Search found 8143 matches

by Jags4186
Tue Jul 18, 2023 1:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Feeling awkward about raising rent
Replies: 49
Views: 4518

Re: Feeling awkward about raising rent

Jack FFR1846 wrote: Tue Jul 18, 2023 1:01 pm Does your rental property meet at least the 1% rule? So with $2100 a month, that means you couldn't get more than $210k for it if you sold. If you could get more, you'll make more money selling and putting money into the market. If you were commercial or a serious landlord, that would be 2% or the property worth no more than $110k.
Every residential property I’ve ever seen meet those rules falls into one of two camps:

Slums
Incredibly low cost of living areas (rural Alabama/Mississippi)

You have a chance of hitting that 1% number if you own a multi dwelling property, but doesn’t sound like the OP has that.
by Jags4186
Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:17 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Feeling awkward about raising rent
Replies: 49
Views: 4518

Re: Feeling awkward about raising rent

I don't enjoy being a landlord, but I've been renting out my townhouse for the last 12 years (since I bought my home) because it's in a great location and I hope to live there some day when I retire. Most tenants stayed between 1-2 years and I never raised rent. My current tenants have been there for over 5 years now. They are still paying 2100/month. I kept telling myself that finding a new tenant costs 1 month rent, I would have to spend a few grand fixing up the place for the new tenant, so I kept avoiding raising the rent to 2300 or 2400. Now, I can see that several neighboring units are renting for 2700-2850 (a difference I can no longer ignore). I feel bad raising rent (I feel awkward even having that conversation), yet leaving money...
by Jags4186
Tue Jul 18, 2023 9:52 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to Value Home for Financial Plan
Replies: 48
Views: 2832

Re: How to Value Home for Financial Plan

This thread made me investigate what my home is worth. Zillow low end $625k all the way up to Redfin high end $770k. Seems crazy considering I bought it for $466k in 2018. Have done a fair amount of work since purchasing but very little is cosmetic — new roof, basement interior drain system, new basement window wells, remediated front entranceway (front door overhang, stoop), new front door, removed wall to wall carpets, sanded and stained hardwood floors, new plumbing fixtures, new cellular shades throughout. Currently enclosing back porch which is adding a desperately needed 165 sqft room to the house. All in all, we’ve spent a lot of money on the house and even if we sold at the “low end” of the range, we’d probably be close to breaking ...
by Jags4186
Mon Jul 17, 2023 1:13 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Millennials Need 3-4 Million To Retire
Replies: 504
Views: 59902

Re: Millennials Need 3-4 Million To Retire

I'm always somewhat puzzled by the suggestion that people just move to [random low cost of living area] as a "fix" for insufficient retirement savings to maintain their current lifestyle. Leaving all of your friends and family to live as a monk somewhere far away is not what most people think of as a dream retirement. I'm sure places like Oklahoma City are great places to live if you are from there and have a robust social network, but I would imagine it pretty lonely to just show up to as a retiree. If you really want to go cheap, you could also live abroad in a low-income country where living on a couple thousand a year is the norm. Everyone has their preferences, but I'd prefer to save more earlier and not have to stick to a s...
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First time home buyer stress (high downpayment?)
Replies: 15
Views: 2445

Re: First time home buyer stress (high downpayment?)

Just put 20% down and get a 30 yr fixed. ARM rates are not significantly advantaged to 30yr rates to bother with. A quick look at bank rate says you’ll get 6.25% on a 5yr ARM vs 6.625% on a 30yr fixed. You can always refinance down if rates drop. And if you simply can’t stomach paying a 6.625% loan you make enough to pay it down aggressively in 2 or 3 years.
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 7:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Success in a career is a risk as you age
Replies: 86
Views: 9868

Re: Success in a career is a risk as you age

Expect to be laid off in your 50s. Prepare to be FI in your 50s. Success in your career gives you the opportunity you to save more. I’d rather be “forced out” at 50 having made the same total dollars as someone who had the “luxury” of working a more junior but safer role to 65.
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 7:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

