Search found 151 matches
- Fri Jan 01, 2021 5:04 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Official Registration For The 2021 Boglehead Contest
- Replies: 638
- Views: 15178
- Sun Dec 20, 2020 2:58 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Tell me about your experience with CrowdStreet
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1213
Re: Tell me about your experience with CrowdStreet
CrowdStreet is basically a listing service -- Craigslist (but with a fee to the companies) for accredited investors, if you will. Although they claim to vet their offerings, you cannot rely on that and must do your own due diligence. Thanks all. My inclination is that Crowd Street is a no go for me....
- Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:09 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best < $100 purchase?
- Replies: 136
- Views: 16527
Re: Best < $100 purchase?
Car Jump Starter Battery Pack https://www.amazon.com/LEMSIR-Portable-Lithium-Starter-V8/dp/B07M9KSY95/ An absolute game changer. Don't have to wait for AAA, don't have to ask some creepy guy for a jumpstart. Everyone (but especially women) should have one. One use in a dark, rainy, deserted parking ...
- Thu Jun 04, 2020 12:09 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Amazon Prime Membership Question [Considering to drop membership]
- Replies: 136
- Views: 10605
Re: Amazon WITHOUT Prime?
They have some kind of prorating algorithm for refunds. My father passed away in March and he had made only 2 or 3 small orders since his prime renewal. We got a refund of $82.montanagirl wrote: ↑Thu Jun 04, 2020 8:39 am If you cancel, do you still get the rest of the year paid for?
Or do they refund part? I paid in January.
- Sun May 31, 2020 3:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Advice for Mom's variable annuity.
- Replies: 8
- Views: 609
Re: Advice for Mom's variable annuity.
I understand that this isn't your question OP, but $5000/month expenses for someone without a car payment, mortgage, or debt and lives frugally seem high. Are there places to save there?
- Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Bay Area Estate/Trust Attorneys: Seeking referrals
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1050
Re: Bay Area Estate/Trust Attorneys: Seeking referrals
I've lived in both the No Cal South Bay and the So Cal South Bay. Sometimes you have to specify.

- Sat Jan 25, 2020 8:50 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Selling rental property or look for a next tenant?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1127
Re: Selling rental property or look for a next tenant?
You're barely cash flowing as it is, with zero appreciation. How many years of cashflow will a new water heater or furnace or roof set you back? Plus, you don't seem that enthused about it, and you probably won't get so lucky with tenants next time. I'd sell. If you want to own rentals, you should b...
- Wed Jan 15, 2020 6:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Just retired. Too emotionally attached to hard earned $ to be in market and generate a "paycheck."
- Replies: 75
- Views: 8097
Re: Just retired. Too emotionally attached to hard earned $ to be in market and generate a "paycheck."
Someone posted this recently on another thread, but maybe you should consider WARM (Wasting Asset Retirement Model.)
https://jlcollinsnh.com/2017/09/09/slee ... ent-model/
Your anxiety about this is palpable.
https://jlcollinsnh.com/2017/09/09/slee ... ent-model/
Your anxiety about this is palpable.
- Mon Jan 13, 2020 5:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Which Tax Software
- Replies: 43
- Views: 5184
Re: Which Tax Software
Another upvote for freetaxusa.com. I've been using it for 3 years now with moderate complexity returns (self-employment, rental props, stock sales, multiple K-1s) without any problems. Fed is free, state returns are $6 or 7.
- Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:15 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Vanguard: "Your Account Needs to be Transitioned"
- Replies: 47
- Views: 12870
Re: Vanguard: "Your Account Needs to be Transitioned"
I just rolled over a 401K to Vanguard. When I did it on line, they gave me no option to roll it over into my current MF account SEP-IRA, instead, it automatically created a brokerage account for the rollover. When I called VG to ask about whether I could roll my 401K to the existing SEP-IRA, the guy...
- Sun Jan 05, 2020 8:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Jumper cables
- Replies: 83
- Views: 5687
Re: Jumper cables
I second buying the portable battery pack. Cables are only good if there's another car around. If you use it only once, it will be the best $50 you've ever spent in your life. Ask me how I know.
- Wed Jan 01, 2020 3:28 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: OFFICIAL REGISTRATION FOR THE 2020 BOGLEHEAD CONTEST
- Replies: 688
- Views: 22936
- Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: "Safer" places for Spanish immersion experience?
- Replies: 84
- Views: 7583
Re: "Safer" places for Spanish immersion experience?
