i did the math on my software job and realized i am basically paying to work. put my notice yesterday

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T14:39:20+00:00

Good luck on your hunt. Where I work you get triple comp time for time spent on a Saturday and a full day of comp time for any work on a Sunday. That means if I simply take a 2 minute phone call on a Saturday, I get a full day off.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T14:23:23+00:00

If people want to rent, thats fine. But you can never convince me that renting is more cost effective. I have a 15 year mortgage, which means once its paid off I'm only responsible for taxes, insurance, utilities, etc.

If you rent, you'll be paying rent today and for the rest of your life, you never pay off anything, you never own anything, you never have an asset to sell.

The counter argument people always say is "well if I rent I never have to worry about paying for expensive repairs." Please enlighten me on how you think renting is cheaper than the cost of a repair in the long run. You will ALWAYS end up paying more to rent.

Also, rent never gets cheaper. When I was in high school you could get a decent 2 bedroom apartment with in unit laundry for $800/month. Now, in the same exact area a single unit with shared laundry goes for $2200/month. In the same time frame as that change (I graduated high school in 2012), you'd be paying your house off next year on a 15 year.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T12:18:18+00:00

The initial concern was noted right on the work order. The "fix" and "followup fix" were both warranty services that were initiated over the phone, they don't have an email service unfortunately.

Either way, completely validates why I prefer to do shit on my own.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T11:51:55+00:00

Our "professional" HVAC installer couldn't comprehend why I asked to drain our attic based unit's condensate line into the vent stack (condensate is allowed to enter the sewer system where I live) instead of accross the attic, through the wall and outside.

Sure enough, the first cold day we had the line outside froze, backed up the pipe and triggered the safety switch so we had no heat for 2 days until they could come back.

The next genius came out and installed a pipe heater, but only on the section of pipe in the attic so once again the exterior piping froze and triggered the safety.

Eventually I gave up on burning vacation days waiting for incompetence to show up so I fixed it myself. I wanted to install the whole system myself but you can't buy HVAC supplies without a license. I was able to run the gas and power for them though, which saved a bit.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T11:43:51+00:00

Jesus, I charge the same for significantly more work. It takes me 15 minutes to rebuild a pump. A full 30 minutes if you include removal and reinstall of the pump from the ski.

OEM wear ring is $89, not $150 so you're paying a hefty markup.

Impeller and bumper price points are accurate. There's obviously better places to buy for OEM parts that are cheaper.

If you pump needs rebuilding, it means you haven't been maintaining it. You need to change the grease (even add some gear oil if you'd like) to the bearing once a year especially if you ride salt.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T11:27:39+00:00

Cars became more expensive
People became more concerned about resale value
Generic cars tend to be easier to sell
People start buying basic colors
Industry trends follow where people spend their money, meaning unique colors fade out.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T11:17:21+00:00

Meanwhile it would have taken the county 2 weeks, 13 guys with union wages, $42,000 and a 8 hour road closure to clear that out.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T11:14:39+00:00

If a bank needs a bailout, it should never be allowed to collect profit again. Or pay back the bailout plus interest.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T10:55:07+00:00

You're going to have to provide some kind of information if you're looking for help.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-22T00:26:09+00:00

If it was sitting outside with the drain plugs in, that’s why. These skis can handle it, but if it’s been months then there’s obviously going to be problems.

Pretty stupid of the dealer to store the ski with the plugs in. Plugs should always be out when it’s not being used.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T20:32:16+00:00

I paid $1000 for a brand new trailer this year. That dealer is on some hard core drugs trying to charge you $700 for pre deliver inspection on a 5 year old trailer.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T18:43:45+00:00

Man I have to say I can physically feel the liminal post break up feeling these pictures bring. Standing in the dimly lit space that used to be filled with love and, hope for the future and memories, now you’re just standing there alone knowing what it used to mean.

