How to buy a car at/below MSRP?

I bought my car (Subaru Forester LTD) in 2021, during the so-called car shortage which happened due to the micro-chip shortage during the pandemic. Since this was my first car, I was not really sure what I should be doing. During my research, I came across youtube videos by the 'Your auto advocate' group https://www.youtube.com/@YourAdvocateAllianceYAA  and started following them and learning more about car buying terminology through their free deal school course at https://community.joinyaa.com/c/deal-school/. It teaches you about car financing and quick terminologies to make you a smarter car buyer. 

After going through the deal school and learning the terminology/tricks of the trade, I created a pseudo-email account and started sending emails to different car dealers in the area, since I did not want to be spammed by the dealers with their 'last-minute' deals. I used the email templates that the team at @yaa so painstakingly have written, which can be found here [https://joinyaa.com/guides/email-templates-to-buy-a-car-online/] I am sure they have updated the templates since the last time I used them, but I got a decent deal on my car so I have no qualms in recommending them. Please note: The dealer will ALWAYS try to get you to come to the showroom to give you a good deal, but please do not fall for that trap. If they cannot send you an email with their so-called 'good deal' then it is NOT worth driving to the dealership. If they want your business they will need to work with you for it. 

Also, the yaa group had an add-on that looked up the car's VIN and could tell you have long the car sat on the dealer's lot. This just gives you some bargaining power when you are at the dealership. https://joinyaa.com/cars/#/ 

So coming to my journey. I started scrolling through the videos as noted above at the beginning of 2021 to just understand stuff. I started my search in earnest on June 20th, 2021, and finalized the car by June 22nd, 2021. I work in Wisconsin and I am comfortable driving around for a good deal, I contacted dealers in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The dealers in Chicago gave me the best quote but the dealer in Iowa was amazing. Since in addition to the deal, he was ready to give me a FREE loaner vehicle till my car came in, and hence I decided to go with him.

The breakdown of my deal is approximately like this.
$ MSRP
-$2,566  Discount
$MSRP-discount-> Sales Price plus state tax and fees

Thanks to my credit score I got 0% financing for 36 months and hence I am paying it over 3 years.  I really could not have done/learned how to buy a car without the team at your-auto-advocate and a big thank you to Zach Shefska, Ray Shefska Kimberly Kline, and many others who directly/indirectly helped me in finalizing the deal.

The dealership that I worked with was C&S Subaru in Waterloo [www.candscarcompany.com] and the person I worked with was Mr. Scott Thurn. (319) 291-7321 Office; (319) 415-8051 Cell

Things that I liked about my dealer

1.  The deal (got it below the MSRP)
2. Free loaner vehicle till the car came in 
3. Just being very responsive and super helpful and no additional sale gimmick. 
4. Even though he got the car I wanted from a nearby dealer he did not up the price because of that.

If you need any more detail please let me know.

Neil Fernandes

How/where do I open a Roth individual retirement account?

This post is NOT financial advice and I AM NOT A FINANCIAL advisor. Please talk to a financial advisor if you have one. 

This post is on how to open a Roth IRA while in training (residency/fellowship) and save 6k in a tax-free account per year (this post is in 2021 when the contribution limit is 6k). The general rule of thumb is to go for Roth (post-tax) when you are in training and a pre-tax (traditional) account when you are in your peak earnings (attending) years [Reason for this advice is your tax bracket changes based on the money you make].

One can open a Roth IRA account in ANY of the well-known trading companies like Vanguard, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, etc. The drawback of these companies, at least for me at the beginning of my financial journey was not knowing what to invest in. In other words, I really did not know much about the stock market, index funds, etc. Hence, for those who are still new to investing and want to play it safe but still get a head start on investing I recommend the company Betterment to do the investing. They generally invest in low-cost index funds which is what you want to put your money in instead of stock-picking. 

