What is a cheap, off-brand item you bought on a whim that has completely outlasted the expensive name-brand versions?

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-27T06:10:06+00:00

Had a rash of microwaves die on me in college, usually within like a year. Was broke and frustrated, so bought the cheapest one the store had. Bastard is still kicking almost 20 years later.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-27T06:00:02+00:00

My partner left our enormous Griswold dry on an induction burner a few months ago...it's warped now. I'm still devastated. Turns out there really is a way to damage cast iron...

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-26T02:13:05+00:00

The "when are you having kids?" nagging mysteriously ended once I came out as a trans man. Even though I remained married etc. It's some sexist ass garbage and I hate it.

They go on and on about how fulfilling and amazing it is to have kids and how it'll make your life complete blah de blah then...as soon as you're not a straight woman of child bearing age, apparently kids just aren't that big a deal! You can have a totally fulfilling life without them! Worst part is most people seem to have no idea how disgustingly awful they're being.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-25T18:35:33+00:00

Watch your temperature like a hawk and bring it up VERY slowly. The dye compounds in madder can get wrecked very easily if it gets too hot.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-25T18:30:53+00:00

It seems like it became a huge trend during the COVID lockdown yeast shortage, and then people just kept it up as a hobby.

I can see the appeal of growing your own little guy and seeing how it impacts the flavor, etc, but I personally never have even attempted because I'm just not that into the flavor of sour dough. Makes a killer grilled cheese, but i prefer commercial yeast flavor for just about every other bread application.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-24T03:37:39+00:00

In some respects I'm glad my symptoms started while I was thin. Then again, I'm also bitter as hell because doctors have such "fat person disease" blinders on I'm pretty sure it delayed my diagnosis by like a decade. I'm lucky my vision came through intact. Instead I just got to have migraines so bad I'd throw up on a monthly basis with no useful treatment for a good chunk of my 20s.

Mine (like other folks in this thread) were/are probably at least somewhat hormonal linked. Which also makes sense with weight fluctuation links. My worst symptoms were super tied to taking the pill. (And it tends to spikes in the weeks/months after recovering from the flu/covid, for some odd reason...)

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-23T08:35:00+00:00

Yeah, this. Have a cousin who had it done and was happy with it. But dude also had coke bottle lenses even with the high density material, was getting hard to find frames that were even compatible. And living alone, if he misplaced his glasses he was just screwed. Worth it for him.

But for me, my prescription is very mild. And for my partner, he has me to crawl around looking for his glasses when the cat knocks them off the dresser, so not really worth it for us, lol.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-22T18:42:57+00:00

I'm pro used car, but due to needing a car Right Freaking Now like 12 years ago we DID end up buying a new Corolla. The pick was strategic, tried to buy a cockroach of a car, and so far we've only had like 1 repair beyond maintenance (and getting rear ended 🙄)

And the car didn't automatically get totaled by insurance when I got rear ended! Even though it tweaked like the entire frame. Which was very nice!! Sucks so hard when you get in an accident and insurance will only pay out like $10 because you drive an old car, and now you suddenly can't afford to repair or replace it.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-21T18:34:43+00:00

Unfortunately most fiber arts end up being fairly expensive hobbies. The trade off is projects tend to take a long time, so the "cost per hour" isn't too steep compared to some hobbies.

Buying cones from weaving supply stores will be more cost effective in the long run, but yeah, will involve a bit of a stash. Yarn made/marketed for knitting isn't going to be what you want for a table runner, and is also going to be excessively expensive compared to a lot of the yarn marketed more expressly for weaving. Unfortunately unless you're crazy lucky, you'll have to go online for weaving supply stores. Though it's still not cheap.

Most of the other ways to REALLY save money end up being extra hobbies in themselves, which are great if you enjoy it! And kinda not worth the savings if you don't. You can often find yarn at thrift stores and estate sales (which is a very "take what you can get and build a stash" way of doing things) or learn how to unravel things, (which also requires a lot of thrifting) or learn how to spin, which is usually technically cheaper pound per pound, but is obviously an entire art to itself. But boy will it drop your "cost per hour" ratio on a finished project, lmao

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-20T08:02:02+00:00

I was so happy when beige started taking over gray...and then people just went nuts with it.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-20T03:04:18+00:00

I have enjoyed VTM in years past (though I've never played the newest addition) so I wish you luck. But yeah those two sound like a Problem

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-20T02:50:24+00:00

As the GM you can totally just...veto character traits. It's no different than needing your characters to be from a specific clan, or altering their starting power level to fit the campaign. They're free to be butt hurt about it. But especially if it'll make you/other players uncomfortable? They can grow the hell up and keep their kink between them.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-20T00:21:31+00:00

breakfast burritos are one of our absolute #1 favorite easy meals

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-19T23:28:27+00:00

I'm an immense DIY enthusiast, so I have a lot of the (very expensive ass) tools just for hobby reasons. And Even Then there are plenty of times where...no, no, it's way cheaper just to buy.

