Bogleheads.org

Check out https://www.tnttt.com/, the Bogleheads of small campers.

Some ideas
Scamp: fiberglass egg campers, can sleep 4 in the right configuration, relatively light
Casita: similar to Scamp, but a little bigger, heavier, and more expensive
Various teardrop campers: usually need a separate tent to sleep 4, but they are an upgrade over a tent. They're pricey these days.

I went to a bunch of parks in the four corners region in mid July about 6 years ago. My experience... July is monsoon season, especially further South. We got substantial rain at Petrified Forest, Page, the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion. It'll still be going in August, although less than peak. Expect rain most afternoons/evenings at Zion and Bryce Canyon. Same if you hit any parks in Arizona or New Mexico. As someone from the East/Gulf Coast, the low humidity made the high heat more bearable. I opted for full-coverage with light, loose-fitting clothing. Zion was nice. Cool at night, warm-hot during the day. Bryce Canyon was actually cold, especially at night (lows in the 40s). It's at 10,000+ feet, so that's why. Capital Reef, Arches, and C...

I don't imagine that it will classify Lowe's and Home Depot as "online shopping", even if you order online. It'll probably classify them as "Home Improvement" or similar, regardless of whether the charge is online or in-person.

I second the recommendation for the Amazon Prime card from Chase. No limit 5% back at Amazon, and no annual fee (other than the Prime Membership)

Cheez-It Guy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 09, 2023 6:45 am Try Jethro Tull Mobile instead. A variety of flute ringtones come standard.

The service is terrible, though. It only works if you're sitting on a park bench (or on a bungle in the jungle).

biscuit5 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 5:14 pm not sure if its just my area, but, they seem to be building self-storages all over the place here. Not sure why. Anyone having a similar experience?

There are lots going up near me. My brother-in-law (a real estate agent) said that they're extremely profitable if the land is cheap. Minimal building expense, minimal staffing requirements, minimal maintenance requirements for non-climate-controlled ones, and tenants tend to keep them for years.

I like it. I don't rely solely on it: I always check mirrors and glance to the side, but I do use it as the first filter. If it's on, I don't bother looking to see if the lane is clear, I know that it isn't. Small stress saver, and it lets me keep my eyes ahead instead of on the mirror.

Rear cross-traffic alert, which came with it, is even better. I came from a car with no backup camera, and now, having a wide-angle backup camera and RCTA makes backing out of parking spots much less stressful.

I've had several iterations of the Fuji Finepix XP, and I've been satisfied with all of them. My dad (a retired home inspector) also used one for many years after he kept killing cheaper, non-waterproof digital cameras with dirt, mud, and dust in crawl spaces and attics.

The battery has a decent lifespan, although you will probably want to bring a powerbank or solar charger for it, as it won't last more than a day or two of heavy shooting. The powerbank is probably a better idea, as the charging port is located behind the battery/SD slot door. You'll also want some kind of lanyard to attach it to yourself/your PFD. It's waterproof, but it's not buoyant!

My dressy daily driver is a Citizen Eco-Drive (can't remember the exact model, but it's similar to the Corso, Drive, and Classic models). 3 hands, date and day of the week. It has a charcoal gray face with dashes, not numbers; stainless steel case; and a stainless steel bracelet band. Not too big or too thick, and it's worked flawlessly for over 8 years now. They don't have any models that are quite as minimalist as what you posted, but they're close

nalor511 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 1:01 pm Vanguard is too hard to contact for customer service (phone only, 9-4 EST only).

That's not true. They're available 8-8 Eastern for regular investors: https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/ ... ct-us.html

I've been using 1Password for a couple of years, and my setup experience was similar to yours. It required a lot of cleanup that first day. It's worked pretty well since then.

Regarding the app setup, my phone presents 1Password as an option on the keyboard when I log in to an app, and it asks if I want to associate the app with 1Password once I use it to log in. There are a couple of apps that it doesn't work smoothly for, and I end up having to copy-paste. I'm on a Pixel 6a and using the stock GBoard as my keyboard.

I would fly or take Amtrak. Looks like a good departure and arrival time each day (7:30ish AM-6ish PM if you're going Newark to Raleigh). Business class is about $300 round trip. The station in Raleigh is right in a nice area of downtown, too.