1. Once you open your account via the above link or http://betterment.com/friend-referral-offer?referral_key=neilfernandes2 you will get to a page where you will have to open your account. 
2. In the middle of the page, you should have an option saying 'Get Started'
3. Click on that and then go through the steps (should be pretty self explanatory)
4. Once the account set up is done you should reach the following screen 
   
   
5. Click on the option 'Invest for retirement'
6. Fill in the details (another couple of sell explanatory questions)
7. Towards the end, you will have an option to open a 'Roth IRA' which is what I would pick
8. Decide on how you will fund the account-> transfer the money-> and bingo you are done. 
9. You are now a proud owner of a Roth IRA. Money grows now tax-free!

Please note that Betterment charges you an advisor fee, which is around 0.1% or something like that which comes to a couple of dollars. Once you do become financially literate, you can rollover the money to another account like Vanguard or Fidelity which should be really easy to do. However, when you are taking baby steps in the journey of financial planning and while you are learning to become a better doctor, worrying about money should be the last thing for you.

A big thank you to the Whitecoat investor for helping me start on my financial journey!

Tips for new attendings

I had written on a post when moving between residency and fellowship. You can find the link here http://neilnf.blogspot.com/2018/06/moving-tips-for-residents.html   

I am updating the post to make it more all-inclusive and financial savvy. 

Things to do before graduating and planning the move.

Disability insurance: 

This is one thing that skyrockets as soon as you get out of residency/fellowship. I would try to get this one ASAP since your earning potential and disabilities will only go up as you get older. This insurance just safeguards your family and you, should something happen to you. I have found the following links to be really useful when trying to understand disability insurance and would recommend reading the same. 

The White coat investor is an amazing site for financial literacy, and this is the one for disability.

• https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/disability-insurance-introduction/. It is a series and I would try to go in order

The following links are quick facts on the same so that you can quickly understand it.

• https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-disability-insurance/
• https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/top-ten-questions-physicians-ask-about-disability-insurance/

Group vs individual (an eternal dilemma during residency is if we need it but I hope these links are useful)

• https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/group-disability-insurance/
• https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/ama-disability-insurance/ 
• https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/how-i-review-existing-individual-disability-policies/

Utilities

You will have to end your current utilities i.e., water, electricity at your current place and begin the same at the new location.

Use USPS mail forwarding service to forward any/all mail addressed to you at your old location to the new place https://bit.ly/3pPwqia. There is a charge of <$2 when I did this, but this is worth it.

Bank accounts

• Close old accounts that you will not use and streamline the ones that you will use going forward.
• Consider opening a new bank account in the new job place to get account opening bonuses (check https://www.bankrate.com/banking/ or https://www.doctorofcredit.com/best-bank-account-bonuses/ for the latest information.
• I would recommend updating your banks with your new details around 2 weeks before the move since this will help you in using the same as address proof for getting your driver’s license (they need 2 forms of address proof). 

Credit cards

Consider opening new credit cards since you may have a LOT of expenses while you are house hunting/doing a house make over. My list of credit cards is as follows https://maxrewards.app/refer/neilf120 

International graduates

Do not forget to update USCIS with your new address since your immigration is linked to the same. https://www.uscis.gov/addresschange 

Financial tips

This podcast/video by the white coat investor is worth a watch https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/financial-priorities-as-a-new-attending/. In summary

1. Do a back door roth IRA 
2. Max out the 401k/403b
3. Max out the 457b if available- This is a judgment call since it depends on the financial stability of your practice.
4. Max out the HSA (please note that you can contribute money ONLY for the months you are eligible) For example, for me I became eligible in Aug and hence I can contribute only 300*5months= $1500.
5. DO NOT opt for COBRA since you can retroactively activate it should you become ill.

#tipsfornewattendings

Sending/receiving money from your loved ones

So should your family want to send you money from your home country (for me it is India/INR) to the place you are currently living (for me it is the USA/USD/$) how would they have to go about it? The general norm/websites that I could find always go the opposite (from the USA (USD/$) to India(INR/₹), but should you need to do India to the USA this post should help you.

I personally use Transferwise to do the transaction. The minimum/maximum amount that one can transfer will be based on which country you are sending the money from. The money generally gets transferred in 3-4 business days and you can get the best rate possible, which means more money to you. The setup process is simple but you will need some sort of identification (driver license/passport), to make sure you are a legit person and not a computer bot. So one can create an account for his/her family and himself/herself and get money with not a lot of hassle.

