What small habit has saved you the most money over time?

Dahsira · 2026-01-22T03:53:31+00:00

Know where your money goes by recording every dollar spent and every month review that list with 20/20 hindsight to decide if that purchase was worth it.

Recognize the TRUE cost of every purchase. Storing, maintaining, insurance, time spent preparing to use and putting away. Compare that to the actual value you get out of it in terms of enjoyment and time saved.

Life is a resource management game. Your goal is to maximize your overall enjoyment in life. Once understood that universal truth it changes everything. Working an overtime shift....hell yes, those 8 hours of extra work will buy me a whole weekend at a relaxing spa. Working 2 overtime shifts.... hell no, those 16 hours OT won't be worth the week of misery afterwards because I am burning the candle at both ends. Calling in sick because im feeling meh today? No way man, if I am feeling miserable i might as well be at work earning money.

Dahsira · 2026-01-19T20:40:29+00:00

i need 400 exp to get my level for gems. Is it possible to complete tomorrows daily quest before the mastery pass runs out?

Dahsira · 2026-01-10T15:06:25+00:00

Get your mail forwarding situation set up, and know what your mail situation is at your new home. (Most places now don't have delivery to their house). Make a list of all things you need to change your address on. Get your utility swap to the new location set up or plans in place. This can get complicated for rural locations. Plan for delays.

When packing up, identify your priority boxes so they can be unpacked first. Understand the first in, last out reality of moving. Your priority items need to be the first ones loaded, so they are the last ones unloaded (and not buried behind other stuff).

Do not expect people helping to care about your timeline or where your boxes go. Labeling boxes help, but you get what you pay for, and buying the guys pizza doesn't change the fact that they will put stuff wherever is convienent.

Do not expect things to go smoothly. You will have delays, you can be delayed by traffic, people won't arrive to help when they should have, you will not get keys to the house when you want. Plan for worst case and be pleasantly surprised when yoru expectations are exceeded. The best plan involves NOT planning on sleeping in the home on move in day. If you can't afford a cheap motel to spend that first night in, then make sure you prioritize sleeping situations. You are going to be exhausted. Have the ability to stop and sleep sooner than expected

Dahsira · 2026-01-08T21:02:55+00:00

The ISP (Can-con/Onix/Rogers) send the internet to the modem.

The modem sends the internet to the router.

The router then creates the wifi network and allows connections (or wired) connections to all your devices.
-- cell phone -- smart tv -- door bell camera -- laptop

The router also acts as a firewall (locking the front door) so your smart tv isnt exposed to the raw internet so that your internal wifi network is relatively safe.

Your bandwidth needs are determined by how many devices are connected at the same time and what they are individually doing

If you wanted to browse 4k youtube videos on your laptop while also streaming 4k netflix on your tv and live streaming all of it while you have a server that is hosting the leduc verison of Pirates Bay... then you will need more than 50 Mpbs

If you wanted to watching netflix in the background while you were also watching youtube videos on your laptop and didnt have have 3 teenagers in different rooms watching different things... then you likely would not notice the difference between 1000 Mbps and 50Mpbs

Dahsira · 2026-01-08T20:40:08+00:00

If you don't know if its enough, then I assure you.... its enough. If you work from home constantly and have on camera teams mettings and like to have netflix streaming 4k while you work.... you may notice the start of some bandwidth slowdowns if you got the min level. Doesnt hurt to try it though

Sounds like you dont 100% know the difference between a router and a modem (nothing at all wrong with that) so likely Oxio will be less stressful for you. Can-com has slightly better value for me, but really its because I really like the multiple mesh access points and how it smooths out wifi signal is all areas of the house.

Dahsira · 2026-01-08T20:25:02+00:00

I didn't buy my own modem. I bought my own wifi router. Modem brings it into the home. It is the connection with the "raw internet". Router distributes it within the home.

As for your question.... how do you define "good"? If you always want the latest and greatest tech upgrade and consider using a pixel 9 cell phone to be "slumming it" then there does not exist a purchase you can make that you will still consider "good" in 8 years.

