Search found 361 matches
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Gift Ideas for wife
- Replies: 76
- Views: 5990
Re: Gift Ideas for wife
These are my favorite items related to cooking: 1) AeroGarden: Surprisingly, it works great! Love it! 2) Meat thermometer purchased recently from Costco: You insert the probe into the meat and close the oven door on the cable. The attached display sits on the nearby kitchen counter or top of the ov...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 5:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Gift Ideas for wife
- Replies: 76
- Views: 5990
Re: Gift Ideas for wife
These are my favorite items related to cooking: 1) AeroGarden: Surprisingly, it works great! Love it! 2) Meat thermometer purchased recently from Costco: You insert the probe into the meat and close the oven door on the cable. The attached display sits on the nearby kitchen counter or top of the ove...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 5:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Kid schooling - not learning much academically. Looking for suggestions.
- Replies: 112
- Views: 6445
Re: Kid schooling - not learning much academically. Looking for suggestions.
OP. I think you need to home school your kid or go school shopping. We went school shopping when my youngest was 5 years old (December bday) way back when. We had thought she would go to the good public school near our home like her older brother. That school insisted she go to kindergarten at 5 st...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 11:27 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Is Liquid Plumber / Draino bad for the pipes?
- Replies: 51
- Views: 6382
Re: Is Liquid Plumber / Draino bad for the pipes?
Did he go through the overflow plate instead of the drain? The secret to auger is slow steady pressure while cranking. Don’t try to go to pofar at once, say 5-6 inches at a time. If you can’t get through with a hand auger, you could rent a power one if you feel up to the attempt but a plumber might...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 11:17 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Kid schooling - not learning much academically. Looking for suggestions.
- Replies: 112
- Views: 6445
Re: Kid schooling - not learning much academically. Looking for suggestions.
I haven't read all the replies. I would ask to have him skip a grade. That's what I did and presto I was in a grade where I actually had to work to learn things. I think the socialization concern is not really valid. I suspect kids vary by a year or two anyway. Much simpler than the work involved i...
- Tue Dec 18, 2018 10:54 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Kid schooling - not learning much academically. Looking for suggestions.
- Replies: 112
- Views: 6445
Re: Kid schooling - not learning much academically. Looking for suggestions.
Kindergarten is not an academic grade. And everyone thinks their kid is gifted - I wouldn't rush to any conclusions. Maybe you're right and he does learn more quickly, but his current knowledge is pretty irrelevant and likely just reflects what you chose to teach him. Yes! Ding, ding, ding. This is...
- Mon Dec 17, 2018 11:41 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Is Liquid Plumber / Draino bad for the pipes?
- Replies: 51
- Views: 6382
Is Liquid Plumber / Draino bad for the pipes?
I have been bathing my dog in an upstairs bathtub. That bathtub now drains slowly, and the tub has standing water during a shower. The assumption is that the line is partially obstructed with dog hair. I tried Liquid Plumber, and it didn't work. I further tried this device designed to snake a drain-...
- Wed Dec 12, 2018 4:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Donate to homeless?
- Replies: 81
- Views: 4403
Re: Donate to homeless?
This time of year homeless panhandlers seem more visible than ever with the weather cold and holidays approaching. Today a lady on the sidewalk asked me how I celebrate - Christmas, Kwanza or Hannukah? Is it a good idea to give a couple dollars to such people? Seems quite mean to ignore them. What ...
- Wed Dec 12, 2018 4:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Lyft driver got into an accident, but denies it
- Replies: 71
- Views: 6038
Re: Lyft driver got into an accident, but denies it
I'm assuming the translator eventually appeared and that the other driver obtained your driver's insurance information. You said the other car had significant damage? I would contact the police and also Lyft (again) and see if the filing of a police report will help you in Lyft releasing the driver'...
