Search found 2597 matches
- Tue Dec 10, 2019 8:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How to Sell a Wyland Painting on My Bathroom Wall?
- Replies: 81
- Views: 7946
Re: How to Sell a Wyland Painting on My Bathroom Wall?
To me, I don't care who painted it if it looks like something out of a 10yr old's sketchbook. "Art" that isn't actually something you enjoy looking at is such an odd concept to me. Was thinking the same thing. Some prize. Looks like a 10yr old did it. Still bananas duct taped to walls fetch $120k a...
- Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Spin Cycle or Upright Bike?
- Replies: 52
- Views: 2281
Re: Spin Cycle or Upright Bike?
Here is a guide to get the peloton experience at a fraction of the cost. https://www.mypursestrings.com/peloton-app/ Even if you didn't want to.do that you can get a decent spin bike for $200 or less. Eg You just missed this at $129 but it may go on sale again sometime. https://slickdeals.net/f/1360...
- Tue Nov 26, 2019 4:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Hiring a kid to put Xmas lights
- Replies: 56
- Views: 3703
Re: Hiring a kid to put Xmas lights
If you are putting up lights because everyone else is well you need to re examine your lives and make changes not hire a kid to do it. This is the most ridiculous post I've read in a while. Yes you will be on the hook. Common sense says if you haven't the time then scale down your display.
- Mon Nov 25, 2019 11:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Selling house after making improvements :-(
- Replies: 19
- Views: 2270
Re: Selling house after making improvements :-(
Since you are eating a loss maybe your bf would pay.more.of the joint expenses for a couple of years to make up for it or something like that. Or you can live ",rent free," for a couple of years. Best thing is to talk to him anyway rather than us 

- Wed Oct 16, 2019 8:54 am
- Forum: Non-US Investing
- Topic: UK Investors - simplified strategy
- Replies: 30
- Views: 1274
Re: UK Investors - simplified strategy
Your strategy isn't currency hedging Say the exchange rate is 1:1 and you have 1000gbp or VWRL and $1000 in the other.equivalent.fund (initially also worth 1000gbp) lets call that VW. When the exchage rate goes to 2:1 what happens? Assets in VWRL denominated in $ are still worth $1000 so VWRL will d...
- Fri Oct 11, 2019 9:28 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Cheap Cell Phone Plan
- Replies: 49
- Views: 5155
Re: Cheap Cell Phone Plan
**As others have mentioned this is what to buy if you want tracfone: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tracfone-Prepaid-Wireless-Smartphone-Plan-SIM-1200-Min-1200-Txt-3GB-Data/283448464240 Select "I am not sure" and they send you a sim pack and the airtime pin that you can add to your existing account. You c...
- Tue Oct 08, 2019 3:29 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Economics of upgrading to latest iPhone vs one generation behind
- Replies: 36
- Views: 3072
Re: Economics of upgrading to latest iPhone vs one generation behind
You also have to figure in the "version skew effect." My previous (cheap Android phone) was perfectly satisfactory in every way except that an important app that I really needed announced that an update was required... and the update required a version of the OS that was not available for my phone....
- Tue Oct 08, 2019 3:24 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Economics of upgrading to latest iPhone vs one generation behind
- Replies: 36
- Views: 3072
Re: Economics of upgrading to latest iPhone vs one generation behind
The value isn't in buying the older models new but buying them used. You can get the new iphone 11 for $749 or a mint used XR for $450. Then the math changes vs the new xr. If you don't like used then buy the latest. Apple overcharges for older models. If you hold onto it for 4+ years might as well ...
- Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:51 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: How many are switching from Fidelity?
- Replies: 140
- Views: 16265
Re: How many are switching from Fidelity?
If it was free vanguard mutual fund purchases outside of vanguard I'd be moving in a heartbeat. Free trades meh. E*Trade has 110 Vanguard mutual funds with no transaction fees and no commissions. They also have Vanguard money market funds, offer cash management features and pay a cash bonus on new ...
- Sat Oct 05, 2019 4:45 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: How many are switching from Fidelity?
- Replies: 140
- Views: 16265
Re: How many are switching from Fidelity?
If it was free vanguard mutual fund purchases outside of vanguard I'd be moving in a heartbeat. Free trades meh.
- Sat Aug 31, 2019 1:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How to clean baked on "carbon" from corners of old cookie sheets
- Replies: 27
- Views: 2257
- Thu Aug 29, 2019 3:10 pm
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: My favorite Boglehead posters
- Replies: 154
- Views: 12370
Re: My favorite Boglehead posters
TedSwippet His UK US expat advice has been invaluable. I always enjoy Klangfool's perspective on posts. longinvest has provoked a lot of thinking on various subjects. Always enjoy his posts. Taylor is always great to have around whether you agree with him or not Livesoft of course. Who'd have though...