Antigua, Guatemala is beautiful and has dozens of Spanish schools, but I recommend Quetzaltenango, about 4 hours away by bus in the mountains. Quaint quiet town, and I never felt unsafe for a second. I chose it over Antigua especially because there were fewer English speaking tourists. And muy barat...
- Thu Jul 18, 2019 12:12 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Do I need a transaction free credit card for Ireland?
- Replies: 70
- Views: 3587
Re: Do I need a transaction free credit card for Ireland?
Anyone paying $100 k for a vacation isn't likely to have the need to save on the transaction cost. I cannot think of any single vacation that costs that amount (two people to the top of Everest?) This one looks nice. Only $135,000 per person. :mrgreen: https://www.tcsworldtravel.com/luxury-jet-expe...
- Mon Mar 04, 2019 7:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Has any retiree taken classes at 4-year college - for interest - e.g. Spanish
- Replies: 108
- Views: 13500
Re: Has any retiree taken classes at 4-year college - for interest - e.g. Spanish
I would look into finding professors on iTalki.com. You sound like you might be better served by taking a combination of conversational classes (to improve fluency) and classes directed at people wanting to take the DELE exams (to get the gramatical rigor that you're seeking.)
- Mon Mar 04, 2019 6:42 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Legally Mine asset protection, family limited partnerships
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1114
Re: Legally Mine asset protection, family limited partnerships
Have adequate insurance and save the $5000. The odds of a malpractice attorney going after personal assets is about zero. I've never heard of a case and I've never heard of anyone who's ever heard of a case.
- Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:50 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Help me pick a fund for my HSA in California
- Replies: 62
- Views: 7741
Re: Help me pick a fund for my HSA in California
Jay, Fidelity has a auto-roll service that automatically repurchases a Treasury bill/note at auction that's similar to the one that just matured. For example, let's say I want to setup a rolling ladder of 6 month T-bills: 1. Check out the auction schedule and yield curve on the U.S. Treasury site: ...
- Thu Feb 28, 2019 5:02 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Buying a house as a medical student
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1244
Re: Buying a house as a medical student
Before I even clicked, I let out a silent scream: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. :shock: As a 1st yr, I can almost guarantee that whatever specialty you think you'll go into...you won't. There's a high probability you will end up doing something somewhere you never dreamed of. The last thing yo...
- Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:59 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Wasting Electricity for Fun and Profit
- Replies: 58
- Views: 5890
Re: Wasting Electricity for Fun and Profit
I'm surprised no one's mentioned a setting up a special grow "farm" in the basement. 

- Sun Feb 10, 2019 2:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Did you investigate your partner's financial background before committing?
- Replies: 99
- Views: 6647
Re: Did you investigate your partner's financial background before committing?
Hire a private investigator? Good luck on your relationships... I never contemplated that. Yes, you have discussions, but if you have to investigate your partner then you're lacking trust in the relationship and commitment should not be happening. Just my opinion. Absolutely right. Because in the h...
- Sun Feb 10, 2019 1:59 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: How Investing Ability Changes With Age --blog post
- Replies: 33
- Views: 3013
How Investing Ability Changes With Age --blog post
https://www.silverlightinvest.com/blog/how-investing-ability-changes-age Short and interesting: However, “older investors have worse investment skill, where the skill deteriorates sharply around the age of 70.” In fact, “older investors earn about 3-5% lower annual return on a risk-adjusted return ...
- Sat Feb 09, 2019 5:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Buying house with son [and his girlfriend]
- Replies: 169
- Views: 12652
Re: Buying house with son [and his girlfriend]
No one has said it's a criminal act. What people are reacting to is that you have A LOT of expectations around this "help"/"gift". You've said it's: -early inheritance and money you don't need BUT you want to retain upside/control via ownership -payment for future lodging and el...
- Sat Feb 09, 2019 3:52 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Is $53 too much for life insurance for me and my wife?
- Replies: 36
- Views: 2900
Re: Is $53 too much for life insurance for me and my wife?
Brings up a question of at what asset level would one feel comfortable with dropping disability insurance? Assuming low risk office job. There are all kinds of ranges to disability so hard to answer question. I guess I don’t feel like the risk is super high. Don’t actually think we have any. First ...
- Tue Feb 05, 2019 6:26 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Crypto Exchange goes bankrupt after owner dies with only password
- Replies: 111
- Views: 15906
- Sat Feb 02, 2019 9:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Letting Dog out everyday for lunch... the roundtrip drive is killing me.. ideas?