The entire process (from the person sending money) in short is as follows. 

1. You need to open an account with Transferwise. You can use my referral link here and get up to 600USD for free with no transaction fees.
2. You have to confirm that you are a human being and they ask you for either driver's license/passport for identity verification purposes
3. How much money you want to send. You will get to know at this step HOW much the receiving person will get along with the transaction fees that they will charge 
4. Who do you want to send the money to- You will need information on the receiving person (their bank account details like account number and routing number)
5. How would you like to pay: They give options for bank transfer/card transfer (depends on the country you are sending the money from)

Now should you choose bank transfer in the above step, the way that I understand it is that you have to make a transfer to THEIR (transferwise) bank in your home country and then they transfer the money to THEIR (transferwise) bank in the recipient country and then to YOUR bank account finally. In all, this is the reason for the lag period of 3-4 days, given the multiple middle players. OR you can watch this video where he explains the process. 

The other reason I like transferwise is that they will give you a debit card, in which you can open an account in any country in the world and it will function as a traveling card! So instead of getting a cashier's check for my trip to Europe or use my credit card with no transaction fee, I can just open an account in the local currency, and then I can transfer my money to that account. The exact details can be read about over here or watch the video here

What are the ways you transfer money to or from your home country? Let me know in your comments and I can update the post should it be useful.

Guide to Global Entry by an Indian citizen

I used to always feel jealous when I saw the TSA-precheck customers zip through the TSA line and I have always wanted to do that. As I am an Indian citizen, I do not qualify for TSA as only American citizens and LPRs qualify for the same. However, there is something that is called Global entry which includes the TSA precheck which I applied and got approved for. This post is regarding the same.

First off a brief overview of what is Global Entry: 

Global Entry allows expedited processing for pre-approved, low-risk travelers when they arrive in the US at select airports. Instead of standing in line, program members proceed to Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card, place their fingerprints on the scanner for fingerprint verification and complete a customs declaration. The kiosk issues a transaction receipt and directs the traveler to baggage claim and the exit. Aside from avoiding processing lines and paperwork, another benefit of the program is TSA Precheck eligibility.

People who can apply for Global Entry: U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and citizens of Colombia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, and Mexico. (Depending on the country, visas may be required.) Canadian citizens and residents are also eligible for Global Entry benefits through membership in the NEXUS partnership (the agreement that allows members expedited processing when entering the United States and Canada).

 My application process is as follows. 

1. Create a trusted traveler profile here. https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/ 
2. Select Global entry and then create an account and then fill in the details as asked. One will be asked to pay a $100 non0refundable application fee (many credit cards will refund the same) In addition to personal information—name, email address, gender, eye color, height, language preference—it requires you to fill in your employment, travel, and address history over the past five years. It also asks if you've violated any customs or immigration laws or been convicted of a crime. Fill out the application and submit a $100 fee, which covers your five-year membership if approved, but is non-refundable if your application is rejected. You can pay by credit card or electronic bank transfer.
3. Once you have submitted the application, within 1-2 hours you should get an email from passport.admin@passportindia.gov.in with instructions on how to set up an appointment in India vs USA (the USA part is new and has just started in the last couple of months. The earlier rule was to make an appointment when going/planning to go to India). You will have to pay ₹500 in the Passport Seva Portal,  for their background check in India. Once the payment is made and appt is confirmed, the page will tell you the things to take to the appointment (E.g. Proof of address (Passport, aadhar card), application confirmation page or SMS confirming the appointment). During the interview, your fingerprints and photo will be captured and there will be some other formalities
4. Once this interview is done, one has to wait for the police clearance which can take anywhere from 1 day to a week. My dad and I went to our nearest police station to ask if this could be expedited and they obliged. They will need 2 neighbor Aadhar card photocopies with signatures to attest that you live at the home address that you have in your Aadhar card.
5. After this, it is all sitting back and wait for the conditional approval to be granted. (takes anywhere from 6months to a year). A good place to look for is FlyerTalk, where one can see what is the current status.
6. Once you are conditionally approved, you have to go to a nearby airport/GE location to attend an interview where they will ask why you want GE, show your documents. Do take your visa documents in addition to passport and driver's license.  Please note that scheduling an interview is painful as there are no dates for most cities. However, keep checking the list and you might pounce on a date should someone cancel 