- Tue Dec 11, 2018 5:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Hyatt Legal Plan for Will and Trust
- Replies: 52
- Views: 3769
Re: Hyatt Legal Plan for Will and Trust
When it was time to re-draft our living trust, my husband signed up for Hyatt Legal through his HR department during the open enrollment period. We selected an attorney who accepted Hyatt and one who specialized in estate planning. It was a great experience. We had to make a one year commitment for ...
- Mon Dec 10, 2018 6:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: To each his own ( I guess ) [Opinions of traveling in retirement]
- Replies: 109
- Views: 8444
Re: To each his own ( I guess )
"My wife and I are very responsible and have excellent driving records but for their own reasons our grown kids want to be the ones behind the steering wheel if the grandkids are in the car so that obviously puts a limit on some types of travel." ... [/quote] Maybe they notice things about your driv...
- Mon Dec 10, 2018 2:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Need recommendation for new washing machine
- Replies: 45
- Views: 3150
Need recommendation for new washing machine
I'm looking for recommendations for a basic, top-loading washing machine. I don't need any frills. I basically want to be able to control the amount of water used, water temperature and regular or delicate cycle. I would be happy to get 8+ years out of it. I've read recommendations on this forum whe...
- Sat Dec 08, 2018 5:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Root Canal - dentist or endodontist
- Replies: 47
- Views: 3912
Re: Root Canal - dentist or endodontist
Unless you're in a small community without access to an endodontist, why wouldn't you go to a specialist- someone who does this procedure all day long?
- Sat Dec 08, 2018 4:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: GE Washing Machine Screeching Sound
- Replies: 19
- Views: 1416
Re: GE Washing Machine Screeching Sound
There isn't much to a basic top loading washer. It is either the bearings, or something has fallen between the drum (perforated basket) and the tub (watertight enclosure) and when loaded and spinning, the deflection is causing it to rub and screech. To diagnose the latter problem, disconnect all th...
- Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:06 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: GE Washing Machine Screeching Sound
- Replies: 19
- Views: 1416
GE Washing Machine Screeching Sound
I have a basic, top loading GE washing machine that is no longer under warranty. It is making an intermittent screeching sound when it goes through its fast agitation phase. The screech sounds like a really angry, large bird. When it spins, it doesn't screech, but the spinning sound is much, much lo...
- Wed Dec 05, 2018 11:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Warm Sleepwear
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2679
Re: Warm Sleepwear
I can't help with warm sleepwear. For years though I have used a heated mattress pad and love it. Mine has dual controls (queen size) for each side and goes from 1 to 10. It is nice to be able to adjust the heat in just the bed depending on conditions. The heat also comes from below which I much pr...
- Wed Dec 05, 2018 11:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Dishwasher stopped working well
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1691
Re: Dishwasher stopped working well
Run an empty cycle on the hottest water setting with a product called Dishwasher Magic. It really is magic.
- Wed Dec 05, 2018 11:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best values at Costco? Honestly, a little disappointed...
- Replies: 188
- Views: 22789
Re: Best values at Costco? Honestly, a little disappointed...
Clothing: leggings, tights, slacks, sweaters, winter vest, jacket, boots.. Love them all Toilet tissue, paper towels Bouillon Cereal Organic eggs Frozen seafood (crab, lobster, scallops, cod)... all the highest quality Beef tenderloin... expensive, but the quality can't be beat Suit cases Jewelry Ti...
- Wed Dec 05, 2018 12:44 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Is this normal for an HOA?
- Replies: 95
- Views: 9325
Re: Is this normal for an HOA?
There's no way I would provide the HOA with my children's names and dates of birth. However, I would give them my email address and phone number in case they need to contact me in the event of emergency (i.e., house is burning down and I am at work kind of thing).
- Mon Dec 03, 2018 11:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Want to do non-religious, short-term medical volunteer work outside the US
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1893
Want to do non-religious, short-term medical volunteer work outside the US
My brother is a physician. He wants to volunteer for a short-term period (? one week) outside the U.S. in a medical capacity along with his college student daughter. The daughter wants to fluff up her resume in anticipation of medical school applications. (She also wants to do good, so there is some...