You would be very helpful to the community to provide a link to a card that gives 21% cash back. I am awaiting your help. Thank you. Sure thing: https://www.shopyourway.com/credithub/overview Best to have one for you and your spouse to maximize your earnings. Please have pity on us! The link you provided showed nowhere a 21% return. Please don't keep us in suspense. Provide the link to the specific card where it says 21% back. Please. Enjoy your 2x. IYKYK. IYKYK? That's extraordinarily helpful... *NOT*! We are trying to LEARN here. IWKWWNHTA. ["if we knew we would not have to ask."] Please explain how to get 21% cash back, or stop claiming it is possible. Axtually, anything above 15% would be terrific, truly. It would help if it ...
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

Cruise wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:38 pm
Jags4186 wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:34 pm
Cruise wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:29 pm
Jags4186 wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:15 pm
If you peruse the credit card reward strategy thread you can see dozens of posts about how to do so.
You would be very helpful to the community to provide a link to a card that gives 21% cash back. I am awaiting your help. Thank you.
Sure thing:

https://www.shopyourway.com/credithub/overview

Best to have one for you and your spouse to maximize your earnings.
Please have pity on us! The link you provided showed nowhere a 21% return. Please don't keep us in suspense. Provide the link to the specific card where it says 21% back. Please.
Enjoy your 2x. IYKYK.
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

Cruise wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:29 pm
Jags4186 wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:15 pm
If you peruse the credit card reward strategy thread you can see dozens of posts about how to do so.
You would be very helpful to the community to provide a link to a card that gives 21% cash back. I am awaiting your help. Thank you.
Sure thing:

https://www.shopyourway.com/credithub/overview

Best to have one for you and your spouse to maximize your earnings.
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

Can't see your logic. I am not buying points, the cc company is buying them. In the grocery example, If I purchase $100 of groceries by cash or by card, I'm still paying $100. Period. If I eat out with my JPMR/CSR and spend $100 on a dinner, the dinner costs a $100 regardless of whether a cash or cc transactions. With my spend of $200 on these transactions, I have just accumulated 800 points, free of charge to me. I'm not sure where your 11.6 is coming from. Can you explain your math? I'm not answering your question, but just want to point out the following costs to earning those 800 points: -Annual fee on the credit cards -Possible credit card transaction fee charged by the restaurant (more and more restaurants are doing this) -Opportunit...
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 5:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

As mentioned, 190K is not my point accumulation across my cards, but happened to be the denominator in the valuation equation I used. The price to buy UA miles is irrelevant, because maybe you purchase them, but I get them for free, and the actual benefit of the point/miles depends on the trip, but in my example above, was 7.26. Not sure why that is a difficult concept, but if you have any questions after you review my math, I'm happy to answer. Please note that using cards with transferable points, and cards with category bonuses that meet your spending patterns, is the key to making this work whether or not you fly international or domestic, coach or business. The math is the same. Your points aren’t free. You’re buying them. For example...
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 5:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

As mentioned, 190K is not my point accumulation across my cards, but happened to be the denominator in the valuation equation I used. The price to buy UA miles is irrelevant, because maybe you purchase them, but I get them for free, and the actual benefit of the point/miles depends on the trip, but in my example above, was 7.26. Not sure why that is a difficult concept, but if you have any questions after you review my math, I'm happy to answer. Please note that using cards with transferable points, and cards with category bonuses that meet your spending patterns, is the key to making this work whether or not you fly international or domestic, coach or business. The math is the same. Your points aren’t free. You’re buying them. For example...
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 16, 2023 2:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

I don't see how you are getting close to 190K miles based on that valuation. Freedom card 5% is capped at $1500/quarter. So even if your spend happens to align perfectly with each quarter that's 30K miles per year. There is still 160K miles to go unless you are telling me you spend $80K on groceries on the UA card which I suspect is not the case as AFAIK Chase also puts limit on grocery bonus. Are you including initial credit card bonuses in your ROI? I don't consider that part of ROI because you can't do it again. Bloggers also don't include the initial credit card bonuses in their PPM valuations. I think you should re-read my last several posts: 1. I do not do SUBs 2. The calculations I presented have nothing to do with SUBs. The calculu...
by Jags4186
Fri Jul 14, 2023 11:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

