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  • sdasda Member Posts: 6,934

    New 50 gal nat
    gas water heater installed. Hopefully this one will last longer than 6 yrs!

    2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav

  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,498
    One needs to take one's pleasure from where one can.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,434
    Shiny!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,497
    abacomike said:

    As you guys already know, I had two back operations about a year ago (Nov & Dec) but got no relief. I’ve been to pain doctors and had the epidurals - no relief. I live in constant pain. I need a walker to navigate.

    I went to see my oncologist about my liver cancer and he was very pleased I have survived 6 years with no recurrence. He ordered a PET-Scan to reinsure I have no spread this year. The results of the PET-Scan showed a lesion at my T-12 vertebrae. So my primary care physician ordered a STAT MRI of my thoracic and lumbar spine with and without contrast which will be performed on Monday morning.

    I just don’t seem to get a break. If it looks malignant they will do a biopsy. If it looks benign they will try to get me a neurosurgeon to remove it if it has not affected my spinal cord.

    I haven’t been able to sleep for days.


    Mike, sorry to hear of the challenges you were given and praying for a great resolution for you.

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    stickguy said:

    Shiny!

    Looks good in old man's gray!
    Nice shiny attachments and beautiful tubing.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • jmonroe1jmonroe1 Member Posts: 7,460
    sda said:

    New 50 gal nat

    gas water heater installed. Hopefully this one will last longer than 6 yrs!

    ————————————————-
    I didn’t notice the gas regulator on your old water heater installation (maybe I just missed it). If that is a new code requirement in your area, that would account for a higher new water heater installation cost.

    They are not required where I live nor have I ever seen one for a natural gas water heater or natural gas furnace installation.

    jmonroe
    '15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
  • henrynhenryn Member Posts: 4,289
    I've never seen a water heater pressure regulator, but a quick search on google shows them selling for about $60, so not that big of a deal.

    On the other hand, I do have a catch pan under my hot water heater, and I'm a little surprised that you don't.
    2023 Chevrolet Silverado, 2019 Chrysler Pacifica
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    edited December 2022
    henryn said:

    I've never seen a water heater pressure regulator, but a quick search on google shows them selling for about $60, so not that big of a deal.

    On the other hand, I do have a catch pan under my hot water heater, and I'm a little surprised that you don't.

    We don't have a catch pan. Our water heater is in the basement, directly next to a floor drain.

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  • mjfloyd1mjfloyd1 Member Posts: 3,220

    I’m assuming sda has the water heater in the garage and that the floor is sloped away from the house and towards the driveway making a floor drain unnecessary???

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    kyfdx said:

    henryn said:

    I've never seen a water heater pressure regulator, but a quick search on google shows them selling for about $60, so not that big of a deal.

    On the other hand, I do have a catch pan under my hot water heater, and I'm a little surprised that you don't.

    We don't have a catch pan. Our water heater is in the basement, directly next to a floor drain.
    We do too!
    What is with the dual water softeners?

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • sdasda Member Posts: 6,934
    There was a pressure regulator on the previous water heater it was just mounted differently and I'm not sure it needed to be replaced but no harm having a new one. No drip pan as it is in the garage and if it leaks no real issue as it would flow away from the house and out the garage door. We have a water filtration system, one side holds the salt, the other side is for the mechanicals. We also have a reverse osmosis faucet at the kitchen sink. I am hoping the Rheem unit is a good one, did a bit of research on the model installed and it looks to be decent. Good thing as I wasn’t given a choice as this is what the warranty company provided…you get what you get and don’t pitch a fit…lol. Just happy to have it done. College tuition, county taxes, annual neighborhood dues, tires for the Passat next. Does it ever end? Of course Christmas and holiday spending too!

    2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    sda said:

    I am hoping the Rheem unit is a good one, did a bit of research on the model installed and it looks to be decent. Good thing as I wasn’t given a choice as this is what the warranty company provided…you get what you get and don’t pitch a fit…lol. Just happy to have it done.

