Search found 1114 matches

by MDfan
Tue Feb 28, 2023 7:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is it okay to play multiple job offers this way?
Replies: 31
Views: 2630

Re: Is it okay to play multiple job offers this way?

Savvy wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 10:29 pm
leeks wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 3:01 pm I would tell them the truth that you need another week because you have other pending offers to compare.
Exactly this. Be transparent.
Always the best policy in my opinion. Tell them what's going on and ask for more time to decide.
by MDfan
Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:21 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: dishwasher recomendations
Replies: 110
Views: 8435

Re: dishwasher recomendations

nanciT wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:41 pm I was very happy to get rid of my 10 year old Bosch, very noisy did not clean well and took forever to complete the wash. Just purchased a " open Box" Miele and love it. It is very quiet, has a short wash that cleans better than the long cycle Bosch.

Highly recommend the Miele
What Bosch model did you have that was "very noisy?" We're on our 2nd Bosch (500 series) and you cannot even tell it's on unless you look at the light. It's almost silent. Same with the first one.
by MDfan
Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:17 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: At what age does it go downhill
Replies: 190
Views: 29258

Re:

bob90245 wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2011 6:05 pm 40. First the knees. Now the feet. If I walk more than 30 minutes, I risk serious soreness.
I'm 61 and still work out and play golf multiple times a week. Definitely have a little more soreness (never was a runner, but I have achilles issues from walking both for exercise and playing golf). In my mind, I'm still 30. But my body sometimes says "no you're not." I've had one knee surgery, but that came from a slip and fall down the steps. Nothing to do with age. Just stupidity (socks on hardwood).
by MDfan
Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5993
Views: 699811

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

Just finished 1883 on paramount +. Excellent show. It is the back story of how the Dutton Family from Yellowstone arrived where they ended up. Sam Elliot is fantastic in his role. Overall much better than Yellowstone series which started good but has devolved into nonsense. Also Started and caught up with 1923. Also good, but not quite on the level of 1883 IMO. I enjoyed it too, but with these caveats: The characters adhered to modern values and sensibilities. Also everyone's hair was freshly shampooed and their teeth were perfect. Not likely in real life. And this plot hole: The transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869 . This was 1883 , fully fourteen years later. The characters could've avoided all the death and mayhem by booking ...
by MDfan
Tue Feb 21, 2023 8:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Costa Rica Questions
Replies: 56
Views: 7173

Re: Costa Rica Questions

We went in 2009 and rented a car.. Drove from San Jose to Arenal to Manuel Antonio and back with no problem. Some roads werent great but nothing we couldn’t handle. Our only issue is we got stopped by the police one the way back to San Jose for speeding. We were very clearly not speeding and ended up paying $60 cash to the policemen to avoid getting a ticket and likely missing our flight home. It was most definitely a shakedown. I assume they targeted rental cars.

We enjoyed the Pacific Coast much more than Arenal where it was cloudy and rained for 3 days.
by MDfan
Tue Feb 21, 2023 6:26 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tonal Home Gym
Replies: 81
Views: 9125

Re: Tonal Home Gym

I am seriously considering getting a Tonal Gym for my family, but does anyone know how financially healthy "Tonal" is? Will I buy this, then will they just go out of business giving me a very expensive and unusable piece of hardware I have to throw away at the dump? Serious question, not trying to be against Tonal at all... I may seriously buy the system soon. Thanks! We had the same concerns and it appears they may be looking for a buyer. There were some rumors last year that they were in discussions with Peloton but I haven't heard anything more regarding that. Apparently, all of these home fitness product companies, including Peloton, are having some financial issues now that people have gone back to work and sales of home equ...
by MDfan
Tue Feb 21, 2023 6:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tonal Home Gym
Replies: 81
Views: 9125

Re: Tonal Home Gym

Update: Getting our Tonal delivered today. Went and did a demo and really liked it, and also discovered a friend who has had one for over a year and swears by it. I know it's not for everyone, but we're really looking forward to never going to a gym again (our local Gold's has older equipment and is crowded at all times of the day thanks to continued WFH, I guess). I'll post an update after a few months.
by MDfan
Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:53 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: dishwasher recomendations
Replies: 110
Views: 8435

Re: dishwasher recomendations

Bosch as well. We're on our 2nd one (500 series). First one lasted about 12 years. Wouldn't buy anything else.
by MDfan
Mon Feb 20, 2023 6:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What frugal thing did you do today?
Replies: 4535
Views: 625910

Re: What frugal thing did you do today?

