Search found 2481 matches

by mervinj7
Sat Dec 30, 2023 11:45 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Permits, property taxes: A peculiar Bay Area dilemma? (San Jose, CA)
Replies: 39
Views: 3934

Re: Permits, property taxes: A peculiar Bay Area dilemma? (San Jose, CA)

Property taxes are based on what you paid for the house, not what the house is. Perhaps this statement has some truth in California, but it is not true in NJ. Each square footage is multiplied by multiple factors, like (brick-faced ground floor) or (solid brick) or (slanted ceiling) for example. Not some truth. It's the whole truth in California. Property tax (assuming no changes post sale) is based on the sales price of the house. Doesn't matter if it's an 1000 or 9000 sq ft house. In many ways, it makes property taxes less complicated to calculate since you are not subject to reassessments based on current market trends. I've had permitted work done to update my electrical panels to code, add solar panels, and replace the HVAC. None of t...
by mervinj7
Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity as a one stop shop
Replies: 5973
Views: 1007967

Re: Fidelity as a one stop shop

After reading over 100 pages of this thread, still a few to go, I have a question I want to ask while it is fresh in my mind. Assume a 2 account set up CMA and Brokerage, with no desire to link the two other than for manual transfers. CMA will be used as a hub for a combo of monthly ACH bill pay, transfers and rare ATM. Brokerage for investing only. Set up cash manager as follows, and forgive me I am not at Fidelity so I may mess up the lingo: Rule 1: Maintain minimum cash $1,500 in core position (for ATM) Rule 2: THIS IS THE KEY QUESTION. Auto purchase FDLXX weekly (used to be monthly only, but looks like weekly now) in a decent amount, so that all excess cash above the $1,500 will be transferred into FDLXX. In other words, and based on s...
by mervinj7
Sat Nov 25, 2023 7:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much tip is appropriate at highly automated restaurants?
Replies: 103
Views: 10516

Re: How much tip is appropriate at highly automated restaurants?

TheRoundHeadedKid wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 6:29 pm In Japan, it would be zero JPY. Since I am philosophically against the tipping culture, I pay zero USD in the US unless someone else is paying for it, like my employer. Then I tip the maximum allowed, 20%. Some here will be glad to know that the government is a good tipper.
That is awful. Please don't visit restaurants in the US or just use takeout.
by mervinj7
Fri Nov 24, 2023 5:26 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Total Stock Market Index: ETFs Exceed Admiral for the First Time?
Replies: 198
Views: 16160

Re: Vanguard Total Stock Market Index: ETFs Exceed Admiral for the First Time?

billaster wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2023 12:43 pm 2. If you compare Vanguard's VFIAX mutual fund share class with its VOO ETF share class, the ETF has a lower expense ratio but the total returns are nearly the same. So where did the money go from the ETF's cheaper expense ratio? The most likely explanation is that the ETF has a higher trading costs that cancel its lower expense ratio.
If you do plug in VTI vs VTSAX, there's a 0.02% outperformance by the ETF over the same time period. It's small but it's there. Not sure why the S&P 500 version is nearly identical.

https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/bac ... bHvUX3JEG0
by mervinj7
Mon Oct 30, 2023 9:40 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Down Payment where to keep
Replies: 4
Views: 424

Re: Down Payment where to keep

vk_217 wrote: Mon Oct 30, 2023 8:18 am Hello,
I have saved up 20% towards home down payment.Currently its in fidelity's core fund SPAXX. For pre approval and down payment towards home purchase, should I remove it from there and move it to Bank of america checking account? I am getting decent interest in the Fidelity core fund and I don't know when I will purchase a home given there is hardly any inventory and high interest rates.