    My Plumber Guy if I need to call is a retired plumber. He recommended Rheem when I talked to him last spring about replacing my 35 year-old-unit (a State). Menards here sells Richmond heaters which are made by Rheem labeled with Menard's branding. Offer various lengths of warranty on the same water heater by picking a different price at purchase. Menards is an upper Midwest company like Lowes and Home Depot, but I like them better.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849
    edited December 2022

    I have a Rheem at the shore. Installed in 2016. Hoping to get some more life out of it. If it goes, I’d look into tankless. There would absolutely be an ROI on it down there due to how it sits vacant a lot.

    Problem is the intake vent would have to ran and I’m not sure if that is possible with the design of our units.

    The extra space in the small laundry room would be very nice.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    edited December 2022
    I have a Rheem Performance water heater - only a 38 gallon, which is sufficient for my 1 bathroom house. Not a cheap unit, which is nice, in looking at what they cost, I hope it has a long life. It's a short unit that sits on a shelf in the laundry area - maybe a 50s house thing and logical as there's a floor drain. The house was in a trust or something before I bought it, and I think was vacant for a time, but some non-basic improvements were performed - I also have a Bosch dishwasher that appears to have never been used.
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849

    Just installed two of these. $179.99 retail. Got them both for $13 from the electric company.

    I could have gotten Nest as well but I’ve had one replaced already at the shore, so I went with these.

    My Honeywell zone controller already supplies a common wire so no work at the furnace like I had to do at the shore.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,250
    @sda,
    I'm pretty sure I have the same unit as you except it has a power vent.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • jmonroe1jmonroe1 Member Posts: 7,460
    I wish you guys would stop talking about water heaters. I installed our Rheem in August of 2008 (bought at Home Depot) when we got home from vacation. Before leaving I knew I had a problem because as I was shutting off the water to the house and bleeding the pressure from the system (I always do that so I don’t come home to a disaster if a water line ruptures while we’re gone), I noticed the water heater was leaking. Not bad but enough that the floor was a little wet around the bottom of it. Not even wet enough for the water to have left a trail to the floor drain about 7 feet away.

    FWIW, it’s a 6 year warranty job. I’ve had more than one plumber tell me that if a water heater from the same manufacture has the same series/model name, buying the longer life unit costs more only because you’re paying for the longer warranty not because it’s a better built unit. I think they’re right so I buy them with the standard warranty.

    jmonroe
    '15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    I like the Honeywell thermostats. We got a Lennox thermostat that came with our new furnace in 2016, and I miss the Honeywell we had before.

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  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    sda said:

    College tuition, county taxes, annual neighborhood dues, tires for the Passat next. Does it ever end? Of course Christmas and holiday spending too!

    Believe me sda, you don't want it to end, because if ends, it isn't very pretty. Besides, like me, you have to help keep the economy going. :D

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849

    I am on a roll today! Rainy days = money spent and things get done!

    Wife has wanted our whole house audio expanded to the basement. I ordered the module and today went to Home Depot to get all the wiring. The speakers are under our TV in the main part of the basement. This system isn’t meant for critical listening, but great for background music.

    Pics or it didn’t happen of course

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,027
    tjc78 said:

    I am on a roll today! Rainy days = money spent and things get done!

    Wife has wanted our whole house audio expanded to the basement. I ordered the module and today went to Home Depot to get all the wiring. The speakers are under our TV in the main part of the basement. This system isn’t meant for critical listening, but great for background music.

    Please forgive my ignorance, but what does all of this stuff do exactly? I've never heard of whole house audio before.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849

    We have a Bluetooth module in the kitchen. That feeds a panel in the basement which distributes the audio via Ethernet to the wall controllers. Those wall controllers have small digital amps which connect to any speaker. We have four zones now. Two on the main floor. One outside and one in the basement.