My parents are both recently retired. So far, they've been going for

Spending more time in the garden
Going on more trips
Volunteering more with their church (I think they're doing Wheel-a-Meal about twice per week)
Volunteering more in general (My dad does a lot of things with the Boy Scouts, my mom does pastoral care at church)
Walking the dog 2-3 times per day, instead of just once
Joined a gym
Reading

Joe Public wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 4:58 pm

jpelder wrote: ↑Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:37 amI do know that the past year has been awful for intermediate-term bonds. VBTLX (Vanguard Total Bond Market) returned -13.16% in 2022. The G Fund returned 0.13%.

The TSP website is showing that the F Fund returned -12.83% in 2022, and the G Fund returned +2.98% over that same period.

https://www.tsp.gov/fund-performance/

Oops! I must have looked at YTD 2023, not total for 2022

The G fund is a better deal than nearly any other fixed-income option around. You get intermediate-term bond rates with no principal risk. I wouldn't bother with the F Fund. I read elsewhere that the G fund is so great, that it offers the ability to increase the portfolio equity percentage slightly while not having any more risk than a portfolio using an intermediate bond fund. Is this valid? If so, how much more of an equity percentage? 5% ? This passes the smell test for me, but I don't know what the magnitude of the reduced risk is (nor do I know a way to calculate it mathematically). I do know that the past year has been awful for intermediate-term bonds. VBTLX (Vanguard Total Bond Market) returned -13.16% in 2022. The G Fund returned ...

Not unreasonable, just cautious. It's likely worthwhile to squeeze as much no-risk return out of some of that money as you can. CD or bond ladders, more I-bonds, hunt down the best HYSA rates, that sort of thing. You don't want to have it languish in 1% account when it can earn more and be accessible. Several banks have 1 or 2-year CDs at over 4% these days.

The G fund is a better deal than nearly any other fixed-income option around. You get intermediate-term bond rates with no principal risk. I wouldn't bother with the F Fund.

dukeblue219 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:52 am Yes, you can and should meet the rewards tier by using Merrill Edge. You don't need to have money "parked" at BoA or Merrill Edge unless you really want 100k in a money market. A bunch of cheap VTI or VOO or whatever you are invested in will work as well.

Occasionally ME has transfer bonuses as well, so you can really clean up between that and the CC rewards from BoA.

This is a good idea. Might even be worth opening a Merrill Edge Roth IRA and transferring a big chunk of balance over. IIRC, they don't charge any fees to buy ETFs, so it'll be easy enough to buy some BND, VTI, and VXUS and brew a three-fund portfolio.

It's been quite a while since I went to Paris, but a few thoughts... The Musee d'Orsay is more accessible than the Louvre. It's also laid out in a pretty linear fashion (take the elevators to the top, wind your way down through the galleries), so you can cruise through and spend as much or as little time as you want on any particular piece of art. I wouldn't try to do Belgium on this trip. You'd do much better to just focus on Paris and some surrounding areas on a 10-day trip. The school trip I took to France was 10 days, and it felt very rushed (we did a big loop in Northwest France: Paris-Chartres-Orleans-Tours-Saint Malo-Bayeux-Paris, with day stops in Mont Saint Michel and some other places along the way). And that was with a charter bu...

blueoval9942 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 23, 2023 9:22 pm There once was a man from Nantucket,
Who told his advisor to [Inappropriate phrase removed by admin LadyGeek],
To save himself trouble, he stashed away double,
And instead of worries, he slept.

10 bonus points for the "Man from Nantucket" opening

These are monthly amounts, roughly categorized and estimated. We have more detailed categories in our tracking spreadsheet and on Mint Married couple, no kids Total take-home income: $6000-$7000 per month Life Insurance, Various Subscriptions, Home Internet, Cell Phones, Car Maintenance Sinking Fund, and other Fixed Bills: $450 Mortgage and escrowed property tax and homeowner's insurance: $850 Food (Groceries, restaurants, and general home cleaning goods): $1000 Utilities: $225 Pharmacy (if not covered by FSA) and personal care: $100 Gifts (Christmas, birthdays, anniversary, random things): $100 Home Maintenance and Improvement: $240 Charity and School Supplies (we're both teachers): $200 Entertainment: $100 His and her clothing, fun, and w...

I agree with the Keychain recommendation. Free and simple. She can use the recommended keyboard mash ones for most things.

1Password is a relatively user-friendly option, too. Has iPhone and Mac options that work with Safari. I've only used it on Windows and Android, and it works well on there. It's not free, but it's not terribly expensive.