Thanks
At Fidelity, I kept my down payment in an auto-rolling 3 month Treasury bill. I showed the lender my Fidelity statement as proof of funds.
by mervinj7
Fri Oct 27, 2023 12:57 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fidelity to copy Vanguard's dual ETF / MF expired patent
Replies: 61
Views: 6481

Re: Fidelity to copy Vanguard's dual ETF / MF expired patent

I'm glad I made you chuckle. I know I am simplifying. However, the brokerage platform still has to deal with mutual funds. So Vanguard went from a mutual fund platform that was working quite well, to a brokerage platform that has to accommodate both EFTs and mutual funds. On top of this it seems they can't get rid of the mutual fund platform because those that work in financial services need to invest on a mutual fund platform. So where are the cost savings that Vanguard spoke of? I wonder what percentage of the volume at Vanguard is ETFs? At Schwab I can imagine ETFs are the majority but I wonder at Vanguard. I only follow one Vanguard fund and ETF, Total stock market. The ETF's is 0.03% vs 0.04% for the admiral version. So that appears t...
by mervinj7
Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Markup on new Treasurys at Fidelity?
Replies: 9
Views: 1240

Re: Markup on new Treasurys at Fidelity?

I've read that Fidelity not only doesn't charge a commission when you buy a new Treasury at auction on its site (assuming you place the order yourself) but also doesn't hit you with a markup, as reflected in a lower yield. If that's true, why am I seeing the estimated yield for a 7 year bond that's being auctioned tomorrow as 4.85% on their site, while, at the same moment, Investing.com, CNBC, and other sites with constantly-updated data show the same bond yielding 4.91%? (I realize the final yield won't be determined until the auction.) By the way, does anyone know what Fidelity's actual markup is on buying secondary Treasurys? It would be nice to compare this to whatever they do or don't charge for new bonds in order to gauge the extra p...
by mervinj7
Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Did inflation reduce your DCA amount every month?
Replies: 177
Views: 15105

Re: Did inflation reduce your DCA amount every month?

I compared many service and good price. The 40% price increases is my number of my consumption. Inflation eat away my cash flow, stain my free cash flow which suppose to DCA into my investment. I don’t know why people on this forum is ignorant or their income increase exceed the inflation. Did you already pay off your mortgage? For most of us, housing is our biggest expense. Since our mortgage is fixed at 2.875% and our incomes have gone up, our DCA amount has also gone up since 2020. I locking in 2.75% mortgage before they went up. The problem we are facing is everyting price went up quite a lot (housing remodeling, car, hair cut, eat out). 40% inflation before and after covid is a very conservative estimate. Glad we did kictchen remodel ...
by mervinj7
Sun Oct 22, 2023 8:21 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Did inflation reduce your DCA amount every month?
Replies: 177
Views: 15105

Re: Did inflation reduce your DCA amount every month?

WhiteMaxima wrote: Sun Oct 22, 2023 12:49 am I compared many service and good price. The 40% price increases is my number of my consumption. Inflation eat away my cash flow, stain my free cash flow which suppose to DCA into my investment. I don’t know why people on this forum is ignorant or their income increase exceed the inflation.
Did you already pay off your mortgage? For most of us, housing is our biggest expense. Since our mortgage is fixed at 2.875% and our incomes have gone up, our DCA amount has also gone up since 2020.
by mervinj7
Wed Oct 18, 2023 8:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Worked 25 yrs... how to calculate social security?
Replies: 49
Views: 5671

Re: Worked 25 yrs... how to calculate social security?

rob wrote: Tue Oct 17, 2023 8:58 pm
fyre4ce wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2023 2:31 pmUS tax rates are not high compared to the rest of the world.
Without stepping over the forum rules, I doubt this old chestnut is close to true when you look at the total load (fed, state, ss, local, medicare, inflation tax, healthscare etc. etc. ).
Even including total load, it's still the fourth lowest amount among the 35 members of the OECD.

https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefin ... nationally
by mervinj7
Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: IRS extends CA filing deadline to Nov 16, 2023
Replies: 3
Views: 866

Re: IRS extends CA filing deadline to Nov 16, 2023

CA's FTB had also aligned with the IRS ruling and extended the state tax deadline for most CA residents.

https://www.ftb.ca.gov/about-ftb/newsro ... dline.html
by mervinj7
Sun Oct 15, 2023 4:42 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dryer for rental
Replies: 33
Views: 3196

Re: Dryer for rental

Another recommendation for Speed Queen. They don’t break because there’s nothing to break. Plus they actually do a great job drying the clothes. I would buy a Speed Queen for myself, but wouldn't spend that kind of money on tenants. I'd rather plan to spend $3-400 every 6-7 years, rather than $1400-2500 "once" and hope the tenants don't find a way to destroy it. The basic speed queen dryer is (or was) like $750 or so. That must have been a LONG time ago. The cheapest electric dryer they sell today is the DR3 at $1,259. The cheapest gas unit is also the DR3 , but is $1,369. How much are other dryers nowadays for comparison? $579 for the typical whirlpool one sold at Costco. That's what I buy for my own rental. Parts are generally ...
by mervinj7
Mon Sep 25, 2023 6:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Automatically invest at Fidelity
Replies: 14
Views: 6111

