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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.
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
Dan - I assume that folks who do their own taxes pay attention to all those lines. I think it's the folks who go to tax preparers who are likely less aware of their overall tax status. Rick Connor probably can speak to that.
Post: Effective vs. Marginal? Nah…..
Link to comment from July 6, 2025
Kathleen - this is a great post. My now-wife and I followed much the same steps that you describe above, but didn't have your roadmap, which would have made it easier. We keep finances separate except for household expenses and joint bills. We were still working when we met and started dating, but are now retired. As soon as we got married in 2013, we revised our wills and created trusts for financial controls that her kids and my kids will follow. The home we bought together is part of the trust. And speaking of trust, that's an important part of any relationship. I trust my wife to follow what's in my will, trust, POA, medical POA, etc.
Post: After Loss, Love Again
Link to comment from July 6, 2025
I always appreciate the history lessons that come with your articles. Thanks!
Post: Room to Maneuver
Link to comment from July 5, 2025
This is a great list! I need to consider the impact of #7 when walking, biking, AND driving. Exercise your social circle. Meet friends for lunch. Get together with a group for dinner. Read a book Don't let the TV monopolize your day Put your iPhone away when meeting with friends and family
Post: 70 years old
Link to comment from July 2, 2025
We had an ARM in the early 80's that was based on 12-3/8% but floated with T-notes. We had negative amortization before we actually moved into the house, so we already owed the bank more than we paid for the house. We refinanced to a lower fixed rate as soon as we could (10% if I recall), to get away from the risks of more negative amortization.
Post: The Illusion of Wealth
Link to comment from July 1, 2025
Dan, that's a powerful story. Hopefully others learn from John's poor decision-making.
Post: The Illusion of Wealth
Link to comment from July 1, 2025
Congrats! My experience with Fidelity rollover (maybe 4 years ago) is that they will insist on sending you the check personally. They won't send it to Schwab. I rolled out of my employer's Fidelity 401(k) for a Schwab IRA. I never understood why Fidelity wouldn't go straight to my Schwab account. I was uncomfortable holding a check that large.
Post: Today’s the Day!
Link to comment from July 1, 2025
We've discussed the book Mastering AI in other HD articles. I highly recommend it as the discussions address job elimination. The book's suggestions regarding AI-based improvements in education could result in revolutionary leaps forward.
Post: The Jevons Paradox
Link to comment from June 28, 2025
The same with the milkman. He used to supply our home with milk and related products in an insulated container. He delivered in the early morning and we had fresh, cold milk for our cereal a few hours later.
Post: The Jevons Paradox
Link to comment from June 28, 2025
This is a great response and mirrors our situation, too. There have been four items that I can see have changed in the five years since we retired: home insurance, home property tax, groceries, and medical copays. The change in medical copays applies to my personal expense account. While there's been nothing serious, and most are elective decisions, I'm definitely going to this or that doctor way more frequently than I used to.
Post: Quinn asks. What is your experience or expectation for a change in spending upon retirement?
Link to comment from June 26, 2025