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The USPS is proposing a 'forever stamp' with a price that would be locked in to the price of a 1st-class stamp at the time of purchase. They're basically proposing a futures market for the 1st-class stamp. The whole point of a futures market is to hedge against future price uncertainty. But...

There's a difference between making "incessant claims" and calling someone a "complacent imbecile."

He's entitled to his opinion. There's no need for insults.

Ah, the pussy-whipped argument. I have tried to keep emotion out of the discussion, but that's it in a nutshell.

I think you're right. Maybe the BLS has statistics on contractors. If we knew their income, etc...

mschey, I'm glad to admit my paint job estimate is too high if you and Convertibility say it is. What about carpets, kitchens and bathrooms? The key figure in the analysis is amortized annual upkeep costs. I've used $5k/yr. People here say I'm too high. Can anyone provide some reliable...

Fair enough. Still looking for reliable data for average overall upkeep costs. This link says that over 30 years it's 3.7 times the original purchase price, which seems enormous, so I'm trying to find a realistic figure. http://www.realestatejournal.com/buildimprove/20001003-fletcher.html

$30k for 3 $10k paint jobs in 30 years. Too low or too high?

Okay -- I'll work up a comparison of living in an apt vs living in a condo, since those are basically the same lifestyle and that is the lifestyle I want. Agreed? I'll post it later this weekend when I have time (since, due to my lifestyle, I won't be busy mowing the lawn, fixing the faucets...

fframe38, Thanks for providing some perspective from someone who's lived on both sides of the ffence.

I don't think you see my point. It's not about making an equal comparison; it's about maximizing returns.

You hit the nail right on the head, literally and figuratively. I don't want to fix things around the house. It's my personal idea of hell. Yeah, me. I acknowledge that I'm in the minority -- but since this is Elite Trader, we are all exceptional here. :D :D :D And I acknowledge that I...

Winter, Or why not live in your car for even greater savings? As I've stated before, if your goal is strictly to maximize the return on your investment, regardless of lifestyle, then you should rent the median apartment because my analysis shows that you get better returns than buying the...

OT, Incorrect: I used the figure of $5000/year, which I gleaned from here: http://www.realestatejournal.com/buildimprove/20001003-fletcher.html The article mentions the case of $140,786 spent on maintenance and repairs to date for a house bought in 1968. $140,786 / (2006-1968) = $3700 /...

Maverick, OldTrader, Please continue your pissing contest in PMs. If there are no more constructive contributions, I'll close the thread.

60 miles.

The problem with letting the market decide when to switch to alternative energy (if even technically feasible) is that (a) it may only do so when oil prices are high enough to seriously damage the economy, and (b) the time needed for such a switch is in decades. The market is too short sighted.

Nature provided the best storage of all: fossil fuels, i.e., stored ancient sunlight. Unfortunately, it took tens of millions of years to accumulate and we're using it up at accelerating rates. The solar flux incident on the earth's surface can be converted by solar cells and stored in...

I beg to differ. There are only three energy sources: solar nuclear gravitational

As, the 'OP', I agree -- but "comparison of the financial aspects of buying vs renting a home" isn't a very arresting title.