I wrote up a plan today to challenge myself to spend a maximum of $500 total in discretionary expenditures for Feb 15, 2023 to Feb 15, 2024. I plan on doing it! :) That's going to be incredibly difficult... unless your definition of "discretionary expenses" is different than mine. As in... is a long weekend trip to keep your mental sanity considered "discretionary" or "mandatory"? Keep us posted on your progress. 👍 -- Brian I track every penny of my personal finance in the free Gnucash software (double entry bookkeeping). Under my discretionary category I currently have the following subcategories -- basically anything which isn't a necessity is discretionary to me. [Btw, I just finished a year long $0 discret...
by MDfan
Sat Feb 18, 2023 10:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: WHEN do you prefer to file your taxes?
Replies: 141
Views: 14369

Re: WHEN do you prefer to file your taxes?

I don't even think about my taxes until after the NCAA basketball final in April.
by MDfan
Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The True Value of One More Year (OMY)
Replies: 55
Views: 7953

Re: The True Value of One More Year (OMY)

SevenBridgesRoad wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 11:03 pm OMY? Nope. Wife and I have a solid plan. Hit our number. Stayed nine more months at my job to help with transition.

Not going back. Life is very short and very digital. On. Off.

Enjoying post-career life. A lot.
Agree. OMY is not a financial calculation for me. It’s a lifestyle calculation. And there is no way I’m going OMY.
by MDfan
Fri Feb 10, 2023 9:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Insurance Recommendations
Replies: 28
Views: 2814

Re: Insurance Recommendations

We’ve had State Farm, GEICO, Erie, Liberty Mutual, Hartford, and Allstate over the last 15 years. They’re all fine until they jack up your rates for no reason. Then I switch again.
by MDfan
Fri Feb 10, 2023 9:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Parking minivan on driveway
Replies: 72
Views: 5965

Re: Parking minivan on driveway

Bandu79 wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 8:56 pm Hello Bogleheads,

We are new to Massachusetts and about to buy a mini-van (Honda Odyssey). We don’t have enough space to park it inside the garage and plan to use the driveway.

Google search showed some risks:
- battery
- brake fluid
- nature (trees, animals)
- impact on color
- rust

I was hoping there are bogleheads here that can say it’s okay to park outside. If not, we’ll have to revamp the garage.

Thanks,
Bandu


Does it really matter that it’s a minivan being parked outside? Aren’t those risks for all types of cars? Although we haven’t used our garage in 20 years or so except for storage. Our cars have not suffered.
by MDfan
Fri Feb 10, 2023 8:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Does EZ Pass work in Florida?
Replies: 10
Views: 4588

Re: Does EZ Pass work in Florida?

:|
DiploInvestor wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 5:04 pm Yes, it does. Used it many times. Plus, if it didn’t work for some reason (e.g., account is out of funds), Florida also does toll by plate.
Thanks. Our EZ Pass account is automatically replenished so lack of funds is not an issue. Just can’t figure out why it’s not just coming out of out EZ pass balance like our MD tolls.
by MDfan
Fri Feb 10, 2023 4:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Does EZ Pass work in Florida?
Replies: 10
Views: 4588

Does EZ Pass work in Florida?

My daughter just moved to Florida from Maryland and has an active EZ Pass transponder on the windshield of her car. I was under the impression that EZPass worked in Florida. Yet, we keep getting toll invoices in the mail. Does she need to do something else in Florida? I know there's SunPass. Does she need to replace the EZ Pass? I've tried to call SunPass customer service, but cannot get through (one hour wait). Anyone have the answer to this? Thanks in advance.
by MDfan
Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5993
Views: 699811

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

roamingzebra wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:07 pm I finished season 1 of "The Leftovers". The premise sounded interesting and it was created by the creater of "Lost", but it just wasn't that interesting. Neither were most of the characters. It also seemed a bit too close to reality: you have a big event where millions of people disappear, and communities become divided and full of anger, and a weird cult forms. Season 2 is supposed to be better, but I'll pass.
That's a shame because Seasons 2 and 3 of The Leftovers are some of the best TV I have ever watched.
by MDfan
Thu Feb 02, 2023 2:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do you spend $ on umbrella insurance coverage or an attorney on retainer?
Replies: 103
Views: 9232

Re: Do you spend $ on umbrella insurance coverage or an attorney on retainer?

