Search found 1207 matches
- Tue Jan 19, 2021 8:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Buying a Car - TSLA OR Honda
- Replies: 60
- Views: 5425
Re: Buying a Car - TSLA OR Honda
If you go Odyssey, make sure you listen very carefully before buying. I had a 2019 for a year and couldn't stand it anymore. https://www.odyclub.com/threads/rattle-noise-on-acceleration-revisited.347853/ I love Hondas, but remember a friend letting me drive their Odyssey around. I was amazed at how...
- Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:39 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Buying a Car - TSLA OR Honda
- Replies: 60
- Views: 5425
Re: Buying a Car - TSLA OR Honda
Is there something I'm missing? Yes, you really don’t know what type of vehicle you need. As has been pointed out, those two vehicles are nothing alike, so advice about which is best won’t help unless you provide more information as to your needs. I’m a Tesla admirer, but we have a minivan that cou...
- Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:40 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Way too much in MSFT in taxable, sell and pay tax or let it ride ?
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2894
Re: Way too much in MSFT in taxable, sell and pay tax or let it ride ?
I believe that Microsoft is grossly overvalued. The PE ratio is 35. At the same time, it has the second biggest market cap of all companies ($1.66 trillion). You're swimming upstream against history if you think that a behemoth can grow quickly enough to justify such a high PE ratio. If you are a B...
- Sat Jan 16, 2021 3:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Leaving FA - had the convo, could use some support!
- Replies: 32
- Views: 2750
Re: Leaving FA - had the convo, could use some support!
He is not your friend. You have a business relationship. Actually you do not need to talk to him and in fact you are just wasting his time in doing so. Schwab should be able to handle the transaction completely from their side. Once it is completed you could as a courtesy give the advisor a call an...
- Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:38 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to view Austin-suburb housing market?
- Replies: 89
- Views: 6647
Re: How to view Austin-suburb housing market?
As for speculation, the prices are too high when I consider the fact that many homeowners might not be able to afford the dramatic increase in taxes in the next few years. This is precisely what happened to family friends who have lived in Austin for 15 years or so. Mortgage was very low, taxes too...
- Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:30 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Retiring early from windfall, mid 30s, what is the correct asset allocation to use?
- Replies: 85
- Views: 8795
Re: Retiring early from windfall, mid 30s, what is the correct asset allocation to use?
My first 3-5 years of retirement will be around 45-50k annual expenses in low cost countries. Afterwards, I'll increase to my upper budget of 90k and start living in higher cost countries (Amsterdam, Tokyo) Nothing wrong with travelling the world for a bit but honestly you don't want to end up in a...
- Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:46 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: New house vs. Addition
- Replies: 30
- Views: 1459
Re: New house vs. Addition
This is probably the most-expensive option, but still something to maybe consider if it's legal where you live: What about building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in your backyard? Put at least a bedroom, small bath, kitchenette, and living room in it. Then have your aging parent live there when ...
- Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:38 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Options for healthcare during FIRE (but before 65)?
- Replies: 132
- Views: 8944
Re: Options for healthcare during FIRE (but before 65)?
JDCarpenter wrote: ↑Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:16 pm We have been happy, as our biggest concerns are the hypothetical cost of being hit by an uninsured concrete truck (for example), and avoiding rack rate markups on everything else.

- Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:12 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to view Austin-suburb housing market?
- Replies: 89
- Views: 6647
Re: How to view Austin-suburb housing market?
Go drive in and around the outskirts of Austin. It’s not like LA County where there’s not a lot of space to build. In Texas, all you see is endless land. It’s all privately owned. As oil prices crater, where are these people going to get income? By selling it all for development. Land here is ag us...
- Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:11 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to view Austin-suburb housing market?
- Replies: 89
- Views: 6647
Re: How to view Austin-suburb housing market?
$400k or $500k seems downright inexpensive to those coming from HCOL areas with their HCOL area salaries, especially at the current rock bottom interest rates. I wouldn't wait for a slowdown because it likely won't arrive anytime soon. I lived in Seattle as it experienced its most recent tech boom....
- Sat Jan 16, 2021 9:29 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to view Austin-suburb housing market?
- Replies: 89
- Views: 6647
Re: How to view Austin-suburb housing market?
Contrarian view. I remember this exact sentiment back in 2005-2007 when it was a forgone conclusion that house prices would only go up. That if you didn’t get something now, you’d miss your opportunity. Lots of desperate buyers, and I ended up being one of them. Reading this thread sounds awfully fa...
