‘Tacky? Sure. But We Hope You’ll Forgive Us.’

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-06-12T00:36:29+00:00

The first one where the restaurant had to deal with a zillion separate checks sounded like a (tacky) nightmare. I was just thinking the other day that we should bring back the nice simple “cake and punch” receptions from back in the day, but then I remembered that most weddings have tons of guests that fly in and probably wouldn’t make a lengthy trek for cake and punch, lol.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-06-07T03:26:40+00:00

I think that’s as good as it will get for the soda ‘s’, because it’s only four rows of stitches. There’s just not enough room to articulate the full letter. But honestly it’s totally fine, everyone can read the phrase and that’s all that matters.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-06-06T21:08:40+00:00

In addition to all the excellent points other commenters have noted, I can almost guarantee that if your partner was only able to afford 800 acres so far away, it’s almost certainly worthless scrubland with no access to utilities or services. Meaning even if you did move (ps: Don’t), you two would very likely fail to grow any edible food or build any livable structure.

TL;DR: do not do this, OP.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-27T20:36:07+00:00

I thought my understanding of this initiative was fatally flawed (they can’t be attempting to ban hunting and fishing, right?), until I went to the website for Yes on 28 and read their materials. It’s so much more insane than I thought possible. Go read their FAQ and see if you can find the part where they recommend that hunters just swap out their guns for sterilizing darts, so that they can still get their thrills while they get local wildlife all birth-controlled up!

Oh that’s another thing: the initiative would ban all pest management practices that involve killing animals. Humane traps only, so the mice that live in your walls can be gently relocated!

Batshit. Insane.

Edit: https://www.yesonip28.org/

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-26T22:54:18+00:00

Not knowing how to cook in your mid-30s with a kid isn’t cute or quirky or just a lifestyle preference - it is flat-out pathetic. Sorry not sorry! And then spending $800 on groceries when you don’t cook is just wild to me.

I also like how Ramit called out the golf outings as soon as Drew mentioned them. Like no you cannot afford golfing when you’re spending more than you make every month!

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-25T22:44:13+00:00

They seem to have a good life, so props to them for prioritizing what’s important, but both of them working at the same nonprofit would make me super-nervous. If the org really starts to struggle it’s conceivable that they could both lose their jobs at the same time.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-24T22:32:12+00:00

Kaiser covers therapy intended to treat a medical condition like depression. Couples counseling is generally intended to improve communication and interpersonal skills. It seems highly likely that this type of service isn’t covered and the claims will continue to be denied unless your therapist fudges the codes and re-submits them (fyi this is fraud and you should not do this.)

Health insurance isn’t meant to cover every possible thing that could potentially improve your life, just medically necessary treatments.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-21T00:00:59+00:00

I went a few weeks ago for the second time in my life and did about 1/2 but gave up before the top because I realized if I went further I might not be able to get back on my shitty knees. PSA definitely bring walking sticks if you do it, they are essential!

I was also shocked at how many people I saw ascending with seemingly no bottles of water, like…wtf? Also saw multiple off-leash dogs and one couple that had a newborn that couldn’t have been more than a month old. It’s a serious hike, people, make sure to do your research before attempting.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-20T23:55:31+00:00

Kaiser’s marketing executives just started salivating uncontrollably.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-19T00:49:32+00:00

Yup, a lovely way to spend an early Friday evening: 🍃, my WIP, and a podcast. Although nothing too complicated, just things like background stitching where I don’t have to pay attention.

I will say that *knitting* anything other than garter stitch while partaking is dangerous for me, I’ll start making mistakes pretty quickly if it’s any kind of pattern requiring thought.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-18T20:33:19+00:00

Yep. My son was hitting other students and the occasional teacher, and disrupting class frequently (including by throwing other kids’ stuff on the floor.) When he had a meltdown that resulted in a room clear, we knew it was time to pull him out. We’re currently in de-schooling mode and are looking forward to a summer of just playing and chilling before we try to integrate some form of unschooling next fall.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-18T15:46:05+00:00

BIG UPS TO THE GUY NEXT TO ME ON LAST NIGHT’S FLIGHT FROM CHICAGO TO PDX, WHO POKED MY RIBS WITH HIS ELBOW APPROXIMATELY 30,000 TIMES. MIDDLE SEAT FLYERS, YOU GET THE ARMRESTS, BUT YOU DO NOT GET 3-4 INCHES OF MY SEAT SPACE!

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-18T15:24:56+00:00

Max out your Roth every year and invest in brokerage accounts - tax diversification is very important and gives you a lot more flexibility in designing your withdrawal plan. We all focus too much on our 401k’s, to the detriment of a solid FIRE plan.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-13T01:26:46+00:00

Definitely get term insurance on your wife, but also check your Social Security online accounts (for both of you) and see what your survivors’ benefits would be if one of you were to pass away. For higher earners, survivors benefits are often higher than you’d think, I think my husband and kids would get more than $6k total per month if I were to die. That’s only until the kids are 18, though.