I would like to know if anyone has invested money in their personal finances to purchase umbrella insurance to cover unforeseen circumstances, or if anyone has spent money on having an attorney on retainer? Are these "defensive" forms of protection worthwhile for individuals with net worths of at least $1 million? Today, I do not have either and was imagining unforeseen incidents for which I might wish to have a plan. I am not sure if it is worth the investment. Thank you. In today’s litigious environment, I would purchase an umbrella, which would cover your losses. It’s a nominal expense versus the coverage it provides. Not sure an attorney on retainer makes sense for me, as the insurance company has a high vested interest in de...
by MDfan
Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11152
Views: 2086092

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

"Everything, Everywhere, All At Once." Because of all the hype and all the Oscar nominations and because I live near enough to Emerson College for the "local people make good" aspect to be appealing. Paid $19.95 to buy it on Amazon Prime as rentals are not available yet. I didn't like it. It had its moments. It was way too long. Worst moment of film is when the screen fills up with "The End" and end credits in both English and Chinese, and then the camera pulls back to reveal that Evelyn is merely watching a movie in a theatre and there is still forty-five minutes to go. Partly of course it's that brain that hasn't been adequately exercised by watching enough Instagram "reels" and isn't up to subseco...
by MDfan
Sat Jan 28, 2023 12:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: January Gas Bill - Wowza
Replies: 77
Views: 9293

Re: January Gas Bill - Wowza

dukeblue219 wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 7:27 pm Ours spiked to a record around $350 as well (DC suburbs) primarily based on usage. Our cost for the supply is about 0.95 per TH but there's a ton of distribution and taxes added that represent 40% of the bill.
Ours is $382 near Annapolis. Last year for January it was $345.
by MDfan
Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:25 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Not using insurance after fender bender
Replies: 16
Views: 1408

Re: Not using insurance after fender bender

We did it a couple of times with fender benders when our kids were new drivers. Had the other party get an estimate, they provided it to us, and we paid it with a check or cash (whatever they preferred). I think one was around $500 and one was about $1000. We did not go through insurance for either one and had no issues at all. I know how expensive a rate hike can be when you have a young driver cause an accident, no matter how minor. I don't use my auto insurance for anything except more expensive accidents (luckily only had one of those and our insurance skyrocketed). I do t eve n make towing clams any more because they will ding you for that, too, if you have too many claims.
by MDfan
Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How much are you helping your kids through college?
Replies: 144
Views: 16847

Re: How much are you helping your kids through college?

I had very little help myself and worked nearly 30 hours a week all through college And out goal was to make sure all 3 of our kids got out of college with no debt. We paid for tuition and living expenses for all 3. All 3 of them worked during college to have some spending $.
by MDfan
Tue Jan 24, 2023 6:01 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are your LEAST favorite vacation destinations
Replies: 399
Views: 43742

Re: What are your LEAST favorite vacation destinations

I did Disney for the first time with young kids a couple months ago and enjoyed it but it's a once-every-five-years type of thing IMHO. Yes, the pricing is exorbitant, the rides aren't THAT great, and food can be mediocre (Magic Kindgom in particular). BUT, the storytelling is magnificent, the shows can be great (Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios at the end of the night was fabulous), and you live vicariously through your kid's joy. If you're a Star Wars fan, the landscape of Galaxy's Edge truly transforms you to another place. If you have a child who is a fan of other Disney characters, their eyes just light up (although I refused to wait in a line to meet a "princess" -- parades only!). Going a more "random weekend" when...
by MDfan
Tue Jan 24, 2023 5:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are your LEAST favorite vacation destinations
Replies: 399
Views: 43742

Re: What are your LEAST favorite vacation destinations

MoonOrb wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 4:06 pm Another vote for Gatlinburg, TN. You could not pay me to spend more than an hour or two there.

By far the most stressful vacation destination for me was India. I was just not prepared for the constant bombardment from scammers and touts and some people who seemed weirdly aggressive. I've been a lot of places and nothing else compared in that regard.

