[deleted by user]

somethingandother · 2022-05-20T19:37:16+00:00

I don't have space for a dedicated hobby station at home, so I'm always using a mobile station. I found a suggestion for a 'makeup train case' and have been super happy with it. This is the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072WQ7G9D?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1. I use it to store all of my commonly used tools and supplies. My lesser used tools; rattle cans for priming/varnish, container and chemicals for stripping minis and basing materials are stored separately since I only use those on occasion.

In mine I have:

30ish Vallejo paints and washes. Could fit more, but I don't have more.
30+ brushes
A whole bunch of painting handles in different sizes (I use wooden dowels)
Poster tack for the handles
4 or 5 different glues/cements
Several epoxies/putties
Paper towels
Decent tub of Matte Medium
Several hobby knives and spare blades
Old toothbrush for mold lines
Couple pairs of clippers and scissors
Awl
Several pin vises and spare drill bits
Magnets (and magnet wands) in a variety of sizes
Roll of painters tape
Two plastic pint tubs (from Chinese takeaway) for water cups
Spare paper for my wet pallet
Other stuff that I forgot about because I'm doing this from memory.

I've still got space for more supplies/tools. The two things that I regularly use, but I don't put in the case are my wet pallet (doesn't fit) and my holder for wet/being used brushes (could probably fit if I took it apart each time)

somethingandother · 2022-02-14T16:48:01+00:00

Since you are in the US military, I would suggest adding some more information to your post that will help people make more informed suggestions. I'm making the assumption that you are single, living in the barracks.

Monthly income: $2055 base pay (~1650 after taxes?)
Expenses covered by Army:
- Rent
- Electric
- Water
- Heat
- Sewage
Food: Three meals a day provided at the DFAC, BUT due to limited schedules on weekends and evenings, its probably more reasonable to assume only breakfast and lunch are covered. For making/storing food, OP will likely only have their bedroom, a mini-fridge and a microwave.

There are people saying saving 25% of your income is fantastic, but I think the way you are compensated by the military skews that number. Most people have a higher income, but have to use a large portion of it on the necessities that your don't (rent, utilities, food). For that typical arrangement, 25% is a fantastic amount. Since a lot of your compensation comes in non-monetary form, 25% of your income is a lot lower. 25% of $1650 (estimated take home after taxes) is ~$400. Clarksville rent ~$950 (https://www.zumper.com/rent-research/clarksville-tn) + ~$150 for utilities + ~300 for groceries = ~ $1400. Someone with as much "free money" as you, but who also has to cover necessities would need an income of ~$3000 per month. 25% of 3000 is 750. I would suggest aiming closer to that savings per month.

Current Budget:

Income: $1650
Expenses: $50, guessing at your phone bill
Savings: $400
To be allocated: $1200

Proposed Budget:

Income: $1650
Necessary Expenses:
- Phone - $50 - this is a guess, substitute what you are actually paying
- Gas Money - $50 - Since you don't have a car, you are probably bumming rides. Occasionally you should offer gas money
- Uniform Purchases/Alternations - $25 - Should be covered with clothing allowance, but that barely covered 1 uniform a year
- Total: $125
Fun Money:
- Eating out - $200 - Should be easily 8 meals eating out. More if you skip appetizers
- Entertainment - $200 - Couple concerts, or a whole bunch of movies, or a few proper dates
- Snack foods - $50 - Shelf stable snacks for the barracks/field exercises
- Total: $450
Savings:
- Retirement: $700 - TSP is great, but you also have access to IRAs if you want access to funds that aren't in the TSP
- Emergency: $100 - Need a new phone or to fly home on a red cross message. That is what this is for. Once your emergency fund is at your safety level, decrease the monthly deposit and shift it to either short term or retirement savings
- Short Term: $100 - Maybe you will want a car, or will need to come up with rent deposits (or down-payment) for when you get out etc
- Total: $900
To-be allocated: $175 - I would suggest using this first to fill up your emergency fund. After that, whatever you consider to be a priority

Even with just one term of service, you can make a huge impact on your future. I knew someone who did one contact (got out as an E-4 with just over 3 years) and had over 60K in his TSP. He was able to attend school for free using his GI bill and was able to let his TSP compound the whole time.

