r/financialindependence • u/AutoModerator • 8d ago
Daily FI discussion thread - Tuesday, October 06, 2026
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u/deathsythe [Late 30s, New England][3-Fund/Real Estate][CoastFI] 8d ago
Appraisal came back even higher than expected. I only needed to hit like 40k in appreciation to get where I needed to be, came back around 70k higher instead. Hooray.
Definitely well below 80% LTV now. Gunna 86 PMI and more importantly take a point and a quarter off the rate, and free up like 500 in cashflow monthly. Woo
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u/branstad 8d ago
came back around 70k higher instead. Hooray.
free up like 500 in cashflow monthly
Nice! That will come in handy to pay the extra property tax for the new higher value! ;-)
[I kid, I kid!]
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u/deathsythe [Late 30s, New England][3-Fund/Real Estate][CoastFI] 8d ago
Sadly, you are probably not incorrect lol
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u/I_Fuck_Whales 8d ago
What was your rate before? Aren’t rates well over 7.25% right now?
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u/deathsythe [Late 30s, New England][3-Fund/Real Estate][CoastFI] 8d ago edited 8d ago
Spot on. Local CU is able to bring me down from there thankfully. They were advertising 5.85 When I started the process, But I was able to lock in 6
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u/I_Fuck_Whales 8d ago
Ah gotcha! Thats solid. I’m at 6.6% and was hoping for a refi op but couldn’t seem to find below 5.9% a little while back. No chance now…
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u/GlorifiedPlumber [PDX][50%FI/50%SR][DI2S2P] 8d ago
Just a potential caution which may or may not apply here, removing PMI was not as straightforward as I wanted. You have to keep on these bastards.
Like I dropped below 80% LTV and I thought it would just drop. When it didn't, they replied back saying it was when the loan was SCHEDULED to drop below 80% PMI not when it DID. E.g. paying it below has no effect.
I wrote back being like WTF... no, drop my PMI. And they wrote back saying "Okay sure, but we need an appraisal. Send us $300!" or whatever it was. This is when housing was yoy like 10%. E.g. not now.
So I hemmed, hawed, and finally was like OKAY. Here's your money you filthy animals, drop my PMI.
They then did nothing for 5 weeks, and sent me a letter BACK with my check, saying, "Turns out market adjustments are clear and we don't need appraisal. Here's your check back, and we dropped your PMI."
ANYWAYS, it all conspired to basically add 3-4 months to the process of dropping so they could collect another $300.
I don't know if your appraisal was part of that process, or for another reason. But, you got to keep on them. They won't drop it generally until SCHEDULED to go below 80% LTV, unless you request it.
You prob know all this... I just needed to vent, I was very annoyed at my experience back in the day.
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u/deathsythe [Late 30s, New England][3-Fund/Real Estate][CoastFI] 8d ago
Oof - sorry to hear that. I know some places will give you the runaround.
This is a new loan effectively, so the LTV will start below 80%. so no PMI will be necessary on this product thankfully.
This same CU didn't give me any trouble when I reappraised another property for a heloc, and they dropped the PMI with a simple email.
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u/DigmonsDrill 8d ago
This sounds like the way PMI works. Last time I had to do this (years ago), you only automatically end PMI if you go below 78% LTV of the original loan value. Otherwise you need to pay for the appraisal to show the current value.
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u/GlorifiedPlumber [PDX][50%FI/50%SR][DI2S2P] 8d ago
Yup! I had expected it to just drop when you hit 78%/80% whatever.
That was my bad. I made that assumption and that is not how it worked.
you only automatically end PMI if you go below 78% LTV of the original loan value.
Nope, it ends automatically only when SCHEDULED to go below 78% LTV per your amortization schedule. Not when you actually do because you paid more down.
Like if you were scheduled to hit 78% in say 2030, but you paid it down TOMORROW to 77%, you would not drop PMI generally until 2030 when you were SCHEDULED to hit it.
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u/imisstheyoop 8d ago
Holy cow, what an absolute nightmare, sorry that you had to deal with that. That mortgage services deserves to be named and shamed!
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u/GlorifiedPlumber [PDX][50%FI/50%SR][DI2S2P] 8d ago
The sad part is at the time, I complained about it on the daily... and everyone was like... "Yeah... first time, that's how a lot of them work. They obfuscate the process on purpose."
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u/Rob_035 40M | Pension (dual retired military) | Ready to be done working 8d ago
I don't know enough about your mortgage but that $500/mo could pay the house off like a decade earlier if you kept throwing that at the principal every month.
Granted, it could be better off in the stock market if you have a longer timeline to retirement.
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u/deathsythe [Late 30s, New England][3-Fund/Real Estate][CoastFI] 8d ago
Not wrong. It definitely opens up possibilities. We're going to finish one CC that started carrying a balance after the kid was born, then after that likely do something like that, as this would be the highest interest rate we have for debt atm. Guaranteed 6% return could be worse.
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u/AnimaLepton 29M / FI, not yet RE 8d ago
Going to Japan for two and a half weeks starting on Friday. Very excited. Probably should have done more planning in advance.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
Download the full Japanese language into your Google Translate app. I had terrible coverage there, even in Tokyo, and it was good to be able to use the app offline.
In Japan, people are very willing to talk to you using the app.
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 10 8d ago
Second the translate app, and also google maps overview of how to use the tokyo subway is fantastic!
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u/RemoteTechie FIREd 4/2026 8d ago
Hope you enjoy. And hope you have good weather while you are there. I hear that they've been having either very hot weather or typhoons, so I think you'll get something better than that.
What are the general areas you plan to go, and things to do/see?
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u/AnimaLepton 29M / FI, not yet RE 8d ago edited 8d ago
Thanks! Pretty standard, it'll be my first time so I'm doing Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka. Tokyo and Kyoto with some friends who will be there for one week overlapping, with food and some activities like a kimono rental or shopping planned with them.
Otherwise solo sightseeing temples, nature, parks, museums, a bit of hiking. Stop by Nara, spend some time in Hakone, and a day in Chiba.
Hiroshima is a 'maybe,' my brother strongly recommended it but I haven't booked/routed it in yet. Same with some other options closer to Tokyo like Nikko.
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u/RemoteTechie FIREd 4/2026 7d ago
Hiroshima is definitely a ways out there, but you might have the time for that. I visited Itsukushima with my sister. I think I did the Peace Memorial Park by myself on a separate trip. That one is heavy.
Also visited Nikko with my sister. That is a good day trip from Tokyo.
I guess you'll be there a bit too early to enjoy the autumn leaves, even if you head into the northern region.
