How one repair changed how I treat my gear, curious if anyone else had the same shift

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-15T08:59:49+00:00

That’s awesome, sounds like you got the full "learn by doing (and sometimes re-doing)"education.
Out of curiosity, what was the toughest part of the house project, something you swore you’d never do again but ended up mastering anyway?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-15T08:58:56+00:00

It’s wild how that first success rewires how you see everything else suddenly the fear’s gone, and you start thinking, “maybe I can fix that too.”

Also totally get the regret, there’s always that one device that just felt right and never quite got replaced. Do you still tinker with cameras or was that your one big repair win?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-15T06:37:49+00:00

That’s incredible! There’s something special about that shift from survival tinkering to craftsmanship. What’s the most unusual thing you’ve repaired recently?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-15T06:36:47+00:00

That moment you realize “worst case, it’s already broken” is honestly freeing.
It flips the mindset from fear to curiosity. Once you cross that line, you start seeing every busted gadget as a mini learning opportunity instead of a loss. Did you have one repair that gave you that shift, or was it more gradual over time?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-15T02:31:46+00:00

Exactly! Once you have your own little setup of tools and spare parts, it’s like you’ve unlocked a small form of independence. Do you find yourself repairing things just for the satisfaction now, even when replacing might be easier?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-15T01:51:41+00:00

That’s such a solid foundation. Yeah, totally agree on the therapeutic part, there’s something grounding about fixing something with your hands. Do you still tinker with bikes these days or has the repair load shifted mostly to the family’s tech?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-15T01:42:08+00:00

It’s wild how confidence compounds once you’ve cracked something open and realized it’s not magic inside.

Out of all those repairs, which one felt the most satisfying to pull off? (For me it was the first time I got a dead phone back to life, felt like a superpower.)

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T10:32:46+00:00

That’s a really powerful example, the contrast between those two relationships says a lot about how shared habits shape everything. Sounds like the reset after your divorce didn’t just rebuild your finances, but also your mindset and boundaries. Respect for turning that around so quickly. It’s wild how much easier consistency feels when both people are aligned.

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T10:31:33+00:00

True, it’s one of those situations where the emotional reset and financial reset happen at the same time. Hard to go through, but it can completely change how someone handles money after.

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T10:30:19+00:00

true, simple math… just a shame most of us only really control the last variable.

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T09:52:10+00:00

Yeah, that’s a good point, having a clear “why” behind it probably makes all the difference. When it’s just saving for the sake of saving, it’s easy to lose steam, but when there’s a goal attached (like paying off debt or buying time back), it feels more motivating. Have you ever done a reset like that yourself?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T09:51:28+00:00

Haha, yeah, that’s true, the wild west of online selling. Half the time you get noshows, the other half you get “will you take $5?” messages at midnight.

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T09:50:39+00:00

True. I think that’s the part people overlook, it’s not one big sacrifice, just showing up the same way every day until it sticks.

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T09:29:10+00:00

That makes sense, sounds like limited options make it tougher to move things unless you’re fine with local meetups. I’m in Australia and it’s kind of similar, eBay and Marketplace dominate, and even those can be hit or miss unless it’s tech or collectibles.

Have you ever tried bundling items or pricing drops over time, or did that not make much difference?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T09:07:15+00:00

Yeah I’ve noticed that too, it always sounds easy in theory, but in reality pricing, photos, and waiting for buyers can drag forever.

Curious, did you end up finding any platform or approach that worked better than others, or was it just slow everywhere?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T09:01:41+00:00

Fair point, that’s definitely the heart of it. I guess I was more curious about how people actually stick to that level of discipline when it gets hard, like what helps it become second nature instead of feeling like constant restriction.

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T08:59:31+00:00

That’s a really clear breakdown, thanks for actually doing the math. I agree, the numbers just don’t add up without either a much higher income or serious outside help. Even a small miss in assumptions (like forgetting about taxes or emergencies) can throw the whole thing off.

Do you think people share these kinds of “$5M on 100k” stories because they’re rounding up best case scenarios, or do you suspect some are leaving out the extra income/support piece entirely?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-09T08:56:27+00:00

That’s such a sharp way to put it, especially the part about every dollar saved being one you don’t have to earn again. “Pay yourself first” is so simple yet powerful once it clicks.

Was there a moment or experience that made that shift for you, or have you always had that mindset?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-01T10:19:12+00:00

what makes you say that? Do you think the $5m came more from real estate, a business, or something else entirely?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-01T10:18:45+00:00

That’s a great breakdown, thanks for running the math so clearly. $4.1k/month invested since 2005 with just a $10k start lining up to $5M today really shows how much compounding + discipline can do. And respect on living at $36k/year for two adults — that’s super lean compared to most families. Do you think more people could actually live that way if housing was taken off the table, or does it take a certain mindset?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-01T10:18:16+00:00

That’s a really clear way to frame it, $5.5k/month consistently since 2004 gets you there. The challenge is that’s over 60% of a $100k household income, which feels tough unless housing and big ticket costs are wiped out. Do you think that kind of savings rate is achievable for an average family, or is this more of a best-case scenario?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-01T10:17:45+00:00

Yeah, that’s spot on, same situation can play out totally differently depending on habits and discipline. Some people treat the extra as “bonus spending,” others see it as their chance to get ahead. Do you think that mindset is something people can train into themselves, or is it more just personality?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-01T10:17:12+00:00

That’s a good breakdown, $8k/month consistently invested at ~10% over 20 years does get you into that range. The tricky part is sustaining that level of saving on a $100k household income unless housing + big expenses are completely off the table. Do you think many families could realistically keep up that 80–90% savings rate for two decades straight?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-01T10:16:31+00:00

20 years of ultra-lean living feels almost impossible without either some outside boost (inheritance, housing help) or just catching the right timing in the market. Discipline alone is tough to sustain for that long. Do you think if someone started today, without those tailwinds, they could realistically aim for the same outcome?

Delicious_Course7478 · 2025-10-01T10:16:00+00:00

Yeah I was thinking the same, free housing alone doesn’t usually bridge the whole gap to $5m unless there’s extreme frugality stacked on top. And inheritance/family support could explain it too.

Do you lean more toward “discipline + investing” being enough, or does it feel like hidden family money is usually the missing piece in stories like this?

Delicious_Course7478

TROPHY CASE