Search found 2745 matches

by THY4373
Fri Mar 22, 2024 8:48 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New homeowner advice
Replies: 32
Views: 2285

Re: New homeowner advice

Air seal and add more insulation to the attic. It is a messy, very unpleasant, but also a completely DIY friendly job that will start paying dividends on day one. After federal tax incentives, and local utility company rebates (if available), the break even point maybe less than one year depending on your climate. If you spend some time sealing everything else up tight, you not only save on energy but will have less bugs or rodents to deal with as well. Maybe implied in your post but sealing any accessible duct work in unconditioned space is also a good payback. Not hard to do but labor intensive and the shoulder seasons are the time to do it. More generally I'll second getting hardwood floors refinished before you move in. I had mine done...
by THY4373
Thu Mar 21, 2024 4:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ethan Allen Furniture
Replies: 32
Views: 3646

Re: Ethan Allen Furniture

Dottie57 wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:36 pm
All furniture is expensive.
I'd argue new furniture is expensive. With a little time, effort and perhaps flexibility in style it is pretty easy to get good used furniture relatively cheap.
by THY4373
Wed Mar 20, 2024 6:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card - Is it worth it?
Replies: 16
Views: 2395

Re: American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card - Is it worth it?

The fee is steep but I get value out of the card. I will say most of my travel is international and leisure so the value of the card and Marriott Platinum will probably vary a lot based on your travel patterns. I find hotel status in general (not just Marriott) less useful domestically than international. For me the value of Marriott Platinum which you get with the card is the 4 PM late checkout (I have never had a problem getting this) and it is very useful. I also highly value the free breakfast (despite the fact that Marriott's breakfast benefit is insanely complex) as well as the executive lounge access. Upgrades are nice but generally it is to just a higher floor room or slightly larger room. Nice but not a game changer. Suite upgrades...
by THY4373
Wed Mar 20, 2024 5:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card - Is it worth it?
Replies: 16
Views: 2395

Re: American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card - Is it worth it?

BuddyJet wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:20 pm Card status isn’t lifetime platinum but you get platinum as a current card benefit.
You are correct it isn't a direct card benefit. But it does give you the elite night credits and if necessary ten years of platinum to get you lifetime platinum.
by THY4373
Wed Mar 20, 2024 1:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Divorce and co mingling asset question
Replies: 49
Views: 6975

Re: Divorce and co mingling asset question

teacher2163 wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2024 11:44 am I am hoping it can be amicable, but as time passes, it makes me wonder.
I went through a generally amicable divorce but there were ups and downs and early on in the process was probably the most challenging as hard decisions had to be made, emotions were still a little raw and some assumptions were challenged. Things were much better by the end.
by THY4373
Wed Mar 20, 2024 11:07 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Potential new vinyl siding
Replies: 7
Views: 789

Re: Potential new vinyl siding

You might want to see what houses like yours in your area are using for siding. In my area most of the middle to upper market is going with Hardi Plank or similar. Probably not quite as low maintenance as vinyl but I like the look a lot better. My current house is mostly brick with a little Masonite siding that I will replace with Hardi or similar at some point in the next few years. Paint last a lot longer on Hardi than on wood in my experience (had it on a house some years back).
by THY4373
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:18 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Financial implications of long jury duty
Replies: 24
Views: 2020

Re: Financial implications of long jury duty

I have an employee going through this right now...16 weeks of once weekly state grand jury. Our company will pay 10 days but after that it's PTO. May not be relevant to you but she tries to use just 6 hours a week and work 2 hours that day to stretch it out. She tried to ask for hardship due to childcare issue (as it is state level, she has to drive 1.25 hours each way) and was denied. Now at the same time she was called to FEDERAL grand jury and they won't accept the state jury as a hardship for federal, even asking to serve next calendar year to get the 10 days again.. I was stunned. Just wow that is brutal. I had an employee who was called for jury duty by the State of CA. It was about a three month trial and they specifically narrowed ...
by THY4373
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: NYC This Year or Wait? Has it sufficiently recovered from Covid?
Replies: 54
Views: 4713

Re: NYC This Year or Wait? Has it sufficiently recovered from Covid?

