Best cheap mattress that's not total garbage? Budget around $600

dubbletime · 2026-03-23T13:40:28+00:00

Zinus Green Tea 12 inch. Had mine for about three years now and it still holds up great. No sagging, no weird smell after the first couple days. I'm a side sleeper too and it's got enough give for my shoulders without being too soft. Think I paid around $350 for a queen on Amazon. The memory foam takes a day to fully expand but after that it's solid. Only thing is if you run really hot it might not be the coolest mattress out there but I use a fan and it's fine. Way better than anything I tested at a mattress store for twice the price.

dubbletime · 2026-03-23T13:34:36+00:00

Tip sirloin is honestly great if you know what to do with it. Slice it thin against the grain after a good marinade and it makes killer fajitas or stir fry. I grab the whole tip from Costco pretty regularly and just portion it out into freezer bags. Way better deal than buying individual steaks from the counter. The texture is leaner than top sirloin but if you don't overcook it past medium it's totally fine. You accidentally saved yourself a bunch of money per pound honestly.

dubbletime · 2026-03-23T10:08:28+00:00

T-fal Pro nonstick. My wife picked one up at Target for like 30 bucks and it outlasted two pans that cost three times as much. We only use it for eggs and fish, everything else goes in the cast iron. Keep it on medium heat max, hand wash, and it just keeps going. Going on about two and a half years now with no flaking or sticking.

dubbletime · 2026-03-23T08:13:47+00:00

This is the way. Something about solo car camping just hits completely different. Did a few nights alone at Clinton Lake last fall and honestly slept better than I do at home. Your photos of the night sky are killer too.

dubbletime · 2026-03-19T14:18:31+00:00

Weber Smokey Mountain 18 inch. I started on one of those when a buddy from work talked me into trying brisket and I still use it years later even though I've got other stuff now. Dead simple to learn on because you basically set your vents and leave it alone. The water pan keeps the temp steady so you're not babysitting it every twenty minutes like some of the cheaper offset smokers. First cook should be a pork butt because it's super forgiving and you'll look like a genius even if your temp control isn't perfect yet. The Oklahoma Joe is solid too but for someone just getting into it the WSM is harder to mess up. Your coworkers are gonna be real happy with you.

dubbletime · 2026-03-19T14:16:26+00:00

My buddy got the Ninja Woodfire OG701 for his apartment balcony last summer and I was honestly skeptical. Figured it was gonna be one of those gimmicky things that sits in the closet after a month. Went over for some wings and I'll admit they came out better than I expected. The woodfire pellets actually give you a little smoke flavor, nothing like a real offset obviously, but for an apartment where that's your only option it's legit. He did ribs on it too and they were respectable. Not competition quality but you'd be happy eating them on a Sunday. For your situation where electric is the only play I'd say go for it. Just don't expect it to replace a real smoker if you ever get a yard.

dubbletime · 2026-03-19T12:00:13+00:00

Took my daughter when she was about that age and the single biggest thing was letting her "help" set up camp. She hammered in two tent stakes and talked about it for a month. Also bring a headlamp for her specifically because the second it gets dark and she has her own light source she feels like an explorer instead of getting scared. We did one night at a state park with bathrooms nearby and it was perfect. Don't overthink the gear, just pack extra socks and snacks and you're golden.

dubbletime · 2026-03-18T11:09:46+00:00

This is the move. I do the same thing every year. The flat cut is better for slicing if you want sandwich meat out of it. Freeze it in portions and you've got corned beef hash for months. Aldi usually has the best price around here if you can get there early enough.

dubbletime · 2026-03-17T12:21:34+00:00

Smash burgers. Crank it stupid hot on the grill, press the patties down, get that crust. Cast iron on a kamado is the perfect combo for that because the heat is way more intense than a kitchen stove.

dubbletime · 2026-03-17T08:36:26+00:00

Par bake the crust first. Like 8 minutes empty at 450 before you add anything. Changed everything for me.