Re: Automatically invest at Fidelity

Raspberry-503 wrote: Mon Sep 25, 2023 2:52 pm wow thanks for pointing out the $50 transaction fee, it's insane!. Not interested in paying for this, IMO it should come for free, but I will simply continue to invest my core account manually every month.
It sounds like you are upset they charge a fee for buying non-Fidelity mutual funds at Fidelity. That's pretty standard practice at the major brokerages. Why not just buy a fidelity index fund and just auto invest an amount each month? It will be free. Unless there's a very specific vanguard fund you want in your allocation.
by mervinj7
Mon Sep 25, 2023 2:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Automatically invest at Fidelity
Replies: 14
Views: 6111

Re: Automatically invest at Fidelity

Raspberry-503 wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2023 9:38 pm So in the spirit of being lazy, I changed dividends to be reinvested in the fund that generated them, but I can't figure out how to automatically invest the monthly transfer, say 70% in VTI and 30% in VT?
You can check out basket trading. $5/month flat fee to use it.
https://www.fidelity.com/direct-indexin ... portfolios
by mervinj7
Mon Sep 25, 2023 11:05 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: FZDXX
Replies: 27
Views: 5798

Re: FZDXX

mander75 wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2023 8:59 pm Hi Fam - I own FZDXX. My current balance in FZDXX is way below than $100k. I am currently allowed to keep investing in it. Will Fido eventually disallow me to invest in it?

Secondly - what best “cash saving” alternatives to FZDXX you use?

Thanks.
In a state with high state taxes, an auto rolling Treasury bill ladder.
by mervinj7
Wed Sep 20, 2023 11:34 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: HSA and Living in California :(
Replies: 38
Views: 6809

Re: HSA and Living in California :(

You have two choices from what I recall for your "cash" settlement account. I am currently using SPRXX which is Fidelity Money Market. I just checked today and it's current 7 day yield is 5.05%. You can manually move everything into FDLXX (CA tax free) shortly after deposits and it will auto-liquidate as needed if you move money out. My FDLXX amount shows up as an available cash balance. I am trying an experiment to bring the balance on my FDRXX core account to zero. So far, the website has not squawked. A T bill will autoroll in a couple of months and it will be interesting to see what happens. I think they will take the money from my FDLXX. The T bill face value will be deposited into FDRXX and the purchase price for the new tb...
by mervinj7
Wed Sep 20, 2023 7:07 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Split emergency fund between HYSA and CD?
Replies: 16
Views: 1325

Re: Split emergency fund between HYSA and CD?

- What length term seems good to lock in reasonably high rates. Connexus Credit Union is offering a CD with the following rates: 12 months - 5.61%, 36 months - 4.51%, 60 months - 3.91%. This is my big question. Would it be sensible to commit $50k to a CD for 3+ years, given that we're thinking of it as an emergency fund (so don't want to invest it in the market) and that that seems like it'll probably be a pretty good rate over that time period? - Given that CDs are FDIC insured, does it matter if I choose a bank/credit union like this that I've never heard of? Thanks in advance for any help! Those rates look lower than Treasury bills which also are backed by the same entity that backs FDIC. https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-c...
by mervinj7
Wed Sep 13, 2023 10:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Everything to Fidelity
Replies: 112
Views: 14754

Re: Everything to Fidelity

So I am 39 years old and I agree with what you said. Trust me it’s not just the looks / visual appeal of Fidelitys site and app but also the security, what actions can be performed on the app / site as opposed to Vanguards, and ease of use. I think Fidelity wins out in all categories. This to me similar to buying a car. Some people just care about looks, others performance, other safety and reliability, etc. But many buyers, perhaps most want at least decent / good scores in all categories - and that to me is fidelity. Does vanguard have excellent super low cost funds - absolutely. Are they way behind on their website, customer service, and app, again - absolutely. As you said I see no steps being taken to address this and capture those li...
by mervinj7
Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:47 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Roth in-plan conversion
Replies: 5
Views: 476