I love the contrast between these posts as it illustrates the huge polarization of opinions on the FF game. For some people, it's gotten too difficult to find the value so they're out. Others continue to have success with it. Which makes me curious about what they're doing right. So, "theplayer11", are you still finding these deals post-pandemic, and could you reveal which FF program and airline this is? How far in advance are you booking? (My value of 176k rt came from a quick United award search from NYC to Frankfurt for next spring.) There's no problem finding availability if you're willing to fly when there's availability. It's just that most of us are shoehorned into traveling for leisure on specific time tables. And that is...
by Jags4186
Fri Jul 14, 2023 9:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

I love the contrast between these posts as it illustrates the huge polarization of opinions on the FF game. For some people, it's gotten too difficult to find the value so they're out. Others continue to have success with it. Which makes me curious about what they're doing right. So, "theplayer11", are you still finding these deals post-pandemic, and could you reveal which FF program and airline this is? How far in advance are you booking? (My value of 176k rt came from a quick United award search from NYC to Frankfurt for next spring.) There's no problem finding availability if you're willing to fly when there's availability. It's just that most of us are shoehorned into traveling for leisure on specific time tables. And that is...
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 13, 2023 4:49 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Job Hopping vs Salary Advancement
Replies: 34
Views: 3552

Re: Job Hopping vs Salary Advancement

As others have said, you’re already a job hopper. One more won’t hurt, especially not for an extra $45k/yr. Many companies are full of job hoppers, so those concerns aren’t necessarily thought of as concerns anymore.
by Jags4186
Wed Jul 12, 2023 6:17 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Millennials Need 3-4 Million To Retire
Replies: 504
Views: 59902

Re: Millennials Need 3-4 Million To Retire

I think that a key reason people retired in the US today are living very comfortably on 1 million or more is because the average retiree age 65+ has less than $300,000 or 1/3 that amount saved for retirement according to a 2022 Vanguard study. I believe that the increase in access to financial information through the internet, the recent popularity of early retirement movements, and the FOMO effect of social media has resulted in a significantly higher percentage of Millennial and Gen Z age people trying to save and invest aggressively for retirement than occurred with the Baby Boomers and other previous generations. If a majority of Millennials somehow manage to save or inherit 3 million by the time they retire in 25-30 years, then it's n...
by Jags4186
Tue Jul 11, 2023 11:09 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Millennials Need 3-4 Million To Retire
Replies: 504
Views: 59902

Re: Millennials Need 3-4 Million To Retire

$500k by age 25 lol. Maybe they meant $50k? Probably 99.99% of people who start their adult career at age 22 don’t earn $500k by age 25.
by Jags4186
Tue Jul 11, 2023 9:48 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 2023 raises [Salary]
Replies: 47
Views: 5884

2023 raises [Salary]

Well they just announced raises for this year - they go into effect September 1

Performance reviews determine your raise on a 1-5 scale

1 - no raise
2 - 1.65%
3 - 2.65%
4 - 3.65%
5 - “no limit”

I’m actually blown away how small they are considering last year it was 2.5%/3.5%/4.5% due to “high inflation” and prior 5 years it’s always been 2%/3%/4%. Seems like they’re clawing back that extra 0.5% they gave last year.

I’ve gotten 4s the last 3 performance cycles but a change in how they calculate your score will possible knock me to a 3 this year. I will not be a happy camper.

Wonder what other mega corps are doing.
by Jags4186
Mon Jul 10, 2023 5:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: SAT Prep Tuitions - Opinions needed (timing/cost/etc..)
Replies: 101
Views: 8361

Re: SAT Prep Tuitions - Opinions needed (timing/cost/etc..)

It is insane to spend $30k and 300-500 hours of SAT tutoring.