- Fri Jan 15, 2021 1:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Apple Laptop - Battery Health - what is it and what to do?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 726
Re: Apple Laptop - Battery Health - what is it and what to do?
Mine is showing a warning after a year and a half unfortunately. And the battery isn’t lasting nearly as along. Disappointing compared to the many MBP’s I’ve owned successively.
- Fri Jan 15, 2021 1:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Any productivity podcast?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 730
Re: Any productivity podcast?
Not a podcast, but NYT smarter living is a newsletter for this, but aimed broadly at life and not necessarily exclusive to office work.
- Fri Jan 15, 2021 1:02 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Simple but fun cars
- Replies: 57
- Views: 4107
Re: Simple but fun cars
+1 to the Miata Also, a 20 year old Honda S2000 is worth considering. Great little sports cars that are as simple as possible, they don't even have ABS. Unfortunately, these are very expensive as everyone wants them +2, this was my first thought as a former Mazda owner. Specs mean nothing. Get behi...
- Fri Jan 15, 2021 1:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Is small cap necessary for retirees?
- Replies: 44
- Views: 1952
Re: Do retirees need Small Cap?
I used to because I was convinced it was a good way to balance risk and projected returns, after reading Rick’s book. After years of following this forum I eventually did away with it, mostly to simplify a growing portfolio with numerous accounts. I still sometimes feel like I’m missing out, though.
- Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:04 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What are your Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE numbers?
- Replies: 213
- Views: 16017
Re: What are your Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE numbers?
Last year my wife and I spent $17.1k. That did include employer-paid health insurance, no vacations other than a weekend in San Diego (thanks COVID), and no accrual for replacement vehicles/appliances, etc. We can live on less (go down to one car, not vacation overseas and watch expenses more caref...
- Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Got my stimulus check, how about you?
- Replies: 187
- Views: 12509
Re: $600 stimulus
I received my first payment via direct deposit, and my second payment via paper check Same for me which I thought was odd. I actually haven’t received the check yet though. Get my payment site says it was sent on 1/6. Do you recall about how long it took for yours to arrive? In the same boat! Mine ...
- Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Retiring now, thank you, Bogleheads! And tax question
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2730
Re: Retiring now, thank you, Bogleheads! And tax question
Congratulations, and big respect for your thoughtful approach with your employer. 

- Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:09 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Do you have FOMO (Bitcoin, TSLA, whatever?)
- Replies: 201
- Views: 12056
Re: Do you have FOMO (Bitcoin, TSLA, whatever?)
I bought and I tried to tell every darn Boglehead here to buy. Back in 2018-2019 most Tesla threads got locked or deleted. I also tried to tell you all to buy the cars. Luckily I did both. It really wasn’t that complex. Coming off years of 50%y/y growth and the worlds most important collection of t...
- Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:59 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Do you have FOMO (Bitcoin, TSLA, whatever?)
- Replies: 201
- Views: 12056
Re: Do you have FOMO (Bitcoin, TSLA, whatever?)
No, but I do have ROMO: Regret Over Missing Out. I actually thought about buying TSLA early in 2020 before its great run. There are other examples, sadly. I've learned that when I spot an opportunity I need to move quickly rather than waiting for a great price. I bought and I tried to tell every da...
- Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Got a job offer for $840k/yr. Should I come out of retirement?
- Replies: 211
- Views: 22563
Re: Got a job offer for $840k/yr. Should I come out of retirement?
I would work for 4 months. Save enough cash to pay for this year + next year without touching your investments. You would make this decision on the basis of getting more cash? So why 4? Why not 2 months, or 48 months? OP doesn’t need it. OP, based on what you wrote, I am not hearing a notable reaso...
- Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Help Me [Recover] My Bitcoin!
- Replies: 126
- Views: 20593
Re: Help Me [Recover] My Bitcoin!
Stefan Thomas, a German-born programmer living in San Francisco, has two guesses left to figure out a password that is worth, as of this week, about $220 million. The password will let him unlock a small hard drive, known as an IronKey, which contains the private keys to a digital wallet that holds...
- Mon Jan 11, 2021 10:16 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What are your Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE numbers?
- Replies: 213
- Views: 16017
Re: What are your Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE numbers?
I live in a not particularly large house (about 1750 square feet), but in a VHCOL area. I think it has to do with interpretation of what lean FIRE is. My understanding is that lean FIRE is living in a basic fashion in a way that minimizes expenses which means minimizing the cost of housing as well....
- Thu Jan 07, 2021 1:45 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Year 2000 retirees using the '4% rule' - Where are they now?
- Replies: 780
- Views: 116012
Re: Year 2000 retirees using the '4% rule' - Where are they now?
