Recent content by mtpisgah

This is a very timely thread for us. We downsized from 4,000 sf to 2,800 sf about eight years ago. While it is not too big, it is more than we need. And it has stairs we have to use to access most of the house (darn split level). We are on an 1.25 acres now and own the 2.5 acres next to us, so...

Agreed for the most part. I also put the caveat of cash as being non retirement savings. So money I can spend (or invest) on whatever I want without penalty (excluding my wife yelling at me).

I have my mom’s china and crystal. We declined everything else she offered. Have my dad’s dog tags and a few things that were his dad’s. We declined everything else he offered. Do not take stuff you do not have use for. If you ‘have’ to take, sell it in a week or give it to goodwill.

We bought a Jeep Gladiator and put an AluCab canopy camper on it. We used to camp every few weeks and over the years we went to every few months due to not wanting to set up a tent and sleep on the ground. Now we are back to every few weeks when night temps are lower than 65 deg. We have camped...

Yeah, I really just need to take it back, put it in my schwab account, and put it in the same funds it is in now.

We are paying an advisor 1.1% now. He gives advice on investments, retirement plan, estate planning, insurance etc. I am not overly impressed and will likely take it back over soon. My issue is that my wife and I have no interest in managing it ourselves. I would rather be riding my bike, making...

I get at least one ticket every time I go to Europe, parking/speeding/toll. I get about one ticket every ten years here in the US.

I enjoy How I Built This, Freakanomics, Planet Money and Ted Radio. I just downloaded some of The Knowledge Project based on a recommendation here.

We do it all the time in SC and NC. Corkage is a deal vs paying their markup.

I opened an American Express savings account last week, 1.9% if I recall correctly. It is better than the CDs I have had the money over the last few years. I am starting with 10k and will drop another 10k in it over the next month. Two CDs worth a total of 40k mature in November and I add those...

We sold our previously house that we both loved because it was just too big and while we could easily afford it, we decided to downsize so we could travel and save more. I hate our current house but love the area, about three miles from our previous house. My wife loves the house. I dislike is...

We leave in two weeks for Cabo San Lucas. We are not usually resort type people but my wife has been wanting a warm local after her year of surgeries. Next year we head to Italy for hiking and wine.

I keep $500 in the car and house, and $100 minimum in my wallet. I have a couple of gold coins fior true emergencies and then some guns and a bunch of ammo. We have a 40k pool and a filter, so plenty of water so long as it is not severely contaminated in some manner. If it is, there are ~800...

I would hope the corporate insurance should protect you, unless you were a sole proprietor. I am an engineer and here in SC my company would defend me in a case unless I was purposefully negligent.

We have it mainly because we have a pool. While there is a fence all around it and it is built to code, two of the four gates are not locked. Even it they were, it is still easy for a kid to get in and drown.