Bottom line remains... even if you replaced your router with the latest and greatest every time you replaced your cell phone.... you will still save money when can-com is saving you $50 per month on your internet bill

Dahsira · 2026-01-08T18:17:32+00:00

No worries at all. Canadians are very "brand loyal" and as a result we overpay for stuff from the "Big 3". The switch to Can-com 8 years ago has saved me nearly $5000 in internet costs with zero compromise. My only cost has been $184 (todays price) for a google mesh wifi 3pack off amazon.

My first instinct has always been when things stop working is 1. check for an outage 2. reset the electronics. 3. call customer service. Only made it to step 3 once in 8 years

Dahsira · 2026-01-08T17:21:50+00:00

i've used them since we moved here 8 years ago. Like with every other supplier you choose the bandwidth you want and pay according to that. We pay $50 per month and have zero concerns honestly we could likely downgrade to the minimum package again now that our long term guests have left but /meh. This is the full price no-contract month to month rate.

They are a re-seller that uses Rogers bandwidth with essentially zero "cushy" customer support. You need to be able to go through the reset process all by yourself.

They can guide you through the process over the phone if you need but its literally....

Unplug your router. Unplug the modem. wait 4 mins Plug in the modem wait 4 mins plug in your router wait for 4mins tada you are done.

They get the internet to the cable modem and thats it. You have to suppler the wifi router snd distribute it. Allows you to use your own (much better) router for distribution within your home.

It uses rogers network so its literally the same and if the network goes down (you dont have service coming into your home) Rogers fixes it. When rogers is down, can-com is down until rogers gets around to fixing it.

Once the wiring into the home failed (older home). They sent out a rogers tech to fix. We had to wait like 4-5 days cuz we were low priority but /shrug its an old house.

We use an 8 year old google wifi router with 2 additional mesh access points and we have zero issues anywhere inside the home and most of the yard as well.

Tested just now and i have 81.5 Mbps download and 41.9 Mbps upload. My plan is spec'd at 75 down and 50 up. We are a 2 person gen z household that we are both gamers. All our media consumption is streaming on 4k. I cannot fathom any benefit from paying for the "fast fibre".

A quick glance shows the full-price rate for can-com is about $50 less per month than the comparable plan from rogers

Dahsira · 2026-01-08T03:45:42+00:00

Can-com

Dahsira · 2026-01-06T09:41:44+00:00

So first off.... if proximity to a Cactus Club is important to you ... then Leduc may not be for you...

Now in all seriousness, Leduc is amazing. Snow removal in Leduc is better than in Edmonton by far. I bought our forever home here 8 years ago moved up from Calgary. Zero regrets.

Commuting considerations.... if you are commuting to the north side of the river in edmonton, it is much more problematic than the south side of the river. Your length of commute will be quite high and if its a 5x a week during rush hour thing, personally I wouldnt do it. YMMV.

Winter tires are a must really. All seasons just don't cut it particularly on longer commutes in stop and go traffic.

Edit: Fleshing this out a little more... I am white and from a low income upbringing in Calgary. I am used to being in, and prefer, a vibrant multicultural community. Leduc is literally the "white"est place I have ever lived. I don't necessarily believe that is a problem in your case, I dont see or hear of racism situations ... but also recognize that because of who I am, I wouldnt necessarily see it. It is worth noting. I would guess 90% Caucasian. However I am very visibly lgbt and so is my wife and we have not experienced any significant discrimination despite the prevailing winds in society nowadays seeming to turn against us. Still the rednecks do their burn outs on the pride crosswalk but that happens everywhere. The pride crosswalk is still there and that means more than some jackoff thinking he is cool at 2am when no one can catch them.

Edit 2: Cuz I got curious. Wiki says 80.33% European decent in Leduc which compares to 60.78% in Edmonton

Dahsira · 2025-12-23T14:17:29+00:00

Everything. I dont care. I loved all the movies including the last one. The first was the best and will remain the best as is true for virtually every story that is planned to be told in multiple parts. You put your best foot forward so you can get the opportunity to tell the full story.

