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It's been a while since I posted. I'm pedorrero, the "small" trustafarian and professional student. Got my MA Spanish in December, now in a graduate program and enjoying cheap student health insurance -- until this month, anyway. Got this not so cheery news today: the annual cost for the...

Just got back from my 2nd trip to Mexico (by car.) This time, I was stopped twice for traffic offenses, both in (or near) Mexico City. #1: I was apparently driving in a bus-only lane. The motorcycle cop pulled me over, and told me the fine was about 1800 pesos. I admitted my wrong-doing...

This summer's first vacation will be up to a month in Panama. Although technically I can drive there, I booked r/t fare under $200 and parking at FLL is $7/day (well, two years ago it was :blush: ) I have heard a lot of good things about Panama as a retirement haven, so I am hoping to check...

Forgive me if I brought this up recently (I think it was on TMF). I am considering reducing and/or dropping certain types of insurance. Health: I pay $450/mo to BCBSFL. I applied for a reduction which was denied. As a student I am eligible for a policy (also BCBSFL) with less, but...

I lately have been enamored by the idea of obtaining a [-]wench[/-] wife from a former Warsaw-Pact country. I spent all of 2008 at the university, drooling over the young women. Among the stand-outs were a Russki (already taken); there is also an Albanian worth investigating, but she was...

This got a rather chilly reception on Da Fool, but thought I'd try it here: For someone eyeing a new car, wouldn't a bankruptcy filing for (say) GM, be a great bargaining tool if shopping for a GM product? Arguments pro: Rational worries about: availability of parts, warranty service. Stuff I...

Ever one to fan the flames of paranoia, I thought I'd toss this out for debate: The events of the past several weeks have been "interesting" in the Chinese curse sense >:D and compounded with this being a major election year ... only 2/3 of the Senators exempt. In other words, about 500 major...

Submitted as topic for discussion: I am a (mostly) healthy, 46-yo man (retiree) who is a full time student at a state university in Florida. My current health care is BCBSFL which is a guaranteed issue policy -- because I had some pre-existing conditions. I was fortunate, around 2003, to...

Here's a link to a Forbes article about places to live or even w*rk overseas. I guess it could apply to FIRE folks too. World's Best Places To Be An Expat - Forbes.com -- Pedorrero, hostage to a depreciating house, three cats, and ex's :duh:furniture in central FL. But hey, I have a lot of...

I'm soon to set off on a big road trip: I will be leaving FL to go to Kansas City, meet some relatives, and then we are basically driving direct to Mexico City. After some business there, we ("she" to be honest!) want to go even further south, it sounds like we will be driving around Yucatan...

Some quick spot statistics, to remind some of us that things are not as rosy as one might wish. :rant: Item: USA per-household net wealth = $70K; net share of total unfunded Federal liabilities = $500K. (Source: The Daily Reckoning) Item: Year-over-year USA inflation = 26.1% ("all items")...

I am interested in hearing opinion on how to invest part of my funds as a hedge. In my case: Most of my "retirement" comes from a trust fund I have no control over. For argument, let's say that it is invested 60% stocks, 40% bonds, with the usual diversification. This is pretty accurate...

Well, the fourth week at USF is about to start. I'm 46, a part-time student again (it's been five years). Not the oldest on campus, but pretty close to it. I'm studying Spanish (BA program) probably to no career end (who wants to w*ork???) but it'll come in handy on future trips south of...

I was intrigued by TickTock's* signature which says more or less "Heavily discount future promises of money/benefits." [* Also a liquor store in suburban Maryland. Probably no correlation, but they sold booze until 1:30 AM, not just midnight like in VA. This was important when we were teens :)...

Some excerpts from Michael Edesses's book of the same title (highly summarized by me): The Simple Facts about Investment Performance Step 1: Obviously, the average performance of all investors will be equal to the market average, right? Step 2: Investors in the U.S. stock market are of two...

I propose we draft a FAQ for the new FAQ board that would be more or less a capsule summary of the received wisdom of FIRE types. There could be arguments pro or con for some of the assertions, book or web cites, etc. Here is a proposed draft: 1. Most people, even financial professionals...

Here a recent thread (The coming tax increases) and some articles in the financial media have me thinking ... how likely is a recession in 2008? Let's look at the facts, or more precisely, my unproven assertions >:D The near-certainty of a Democratic President and Congress beginning in 2009...

It looks like my 3 week (approx) trip to the [-]impoverished slum remnant of America's colonial past [/-] beautiful island of PR is a "go" -- this was an air far bought ridiculously cheap ($68.20 r/t) back in the winter. I know almost nothing about PR except that is where the ancestors of...

I thought I'd share a quick (?) review of a book. Disclaimer: I have no commercial connection with the book, its web site, or Books-a-Million. I don't own BAM stock, but I am a frequent customer there...at least to buy coffee and read books for free. Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss The...

Hi folks, just [-]bitching more about limited opportunities for a trustifarian[/-] reporting on the difficulties a retired man may have seeking to further his education. I've previously posted about checking out Gainesville (FL) as my next home. In large part, this assumption was founded on...

I am trying to [-]get all Mom's loot [/-] gain control of a family trust so that my return will increase. I have yet to find [-]a shyster to screw the Trust[/-] an attorney to represent my interests, so I am proceeding as best as I can. I was told by one attorney that in cases like this...

I'm considering relocating to Gainesville. I can't do it right away...I have an ex-girlfriend to kick out, cats and furniture to do I knoweth not what with (hers!), and a SFH to rent or more likely sell. Ah, but then.... I've visited Gainesville a few times, and it has a lot of good points...

This topic comes up sometimes: whether TIPS are a good inflation hedging bet in your portfolio. (I always say "No," but mainly because I'm a pessimist.) Here is a view on that topic by Mogambo Guru, which if you can get behind the lunatic schtick, is actually written by a real-world money...

I've posted before about this topic, also on Fool. This is a x-post of one I posed in TMF. http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?mid=25436470&post=true I thought I'd put this issue to rest, but no! The Mommy Trust, or more precisely, the Trustee (BTATS = Bank that ate the South, name changed to...

I use the term "hedge" with some mis-givings. Mostly that term today seems to mean high-risk investing, for the wealthy. Not exactly what a "hedge" should be, at least to me. Assume that you are ER and have a steady, fairly reliable income source. It might either be your own investments, via a...