    You can also add other sources and feed them to any zone you want.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889

    I’d imagine yours must have benefits, but I’m pretty happy with having an echo dot in every room. In the important rooms, it feeds into powered speakers. I then have them in groups. So we can say “play music I like on the whole house group” and she’ll play on every dot in the house, for example. And none of this involved running wires, THANK GOD. I have enough darned chores.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    Imid, I finished my 40 quarters after I left the postal service, fired for getting hurt on the job, and filed for s s benefits back in 2019. This legislation was totally wrong and needs to be reversed, like now. I just want what I'm supposed to get, my postal pension and my FULL s s payment, don't think I'm being unreasonable here. Now it seems, our federal lawsuit has been won and the courts admitted that we were "illegally terminated". We need to be compansated for at least our lost wages, if nothing else.
    I'm for always being fair, in every aspect of life, and both being illegally terminated and not getting my full s s payment are not fair. Hopefully, both wrongs will be righted in due time!

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • jmonroe1jmonroe1 Member Posts: 7,460
    tjc78 said:

    I am on a roll today! Rainy days = money spent and things get done!

    Wife has wanted our whole house audio expanded to the basement. I ordered the module and today went to Home Depot to get all the wiring. The speakers are under our TV in the main part of the basement. This system isn’t meant for critical listening, but great for background music.

    Pics or it didn’t happen of course

    ————————————————-
    I remember the days before they had the self clamping old work electrical boxes. Had to use what was called Hold EZ Clips (one on each side of the box, metal in those days) to hold the box to the wall. I don’t know who named those beasts EZ because there wasn’t a damn thing easy about them. :# It sure kept the average home owner from adding electrical switches and outlets. The electricians loved those days.

    Ain’t new technology great?

    jmonroe
    '15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    @Sandman6472

    Unlike those in private industry, you were able to forego paying into SS during your time with the Post Office. It's fortunate you got your 40 quarters in, but regular employees have had payroll deductions for 160 quarters or more. It isn't just postal employees. Teachers, ministers, firefighters, police, and dozens of other civil service occupations have their SSA benefits reduced, due to them not paying into the system, while employed.

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  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,060
    kyfdx said:

    @Sandman6472

    Unlike those in private industry, you were able to forego paying into SS during your time with the Post Office. It's fortunate you got your 40 quarters in, but regular employees have had payroll deductions for 160 quarters or more. It isn't just postal employees. Teachers, ministers, firefighters, police, and dozens of other civil service occupations have their SSA benefits reduced, due to them not paying into the system, while employed.

    That was true for my wife, for the 12 years she worked for a school district. But, she's spent more than enough time working for private companies, that she should have a healthy SS benefit when the time comes.

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    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2014 MINI Countryman S ALL4

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849

    @qbrozen
    It was here when we bought the house. Not sure I’d spend the money to install it from scratch as there are similar options without wiring available now. I will say the in ceiling speakers we have on the main floor are nice and unobtrusive

    @jmonroe
    Yes the old work boxes they have now are great. The straps you are referring to were called “Madison straps” or “battleships” by old school electricians. I’ve used them, they are a pain. Also these modules would never fit in an old box. It was tight with the super deep box I bought.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • jmonroe1jmonroe1 Member Posts: 7,460
    tjc78 said:

    @qbrozen

    It was here when we bought the house. Not sure I’d spend the money to install it from scratch as there are similar options without wiring available now. I will say the in ceiling speakers we have on the main floor are nice and unobtrusive

    @jmonroe

    Yes the old work boxes they have now are great. The straps you are referring to were called “Madison straps” or “battleships” by old school electricians. I’ve used them, they are a pain. Also these modules would never fit in an old box. It was tight with the super deep box I bought.

    ———————————————
    I never heard of those strap names you mentioned but anything other than the old work boxes used today can’t be too user friendly.

    As far as box depth, those boxes that are as deep as a 2 X 4 (3 1/2 inches), do come in handy when needed.

    jmonroe
    '15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,434
    actually saw EV chargers in action today. stopped at the supermarket, where they have a pair right out front. And both were in use. A Rivian PU on one of them, and a Mini on the other. I actually see cars on those quite often. I assume they must be free!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,434
    T, very ambitious. if we built a place from scratch I would probably have something built in, but not going to retrofit all that. I do plan to open some of my boxes of stereo gear after the holidays and pick out a compact receiver and CD player, and hook it up to some bookshelves I bought last year, and put that in the corner of the family room under an end table. and find my sub for the big speakers and Denon receiver in the basement. I know I packed that someplace!

