So True! We are currently remodeling our bathroom and overwhelmed by DOZENS of shades of white/grey for shower tiles and flooring! Good Grief. I have no flair for design and really dislike the whole remodeling process. Too many material options makes it even worse. Thank goodness for designers. In my volunteer role counseling on Medicare choices I have seen so many seniors confused by the ridiculous number of Advantage plans available. In addition the marketing of these plans can be deceptive and intense. The Medicare program is actually not that complicated but has been upended by the growth of Part C Advantage and so many plans that it IS confusing and difficult to understand.
Too many bad stories with ladders and heights! I recently paid to have our gutters cleaned,although husband thought he could do it. I would not let him take that risk. You made a wise call.
Great one! My kids are in the recent grad category and they are doing great with money as they get started and in high demand job fields. My biggest concern is thus this one - maturity as they consider marrying and hopefully a good match.
I dont generally do the asking about friends/others finances, but some think I know a fair amount about it so occasionally I am asked about investments/retirement topics. I am not inclined to go into much detail other than some very general things. Recently though I had a friend tell me that they were very concerned about the stock market and the state of our country and they thought they were going to pull all their money out (tax deferred accounts included). In this case I was far more nosey than normal. I probably spent 30 minutes asking for more details of their situation and what they were thinking. I told them to seek professional advice but I even went so far as to tell them to call me to talk more before they did something rash.
I get annoyed by people that do nothing but complain about how bad they have it or how they are getting screwed, and then tell me how someone else is getting so many benefits, free stuff etc etc. They really know nothing about anyone's situation but they can sure bitch about it. It is too exhausting and they are bitter people. I usually interrupt to explain how grateful I am for something simple like a great meal, or a good friend, and then try to move on.
I volunteer as a Medicare counselor for Minnesota's Senior Assistance. We provide information only, without bias to any particular plans. I cant tell you how many people think MA is so great because of the lower premium costs and the full service (Part A,B,D plus extras) it includes. I advise them to maintain an account for the 'surprise costs' they can see when using services. Another issue is friendly comparisons, so many come in and say "my friend only pays X (small premium) for their plan". It is super important not to drop that Medigap before they know the real facts as has been noted, as it is unlikely to get it back. I agree with most comments regarding the benefit of the Medigap, but I also have folks that simply cannot afford these supplement premiums either.
It depends. I have had this option twice in my career. When I left my first company after 17 years (at 39 years old) I did the calculation and took the lump sum as I could roll it into my IRA and continue the growth. Then when I retired from my second company - now at 55 I ran the numbers with the discount rate/rules at that time and opted to leave that one as a pension. I also paid close attention to the details when I took the lump sum and challenged the interest rate they gave me as it had changed a bit just after I left and submitted my paperwork. It was significant and resulted in almost $10000 of additional funds to my IRA.
Our family has traveled quite a bit over the years. This has always meant looking for deals, usually for lodging. I knew it went too far when we stayed in a motel just outside of Chicago in a sketchy area, and were afraid to even get under the covers of the bed! All I could think was this was a rent by the hour place and who knows what was left behind, ugggh. To be fair it was a late night find and we were just exhausted and needed a quick layover. From then on though my kids were always interested in the places I booked, and quick to give me an earful if it was too cheap. These days I’m far more particular.
Good outcome for you! I had a scare with Houzlet myself. I booked a monthly rental also, but then I requested a slight change in dates and my email was pinged back. I figured I had gotten scammed so I researched Houzlet and found many poor ratings. Now panicked I immediately cancelled my booking. A different contact person tried to beg me to keep it, but in the end I got my deposit refunded with no issue. I decided never to rent through them via VRBO.
Thanks for your service Ken. Fellow military family here, husband 24 yrs active USAF. Retired at 41, pension since that age and started second career in education. Recently under PACT act also received disability benefit. We both retired early and the medical is the reason we could do that. Our son served active Army for his 3.5 yrs and now is full time college student on full GI bill. His military time was difficult but he grew and matured so much it was amazing! Even though it was not fun at the time he looks back on it fondly with no regrets. Before I met my husband I knew nothing about the military, but it has been great for me and my family.
Comments:
So True! We are currently remodeling our bathroom and overwhelmed by DOZENS of shades of white/grey for shower tiles and flooring! Good Grief. I have no flair for design and really dislike the whole remodeling process. Too many material options makes it even worse. Thank goodness for designers. In my volunteer role counseling on Medicare choices I have seen so many seniors confused by the ridiculous number of Advantage plans available. In addition the marketing of these plans can be deceptive and intense. The Medicare program is actually not that complicated but has been upended by the growth of Part C Advantage and so many plans that it IS confusing and difficult to understand.
