Bogleheads.org

Is there a web tool where one can input annual spending behavior (restaurants, travel, groceries, etc) and get recommends for cards based on preference for cash back, mileage, etc?

I am not interested in more than one card - too complicated for me to carry a huge stack of cards and figure out which one to use at every transaction.

My father worked this problem two years ago (when he was 91) and we are executing it now. He negotiated a veterans discount on a full package local will/trust/POA/MHD. Then he liquidated most personal property, all real estate and vehicles and moved in with a relative (who provided him with a car). Consolidated all financial accounts to only Schwab and Vanguard. Then he went to the nearest cheapest funeral home and arranged the lowest-cost cremation (in a cardboard box then to a plastic urn). He had my brother determine the requirements for a military ceremony at his preferred national cemetery. Everything is going smoothly so far. Cremation was $995 plus about $150 shipping and handling and tax. Ashes are ready for the interment. We can us...

Cheaping out on this sort of thing can be great but can also come back to bite you.

I was once asked to house-sit for some people I barely knew (FOAF). They had a fabulous Texas hill-country estate with garden, jacuzzi, etc. I considered it a little vacation while I was a student. It was about 30 minutes from campus IIRC. They didn't pay me - staying there was the payment. I don't recall a cat involved but I did feed at least one cow.

Well, an unexpected winter freeze occurred and I had no experience with managing their outdoor water supplies or greenhouse. So, I think a lot of things froze and quite a few plants died. They didn't complain much but I felt bad and they probably didn't go for the same arrangement next time.

Great burger elements - - premium ground meat 20% fat like wagyu or angus (or your choice of meatless meat) hand formed into perfectly round patties and "rested" in fridge - salt and pepper only, easy on the salt - fry pan only (no open flame or charcoal which tends to burn the meat; a cancer-causer) - never, ever push on the meat with a spatula or cover it with a lid - optional fancy cheese - eg. aged sharp cheddar - cooked to your liking (minimal pink best for food safety on ground meats) - premium bun, toasted with irish butter- home baked if you can manage it - your choice of condiments - mustard, real mayo (no awful sweet sauces) - your choice of veg - polish dill pickle slices, crunchy lettuce (iceberg or romaine), juicy red...

Nothing is a good buy at current prices, except maybe a Chevy Bolt if you can find one.

Just do a google search for whatever interests you, e.g. "Underwater basket-weaving forum".

Oh gosh, we don’t let our kids wander off in places like that. Too many weirdos out there.

A simplistic way to look at it is that your original purchase was going to "cost" you $2400 per year assuming no value at the end of 12 years. You just got one year at a cost of $1000 if you make the purchase, so you have a new vehicle with less miles and presumably one more year on your warranty. Sounds like a good decision. Even if there is a residual value on your truck after 12 years, it presumably will be similar for both vehicles, so you'd still be making a good decision economically. Not sure how you're going to sell your old vehicle and purchase a new one (is it new?, you didn't specify) without paying sales tax. In my state, you'd have to trade your vehicle in to not have to pay sales tax on a new purchase. Except that a...

As the 3 month owner of a new 2023 LexusRX350h (hybrid), I’m a convert! Unbelievable that this vehicle, about the same weight as the 1976 Buick Electra 225 “Deuce and a Quarter” that I learned to drive on, gets 4x the MPG. (32 vs 8). My condo garage neighbor has a 13 year old Prius that’s never needed a repair/still on original battery. Toyota has got this! Lexus has been selling the RX hybrids since 2004. They are extremely smooth and reliable. Hybrids barely account for 10% of the US market (as of Feb 2023). So nobody is forcing you to do anything. Hybrids are the best of both worlds and the worst. You can be ICE or electric during this transition to more charging stations for road trips. If you don't need to take long road trips in this...

If all else fails, could you possibly move to a new address?

Does anyone have experience with hiring a lawyer to appeal being not approved for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits? Was it a waste of time and money or was the appeal successful? Did the lawyer work on a contingency basis and for how much? Most cases need a lawyer. I was denied twice and got a lawyer and he won it for me. The cap back then for lawyer fees for SSDI was around $5500 or so. I got several years back pay and it was taken out of that on the first check. 100% get a lawyer and get the best one you can, again their fees are capped. Was the lawyer that helped you someone that specialized in SSDI cases or your particular condition? There are definitely lawyers who specialize almost exclusively in SSDI cases. I know a cou...

I have lived overseas where it is practical, affordable and sensible to have an armored vehicle and driver. Overall, we sort of hated it. I prefer to drive myself. The type of people who may threaten a vehicle are going to have weapons which can easily overcome a lightly armored vehicle and/or armed driver. Driving myself, I just avoid sketchy areas, especially after dark. I did have more than one colleague who was car-jacked including one shot in the stomach (he survived). Car-jackers typically only want cash and electronics, not to kidnap or harm anyone compliant. One must be very careful using google or other mapping services. The fastest route to your destination could be through an area where you are at risk of being shot on sight. Thi...