- Sun Aug 11, 2019 2:38 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: No pay increase but increase in responsibility
- Replies: 110
- Views: 8804
Re: No pay increase but increase in responsibility
I think it is pretty straight forward since the op says he is salaried with payment for each hour of overtime. If you don't want to take more on you just say you can already see I am working 15 hours overtime a week and can't possibly take on any more. We need an extra man on deck.
- Wed Jul 31, 2019 10:56 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Social Security -- Take it at 62, 67 or 70
- Replies: 329
- Views: 29365
Re: Social Security -- Take it at 62, 67 or 70
Since the payments are inflation linked the time value of money has already been taken into account. I think what you are really saying is that if you take SS early then your portfolio will be so much larger than if you delay and have to withdraw extra money and therefore will continue earning a rat...
- Wed Jul 31, 2019 10:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Ethics of "bonus payback" when quitting a job
- Replies: 158
- Views: 11438
Re: Ethics of "bonus payback" when quitting a job
It was not a sign on bonus. They call it a "retention bonus" Quite frankly if it is a retention bonus and he didn't stay the full length of time then he ought to pay it back. Assuming he is not going to contest it legally. However I would certainly ask for them to prepare a formal statement from pa...
- Fri Jul 26, 2019 4:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Long commute: how to manage?
- Replies: 110
- Views: 7630
Re: Long commute: how to manage?
Is there no possibility of the aging relatives to move close to you?
- Thu Jul 25, 2019 11:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Laid Off - Want to Retire / Am I OK
- Replies: 145
- Views: 19974
Re: Laid Off - Want to Retire / Am I OK
Without a doubt yes
- Sat Jul 20, 2019 11:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Income below100% FPL-danger of ACA subsidy?
- Replies: 41
- Views: 3185
Re: Income below100% FPL-danger of ACA subsidy?
Do you have nothing in taxable accounts? You probably have some gains you can harvest if so.
- Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: A little discouraged with earnings, is it really this slow?
- Replies: 96
- Views: 15817
Re: A little discouraged with earnings, is it really this slow?
You are doing great. To put into context if you invested nothing for the next 40 years and retired at 67 you'd have $785,000 in today's money with 4.5% real growth. That is compounding for you.
Many people have very little or even negative net worth at your age.
Many people have very little or even negative net worth at your age.
- Fri Jul 19, 2019 7:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Income below100% FPL-danger of ACA subsidy?
- Replies: 41
- Views: 3185
Re: Income below100% FPL-danger of ACA subsidy?
One thing to note is that if you know you are heading for $9000 or so income then you are supposed to report that change of income down from $16900 now not after the year end. That would then make you ineligible for a subsidy from now. If you don't report it now then technically you are committing f...
- Fri Jul 19, 2019 5:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Month in London with family - where to stay economically?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 741
Re: Month in London with family - where to stay economically?
Travelodges can be relatively cheap if you book well in advance. There are few amenities but the rooms in covent garden for example are pretty spacious for London. At least they were when I stayed there 10 years ago! You'd have the advantage of location but would have to eat out every day vs an apar...
- Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:35 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Bad time to enter the market?
- Replies: 40
- Views: 4400
Re: Bad time to enter the market?
Hi Bogleheads, This is my first post here. Need some advice on helping my mom invest her money. My mom (Age 50) has about 130k currently sitting in the bank. She has never invested in the stock market before and knows nothing about investment. She's planning to put about 15k a year in the stock mar...
- Tue Jul 16, 2019 6:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Low Cost Burner Phone?
- Replies: 16
- Views: 2354
Re: Low Cost Burner Phone?
Here's what I do.... Tracfone: https://shop.tracfone.com/shop/en/tracfonestore/phones?gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1255541&gclid=CjwKCAjw67XpBRBqEiwA5RCocVYl-ebdotSdPU_OTilQSR02rQ-WSeuBn3HK1yJ1dJ5bjQQjfnXONRoC0GUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds sort low to high...choose a phone...maybe ALCATEL MYFLIP™ (A405DL) for $20 ...
- Tue Jul 16, 2019 1:21 am
- Forum: Non-US Investing
- Topic: US expat transferring assets to UK - financial and tax advice urgently needed
- Replies: 9
- Views: 800
Re: US expat transferring assets to UK - financial and tax advice urgently needed
The only good news is that the exchange rate is in your favor so there is that. There are no timing considerations for the transfer other than giving yourself enough time to research, set up an account and move the money over. But you may want to pause first and understand your position before movin...