My personal experience

• Passport appt 04/29/2019
• Police verification 04/30/2019
• Conditional approval 12/19/2019
• Interview 1/12/2020

A few sites that I found useful

• https://indianewengland.com/2019/10/indian-citizens-are-now-eligible-for-global-entry-program-in-the-us-here-is-how-to-apply/
• https://passport.in.ckgs.us/gep
• Application centers in the USA https://passport.in.ckgs.us/application-centers
• https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/international-arrangements/global-entry-indian-citizens

Quick getaway with Spirit Airlines

One of my good friends from residency sent a Facebook group message to the rest of us who are in the field of Critical Care saying, "Hey we are having a party at the Lakehouse, do come!'. Given it has been a year since we have seen or spoken to each other I decided that I will head 'home' i.e. Cleveland for sure *hoping my chief gives me off that weekend*

So with the goal in mind made plans. I scoured the internet for flight deals and found the cheapest flight on 'Spirit Airlines'. I had been warned through ads colleagues and even Trevor Noah (talk show host who sneaks in quick punches on the airlines) that the experience will be horrible and there will be flight delays and I will be left stranded. Anyhow, cheap as I was I decided to take my chances. So this is my post on travel with Spirit Airlines. I have in no way been compensated by the airlines and this is my OWN thoughts on the trip.

Prior to packing I googled and checked what are the dimensions of the luggage that I can carry. To be frank any regular bag pack should be okay but I have just put the dimensions for those who like numbers. 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm). Anything bigger than this will have to be checked or billed, which is EXPENSIVE. So please pack wisely for the trip. Please note that they do not have weight restrictions on the bag.

I packed my bag with essentials for a 2 day getaway. The check in process was painless, which I did 24hrs in advance. I got my boarding pass on the Spirit airlines app in Android and breezed through security. The boarding process itself was a bit confusing. I was on Zone 3 but I think the lady at the gate really did not care in which order we boarded so once Zone 1 was done we all just stood in a big line with a mix of Zone 2-4 in no particular order. Next came to stowing luggage either under the seat or in the overhead bins. Given I am tall I quickly put my bag in the over head bin and had all the room in the world to stretch my legs which was a blessing. The seats do NOT recline which is no a big bother to me but some people do complaint about the same online. Given I was post call I slept the entire duration of the flight. There was beverages that were served during the flight but all for a fee. So I would recommend shopping for drinks/food BEFORE getting on the flight. Once we landed it was the same process as any other flight, with disembarking in chaotic order. But disembarking nonetheless.

On the way back, same ordeal but the man at the gate announced that we had to board in Zones which was good to hear. I was again in Zone 3 and arrived at the gate when my time was ready. We boarded the flight in a safe and orderly manner and arrived at Boston on time and in one piece.

So in all, Spirit is great for a short trip/getaway and if you have very minimal stuff to carry. It is NOT great for long destination and if you have a lot of luggage. I would recommend any other airline as it will be cheaper in the long run.

H1B stamping by an Indian in Canada

Prior to applying one has to apply for a Canadian visa- Most go for a visitor visa. Please ignore this if you are a citizen/permanent resident in Canada. For details on getting a Canadian visa please refer to my earlier post here

Personal credentials
Last H1 visa expired 2015 but had my i797s so was legal till now. Further had changed employer in between.

Applying for an H1B (USA) visa in Canada

• Fill DS-160 with the hopeful consulate location. These are a few locations in Canada- Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Quebec City, Montreal. Generally, there is a HUGE wait time for Toronto and Vancouver (around 3-4 months) given they are top places
• Then go to the following site. Create an account and fill in the details and then schedule an appointment.

