers

The card is only part of the equation. One's credit is another and very important part of the equation. Card A may approve person X with a high limit and person Y with a low limit or even denial. I'm not sure your credit is quite what you state for reasons covered below but I may be misinterpreting what you've stated. Currently have 35k on a Discover card that is nearing end of the 15 month 0% introductory promotional period. I have excellent credit. 35K balance or limit? That's going to really matter as far as your revolving utilization on that card is concerned. If you having high revolving utilization that's going to not only have an impact on approvals but the limit and APR that you might qualify for. If you have a $35K balance I'd say ...
by takeshi
Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit Score and Credit Cards
Replies: 20
Views: 2581

Re: Credit Score and Credit Cards

I've been monitoring my credit score the past several years using Credit Karma. The other day I was notified that my Equifax and Transunion scores dropped about 40+ points, putting me at "Fair" and "Good." Be very careful using Credit Karma's scores and factors. Credit Karma is handy for free access to data from your EQ and TU reports with weekly updates but the VantageScores provided by Credit Karma are not used by many creditors for credit decisions and can vary to different degrees (they may be close or they may differ greatly -- there is no fixed offset) from the scoring models that creditors actually use. Additionally, as stated above, there are also significant differences in how Credit Karma and how FICO evaluate...
by takeshi
Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: using Outlook mail/calendar on Apple devices
Replies: 12
Views: 1573

Re: using Outlook mail/calendar on Apple devices

Does anyone use Outlook on ALL their Apple devices instead of the Apple software? Have you had any issues/problems getting the devices to "sync" using Outlook? I use Outlook on my Macs but I don't use Outlook on my iPhone. I don't care for Apple's apps in OSX but I came from Windows and was used to using Outlook. Outlook Mac isn't quite as robust as its Windows counterpart but it works well enough for me. On IOS devices I'd rather use the default apps (Mail, Calendar, Notes, Tasks). Keep in mind that you can't change the default email app or web browser, etc on IOS devices so when you click on a link or something, the IOS device will go to the default app (Mail, Safari, etc). Outlook Mac 2016 works well but my email account is an...
by takeshi
Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Need vacuum recomendations
Replies: 41
Views: 6765

Re: Need vacuum recomendations

imareal1 wrote: Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:00 pm Don't really post often but came across this thread and really wanted to point out how snobby it seems to endorse a thousand dollar vacuum when OP is looking for something in the $100-200 range. Buy the Toyota Camry but your vacuum better be a Bugatti.
I'm guessing it's more of a failure to fully read the OP. I myself nearly made another Miele post until I saw the budget. Some people only really read the subject.
by takeshi
Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Uber vs Lyft
Replies: 15
Views: 3240

Re: Uber vs Lyft

protagonist wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2015 9:11 pm Which is better and why?
6 one way, a half dozen the other in my experience. I've also heard drivers prefer Lyft and Lyft was first to allow tipping so I tend to use them. Lyft also tends to send me promos for discounts.
by takeshi
Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: In need of a new Vacuum
Replies: 58
Views: 6029

Re: In need of a new Vacuum

IMO Dyson is the Bose of vacuums. Popular opinion seems to be that they're the choice. They do perform fairly well though not quite as well as they should for their price point, again, IMO.

Not sure the analogy really carries with the rest of my post but our Dyson had all sorts of flimsy parts break and we were thankful that it was under warranty when the brush head assembly failed as Dyson replaced it. After parts started breaking out of warranty we just replaced it with a Miele. Dyson doesn't hold a candle to Miele in build quality, performance, etc. However they are even more pricey. If your budget allows, I'd highly recommend Miele. If not, there are plenty of other suggestions at other price points in this and other threads.
by takeshi
Mon Apr 02, 2018 8:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Phone recommendation(GSM and CDMA)
Replies: 11
Views: 2251

Re: Phone recommendation(GSM and CDMA)

Need a phone that works with both GSM and CDMA and my budget is between $200 - $250(new or used phone is fine). GSM vs CDMA is a really old way of viewing cell phone tech. You want to consider much more than just GSM & CDMA. A number of carriers aren't running their primary networks on GSM or CDMA these days. LTE, for example, is in wide use and you want to ensure that the phone you're considering not only supports certain network tech but the specific bands that are needed for the carrier(s) you intend to use it with. If you don't know the networks & bands it would help us if you could give us carrier names. I heard iphone 6+ has both bands. You can always reference the specs for any phone you're considering: https://support.apple...
by takeshi
Sat Mar 31, 2018 11:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Car totalled, not-at-fault - use my insurance or theirs? What leverage do I have for negotiating?
Replies: 35
Views: 7491

Re: Car totalled, not-at-fault - use my insurance or theirs? What leverage do I have for negotiating?

