Search found 262 matches

by Van-Guard23
Mon Mar 15, 2021 6:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Water Softener Cost
Replies: 24
Views: 3637

Re: Water Softener Cost

We moved to Texas Hill Country and have a water softener with Clack valve/Carbon filter combo installed in our new construction home about 2 years ago. We already had a soft water loop/pre-plumbed so that was already taken cared of. It cost us under $1,800 for the equipment and installation. We are pleased with it...avoided Culligan and Kinetico altogether who were charging more than twice that amount.
From what I've read, Fleck, Clack and Autotrol valves are of equal high quality and you can't go wrong with them.
by Van-Guard23
Fri Oct 18, 2019 8:40 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Help me find some high quality cargo pants.
Replies: 63
Views: 8057

Re: Help me find some high quality cargo pants.

I bought a couple of North Face Motion Pants (comes in 6 colors) a couple of years ago when it went on sale and that's all I wear for outdoor activities now. Comfortable, looks great, great fit and transitions well to a more casual setting. It has a somewhat stretchy fabric which accommodates rigorous activities.
by Van-Guard23
Fri Dec 28, 2018 2:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New House Construction: Licensed Inspection
Replies: 10
Views: 1352

Re: New House Construction: Licensed Inspection

We are in the middle of a new home construction in Texas’ Hill Country and what others have commented regarding verbiage being common and problems with quality (attributed mainly, for us anyway, to the quality/experience of sub-contractors) agrees with our experience. We hired an independent inspector and we coordinate his inspections with the builder (as someone stated, just before a drywall walkthrough with the builder, etc.). We relocated to the area prior to the developer breaking ground on our house and have pretty much been to the construction site almost daily...and have at times pointed out errors the building superintendent missed (they have way too many houses to supervise but that shouldn’t matter to us). Just some things we’ve f...
by Van-Guard23
Sat Oct 06, 2018 3:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying house in retirement??
Replies: 31
Views: 6619

Re: Buying house in retirement??

I just purchased land with the idea of building my retirement home in a few years. I will be downsizing from a very large 2 story home to a one story that will be half the size. The kids will be out of college or close by then. I haven’t had a mortgage in many years. I have enough to pay cash for my next home independent of the first home sale, but I am reluctant to be in the 2 house club. The upkeep on homes is tremendous, especially in Texas. If the current housing market in our area persists, I may be forced to sell at a huge loss to free up the capital and get out from under the taxes and upkeep. Thankfully, it is a small percentage of my assets. I don’t want to carry a mortgage into retirement. My wife and I, both early retirees, relo...
by Van-Guard23
Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:27 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Settle my claim or elevate issue
Replies: 18
Views: 2004

Re: Settle my claim or elevate issue

Thanks all for your responses. I let go of my notion of fairness and justice and sent my claim form in this morning. It still chaps my hide that I had to spend my own time addressing an issue caused by them...but as many of you wrote, spending more time on this probably wouldn't amount to anything anyway and could only result in more aggravation. Who needs that?
by Van-Guard23
Mon Jul 30, 2018 9:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Settle my claim or elevate issue
Replies: 18
Views: 2004

Re: Settle my claim or elevate issue

I hear you...I thought the same thing but also feel like it's a bum deal to lose my own time to correct something they caused. Maybe I am grasping at straws but thought I would throw it out there to see if it's even worth pursuing.
by Van-Guard23
Mon Jul 30, 2018 9:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Settle my claim or elevate issue
Replies: 18
Views: 2004

Settle my claim or elevate issue

My wife and I shipped our SUV from Hawaii to Texas, as part of our relocation. Just over a month after we dropped our vehicle off at the Honolulu VPC (Vehicle Processing Center), we picked our SUV up at the Dallas VPC. Upon inspection, we discovered damages to the vehicle. It seemed obvious to us that someone who caused the damage must've known about it and probably hoped we wouldn't notice until after we've driven off the VPC. In any case, the VPC manager tried to settle the claim, by offering cash before we left the VPC...claiming they use the same pricing systems as the repair shops. Of course, I didn't accept his offer to settle my claim then and there. I had my vehicle repaired by the local dealership (wanted to make sure they used not...
by Van-Guard23
Sat Jul 14, 2018 10:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone been to Molokai lately?
Replies: 8
Views: 2013

Re: Anyone been to Molokai lately?