- Sun Jul 14, 2019 7:42 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Passive vs active for parent's retirement
- Replies: 19
- Views: 1675
Re: Passive vs active for parent's retirement
Beyond the usual warnings about EJ I will say to never mix family/friends and money. It is one of the golden rules.
- Sun Jul 14, 2019 6:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Switching from passive to active management
- Replies: 106
- Views: 9369
Re: Switching form passive to active management
This is a classic bury your head in the sand approach. I get it you don't want to take responsibility. It is a common reason why people flock to advisors and it is a bad reason to do so. You start trusting anything they say but the fact is there is no special sauce of low volatility and high returns...
- Sun Jul 14, 2019 3:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: I think i can spend 30k on this vacation, but wife not sure
- Replies: 77
- Views: 7997
Re: I think i can spend 30k on this vacation, but wife not sure
Is this a joke? You can quite clearly afford it.
- Sat Jul 13, 2019 2:07 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How to encrypt Cloud backups?
- Replies: 54
- Views: 4410
Re: How to encrypt Cloud backups?
Seems like a lot of complicated suggestions.
Is there something wrong with something like idrive?
Seems to do it all fairly simply. Own encryption key. Incremental backup. Versioning.
Is there something wrong with something like idrive?
Seems to do it all fairly simply. Own encryption key. Incremental backup. Versioning.
- Sat Jun 22, 2019 5:35 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How do you approach tipping at carry-out restaurants
- Replies: 111
- Views: 8537
Re: How do you approach tipping at carry-out restaurants
I carry out the tip
- Thu May 02, 2019 12:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Anyone ever used a water damage restoration company to help file insurance claim?
- Replies: 22
- Views: 1377
Re: Anyone ever used a water damage restoration company to help file insurance claim?
My advice is to make sure you pay with a credit card especially if they ask for some payment upfront.
- Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Huge AirBNB Cancellation Charge
- Replies: 123
- Views: 8571
Re: Huge AIrBNB Cancellation Charge
The policy states: "Each listing and reservation on our site will clearly state the cancellation policy. Guests may cancel and review any penalties by viewing their travel plans and then clicking ‘Cancel’ on the appropriate reservation. " If the long term rental cancellation policy was not on the li...
- Sat Apr 06, 2019 2:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Thinking of selling my financed iPhone XS Max and going back to Android...
- Replies: 40
- Views: 2888
Re: Thinking of selling my financed iPhone XS Max and going back to Android...
Consider selling and getting an iphone 7 plus. Should still last and does pretty much everything your xs max can do. Get the 8 plus if you can find a good deal and want things like wireless charging. Fact is iphones last longer as the os is less demanding so use that and get an older iphone. No need...
- Sat Apr 06, 2019 11:58 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: I am confused about quarterly taxes. I own the state about $1700. For the last couple of years I just pay them in Dec.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2009
Re: I am confused about quarterly taxes. I own the state about $1700. For the last couple of years I just pay them in
You will have to check the rules for your state but chances are it is not okay. You may be subject to penalties that the tax man has not bothered to pursue. But one day he might and if he does he will probably go back as many years as he can. Since the amount is relatively low you might just want to...
- Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:24 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: A 23% increase from ATT Wireless
- Replies: 84
- Views: 6894
Re: A 23% increase from ATT Wireless
- Most with 7 actual lines (I assume some of these devices are Apple watches) on a major carrier are WAY above $300 (you are the exception). Major carriers have had and still have much better deals than that. Verizon's Unlimited Everything plan from 2017 (still apparently available through retentio...
- Sat Mar 16, 2019 11:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Sending cookies
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1105
Re: Sending cookies
People send food across country all the time. I've sent stuff over the ocean that made it fine. Package it well but the odds of them making it in one piece are not stacked in your favor!
- Wed Feb 06, 2019 12:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What Tech Gadget Would you Buy?
- Replies: 85
- Views: 6076
Re: What Tech Gadget Would you Buy?
If you have no clue what you want then don't look to buy something 

- Sat Jan 19, 2019 2:03 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Savers Credit dilemma
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1554
Re: Savers Credit dilemma
AGI is before the standard deduction
- Wed Jan 16, 2019 2:36 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax prep software with direct input to forms rather than hand holding?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1069
Tax prep software with direct input to forms rather than hand holding?
I have to efile my state taxes this year due to a credit I claim. Anyway I usually use frefilefillable forms for my federal taxes as I much prefer to directly input into the forms rather than the usual interview hand holding style tax prep software. But freefilefillable forms won't do for efile as I...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 11:50 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Kid schooling - not learning much academically. Looking for suggestions.
