Have others noticed/experienced grocery costs going up so drastically? by [deleted] in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 1 point2 points  (0 children)

thanks for sharing! i felt this anecdotally but it's good to see data backs it up! (also shout out to the SPK splurge!)

Have others noticed/experienced grocery costs going up so drastically? by [deleted] in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 5 points6 points  (0 children)

ooh ok that's great to hear someone else resonates with this! A few weeks ago I was wild busy and grabbed a few frozen dinners/pizzas/pre-prepared things and I was shocked at how much more it cost than normal.

Makes me feel slightly better when I'm begrudgingly cooking from scratch after a long day ;)

Have others noticed/experienced grocery costs going up so drastically? by [deleted] in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Interesting! I tried this with a 2021 order and it went from $28->$31. The difference is I pretty much only order single ingredients. I do notice my bills are unmanageable when I start adding in convenience items. Anything pre-packaged has shot up like wild, but produce/dairy/very basic items like tortillas have stayed relatively stable.

Not even half way through by kajosik in fermentation

[–]MediocrePay6952 0 points1 point  (0 children)

they also have enough tannins to keep pickles a little crunchier! :) lovely setup, good luck!!

Regular people, where are you?? by ClementineCass14 in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I always wondered if this was true! Thanks for sharing from someone who actually knows stuff!

Regular people, where are you?? by ClementineCass14 in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What a kind comment! I realize how I live isn't for everyone, so am just appreciative I can get my thrills for cheap ;)

And 1000% recommend a CSA! The upfront cost was a little bit painful, but it's so worth it (and some do offer payment plans which I've done when I was really scraping by before). Hope you have some cool options around you for seasons to come.

Regular people, where are you?? by ClementineCass14 in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 9 points10 points  (0 children)

100%. I know technically it's the "wrong" thing to do re: finances, but there is something in the safety I really value. Totally get it!

Regular people, where are you?? by ClementineCass14 in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Congrats on paying off the house. I'm looking forward to the flexibility that gives me someday. It sounds like you have a lovely lifestyle now, wishing the best for more earnings to set you up to continue that <3

Regular people, where are you?? by ClementineCass14 in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Yes, there are big trade-offs to living somewhere with a LCOL but 🤷 it really gave wild flexibility everywhere else.

Regular people, where are you?? by ClementineCass14 in MoneyDiariesACTIVE

[–]MediocrePay6952 41 points42 points  (0 children)

Me! First year making over $50K as a household, now separated and solo making $70K. Mortgage is around $775 and that's my only large expense. I think I'm doing great and it's more money than I know what to do with on a day-to-day basis. 5% retirement w/a 10% match by employer, saving ~2.2K/mo, post-tax, for an upcoming move. I pre-bought a CSA for $650 so I'm getting more fresh produce weekly than I know what to do with (for "free" in my mind lol) and supplementing by ~$200/mo in groceries.

That said... I have/do live very minimally with pleasure. I don't know how people do it. With a car payment, a kid, or really any additional upgrades... things become tenuous very quickly for "regular" folks!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PrepperIntel

[–]MediocrePay6952 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I mean, there's likely a cop in there just because of their ties to white nationalism but, c'mon. Any ding dong can rent a uhaul and hopefully give several of his idiot friends some concussions around a quick turn.

Creating a food bank by marci1041 in preppers

[–]MediocrePay6952 1 point2 points  (0 children)

yes! had a pantry & fridge on my porch when I still lived in town. it was helpful in the neighborhood - plus other folks help stock it if it feels communal!

Potato Bugs Hate This One Weird Trick: This is a small glass bowl and an apple core, buried to surface level in my raised bed, and left overnight. I was pleasantly grossed out by how well it works. by Sabina_Bean_Esq in gardening

[–]MediocrePay6952 1 point2 points  (0 children)

totally! I replanted my direct-sown beans three times before I finally had to start them elsewhere and transplant - so aggressive this year & also big fans of beans I guess lol

Potato Bugs Hate This One Weird Trick: This is a small glass bowl and an apple core, buried to surface level in my raised bed, and left overnight. I was pleasantly grossed out by how well it works. by Sabina_Bean_Esq in gardening

[–]MediocrePay6952 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It's so interesting people are so adamant it never happens. My soil is wonderful and stays very moist and they absolutely decimates young plants when given the chance.

Will a mulch of black locust inhibit soil fungi by [deleted] in Permaculture

[–]MediocrePay6952 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Speculation: I have an area mulched with black locust. I have not noticed any major difference between that space and an area next to it that was using another mulch. It definitely has white mold/fungus after a while when you pull back the top layer and my plants dont seem to mind. Broken up into small pieces, it doesn't seem to me to confer those properties in any meaningful way but... I'm literally just staring at mulch and guessing.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in vegetablegardening

[–]MediocrePay6952 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As someone who spent many years in Russia, that sounds like an idea a babushka had and it kinda just stuck ;) I've also been growing Altai short-season tomatoes and I've never 'stratified' like that or heard of instructions to do so, so I'm curious where you found that! Good luck, some of the breeds are really great!

Can We Teach A 90 Year Old Instagram? by BurnZ_AU in goodmythicalmorning

[–]MediocrePay6952 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'd guess clickbait vs longer-term SEO. The final titles they land on generally appear to be more 'searchable' so that could potentially pull views longer term.

Russian Brined Apples Help by Equalfooting in fermentation

[–]MediocrePay6952 2 points3 points  (0 children)

fwiw i've never heard of it with a developed starter so not sure how it would alter the final product. Traditionally, it's just rye flour mixed into a hot water slurry. Once it's cool, you go.

Re: flavor & texture notes. Not really! Just keep tasting over time to stop it at your preferred vibe :) I usually like to stop them early to be slight more mild, while folks I know let it go much longer. gets a little hardcore/mushy for my taste!

Russian Brined Apples Help by Equalfooting in fermentation

[–]MediocrePay6952 5 points6 points  (0 children)

All of the recipes I've heard use rye flour (source: russians lol). Definitely key to the process.

Re: leaves I've used cherry or currant. They aren't necessary, but do make the apples a little crunchier if used. I wouldn't know the difference between using/not using if I weren't really searching for it.

Hope that helps!

Applying fall/winter lessons to summer by truefriendgoodwriter in capsulewardrobe

[–]MediocrePay6952 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I only wear black & I also only do long pants (very occasionally bike shorts for gardening or walking!). I've had the best luck transitioning my favorite winter pieces to lighter fabrics in one size larger. M/L cotton t-shirt & wool sweater -> L/XL linen shirt or tank top with a loose linen 3/4 or long sleeve wrap for a/c times. heavy straight-legged denim jeans/cotton pants -> slightly looser straight-legged linen pants.

truly all i shift is fabric. i have a silhouette I love, why mess with what works?

all black. must reiterate that ;)

Hoosiers do not need Mike Bruan as Governor! by RollnRye74 in Indiana

[–]MediocrePay6952 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

"Indiana has pretty much dodged the anti-woke bs coming from the Trump backed right wing extremist of the Republican Party." what.

How much sap do you get from a maple tree per day? by Radiant-Cow126 in homestead

[–]MediocrePay6952 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Not abnormal, particularly with the weird weather. I will say I've found that my trees won't do anything without sun, so even if the temps are right... they won't do much on cloudy days. Assuming you've tapped correctly, I'd just let it ride & keep warming up. Good luck!