My wife and I spent nearly a week in Moloka’i 2 years ago. There’s a limited availability of hotel rooms on island and mainly in the main town of Kaunakakai. Your best bet for lodging is through Airbnb. We stayed in an Airbnb in an old resort on the west side of the island. The best beaches are located on the west side...and if I recall correctly, there’s a beach that stretches for something like 3 miles...and you’ll probably not see anyone when you walk that beach. We hiked mainly around where we stayed but there’s a hike on the east side of the island where you can pay a guide to take you to a waterfall. Apparently, the hike traverses private land and you’re “supposedly” paying a guide for access. The beauty of Moloka’i, in my opinion, is...
by Van-Guard23
Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Learning how to fix/repair things
Replies: 29
Views: 3316

Re: Learning how to fix/repair things

I am a relatively new homeowner and very inexperienced with fixing things around the house and how things work. It's not that I'm not capable, I just don't know where to begin on a lot of things. I've had my dad and father-in-law help me with various things and once I know what I'm doing, I am perfectly willing and able to do the job. While my dad is always willing to help, I would like to be able to learn some of these things on my own and complete a moderately difficult project without help. Here are just a few ideas of things I'd like to learn how to do: -Remove and replace tile flooring, backsplash, or wall tile in the shower/bathtub -Remove grout and replace with caulk -How to install a laundry sink -How to install a toilet The list g...
by Van-Guard23
Tue Jun 05, 2018 2:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Driving through Venice - Stay in Venice or Mestre??
Replies: 9
Views: 1328

Re: Driving through Venice - Stay in Venice or Mestre??

Spent two years living in northern Italy and we never drove to and parked in Venice. We normally took the train to Venice...but for those rare ocassions when we drove, we parked in Mestre and took public transportation (mainly bus) to Venice. Convenient and so much cheaper...did I say cheaper?
by Van-Guard23
Sat Jun 02, 2018 1:38 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

Re: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

Just an update...looks like we would have space to accommodate the built-in all refrigerator and all freezer combo with trim kit...although it displaced the appliance garage DW wanted initially. It would require a space that is 66" wide and 79" high. The designer/developer is charging quite a pretty penny for the custom cabinets to fit the combo fridge/freezer but we feel it would be worth it. We are looking at just over $4,000 for the combo and trim kit (not including the custom cabinets of course) and could be cheaper when we purchase it during the holidays. The house is a new construction house so we have a few months before we get to enjoy this fridge...but looking forward to it. We'll also probably install it ourselves as mos...
by Van-Guard23
Fri May 11, 2018 3:26 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

Re: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

Yes, for a new build, assuming that there's enough room and the cabinet configuration works, it can be a very aesthetically and financially appealing option. Whatever option you choose, just make sure that you go with standard sizes that, if you go for columns/all freezer-all fridge combo, takes into account all the trim pieces and the like. The last thing that you want to do is to buy a combo now, have cabinets built for it, only to discover that there's something not totally standard about the combo and you now have to spend more money to modify the cabinets. Dealing with the designer now and seeing if the all fridge/all freezer combo would be a nice fit, not just the size but the aesthetics based on the space available. I don't know if ...
by Van-Guard23
Fri May 11, 2018 3:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

Re: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

earlyout wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 9:41 pm You mention your current 36" is 25.5cu. ft. I'm guessing it is not counter depth. It is unlikely you can get that much space in a counter depth 36". I have a 42" built-in side by side and it is 25 cu ft. If you can get by with less storage than you have now a 36" counter depth would be an attractive and practical choice.
earlyout,
You're correct...our current fridge isn't counter depth which is probably why we're fine with the current capacity. If we opted for a counter depth at 36", then space might become an issue...which is why I am intrigued by what UALflyer introduced me to, the full fridge/full freezer combo with trim kit.