I was having this discussion with an older gentleman (i'm 40, he's 80. He taught me how to golf when i was 12. We golf with each other almost every year) I'm good friends with. He self manages his money and was one of the guys who told me to get off my duff and do it myself. He retired in 2002. He ...
- Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:56 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Any multimillionaire's (more than 2mm) out there still mow their own lawn?
- Replies: 319
- Views: 23545
Re: Any multimillionaire's (more than 2mm) out there still mow their own lawn?
My definition of being FI is when I can feel comfortable paying someone to mow my lawn (in retirement). At $200 a month...I don’t know.
- Mon Jan 04, 2021 11:20 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Share your net worth progression
- Replies: 2394
- Views: 545048
Re: Share your net worth progression
First few years of marriage was spent getting spouse out of debt. Over 10 years of marriage was on a single income. There were only a few years where we hit $100k-$110K combined salary. No inheritance. All index funds. Retired in 2016, haven't withdrawn from retirement accounts due to making money ...
- Mon Jan 04, 2021 11:16 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Official Registration For The 2021 Boglehead Contest
- Replies: 638
- Views: 14987
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Critique my 2020 spending
- Replies: 74
- Views: 4159
Re: Critique my 2020 spending
I've asked my wife to save the grocery store receipts so I can see what items she's buying and how much they cost and she refused. She has zero interest in cutting the costs down. Also whenever she leaves the house for shopping, she comes back with some takeout food. Not sure what to do other than ...
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best age for "bucket list" trips with kids
- Replies: 40
- Views: 2794
Re: Best age for "bucket list" trips with kids
DW and I traveled extensively in normal times, with two young children in recent years, and are looking forward to doing so again in the not-so-distant future. Currently kids are 7 and 3, a bit too young to appreciate epic, expensive trips like Safaris, Galapagos, etc. For those that did something ...
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 11:16 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Thoughts on iPhone 12? (replacing iPhone 6)
- Replies: 62
- Views: 4756
Re: Thoughts on iPhone 12? (replacing iPhone 6)
Our iPhone 6 runs great, so we’re sticking with it. The main thing to watch out for is the fact that one can't update to iOS 13. Apple has still been making bug fixes to iOS 12, but my guess is that will stop soon (probably some time next year if I had to speculate). This doesn’t worry me. I have n...
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:34 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: How many reached FI goal in 2020?
- Replies: 62
- Views: 4312
Re: How many reached FI goal in 2020?
This is the second year in a row that our investment gains have exceeded our spending (this year our investment gains were 3X spending!). I think that is a pretty good indicator that we are FI, or close. Will you feel the same with 3 years of -20%? +1. The past two years are nowhere near average. T...
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:27 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: No stimulus check:
- Replies: 19
- Views: 1690
Re: No stimulus check:
Some friends are reporting that the recent stimulus check has hit their accounts, asking if we have received ours. Just wondering how those folks respond who do not receive one but don't want to divulge their financial status, particularly with friends who are not nosy, just not aware of the financ...
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:17 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Share your net worth progression
- Replies: 2394
- Views: 545048
Re: Share your net worth progression
Comparison is the thief of joy. Everyone is different. Everyone catches different breaks in life. People get lucky. People work extremely hard. Some people inherit money. There is no one size fits all. The only thing you can do is focus on yourself. Great argument to not be reading this thread.
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:13 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Refinance Mega Thread
- Replies: 9399
- Views: 657441
Re: TRUST WELLS FARGO?
Would you be okay with your mortgage being sold to them? They worry me after all their criminal behavior over the last few years. Should I trust a lender who commonly sells their mortgages to WF? Why or why not? Mine got sold to WF. Hated what they did, but it feels like they are bending over backw...
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 1:48 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Refinance Mega Thread
- Replies: 9399
- Views: 657441
Re: TRUST WELLS FARGO?
Would you be okay with your mortgage being sold to them? They worry me after all their criminal behavior over the last few years. Should I trust a lender who commonly sells their mortgages to WF? Why or why not? Mine got sold to WF. Hated what they did, but it feels like they are bending over backw...
- Fri Jan 01, 2021 2:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Share your net worth progression
- Replies: 2394
- Views: 545048
Re: Share your net worth progression
Did the accounting of the year yesterday. Breathing a small sigh of relief that 2020 is over. :beer Maybe this report is of interest to someone. Age: Early 40's Average taxed SS earnings the past 15 years: $70,000 AA: 70/30 Base salary was $55,000 for much of the past decade. Generated side income t...
- Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: [Is VPN essential for online privacy & security?]
