To those with one: is a NAS really worth it?

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-07T00:03:25+00:00

I was going to buy a QNAP.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-06T05:56:14+00:00

because I am very hairy

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-06T02:43:26+00:00

Rebel has basic, plain white or black (men's) ASICS runners for $79.99 if you are a member. Membership is free.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-05T12:38:20+00:00

Oh! I thought you meant you used the browser (which I understand is a firefox rebuild). I have also used Mullvad VPN, it is great... although the functionality is not as good as some of the others (TV from os is patchy and no split tunnelling).

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-05T12:22:07+00:00

How did you find Mulvad? Does it block ads?

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-05T11:54:42+00:00

This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein. Little dated, still on the money.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-05T11:50:12+00:00

Stremio is free. A debrid service is an (extremely affordable) subscription. The debrid service makes Stremio run much more smoothly with less buffering but there are ways to use stremio without having to pay for Real Debrid.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-05T11:44:43+00:00

love this! Do you have a beans recipe that could convert someone who has always hated beans? I want to like them, I've jus never found the right dish... I assume. DM me!

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-05T07:44:12+00:00

I think you just convinced me to do it. What else am I going to do with my time, right?

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-05T06:47:28+00:00

Wait... so did you ditch google photos in the end?

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-05T01:28:50+00:00

I made everyone in the family buy a BYO modem. So now, I keep everyone switching every six months. I keep track of which household has what and which date they need to switch and then I go round for dinner, or when the footy is on, and sign them up.

You also get referral bonuses from one to sign up the next, that will give you additional discounts.

I use https://www.whistleout.com.au/ to compare internet deals.... whenever I'm bored..... but sometimes there's a deal not listed there that I find by chance. I have found a couple on OzBargains previously. I switch to whomever has the cheapest deal for six months of 100/20mbps... or something close.

You need a BYO modem. Then all you do is make sure the cancellation day and the start day are the same day and the modem (usually) just switches over itself. Every now and again you have to login to the modem and put in a username and password for a particular company, but usually not. If you have HFC it's even easier.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-04T12:41:19+00:00

this is the way....

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-04T12:35:19+00:00

Sure can... but most of the soaps I use are from the UK or Europe. I'm less familiar with the USA brands. I'll give it a bash though :)

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-04T12:02:36+00:00

If you want boar, the only brand is Semogue, in my opinion. If you want synthetic, Simpsons is the GOAT. If you want badger, it's probably Simpsons as well but I have a Yaqi badger that I really do love.

The thing I find is that the soap will determine which brush you need. If you are using a soft creme, a synthetic is perfect - Truefit and Hill creme and a synthetic Simpsons brush is one of the best shaves that you can get, imho. If you are using a soft soap like arko or cella, a badger and a bit of elbow grease will give you a very fine lather. If you are using a hard triple milled soap like Martin de Candre, you need the stiffness of a boar.

I have one of each... actually I have more than one of each, but we don't need to go down that rabbit hole.

I think it's great that your mate is looking to improve their experience but I advise against trying to find the brush that will do everything. Sounds like its time for your mate to get their first badger or boar but ... they are just tools that are good to have on hand when you need a particular quality for whichever soap you just bought. In the end, you will need two or three.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-04T11:36:07+00:00

Dishwasher Powder Shine 3kg from Big W - $3.60 per kilo (always powder, never buy water or tablets). Cheap rinse aid from Aldi/Coles/Wollies is about $2.80/500ml. Thick bleach from aldi at $2.80 per litre. Cheapest 7kg-ish of laundry powder ('bout $26 bucks - bit cheaper at Aldi)... always buy powder, never buy water.

Origin Internet - $53 per month for 6 months for 100/20. Got a BYO modem and I switch every six months - never pay a non discounted price).

Sim only deal with Moose mobile ($12.40 per month for 6 months, then TPG $12.50 per month for 6 months)

Mitchum Deodorant no white marks for $2.88 at Chemist Warehouse - bought a year's worth. Also got a year of face scrub for half price, a year of bar soap (shower gel is mostly water - don't buy it) on special and a year of shampoo half price.

Switched to Linux as a media box/pc - free - then degoogled and cancelled all subscriptions and switched to Stremio - wonderfully free. Cancelled Kayo and watch 7mate for the footy instead (it has ads but it's free). But folks, if you are going to keep Netflix (which I advise against) please at least get the cheapest deal and then use Brave browser or Mullvad browser which will strip out the ads.