- Tue Nov 27, 2018 4:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Robot Vacuum Cleaner?
- Replies: 62
- Views: 5599
Re: Robot Vacuum Cleaner?
Do it! Buy one today! I suggest you also purchase a Braava 240 if you have hardwood floors. I purchased reusable pads for my Braava. There are three different types. One is for dry-dusting, one for light mopping and one for regular mopping. The thing is amazing! I no longer have a house keeper as I ...
- Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Good oil for cooking and salad?
- Replies: 38
- Views: 2658
Re: Good oil for cooking and salad?
For high heat temps, I use ghee (Costco) or avocado oil (Costco). For anything unheated, I use California Ranch Olive Oil Extra Virgin Everyday Oil. It's sold at Sprouts or Kroger affiliates... Love that stuff!
- Sat Nov 17, 2018 5:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: When is Too Long to Return a Hair Dryer to Costco?
- Replies: 73
- Views: 5826
When is Too Long to Return a Hair Dryer to Costco?
My neighbor bought a T3 hair dryer from Costco three or four years ago. It died recently. She told me she was going to return it to Costco for a full refund since it cost around $100. We then had a discussion regarding how long ago was too long ago to return a product like this to Costco. She pointe...
- Fri Nov 16, 2018 7:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Receiving Spam Texts... Lawsuit
- Replies: 3
- Views: 799
Receiving Spam Texts... Lawsuit
I frequently receive unsolicited texts from various people who state they are interested in buying my rental home. My assumption is that they are affiliated with one of the We Buy Ugly Homes groups or the like. They always state in the text that they received my contact information from the title co...
- Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:51 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: International Travel during Maternity/Paternity
- Replies: 86
- Views: 4386
Re: International Travel during Maternity/Paternity
Some mothers have adjustment problems after giving birth. I have known several who faced such challenges. I doubt international travel is wise in such situations. Yes. The affects on your wife may be quite large. At this point my spouse was trying to help me survive, not go on a trip. Yes, yes, yes...
- Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:35 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How Do Social Security Disability Quarters of Credit Work?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 602
How Do Social Security Disability Quarters of Credit Work?
I see that in order to qualify for social security disability, one has to have earned 20 credits in the last ten years. I further see that in 2018, one earns one credit for each $1320 earned with a maximum of four credits a year. For 2019, one is required to make $1360 to earn one credit for purpose...
- Sat Nov 10, 2018 9:52 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: International Travel during Maternity/Paternity
- Replies: 86
- Views: 4386
Re: International Travel during Maternity/Paternity
Why am I always the contrarian?! We went on a cross country plane trip for a week in Vegas with our first who was 6 weeks old. Piece of cake. She was very easy, but it is true, we did not venture very far afield. We hired sitters and attended a couple of shows. We then went on a 3 week rented-RV tr...
- Sat Nov 10, 2018 5:40 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: International Travel during Maternity/Paternity
- Replies: 86
- Views: 4386
Re: International Travel during Maternity/Paternity
My vote is no. Think how miserable life is when one is sleep-deprived. Now imagine feeling that way in a strange environment without the comforts of home and for which you have paid a boat-load of money. Life with a new (or newer) born child can be a very stressful time. Don't underestimate that. Es...
- Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Lowest Cost GPS-Capable Device for Senior Citizen
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1206
Lowest Cost GPS-Capable Device for Senior Citizen
I have a senior citizen friend who asked me to help her find the best bargain for a portable GPS-capable device to use when navigating in a car. She was referencing one of those hand-held GPS devices that were popular briefly before maps via cell phones took over. She said right now she has a cell p...
- Sat Nov 03, 2018 9:07 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Softest Fabric or Brand for a Lady's Nightgown?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1150
Softest Fabric or Brand for a Lady's Nightgown?