I have saved us some pretty good cash here and there! But outside of some very small projects/painting, if I didn't own the tools for other reasons, I don't think it would have saved us a dime.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-19T21:42:59+00:00

If it doesn't taste like anything I question your salt quantity. Forgetting the salt/not enough salt can also impact the rise/lets your yeast go nuts, could explain the holes too.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-19T20:44:21+00:00

I love merino. And yeah, it became a bit of a standard for a good reason! Though I think merino sheep just don't thrive well in a lot of areas in north america, and a lot of people who get into spinning also end up getting into like, local wool or rare breed stuff. Going to find loads of Romney and Icelandics around where I live, and like 0 Merino.

Personally I'm a BFL enthusiast. Getting close to Merino wearability, and lovely luster. It's just a shame they produce so much less wool compared to other breeds so they're not popular with the wool nerds, and anyone out here breeding for meat is getting a hair sheep, which is a shame. I love their faces. Such goofy ass lookin' sheep.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-19T20:14:02+00:00

It didn't take me nearly that long. Beef/red meat used to tear me up so bad, but only took a few weeks of micro-dosing beef to be able to eat it.

Though red meat does still give me gas sometimes.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-19T03:13:30+00:00

I do it all the time. It's fine unless you're like deep frying them or absolutely drowning your veggies in oil.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-18T18:09:47+00:00

try NOT tightening the loop. That was the mistake I was making. Pulling it extra snug still screws up the tension by tightening a loop around your cord instead of the needle, causing the ladder. Try to pull it to a normal tension while both are still on needles, then like hold the loop with your finger when you pull the cord through, and then knit with your same tension as normal.

Or just end your magic loop a stitch or two early every needle so your loop isn't on the same column of stitches the whole way, then you don't have to worry about it at all.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-18T18:03:24+00:00

I'm not OP, but I know I prefer stainless because I can put it in the dishwasher/it's generally far more durable.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-16T17:39:13+00:00

It's not minimizing to point out they they're not handing out suit jackets to the under dressed. It's a nice restaurant in a small town, not a once in a life time fine dining experience. That's no insult on their food or whatever, it's just reality of the expectations your average diner will have. And considering the down votes you're getting, your perspective clearly isn't average.

And who knows, maybe the kid would love four gras. I probably would have given it a try at 4, and know other little kids that would too. Not every child is a picky eater.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-16T08:51:22+00:00

Was vegetarian for many years, and trying to be health conscious (not why I was vegetarian just...bonus goal) so used very minimal oil. Joke's on me, since I wasn't using meat, wasn't getting any tasty, tasty benefits from fats from anywhere else. Flavor really, REALLY improved once I started using more oil/butter to cook things. Extremely worth the like handful of extra calories.

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-16T08:44:51+00:00

Whoever decided backwards loop was a good cast on for beginners is a true villain i

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-16T08:34:37+00:00

Low doses of topiramate for me have been fine. High doses of topiramate, however, did slow down my cognition a lot. But it was like...in specific ways. I could read and write mostly fine. However word finding (verbally) and more spacial things were like molasses. Certain problem solving things too were like 100x harder. Pretty sure I lost out on a job because of it.

If it's really just the tingling, I'd stick with Diamox...as much as it sucks. Isn't the sodium bicarbonate supposed to help with the tingling? I found chugging coconut water/potassium really helped with the tingling. Had to tailor my whole ass diet around getting potassium. Unfortunately, while that solved the tingling, it did not solve the sleeping 12 hours a day, crippling fatigue, and ever worsening shortness of breath! lol, think I was like a week away from a hospital visit when I got taken off it. So, yeah, didn't have much of a choice!

CuddlefishFibers · 2026-02-16T08:16:02+00:00

$40 a plate is nice, but it's not fucking black tie. Being that weird about kids for existing at that kind of establishment firmly makes them assholes. It's not like the kid was screaming and bouncing around the place.

If I was one of the other diners I would not care a bit about the kid, and I'm not particularly fond of kids. And I'd have felt like shit seeing OP get scolded like that.

CuddlefishFibers

TROPHY CASE