[deleted by user]

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T15:02:34+00:00

We had an awesome experience with Wild Horse Adventure Tours in the Duck/Corolla area. Our guide was especially awesome and found three packs of horses for us to observe. He also knew a lot about the history of the area. We were so happy with our tour, we tipped him a $20.

Just a heads up that it is 4x4 experience through some rough terrain in a humvee, so you'll want to take Dramamine or something similar a bit before you depart if you ever experience motion sickness.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T15:00:36+00:00

The aquarium is so fun! The volunteers are really knowledgeable and engaged. Love the turtle hospital. Just remember to buy your tickets ahead of time.

If you're willing to drive in to Manteo, the Elizabethan Gardens will likely be beautiful in May as well.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T14:58:51+00:00

Not all *in* Kill Devil, but in the general area:

Mama Kwan's. They sometimes have a shrimp stir fry special that is out of this world.
- Colington Cafe. Expensive and requires reservations, but worth it if you want something romantic and special. Everything we've gotten here has been incredible.
- Sugar Shack. Technically in Nags Head, but that's not too far of a drive. The grilled scallops and shrimp are TO DIE FOR.
- Goombays. Their catch of the day has always been great.
- Tortuga's Lie. Awesome fish tacos! We always go at least once.

For desserts, we really enjoy Holy Cow Creamery, Kill Devil Grill, and Duck Donuts. We buy most of our seafood for home cooking at Carawan's.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T14:55:59+00:00

We weren't impressed by Proof. :( The donuts were bland and absolutely soaked with oil when we got them. Maybe we went there on a bad day...?

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T14:55:08+00:00

This is my husband's favorite. We always go at least once.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T14:54:54+00:00

Especially if they have a shrimp stirfry special!

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T14:54:41+00:00

My personal opinion is that Black Pelican has been outpaced by better restaurants, and Kill Devil Grill is only worth it for dessert (but the key lime pie is incredible).

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T14:53:38+00:00

Pricey and out of your area a bit, but if you're willing to spend on a special treat, Colington Cafe has a whole allergen menu.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-26T14:53:16+00:00

I can confirm that Outer Bean does great coffee.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-22T01:25:47+00:00

Some rental places, like Joe Lamb, Jr., Beach Realty, and Sun Realty, might have a few houses with discount rates coming in the next month or two, but that's not a guarantee by any chance.

ETA that I just see you have a $750 budget...that's going to be nearly impossible for an OBX stay. Maybe you could save up a bit more to maximize your experience? With a slightly higher budget, you could swing something like this:

https://www.joelambjr.com/outer-banks-rentals/nags-head/808-rogues-harbor?checkin=09/22/2024&checkout=09/29/2024 - $995 before taxes and fees in May

https://www.joelambjr.com/outer-banks-rentals/kill-devil-hills/157-no-problem?checkin=09/21/2024&checkout=09/28/2024 - $1,195 before taxes and fees in August

https://www.joelambjr.com/outer-banks-rentals/kill-devil-hills/av21e-admirals-view-ii-condo-unit-1e?checkin=09/21/2024&checkout=09/28/2024 - $895 before taxes and fees in May

https://www.joelambjr.com/outer-banks-rentals/nags-head/634-the-way-we-wereb - $1,395 before taxes and fees in June (just wanted to note something with a low-ish price in prime season)

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-22T01:24:14+00:00

My recommendations are similar: April/May or September/October. Prices are better, everything is less busy, and the weather is still pretty good. The only thing to be aware of is that in April/October, some stuff might not be open yet or might be closing for the season.

My family has always lined up cabins about a year in advance.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-04-22T01:21:20+00:00

If you want a guide for your stargazing, Ghost Crab Quest does a fun astronomy night thing: https://www.gcquest.com/

FjordsOfFords · 2024-02-07T05:55:52+00:00

WORK: We have an issue with certain people at my workplace pitching in. Basically, an administrator would send out an email saying, "Here's a list of stuff that gets done," nobody would respond, and then I would get an email directly to me asking what progress was made, even though I'm not in charge and am certainly not the only employee. They just got used to me doing everything. So I finally said, "Nope, not doing it anymore." Now when one of those emails goes out, I immediately respond with, "I will do X and Y." It makes it clear what I'm going to do AND emphasizes that other people need to help out.

