Search results

We've found a combination of cards helps fund what we like to do most but have a hard time justifying the cost: going first-class, or at least a step above economy class/chain hotels. The airlines give a free-ticket's worth of points for signing up and spending $3K or so in the first three...

A view from 20 Years later on a 7.5kW System For me, the payback on the solar system was about infrastructure improvements that are still paying back. My system is old, installed in 2004, a 7.5kW net-metering system with three 2.5kW inverters. Subsidized electric heat during the winter...

No Travel Budget Strategy We do not have a fixed travel budget, and play the points game with multiple Airline and hotel credit cards. The savings and upgrades can be substantial. It helps that we are probably considered frugal travelers, prefer to stay and eat in local neighborhoods while...

Late Comment, Slightly Different Take I follow the manufacturers' and dealers' recommendations for a "buy and hold, drive them into the ground" strategy. Having purchased multiple cars from the same small town dealership, and worked with the same service department for over 10 years, I like...

Thanks for this information. Completely forgot about LTCG being treated differently-will use this in a different situation, if not with this one. Thanks!

Don't forget to take that weapon and ammo out of your carry-on.

I just read in some article that throwing an object out of a car at another car is a serious crime. I think it was where the two guys shot each other's daughters sitting in their respective cars during a road rage situation. The guy who threw the object was charged with assault or somethine like...

Ryobi's work well for me I've been using the Ryobi 18V string Trimmer and the 40V with a brush cutter blade. Both work good enough for my purposes. I run out of energy before either one goes through 2 batteries.

Someone may have already mentioned this-I did not read through all the comments. My opinion is to go full-in on the Roth verses traditional IRA accounts for your last few years. Pay the taxes now verses taking a haircut on every withdraw from the traditional IRA while you bridge to Medicare...

Great advice all around. One thing to watch is the fees on accounts and funds. 1% of your total account can be up to 20% of your return at 5%. Vanguard is popular because the fees are very low, like .2% or even lower.

Re; 4 Stages of retirement-helps to know not the only one hit by the bus Great post! A great summary of an important aspect of retiring that many, including myself, miss. Happily I'm in Phase 3, after being run over by the Phase 2 bus a bunch of times over the last three years, some of the...

Re: Calculating SS as a pseudo account balance generating interest payments? Lots of good answers-one may have covered this and I missed it. Not sure if this is correct, so I will toss this out there: I value Social Security as if it is an account paying 4% per year: * Take your projected...

Re: Deferred Compensation Plans-tax some now into Roth to limit income when retired Great comments all around. Putting deferred compensation into a 401K that is difficult to touch is a great way to retire early. From experience, if you retire early you may want to limit your income to qualify...

Build up taxable- difficult to borrow when retired To second some of the other comments, building up your taxable account helps you control your income level until you are 65. This is important if you plan on using “Obama” care for medical insurance. Once you go over around $57k per year, your...

Do it! I just passed my second year anniversary being retired. My stress-muscles were over worked from 60-80 hour weeks before, and all of that is gone. Unbelievable feeling to have a clear , relaxed and calm mind after 40+ years of full time work. Be prepare for a possible identity crisis...