I have visited NYC multiple times since Covid and it seems back to normal to me as an occasional visitor. I have really enjoyed my trips.
by THY4373
Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pretty set financially, but considering relocation to VHCOL (Bay Area) for the career/adventure
Replies: 49
Views: 5282

Re: Pretty set financially, but considering relocation to VHCOL (Bay Area) for the career/adventure

Obviously the current offer isn't going to come close to compensating you for cost of living differences but you want to try it and the timing for trying this is before you are locked down with kids and marriage in my book. I'd say give it a shot, maybe you get there and greatly increase your income and it makes sense to stay. Or maybe you don't and you can always come back to your current location. I was in a similar position some years ago and turned it down. While I don't regret it as such (my life has turned out great) it is one of the few decision in my life that I sometimes wonder what if...
by THY4373
Sun Mar 17, 2024 5:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 2.9% CC and 0.25 ACH fees
Replies: 14
Views: 1509

Re: 2.9% CC and 0.25 ACH fees

Only worth it for generous signup bonus (if you cannot meet it by other means) and also potentially worth it if I can buy V/MC gift cards at a discount and in a bonus category to offset some of the liquidation fee. But for regular spend probably not worth it.
by THY4373
Sat Mar 16, 2024 12:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New Roof - Exterior Design Ideas
Replies: 9
Views: 1008

Re: New Roof - Exterior Design Ideas

Nice looking house. One thing I have seen on gutters on some of the higher end places around me is they vary the color of the gutter system components depending on where they are on the house. So a lighter color for the horizontal parts along roof to match the lighter trim and darker color to blend in with brick on the downspouts. It does look nice and I would have considered that for my place but the HOA specified a single color. For shingles while I am not a fan of asphalt generally (and yes I have them too) I do like architectural shingles that make the roof look less like an asphalt expanse. These shingles are higher end so more costly but likely last longer and I got a discount on my home insurance to the tune of $200/year for the wind...
by THY4373
Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: “Bellys” on sewer scope for new house
Replies: 41
Views: 2549

Re: “Bellys” on sewer scope for new house

On the HVAC and having been in this exact position about 18 months ago buying a house with one 30 year old HVAC and one 20 year old HVAC I just ensured they were working, the 30 year old one had some issues which were addressed prior to purchase. I didn't negotiate the price of the house based on that. I did negotiate the price of the house based on the 30 year old simulated slate roof (it was not a material I was familiar with so it wasn't clear until my inspection that it was end of life). At the time I had some leverage but not a huge amount. As others said this is less about fairness and all about leverage. I'll also add that don't underestimate what a new HVAC system costs these days. I have been told there have been 15-30% increases s...
by THY4373
Thu Mar 14, 2024 9:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Furniture prices... is this normal?
Replies: 60
Views: 10056

Re: Furniture prices... is this normal?

My approach to furniture is to mix used/vintage/antique with new cheaper and higher end new stuff depending on my use. For sofas and most chairs I buy new. When kids/pets are in the equation I assume it will get trashed and treat this as disposable. Kid is in college now but I still have two cats and I recently bought a $5k sofa (the most I have ever spent on a single piece of furniture) but it is microsuede which does live up to its kitty proof name (they cannot get their claws into it). I use this sofa every day, it is very comfortable and it was custom made exactly for the length and depth I wanted. Totally worth it to me but was a risk with the cats. For things like computer desks and TV stands I generally buy some mid-level modern furn...
by THY4373
Wed Mar 13, 2024 5:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to sell diamond ring
Replies: 12
Views: 1224