Your kids are scoring 1000-1100 in 8th grade. They will probably naturally inch up towards 1200-1300. A Princeton Review or Test Masters course taken seriously will improve scores another 150-200 points.
by Jags4186
Mon Jul 10, 2023 6:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: hedging against property taxes
Replies: 28
Views: 2989

Re: hedging against property taxes

Many states have programs which either freeze or significantly restrict the amount property taxes can go up for seniors.

That said, the 4% rule accounts for inflation. If you own your home outright then you’ve solved part of the inflation issue. If your property taxes are causing you financial duress in retirement you need to move.
by Jags4186
Sun Jul 09, 2023 6:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is it a mistake to sell my home?
Replies: 62
Views: 7175

Re: Is it a mistake to sell my home?

I would reevaluate what your expenses really are.

$350k - $90k savings - $100k spending = $160k taxes?

I don’t think so.

You should look to buy a bigger house and sell and buy at the same time.
by Jags4186
Sat Jul 08, 2023 3:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is QE responsible for US outperformance over Int'l from 2010-2021?
Replies: 263
Views: 19164

Re: Is QE responsible for US outperformance over Int'l from 2010-2021?

HanSolo wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:08 am
CraigTester wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 8:03 am
HanSolo wrote: Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:34 pm The short answer is that I think the numbers show that QE has an effect, perhaps in an approximate way. It turns out I mentioned this to you before in a previous thread (here).
Yes, I remember ..... And since you didn't include International at that time, do you think QE could also explain it's underperformance to it's own trend during the 2010-2021 period....?
As in the previous thread... if we compare (a) GAFAM, (b) the "S&P 495" (the 500 minus GAFAM), and (c) international... (c) didn't perform much different from (b), so the question isn't why the US outperformed international, it's why (a) outperformed everything else.
How did international perform if you drop the 5 largest and best performing companies?
by Jags4186
Sat Jul 08, 2023 5:11 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles
Replies: 166
Views: 13297

Re: How Can I Self-educated on Airline Points/Miles

I have done a little bit of this, but it seems like there is no easy money for non-experts. If you want to get domestic economy class tickets, it is easy to find tickets available to purchase with miles, but the miles are usually worth below 2 cents each. Even without considering the annual fee, a 2% cash back card would be better than an airline card giving 1 mile per dollar. Signup bonuses paid in miles could still be worth it, but only if you can easily meet the minimum spending requirement with spending you would have done anyway. For overseas business/first class tickets, the point value can come out to 5 cents or more when comparing to the cash price of such tickets. But would you have been willing to pay the cash price for them? If ...
by Jags4186
Sat Jul 08, 2023 5:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Insect Repellants?
Replies: 11
Views: 941

Re: Insect Repellants?

100% deet
by Jags4186
Fri Jul 07, 2023 10:20 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Utility worker access on private property
Replies: 21
Views: 3121

Re: Utility worker access on private property

investingdad wrote: Thu Jul 06, 2023 2:28 pm Laying conduit in the front yard next to the right-of-way I have no issues with.

Laying down 200 feet along my side yard into the back yard just so they can unroll it where there is no public access or easements feels intrusive and borderline trespassing.

My reason for objecting? Simple, I don’t want my private property used as a staging area.
Exactly. They aren’t laying wires for some community charity. They’re a business (probably a billion dollar one) laying wires to make money. Why should you allow them to freeload off your property?
by Jags4186
Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:57 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can I afford a new nicer car next year?
Replies: 37
Views: 3961

Re: Can I afford a new nicer car next year?

Sure you can afford it. No matter how you slice it though, you’re spending $37k (net your current vehicle’s worth). There’s no way around that fact so I would just think about how long it takes you to save that type of money and if your willing to work “for free” for that amount of time for the object.