VG23
by Van-Guard23
Wed May 09, 2018 3:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

Re: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

Thanks UALFlyer. Yeah, read the long Houzz thread and I really liked the full fridge full freezer combo with trim kit...has that professional look for significantly less than what a “regular” 48” fridge would go for.

I will have to check that out further and decide on which one (I think wife and I are sold on that combo) so we could make the appropriate changes to our design specs to accomodate the space.

By the way, a second cousin of mine flies for (at least last I heard) United Express
by Van-Guard23
Wed May 09, 2018 2:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

Re: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

You may want to review this thread: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=241898 Is this going to be a starter or high end house? With a starter house, I would unquestionably put in a 36" freestanding refrigerator, which is what would be expected in such a house. If it's a high end house, I would unquestionably put in either a 48" built in, or put in an all freezer and all fridge combo, which is what would be expected in this price range. If it's something that is middle of the road, I would look to see what is typical of the houses in this price range in your area. In general, you don't want to overimprove for the area and the price range, as you'll never get that money back, but underimproving can end up bei...
by Van-Guard23
Tue May 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

Re: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

Can you go with the "standard size", and yes, have an additional fridge, freezer, or combo, in the kitchen (e.g., under counter) or elsewhere? Especially with an extra freezer, there's less need to use it often, so even in the basement or family room should be okay. If you need extra fridge space, then more frequent access might make a smaller unit better if it is right there. We currently have a 36"-wide fridge in the kitchen and a freezer in the garage...but the look of that 42" and 48" fridge in the model home got to us, I suppose. I think deep inside, we knew the sensible option would be to opt for a 36"-wide fridge augmented by a freezer...but those wide built-in refrigerators sure do look nice. Will your...
by Van-Guard23
Tue May 08, 2018 8:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

Re: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

JoinToday wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 8:23 pm Unless you have money to burn, go with standard size refrig. When (not if) it needs to be replaced, having the option of standard 36 inch refrig will be nice.

42 inch may look better, but you are paying a lot for looks without much (if any) improved performance, etc.
Yeah, those built-in 42" or 48" refrigerators sure do look nice...but the costs and the hassle associated with getting it replaced made me rethink our decision.
As one poster said...my initial post pretty much provided the answers I needed. Thanks
by Van-Guard23
Tue May 08, 2018 8:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

Re: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

researcher wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 8:41 pm Don't overthink this.
You have already answered your own question...
Van-Guard23 wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 8:15 pm in our current house, we have a a 36" W refrigerator at 25.5 cu ft capacity...and that seems to satisfy our needs for the most part...

most big box stores (i.e Home Depot) wouldn't even install a 42" wide fridge...
they wouldn't even haul it away either...
with the limited choices of 42" wide refrigerators and with costs easily in $8,500+ ...
Yeah...I guess I was "hoping" another Boglehead would come along to tell me he/she went with a 42" fridge and couldn't envision going with anything smaller. :oops:
We'll just have another freezer in the garage for extra space.
by Van-Guard23
Tue May 08, 2018 8:21 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Which City to spend 4-6 weeks?
Replies: 48
Views: 7083

Re: Which City to spend 4-6 weeks?

Have you considered Amsterdam?
It checks off all items on your list below..and talk about bike friendly:
"- Bustling cities with many different activities, fairs, cultural aspects
- Plenty of things to do in general. small, big, trivial...everything is a fair game.
- Friendly locals and open to foreigners with different cultural backgrounds. It is likely that I will be alone for about 2 weeks before my wife can join me.
- Good access to public transportation.
- Day trips are easily possible by public transportation, train rides, plane hops.
- Access to monthly rentals.

While not extremely important, good restaurant scene, bicycle friendly city would make a big difference"

VG 23
by Van-Guard23
Tue May 08, 2018 8:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?
Replies: 33
Views: 11036

36" or 42" wide Refrigerator?

My wife and I are having our house built and during the Design Options meeting, we were (at least I was) vacillating between a 36" or a 42" width opening for the refrigerator...believe 48" is too big and not worth the hassle. For context, in our current house, we have a a 36" W refrigerator at 25.5 cu ft capacity...and that seems to satisfy our needs for the most part. I initially thought we would want a wider (and more capacity) refrigerator (brand -immaterial at this point) so we opted for a 42" W opening. However, we soon learned that most big box stores (i.e Home Depot) wouldn't even install a 42" wide fridge (especially the built-ins) as they wanted to avoid liability issues. Additionally, when (not if) a ...
by Van-Guard23
Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:51 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: online savings
Replies: 20
Views: 2282

Re: online savings

We have online savings accounts at both Ally (1.45%) and Barclays (1.50%).
Ally accommodates more external banks/accounts for transfers while Barclays is limited to only 3 external banks/accounts. If you have multiple banks and accounts you’d like to move money into and out of, then I suggest Ally. Ally also seems to have a better phone app.
by Van-Guard23
Sat Jan 27, 2018 7:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019
Replies: 29
Views: 3216

Re: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019

IMD, Thanks for sharing your experience with your visit to MP and Galapagos with OAT...and even around the same time of the year we are planning our visit! We just hope the weather holds up, as we understand rainy season goes through March. We went with OAT beginning the 3rd week of March - MP then Galapagos. Loved it - and felt we timed the weather just right. Our Peru guide said it was his favorite time of year (but maybe he always says that?) but the mountains and valleys were green, clouds were playing around them, temperatures were cool. Bring rain gear. Rain gear is on the list, as well as bug juice/spray, wide brimmed hat, sun block, hiking boots, Camelback, binoculars, cameras (of course), perhaps pills for altitude sickness? Anythi...
by Van-Guard23
Sat Jan 27, 2018 7:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019
Replies: 29
Views: 3216

Re: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019

I went to Cusco/Machu Picchu last November. Was there in the sacred valley area for 5 days. A few pointers - You don't need a tour company to travel around in the Machu Picchu area unless you are doing the inca trail - Altitude sickness wasn't a issue. I have two boys 3 and 5 and none of us had any problem. It may be a issue for some people. - We landed in Cusco and right away went to Urubamba. Stayed for 4 nights in a hotel called Inti Nan. The hotel is run by a older gentleman Vicente and his family. He was wonderful and truly cares for his guests. - We did daily trips to various places from Urubamba. Olantaytambo, Pisac, moray, etc... We had arranged a taxi (through trip advisor) but realized Vicente can arrange all of it as well once y...
by Van-Guard23
Fri Jan 26, 2018 2:38 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019
Replies: 29
Views: 3216

Re: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019

Galapagos is indeed a visit of a lifetime. Nowhere else I've been lets you get so close to the animal life. I do agree that the 7 day trip at a minimum is what is needed. Even there, we didn't get to all the islands. To be clear: you cannot visit the islands there by yourself. You have to be accompanied by a naturalist, and they are very good. You must stay on the designated trails, and you cannot approach the wildlife closer than the rules -- the guides will definitely "correct" you! Paying a lot more for a luxury tour there is not really necessary. The islands are the same, the animals are the same, the tour guides are the same. If you like a fancy bed and gourmet meals, fine. Moreover I would not get too hung up on the size of...
by Van-Guard23
Fri Jan 26, 2018 2:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019
Replies: 29
Views: 3216

Re: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019

My wife and I took a 2 month tour through South America in 2013. We did Galapagos first, then flew to Cusco. Galapagos is the single most impressive travel destination I have ever experienced in my life. Having wildlife walking up you to with curiosity and zero fear was .... wow. My wife really enjoyed Machu Pichu as well. Galapagos advice: 1. Choose the 7 day boat tour. The 5 day tour sees less than half of the 7 day tour due to logistics. The tour operators arrange all the permits. I normally prefer independent travel, but taking the boat tour was definitely the right choice. Do not choose a boat with more than 16 people. The logistics of getting people on the boat, off the boat, meals, etc. slows down everything. Avoid the "luxury&...
by Van-Guard23
Fri Jan 26, 2018 2:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019
Replies: 29
Views: 3216

