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Does anyone do this? Is it a legit consideration? Say I'm pondering buying a basic car, such as a new Toyota Corolla, for about $24,000. Edmunds.com has a True Cost to Own estimator that factors in price paid, depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance, repairs, and financing for five years...

I'm in my third year of a lean FIRE and finally relaxing a bit, not quite as afraid of outliving my modest stash. But I am still pretty frugal (it's how I got here at all) and probably watch my balance way too often. Through various nips and tucks, I have managed to keep my personal inflation...

It's been a year. Have the bugs been worked out? My main laptop is ready for the upgrade. Any reason not to do it? Are the monthly updates smaller and less annoying? I've read that one con is a required Microsoft account. What does this mean? Do you have to log in online just to use the OS? I...

So midway through my first official year of FIRE, I'm already worrying about money and my portfolio shrinking from the get-go. My FIRE is lean, a planned $30K annual spend. Despite a 10% rent hike this year, I'm still on track. But . . . it feels restrictive. I'm trying to relax into this...

Sorry if I'm missing this basic question in the search. Not seeing anything about this specifically. When I apply for an ACA subsidy during fall open enrollment, is there a way to estimate my following year's mutual fund capital gains distributions on an active fund? My annual December...

Anyone have just a hotspot and no modem? I'm thinking of ditching my home internet service and upgrading my phone and plan. Looking at something like a budget Moto G Play with a Mint Mobile plan. For $20 a month, I can get 10GB of data and tether my laptop as needed. I'm a light user, mainly...

I'm shopping around for a new rental as my current condo lease nears an end. Since I was FIREd when I moved in last year, I had to show proof of a bank balance with 6 months' worth of rent in reserves. For privacy, I did this by taking a screen shot of a brokerage account statement showing only...

This is more about working years than retirement. Perhaps interesting to Young Dreamers? Includes short lists of places to live based on cost of living and education level. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2021/12/14/1063703904 From the article: There's obviously much more to the value of...

I've been thinking a lot about housing lately, both for myself during FIRE and separately for my parents. Their house has many stairs and other hazards. They are finally acknowledging this (better late than never) and are thinking about a more suitable place while they are still independent. I'm...

When it comes to renting versus owning a home after FIRE, where do you rank the importance of locking in housing costs as a reason to own? I'm thinking other things are more important, such as whether you want to own at all or whether you like a town, neighborhood, or house enough to make a...

Interesting NYT podcast yesterday. The latest census shows the lowest U.S. birth rate in almost a century. This could have big implications for young and future retirees -- health insurance, elder care, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. The discussion does not get into savings and portfolio...

As I near 53 and ponder ER, I've been thinking about the course of the average career. Not sure there's ever been such a thing, but it seems like 30 years or so has been normal postwar. My mother worked outside the home for 24 years, with a long gap as a stay-at-home mom. My dad worked for 32...

As noted at the top, it does not yet account for recent changes in the tax code. But I enjoy using it alongside the popular NYT Upshot calculator for comparison: The Ultimate Rent vs. Buy Calculator Scroll down the page for more info about the calculator. Elsewhere on the site is an article...

Hi, this is my first post after two weeks of lurking. I'm 52, single, healthy so far, no debt, kids, or exes. No real assets either, just a 60/40 lazy portfolio of $1.2M. I'm currently debating whether to replace a lost job or go ahead and retire early. My annual living expenses have averaged...