NBR_Exile
| Favorite team: | LSU  |
| Location: | Houston via Baton Rouge |
| Biography: | |
| Interests: | |
| Occupation: | |
| Number of Posts: | 2107 |
| Registered on: | 7/7/2012 |
| Online Status: | Not Online |
Recent Posts
Message
quote:
Look into SPYI
SPYI is a little too exotic for my taste. The expense ratio at .68% is tough to swallow as well.
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Yes, that's the right idea. A multiple of expenses is the simplest way for modeling from my perspective without it just being a made up number. Of course, plenty of choices can be made to increase or decrease spending as one goes through life and retirement so it's just a benchmark.
I retired at 54 with 42x expected expenses in retirement/brokerage funds not including SS. I'm six years in now and have only spent about 60-80k/year depending on some years of lumpy expenses. I started drawing on SS Survivor Benefits this year, I turned 60 in February. SS will provide about 40k so my retirement funds will not be used as much. From age 54 to early this year I used my brokerage to supplement my income plus the dividends from my brokerage funds.
I logged in and it said trading may be slow or unavailable.
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Do you have a number goal at each point and one to where you say "frick it, I'm done and will live off draining it".
We didn't really set any goals. We just saved as much as we could while still enjoying our life. Fortunately by favorable market returns and a buy and hold strategy we watched our savings grow. As the balance increased we then said we can retire by this date. When we hit the number to feel safe, we pulled the trigger.
VTI - Total US Stock
VXUS - Total International Stock Ex-US
BND - Total US Bond
Since I will be drawing from my Trad IRA for the first time, I've added a couple income related funds, not Vanguard though.
SCHO - Schwab Short Term US Treasuries
SCHD - Schwab US Dividend (this is held in Taxable since most of the dividends should be Qualified and should be taxed for the most part as Long Term Gains)
I don't speculate often and try to keep my investments simple but I think shortening my duration in fixed income can't hurt.
VXUS - Total International Stock Ex-US
BND - Total US Bond
Since I will be drawing from my Trad IRA for the first time, I've added a couple income related funds, not Vanguard though.
SCHO - Schwab Short Term US Treasuries
SCHD - Schwab US Dividend (this is held in Taxable since most of the dividends should be Qualified and should be taxed for the most part as Long Term Gains)
I don't speculate often and try to keep my investments simple but I think shortening my duration in fixed income can't hurt.
quote:
NBR is such a plague.
Hey now! Don't blame me. Some of us got out long ago.
re: I asked ChatGPT to explain all of the fees and surcharges on my Verizon cell phone bill
Posted by NBR_Exile on 8/8/26 at 3:26 pm to 1tufftiger
I’m on US Mobile. It was $280 a year paid in advance, flat rate for total unlimited. Came with a $100 Visa gift card. So $15 per month. On Verizon network. No issue so far. What’s unique about them is you can pick any of the big 3 networks. Also can change networks ip to three times a year. My son is on the service as well. He had an issue with data, called customer service and they switched him to AT&T and boom, data problem solved.
re: Hey Google, Waz up wif dat?
Posted by NBR_Exile on 8/8/26 at 7:51 am to WWII Collector
I used Grok and got a reasonable response.
Q: is it ok to want a white only doctor?
A: Yes, it is okay for a patient to prefer a White doctor (or any other race/ethnicity). Patient choice of provider is a basic autonomy right in most systems, and people routinely select based on gender, age, language, religion, cultural background, communication style, or race when those factors matter to them for comfort, trust, or perceived understanding. This preference is not unique to White patients—surveys and studies consistently show racial/ethnic concordance preferences across groups (Black patients often prefer Black physicians, Asian patients Asian physicians, etc.).
Q: is it ok to want a white only doctor?
A: Yes, it is okay for a patient to prefer a White doctor (or any other race/ethnicity). Patient choice of provider is a basic autonomy right in most systems, and people routinely select based on gender, age, language, religion, cultural background, communication style, or race when those factors matter to them for comfort, trust, or perceived understanding. This preference is not unique to White patients—surveys and studies consistently show racial/ethnic concordance preferences across groups (Black patients often prefer Black physicians, Asian patients Asian physicians, etc.).
re: Who all pays monthly bills on a credit card?
Posted by NBR_Exile on 8/6/26 at 9:16 am to kywildcatfanone
quote:
I do o especially that dont charge a fee.
Which is less and less all the time.