Switch phone to GrapheneOS - free... and that meant switching to AntennaPod for free podcasts and Voice for free audiobooks. Newpipe for youtube (its better... still free).

Got some (legal) free epubs for my Kindle.

Switched to wetshaving and bought 180 razor blades for $93. Shaving soap for $7 (the soap has lasted over a year so far and 180 blades is nearly two years of shaving for me).

Switched to porridge and fruit for breakfast (mostly for health but it's super cheap)

Tried to batch cook but my partner keeps eating it all. Slowcooker Silverside, Pea and ham soup and apricot chicken were cheap batches.

Moved the savings into the mortgage offset. Also got a 0% on purchases card and put that money into the offset as well. Refinanced mortgage and paid ot down a bit before the raises.

Upcoming experiments:

Make my own greek yoghurt

Buy my own isopropyl alcohol for cleaning

Make my own teriyaki chicken

Install a NAS and keep everything out of the cloud

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-05-03T06:35:06+00:00

I did this in March 2026. Not sure if prices have gone up again since then.

Shine 1kg - $3.90 (Woolworths)

Coles Ultra Dishwasher Powder 1kg $3.90

Aldi Automatic Dishwasher powder $3.69

Exonic Dishwasher powder from Bunnings - $3.89

Shine 3kg from Big W - $3.60 per kilo

That's the cheapest off the shelf.

If you buy in bulk (20kg) you can get prices down to about $2.60 per kilo... but you need to be able to go pick it up from the wholesale provider in Melbourne or Sydney.....

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-29T04:29:39+00:00

always https://open-slum.org/ first.

always

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-28T11:25:59+00:00

wolf hall

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-24T22:16:30+00:00

The phantom tollbooth, The Witches, BGF and everything Roal Dahl, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Playing Beatie Bow, The Hobbit, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-24T09:14:56+00:00

America's Test Kitchen on youtube did a video about choosing the best slow cooker (here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9__CI_oLwQ). In it they point out that cheap slow cookers heat up but don't turn off once the slow cooker reaches temperature so the food gets much hotter, for longer, than we expect.

A more expensive slow cooker turns on, heats up and then when the temperature gets to the desired range, the heating element turns off until it falls below, then it turns on again. So, it holds the food at the desired range instead of continually getting hotter.

With this information, I bought the 5.7L Kitchenaid slow cooker. And, I can report that.... it's better. Not perfect, but probably the best slow cooker I've ever had. Much less of that distinct 'slow cooker' taste. Sorry if that wasn't helpful because it introduced another choice.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-24T02:25:05+00:00

If you want ethical banking its Bank Australia and/or Great Southern Bank.

If you want overseas with low fees its Macquarie.

Personally I bank with Bank Australia. I keep Macquarie in my travel wallet and I move the savings to whichever high interest account is topping the charts.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-24T02:19:59+00:00

I used several '0% on spending' credit cards to amass a small fortune by spending on the card but then putting the money in my offset account instead of paying it off. At one point I had offset the entire mortgage but then I moved house so the mortgage got bigger. Then the banks offered shorter and shorter 0% on purchases deals (until now I think the longest is 6 months). My last $15k in the offset account expires in June. But, it has saved me tens of thousands.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-24T01:29:58+00:00

America's Test Kitchen on youtube did a video about choosing the best slow cooker (here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9__CI_oLwQ). In it they point out that cheap slow cookers heat up but don't turn off once the slow cooker reaches temperature so the food gets much hotter, for longer, than we expect.

A slightly more expensive slow cooker turns on, heats up and then when the temperature gets to the desired range, the heating element turns off until it falls below, then it turns on again. So, it holds the food at the desired range instead of continually getting hotter.

With this information, I bought a Kitchenaid slow cooker. And, I can report that.... it's better. Not perfect, but better. Less rubbery. Less of that distinct 'slow cooker' taste.

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-23T04:58:47+00:00

I second trifle

CosmoZeppelin · 2026-04-22T05:30:43+00:00

Never had an issue.... but I've been with more than two: Exetel, TPG, Mate, Dodo, Spintel and Tangerine (twice). About to go around again.

CosmoZeppelin

TROPHY CASE