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UCGal
ParticipantInteresting to note which religions had dollar bills, vs just change.
ParticipantI’m over 50. My 40th was much more a bummer than my 50th. My mom was dealing with terminal cancer, Sept 11th had just happened (which definitely puts things in perspective.)
Between 40 and 50 both parents and my brother died of cancer. That puts a sharp focus on mortality. It’s when I started obsessing with early retirement… so I don’t drone away at a field a no longer love, and then keel over one day, full of regrets.
My husband is older than me by almost 10 years – so I always feel young compared to him. He’s more youthful than me in most ways, though. He’s got longevity on his side – his dad died last year at 90, his mom is 87 and still going strong, physically.
I relish birthdays – at this point they are indications I’m closer to my retirement and freedom. A time when I’ll control my time and activities.
Like Rustico, I’ve got youngish kids (11 and 13) – so I need to be healthy long enough to get them launched at minimum. Even if I died as young as my mom did (67) I should be able to accomplish that.
ParticipantI shop at goodwill. (As well as traditional places.)
For those that need an excuse other than frugality – it’s “greener” – the “reuse” part of reduce-reuse-recycle.Great place to get otherwise pricey items like table linens, housewares, and, yes, chinos. (My older son’s school has a dress code that requires khaki’s.)
ParticipantEarnest money is to be used at closing. If they use it before closing, and the deal falls through – you’re screwed.
Don’t do it.
Participant[quote=paramount]I just got back from Death Valley and really enjoyed the trip.
My kids on the other hand, they could care less and were ready to leave as soon as we got there.[/quote]
We went to Death Valley last year this time of year. It’s so beautiful. Did some cool hiking down narrow canyons, did a couple ranger led nature walks. Very beautiful there.
ParticipantI have to agree, in general, with CAR and livingincali. There are exceptions to your generalization that renting is worse than owning.
If your time horizon is less than 5 years- then you REALLY need to do the math – look at risk of falling values, look at transaction costs, look at the whole rent vs buy for the same property, look at lost opportunity of your down payment money. I say 5 years because markets don’t always rise, financing frontloads the interest so you don’t make much of a dent in the debt the first several years, and transaction costs can be hard to recoup if the market is flat or rising slowly. Folks forget about this stuff.
But – if you’re looking at a home long term, it totally makes sense to purchase. I’m within grasp of paying off my mortgage so the only bills I’ll have with housing will be taxes, insurance, and maintenance… That’s HUGE and is part of my early retirement budget. You can’t pay off a rented situation.
March 26, 2014 at 3:01 PM in reply to: Study shows mortgage interest deduction doesn’t encourage home ownership #772268Participant[quote=FlyerInHi]
What if Lenovo mismanages Motorola and the company goes out of business.. What if Qualcomm falters? What if Whatsapp becomes write-off for Facebook, causing venture capital to run scared? Not saying that would happen, but nothing is forever.
[/quote]Lenovo/MotMobility would have ZERO impact on San Diego. MotMob laid off or transferred the last of the cell phone group more than a year ago. The remaining group (cable) was sold to ARRIS last spring. There’s no significant Motorola/Lenovo presence in San Diego.
It might impact the bay area – and would definitely impact Chicago, though.
ParticipantI’m still trying to figure out why this is a problem.
From what you post the dogs haven’t caused any problems yet (if ever) and the tenants haven’t caused any problems.
You are making assumptions there will be problems – but it is entirely speculative.
I’d rather assume the best and not get stressed about it.
And too funny about the “get off my lawn” thing.
ParticipantWhen we were building the granny flat we had to meet Title 20 – which required a certain percentage of CFL bulbs that specifically did not have the edison/screw in base. We bought the cheapest fixtures we could find.
We got our inspection, then changed out for normal fixtures – and put in screw in CFL bulbs.
Lamps Plus had a whole catalog of Title 20 compliant fixtures – but none in the store… You had to order them. They admitted most folks did what what we did – ordered cheap ones, then swapped for more stylish fixtures. At least we stayed energy efficient by putting in CFL to the replacement fixtures.
ParticipantWe were early adopters – but learned to look for the label “warm white” so we wouldn’t get that horrid blue-green flourescent glow.
