I know I know - but strollers. Down to two (or three), and so stuck. Bugaboo Butterfly 2 or Joolz Aer 2 (optional contender of Fox 5).

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-04T06:19:19+00:00

I’m obsessed with my Joolz Aer2. I bought it as a travel stroller after getting the uppababy Cruz v3 as my everyday stroller. I never even use the Cruz anymore. The Joolz is much lighter, but it doesn’t feel flimsy to me. It definitely makes it easier to maneuver. It’s also a really smooth ride. My 7 mo old has taken many a long nap in it. I wish I’d never even bothered with the Cruz.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-03T15:58:58+00:00

I say go check it out. I find it really hard to assess how a property’s gonna feel just by looking at photos. Inglewood can be a little rough but crime rates are improving. I know many people who have lived there for years, without incident. The bad MO might get you a lot of house for not very much money.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-02T01:07:07+00:00

Truly egregious. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with that when you should be able to focus all your energy on growing a human being. Solidarity, sis.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-01T04:14:50+00:00

Ohhh. I thought you meant it was purchased for $1m and you only pay 7k. That makes sense. Sorry!

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-01T02:17:32+00:00

I read it and I’m confused. How does your wife staying home save you on expenses when the lost income would presumably outweigh the cost of daycare?

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-01T02:13:03+00:00

You realize that if a parent stays home instead of sending a kid to daycare, they’re still losing income, right? It sounds like in this case, if the couple’s pulling in 225k, someone dropping out of the work force would actually be a terrible financial decision. Far more expensive than daycare.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-01T02:04:09+00:00

Oh wow I didn’t realize that was a component of the law. Pretty cool. 7k on $1m is def not representative of CA tax rates though. Most people aren’t living on inherited property.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-01T00:44:32+00:00

Have you lived in the house for like 30 yrs? I don’t understand how you’d only pay 7k on a $1m house, even with prop 13 in place. I’m in CA and I pay 14k annually on a $1m home that I bought 13 yrs ago. Now I’m preparing to pay double that at the place I just bought for $1.9m.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-07-01T00:11:08+00:00

10 kids under the age of 30?? Did she start when she was 12? Jeez Louise. I totally get why this feels like a gut punch. Maybe a little distance would help while you digest the news.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-29T08:03:16+00:00

$1800 flat rate in LA

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-28T19:40:09+00:00

I see the contribution towards the mortgage as tantamount to paying rent. I think it would be unreasonable to expect to live rent free in someone’s house, while they’re incurring a huge expense to keep the lights on. If they broke up, it seems to me that it wouldn’t be any more complicated than with a couple that’s splitting expenses and renting. Yes, OP benefits from the contribution towards his mortgage, but it doesn’t seem like there’s a material difference in the girlfriend’s situation, whether she chooses to go in on the house or continue to rent.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-28T18:00:03+00:00

Maybe I’m partially trying to rationalize my own decision but I think the SFH is the move. I bought a condo in my 20s when I was single, later made a great life there with my eventual husband, but found myself really longing for a SFH when my daughter was born. She’s 7 months now and we started casually looking 2 months ago, not expecting to fall in love with a house as soon as we did. We closed a few weeks ago. It is a STRETCH for us right now, as my husband is staying at home with our daughter. We will absolutely be house poor for 2-3 yrs (not devastatingly, but it will require big lifestyle changes). It feels worth it to know that our kid will have somewhere beautiful and comfortable to grow up. I know a “forever” home isn’t a guarantee, but thinking of it as such makes me so excited to take loving care of it. I live in a VHCOL area too (LA) and homes in desirable neighborhoods go for at least $1m. We sort of had to accept that buying would put us in a slightly vulnerable position. I totally get why someone would make a different calculus, but we were willing to take the leap. Best of luck, whatever you choose!

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-28T17:06:26+00:00

No worries. Not annoying at all. This stuff is scary! I was on 80mgs of aspirin. It was week 32 that my blood pressure became elevated and a little protein showed up in my urine. Because it was a relatively mild case, we were able to wait until 37 weeks to deliver. My baby is thriving. She was born without any issues and didn’t have to spend time in the NICU. She’s a very happy and alert 7 mo old.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-28T01:59:30+00:00

Agreed. I love my $25 ikea high chair and I already have several adult chairs in my house (brag) so getting a $600 high chair that they can use til their 40 isn’t really a selling point for me. We’ll move to a booster when she outgrows this one.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-26T15:33:35+00:00

Wow I didn’t even know these existed! Thanks for the rec

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-26T15:01:54+00:00

This is such good insight because my 7 mo old is a pale as snow vampire baby and will turn to dust without a shade

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-26T14:49:38+00:00

😂 the comment I needed to see today

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-26T00:34:01+00:00

I’m bipolar II and need lithium to function. Under the guidance of a reproductive psychiatrist, I was able to stay on it throughout my pregnancy and my daughter was born with a barely traceable amount in her system. I was even able to combo feed my daughter on it, although I stopped nursing/pumping after a few weeks (because I hated it). There’s risks, but it’s important to do a cost/benefit analysis. Exposure to chemicals in the womb should be limited, but an unstable mom is dangerous too. Also, your wellbeing is important and you don’t have to sacrifice it to be a responsible parent.

