Search found 321 matches

by SwampDonkey
Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:41 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What were your best performing investments of all time?
Replies: 43
Views: 4586

Re: What were your best performing investments of all time?

Best individual stocks:
Recently sold most of my Apple after it 10x'd for me.
Recently sold most of my Tradedesk after it also 10x'd for me.

Best non-stock:
Put $1k into Shiba Inu about six months ago. Was mostly underwater until it mooned and I was 10x. Sold 1/2, still holding 1/2.

Worst:
LOTS of loser stocks along the way including several that went bankrupt.

Best overall investment:
Index funds and 2 of 3 houses.
by SwampDonkey
Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:03 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Help! I'm considering buying a timeshare
Replies: 188
Views: 18422

Re: Help! I'm considering buying a timeshare

We own a timeshare and we enjoy it. We purchased it ~8 years ago on eBay for pennies on the dollar. I think we paid ~$50 for something that retails for $30k. Our company has 20-30 properties spread across the country and we can also access RCI properties although that is something we haven't felt the need to do. We have stayed in 12 of our properties thus far and have yet to be disappointed. We just booked a 2-bedroom presidential suite in downtown Aspen for next fall and are really looking forward to that trip. One of the reasons we really enjoy the timeshare is the properties are generally much nicer than standard hotel rooms (Hampton Inns, etc.). Having children, we enjoy staying in 1-2 bedrooms suites that come with a kitchen, etc. It p...
by SwampDonkey
Mon Dec 27, 2021 8:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Rivian SUV
Replies: 16
Views: 2744

Re: Rivian SUV

They don't come with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto which I'm sure has something to do with Amazon's significant investment in the company.

This is a huge deal for many people (myself included).
by SwampDonkey
Sat Dec 25, 2021 12:07 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Personal Protection Dog
Replies: 94
Views: 8075

Re: Personal Protection Dog

Another breed to potentially look into: the South African Boerboel (part of the Mastiff breed). Description from online: "Considered by many to be protective without being aggressive, they make an excellent choice for a family pet because they do exceptionally well with children. They are totally devoted and happy to be with their owners, but wary of strangers making them a good choice for a guard dog. So fearless and loyal, they would fight to the death to protect their own family. Visitors and friends that enter the house should be introduced to the dog." I have a friend with a Boerboel and he swears by them. Great with his family (including young kids) and very low key unless she senses danger. These dogs have only recently bee...
by SwampDonkey
Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: "Water" vacuums - Rainbow, Sirena, Quantum, etc. - Any Experience with them?
Replies: 5
Views: 790

Re: "Water" vacuums - Rainbow, Sirena, Quantum, etc. - Any Experience with them?

Appreciate the feedback.

We decided to push the "easy" button and purchased a Shark vacuum from Amazon for $120 (one of their "Daily Deals"). First usage was today and we were very impressed with it.
by SwampDonkey
Mon Oct 25, 2021 12:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: "Water" vacuums - Rainbow, Sirena, Quantum, etc. - Any Experience with them?
Replies: 5
Views: 790

"Water" vacuums - Rainbow, Sirena, Quantum, etc. - Any Experience with them?

Hi, Our Dyson of 10 years finally gave up on us. We are looking to replace the Dyson with a new vacuum and are interested in hearing peoples' experiences with the higher-end "water" vacuums. I was originally only familiar with the Rainbow systems but after a few hours of Google research, there appears to be several others that may be just as nice but at a much lower price point. If you have any experience with the vacuums that use water as the medium to collect the dirt, please share your experiences. Was the high cost worth it? Did you notice a considerable difference in how clean your floors were? Were they reliable? Was the hassle of using water worth it? Would you buy another one? Is there a particular feature you really like ...
by SwampDonkey
Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Potential job offer
Replies: 9
Views: 1852

Re: Potential job offer

About three years ago we lost a talented engineer, who I would consider a friend, another firm. One day at lunch he told me another firm (not a direct competitor) reached out to take his temperature. The firm left the compensation number open ended and asked “Joe” what it would take to get him to join their firm. He was considering throwing a number 30% above his current pay. Asking my opinion, I jokingly told him to “ask for a number that seems so ridiculous you laugh when you write it down, oh and a Tesla”. “Joe” is no longer with our firm, and I’ve taken his Tesla for a spin. We’ve never discussed the number, but he said they never batted an eye. What I’m trying to say is: if you’re close to retirement and looking for a cash run, ask fo...
by SwampDonkey
Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best place to be a Snowbird if money is no object
Replies: 129
Views: 16155

