I disagree. We love Costco. They don’t force you to buy that huge bag of popcorn. Use self control. People you see with tons of junk food would probably buy that same junk elsewhere, but for double the price.Their prices are almost always better than elsewhere. Even though there’s only the 2 of us retirees, we do a lot of our grocery shopping there. Their milk and eggs are cheaper by far than Stop & Shop or Trader Joe’s ( we shop here too). We don’t buy the stuff that only comes in huge quantities. We buy what we will consume. We buy ground coffee and the Kirkland brand is delicious, as well as many other brands they offer. Their paper goods, such as toilet paper and paper towels, cost so much less than other stores.Their bakery is great. Their cakes are $19.99 for huge sheet cakes or large round ones, perfect for birthdays or other occasions and 1/2 the price of comparable supermarket cakes. We buy steak there which usually comes in a pack of 3 or 4 and freeze it untied we want to eat. Their prime steaks cost so much less than other stores. It’s also a great place to walk around because they always have unusual stuff. Their clothes are great too and very affordable. I just bought a pair of Skechers step in shoes/sneakers for $35. Go to Skechers website and see prices double that. But if you lack self control, maybe stay away.😎
I’m sure you are aware of the risk of a margin loan. If for some reason the market drops and you go below margin requirements, you have to add money to the account, or sell stocks to pay it down. Just an FYI
I’m sure you are aware of the riskS of a margin loan. If for some reason the market drops and you go below margin requirements, you have to add money to the account, or sell stocks to pay it down. Just an FYI
She can get a HELOC. ‘A retired person can get a HELOC. Lenders cannot deny a loan simply because your income is from a non-traditional source. However, instead of looking at a traditional paycheck, they will focus heavily on your overall financial stability, credit, and home equity to ensure you can afford the payments. [1, 2, 3]
Key Qualification Requirements
Because you are retired, lenders will evaluate your application using the following criteria:
Approved Income Streams: You must prove you can make the monthly payments. Lenders will accept reliable sources like Social Security (verified via SSA-1099), pension distributions, interest/dividend income, and 401(k) or IRA withdrawals.
Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio: Lenders generally look for a DTI ratio below 43%, though some specialty programs allow up to 50%.
Credit Score: Most traditional lenders require a credit score of 620 to 660 or higher.
Home Equity: You will typically need to have at least 15% to 20% equity in your home
75 years old. 76% in equities (large % in US) 8% short term bonds (VUSB), and 16% VG money market. We have a mixture of 8 ETFs and 7 long held stocks. We have no pension and each have SS. Fortunately the portfolio is very large so the cash position can carry us through any downturn, along with SS. We have no debt either.
Comments
I disagree. We love Costco. They don’t force you to buy that huge bag of popcorn. Use self control. People you see with tons of junk food would probably buy that same junk elsewhere, but for double the price.Their prices are almost always better than elsewhere. Even though there’s only the 2 of us retirees, we do a lot of our grocery shopping there. Their milk and eggs are cheaper by far than Stop & Shop or Trader Joe’s ( we shop here too). We don’t buy the stuff that only comes in huge quantities. We buy what we will consume. We buy ground coffee and the Kirkland brand is delicious, as well as many other brands they offer. Their paper goods, such as toilet paper and paper towels, cost so much less than other stores.Their bakery is great. Their cakes are $19.99 for huge sheet cakes or large round ones, perfect for birthdays or other occasions and 1/2 the price of comparable supermarket cakes. We buy steak there which usually comes in a pack of 3 or 4 and freeze it untied we want to eat. Their prime steaks cost so much less than other stores. It’s also a great place to walk around because they always have unusual stuff. Their clothes are great too and very affordable. I just bought a pair of Skechers step in shoes/sneakers for $35. Go to Skechers website and see prices double that. But if you lack self control, maybe stay away.😎
Post: Frittering away Frugality
Link to comment from July 11, 2026
Trader Joe’s sells cards for $.99
Post: Exercising true frugality
Link to comment from July 4, 2026
I’m not sure this is needed in a 401k, which is already tax deferred. If a person wants an income stream, they can annuitize it when they retire
Post: Automatic Income stream? How important to you?
Link to comment from June 27, 2026
I’m sure you are aware of the risk of a margin loan. If for some reason the market drops and you go below margin requirements, you have to add money to the account, or sell stocks to pay it down. Just an FYI
Post: Leverage
Link to comment from June 20, 2026
I’m sure you are aware of the riskS of a margin loan. If for some reason the market drops and you go below margin requirements, you have to add money to the account, or sell stocks to pay it down. Just an FYI
Post: Leverage
Link to comment from June 20, 2026
She can get a HELOC. ‘A retired person can get a HELOC. Lenders cannot deny a loan simply because your income is from a non-traditional source. However, instead of looking at a traditional paycheck, they will focus heavily on your overall financial stability, credit, and home equity to ensure you can afford the payments. [1, 2, 3] Key Qualification Requirements Because you are retired, lenders will evaluate your application using the following criteria:
Post: Leverage
Link to comment from June 20, 2026
75 years old. 76% in equities (large % in US) 8% short term bonds (VUSB), and 16% VG money market. We have a mixture of 8 ETFs and 7 long held stocks. We have no pension and each have SS. Fortunately the portfolio is very large so the cash position can carry us through any downturn, along with SS. We have no debt either.
Post: What’s in your portfolio ?
Link to comment from June 20, 2026
Why not raise the SS contribution level from $184,500 the way it is for Medicare? Remove the income limits
Post: Just the facts about Social Security
Link to comment from June 13, 2026
What do you consider very high income? The super rich?
Post: Just the facts about Social Security
Link to comment from June 13, 2026
Really?
Post: Just the facts about Social Security
Link to comment from June 13, 2026