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u/ttuurrppiinn mid-30s M | DI1K | 4M Target 8d ago
Got our kid's notice that he's moving up an age group / classroom in daycare again next month. Tuition is moving down a slight amount monthly. Last year, there was no tuition increase in January. Hoping we get luck with that again.
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u/29threvolution 8d ago edited 8d ago
Update: they are holding firm that all those sharp objects, exposed electrical and giant hole are not saftey hazards for our child (or us) and since there is a functional bathroom and kitchen we must move back in. Time to call that nice lawyer i spoke to yesterday.
We are an hour out from the hotel reservation ending and yet again, I have no word from the property manager on extending our stay. They told me yesterday I could return. So I immediately fired back with pictures of all the unsafe conditions in the house that I cant keep my toddler from like rusty nails, staples, and exposed subfloor outside her bedroom door and exposed electrical and a giant hole in the floor. Last week at this point I spent the entire hour trying to track them down. This week im taking the opposite approach, I have work to do, so when my call is done at 11 I will just go hand over my credit card and this officially becomes something that can be litigated. We have plans to try to narrow or finalize our decision on a house vs rent (a different place) for a year later this week.
Maybe soon I can be done bothering you all with my woes and just be back to asking dumb questions about mega back door roth and such.
Side FIRE thought- it occurred to me over the last eight years we amassed nearly 1.7m and paid off a half million dollar house. Our HHI is currently higher than it was for nearly that entire period, so why all the consternation about getting to 3.5m and paying off a 500k loan on a million dollar house? Its exactly the same plan as the last 8 years but with higher starting income.
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u/Ellabee57 8d ago
Could you call your city's code enforcement office, instead of (or least before) paying for a lawyer? Or maybe you already did that and I missed it in the ongoing saga. Good luck!
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u/29threvolution 8d ago
Yeah pretty much next step appears to be go file a warranty of habitability claim in the local court. I want to talk to the lawyer again to make sure I understand what all happens when I open that can of worms.
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u/PAJW 8d ago edited 8d ago
Code enforcement is, in much of the US, a very rudimentary check. For example, I do not believe a hole in the drywall/plaster would prevent a landlord from renting a place in my jurisdiction, provided the hole was not all the way through the building, such that it would allow rodents, birds or pests into the home.
Many of the bigger cities have a stricter system.
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u/29threvolution 8d ago
Oh no its a hole in yhe floor opening from first floor to basement. 🙃
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u/razorchick12 32F - FI'd, 12/31/29 RE 8d ago
About 1 month into the new house, here is what is completed:
* Got running water
* Got the pool fully working, trying to finish up cleaning it (need new sand in the filter) then we will close it. We did empty it and refill it twice without breaking it, so thats a win!
* Cleaned up all the over grown brush, took us 2 weekends with 4 people working on it... and one of those weekends was labor day. Now, we are just slowly burning the brush in our fire pit. (legal in Oct, illegal in Sept, so we have quite a pile to work through)
* Restored the shed-- filled it with the "get this stuff out of my face until the spring" -- like bikes and kayaks.
* Restored the garage-- so now we have a place we can work even if its the dead of winter.
* Painted ~1000 sqft of ceiling and a closet. Also completely built out the closet, but we have 2 more closets to build out.
Spent about $5k on the new well and about $2k for everything else combined. Which is pretty good bc we also bought all of our light fixtures for the 3 bedrooms, just havent put them up yet. This week we are in class all week-- hunting class and annual 6hr real estate agent class. Next up is this weekend to finish the pool and to paint the bedrooms while my fiance hangs the lights.
By end of Oct, we plan:
* To get heat in the house, kind of important.
* rooms painted
* lights hung
* carpet installed
* closets all built out
* trim installed
We moved into 2 bedrooms and a living room of the 5 bedroom house. So by end of Oct, we plan to move into the 3 "finished" rooms and then the rest of the house is our oyster!
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u/BeeborptheElf 8d ago
That is a super impressive list for one month! Do you both work full time? Did you DIY/DIY + family and friends everything, or did you hire some of it out?
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u/razorchick12 32F - FI'd, 12/31/29 RE 8d ago
Well was hired. Everything else has been DIY.
We do plan to hire the carpet install bc we are only doing it in 3 bedrooms nad it doesnt make sense to buy the tools (like a stretcher) for 3 bedrooms. We will be doing all the rest-- vinyl plank-- ourselves.
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u/MoreFuelForTheFIRE 8d ago
Although our NW (and invested portfolio) have been above it for a while, my personal retirement accounts finally crossed 1M. (So just my IRA+401ks, not brokerage / wife's accounts.) Fun little milestone. Probably 1-2y from 401k millionaire at this point, which will also be a neat threshold to reach.
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u/Turbulent_Tale6497 DI3K, Putting the Ire in FIRE 8d ago
This comes up often, is there a reason to not include your wife's accounts? I know that Mrs. Tale would be sad if I told her that her retirements account balances were low
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u/MoreFuelForTheFIRE 8d ago
Maybe I phrased that poorly. Apologies if this comes back as too verbose.
After a point, you know how some people begin looking for milestones? Once you get past 250, 500, 1M, what do you track? The 50ks? The 100ks? Just the next 500/1M? (Whatever makes you happy, obviously, but just making an example comparison.)
Our NW is >2M and our invested portfolio is starting to approach that threshold as well. Fidelity breaks it down on the landing page as : Brokerage/Joint WROS, Retirement (all my pre-tax accounts) and then Authorized / Non-Fidelity (which, incidentally, are all of hers). So I see the numbers in various buckets. One bucket ticked over and that was a nice little made up milestone. (Blame Fidelity! I didn't exclude her! They did!)
I'm not discounting her at all. We're building toward a shared goal. I wouldn't say hers are 'too low' because I don't think of it that way. It is true that I pursued a higher-paying career path and was pretty lucky with the result. So my accounts are larger. But it's also true that we, together, prioritized retirement savings from the beginning over a nicer lifestyle. I worked while she went to school, and later when she made a career switch. We support each other. I've just had more consistent work, and for longer.
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u/Montaigne_6823 8d ago
I know what you mean. I was excited when my overall NW was 1 mil, then when my fidelity accounts added up to 1 mil. Now my 401ks are approaching 1 mil and I have a long term goal of getting 100k in my HSA. It's just anything to keep it exciting!
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u/branstad 8d ago
Sounds like OP does track the combined portfolio/NW together, but is just noting the milestone of OP's IRA+401k > $1MM.