Re: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019

For my 50th birthday, my friends and I hiked Inca Trail. Not sure you are looking to do something like that. Permits sell out within weeks of opening up in November - December. But there are many other treks (shorter-longer-easier-harder) that you can take to reach Machu Picchu. We used Alpaca Expeditions (https://www.alpacaexpeditions.com) and they were terrific !!. They do also do regular tours. We found them to be in the mid-range for pricing. While I didn't get to do this, and it is on my bucket list - so I will go back for this for sure, I also recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srFKQrmL3Fg Um...not quite interested in doing a 4-day hike to Machu Picchu...I can think of better things to spend my limited time in the area...altho...
by Van-Guard23
Fri Jan 26, 2018 2:24 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019
Replies: 29
Views: 3216

Re: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019

I am in my mid-50s and I went to the Galapagos with my younger son last year. This was a trip of a lifetime, I had been looking to do that since I was a teenager, and both of us thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. A good deal of walking around, kayaking and lots of snorkeling, so better be in a decent shape. If you never snorkeled, you may want to give it a try beforehand. We flew to Guayaquil instead of Pinto, before flying to the islands, which saved us from the altitude issues in Pinto then back to sea level. We currently live in HI so we do our fair share of snorkeling :D By the way, what time of year did you visit? You need to book an organized trip, no choice. We never do that, but this time, I'm glad we did. You need to book WAY in ad...
by Van-Guard23
Thu Jan 25, 2018 9:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019
Replies: 29
Views: 3216

Re: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019

I didn’t mean skipping Cusco altogether...just to avoid staying there overnight that same day/night as the flight from Lima. Most itineraries seem to stay in Cusco AFTER visiting Machu Picchu.
by Van-Guard23
Thu Jan 25, 2018 8:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019
Replies: 29
Views: 3216

Machu Picchu and Galapagos in late March 2019

For my 50th (gasp!) birthday in late March/early April 2019 (I understand this is at the tail end of the rainy season), my wife and I are looking to tour Machu Picchu and Galapagos. I've read posts on Boglehead as well as those on Tripadvisor but want to get additional personal feedback/recommendations on which tour company and tour would be ideal for us. We would like to take around 2 weeks (give or take a day or so for any extension/excursion) for touring both sites. While we prefer arranging our own explorations of international destinations, we figure it might be best to rely on tour companies to sidestep any issues with getting permits and such for both attractions (not to mention the logistics for such a packed itinerary). We also pre...
by Van-Guard23
Tue Jan 16, 2018 4:22 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can We Retire in Hawaii? Please Critique
Replies: 214
Views: 37515

Re: Can We Retire in Hawaii? Please Critique

SurferLife, I can't offer much feedback on your plans (as our early retirement is a bit different) but can share what my wife and I (both retired Army officers) have experienced during our early retirement here on Oahu. I retired just over 4 years ago and my wife retired just over 2 years ago. I tracked our expenses (I mean all our expenses to include mortgage, insurance costs, dining out, donations, travel costs, etc.) over a 2 year period before retirement and after retirement to make sure we are good with our early retirement. What I realized was that our combined pensions and VA disability are more than our expenses (by about $2,500 a month). Our kids are all grown so we can better control our expenses...kids are expensive, as I imagine...
by Van-Guard23
Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:48 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dublin - weekend with kids
Replies: 4
Views: 701

Re: Dublin - weekend with kids

My wife and I visited Dublin over 4-5 days prior to heading up to Edinburgh a couple of years ago. We like to walk so we explored pretty much all the “tourist” attractions in Dublin, that interested us, on foot (i.e. Grafton Street, Temple Bar, St. Stephen’s Green, Trinity College, O’Connell Steet, St. Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedrals, Ha’penny Bridge, Dublin Castle, Literary Pub Crawl, etc.)...but we truly enjoyed our day trips with Paddywagon Tours to explore Cliffs of Moher and Giant’s Causeway.
by Van-Guard23
Thu Dec 28, 2017 8:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Specific Travel Question - USA to Belgium to Italy
Replies: 33
Views: 2839