Re: Best place to be a Snowbird if money is no object

Tampa, FL. Specifically the Hyde Park area of Tampa. It has become the "it" area within the city and you'd be looking at least in the $1-2M range for a normal house; could easily go much higher. Why I suggest the area: 1. Tons of really nice restaurants all within walking distance. 2. It's right next to Bayshore Blvd - a 4.5 mile stretch that curves along the water's edge. Very pretty and scenic. On the waterside, they have a 10-ft wide sidewalk that lots of people use to walk, jog, roller skate on. 3. FL winters are the BEST. 4. Tampa has a LOT going on. Arts, concerts, theater, sports, community events, etc. There is something for everyone. 5. If you get bored with Tampa, you're very close to Clearwater and St Pete Beaches to th...
by SwampDonkey
Sun Aug 22, 2021 8:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: what is the correct pool filter maintenance schedule?
Replies: 29
Views: 1968

Re: what is the correct pool filter maintenance schedule?

DE filter: We'd flush whenever we noticed reduced flow of water back into the pool from the filter. During the busy months, that was usually every 4-8 weeks. Super easy; maybe 10-15 min max.

Previously had a sand filter. Periodicity was about the same.

Previously had a cartridge filter. Periodicity was more often. I really disliked having to pull out the cartridge and having to spray it down.
by SwampDonkey
Sun Aug 22, 2021 6:51 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pricing a home for sale.
Replies: 35
Views: 3016

Re: Pricing a home for sale.

I recently FSBO'd. Determining asking price: I started with the Zesstimate on Zillow, Redfin's estimate, and Realtor.com's estimate. Took the average of those 3 as a starting point. I then used Zillow to identify houses in my area that had recently sold. I identified similar sq footages as well as other key features (inground pool, gated neighborhoods, etc.). I took their average selling price/sq ft and came up with what my house would sell for using that same price/sq ft number. I then averaged that with the average from the original websites. That price gave me a good starting point. I then added 5% to that price as we were doing quite a bit of work to the home before listing it so it was going to show very well and I knew demand would be...
by SwampDonkey
Thu Aug 05, 2021 7:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Semi-Retiring in Less than 6 months at 39 years old..Thoughts?
Replies: 42
Views: 7591

Re: Semi-Retiring in Less than 6 months at 39 years old..Thoughts?

Fantastic work. Good on you for making it to 20 - not very many do (at least as a percentage who initially join).

Your projected daily retirement schedule looks awesome. Enjoy it!
by SwampDonkey
Mon Jun 28, 2021 9:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Explain to me - All Cash Offers on homes! how does one have so much cash?
Replies: 89
Views: 12512

Re: Explain to me - All Cash Offers on homes! how does one have so much cash?

starboi wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 5:06 pm Institutions are buying SFH.

https://slate.com/business/2021/06/blac ... state.html
I closed on our home two weeks ago (I was the seller). I had three agents representing corporations make/attempt to make offers within 24 hours of the house going on the mls. Their offers were all cash and very competitive.
by SwampDonkey
Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Retiring From Military - Term Life Insurance
Replies: 13
Views: 1911

Re: Retiring From Military - Term Life Insurance

Dropped SGLI a couple of years ago. Received quotes from 10+ companies. By far, the cheapest was: https://www.navymutual.org.

They are non-profit and their sales representatives do not receive commissions on their sales so they won't try and upsell you on something you don't need.

Overall, I'd rate them 10/10.
by SwampDonkey
Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Attic fans not working
Replies: 42
Views: 4019

Re: Attic fans not working

Our tenant recently informed us one of our (easily accessible) attic fans quit working. I offered to have someone come replace it and he said not to bother, they did more harm than good. The tenant is a retired mechanic who used to "handyman" in his younger years.