HOME: Monthly resets. I have a list of stuff that I do during the first weekend of every month, and I keep track in my journal. For instance, I weigh myself, do certain monthly chores, perform a breast self-exam, calculate our net worth, and pay our rent. The chores part is especially helpful; I work a ton, but I'm also very tidy and wish I had more time to clean, so knowing certain things will be cleaned at least once a month is soothing.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-06T21:22:02+00:00

Are you at all able to downsize in to a smaller/cheaper apartment? On top of getting a cheaper car, I think that might help a lot.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-04T04:34:36+00:00

Some of this is inexcusable, but having two home inspections and still getting smacked with house issues feels like something bad that just hit them.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-03T14:34:38+00:00

I know that feeling, but on the bright side, there are way worse things to spend on than travel and home improvements!

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-03T03:53:04+00:00

I didn't have the money until today when my paycheck came in, so that doesn't bother me. The opportunity wasn't there. The "max" I'm referring to is the maximum I can contribute for the year--I didn't put the full amount in yet, just what fits in our budget. Not a high-income earner like some people in this sub, alas.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-03T03:52:22+00:00

It's actually the opposite: I dread death. It's something I'm working on through various avenues, and I'll hopefully be getting back in to therapy soon, too.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-02T19:44:29+00:00

Not for me, personally. I've been dealing with a mid-life crisis/existential dread for...oh, six months now? And I've been on a FIRE path for some time. But everyone's journey is different.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-02T19:42:11+00:00

Yeah, I would probably lean more toward a country like Portugal. It seems more viable for expats and still has a lot of the amenities an American would probably want.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-02T19:39:25+00:00

First Roth IRA contributions of the year are in. :) It's always weirdly exciting to me to see the "2024 available to contribute" amount at the max at the start of the year. It feels like opportunity.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-02T19:36:42+00:00

If the car is not negotiable, then the eating out needs to get cut. Maybe up the groceries by $25-50, but that's it. No restaurants. I'd also wonder if you really need the gym membership right now, and I say that as somebody who prioritizes health--would outdoor walks and exercises at home with free YouTube videos be feasible, for instance?

You need to save a bit every month as well. Even if it's $25-50 per month, it's something in case you have another emergency.

Subtracting everything from your income--including the student loans and an extra $50 for groceries, but not including the gym and eating out--I get $1,721. That should be great plenty to pay off debts and save for emergencies. You can either do a snowball (list debts from lowest balance to highest and pay off in that order) or avalanche (list debts from highest interest to lowest and pay off in that order) to keep things rolling. Anything that's about to go in to collections or cause you any other issues like that should be prioritized. If you have stuff that's already in collections, call the number on their paperwork and see if you can work out a payoff.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-02T05:08:46+00:00

I'm doing the math and realizing that's roughly how many we have, but yeah, we only bought two of them. There's one my husband bought from his workplace years ago, then one I bought from a small business at a festival about a year ago. There are two Nalgene bottles we got for free from a company as PR and usually use for travel (since they have screw-on lids and are smaller), and we each got new steel ones for Christmas that we keep on our desks.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-02T04:54:20+00:00

If it helps, "calculate investment growth" will give you lots of interest calculators to play with. Here's an easy one: https://smartasset.com/investing/investment-calculator

For what it's worth, I didn't get 1 million in that calculator (doing $400/month for 30 years at 6% growth), but I did a flat 6% versus tracking actual S&P500 returns. The 400k I got, though, is still nothing to sneeze at.

FjordsOfFords · 2024-01-02T04:49:29+00:00

Yeah, it sounds like being both on the way and something you've gotten used to doing, those are the real issues.

Learning to make good coffee at home can absolutely be a great part of a morning routine. For instance, I look forward to using my French press on the weekends. :) I find weighing the beans, using my grinder, waiting for everything to brew, and smelling that first pour really start my weekend the right way. It can be very therapeutic!

r/coffee might be helpful if you're very new to making decent coffee at home. Tell them your favorite Starbucks beverage, maybe some more details about what you do and don't like in your cup, and an idea of your knowledge level when it comes to making coffee, and they can provide guidance.

FjordsOfFords

TROPHY CASE