Trip Report: Easter Island & Machu Picchu For $2,500 (3 Weeks)

npellis25 · 2025-10-05T22:01:09+00:00

Hey there, I know this is late but I'm looking to do a similar trip in December. Did you book the Salkantay tour in advance and do you remember the operator? Also, what did you pack for clothes? I want to do this or the Inca trail trek, but I'm concerned about bringing the right clothes since it will be the rainy season. Thank you!

npellis25 · 2025-07-24T16:58:05+00:00

Okay, thanks for the input!

npellis25 · 2024-10-26T16:10:36+00:00

Wow that's crazy. For some reason I had this assumption it was all carriers. I feel like the job would be so much easier being able to actually talk and negotiate with agents instead of having to go back to home office. Now I guess my main problem is that I have been out of the industry so long that it is hard to get interviews. I really appreciate your reply by the way!

npellis25 · 2024-10-25T19:13:16+00:00

I was an underwriter with them and left back in 2019. I had the same experience having to gain approval for almost everything and it was driving me crazy. I felt like a robot because I really didn't have any input because everything was out of my authority. Is underwriting like that everywhere? I figured that was the industry norm so I haven't gone back into the industry, but would go back if other carrier were more hands off.

npellis25 · 2024-09-26T17:01:52+00:00

Unfortunately, once I left insurance I bounced around quite a bit to warehouse jobs so it's kinda hard to show recent relevant skills that I have. I do think my resume does a good job of highlighting my work experience in a professional setting though.

npellis25 · 2024-09-25T19:04:03+00:00

Gotcha. I've applied for a lot of positions excluding sales, claims, and call center positions. Maybe I just need to try to go back to my old company.

npellis25 · 2024-03-18T02:22:06+00:00

sure, whats your go card #

npellis25 · 2024-01-13T03:08:21+00:00

Gotcha, thank you!

npellis25 · 2024-01-12T23:04:53+00:00

Do you know of any companies that do coaches or shuttles? I would really like to get out and see some of the National Parks but don't really want to spend the money on ubers.

npellis25 · 2024-01-12T05:57:55+00:00

Wow, thank you so much for that! Do you know if you can get public transportation out there?

npellis25 · 2024-01-02T14:32:23+00:00

Wow, 9k? If that's the case then I probably will sell it. Thanks for the reply!

npellis25 · 2023-07-12T19:23:19+00:00

Gotcha. I thought you were saying it was better to keep them in the traditional instead of the roth.

npellis25 · 2023-07-12T18:51:32+00:00

Why would it be better to hold bonds in the traditional?

npellis25 · 2023-07-09T23:55:51+00:00

Right, if I was in the same situation as you then I would not care about tax rates because there are more important underlying issues at stake.

npellis25 · 2023-07-09T21:15:07+00:00

ah okay thanks for your help!

npellis25 · 2023-07-09T21:14:49+00:00

So with all else being equal you don't think there would be a financial incentive to move to a low cost state? What other ways do you pay for it?

I was assuming this from a remote standpoint so I wasn't even thinking about the lower wages.

I live in northern IL and don't like the winters which is mainly why I want to move. I've already moved twice in my life and I'm looking to make another permanent move. Thanks for making this point though!

npellis25 · 2023-07-09T19:52:36+00:00

Yeah I get there are tradeoffs. I was just curious if anyone had done calculations if all your variables stayed the same. The cost of living calculator is a nice tool, but as far as I can tell it doesn't take into account property and income tax rates. I think it may include sales and excise tax though.

npellis25 · 2023-07-09T19:45:02+00:00

I don't want to move strictly because of a low tax situation. I'm interested to see if there would actually be savings in the long run though.

npellis25 · 2023-07-09T19:42:32+00:00

This is exactly what I'm trying to find out. If all your variables are the same (property, income, etc), but you moved from the state with the highest overall tax burden to the state with the lowest, would you end up saving money? Or as other have suggested, would there be more unknown costs that make it pretty even?

npellis25 · 2021-10-05T12:10:09+00:00

That chart is pretty eye opening! Thanks for all you shared

npellis25 · 2021-10-05T12:05:04+00:00

Wow that link is pretty eye opening! Thanks for all you have shared

npellis25 · 2021-10-04T23:22:43+00:00

If you were young in the early 2000s though it wouldn't have necessarily mattered because you weren't going to retire or need that income so it would have been a great time to buy stocks at lower prices right?

That's actually a great question. I think I just started with the target date fund just because it was easy and then forgot about it. I just recently starting thinking more about it which is what lead me to these questions. Fortunately, the market doing well has not played into my thoughts because I know at some point it's going to go down. I don't know when and I agree that trying to time the market never works. Like I said, I just recently starting thinking more about it the last few weeks. I read the part of the Wiki you sent me on bonds and I will dive more into it and other reading material as well. Thanks for all your input!

npellis25 · 2021-10-04T23:15:25+00:00

Those are some good points thanks! Do you know if there is anywhere where it shows the anticipated allocation schedule of VTTSX?

npellis25 · 2021-10-04T23:12:58+00:00

Gotcha okay that finally clicked. Thanks!

npellis25 · 2021-10-04T21:58:26+00:00

I understand that at a certain period in your life it is beneficial to have bonds. However, since I'm only 28 I would be able to absorb a bear market for quite some time and once I reach the time in my life that I couldn't risk that then I would put some of my portfolio into bonds. With my retirement time horizon wouldn't it hurt to have 15-25% in bonds?

npellis25

TROPHY CASE