It looks like you save about $56k/yr. If the car you buy costs $32k after trading in yours that’s roughly 7 months of savings. Are you okay essentially not saving a penny for 7 months?
by Jags4186
Fri Jul 07, 2023 7:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: American Air Miles: transferring to another person
Replies: 18
Views: 1199

Re: American Air Miles: transferring to another person

yoyo6713 wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 7:44 am
Jags4186 wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 7:17 am You can sell miles which involves you booking the flight for someone else in your account. If you don’t plan on flying again there’s little downside.

https://www.sellmymiles.com/

https://www.sellmilesnow.com/

https://milesbuyer.com/sell-miles/
Selling miles are against airline rules. But even if you get expelled from their programs you can still fly. You won't be able to earn their miles but you can still fly and credit miles to partner airline frequent flyer programs.
That doesn’t matter.

OP said
My flying days are all but done now so I'll dump these miles one way or another.
So either he gets away with it or doesn’t, but there’s no downside if the alternative is losing the miles anyway.
by Jags4186
Fri Jul 07, 2023 7:40 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: My Mortgage (5.125%) offers fee free recasts with a $10k minimum. How do I use this tool?
Replies: 20
Views: 2208

Re: My Mortgage (5.125%) offers fee free recasts with a $10k minimum. How do I use this tool?

Recast is like prepaying the mortgage but instead of shortening the term of the loan you’re realizing a dividend in the form of a lower payment. It could be useful if 5.125% at the duration of the loan is attractive to you, say if you have CDs (5% rates are generally for shorter terms under 1.5 years) or iBonds getting ready to reset in the 3% range.
by Jags4186
Fri Jul 07, 2023 7:17 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: American Air Miles: transferring to another person
Replies: 18
Views: 1199

Re: American Air Miles: transferring to another person

You can sell miles which involves you booking the flight for someone else in your account. If you don’t plan on flying again there’s little downside.

https://www.sellmymiles.com/

https://www.sellmilesnow.com/

https://milesbuyer.com/sell-miles/
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:21 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is QE responsible for US outperformance over Int'l from 2010-2021?
Replies: 263
Views: 19164

Re: Is QE responsible for US outperformance over Int'l from 2010-2021?

rockstar wrote: Thu Jul 06, 2023 5:23 pm QE kept rates down artificially. The US wasn’t the only country to keep rates down artificially. I don’t see what this has to do with US outperformance. The EU had negative rates.

US outperformance really has to do with having a lot of innovative companies here and public policy that let them thrive.
If you listen to this week’s Bogleheads podcast with Bill Sharpe, he tells a story of talking with either a former hedge fund manager or endowment managers…and the guy was being asked about an international investment. His response, which Sharpe was surprised to find out he wasn’t kidding, “other countries…they don’t know how to run companies.”
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prius vs Model Y economic estimates
Replies: 156
Views: 17713

Re: Prius vs Model Y economic estimates

B4Xt3r wrote: Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:15 pm
Jags4186 wrote: Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:28 am Is it really fair to compare a Prius to a Model Y? A model 3 would be more appropriate.

2023 Prius storage space: 20.3-23.8 cu ft
Model 3 storage space: 19.8-22.9 cu ft
Model Y storage space: 30.2-76.2 cu ft

Model 3 starts $7500 less than Model Y.

In other words, I doubt most folks are cross shopping a Model Y with a Prius.
Well, I was interested in them both so that's what I did, just sharing what I did. For estimation purpose, a model 3 would be easy to adjust the calculation's cap. cost & efficiency. Are you interested in the result?
Would love to see it!
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: At what point in job search should I lower salary requirements?
Replies: 45
Views: 4652

Re: At what point in job search should I lower salary requirements?

OP, I don’t have much great advice but my wife is in a similar situation. She is thankfully still employed making $78k with no benefits other than a 401k with no match and PTO. She has applied to probably 100+ jobs, had probably interviews at 10 or so companies, but jobs with no salary listing seem shocked when she asks for $90k and jobs that do have a $90k salary in the range keep telling her they want someone more senior—which shocks me because she got a $78k job, got her appropriate state license while at the job, and is now being told she can’t make what she makes now anywhere else. She’s also had probably 4 or 5 companies tell her they put the position on hold.

