TorchtheFlyingTiger

St Johns County, FL > St John Parish

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wouldn’t trust credit card info written down for that

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A one time use virtual card would give you more protections and be more secure than check w account and routing #.
My wife said last check was a few weeks ago for a yearbook. She used check to save the processing fee. Maybe I should reconsider keeping $10k+ in checking if it's vulnerable to check fraud. Clark Howard podcast is always warning about using checks and never to mail them nowadays. I remember when we had to write our SS# on our checks at the base exchange.

Why is it taboo to talk personal finance but when a coworker, friend or family member rolls up in a shiny new ride (they often can't afford and/or over financed) it's normal to enthusiastically congratulate and complement them? I came from a military career where everyone knew exactly what each other made but talking finances beyond the most basic of advice for newbies was unusual if not frowned upon. Meanwhile lectures on all sorts of off duty personal matters were a regular occurrence. Plenty of resources available for those that needed to learn to pay their bills but virtually nothing for those trying to optimize Roth versus traditional retirement contributions or nuances of investing while deployed in combat zone etc...

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What? I’m all for capitalism and have thrived under it

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Easy there, I wasn't insinuating you are anti capitalist. I'm all for it too. Just commenting about how lack of financial dialogue has negative consequences and a major factor why so many now think the system is failing them when actually they are failing to thrive in the system they never learned to function well in. I'm a huge proponent of talking $ and financial education. Even if you think it's crass amongst friends, family and coworkers what is the harm on an anonymous internet forum?

I'm about same as OP. Few hundred of missed interest annually is worth it to not have to worry about overdrafting when bills autopay. This method has allowed us to live without budgeting or sitting down to pay bills monthly. Just watch charge and withdrawal notifications for anything suspicious or unwanted. Our spending is very lumpy so a budget would be tedious and fortunately we are both quite frugal (trying to learn to spend more not less at this point). When I notice balance get excessive I transfer some to investments.

Some of the most irresponsible low functioning adults I've known can't or refuse to hold a real job so they drive UBER sporadically. I'll take my chances with a machine instead of playing roulette that I may get one of those low function humans with inability to forsee consequences of their actions.

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Kids also stand to benefit far more from money while you're alive, not when they're 65 and their fate is set

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Also a key take away from reading "Die with Zero"

They've been closing locations near me in what seem to be good locations near nice neighborhoods. Biggie bag meal and $1 free frosty keychains make it our go to for quick meals when out and about or on road trips with the kids. Food quality and value is better than most national chains.

True, the dreaded IRMAA isn't so bad once put into context. Was going over this with elderly Mom this weekend and it finally popped out at me that IRMAA of aprox $2k doesn't hit until single over something like $105 or 109k MAGI. Not a huge price to pay if living that well retired. Best to minimize, sure. But not at all costs and not if it means sacrificing lifestyle in few remaining good years.

My RMD concern is related to widow penalty and IRMAA. Definitely a bigger issue for those of us with pensions. Even so, I'm begining to realize if I tax optimize for future I will have to live leaner now in best early retirement years. At some point better to enjoy the $$$ instead of tax optimizing just for benefit of elderly self or heirs that will already be ok or much better.

VTI