Never been on an HOA board, but I have been on a church vestry (lay governing committee). We kept all money in checking, savings, and money market accounts, or CDs. We typically had several hundred thousand dollars in the money market and CDs as an emergency reserve. It was there for emergency repairs and to cover lean years in the budget. I wouldn't dream of suggesting anything that could lose principal for a non-profit org's operating funds.

The endowment funds were very conservatively invested in a mix of stocks and bonds (50-50, IIRC), but the principal of the endowment funds were not meant to be spent, only half or so of the growth.

I really like Trader Joe's Wake Up Blend. It's not the best stuff in the business, but at circa $16 for two pounds, it's a good brew for the buck.

Hi, fellow teacher! I have a couple of "lunch formats" that I use. I do have access to a refrigerator and a microwave, so some of mine won't work for you currently. My most common one is a "mayo salad" (chicken salad, egg salad, pimento cheese, or similar) sandwich on whole wheat bread, a baggie of bite-size vegetables (usually baby carrots or carrot sticks, but sometimes cucumber or celery), a small serving of Wheat Thins (I keep a box in my desk), and a piece of fruit. I assemble all this in the morning after I eat breakfast, and bring it in an insulated lunchbox with a cold pack. I usually buy the sandwich salad pre-made, but I occasionally make my own on the weekend. Alternates: Lean Cuisine or similar with a piece o...

I don't understand the hate for LG washer/dryers. I've had my set (LG HWA Series) for six years and counting, and they've been very reliable: The only problem I've had is that I had to replace the internal drain hose on the washer, as the vent tube got stretched out and came off of the pipe (I probably could have just clipped it back on, but I had the thing opened and had the replacement part already). It only took a couple of days to get the part in, and the part was only $30). The dryer has worked flawlessly. I follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning (run a cleaning load with bleach or a cleaning tablet each month, and clean out the sump filter), and I leave the door propped on the built-in magnetic thing, as well as leaving the...

JimMolony wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:24 am Donate to a public school. They'll go to good use.

Teacher here. This is definitely the best use. Probably to the local middle or high school, as they'll use more pens than elementary.

By my math, you should save about $61,000 per year in retirement plans: 20% of your $305,000 total income is $61,000. 20% of gross pay is usually enough, unless you want to retire super-early or you're well into your 30s and need to catch up (Edit: I just re-read, and saw that you're in your early 30s. 20% of gross should be adequate). $79,000 isn't unreasonable, but you may not need to save that much toward retirement. Edit: use a retirement calculator to check my math: https://www.bankrate.com/retirement/retirement-plan-calculator/ The rest of your savings can be used toward a house downpayment. One note: the funds earmarked for the downpayment shouldn't be invested in stocks, but in something relatively stable like bonds, CDs, or a high-...

I used to own a Cruze. Leakiest car ever. I'm amazed that yours has survived over 200k miles.

Fun and 100 mile commute are hard to balance. Even more so with farm trips.

Since you already have the Grand Cherokee and the truck, I would say just to just take those to the farm and not worry about the ground clearance/trail issues for your daily driver.

The Crosstrek is a good vehicle, but it's the kind that takes you to fun stuff, not the kind that's fun on the way there.

For ultimate practicality, a new Prius or Corolla hybrid would be good. You can't get a new Rav4 hybrid in your price range, but a used one might be doable.

I think the Civic Si would be a good fit, provided you can find someone to sell you one at a reasonable price.

Hello fellow North Carolinian My wife was formerly a certified NC paralegal (she's a teacher now. Turns out working in disability law is DEPRESSING). Several of her professors and the attorneys she worked for told horror stories of website wills not being written correctly and being thrown out. You really don't want to mess with that when a child's custody is on the line. North Carolina's intestancy laws are complicated, and will result in your spouse and child splitting your estate in a complicated way. In addition to the great advice regarding SECU, you can also call your county bar association for a referral (or the bar of a large neighboring county). You'll get referred to someone qualified and get a low-cost initial consultation. That ...

Mobile has nice downtown area and maybe worth a stop for lunch. I’d then head down the eastern side of the the bay through Fairhope and to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach AL, much nicer than Pensacola Beach IMO. a detour to Fort Morgan might be nice. Continue along the coast and do not miss a visit to the museum at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. If you are very lucky you might get to see some of the pilots training and showing off a bit flying up and down the beach, I’ve seen them doing barrel rolls for the beach goers but that was summertime when the beaches were busy. Enjoy the trip. Agree with this. Mobile might be worth a night. It's gotten a lot better since I finished high school and moved away. Lots of interesting stuff. Mid-January ...

sad2 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 9:53 am You could stay at the T-Lazy-7 ranch.

https://www.tlazy7.com/summer-activities/

I was just going to suggest this. A family member had their wedding reception here, and it was excellent. Looks like they offer guided horseback riding and fly fishing.

