Search results

Interesting thread. I'm opting for simplicity as many others. Our needs for cash are satisfied by my pension and our SS, both of which my father taught me not to trust so I squirreled away 15-20% over the years and we got some inheritances. What I saved would just about all be in an IRA...

I picked more than three years apart. That's my best guess of the average over 56 years of driving. There have been times when I've had a rash of leaks that were easily repairable, likely because of construction in my areas of travel (nails, drywall screws). The one time in memory that I had...

I think I'm an outlier on February. As a kid learning to spell feb-u-ary made no sense to me. So I've always said feb-rew-ary. I don't think anyone's ever challenged me on it so I guess it's OK.

Not sure I'd qualify this as it's helping family. Deposited check for tuition for one of my daughter's four kids. She and her husband have been putting the older four in very expensive private schools in DC and otherwise would have had to have the youngest in public. I just couldn't wrap my...

I'm with you. I've always known that I was losing interest in my credit union checking account, which is where my pension and SS lands. Most utilities auto pay out of there as well as the Fido CC. I started to figure out how I could land most of the money in Fidelity (~5%) since we probably...

I just decided last year to forgive DS the mortgage we had on his house. Just going to forgive the interest and principal each year up to what DW and I can give him until it's wiped out rather than do any paperwork.

Not sure what isolated world Gabrewer lives in but I sure as hell don't fit his two boxes. We got married at 19, 54 years ago. It's been a partnership in which I've done as much caring for DW as she for me, now far more. She has Alzheimer's and the full load is in my hands and I'm pefectly...

Loose bolts in multiple aircraft not long after delivery is, alarming?

I needed some cash and sold a CD on Fidelity. IIRC it didn't have but 6 months or so left and it had an interest rate below what was current. I plugged it in and they told me what it would bring if I sold it so I did. It was close to what Fido had been showing as its value in my holdings. I...

I did the sourdough for a year or two, great bread and prefer to any store bought. One frustration was that the delicious crust was damn near impossible to cut even with the pretty decent serrated bread knife I had. The recipe I used called for hot cast iron dutch oven that I used. Any tricks...

We already have given substantial amounts to kids, one to purchase stock in his engineering company, the other to enroll last child in private school like his 3 older siblings. Just couldn't imagine sending one to public (although it is a HCL area with great schools) while the other are in...

We did the complete suite of wills and other docs in 2015 with a highly recommended attorney (certified in all sorts of tax practice too). Best $900 we ever spent, because little over a year ago discovered DW well into Alzheimer's. As in many cases, has anasognosia, failure to recognize she...

Over the 25 years we’ve lived in this house in NC Piedmont we only rarely had interruptions. Subdivision is underground and I know where our substation is. Figured I could live with the rare 4-6 hour outage. Then I got a saltwater aquarium and got a little portable that would keep the fish...

Just because you can do something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good idea. I’ve tried to maintain good aerobic exercise since my thirties and at 72 I’d say it’s served me well. Those 7 mile runs 4-5 times a week have been replaced by trail biking and gym machines. I’d much rather run but...

Just a comment on things to think about. I've been a fan of the RLT, deceased father used it and was easy peasy to avoid any probate. I'm aware that titling stuff properly can similarly avoid probate in most cases. However, I had decided to not bother with the RLT, sort of what's the real...

I understand the issue. All too well. No regrets on how we didn’t blow as much as we could have in our 60’s. Traveled to Africa and Europe about every year. Cruised the Amazon and saw Machu Pichu. Over those years worked on spending at a higher rate because we could easily have afforded it...

I agree with this. My older Sonos sound bar failed and I replaced with the newer Arc. Not cheap but looks good, sounds good, and only real “wire” is the HDMI to the TV (and 110). Also have two units for rear. Not sure if it’s a sound system problem but the production of scenes with...

One of the stupidest ideas I ever saw was our transportation director promoted window stickers that said “Pace Car” with some explanation that they were driving the speed limit. Think it was on his window for about a month. Surprised he wasn’t shot. Our city LOVES speed limits that are...

You may not like the way the system works, but I've paid HOI for over 45 years and this was first claim. I've never read through the policies to know exactly what they specify, but an adjuster came out, examined the roof, and can only assume that within the terms specifically written in said...

My roof experience a few years ago was unexpectedly pleasant. Had a leak, contacted roofer whose owner lived in the neighborhood. He showed me two shingles missing I wasn’t even aware of as you had to get to unusual place to see. He got up and examined the roof, said it showed signs of hail...

Timely thread. Sitting here with new 22kw whole house generator waiting for guy to come pipe the natural gas to it, and got an email from Duke Power warning of impending bad weather and outages. Oh well. Have had a small generator for years for the occasional outage to protect my aquarium and...

Withdrawals? Pasht. Covid killed our travel, the only thing able to make substantial dent in the portfolio. Then DW diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last May (and is progressing what appears to be quickly). So I’m just sitting here on the computer and she’s, well, in the other room. Only thing...

I've been living by the Fido RIP (well it used to be called the Retirement Income Planner) tool. It got me to retirement and in the 11 years since seems pretty darn conservative; I know times can change. I track expense w Quicken and just check that, yeah, I'm way under what I could spend...

Boudreaux, our Basset, is currently looking at me from our old leather couch. I'm on a new sectional. We've told him that when the other new couch comes this month he's out of luck, no more couches. Check back with me in September and we'll see who won.

Saw Lyle L. with his band, not the large one, in Greensboro. Was great. Actually, LAST concert was Bonnie Raitt. Didn't know she'd have an opening act, and this lady came out, assisted to the mike. I'm sitting there going, "Can't be BR, what happened to her?" Then realized it was Lucinda...