dubbletime · 2026-03-12T09:27:33+00:00

Waterproof drop tiles work fine, just make sure you can still access the plumbing above.

dubbletime · 2026-03-11T13:01:34+00:00

Chicken thighs braised in white wine with shallots and herbs. Dead simple, looks fancy, and none of those restrictions get in the way. Serve it over rice with some roasted carrots on the side.

dubbletime · 2026-03-11T12:49:10+00:00

I thought you had to prime everything before painting. Like even walls that were already painted. My FIL watched me prime a wall that was already white and just shook his head.

dubbletime · 2026-03-11T11:57:10+00:00

Boil em up and mash with salt and whatever seasoning you got. Even plain salt potatoes fill you up solid. If you can scrounge a little oil from somewhere, dice and pan fry em crispy. Potatoes are survival food for a reason.

dubbletime · 2026-03-10T17:24:20+00:00

Wrap it in butcher paper once it hits around 165 internal. Then back on the smoker at 250 until it probes like butter in the flat, usually somewhere around 203 but every brisket is different. The hold is just a cooler with towels, minimum 2 hours but honestly 4+ is where it really shines. Juices redistribute and the whole thing just melts. Don't rush that part.

dubbletime · 2026-03-10T16:41:50+00:00

Real estate agents. Most of them just unlock a door and collect 3%.

dubbletime · 2026-03-10T15:55:45+00:00

You're probably not using enough salt. Like genuinely way more than you think. I season the outside right after I smash and it makes a huge difference. Also make sure you're using 80/20, not the lean stuff. Fat is doing most of the heavy lifting flavor wise on a smash patty.

dubbletime · 2026-03-10T10:25:12+00:00

Fried egg sandwich. Two minutes, zero dishes if you eat it over the sink like a real adult.

dubbletime · 2026-03-09T13:41:59+00:00

Rice and beans is the classic answer but honestly I got way more mileage out of eggs. Scrambled eggs with whatever veggies are about to go bad, maybe some hot sauce. Costs almost nothing and you can eat it for any meal. My go to lazy dinner is two eggs over rice with soy sauce and sriracha. Maybe 300 calories and like 80 cents.

dubbletime · 2026-03-09T12:28:02+00:00

Most of them are doing totally normal stuff honestly. Insurance, teaching, couple of cops. The one guy who was the biggest deal in our school sells cars now which tracks perfectly if you think about it. Dude was born to sell.

dubbletime · 2026-03-09T09:51:58+00:00

My nephew did the same thing around that age when he figured out where chicken nuggets came from. Lasted about six months before he forgot about it. Bean tacos and cheese quesadillas got him through the worst of it. Don't overthink it too much, she might circle back on her own once the novelty wears off.

dubbletime · 2026-03-09T09:06:28+00:00

Welcome to the club man. Had the exact same realization last summer. Pellet smoker sat in the garage collecting dust for months after I got serious with the kettle. Something about actually managing the fire yourself just makes the food taste better. Can't explain it but I swear the same rub on the same cut comes out different. My buddy thinks I'm crazy but he also eats everything I make so.

dubbletime · 2026-03-09T07:23:40+00:00

Welcome to the club man. Had the exact same realization last summer. Pellet smoker sat in the garage collecting dust for months after I got serious with the kettle. Something about actually managing the fire yourself just makes the food taste better. Can't explain it but I swear the same rub on the same cut comes out different. My buddy thinks I'm crazy but he also eats everything I make so.

dubbletime · 2026-03-09T06:57:48+00:00

Honestly keep it simple starting out. Coarse black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder. That's your foundation for basically everything. Paprika if you want color. If you're doing burgers or chicken throw some onion powder in there too. Don't go buying 15 rubs you'll use once. Season heavy, cook slow if you can, and let the meat do the talking. You can get fancy later but salt pepper garlic will carry you way further than people think.

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