BL: I wouldn't replace the fan. The value they provide is questionable.
by SwampDonkey
Fri May 28, 2021 11:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Question for non-Tesla EV owners
Replies: 45
Views: 10385

Re: Question for non-Tesla EV owners

What happens when an EV runs out of charge while they are driving? Short answer - you will need to be towed to the nearest charger, or at least to somewhere you could plug in the portable charge cable that comes with the car. There are several apps - PlugShare is the best known - that can help you locate the nearest charger. Personally I think the focus on EV road tripping is misplaced. Today’s EVs are best used for in town driving, where you can start out from home fully charged and not run out of juice before you get back home. My Nissan Leaf Plus (range 216 miles) fits this use case perfectly. Teslas are the least-bad EVs for road trips but still inferior to ICEs. PHEVs are a good compromise- it’s really better to haul around a gas moto...
by SwampDonkey
Thu May 27, 2021 9:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Question for non-Tesla EV owners
Replies: 45
Views: 10385

Re: Question for non-Tesla EV owners

What happens when an EV runs out of charge while they are driving?

For example, when an ICE runs out of fuel, a friend or tow-truck arrives with extra fuel, 1-2 gallons, enough to drive to the next fuel station.

But what is the "this should get you to the next gas station" equivalent for EVs?
by SwampDonkey
Sun May 16, 2021 10:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Making offer well-over asking price?
Replies: 58
Views: 14879

Re: Making offer well-over asking price?

5. They provided a letter about themselves and their family. Several others did as well. Before going through this process, I would have suggested this is nonsense. However, most of the offers began to blur together after sifting through all of them. The offers I could connect with a personal story resonated. *This was a FSBO so I did not have a realtor to sift through the offers for me. Several realtors I spoke with said they remove all PII (including letters) when they present their clients the offers they received as they want to keep it a black & white business decision, not a personal one. I would add a note of caution about item 5. We just received multiple offers on a home and were cautioned about the risk that a letter can invi...
by SwampDonkey
Sat May 15, 2021 11:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vacation home frenzy?
Replies: 109
Views: 21884

Re: Vacation home frenzy?

Lots of very large corporations are now buying SFHs as well and converting them into rentals. They own hundreds of thousands of homes. As soon as a house hits the market, several realtors will try and pitch the home to the corporations. If they think they can make money on it (they often make tons on it), they offer all-cash and above asking price.
It's an easy commission for the realtors so it's a bit of a feeding frenzy between them as they all want to be the one who gives the first pitch to the corporation.
by SwampDonkey
Sat May 15, 2021 11:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Making offer well-over asking price?
Replies: 58
Views: 14879

Re: Making offer well-over asking price?

We're waiting to close on the sale of our home. Very hot market as well. Over a dozen offers at/above asking within three days. We settled on an offer that had an escalation clause (mentioned above). They offered $1k more than other offers, up to 10% over asking price. Several others offered escalations as well. The above poster mentioned $25k over highest offer - that seems extreme but I suppose everything is relative. If you're looking at $10M homes, $25k may be reasonable. Five other things which made their offer appealing: 1. They offered to cover any potential gap between appraisal and agreed upon selling price. 2. They provided proof of funds. 3. Their offer included a substantial escrow. 4. Their inspection period was only 10 days. 5...
by SwampDonkey
Sat May 15, 2021 1:07 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Visiting Boston w/ young family
Replies: 35
Views: 4074

Re: Visiting Boston w/ young family

Wow... the responses on this thread are INCREDIBLE. So much good information has been shared - will be spending quite a few hours researching now 👍

Thank you to everyone who contributed 🙂
by SwampDonkey
Thu May 13, 2021 9:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What luggage to buy for young children?
Replies: 19
Views: 2105

Re: What luggage to buy for young children?

ChrisB wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 4:54 pm We bought our kids "Rockland Vision Hardside Spinner Wheel Luggage, Carry-On 20-Inch".
On Amazon they come in lots of bright colors and patterns. Kids enjoy them and it makes them easy to find at baggage pick-up.
Awesome. Thank you for the idea.
by SwampDonkey
Thu May 13, 2021 9:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What luggage to buy for young children?
Replies: 19
Views: 2105

Re: What luggage to buy for young children?