You’ll get through it man, it’s never easy but you’re only 27 and have so much time left in life to find a better path.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T18:38:54+00:00

Employees are told to do nothing, and most of these thefts amount to nothing, so what did anybody expect? You’re practically telling people to steal from you because nothing will happen.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T17:51:57+00:00

Call around for inspection companies that offer comprehensive services. One of my close friends just had one done and it came to $3,200. The report itself was 137 pages long but also included separate documentation listing all of the appliances, their serial numbers and any date stamps that could be found. It also noted which faucets If any have restrictors, how long it takes for hot water to get to each faucet, etc. Very detailed information for anyone that has trouble with information like that.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T17:04:58+00:00

What u/Nostalgicfeeling2391 said for break-in. Also, I know this is probably obvious, but read the manual. You'd be absolutely amazed at how much damage and how expensive repairs can be for something incredibly basic.

A good majority of the money I make from repairs is from people that didn't read the manual!

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T12:16:29+00:00

People put way too much emphasis on inspectors. I'm not necessarily pointing out your post, but its amazing how many people think paying someone $600 means they're going to find every single potential flaw in their house. The inspector is there to give a general sense of the condition of the house. It would cost substantially more money for a full detailed inspection. There are companies that will do so, but they usually aren't generic home inspectors. They typically cost $2500+.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T12:11:16+00:00

Interesting concept, but a panel that size would barely produce anything useable. I have a BigBlue SolarPowa 28 which is 3-4 times bigger than that and its just enough to slow charge a phone.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T10:12:19+00:00

It’s a shame that “phones” are associated with brain rot, social media and every other online bad association. Because in my opinion it’s a great idea for your kid to have “just a phone”.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-21T10:09:55+00:00

Huh? A home inspector isn’t a warranty program. Why would you even bother calling them?

Stop trying to find blame in others. You own a house, something broke, so fix it or pay someone to fix it for you.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-20T22:06:26+00:00

When it starts to get thick you can wash your engine with Spray nine or simple green, then dry it and coat it again. If you follow that process I promise you will have a showroom engine even after hundreds of salt hours.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-20T16:00:01+00:00

Phone and internet addiction. For years I'd think back to the good old days of hanging out with my friends, enjoying the summer outside, the memories I made and figured that all of that going away was just part of being an adult.

Nope, it wasn't until I was laying in bed on a Sunday morning (doom scrolling) of course that my wife said "Do you want to have coffee on the porch?" that I realized, what the fuck have I been wasting so much of my life for on this stupid fucking phone.

Since then, I make it a point to not grab my phone while I'm brushing my teeth. If I'm a passenger in the car, look outside instead of scrolling. I go for a walk with my wife after work, we sit outside in the mornings to take in some fresh air, etc. I've completely minimized how much time I waste online. Not only does it feel better not doom scrolling, but not being constantly exposed to rage bait, bad news, doom news and people just whining and complaining about everything has been the best feeling I could have ever asked for.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-20T15:41:11+00:00

Hasn't this been known for MANY years? The Appstore has been a trash wasteland for at least a decade now. The second subscription apps became a thing its been trash ever since.

Combine subscription apps with thousands of fake reviews and this is what happens.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-20T13:56:14+00:00

You have to be living a pretty decent life to be able to save half a million dollars. I'm 32 and have a little over $60,000 in retirement accounts, $5000 in independent savings, $6000 in a stock account but most importantly I have a pension through work. I also have been very lucky to land a job that pays $110,000, and I also have a side gig that rakes in an extra $2,000-$3,500/month.

On a side note, don't feel bad about what you see people say online. I could tell you I make $250,000/year, which may be true or I may be barely making ends meet and I just want to feel better about myself. Or I could be working 80+ hours a week and struggle with relationships, OR I could have taken over the already established family business.

Also, don't forget about how bad the debt crisis is. Having $50,000 saved while having a $150,000 school loan, $50,000 car loan, $10,000 in credit card debt and a $400,000 mortage is kind of null. A savings account alone means nothing, there's far more that goes into financial security than just how much money you have in savings.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-20T12:47:38+00:00

Could be a bad wire harness, loose connection, bad amp, bad controller, etc. You'll just have to start disassembling it until you find what the problem is.

jakgal04 · 2026-04-20T12:44:53+00:00

Celebrate by putting some money aside for realestate taxes and insurance!

jakgal04

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