Documents that I took

• Valid unexpired passport – Passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the expiration date of your intended status.
• Older passport containing the visa category stamp. If you are renewing H1B then take the passport that has the H1B stamp
• DS-160 confirmation page ONLY
• Visa application fees receipt. One can get it from this. (Top right-hand side click continue and the last option- View payment receipt)
• Visa instructions- refer to the picture below
• Original Non-immigrant Visa Petition Approval Notice (Form I-797) (or something similar).
• Original degrees
• Recent Paystubs from your company
• SSN
• Valid driver's license
• Credit card
• Photograph (within the last 6 months)

Personal experience
Scheduling

• I started my DS 160 towards the end of October.
• Took an appointment towards the end of January since that was the only available date at that time
• Asked for an expedited visa, please refer to the picture below. Phrase it as to why should they expedite your visa

Appointment

• My interview was scheduled for 8 am, reached there around 720am, given was super anxious and thought why not go and get the lay of the land prior to the interview. However, the elevator was not working and they were delayed. At around 815 the started letting people in beginning with 715 730 and so forth. I finally entered approx 9ish (did not have a watch/phone so not sure of the exact time).
• Once the prelim guard clears you, you enter inside, go to the left and climb 1 floor and then go through security (TSA style)
• From here go to Window 1- Someone checks your documents and photographs. [If you are renewing please take the passport that had the last stamped visa]. Also, my photograph was not reading for some weird reason, so I took another snap there (C$10 for 6). Frankly, the new one looked weirder than my previous one but I did not argue and they let me continue. Also, as I mentioned earlier, my chosen consulate was Toronto but I got Vancouver in the end. So they had to transfer the same to Vancouver (took about ~15-20 mins for that- I am not sure given no watch)
• From there you are sent to window 2- This is where they 10 print (take your fingerprints). Left 4 followed by right 4 followed by thumbprints and they give you a number here
• From here you are then taken to the 20th floor (around 5-6 ppl at a time)
• One is made to stand in line again and then wait for a VO to open up.

Questions asked

• Where are you working?
• What are you working as?
• Where did you graduate from?
• Can you show me your previous passport which had the H1B stamp?
• Here are your rights, the visa is approved.
• Collect in 3-5 business days. Gave a green sheet with instructions.

A couple of visas were rejected prior to me for not having enough ties/not proper visa class. I did not pay attention to more details.

Best of luck.

Please Note

• You can take your cell phone for the Vancouver embassy. I did not take mine, as I was staying close by. (Airbnb)
• The consulate is close to a Starbucks and it is in a side location, easy to miss. Use google maps and key in the address. Also, there will be a huge crowd of people looking clueless which should tip you in the right direction.
• One can request for an expedited appointment ONLY once you have scheduled an appt. I was lucky in the sense my request got approved though in another consulate (Vancouver)
• The VO will take your 797 and you will get it when you collect your passport.
• The picture that explains couple of the above stuff is this

Post interview
- For some weird reason when I click on my check DS 160 state after the interview the page keeps crashing. But when you open the same in internet explorer does not crash as often.

Few websites that I found helpful

• https://www.desi-compile.com/guide-filing-h1b-visa-stamp-canada/
• https://www.immihelp.com/experience/view-22-visa_stamping_canada_mexico.html

Pediatric board preparation

Senior recommendations and advice
The predicted breakup for the board questions:

• Between 60-70% MCQs are from concepts asked in the previous years 
• Between 20-25% MCQs are questions asking a more difficult concept but from the same topics from previous years
• About 5-20% of the questions are newer topics/very difficult or impossible questions

Therefore, its almost impossible to pass without doing the previous years questions!!

Application procedure

• Opens in January or somewhere over there and it is administered over 3 day period in mid-October
• Prior to sitting and writing it you will NEED a PERMANENT license to take the boards. My sincere advice is to start applying for it early. However, it also depends on where you are practicing/doing the fellowship. Since some states like MA, do not allow a permanent license for IMG's unless you have completed a residency (3 years of training in the States)
• Do note- You can register for exam w/o license but need proof of it prior to writing the boards
• Once registered for the exam they will send you an email maybe 2-3 weeks later telling you can schedule your exam. I took my test on Day 2. 