I'm going to purchase a nightgown as a gift for a female relative who has a thing about scratchy fabric. Is there a specific type of fabric I should be looking for (i.e., brushed cotton or whatever) or perhaps a brand that is known for extreme softness and long-wear through multiple washings? I've w...
- Sun Oct 28, 2018 9:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Washing machine/dryer shopping
- Replies: 38
- Views: 3035
Re: Washing machine/dryer shopping
I would buy used. You can get a set for $200 all day long on Craigslist. If you buy new, look for ones with the fewest features and fewer things that will break. Personally, I only want a washer that will allow me to 1) change the water temperature; 2): change the water fill amount; 3) change the ag...
- Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Avoiding excess HSA contributions.
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2346
Re: Avoiding excess HSA contributions.
Other than one notifying the IRS that you didn't meet the last month rule, how would the IRS know that you weren't eligible for the HSA on the next December 1st? Does the employer send the IRS some kind of statement?
- Wed Oct 17, 2018 9:46 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Ally Banking 1% extra back up to $1,000 on new money deposited
- Replies: 621
- Views: 72935
Re: Ally Banking 1% extra back up to $1,000 on new money deposited
Be careful. Did you all read this? Don't expect to get the extra 1% on a CD account if you also have a savings account, money market account or interest checking account. You only get the cash bonus on one Ally account, and they order the accounts with regard to priority as described below? Cash Bo...
- Tue Oct 16, 2018 9:36 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Ally Banking 1% extra back up to $1,000 on new money deposited
- Replies: 621
- Views: 72935
Re: Ally Banking 1% extra back up to $1,000 on new money deposited
Be careful. Did you all read this? Don't expect to get the extra 1% on a CD account if you also have a savings account, money market account or interest checking account. You only get the cash bonus on one Ally account, and they order the accounts with regard to priority as described below: Cash Bon...
- Mon Oct 15, 2018 10:46 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: trip to Grand Cayman & dieting [while on vacation]
- Replies: 40
- Views: 2944
Re: trip to Grand Cayman & dieting
Skipping meals is often easier than just restricting portions, I've found. So you would just order a drink for breakfast/lunch and then eat like a king for dinner. I do this 5 days a week, been doing it for a year. The previous year was the same, but a tin of sardines and an avocado for lunch. It's...
- Sun Oct 14, 2018 8:34 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: trip to Grand Cayman & dieting [while on vacation]
- Replies: 40
- Views: 2944
Re: trip to Grand Cayman & dieting
Skipping meals is often easier than just restricting portions, I've found. So you would just order a drink for breakfast/lunch and then eat like a king for dinner. I do this 5 days a week, been doing it for a year. The previous year was the same, but a tin of sardines and an avocado for lunch. It's...
- Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:42 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Reducing overall medical costs. Do we do anything?
- Replies: 67
- Views: 3453
Re: Reducing overall medical costs. Do we do anything?
I may go for a flu shot. A relative of mine was in her 30's when she died from the flu. A friend's six year old son died from the flu as well. He was previously perfectly healthy. The boy was on a ventilator within two days of becoming symptomatic. He died the next morning. The friend was a nurse. ...
- Sat Oct 13, 2018 3:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Reducing overall medical costs. Do we do anything?
- Replies: 67
- Views: 3453
Re: Reducing overall medical costs. Do we do anything?
Use your PCP as a first step instead of immediately jumping to a specialist. I know two young people on Medicaid. They are both in their 20s. Both told me how they had just made appointments with various specialists. Girl number one told me she was going to see a podiatrist (along with two other spe...
- Sat Oct 13, 2018 3:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Stinky Car After Changing Cabin Air Filter
- Replies: 6
- Views: 926
Stinky Car After Changing Cabin Air Filter
About 18 months ago, I dropped off for an oil change the car my teen drives. About thirty minutes later, the tech called and said he wanted to show me something when I returned for the car. I almost lost my cookies when he showed me mouse poop in my cabin air filter. Obviously, I had him replace the...
- Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Water Coming from Ceiling...plumber or AC?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 830
Re: Water Coming from Ceiling...plumber or AC?
Give me his number. It took me two days to get a plumber to my place, then three more days to come back to complete the work. :D :oops: He was at my house twenty minutes after I called him...on a Friday night! He has located the leak inside a wall upstairs. I'll send him to your house when he's don...
- Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:10 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Water Coming from Ceiling...plumber or AC?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 830
Re: Water Coming from Ceiling...plumber or AC?
Give me his number. It took me two days to get a plumber to my place, then three more days to come back to complete the work. :D :oops: He was at my house twenty minutes after I called him...on a Friday night! He has located the leak inside a wall upstairs. I'll send him to your house when he's don...
- Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Water Coming from Ceiling...plumber or AC?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 830
Re: Water Coming from Ceiling...plumber or AC?
Thank you! The plumber is here now 

- Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Water Coming from Ceiling...plumber or AC?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 830
Water Coming from Ceiling...plumber or AC?
We developed a sudden stream of water coming down from a bathroom ceiling in the downstairs. The water is warm. Not sure if it's from a clogged AC secondary drain (It's been dripping outside for a couple weeks) or if a pipe broke. How do I determine?
- Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Website article on lawsuits over hospital balance / surprise billing
- Replies: 56
- Views: 2687
Re: Website article on lawsuits over hospital balance / surprise billing
Part of the problem is that in a hospital situation, the patient is not clearly and specifically told in advance by a prospective provider that they are out-of-network and that the patient may end up paying a whopping amount of money as part of balance billing. Sure, the patient will be required to ...
- Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:27 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Can a Person Under 21 Rent a Hotel Room?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1653
Can a Person Under 21 Rent a Hotel Room?
I have a 19 year old who will be out of town and needs to stay one night in a hotel. I am looking at a property associated with a national brand, and I don't see anything about the minimum age required. The website does allow me to input a second guest's name. I'm wondering if I can rent the room in...
- Thu Oct 04, 2018 7:50 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Real estate vs stock market returns: some unbiased numbers
- Replies: 53
- Views: 9748
Re: Real estate vs stock market returns: some unbiased numbers
I would never invest in individual real estate properties because I know I would not know what I was doing. There are people who do this as a business. They know vacancy rates, laws applying to landlords, how to get good financing, deal with local laws and regulations, deal with tenants, deal with ...
- Wed Oct 03, 2018 8:34 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Delete
- Replies: 119
- Views: 12446
Re: Sold Home - 2 days after buyer claims they found an issue with A/C
To the people who suggested that the OP pay to see a real estate attorney... just no. No! That is absurd. Things break. Things break the day before closing. Things break the day after closing. And things break two days after closing. We had a large crack appear in the plaster of a ten year old pool ...
- Wed Oct 03, 2018 4:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Delete
- Replies: 119
- Views: 12446
Re: Sold Home - 2 days after buyer claims they found an issue with A/C
No, no, no, no! Unless you knew there was a problem with the AC and failed to disclose the same, you have no further obligation to the buyer.
- Tue Oct 02, 2018 2:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Why isn't qualification for the Affordable Care Act means-tested?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 914
Why isn't qualification for the Affordable Care Act means-tested?
I do not understand why subsidies for health insurance per the ACA are not means-tested. What is the rationale behind that? To qualify for long-term nursing home care paid by Medicaid, one can have only $2000 in assets (with a few exceptions). Aren't the two analogous? How is it fair that a family c...
- Tue Oct 02, 2018 1:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Root of Good's cost of raising a child: $3,300 per year
- Replies: 163
- Views: 6372
Re: Root of Good's cost of raising a child: $3,300 per year
ROG's name is Justin, not Josh. What happens when his three young kids turn 16 and want to have a driver license? Car insurance (and perhaps adding a second car for a family of five) for another three people will really increase expenses. The government figures provided are an average for kids from ...