Re: How to sell diamond ring

Pokerfacekid wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 5:48 pm Probably get more on eBay maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of appraised value. Diamonds have terrible resale value.
The problem with eBay is the risk of getting scammed by the buyer. Ebay generally sides with buyers in most disputes. I agree on the terrible resale value of diamonds. My ex tried to sell her engagement ring after our divorce and didn't like the offers so she held on to it, only to have it stolen by maid or contractor in her house.
by THY4373
Wed Mar 13, 2024 5:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Cost of roofing and siding as a percent of house value
Replies: 25
Views: 2038

Re: Cost of roofing and siding as a percent of house value

I sort of agree with others if things need to be done they sort of cost what they cost within reason. I mean I wouldn't put a new copper roof on a $350k house but it doesn't sound like you are doing that. I just put a $21k-ish roof on my $500k-ish house. The HOA specifies a single 50-year architectural shingle (my original roof was simulated slate) so I had no choice in materials. All five bids were about +/- $1k of $21k. The price was the price and I needed a new roof. The value of my home didn't really come in to my calculations. Luckily my house is mostly brick so I don't have the siding issue except on garage where I'll go with hardiplank at some point.
by THY4373
Wed Mar 13, 2024 1:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Looking for window restoration/replacement guidance for older home
Replies: 23
Views: 2004

Re: Looking for window restoration/replacement guidance for older home

puts you on a 10-20 year replacement cycle, vs the indefinite lifespan of your original windows While I agree old-school wood windows are fully repairable vs modern windows I think one you are vastly under estimating the life a decent modern window and two their reparability (to an extent). My ex has a house built in 1986 all the wooden dual paned windows are original (you can tell by the dates visible in the frame of the insulated glass units). She has like 25+ windows still going strong. My house was built in 1992. Three dormer windows were rotted and replaced by me, two largely beyond saving due to the poor maintenance regime of the prior owner who was quite aged. The rest of the windows are original 1992 Marvin wooden windows and are f...
by THY4373
Wed Mar 13, 2024 12:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Looking for window restoration/replacement guidance for older home
Replies: 23
Views: 2004

Re: Looking for window restoration/replacement guidance for older home

I had some Marvin aluminum clad wood Ultimates installed as replacement windows at my last place. They are for sure excellent windows but I don't know if I'd be paying north of $4k per window for them but that would of course depend somewhat on the price of the house. I got a Renewal by Andersen quote at the same time and felt I needed a shower afterwards, no way I would go with them. If I were in your shoes I'd probably go with option 3 or 4. I certainly wouldn't replace windows just for energy savings though if the current windows are causing you comfort issues drafts, noise transmission, etc, then I would consider replacing them or trying the storm window thing if allowed. Option number 4 sounds like a true artist/craftsperson and not at...
by THY4373
Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:07 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Looking for upright piano in northern / central NJ
Replies: 17
Views: 1277

Re: Looking for upright piano in northern / central NJ

If you get a used piano make sure you inspect if for carpet beetles which can live on the wool piano felt (at least used in older pianos). My ex got my son a "free" piano that was infested with them but we didn't notice because when the piano came in they were likely pupating but they infested the house fairly badly and it is a real pain pain to beat them back.
by THY4373
Mon Mar 11, 2024 8:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Want to leave the California bay area. Where to live?
Replies: 63
Views: 5822

Re: Want to leave the California bay area. Where to live?

Well I am not in my 30s but I do make more than $200k and I could move to the Bay Area tomorrow (and get a 25% raise). My employer would adjust my salary by that much moving there. I actually seriously considered moving there or NYC (where I'd get the same raise) for the last five years of my career to knock my pension by that much. Though I have never lived in the Bay Area my ex's family is from there so I spent a fair amount of time there over the years. For me I get the allure to some degree but the pros and cons pretty much wipe each other out for me. I can see the appeal of the climate to a degree but it clearly doesn't have the allure it does for others. Honestly if I was going to go somewhere just for the climate it would be somethin...
by THY4373
Sat Mar 09, 2024 7:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is HCOLA better than LCOL??
Replies: 62
Views: 3452

Re: Is HCOLA better than LCOL??

runswithscissors wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 1:39 pm Painting a very broad brush...