I think for people who can navigate that type of situation without feeling stressed out, India would be an amazing destination, though.
I'm not sure there's anywhere in the world that I have less desire to go to than India.
by MDfan
Mon Jan 23, 2023 7:01 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What’s Your 2023 Budget?
Replies: 201
Views: 26573

Re: What’s Your 2023 Budget?

lws wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 4:19 pm Retired.
No written budget.
Meet expenses as they come.
Me too (except almost retired). We've never had a budget and we just spend what we need/want to spend. We don't live extravagantly by any means, but we spend on the things we like to do. Our travel for 2023 is going to be somewhere in the 20k range and I expect it to be somewhere around this high for the foreseeable future while we can travel easily. Have about 6-8 trips planned (not including visiting kids). That's by far our biggest expense. Still have a mortgage for 10 more years.
by MDfan
Fri Jan 20, 2023 8:21 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job - no sick days for first two months...illegal?
Replies: 51
Views: 5782

Re: New job - no sick days for first two months...illegal?

galawdawg wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 6:48 pm
Beachey wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 6:35 pm Aren't you already through your 60 days? And this is the type of thing you bring up when you accept, not three months in. And given COVID many companies actively encourage employees who are sick to not come to work rather than infect everyone else, is Work from Home, not an option?
+1. See an employment lawyer, that eleven (11) hours they illegally deprived you of is of significant value. And if you were actually sick during your first sixty (60) days but were forced to work...you may hit the litigation lottery. :|
Bringing an employment lawyer into the mix a few months into a new job seems like really bad advice.
by MDfan
Thu Jan 19, 2023 10:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What’s Your 2023 Budget?
Replies: 201
Views: 26573

Re: Thread: What’s Your 2023 Budget?

8301 wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:33 am My wallet is my budget. I trust me.
Same. Have never had a budget. We just spend what we want within reason.
by MDfan
Tue Jan 17, 2023 6:58 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: To the Posters w/ Children That Spend Less Than $800/Month on Groceries -- HOW?!?!
Replies: 192
Views: 17449

Re: To the Posters w/ Children That Spend Less Than $800/Month on Groceries -- HOW?!?!

I have been reading a few threads lately and have been utterly bemused by multiple posters, with families, indicating that they spend less than $800/month on groceries. This absolutely blows my mind. My wife and I are what I consider very mindful and frugal when it comes to personal finance. We will have our mortgage paid off by 40, we drive paid off Toyotas, we cancel cable 8 months of the year, we don't pay for cleaning/lawn maintenance/etc. According to Mint, though, we spend about $1,250/month on groceries. This does include alcohol, but we do shop sales, limit meat consumption, don't buy pop/juices/etc. We generally shop at Meijer. How are your grocery bills so low? What are we missing? When my kids were younger we spent about what yo...
by MDfan
Tue Jan 17, 2023 6:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Shred shopping reciepts?
Replies: 65
Views: 5577

Re: Shred shopping reciepts?

adamthesmythe wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 10:22 am I make a few holes with a 1/4" drill and then smash with a sledge in the backyard.

Oh, wait a minute. Wrong paranoia. I crumple and put them in the trash.
Me too. I throw them away. There is definitely some paranoia surrounding some pretty mundane things.
by MDfan
Sat Jan 14, 2023 2:27 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Card for 5th Covid shot?
Replies: 58
Views: 6134

Re: Card for 5th Covid shot?

whodidntante wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 1:07 pm It's been a year since I had to prove to anyone that I was vaccinated. That phase seems to have passed, at least for me.
Yeah, I'm not even sure where my original card is.
by MDfan
Sat Jan 14, 2023 2:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5993
Views: 699811

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

Capsu78 wrote: Fri Jan 13, 2023 11:39 am Very happy "Fauda" on Netflix has a new season available Jan 20. I figured this show was done.
Fauda is really good. Looking forward to the new season.
by MDfan
Thu Jan 12, 2023 12:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Are cheapest cruises worth it? $11/night?
Replies: 71
Views: 10001

Re: Are cheapest cruises worth it? $11/night?

