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dsmil

In public accounting at a large firm, I utilized more accounting knowledge and was challenged, but I was just an easily replaced number at the firm. In my current accounting position at a small real estate management company, I am paid significantly more and need only low level accounting knowledge....

dsmil

+1 for Xfinity Mobile if you have have Xfinity internet. $12 per GB (and partial GB) plus a few dollars in fees...that's it. You'd be looking at around $55 per month.

dsmil

It seems reasonable to me. I entered it into Aimloan.com and the only difference was that Aimloan's fee was $400 less.

dsmil

Is it happening when it's raining outside and no one is using the bathroom? Maybe it's a leaky vent pipe.

dsmil

We recently bought a vehicle with Carmax. The appeal of the no haggle pricing is lost a bit because in our recent experience, everyone is now posting their best price online and is not really willing to haggle. They need to put their best price out there so people are walking in the door. The appeal...

dsmil

A visionary and unselfish to the core. RIP Jack

dsmil

Office Space
Superbad
The 40 Year Old Virgin
Meet the Parents

dsmil

The numbers just don't make sense for a lease, but if you can afford it and want the newest car, that's understandable. I just purchased a 2015 Prius for $14k that someone had leased for 3 years, and I could likely sell it for $8k after using it for 3 years (net cost $6k). A lease for new Prius woul...

dsmil

If you drive a lot, you should also see what kind of gas savings you'd get from a Prius or other hybrid. I'm saving $100 per month in gas with a Prius, and that's even with low gas prices. It could make things more affordable for you.

dsmil

It's fine if you don't have 20%. Low interest rates and PMI is still a fine deal. In a perfect world, we'd all have 20% to put down, but as long as your finances are in good shape and the housing payment makes sense in your budget, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I would avoid the FHA loan and d...

dsmil

Roma (Netflix) - Yes, it was a picturesque and well-made film, but I didn't find the story very captivating. I think it's one of those films that the critics will enjoy more than the average audience. I had to watch it considering the hype, but I wouldn't really recommend it. Private Life (Netflix) ...

dsmil

Our marginal rate goes up because we'll still itemize but will lose the personal exemptions. Therefore, I'm going to lean more on deductible contributions than I have in the past. Although our marginal rate goes up, our effective rate goes down due to the increase in the child tax credit.

dsmil

I went shopping for a Toyota Highlander yesterday. The Toyota licensed dealers basically had their best prices posted online and wouldn't budge. They had primarily new or 1-3 year old used cars available, but nothing more than that. The prices on those were much higher than expected so it seemed poi...

dsmil

Yes, everyone at my company gets a bonus, whether you're the president or a maintenance worker. Mine has gone up $1k every year and is about 6% of my salary.

dsmil

Is anyone making any investment strategy changes due to a change in your tax situation as a result of the new tax law? Our taxable income and marginal tax bracket (15% to 22% federal) are going up as a result (although taxes owed will go down), because we lose the $16k of exemptions. I think that I ...

dsmil

$700 could be spent on drinks and expensive meals, and only replace 5 meals worth of grocery spending. $700 could conversely be spent on cheap lunches for you and your wife everyday, and cheap dinners on weekends, replacing 50 meals of grocery spending. I don't think that the amount of eating out sp...

dsmil

Our utility bill (gas/electric) averages $150 per month for a 1850 sq ft home (plus unfinished bsmt with one vent) in Maryland. We have gas furnace and water heater, and electric a/c and stove. We also constantly run a radon fan and a dehumidifier in the summer. Attic insulation is not good (R-12, s...

dsmil

Don't do it. Enjoy your time with the family. There is a lot more to a job than a salary.

dsmil

I've been researching this today because my wife would like one. I've been looking at the eufy 30 for $200 on Ama zon as Wirecutter suggests (https://www.amazon.com/eufy-Upgraded-Super-Thin-Self-Charging-Medium-Pile/dp/B07D78Y5TN). We vacuum the house every 1-2 weeks with a nice Dyson vacuum and ha...

dsmil

I've been researching this today because my wife would like one. I've been looking at the eufy 30 for $200 on Amazon as Wirecutter suggests (https://www.amazon.com/eufy-Upgraded-Super-Thin-Self-Charging-Medium-Pile/dp/B07D78Y5TN). We vacuum the house every 1-2 weeks with a nice Dyson vacuum and have...

dsmil

Regarding the pricing, it's true that you don't tell them how many GB's you need. Of course if you use a ton of GB then the unlimited plan may be the way to go, rather than the $12 per month per GB. It looks like unlimited is $45 per line. The billing for us has been strange, because they never bill...

dsmil

Have you tried any DIY gutter cleaning methods? I purchased a huge extension pole and a gutter cleaning tool which grabs the leaves, and it has been a huge help. $90 could significantly help the situation... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IY6IE0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1...

dsmil

They are a terrible idea for his reasons. However he neglects the fact that in most cases an automobile is a net contributor to your income: that is, you often can't get to a job and make money without incurring transportation costs. You could live in the city and walk, however it is more likely yo...

dsmil

Have you tried using a different HDMI input?

dsmil

Low ceilings have been great for our utility costs. I figured that our costs would go up after moving from a townhouse to a single family, but they've gone down, and I think that the low ceilings are a contributing factor. With an underground basement and 7.5 ft ceilings throughout, it really keeps ...