HCOL pros

-Weather
I am going to disagree on that. That applies to the HCOL parts of CA and HI but at least to me not Seattle, NYC or DC. Not that the weather is particularly horrible in any of those, just I wouldn't be moving to any of them for the weather. Others might have other opinions of course.
by THY4373
Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Greece in August 24
Replies: 39
Views: 3455

Re: Greece in August 24

For us (older couple), the gem of the visit was the island of Sifnos. Small, relatively unknown, no major ruins. We stayed at a hotel with a porch that had outstanding views out over the Platis Gialos bay. Mornings sipping coffee while watching the sunrise over they bay was unforgettable. This may be my favorite vacation of all time, though my wife would definitely say hers have been the visits to Italy. I want to echo this. I really encourage folks to at least find one smaller/lesser visited Greek island to explore. Back in 2021 my first trip post Covid was to Greece (actually Covid was still really a thing at that point). But anyway I decided to spend about a week of my two weeks on the tiny island of Symi. Mostly because I could get awa...
by THY4373
Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is Calif Really That Expensive - Or Am I Missing Something?
Replies: 133
Views: 15842

Re: Is Calif Really That Expensive - Or Am I Missing Something?

It was decades ago but when I left the Bay Area to move to a much lower cost of living area I noticed that services like plumbers, mechanics, etc. were not only much less expensive but they also really wanted your business and would have a better attitude and do better work so you would be a repeat customer. I moved from a HCOL to a MCOL just over 20 years ago and saw the same. Basically ignoring taxes for a moment (in my case I stayed in the same state so no real change there) the only major differences I saw were the cost of housing and anything with a major local labor component so contractors, private school, mechanics, eating out were all cheaper often considerably so than in my HCOL area. I also agree that skilled labor was easier to...
by THY4373
Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways
Replies: 58
Views: 5603

Re: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways

wingman4uz wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:19 pm ORD to LHR return for 5 people on BA for $4200 just seemed too low, tbh. That’s why I suggested making sure it was apples to apples.
That is $840 a person which looking at Google flights seems in the ballpark of $600-1100 depending on dates assuming we are talking about economy seats.
by THY4373
Tue Mar 05, 2024 7:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways
Replies: 58
Views: 5603

Re: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways

oxothuk wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 3:19 pm
wingman4uz wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 1:20 pm I would make sure your BA price includes all taxes and fees though. UK operators tend to have egregious fees for some reason.
UK has a departure tax which applies to all airlines, not just BA; the tax is much higher for upper service tiers (premium economy or business). IIRC, however, the tax does not apply if you are only connecting through the UK.
BA and Virgin Atlantic (VS) have significant carrier imposed surcharges on award tickets in addition to the UK APD. However if you are paying cash those surcharges are built into the cash fare price so I don't know why wingman4uz brought them because OP appears to be booking cash tickets. It is something to be aware of on award tickets but for cash tickets it isn't important.
by THY4373
Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ticket is only available as an award ticket, should I change my rewards strategy?
Replies: 16
Views: 1176

Re: Ticket is only available as an award ticket, should I change my rewards strategy?

Careful wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:31 pm You can generally book award flights for less with Air Canada than with United. And it's all Star Alliance. So opening a Chase Sapphire Preferred is a good way to go since Air Canada and United are Chase transfer partners.
Another advantage of Aeroplan is it partners with Amex, Chase, and Capital One so if you want to play the churning game it is more easy to amass a critical amount of points with Aeroplan than United which only partners with Chase.

I will also add that one of the benefits of points often overlooked is that it can often get you a routing that is not bookable for cash or not reasonably bookable for cash.
by THY4373
Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ticket is only available as an award ticket, should I change my rewards strategy?
Replies: 16
Views: 1176

Re: Ticket is only available as an award ticket, should I change my rewards strategy?