Yep, the glory days of reaping CC rewards is gone. Almost all companies now charge a fee for CC usage. For me that includes insurance, utilities, property taxes, car registration, etc all charge a fee that negates the points.
re: Just had an investment and retirement conversation with ChatGPT
Posted by NBR_Exile on 8/4/26 at 11:21 am to SquatchDawg
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My thoughts too. I’d be afraid it would scour everything and find something to either blackmail me with or hold for ransom.
I used a generic question that did not include personal info. Like this "Construct a fixed income portfolio using an index approach that is a moderate risk." No personal info was exchanged. I could have asked an expert and spent time and money for their advice. Grok did it for free.
Grok started with explanations regarding credit risk, interest rate sensitivity, and diversification across treasuries, high-yield, etc. Then it gave me specific ETFs and allocation percentages for a well balanced portfolio that straddled expense, risk and return.
re: Just had an investment and retirement conversation with ChatGPT
Posted by NBR_Exile on 8/4/26 at 8:51 am to SquatchDawg
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It really was remarkable.
I've used Grok and ChatGPT recently to help with income management in retirement recently. I have pretty good grasp on the concepts and had done most of the research over the last couple of weeks, namely in where to hold certain investments/income products. While I was going through site after site researching ETFs etc, I thought let me try Grok. In less than two minutes it compiled all the info and suggested account/portfolio allocations. Was pretty eye opening how easy it was. I asked it to consider other nuances and boom it made some tweaks and offered alternatives that matched my risk profile/expense choices.
Ben McDonald in HS. Yes, he struck me out multiple times.
re: Drive Thru Tip
Posted by NBR_Exile on 7/16/26 at 9:19 am to CleverUserName
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The split drive through is another proof of how dumb the general public is. There have been many times I bypass several cars to drive right up to the menu board on the second lane while the other idiots are 5 and 6 deep for the first lane.
So you've mastered the art of the zipper merge. Congrats!
re: What restaurant in BR do you think is the most thrown up in?
Posted by NBR_Exile on 7/12/26 at 7:23 am to HeadyMurphey
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Probably chimes on campus
Raises hand! Too many kamikazes at the Bengal and was at The Chimes when it hit.
re: Social Security Summary
Posted by NBR_Exile on 7/9/26 at 5:19 pm to bayouteche
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SS pays ex-wives,
And widowers too. I know I just started collecting on my wife's SS since I turned 60 a few months ago. But I wouldn't say I'm getting too much. You only receive around 60% of what your spouse would have gotten at FRA. Then when the surviving spouse reaches FRA one must elect to either keep that benefit or the survivor's benefit, which ever is greater. So in the seven years I actually will only receive a fraction of the amount she paid in.
Go to SSA.gov, create an account and can see all of your info. Don’t need a mailer. Saves money.
re: New A/C System - Pay in Full or Finance?
Posted by NBR_Exile on 7/8/26 at 8:00 am to TheMagicMan
quote:
As the townhome is around 1,400 square feet, it's right in the middle. 2.5 tons are typically best for 1,100 - 1,500 square feet, while 3 tons are typically best for 1,500-2,000 square feet.
Rule of thumb I've heard is one ton per 500 sq/ft. At 1400 it sounds like 3 is the right choice. There are other variables but 500 per ton is a good place to start. I'm not an HVAC expert but I do know 2 and they usually there.
Jack wining the Masters at 46 for his 18th major. Oldest Master's Champ and 2nd oldest major winner.
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Really isn't that bad so long as you have some fans running for airflow.
78 is not too bad. I keep my house at 76. If the day is particularly hot I might drop it to 74 because my living area has tons of window and can get a little stuffy. Once the heat of the day of mostly done, I'll turn it back to 76. Sometimes I will go to 74 at night.
But we are not large people. We run cold most of the time.
re: My detergent is locked at Walgreens.
Posted by NBR_Exile on 7/2/26 at 8:34 am to LivingstonLaw
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My detergent is locked at Walgreens.
Why are you buying detergent at Walgreens? No doubt it would be cheaper at WalMart, Target, Sam's, Costco etc.
re: Retired now 6 weeks and f-ing love it!!
Posted by NBR_Exile on 6/29/26 at 7:09 am to headboard banger
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65 y/o. Worked since I was 12.
No anxiety for the Monday morning wake-up after drinking all weekend.
I am blessed!!
I retired 6 years ago at 54 (March of '20) after my wife died. I had a graduating senior and sophomore. The senior left for college later that year. Went from a household of four to just me and my rising junior.
We saved diligently and her life insurance put me beyond the number. College was also paid for because we saved early for that. Can't complain, life is good.
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