- Replies: 167
- Views: 15778
Re: Letting Dog out everyday for lunch... the roundtrip drive is killing me.. ideas?
This is why I have cat. 

- Fri Jan 25, 2019 2:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Investing in a rental property - first time investor
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1920
Re: Investing in a rental property - first time investor
Head over to biggerpockets.com and post ALL your data. You'll get at least some good advice. Generally speaking, expenses will be about 40-50% of rent NOT including your mortgage payment. And don't forget to include vacancy and capital expenditures in your expenses. Are you sure it will cash flow li...
- Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:17 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: REGISTRATION FOR 2019 BOGLEHEAD CONTEST [Entry deadline has passed]
- Replies: 701
- Views: 22906
- Sun Dec 23, 2018 2:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Email Accounts - How Many / Security / Best Practices
- Replies: 46
- Views: 4350
Re: Email Accounts - How Many / Security / Best Practices
The other cool thing you can do with gmail is use a + sign to let you know who using the address, instead of creating multiple dummy email accounts. For ex: myaccount+vanguard@gmail.com , myaccount+sketchywebsite@gmail.com and myaccount+giftcatalog.I.used.once@gmail.com will all go to myaccount@gmai...
- Sun Dec 23, 2018 1:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Struggling to accurately calculate if taking cash advance was worth it
- Replies: 28
- Views: 1982
Re: Struggling to accurately calculate if taking cash advance was worth it
OP, you should spend some time over at The White Coat Investor. It will save you a lot more $$$, with no risk.
https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com
https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com
- Thu Dec 20, 2018 12:20 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: My son was scammed on Craigslist- how to get money back
- Replies: 55
- Views: 11622
Re: My son was scammed on Craigslist- how to get money back
My grandparents were scammed, although slightly different. Short version, they got a phone call, scammer said "hey grandpa, this is your favorite grandson." Grandfather says, "Bill?" Scammer says, yes, lol...simple as that. He was vacationing in mexico, now in jail, dont tell an...
- Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Lottery Tickets
- Replies: 30
- Views: 1915
Re: Lottery Tickets
I don't need any problems with the Commerce Department, or Postal Inspectors. How about I send them a $2.00 bill? Funny you should mention this, I just received a two dollar bill yesterday from Steve at TripInsuranceStore.com. (I mention him by name just because I heard of him through this forum. I...
- Sat Dec 01, 2018 11:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: My kid's retirement
- Replies: 49
- Views: 3719
Re: My kid's retirement
Sorry but this seems like it would raise red flags with the IRS. It doesn’t sound legit to employ your own kid as a model. Why not? WhiteCoatInvestor does. But he has a legitimate business use for the photos of his kids. I don't think the IRS would look kindly on someone taking photos of their &quo...
- Fri Nov 30, 2018 1:10 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How do Bogleheads justify taking vacation?
- Replies: 102
- Views: 5307
Re: How do Bogleheads justify taking vacation?
So can Bogleheads and financially prudent people explain to me... WHY do you take vacation? Are you not upset over wasting so much time and money? This may be shocking for you to find out...but other people don't feel the same way you do about everything. Crazy, huh? I didn't work hard and save jus...
- Thu Nov 29, 2018 12:40 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Marijuana [Stock]
- Replies: 51
- Views: 5959
- Sun Nov 25, 2018 4:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Inheritance and Financial Advisor (Advice Please!)
- Replies: 16
- Views: 2203
Re: Inheritance and Financial Advisor (Advice Please!)
I had a similar situation with my father's accounts at Schwab. He is still alive, but I was helping him get his financial affairs simplified. My father's annuity was worth about 250K with a basis of only 65K, so we contacted Vanguard to arrange the 1035 exchange to a Vanguard annuity to save about $...
- Thu Nov 22, 2018 4:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Tiny Baby Spiders on my Toaster
- Replies: 40
- Views: 3476
Re: Tiny Baby Spiders on my Toaster
It seems you have wisely invested in SPDR, which approximates a Toaster Market Insect Fund. And, over time, your holdings have multiplied, which is of course the expected outcome. Congratulations! Review your IPS (Insect Progeny Statement) to plan your next steps. It may be time to re-balance to yo...
- Sun Nov 18, 2018 4:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Rental Property Mortgage Pay-Off -- Liability
- Replies: 7
- Views: 1011
Re: Rental Property Mortgage Pay-Off -- Liability
Your friends are wrong. Your solution is correct: Have sufficient insurance.
- Sat Nov 10, 2018 3:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: FreeTaxUSA.com now has 2018 Return available.