A cell tower lease can be a long term cash cow and ADD real estate value. Refuse to sign a long term lease. Hold their feet to the fire 1-2 years at a time. Act as naive as possible to them. Tell them your granddaddy didn't like long leases. Once they build their tower, start boiling the frog with rent increases every year. It can be very lucrative.

Silk McCue wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 12:15 pm

snackdog wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 12:03 pm Just tell your employer you would like to defer payment to Jan at no cost to them. How can they say no, especially since they can accrue the cost this year?

The OP specifically addressed this in their post as a non starter.

Company will not provide the payment incentive in 2024 as they want to close their books at the end of 2023 and have a reduced work force starting in 2024.

Cheers

There is no issue. They can accrue the payment on the books now.

Just tell your employer you would like to defer payment to Jan at no cost to them. How can they say no, especially since they can accrue the cost this year?

Just to to your local feed and seed store. They can sort you out with the best local options.

Very cool. I will look into the Emporia. The smart plugs are only 15a? Seems low for refrigerator, etc. 15A is fine for a refrigerator. Very few 120V appliances draw more than 15A. I'm not certain, but I think those that do actually are supposed to have a NEMA 5-20 plug rather than the normal 5-15, and won't plug into your normal outlets. The in-rush current drawn by some appliances may exceed 15A, but it doesn't last long enough to be detected by this kind of monitor, and even if it did, because the in-rush is so brief, it doesn't result in enough extra energy being consumed to meaningfully change the measured consumption. It’s not quite as sleek as the Sense, but I absolutely hated the sense after using it for a month and returned it. Th...

Just because the shop says you need suspension work does not mean you are getting scammed. How do you know they are wrong? Work suspension parts can easily lead to poor alignment. If the car does not maintain the alignment, that is a clue that parts are worn. Get a written estimate of the needs and second opinion if you are skeptical.

Why on earth would you ignore price? I guess if you have a local AV specialist retailer that provides full support for selection, delivery, configuration, warranty service, etc that would work. The price could be pretty high. The add a lot of value vs the big box shops which leave you to figure it all out.

I don't understand the premise of the hypothetical question being raised - If V and F closed tomorrow, I would need to understand why they failed before investing anywhere else, not just jump to Schwab.

I would put only 20% down and borrow 3x DW income, total $525k. This way if DH should lose job or elect to raise kids, no financial strife would ensue.

But, mostly likely I would not move. You don't need lifestyle inflation at your age - far better to maintain high savings rate for now.

LadyGeek wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:42 am I haven't seen anyone mention surge current. The startup current for motors can sometimes be twice as high as the steady-state (running) mode of operation. Think of anything with a motor - well pumps, sump pumps, home heater fans, and refrigerators.

This is especially important when calculating the capacity of a home generator, but the same should apply here.

Good reminder. I suppose in 100 years we will have smart homes that intelligently load balance. They would ensure the well pump didn’t fire up at the same moment as the refrigerator or the furnace.

If you're retired, which safe withdrawal rate (SWR) has allowed you actually to grow your nest egg, inflation-adjusted? This response will make me sound like a simpleton compared to the entries above, but all I did was review my spending for the 2 years prior to retirement to get a sense of what I'd need. Then, I set all the dividends in my taxable portfolio to go to my settlement fund. I've been using that money ever since. Every once in a blue moon I have to sell something, but it's rare. This has allowed my tax-deferred and Roth accounts to continue to grow. Even my taxable account has grown, but at a slower rate than it would have, had I not been taking the dividends. Regards, If you are holding dividend queens your SWR using the divid...

As long as they provide comparable service, I couldn’t care less why they offer better prices. Maybe their margins are thinner and their volume higher.

Just keep a US address and no issues. Can be a friend, forwarding service, whatever.

Grt2bOutdoors wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 8:39 pm

muffins14 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 8:38 pm I honestly think any thread titled “should we panic” should be locked, or at least re-titled to something more mature and measured

Should we be “concerned” would be appropriate.

Were SVB customers who pulled their deposits just "concerned"?

You are in good company if you are concerned about uninsured deposits at any small or regional back (e.g. small enough to fail).

Solar wrecks the demand value because the meter is only measuring demand from the utility. Your panel could be supplying all the solar plus the power company demand to loads off the panel. So that number isnt going to help and you will need to do the calculation instead (from an NEC point of view as you need to monitor all day long). But it was after sunset and my solar production was 0w so I don't see how this applies. A typical 4 ton AC unit would pull about 5kw by itself. Water heater is another 4400 watts typically. My baseline load of lights, computers, wall warts, etc is about 1500 watts. An electric range could be 5 to 8 kw for 15 minutes. I have a 5 ton AC but I doubt it is pulling 5kw as I would have seen it. The peak shown really...

