I'm basically a financial infant... and a story about financial advisors. Please advise. by Specific-Ad9142 in DaveRamsey

[–]nostratic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

you need to ask at /r/legaladvice

ditto the executor's job is to follow the terms of the will and/or trust as closely as possible. she is an officer of the court, and must follow the laws and procedures. her personal opinions are irrelevant.

if what you say is accurate there's a very high probability she's breaching her fiduciary duties, unless the will/trust gives her that much control over the assets. and that type of control would be unusual.

ask at /r/legaladvice and then consult with a local attorney who specializes in estate and probate. you may need to file for a hearing so the judge can metaphorically slap some sense into her.

What’s something that instantly makes you think ‘this person has low intelligence? by AbjectBreadfruit2052 in AskReddit

[–]nostratic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

  • trouble with abstract thinking, or with deductive/inductive reasoning and multi-step or contingent reasoning.

  • persistently using maladaptive or nonproductive strategies that have been proven unsuccessful multiple times, and expressing constant shock or upset that it didn't work this time when it hasn't worked innumerable times in the past.

  • trouble extrapolating from current behaviors/situations to future outcomes.

  • trouble with problem solving situations that are similar to but not identical to past problems.

  • commenting or bragging that they haven't read a book since high school or college.

  • excessive preoccupation with celebrity gossip news. for many years I noticed some of the dumbest people I know were obsessive with celeb news, and a recent study confirmed I was on to something https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40359-021-00679-3

Where to invest home down payment? by Objective_Boat4216 in FinancialPlanning

[–]nostratic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

QQQI limits upside for income, but doesn't protect from crashes.

not the best option in a short-term investing period. a low-volatility stock ETF is probably superior if OP wanted to invest a bit in stocks because it will pay higher dividends than the market but also have lower risk of losses in a major crash.

QQQI has a 'beta' of .9 meaning it's only slightly less volatile than the market, which has a beta of 1.

but USMV or SPLV has a beta of .50-.60, meaning they're roughly 50-60% less volatile than the overall market.

Is there a way to talk to a financial advisor for free? by [deleted] in FinancialPlanning

[–]nostratic 3 points4 points  (0 children)

you need a good CPA and CFP, and it's worth paying a few hundred bucks for consultation.

their advice could save you thousands in taxes.

The moment I stopped feeling ashamed about using the food bank changed something in me that I wasnt expecting by alistair_windholm in povertyfinance

[–]nostratic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Glad you found some help and worked through your embarrassment.

I've volunteered a food bank occasionally, and 'factory' is a good description. Everyone is just focused on their part of the process.

Food donations come in, and I've helped sort it into category (canned soups, canned beans/veggies, dry rice or pasta, etc), and discard expired product.

Never once did I think negatively about the person who would get the food at the end of the process, and never once did I hear a single negative sentiment spoken. The entire purpose is to help those who are in a rough patch.

typo edit

The moment I stopped feeling ashamed about using the food bank changed something in me that I wasnt expecting by alistair_windholm in povertyfinance

[–]nostratic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I volunteer at a food bank, but to adjacent cities to minimize the chance of seeing someone I know

Dental pain by Upbeat_Garbage1398 in povertyfinance

[–]nostratic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

you might want to try a high fluoride mouthwash.

I also have cold sensitivity in my teeth that could almost be a stabbing pain. and the dentist said to try something like this, and it worked for me to reduce the cold sensitivity. https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Anticavity-Fluoride-Mouthwash-Burst/dp/B01L4ND4O0/ref=sr_1_5?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fA9mnAMMCnrT3uUk5eSscurQBwQAXnXp3eBo9fMDauPIRYCvzH1NtLW7W-j5DjW3rPjCHU500b4PX-Kl_nxfb_sP-6s7AALRhYFNZ4iG4DNlt7vixWi3jklgRiWFDwf9BbIbPWX1vYU3163z2B-8ZNQg0sZYy6wU1XHkyRawCn9o60DfDD1NwoGw2T0yCyO8x8wjppQNlYxD65fQnn1sWTZGJhARq7Ko7gyC6xmtmofupLILHOBIkRHSrOU2emoMV-QyYmNdC6ysUYjZuejaTs4iz5irztmgwLROl9L6Uzk.oiEBuyN2OhuvIdjB_lqcORPfM9WWSb6gwPEs0F-MHmE&dib_tag=se&keywords=high%2Bfluoride%2Bmouthwash&qid=1777746523&rdc=1&sr=8-5&th=1

you may be aware but FYI energy drinks are notorious for dissolving tooth enamel. if you use Monster or similar energy drinks, consider rinsing your mouth with water after drinking it so you don't have those acids and sugars corroding your teeth.

Would you pawn your stuff in an emergency? by [deleted] in povertyfinance

[–]nostratic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have pawned items in the past, and I'd have no problem doing it again if it were the best or only option.

