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Has anyone cruised with Swan Hellenic? If so, what was your experience? From what I can tell, it’s a small line that visits many smaller, out-of-the-way ports and has some non-standard itineraries. It apparently emphasizes the cultural/historical aspects of its ports of call. Based on what I’ve...

The car is a 2011 Buick Regal, 2.4 liter 4. 106K miles. An adequate and serviceable but unspectacular 2nd car that will accumulate maybe 6K miles per year for about 3 more years. My wife primarily drives it around town and it gets some highway miles too. Needs new all-season tires (it came with...

I’m curious how many folks in the RMD phase have simplified their T-IRAs to the extent that they are using only (or mostly) a single asset allocation fund such as (using Vanguard examples) Wellesley or a conservative Target Retirement Income or Life Strategy fund. If so, do you also maintain a...

I’ve heard about retirees’ travel tending to slow down once they reach their mid-to-late 70s. But surely, I thought, that’s not gonna be the case with me! I’m reasonably healthy, exercise regularly, am not overweight, etc. (I’m 77, my wife almost 76). So, for the first time in almost 3 years...

We’ve been cleaning out our basement and have a lot of “stuff” that’s too good to toss out but not worth the hassle of trying to sell or donate. We’ve found that posting items for free (both for us to advertise and the “customers” to obtain) on Craig’s list has helped us get rid of a lot of...

We will be on a river cruise this fall that terminates in Basel, Switzerland. We will likely spend 3-4 additional nights somewhere in the general vicinity after debarking. What suggestions do you have? We’re interested in: - reasonably easy to get to from Basel (max 4-6 hour bus/train ride) -...

I just made an appointment with a new optometrist for a refraction/eyeglass prescription. I received an email back from the practice confirming my appointment and stating: Quote: Please review our Covid-19 procedures before you come in. • Due to the current restrictions, the Optomap will be...

I coordinate aperiodic informal luncheons for members of my college alumni group. We graduated 54 years ago. We had one earlier today at a pub/restaurant that looked like it might be suffering the effects of a labor shortage in the restaurant industry. We had one server handling a long table of...

I’m 76, exercise regularly although I’m not much on weights. I use dumbbells and only do about 5-7 basic exercises, 2 or 3 sets a session, about 2-3 times per week. At this stage of my life I’m just trying to maintain a decent level of fitness so no chance I will radically change my “commitment”...

I’ve reluctantly decided that due to mild osteoarthritis in a couple of spots (upper and lower spine, knees, possibly hips), a nagging rotator cuff problem and having just passed my 76th birthday, it might be time to reevaluate my overall fitness program with a view toward toning it down a bit...

I have been volunteering about 20 hours a week for the past month doing income taxes for (mostly) seniors in a relatively HCOL area in MA. This is part of a nationwide program the main thrust of which is saving seniors with relatively simple tax situations a few bucks in tax prep fees. This is...

Didn’t want to take a general fitness thread off-topic. I’m considering a stationary/spin bike for home use. I’m a spin class fan but haven’t been going to the gym since COVID and may not return ever. I don’t want a Peloton or anything else in that price range. Something in the $300-$500 range...

I've just received a recommendation to have an arthroscopic procedure on my right shoulder. The procedure would be used to determine specifically the extent of my rotator cuff problem and then to do whatever repair is appropriate. I've been dealing with this problem 6-9 months. I've done (at...

For years my T-IRA was exclusively with Vanguard. Earlier in the year, Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) had a too-good-to-pass-up CD special so I decided to move some money from VG to NFCU to buy one. I filled out the proper forms, sent them to NFCU, they sent them to VG, VG sent the money to...

I know there are a number of active military/military retirees on this board. For those who regularly shop at commissaries I'm curious whether or not there are the same same shortages of TP, hand sanitizer, cleaning products, beans, etc. that so many super markets are experiencing. We don't live...

On another web site I recently learned a few things about money issues when traveling in Cuba as a US citizen. For example, - a 10% premium/penalty to exchange USD for CUC. - the fact that US credit/ATM cards are not accepted in Cuban banks/ATMs. Recommendations appear to be: - bring Canadian$...

For those who are MOAA members, check p. 30 of the July Military Officer magazine. There is a short article by Doug Nordman on retirement myths.

My college alumni association sponsors a travel program. We have gone on one trip in the past and enjoyed it very much. They recently announced a trip to Cuba for the winter of 2019. I've always been interested in Cuba (and have actually been there but only to the Guantanamo Naval Base) and am...

Just curious what other retirees in a similar situation do. If you have indexed-adjusted pension(s) and SS as your primary sources of income, to what degree do you feel that you need additional inflation protection via TIPS or I-Bonds? Do you consider yourself "covered" by virtue of the...

I did a quick Google search on this but didn't find what I was looking for. I would like to give a prepaid debit card denominated in euros to someone who will be traveling there. From what I saw in my search, if the card is denominated in US$ each use is likely to incur a hefty conversion fee...

I've always been interested in seeing Malta. It would seem to make sense to combine a tour there with either Sicily or Tunisia or perhaps both. I'm thinking maybe 10-15 days. Would be leaving form US East Coast. I've Googled these locations and there are indeed tours available. Anyone had any...

The speaker at our old guys' breakfast group today was an MD. He said that we all had 2 risk factors for heart disease/stroke (sex and age). This did not surprise me as I've heard that before. What did surprise me is that he said those risk factors are enough to have us all on daily low-dose...

Has anyone here had one? If so, - how long before you were back to "normal" activities? Particularly vigorous exercise like cycling? - did you also have a stent? If so, any comments (positive or negative?) - were you able to stop drops as a result? - knowing what you know now, would you do it...

Beautiful day today at Mass National Cemetery on Cape Cod for the local version of Wreaths Across America. A nice and moving ceremony recognizing departed vets and lots of Christmas wreaths for family members and volunteers to place on individual graves. Sent from my iPod touch using Early...

Today I spent a few hours catching up on filing, straightening out my office/den, deleting/filing emails - that kind of stuff. I had to make a new file folder to add to the filing cabinet and that got me thinking about the progression of file folders from early retirement (age 58) through the...