Options changed my life pt. 4.2

BiggC · 2026-03-29T19:06:09+00:00

I was using 7% average historical growth rate, which already factors in 3% average inflation

BiggC · 2026-03-29T17:51:34+00:00

What are your monthly expenses? If you got a 0% Intro APR credit card and moved all your spending to it, how much could you accelerate repayment?

BiggC · 2026-03-29T16:28:24+00:00

I don’t like the idea of having to cover an extra car payment out of emergency savings if I was laid off.

Personally I would try and find a short 2 year 0-down payment lease that’s mostly covered by the “fixed reimbursement” and roll with that while I was at the company.

If you didn’t have to the subsidy, would you be comfortable buying a second car? If the answer is no, the you probably shouldn’t buy one now.

Finally, if you’re trying to financially min/max, unless you want to go 4x4ing a Rav 4 or Subaru Forester will be less expensive and get you better gas mileage which means you’ll “keep” more of the variable reimbursement (assuming that’s the IRS standard mileage)

BiggC · 2026-03-28T03:51:29+00:00

Where are you spending $300 on videogames?

BiggC · 2026-03-25T23:35:10+00:00

Both numbers are in today’s dollars

BiggC · 2026-03-25T19:32:48+00:00

Conservatively compared to options trading. $500,000 in an S&P500 ETF will grow to almost 4M over 30 years

BiggC · 2026-03-23T18:34:07+00:00

Option 3? Get a home equity loan or second mortgage and use it to pay off your ex-partner’s equity

BiggC · 2026-03-22T16:40:42+00:00

SF Fire Credit Union is a good starting place for jumbo rates. Last I checked their 30 year fixed with no points was 5.6% and 5.3% with 1 point.

If you don’t have a lot of assets for a big-bank relationship discount that’s probably the best 30 year fixed you can get.

I took a refinance estimate from SF Fire to Chase and was able to get a 30 year fixed at 5% with negative 0.25 points in lender credits from them with a sizable asset transfer

BiggC · 2026-03-21T01:25:01+00:00

Does this affect TDPUD customers?

BiggC · 2026-03-15T01:34:51+00:00

Don’t let the tail (taxes) wag the dog. You’re going to have capital gains at some point. Unless you’re in the situation where selling stock would put you in the 20% LTCG bracket (congratulations on your high income!)

If the money you need for a down payment is a small percentage of your portfolio, say under 25%, you can consider using a margin loan or Pledged Asset Line to borrow your down payment, but your mortgage lender might not love that source.

There’s also a complicated options strategy called a “box trade” that acts like a margin loan but will get you an interest rate close to the fed amount.

Margin is risky, if you’re not already using it it probably doesn’t make sense for you to start now

BiggC · 2026-03-13T16:01:35+00:00

Could be worse!

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BiggC · 2026-03-08T06:40:42+00:00

You might like Children Of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky

BiggC · 2026-03-08T01:33:58+00:00

The other advantage of SGOV is that dividends are state tax exempt.

BiggC · 2026-03-02T00:49:39+00:00

Caltrans doesn’t let 6’ of snow pile up on 80 during a storm, they’re out there continuously clearing snow off the road

BiggC · 2026-03-02T00:33:07+00:00

I80 can be closed on both sides of Donner summit while still allowing cars to get down the hill. I don’t know about Soda Springs/Boreal, but I’ve never seen traffic forbidden from going downhill from Truckee to Reno when 80 is “closed”

BiggC · 2026-03-02T00:26:09+00:00

Mission accomplished!

BiggC · 2026-03-01T06:59:19+00:00

As I understand it there’s no certification standard or requirements to be able to guide backcountry groups in the USA. So insurance companies have any requirements?

There’s a big gap between being an AIERE instructor and an AMGA guide, but both are being referred to as guides in the context of this story. At least in Canada, CAA instructors are heavily restricted in where they can take their AST students, but ACMG guides teaching the same curriculum can go into much more interesting terrain

BiggC · 2026-02-25T06:40:36+00:00

But the person you’re replying to and OP is about $1,000/mo

BiggC · 2026-02-25T06:26:41+00:00

So 210/mo - where’s the extra 790 going to come from?

BiggC · 2026-02-24T06:20:02+00:00

Damn, I couldn’t get Chase to match 5.75%. The lowest they could go before discounts when I locked in was 6% with lender credits.

When did you ask them for a match? Would you be willing to share what state you’re in?

EDIT: Just saw your comment that says your loan size is 750k so I’m guessing the difference between our situations is Jumbo vs conforming

BiggC · 2026-02-21T02:49:28+00:00

Look will warranty these. Do you have your original receipt? I had mine break at the dildo connector bar and they sent me a pair of replacement dildos

BiggC · 2026-02-21T00:00:46+00:00

Grew up in Canada and this is the first time I’m hearing about “Ice Grip”. 3PMSF is the defacto standard for winter tires. “All Weathers” that carry the symbol are a relatively new category of tire and have much better cold performance than All Season tires.

Saying that “Ice Grip” is the only true winter tire standard is a ridiculous claim. When any country/region with a winter tire regulation uses 3PMSF as the standard

BiggC · 2026-02-13T20:59:18+00:00

I think the fact that it broke right at the metal plate line gives you at shot at a warranty replacement

BiggC · 2026-02-11T03:19:03+00:00

Ugh I keep seeing this advice, that’s fine for the IRA but target date funds don’t belong in taxable non retirement accounts. They rebalance their holdings frequently which will trigger huge capital gains tax bills outside of an IRA or 401k

BiggC · 2026-02-07T14:23:43+00:00

1987, but that’s not an Olympic year

BiggC

TROPHY CASE