I know that Mrs. Tale would be sad if I told her that her retirements account balances were low
I have a larger income than my spouse, but she's been with her company for longer, so her 401k is our single largest account. I jokingly reminder her that she's 'still in the lead' even though we are 100% on the same page that it's all one big pot. :-)
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u/MoreFuelForTheFIRE 8d ago
Sounds like OP does track the combined portfolio/NW together, but is just noting the milestone of OP's IRA+401k > $1MM.
Yep, this is more succinct than my rambly explanation.
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u/1DunnoYet 8d ago edited 8d ago
Picked up a 2nd job! Yes, this is exciting. It’s a passion project, coaching gymnastics. Still hesitant giving up time with my kids to do this, but I see people older than me having these hobby jobs that are happier than those that don’t, especially in retirement years. Also, I think long term I would rather my kids know me as Coach, than computer guy, when thinking about my work. Idk. Let’s see how it goes.
And I just realized I have no idea what my hourly wage is! It’s going to be pennies to my day job, but lunch and beer money is always nice.
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u/so-cal_kid 8d ago
I'd be interested in potentially doing something like this. How did you go about getting the coaching gig? Was it a place you sent your kids to previously?
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u/1DunnoYet 8d ago
Kids go there currently and actually I’m a student as well. They have an adult class. The owner and coaches saw I had a decent background and talked about it over the past year that my first high school job was gymnastics coaching, over 20 years ago. To overshare, finding males who are interested in gymnastics is hard enough, finding non-teenage men with even a bit of background is impossible so I’m kind of a unicorn for them! For now, I’ll be just a substitute coach and see how the hours align.
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u/fi_smith 8d ago
Reason #2,437 to FIRE: meeting this morning, PM and developer talking about something. When they pause for breath, I (architect for context) jump in, because they’re totally wrong. PM says, “Wait, fi_smith, I was talking with Developer”. I bit my tongue and put myself on mute. Thankfully, the dev said, “Actually, fi_smith is right”, or I may have rage quit on the spot.
I did stay muted the entire rest of the call, almost, except when they were updating the wrong line of the project spreadsheet. I waited until the PM asked for questions. PM again asked Dev to confirm that I do, indeed, know what I’m talking about.
I get keeping order on a call but I don’t like being treated like a naughty child when I correct something that is vital to the project and will cause confusion if allowed to proceed.
In good news, I crossed another nice round number for both invested dollars and net worth. I was definitely checking after that call.
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u/sensitivegru 8d ago
Schedule a meeting with PM and talk about your concerns
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u/fi_smith 8d ago
I was thinking maybe she thought I was overstepping my authority or that I embarrassed her by correcting her on the call, but I’m trying to decide if there’s any benefit to talking with her as opposed to practicing compassion and holding my tongue. Like, what are the chances a conversation had a good outcome as opposed to just making things worse? And what approach/solution gives me the best chance of a good outcome?
I am trying not to let my ego drive things.
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u/sensitivegru 8d ago
I find that usually people are not self aware enough to understand how they come across and how other people take their actions, tone, and words. And in majority of cases they don't even mean what others perceive.
I'd suggest phrasing it as desiring to have a better working relationship and seeing how you can contribute more efficiently to the project.
E.g. "I felt that I didn't convey very well what I wanted to contribute in that meeting. I am an architect so I have a deep knowledge of domain and related areas that Developer may not have. I want to be able to address any gaps or incorrect information, but I am afraid that in that meeting it didn't work exactly that way. What are your thoughts? How can I help you better?"
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u/HordesOfKailas 33M | FI by 12.31.29 8d ago
Who cares if it makes things worse? Embrace the chaos. Shitty people should be made aware that they're shitty.
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u/burnoutjones 8d ago
Close enough to target number that I can cut back and coast the rest of the way. October is my first month on a reduced work schedule, and I am thrilled.
So naturally tomorrow I have repair appointments for plumbing, HVAC and radon. The electrician hasn’t said when he can come yet. My daughter’s car is throwing several warning lights (I think it’s just the battery). Maintenance and repairs have to happen, but all of it less than a week after going to 1/3 time is amazing.
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u/vtgorilla LotteryFI Hopeful 8d ago
If you haven't bought a battery in awhile, be prepared for sticker shock.
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u/burnoutjones 7d ago
Still cheaper than the radon system, the HVAC service/repair and the plumbing. A failing sewer line is one of those They Know They’ve Got You situations.
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u/letsseeaction Balancing YOLO with being a responsible adult. 8d ago
Pulled the bandaid off and decided to reverse rollover from a rollover ira into my old company's 401k (both at the same provider) in case I need to backdoor ira next year.
The more I look at the perks of this old plan, the more I miss being in it. It allows basically everything: rollovers from a 401k or ira even after leaving the company, MBDR contributions, free self directed brokerage subaccount, solid funds in the plan, nearly a 10% company match, cheap maintenance fee (covered by the company when employed there).
I left for greener (to me) pastures, but some days I second guess myself because of the benefits lke this one.
Transferring/consolidating my personal accounts at the same provider has been annoying, but something I've procrastinated on for a long time. Now I have basically a one stop shop with consistent funds between accounts... A lot cleaner.
If only my current 401k and hsa had the same provider...
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u/OnlyPaperListens 8d ago
rollovers from a 401k or ira even after leaving the company
my flabbers are gasted, never heard of this. wow!
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u/letsseeaction Balancing YOLO with being a responsible adult. 8d ago
It's an absolute gold standard plan. Zero plans to let this go anytime soon unless they make drastic changes or force me off in some way.
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u/FlyingPandaHead Coasting as PreK Teacher / 100% LeanFI / 74% FatFI 8d ago edited 8d ago
I am attending an info session for a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education today.
My options are: 1) coast for 5 more years as a PreK teacher assistant; or 2) get certified to be a lead teacher via this degree, and work another 10 years (retiring at 55).
I absolutely love the purpose and structure I get from teaching, so I’m leaning towards committing to the long road, but I also know my body and intuition will give me a very clear message after today’s session if a second master’s degree is the journey I want to embark upon.
I feel like I’ve attained the benefits of retirement already, since I never have to go an office ever again! 😅
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u/rugerjp88 100% LeanFI 8d ago
Does a certified teacher role add any stressors like dealing with parents or administration compared to your current role?
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u/FlyingPandaHead Coasting as PreK Teacher / 100% LeanFI / 74% FatFI 8d ago
I served as the de-facto lead teacher over summer (since it was “camp” and not school, thus no certification was needed), and the additional emotional labor was negligible (and in some ways, easier, since I got to lead the class the way I wanted to!). Working in Tech taught me to ruthlessly prioritize my time and set strong boundaries, so working with the families is very easy!