Re: Roth in-plan conversion

Hello, My company's 401k has switched to Fidelity and I am not familiar with their system. I have $ in after tax contribution and would like to move them to Roth in-plan Employee. Does anyone know how to do it online? I tried to chat with Fidelity but did not get the clear answer. Thanks much. For my wife's 403b, the first transfer is initiated with a phone call with a specialist at Fidelity. After that, each subsequent transfer is automatic. I see. I'll give them a call. Thank you. Just to clarify, this specific 403b has the option for automatic in-plan conversions. Other 401ks, even if they are managed by Fidelity, may not have this option. It is not a limitation from Fidelity per se but what the specific employer chooses to add as avail...
by mervinj7
Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:10 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Roth in-plan conversion
Replies: 5
Views: 476

Re: Roth in-plan conversion

bighead100 wrote: Tue Sep 05, 2023 12:48 pm Hello,
My company's 401k has switched to Fidelity and I am not familiar with their system. I have $ in after tax contribution and would like to move them to Roth in-plan Employee. Does anyone know how to do it online? I tried to chat with Fidelity but did not get the clear answer. Thanks much.
For my wife's 403b, the first transfer is initiated with a phone call with a specialist at Fidelity. After that, each subsequent transfer is automatic.
by mervinj7
Sat Aug 26, 2023 10:58 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Alternatives to VMFXX / higher yield cash investments at Fido
Replies: 25
Views: 3686

Re: Alternatives to VMFXX / higher yield cash investments at Fido

mander75 wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2023 1:26 pm Is it worth dealing with direct treasury purchases or MM will do? Asking as simplification is a key for me now.
I use auto rolling treasury ladders at Fidelity. No fees, so it's more cost effective than a Treasury Money market fund.
by mervinj7
Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Solar Payback Period
Replies: 59
Views: 5574

Re: Solar Payback Period

bendix wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:26 am If this was a good investment there´d be a sub-forum or wiki entry here on how to get rich through selling solar power.
It's a good investment for SOME people that's highly dependent on many factors including installation costs, electricity rates, and net metering policies. Here's my own post. I don't think anyone will argue it's not a good investment for me.

viewtopic.php?p=4776178#p4776178
by mervinj7
Mon Aug 14, 2023 8:17 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bloomberg Why the rich don’t feel rich.
Replies: 164
Views: 18603

Re: Bloomberg Why the rich don’t feel rich.

unclescrooge wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 8:15 pm A couple of points from the article.

$175k in hcol cities barely cracks the top 1/4th of households. You are not rich. You are starting on the road to becoming wealthy.

But if you blow it by buying a vacation condo in Hawaii and 3 cars, then you will never become wealthy.
I put $475k into the calculator for my metro region. It doesn't even break into the top 30%.
by mervinj7
Thu Jul 27, 2023 3:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Questions about installing a new EV charger in my garage
Replies: 109
Views: 11715

Re: Questions about installing a new EV charger in my garage

RustyShackleford wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2023 3:09 pm
mervinj7 wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 1:43 am Yes, I think it's a concern as well. I leave the EVSE plugged in.
You can see youtube videos where the outlets melted. Can be somewhat avoided by not buying the cheapest possible outlet.
Yes, I agree. I don't know why most electricians keep installing the $10 ones from Home Depot. I highly recommend folks use the Bryant or Hubbell 14-50 outlets instead.
by mervinj7
Sat Jul 15, 2023 8:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What the heck is "social" or "sustainable" index
Replies: 20
Views: 2228

Re: What the heck is "social" or "sustainable" index

Ultane wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2023 7:44 pm:confused
If you don't want your post removed, I suggest adding since specific details like which fund you are interested in and why you are asking.
by mervinj7
Tue Jul 11, 2023 9:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?
Replies: 122
Views: 11004

Re: For people with EVs what do you for road trips?

