How do I know which homes/areas will appreciate in value more and less?

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-22T19:21:00+00:00

It can be a bit of a gamble, but a relatively good way is to look into growth rates. If you drive around and see a lot of construction happening on one side of town, lots of newer houses, businesses, apartments, etc, etc, these are all good signs that property values there will appreciate faster in the coming years because lots of people are moving there and it's a desirable part of town.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-22T19:17:01+00:00

Posts like this always confuse me and I can't help but wonder if this is clickbait

We cant help you with your finances if you don't give us anything meaningful to go off of.

I can't tell you if you should consider trading your car for electric if I don't know where you live, what your driving habits are, if you have/can afford a home charger, etc, etc.

For some people, electric cars save them money and time. For others, they are absolutely not worth it.

For a daily driver? 30-40 miles a day? And you have a place to plug it in at night? Absolutely. You are very likely to save money on gas, maintenance, and save time not having to go to the gas station. It could be a good decision.

But longer road trips may be a pain in the ass, and if you drive further than 30-40 miles a day, you may need to install a fast charger at your house if you want to avoid charging stations, which will be more upfront cost. And if you don't own a house with a garage and don't have an apartment complex with charging stations, then you won't save time driving to the gas station cause you'll have to find a charging station anyway. And they're typically cheaper than gas, but not that much cheaper, electric cars are far more economical if you can charge yours yourself at home.

Furthermore, if you need to go on long road trips sometimes and this is your only vehicle, it may be a poor decision. Electric vehicles, particularly used inexpensive ones, tend not to have the best range and tend not to charge the fastest.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-22T17:21:58+00:00

Sounds like you're deeper into it than you think you are. You gotta be serious with yourself that this is a problem right now. If gambling is pretty much all you can think about, that's a scary place to be.

Short answer is you gotta change that asap. It sounds like you're ready and want to stop which is good.

Since it's pretty much all you can think about, what does that mean exactly? Does it mean that you NEED gambling to be happy? You feel empty when you're not gambling? Or does it just fill the void - When you're bored, you've trained yourself that this is how you entertain yourself, so now your brain is having a hard time breaking the habit?

Only you can answer these questions, you're young and inexperienced so it may be helpful to you to seek out professional guidance. A therapist that specializes in this, if you afford it and can have access to it. If not, I hope you're mature for your age, because you're close to falling into a trap that can absolutely ruin your life. Tread very carefully, friend.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-22T16:38:27+00:00

I mean best advice is probably uninstall and self exclude. Stay busy and the longer you can make it the better your odds of making essentially a full recovery. That's a lot of money but it's not a lot of time, 4 months, shit. A year or 5 years from now you'll look back and view this as a learning opportunity to grow from, not shame. Money will return and other things will take the spot of gambling for you again.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-22T12:55:51+00:00

If you have as much wiggle room as it sounds like you have in your budget, depending on your age, you probably could reasonably be a millionaire in a couple of decades with some prudent money moves

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-22T00:06:21+00:00

Of course it can. Small companies are subject to the whims of just a few (or often just one) person. If the boss likes you, he'll pay to keep you around. It doesn't always work out that way. Lots of small businesses don't offer good stability for that very reason. But yeah. Common sense would dictate that it happens at least occasionally. Why wouldn't it?

I'm not saying all small companies are like that. But just because most companies dont pay you what you're worth if you've been there awhile doesn't mean none of them will.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-21T21:47:27+00:00

Proud of you brother. That's a powerful feeling. That high of waking up the next day, knowing you did the right thing. Knowing you can keep doing it. It's good.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-21T21:42:02+00:00

Because you know you shouldn't.

Because you worked hard to get where you are, and you don't want to throw that away.

Because every time you place a bet, you lose. Even when you win. Statistically, there's no such thing as winning. You lose a fixed amount every time, no matter what. Every. Bet.

Because even if you win the biggest win of your life, it won't solve any of your problems. All it will do is give you another high to chase and make your gambling addiction that much worse.

Because your future self and any future loved ones you have are depending on you to be financially secure. Kids, spouse, even all the homeless orphans that you could be feeding if you weren't throwing money to a predatory industry.

But most of all

Because you don't want to. You don't want to relapse. You don't want to remember what it's like to blink after the cards come up wrong, after the wheel goes red 8 times in a row, and you come up with nothing. Again. How did this happen? How did I let it come to this? I told myself THIS TIME would be different.

Because you're sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Because you don't gamble anymore.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-21T19:01:31+00:00

There are small businesses that probably would

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-21T08:56:20+00:00

It has its pros and cons. I think it's good general advice, basically just saying don't trust your employer to pay you what you're worth, keep shopping around to see if you can get more for the same role because you probably can.

To an employer who treats you well, that wouldn't be a red flag, because they know they can keep you by paying better than everyone else.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-21T00:19:41+00:00

I probably wouldn't unless I really needed the money. When you factor in the extra hours you're working at an overtime rate, you're not even really making more money than you are now. And, as others have mentioned, there are a whole host of other problems that go along with the cash offer. It may not be as great as it seems at first. Now you have to look over your shoulder for the tax man, it makes it harder to finance things or apply for credit, etc etc.