JonnyDVM wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 8:23 pm We found some Mickey Mouse hard shell suitcases with roller wheels at Costco. The love them and they don’t seem to be flimsy junk. On the other hand, how many trips do I expect Mickey to realistically make before he’s no longer in vogue?
Unfortunately, our local Costco (and their online inventory) are no longer selling kid-specific luggage.
by SwampDonkey
Thu May 13, 2021 9:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What luggage to buy for young children?
Replies: 19
Views: 2105

Re: What luggage to buy for young children?

chipaway wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 11:18 pm A while back I saw a couple of young kids in the airport with these luggage/scooters and they were having a lot of fun with them!

https://www.amazon.com/Scooter-Suitcase ... r+Suitcase
Those would have been AMAZING to have as a kid.
by SwampDonkey
Thu May 13, 2021 9:48 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What luggage to buy for young children?
Replies: 19
Views: 2105

Re: What luggage to buy for young children?

texasdiver wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 7:32 pm Get a handful of identical generic black Costco Kirkland Signature rollaboards. They used to be really great but they keep changing the design so I don’t know how the current ones are. But whatever is the current top economical adult rollaboard on the market now.

Buy some colored duct tape and let your kids decorate them up with duct tape so they are personalized. You can even buy tie dye duct tape. That also prevents anyone else from ever grabbing them by mistake. Ours were done up in pink and tie die duct tape. NO ONE ever grabbed them by mistake and we could see them coming from 1/2 mile away on the carousel.
Neat idea. Thanks for sharing.
by SwampDonkey
Thu May 13, 2021 9:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Visiting Boston w/ young family
Replies: 35
Views: 4074

Visiting Boston w/ young family

Taking the family up to Boston this summer for four nights. Four of us in all, two children under 8.

We're thinking about staying downtown and we've been able to find some nice places for ~$300/night +$60/night for parking(!!!!!). Is the convenience of staying downtown worth paying 2x what we'd pay if we were not in downtown?

Any recommendations on what to see and do?

Anything that is overhyped and should be avoided?

Thank you!
by SwampDonkey
Fri May 07, 2021 8:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: pricing our house?
Replies: 155
Views: 23087

Re: pricing our house?

We're in the middle of selling our home FSBO in a hot market in FL. We listed it 2% above the Zillow estimate. This was right at RedFin's estimate and slightly above Realtor.com's estimate. Comp's from within the past 1-3 months were pulled from realtor.com and were below our asking price on a measure of $/sq ft. Interesting note, since we listed the home a couple of weeks ago, the Zillow estimate has increased nearly 4% (this puts the new "Zestimate" above our asking price but below our agreed upon price). We hosted three open houses immediately after listing. Easily had 70-80 interested buyers attend. Ended up with ~20 offers by the evening of the third open house. All but two offers were at, or above, asking price. Our highest ...
by SwampDonkey
Tue May 04, 2021 12:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: St. Augustine, FL
Replies: 25
Views: 4019

Re: St. Augustine, FL

In addition to what everyone else has mentioned, my family and I enjoyed the light house. The climb to the top is not for the feint of heart but the views at the top are incredible. The rest of the grounds are also neat to explore.
Two Rick Steves'esque recommendations:
1. The have a small sweet shop on site - their homemade fudge was incredible.
2. Their gift shop hat lots of fun little knick-knacks and their prices were shockingly low. Example: postcards were 5 for $1; the stores in downtown were $1/each.
by SwampDonkey
Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying land in subdivision, but build house from scratch
Replies: 27
Views: 3260

Re: Buying land in subdivision, but build house from scratch

adestefan wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 8:46 pm An HOA that prohibits parking on the street. No way.
This is actually one of my favorite rules in our HOA. It keeps our streets from being riddled with tons of parked cars and makes it easier to drive around and through (and easier access for emergency vehicles). It's also easier to see kids playing in the front yards/sidewalks.
Compared to the otherwise-similar nearby neighborhoods that allow street parking, the overall "feel" of our neighborhood is higher.

With that said, for families that have too many cars to park in their garage/driveway... I understand their frustration with the policy.
by SwampDonkey
Tue Apr 27, 2021 3:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What luggage to buy for young children?
Replies: 19
Views: 2105

What luggage to buy for young children?