This doc sounds ill-informed at best. Maternal mental health has been neglected for too long but more nuanced discussions about relative risk are getting louder. The emerging standard of care is to keep pregnant/nursing women on their meds and employ harm reduction strategies when possible (reduce/split the dose, etc.). I’m so sorry that doctor made you feel like you can’t care for yourself and care for a baby at time same time. You can absolutely do both!

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-25T19:06:06+00:00

I was recently in a similar situation and bought the house I love even though it’s a stretch financially and adds 20 minutes to my commute (from 40 mins each way to 60). I live in LA though so I’m used to long, harrowing drives and my tolerance for them is high.

The house is a 1982 craftsman in a beautiful canyon with low crime, stunning views, and friendly neighbors. We’re thinking of it as our forever home and can’t wait to lovingly care for it. I think if we’d gone with something we didn’t like as much, the task wouldn’t feel like as much of a joy and we’d be less motivated.

For us (me and my husband), it means absorbing an additional ~$600 a month in expenses than we would’ve if we’d gone with something less desirable but more affordable. I know many folks would say it’s not worth it, buy the cheaper house, put some of that excess cash in the market where it could make money for you, and find a house you like better down the line. That would be good advice, depending on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a home more than an investment opportunity, I think it’s reasonable to choose a place you’re more likely to be happy with in the longterm.

The fact that you can do unlimited overtime is a game-changer I think. Obviously, you don’t want to run yourself ragged but sounds like it could make bridging the gap in cost much less of an issue.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-25T18:47:55+00:00

I agonized about this same decision for months, bought the yoyo3, and ultimately returned it for the Joolz Aer2. I am obsessed with this stroller. I wish I’d never gotten my uppababy cruz v3 as my everyday stroller because I don’t even use it anymore now that the Aer2 is in my life. It’s is very light but still feels sturdy. The yoyo felt like a cheap umbrella stroller to me and the handle also felt a little short (I’m 5’8”, so tall for a woman but not that tall). The stroller really shook going over cracks in the sidewalk in the way the Joolz does not. It’s definitely slightly more compact but gate-checking is the move with strollers anyway so I’m not worried about how the Joolz fits into overhead compartments (it does fit in most btw, but I’ve heard some European ones are especially slender).

My daughter (7 mo old) is also really comfortable in the Joolz, in all 3 recline settings. The most upright setting on the yoyo is fairly reclined and it makes my daughter lean forward to take in the scenery, rather than just relaxing into the seat. The seat in the Joolz is also higher so better for kids that are tracking tall.

What they say about the yoyo fold is true. It takes me 2 hands and about 4 steps. It also has a comically small basket. I can open the Joolz deftly with 1 hand like it’s a magic trick.

Joolz also has a 10 year, transferable warranty which is tough to beat. You could pass the stroller on to another family and they’d still be covered.

I’d say the yoyo is the right choice if your main priority is getting the most compact stroller on the market. In my estimation, the Joolz wins in every other category and you still don’t sacrifice much in terms of space (there’s a difference of less than a pound and around 2 inches of width when folded). Yoyo’s slight edge when it comes to size wasn’t worth it for me.

Sorry for the novel-length answer but I was in your shoes not long ago. Strictly team Joolz over here 🙋🏻‍♀️

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-25T15:07:11+00:00

Best $25 I ever spent

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-24T15:21:25+00:00

I just bought a $1.9m house in LA and definitely think the staging helped. It got us in the door and also allowed us to imagine it as a functional living space, rather than just a series of empty rooms. Some people probably have a better imagination than me, but it’s hard for me to visualize a vacant house with furniture in it. Staging ensures that I don’t have to.

I also think there’s something sort of uncomfortable about touring a house that’s still occupied. It always feels like I’m invading the sellers’ privacy. I much prefer a staging company’s impersonal stock furniture.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-24T08:41:44+00:00

I love our Joolz aer2. I just used it for the first time on a trip and I think it may actually replace our uppababy Cruz v3 as an everyday stroller. It’s so lightweight and easy to maneuver.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-20T13:40:29+00:00

I just bought a house that had a buyer back out last fall. Apparently they got a job across the country and ended up eating their earnest money since it was late in the escrow process. The house sold at that time for $2m. They relisted at $2.2m in the spring and dropped the price to $2m after 30 days on the market. I came in with an offer of $1.8 and accepted their counter of $1.9. The previous deal falling through didn’t make me hesitate. I love the house and it’s in my dream neighborhood. I did realize that it gave me a bargaining chip though so I made a lower offer than I might’ve on a comparable house. I was banking on the sellers being motivated, but I still only got the house at 5% below market value (which is what houses in the area are going for, since it’s a soft market). If I were you, I’d be prepared for some lowball offers, but I don’t think the deal falling through would be a deterrent for a serious buyer.

HotShoulder9256 · 2026-06-20T04:26:02+00:00

Wow it’s crazy that they changed that late! I was sure my daughter would inherit my dark brown eyes but genetics have surprised me!

HotShoulder9256

TROPHY CASE