For OP, I would definitely advise a trip up to the Maroon Bells. A summit hike is intense, but a stroll next to the the lower lake is very nice (Maroon Lake Trail and Scenic Loop Trail) for an easy 2.5 miles. Reservations are required, so plan it early if you're interested.

We used to get fancy Cuisinart and similar brands. They'd break within 18 months.

We got one of these (an older model, but same features) 5 years ago: https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-Later- ... 089DWFP9L/

You don't even need the programmable feature if you don't ever use it. Wifey likes the timer when she wakes up first, so we got it.

It's still going strong. Add a burr grinder (https://www.amazon.com/OXO-BREW-Conical ... B07CSKGLMM) and a stainless steel reusable filter (https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Permane ... B07SF4Y6D9), and you're all set.

September-November 2019 was a great time to buy a car. Old model years up for reduced price. It's been basically awful since then, although supply is up. My local Honda and Toyota dealers, which I sometimes pass on my way home from work, actually have a couple of new cars on the lot.

I can't really afford to self-insure, but...

I will always prefer to have my insurance company subrogate any claims, rather than having to deal with whatever insurance company the person who caused the wreck uses. My wife got rear-ended 6-7 years ago, and dealing with State Farm was much simpler than the cheapo insurer that the guy who hit her used. Even on an 11-year-old car worth $5000 or so, my collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorist coverage was so cheap (maybe $150 per year) that it didn't seem worthwhile to cancel.

I'm not in Seattle, but I will vouch for the VIP program. I got my Outback in May for invoice price.

The Outback Owners' Forum at https://www.subaruoutback.org/ has great information, including dealer recommendations/avoids.

Do know that you'll probably have to order one and wait a few months. Demand is far outstripping supply.

If you are looking for a car to own for a long time, you might want to avoid the Japanese makers. Toyota and Honda especially are anti battery EVs (BEVs), doubling down on the bet that pure hybrids (HEVs) will dominate the future. Despite the fact that strong HEV sales in the US, EU and China are down, in favor of BEVs, whose sales are exploding in those markets. Unless they change their path, the Japanese makers are in danger. I think you've fallen for all the hype which has focused on electric vehicles which sell only 5% of the market. ICE vehicles are 95%. There are already reports that California is asking EV owners to limit when they charge their cars because their system can't even keep up with today's demands. If CA EV cars double, ...

livesoft wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 7:36 am Make it a hobby when on vacation to visit galleries. There are also plenty of things for sale on the street. Artists will also work by commission, too.

This is what we do. Nearly every painting, piece of pottery, or other artistic item is a souvenir from a trip. We have a few pieces made by family members, and a few that my wife or I made.

The Midwest. Ohio (say) in summer is hot and *humid*. You get multi-week long heat waves of 95+ degrees F? And it doesn't cool much below 80 F at night? OK summer is short. But it's not mild. At least based on the weather in Canada... just across Lake Erie. (My relations there kept their home in the high 70s - they said it was medically advised to have less of a dramatic shift between interior and exterior temperatures in summer). I can't really imagine living in the US Midwest without AC. I am not even sure about Minnesota? When I hear "upper Midwest", I think Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin, or Michigan UP. I used to live in Ohio (Toledo area). My first apartment up there just had a window unit AC, and my wife's (back then, she w...

With the new tax credits kicking in next year, it might be worth waiting until January if you qualify. I would definitely start thinking about getting quotes from a few companies so you can be ready to jump on it when the time comes. It may also be worth signing up for a maintenance plan with your preferred vendor, so you get priority for emergency service if you have a failure. In the upper Midwest, a 95% AFUE or better furnace is definitely worthwhile. If you want air conditioning, a heat pump (with the furnace as backup) may be worthwhile, since it'll probably be cheaper to run in the fall and spring when it's 30-50 degrees (especially with gas prices being what they are these days) TL;DR: Replace this fall, or definitely in the spring i...

I have two ABC extinguishers in my house, one in the kitchen (not very close to the stove) and one in a linen closet that is central to the bedrooms.

We also have BC fire extinguishers in each vehicle. Never had to use them, but my parents have once or twice put out fires in other people's cars.