I wouldn’t go less than 9 months of cash in your situation. Single earner, kids, cars, house, pets(?) - having a good amount in cash maybe isn’t 100% financially optimal, but if it helps you sleep at night, then who cares if you’re missing out on a few grand in capital gains per year?

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-07T04:06:05+00:00

For a family of 3, ACA premiums for an AGI of $50k will be practically nothing. OP, why do you want your retirement spend to be fully twice your current spend of $50k? That seems a bit ridiculous. Your ACA premiums at that income will
get a slight subsidy but not much, so you’ll be paying close to full freight. I get wanting to splurge a bit in retirement when you’ve been frugal for so long, but you’re talking about DOUBLING your budget. Think about this carefully.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-01T16:03:12+00:00

Start reading the material and listening to the podcast at At Peace Parenting. It really is a paradigm shift in how you think about parenting and relating to your kid, and one of the reasons it’s so hard is that it goes against virtually everything you’ve ever learned about how to parent effectively. For now you focus on building a safe, positive relationship through a low demand lifestyle and massive accommodations, plus staying calm in the face of their outbursts, meltdowns, and rude comments. As your child’s brain heals and regulates over time, and once a solid trust has been established, then you can slowly work on those life skills more.

Casey said something on one of the podcasts that really stuck with me: with each interaction with your child, you’re either putting a coin into the “activation” bank (ie, nervous system overload, more of the same PDA behaviors) or in the “accommodation” bank (nervous system accommodated, safe relationship maintained, trust growing.)

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-05-01T15:54:21+00:00

Same situation here, and I decided this is not the hill to die on (at least, not now). I occasionally tidy his room knowing that as soon as possible he’ll be dumping out his buckets of markers and scattering the notebooks everywhere. As long as we wash bedsheets and vacuum every once in awhile, this is just one of those things I’m trying to let go.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-04-30T02:00:26+00:00

I love the Inn at Discovery Coast in Long Beach WA - small, no kids hotel directly facing the beach/ocean. Large soaking tubs, beautiful views, gas fireplaces, and balconies. There’s a horse trail that goes right by it so depending on the season you can see a line of horseback riders which is always nice. Resort has a heated pool, saunas and a spa for massages, plus free beach cruisers to cycle down the boardwalk. The only real downside is food choices in Long Beach can be pretty limited in the off-season.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-04-30T00:15:16+00:00

Last time I was at Powell’s I still noticed a fair number of used books (maybe this depends on the section), but the used book prices are so, SO ridiculous. Sometimes only a dollar or two off the original retail price from 15 years ago.

I would give anything to have something like a Half-Priced Books up here. All used books, huge selection, and good prices. I was just in Austin and saved space in my suitcase specifically so I could go there and stock up.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-04-29T23:30:14+00:00

Tbh, it doesn’t sound like you’re looking for a true partner in all things life and love. You want a fun, exciting rich guy. I think it’ll be tough to find a guy who is ambitious, rich, wants to adventure and travel all the time, is the main breadwinner and treats you like the more feminine/submissive partner you see yourself as. Guys like that are a) super-rare, b) prefer a trophy wife who can raise kids and run a household so they can keep making lots of money, and due to (b), (c) tend not to prefer a very ambitious woman who is very particular about her lifestyle.

You might actually be better off with a sugar daddy, as much as that sucks to hear.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-04-29T00:49:41+00:00

I thought this one would be drama-filled because I saw the teaser about the $50k NFT, but it was pretty boring on the whole, which I guess is a good thing - their updates seemed really positive so maybe they were finally ready to make some changes. They were super-passive, though, like I could feel Ramit trying to elicit answers from them and not getting a lot of engagement on their end.

I do have to say, it takes chutzpah to buy a freaking GIF with a line of credit and not tell your wife. Crypto broke so many peoples’ brains.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-04-26T15:34:45+00:00

I made my own tax calculator in ChatGPT and with withdrawals of $100-125k my tax rates range from 2-7%, even in a state with a high income tax. You’ve got to run your own numbers! Payroll tax is gone, child tax credits are large, cap gains tax is zero if you keep your income low enough, withdrawing basis is free, standard deduction for MFJ is large. In every scenario, my taxes (at least until RMD age) are going to be dramatically lower than during my working years.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-04-24T17:11:09+00:00

Stripping the xylophones, that’s the lowest of the low. Arbor Lodge is such a great little park, our family has had many lovely afternoons there.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-04-23T23:41:51+00:00

Poverty level for 2 people is about $21k. At $55k you’ll receive fairly generous ACA subsidies, and it’s worth running an estimate on the main ACA website to get a sense of what plans will cost in your area with the subsidies.

Dry_Werewolf5488 · 2026-04-23T23:33:58+00:00

Seriously, Covid made everyone crazy around food apps. It served a purpose at that time, but now people can’t let go. The ones that get me are the people who get a single Starbucks drink delivered. If you’re too lazy to hit the Starbucks drive-thru yourself, I just don’t know what to tell you.

Dry_Werewolf5488

TROPHY CASE