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Setting the Hook, Reeling In the Fish
9 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 6/2/2026
FIRST: R Quinn on 6/2 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 6/3
Lifetime Supply
32 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 5/20/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 5/21 | RECENT: Andy Morrison on 5/31
Take a Look In the Mirror
13 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 5/16/2026
FIRST: R Quinn on 5/16 | RECENT: R Quinn on 5/18
HumbleDollar’s HumbleDrivers
28 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 5/13/2026
FIRST: R Quinn on 5/13 | RECENT: R Quinn on 5/14
Debreifing
46 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 3/27/2026
FIRST: David Lancaster on 3/27 | RECENT: Brian White on 4/25
Stock Market Contest
14 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 4/3/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 4/3 | RECENT: Randy Dobkin on 4/5
My Favorite Rx
20 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 3/19/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 3/20 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 3/23
Questions Matter
16 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 3/13/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 3/13 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 3/18
New to building a CD or Bond Ladder?
36 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 2/27/2026
FIRST: David Mulligan on 2/27 | RECENT: David Lancaster on 3/8
When Your Pastime Takes Ownership
21 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 3/6/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 3/6 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 3/8
Fifty Ways
14 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 2/19/2026
FIRST: William Perry on 2/19 | RECENT: MikeinLA on 2/21
Punched in the Mouth
8 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 2/13/2026
FIRST: R Quinn on 2/13 | RECENT: Mark Crothers on 2/14
No Such Thing as Easy Money
20 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 1/8/2026
FIRST: Michael01670723 on 1/8 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 1/10
Artificial Intelligence and Payroll Tax
5 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 1/2/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 1/2 | RECENT: William Dorner on 1/4
My Investing Journey, Just Do It
20 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 11/28/2025
FIRST: Bogdan Sheremeta on 11/28/2025 | RECENT: Lester Nail on 12/3/2025
The Kids Are Alright
26 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 11/21/2025
FIRST: Nick Politakis on 11/21/2025 | RECENT: S Phillips on 11/23/2025
Not Just About the Money
15 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 11/19/2025
FIRST: greg_j_tomamichel on 11/19/2025 | RECENT: William Perry on 11/21/2025
A Record Journey
38 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 8/19/2025
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 8/19/2025 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 8/25/2025
Effective vs. Marginal? Nah…..
11 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 7/6/2025
FIRST: Adam Starry on 7/6/2025 | RECENT: R Quinn on 7/7/2025
No Time Left for Calculating My Net Worth
7 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 6/14/2025
FIRST: Liam K on 6/14/2025 | RECENT: Edward James on 6/17/2025
Change Lanes, Expand Your Wheelhouse, Learn Some New Tricks
18 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 6/8/2025
FIRST: Liam K on 6/8/2025 | RECENT: Donny Hrubes on 6/14/2025
The Opposite of HumbleDollar
51 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 4/29/2025
FIRST: 1PF on 4/29/2025 | RECENT: bbbobbins on 5/9/2025
A False Sense of Security
27 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 4/28/2025
FIRST: R Quinn on 4/28/2025 | RECENT: Mark Bergman on 4/30/2025
Three Points to Avoid Injuries
27 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 4/26/2025
FIRST: Jonathan Clements on 4/26/2025 | RECENT: normr60189 on 4/27/2025
Adult Autism
21 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 10/30/2024
FIRST: Jonathan Clements on 10/30/2024 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 3/22/2025
What If
12 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 3/2/2025
FIRST: baldscreen on 3/2/2025 | RECENT: DAN SMITH on 3/3/2025
How Do You Spell Research?
9 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 2/24/2025
FIRST: Jeff Bond on 2/24/2025 | RECENT: Jerry Pinkard on 2/26/2025
They're Right, I'm Wrong, Sort Of
26 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 2/2/2025
FIRST: W.D. Housley on 2/2/2025 | RECENT: Scott Dichter on 2/4/2025
I’ve stolen the words Willful Ignorance and Disengagement from a prior forum post.