dsmil

I like going to local mechanics, like a shop at a gas station. I've been using a couple of local mechanics for the past 5 years, and they've been very reasonable and only charge me for things that I need. The dealers and the big chains like Pep Boys have always found ways to charge me for unnecessar...

dsmil

In Maryland, we average $35 per month for our water/sewer bill, of which $10 is for some environmental/restoration fees. $3k gallons per month.

dsmil

I wouldn't pay more than 3%. Many buyers are finding the houses that they want to visit on their own anyway, using sites like Redfin and Zillow, so I don't think bumping up that commission would yield more interest. It sounds like you are leaning towards sale by owner, but don't assume that you woul...

dsmil

Sounds like a reasonable plan to me, as long as your 401k loan interest rate is comparable to what you'd get elsewhere. I like the idea of borrowing from the bond allocation of the 401k because the potential lost market gains are smaller. If borrowing from stocks, you have the possibility of missing...

dsmil

Bowl with a tortilla = maximum food

dsmil

I'm going to wait and see if Vanguard counters but what Fidelity is offering is very compelling. They are consistently beating Vanguard's Admiral Funds without any minimums! As someone who has some investor level funds, the savings will be even greater. https://www.fidelity.com/mutual-funds/investin...

dsmil

$700 per month for groceries plus eating out seems fine. Of course you could cut down on eating out or buy cheaper groceries, but I don't think your spending levels are something to be worried about. Some easy fixes that I can think of are buying store brand items, packing a lunch, buying less meat,...

dsmil

My last townhouse had a HOA and they gave notices for violations but never followed up. I'm sure that each one is different.

dsmil

I admit to only seeing a handful of movies last year, but Get Out was awesome. I had no expectations going in and I can't remember being that into a movie in a long time.

dsmil

I think that I could definitely jump ship and make some more money, but making "enough" with little stress and good hours is good enough for me. With young kids, this is probably the time of my life where I'll have the least amount of free time, so I want to keep as much of it as I can. Wh...

dsmil

We brought our phones over to Xfinity Mobile a few months ago and our bill is now less than half of what it was with Verizon. Not paying for line fees saves us $40 per month. We also pay a little less for data even though we are using more for some reason. We are supposed to pay $12 per GB but Xfini...

dsmil

We're using 3 old cars between the 2 of us:

'97 Acura Integra - 170k
'00 Toyota Rav4 - 180k
'01 Toyota Rav4 - 150k

The Integra has had by far the most problems, but it's my high school car and I just can't give it up!

dsmil

If I saved enough to fill up two Roths with retirement contributions, I'd use the 529 for college. Until then, I'm using the Roths for college.

dsmil

Wegmans is my favorite. Price, selection, and the fact that they carry all of the other random things that you need on a daily basis. The Wegmans brand products are always great values. We aren't foodies but I could see foodies enjoying the variety of products offered. We recently moved further away...

dsmil

I personally wouldn't quit out of boredom, but a lack of advancement opportunities for a young person is a detriment. If there aren't advancement opportunities or this job doesn't lead to a better job at another company, it might not be the best place for you. I have a boring job but they pay me wel...

dsmil

75% here. 8% for fed/state, 7% for SS/Med, 7% for health/dental, 3% to 401k. We won't owe or receive a refund at tax time.

dsmil

We use the heck out of AAA. Two old cars and a ton of flat tires! My guess is that we've been using them 3x per year for the last few years. In a stressful situation when the car won't start, you get a flat tire, or you lock your keys in the car, it's nice to have AAA and not add to that stress.

dsmil

Yes, I agree with your post, and this is why we haven't rushed to pay student loans at the cost of investing for retirement. Making the minimum $300 per month student loan payment means that they money is tied up and put to good use. Freeing up that $300 opens up the possibility of increased spending.

dsmil

My primary strategy is to use Roths for college before 529's. $11k per year of contributions should get us pretty far, followed by cash flow, and tapping into home equity if needed. We're 15 years away but this is the plan for now.

dsmil

I'd make sure that the major systems in the home are in working order before spending a ton of money on appearance upgrades. We immediately spent $10k on carpet and paint, and then realized that the roof was on it's last legs and that the home could use some insulation/sealing upgrades It might be g...

dsmil

I have some Sumitomo HTR A/S tires and they were reasonably priced and I've been happy with them. So far they've gone 4 years and 40k miles. I know nothing about tires though, so you can take my positive experience with a grain of salt.

dsmil

Nothing other than adjust my paycheck withholdings. Our overall tax bill goes down but our marginal rate goes up from 15% to 22%, so I'll continue to put a premium on tax deductible contributions.

dsmil

My wife and I used SoFi to refinance student loans and it was a smooth process. I think that they'll have to do everything separately as we did. We were not offered close to the lowest rate as marketed on their website (the 3.25% that you mention) even though we have great credit scores, so I'm not ...

dsmil

Can you get a non-FHA with 3.5%? If not, PMI is now for the life of the loan on FHA, I believe. Did you add that in? The big idea behind 20% down, I think, is that you avoid PMI and your dollars build equity quicker. So even if you move before the lines cross, assuming they are correct, you are sti...

dsmil

I don't mind putting less than 20% down on a house because I've done it twice and have been happy with my decision. That being said, I don't think it makes sense to ignore the equity in the home, because you are recovering that additional $41,250 upon selling.

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