I know - it sounds like I walked in there with a paper sack full of cash, but instead, I maximized the down payment using a credit card (wanted the points) and then paid the remainder with a check.
I knew that when I purchased my car, I would need to unlock my credit line (even tho I paid cash). I asked the dealer which credit reporting agency they used and only unlocked that one temporarily. I can do this online and only takes a few minutes. What I have learned about my credit score is that as I run all my expenses through credit cards (2 of them for rewards reasons), my monthly cash flow is such that on a monthly basis I can use about 60-70% of my total allocation and then it goes to zero. My credit score is like a yoyo and goes up and down every month by as much as 50 points depending if they check it when I am at a zero balance on my cards or a much higher percentage.
I too looked at my SSA on the Government site and found it to be useful. It provided my total benefit and then broke out Medicare, IRMAA and my withholdings to the dollar and cent. Useful for forward planning. And to no surprise, my monthly benefit went up a whole $4 from last year.
Dave, I did this process a month ago and was able to complete it online. I received my first check very quickly, and they automatically took the Medicare premium from that check. I did have to call them afterwards to start my tax withholding from the amount, and as mentioned, they provide you with four options as to how much you want to withhold from each check. Painless and surprisingly straightforward.
Having paid 50 years into SS, I was happy to work until I reached 70 and then decide - what next? As it turned out I was let go in a downsizing at the age of 66. So after getting my head screwed on straight again I decided to retire. This personal experience left me with the thought that... Everyone should work as long as they have to in order to receive a secure retirement. After that, everyone should work as long as they want to. For each one of us it is different and I would not presume I know what is best for you or anyone else or the circumstances driving those decisions. I did what worked for me
Hard to imagine any trip being anything but magical. Here are my next two trips that I have booked, which may also provide some inspiration for an idea for you. They are both cruises as that has been an easy way to see many places without the need to worry about transportation, hotels, or dining.
Panama Canal Cruise - Miami, Bonaire, Curacao, Cartegana, Panama Canal, Panama City, Panama. 10 Days
Venice, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Sorrento, Rome - 8 days
I have the trip booked. It's a Panama Canal Cruise that departs Miami and ends in Panama City, Panama, 10 Days Later. Along the way, it stops in Bonaire, Curacao, and Cartagena. The trip is on Seabourn with 600 other cruisers.
Having just looked at my portfolio YTD with the 1st Qtr in the books, I see that I have; SPY (S&P 500 ETF) -5.19% (60% Portfolio) BND (Intermediate Bond ETF) 1.79% (20% Portfolio) VEU (international Equity ETF) 6.29% (15% Portfolio) Cash 4% Annually (5% of Portfolio) For the last couple of years, I have wondered if having everything in equities would make me better off. Given the current environment, I sleep better with some diversification that seems to work to help balance it all out. Not sure there are any perfect answers - just ones that I can sleep with at night.
If I could pass along any advice, it would be to take time out for oneself. Being a better me is good for everyone in my life and once I started taking some time for myself, it was just amazing how it opened my relationships with others around me and became so much more meaningful. Be it exercise, a hobby, reading, a sport - just doing it for myself helped my outlook.,
Comments
I know - it sounds like I walked in there with a paper sack full of cash, but instead, I maximized the down payment using a credit card (wanted the points) and then paid the remainder with a check.
Post: When is it worth your time to unfreeze your credit score?
Link to comment from November 26, 2025
I do not remember if I gave them my SSN. As the car was also being registered for my tags and title, I suspect they had quite a bit of info on me.
Post: When is it worth your time to unfreeze your credit score?
Link to comment from November 26, 2025
I knew that when I purchased my car, I would need to unlock my credit line (even tho I paid cash). I asked the dealer which credit reporting agency they used and only unlocked that one temporarily. I can do this online and only takes a few minutes. What I have learned about my credit score is that as I run all my expenses through credit cards (2 of them for rewards reasons), my monthly cash flow is such that on a monthly basis I can use about 60-70% of my total allocation and then it goes to zero. My credit score is like a yoyo and goes up and down every month by as much as 50 points depending if they check it when I am at a zero balance on my cards or a much higher percentage.
Post: When is it worth your time to unfreeze your credit score?
Link to comment from November 25, 2025
I too looked at my SSA on the Government site and found it to be useful. It provided my total benefit and then broke out Medicare, IRMAA and my withholdings to the dollar and cent. Useful for forward planning. And to no surprise, my monthly benefit went up a whole $4 from last year.
Post: Your 2026 Social Security Benefit amount
Link to comment from November 25, 2025
Dave, I did this process a month ago and was able to complete it online. I received my first check very quickly, and they automatically took the Medicare premium from that check. I did have to call them afterwards to start my tax withholding from the amount, and as mentioned, they provide you with four options as to how much you want to withhold from each check. Painless and surprisingly straightforward.
Post: Social Security Personal Update
Link to comment from June 13, 2025
Having paid 50 years into SS, I was happy to work until I reached 70 and then decide - what next? As it turned out I was let go in a downsizing at the age of 66. So after getting my head screwed on straight again I decided to retire. This personal experience left me with the thought that... Everyone should work as long as they have to in order to receive a secure retirement. After that, everyone should work as long as they want to. For each one of us it is different and I would not presume I know what is best for you or anyone else or the circumstances driving those decisions. I did what worked for me
Post: Change Lanes, Expand Your Wheelhouse, Learn Some New Tricks
Link to comment from June 11, 2025
Hard to imagine any trip being anything but magical. Here are my next two trips that I have booked, which may also provide some inspiration for an idea for you. They are both cruises as that has been an easy way to see many places without the need to worry about transportation, hotels, or dining.
- Panama Canal Cruise - Miami, Bonaire, Curacao, Cartegana, Panama Canal, Panama City, Panama. 10 Days
- Venice, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Sorrento, Rome - 8 days
Safe Travels!Post: Trips in your “go go” years?
Link to comment from June 11, 2025
I have the trip booked. It's a Panama Canal Cruise that departs Miami and ends in Panama City, Panama, 10 Days Later. Along the way, it stops in Bonaire, Curacao, and Cartagena. The trip is on Seabourn with 600 other cruisers.
Post: Where Next? What Next?
Link to comment from April 3, 2025
Having just looked at my portfolio YTD with the 1st Qtr in the books, I see that I have; SPY (S&P 500 ETF) -5.19% (60% Portfolio) BND (Intermediate Bond ETF) 1.79% (20% Portfolio) VEU (international Equity ETF) 6.29% (15% Portfolio) Cash 4% Annually (5% of Portfolio) For the last couple of years, I have wondered if having everything in equities would make me better off. Given the current environment, I sleep better with some diversification that seems to work to help balance it all out. Not sure there are any perfect answers - just ones that I can sleep with at night.
Post: Seeking Certainty
Link to comment from March 30, 2025
If I could pass along any advice, it would be to take time out for oneself. Being a better me is good for everyone in my life and once I started taking some time for myself, it was just amazing how it opened my relationships with others around me and became so much more meaningful. Be it exercise, a hobby, reading, a sport - just doing it for myself helped my outlook.,
Post: Help Wanted
Link to comment from March 25, 2025