Post: Paradox of choice. What to do, what to do?
Link to comment from November 5, 2024
Too many bad stories with ladders and heights! I recently paid to have our gutters cleaned,although husband thought he could do it. I would not let him take that risk. You made a wise call.
Post: Home Maintenance Choices, Options, & Decisions
Link to comment from November 5, 2024
Great one! My kids are in the recent grad category and they are doing great with money as they get started and in high demand job fields. My biggest concern is thus this one - maturity as they consider marrying and hopefully a good match.
Post: What Financial/ Life advice would you give a 2024 college graduate?
Link to comment from June 30, 2024
I dont generally do the asking about friends/others finances, but some think I know a fair amount about it so occasionally I am asked about investments/retirement topics. I am not inclined to go into much detail other than some very general things. Recently though I had a friend tell me that they were very concerned about the stock market and the state of our country and they thought they were going to pull all their money out (tax deferred accounts included). In this case I was far more nosey than normal. I probably spent 30 minutes asking for more details of their situation and what they were thinking. I told them to seek professional advice but I even went so far as to tell them to call me to talk more before they did something rash.
Post: How nosey are you?
Link to comment from June 30, 2024
I get annoyed by people that do nothing but complain about how bad they have it or how they are getting screwed, and then tell me how someone else is getting so many benefits, free stuff etc etc. They really know nothing about anyone's situation but they can sure bitch about it. It is too exhausting and they are bitter people. I usually interrupt to explain how grateful I am for something simple like a great meal, or a good friend, and then try to move on.
Post: Monday is a good day for a rant. Let’s talk everything annoying. People, money, people
Link to comment from June 29, 2024
I volunteer as a Medicare counselor for Minnesota's Senior Assistance. We provide information only, without bias to any particular plans. I cant tell you how many people think MA is so great because of the lower premium costs and the full service (Part A,B,D plus extras) it includes. I advise them to maintain an account for the 'surprise costs' they can see when using services. Another issue is friendly comparisons, so many come in and say "my friend only pays X (small premium) for their plan". It is super important not to drop that Medigap before they know the real facts as has been noted, as it is unlikely to get it back. I agree with most comments regarding the benefit of the Medigap, but I also have folks that simply cannot afford these supplement premiums either.
Post: Which is better, traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage?
Link to comment from June 22, 2024
It depends. I have had this option twice in my career. When I left my first company after 17 years (at 39 years old) I did the calculation and took the lump sum as I could roll it into my IRA and continue the growth. Then when I retired from my second company - now at 55 I ran the numbers with the discount rate/rules at that time and opted to leave that one as a pension. I also paid close attention to the details when I took the lump sum and challenged the interest rate they gave me as it had changed a bit just after I left and submitted my paperwork. It was significant and resulted in almost $10000 of additional funds to my IRA.
Post: Lumpsum Vs Monthly Payment – Which pension option is better?
Link to comment from June 22, 2024
Our family has traveled quite a bit over the years. This has always meant looking for deals, usually for lodging. I knew it went too far when we stayed in a motel just outside of Chicago in a sketchy area, and were afraid to even get under the covers of the bed! All I could think was this was a rent by the hour place and who knows what was left behind, ugggh. To be fair it was a late night find and we were just exhausted and needed a quick layover. From then on though my kids were always interested in the places I booked, and quick to give me an earful if it was too cheap. These days I’m far more particular.
Post: When have you taken frugality too far?
Link to comment from June 22, 2024
Good outcome for you! I had a scare with Houzlet myself. I booked a monthly rental also, but then I requested a slight change in dates and my email was pinged back. I figured I had gotten scammed so I researched Houzlet and found many poor ratings. Now panicked I immediately cancelled my booking. A different contact person tried to beg me to keep it, but in the end I got my deposit refunded with no issue. I decided never to rent through them via VRBO.
Post: Headache for Rent
Link to comment from April 16, 2024
Thanks for your service Ken. Fellow military family here, husband 24 yrs active USAF. Retired at 41, pension since that age and started second career in education. Recently under PACT act also received disability benefit. We both retired early and the medical is the reason we could do that. Our son served active Army for his 3.5 yrs and now is full time college student on full GI bill. His military time was difficult but he grew and matured so much it was amazing! Even though it was not fun at the time he looks back on it fondly with no regrets. Before I met my husband I knew nothing about the military, but it has been great for me and my family.
Post: Learned in Uniform
Link to comment from August 23, 2023