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I'm 60 and have been retired for about 15 years. I keep my portfolio simple, holding VTSAX, VBTLX, and the cash portion in VMFXX (with a small amount in I-bonds). I don't have a target AA so much as a broad acceptable allocation range. My equities allocation seems to vary between about 60 and...

My gosh, so many definitions, labels, and acronyms to remember. Learning the basics of how to actually save and invest for retirement is easier!

Don't spend more just for the sake of spending more, unless it's something you really want, and feel comfortable with the expenditure. As Midpack mentioned, both good and periods can last quite a while. The cushion that you've built up over the last few years could be helpful to your comfort...

Another vote for Ripley. Bit of a slow starter, but I grew to really enjoy the measured pace as the narrative gradually pulled me in. The black and white cinematography is beautiful. Also, another vote for Baby Reindeer. The story turned out to be more nuanced than I had originally anticipated...

That is really awful. I'm sorry harllee. The short time from diagnosis must have been wrenching for everyone involved. A former co-worker was diagnosed with PC, and had about 6 months, which at least gave her time to spend with friends and family. It's a sobering reminder that we don't get to...

I used to receive an email every time I was thanked for a post. Because of that, I never missed a thanks.

+1. The Latest Posts sidebar is the one feature I rely on the most when perusing the forums. Thank you for keeping it!

Gosh, this is going to take some getting used to...........

Time millionaires. I like that terminology and concept!

Being able to afford a middle-class lifestyle anywhere in NYC without having to work is, in itself, "quite something" for lack of a better way to say it. These NW calculators may be inaccurate, or simply very primitive tools, but they act as a reminder that for many people in this forum, our...

Happiness is an odd concept. I'm not exactly sure what it is. As a goal, it doesn't work for me, because I think it comes about as a result of doing other things. More important than happiness, to me, is engagement. I am engaged in my life. I like my life. Overall, I am content. Sometimes I feel...

I relate to one particular aspect of this. I am not in a romantic relationship. The relationship I have with my long-time best friend though, is a very close one. It just doesn't have the physical element (which is fine with both of us). I have been retired for nearly all of the time we have...

I live in a densely populated urban area. When walking in the high-traffic shopping areas, it is quite common to encounter people asking for money. Most of the time I either decline, or don't engage with them. However, about once a month, I will give them $5. That kind of money has no negative...

I have never drunk to excess but now, after around 15 years of retirement, I'm drinking almost nothing these days. I have had 2 cans of beer in the fridge since Christmas and as of today, they are still there. I'd make a terrible alcoholic, and a pretty poor moderate drinker too. My parents were...

I guess that's evidence (if not actual proof) of how very bright the sun is.

I'm in Northern California, where we're expecting about 30% coverage IIRC. I just walked outside. Blue skies and sun, and it did seem a bit dimmer than usual.

Threads in this forum tend to be quite good at going off on tangents. I can't speak for others, but I don't think an apology is necessary. Conversational tangents are what people do here!

Very true. Sorry to hear about the choice your Dad had to make, and the effect it had on his relationship with his grandkids.

It would probably be a little tight here in the SF Bay area too if I was paying market rate rent. Two things have worked in my favor and allowed me to live comfortably in the SF East Bay on $27,600 a year - 1) Cheap rent. I got lucky in finding this place, and pay about half of what I would...

I've been retired for about 15 years, and only hit a million for the first time about 4 years ago. I think there's a very good chance I'll hit the $2M mark at some point, but I don't need to in order to continue enjoying my life of leisure. SS, when it comes along, is a big factor in my relaxed...

Yes, many many thanks Dory36!

I don't mind talking about portfolio values but I also like to talk in terms of what percentage my annual spend is, in terms of my total portfolio. The reason for this is that portfolio values and annual spends differ widely from person to person. At the point I began living off my portfolio, I...

Welcome to the forum, InTheBasement. The main issue I grappled with was fear of running out of money. I stopped working at age 45. For the first few years, I was very conservative with my spending, to the point where I was denying myself small (and cheap) pleasures. After a few years, it...

Yes to everything you said scrinch. I didn't mention the importance of savings in my simplistic post but yes, in the early years, the savings rate is of paramount importance. It sure is nice when, in later years, you can ease up on the savings rate, eventually stopping altogether, and still...

At the beginning of December, I reported that I had never, to my knowledge had it. Then, in late January, I caught it. Symptoms were mild. My taste was affected, but not my sense of smell. I only felt very crummy for a few days. Probably took around 10 days to get fully back to normal. This is...