Has anyone had more insights or luck with whole-home electricity monitoring? We have a complex system that would require 3 Sense units, at least. Not sure it is worth it. Some of the Amazon reviews are pretty bad. I’ve been using the Emporia Vue and it has been extremely reliable and was fairly easy to set up. It monitors individual breakers in addition to the whole panel. I have a larger panel, so I had to get 2 of them and only one is connected to the mains, whereas the other device I only use the sensors for the remaining breakers that were not monitored by the first device. You can also put the monitor in sub panels and set it up so that the device knows they are sub panels. It’s not quite as sleek as the Sense, but I absolutely hated ...

I love my Ryobi electric zero turn and trailer. No noise. No fumes. No maintenance. The newest ones have a joy stick which makes it possible to drive one-handed. $7999 at Home Depot.

Has anyone had more insights or luck with whole-home electricity monitoring? We have a complex system that would require 3 Sense units, at least. Not sure it is worth it. Some of the Amazon reviews are pretty bad.

Multiple offers is fine is a raging market where all houses get multiple offers and make multiple counters. Just don’t win them all then sit on all three for ages and dither as that will enrage people.

The best realtor is the one doing the most business in your area. They know the market the best, have the most contacts, and can get the job done the best for all parties (especially themselves!). In most markets, this is a pretty small list of people to screen. Pick the one you like.

Hundreds of millions of Americans manage to do it as do most Bogleheads. Hard "hard" could it be?

Is there a way to calculate the max (or average or total) amperage used by looking at my meter or bill? Sometimes. Your bill with have a total KW-Hr used by month and may even show a kw-hr average per day. But those numbers are useless for sizing equipment because it is spread over too much time. Commercial customers usually have a demand factor added to their billing. This is the highest average KW used over a 15 minute window during the billing period. The size of that can change their billing tier and the demand value is listed on their bill. If the peak demand was 15KW and they have a 240V single phase service, the amps would be 15000/240 = 62.5. If it was 208V 3 phase, the amps would be 15000/208/1.732 = 41.6. Residential customers ar...

Why don't your borrow, rent or buy the unused one from your 70-year-old friend?

Is there a way to calculate the max (or average or total) amperage used by looking at my meter or bill?

I would drop it if you don't need it an don't have any risk.

A lot depends on what type of asset she is managing. Could be money, property, or even business assets.

I can’t think of anyone who has not oversaved beyond basic needs.

Yes, keep your vehicle low, especially if it is a hybrid with tons of palladium in the cat. https://www.carscoops.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/3f832283-kuhl-prius-2.jpg Does this really help? I thought the bad actors bring a portable car lift with them to the shopping mall. How much would it cost to lower your vehicle, anyway? The cost on lowering springs varies - generally $150 on up. There are also coil-overs, where the amount of lowering is adjustable rather than a set height. With vehicle lowering comes some a lot of cons and some pros: cons: installation cost on each axle (plus an alignment) potential for reduced ride quality (varies depending on lowering amount 10mm, 30mm, 40mm, etc.) and spring brand/quality potential for scraping...

Franchising is a popular way to expand a good business. Have you looked into that?

Igloo chest will keep ice frozen for up to 24 hours. We use on all our road trips.

If you are using cash basis for your accounting you would account for the tax in the year you pay it.

Around $500 for a couple wedding bands at a Chinese jeweler in San Francisco, then off to the county clerk's office. Fancy lunch for us and the best men was about $150. No great regrets.

KeepGrowing wrote: ↑Sun Mar 12, 2023 8:55 am Looks like it will be live-streamed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Oscars

Isn’t that just sign language?

Any tips for watching the Oscars live without a cable subscription?

retired@50 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:02 pm This thread has convinced me to avoid naming any beneficiaries under the age of 18.

The guardian / conservator thing happened in the estate of a family member. Ugh.

Regards,

Did it happen with a TOD IRA, trust or probated will?

What trust? IRAs go in accordance with the beneficiary designation. What does the beneficiary designation say? If you want to leave IRA benefits for a minor, you wouldn't leave them to the minor directly on the beneficiary designation form. You would either leave them to a trust for the benefit of the minor, or if the minor's share is too small to warrant administering a trust, you would name (on the beneficiary designation form) a custodian for the benefit of the minor under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act. Before the SECURE Act it was common for IRA owners to leave their IRAs to their grandchlldren in one of these ways. Beneficiary forms don’t have those custodian designations. We would fill in "see attached rider" on the b...

What trust? IRAs go in accordance with the beneficiary designation. What does the beneficiary designation say? If you want to leave IRA benefits for a minor, you wouldn't leave them to the minor directly on the beneficiary designation form. You would either leave them to a trust for the benefit of the minor, or if the minor's share is too small to warrant administering a trust, you would name (on the beneficiary designation form) a custodian for the benefit of the minor under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act. Before the SECURE Act it was common for IRA owners to leave their IRAs to their grandchlldren in one of these ways. Beneficiary forms don’t have those custodian designations. Please see my above post. If the kids are receiving the ...