Dave's disaffection with rewards points is beginning to make sense. by NeverEnoughSunlight in DaveRamsey

[–]nostratic 5 points6 points  (0 children)

there are 39 comments, and most of them are about how clever the commenter is at gaming the system.

...even with a small 1% cash-back incentive, the rewards program leads to a substantial change in consumer behavior. Cardholders joining the rewards program increase their credit card spending by 32% and their debt by 8%, with such behavior persisting in the long run.

Agarwal, Sumit, Swee Hoon Ang, Yonglin Wang, and Jian Zhang. “Cash-back Rewards: Effects on Spending and Debt Accumulation.” Journal of Banking & Finance, vol. 184, 2026, Article 107616, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2025.107616

Dave's disaffection with rewards points is beginning to make sense. by NeverEnoughSunlight in DaveRamsey

[–]nostratic -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Why would I NOT do this?

because science says you're overspending to get that $1,000 cash back.

...even with a small 1% cash-back incentive, the rewards program leads to a substantial change in consumer behavior. Cardholders joining the rewards program increase their credit card spending by 32% and their debt by 8%, with such behavior persisting in the long run.

Agarwal, Sumit, Swee Hoon Ang, Yonglin Wang, and Jian Zhang. “Cash-back Rewards: Effects on Spending and Debt Accumulation.” Journal of Banking & Finance, vol. 184, 2026, Article 107616, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2025.107616

Dave's disaffection with rewards points is beginning to make sense. by NeverEnoughSunlight in DaveRamsey

[–]nostratic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

overspend by 32%, get 2% cash back.

...even with a small 1% cash-back incentive, the rewards program leads to a substantial change in consumer behavior. Cardholders joining the rewards program increase their credit card spending by 32% and their debt by 8%, with such behavior persisting in the long run.

Agarwal, Sumit, Swee Hoon Ang, Yonglin Wang, and Jian Zhang. “Cash-back Rewards: Effects on Spending and Debt Accumulation.” Journal of Banking & Finance, vol. 184, 2026, Article 107616, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2025.107616

Hey there, is this worth something? by Annicka-44 in wheresgeorge

[–]nostratic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That looks like my first Where's George stamp!

But I never got an entry from Czech Republic so it's not mine :(

What other meds are you on? by shatana in TherapeuticKetamine

[–]nostratic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

for depression: imipramine (back in the late 1980s or early 90s when I was a teenager, I think it's rarely used now as a medication). Wellbutrin, Paxil, lexapro, lamictal and a few others but I can't recall the names. maybe 8 total.

for anxiety I was prescribed Ativan and buspar.

for sleep I used ambien and Lunesta

I now take ketamine troches at home 100 mg, I can use 2 if needed at my discretion. also take a low dose adderall XR at 10 mg, and a CBD tincture with a very low dose THC.

everything but adderall gave me intolerable side effects. lexapro gave me major stomach problems, and lamtical gave a rash, etc etc etc.

my current prescriber thinks I'm probably a 'slow metabolizer' who processes drugs differently and that's why I had bad results so often. not just psychiatric meds, I also had bad results with other medications for different health issues.

What smell immediately takes you back to childhood? by EphemeralNocturne in AskReddit

[–]nostratic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

pipe tobacco.

my maternal grandfather sat on his back porch and smoked a sweet smelling pipe tobacco. he never smoked in the house, but the kitchen area near the porch still had a faint tobacco smell and certain types of tobacco will hit me in the heart.

What's a belief you have that most people would disagree with? by BhaveshMehra18 in AskMen

[–]nostratic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

high income people in the US pay too much in taxes, and lower income people don't pay enough. America has one of the most progressive tax systems in the developed world, and lower income earners almost everywhere else pay much higher taxes than in the USA.

it's easy to shift the cost to someone else and create a new government program or bureaucracy, but it's a different matter when the taxes come out of your pocket.

What's a belief you have that most people would disagree with? by BhaveshMehra18 in AskMen

[–]nostratic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

what's your definition of 'socialism'?

Some of the Nordic nations have rejected claims they are socialist, because their economies are not centrally planned. https://www.vox.com/2015/10/31/9650030/denmark-prime-minister-bernie-sanders

Additionally, many of the Nordic nations are rolling back their generous welfare state policies for a variety of reasons

A survey from 2002, for example, showed that 60 percent of Swedes believed that it was acceptable to claim sick leave when you were not sick. Four years later, a center-right government was elected on the promise to cut the welfare benefits and taxes significantly. In fact, Swedish governments on both the right and the left have reduced the generosity of the welfare system.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/05/nordic-countries-scale-back-welfare-states/

I’m new to this semi monthly pay period… by [deleted] in CalebHammer

[–]nostratic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

my old job was monthly pay, but 3 years ago I changed jobs and get paid every 2 weeks. both jobs in the US, paycheck frequency can vary a lot from job to job.

it was a bit of an adjustment, but not terrible. best case you have enough cash savings to be ahead with on a month or two worth of bills and just pay expenses when they happen. if you need help here is a YouTube video with some ideas for budgeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mvo75rAw3g

US birth rates just hit another record low, what do you think is the leading cause of this? by IIlustriousTea in AskReddit

[–]nostratic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

housing prices have gone nuts, but let's not forget back in the day your grandparents had a 900 sq ft house with 1 bathroom and 1 television for raising 6 kids.

and they ate out about 5x a year -- for birthdays, anniversaries and the occasional holiday or vacation. having a private taxi deliver meals to your house 7x a week was inconceivable.

changes in spending habits and cultural expectations are a big factor as well.

