The decision for me, a soccer fanatic, will be tickets to the World Cup this summer. I am looking out my deck window at the Seattle skyline, and if I had my binocs handy I could see the stadium where the games will be played. I know it'll drive me nuts if the games are going on and I'm not there. But the prices are insane. $800 for the top corner of the stadium. $4500 for the good seats. Times 2 if I take my nephew. Crazy.
Another perspective on paying out a big lump of cash is celebrating your ability to do it without negatively impacting your life in any way. You've worked hard and invested properly just so you could do this. So don't sweat it... savor it. Even strut a bit. You deserve to.
I did have a HELOC set up for emergencies, and at one point I was able to tap it at a moment of extreme stress, so it was worth it. But it's no longer needed.
That's exactly what we have planned for when I can no longer make the stairs, hopefully not for another 15 years but you never know. We've had the contractor out already and we know where the elevator will go -- into a corner of the dining room and up through the floor to the third bedroom. We figure $40K (we've been given that price too) is a wonderful alternative to moving out to someplace else. Other than a few bathroom handrails, the house is AIP-ready.
As usual when this subject comes up, I'm on the minority side of the argument, but I love my low-rate mortgage. My cash being readily accessible instead of being trapped in the walls of my house is what gives me peace of mind. A couple of times in my life I've needed a whole lot of money very quickly, and had to get a HELOC or a 2nd to access it -- a miserable experience. The last time it happened I had the cash at hand, and it was the one element of relief in a terribly stressful situation. My wife is like yours regarding debt, Mark, and I would certainly pay 8 grand to make her happy, but she grudgingly admits that she likes the look of our account balances and wouldn't want to pay off our mortgage with that money. She'll comfortably take care of it when she sells the house.
I love this article, Dick, because my patience with detail is on a par with yours -- nonexistent. The difference is that I once still fancied myself a pretty good stock investor despite that character flaw, which means it's an absolute miracle I didn't bankrupt myself two or three times over with my inadequately researched, quick-trigger stock buys. I look back at my year-end summaries from two decades ago and see a dozen stocks and funds I can't even identify, let alone remember buying and selling. I lost all interest in individual stocks quite abruptly when I got sick. I moved most of what I had into robo-investing vehicles (Wealthfront and Betterment) that my wife could easily understand and could handle comfortably after my departure. And when the departure didn't happen, I had zero urge to resume my evil ways. Being cured also cured me of active investing. I still have one stock and one active equity fund, but the rest is in the robos.
When I decided on Medicare Advantage, I made it a point to ask my providers at the University of Washington and Fred Hutch Cancer Center which company was the easiest for them to work with in terms of getting claims approved and processed. Their reply was United Healthcare, which has an odious national reputation but has so far turned out to be excellent. With regards to insurance agents, I've found good ones do share information on problems with companies, because they hear back loudly from their clients if they steer them to an unresponsive insurer. But not all agents are good at their jobs.
Mark, I used to believe the same. The last few years delivering Meals on Wheels have taught me otherwise. Yes, people do make bad decisions, financial and otherwise, but I've learned from listening to my clients that ill health and/or ill fortune are generally the most likely contributors to a desolate old age. Particularly in the US, where the social safety nets are full of very large holes.
Don't you think there's a reason for that? These contestants are thoroughly coached to deliver the maximum excitement to the audience. Glamor delivers excitement. 529s do not. So take what you're watching with a grain of salt. More than a grain.
Dan, I've been a regular viewer of the show for ten years now. Enjoy it immensely. And what always strikes me is the sensibility of the home shoppers. They've had a $2 million win on a scratcher and want David to find them a house for no more than $350,000. I can't remember more than one or two instances where I thought they were buying something on which they might strain to pay the taxes or upkeep.
Comments
The decision for me, a soccer fanatic, will be tickets to the World Cup this summer. I am looking out my deck window at the Seattle skyline, and if I had my binocs handy I could see the stadium where the games will be played. I know it'll drive me nuts if the games are going on and I'm not there. But the prices are insane. $800 for the top corner of the stadium. $4500 for the good seats. Times 2 if I take my nephew. Crazy.
Post: Money to burn?
