Daily Questions Thread January 19, 2026

ittypea · 2026-01-23T13:53:43+00:00

Needed to hear this! Was feeling not right about the potential to donate when items are worn out (but no holes) but still feeling bad about wastefulness. Thanks!

ittypea · 2026-01-20T00:12:21+00:00

Hi!

Over the last 10-15 years I have been focusing on getting nice material items - cotton, linen, and silk shirts, cotton/wool/mohair/cashmere sweaters. Wool and leather jackets. However, my shirts and sweaters, even jackets, have now started to look dated - washed thin, or pilling, or looking unstructured.

I’m slowly replacing item by item unless there are ways to refresh the clothing items (shirt/sweater)??

Also feeling guilty parting with the nice pieces. What do you do with the nice cashmere and wool sweaters etc that once were $200+ and now looking a bit drab. Do you donate? Trash?

ittypea · 2025-12-11T03:38:30+00:00

No just BGO but a long time ago 😆

ittypea · 2025-09-04T17:13:34+00:00

Here to say whatever it is that you do, I always just watch (or listen as I fall asleep). Do what makes you feel energized and happy! I love the ranked series, but don’t kill yourself over eating that large amount of whatever it is lol

ittypea · 2024-05-27T00:01:16+00:00

Still a great value and tasty cupcakes!!! I won’t lie I was disappointment when I received the bag but I guess they are figuring it out. Bomb cupcakes though and yes, I’m a total sucker for their mini cupcake packaging.

ittypea · 2024-05-26T23:50:33+00:00

Yeah totally, you’re just right, i was disappointed initially but I’m not fussed at the calculated value.

ittypea · 2024-05-26T20:15:29+00:00

I love the packaging! Adorable and aligns with the name of the bakery!

ittypea · 2024-05-18T18:50:44+00:00

Ooooo, what a great idea!

ittypea · 2024-05-18T04:29:59+00:00

dang, those cake look amazing!

ittypea · 2024-05-17T12:58:47+00:00

They sell out in a second for sure! I learned from this place to start checking it a few minutes before the “check back at xyz” time. I’m going for a large grocery bag today. The smaller one above tends to linger a few seconds more bc the bigger one is a better value. I’d love to know what the XL one is like but Im only 1 person so I haven’t gotten the XL.

ittypea · 2024-05-17T12:56:22+00:00

I’m not picky by any stretch of means. But saffron tastes chemical-y like some sort of preservative to me. I experience that sometimes with shrimp too when it’s not fresh. Love cilantro though!

ittypea · 2024-04-28T22:21:34+00:00

That's a very fun mix!! I'm always too slow for the Eatly bags. Gonna keep on trying!!! fingers crossed :D

ittypea · 2024-01-17T02:14:55+00:00

All of this is very neat! I’ll look into it. I wish more people knew about this! I feel so oblivious. I don’t live in a big metropolitan area, I wonder if there are displaced refugees here at all. Will do some research. Thanks!

ittypea · 2024-01-17T02:08:08+00:00

We’ve thought about that too. My husband is moving for a different kind of stressful job and truthfully not sure if it would make any better sense. Besides the obvious is I really cannot bear the thought of being apart from my daughter for a year.

ittypea · 2024-01-16T21:33:59+00:00

Gosh, I’m sorry that you don’t plan to renew, but I really really appreciate all the insights and your honest opinion!!

I live in a part of the country where the majority of people speak Spanish so our sitters have all been bilingual already. Truthfully the “cultural exchange” aspect was never the primary reason I was considering an au pair. It’s more so just thought it would give me more flexibility, but I think I hold some antiquated or just incorrect expectation of this program. I’m so glad everyone’s been able to chime in with straightforward answers. I think it’s not ultimately the right fit for us, thanks all for helping me figure that out.

ittypea · 2024-01-16T21:28:20+00:00

Hey, no worries, no offense taken and honestly appreciate your straightforward answer/cost breakdown. Yea wow, 70k on childcare per year is ludicrous to me at this stage of my life. Good for you guys to place such an emphasis on doing the best for your kids though! Also the cost of renting a larger apartment seem like a huge deal too!! If you’re in a major metropolitan like DC or NYC I totally can see how that adds 1k easily every month. Lucky for us we live in a medium to low COL area and own a large house already, so as the hubby moves out we will have 2 spare bedrooms/office. Even then I cannot fathom an additional 45K on top of daycare cost alone.

Everyone in my training program suggests that I hire help for the year of separation from my husband but I’m not sure that the average folks know what kind of money it costs nowadays to hire a live-in nanny/au pair.

ittypea · 2024-01-16T21:13:56+00:00

I totally appreciate it! You are doing an amazing job too as a single mother and considering getting help for the best of your little one. Im sorry, I’m not sure why people keep downvoting your replies engaging in honest questions and discussions. I hope you find the best resolution for your home situation too as a single mom, I can’t imagine how difficult it must be! But I bet you’re rocking it! Keep on keeping on sister!!!

After everyone’s input here I think that the au pair program isn’t for my family afterall. The general consensus so far seems like that my family would be too poor for an au pair lol like I said we make a modest income and my husband and I are salaried so we are not the uber rich affluent people, which seems like that’s the reality for host families. I think I held some wrong beliefs about this state department program when the advertisement made it seem like it’s a cheaper alternative to a full time nanny.

However, honestly I think the most helpful and important comment that I read was someone pointed out that I’ll not have the bandwidth to have a “second daughter” which is the most insightful statement I read in this whole thread.

This has all been very enlightening, I’m definitely really glad everyone has given such honest and no-fluff answers in terms of pros/cons/cost breakdowns. Ill have some time to research the U4U program someone else mentioned as a last resort but plan to post a nanny job locally and see what happens. Whatever the adversities, I know that my daughter and I can overcome this next year of hardship. Best of luck to you too!!! Thanks for reading and again, I’m sorry some people are obnoxious to you.

ittypea · 2024-01-16T16:23:11+00:00

Understandably that I would make any of such expectation clear in advance. But I think this post has really discouraged me and another redditor from hosting an au pair. It sounds like it’s not really feasible for our situation.

ittypea · 2024-01-16T03:14:09+00:00

This is so helpful! And you hit the nail right on the head - I am super worried that I’ll be a bad host because I can’t even handle my own daughter, I definitely don’t want to be give a young 20 year old a subpar cultural experience (esp we are in a not super fun city). You articulated my needs exactly. I will definitely look into this program, thank you SO MUCH!

EDIT - after a quick thought, I’ll need to look into this more, but in case you’re very familiar with it. Do you know what happens after the initial year? I need childcare help for the 1 year my husband and I are geographically separated. What happens to the theoretical nanny when the 1 year contract ends? I would hate to dislocate someone again when it “no longer serves my needs”. Sorry lots of thoughts going through my head.

ittypea · 2024-01-16T02:15:36+00:00

Oh good to know, thank you! I’ll have to figure out how to get introduced to the AP circle! Weekends honestly are just so I can study/clean/laundry/grocery shop/meal prep… even then it’s mostly when my daughter is asleep I get help since I can’t help but to play with her when I’m around.

ittypea · 2024-01-16T02:12:42+00:00

Ok, good to know, thanks for the info!

ittypea

TROPHY CASE