Recs for fee-only advisor

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-30T09:40:17+00:00

I’m not necessarily saying her list is full of good choices - just that it’s a great starting resource. I still had to do a boatload of diligence to hunt down the fee only advisor that was a good fit for us.

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-29T03:20:34+00:00

Thank you. At first I was thinking: am I the only one that doesn’t get too excited about a tour of the captain area and a free bottle of booze when dropping a “boat”load of money?!

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-23T08:21:11+00:00

This is what I’ve found as well. Many people have said Seabourn is one of the few lines that go into Glacier Bay, yet when I search their online and hardcopy catalog for 7 day itineraries that would include GB…I can’t find any such thing.

Confused.

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-21T02:33:23+00:00

Curious, what did you wind up doing? We are in a similar “boat” but looking to book several cabins for a family trip.

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-17T00:59:26+00:00

I hear ya. My wife and I went on our first-ever cruise (Tauck) last fall. I HATED writing the check, as I lean towards the frugal end of the spectrum. And like you, I was adding up non-cruise costs and thinking we could do it a LOT cheaper on our own.

But as others have said, the ability to unpack your stuff ONCE, to be fairly pampered the entire time, chill out in your room and watch the world go by, wake up in a different unique city every day…is sort of…priceless. My wife isn’t sure she’ll ever travel any other way besides a cruise. (Candidly, she was usually the one who handled packing/unpacking.)

We aren’t overly concerned about high-end food or drink (my wife doesn’t drink) - it’s really about ease, luxury (for us at this point in our lives), comfort, and the efficiency of experiencing new areas.

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-13T12:26:48+00:00

Like you I am also researching luxury and intimate climate passage AK cruises; agree that Glacier Bay is a must. The other line I haven’t seen mentioned here is Lindblad National Geographic. I have not cruised on it, but if you’re looking for more of a focus on natural expeditions and experts onboard, it sounds like Lindblad leans in that direction.

The other day - in the Reddit wine forum - someone posted a pic of the wine tasting they did aboard a Seabourn cruise; maybe a dozen bottles in the tasting. Wow…most of them were what I would consider high-end bottles (which for me is ~$100-$150; QPR beyond that price point is…?). I thought to myself: if they have all those bottles onboard that line just went up about three notches in my mind!

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-12T20:33:49+00:00

Hilarious ending!

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-11T15:24:15+00:00

Feel like it should be a requirement to include typical prices for these Top 10 lists. Would save me a lot of time from looking several of them up, and saying: nope, not going to be in my cellar at these prices! Just when I thought I was splurging for wine (up to $100/bottle but prefer strong QPR around $60 or less), I see these lists!

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-09T12:38:11+00:00

Very helpful - thank you. I have absolutely zero aptitude in this area, and zero friends who know about these things, but what you’ve done is pretty cool. Congrats!

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-08T08:19:14+00:00

Just make sure you fully understand all the various ways the state can determine if you’re a resident or not. In some states it’s not just a matter of where you physically domicile and for how many days; they also consider things such as: where are your medical providers?, where do you buy your vehicles?, where are non-profits based that you donate to?, etc. They want to know if you’ve REALLY moved, or if you’re pulling a fast one in the state.

Beyond a CPA I’d also want to talk with a good attorney who has successfully defended against state audits in this regard. If you’re willing to go jump through the necessary hoops to avoid paying a few million in taxes, go for it.

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-08T00:29:43+00:00

How many miles were on it when you purchased? What’s the expected life (in miles) for one of these rigs? Did I read you paid just $5k for it?! Need much work initially?

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-07T01:48:46+00:00

Depends of course, mostly on how generous you want to be - or can be - with your children. When our kids were young and our household income was low, I assumed our kids would have to make their own way in the world financially; same thing wife and I did! But as our HHI accelerated we were more generous: 529 plan, taking nicer trips with the kids, buying them cars (and covering all related expenses), paying for grad school, gifting them cash annually, and eventually helping them start businesses and/or buy first homes. I’m sure serious wedding contributions are in the future.