My insurance company (GEICO) seems more responsive than theirs - should I try to go through the other party's insurance, or use mine? That's really your call to make though I'd recommend using your own. I was recently in an accident and decided to file through my own company since they are responsive and provide excellent service. However, I didn't have any injuries aside from minor bumps. I did go to an urgent care center to get checked out but they let me go without any concerns and I was fairly certain that there would be no long term issues. My vehicle was also totaled. Your own insurance company will go through subrogation with the other party's insurance company to try to recover the money including your deductible. In my case the ot...
by takeshi
Sat Mar 31, 2018 11:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Porsche 911 & Carmax?
Replies: 13
Views: 4309

Re: Porsche 911 & Carmax?

We weren't shopping for a 911 but we would have included Carmax in our shopping for a recent (at the time) Boxster. They just didn't have any -- even when searching throughout the country. Even if they did, we wanted specific color combos and options.
by takeshi
Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:41 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: GE Microwave Weird Issue
Replies: 22
Views: 2962

Re: GE Microwave Weird Issue

wrongfunds wrote: Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:27 am what kind of thingyjammies GE put in there
fourwheelcycle wrote: Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:33 am My father put me through college with his income from GE, so we have all GE appliances.
GE microwaves & appliances haven't been made by GE for a while now.

http://www.geappliances.com/our-company/
In 2016, Haier Group acquired GE Appliances
by takeshi
Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:49 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to conduct job search, hi tech industry
Replies: 14
Views: 2580

Re: How to conduct job search, hi tech industry

sunny_socal wrote: Wed Mar 21, 2018 11:33 am What is the best way to conduct a job search these days?
The specifics and technologies involved have changed to some degree but it's still all about networking. LinkedIn was mentioned above and it can be a very useful networking tool but don't underestimate all the old school methods of networking as well.
by takeshi
Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 5/24 rule for rewards credit cards - bunching applications
Replies: 31
Views: 4395

Re: 5/24 rule for rewards credit cards - bunching applications

I'm not sure if they would see the inquiry for the other card and use that to reject you on the 2nd. Inquiries are not what Chase counts for 5/24 but just to clarify you can't use the apporama approach to try to have creditors miss inquiries these days, Inquiries are not reported items. When a creditor pulls a report the inquiry is recorded at that point in time. If another creditor pulls a report from the same CRA that previous inquiry will be on record. I believe the 5/24 rule uses the information about lines of credit on your credit report, not hard pulls. This is correct. It is 5 new credit cards, not 5 inquiries. I had 8 inquiries on Experian and 9 inquiries on Equifax (they pulled both) when Chase approved my latest card. I did have ...
by takeshi
Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Credit card question - get Uber's new 4%er?
Replies: 60
Views: 11374

Re: Credit card question - get Uber's new 4%er?

Wondering though, would it impact my credit score negatively (in the long term)? I pay off my balances as soon as they are due, usually using about $1000 of credit on the newest credit card. I'm not even sure of my total credit line but believe it's around 50k. My FICO score is low 800s. I'm not making any major purchases or loans anytime soon. Probably not based on the info you've provided. If you're not applying for new credit after this any time soon then there's not much point in worrying so much over your score. Keep in mind that you don't have just one FICO. There are many FICO models used by creditors for credit decisions. For most models you have a score with each of the 3 major CRA's. Make sure you're keeping tabs on all 3 CRA's a...
by takeshi
Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:41 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is just my smart phone this dumb?!
Replies: 15
Views: 2731

Re: Is just my smart phone this dumb?!

knightrider wrote: Tue Mar 06, 2018 2:21 pm Is this how all smart phones work? I find it hard to believe that our phones can do very impressive things but can't even predict my commonly typed words.
There's a lot of variation among smartphones. Are you sure that the keyboard you're using actually learns based on your specific word usage?
knightrider wrote: Tue Mar 06, 2018 2:21 pm So seems like it has a mind of it's own
Having a mind of it's own isn't necessarily dumb. My smartest pets had minds of their own. :mrgreen:
squirm wrote: Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:52 pm I've never figured out why they call them smartphones, u guess it's marketing 101. I've never used a phone what I would even consider fractionally smart.
It's nothing but a term to distinguish the small computers that we carry around these days from the regular cell phones from back in the day.
by takeshi
Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cheapest way to get spare car keys
Replies: 46
Views: 17795