    until then, the bluetooth speaker does the job when we need something. which isn't that often.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,434
    I did have a "be the guy" day yesterday. Finally got around to figuring out where they hid the filter on the furnace in the new place. and discovered that thing was wearing a fur coat. so off to HD today to pick up some new ones, and got that replaced.

    and yesterday got to dismantle the microwave until I found where they hid the filter on that. I noticed there was a light blinking under the "change filter" message. I recalled seeing one in a box downstairs and got that installed. old one was pretty greasy but no clue if it really needed to be swapped. but, it is done now.

    also got the Xmas tree up. first real tree in decades. could have been a little taller, but live and learn. but it is really nice and full at least and fits the spot well.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,559
    kyfdx said:

    @Sandman6472

    Unlike those in private industry, you were able to forego paying into SS during your time with the Post Office. It's fortunate you got your 40 quarters in, but regular employees have had payroll deductions for 160 quarters or more. It isn't just postal employees. Teachers, ministers, firefighters, police, and dozens of other civil service occupations have their SSA benefits reduced, due to them not paying into the system, while employed.

    In my professional life I never had a pension and in my 20s I never even thought to start a retirement plan. Certainly the farm never generated enough income to put much away. Fortunately, I got the bus driver gig and that gave me a generous government pension plus social security. That takes care of all our modest needs leaving my car jockey money for whatever automotive flights of fancy I might have.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    Am very thankful for my pension also. My first week, an older carrier told me, "you'll never get rich...but you'll make a living" as I was the new kid on the block and he was kinda showing me the ropes. Now I know exactly what he meant but he left out that it'll keep paying me for years to come! So, am very thankful for it all & just wish my folks could've seen that I didn't need to be a doctor or a lawyer to make a decent living while raising our kids. Would've been nice to have hear, "hey kid, ya did good" but that was never to happen. Luckily, my wife & in-laws got it.
    Have always lived under our means, brought the kids up that way & still, we all live under our means. Really don't need to keep my part time gig but what else am I going to do with my time? I'm getting paid for doing something I truly love & the other retirees I work with are mostly pretty decent folks. A few which aren't my cup of tea but I'm cordial but don't go any farther than that. Was thinking of going down to only a couple days a week in January, but going to stay the course right now and keep my three days a week. Plan to re-look at the situation in 6 months or so and see how I feel. If I'm still having more bad days than good like I have been this last year, will definitely drop down to two days and see how that goes. Nothing is written in stone so I do have options if needed.

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    @stickguy There is a filter on your microwave?

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  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849

    @stickguy said:
    T, very ambitious. if we built a place from scratch I would probably have something built in, but not going to retrofit all that. I do plan to open some of my boxes of stereo gear after the holidays and pick out a compact receiver and CD player, and hook it up to some bookshelves I bought last year, and put that in the corner of the family room under an end table. and find my sub for the big speakers and Denon receiver in the basement. I know I packed that someplace!

    until then, the bluetooth speaker does the job when we need something. which isn't that often.

    It really wasn’t too bad. No wire fishing, the back side of both places I cut into the wall is our storage room and where all the connections are for the system.

    I still have my office stereo and of course our movie room. No other stereo components are in the main parts of the house, even though I wouldn’t mind that.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 15,849

    @kyfdx said:
    @stickguy There is a filter on your microwave?

    Assuming it’s a microwave/vent hood combo.

    2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290

    I’d imagine yours must have benefits, but I’m pretty happy with having an echo dot in every room. In the important rooms, it feeds into powered speakers. I then have them in groups. So we can say “play music I like on the whole house group” and she’ll play on every dot in the house, for example. And none of this involved running wires, THANK GOD. I have enough darned chores.

    I'm happy with a high quality Bluetooth speaker that I can place wherever I am. It's more than good enough for background music. Like you I have enough things to do that I am not going to add to chores.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    actually saw EV chargers in action today. stopped at the supermarket, where they have a pair right out front. And both were in use. A Rivian PU on one of them, and a Mini on the other. I actually see cars on those quite often. I assume they must be free!