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u/The_Boss_81 31M 30F DINKY | $437k invested | 24% SR 8d ago
I'm applying to an internal role that would move me from engineering to more of a business role. I love my current team and current role, but I feel like I either move to a business role now or wait 5ish years in my team to become a manager (need current boss to retire, but I am the logical replacement). I feel very qualified for this new role.
When should I notify my current manager that I have applied to this role? I am a valuable and experienced member of this team and I know he would be sad hearing of me leaving (maybe a little worried wondering which of the younger engineers will take over my current duties). Or should I not notify him and just let the process play out?
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u/lurker86753 8d ago
I’d imagine the first thing the hiring manager will do is reach out to your current manager to chat. For that reason I’d let your manager know as soon as you can to get ahead of that.
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u/branstad 8d ago
I think it really varies by company policy and, sometimes more importantly, company culture.
At my company, you are required to notify your current manager once you have passed the HR pre-screen and before an actual interview. However, the company encourages employees to let the current manager know earlier, even as early as before you apply. The vast majority of managers want to help employees advance in their careers and will put in a good word if they have an opportunity. Sometimes, there is a disconnect between what the employee thinks the new role will be and what the hiring manager is looking for (for better or worse!); in those situations, early notice gives an opportunity for the two managers to connect and can better align everyone's expectations or understanding.
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u/billthecatt FatFIREd 12.29.2025 8d ago
As a former manager, I'd like to know ASAP. Both so that I can help my team member as a reference, etc, and so I can plan for the future if they get the position.
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u/C_Majuscula 8d ago
I would say ASAP if you have already applied. HR or the hiring manager on the new team may reach out to your current manager and that shouldn't be the first he hears of it.
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u/so-cal_kid 8d ago
I've been back on the job hunt the last month or two but I've taken a different approach to it than I did in the past. I am now much more selective about the roles I even consider applying to, and I am leaning heavily on Claude to match my resume against the job description to score how well I fit the requirements. I won't even apply unless my resume passes a certain threshold score. Surprisingly this has worked pretty well even in this job market. I've gotten a few interviews and made it to the final round of a few just off of cold applications.
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u/InsideSuccessful680 8d ago
Interesting. In the olden days I would adjust my resume to match the position I was applying for.
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u/so-cal_kid 8d ago
Yea AI has basically just made this process way more automated. And since it remembers adjustments you've made to the resumes in the past, it will suggest language that you've used before if it thinks it's relevant.
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u/Dupont-Disciple 8d ago
I sold half of my stake in my company 16 months ago for $7M. Still working as I’m hoping the next turn (selling next year most likely) results in 5-10x (this group’s average return is 5-7x and their recent IPO peaked at 25x). But I’m assuming 0x.
The things that give me the most joy out of having money:
- Donating. I’ve donated about $100k to NICU parents (through a grassroots charity), and I will randomly donate when I see a gofundme that means a lot.
- Picking up the tab (occasionally). Similar to above, picking up the bill when out with friends. Rarely do I feel like it’s taken for granted, but I don’t do it for appreciation. Do it for the the fellas in the boring middle or the fellas that will never retire.
- First class. God, once you get a taste of first, it’s nearly impossible to go back.
I just mostly like giving. I think I’ll do more active charity work after our next turn.
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u/carlivar 49M 3 kids ✅ FI ⏳ RE @ SoCal 🏖️⛷️ 8d ago
First class international or domestic? I have been pretty underwhelmed by domestic first class unless it's one of those big coast to coast flights.
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u/Junior_Fig_1007 8d ago
I lower my expectations, but I think Alaska's first class is pretty great value for the experience. Good meal, a LaZBoy chair, and friendly service
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u/HerschelRoy 8d ago
Thank you for the NICU donations. We could do it on 1 salary, but I always wondered how people do it with lower paying jobs and/or no health insurance, especially if there are any complications and extended NICU stays or post-NICU care.
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u/Dupont-Disciple 8d ago
I was in the NICU for 7 weeks and super lucky to have a good paying job and flexibility (since I ran it). I cannot imagine having lower salary or an inflexible job.
The foundation I found has a plan where they get requests for assistance, and they will issue $1000 no questions asked. They don’t vet financial background, no hurdles or red tape. They do get context and asked if I wanted to see what my donations helped (rent, salary, etc) but I didn’t want to because I just felt sick people could barely afford common items being in the NICU.
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u/Mysterious_Remote584 8d ago
I was in the NICU for 7 weeks and super lucky to have a good paying job and flexibility
You were working while you were in the NICU? Kids these days are really getting started early...
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u/Montaigne_6823 8d ago
Picking up tabs is so awesome. I spent some time in sales where I got to pick up tabs a lot and it really is a great way to end a meal with just one bill. It's annoying when everyone has their own bill and you're all doing all this paperwork at the end.
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u/kimfromlastnight 8d ago
I’m aiming for a lean fire goal in my mid to late 40s. When I play with calculators it says I could have 2.3m if I work until 60, but the only reason I would really want to do that is if I wanted to be able to donate tons and tons to the environmental charities/land trusts that I love to support.
Which part of me would love to do. We’ll see though, I have huge reservations when it comes to what health insurance is going to look like 10-15 years from now so maybe I’ll be stuck working forever anyways 🫠
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u/Particular_Maize6849 8d ago
Putting off an expensive medical procedure until January because of the high deductible. I used to not think about these things and just charge my HSA before I realized how stupid that was.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
My wife and I were looking into escape rooms yesterday.
Neither as an investment nor a place to hide from the cops - just for something different to do some weekend, as we've never tried one.
And I ran across this Game Show Experience. Holy shit, I wish it were legal for 50-somethings to have enough friends to do this.
Maybe we'll just show up one night and sneak in with a group, like Wedding Crashers, and tell everyone that we know Bob & Alison, and win all the fake money.
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u/samwill10 8d ago
A team I work with went to one of those Game Show places for a team-building exercise recently and apparently it was a ton of fun. They invited me along but I had a conflict so I missed out. After hearing how good it was, I was a little bummed I couldn't go.
If you're willing to crash a group of strangers to do this, why not organize a group of your coworkers? Convince your buddy that it will improve your sales numbers or something
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
I work remotely from home and I'm the only one in SC, everyone else is in WA, CO, NY or overseas.
Looked into it deeper this morning and they do actually have public games where you play with strangers.