Re: Cheapest way to get spare car keys

Cheapest way to get spare car keys What is the best option? Cheapest or easiest? Cheapest is probably ebay or a cheap local locksmith (if one can make a key for the vehicle and deal with the chip/programming issue) but those are also going to be potentially more risky. Dealer will be safest but definitely not cheapest. Pick your poison. This thread is mind-blowing. My wife and I each carry a copy of a key to both of our cars. If one got lost, I'd just take the other one to Home Depot and have them make me another for a few bucks. There's no way Home Depot could make a key for either of our vehicles. Or even several prior vehicles for that matter. Are there locksmiths that will come to her place of work? She is doing her residency and works...
by takeshi
Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What if you have a poorly rated car?
Replies: 47
Views: 4416

Re: What if you have a poorly rated car?

dm200 wrote: Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:53 am While the best action (new or used) is to purchase a very reliable and highly rated vehicle, what is you have one that is, for example, on Consumer Reports "cars to avoid" list?
Learn for next time. Though I don't really put too much into CR's ratings.
by takeshi
Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is this too much for a kitchen?
Replies: 69
Views: 10717

Re: Is this too much for a kitchen?

Now that the 1st place has come back with an estimate, I can’t help but think that it’s a lot to spend on a kitchen considering the price of the house. As always, appreciate BH’s thoughts and comments. It's really your call to make based on your priorities. If trimming the budget trumps all else then look at scaling down the remodel and/or downgrading, doing some of the work yourself, etc. Our kitchen remodel came out to around $25K which is about 10% but that was with considerable discounts since my wife is an interior designer. Full retail would have been quite a bit more. However, the improvements were important to us and drastically improved the functionality of our small kitchen which we use a lot. Quote: $42K , but closer to $45K wit...
by takeshi
Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Luggage/travel recommendations?
Replies: 54
Views: 6218

Re: Luggage/travel recommendations?

Love to hear about your luggage favorites or thoughts on how you would travel light, plus any personal recommendations you may have including for the persoanal item. We don't really travel light and you don't mention budget so what works for us may not be relevant to you. We prefer having lifetime warranties from companies that truly stand behind their products so for us our luggage is Eagle Creek (note that not all their products have the same warranty coverage) and Briggs & Riley though there are certainly others out there as well. We have an Eagle Creek bag that is at least 10 years old and has been to Africa as well as countless other places. Eventually, the axle on one of the wheels failed. Eagle Creek repaired it. Our Briggs &...
by takeshi
Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Electric Toothbrushes - again
Replies: 55
Views: 9094

Re: Electric Toothbrushes - again

People are going to tend to recommend what they use. IIRC, a NIH study indicated that there was a slight edge to Oral-B's head movements but on a practical level any electric toothbrush will probably offer some gains over manual brushing, especially if the brush is designed to ensure that the users brushes for the proper amount of time. That said, there is certainly a matter of proper technique even when it comes to properly using any toothbrush that can have an impact on effectiveness. We use Oral-B and I find that the sensitive brush heads work best for me. YMMV. How does the noise compare between Oral B and Sonicare (for those who have tried both)? Not quite what you're asking but the better half couldn't stand how the Sonicare vibrated ...
by takeshi
Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Samsung Chromebook vs Tablet for Travel?
Replies: 15
Views: 2623

Re: Samsung Chromebook vs Tablet for Travel?

TravelGeek wrote: Tue Mar 06, 2018 7:11 pm It really depends on your usage pattern.
This. My wife travels with an iPad but she also mostly uses an iPad at home. I travel with a MacBook Air but I mostly use a MacBook Pro at home.
by takeshi
Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit cards: 0% purchase versus cashback
Replies: 9
Views: 1469

Re: Credit cards: 0% purchase versus cashback

Is cashback more generous in the USA, making it a better choice over there? It can be. 2% cards are easy to find. There are cards that offer 5% but the spend categories may change and there are caps. Not sure how credit is assessed on your side of the pond but revolving utilization (balance(s)/limit(s)) is a significant risk and scoring factor here. Carrying a large balance for a long period of time is a good way to get into trouble -- not just with the creditor that issued the card but potentially with other creditors as well. If any creditor takes adverse action (e.g. reducing limits, closing accounts, etc) in response to high revolving utilization for a prolonged period of time then problems can easily spiral into a big mess. General re...
by takeshi
Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dealership oil change worth it?
Replies: 69
Views: 10500

Re: Dealership oil change worth it?

mortalsonofmortal wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:38 pm I was wondering if there is any benefit in getting it done at Honda vs going for the cheaper option.
Can't speak about any benefit with Honda. I use our dealers while under warranty because they provide service loaners and they have helped in getting out of warranty goodwill service -- and also so they have all service records onhand. The latter isn't a guarantee so it's probably not something you'd want to count on.
by takeshi
Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Replacing prescription Oakley lense
Replies: 4
Views: 804