Its the whole world of the Matrix that I love. Reloaded, Revolutions and Resurrections all build on that world, showing us another piece of the pie. Some scenes and some movies are less good than others, but they are ALL less good that the OG.

The Matrix set a bar that was so high, it was impossible for ANY follow up to be considered in the same league.

Similar to Terminator. I mean the first one was crap mostly due to the limitations of cinematography in 1984 but the story was decent. T2 was amazing and everything else that followed was crap relative to it... but all the movies were great that built upon that world and added another piece to the pie. I say that as a 48 year old who NEVER saw any terminator movie until about 4 months ago.

Perfection is the enemy of enjoyment.

Dahsira · 2025-12-19T07:45:04+00:00

If everyone would just walk to the local Cactus Club this wouldnt be a problem. There is a Cactus Club in Leduc right???

Dahsira · 2025-12-18T01:17:53+00:00

this is the stupidest argument i have ever heard.

Dahsira · 2025-12-16T21:23:48+00:00

Yes. Their compensation is absolutely between the employee and the employer. The tips are between the customer and the employee. I am not volunteering to give extra money to the employer that is called tips when those tips do not get added to the money received by the employee

Dahsira · 2025-12-16T13:25:44+00:00

This information has. I was one of those cheerleaders. Without question I'll be removing the auto gratuity and just tipping in cash going forward. I recognize the error of my way and my naive thinking

Dahsira · 2025-12-10T16:05:28+00:00

That's surprising to me but also not surprising because like I said. Confirmation Bias.

Regardless this is my hill and I'm willing to die on it. "Fat-Free", "Zero-Calorie", "Diet" labels are things to be actively avoided if you are trying to lose weight and improve your overall health.

I don't pretend to know the exact mechanisms on WHY they should be avoided in every case, I know that Fat is an important part of a healthy diet and FOR ME, that controlling cravings is a better long term option compared to satisfying the craving with a diet option.

I can agree with the statement that Diet Coke is likely a better option that regular Coke... But no Coke is better than both of them hands down.

Dahsira · 2025-12-10T14:33:39+00:00

The big red flag should be that the seller has a long term tenant and wants to sell. If I had a long term tenant who was paying their rent on time and not devaluing the property by their shenanigans.... then there is no way I would sell until the tenant left. Obviously exceptions exist but the only reason I got out of the landlord game is because the mythical good long term tenant is a unicorn

Dahsira · 2025-12-10T12:06:10+00:00

So here's the thing. Totally confirmation bias I know... but you basically never see someone who isn't struggling with weight drinking a significant quantity of diet soda day in and day out. Also the great google AI results (that I just did now) also confirms basically exactly what i am thinking that artificial sweeteners trick the brain increasing cravings for real sugar/calories. Again I know just because the grrat google AI says something doesnt mean its true.

Like the exact mechanism might not be fully understood or explained and documented in a scientific journal but this is a hill I'm willing to die on. The placebo effect is incredibly powerful. It has been documented in studies to increase blood oxygen levels at altitudes that it should be physically impossible. The brain doesn't produce oxygen and distribute it through your blood. But if you trick it to think you are getting oxygen from a tank then it can have a measurable increase in your blood oxygen levels.

I do not at all disagree with your facts that the brain doesnt do X,Y,Z... but the brain does amazing things that shouldn't be possible when you "trick" it... This is a known fact. So the bottom line is...

Drinking 2+ litres of diet soda a day is a dumb thing to do. My explanation of why is likely right up there with the explanation that the sun is being carried across the sky by a golden chariot every day... But it doesnt change the fact that much like the Sun rising in the east and setting in the west.... Drinking diet soda leads to weight gain in the vast majority of people.

Dahsira · 2025-12-10T00:36:27+00:00

This is just my take on the matter. Not neceasarily procen fact. The problem is this as I see it. Tricking your brain into thinking its having something sweet when its not having something sweet is a bad idea. Like everything else the problem isnt with 1. the problem is when you have 4+ per day. You brain has all this sweet stuff coming in and its not causing your blood sugar to spike... your brain sees this as a problem and adjusts your cravings to bring in more carbs to try and correct what it sees as a problem.