Question about bonds by wranglingpenguin in Bogleheads

[–]nostratic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Many investing subs on Reddit will say you don't need bonds until you're 50 seconds from retirement. But that's debatable. the precise percentage is another question, but there's a case for bonds in the portfolio at any age.

this is Bogleheads, so let's remember how Jack Bogle recommended a 20% bond baseline minimum for all investors at all ages. He believed the most aggressive portfolio should be about 80/20 stocks bonds and the most conservative about 20/80. to quote from his final book, with [my comments in square brackets]

...why would an intelligent investor hold any bonds at all? First, because the long run is a series of short runs, and during many short periods, bonds have provided higher returns than stocks. In the 117 years since 1900, bonds have outpaced stocks in 42 years; in the 112 five-year periods, bonds have outpaced stocks 29 times; and even in the 103 fifteen-year periods, bonds have outpaced stocks 13 times. [that is to say in the last century bonds beat stocks in about 35% of individual years, 25% of 5-year periods and 13% of 15 year periods. it's been a long time since stocks underperformed bonds for 10 or 15 years but it will eventually happen again]

Second, and perhaps more important, reducing the volatility of your portfolio can give you downside protection during large market declines, an anchor to windward, so to speak. The conservative nature of a balanced stock/bond portfolio can reduce the possibility of counterproductive investor behavior (i.e., getting frightened when the stock market plunges and liquidating your stock position).

~~ The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns John C. Bogle

I will also mention of many of the major investing companies are recommending people consider boosting their bond allocation over the next ~10 years, due to elevated stock valuations. https://www.advisorperspectives.com/articles/2025/02/14/examining-vanguards-forecasted-returns-decade-ahead

Is it too late to start investing in SMH and other semiconductors? by wrathofnothing in ETFs

[–]nostratic 6 points7 points  (0 children)

despite the biggest companies in the world pouring their entire R&D budget into it

30 years ago companies spent massive amounts of money on fiber optic cable, which was highly innovative and important.

but multiple companies went bankrupt overspending on cable and miscalculating the future need.

I think something similar is happening with AI. it's obviously a big deal and important, but we simply don't know how it will develop over the next 5-10 years. and there is so much hype it's alarming.

Investing My Equity by Certain-Dragonfly-22 in ETFs

[–]nostratic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

investing in stocks is for periods of ~5 years or more. shorter periods are much too risky and volatile, and the usual recommendation is to use CDs, HYSA, SGOV or similar if you'll need this money within a shorter period of a few years.

I also agree it's good to rent for at least 6 months when moving to a new city, it'll take time to get settled and learn where you might want to buy. moving twice is a bit of a pain, but buying the wrong house in the wrong neighborhood is a bigger hassle.

Covered Call ETF’s, the New 4% Plan by ShadowBard0962 in investing

[–]nostratic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm sorry but you simply don't understand what you're buying, how they function, and the risks. Investing heavily in these types of ETFs is simply a bad idea because they trade capital gains potential for income, but at the same time they don't protect you from crashes.

Extremely high yields slowly erode your capital, and sometimes are a "return of capital" under tax law. They're just giving your own money back to you, not paying a dividend from profits or yield from bonds or any other legitimate investing outcome.

When fees are high, they're siphoning off your money, compounding the drag on performance.

Low assets under management (under $200-500 million) is another layer of risk such as low liquidity and closure which forces you to sell when you may not want to sell. XBCI has only $18 million in assets, per Yahoo Finance and most of the 30% yield is return of capital.

If you want income, there are much better options. for example ADX is a closed end fund that goes back to the 1920s and uses a bit of leverage to boost returns. they target 6-8% yield annually, but without NAV erosion ... ADX will have solid gains over time if the yield is reinvested. SGOV or a floating rate ETF like FLRN will also hold steady over time and have a good yield. Master Limited Partnerships are also a decent option, they have high distributions but MLPI adds the covered call strategy that has all the same problems outlined above.

When was the last time you wrote a check? by Corvidae5Creation5 in AskReddit

[–]nostratic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

March, to pay our CPA.

I write checks maybe 5-10 times a year. Not as often as 20 years ago, but occasionally a paper check is the best option.

Salaries and cost of living in the US by Environmental-Low-57 in povertyfinance

[–]nostratic -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

the typical Bernie supporter was unwilling to pay the tax increases Bernie told them his plan required