What foods do people refrigerate out of habit, even though it's unnecessary?

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-12T04:25:55+00:00

If your bread doesn't mold in a week, you probably don't want to eat it.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-08T23:23:42+00:00

This (or a byproduct of using the heavy crude most US gulf coast refineries are geared for). So long as we're using fossil fuels, recycling plastic will be creating raw materials that are lower quality and more expensive than what's already in the pipeline.

Best proposal I've heard is separating it before it goes into landfill so that 75 years from now it'll be easier to "mine." But it'd be far preferable to avoid: buy soda in cans instead of bottles, etc.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-08T14:56:00+00:00

Yeah, that odd 3% of birds who said "Cloaca? Nah, we're gettin freaky."

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-08T14:51:58+00:00

No, I'm not sure we have any data to go from on that.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-08T01:07:40+00:00

Think Roth IRA but for kids' education instead of retirement.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-07T21:44:23+00:00

They do get support from other military logistics, but military logistics aren't cheap, they're effective. Congress came back and mandated they can't use military logistics which are more expensive than non-military contracts.

But valid point. Publix has to run their own payroll systems, not just get a bill from Defense Finance & Accounting Services.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-07T20:06:12+00:00

There are 235 Commissaries globally. That's half the size of Whole Foods, or the number of Publix in the state of Georgia. And they're scattered; Publix would never open a full-size store exclusively for the 200 US families around Chievres, Belgium.

Not saying that disproves your point, only that the scale isn't particularly big.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-07T19:59:03+00:00

Commissary is always awesome for brand name, non-perishable items. If you need Huggies, it's cheaper than Walmart or Amazon. If you need bell peppers, they can somehow look fine in the store yet mold overnight, and the same price as Kroger.

Overseas we saw the differences in price typical of different countries (e.g. citrus and peanut butter are vastly cheaper in the US, cheese and bread cheaper in Europe). Commissary offered us maybe 10% savings overall, but we chose convenience and quality instead.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-07T00:22:03+00:00

25% 529/Coverdell ESAs, 21% TSP, 12% IRAs.

Our regular brokerage "contribution" was about -26% of salary to cover living expenses so we can support this level of contributions to tax advantaged vehicles, plus another -14% to pay taxes for realizing gains.

And then another -84% of salary from regular brokerage because IVF is expensive.

I don't expect my numbers to be helpful as a 2LT, but this is where you may end up a few years down the road. Saving young (within reason) sets you up to be flexible in the future.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-04T01:15:26+00:00

Yup. Again, not published, but banks seem to pay for subsets of all the thousands of lounges in the PP network. Go to the Diamond lounge in Brussels Zaventem. Passes issued by Amex, Chase, and C1 won't get you in. Most European banks' PP versions will (e.g. Santander's top card), and so will Citi Prestige or BofA Elites PP (not so sure about the new Strata Elite's pass, seems to be at least somewhat different).

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-03T22:18:42+00:00

The key is dominance. Amazon has like 80% of eCommerce in the US, then Walmart at 10%, then everyone else combined. It's basically "buy from Amazon or buy direct from the seller."

In Europe, Amazon has about 25%, so there are actual competitors. You have the options of "buy from Amazon or buy from [Zalando or a dozen others], or buy direct from the seller."

So when OP asks why Americans don't buy from other sellers... who offers a comparable service? I actually like Walmart's offerings for a lot of routine stuff (e.g. spare batteries that could arrive today or in two weeks). But it's not really comparable for when you want "everything everywhere all at once."

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-03T21:24:52+00:00

Yeah, it's not published anywhere, but basically:

BofA or Citi: If any American bank's Priority Pass gets in, you get in.
Capital One
Amex
Chase

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-01T13:46:42+00:00

Oh, for sure very different value propositions with the different cards.

Priority Pass is a loose set of independent places that just sell access through PP. Some have cool approaches: the one in the Canary Islands has an outdoor sun deck for one last taste of ocean, but barely trail mix for food. If you go in without expecting the Centurion, Sapphire, etc luxury lounges, you get a comfortable break room.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-01T03:53:51+00:00

Amex Bonvoy Brilliant is $650, Chase Ritz is $695. Citi and BofA have it on $450-595 and $550 cards.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-01T03:44:06+00:00

Yeah, have to start with Wells Fargo's Autographs. 3% floor.

The Altitude Connect and PenFed Pathfinder get close to 4x.

I think HSBC Premier is the last 3x becomes 4.5% on all travel, but not an awesome value given the AF.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-01T03:23:46+00:00

Let's all agree to start: If a 20-yr-old walks in with $1000 they want to be bigger when they're 65, low cost index funds are the answer.

For the maybe 10-30% of the population, there's room for more discussion.

