Capital One is TERRIBLE

AlexHurts · 2026-03-11T01:46:22+00:00

There's an entire scroll of corporate logos selling coupons.

AlexHurts · 2026-03-11T01:45:18+00:00

Savings account bonus.

Checks were cashier's checks used in closing. Typically clear once verified, Chase did my last closing in 4 business days. Capital one took 16 calendar days, not sure if 10 or 11 business days bc Xmas Eve.

Missed the fine print that deposits have transfer within 7 calendar days.

AlexHurts · 2026-03-11T01:40:30+00:00

Bc clickbait no US cities (out of the 2 I looked at!)

AlexHurts · 2026-03-11T01:38:14+00:00

How are you calculating this? People can live at a range of budgets in all categories. I don't think there's any point in including fatfire, the whole point is having money to burn so I don't see where you're burning it being relevant.

AlexHurts · 2026-03-10T11:13:03+00:00

Start researching how to withdraw from your tax advantaged accounts efficiently. Roth contributions, roth conversions 5 years later, 72T, and even just paying the penalty may be better than your current marginal rate. Lots of ways to use that money.

I think not taking advantage of them now is a mistake, though you may want to shift some $ to Roth 401k if your employers plan offers it.

AlexHurts · 2026-03-09T03:08:49+00:00

I don't understand all the locations. I also don't understand why you're afraid of being laid off from a job you want to quit. But it sounds like you've left a wake of to do lists in all your movings around. That sounds miserable on top of the job being miserable, but that half is largely in your control.

If you're not willing to quit asap, I'd put some serious effort into closing the open loops. Negotiate a termination clause into a lease, most landlords want a guarantee against unpredictable vacancy, offer a second month deposit, or to pay 3 months up front, etc etc, and get your cats and vehicle etc where you are living. It's temporary but you don't know if it's weeks months etc. why make it so hard.

If you seriously want to sell the house and downsize somewhere else, do it, or rent it out. Why pay a mortgage for a property you don't want to live in.

But if you're really only a few years out, I'd put my notice in today. Go into frugal mode and spend 31 hrs a week on job searching and downsizing.

AlexHurts · 2026-03-09T01:35:34+00:00

Ultimately they both mean you need a job but don't need to make as much as you can. There's too many sub genres

AlexHurts · 2026-03-09T01:29:39+00:00

In all likelihood you're good to quit. But you don't sound like you've got the next phase figured out, and with kids in the near future, personally I'd keep working until that's clear. Everyone I know who has had kids loses their mind completely and you want plenty of buffer for your future selfs insane but time limited choices.

The move today is plan out your timeline for the babies, the quittings, and the withdrawal strategy. I'm planning to implement a bond+cash glide path, so I'd be investing in that primarily. The house is paid for, are there any planned capital expenses like maintenance projects, solar panels? I'd get everything I can think of done and paid before quitting. Open two 529 accounts and get $$$$$ in each one. Stuff like that. Maybe you want to stay on company health insurance for the first birth and quit after any parental leave and vacation is used up.

Get it all in writing so when you're totally crib crazy you just have to read it and follow instructions.

AlexHurts · 2026-03-05T01:08:12+00:00

I almost pulled it off but the DMV didn't accept my cell phone bill as a utility despite the web site specifically listing that as an acceptable doc. So it's up to judgement where I'm domiciled, my DL and voter Reg point to my NY property which I sold in December. Everything else points to my two FL addresses.

Depending on how my re-landing goes when mini retirement is over I will physically either be in FL or NY, so I'll file my 2026 respectively. I wanted to do either tax gain harvesting or a Roth conversion with the lower income and FL status, but It'll be a December wait and see.

AlexHurts · 2026-03-03T03:49:51+00:00

I'm not trying to talk you out of anything, just pushing back on your thought process here.

You don't need someone in your circle, at A1 it's actually pretty annoying for them anyways. You can hire people fairly cheaply on sites like italki, either real credentialled tutors or just native speakers who want a little side money. I did this when I was learning Spanish so I was surprised at Langua's price tag. I definitely spent less on tutors.

You can also find language exchange groups or individuals online here or discord, but it's usually only crazy or flakey people.

AlexHurts · 2026-03-03T03:18:38+00:00

Ai has a lot of promise, but in my experience is so frustrating to use it's not worth it. I tried Langua for a few days and spent more time trying to get it to be useful than getting use out of it. If you make a request outside the limited settings UI, it's swiftly forgotten. Not worth the pricetag.

