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I'm looking for some input from anyone who has been down this path. Just FYI, I have consulted already with my regular dentist as well as an endodontist and an oral surgeon to whom I was referred. So what I'm really looking for is any real-life experiences from anyone who has opted to skip a...

In a recent thread about rewards credit cards (http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/best-rewards-credit-card-52202.html), several people expressed interest in the Chase card that gives a 3% rebate in the form of "Subaru Bucks". I just received a flyer for this today (despite the fact...

I've been reading recently in a couple of threads here as well as a few other articles, about the importance of staying mentally sharp as we age for both health and emotional well-being. I think a lot of us probably fulfilled the need for mental stimulation while w*rking. But for those who...

This question is for those of you who specifically allocate a "cash bucket" in your AA to cover a specified number of years. Do you factor in expected dividends and interest each year? For example, if you need 25K per year and want a 3-year cash bucket, would you keep 75K in cash? Or, would...

Calling all you vegetable gardeners! Do any of you grow rhubarb? I need to know if I'm fretting too early. After several years of wanting to, I finally created a new bed and planted 3 rhubarb plants last year. Did not harvest any of the stalks, and watched over them like a mother-hen. :laugh...

Several years ago I read somewhere that many people expect to take up new hobbies when they retire. The majority of them find that they don't end up starting new hobbies, but spend more time pursuing their existing hobbies. So I'm wondering what hobbies some of you enjoy, and if you are...

I recently bought some 30-year TIPs in a Vanguard account. I'm confused about Vanguard's daily pricing of these - the price seems to move more than I'd expect. I also hold some TIPs in another brokerage account, and the pricing there is different (and more consistent). I don't really need to...

Well, I'm about to turn the big 5-0 and just received the much-coveted invitation to join AARP. :laugh: I'm not all that inclined to spring for the $16, unless there is some value in purchasing health or other insurance through them. Has anyone purchased insurance (or anything else of value)...

We have a wood-burning fireplace that we never use. I've started doing a little preliminary research on having a gas insert installed (we have gas heat). Has anyone here gone through this process? If so, would you mind sharing approx. cost for unit plus installation, and any...

I've been doing some preliminary review of my expenses for 2009 and starting to prepare an expected budget for 2010. It's been interesting for me to see what my largest expense categories are in retirement and wondered what the greatest expenses are for most others on this board. Here are my 2...

From reading the threads, I've noticed that certain funds seem popular and/or mentioned frequently. I've recently moved a significant portion of my investments to Vanguard (essentially took my old 401(k) and moved it into a Vanguard IRA) and now am questioning some of my fund selections...

If this question has come up before, perhaps someone could point me to it.:) I was just wondering how most people choose to invest in indexed funds - a mutual fund or an ETF. I know there are some tradeoffs - for example, at Vanguard, I can buy and sell Vanguard funds without a transaction...

I know that many folks consider 4% the Safe Withdrawal Rate, but this may assume withdrawals start at a more typical age of 65 or so, with expected withdrawals for 20-25 years. In general, what would you consider a SWR at age 50? Assume you have no reason to believe you won't live to a ripe old...

Just wondering if anyone decided to drop back to just one family car (sharing a car with your spouse or SO) after retirement? If so, has it worked out well? Although SO and I have our own cars now, I think I've persuaded him that we should just have one shared car after he retires. We could...

Hello - I thought it might be a good idea for me to re-introduce myself since I have only posted a few messages, and it was quite some time ago. I've dropped in on and off for the past couple of years, but have been stopping in more frequently and would like to become more active in some of the...

Hello - I know that most folks here use asset allocation strategies and re-balancing. I've also noticed that many like Vanguard for its low fees. What I'm wondering is if many of you keep most or all of your nest egg with one brokerage firm (Vanguard, Fidelity, whoever), or if you also...

Hello - I've been lurking and reading here for a few weeks. I've wanted to jump into a couple of threads, but thought I ought to introduce myself first. I'm 47 and will be semi-retiring in the next year (still deciding the exact month that I will run screaming from mega-corp ;) ). Just a...