I'm considering getting an EV and keep one of my ICE cars but even if I had both I'm not sure what I would do for road trips. I would prefer driving the newer, nicer, more fuel efficient EV but not sure if it would be worth spending 15-20 minutes to charge every < 200 miles. If you own an EV what do you prefer doing for road trips? We have an ID4 EV and Honda CR-V. Preference is always ID4. Charging breaks corresponds well to bathroom and lunch breaks for my young kids. Your own mileage may vary. That said, we live in CA where there are many chargers but we limit ourselves to Electrify America stations to keep it free (first three years). We did multiple trips this year to Lassen NP, Yosemite NP, Joshua Tree NP, and Disneyland. For true ro...
by mervinj7
Sat Jul 08, 2023 11:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buy EV before my tax credit eligibility runs out? Which one?
Replies: 40
Views: 3790

Re: Buy EV before my tax credit eligibility runs out? Which one?

Upthread, windaar commented a Tesla battery replacement is $25k-$30k. Why the heck would any rational person spend $25k-$30k to repair an old vehicle? How can you sell the car? Who would buy it? they wouldn't. because it's not true. there are few actual quotes available because there are few needing replacement and performed out of pocket, mostly on the older Model S. on the largest tesla owner forum, quotes from tesla are reported at ~8k-12k for remanufactured battery and ~15k for a new one, including labor. prices vary based on battery capacity. third parties are on the bottom end of that scale. Thanks for clarifying. In case you want a reference, https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.motortrend.com/features/how-long-does-a-tesla-battery-last...
by mervinj7
Thu Jun 22, 2023 9:09 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yeti or electric cooler for out west road trip?
Replies: 35
Views: 3285

Re: Yeti or electric cooler for out west road trip?

We recently got a cheap electric cooler from Amazon. Took it out to Joshua Tree National Park as well as a couple of camping trips. Since we pack most of our meals with us, it's been overall a fantastic experience. You don't need to deal with ice especially in the desert or during multi day park trips.

That said, we have an electric car so it's not a big deal to leave it plugged in the trunk on an always on circuit. This assumes the 12V battery is refreshed by 400V traction battery when it gets low. I wouldn't bring it if I still drove an ICE car without a battery pack.
by mervinj7
Tue Jun 20, 2023 8:46 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tesla Model Y
Replies: 133
Views: 16020

Re: Tesla Model Y

I haven’t been for a ride in other EVs but they also seem to be adopting some of the worst features of Teslas like touch screen UIs and glass roofs. All I want is an EV version of my Honda CR-V with nothing changed except the engine swapped for a motor. I’m going to keep waiting until I get such a vehicle, I'm not in any hurry :happy I also have a 2018 Honda CR-V. The closet thing I have found to it is the VW ID4 which I ended up buying instead of the MY. Try it out if you get the chance. Software sucks, btw. On the other hand, I can use Android Auto for my podcasts and kids music. For road trips, we've done over 7000 miles in the last few months visiting National and State Parks. No range anxiety as long as we don't go east of St. George,...
by mervinj7
Wed Jun 14, 2023 8:48 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ford, GM, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, Mercedes, Nissan, Honda, Jaguar, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Toyota, Subaru, VW join Tesla
Replies: 178
Views: 30724

Re: Ford and GM EVs (and other EVs?) switching to Tesla chargers

smalliebigs wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2023 3:44 pm I work in the automotive industry so I experience first hand this transition taking place as an occupation. However, maybe I'm the grumpy old git, but personally I would just keep buying ICE vehicles until things shakes out. There's a sizable, non-zero chance that this all is a bubble and things won't go as quickly as the green movement would like. I don't want to be a beta tester.
That's what I thought a few years ago but I love my EV and probably won't buy another ICE ever. Interestingly, my father and his brothers (despite being quite conservative) have started buying only EVs this year. I could never have imagined that five years ago but once the 2nd person did it, it was like a tidal wave.
by mervinj7
Thu Jun 08, 2023 11:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ford, GM, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, Mercedes, Nissan, Honda, Jaguar, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Toyota, Subaru, VW join Tesla
Replies: 178
Views: 30724

Re: Ford and GM EVs (and other EVs?) switching to Tesla chargers

seawolf21 wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 11:02 pm
mervinj7 wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 6:06 pm
I am a happy ID4 owner and I think this is great news. I hope VW follows suit.
VW and other manufacturers will fall in line (in North America market) after GM announcement. Too capital intensive to build a competing network out when Tesla/Ford/GM represents close to 75% of BEV sales.
One complication with VW is that they have a vested interest in the largest of the non Tesla FCDC networks, Electrify America.
by mervinj7
Wed May 24, 2023 6:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Hit the stock jackpot through neglect - need an exit strategy
Replies: 48
Views: 9047

Re: Hit the stock jackpot through neglect - need an exit strategy

Weekend_Gardener wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 5:20 pm Thanks so much everyone! Here are my takeaways:

1. Build a plan to sell down to a portfolio % I am more comfortable with (10% in my case)
2. Avoid the 20% capital gains bracket
3. Move a portion into a fund for charitable giving
4. Gift $2,500 per year to each child; they will not have capital gains on the gift.