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u/samwill10 8d ago
Would it help if I mentioned the team is also fully remote, from all over the US and Europe and they came to HQ for the event (and a couple days of meetings)?
But if there are public events, that's definitely a much easier path
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
Unfortunately, something like that isn't in the budget. But I'm mostly fucking around. I could get enough people together to do it, I just think it would be best with 10 of your best friends.
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u/rackoblack 60yo DINKs, FIREd 2024 8d ago
I've only done a couple. Best I've seen is Mission Control: Apollo 18. It's Apollo/NASA themed and runs on a couple of Royal Caribbean cruise ships still (if Gemini got that right): Oasis and Allure. Very cool story and all the gear looked like real Apollo stuff.
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u/CaribbeanDreams 100% FI/ 98% RE/ $7.5M Goal 8d ago
If you're ever in Austin, GameOn with a group is quite fun. Choose the R/X rated version, bring your own alcohol, and the hosts will roast you.
I've never done an Escape room tho...
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u/ffball 36 | DI2K | $2.0mm NW | 54% FI 8d ago
You probably saw it, but Escape Artist is extremely good and has a regional/national reputation. Much better than the typical chains
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 7d ago
We did read this.
Did you see that a Japanese style arcade/entertainment center is coming to the old Sears at the Haywood Mall?
Not something we'd do often but it looks alright.
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u/FlyingPandaHead Coasting as PreK Teacher / 100% LeanFI / 74% FatFI 8d ago
I love escape rooms! They are so fun with a group of people you know!
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u/billthecatt FatFIREd 12.29.2025 8d ago
Game Show Experience
I think we have one of these locally as well, or similar. Come up here, we'll make a group happen :)
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
Your city is actually next(ish) on our long distance list. We're thinking of driving up to Philadelphia with a night in <don't doxx your friends> en route. We'd have the dogs with us, though, who would definitely ruin the game.
But first is Chicago next month to visit the Obama Center and Destin in January for a winter escape.
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u/anymoose [Not really a moose][moosquerading][RE 2016] 8d ago edited 8d ago
I think the last time I'd seen anyone mention escape rooms in this sub was when /u/catjuggler was thinking of building one.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
As a for-profit business or hobby?
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u/anymoose [Not really a moose][moosquerading][RE 2016] 8d ago
It's been well over 10 years, but I think the plan was to build one in their home for fun.
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 10 8d ago
If you are ever in St. Paul MN, this is one of the best escape room/places I've ever done. (https://lazaruslodge.com/)
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u/ingwe13 8d ago
Lego bricklink designer program opens up today. I can't decide if I am getting the Sleepy Dragon Inn or not. I probably will though...sigh. It just looks so nice
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u/livin_the_life 8d ago
Oh thank god, my favorite is the $50 Pumpkin Patch.
Also, thank you for this comment. As a Lego Fan I cant believe I've never heard of this program.... and this is Series 9? 😬
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 10 8d ago
Some of the sets look cool, but aren't the lead times literal years?
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u/wkd23 7d ago
Wow...I'm just finding out about this side of lego. These are all fan made projects that lego liked so much they turned into real sets? There's a lot of cool stuff on that site. I haven't played with Lego in over 20 years, but I had a lot of knights and dragons sets and still have them in the garage for when the kids are older.
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u/InsideSuccessful680 8d ago
This year I started doing some consulting on the side (still fully employed), and I just got my first payment for some work I did. I'm in the 22% bracket, and then I owe both sides of FICA, so I guess I can I figure on like 35% estimated taxes I need to pay beyond my withholding? What's the easiest way to pay estimated taxes to the IRS if I wasn't planning to this year? Direct pay?
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u/eeaxoe 8d ago
Sure, or just adjust your withholdings at your primary job so you meet one of the safe harbors. May not be an issue for this year, but that way at least you don’t have to deal with figuring out the right amount to pay every quarter as withholdings are treated as if evenly spread throughout the year.
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u/cliffy979 8d ago
Is it risky to have all brokerage, retirement accounts and checking at a single provider (eg Fidelity)? I’m using 2FA etc but it’s a little scary having everything sitting in one place.
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u/Rob_035 40M | Pension (dual retired military) | Ready to be done working 8d ago edited 8d ago
The only "concern" would be SIPC insurance coverage limits. The SIPC only covers the first $500k of balances, but they only cover if the brokerage goes insolvent, which seems unlikely. Just make sure your 2FA is always on and make sure you passwords aren't compromised somewhere on the web - I know google chrome can alert you to those leaks.
edit: acronyms, they're hard.
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u/ttuurrppiinn mid-30s M | DI1K | 4M Target 8d ago
If Fidelity somehow turns out to be a scam and 30% of all 401(k) assets suddenly go "poof!", then we're looking at a calamity severe enough that retirement assets shouldn't be anyone's immediate concern.
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u/imisstheyoop 8d ago
Out of curiosity, do you know how a shared brokerage account would work in the context of that $500k SIPC coverage?
Could it be carved up over both accounts I wonder?
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u/Rob_035 40M | Pension (dual retired military) | Ready to be done working 8d ago
You can read more here: https://www.sipc.org/for-investors/investors-with-multiple-accounts
Copy and pasted here:
SIPC protection of customers with multiple accounts is determined by "separate capacity." Each separate capacity is protected up to $500,000 for securities and cash (including a $250,000 limit for cash only). Accounts held in the same capacity are combined for purposes of the SIPC protection limits.
Examples of separate capacities are:
- individual account;
- joint account;
- an account for a corporation;
- an account for a trust created under state law; an individual retirement account;
- a Roth individual retirement account; an account held by an executor for an estate; and
- an account held by a guardian for a ward or minor.
Additional information on separate accounts may be found in SIPC's Series 100 Rules.
The following are examples of separate accounts:
- Mary has an account in her name at her brokerage firm. Mary is protected by SIPC up to $500,000.
- Joe has two brokerage accounts, each in his own name. For purposes of SIPC protection, Joe’s accounts are combined, and Joe is protected by SIPC only up to a total of $500,000.
- Joe and Mary are married and they have a joint brokerage account which is separate from the individual accounts that they each have at the firm. An additional maximum of $500,000 of SIPC protection is available for the joint account.
- Joe has a Roth account and an IRA account, at the same brokerage. Joe is protected up to $500,000 for the Roth account and up to $500,000 for his IRA account.
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u/imisstheyoop 8d ago
Wow this was super informative, thanks for providing the information.
Based on the examples it sounds like in my situation our joint brokerage account (3rd bullet) is covered with an additional $500k. That is great to know!