Our young children are asking for their own suitcase/luggage. We'll happily oblige them as they are getting old enough they can now pull their own smallish suitcase through airports, etc. I'm a user (and fan) of the Eddie Bauer BIFL luggage. My DW is a user/fan of whatever can be found at Ross/TJ Maxx. Neither of us have experience buying luggage for children, however. What we are looking for: 1. Small enough to be pulled by a young child (carry-on size). 2. Sturdy enough to last 4-5 years @ 6-7 trips/year (airport and car travel). I'm 100% confident at least one of my children will drop it down a flight of stairs :happy . 3. Kid-friendly design/colors. It doesn't have to be bedazzled with rainbows, unicorns, and glitter, but it should look...
by SwampDonkey
Tue Apr 27, 2021 3:00 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: my best new travel tip only $2 per day more [airport parking]
Replies: 60
Views: 8613

Re: my best new travel tip only $2 per day more [airport parking]

2cents2 wrote: Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:06 am We recently visited Walla Walla, WA....
How was the visit to Walla Walla?
by SwampDonkey
Sat Apr 24, 2021 5:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???
Replies: 18
Views: 4309

Re: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???

After reading some of their site, I now see that they have a prospective renter sign an agreement and qualify. Then the agent in the local market goes looking. Yeah, I did quite a bit of research on them this morning and it's an interesting business model. Prospective buyers who know they won't qualify for their own financing go through this company to receive this company's version of a pre-approval. Once they are pre-approved, they work with a realtor to find a house they'd like to lease-to-purchase. So long as the house is within one of the market areas that this company serves, the realtor submits the home to the company for their review and if it meets their buying standards, they give a cash offer to the owner, all while having a con...
by SwampDonkey
Sat Apr 24, 2021 5:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???
Replies: 18
Views: 4309

Re: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???

The open house is problematic because: - You let in realtors who then went looking for clients, including those that would have used Zillow (assuming you listed there) and found you without a realtor. Now they'll come to you and want a commission to bring the client. So, what did FSBO gain you? - You let in tons of unqualified buyers. Why? Managing showings is easy, when you require pre-approval... The main purpose of FSBO is to not pay a commission. How are you accomplishing that? We controlled the process. Anyone wanting to see the property had to be pre-qualified, just like a real estate agent is supposed to do with prospective buyers. Once they presented their pre-qualification or pre-approval paperwork, then they were eligible to see ...
by SwampDonkey
Sat Apr 24, 2021 5:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???
Replies: 18
Views: 4309

Re: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???

Lots of good responses here, I'll try and respond to all of the comments... "The agent who made me the offer on the company's behalf said they have two non-negotiables in their offer contract" Said? Have you received a signed written offer to purchase? What does it say? Who signed it? What did your real estate lawyer say after reading the written offers? Answer: Yes, it was a formalized and signed contract - no different than any other contract, along with proof of funds (it's a cash offer). The Realtor, who has done quite a bit of business on behalf of this company, told me the only things he was aware of that were non-negotiable were the two items I listed. It was not written anywhere but I do understand the business justificati...
by SwampDonkey
Sat Apr 24, 2021 8:01 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???
Replies: 18
Views: 4309

Re: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???

RickBoglehead wrote: Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:44 pm You priced too low.

Never have open house.
I would typically agree with you about open houses but with the amount of interest we've received on the home, it was impossible to manage individual showings. Well over 40 inquiries over the past 48 hours. With the number of offers we've received, I'm of the opinion the open houses achieved their desired intent.
by SwampDonkey
Sat Apr 24, 2021 7:56 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???
Replies: 18
Views: 4309

Re: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???

hi_there wrote: Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:38 pm I don't have experience with them, but it's probably that they buy so many homes that they have strict procedures that are intended to reduce closing time and costs, since this is probably important to their business model.

I think this indicates that your listing price was way too low, such that a professional real estate flipping company is willing to outbid all the retail people, who are probably anchoring their bids to your initial price. Maybe it would be a good idea to consult with a real estate agent who can advise you on current market conditions.
Good points on their business model.
Price was based on comps within the past 45 days with a small premium added. This market is just crazy.
by SwampDonkey
Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:18 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???
Replies: 18
Views: 4309

Re: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???

Nate79 wrote: Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:17 pm What does your agent say about this?
FSBO so no agent.
by SwampDonkey
Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???
Replies: 18
Views: 4309

Selling home to "Home Partners of America" ???

Our home has been on the market for a few days. At least 60 potential buyers/agents have attended two open houses. Several offers have been made at or above asking price. However, the best offer we've received is from a company, not an individual(s). Has anyone ever sold a home or had any dealings with "Home Partners of America?" Their website is https://www.homepartners.com. I had never heard of them before which (rightly or wrongly...) leads me to be slightly suspicious. Their website says they buy properties in certain markets and then offer them to residents in a lease-to-purchase program. From my understanding, this is essentially a means for people who can't secure home financing to still "own" a home. The agent wh...
by SwampDonkey
Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much $$ to get kitchen cabinets painted?
Replies: 42
Views: 6640

Re: How much $$ to get kitchen cabinets painted?