It's been over 10 years since I've been on a Carnival cruise, but if I was offered one for "free", I would decline. Outside of the main dining rooms, the food is awful. As in, you would eat better grabbing random stuff out of the freezer section in a grocery store. If you drink, the drinks are expensive (at the time, they were a good bit more expensive than the Royal Caribbean cruise I'd been on a year before, which weren't cheap). How does Carnival attract 12 million passengers per year if the food is so bad? Cruise line food is not 5-star, but it's far from "awful." We just went on an awesome RC 10-day Mediterranean cruise and the food was very good. Especially in the main dining room and specialty restaurants (steak ...
by MDfan
Wed Jan 11, 2023 7:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Are cheapest cruises worth it? $11/night?
Replies: 71
Views: 10001

Re: Are cheapest cruises worth it? $11/night?

You would have to pay me a lot more than $11/night to get me on a cruise ship. No thanks. Because …? Fear of water? Because... being trapped on a giant floating petri dish / hotel with four thousand people who think it sounds like fun. We've done 3 cruises in our life. One with our kids when they were teenagers (Carnival , one right after 9/11 when it was dirt cheap, and one last September for our 30th (Rome, Athens, Greek Islands on Royal Caribbean). We had great times on all 3 and we all survived the "floating petri dish." Not even a sniffle at the end. It was a lot of fun for us and we've seen some great places, especially in the Mediterranean. We've also done plenty of non-cruise vacations and they were all fantastic in a dif...
by MDfan
Wed Jan 11, 2023 3:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Are cheapest cruises worth it? $11/night?
Replies: 71
Views: 10001

Re: Are cheapest cruises worth it? $11/night?

You would have to pay me a lot more than $11/night to get me on a cruise ship. No thanks. Because …? Fear of water? Because... being trapped on a giant floating petri dish / hotel with four thousand people who think it sounds like fun. We've done 3 cruises in our life. One with our kids when they were teenagers (Carnival , one right after 9/11 when it was dirt cheap, and one last September for our 30th (Rome, Athens, Greek Islands on Royal Caribbean). We had great times on all 3 and we all survived the "floating petri dish." Not even a sniffle at the end. It was a lot of fun for us and we've seen some great places, especially in the Mediterranean. We've also done plenty of non-cruise vacations and they were all fantastic in a dif...
by MDfan
Wed Jan 11, 2023 3:50 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: If you are TRULY financially independent, why would you still work?
Replies: 427
Views: 41264

Re: If you are TRULY financially independent, why would you still work?

The only reason I work is to have the money to do things I actually want to do (travel, golf, etc.). I would've gone at 60 if I hadn't been offered a PT slot for 2 years (fed employee) which will get me my bumped-up pension at 62. Working 20 hours a week, from home, is tolerable for another 8 months. Then I'm 100% done and will never work another day in my life.
by MDfan
Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Are cheapest cruises worth it? $11/night?
Replies: 71
Views: 10001

Re: Are cheapest cruises worth it? $11/night?

It's been over 10 years since I've been on a Carnival cruise, but if I was offered one for "free", I would decline. Outside of the main dining rooms, the food is awful. As in, you would eat better grabbing random stuff out of the freezer section in a grocery store. If you drink, the drinks are expensive (at the time, they were a good bit more expensive than the Royal Caribbean cruise I'd been on a year before, which weren't cheap). How does Carnival attract 12 million passengers per year if the food is so bad? Cruise line food is not 5-star, but it's far from "awful." We just went on an awesome RC 10-day mediterranean cruise and the food was very good. Especially in the main dining room and specialty restaurants (steak ...
by MDfan
Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:40 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]
Replies: 5993
Views: 699811

Re: [What TV Show Have You Recently Watched?]

peppers wrote: Mon Jan 02, 2023 3:10 pm Jack Ryan

Watched season 3. It was disappointing.
Better than season 2, but not by much. Some good locations. I have trouble getting over the fact that I'm watching Jim from the Office playing basically a superhero. I keep waiting for him to turn to the camera and raise his eyebrows.
by MDfan
Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bosch 500 vs 800 Dishwasher
Replies: 36
Views: 8343

Re: Bosch 500 vs 800 Dishwasher

atomicrc11 wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:25 am The 800 is about 2 DB quieter and has Crystal Dry which supposedly dries better than a regular dry.