BogleMelon wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 9:56 am
VoiceOfReason wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 9:51 am IND is showing one stops for cash but very expensive.
Where can you see this?
I see it on Google Flights which is where I usually start my ticket searches before digging into the details on other sites. But I am seeing $4500 with a 14 hour, overnight layover in Dulles.
by THY4373
Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:51 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Upgrade Water Heater Efficiency but Downgrade Quality?
Replies: 15
Views: 1463

Re: Upgrade Water Heater Efficiency but Downgrade Quality?

I think you are are misunderstanding the Federal tax credit. It is 30% of the cost up to a total of $2000 credit not a straight $2000 credit irrespective of what you spend.

I also agree you savings estimate seems high (I had a heat pump hot water heater at my last house). It certainly didn't come close to saving me $1500 a year.
by THY4373
Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways
Replies: 58
Views: 5603

Re: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways

A couple of hours to save $2k yeah I'd fly out of Chicago.
by THY4373
Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tom Bihn briefcase worth the money? Looking for a quality, lightweight laptop briefcase.
Replies: 21
Views: 2481

Re: Tom Bihn briefcase worth the money? Looking for a quality, lightweight laptop briefcase.

stan1 wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:36 am They aren't simple at all, the Pilot has multiple specialized compartments such as the front water bottle pocket with a drain hole for condensation or leaks. Most of the Tom Bihn products actually are fairly complex in design and are a lot of work to be sewn. That's probably one of the bigger differentiators in his products over mass market ones which are simpler.
+1 There are a lot of things you don't notice or appreciate with the bags until you start using one regularly and then you realize just how much thought has gone into their construction. My 30L Aeronaut is absolutely perfect for me.
by THY4373
Sun Mar 03, 2024 9:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tom Bihn briefcase worth the money? Looking for a quality, lightweight laptop briefcase.
Replies: 21
Views: 2481

Re: Tom Bihn briefcase worth the money? Looking for a quality, lightweight laptop briefcase.

I have two Tom Bhin bags I use for carry on. One has probably been to 40 countries at this point. Still looks like new. Also very well thought out. Worth every penny to me.
by THY4373
Sun Mar 03, 2024 3:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Window Warranty
Replies: 25
Views: 3433

Re: Window Warranty

Alaska_Skeeter wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 2:06 pm The Renewal by Anderson $8,500 quote was double pane, argon.
The DaBella quote for $3,500 was triple pane, kripton
DaBella windows appear to be vinyl windows make sure they are a good fit for your house style and finish-wise. They will not be a good style match on some houses.
by THY4373
Sun Mar 03, 2024 9:02 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Airline Miles and Hotel Points
Replies: 37
Views: 4523

Re: Airline Miles and Hotel Points

For us, United card is well worth the fee for the free checked bags, two annual lounge access passes plus reimbursement for TSA precheck every 5 years. Definitely not pointless for us. It seems like everyone I know in Denver has one. Frontier card is of marginal benefit, but there is no annual fee. Southwest card is the questionable one, but I keep it because I need to keep the points, which I use over and over. I cancel most SWA bookings, since they are usually a back-up plan to flying myself. My answer was focusing on OP's question about the CC impacting point redemptions, not all the benefits of a given a card. If you get value out of those additional benefits that is great and clearly worth it for you. I don't as I either don't use the...
by THY4373
Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:47 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Airline Miles and Hotel Points
Replies: 37
Views: 4523

Re: Airline Miles and Hotel Points

If you just stopped spending money on the crap you're buying with CCs, you'd be able to buy the trip you want and have a bunch of money to spare. Unpopular opinion, I know. For work expenses though, ehhhh, yes I enjoy getting those "free" points. Even if you aren't expensing work expenses or aren't a business owner it is quite possible to "spend" a lot on credit cards without spending a lot. I "spend" multiples of my annual income each year while still maintaining a 35-45% gross savings rate. I could not travel as much as I do or the way I do without generating points. To OPs question. I generally don't find the perks of most airline cards worth it to me even though I am generating seven figures of points a ye...
by THY4373
Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Airline Miles and Hotel Points
Replies: 37
Views: 4523