- Replies: 55
- Views: 3365
Re: Which VPN would you recommend?
+1Soon2BXProgrammer wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:45 pm Nord also has 36 month packages that are cheaper per month.
- Wed Dec 30, 2020 4:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: buying a 2021 Toyota Sienna in the next few days
- Replies: 34
- Views: 2379
Re: buying a 2021 Toyota Sienna in the next few days
What vehicle needs the alternator? What's the estimate you've been given? Note that if your price is from the dealer, you can probably get it fixed a lot cheaper at an independent shop. There are also mobile mechanics who'll come to you and swap it out on your driveway. Don’t mean to hijack the thr...
- Wed Dec 30, 2020 4:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: How to choose a good orthodontist?
- Replies: 19
- Views: 1152
Re: How to choose a good orthodontist?
Invisalign has been mentioned several times. Is it a more affordable option (assuming everything else is equal)?
- Wed Dec 30, 2020 3:07 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Monitor For a Mac Mini
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1739
Re: Monitor For a Mac Mini
LG Ultrafine 4k and 5k were designed specifically for Apple. Pretty decent 1080 camera, good speakers, and you can charge an Apple laptop through the main Thunderbolt 3/USB C port. They're pricy compared to other brands and models but you get pretty good integration into the Apple ecosystem and the...
- Wed Dec 30, 2020 1:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Too much in house and retirement. Worried about skew
- Replies: 90
- Views: 7342
Re: Too much in house and retirement. Worried about skew
How does someone get 500k in a roth ira by 30??? Great point. I'd be interested in learning how even a couple could get close to that amount by early 30s. 30k a year for 5 years could go to 500k. assuming it compounds at 43%. maybe op and his wife put 30k a year in the roth and it went into some su...
- Wed Dec 30, 2020 9:59 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Too much in house and retirement. Worried about skew
- Replies: 90
- Views: 7342
Re: Too much in house and retirement. Worried about skew
How does someone get 500k in a roth ira by 30??? Great point. I'd be interested in learning how even a couple could get close to that amount by early 30s. 30k a year for 5 years could go to 500k. assuming it compounds at 43%. maybe op and his wife put 30k a year in the roth and it went into some su...
- Wed Dec 30, 2020 9:58 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Too much in house and retirement. Worried about skew
- Replies: 90
- Views: 7342
Re: Too much in house and retirement. Worried about skew
I'm glad to find this gem of a thread and the "underwater" discussion, LOL. Lol, you said it better than I could. The irony here is that OP appears to have been able to FIRE when they received their inheritance some time ago. But now has a huge mortgage and serious private education to pa...
- Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Thoughts on iPhone 12? (replacing iPhone 6)
- Replies: 62
- Views: 4756
Re: Thoughts on iPhone 12? (replacing iPhone 6)
Our iPhone 6 runs great, so we’re sticking with it.
- Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Olive Oil
- Replies: 23
- Views: 2874
Re: Olive Oil
Lots of discussions, search previous threads.
- Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Forgot my 401k?!!
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1736
Re: Forgot my 401k?!!
Typically, the only exceptions to the above are 401(k) loan repayments, contributions made by self-employed people, and after-tax contributions. Oh really? The law allows making after-tax contributions outside of payroll? News to me... but if allowable, I will definitely push our administrator to a...
- Sun Dec 27, 2020 11:36 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Continental Tires
- Replies: 24
- Views: 1808
Re: Continental Tires
We have used www.tirerack.com for the past four or five sets of tires (including Continentals). Thousands of reviews for all types of tires. The site allows you to sort and filter for your auto make and model, as well as tire type and characteristics, i.e. all season, snow, soft ride vs. long weari...
- Sun Dec 27, 2020 10:04 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Child will soon need a car. What would be the best approach?
- Replies: 56
- Views: 2944
Re: Child will soon need a car. What would be the best approach?
Thank you all for your responses. It sounds as the best option is to give him my car when the time comes. I am also considering delaying it until he’s a Senior in high school as to limit liability. In the meantime he can ride around with me and friends to school. I think it’s nice to have something...
- Sat Dec 26, 2020 11:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Too many accounts?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2030
Re: Too many accounts?
I wish I could have a single taxable account with individual buckets and I'm sure it exists somewhere. Just thought I'd throw this out there in terms discussion. Any insight, different ideas, are appreciated. FWIW, I do this with capital one. I have like a dozen different savings account, for a who...
- Wed Dec 23, 2020 10:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: What kind of car do Bogleheads like to drive?
- Replies: 470
- Views: 38794