I hope you'll be as pleased with the shredder as I have been with mine: When I retired and thus no longer had free access to a shredder at work, one of the best purchases I made as soon as I moved to my CCRC was an Aurora compact micro-cut shredder. Convenient, small, easy to use, and no way could someone piece together the shreds. With simplicity and security being my priority in retirement, this is one less thing to worry about.
not wanting to say no to people For much of my earlier life I, too, struggled. I finally realized I needed to find a simple sentence that felt natural to me. I searched online for suggestions and found one that felt comfortable, kind, and not curt. Like strengthening a muscle with practice, I have become comfortable with turning down requests, offering an alternative solution if I can. The true value of getting better at saying no is that now I can say yes to something wholeheartedly. Congrats, Dana, on completing year one!
Oh, good, I was wondering whether any other HD readers go digital with e-cards. I've used them for years. There are classy ones available by subscription and some with a free tier, e.g., Ojolie, Blue Mountain, Jacquie Lawson. Huge selection for any occasion, available any time day or night, to send on a scheduled day or immediately, plenty of room to write your message, and no postage cost. True, can't enclose ca$h or check. So just Venmo or Zelle.
Thank you so much for another touching post, Andrew. Your efforts are helping ease our sense of loss from Jonathan's passing. In the same spirit as your story, I've been listening to the weekly My Unsung Hero podcast: a brief, simple anecdote recounted by someone whose life was touched by someone else's kindness.
Years ago my dad gave me some shares of IBM. Owning an individual stock took up way too much headspace: I couldn't relax until the price finally reached my target and I could sell. So it's only index funds for me.
Mark, Gemini AI says: "The quote you are looking for comes from the widely praised book The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by physician and author Siddhartha Mukherjee."
So interesting to see the responses! My portfolio is in Vanguard index funds in the traditional and Roth IRAs, and in cash + tax-managed, index-adjacent stock funds (slight tilt toward growth and small-cap) in the taxable account. Percentages of total portfolio are shown. taxable (12%):
07% tax-managed cap apprec (VTCLX)
01% tax-managed small cap (VTMSX)
04% fed money market (VMFXX) tIRA (64%):
16% short-term treas (VSBSX)
32% short-term infl prot bond (VTAPX)
16% tot world stock (VTWAX) rIRA (24%):
24% tot world stock (VTWAX) overall stocks/bonds+cash = 48/52.
This has been on a rising glide path from 30/70 when I retired in 2021, aiming gradually for 50/50. VTWAX is currently 60.5% U.S., so overall ratio U.S. to ex-U.S. stocks is about 68% to 32%. Social Security delayed to age 70 was still not enough to cover my annual CCRC fees and other expenses, so to fill the gap I have a SPIA with 5% compound annual increase and withdraw about 2.5% of the portfolio, reinvesting any unneeded remainder of my RMD in VTCLX. Finally, I have a QLAC to start in 2034.
Comments
One CCRC resident has this sign on the door: Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.
Post: Too Good to be True
Link to comment from July 23, 2026
Ah, Corvette — as I used to hear, the car that passes everything except a gas station. 😉
Post: A Can of Worms
Link to comment from July 20, 2026
I hope you'll be as pleased with the shredder as I have been with mine: When I retired and thus no longer had free access to a shredder at work, one of the best purchases I made as soon as I moved to my CCRC was an Aurora compact micro-cut shredder. Convenient, small, easy to use, and no way could someone piece together the shreds. With simplicity and security being my priority in retirement, this is one less thing to worry about.
Post: Danger, Junk Mail
Link to comment from July 19, 2026
not wanting to say no to people For much of my earlier life I, too, struggled. I finally realized I needed to find a simple sentence that felt natural to me. I searched online for suggestions and found one that felt comfortable, kind, and not curt. Like strengthening a muscle with practice, I have become comfortable with turning down requests, offering an alternative solution if I can. The true value of getting better at saying no is that now I can say yes to something wholeheartedly. Congrats, Dana, on completing year one!
Post: Retirement, One Year On
Link to comment from July 3, 2026
Oh, good, I was wondering whether any other HD readers go digital with e-cards. I've used them for years. There are classy ones available by subscription and some with a free tier, e.g., Ojolie, Blue Mountain, Jacquie Lawson. Huge selection for any occasion, available any time day or night, to send on a scheduled day or immediately, plenty of room to write your message, and no postage cost. True, can't enclose ca$h or check. So just Venmo or Zelle.
Post: Exercising true frugality
Link to comment from July 1, 2026
Thank you so much for another touching post, Andrew. Your efforts are helping ease our sense of loss from Jonathan's passing. In the same spirit as your story, I've been listening to the weekly My Unsung Hero podcast: a brief, simple anecdote recounted by someone whose life was touched by someone else's kindness.
Post: A Letter 40 Years Later: What Mrs. Dolezal Remembered
Link to comment from July 1, 2026
Years ago my dad gave me some shares of IBM. Owning an individual stock took up way too much headspace: I couldn't relax until the price finally reached my target and I could sell. So it's only index funds for me.
Post: Independence Day
Link to comment from June 29, 2026
Mark, Gemini AI says: "The quote you are looking for comes from the widely praised book The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by physician and author Siddhartha Mukherjee."
Post: Luck, Stupidity, Automation and Inertia
Link to comment from June 28, 2026
I considered a muni fund but Vanguard's only one for my state is long-term, and I want only short-term bond funds, so no.
Post: What’s in your portfolio ?
Link to comment from June 17, 2026
So interesting to see the responses! My portfolio is in Vanguard index funds in the traditional and Roth IRAs, and in cash + tax-managed, index-adjacent stock funds (slight tilt toward growth and small-cap) in the taxable account. Percentages of total portfolio are shown. taxable (12%): 07% tax-managed cap apprec (VTCLX) 01% tax-managed small cap (VTMSX) 04% fed money market (VMFXX) tIRA (64%): 16% short-term treas (VSBSX) 32% short-term infl prot bond (VTAPX) 16% tot world stock (VTWAX) rIRA (24%): 24% tot world stock (VTWAX) overall stocks/bonds+cash = 48/52. This has been on a rising glide path from 30/70 when I retired in 2021, aiming gradually for 50/50. VTWAX is currently 60.5% U.S., so overall ratio U.S. to ex-U.S. stocks is about 68% to 32%. Social Security delayed to age 70 was still not enough to cover my annual CCRC fees and other expenses, so to fill the gap I have a SPIA with 5% compound annual increase and withdraw about 2.5% of the portfolio, reinvesting any unneeded remainder of my RMD in VTCLX. Finally, I have a QLAC to start in 2034.
Post: What’s in your portfolio ?
Link to comment from June 16, 2026