Re: Airline Miles and Hotel Points

MGBMartin wrote: Fri Mar 01, 2024 5:35 pm Typically these awards for a business class seat come with approx $1200 in BA fees, I’ve seen it as high as $1800, and then the cheek to want a couple of hundred $ for seat selection.
Virgin surcharges ex-US to London round trip the last time I checked about a month back are up to $2500 though you don't have to pay for seat selection in J at least. But that is just insane. At that point (no pun) you are basically getting a 50% discount on a cash ticket. Which may be an ok deal for some given the low number of points Virgin charges but personally I think it is insane.
by THY4373
Fri Mar 01, 2024 4:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Airline Miles and Hotel Points
Replies: 37
Views: 4523

Re: Airline Miles and Hotel Points

Not long ago I had enough AA miles for 2 business class tickets to Europe but now I’ll be lucky to get one. I’m seriously considering using only cash back type cards from now on. I am certainly not in the camp that points are worthless as I have been doing great but AA points are certainly less valuable than they used to be. AA rarely makes international premium cabin saver space available. For a while you could avoid this by using partners but for various reasons partners are now releasing fewer seats either generally and/or to AA specifically. Even BA (which wasn't a good use anyway given their surcharges) has started limiting a lot of their seats to airlines that use Avios as their currency. I don't even blame them since it wasn't like ...
by THY4373
Fri Mar 01, 2024 4:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Airline Miles and Hotel Points
Replies: 37
Views: 4523

Re: Airline Miles and Hotel Points

investor997 wrote: Fri Mar 01, 2024 1:58 pm Me and my P2 had a lot of success transferring points to Air France/KLM Flying Blue this year booking business class seats to/from AMS and CDG. We were able to get a ~$0.035 point valuation.
Flying Blue (similar to Aeroplan) has decided the way to profit from US CC users is to make their program have competitive redemptions to attract transfers from Chase/Amex/etc points. I have been using FB quite a bit of late to get to Europe in J for reasonable cost.
by THY4373
Fri Mar 01, 2024 3:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Safe to Travel to Egypt in 2024?
Replies: 17
Views: 2262

Re: Safe to Travel to Egypt in 2024?

FWIW, security in Egypt is pretty good -- especially for tourists -- at times it is almost an oppressive presence. If you are going on a typical tour you have fairly little to worry about. You will have some risk, but then again you might have been in Boston, or Paris, or... at the wrong time. Go -- you'll enjoy it! This. I went to Egypt in 2019. The Dept of State had reconsider travel then too. Canada and UK travel advisories were both much more nuanced then and now than the US with basically minimal concern for the main tourist areas along the Nile. I traveled from Cairo down to Aswan. I used a local driver and guide. I never felt unsafe and as noted there is a major security presence in Egypt particularly in touristic areas. There was a...
by THY4373
Thu Feb 29, 2024 8:46 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: When do electric cars stop making sense?
Replies: 210
Views: 16584

Re: When do electric cars stop making sense?

Glockenspiel wrote: Thu Feb 29, 2024 8:44 am Your electric rates are insane. Most people in the country are paying 10-14 cents/kWh. Do you live in Hawaii or another country with high electric costs?
They live in California presumably given the PG&E reference. Also parts of the NE have similar rates.
by THY4373
Thu Feb 29, 2024 8:39 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: When do electric cars stop making sense?
Replies: 210
Views: 16584

Re: When do electric cars stop making sense?