- Replies: 112
- Views: 6442
Re: Kid schooling - not learning much academically. Looking for suggestions.
This whole idea that school somehow is the place to be to get social skills is absurd. Life teaches them social skills. Homeschooled kids are often more socially advanced than regular school kids. They are more engaged in life and not some artificial environment that has little to do with the real w...
- Fri Dec 07, 2018 10:40 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: My ACA premiums went up 128% in 2019 anybody else get hit with big increases
- Replies: 21
- Views: 3603
Re: My ACA premiums went up 128% in 2019 anybody else get hit with big increases
Mine went up in a similar manner. Did the same last year. All the good ones raise prices and then leave the marketplace. The ones left in my state are either expensive or by a provider that also does medicaid. You probably could find something cheaper by switching to a different provider. That is wh...
- Thu Oct 25, 2018 7:16 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Adjust Withdrawals For More Money in Your 60’s-70’s
- Replies: 19
- Views: 2239
Re: Adjust Withdrawals For More Money in Your 60’s-70’s
As for spending more in one's 60s and 70s, I would do the following. To get, let's say, $15,000 more per year from 62 to 78, I would put ((78 - 61) X $15,000) = $255,000 into a high-interest savings account, CDs, or a short-term bond fund and withdraw 1/17 of the balance at 62, 1/16 of the balance ...
- Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:20 pm
- Forum: Non-US Investing
- Topic: Confused on Currency exchange
- Replies: 10
- Views: 956
Re: Confused on Currency exchange
What he is saying is that the same ETF could be listed in different currencies but the actual fund itself - the underlying assets is what matters. So lets say you take a AUS dollar denominated S&P 500 fund and a regular US denominated S&P 500 fund. Say the AUS : USD exchange is 2:1 for simplicity. S...
- Mon Oct 22, 2018 5:24 pm
- Forum: Non-US Investing
- Topic: UK capital but US resident alien
- Replies: 8
- Views: 693
Re: UK capital but US resident alien
The simple answer is to move your money to the US and transfer to $ and invest in US etfs/mutual funds. It avoids PFIC issues as well as reporting of foreign accounts in subsequent years. If you plan to move back to the UK then you may want to narrow your list of investments to those on the UK repor...
- Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:04 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Pixel phone: can't make or receive calls but data works
- Replies: 9
- Views: 886
Re: Pixel phone: can't make or receive calls but data works
Try the sim in another phone to make sure it isn't the sim. And yes trying another sim in the pixel could highlight if it is the phone. Do you have a limited minute plan? Maybe you ran out? Or an unlimited plan and used over their fair usage and got blocked? Contact H20 to find out. Hard reset might...
- Sat Oct 13, 2018 2:06 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Good brokerage firms [uk investor]
- Replies: 2
- Views: 302
- Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:07 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Any Fidelity Puritan Fund (FPURX) investors?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 954
Re: Any FPURX investors?
I happen to know what it is because I found it when I once went looking to see if Fidelity had a counterpart to Wellington. It stands for the Fidelity Puritan Fund. A fairly old, actively managed balanced fund, a bit more aggressive than Wellington, around 65/35 or so... and it happens to have beat...
- Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Electric Lawn Mower Advice
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1291
Re: Electric Lawn Mower Advice
I would advise getting a second battery. I found I needed 2. But otherwise it is a great mower.
- Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:43 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: comparing cell phones Moto X, Samsung Galaxy J3 and Moto G6
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1168
Re: comparing cell phones Moto X, Samsung Galaxy J3 and Moto G6
Republic wireless is sprint service. Sprint sucks in my town. If I were you, I pick up a used unlocked LG G5 or LG G6 (AT&T or tmobile variant) at eBay ($80-180) which will smoke any of phones you mentioned by far with better processor and camera and use mint mobile (using tmobile) $15/mo for unlim...
- Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:13 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: New Car: No Collision/Comprehensive?
- Replies: 52
- Views: 4855
Re: New Car: No Collision/Comprehensive?
If you have ever had to deal with someone else's insurance company after an accident then you will know the value of collision/comp insurance. Heck I have even changed my tune about dropping this type of insurance on an older car as well. I would only drop it if I couldn't afford it.
- Sat Oct 06, 2018 4:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Income (US vs Europe)
- Replies: 55
- Views: 4157
Re: Income (US vs Europe)
Yes definitely higher salaries in the USA for middle class jobs. I think many Europeans get the impression that all Americans are rich and all of America is abundant but it really isn't the case. There is a lot more disparity between the rich, middle and poor. But yes BHs do tend to have higher sala...