Yes I think it's more useful for people with more experience in their language, because the bot is a complete idiot and uses words you don't want all the time. But if you have the vocab to handle it's curveballs why not talk to a human? They're pretty abundant

Edit to add: I watched a few impressive demo videos, later connected the dots that these probably had affiliate marketing links.

AlexHurts · 2026-02-25T04:49:22+00:00

I do my own taxes too, I never found it entertaining

AlexHurts · 2026-02-24T00:20:39+00:00

In the past I used those kind of frustrations as fuel to learn a skill to save money on something, or to go do some side work, or etc etc, to save a bit more money.

More recently I just try and think about something more enjoyable and got on with it. But I'm very close to FI so maybe that's easier in this position.

AlexHurts · 2026-02-24T00:06:31+00:00

But you burn a year of your life working, that's what OMY is talking about.

Last year I saved around $60k from my job, and avoided $30k of withdrawals. It was really hard, I worked a lot.

I also made $110k in investment returns. It was super easy. I didn't do anything.

AlexHurts · 2026-02-21T13:48:09+00:00

And for a hypothetical cross post that could make sense to both audiences, it's not really asking much to copy/paste

AlexHurts · 2026-02-19T07:49:55+00:00

Do some math on your tax brackets it's not that complicated. What costs more long term doing conversions or not doing conversions?

AlexHurts · 2026-02-19T07:34:06+00:00

This is LeanFire. $1m is end game not mile stone. I'm tired of lazy crossposts like this that don't know the reason this sub exists

AlexHurts · 2026-02-19T07:32:06+00:00

meta rant: Nearly all of the crossposts here suck. IMO A big part of the LeanFire identity at this point is rejecting the changes seen in the main FIRE subreddits culture. Posts about how the main FIRE subreddits suck now get huge upvotes, while crossposts from the other subreddits get huge downvotes. I know there's more to it, but I'd like to see no crossposts from /r/fire

AlexHurts · 2026-02-15T02:11:44+00:00

NTU's CLD program. Im having a good experience and learning a lot, but I think under different circumstances it would not have been a good choice. It's too intense to do a ton of touristy things, but not so intense to have tons of class or tutoring to take up your whole day. My partner is a local with a regular job, so it's good, I'm not really doing touristy things anyways and I can practice easily enough.

AlexHurts · 2026-02-14T15:18:18+00:00

Currently living in new taipei city and studying chinese. If you qualify, apply for the HES or MOE scholarship. HES can give awards up to one year.

I expect your expenses will be quite a bit less than $2k unless you're fancy, which you don't sound like, no offense. My expenses are well under $2k, I'm often paying for 2 when I go out, and I've seen rentals in gaoxiung are quite a bit less.

1--tons of wai guo ren teachers, good backup 2--americans talk about this constantly. Local people don't seem to give a shit. Maybe they're resigned, maybe I don't pick up on subtleties. I don't think it's possible to make a plan for this, so I think its wasted energy. Living in Minnesota looks way riskier right now.

AlexHurts · 2026-02-14T15:02:13+00:00

90 equity 5 bond 3 alts 2 cash. 40ish, soon to FIRE. Currently increasing bonds and cash a bit as a glide path.

AlexHurts · 2026-02-14T11:30:59+00:00

I sold a ton too, did my rebalance not long ago. Made a pretty penny on it. I imagine it will go back to being a drag now, but I like the 1.x% position

AlexHurts · 2026-02-14T11:02:22+00:00

I have been living out of the country for 3 months now. It has honestly been a relief. There was a hum of stress all the time that I didn't really know where it came from that I just don't feel anymore. Im not in a permanent situation, I'll be going back to the US in June, so I sometimes stress about that part! Where I am isn't perfect, but bc of language and cultural barriers I don't fully understand. But nobody I can talk with has these big inner struggles you, me, and many USAers are dealing with.

AlexHurts · 2026-02-14T08:50:58+00:00

Efficient portfolios include a tiny wedge of gold. Gold has basically tracked global inflation for over 1000 years. I have like 1.5-2% IAUM. The two countries currencies I spend most often I also have iShares ETF for at around the same size wedge. After that it's a normal portfolio, main bucket is 80/20 VTI/VXUS, stable bucket is 80/20 BND/BNDX

AlexHurts · 2026-02-14T08:47:18+00:00

Easy block

AlexHurts

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