In terms of collectibles as investment…I have a very nice but very small amount of comics. My largest investment has always been vintage Star Wars toys. I have a very large collection of unopened, vintage items, 12 backs, vehicles, rare foreign boxed SW toys, as well as many other vintage toys from the 50’s upwards. Comics are just a nice complement to my other areas of interest/passion for nostalgia.
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That is correct. The Federal Stimulus will not count towards taxable income for this year.
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Texas and Florida just want you to work and if you get sick oh well
That’s why most married couples both have to work these days … I know cost of living vs wages is an issue in many areas … if you live in a highly desirable area, home prices and rentals become whatever the market thinks it can bear …
This is also the reason, and I say this as a Veteran myself, many Military families end up on some form of Governmental assistance … which is just plain sad, IMO …
Our governor is a goon… now, our Mayor here in Austin is doing a good job… While governor is acting like a moron, our mayor is trying to keep it under control as best as he can.
That’s harsh…Here in Michigan…it won’t end till July 31st.
Do I qualify for the additional $600 in federal benefits?
An additional $600 in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits are available to everyone receiving state unemployment benefits under the CARES Act. The funds are available for any weeks beginning after the date the state enters into an agreement through the week ending July 31. You don’t need to apply separately for these benefits – if you’re eligible, you will receive them through your state.
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Yeah, don’t get me started on those GI Bills for college funds… when I did DOD contracting, I was surrounded by military families who said the hopes that you join the military to get the GI Bill was a joke… even after you qualify for it and did your duty, seemed like it was still near impossible to get the full benefits at times…
I think they should reverse the order. You promise to join military to get college tuition money, you get sent off to college first… paid for… then when you’re out, you do your time in military… I think having extra education in the military would actually benefit who’s on the front lines… now, I’m not saying those who are in military right after high school are dumb or unintelligent, I’m just saying a college education isn’t gonna hurt… 
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Well, when and if I decide to retire, I’m counting on my collection amassed over 60 years as both a consumer and a shop owner … but then again, knowing me, when they peel me off the shop floor, my survivors will just have a giant Auction … but, at least somebody will get some Bank … 
I got out in the late 1960’s after being deployed … the GI Bill worked for me …
Also, I believe the VA does have a program like what you’ve described for hard to get professionals like Doctors / Nurses … my DR at the VA had mentioned it in discussion during one of my check ups …
Yeah, I can only go by what I was being told by those dealing with it. I’m sure back in the day, it was different.
The post-911 MGIB is even better. I got a full education, plus BAH while I was in school. The only bullshit part is I joined right when they were rolling out the new MGIB and I bought into the old bill, and then switched over. Unless I use 100% of my benefits I’ll never get refunded the kicker that I paid into and never used since I switched plans. I can only assume the benefits they were salty about had to have been disability or their healthcare, and I can’t speak to that. I don’t know what they were talking about with it being “hard to get either”. You need an honorable discharge, or a med sep with half your time served which is really easy to get, just don’t be a dirt bag or a Blue Falcon and you’re g2g. I think the new bill even pro-rated you if you don’t do at least half but I’m not sure on that bit. I love VA run healthcare, and I didn’t want a dime in disability. That $$ belongs with people that are limited in their ability to work from service related injuries. None of that I want 10% because I have depression, or my hearing dropped off slightly so gimme money nonsense.
Also, that program does exist. What’s more common though is the debt forgiveness thing Uncle Sam uses to get JAGs and Docs though. One of my wife’s friends is marrying a dude that just went to Norfolk to report for duty. He’s doing his 6 years and at the end of it he won’t owe a dime for med school.
Yeah, this was all 10 years ago… I can’t remember the specifics… I just recall a bunch were grumbling about GI Bills, what was promised, promises broke… meh…
I’m all for paying for people’s education who sign up for active duty though, there really has to be a trade off if you’re going to risk your life.
Used my GI Bill for college but it wasn’t all that much and definitely wasn’t around when I went on towards my Masters.
Ultimately, my profession (speech-language pathologist) is much needed…so I ended up working for the government and utilized the debt forgiveness.
Biggest benefit at this point in my life…is the fact I can use my military service time towards my overall retirement timeline/benefits. That’s where it does pay off.
Oh…and the 10% off at Lowes/Home Depot lol!
Thank You all for your service🇺🇸
10 / 4 on that … and, I sure as hell am not ashamed to hit Applebee’s, etc on Veterans Day for a free meal …
Truth is, when I got out, we were mostly treated like crap by the public … the DOD has done a good job raising the perception of those that Serve over the years to the public … it’s a whole different thing these days …
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I tried during high school, but them military wouldn’t take me…Even the Marines. Damn scoliosis and flat feet (still don’t know what flat feet is). Just how the role of the dice goes sometimes. A few of my friends did join up. Good people. Still keep in touch with most of them.
Oh man, recruiters wouldn’t leave me alone. One finally admitted he was after me cause I was 5’10", 160 lbs, size 10 shoe… said they would not need to order anything special for me to fill in the uniforms.
I took my uncle’s advice who was one of the first ones over in Gulf War (and West Point Graduate)… I wrote to him every week. He would write back and at the end of each letter, “Do not ever join the military unless you have to!”…
Not to knock the military, people in military, I respect all of you all… but that was best advice and I took it.
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Lowe’s only for me! Home Depot doesn’t honor the discount on all items in their store. When we had to redo our bathroom they said some of the bigger ticket items were excluded as “special appliances”. I left everything there and went to Lowes where 10% is 10% and there’s no fine print.
I’m a Home Depot guy myself. My credit card gets me 0% interest on anything over $300… most of the time I easily spend $300 every visit.
Plus long ago in my college days, I worked at Lowe’s. They did me wrong… well, it was mostly the manager but if I cared more, I could have had his ass fired. But again, I was in college and I found a new better job faster than he said “they were letting me go”…
That’s fair, I have STRONG feelings about one of our local grocery store chains for similar reasons. I even feel that it’s better than where I do shop. I just feel like they did me wrong as a teenager, and I refuse to give them a dime ever again.
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