Boy do I feel old....

I met with my Investment counselor today. He is 35 years old and runs the El Paso office single handed. He is really busy handling 400 accounts. There are several thousand in El Paso he could call on. They closed their office here 5 years and until he took it back, many people were really tick at this company with no one to talk to. He has more than made up for it. They may expand his office this year. I hope.
Today at lunch he knew more than I did about my own money. I had several thousand I had not reinvested, suggested I get back into the market. CD's are paying 1-2% which really sucks. Most Bonds are only paying 2-3%. The stock market looks like it is coming back after 18 or so months. So maybe on a conservative scale I will start reinvesting some.
We talked about family too. He has a 20 month old boy. I was able to give him some incites into what to expect in the next 20 years as a parent. Many things he had never though of as: a single child may not be as social as multiple siblings, losing both parents later in life can be devastating, expenses he could expect, and when they leave home, what a relief financially! But they never get out of your pocket until your dead, and then they get what we have left over. We love you kids but don't come back......
When you least expect it,it hits you in the face&^%#!%&(*), get it? See pic

My Holiday Cruise

I didn't get to go, but both of my children did and they haven't said a thing. One of them got a free ride...............

The Engineer in me....

I love spreadsheets and simple numbers.
I recently figured out there's never a payback in buying diesels over gas engines.
1. Diesels are just as complicated, maybe more. Tuneups on gas are 100k miles now. Diesels have more pumps.
2. Diesel fuel is 5-15% more expensive.
3. Diesel drive trains weight considerably more. My RV is <15k lbs, diesels weigh about 20k lbs.
4. Both require about the same maintenance (schedules).
5. Diesels use 20 qt's of oil vs. 6 in a gas, Oil changes are $85 for gas at Camping World and $200 for diesels! I do my own for less than $15. Getting rid of 5 gallons of oil is not fun!
6. Diesel engines cost $4-7,000 more to buy. Diesel RV Rigs are $10-20k more, why?
7. I can work on gas engines. How many can/will work on diesels? I meet a diesel mechanic who said he wouldn't service his own diesel RV.
8. Accessibility is easy on my gas RV. I've seen some diesel pushers crammed into the rear compartment.
9. Diesels are dirtier polluters. (or at least were)
10. Gas engines, at least my Ford V-10, have as much off the line power as diesels. (310hp-425ft# torque) 4 speed overdrive. (wish it was a 5 speed) . Most diesels are 300 hp & 600ft# torque.

The "Bad" about gas engines. They get 20% less mpg. Usually just 2 less mpg.
Gas does not have as much torque for hill climbing.
They don't last as long. Both serviced correctly will last, 200k miles for gas, vs Diesel, 300k, before overhauls. When did you ever hear someone wearing out on engine or keeping anything over 100-150 k miles? Longevity is not a reason, diesel people, to buy one.

Bottom line: This goes for diesel pick ups too:
Gas is $.20 per mile cheaper depending on miles used. $2000 every 10,000 miles. Even at 100,000 miles gas is $10k cheaper.
That includes: initial cost, depreciation, maintenance, and fuel.

Next time you keep your diesel til 200,000 miles you'll get a break even.

Do you need the extra torque for hill climbing if you live in non-hilly country? Can you leave 1/2 hour earlier to make up for the reduced hill climbing ability to save thousands?

I do get a documented 10 to 11 mpg at 55 mph. Diesels get 10 @ 70 mph -maybe 13-14 mpg at 55 mph. All mpg is dependent on speed. Oh, diesels are better in headwinds? Yes, but you'll lose to same mpg.

I'm retired. Do I need to get there 1-2 hours sooner? Oh, you work? Then don't go as far.....
As it has been said, "Smell the Roses" OR It's not the destination it's the trip getting there...

