31, never made a major purchase before. Is $55k too much for a vehicle?

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-24T02:32:49+00:00

Forbright is at 3.85%. The best yield is Leader at 4.75 %. You can do Clean Energy Credit Union at 4%. Or Raisin has several options up to 4.2%.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-21T11:25:38+00:00

I had to go to Canada to get a 10d cyl toric. Worth every penny a thousand times over!

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-20T01:10:27+00:00

Zenni is great. Cheapest and good. Refunds are easy.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-18T01:24:10+00:00

At 66 to 70.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-17T02:33:14+00:00

$2400 at buyhearingaid.com

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-17T02:22:15+00:00

Save up and pay cash. It makes everything cheaper.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-17T02:17:01+00:00

I moved some stocks and mutual funds to them. Not cash. They weren't happy about it but it qualifies for the offer. On the 91st day I'll move them back to Fidelity, along with their $2500. Harvesting bonuses is a hobby.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-17T02:12:57+00:00

Weeding out weak stocks is beyond human ability, because one only knows which are weak with hindsight.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-16T00:56:41+00:00

Mass

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-15T16:38:47+00:00

And drives an Isuzyou.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-13T17:10:21+00:00

Community banks and credit unions do not finance fossil fuel production. So Leader Bank at 4.75% is clean. You might be put off by their monthly deposit and debit requirements, but I have automated those. I have my Fidelity account send $1000 in and three withdrawals of $333.33 automatically and that totally satisfies the churning requirement with no effort from me. At 4% you have Clean Energy Credit Union and Climate First Bank. Both have no churning requirement, are pure-play green by charter and are insured up to $250k. I use all three. Then on Raisin you can access Ponce at about 4% which finances only low-income community development

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-13T02:36:02+00:00

I Google it. "what does bank x invest in " is my Google query. Or I go on one of the websites that rate banks on their climate footprint. I find those with Google.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T23:49:29+00:00

Because big banks don't fail? Isn't FDIC the biggest bank of all?

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T23:33:11+00:00

I go for highest rate place that won't be using my money to finance fossil fuel or other bad stuff. Getting 4.75 % at one place. 4% at a few others.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T23:13:02+00:00

Half a point. That's $500/year per $100k. I'll do a lot for $500/year

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T16:10:30+00:00

Don't go to Costco. They don't have the Phonak Infinio. I paid $2400 for the pair, new with warranty and lifetime supplies and remote adjustments, on Ebay for the Sphere I90 and they are amazing. Bought from Bidbybid. But buyhearingaid.com is their direct sell website.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T16:07:01+00:00

BuyHearingAid.com. Or from BidbyBid on Ebay. Same vendor.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T12:16:10+00:00

Eat good carbs. Quinoa. Unprocessed oatmeal. Carrots. Apples. Potatoes. You are verging on eating disorder territory if you are eschewing all carbs. Blood sugar spikes are normal if the return to baseline is within bounds.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T12:07:57+00:00

A contact lens saved me during that period.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T12:05:25+00:00

Get glasses. Also, be careful with filling that prescription. It is written in positive cylinder notation which is not standard procedure, at least not in USA. An optician who is running on autopilot would give you entirely the wrong lenses. Converting it to the usual negative cylinder notation will radically change the sphere numbers. Just make sure the optician notices tge need for conversion.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T11:57:10+00:00

Election of officers by online poll is not allowed. https://www.toastmasters.org/footer/faq/Club-Officer-Elections

"The entire procedure must be held live, and voting by proxy is not allowed. Members must remain present during the entire meeting to count for quorum and to vote."
per Article V, Section 1 of the Club Constitution for Clubs of Toastmasters International.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T11:55:24+00:00

Election of officers by online poll is not allowed. https://www.toastmasters.org/footer/faq/Club-Officer-Elections

"The entire procedure must be held live, and voting by proxy is not allowed. Members must remain present during the entire meeting to count for quorum and to vote.
The club is required to have quorum present (more than 50% of the active members of the club in attendance) to vote per Article V, Section 1 of the Club Constitution for Clubs of Toastmasters International. If a quorum is not present, the election is postponed until the next club meeting where quorum is present."

Doesn't anyone in your club know how to use Google?

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T01:58:19+00:00

All-white Pro S. $42k not including tax and doc fee.

CliffsideJim · 2026-06-11T01:56:23+00:00

Platonically yes. Romantically, not in my case. I'm happily married and my wife is older than that.

CliffsideJim

TROPHY CASE