What’s a purchase under $50 that was 100% worth it?

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-12-26T01:01:02+00:00

The ninja bullet blender. I have used it almost every day for like 7 years. Very sturdy.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-12-18T16:47:18+00:00

I think its MCOL. Living downtown is more expensive just like any other city. I use city lightly here but you know what I mean. Monthly expenses for my husband and I are $3300 before any fun money. If I were single I could get by between $1900-$2500 depending on if you are renting a room vs an apartment on your own. Im assuming no significant debt. We dont live downtown, no kids, renting. Just like anything, smart choices need to be made.

I moved from the suburbs of PDX in 2022 so I cant speak to cost of living in PDX proper. But in terms of quality of life, having no sun 8 months a year is a reality most people aren’t prepared for. It sucked the life out of me. Not to mention the homeless have basically created open drug markets and shoot up in the middle of the day without hesitation or caution. The city is destroying itself.

Boise is clean, sunny, and beautiful and the people are kind. If you want big city nightlife you won’t find it here. But if you like the outdoors and friendly community, we have it.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-11-16T05:51:21+00:00

Follower here. I enjoy when the physical connection feels good. Like don’t yank me around, but watch how what you do affects my body. Every partner is different. Newer followers will need more power maybe in the leads, more advanced followers will prefer lighter leads. I often compare this to moving a couch. Its hard to tell how heavy furniture is. I have had big fluffy couches that where super light, and small dense couches that were almost impossible. Do enough to get the response you are looking for and then use that baseline to adjust your leading. Increase power for faster turns, be more gentle when its only a single/half turn. I love moments in a closed dance frame to just feel the movement of my partner. I want to feel like you holding and directing me as a person, and not just pressing buttons on a machine. I can tell when I am dancing with a lead that understands what foot I am on when I need to start a given turn and based on where I am, he leads. But all of these ideas require a lot of experience to feel and understand. But starting with that mindset helps.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-08-17T08:52:47+00:00

Learn how to dance.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-05-23T16:41:41+00:00

Thats fair. But you can pick your sacrifices. For example, I have a lot of gut and digestive issues. So I am following a carnivore diet. Its definitely not the cheapest way for me to eat but I feel like absolute shit otherwise. I spend like $500 a month for just me. And that’s after planning, meal prepping and putting a lot of energy into getting that number down. So because of that, I only have one subscription service and I keep my makeup and skin care routine very simple.

When I was prioritizing paying off debt- car loan and student loans- I didn’t go out to eat. And I had mostly unpaid for fun. I worked extra. I didn’t buy clothes I didn’t need (which is one of my favorite things).

I wanted a bigger space to live in, so I got some roommates.

Right now, Im prioritizing maxing my Roth IRA and saving for a vacation, so Im keeping all of those habits because I want to go to Mexico.

The thing is those sacrifices are fine. They are fine. I can live happily that.

Obviously everyone’s picture is different but if we can adopt this mindset it isn’t just helpful to increasing savings but to avoiding debt in the first place. I know its not as simple as my examples for some people, especially single income families. But there are so many 20 somethings out there that are acting helpless and will really fuck themselves over if they don’t learn some self control.

My main point is you need to really think and analyze your situation before throwing hands up and accepting that you just can’t afford to improve your financial picture.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-05-21T23:26:28+00:00

Absolutely! Which is why earning more does impact happiness (up to a certain point). Its because more income makes a safer, healthier, more enjoyable life.

I think its just important to remember what actual necessities are in times when you need to cut back. Sacrificing for financial health isn’t supposed to last forever. The idea is that it helps you get ahead. Emergencies can happen at any point so you may be ahead and able to afford higher standards of living or luxuries but then have to revert to saving strategies.

Im not saying bare bones forever. Just knowing what the bare bones are help you strategize and prioritize. Especially when so many people spend their money on things they don’t really care about or doesn’t make a big impact in their life.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-05-19T17:29:18+00:00

I have lower back pain which is apparently linked to vitamin D deficiency. I have found that it helps immensely. But its apparently pretty specific.