Does anyone have more information on how to do #4? Can I put it directly into a 529 plan?
Quick question, have you been paying taxes on the dividends?
by mervinj7
Wed May 24, 2023 12:50 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Netflix Household Verification
Replies: 141
Views: 23877

Re: Netflix Household Verification

(FYI I am not in any way advocating violating Netflix terms of service!) I am trying to understand how the Netflix household verification, which is now rolling out in the USA, will work, and how much of a pain in the you know what it will be. We are a household of 2 people... but 3 TVs, and numerous tablets, phones, and computers... While the TVs are always hardwired to our router, won't they each have unique IP addresses? and sometimes the phones are connected to our wifi... sometimes not. And what about when we (frequently) travel around USA. We arent home in our household, but I think we're allowed to use the netflix account, unless they are changing the terms of service. UGH Seems your situation is quite typical. Why not wait and see w...
by mervinj7
Wed May 17, 2023 9:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying a Tesla
Replies: 101
Views: 8575

Re: Buying a Tesla

GT99 wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 3:01 pm
cmr79 wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 2:50 pm Have you considered buying a different EV SUV that would both replace the minivan and function as your family hauler in addition to be more enjoyable for your commute? Once we got our EV, we really didn't enjoy driving our ICE vehicles anymore, and they weren't something we were bothered by prior to getting the EV. I don't imagine you will want to drive the minivan anymore, so even spending a bit more might make long-term sense in this situation.
This was my thought. If I were in the OP's shoes, I'd get a Rivian R1S with Large Pack battery (340 miles of EPA range).
+1. In OP's shoes that's what I would buy as well.
by mervinj7
Sun May 14, 2023 10:22 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Best place at fidelity to park money for six months?
Replies: 9
Views: 1861

Re: Best place at fidelity to park money for six months?

zeep wrote: Sun May 14, 2023 9:02 am
chassis wrote: Sun May 14, 2023 8:49 am 3 month Treasuries, rolled as needed every 3 months. I do not recommend the auto-roll feature. …
Please help me understand why you don’t recommend the auto roll future. Thanks.
I don't see the downside of using Fidelity auto-roll. I keep short term funds this way.
by mervinj7
Fri May 12, 2023 9:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI
Replies: 7638
Views: 1712578

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Varghese, follows three generations of people from Kerala, India.
by mervinj7
Wed May 03, 2023 9:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity as a one stop shop
Replies: 5973
Views: 1007967

Re: Fidelity as a one stop shop

midwest_bound wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 5:30 pm I am using a CMA with Fidelity and will need to withdraw several thousand dollars in cash once a month. Is there any hope that Fidelity will allow me to increase my daily ATM withdrawal limit significantly higher? If not, would the best thing to do be to open an account at a local credit union with free checking and write a check to myself from the Fidelity account and cash it at the credit union?
Before I go to Europe, I increase my daily limit to $1530. However, I've had the account for quite awhile. I also keep the card locked.
by mervinj7
Fri Apr 28, 2023 3:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First time landlord
Replies: 27
Views: 2790

Re: First time landlord

Hey Folks, looking for some good advice on a topic I'm sure many of you are familar with. I'm about to embark on becoming a first-time landlord. The situation is that we just bought a nice new home in a HCOL area and it has a semi-attached ADU unit that is also new (1BR, 1Bath, big enough for a couple and new applicances, etc.) - in a very good neighborhood with A+ schools. I have several basic questions here: Are there good resources for the basics like a standard lease agreement? How to run credit reports on potential tenants? Any other way to do reference checks? Pros and cons for using a real estate broker to rent (high demand area but I was thinking they might help screen, etc.) I'm not very handy so I do want to ensure I'm not gettin...
by mervinj7
Mon Apr 24, 2023 10:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Blown Gasket - Time for a new car? EV?
Replies: 41
Views: 3256

Re: Blown Gasket - Time for a new car? EV?