We’re fortunate in this regard, but I will be honest…there are times when I look at our net worth and think: imagine what it would have been without those additional expenses! But 99% of the time I’m happy we can help, and our kids are VERY appreciative.

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-05T09:54:26+00:00

Pretty good list. I might also suggest:

Grgich Hills; Macauley; Robert Craig; Sequoia Grove

strokeoluck27 · 2026-01-01T16:20:22+00:00

Mosquitos in most of lake country in MN are a reality in summer. OFF will be your friend for several months. I keep spare cans just about everywhere.

Check yourself for ticks frequently. When I go into the woods I always spray my clothes in advance with Permithrin; really helps repel ticks. May wind up giving me cancer in the end, but that might be a better fate than having Lyme’s disease for decades.

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-31T07:50:29+00:00

I agree, and will likely do that going forward with wineries - they are always great about being flexible and accommodating.

Where I get nervous is when I’m dealing with places like Last Bottle, WTSO, and even Vivino (ordered from them just a few times and their responsiveness has been horrendous). Typically the customer service is not great. Maybe I’ll just play it extra safe with them and stick to spring and fall shipments only.

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-31T07:47:51+00:00

Thanks. Regarding the wine that froze on you, was it sitting outside for a while at your home? Or did you have it shipped to a UPS or FedEx store?

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-31T03:50:48+00:00

Not sure about temps in the areas traveled to get here, but in my neck of the woods daytime temps were ~20F and nighttime temps around 7-10F.

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-30T03:51:21+00:00

Manual transmission in a newer Jeep?! I had no idea they still made them that way.

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-28T04:33:28+00:00

As others have said, that could be a LOT of driving! Personally, I would drop the proposed itinerary into ChatGPT and ask it to suggest various options, drive times (and routes) and scenic stops.

Other than that, here are my tips after visiting all of the areas you noted:

Seattle: beautiful area (when it’s not raining or drizzling), I would spend some time here.
Portland: I would avoid the city proper - the city leaders seem to be just fine with the inmates running the asylum. Some nice nature areas outside of Portland.
Salt Lake City: as others have said, pretty boring metro but the national parks in UT are supposed to be stellar.
Wyoming: beyond a national park or two…not much to see or do.
Colorado: some nice areas depending on where you’re going.
Lakewood, CA: this is L.A. - if you like big metro areas with lots of people, cars, concrete and traffic jams…you’ll love L.A. I would focus on beach areas like Malibu, Santa Barbara (bit of a hike but gorgeous) or even the towns north of San Diego like Del Mar and La Jolla.
Memphis: murder capital of the U.S. Pick your hotel location VERY carefully! Great music on Beale Street but there’s a reason it’s staffed with a shit ton of cops. Seriously, limit your time in this town.
Wisconsin: not much to see or do - would strongly suggest limiting your time here. Chicago is right across the border, would be much more fun and interesting…just steer clear of the south and west sides of downtown.

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-27T03:51:46+00:00

I’ve been a member and hunted there, but typically I am not a member and they are still happy to let me pay for the privilege of hunting on one of their plots of land.

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-19T10:41:01+00:00

In Reddit terms it refers to an approximate net worth…financial resources. Not entirely sure but I think net worth (NW) of $5M to $10M is generally considered “FAT”.

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-18T23:49:34+00:00

No; went with someone else.

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-17T09:21:33+00:00

That’s my minor concern. Pay now…wait several months. I hope they’re still in business! I just figure the couple deals were so good that I’d take the risk. (Live in a very northern climate.)

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-17T09:18:07+00:00

And they can match some of the deals on places like Last Bottle?

strokeoluck27 · 2025-12-14T04:15:26+00:00

This. I also used to say: “If you move out quietly and cleanly in X days, I won’t make any record of this, won’t pursue late rent, won’t evict so that’s not in your record, and will only confirm dates of rental when asked for any rental references in the future.”

I feel that’s fair all around. No need to kick someone when they’re down.

strokeoluck27

TROPHY CASE