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I ran my numbers yesterday morning, but forgot to post. Well, April was a bit of a mess, wasn't it? 1/31/2024: +0.78% YTD. 2/29/2024: +4.67% YTD. 3/28/2024: +7.33% YTD. 4/30/2024: +4.36% YTD. So basically, April's loss canceled out March's gain, and then a bit more.

It's going to take some getting used to, but you can say that about anything that changes. The old look had been around for as long as I could remember, so it was a bit of a jolt at first. But, I'll get used to it!

It's never been my intention to show off. Sometimes, I guess I like seeing the NW (or investible assets at least) of others, just to see if I'm more or less on the right track. Of course there's only so much value in that, as some people might have large pensions or other income sources and...

I don't know for certain, but I think percentage-wise, both scenarios would work out the same. IIRC, every year you wait between 62 and your FRA gets you another 7%. And every year you wait, between your FRA and age 70, gets you another 8%. However, I believe that 7 and 8% are simple...

I was curious to look up real estate in Queens. I found this place, in Bunkersville, for $840K... https://www.redfin.com/NY/Flushing/9014-Polo-Pl-11374/home/20888028 Close enough to 704 Hauser Street you could probably hear George and Weezy having a shouting match on a hot summer night just as...

There's a nature preserve not far from my house, with miles of trails. I'd done about 8-9 miles worth of walking a couple times, but one thing I always wanted to do, was park at their upper parking lot, walk to the lower, and then all the way back. In December of 2021, I did it. It was about...

As a shareholder of Exxon-Mobil, I thank you, for your support! ;D

The beer talk had me curious to look something up. Usually I drink relatively cheap beer. Yuengling is normally about as fancy as it gets. But, every once in awhile, I'd get a brand called Victory. I don't know how widespread they are, but they sell a few different flavors, like "Golden...

I'm not the one that brought it up, yet the lesson is the same. Whether it's NW or Investible assets, that part is irrelevant.

I don't put much stock in that $1.46M number as being anything really meaningful. From the articles I've pulled up, they just use the word "average" at best, and that word tends to get played with fast and loose. It technically means "mean," but sometimes these types of articles actually mean...

I tried it with invested assets (~$3.2M), invested assets + home equity (~$3.6M), and just for kicks even put. in $4M. All three came out the same. 98.5%. I don't know how it rounds off, but $9,800,000 puts you at 98.7%, while $9,800,001 puts you at 99.0%. Meanwhile, $1,000,000 puts you at...

I'd say that was a pretty good list overall. However, I'm not so sure about the majority of retirees struggling. That might be some kind of sample bias, as the author is seeking out those types of people. I'd imagine there are plenty of people who went on to have a perfectly happy retirement...

Back in early 2015, I actually started doing that. Well, not consistently, but I did begin working half-days on Wednesdays, and occasionally taking the day off entirely. It was definitely a nice way to break up the week. And suddenly, Monday didn't feel so bad anymore, while Tuesday almost...

My guess is, the right way to transition into retirement is, whatever works best for you! I'm a bit on the fence right now, as to how I want to go out. I'll admit to being stuck in OMY ("One More Year") Syndrome. I just hit 54 on April 2 of this year, and really want to go out by my 55th...

My paternal grandparents both quit smoking, cold turkey, in 1958 around the time that first Surgeon General's warning came out. Well, maybe not "true" cold turkey, but I remember Granddad saying it took them about 3 days to kick the habit entirely, so pretty quick. In those days though, I...

When I was in my 30s/40s, I had a housemate who was a serious alcoholic. I would usually be the one to do the beer runs, and my housemates would give me some money for it. I think I tended to buy Bud Ice or something like that. I'd get four cases (30-packs) a week, and that sucker would put...

I just today learned that the word is spelled "finagling" :p I always thought it was "finangling!"

That's actually a really good idea! Unfortunately most of my old cars were larger domestics with just a solid bench seat, and not buckets. Or, at best, a 60/40 split bench. On a bucket seat car though, it never would have occurred to me, on my own, that the actual cushions would probably be...

This is more a story of a cheapwad mentality, more than a cheapwad find, but here goes... I have three recliners, that used to belong to my paternal grandparents. I have no idea how old they are, in my memory, they were always around. Well, after Granddad died, and my uncle was clearing out...

Yep, it means a LOT of work!! Doing it now, slowly clearing out my deceased Grandmom's house. Mom was supposed to handle it, but then she died. Then it technically should have fallen on my uncle, but he was pretty sick by then, and died a couple months after Mom. So, it's all in my hands...

I try to differentiate the two, but will admit, I probably do say NW every once in awhile, when I'm not thinking. It's just easier to type "NW" than "Invested Assets." And if I type "IA" most people aren't going to know what that means, I'm guessing. I'm too lazy to try looking at posts from...

I know I've mentioned it elsewhere, so sorry for the repeat, but when I started getting serious about planning for retirement, my goal was $1M and a paid off house. But, that was back around 1999 or 2000, and I always assumed it would be inflation-adjusted. I.e., hitting $1M in 1999/2000...

This might not be the best way to look at it, but I ignore any home equity for any sort of calculations, until the place gets sold. Then I think of it more like a windfall, sort of like an inheritance. For instance, right now, I might have about $400-500K in home equity, if Redfin/Zillow are...

Earlier in the year, I got an unexpected refund on a credit card that had a zero balance. Instead of using that card for ongoing expenses like groceries, fuel, or whatever, I splurged on a pair of dress boots that had caught my eye. However, they were on sale, 50% off. But, instead of saving...

A lot of it also depends on how long ago you hit that first $, what age you retired at, and what other sources of income you might have (pension, SS, rental properties, and so on). Almost as if on cue, I caught an old "Barnaby Jones" episode where a gold-digger threw over her lover for a man...