Documents needed for above
By early July

• Copy of your medical school diploma + English translation, if necessary
• Copy of ECFMG Certificate or documentation of successful completion of the MCCEE or Fifth Pathway/FMGEMS

By October 1st of the year you are writing

• Copy of your valid (current), unrestricted medical license 
• The copy of the lice must include the expiration date and must be issued before October 1st 
• Please note that temporary or training licenses are NOT acceptable 

The exam itself

• Approximately 335 questions divided across 4 sections, with each section having roughly equivalent content, difficulty, and length
• 4 sections, 84 questions per section, 1 hour 45 minutes/section
• Most of us finished at least 2 sections with about a half 20-30 min to spare
• 3 Breaks: OPTIONAL
• 15 min, 60 min, 15 min
• Passing score: weighted score of 180, ~75% questions correct.
• Each exam is different, and some exams are “harder” than others, but are weighted accordingly to give you a scaled score from 0-300

Things that I used for the preparation are as follows

My first year ITE was pretty good. I attribute that to my Step 3 knowledge. However, my 2nd year ITE was not great. Started reading from the Medstudy books system wise and doing questions, system-wise (the video shows how to do it). I even bought the medstudy flash cards. My 3rd year ITE was good and I just kept at what I was doing till then. Towards the end of 3rd year, kept glancing through 'Laughing your way through the Boards'. Recommended by my seniors and attending. Loved it

PediaLink

The following video has tips that I used for studying.

Medstudy
The following video has tips that I used for studying from Medstudy

OneNote

Best of luck.

P.s.- I passed the boards! Yay. I am now a Board Certified Pediatrician.

Applying for Canadian Visa from the US

Decided to write on this given felt that it was one of the most confusing visa's I have applied for.

The following website is a good place to read up on the prelim stuff.
https://www.desi-compile.com/applying-canadian-visitor-visa-step-step-guide/
I, unfortunately, had issues with my browser (Chrome- given it was translating pages and kept redirecting me a million times)

Online application

1. Go to the following page and determine your need for the visa/travel https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/come-canada-tool.html
2. Once done, they will give you a reference code and a document checklist to keep handy and will help you to fill the visa document.  I had the misfortune where my browser kept giving me the following error  



ERROR Message that I kept getting

3. Realized after surfing a million pages and after installing adobe a number of times that it was just a glitch on the system and once you download the PDF (IMM5257E)  it will be sorted out. This means you will get a fillable application.
4. Once you are done downloading the application and filled it in create a MyCIC login via this link
5. Most likely you will have to register for a GCkey (if you have never applied for a visa prior to this)
6. Once logged in choose ‘Visitor visa, study and/or work permit’ service to continue. You will be asked to enter the personal reference code you received in the step above. (P.s.- I kept getting redirected at this point- I finally used internet explorer and then things went smoothly thereafter)
7. Follow instructions thereafter and it should be smooth sailing. You will have to upload documents (travel history and family history etc), pay stubs, employer letter and what not. At the end of this, you will pay for the application and then finally submit it.
8. You will then receive an email stating that they have got your application.
9. Within next 1-2 business weeks (please check processing times online- it depends on the place where you have applied from), you will receive an email from CIC asking you to submit your passport to VAC (Visa Application Center). This indicates that your application was approved and now CIC needs your passport to stamp the visa. (This step is the most confusing part of the process as the email from CIC is not descriptive enough and causes confusion among applicants).

Sending the passport

1. Follow the link in the letter sent by CIC above- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account/where-submit-passport.html
2. Find the center based on geographic location. In the USA it is either LA or New York.
3. Find the VAC website which should be mentioned below the options available.

This is the most confusing part of the application.

1. You will have to submit the following in the mail (by UPS)
1. Cashiers check/Money order- Get it from nearby local businesses which might charge 1 dollar to do the same. A bank may charge you 7 dollars which is half the cost of the money you are sending. ($19.90). The fees are listed here. I guess when I submitted my application this place just opened up and hence there was no UPS return fee available, which I expect will change with time.
2. Letter from the embassy
3. TTS services consent form
4. Passport
5. Return shipping label by UPS (go to the nearest UPS store who will help you out with this)

Got my passport back in 2-3 weeks (again no updates from the VAC center regarding the reciept of my passport or no. Thankfully I had UPS on my side and I knew they had definitely received it but still it was nerve wracking waiting for an answer)

Hopefully, this helps a bit. Best of luck!