Re: Specific Travel Question - USA to Belgium to Italy

First of all, why Naples, Italy? Having been to Italy numerous times, I wouldn’t have thought of passing up cities like Rome, Florence and Venice to head to Naples instead...unless you’ve already been to the other locations. Nevertheless, as one poster indicated, there should be cheaper flights (cheaper and faster than rail - might be a better option with your somewhat limited days) from Brussels to Italy. Looking at Skyscanner, it shows multiple non-stop flights from Brussels to Rome via Brussels Air, Ryanair and Alitalia for about $31-$40 one way...and a non-stop to Venice via Brussels Air. I’ve flown on all three of these airlines and have had no issues. There are non-stop flights to Naples from Brussels, for higher prices. Regarding Bru...
by Van-Guard23
Tue Dec 19, 2017 2:21 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Recent experience selling property with Redfin
Replies: 8
Views: 2938

Re: Recent experience selling property with Redfin

BashDash wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2017 1:07 pm I'll be making a phone call today to find out some more details. Thanks! What was the percentage charged for commission on the sell side? Thanks!
Would be interested in hearing about your experience selling your house through Redfin. They are fairly new here on Oahu (Hawaii) and they only charge 1% to list the house and give 2.5% to the buyer's agent. We are seriously considering going with them as I've heard some positive comments about their business model...not to mention the savings as a seller.
by Van-Guard23
Fri Dec 08, 2017 3:59 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Active duty family allocation advice please
Replies: 6
Views: 1128

Re: Active duty family allocation advice please

Nooblet, First of all, thanks for your service. I am a retired Army officer married to another retired Army officer. There are a lot of knowledgeable and helpful folks on this forum who would come along shortly. By the way, if you haven't checked out Doug Nordman's blog, The Military Guide (https://the-military-guide.com/), you should do so ASAP. He also wrote a book that might be in your local library titled "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement" that is a treasure trove of information that would come in handy.There are also helpful wikis on this site, especially the one for military finances: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Military_finances. With regards to your questions: Although we have been maxing the...
by Van-Guard23
Sat Nov 04, 2017 5:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone else have problems with Fitbit products?
Replies: 19
Views: 1967

Re: Anyone else have problems with Fitbit products?

mudfud wrote: Sat Nov 04, 2017 5:51 pm But what would have happened if the devices failed after one year? I'm wondering if the warranty doubling (available with most credit cards) would have also gotten me the replacements.
Mud,
I am inclined to believe they will offer you a 25% discount good for 30 days, just as they offered me and my wife.

I will have to check with my credit card though, to see if they’ll cover the purchase. Thanks...hadn’t thought about that.

VG23
by Van-Guard23
Sat Nov 04, 2017 5:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Anyone else have problems with Fitbit products?
Replies: 19
Views: 1967

Anyone else have problems with Fitbit products?

My wife has pretty much turned us into a FitBit family...with both of us owning a FitBit Charge HR, as well as son and daughter. Problem is, the Charge HRs we have don’t seem to last all that long. My wife’s original Charge HR’s charging port broke (preventing it from charging) within a year of purchase and FitBit was “generous” enough to send her a new one...which then developed a similar issue just over a year from receipt as a replacement. My Charge HR, while still in working condition, developed an unsightly “boil” on the wristband. It’s like a blister, which might have something to do with the battery. Since it’s been over a year since purchase, FitBit will only provide a 25% discount on another one. If they keep having the same proble...
by Van-Guard23
Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?
Replies: 26
Views: 4400

Re: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?