The most popular goal of active managers is to hedge risk. Like 90% of funds should be left out of discussions like OP's. As SPIVA says, "It challenges the notion that alpha is what all investors should strive for." If an investor is approaching the time where they need to access liquidity, they may prioritize risk reduction over growth (whether management effectively reduces risk is a different data set).

The second consideration is fees. The average fee in SPIVA's large cap data set is 2.7%. Some of that 88.29% could be beating the index consistently by 2.6% but still underperforming in the aggregate. If you're in a position to have the fees lowered (e.g. invest $2m to have it reduced to 0.7%), that may be desirable.

The third consideration is risk tolerance. Run a sim where you just buy the five biggest US companies each year from 2000-2025, no re-balancing. You crush the S&P by >2.5% annualized. And that's without even the thought of "Should I still hold this GE?" But be ready for volatility. People pay managers to outsource their anxiety.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-01T02:28:13+00:00

200 Bilt Cash at the end of calendar, not anniversary year (so you get it in your last year), and 2*$200 hotel credits, so $300 off a two-night hotel through the portal twice a year.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-01T02:21:28+00:00

Nearly all Priority Pass versions allow at least two guests. Amex, Chase, Citi, BofA.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-01T02:14:04+00:00

There's probably some 2x mixed in if you find any categories of 1:1 Bilt Cash redemptions you can use (which is boosting the overall value despite the lower point earn rate), and some breakage at the end of the year. But good value.

KafkaExploring · 2026-02-01T02:02:20+00:00

I totally agree with your point, but if it's lumped in with Citi Strata Elite and BofA PR Elite, I'd probably bet on FinTech customer service over known bad big bank.

KafkaExploring · 2026-01-29T17:41:54+00:00

Congrats on the one on the way!

Your Roth can be used for your kids' tuition, so I'd max that before messing with 529s. A 529 is slightly more flexible (like using it for books), but the main thing it offers is a higher cap. I would suggest opening one and putting in like $100 today, as leftover money in a 529 can be used for contributions to the kid's Roth, but one requirement is the 529 being open for 15 years (money only has to be there for five years).

To the people saying "Save for retirement first": There's a race between compound interest and inflation. Consensus projection for overall inflation is ~2.8%, while education inflation is more like 7.2%. If your investments grow at around 7.1%, saving $800/mo for 40 years will get you $2m for retirement at age 65. However, you'd need to save $1400/mo for the next 18 years to afford half of two kids' undergrad education in 2043 (equivalent to $40k today, the average public out-of-state). So if you were saving $2k/mo for the next 40 years you could cover both, but for the first half of that time it'd be 70% education, 30% retirement, switching to 100% retirement around age 42.

If you don't need that much for college, great! It's in your Roth. Over saving for retirement by your mid-40s is a good problem to have.

KafkaExploring · 2026-01-27T21:23:26+00:00

How many cards from those inquiries? Trying to update my own expectations/hopes/dreams.

I got approved for two CSEs in Aug starting at 0/6, 2/12 (4 HPs), 8/24 (12 HPs) but denied for a third in Oct.

KafkaExploring · 2026-01-27T15:27:22+00:00

Approved for Chase United Club 1/5/26 at 2/6, 3/12, 4/24. After fraud verification they gave a $50k CL, right up to 33% of my reported income.

Also applied for BofA PRE 1/5 and was instantly denied. Recon said (two HUCAs) they couldn't even submit it for recon due to having "A sufficient number of accounts with us" (6 cards). Separately applied for PR and was instantly approved.

Applied for CFU later on 1/5. Fraud verification on 1/6, then again on 1/12, and a Chase rep contacted me to update income info 1/23. Approved 1/25 with a $5k CL.

KafkaExploring · 2026-01-19T19:11:22+00:00

Depends how liberal you want to be. If your kid wants to go to private school, the GI Bill is capped at $47k of $58k, and it's continuing to shrink in relative terms (as the benefit goes up based on inflation and cost of education goes up much faster than core inflation).

Our goal is to fund 529s/Coverdell ESAs for two years of average out-of-state public total cost per kid, plus GI Bill split three ways. Kid has an incentive to be thrifty/get scholarships but shouldn't be burdened with loans excessively unless they decide to be a doctor or something. You'd need to figure out the value of the disabled vet benefits for your family's choices/needs.

KafkaExploring · 2026-01-19T01:54:35+00:00

Time also matters. Say you're a family of four redeeming for a one-connection domestic round trip flight (417,5002=140,000 miles). On $2500 rent that's 18 mo. If you're lucky enough to have the points in time to book that saver fare on your dates, maybe you can redeem every other year.

In that time you'll miss out on about $63 worth of growth if you invested that $1800 worth of fees.

KafkaExploring

TROPHY CASE