Best of luck, it’s not as easy out there as they make it.
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How many hours do you work? How many hours do you actually want to work?
Replies: 171
Views: 18252

Re: How many hours do you work? How many hours do you actually want to work?

I know the normal work hour is 40 hours a week but not everyone do 40 hours. Some people work more hours, some people work fewer hours. Hours are important because excessive work hours can put a lot of stress and pressure on you. It would be worse if you hate what you are doing along with the hours. How many hours do you work? How many hours do you actually want to work? I'm a 29 years old millennial. I graduated without any student loan or credit card debt. I used to work 40 hours before April 2021. After getting my MBA last year, I got a new job making six figure. The best part about my job is that I only work from 14 to 17 hours a week. I work in the office three days a week and telework two days a week. Here is how my office work day g...
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How many hours do you work? How many hours do you actually want to work?
Replies: 171
Views: 18252

Re: How many hours do you work? How many hours do you actually want to work?

I know the normal work hour is 40 hours a week but not everyone do 40 hours. Some people work more hours, some people work fewer hours. Hours are important because excessive work hours can put a lot of stress and pressure on you. It would be worse if you hate what you are doing along with the hours. How many hours do you work? How many hours do you actually want to work? I'm a 29 years old millennial. I graduated without any student loan or credit card debt. I used to work 40 hours before April 2021. After getting my MBA last year, I got a new job making six figure. The best part about my job is that I only work from 14 to 17 hours a week. I work in the office three days a week and telework two days a week. Here is how my office work day g...
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 9:46 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Aldi supermarket?
Replies: 106
Views: 11156

Re: Aldi supermarket?

For those who have time to shop at multiple grocery stores I say good on you. I’m happy enough to get my shopping done at one spot and if it means I spend an extra $100/mo so be it.
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 8:16 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How many of years is generally accepted to know if a manager has skill over luck?
Replies: 153
Views: 13985

Re: How many of years is generally accepted to know if a manager has skill over luck?

It’s an impossible question to answer. A manager could have skill and that skill could erode. Or a manager could have skill and that skill no longer translates to winning trades due to an unknown change in how securities are priced.

You get enough people throwing dice and someone will roll 7 ten times in a row. Now there are people who have have claimed to learned to roll dice accurately. But even if true, a minor change in the composition of the table or dice could prevent that person from ever making a predictable toss again. So there’s no way to know if past success was skill or luck.
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Prius vs Model Y economic estimates
Replies: 156
Views: 17713

Re: Prius vs Model Y economic estimates

Is it really fair to compare a Prius to a Model Y? A model 3 would be more appropriate.

2023 Prius storage space: 20.3-23.8 cu ft
Model 3 storage space: 19.8-22.9 cu ft
Model Y storage space: 30.2-76.2 cu ft

Model 3 starts $7500 less than Model Y.

In other words, I doubt most folks are cross shopping a Model Y with a Prius.
by Jags4186
Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:26 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do I increase my income
Replies: 62
Views: 6068

Re: How do I increase my income

OP, there is nothing wrong with wanting more. I too want “more”. Yes, the hedonic treadmill is real. But a single $140k income for 5 people is not a lavish income no matter how you slice it. You obviously are a saver. And when you start listing your savings priorities, and your basic living expenses you quickly realize there isn’t much left for enjoyment.

If you want to make more I’d recommend trying to get into pharma sales. If you do well you could make multiples of what you make. And if you don’t I’m sure you can always come back and be a pharmacist.
by Jags4186
Wed Jul 05, 2023 4:52 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Bought life insurance. How should my wife use it if I were to die?
Replies: 28
Views: 2648

Re: Bought life insurance. How should my wife use it if I were to die?