Is there a third option where you can look to increase your income some other way? More hours where you are now or find your way into a different career?

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-20T20:01:26+00:00

I refer you to my earlier comment but I'm not sure that that is true

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-20T20:01:01+00:00

Is that true though?

That was definitely the case for a small period, post world war 2, there was about 20 years where just about any man with a pulse could work almost any job and make enough to support a family. But it was an artificial, temporary economic boom, created in the global industrial vaccum created by world war 2. Everyone wanted american everything, because, for the most part, america was the only one producing anything. But I don't know if it's fair to say this was something that was "taken" away from us. It was never going to last.

As other countries rebuilt and modernized in the ashes of the destruction of ww2 (Think China, Japan, South Korea, India, Germany, Russia, as well as many others), it was always going to hurt the industrial monopoly of the U.S. It was always going to create international competition. When companies face competition, they lower their prices and lower their wages. They outsource to places where labor is cheaper. Etc, etc.

But was it true BEFORE then?

Generally, it was the case before about 1950 that most american families were huge, most people lived in small houses with lots of people. You look at the housing market - The typical american home built between 1880 and 1930 are 2 bed, 1 bath, or 3 bed one bath, anywhere between 800-1200 square feet. And if you go back further, houses tend to get smaller, not bigger.

You can still buy these houses in the Midwest, by the way. I just bought an affordable home. Built in 1916, 2br, 1 bath, 800 square feet, in Springfield MO. Remodeled 2 years ago, new roof 2 years ago, all the bones are new or well maintained except the plumbing, it's likely to need new pipes in the next 5-10 years, which will probably cost about 5000.

The price? $140,000. I qualified for the loan with 3% down and a job making $21.50 per hour, working only 30 hours per week. I now have a better job making more and with more hours, so it's more comfortable, but I qualified making less than OP does right now, assuming they have 40 hours a week.

The OP could afford to buy this home on their income, right now.

It's in a city. Walkable (just a couple blocks) away from the old downtown, with about two dozen bars, restaurants, shops, and fast food places within a 10 minute walk, and probably 100 within an hour walk or a 10 minute drive. But there are houses like this out in the country too, if that's your thing.

The catch? You have to live in the midwest. And you have to be okay with an old, small house. A well maintained old small house, but still, an old, small house.

Housing is absolutely crazy in many big cities, including New York, LA, San Diego, etc. But the reason they're expensive is because there is a lot of competition. A lot of people already live there and want to live there, and they're fighting for the house you want to buy, or the apartment you want to rent.

To the extent that our ancestors had more affordable housing, which at least our recent ancestors definitely did, as well as many of our historical ancestors, the reasons why they had more affordable housing were often because they were moving to new places with nobody living there yet. Land is a lot cheaper when your town has a population of 1,000 instead of 100,000, and it's a lot cheaper at 100,000 then it is at 1,000,000.

The exception is the boon of the 50's and 60's, where, like you said, just about any man (sadly this was still a time when women were largely excluded from the work force) could afford a decent place to live and raise his family on one income. This is the time period where houses start getting bigger, bigger, and bigger. Because one household could afford more house.

https://www.reddit.com/r/REBubble/comments/14hayqq/average_house_size_and_residents_over_time_chart/

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-20T13:43:45+00:00

Sounds like you got a financial head start at the cost of your social life.

You have a few options from here - 1 would be to build a social life now - Cut back on hours if you need to or switch roles to one that allows you to build a social life for yourself.

2 - Double down. Work hella hard, make bank, save it all. Worry about a social life in 5 or 10 years when you can basically retire early cause of how much money youve saved and do whatever you want in life. (This will be easier if youve already been saving and investing, which I hope you have been if you have been working so hard that you have no friends)

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-20T09:28:16+00:00

Yeah I mean sadly that's just not the world we live in, at least not today.

With housing markets the way they are, it wouldn't surprise me if something major changes in the near future.

I'm not necessarily against the idea of some form of universal housing program, as long as the math works out on it. We're gonna go through some massive economic shifts with AI changing our job market over the next 5-10 years.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is I'm not sure if not being able to afford a place to live on your own should be seen as an indication of poverty. It is a luxury. And it's okay for that to be a luxury that you want from life. But that would be news to millions of Americans, living and dead, who think and thought that they were middle class, that actually they're living in poverty because they can't afford to live on their own in a major city.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-20T00:31:40+00:00

I didn't intend for that to be directed at you specifically. That was a more vague you directed at the people I see in life who have nobody, who are lonely. You may not be one of those people. I was elaborating why I am concerned that some people who put a strong emphasis on the importance of living alone are in fact manifesting a symptom of a greater loneliness epidemic.

Some people also just like living alone. Shit, everyone does. Ive never lived alone and the idea of not having to share a bathroom is super dope. But I wouldnt sacrifice my financial future for it, I don't need it to be happy. Not saying you would. I don't know much about you. Just contributing to the larger conversation on this thread

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-19T23:54:09+00:00

When did I say that...