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u/Turbulent_Tale6497 DI3K, Putting the Ire in FIRE 8d ago
Are your concerns about Fidelity, or about being hacked?
I have no concerns about Fidelity as a company, but if you are worried about your account being compromised, that's a different question
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u/DigmonsDrill 8d ago
About once a week on the Fidelity subreddit someone walks in and their whole account has been blocked and they're told to take their business elsewhere. The one that sticks out in my mind is the guy in his 50s or 60s that took Fidelity's own offer to invest in crypto, and then he got his account locked, because that looks exactly like he's being taken in by a big-butchering scam.
On the Boglehead web forums you can see similar reports from similar brokerages. In many cases the person did something they shouldn't have. In others, maybe not. Who can say from the outside?
So, Something Could Happen, your fault or not, and you have to move elsewhere. If this does, it is a good time to have at least one relationship with one other brokerage company, so you have a place to move your money easily, without worrying about making a new account right after your old one got locked for whatever reason.
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u/rackoblack 60yo DINKs, FIREd 2024 8d ago
What 2FA? Simple SMS text 2FA is more vulnerable than tokens, something like a Symantec VIP token (or their app). Schwab gives customers one if they ask for it.
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u/CarlYaz1967 8d ago
FIRE, and I spent less this year than I anticipated. Considering viynl siding for the house. I have wood shingles and I usually paint a side every year to keep it up, but I am getting sick of painting.
Any thoughts on siding? How long does the job take? Does it add good value? Does it help with insulation a bit? Anything else?
Looks to be around $15k-20k, whereas a pro paint job would be around $8k. SFT two story colonial in N England, FWIW.
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u/jordydash More "financial security" than FI at this point 8d ago
Oh god, don't commit the cardinal sin of vinyl siding on an older home. You're FIRE, just pay to have it painted
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u/CarlYaz1967 8d ago
Explain please?
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u/jordydash More "financial security" than FI at this point 8d ago
Haha, I'm a hater bc I think it's the worst, ugliest stuff in the world. r/centuryhomes knows what's up. Especially for older homes which have unique character and are highly valued for it
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u/blackcoffee_mx 8d ago
Ask a local realtor about your market re: add value. Personally, for me, it subtracts value every day of the week. I would stick with wood or rip it off and go hardi, but that's a much bigger job.
You shouldn't need a new coat of paint every 4 years, maybe every 6-8.
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u/zaalordo 8d ago edited 8d ago
Been a while since I commented here. I'm career hopping to Finance. Passed my SIE, Series 65, 63 in the last 6 weeks completely self-study. Getting big praise from some people for it that I'm reaching out to for jobs. Not sure if anyones in the space but I need advice.
I have a job offer at a local RIA with 150m AUM and 3 advisors. They agreed to take me under their wing and teach me the ropes, they work in financial/portfolio management and offer insurance/annuity planning, tax advice, estate advice etc. I know nothing about this. Sounds like cold calling and searching for clients to build my own book. Might make 10k after a year might make 200.
I also have a salaried job offer for a Retirement Rep at a big company where all I do is explain the retirement plan to internal workers and put on workshops on why retirement is useful, how to use their retirement plan etc. Sounds easy and is a salary of 60-70k to begin.
Last and most importantly, I have a connect from a friend who is a VP at Morgan Stanley with 500m AUM by himself and makes a million a year. He advises me to steer clear of the RIA and Retirement job, find a crap job at a big firm/wirehouse, be a grunt for 1-3 years answering phone calls to get sponsorship for the Series 7 which the other jobs cannot offer me, then become a premier banker, get my own AUM and scale hyugely like him. His advice seems sound, it has the greatest scalability and is predictable, but its also hard to turn down the other opportunities. Was hoping someone may have had advice here!
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u/One-Mastodon-1063 8d ago
The first job sounds like it's mostly shilling shitty insurance products that almost nobody needs. Your friend at MS is shilling other shitty high fee products that nobody needs. The middle job sounds boring.
Why did you make this career change?
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u/zaalordo 8d ago
Always had a passion for finance and I recently had a second surgery at 30 y/o that is not necessarily but somewhat career ending in my healthcare job, so I figured I’d take a few years to see if finance worked. If not I can go back in the end and possibly into an even better field (medical sales) if I have a sales/finance job under my belt/resume
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u/One-Mastodon-1063 8d ago
What aspect of finance specifically do you have a passion for? Surely it's not cold calling people to sell them crappy high fee products?
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u/zaalordo 8d ago
wealth management and advice sound great to me. Taking someone who knows nothing about finance and setting them up for retirement
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u/One-Mastodon-1063 8d ago
It sounds great, but in reality 99% of "wealth management" is charging people high fees for mediocre to bad advice and shady business practices like locking people into in house funds that make it hard to leave w/o triggering capital gains.
If you want to help people, look into some sort of fee for advice model (hourly fee or flat fee for a plan) and look into pursuing the CFP or CFA program. The series 7 etc. are more geared to selling financial products, most of which nobody needs.
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u/ra__account 8d ago
I toy with the idea of being an independent fee only financial advisor as an early retirement hustle. There's supposedly a shortage of them and I'd get to set my own hours and be choosy about clients.
I think your friend may be overselling the ease with which one can become a high paid premier banker. Everyone else answering phone calls next to you for 3 years has the same dream.
And a question - do you have a family or aspire to do so? Some of the meat grinder finance jobs will impact your relationship with a significant other and any kids that might be involved.
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u/DinosaurDucky 8d ago
I agree with the other commenter that the middle job sounds kinda boring. But, it sounds like it's also what got you into this in the first place, and you get to help people for a living. Neat :)
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u/Dunder-MifflinPaper 8d ago
Has anyone explored “coastFI” in a way where they still save but save with the sole intention of taking a sabbatical or career break?
I am essentially at my coast number for retirement at about 50 (obviously tweaking variables changes the equation so I’ll say “about” 50).
Mid 30s, about 800k saved. Previously told myself I’d either push till full fire in the mid to late 40s range or at least get to age 40 and then maybe take a step back. But lately I’m thinking about how short life is and not wanting to wait.
Because of that, I’ve been thinking about, instead of continuing to invest, just setting aside cash in heavier quantities. The idea would be this would be like a year of living expenses that would allow me to take time off to either pursue other ways to make money outside a 9-5, do some exploring / traveling / creative endeavors, or more likely some combination of all the above.
I don’t like the idea of “coasting” to mean just spending more because I don’t want to inflate my lifestyle and get used to that. But maybe there’s a better way of just saving to take career breaks.
Anyone done this?