Hi,

We live in MCOL and received a quote for $2,500. This was for 28 cabinet doors/drawers and an island.

I decided to DIY and spent $290 for all supplies (including $100 for a paint gun from Amazon). It's been nearly two years and they still look great. I kept meticulous account of my time spent as I wanted to see how much I was paying myself by DIY. It took me 57 hours for everything. This includes removing all of the doors and drawer faces, drilling new hardware holes and filling old hardware holes, scrubbing with TSP, scrubbing with deglosser, two coats of primer, two coats of paint, reassembling everything. If you enjoy projects and have the time, I'd recommend the DIY route.
by SwampDonkey
Sat Mar 27, 2021 7:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Which U.S. military bases are the best locations to work as a civilian RN?
Replies: 19
Views: 2980

Re: Which U.S. military bases are the best locations to work as a civilian RN?

There isn't a good way to answer your question because there are too many unknowns about your specific situation. Single? Dependents? Hobbies? Like to travel? Food adventurous? Willing to be 1/2 the world away from friends and family? Warm, cold, or 4-seasons? Mountains? Ocean? Trying to save most of your paycheck or use it to "play" in your new area? Once those questions are answered, it would be a LOT easier to answer your question. As far as DoD MTFs go, you can throw a dart at a map of America, Europe, and several countries in Asia, and probably be close to a MTF - we have them everywhere. My recommendation: Base your search on the area of the globe you want to work. Once you've narrowed that down to 2-3 locations, then resear...
by SwampDonkey
Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Las Vegas or Tampa for retirement relocation?
Replies: 69
Views: 8085

Re: Las Vegas or Tampa for retirement relocation?

mr_brightside wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 6:10 am you're not going to find a 'nice house' in Tampa for $300 -$400K. In the outerlying areas, maybe. But not in Tampa itself. The nicest area of Tampa is known as South Tampa and nice houses are $700K and up. check zip code 33629 for starters.
Disagree. Depending where they are looking, they can find a nice house for sub $400k in Tampa. We're about to list our home in New Tampa in the high $300's and it is a nice home by any standard of measure.

I do agree South Tampa has gone bonkers. A house similar to ours on a similar lot in South Tampa would easily be 2-3x the price we will be asking.
by SwampDonkey
Sat Feb 27, 2021 9:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much do you spend nightly for hotels (leisure/vacation)?
Replies: 227
Views: 19803

Re: How much do you spend nightly for hotels (leisure/vacation)?

If it's a family vacation, we'll stay in a timeshare which averages out to ~$100/night, possibly less, and offers 1-2 bedrooms w/ a kitchen.

If it's just a stopover on a family road trip, it's whatever offers free breakfast for the family and has solid reviews on safety and cleanliness. Don't think we've ever gone above $100/night.

If it's business, I try and find a Hampton Inn with solid reviews; usually in the $90-130/night range.
by SwampDonkey
Thu Feb 25, 2021 9:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: A gift for DW
Replies: 58
Views: 5328

Re: A gift for DW

If you already have one child I assume the interior of her vehicle looks like she has a young child (messy!).

I'd recommend having her vehicle fully detailed. Lots of "we'll come to your house" types on the local Facebook groups and the NextDoor app. In our area, you can get a full detail for ~$200.

It's easy, thoughtful, not extravagant, and everyone appreciates having a clean car.
by SwampDonkey
Sun Feb 14, 2021 1:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Hot Tub
Replies: 46
Views: 9119

Re: Hot Tub

We purchased a new one from a local hot-tub manufacturer. Random thoughts: 1. Don't pay extra for the all of the "cool" LEDs/lights; our tub probably has 25 lights on the interior perimeter and they are rarely used. Our kids enjoy them, the adults find them too bright. 2. Don't pay extra for the waterfall. We've only used it a handful of times. The kids enjoy it for the first 15 seconds it is on. 3. If we were to do it over, we'd pay extra to have the cover removal apparatus included. It would be a LOT more convenient. 4. Maintenance has been very easy. We use the simple test strips from Amazon and add chemicals as necessary (maybe a little pH 2x/week). 5. We're in FL so it's too hot to use the tub 1/2 of the year. During the two ...
by SwampDonkey
Wed Feb 03, 2021 5:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Camping Stove - Upgrade?
Replies: 32
Views: 2561

Re: Camping Stove - Upgrade?