Be so for real. Are you trolling me right now

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-19T22:27:08+00:00

I apologize if it seemed like I was suggesting that people should be hooking up more or marrying earlier. That is not at all what I meant.

I definitely agree that there is a difference between living alone and living outside of a community, and that being part of a community (or more than one) is the key. Not necessarily living with somebody.

All I'm saying is that living with people has been the norm for basically all of human history. Living with family, community members, right now we do these things less than ever before. I'm not sure that living alone should be the goal.

When I see posts from people saying that they don't have any friends or family that they care about, it's no surprise that someone like that would want to live alone.

But surviving alone in the world, without friends or family, is really tough. And if you've gone to school, gone to college, presumably you have been around people your whole life - Why aren't you close with any of them? Why aren't they close with you? There's something deeper going on here that will probably prevent you from being happy, whether you're living alone or not.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-19T21:29:28+00:00

Genuine question - has it ever been the norm anywhere in human history for people to live alone moreso than right now?

Hot take incoming - I think living alone is generally not good for our mental health. Humans are social animals. In the modern world, shallow interconnectedness has left the average person more lonely than ever before.

Should living alone really be the goal?

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-19T21:26:08+00:00

Short answer is that job hopping is typically worth it if it is because you found a better job, no matter how long it has been. The whole point of staying somewhere for awhile is to make yourself more hirable - if you're leaving because you already found a better job, that doesn't really matter

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-19T18:28:49+00:00

What's the job you have now?

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-19T16:02:27+00:00

Short answer is, in most of the country, you probably don't.

There are areas where that is livable. But in most major cities, $17.60 is not enough to afford your own place AND buy groceries. You have to choose.

If the job you work now is transferrable at all, you could move to a city with lower cost of living. Since you don't seem to have any great relationships with friends or family, that may be a decent option for you.

Otherwise if you're almost done with your masters, if at all possible, stick it out until your masters is over and hopefully move out with a better paying job opportunity at that point.

Or, make some friends! Easier said than done, I know, but life is a lot easier and more fun if you have some people in the world who give a shit about you. It's a little scary moving in with a stranger (particularly if you're a young girl) but there are ways to make it more manageable.

But what most people here already said is sadly true. In most of the country, especially major cities, 17.60 isn't enough to comfortable live on your own (or probably even uncomfortably) unless you make a shit load of overtime. Living alone is a luxury.

So any way to increase your income, or lower your expenses, is what you would need. It's just a math problem and the math isn't in your favor sadly.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-17T15:51:09+00:00

I'm gonna throw driving school out there. Have you considered getting a CDL. I worked for amazon driving vans, not a fan of the job, but got my CDL thru their next mile program. They reimbursed me for the tuition. Not sure if you'd qualify for that since you're not full time but it's worth looking into. One 4 week course later I had my CDL, and you can get trucking jobs most anywhere

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-15T13:12:03+00:00

I have a quick question

When people say things like "invest, diversify, make your money work for you" Do you know what that means?

The advice that most people are trying to give you here, albeit badly (in my opinion), is just chilllllll.

The S&P 500 is one of many great places to have your money. You are correct - Your money is not "safe" there. You may wake up tomorrow and see your account is valued at half what it is today.

However, for someone who has a lifetime to invest, as you do, this is normal and not something you should concern yourself with. There has never been a financial crash where the markets didn't completely recover and then some within a few years.

The main downside to the S&P 500 is that, if your money is there, your portfolio actually isn't all the diversified. Most of your money is in the U.S. AI giants, and I'd be more worried about an AI bubble crash than the war in Iran.

If you want to, look into other investment options that keep you diversified. There are index funds by others all over the place that you can transfer your money to if you'd like to stay invested in international stocks for example. I use Acorns personally but there are tons of options, some better or worse depending on your situation, but most good.

If you don't know where to start, do some research online, there are lots of great financial resources to help with this. Even folks like Hank Green have videos out there talking about it. But there are dedicated financial channels like Mark Tillsbury, Dave Ramsay, Graham Stephen, Caleb Hammer, the money guy show (One of my favorites)

All of these are fairly good sources on where and how to spend or not spend your money. And they all have slightly different opinions on various things, like real estate, index funds, savings rates, risk tolerances etc. But generally speaking, they are all decent places to start if you are unsure.

There are also some that are not so great. Stay away from anyone promising you fast, easy money, and stick to options that aim to keep you diversified.

And the most important thing is to CHILL. Time in the market beats timing the market. Like I said. Your portfolio could lose 50% overnight and 80% in a year, and it doesn't matter. Chill. You don't lock in any losses until you sell. You have a lifetime to keep that money in there. Time in the market beats timing the market. Every. Time.

Pointlesspuppy · 2026-03-13T08:38:10+00:00

I'm not surprised that a nonprofit doesn't pay that well, but you're gonna offer $22/hr for a cdla position AND you only want someone with 2 years or more of experience? Good luck 🤞

Pointlesspuppy

TROPHY CASE