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u/workfish 8d ago
I took 3 months off which was the max my job would allow for an unpaid LOA. Ended up costing me basically nothing since I had to liquidate my pto before taking unpaid time, and I travelled very cheaply. 10/10 would recommend. For where I was, a year would have been too much. I was ready to work again after 3 months.
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u/william_fontaine [insert humblebrags here] /r/FI's Official 🥑 Analyst 8d ago
I've seriously considered it as a way to fight the burnout. But taking a sabbatical would make me ineligible to ever receive my company's retiree healthcare benefits (they require a long, long time of uninterrupted employment) so I always decide against it.
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u/phantom784 ,, 8d ago
Man I wish my company had some sort of retiree healthcare benefit.
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u/william_fontaine [insert humblebrags here] /r/FI's Official 🥑 Analyst 8d ago
It's so rare these days, and I think they know people will put up with almost anything to get it. Hence the so-so salary and projects requiring years of overtime.
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u/phantom784 ,, 8d ago
Salary could be the dealbraker. A higher salary could be used to save more and just self fund an ACA plan.
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u/deathsythe [Late 30s, New England][3-Fund/Real Estate][CoastFI] 8d ago
Nope. No one here has ever done that before here. Jim from the office look at my flair
I was in a similar spot to what you described. CoastFI allowed me to pivot careers to a lower stress gig rather than deal with office politics or a bad commute.
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u/magejangle 8d ago
I think about this a lot. I'm worried I'd be just as miserable in a lower paying gig. SO makes enough to cover our spend, so it's generally fail proof IMO, I'm just not sure if I'd be happier.
We have a kid coming and want to pad finances more before that. Personally I think of the decision as irreversible. I don't think I could land another job near my comp now (tech)
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u/Rob_035 40M | Pension (dual retired military) | Ready to be done working 8d ago
I'm worried I'd be just as miserable in a lower paying gig.
100% this. A lower paying gig can also mean you're lower on the totem pole, and shit always rolls downhill. Might as well grind out a few more years at higher income and stop working earlier. It would really suck to get a lower paying gig (i.e. barista FIRE) then the economy takes a dump and you lose your job. Now, not only have you been making less money this whole time, but your income stream stops altogether.
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u/xzftgyhuik DINK-->SINK 2026 8d ago edited 8d ago
Coasting doesn't have to be spending more. Coasting can be done via earning less, too.
Regarding sabbatical, I'm in favor if you're comfortable with your job prospects after the break and dependants are taken care of, if applicable.
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u/Dunder-MifflinPaper 8d ago
> earning less
I think this sabbatical I’m talking about is sort of a precursor to that. My ultimate goal is to have a few different ways I make money that are more fulfilling, it’s just hard to walk away from a more highly paid job even if it’s making me miserable.
No dependents but in terms of job prospects if I had to return to the work place, who knows. Seems the job market is bad, but I haven’t actually tried much job hunting lately
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u/phantom784 ,, 8d ago
I've vaguely thought about a sabbatical, but I think I'd only want to do it if my company agrees to officially let me and hold the position for me. I'd hate to be interviewing again for a brand new job after the break.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
I took several mini-retirements in my 20s/30s like you describe and I'd recommend this plan 100% to anyone who is thinking about it - especially if your plan is to travel and explore.
Traveling when you're older is great but it's a different experience compared to being young. You won't regret doing the best shit life has to offer when you're still young.
Work and the opportunity to make more money will always be available one way or another. Your personal youth fades a tiny bit every single day.
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u/Dunder-MifflinPaper 8d ago
I question / wonder if job opportunities will in fact be there when I return. That’s the rub I guess.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago edited 8d ago
That's fear talking.
Will reentry be bumpy? Probably.
Will you land a job paying exactly what you left? Maybe, maybe not.
Will there be something for you within a reasonable time frame? Yes.
You're smart and good at what you do. If you weren't, you wouldn't have $800k at your age.
There are risks and trade-offs to career breaks. But there are risks and trade-offs to working straight through from school to retirement, too.
In my opinion, I'd rather err on the side of needing to work longer and having those once-in-a-lifetime type experiences while young. Others will naturally disagree.
But you will be fine if you do decide to take the leap.
The biggest risk is not finding another job but wanting to do it again.
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u/livin_the_life 8d ago
It can also be the reality for some professions.
As a highly specialized scientist I would never ever do this. There are literally 5 employers in my 2.5 million metro for what I do, and some places go years between openings. I could possibly pivot to a different specialization, but I'd be less competitive than a new grad skill wise with double the expense. My last job hop was nearly a 2 year endeavor and the market has only tightened since.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
I'm sure there are some career fields where it's far riskier than others, particularly if you have zero interest in pivoting into something new.
No advice is universally true.
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u/phantom784 ,, 8d ago
I'd think it comes down to how much you like your current job. If it's a place you'd be happy to stay, stick it out. If you think you'd be leaving & interviewing again anyways before retirement, why not build in a break?
I'm more in the former position myself (hence my hesitancy that I mentioned in my reply to your top level comment).
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u/I_Fuck_Whales 8d ago edited 8d ago
I am struggling to pull the trigger on this. We have a newborn and I am wasting two hours a day commuting, along with working for a terrible boss who I simply cannot get along with no matter how I try (something that is a first for me to be honest). We have around $750K invested. I am 30, wife is 29.
$65K cash on hand.
If I were to quit (I make $140K) we would be entirely on my wife’s $90K salary and even if we cut down to barebones necessities (plus a car payment and small monthly student loans), I’d still probably have to tap into that savings a few hundred bucks a month to have everything covered. Biggest expense is $3400 a month mortgage (that’s with taxes and insurance).
The idea wouldn’t be to stop working forever, but spend some months at home, and then go back and do something else. But the $140K salary feels like golden handcuffs right now…
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u/sensitivegru 8d ago
Are you actively looking for a new job?
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u/I_Fuck_Whales 8d ago
Kind of but not really. Kind of want to take a break and be home with the baby for a while instead but I’m afraid of what potential employment prospects would look like after that.
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u/kfatt622 8d ago
Took a nice long break around your age, wish I'd squeezed in two by 40 TBH. So much of what your describing is familiar, and it just kind of faded over a few months without much "direct" reckoning.
No reason to make it this complicated though. Flexibility and open-endedness were a big part of the benefit. You can afford it, give yourself a reasonable milestone to get your ducks in a row and go for it. All this fiddling is just a coping mechanism, and the sooner you get going the sooner you'll be "back to work" whatever that means, which is the financial elephant in the room anyway.