I know someone who has the 500 and I can barely hear it run so the noise doesn't differentiate for me. The real question is, how soon do you need it? If you buy a Series 800 you can get it within a few weeks. The 500, you might have to wait 6+ months.

If you have the time, wait for the 500. If your current washer suddenly dies, then you should go for the 800 which is more available.
We bought the 500 from Best Buy in November and had it within 4 days. I'm not sure if we just caught them at the right time or what.
by MDfan
Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bosch 500 vs 800 Dishwasher
Replies: 36
Views: 8343

Re: Bosch 500 vs 800 Dishwasher

We just bought the 500 to replace an old Bosch and love it. Cannot even tell it's on without looking at the light. We looked at the 800, too, but just didn't think it was worth the extra cost. The 500 dries fine.
by MDfan
Sun Jan 08, 2023 9:04 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Let kids spend freely?
Replies: 39
Views: 5861

Re: Let kids spend freely?

Broken Man 1999 wrote: Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:07 pm
PoppyA wrote: Sat Jan 07, 2023 2:13 pm I’d wait a few years. Let them be kids.

What they start babysitting, working, washing cars & can understand better maybe then.

In the mean time be a good example.
I'm with you on "let them be kids" then ease them in to it.

Broken Man 1999
100%. We never had any rules on our kids with regard to $. When we went on vacations when they were younger, we gave them (or their grandparents gave them) X amount of $ to spend for the week. If they spent it the first day, so be it. They all have grown up just fine and all appear to be pretty good with their money. I think you can really overthink these things.
by MDfan
Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tonal Home Gym
Replies: 81
Views: 9125

Re: Tonal Home Gym

The point was to get responses from people who own a Tonal (or similar machine). Personally, I don't care that there are cheaper alternatives. This, or something similar, is what we're looking at right now. While I appreciate other people do different things, I'm not interested in stories about adjustable dumbbells or resistance bands in this thread. I can afford to buy one, and pay the monthly subscription, and am interested in only hearing from others who have a Tonal, Tempo, or similar machine. Nothing else. Maybe some of you could start a "Don't buy a Tonal" thread. I promise I won't post in it. As I posted, I bought and then returned my Tonal. The 30 day trial showed me everything I needed to know about owning a Tonal and th...
by MDfan
Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tonal Home Gym
Replies: 81
Views: 9125

Re: Tonal Home Gym

We’ve had a Tonal for almost a year, and we love it. Previously we’ve had a trainer, a gym membership, trained at home by ourselves, etc. But nothing compares to the Tonal. The app is amazing! It tracks your progress, it has a calendar to show you the days you’ve worked out, it has a leaderboard (optional) to show how you are rating against other members. You can pick some so many trainers, programs, and stand alone workouts. What I enjoy most about having a Tonal is that all the equipment I need to workout is just steps away. When I join a program, I don’t have to think about what to do. If there’s an exercise I can’t or don’t want to do, I can replace it with a different move. You can also connected to your music app for customized music...
by MDfan
Sat Jan 07, 2023 4:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: ITALY - Venice/Florence/Rome Upcoming Vacation - Any High End Restaurant Suggestions??
Replies: 34
Views: 3802

Re: ITALY - Venice/Florence/Rome Upcoming Vacation - Any High End Restaurant Suggestions??

hunoraut wrote: Sat Jan 07, 2023 4:33 pm eater.com has a "city guide" to rome, and similar lists for florence, and they are both very very legitimate.

it is quite easy to find a bad meal particularly in rome and venice as they tend to proliferate with the 5-language 50-generic-item restaurants operated by foreigners
True. We’ve always steered clear of those places and looked for small, off the beaten path, family-run restaurants.
by MDfan
Sat Jan 07, 2023 4:21 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: ITALY - Venice/Florence/Rome Upcoming Vacation - Any High End Restaurant Suggestions??
Replies: 34
Views: 3802

Re: ITALY - Venice/Florence/Rome Upcoming Vacation - Any High End Restaurant Suggestions??

bob60014 wrote: Sat Jan 07, 2023 3:37 pm High end doesn't necessarily mean good. What are you really looking for?