Re: Replacing prescription Oakley lense

It was probably a couple of years ago but I used SportRX to replace the lenses in my Juliets and thought they did a great job. I think they actually use Oakley lenses and not aftermarket.
by takeshi
Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Amazon Prime Visa now 5% back at Whole Foods
Replies: 30
Views: 4166

Re: Amazon Prime Visa now 5% back at Whole Foods

Now the question is, do we keep our Amex Blue Cash Preferred card? Not sure it's worth it anymore. I only kept mine because it's backdated and reports as a 19 year old account. Also downgraded to the Blue Cash Everyday to drop the annual fee. Amex's card is capped at $6k in the groceries though - so the maximum cash back is $360 before paying the fee. Even with the 3% gas rewards most people will be hard-pressed to get more than ~$350 annually back from this card. For the $100 Amazon card fee you get all the other benefits of Prime, plus 5% back on everything at Amazon, plus 5% at Whole Foods, 2% on gas, restaurants and drug stores. If you already shop at Whole Foods and you already shop at Amazon, this is a great card. I could easily see ...
by takeshi
Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Minimizing effect of first speeding ticket
Replies: 28
Views: 3326

Re: Minimizing effect of first speeding ticket

anonymousboglehead wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:21 pm I'm also open to any other suggestions people may have for minimizing the effect of a speeding ticket.
A skilled and experienced traffic attorney is my preferred solution. Haven't needed one in a long time but the one I used was very effective. Ask others in your area if you want to go that route.
by takeshi
Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Debating which credit card to get for airline travel
Replies: 22
Views: 2901

Re: Debating which credit card to get for airline travel

For me, citi double cash back and cards like it don't really help that much. You have to spend like $12k to get back a couple hundred dollars. Cash back cards are generally going to provide less potential rewards but travel rewards cards are going to require more research and legwork on your part in order for you to benefit. Venture and sapphire, you can use rewards to use on flights of various airlines but is it any better or worse than just getting a credit card directly representing an airline like delta american express, or american airlines credit card? I find both of the types that you mention beneficial. In my case, I live in a United fortress hub city so focusing on United makes the most sense for us. The United card gives us some ...
by takeshi
Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit Union Banks Vs Regular Bank
Replies: 13
Views: 2418

Re: Credit Union Banks Vs Regular Bank

Credit unions are not banks -- they're credit unions. They can pay more interest but you really have to do a specific comparison. It's really up to you to find credit unions that you qualify to join as that will automatically narrow down the options for you.

I do have credit cards from credit unions (NFCU & PenFed) but I don't bank with them or have other products with them. We bank with and our auto loan is through USAA.
by takeshi
Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Another should i buy my dream porsche thread...
Replies: 240
Views: 20900

Re: Another should i buy my dream porsche thread...

Pcarfan911 wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2017 12:33 pm Would you do it?
I'm the wrong person to ask, being a Porsche owner. However, I wouldn't buy a 911. As one that prefer mid engined vehicles we have a 981. Regardless, it doesn't matter what I or others would do. It's up to you to sort out based on your situation, priorities, etc.
by takeshi
Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Checked bag to HI, worth cost and trouble?
Replies: 36
Views: 3553

Re: Checked bag to HI, worth cost and trouble?

Worth is always highly subjective and it's really your call make based on your preferences and priorities. It's rare that I don't check a bag when flying. My wife and I aren't charged for our first checked bags and it's rare that it has been a hassle for us. We also have priority boarding but hate playing the game of fighting for overhead baggage space with everyone else. Clearly, people differ on these matters and YMMV.
by takeshi
Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Keeping a checkbook register
Replies: 135
Views: 15215

Re: Keeping a checkbook register

OP's questions include a lot of matters of preference so asking others with differing preferences may not help the OP. I use Mint but I also maintain an Excel spreadsheet that started as a checking account register but now also tracks credit card accounts as well and provides some crude budgeting capabilities. You'll have to find what works best for you. If you prefer a paper register then stick with it regardless of what others do or do not. May I ask whether this is as much or more work than just writing it down? I find a spreadsheet much easier than a paper register but I have a lot of experience over many years with spreadsheets going back to the days when Lotus 1-2-3 under DOS was the most popular option. I find it a lot easier to reco...
by takeshi
Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: flood damaged cars?
Replies: 15
Views: 2381

Re: flood damaged cars?

Get any used vehicle inspected regardless of whether or not flooding is a concern. A good mechanic is an option but there are inspection services that know to look for this and may other things with used vehicles. A good inspector will definitely find this sort of thing even in the seller has attempted to cover it up.