Link to comment from January 26, 2026
Another perspective on paying out a big lump of cash is celebrating your ability to do it without negatively impacting your life in any way. You've worked hard and invested properly just so you could do this. So don't sweat it... savor it. Even strut a bit. You deserve to.
Post: 3:26 AM: The Arithmetic of Anxiety (A Sleepless Night)
Link to comment from January 26, 2026
I did have a HELOC set up for emergencies, and at one point I was able to tap it at a moment of extreme stress, so it was worth it. But it's no longer needed.
Post: Advice I give to anyone who’ll listen!
Link to comment from January 25, 2026
That's exactly what we have planned for when I can no longer make the stairs, hopefully not for another 15 years but you never know. We've had the contractor out already and we know where the elevator will go -- into a corner of the dining room and up through the floor to the third bedroom. We figure $40K (we've been given that price too) is a wonderful alternative to moving out to someplace else. Other than a few bathroom handrails, the house is AIP-ready.
Post: “Too Much House” vs “Not Enough House”—But Through the Lens of Aging in Place
Link to comment from January 21, 2026
As usual when this subject comes up, I'm on the minority side of the argument, but I love my low-rate mortgage. My cash being readily accessible instead of being trapped in the walls of my house is what gives me peace of mind. A couple of times in my life I've needed a whole lot of money very quickly, and had to get a HELOC or a 2nd to access it -- a miserable experience. The last time it happened I had the cash at hand, and it was the one element of relief in a terribly stressful situation. My wife is like yours regarding debt, Mark, and I would certainly pay 8 grand to make her happy, but she grudgingly admits that she likes the look of our account balances and wouldn't want to pay off our mortgage with that money. She'll comfortably take care of it when she sells the house.
Post: The $8,000 Cost of Peace of Mind
Link to comment from January 20, 2026
I love this article, Dick, because my patience with detail is on a par with yours -- nonexistent. The difference is that I once still fancied myself a pretty good stock investor despite that character flaw, which means it's an absolute miracle I didn't bankrupt myself two or three times over with my inadequately researched, quick-trigger stock buys. I look back at my year-end summaries from two decades ago and see a dozen stocks and funds I can't even identify, let alone remember buying and selling. I lost all interest in individual stocks quite abruptly when I got sick. I moved most of what I had into robo-investing vehicles (Wealthfront and Betterment) that my wife could easily understand and could handle comfortably after my departure. And when the departure didn't happen, I had zero urge to resume my evil ways. Being cured also cured me of active investing. I still have one stock and one active equity fund, but the rest is in the robos.
Post: Are you an investor?
Link to comment from January 20, 2026
When I decided on Medicare Advantage, I made it a point to ask my providers at the University of Washington and Fred Hutch Cancer Center which company was the easiest for them to work with in terms of getting claims approved and processed. Their reply was United Healthcare, which has an odious national reputation but has so far turned out to be excellent. With regards to insurance agents, I've found good ones do share information on problems with companies, because they hear back loudly from their clients if they steer them to an unresponsive insurer. But not all agents are good at their jobs.
Post: Overpaid?
Link to comment from January 19, 2026
Mark, I used to believe the same. The last few years delivering Meals on Wheels have taught me otherwise. Yes, people do make bad decisions, financial and otherwise, but I've learned from listening to my clients that ill health and/or ill fortune are generally the most likely contributors to a desolate old age. Particularly in the US, where the social safety nets are full of very large holes.
Post: Irrational Financial Choices
Link to comment from January 19, 2026
Don't you think there's a reason for that? These contestants are thoroughly coached to deliver the maximum excitement to the audience. Glamor delivers excitement. 529s do not. So take what you're watching with a grain of salt. More than a grain.
Post: Irrational Financial Choices
Link to comment from January 18, 2026
Dan, I've been a regular viewer of the show for ten years now. Enjoy it immensely. And what always strikes me is the sensibility of the home shoppers. They've had a $2 million win on a scratcher and want David to find them a house for no more than $350,000. I can't remember more than one or two instances where I thought they were buying something on which they might strain to pay the taxes or upkeep.
Post: Irrational Financial Choices
Link to comment from January 18, 2026