AD3 wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 10:13 pm The other factors leaning me to an EV is that I would be eligible to subsidized the cost of the EV, this would amount to close to $20,000. I also live in place where EV adoption seems high, which also has a decent charging infrastructure.

Federal Tax Credit: $7,500
State Rebate: $7,500
Municipal Grant: $5,000

Would this move anyone towards an EV without a level 2 charging at home?
Yes, take advantage of all those subsidies. I also suggest editing your first post with these crucial details.
by mervinj7
Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Help me decide when to go EV
Replies: 145
Views: 12703

Re: Help me decide when to go EV

Everything was better from ride quality to audio, no creeks, rattles, smooth and very fast ride, better materials, both exterior and interior styling are much better. So by that metrics, it's a lifestyle creep for me. We replaced a Toyota Camry and a Subaru Forester with a Model 3 and Y, but with so many of these Teslas around now, it doesn't particularly feel like lifestyle has creeped up for us, and we wouldn't consider buying a Mercedes or Porsche, etc. However, one thing that is noticeable everyday is the instant acceleration whenever you want it. :wink: +1 Model Y and 3 are the number 1 and 2 most commonly sold cars in CA. When they are so common it doesn't feel as much of a lifestyle creep. https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article...
by mervinj7
Tue Apr 18, 2023 8:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Luxury Vinyl Plank
Replies: 24
Views: 3080

Re: Luxury Vinyl Plank

riptide wrote: Tue Apr 18, 2023 7:57 am Why don't people just use good laminate that looks like wood? I have that on my rental I'm selling and to me it looks better, more like wood, than any vinyl. Also, it feels good walking on it, close to real wood.
LVP is waterproof. That means we can use one continuous flooring for the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and living room. We have started putting it in whenever we renovate a rental. So far it's been excellent and renters have not complained about the look or feel.
The specific SPC one we used is below and has wider planks than most other brands which gave the renovated spaces a "premium" look.

https://www.calibamboo.com/product-long ... 01401.html
by mervinj7
Sun Apr 16, 2023 9:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car for car camping
Replies: 63
Views: 7002

Re: Car for car camping

Model Y in "camp mode" seems ideal. Any reason why it's not in consideration? Maybe it's irrational fear, but if I'm out in the wilderness I just don't want to worry about how far is the next EV charging station. I never have to worry about it with a gas car. Got it. I think that makes sense. For the campsites you are planning on visiting, are there really no chargers nearby? A few of my friends also just use RV outlets at campsites. We are going to Mt Diablo, CA in a few weeks and the nearest fast DC charger is 14 miles out from our campground right next to the nearest gas station. Our plan is to be mostly charged before we head up anyway, so I see no need to leave the park. But I can understand the concern for a multi week trip...
by mervinj7
Sat Apr 15, 2023 4:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car for car camping
Replies: 63
Views: 7002

Re: Car for car camping

Starbase wrote: Fri Apr 14, 2023 12:26 am
Normchad wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:00 pm A lot of people actually do it in a Tesla model 3. You can get a mattress for it, and you can run the heat or AC all night if you like. I haven’t done this though.

Also, lots of campsites have NEMA 14-50 hookups for RVs. You can use those to charge the car as well!

Here is a video of so,e guy that has actually done it. I haven’t watched it, so he might say it’s terrible :). https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NRhZCQtVarA
I was going to put in my original post “No Teslas or Subarus” but that’s all people are recommending 😀
Model Y in "camp mode" seems ideal. Any reason why it's not in consideration?
by mervinj7
Fri Apr 07, 2023 6:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Nest Secure discontinued (home alarm)
Replies: 4
Views: 644

Re: Nest Secure discontinued (home alarm)

rolandtorres wrote: Fri Apr 07, 2023 6:19 pm a. yes, works for another yr. email says works until 4/8/2024
b. if you're paying for monitoring with Nest secure AND have compatible cameras, I don't know why you wouldn't take the ADT offer since you get 12mo of monitoring. If you're not paying for monitoring, it seems as though you can still use ADT hardware for notifications without paying, but I'd wait to confirm this.