For automotive use, I recommend spending a bit more (~$120) and getting a Halon fire extinguisher (often marketed as Hal-guard). It's what race cars and aircraft use in their fire suppression systems. The reason is that it will not leave residue or cause thermal shock to electronics like an ABC or BC fire extinguisher will. Are they safe to use indoors. I think Halon is not good to inhale. I was told to get out of the computer room if fire alarm goes off in 10 seconds as the room would fill with halon. Halon is less toxic at active concentrations than CO2, but it causes giddiness and impairment, so it's best to not be around fire and halon for one's own safety. Of course, for putting out a car fire, you'll be outside, so there shouldn't be...

I agree with ExodusNH.

Vanguard Target-Date Funds are a great choice for most people. 2050 or 2045 are probably the best choices for you to start.

You should also amp up your savings rate. Ideally, you will want to have 2-3 times your salary in retirement savings by age 40. You should work on catching up.

HE Pennypacker wrote: ↑Fri Sep 02, 2022 2:06 am I like the Ford Maverick Hybrid small pickup - not sure how hard to find those are.

IIRC, the hybrid Maverick is only available as FWD. You can only get the (pretty capable) AWD version as a standard gas-burner. Hopefully, Ford will get a hybrid AWD model into production (and maybe make a hybrid Bronco Sport, too!)

For hybrids, Toyota is definitely the king. RAV4, Highlander, or Sienna, just pick the one that fits your needs best.

It's worth mentioning that Toyota's AWD system in those three vehicles isn't as advanced as what you get in a Subaru or Audi. It's a "FWD until slip" type system. With good snow tires, that's probably all you need for normal winter driving.

I love my Outback, and Subarus are understandably popular in Colorado for getting up into the mountains. Fuel economy is OK for what it is.

The Crosstrek hybrid isn't worth the cost, IMO. It only gets slightly better mileage than the standard Crosstrek. The Solterra (all-electric) is co-developed with Toyota. It seems ok, but the range is on the short end.

If you're a decent hiker, taking whole the primitive loop through the Devil's Garden is great. If you just want a walk, then hike out as far as Landscape Arch and then head back (this part of the trail is a well-maintained path). There is lots of scrambling on the primitive loop, so take it seriously. It's worth taking all of the side trails, especially to Navajo, Partition, and Private Arches. We went in July a few years back. We started at first light and were done by 11:30. It was extraordinarily hot by the time we finished. We scheduled a well-needed massage that afternoon :D https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/devils-garden.htm Hiking up to Delicate Arch is also great. The upper viewpoint is an easy, short walk. The trail to the arc...

The tax credit isn't refundable, but it can carry forward to subsequent years. So yes, you can artificially generate taxable income via Traditional IRA/401k withdrawals or Roth conversions, or you can just let the credit roll over from year to year until you use it all.

The battery storage credit does not have to be taken with the panels. You can claim one or the other in any particular year. The battery must have 3 kW or more of capacity.

Consumer Reports article about it (if you have a subscription): https://www.consumerreports.org/home-ga ... 771685058/

I use 1Password. $60 per year for a family account. Now, every password is different. Works on any device: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS.

As always, higher is better. But... My brother graduated "thank the laude" from the University of Alabama in mechanical engineering (so not as highly-regarded as VT), and still had a job by graduation (although it was an engineering-adjacent field, not an actual engineering job). He started at a higher salary than I make now as an 8-year teacher with a master's degree. He now is in an engineering job at the same company he started with. Basically, someone who gets Cs in engineering will get a job, but they will probably have to take what they can get. 3.0 or higher should have some choices in jobs at regular companies. 3.5 and higher will probably have multiple offers and be able to be a little choosy. She should definitely be sur...

Joining the midwestern flood to CLT? I've lived in the Charlotte area for 8 years: 4 in Charlotte and 4 in Concord (a Northeast suburb). There are a lot of midwestern transplants, so the culture shock won't be as huge as some Southern cities. There are a lot of Southern transplants, too, though, especially on the younger side of things. You're spot-on with weather and outdoor recreation. It's mostly hot and sunny (also plenty of rain), while still having a tiny bit of winter. I'm a big hiker, and there are at least 50 great trails within an hour's drive, and hundreds within 3 hours. Everything from easy 1-mile park walks to 15 mile wilderness treks. Lots of lakes and rivers for boating. Word of warning: you're used to Lake Michigan. The lak...

A Toyota Venza might be good to check out. Same drivetrain as the Rav4 Hybrid, but a more wagon-like body with more luxurious features.