Why does she need guidelines? Does she have any opinions? The main purpose is to replace the lost income, so whatever your income would have provided would be things to spend the money. $700k should safely provide about $30k of annual spending if it isn't used on any specific spending goals. I would agree with others, $700k seems light. When it comes to money and what to do with it no, she does not have opinions and is asking for any help she can get. Why does it seem light? It’s more than 15 years expenses. I guess not inflation protected but still, seems like plenty of money and time to figure out what to do. If you provided spending info I missed it, but I would personally want closer to 25X expenses which is a common retirement plannin...
by Jags4186
Wed Jul 05, 2023 2:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Televisions and upcoming Amazon Prime days
Replies: 31
Views: 3339

Re: televisions and upcoming Amazon prime days

Much like how cell phones range from $50-$2500, TVs range from $50-$100,000. They all have a screen and show you the same information. But they each provide a different experience.

My only suggestion for bargain TV buyers is to get yourself a separate streaming stick. The Fire 4k Max is $24.99 right now. Cheap TVs have cheap processors and are very slow and clunky. If you go with a streaming stick you can just swap it out with the newest version when it starts to get slow.
by Jags4186
Tue Jul 04, 2023 5:53 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why do small cap stocks pay higher dividends than the S&P 500
Replies: 15
Views: 1570

Re: Why do small cap stocks pay higher dividends than the S&P 500

The dividend comes from the value part of the fund, not the small cap part of the fund. Value funds are out of favor stocks who have lower earnings multiples so their dividend yield winds up being a higher percentage.

Vanguard Value Index Fund, VVIAX, is Vanguards Large Cap value fund. It has a yield of 2.63%.
by Jags4186
Tue Jul 04, 2023 5:38 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How many of years is generally accepted to know if a manager has skill over luck?
Replies: 153
Views: 13985

Re: How many of years is generally accepted to know if a manager has skill over luck?

Sometimes an active fund can win for 10, 20, or more years, but often that's based on an initial outperformance, probably during a time when the asset base was small, and maybe due to luck (or not.) After that the fund may more or less stick to an index so as to not lose that initial advantage. So you have to look at rolling, not cumulative, returns. Correct. Buffett has said this many times — it’s incredibly difficult for him to outperform the market. And it’s incredibly difficult for him to even perform at market because he’s a market mover. He has too much money and needs to buy megacap stocks to not just gobble up companies whole. But I’ve also heard him say in interviews he’d wallop the S&P500 if you told him to invest $10mm.
by Jags4186
Mon Jul 03, 2023 4:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to save for house down payment: Affluent 25-year-old
Replies: 20
Views: 3039

Re: How to save for house down payment: Affluent 25-year-old

Invest excess money into your AA. Once you decide you are going to purchase a house you can liquidate stock and move to cash equivalents 12 months or less out.
by Jags4186
Mon Jul 03, 2023 1:23 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How much do we need to save to get to 30X in 20 years if we have 8X now?
Replies: 14
Views: 1625

Re: How much do we need to save to get to 30X in 20 years if we have 8X now?

https://www.investor.gov/financial-tool ... calculator

Put how much you have, how much you want, how long you plan on saving, and your projected interest rate to find out how much you need to save. Best to work in “real” interest rates, I.e. net if inflation.
by Jags4186
Mon Jul 03, 2023 6:35 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Has investing conservatively ever paid off over a career?
Replies: 261
Views: 32602

Re: Has investing conservatively ever paid off over a career?

KlangFool wrote: Sun Jul 02, 2023 9:53 am
abc132 wrote: Sun Jul 02, 2023 7:45 am

I posted the historical difference for you with 100% expenses saved per year. You ingored this and then applied the 20% vs 30% results to your savings rate.
abc132,

You conveniently ignored that those save at 100% expense do not work for 30 years.

KlangFool
How many years did you work?
by Jags4186
Sat Jul 01, 2023 5:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?
Replies: 7203
Views: 1413387

Re: What's Your Credit Card Rewards Strategy?

erp wrote: Sat Jul 01, 2023 5:25 pm
arsenal_fan wrote: Tue Jun 27, 2023 12:06 am Have you guys received Citi SYW offers for gas, groceries and restaurants for the next quarter?
Just got it about an hour ago, good for July, Aug, Sep.
Yup. I got at 4pm and 6pm on our two cards.