Exactly. The best meals we had in Italy were when we wandered down an alley and found some tiny little restaurant hidden away. Petty hard to find a bad meal. The best sandwich I've ever had was in Pane E Salame in Rome. A very close second was All' Antico Vinaio in Florence.
by MDfan
Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tonal Home Gym
Replies: 81
Views: 9125

Re: Tonal Home Gym

The point was to get responses from people who own a Tonal (or similar machine). Personally, I don't care that there are cheaper alternatives. This, or something similar, is what we're looking at right now. While I appreciate other people do different things, I'm not interested in stories about adjustable dumbbells or resistance bands in this thread. I can afford to buy one, and pay the monthly subscription, and am interested in only hearing from others who have a Tonal, Tempo, or similar machine. Nothing else. Maybe some of you could start a "Don't buy a Tonal" thread. I promise I won't post in it. As I posted, I bought and then returned my Tonal. The 30 day trial showed me everything I needed to know about owning a Tonal and th...
by MDfan
Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tonal Home Gym
Replies: 81
Views: 9125

Re: Tonal Home Gym

The point was to get responses from people who own a Tonal (or similar machine). Personally, I don't care that there are cheaper alternatives. This, or something similar, is what we're looking at right now. While I appreciate other people do different things, I'm not interested in stories about adjustable dumbbells or resistance bands in this thread. I can afford to buy one, and pay the monthly subscription, and am interested in only hearing from others who have a Tonal, Tempo, or similar machine. Nothing else. Maybe some of you could start a "Don't buy a Tonal" thread. I promise I won't post in it.
by MDfan
Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Geico Premiums Doubled
Replies: 40
Views: 7971

Re: Geico Premiums Doubled

Our Geico premiums went up a little, but certainly not by double. I shopped around and could not find anything better.
by MDfan
Thu Jan 05, 2023 10:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Possible to have a nice time at DisneyWorld without the infamous Disney hassles?
Replies: 93
Views: 10399

Re: Possible to have a nice time at DisneyWorld without the infamous Disney hassles?

I didn't do Disney when I was young, so I found it exciting when I was there for a conference. A couple of years later I visited by myself. I'm Disneyed out. I very strongly recommend The Unofficial Guide to Disney World. In general I agreed with its assessments, including who might want to avoid which ride. Get the most recent version. I have also used the Android "Lines" app, which you'll get with a modest discount if you own the book (last time I tried, at least). The app was a bit buggy and clunky last time, and some have had problems with it. I found its ability to optimize an itinerary after some event messed things up to be very useful. I refuse to spend more than 20-30 minutes for a ride. I couldn't do the virtual avatar ...
by MDfan
Thu Jan 05, 2023 9:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tonal Home Gym
Replies: 81
Views: 9125

Re: Tonal Home Gym

I can’t justify any type of home gym purchase given I pay $100 per year for my local gym which includes many other amenities. Our local gym (Gold's) is just too crowded. Even when I try to go in the middle of the day, I have to wait to use machines I want to use. I've tried different times and same issue. For two of us it's about $50/month so I'm not worried about paying a subscription price and we like the idea of the personal training classes (I use my Hydrow a lot and like that format). I'm just not sure which of these home machines would be best for us (Tonal, Tempo, Nordictrack Fusion or Vault, etc.) Doing lots of research and that's how I came across the Tonal lawsuit issue. Certainly gives me pause for that big of a purchase. That's...
by MDfan
Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:28 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: For those retired or FI, how much do you spend annually?
Replies: 499
Views: 80218

Re: For those retired or FI, how much do you spend annually?

We are moving into retirement in the next two years, but we have figured our expenses for the first 15 years or so (with $2500 mortgage and travel budget) to be in the $120k range. We plan on traveling a lot and we've figured in at least $20k for travel ( international, domestic, and to see kids). I don't feel like we do anything really extravagant, but when reading some of these numbers, it sure seems like we spend a lot. I've tracked our expenses for last year or so and around $10k/month seems pretty accurate.
by MDfan
Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tonal Home Gym
Replies: 81
Views: 9125

Re: Tonal Home Gym

anoop wrote: Thu Jan 05, 2023 1:49 am The Tonal store at the local mall shut down a few months ago. I don’t know how long they (and even PTON) will be around.
Where is that? We tried it briefly once at a local store here last year but never did a full demo. I’ve read some very good things since then and we we were considering giving it another try. Might look at something else now given recent news.