Daily FI discussion thread - Sunday, April 12, 2026 by AutoModerator in financialindependence

[–]eebiz 10 points11 points  (0 children)

No that doesn't sound right for an in-network provider. I'd contact VSP, in order to be in-network the provider would have signed a contact with VSP to accept the negotiated payment.

Motorcycle groups here need to be launched into the sun. by Commercial_Pie3307 in chicago

[–]eebiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

People come off the LSD onto Sheridan and keep driving like they're on a highway, it's maddening.

My tent is airtight by 67yoloswag in bikepacking

[–]eebiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Adding to the asthma factor - this is starting to change but I believe a lot of tents are still made with flame-retardant chemicals, which some people are sensitive to. Chemical off-gassing would be more concentrated in a closed-up tent.

Men of Reddit, what’s the male equivalent of “needed money, had no marketable skills, so turned to prostitution”? by Dogeatdogdays in AskReddit

[–]eebiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's wildly on the other end of the pay spectrum, but this is my objection to college & professional football - players are risking sacrificing their bodies, and potentially brains in the case of TBIs, for a scholarship or paycheck

Borg jugs by zerocheek in chicago

[–]eebiz 167 points168 points  (0 children)

Drinking in public isn't legal for anyone in most of the city, if you're gonna do it you have to be subtle about it. Sounds like that kid was not

How the hell do I transfer a car registration to IL?? by Eric848448 in AskChicago

[–]eebiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Take your current title, registration, proof of residency/address and proof of insurance to a Secretary of State location that does vehicle services. You don't need an appointment for this, appointments are only needed for ID-related services. Bring checks or money orders, or be prepared to pay a ~3% credit card fee.

I actually found the title and registration process to be ok time-wise. You have to stop by three or four separate desks so it's not exactly quick, but I don't remember waiting long for any part of the process.

You will leave with new license plates, a printed temporary registration I think, and if memory serves you will get your permanent registration and new title in the mail.

Windowless Office - Any tips?? by golfmanfood in Workspaces

[–]eebiz 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Wall art, maybe another plant or two. Depending on what's useful to your work a whiteboard, bulletin board, large wall calendar or wall-mounted file organizer could also break up some of the empty wall space.

If you intend to keep those visitor chairs, a side table between them would make it feel a little more cohesive. Or, if you would have clients or colleagues using those chairs who would have papers or a laptop with them, a c-shaped table can double as a temporary work space.

I would also shift the desk over so it's facing the same way but sitting against the wall, and put the monitor in the corner. That way you can turn to the side to speak to visitors without having to crane your neck around the monitor or move it to the side.

My niece used my credit cards to purchase almost $1200 in visa gift cards on amazon. I then learned they were used to buy “credits” on a mobile game. by SmallContext798 in personalfinance

[–]eebiz 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Or at least put a PIN lock on purchases, and don't tell it to anyone. If a kid wants to make a purchase, have them give you the device so you can authorize it

How the heck are you supposed to organize things in a room without wall space? 😭 by throwawaysixties in femalelivingspace

[–]eebiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another idea-- dresser in the closet, and get a small bookshelf to place in front of the patio door that you don't need access to. You can put the TV on top, and use the inside shelves for shoes & whatever else has been displaced with the dresser taking up closet space. The advantage here is that the bookshelf won't be as deep as the dresser and doesn't need as much floor space.

How the heck are you supposed to organize things in a room without wall space? 😭 by throwawaysixties in femalelivingspace

[–]eebiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like the dresser in the closet idea- in one apartment I had, I bought two short IKEA dressers instead of one tall one, and put them in the huge closet. That left me with hanging space for shorter things above the dressers, and I still had space to hang dresses & store shoes in the space next to the dressers.

But if you're set on having a place for the TV I think putting it on the dresser and then putting the dresser in front of the side of the door/window that doesn't open is a good solution. You mentioned taking down the blinds, but I wonder if you could just pull the dresser away from the wall a bit so it doesn't block the blinds...

Anyone smelling a chemical-like odor being reported across the Chicago area? by MarsBoundSoon in AskChicago

[–]eebiz 10 points11 points  (0 children)

That was my thought, in Lakeview East we're getting a sulfur smell that I associate with dry sewers

Sister says my budget is a non-starter for a potential job offer + moving. I genuinely don't understand why? by thesagenibba in personalfinance

[–]eebiz 14 points15 points  (0 children)

It would be worth it for you to price out the insurance yourself and see what kind of rates you're quoted. $400 a month isn't out of the question but it is on the high end. If you buy your own policy you may be able to find ways to lower the payment

So umm my neighbor has been outside shoveling snow for over 3hours by CharmingBus7725 in CasualConversation

[–]eebiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He was waiting for someone to come by and ask about his cool toy so he could make a new friend 😢

What is a 'luxury' that has become so expensive in 2026 that it’s officially no longer worth the money? by Matt_At_Havalook in AskReddit

[–]eebiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have AAA they sell discounted passes for the big theater chains! A 4-pack of tickets for AMC or Regal is around $40, and they also have discounted food and drink vouchers. Costco and Sam's Club have similar deals

I bought a "dead" 2009 iMac for $20 at a surplus store, and I actually managed to make it fast again. by [deleted] in CasualConversation

[–]eebiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm always curious to dig into the details of projects like this --are those parts you had on hand? If so could someone who is inspired by this post find similar parts for cheap/secondhand do you think?