22 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 1/21/2025
FIRST: normr60189 on 1/21/2025 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 1/30/2025
Get Your Stuff Together (For Taxes)
18 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 1/3/2025
FIRST: mytimetotravel on 1/3/2025 | RECENT: stelea99 on 1/4/2025
Filing Status and IRMMA
1 reply
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 12/15/2024
FIRST: Jerry Pinkard on 12/16/2024 | RECENT: Jerry Pinkard on 12/16/2024
Sleep Disorder
20 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 10/17/2024
FIRST: Edmund Marsh on 10/17/2024 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 10/18/2024
The Choice to do Nothing
39 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 10/14/2024
FIRST: Andrew Forsythe on 10/14/2024 | RECENT: R Quinn on 10/16/2024
Who Doesn't Like a Huge Tax Return?
13 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 10/13/2024
FIRST: Jonathan Clements on 10/13/2024 | RECENT: Rick Connor on 10/14/2024
Jabs Anyone?
66 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 9/21/2024
FIRST: R Quinn on 9/21/2024 | RECENT: Ski Bum on 10/7/2024
Social Security Solutions
5 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 10/4/2024
FIRST: R Quinn on 10/4/2024 | RECENT: R Quinn on 10/6/2024
Analog versus Digital
2 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 9/24/2024
FIRST: Jo Bo on 9/24/2024 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 9/24/2024
Final Decision
27 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 9/1/2024
FIRST: OldITGuy on 9/1/2024 | RECENT: CJ on 9/10/2024
I Ain't Stupid Ya Know
33 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 8/27/2024
FIRST: David Lancaster on 8/27/2024 | RECENT: Nick Politakis on 8/31/2024
On Being Aware
10 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 8/25/2024
FIRST: Winston Smith on 8/25/2024 | RECENT: Mark Eckman on 8/31/2024
Cash On Hand
29 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 8/7/2024
FIRST: Jeff Bond on 8/7/2024 | RECENT: cesplint on 8/24/2024
It Hurt So Good
11 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 8/2/2024
FIRST: baldscreen on 8/2/2024 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 8/4/2024
A Case for First Class
12 replies
AUTHOR: Dan Smith on 7/22/2024
FIRST: mytimetotravel on 7/22/2024 | RECENT: Ginger Williams on 7/24/2024
I WAS 48 years old when the judgement was final and the papers were signed. My former wife and I split our net worth 50/50. There were no arguments over household items like furniture; I didn’t care about that stuff. Pam gladly accepted my proposal that she keep the house, and all its equity, in exchange for me keeping an offsetting amount of the IRAs and my 401(k), a very good move for my future self.
IT WAS 1982 OR thereabouts. After attempting to be a landlord for several years, I decided it wasn’t for me. I sold the house and the four-family apartment building I’d been managing.
The final task in closing out this adventure would come at tax time. Keeping the books was the one aspect of being a landlord that I didn’t mind. I understood how accumulated appreciation would be recaptured and how capital gains tax would affect that year’s taxes.
I RECENTLY READ AN article by Anna D. Banks, an executive coach and human behavior consultant, who talks about the importance of cultivating friendships in retirement. She discusses embracing new activities, volunteering, reconnecting with old friends, using technology, attending social events, and being open-minded about forming friendships with people from other backgrounds.
All this got me thinking about HumbleDollar.
The Breakfast Club is a coming-of-age movie from 1985—a movie,
JEFF, DAVE, JERRY, Glenn, John, the ElderBeerMen, and then Jeff again. Experts say a robust social network is crucial to a happy retirement. My life’s journey has revolved around a handful of friends who begin and end with the same good dude.
I was a 15-year-old kid who didn’t like school, and I had the grades to prove it. I did, however, have two burning desires. I couldn’t wait to turn 16 so that,
“SELL THE SIZZLE, BOYS.” With those words from the sales manager at a big insurance company, the 2003 class of newly minted registered representatives were off to the races, extolling the virtues of the firm’s products to family, friends and anyone else who would listen.
I still vividly remember that moment. Yes, I was there.
To become registered reps, the 2003 class had to pass the necessary exams to get a Series 6 securities license and a license to sell life and health insurance.
HOW DO SOME INVESTORS end up in places they don’t belong? Where do they turn for information and guidance? Who do they talk to before making important financial decisions?
What follows are the results of my unscientific research, which was conducted in some of the finest and most respected centers of advanced learning anywhere.