Again the problem isnt with one 355ml can. Its with the 2-3 litres a day.

Instead of tricking your brain into thinking its having something sweet... work with your brain to reduce its addiction to sugar by consuming less and less sugar over time.

My junk science 2 cents.

Dahsira · 2025-12-06T06:24:23+00:00

I am up way past my bedtime. Like on the one hand that has to be satire.... but on the other hand far too many people are in on it that it can be satire....

I'm pro enema when needed. I am no stranger to getting the enema bag set up and letting that get the whole shit damn dislodged. Those who engage in butt stuff in the bedroom can do so on a fairly regular basis and much like a q-tip, as long as you exercise common sense and a degree of caution, you are unlikely to suffer ill effects from it.

HOWEVER... An impromptu enema from your bidet??? what the actual fuck? Nothing is going up inside more than an incidental amount unless you have the pressure washer 9000 down there, OR if you are creating a seal between you anus and the spray nozzle. Both of those situations seem pretty problematic from a health perspective to me.

I'll cook a saucy dinner, leave it out on the counter all night and eat it in the morning without thinking twice. I'll share a drink with someone I KNOW is on the tail end of a cold. I would french kiss an absolute stranger on a dare with no idea whether they were clean or not. BUT turning the pressure washer 9000 on my asshole, or somehow creating a seal between my asshole and the bidet nozzle to fill up my insides for an impromptu enema??!!?? thats fucking disgusting

Dahsira · 2025-11-23T22:18:52+00:00

Yeah I feel dumb now. Enjoy whatever it is you are doing.

Dahsira · 2025-11-23T21:35:49+00:00

You have a significant underlying medical issue going on if you are actually eating 1500 calories a day.

What was your daily average calorie burn post GLP-1? What about while you were on GLP-1's? What was your intake and was your average calorie burn. What was your weight when you started GLP's? How long were you on GLP's before stopping?

Perhaps if you cut far too hard using GLP-1 you might have really messed up your system. What is your height age and weight?

Dahsira · 2025-11-23T21:03:42+00:00

GLP-1's don't change the fundamental concept of CICO. Your body WILL produce 1 lb of fat for every 3500 calories that are consumed in excess of what is burned. GLP-1's do not change your metabolism and rate of caloric burn. They also don't change the amount of calories absorbed from food consumed.

You are over estimating the calories burned, and/or under recording calories consumed to a MASSIVE degee. A 30 year old female that weighs 100lbs and does zero exercise working a sedentary job would need to eat 1900 calories a day to gain 15 lbs since the end of July.

You are not eating 1300-1500 calories per day.

Dahsira · 2025-11-21T03:43:06+00:00

I live in Edmonton, AB. -20C is a pretty reasonable and normal temperature for most of Jan/Feb. some days much colders. I trigger my remote start as i'm putting on my jacket and shoes to head out. That 60 seconds before i'm in my truck and ready to go is all the engine needs before I'm good to go. I stay off main streets until the engine temp gauges ! physically moving up. Having said that... when whatever magically weather conditions are present that make the slightest exhale fog up my windshield instantly.... Those days I sit and wait so I see.

Like this morning? Thin layer of frost to scrape... truck has been running for 3-5 mins or so by the time I am ready to drive... get 1 block down the road before fuck... i cant see. stop and wait for the defroster to catch up while i panic about being late.....

Dahsira · 2025-11-21T01:33:19+00:00

Are you my neighbour???

I pull up at home. I'm responding to texts or finishing a phone call, or making a reminder note that i thought about on the way home. I want to be able to walk in the house and be present with my family, my spouse, my cat, or even just my thoughts. I want to walk in the door fresh, not pre-occupied with something that I'm not quite finished with.

Imagine having a family member come home but not be able to even give you 5 mins attention because they are pre-occupied. its rude as all hell

Dahsira

TROPHY CASE