I think at this differently. How much you plan to drive annually? If this is around 10K miles hybrid savings does not come in the picture. In case you drive a lot say > 30K miles then the fuel cost come into the picture. But remember, you are paying upfront MORE for the hybrid. If you are planning to hold the car for > 10 years the hybrid warranty is out! Are you 100% sure you can get a replacement battery pack at an affordable cost? Maybe the battery technology has change? Gas will be always there. The battery thing is really overstated. It is sort of like worrying about the automatic transmission going out. Does it happen, yes, is it a big concern, not really. My ex is still driving a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid we bought new when we were ma...
by THY4373
Thu Feb 29, 2024 8:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Window Warranty
Replies: 25
Views: 3433

Re: Window Warranty

I'll echo the above comment. Some years ago I was getting some windows replaced. And got a bid from Renewal by Andersen and they were by far the most expensive and most high pressure. Their quality also looked worse than the higher end Pellas and Marvins I got bids on. I ended up going with Pella then. Everything I have read online since (recently replaced some windows in my current place and went with Andersen but NOT Renewal by Andersen) basically stated the same, expensive and high pressure. Now if you have got multiple bids and are happy with the bid go for it. But if you haven't I'd strong suggest get some more bids. Edit: And to your warranty question, my general take is from windows to roofing, they have enough qualifiers in their wa...
by THY4373
Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:59 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Divorce and co mingling asset question
Replies: 49
Views: 6975

Re: Divorce and co mingling asset question

Yep. When the question is "should I take precautions?" the answer is "of course not". When the question is "I'm divorcing, am I screwed?" the answer is "you should have taken precautions". Not just this board. Everywhere. Every time. I agree with your general point though I'll argue those who have been through divorce before generally do suggest folks should be proactive in taking precautions but those who are married and have never been divorced tend to clutch their virtual pearls at the mere thought of taking precautions about a potential divorce. The latter group, particularly on Bogleheads tends to drown out the former. And I fully admit I have been on both sides of this over my time here. It is ...
by THY4373
Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Divorce and co mingling asset question
Replies: 49
Views: 6975

Re: Divorce and co mingling asset question

bendix wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:52 am
I hope you dont take offense but I read that and thought "this is such a Boglehead approach to divorce" and found it remarkable. This board never ceases to amaze me. In a good way.
Ha no offense taken. I was lucky my ex was generally pretty reasonable and I like to think I was generally the same. No divorce is easy, not even close but as divorces go I think we did it about as well as one can do.
by THY4373
Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:45 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Divorce and co mingling asset question
Replies: 49
Views: 6975

Re: Divorce and co mingling asset question

teacher2163 wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:35 am I would assume the more I can prove on paper with bank statements, the better.
Absolutely the more documentation you have supporting your position the better. I spent a lot of time collecting records, luckily I had a lot going back a long time. For my collaborative divorce (I highly recommend this process by the way) we had a financial neutral and she did all all the accounting of assets, and teased out pre-marriage from post-marriage. It was honestly the best money spent on my divorce. The advantage was she cost half the price of the lawyers and my ex and I split her cost (instead of us individually paying for our own accounting).
by THY4373
Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:59 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Divorce and co mingling asset question
Replies: 49
Views: 6975

Re: Divorce and co mingling asset question

This is probably going to come down to the specific laws in your state and more importantly you, your spouse and your lawyers. My ex and I went through a collaborative divorce and though it wasn't painless we generally weren't fighting for every nickel and dime. In our case both of us, though more me in this instance were able to keep certain assets separate even if they had been comingled at one time or another.

And don't kick yourself the vast majority of folks who get divorced didn't expect to be divorced.
by THY4373
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Roof repair - reasonable?
Replies: 40
Views: 3656

Re: Roof repair - reasonable?

