FIRE (Financial Independence; Retire Early)

I was looking at last year’s spending and thought my Gas expenses were a little high. We don’t commute anywhere and didn’t take any major car trips. I rooted around and both Mint and Personal Capital had categorized some purchases from the corner gas station as Gas, even though they were actually Beer. Hey, I’m not even mad at them for that categorization, but I am a bit mad now realizing I spent $672 last year on beer from a gas station.

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My wife and I don’t even have $2k/month in total expenses, much less food expenses alone. And we eat quite well.

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Ynab is great, been using the last couple years

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I’m at almost $5k just from mortgage, utilities, health insurance, food and childcare for one kid. I’m dreading the day I have to buy a new (to me) vehicle since both of ours are paid off.

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Meh

5 years of paying for it

Hopefully get 2-4 of years of no payment and modest maintenance.

Then maintenance becomes a couple of thousand a year plus whatever cost you assign to unreliable performance.

Obv an Accord his is going to do much better than Chrysler minivan.

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I have a 2001 accord that I’m having to put like $2000 or a bit more into in repairs every year now. Still way cheaper than buying a new car. Feels gross to drop a 800 bucks on a 23 year old car when I have to do it though.

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Not sure if we have another thread on finance stuff, so will ask here. I have a majority of my saving in a simple saving account thats earning 0.02% APY, so basically nothing. I’ve always had this account and a checking account with the same bank, so never bothered to look elsewhere. But now that I have enough for it to matter, I started looking at other options that would earn much more. I see some online banks with 4.0-5.0% APY. Do any of you have experience with banks offering better rates that you’re happy with? I’d probably move like 50-75k to a new account to start. Would prefer easy access to getting money out as I’d ideally like to put a down payment on a home at some point, so nothing that locks up your money for a minimum time.

Ally is outstanding.

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I use Discover Bank, since I have a Discover Card. I think they’re right at 4%, just one login for all accounts. No issues with their app and moving money in and out goes quickly. I don’t use their ATM Network (if they have one).

Depositing that kind of money, you might be able to find a place that pays a lower savings rate, but you get a deposit bonus of some kind. But with how much you’re putting in, the bonus may not make up for the loss in rate. I took a quick look at NerdWallet and no good bonuses jumped out at me, unless you want to do direct deposit to the new account as well, if so SoFi has a good rate and a new account bonus of $250.

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Probably won’t do direct deposit on the new account as I currently have that going to a credit union account that I have a car loan with. But will definitely look into it as I hadn’t considered potential deposit bonuses.

Awesome, will check them out. I had been looking at Nerdwallet lists and did not see Ally mentioned, but have heard others like them as well.

Co-sign Ally. Despite the modern-ish branding, they are not a new startup bank, they were formerly GMAC and have been around for a hundred years. I have been a customer for 15 years and never had a single problem.

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I have used ally as a primary bank for a long time. Had a good experience with them.

Looks like Ally is offering 3.85% APY on savings accounts. No sign up bonus currently. They had a $500 bonus that expired last November.

I’m using AMEX savings. It’s been super easy moving money in and out. Currently 4%.

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Ally is the first mortgage servicer I’ve ever had that hasn’t fucked something up.

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I use Barclays US, currently 4%. It’s also my future down payment money.

I think any of these options would be fine for you

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Seems like there are a lot of big bank, reputable options around 4%. Also a lot of online bare bones banks offering high 4 to 5+%. I’ve heard complaints about many of those that they have trouble processing transfers out and lack customer service. Having recently spent several hours on the phone trying to get a bank to reverse a transfer that I never asked for I’m sticking with one of the 4% banks.

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If you open a fidelity account, any deposit automatically goes into their SPAXX money market that currently earns 4.68%. You can deposit/withdrawal whenever and whatever with no fees or lockup periods. They pay out the first of each month. I keep everything in there and just transfer what I need at the time.

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I like the sounds of that, and I have my 401k with fidelity so definitely will look at them. Thanks!

Wow if you highlight something in discourse then hit the reply button it will put only it in quotes, cool.

Anyways this seems likes it’s variable and only at 2% for the year? I’m just using wealthfront’s savings - fixed at 4.55% right now, FDIC, can withdraw whenever. If someone wants to open an account there HMU for a code that gets both of us another .5% for 6 months or something. Have claw back that money I’ve lost to Cactus somehow :expressionless: