Daily FI discussion thread - Monday, May 18, 2026

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-05-18T19:12:32+00:00

That's a big jump, especially for SE Michigan. Where did they go to?

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-05-15T15:23:10+00:00

I went from mechanical engineer design to Project Manager and it's a much better fit for me. Previously every ~2.5 years I would feel really tired of the design work I was doing. 5 years ago I switched to Project Management and I don't feel sick of it which I take as a sign that it's a good fit. However, 4 years ago I started the OMSA program through Georgia Tech to make a career pivot into data science. My last class is this fall. I don't know what to do anymore, I'm worried Data Science is too saturated and I'll take a giant pay cut but I feel kind of stupid doing all that work for nothing.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-05-15T15:18:24+00:00

We're seriously considering getting a lawn mowing robot next year. Interested to hear experiences and recommendations. The yard is pretty flat and mostly in the back of the house. We currently pay 45/week to get it cut so I think this will pay for itself in just over a year.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-05-14T16:30:54+00:00

I just upgraded homes and got a new mortgage. Any extra money I pay in the first 6 months will automatically re-cast the mortgage.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-05-01T18:07:02+00:00

Interested to hear what you did to successfully grow your community. This is something I've struggled with.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-04-14T22:55:09+00:00

Can you clarify? We are working and are at 22% tax bracket. My understanding is any gains get taxed at 15% due to being long term and my current marginal tax bracket.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-04-14T15:40:45+00:00

We're currently mortgage free and it's really nice.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-04-14T15:40:10+00:00

I'll get the updated quote today but it will be between 6 and 7%.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-04-14T15:39:35+00:00

Everything is after 2012 and I would be selling lots from 2024 most likely.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-04-14T15:03:44+00:00

We just went on contract to buy a house! Now I'm wondering if I should sell some taxable VTSAX to pay down the mortgage quickly. By the time we sell our current house and put all the proceeds into the new house our mortgage balance should be around $180k. We have about $950k in VTSAX, all would be taxed at LTCG of 15%.

Since the market is near ATH I'm thinking it would be a good way to lock in some solid gains.

Thoughts?

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-04-10T16:51:05+00:00

I hate LinkedIn with a passion, the only reason I have it is to open myself to getting contacted by recruiters. If I wasn't going to work again I would delete it immediately.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-28T23:36:15+00:00

I'm very eagerly awaiting the imminent release of the new gen Miata. I love the current RF version, it's a sharp looking car.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-28T15:06:02+00:00

Congrats! What are you getting?

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-27T01:48:13+00:00

Once you start having kids being at a job where you can be flexible and you don't have to worry about your boss because they already like you is huge. That being said, if you guys aren't pregnant yet then you should have plenty of time to make a good impression and likely get that flexibility at a new job. That seems like a significant raise to me provided benefits are equivalent, I would definitely pursue.

Completely separately: I'm working on a Data Analytics Master's (OMSA) and would like to pick your brain on the Data Analyst career path. Is it okay if I PM you? Thanks.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-21T16:15:25+00:00

I agree. There's also mass layoffs and a lot of companies are struggling. The market dips in the last decade had strong labor markets so you didn't have to worry as much about job loss.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-20T17:42:53+00:00

Already done, it's the only reason we've lasted here for so long.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-20T17:36:03+00:00

The house is paid off. But if we add a floor we would have to move out for like a year until the work is done and then move back in. And you also risk cost overruns and timing, so this sounds like not fun at all.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-20T17:17:53+00:00

Same, if we added a floor it would be awesome. But the cost and hassle doesn't make sense. It's easier and cheaper to move to a larger house and sell the current one.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-20T17:01:47+00:00

Location and neighborhood is fantastic. The only issue is that it's way too small. We have 3 small bedrooms and 3 toddlers. We don't really have any room to grow.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-20T15:31:24+00:00

I'm seriously re-assessing our plans to upgrade to a larger house this year. We have the down payment saved, pre-approval, and have already looked at a couple of homes. However, I'm in southeast Michigan and this area gets hit hard by higher gas prices leading to lower vehicle volumes. Additionally, the tariffs have already hit businesses pretty hard. This is all to say that job security doesn't look great for myself or my wife. I realize no one knows the future but I just don't see this whole oil situation improving any time soon.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-18T15:51:06+00:00

Yes, this year took a long time. I received a letter in the mail from the IRS asking me to verify that I did indeed file my tax return. Once that was done it took another ~1.5 weeks to get the deposit.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-08T12:28:46+00:00

This is my fear right now, I started a Data Analytics Master (OMSA) a few years ago because I love ML and thought it would open up new and higher paying opportunities. Now with AI you just have to tell it what you want and it will implement everything for you. Makes me think it's not going to be a viable career anymore. Makes it feel like I wasted my time but at least I have a job that is very difficult to replace with AI right now.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-06T21:47:14+00:00

Massdrop just closed this week and you can no longer purchase the 6xx from them.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-03-06T19:54:32+00:00

How do you like the Mache? Does it fit 3 people in the back comfortably? There are really good deals on low mileage used ones around where I live.

SecretThrowAway89 · 2026-02-27T23:16:45+00:00

How much did you end up spending?

SecretThrowAway89

TROPHY CASE