Barroom seminars, your window on the world. Are we talking politics, investing, religion, world peace or other topics of paramount importance,
WHEN I GOT DIVORCED, my ex-wife told the judge at family court that I was good with money. But most folks I knew at that time wouldn’t be so kind: They’d say I was cheap.
No, I didn’t align myself with the financial independence-retire early, or FIRE, movement. During my days as a driver-salesman, after I diverted 15% of my pay into the 401(k), I spent every nickel raising the kids, paying the bills and trying to keep up with my big bucks buddies.
IN SPRING 1984, WHEN I was age 32, we purchased a little ranch house in need of tender loving care. That’s why I found myself in a musty crawlspace, removing clutter and installing vapor barriers.
I heard a booming voice from above. It wasn’t God telling me I should run for president. Instead, it was my new neighbor Ken. I came to the surface, dusted myself off and went inside the house.
Standing there was a 47-year-old,
I SPENT A GOOD portion of my early adult life in neighborhood taverns. Back then, I sold beer for a living. You can imagine that I saw and heard some crazy things. Remember the sitcom Cheers? I knew doppelgangers for each and every Cheers character.
But the things I heard in those bars didn’t come close to the things I heard later when I worked as an income-tax preparer.
I DON’T FIT THE USUAL profile of a HumbleDollar reader. I don’t have what I’d consider a high net worth, nor am I a college graduate. Still, I hope my story shows it’s possible to reinvent yourself.
Around 1920, my dad’s family moved—with few belongings but a willingness to work—from Tennessee to northwestern Ohio. My dad met my mom while working at Hostess Bakery, and he later worked at Willys-Overland, welding together Jeeps during World War II.
Comments
LOL, SB for short!
Post: Setting the Hook, Reeling In the Fish
Link to comment from June 3, 2026
100%, Dave
Post: Shopping carts again…but not what you think
Link to comment from June 3, 2026
Another powerful post, Andrew. As Chris writes below, my mind also went back to teachers who made a difference.
Post: Don’t Quantify the Qualitative
Link to comment from June 3, 2026
David, I'd love to read your thoughts on the program.
Post: Setting the Hook, Reeling In the Fish
Link to comment from June 3, 2026
Does that mean I shouldn’t have bought two 17.6oz bars of chocolate at Trader Joe’s last weekend? No way, David, you should absolutely buy those chocolate bars! "I'd rather die while I'm living, than live while I'm dead," (Jimmy Buffett).
Post: Shopping carts again…but not what you think
Link to comment from June 2, 2026
Not sure if this answers your comment. I don’t let coupons trick me into buying something I do not ordinarily use. Chrissy gives me a little good-natured grief because, when shopping alone, I never come home with something not on the grocery list. I think it’s important to shop with a list, not only to remember all that you need, but also to not buy anything you don’t. My dad used to do all the grocery shopping; I’m afraid I picked up my miserly habits from dear old dad.
Post: Shopping carts again…but not what you think
Link to comment from June 2, 2026
That's about right....
Post: Setting the Hook, Reeling In the Fish
Link to comment from June 2, 2026
I splurge for a particular brand of cherry tomatoes, which taste the way that I remember when I was a kid. Last week they were $10 for the larger package. OUCH. I'm told it's a combination of transportation costs and tariffs.
Post: Shopping carts again…but not what you think
Link to comment from June 2, 2026
My Kroger receipt tells me that I have saved $489.53 through the end of May, by using digital coupons and buying sale items not requiring coupons. Add to that number, savings when using store brands (that have proven to be comparable to name brands). That’s at least $100/month left in the checking account that I can use for things I enjoy more. I could save more if I ran from store to store, strategically buying those loss leader items, but I have better things to do with my time. Aldi’s would save even more, but I don't really care for the Aldi experience.
Post: Shopping carts again…but not what you think
Link to comment from June 2, 2026
Dick, I love a good success story, and am neither resentful nor jealous of such people. I may dislike certain wealthy people, not because of their fortunes, but because they may be terrible people. Please don't ask me to name names. And I’ll take one of those Jersey Mike’s Subs; can I have your hot peppers? Are you buyin’?
Post: Peter Cancro from age 14 to 69 covered in oil and vinegar
Link to comment from June 1, 2026