FREE NEWSLETTER
Jeff moved to Raleigh in 1971 to attend North Carolina State University and never left. He retired in 2020 after 43 years in various engineering roles. Jeff’s the proud father of two sons and, in 2013, expanded his family with a new wife and two stepdaughters. Today, he’s “Grandpa” four times over. In retirement, Jeff works on home projects, volunteers, reads, gardens, and rides his bike or goes to the gym almost every day. He's written several Humble Dollar articles that can be found here.
Another HD Post About Cars
64 replies
AUTHOR: Jeff Bond on 5/27/2025
FIRST: Rick Connor on 5/27 | RECENT: stelea99 on 6/21
How Did You Announced Your Retirement?
32 replies
AUTHOR: Jeff Bond on 8/13/2024
FIRST: R Quinn on 8/13/2024 | RECENT: R Quinn on 5/1
Where and When Do You Spend?
48 replies
AUTHOR: Jeff Bond on 3/2/2025
FIRST: Edmund Marsh on 3/3 | RECENT: Jeff Bond on 3/8
Whole Life Insurance Worked for Me
24 replies
AUTHOR: Jeff Bond on 1/22/2025
FIRST: Rick Connor on 1/22 | RECENT: Jeff Bond on 1/25
Home Maintenance Choices, Options, & Decisions
35 replies
AUTHOR: Jeff Bond on 11/5/2024
FIRST: Dan Smith on 11/5/2024 | RECENT: Jeff Bond on 11/11/2024
DST Transitioning
11 replies
AUTHOR: Jeff Bond on 11/9/2024
FIRST: mytimetotravel on 11/9/2024 | RECENT: mytimetotravel on 11/10/2024
Long-Term Care? Who Has It?
45 replies
AUTHOR: Jeff Bond on 8/10/2024
FIRST: Ken Cutler on 8/10/2024 | RECENT: Linda Grady on 9/10/2024
MY WIFE AND I purchased a 1942 bungalow when we got married in 2013. It met many of our criteria: price, location, spacious backyard, access to greenways and more. But the place also had drawbacks—including the one described below.
The entryway to the house included a climb up seven steps to a stoop. The stoop was small, large enough for only one person to stand while opening the storm door. The only protection from the weather was an old canvas awning.
MY RETIREMENT IN July 2020 came at a stressful time. I was recovering from knee replacement surgery and we were in the midst of the pandemic. Luckily, I had physical therapy goals to meet, and I’d already purchased a huge supply of reading material. TV, music and my laptop were also there to distract me. In addition, my wife had retired eight months before, so we had each other for company.
As the pandemic stretched on,
AS AN ENGINEER and a believer in keeping things running, I haven’t owned many automobiles during my lifetime. Instead, my focus has been on extending each one’s longevity.
Among the maintenance and repairs I’ve undertaken: oil changes, spark plug and wire replacements, carburetor cleaning and adjustment, belt and hose replacements, distributor and timing settings, brake replacements (disk and drum), master and slave brake cylinder repairs, clutch adjustment, alternator repair, radiator repair, heater core repair,
I BEGAN MY CAREER as a part-time employee for an engineering consulting firm. At the time, I was working on my master’s degree in mechanical engineering. I shifted to full-time when I’d wrapped up my coursework but before completing my research and oral defense.
Over the next four years, I finished that degree and passed the national exam to become a registered professional engineer. I also got married, and bought a dog, a second car and a house.
AS A KID, I WAS usually one of the last chosen for pickup games, be it softball, basketball or football. My athletic prowess was limited to being the fastest kid in my neighborhood, but it seems I lived in a slow neighborhood. I had moderate success on a local swim team, but again found that success didn’t translate to surrounding communities.
Into my teen years, I was plagued by allergies and asthma. It wasn’t until the late 1970s,
MOM AND DAD WERE products of the Great Depression. I feel like it affected every single day of their lives. Despite their difficult upbringing, they made good financial decisions that allowed them to live comfortably. Part of it was because Dad worked for the same company for almost 42 years. His pension paid him more than I earned in my first job as an engineer.
When Mom died in August 2004, she was almost 84.
WHEN I FIRST CAME across HumbleDollar, I just lurked on the website, convinced that everyone knew more about investing and personal finance than me. After a while, I started making occasional comments.
Finally, I’m ready to share some of my financial stories. My first topic relates to my misadventures with real estate limited partnerships. Note that all references here are to my then-wife, not my current wife.
I was in my first job as an engineer.