I'll be taking the $200 google store gift card option instead of the ADT kit, partly because I have older nest cams not compatible with ADT.
Which nest cams are compatible? I think we have the older outdoor cams.
by mervinj7
Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: FDIC protects $250,000- What if you have more than that in stocks, bonds, and MM?
Replies: 19
Views: 1683

Re: FDIC protects $250,000- What if you have more than that in stocks, bonds, and MM?

ModifiedDuration wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:25 am No FDIC protection here. Neither Fidelity nor Vanguard are FDIC-insured institutions.

FDIC protection is only for deposits at banks.
Just to clarify, Fidelity does have a cash management account with FDIC insurance up to limits than can exceed the typical $250k/depositor limit by splitting the funds into various program banks. That said, in OP's case none of those assets are covered by FDIC. Some may be covered from fraud related losses by SPIC.

https://www.fidelity.com/cash-managemen ... nt-account
by mervinj7
Mon Apr 03, 2023 9:11 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Which car to buy
Replies: 19
Views: 2864

Re: Which car to buy

There are way too many unanswered questions about EVs right now, despite the media and gov't churn. The few people I know who own one are interested in gadgets "the new thing" etc., and have garages, short commutes, and more than 1 car. What are road trips like in an EV? Not good, according to my friends and published accounts in the WSJ. What will EV resale values be in 10 years vs. ICE? No one knows or is willing to predict, though I know that my 10 year old phone is worth $0, "no longer supported." I'm suspecting old EVs will also end up "no longer supported." You are in luck! The Tesla Model S is just over ten years old and there's already a bit of data on it's resale after ten years. https://www.capitalon...
by mervinj7
Mon Apr 03, 2023 1:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cordless leaf blower under $200
Replies: 37
Views: 2610

Re: Cordless leaf blower under $200

Hello, I’m looking for a cordless leaf blower preferably with a leaf vacuum and bag under $200. I have a patio and driveway that I would need to clean, half acre lot, driveway is about 125 feet long, the patio is about 200 square feet. This would be relatively light duty as we do have a landscaper come in once every week or two. Locally we have Ace and Lowe’s, I’d prefer to buy from them, but Sam’s Club and Home Depot are also options. Wirecutter recommends the Ego one. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-leafblowers/amp/ That said, I have used the DeWalt one for many years but I only need some occasional blowing of the deck and driveway in between landscaping visits. I picked the DeWalt solely because I ow...
by mervinj7
Sat Apr 01, 2023 3:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tesla (or EVs in general) - real-world inconveniences?
Replies: 139
Views: 13452

Re: Tesla (or EVs in general) - real-world inconveniences?

The Tesla Supercharger network is excellent, so road tripping should not be an issue. I like to take a break every 200 miles, so waiting 20 minutes for a supercharge while I get some food has never been an issue. Not having a Level-2 charger would be annoying. Depending on your drinking habits you may get by with Level-1 charging (120v outlet), especially if it’s a 20 amp circuit. Niece and her fiancé, took a trip from a midwest city to Dallas in his Tesla a couple months ago, they got real stressed out locating a charging station and ended up driving over 100 miles out of the way just for a charge! No thank you, not yet anyway. Which Midwest city was it? As a Californian, I've been dangerously spoiled by our charging infrastructure but fr...
by mervinj7
Thu Mar 30, 2023 10:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tesla (or EVs in general) - real-world inconveniences?
Replies: 139
Views: 13452

Re: Tesla (or EVs in general) - real-world inconveniences?

Chiming in - but you've gotten good responses! I have a MYLR. Bought a M3LR in in 2019 and loved it, but when the small badger got bigger and her stuff got bigger, we decided to get a bigger car. I looked at all the new EVs available at the time - which are looking great!! EV6, Ioniq, Mach-E, and a few others. Decided that after having a Tesla, we weren't ready to let go of some of the tech and the supercharger access, so found a great used MYLR. (Some of the intangibles that I couldn't give up are silly tech things - using your phone as a key, the app that lets you precondition the car, Dog Mode, Camp Mode, the entertainment stuff that keeps kiddo occupied when one parent is running an errand and the other parent is waiting in the car wit...