Not sure where you're located but it seems a little high. I had a roof replaced due to wind pre pandemic and it cost about that much. Things have gone up a lot so my figure may be off by a lot. Honestly it will depend on many factors. I replaced my roof last summer with 50 year shingles so not cheap (required by HOA). House is about 2200 square feet so not large. All bids I got (5) were between $20-22k. Behind me there are condo townhomes and they are paying $35k special assessment for similar sized houses, and I cannot fathom why because they are using cheaper shingles than I did. This is a MCOL area. Ten years ago folks in my neighborhood with the same 50 year shingles were getting the roofs done for $8k (my house was one of the last to ...
by THY4373
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vehicle damaged and liable party has low coverage limits
Replies: 45
Views: 4121

Re: Vehicle damaged and liable party has low coverage limits

H-Town wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2024 4:07 pm Are you living in a fantasy land? Where in the world people drive cars value at least 50k or 100k?
The average price of a new car in the US is now $48k: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/bu ... 134608893/ . I have never personally spent anything close to that (I buy used and drive them into the ground) but it doesn't seem crazy to assume there is a fair number of $50k-$100k cars on the road these days at least if they are fairly new.
by THY4373
Fri Feb 23, 2024 11:45 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Know your customer (KYC)
Replies: 22
Views: 2829

Re: Know your customer (KYC)

You can blame your government for this, it is not the banks that want to do it for better or worse. You don't have to answer the questions but the financial institution doesn't have to do business with you either. I don't know that I have ever seen a net worth question in any KYC questions that I can recall (I do believe brokerages may ask this but I don't think it is KYC related). It is not clear who you are concerned about but if it is some intermediary can you not just deal with the financial institution directly, set up an account answer all the KYC questions to them directly and then give the executors the details of your new account?
by THY4373
Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:42 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: The Shrinking Lifespan of Large Appliances
Replies: 108
Views: 10468

Re: The Shrinking Lifespan of Large Appliances

For the moment I am riding the circa 1993 appliances that came with my house until they die. They all work perfectly. When I moved in last year the fridge probably had three decades of dust and hair on the condenser coils so I cleaned those off. Otherwise the fridge looks like new. I have measured its a electrical usage and it uses 2x the power of a modern fridge but I'd be looking at a 7-10 year payback so not terribly fussed. I don't think the original owner who I bought the house from used the dishwasher much if at all, it might be 30 years old but it looks like new. At some point I'll get modern appliances if for no other reason that to refresh the kitchen but it is low priority.
by THY4373
Tue Feb 20, 2024 7:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: HVAC Replacement - Connecticut - Trane + thermo pride oil furnace
Replies: 46
Views: 3658

Re: HVAC Replacement - Connecticut - Trane + thermo pride oil furnace

talzara wrote: Tue Feb 20, 2024 5:35 pm Virginia has a heating-dominated climate, so if there is a trade-off, it should still be worth it. Even if you spend more hours at a higher temperature, there are more degree-days at a lower temperature. You should save more at low temperatures than you lose at high temperatures.

You should run the numbers to be sure, but it's hard to see how it can be worse in Virginia's climate. It might be worse in Florida.
Thanks that is good to know. I love the Mitsubishi I currently have so I am inclined to go heat pump only with a similar system (from one of the top Asian manufacturers) for the downstairs and dispense with having a gas furnace.
by THY4373
Tue Feb 20, 2024 4:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: HVAC Replacement - Connecticut - Trane + thermo pride oil furnace
Replies: 46
Views: 3658

Re: HVAC Replacement - Connecticut - Trane + thermo pride oil furnace

The Mitsubishi SVZ-KP18NA air handler will pair with the SUZ-KA18NAHZ outdoor unit, which is a Hyper Heat (low-temperature) model. Although it is advertised as an 18,000 BTU/h heat pump, it delivers 21,600 BTU/h at 5°F using 3.6 kW of electricity. That is a COP of 1.8, which is much lower than it is at higher temperatures, but it's a lot better than electrical resistance heating. http://www.mylinkdrive.com/viewPdf?srcUrl=http://s3.amazonaws.com/enter.mehvac.com/DAMRoot/Original/10006\M_SUBMITTAL_SVZ-KP18NA_SUZ-KA18NAHZ_en.pdf It is available through Mitsubishi HVAC contractors, but I don't know if it's available through Trane contractors. Trane may not sell the entire Mitsubishi product line. That is good to know. I missed that in my resea...