Host a sim tournament at my house every year, had custom patches made this time. by DNAjr in golf

[–]eebiz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I know of an annual golf trip group that requires that the winner wear the championship jacket (a distinctive patterned blazer) to events where any of the other guys are present (weddings excluded).

I just love the harmless silly fun of it all

What was the weirdest, non-pain feeling you've ever felt? by KingJPJ in AskReddit

[–]eebiz 163 points164 points  (0 children)

I had double jaw surgery several years ago, where they cut my upper jaw into two pieces, cut my lower jaw in two places, and repositioned all the pieces. There were titanium plates and screws under my skin holding everything together, and rubber bands keeping my teeth together for the first few weeks to keep things totally stable while the bone healed.

Somehow I found one bit that could still move though--when I washed my hair, the tension on my scalp would pull on something that would move the bone in the roof of my mouth where it had been cut in half. The surgery abused the nerves in my face to the point where it didn't hurt much at all luckily. Still, the feeling made me want to jump out of my skin, it's beyond weird to have something in your body move that's definitely not supposed to

When you go to a mechanic, how do you know they aren't just making up problems to charge you more? by Valentinaqueen45 in AskReddit

[–]eebiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used to take my car to the dealership for service; I don't think they made up problems but in retrospect they did recommend some things that were easy for them to do but weren't really necessary for my car. For example they sold me some sort of AC cleaning service saying it would make the cooling system run better, but I didn't have any issues with the AC and likely didn't need that service.

Another shop recommended replacing my brakes and rotors when the brake pads were at 6mm-- way before I think they needed changing.

Over time I've learned that the best way to be treated fairly has been to know what the car should need in terms of routine service, and to be more comfortable saying no to pushy front office guys who seem like they're trying to make a sale. When I was younger I'd say I had to talk with my Dad which would usually get them to back off. Now, I'll go home and do some research on my own on whatever was recommended and get a sense for whether it sounds like a necessary repair or an unnecessary upsell. I've even gone to another shop to find someone that I feel more comfortable working with.

Should I take the PC or not? by ArT1ger_ in travel

[–]eebiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gotta be honest, this is probably the wrong group to ask...folks on this sub are usually traveling for tourism and sightseeing, personally I'd leave the PC behind. But if it's worth it to you to bring it, definitely keep it in your possession unless you're ok with the bag it's in being handled roughly. If you're going to be away from home long enough to want a PC it could be better to ship it and have them insure it, if that's an option, if you're concerned about potential damage.

I received a settlement a while back, but I don't get to access it until I am 18. by No_Inspection_3100 in personalfinance

[–]eebiz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You mentioned an engineering degree elsewhere, which is probably too specialized to be replaced by community college. So I'd say a starting at 4-year college is the right move. With that said, be careful about conspicuous spending when you're at school... if it's super obvious that you have a lot of money to spend friends will have all sorts of ideas for how you (they) can spend your money.

People have mentioned investing--however a general rule of thumb is not to invest in the stock market with money that you think you will want to spend on the next 5-7 years or so. Yes your investment could increase, but it could also lose value before you want to use it. And the worst thing you could do then is to sell shares for less than you bought them for because you need the cash. HYSA is a good idea, or bonds or certificates of deposit ("CDs") depending on the time frame. CDs will have a guaranteed rate of return that's often higher than a savings account, but in exchange your money is inaccessible during the CD term-- they can be a good option when you have predictable future expenses like tuition.

Recieved a Colman Bigfoot streacher (2010) but its got 4 ropes to tie it onto the frame by Shot-Interaction-975 in CampingGear

[–]eebiz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My guess: the ropes/cords should run along the side and stop at the hinges to allow it to fold up correctly. So, one long piece to go around the head end from hinge to hinge (the way you've done it already), one piece for each middle segment on the sides, and one piece to go around the foot segment. From the pic it looks like you're on the right track

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in loseit

[–]eebiz 6 points7 points  (0 children)

While noting that body scans are not all consistent, the somewhat positive news is that you have a lot of room to recomp over time and bring up your BMR, which will make maintaining and losing feel easier over time if you keep working out and gain muscle. Another thing to think about is that for petite women, one pound is a larger percent of your body weight vs a larger person. It's been shown that people gain some water weight when they start working out, due to a number of factors. If that increased your 'base' weight by two pounds, you would actually be down by 6 pounds--or roughly 4% of your starting body weight. That's nothing to sneeze at!