    Some are free and some you have to pay. I am not sure what the ratio is but I'll bet that the pay ones out number the free ones by a lot.

    They have them at a mall near me and one day I witnessed a little altercation at one. It seems a Tesla was going for one of the charging slots but a motorcycle got to the spot first and took it. As the biker was taking off his gear the Tesla driver was yelling at him that the spot was foe EV's. The biker just finished taking off his gear then went and plugged in his electric motorcycle, waved to the Tesla driver and walked off.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,027
    stickguy said:

    I did have a "be the guy" day yesterday. Finally got around to figuring out where they hid the filter on the furnace in the new place. and discovered that thing was wearing a fur coat. so off to HD today to pick up some new ones, and got that replaced.

    and yesterday got to dismantle the microwave until I found where they hid the filter on that. I noticed there was a light blinking under the "change filter" message. I recalled seeing one in a box downstairs and got that installed. old one was pretty greasy but no clue if it really needed to be swapped. but, it is done now.

    My over-the-range microwave has a couple of wire mesh filters underneath it where the stove hood fan is I guess, but they are washable. Would only catch large chunks of whatever judging from the looks of them. I don't use the hood function anyway as it is not vented to outside and thus is useless.

    But I have another filter story. A bit over a year ago I had an ERV installed here because the house was tight and I was always dubious of the air quality. It took the installers the better part of 2 days to put in all of the ducting, etc, and before they left the guy showed me how to open it up and pointed to where there was a nut that held something up that supported the core which needed to be removed every so often for cleaning. That few seconds was it and of course I immediately forgot what he said.

    The other day it occurred to me that I had never touched it since so I figured it needed cleaning. I got out the manual it came with and the instructions were sketchy at best. It is in the basement between a pair of floor joists in the ceiling so it isn't hard to access but when I opened it up I couldn't see a wing nut anywhere. I wiggled the core piece and it was loose enough that it slid down and out and two foam filters fell out with it. Unfortunately I failed to take a picture of it before doing so.

    I washed the foam filters which were quite dirty and vacuumed the core as best I could. The next day after the filters dried out I went to reinstall everything and realized I had no idea which of the 4 sides the 2 filters should be on nor how the whole assembly should be oriented. The manual only had engineering drawings with no detail on anything that helped in that regard. I went to the manufacturer website and found nothing either except for a pdf of the useless manual I already had. Hmmm. The core had a sticker on one segment and I tried to remember how it was oriented when I first opened the cover but I couldn't recall if it faced north or south. I put it back together and it ran OK so I buttoned it up, turned it back on and it ran.

    The whole thing nagged at me though so I continued my online search for something that might offer better info. I was astounded to find virtually nothing. But the one useful thing I found was a picture from some ventilation trade site that had awarded it an honorable mention when the product was introduced a few years ago that actually had a picture of the thing installed. Eureka! I saved the pic on my phone and went downstairs to check. Turned out I had it wrong and I had to remove the core again and change one filter location. How a company can fail to provide decent user maintenance instructions tells me it must be run by nobody but engineers.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    tjc78 said:

    @kyfdx said:
    @stickguy There is a filter on your microwave?

    Assuming it’s a microwave/vent hood combo.


    Ah...

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  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    @Sandman6472 Unlike those in private industry, you were able to forego paying into SS during your time with the Post Office. It's fortunate you got your 40 quarters in, but regular employees have had payroll deductions for 160 quarters or more. It isn't just postal employees. Teachers, ministers, firefighters, police, and dozens of other civil service occupations have their SSA benefits reduced, due to them not paying into the system, while employed.
    In my professional life I never had a pension and in my 20s I never even thought to start a retirement plan. Certainly the farm never generated enough income to put much away. Fortunately, I got the bus driver gig and that gave me a generous government pension plus social security. That takes care of all our modest needs leaving my car jockey money for whatever automotive flights of fancy I might have.