We also bought ‘dimmable” when they were on sale – because dimming a non-dimmable CFL will kill it in short order.
We saw a huge drop (like $50/month) in our electric bill when we converted the whole house over, years ago.
We’re slowly phasing out to LED.
We stayed with edison base bulbs the entire time. The only non-edison bulbs we have are the front porch lights.
ParticipantWifiAnalyzer
Flashlight
The google stuff (maps,calendar/contacts/GV/etc.)
MyTracks
StopWatch & timer
SDCCU Mobile App
Nxt Remote control (for messing with my kids robot, remotely and freaking them out.)ParticipantWe had it until my husband added seismic retrofits to the house. Our house was built in the 60’s and the codes have changed since then. He added additional diagonal bracing, reinforced the weight load of the brick surrounding our fireplace. Added additional strapping between the 2nd and 1st floor. Added more sill to foundation bolts, Added more shear walls (replace sheet rock with plywood). And stiffened all the corners of the house.
When he was done with all that, we canceled the policy.
ParticipantOver half a million and no garage ON A BUSY STREET.
Some of the homes in the area have fabulous views of the bay – not this one.
I don’t think they’ll get their price- but I’ve been wrong before.
March 18, 2014 at 6:40 PM in reply to: Moving money to another country for better interest rates #772047Participant[quote=earlyretirement][quote=Jazzman][quote=earlyretirement][quote=Jazzman][quote=earlyretirement]I know this isn’t applicable to the OP as you aren’t an ex-pat but I thought this would still be interesting to post.
IRS filing for US expats is antiquated, which is why so many Americans living abroad don’t bother with it. I’m sure the IRS would agree and welcome changes to the requirement. The allowance before you owe Uncle Sam tax is reasonably generous, and there is probably no requirement from your foreign employer abroad to provide the IRS with data, so you might be able to get away with filing your own returns. If leaving the US for good, watch out for the exit tax.[/quote]
I agree it’s antiquated. I guess you could complain but who would listen? Yes, the allowance as you mention (foreign earned income tax exclusion) is quite good. $97,600 for a single person or you can legally structure it if you are married and own your own business to double that to $195,200 if you get 2 salaries for you and your spouse.
I lived abroad for many years but I’d never leave the USA for good…. we have it too good here compared to other countries.[/quote]
Living abroad broadens one’s horizons, and can make you see your home country in a different light. I’ve lived in the US for ten years and in other countries for shorter periods. That has lead to a curious unraveling. I tend to see not so much countries, but enforced boundaries (borders if you will), often through wars, organized by a collective group bound by laws that a few so-called elected (or otherwise) individuals have drawn up. The US is a perfect case in point. A young country that imposed the rule of law and property rights on a land, previously without those structures. The US is a legal entity, with a cultural focus on business and the resulting life style. Certain freedoms are a part of that package, helping to inspire a love of one’s country, that the Founding Fathers knew was needed to glue together a multicultural society. You cannot love a country. That is an illusion.
The post war decades in the US seemed very much in keeping with the ethos of individualism, egalitarianism, and evenly spread prosperity. More recent events, however, seem to echo pre-WWII periods, which have eery parallels to much that was (is) wrong with Europe, the wellspring of earlier American historical development. Whether you believe social thinking evolves or not, old models that were once the backbone of a society can erode bringing with it change that breeds conflict and social unrest. Perhaps, the only thing that keeps mankind on his toes is the certainty of uncertainty.
Sometimes I feel the only thing keeping me here is the tax climate, and the Hawaiian climate:) Like you, I would never give up my (non-US) passport, but that is as as much for sentimental reasons. The Bush tax cuts could of course be reversed, and if health care costs increase as is widely anticipated, that could be the tipping point. The lack of investment opportunities seems universal, but when all said and done, you go with where your spirit and wallet feel the most comfortable. There is no “national” preference in my view, just survival.[/quote]
Excellent post. Just out of curiosity Jazzman, if you had to move somewhere else…where would you opt to move if you left the USA?[/quote]
I think Jazzman bought a 2nd home in France and lives part of the year there.
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