Got out this weekend

Linda needed a couple of days to relax. She's been with her mother 5 weeks every day. I loaded up the RV. The small one's gone. Only forgot a few things. We left Friday about Noon and went to Columbus NM, Pancho Villa State Park. We were going to Carlsbad but the winds (head) were not favorable, so we went with them in the opposite direction. I drove slow both ways. We lucked out Got 10.9 mph, gas!!! Take that again Diesels.
Sat we did go to Deming to Wal-mart to buy second electric heater on the bike in 20 mph
crosswinds and mid-high 40's. Our small one electric heater would not keep this RV warm and the Propane heater came on several times Fri. night. With a second one we did not use Propane except after the main circuit breaker blew after turning both on full heat. Too many amps. But in the AM with both heaters at reduced heat and 28 F. we had to start up the furnace again. The outside water line was frozen too.
The other thing I forgot, actually I did not know we needed, was silverware. 6 place setting for $10! Made you know where.
Deming has the St. Claire Winery. We popped a cork on a bottle of Blue Teal White Merlow we bought about 5 weeks earlier. It was surprisingly sweet. Had to have some more. It was 20% off so we bought 3 bottles, wine crackers and Jalapeno Orange Jelly.
Linda's back was bothering her so we did get into a second bottle.
We watched more "Outer Limits" episodes. Why did we think they were so good in the 60's? They are definitely outdated by today's standards. All Black and White too. The acting is TV terrible. The plots are trite. Went to bed about 8 pm both nights.
I kept waking up thinking about to heaters. The electric blanket was too hot and Linda kept stealing my side of the blanket all night. Then I would get cold. I never sleep as good as at home and Linda sleeps better away from home.
Was back home by 1:00 pm Sunday. Got a few things to work on. Gray water tank drain is mostly plugged and we have a new small high pressure water leak in a very concealed place.

Must be December

Last week it snowed 5-7" in two storms, was down to 22F. twice at night, rained 3 days and 4 days never got to 40 degrees. Today we had sustained 20-40 mph winds, many 50+ gusts and one at 66 mph. Yes the house shook. I stepped in to the RV while it was very windy and thought "Thank God, I'm not out driving in this". It was shaking 2" or more inside, standing still. It was not completely broadside to the wind, if it had been....
The balance of the week after today's cold front goes thru is suppose to be back in the low 60's. The very inconsistent weather people said 2-3 times last week it would be 10-15 degrees warmer than it ever got, so.... When it rains and is very cloudy it never gets as warm as they say it will.
We sold the 88 Dodge Conversion Van RV Sat. They showed up 2 1/2 hours late. Did not leave until 7 pm to go all the way back to Albq. NM. Got my price I wanted, Yaaa!
Linda's Mom still in rehab. Going on 4 weeks since operation. I'm really bored. Linda & I hope before Christmas we can take her on a RV trip. Thinking about going to Carlsbad to see the lights on the Pecos. They have a river boat evening trip for $17.50 I want take a bike and stay 2 nights. Depends on how well her Mom's doing.
I added a 24" 1080p full HD wide screen TV to the RV. Had to do some mods but it's got a great picture. It is 20 lbs lighter than the old cathode ray tube TV too. Won't need the HD tuner either.
Wiring is a pain, due to they left no way to get cables/wiring from the TV to the DVD and receiver up on top of the driving compartment. Want to add 5.1 surround sound, Blu-Ray player and better speakers next.
That's it in the pic, it's gone.

Finally A Subject Change

Tired like me bunky with all the "BUY ME, Get These Additional Services, You Need This, Save Save by spending more at...." I can't afford the savings.....
AT&T U-Verse won't give up, every week I get 2-3 advertisements.
I'm on the Do Not Call List and still get solicitations.
I let telemarketers talk until they tell me what their selling and then immediately say "Can you take me off your list" I've had them get testy, I don't care! But it works.
Junk mail: I throw out 75% of our mail. And I've stopped at least 1/2. I've got all the Credit Cards stopped too. I'm slowing down bills sent to the house too.
I'm still getting mail for my father who died 4-5 years ago.
Many web sites have advertising on them now. I ignore it. The big pisser is an ad on the ISP I pay for.
Radio and TV. Every 1/2 hour has 10-12 min. of ads. Notice TV turns up the volume when we go to the bathroom or kitchen during "THEIR" time. The Mute button gets lots of use.
After I retired I made it into a game to cut expenses NOT add more. I did by $1500 per month.
Newspapers, gee wonder why their dying? Almost every page has ads. The only good ones or the ads for items "On Sale". Does this make sense, that they have to pay extra for advertising to lower the price? Why not good low pricing all the time?
Bill Boards, on buses, now on pick ups the whole vehicle is an ad, every truck, more and more.
I buy less and less, but could afford more. I'll chose who I'll buy from.
I do use coupons, email discounts, Ebay, the Dollar Stores, Walmart, buy the cheapest gas (but don't go out of my way, it's all made by the same mfg'r!).
I do all my own work at home and on the vehicles. Figured I've saved over $100,000 in my life, get exercise, the satisfaction of doing it.
I do not have credit card debt and cars & house is paid for.
Best of all I'm retired because I think I'm wise with money. I don't waste much.
Last month's utilities were only $146, that's water, trash, electric, gas, phone, and DSL.
I don't have a cell phone at $50+ per month! I don't have Sat/cable at $40-50/month. I don't have OnStar, Sat. radio, and services I don't use.
BUT I can go on nice vacations and buy RV's and take it where I want.
It's all about self-control. Not like the wave above, wow!