We are still considering other communities but having a new house built to our wishes appeals to us...not to mention possibly younger residents. One of the "complaints" I have read about established 55+ communities is the almost daily presence of ambulances, presumably due to older residents. This is an "urban myth". Ambulances are very rarely heard in my community, because streets are wide and uncrowded, and residents are unhurried and deferential to emergency vehicles. The only times sirens are heard is in the case of auto accidents on busy main roads immediately adjacent to the community. Note, I didn't write "hear" ambulances almost daily. I just read about some who complain about the almost daily presence...
by Van-Guard23
Thu Sep 14, 2017 10:17 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?
Replies: 26
Views: 4400

Re: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?

(1) With a twelve year community build-out there is lots of risk. Check the contract they'll ask you to sign. You will be promising to commit to a million long-term things and in all odds in return they'll be telling you that they can change the lot sizes, homes, clubhouse or anything else in the community for whatever reason they choose whenever they choose. I guess we didn't really consider the longer buildout as additional risk...but I see your point (2) If you are talking about a "forever" home and yet you are worrying about retaining value for the hugely expensive lot there's a mismatch embedded, as there also is with the concern over whether a set of builder's quality appliances are going to be reliable. I can almost guaran...
by Van-Guard23
Thu Sep 14, 2017 9:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?
Replies: 26
Views: 4400

Re: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?

tri-james wrote: Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:12 pm Is this Kissing Tree in San Marcos? I can't answer your questions but that is going to be a beautiful community (I ride my bike near that area) and live in a community that has Brookfield Residential as a builder. Their houses are are very nice.

San Marcos is also a pretty neat town in and of itself.
Yes, it sure is a pretty development and the location checks off a lot of what my wife and I are looking for. We like the variety of floor plans and elevations/designs as well as the amenities, but have some lingering concerns.
by Van-Guard23
Thu Sep 14, 2017 9:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?
Replies: 26
Views: 4400

Re: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?

Van-Guard 23, One thing to consider in making such a large investment is in the event you decide this is not the right place for you, all of the concerns you voice now as a buyer will become your obstacles once you are a seller. In addition, a 55+ community restricts your pool of potential buyers at some point in the future. We looked at a couple of 55+ places in the city to which we wish to retire, but our realtor weighed in on the problems such a choice might create in the future. Yes, we are quite aware of the possible challenges with selling a house in a 55+ community...and as my wife tells me, that would hopefully be our heirs who would have to worry about that and, even at reduced prices, the proceeds would still be quite substantial...
by Van-Guard23
Thu Sep 14, 2017 9:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?
Replies: 26
Views: 4400

Re: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but faced with the same issues, though on a much reduced financial scale, we opted for an established, but extremely well maintained community. Vastly better value. Have been here 24 years with not a moment of regret. Edited to add: HOA fee now $404/year/person. Yes per year. 24 years ago $125/year/person. This is for a very large development with the most extensive amenities in the country, with the possible exception of The Villages in Fla. We are still considering other communities but having a new house built to our wishes appeals to us...not to mention possibly younger residents. One of the "complaints" I have read about established 55+ communities is the almost daily presence...
by Van-Guard23
Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?
Replies: 26
Views: 4400

Questions about home purchase in a 55+ community?

My wife and I are in the preliminary process of purchasing a possible "forever home" in a new 55+ active adult community in Central Texas' Hill Country and would like to ask a few questions of those esteemed forum members who may have gone through the process we find ourselves going through. We are looking at a new construction home and were initially taken aback by the lot premiums in this master-planned community with an 18-hole golf course and plenty of amenities for residents. One home site (one we were initially considering) in particular, with stunning views of the signature hole with views of the lake and the greens, came with a lot premium of $315k! Yikes! Our questions: 1. What are the going lot premium rates for a new co...
by Van-Guard23
Sun Aug 20, 2017 2:58 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Kitchen knife set. Good quality - Recommendations
Replies: 87
Views: 15759

Re: Kitchen knife set. Good quality - Recommendations

bsteiner wrote: Sat Aug 19, 2017 7:38 pm Wusthof Classic.
+1. About 4 to 5 years ago, DW and I decided to upgrade our cutlery set to Wusthof Classic knives and we've been quite happy with them...well, more so with me since I do most of the cutting and cooking at home. My wife insisted, however, that in addition to the 7-piece cutlery set that we also get a set of Wusthof Classic steak knives with it...and since we're adding to the set, I went ahead and got a Wusthof Classic 8" Santoku knife, easily my favorite and most used knife out of the entire set. Worth every penny.
by Van-Guard23
Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Barcelona Hotel Recommendations
Replies: 30
Views: 3914

Re: Barcelona Hotel Recommendations

When my wife and I, with our daughter, visited Barcelona a couple of years ago in December, we decided not to stay around La Ramblas to avoid the noise. We opted instead to stay closer to the La Sagrada Familia neighborhood in a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom place in Hispanos 7 Suiza (considered an apartment/hotel) and we thought the accommodations were superb (less than $200 a night). We could see the Sagrada Familia from our window.
Public transportation in Barcelona (aka Barna) is quite good and even taxis are relatively cheap so getting around is pretty easy. We love to walk so we just walked all over the place but used the subway when we needed to. Make sure to get a T10 card...a great deal!
by Van-Guard23
Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How far off are Zillow's estimates?
Replies: 82
Views: 13271

Re: How far off are Zillow's estimates?

I use Zillow for estimating our house's value as part of our net worth calculations. I would normally compare values on Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com and while the values on Zillow and Realtor.com are quite close to each other, Redfin's figures are about 9% above the other two. I just use whatever is lowest.
by Van-Guard23
Fri Jul 28, 2017 5:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Barclays increases interest rate
Replies: 16
Views: 4155

Re: Barclays increases interest rate

student wrote:Barclays has now increased it to 1.2%.
Yeah, just saw an email from Barclays regarding the APY increase to 1.20%, supposedly as of the 25th of July. I wonder how long before Ally and others follow suit.
by Van-Guard23
Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Assistance with a retiree's (FIL's) portfolio
Replies: 9
Views: 1503

Re: Assistance with a retiree's portfolio

ralph124cf wrote:With his tax bracket, there is no reason to use a tax exempt fund. The tax savings are not high enough to make the lower return of the tax free fund worthwhile.

Ralph
Thanks Ralph! Venkman made the same point and I am inclined to agree.
by Van-Guard23
Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:48 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Assistance with a retiree's (FIL's) portfolio
Replies: 9
Views: 1503

Re: Assistance with a retiree's portfolio

We are looking at a fairly conservative portfolio (not concerned about leaving anything to heirs and just want to make sure he has enough to support him), with an AA of 50/50 (equity/fixed income). We would be selling the individual stocks and replacing them with VG mutual funds...ever mindful of IRMAA as well as not bumping him up to the 25% tax bracket. Since there is a step up in basis on those stocks, I believe we would be able to liquidate all the individual stocks and just go with well-diversified funds in the trusts' portfolio. Since the only investing space we have to work with are with taxable investments, I was initially looking at two options: 1. 50-60% VTSAX (Vanguard Total Stock Index Fund) and 50-40% VWIUX (Vanguard Intermedi...
by Van-Guard23
Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Assistance with a retiree's (FIL's) portfolio
Replies: 9
Views: 1503

Re: Assistance with a retiree's portfolio

When did he move out of the house and turn it into a rental? He moved out of the house in February and rented out the house in late April. I would consider selling the house and investing the funds to take advantage of the capital gain exclusion before it is lost due to rental. That's what I recommended but the rent was for a whole year and there's emotional and psychological attachments from FIL to the house that needs to be considered. We still have some time to take advantage of the capital gains exclusion from a sale (another 3 years or so)...however, with minimal property value appreciation, any capital gains from a sale would be something like $20k so I don't expect a huge benefit from the capital gains exclusion if current property ...
by Van-Guard23
Tue Jul 18, 2017 11:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Assistance with a retiree's (FIL's) portfolio
Replies: 9
Views: 1503

Re: Assistance with a retiree's portfolio

Nate79 wrote:When did he move out of the house and turn it into a rental?
He moved out of the house in February and rented out the house in late April.