Today I Learned...

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by soundman98

but even if it kept it above freezing...

I was visiting the parents of an acquaintance in Trondheim, Norway. They took me for an excursion to their small hobby farm up in the hills. This is a long time ago so I don't remember where it was or how far the farm was from the city. They owned a small 4wd for these journeys. I asked why there were so many candle on the floor at the backseat. I was told if they broke down during winter they would light a couple of candles to keep the interior of the car close to zero degrees Celsius as opposed to -40C.

[DarkPira7e]

Originally Posted by soundman98

this popped up in my youtube feed. i've been hearing more about these diesel heaters lately, his video is more analytical, though he admits he got the 8kw rating wrong... at the very end, he figures out that it costs about 14pence to run, while electricity in his area is about 40pence per kilowatt hour... it'd take more math than i care to do to convert it to freedom units, but i figure it can't be that far off either, even with the higher cost of diesel...

between your post, and that diesel heater video, it's got me thinking about getting one as a furnace backup/power outage, and even setting one up in the garage instead of using a space heater when i'm out there. in the case of a furnace issue or power outage, i'll easily sacrifice a car battery out of either of my vehicles if it means staying warm... i doubt it'd heat the entire house, but even if it kept it above freezing...

even if it costs the same as electric in the US, it'd still be a great backup option...

this one even has a bluetooth app, still only $170...
https://smile.amazon.com/HCALORY-5KW...eae8f9840&th=1

Yeah I have propane heaters for this exact scenario. Need to be sure it's not going to poison you either, haha

[JD001]

Originally Posted by humfrz

So, the "backstop" would automatically stop the car before I would back into something?

If so - NEAT!

Needs testing....

[JD001]

Yesterday I learned that England can't play football.. Or to be precise can't take penalties.. @spcmafia.

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Sasquachulator

Perhaps he likes to live dangerously....
YOLO as you will

.

[spcmafia]

Originally Posted by JD001

Yesterday I learned that England can't play football.. Or to be precise can't take penalties.. @spcmafia.

TBF the English got shafted most of the game by the ref. France looked clueless for the better part of the game.

[Spuds]

TIL that not only can you contribute to your Health Savings Account for the prior calendar year until the tax filing deadline, but your employer can as well to include payroll deductions. Why I had to learn this is a long dumb story no one wants to hear which annoys my greatly.

This knowledge will essentially pay for the new floor jack I just bought the next time my wife or I require medical attention. Yes, HSAs are psychologically weird.

[spcmafia]

Originally Posted by Spuds

TIL that not only can you contribute to your Health Savings Account for the prior calendar year until the tax filing deadline, but your employer can as well to include payroll deductions. Why I had to learn this is a long dumb story no one wants to hear which annoys my greatly.

This knowledge will essentially pay for the new floor jack I just bought the next time my wife or I require medical attention. Yes, HSAs are psychologically weird.

It is amazing the things you can buy with HSAs.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Spuds

TIL that not only can you contribute to your Health Savings Account for the prior calendar year until the tax filing deadline, but your employer can as well to include payroll deductions.

Yea, I always contributed to MomHawk's while in the process of doing our taxes.

Unfortunately we had to change away from an eligible plan two years ago because of a local dispute between our local health system and the insurance company where the insurance dropped all our physicians (and basically every provider in the county where we live that we've used for the past 30 years).

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Yea, I always contributed to MomHawk's while in the process of doing our taxes.

Unfortunately we had to change away from an eligible plan two years ago because of a local dispute between our local health system and the insurance company where the insurance dropped all our physicians (and basically every provider in the county where we live that we've used for the past 30 years).

That sucks. When I took the new job, there wasn't an HSA option for the first year and I remember thinking how dumb it felt just paying into regular insurance (for a 29 year old in relatively good health). HSAs are great.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by spcmafia

It is amazing the things you can buy with HSAs.

Well, I didn't spend HSA money on non-healthcare stuff. That's bad, don't do that.

Employer contributions through payroll deductions avoid payroll tax (SS and Medicare) in addition to income tax. Direct contributions only allow you to deduct the income tax portion when you file taxes. The difference in tax is about $480 a year at the family HSA limit assuming top tax bracket. My employer cut my contributions off at the individual limit (half the family limit) and didn't tell me, so this will save me $240 in taxes.

However, that savings is only really applied to money used for healthcare. If you literally never use the HSA, then you never actually realize the savings.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Spuds

That sucks. When I took the new job, there wasn't an HSA option for the first year and I remember thinking how dumb it felt just paying into regular insurance (for a 29 year old in relatively good health). HSAs are great.

Yea, we had the plan for quite some time, so I hated losing it. We had two different HSAs, one with her contributions, and one with mine. We used hers for actual medical expenses and mine is in an investment account with Fidelity we'll use in retirement.

I wish I could have started it in my 20's! Mine is in the low five figures, but it would have had at least another zero on it if I had started then.

[spcmafia]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Well, I didn't spend HSA money on non-healthcare stuff. That's bad, don't do that.

Employer contributions through payroll deductions avoid payroll tax (SS and Medicare) in addition to income tax. Direct contributions only allow you to deduct the income tax portion when you file taxes. The difference in tax is about $480 a year at the family HSA limit assuming top tax bracket. My employer cut my contributions off at the individual limit (half the family limit) and didn't tell me, so this will save me $240 in taxes.

However, that savings is only really applied to money used for healthcare. If you literally never use the HSA, then you never actually realize the savings.

I love my HSA because, even though I am in a high deductible plan. My employer deposits money on the account at the beginning of the year, and it accrues over time if you don't use it. Thankfully, I haven't found the need to visit a hospital or need any major medical work done. But that deposit money pays for what my vision insurance does not, regarding my annual contact lenses supply, and a good amount of chiropractor sessions. So whatever I contribute throughout the year, just goes into the overall savings that will continue to accrue.

[cjd]

I wish our HSA insurer didn't suck. Only realistic option for folks in this town using the company's out of state insurance providers is a decent PPO. Some of our existing care choices don't even accept the other vendor... The main system does but I've heard the stories.
We still have a bit stashed from a previous employer.