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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.
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
How Did You Announced Your Retirement?
18 replies
AUTHOR: Jeff Bond on 8/13/2024
FIRST: R Quinn on 8/13/2024 | RECENT: Rob Jennings on 8/28/2024
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
Number 4. I'm retired. I enjoyed working, and learned a ton of new technology between 1976 and when I retired in 2020. I also learned to stop acting like I was a hamster in a wheel - - - that working to live was far more important than living to work. There was one last status upgrade/promotion I wanted before I retired, and didn't get it. But now, five years later, it doesn't matter at all. We're happy in retirement, have our health, adequate finances, and a great social network that includes family and friends.
Post: Ask Me a Tough One by Jonathan Clements
Link to comment from April 18, 2025
Steward. I really like that term in this case. That's what I hope to be, too.
Post: Ask Me a Tough One by Jonathan Clements
Link to comment from April 18, 2025
I use TurboTax, and have done so since before MS-Windows existed. I download all 1099s that are available, but some must be entered by hand. I used the What-If calculator to evaluate different filing scenarios and estimate what will happen in the coming year. I file my Federal tax return electronically via TurboTax for free. The NC State tax return is very simple, just a couple of pages, so I mail it in. But if any payment is due, I go online with the NC Department of Revenue to make the payment electronically. Now that tax season is over, I'm thinking about having a Tax/CPA guy review our last few returns to see if we could be doing anything differently.
Post: Now it’s over, taxes are filed, but I have a question. How did prepare your your taxes?
Link to comment from April 17, 2025
John - I do not agree with your assessment. As the recipient of both a knee replacement five years ago, at 67, and a hip replacement three years ago, I can report how extremely happy I am with the results. In both cases, the pain I experienced prior to surgery was debilitating and limiting. I explained to my surgeon and physical therapist before surgery my activity level and desire to return to the same level. Especially for the knee replacement, recovery is not a walk in the park. I started with PT at home two days after surgery and worked for many weeks to regain leg strength. Even now, five years after surgery, when I go to the YMCA for core strength and stretching exercises, many of the tasks I have on repeat are exercises the PT prescribed during recovery. There's no question that the result of some procedures do not alleviate all symptoms, but I think you're painting with too broad a brush. Later today I plan a 15-mile bike ride, where I'll push myself just like I did ten years ago.
Post: Screw politics, let’s talk health! Are all surgeries necessary or have we become the college tuition bank for the Doc’s children?
Link to comment from April 17, 2025
Best of luck! When I was in my 40's I ran sprint triathlons. Never even considered a full IronMan. I like the dedication - both yours and the idea of including Jonathan in your motivation.
Post: The Comeback
Link to comment from April 9, 2025
I'm doing the same as you, drawing early to minimize the RMD sometime down the road. Started out at 2% and haven't changed since I started several years ago.
Post: 4% every year? even this one?
Link to comment from April 9, 2025
I'll extend the shopping cart thing. Some folks just get their carts "close" to the shopping cart corral. I roll my cart to the corral and then push my cart into the one in front to collapse the space and maximize the number of carts that can be stored in the corral. If possible, I push to collapse all that are there. Over time, I've noticed that both of my sons do the same thing - - - perhaps one of my odd habits that they picked up.
Post: RDQ There is so much to rant about these days. Let’s go for the people who don’t believe facts-perhaps about Social Security
Link to comment from April 9, 2025
Maybe your neighbor is/was an officer so he had higher pay. Military housing allowance doesn't always cover all costs. Both of my boys started out enlisted. My oldest is scheduled to begin officer training school next month, so perhaps things will change with the upgrade in pay and new assignment.
Post: Should young people buy or rent?
Link to comment from April 8, 2025
Both of my sons are in their mid/upper 30's and have never owned homes due to lifestyle. The oldest is in the military and is subject to reassignment every few years. The youngest was in the military but is now a civilian, but has moved to be within 30 minutes of us in Raleigh, NC. The cost of housing here is high, and I think he's still searching for the career path that works best for his family - so they continue to rent. My point, if I really have one, is that the "buy a house" decision is situational on very many levels. It's not just outlandish rents and expensive housing.
Post: Should young people buy or rent?
Link to comment from April 7, 2025
We all need that reminder. Last week my neighbor's father died unexpectedly. He was 5 years younger than me. It gives you pause . . .
Post: Tempus Fugit
Link to comment from April 7, 2025