- Replies: 36
- Views: 5706
Re: FreeTaxUSA.com now has 2018 Return available.
Does their system allow you to views the actual tax forms while you're filling in your information? The TaxHawk website says, "You can print your return for free once you've completed the filing process." I wasn't sure if I should read that literally to mean that I can't see my forms unti...
- Thu Nov 01, 2018 9:44 pm
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: Roll Call for the Retirement Class of 2018!
- Replies: 388
- Views: 81783
Re: Roll Call for the Retirement Class of 2018!
So, unforeseen circumstances arose, and I ended up taking a Leave of Absence 6 months ago, and here it is, 6 months later, and nope, don't miss it a bit. So as of today (my 59th birthday), I am retired! I've lost 30 (excess) lbs in the last 6 months, to give you an idea how I feel about it, and I ha...
- Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Does anyone use Imperfect Produce?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1382
Re: Does anyone use Imperfect Produce?
I use it and like it. It's definitely cheaper than Safeway or Trader Joe's, although on some items the Chinese grocery down the street can beat them. A lot of their produce is surplus, which is why it doesn't look too imperfect. I'm pleased with the selection of items and the convenience, which make...
- Thu Apr 26, 2018 12:45 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Larry Swedroe: Financial Perils Of Old Age
- Replies: 94
- Views: 15843
Re: Larry Swedroe: Financial Perils Of Old Age
I read this (https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/magazine/the-last-day-of-her-life.html) article in 2015 and it stayed with me. I have a pdf saved for reference and my spouse read it too. It is a long but worthwhile read if you are thinking seriously about this topic. Not to get too morbid, but my p...
- Sun Apr 22, 2018 10:06 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How long have you been unemployed?
- Replies: 97
- Views: 12724
Re: How long have you been unemployed?
Hmmm, I've been unemployed for 1 hour and 6 minutes as of this post.
We lost our contract and last night was my last shift. Feels odd. I was planning on retiring this year, but I was sort of hoping to chose the exact date myself.
We lost our contract and last night was my last shift. Feels odd. I was planning on retiring this year, but I was sort of hoping to chose the exact date myself.

- Sat Apr 07, 2018 6:41 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Wills and Trusts - Things to consider?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1305
Re: Wills and Trusts - Things to consider?
If you are looking to educate yourselves, try Nolo Press's Will and Trust publications. Even if you don't DIY it, you will learn what questions to ask.
- Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:07 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: U.S. stocks in free fall
- Replies: 21882
- Views: 2929637
- Sun Apr 01, 2018 3:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Investing in syndicated real estate deals
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1969
Re: Investing in syndicated real estate deals
I have about 15% of my investable NW in private equity RE syndications. If RE is location, location, location, these investments are sponsor, sponsor, sponsor. Do your due diligence carefully on the persons you're handing 50-100K to. It's just another form of RE diversification with less market corr...
- Sat Mar 31, 2018 12:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Hotel Fund Investment Oppurtunity
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1139
Re: Hotel Fund Investment Oppurtunity
The terms you've listed appear pretty standard for this sort of deal, but as usual, the devil is in the details. Some things just off the top of my head: Who approached you with this deal? Who is the sponsor? Can you verify the previous successes? Can you call or meet with them? How responsive are t...
- Sat Mar 31, 2018 11:57 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: $20,000 book - what to do with it
- Replies: 34
- Views: 7158
Re: $20,000 book - what to do with it
Please come back and revive this thread to tell us more about the book when you can!
- Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Los Angeles Condo Purchase Advice
- Replies: 53
- Views: 5124
Re: Los Angeles Condo Purchase Advice
You have a negative net worth right now, and you want to buy a condo that's almost 4x your income? And have total debt of almost 1.2 MILLION Dollars?
(At least. Do you have car loans or credit card debt as well?)
Sounds like a really bad decision to me.
(At least. Do you have car loans or credit card debt as well?)
Sounds like a really bad decision to me.
- Thu Feb 15, 2018 7:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Need advice; Significant Student Loan Burden
- Replies: 26
- Views: 2799
Re: Need advice; Significant Student Loan Burden
Congratulations! It's always nice to get an update. 

- Thu Feb 15, 2018 3:09 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Strategy to sell a sought-after condo
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1364
Re: Strategy to sell a sought-after condo
There is a real estate agent in our area who seems to have the following M.O. during seller-friendly markets. Holds an open house over an upcoming weekend. Home is available for touring for a few hours on both Saturday and Sunday. (in addition to other times agreeable to seller leading up to the we...