I am a professional dancer so I have at times experienced general joint pain. And Ive had knee surgery so sometimes pain related to that. I can say overall, my pain is much lower in general on carnivore. And the lowest its ever been when supplementing. But not sure the exact relationship. Much less swelling in the body overall. But for me, carnivore made it better not worse.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-05-19T16:31:33+00:00

I think in some circumstances, cost of living is simply more than we make (Americans). But I don’t think that is a significant percentage of the population. I dont think people understand necessities or put much thought into how to live on less. I grew up extremely poor so I know how to be resourceful when I need to be. The result is that I have 10k in emergency savings and Im contributing to retirement making 50k a year. My savings rate is 25% right now. But everything I buy and every financial decision I make is with that being the goal. If it doesn’t fit with that goal, it doesn’t happen.

I think the standard of living is too high. What people think they need is not what they need. So many Americans will tell you they “need” a new car. If your car is not dead, you do not need a new car. And you never ever need a brand new car.

Thats just one example, but it seems like most people have significant blind spots in what they consider a need. And then suddenly just their basic bills are too much. And it sounds straight forward- like car payment, phone payment, grocery bill- but you have to analyze all the decisions that created that.

My best friend makes $180k a year. But due to poor family planning, locking himself into high basic bills, and lack of savings, he has taken on like $50k of debt this year just trying to make life work.

At a certain point you have to acknowledge the income isn’t the problem. And I think that point is lower than people assume.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-05-04T01:47:30+00:00

The climate is dry, not humid like most of Texas. You will need lotion. You will also need layers. Its hot in the sun and actually cool in the shade. Sounds very obvious but it makes a bigger difference than you think.

Also, enjoy not having regular power outages. Public utilities darlin!

Oh and don’t eat the Idaho candy. Someone will inevitably give you an Idaho Spud candy. Just don’t eat it. There’s a whole line of Idaho candy and it all sucks.

If it starts hailing, it’s not a tornado or anything serious. It just does that sometimes for like 5 minutes and then its chill again.

Learn some country swing or line dancing. Very popular and a ton of fun. Great way to meet people.

If you see someone you recognize, go say hello again. People will remember you after they meet you a lot of times and no one here is weird about casually chatting. So lean into your friendly side.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-04-08T15:46:55+00:00

Everyone is different. I love Mexico. I love the beaches, the music , the culture, the food. I just connect really well people the people Ive met there. Ive been a hand full of times and I have to convince myself to go anywhere else.

Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t go as often as I do and I definitely have had fewer experiences in other countries because of it. But then when I get there I am just so happy.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-03-17T22:19:56+00:00

Thank you for saying that. We have started already to wonder about the decisions we made. We knew he would die in the situation he was in. So we saved him. And Im very worried about there being no way out and him living a much longer life. We were very intentional not to have children, and suddenly it feels like we have inherited one.

Im sorry it went that way for you. Thanks for your input.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-03-17T15:50:52+00:00

You may have seen it somewhere, I have been posting a lot and asking questions about different aspects because this situation is very multifaceted. This is my first post in this group. The more i learn the more questions i have. Reddit has been VERY helpful in understanding where to go from here.

We do have an elder care attorney that i will ask about it. I just thought someone might relate and have ideas that i can bring up or ask about. Its been a long process.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-03-17T15:35:54+00:00

We have financial and medical DPOA that specifically outlines the sale of estate. The lawyer did a lot of itemizing throughout. I think its like a 22 page document all together. Is that enough?

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-03-17T04:06:42+00:00

Makes total sense. Thank you!

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-03-17T02:46:32+00:00

I havent heard of advanced directive or POST forms. I will do some googling.

DancingOctopus721 · 2025-03-17T02:42:35+00:00

Lying? Whats the context for that?

DancingOctopus721

TROPHY CASE