    I am vested in a pension from a private company and I can start pulling from in next month as I turn 62. I don't think it will be a lot but it's a little extra money as I plan on working the next 5 to 6 years before retiring. When I retire I'll get a state pension and Social Security which will replace about 90% of my salary with savings and investments we should be ok. I still plan on doing taxes in my retirement but full time during the tax season and maybe get some type of easy peasy retirement gig.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,027


    I am vested in a pension from a private company and I can start pulling from in next month as I turn 62. I don't think it will be a lot but it's a little extra money as I plan on working the next 5 to 6 years before retiring. When I retire I'll get a state pension and Social Security which will replace about 90% of my salary with savings and investments we should be ok. I still plan on doing taxes in my retirement but full time during the tax season and maybe get some type of easy peasy retirement gig.

    Does the private company pension change the amount you receive if you delay taking it beyond 62? Also, is the benefit indexed for inflation once you start taking it?

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,434
    private pensions almost never are indexed. you get what you get!

    The microwave is an over the range vent hood combo. It does have the little grills on the bottom and I did clean them, but it seemed odd that there would be a filter alert for those, so I dug deeper. Above the unit, there is a pretty dense filter (like a small furnace filter) that is what you are supposed to change. The element was black material so hard to tell if it needed it, but I had one, so did it.

    it does vent to the outside, so I was surprised that it had one. I did not study it too close but it looks to be in line between the exhaust fan, and the pipe to the outside. I guess it keeps gunk out of the pipe?

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,559

    @Sandman6472

    Unlike those in private industry, you were able to forego paying into SS during your time with the Post Office. It's fortunate you got your 40 quarters in, but regular employees have had payroll deductions for 160 quarters or more. It isn't just postal employees. Teachers, ministers, firefighters, police, and dozens of other civil service occupations have their SSA benefits reduced, due to them not paying into the system, while employed.
    In my professional life I never had a pension and in my 20s I never even thought to start a retirement plan. Certainly the farm never generated enough income to put much away. Fortunately, I got the bus driver gig and that gave me a generous government pension plus social security. That takes care of all our modest needs leaving my car jockey money for whatever automotive flights of fancy I might have.

    I am vested in a pension from a private company and I can start pulling from in next month as I turn 62. I don't think it will be a lot but it's a little extra money as I plan on working the next 5 to 6 years before retiring. When I retire I'll get a state pension and Social Security which will replace about 90% of my salary with savings and investments we should be ok. I still plan on doing taxes in my retirement but full time during the tax season and maybe get some type of easy peasy retirement gig.


    How do you think this new $600/1099 rule will effect your tax preparation business? I’m not even sure who has to generate them but it looks like if I pay my mechanic $600 in cash I’m supposed to give him one. Is that how it works? Sounds like a nightmare.

    As for an easy peasy retirement gig, Sandy and I can hook you up.😉

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    @ab348 It may be of help or it may not be. The instructions I got for our air exchanger were to clean the small filters with a vacuum cleaner once every quarter, and clean the core filter once a year. The instructions say to fill a bathtub, add dish soap, stick the core filter into the water, let it soak for hours. I turn it over so everything soaks at some point.

    It looks like if it goes back together it doesn't matter which way you place the filters...but I do put them in the way they always were.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 31,964
    RE: Over the stove built in microwaves. Ours has a filter too. A few years ago people would put over the range/counter microwaves in and they weren't hooked up to vent outdoors. In the province of Ontario that has become illegal, an over the stove/counter microwave has to be ventable (I made up that word).

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    Guessing from what I've read, s s should be going up like 8.7% in 2023, which is probably what my pension should get since it's tied to the COLA . Should be interesting to see how much the increase will be. All I know, inflation is taking a bigger bite over many items we buy and wondering if we're going to be a little ahead or just stay equal? Very glad I've got my part time gig as the little extra it brings in helps as we seem to be spending a bit more on other things in life. Guess it's all relative though.

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,497

    In my professional career I never got a COLA. For those who have, consider yourself lucky not be be in something involving lower reimbursements with increasing overhead .

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,027

    My provincial government pension has no indexing for a 5-year period that we are about halfway through. Even if things were unrealistically great in the financial world it is legislated in such a way that we would never receive full COLA. A government from about 10 years ago changed the legislation to really put the screws to U.S. pensioners. Shameful, really.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

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