Recent content by l2ridehd

Where to retire We did extensive research on where we should retire. I liked to golf, my wife hated it. So the place had to have diverse activities. We did agree we wanted a 55 plus community, good weather, lots to do, favorable total cost of living, someplace the grandkids would want to...

And not a single person who knows there time is short said "I wish I had worked longer" or "I wish I had not retired so young" So FIRE ASAP. Even if you think you might not make it, do it. You can always be a Walmart greeter if you absolutely have to.

I have had three that really stand out for me anyway. Back in 1982 or 83 I was playing a few stock options and made some and lost some, but bought some IBM options that were out a few months and turned out I had perfect timing. Turned a $5000 investment into $151,000. Never did anything else...

Most differed compensation plans have a very rigid withdrawal process. But if they don't I would just use that as a monthly income increase of around $1000 a month for the next 7 or 8 years depending on what it's return rate is. That way you get that extra money now and not have to start your...

First off, I would not use the DOW as the measurement factor. Maybe the S&P 500, but more accurate might be the Russell 2000 or a Total stock market index fund. The DOW can drop 20% and take the market down 40%. Or just the opposite, DOW down 20% and the market down 10%. It is just to few...

Based on observation only, I believe it is age related. As folks get older they tend to take more. I am very lucky at 73 to still be at zero. I sometimes take an antacid if I eat certain things like Italian foods, red wine and a couple other. But only as needed. Doctor would like me to take...

There is an app I have used. Viber It allows wifi calling to anyone else with the Viber app. I have used it to call from many different countries with no charges. You can set up a viber group if traveling with others and use calling, text, group text, and works when anyone has wifi connection.

I had some very unique and highly specialized IT skills. I charged $5000 a day with a maximum of 12 hours a day plus expenses. I would only travel first class, but did not charge for travel time. I would usually only work 4 or 5 days at a time depending on the need and usually no more then 5...

The correct answer is to do something besides leave 90 K in a MM that is not your emergency fund. Either invest it in places to match your AA, or pay off the mortgage. Either one is a better decision then just leaving it there. Also if your decision is to pay off the mortgage then you have...

All the news media is focused on is what happened in the last 30 minutes. They couldn't take a long term view if their life depended on it. And most everything they report in their opinion with very few facts. It's all about getting someone to watch them. Nothing more. They care nothing...

I went to my boss and discussed the possibility I would retire in 18 months. I had a lot of RSU's I was going to lose. But we worked out a deal where I would consult 60 hours a year for 3 years exclusive to them for only expenses, they gave me my company car and the RSU's vested over those 3...

One thing that happens when you retire is your mileage drops, in my case dramatically. I went from about 25 to 30K a year down to about 8K, then moved to a golf cart community and now it's down to about 3K a year. I still own two vehicles (and two golf carts) but that will probably change to...

Get training. You know zero about navigation, zero about weather, zero about docking, zero about ROW, and all of those things can kill you and your family or seriously injury you on the water. I am a sailor and have seen and helped many folks who should not have been on the water. Please don't...

Even a few basis point difference in MM funds is something to note and take advantage of, so ER are very important. Vanguard has the lowest ER of all of them. Even Schwab is lower then Fidelity. Why you ask? Because the yield on MM moves very quickly as noted by the 7 day yield. So vanguard...

I also have little faith in the bond market. I still hold total bond and total international bond index funds at Vanguard. However for the past 7 years as I re-balanced out of total stock index funds to fixed income, I utilized high quality blue chip dividend stocks. Worked great because of...