Comments
I'm a bit more than five years into retirement, and it's been a blast. If there are cracks in the surface, I skated right over them. :) I still have occasional face-to-face meetups with local former coworkers, and monitor some activities of remote former coworkers via Linked In. When they start talking about work, my eyes glaze over - I'm so done with that part of my life. This is the first year I've experienced both high highs and low lows. Nothing that serious with the lows, but definitely time consuming and worrisome at the time. But, I'm still exercising, pursuing interesting projects, and still volunteering. The reading tutoring program for at-risk kids starts up soon. For some reason, that's something I look forward to. I feel like it puts an extra skip in my step.
Post: Wade Pfau has put me in a funk. Are you dealing with the stages of retirement?
Link to comment from October 11, 2025
Just a thought. If you still want to work, then maybe you can be the communications conduit for small business buyers and sellers. It sounds like you managed this one perfectly.
Post: Selling our Business – The Aftermath
Link to comment from October 11, 2025
I think the point here is - given identical circumstances applied to everyone - we all make different choices. Our life experiences, genetics, finances, social system/support, mentality and so much more go into the choices we make. Considering the relative age and financial standing of most HD readers, I'd say we all should do what you do, and enjoy it while you can. The less time we spend evaluating the decisions of others, the better off we all will be.
Post: Hey Mark, a different take on “fancy” and simplicity.
Link to comment from October 8, 2025
I don't do taxes for others, but these are the kinds of topics I've read about through the years: I shouldn't owe money this year because I don't have any leftover Why can't I claim my veterinary bills as a medical deduction? I want to itemize AND take the standard deduction Why do I need to supply proof for that deduction? How do you know the IRS won't accept that as a deduction (or credit)? Shouldn't we just submit it and see if it works? >>> and finally, a quote from my ex-wife, after seeing our tax return and seeing (separately) the balances on my 401(k) and her IRA: "Can we spend that?"
Post: Taxpayers Say the Darndest Things
Link to comment from October 2, 2025
Mark - I wrote several Articles before Jonathan made the switch to Forum pieces. I've noticed that some contributors dive in, author good (sometimes very good) articles, forums, or comments, and then disappear. I know my interest waxes and wanes depending on what's going on in my life, and assume that's what happens to others, too. I remember Dan posted a Forum piece where he wondered where other folks come up with their ideas. I also often come up empty when trying to think of a credible topic. I've got one that I'm thinking about, but my youngest son might not want me to post it.
Post: Enriching Our Collective Wisdom
Link to comment from October 1, 2025
Once long ago, I traveled on business that required a layover in Charlotte, NC on both the outgoing and returning flights. On my return, I entered the Charlotte airport and was terribly confused, as the entire layout was changed and modernized. It turned out that they had built a new, modern terminal adjacent to the old one, and opened the new one while I was gone. I was in the right place, I just thought (momentarily) that I was in the wrong place.
Post: Right Day, On Time and at the Right Place: A Rare Trio
Link to comment from October 1, 2025
I'm the same way. I got up between 5:30-6:00 AM for 40-some-odd years. After being retired for 5 years, I still wake up (without an alarm clock) around the same time, plus-or-minus 30 minutes. I seem to be slowly moving to a 6:30 wakeup time, but it's not consistent, and I only rarely sleep beyond that.
Post: Traits of “successful” people
Link to comment from September 28, 2025
Mark - thanks for this. I often remark, especially to my wife, how lucky I am. Yes, I worked hard to accomplish some "stuff" during my career, but it was aided by life's circumstances. I'm indeed fortunate, and that good fortune has branches in many directions - health, finances, family, geography, social engagement, etc.
Post: The 1% Club: Our Unnoticed Wealth
Link to comment from September 28, 2025
My story is similar to Dana's. I read some of Jonathan's WSJ articles back in the day, but lost track of him and his writings until I stumbled upon Humble Dollar. After reading HD articles for a while, I suggested a topic to Jonathan, and he was both welcoming and helpful. That was followed by six more before we switched to Forum pieces. I appreciated how he would occasionally butt into a conversation to make sure everything stayed on a friendly/helpful level. Other than online interviews and his writings, I regret I never had the opportunity to meet Jonathan. If he didn't know it before Sunday, he knows it now. Rest in Peace.
Post: Thank you, Jonathan
Link to comment from September 23, 2025
As much as I'd like to, 6-1/2 to 7 hours one way via I-95 is a non-starter for me. I remember, like uludom, that Jonathan said around that time he was also considering a couple of road trips to meet folks in other locales.
Post: Pizza, Anyone?
Link to comment from September 23, 2025