We just picked up this wood burning stove. Honestly, i haven't used it yet but it looks impressive. It also has a lifetime guarantee. https://www.solostove.com/solo-stove-campfire/ We bought this on Black Friday and recently used it for the first time. 100% recommend it. "Set-up" is literally just take it out of the box and throw in some twigs you found on the ground. Light the twigs, continue to feed twigs in, and you'll get a super hot cooking fire. We fried bacon and made scrambled eggs. The only downside to the stove is the bottom of our frying pan became very sooty. Perhaps putting a sheet of aluminum foil on the backside of the pan would prevent this in future usage. For comparison, we also have a dual burner Camp Chef that...
by SwampDonkey
Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:10 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: House purchase agreement with appraisal gap clause
Replies: 9
Views: 1108

Re: House purchase agreement with appraisal gap clause

I sold a home several years ago and ran into the issue of the appraisal being ~$30k below agreed upon asking price (mid ~$200k).

Everyone involved agreed the appraiser did a horrible job and pulled comps which were nothing like the home that I was selling.

Long story short, I wasn't willing to eat the $30k loss so all involved stakeholders agreed to eat a slice of the poo-poo pie.

Realtors dropped fees to 1% and 1.25%; buyer agreed to greatly reduce agreed upon conditions of purchase/things I needed to fix; I agreed to ~$10k less in overall money received. Nobody liked the financial outcome so I suppose it was the most fair outcome we could have come up with.
by SwampDonkey
Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Real Estate Agent vs. Redfin vs. FSBO advice?
Replies: 10
Views: 1345

Re: Real Estate Agent vs. Redfin vs. FSBO advice?

Our most recent purchase was done without a buyer's agent and the seller was FSBO. We found the home via Zillow and completed all communications directly to the seller via text, call, or email. For paperwork, we agreed to a local RE attorney who charged ~$500 to ensure we did everything correctly. Overall, the process was no harder than buying a house with RE agent. We will be selling the home within the next six months and my intentions are to FSBO as I don't like paying people to do things when I can do them myself. We live in a high demand area and sellers typically have an agreed upon offer within 72 hours of listing the home. I still haven't decided if I will pay a service to list it on MLS for me or if I will stick with Zillow, etc. f...
by SwampDonkey
Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to remove smoke smell from clothes after a fire?
Replies: 23
Views: 2552

Re: How to remove smoke smell from clothes after a fire?

If you have a swimming pool, let them soak in the pool for a week (or more).
by SwampDonkey
Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Boglehead golfers - Big Cedar Lodge
Replies: 10
Views: 1905

Re: Boglehead golfers - Big Cedar Lodge

My wife and I spent a few nights in Branson this past summer and spent a day at Big Cedar. Loved it.

For food, we found a tiny little restaurant on the outskirts of Branson that had the best traditional breakfast we had had in years. Seriously.

The place is small, seats maybe 30 people, and there's often a short wait for a table. The portions are ridiculously huge and everything was very tasty and reasonably priced. If you like cinnamon rolls - you won't find any better. Their cinnamon rolls were so good when I returned to SE MO a couple of months ago my DW requested I drive to Branson just so I could stop at the restaurant and bring her back (1k miles away) one of their cinnamon rolls.

Restaurant's name is the Hungry Hunter.
by SwampDonkey
Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is Being a Private Banking Client Worth it?
Replies: 165
Views: 64365

Re: Is Being a Private Banking Client Worth it?

erebusxc47 wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 10:41 pm I once interned for a private bank, that was a division of a major Wall Street institution, that catered to UHNW individuals and familes. The account minimums for the institution was generally $25M...........
Very interesting read. The exchange fund idea makes complete sense; surprised this is the first I've heard of it. Thank you for providing your experiences.
by SwampDonkey
Thu Jan 07, 2021 10:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: products with useful lifetime warranties
Replies: 48
Views: 3658

Re: products with useful lifetime warranties

Chaco sandals - after 10'ish years of use my soles were detaching from the rest of the sandal. Called Chaco, they told me to send them in. A few weeks later they mailed them back and they looked good as new.