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u/_why_not_ 8d ago
It’s Prime Big Deals Day - are you buying anything?
I stocked up on some vitamins, coffee, and deodorant. I also decided to buy a new set of Corelle dinner plates to replace my current Wal-mart set that is 15 years old.
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u/HerschelRoy 8d ago
Not intentionally looking, no. Amazon's gamesmanship of Prime dilutes its appeal, so I don't go out of my way to look into it.
If I know I need something, then sure, I'll look to buy if Prime Day prices make sense.
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u/Turbulent_Tale6497 DI3K, Putting the Ire in FIRE 8d ago
Okay, source: I worked in Amazon Prime, the software division, not the fulfillment side
The original impetus for Prime Day was a very good one. During slow periods, Amazon furloughs workers, since there's no work to be done. This includes both pick/pack/sort, but also delivery drivers and last mile folks. The idea behind Prime Day was job continuity. "How do we make it so that these people have enough work to do?"
It's turned gimmicky and sellers have learned how to game it, but that wasn't the original point :(
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u/HerschelRoy 8d ago
Oh I'm completely fine with the idea behind it, and really, it's no different than other retailers running annual/biannual/anniversary/whatever sales. The gimmicky parts as well as the promotion of it gets old.
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u/ttuurrppiinn mid-30s M | DI1K | 4M Target 8d ago
It takes a few moments to either install a price tracking extension or use a website alongside Amazon. Annoying that Prime "deals" are often in bad faith? Absolutely! But, it's easy to work around it.
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u/HerschelRoy 8d ago
I know, and I usually check camelcamelcamel before buying anything.
Price issues are one thing. Browsing Prime deals kinda sucks (I do like to look in case I'm forgetting something), I don't like the occasional bait & switch they pull on SKUs, and the flash deals kind of annoy me.
Overall, the experience makes me avoid Prime Day, so it comes down to "do I need to buy anything from Amazon when it happens to be Prime Day?". This year is apparently a no.
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u/forbiddenlake no swimming 8d ago
I don't have Prime.
I also don't trust Amazon to not commingle genuine stuff with crap, so I definitely don't buy any food from them.
Maybe I should have waited to buy birthday presents til today, but whatever, any difference would be small.
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u/yetanothernerd RE March 2021, no more PT job 8d ago
No, I ignore all that marketing crap. I buy things I need when I need them, not when some asshole harasses me to buy things.
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u/wgdaytona 8d ago
lol it's such a joke these days. the prices are not only jacked up as is but the "big deal" is like 18% off. that shouldn't be a reason to get excited about buying something.
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u/Montaigne_6823 8d ago
Plus when you say 18% off, that's just compared to the peak and not the typical 10% off it probably normally is.
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u/Ellabee57 8d ago edited 8d ago
I had a price alert on one item and it dropped below my threshold, so I bought it. Other than that, I'll probably look thru items in my "save for later" list to see if any of them dropped, but I'm not searching thru the deals in general.
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u/billthecatt FatFIREd 12.29.2025 8d ago
Bought some gift cards for things I already use. Also, F*** Amazon for not telling me what is in my order.
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u/The_Boss_81 31M 30F DINKY | $437k invested | 24% SR 8d ago
My wife had a few items in our cart that we were already planning on purchasing but waited to pull the trigger to see if we could get some discounts. 1 item was $2 cheaper, but another item was $3 more expensive!!
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u/Cryofixated Dates Since Single: 10 8d ago
I think I'm finally going to order the walking pad I polled the thread about months ago.
Also I love Corelle. I've had a white corelle bowl since college that is the perfect size and indestructible.
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u/HughWonPDL2018 8d ago
I’m considering pulling the trigger on some yard tools I’ve had on my list forever that have hit the lowest prices I’ve seen. Stupid Ego making it easy to drop annoying amounts of money on things…
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u/Unlikely-Alt-9383 FIREd July 7, 2026 8d ago
I managed to talk myself out of buying a second parka just because it’s on sale and I like the color. I did purchase an apple peeler/corer/slicer that I want, not on sale, and then Amazon cleverly showed me an electric canning pot that was on significant sale. As I had literally been thinking earlier in the day that canning is a PITA, I succumbed.
Also picked up a toy the dog loves, just in a different color, and some stickers designed to block the little “on” lights from electrical gizmos.
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u/imisstheyoop 8d ago
I bought a new set of ear pads for my headphones.. not because they were on sale (they weren't) but because I needed them after the old ones sprung a leak.
Kind of bummed now that I didn't get a deal. They were $25 and I had to use a gift card, ugh!
Oh well, hope that they are better than the last ones haha.
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
Do you have the Amazon Prime card?
5% back on everything, 6% with delayed shipping on most items. No annual fee.
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u/Katdai2 8d ago
There is an annual fee in the form of the $139 yearly prime membership. Without the membership, it's only 3% cash back
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
Are there people without an Amazon membership?
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u/FIREstopdropandsave 31M DINK | No target $'s 8d ago
Probably the same people who slum it with sub $30k watches
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
I didn't want to get kicked out of watch club but the truth is I just use my phone.
Speaking of which, it's way past bedtime for the olds.
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u/imisstheyoop 7d ago
Yeah we have that one, why? The annual fee is being a prime member haha
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 7d ago
I just learned last night that you have to be a Prime member, but I thought Prime was just something that came with life, like paying your taxes.
I was just letting you know so you could save your extra percents. We only learned about it 7-8 months ago and apparently didn't read all the fine print 🤣
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u/Colonize_The_Moon Guac-FIRE 8d ago
Looking at a small portable power station for camping and power outages.
We really should replace our curent Wal-Mart plates and bowls as well, but we just... I mean, they still work, so it feels wasteful to get rid of them.
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u/OracleDBA [Texas][Boglehead][2-fund][mang][Rockin a semi(retired)] 8d ago
Couple of shirts
I use the "keepa" firefox plugin to verify price history and confirm the item is actually "on sale"
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u/wgdaytona 8d ago
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago
$0.14M from buying that watch ⌚️!
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u/imisstheyoop 8d ago
Is this an AI? What's going on lol
What are they advertising?
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u/ExcessiveDonuts 8d ago edited 8d ago
Getting rich and buying rich-people shit.
What are you advertising?
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u/orbit_fire having enough for trips into orbit 8d ago
I crossed $3m invested today! Hopefully the market holds. I hit $2m on 12/4/2024 and $1m on 4/2/2021. We would probably be fine if I never worked again, but I’m not hanging it up yet. Need to beef up my taxable brokerage.