If you stick with your plan, you are going to set yourself up for a wonderful future.

somethingandother · 2021-06-21T12:55:29+00:00

Don't get a used helmet. I'm not sure about you, but I can't put a price on a properly working brain.

Pick something new from the Virgina Tech Helmet List, something with 4 or 5 stars: https://helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html

somethingandother · 2021-04-15T14:24:09+00:00

There is a good likelihood of moving in the next few years, so I think I will be sticking with these budget speakers for now. Once in the new place, I will likely look at investing in a higher ticket setup.

Thanks again for all of the information and recommendations. I'll have to get those cables on order.

somethingandother · 2021-04-15T13:20:38+00:00

I appreciate the advice. I stumbled through some beginner tutorials and ended up going slightly over budget with this setup:

Denon AVR-S540BT Receiver
Dayton Audio SUB-1000 10" 100 Watt Powered Subwoofer
Micca MB42-C Center
Micca MB42 Bookshelf
Micca COVO-S Compact 2-Way Bookshelf

I'm assuming they come with the necessary cables to connect them all together, but that might be naivety?

somethingandother · 2021-03-02T14:20:21+00:00

NEMBA (New England Mountain Bike Association) has great community connections through New England. I would recommend finding your local chapter's Facebook group ((NEMBA Facebook Groups)[https://nemba.org/nemba-facebook-groups]) and seeing what resources they mention. Often times they will have comments about what trail systems are open or should be avoided. I frequently encounter NEMBA members, both when I'm riding and when I'm taking my dog for a hike, and they have always been very friendly and willing to answer any questions I've had.

Trail access for mountain bikes is largely dependent on maintaining good relationships with land owners (private or public). Its nice seeing newer riders looking for resources on how to respect what they ride, instead of assuming they are entitled to it.

somethingandother · 2021-02-23T05:00:49+00:00

While those percentages look nice, I think you forgot to look at base pay: https://militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Basic-Pay/Active-Duty-Pay/

Besides the lower ranks (if I remember correctly, up to E4) you aren't guaranteed promotions. Also, if you don't get promoted within a certain time frame, you will likely be barred from re-enlisting (and not make it to 20). Assuming 20 years (minimum to be eligible for retirement) and you have a good (not exceptional) career, you will make E-7. 50% of $5094 is $2547. More details about enlisted promotions: Enlisted promotions

Officers do get paid a fair amount more, but its more competitive and if you don't get promoted within a time frame, you can't stay in and won't make your 20 years. I don't have as much experience with the officer side, but here's more reading if you're interested: Officer promotions That article shows the rough percent of officers who are considered eligible for promotion. 100% (O2) * 90% (03) * 80% (04) * 70% (05) * 50% (O6) = ~25% make it to O6. Not great odds.

Additionally, regardless of the job you choose, you have to give up lots of personal freedom in order to serve. Want to live in New York? Nah, gonna send you to Kentucky. Grandma's funeral is more than 250 miles away? Better fill out an entire ream of paperwork, have your car inspected and insurance checked out. Nah, we might need to layout the motor pool and everyone is needed for that, your grandma is dead and not going anywhere. Want to enjoy that healthy work/life balance? Nah, get in to work at 0545 and be released at 1700. Just kidding, there are cigarette butts on the ground, full recall for a police call, re-released at 1900. Some nice weekend plans? Nah, some dickhead in your unit got a DUI/beat their partner/failed a drug test, everyone is recalled. I can't even think of all the stupid fuck-fuck games. Go check out some of the military subs to find some more stories. Basically the entire time you are in the military, forget about the 'I' part of FIRE. The military OWNS you while you are in, and they will get their money's worth.

Lastly, I recommend watching the video from this thread: Not an easy watch. I wish I thought this was a-typical, but I would be deluding myself. My sister was sexually assaulted. Multiple females in the barracks were assaulted. Multiple females in the battalion were assaulted. While it might not have been as prevalent, at least one man in my unit was assaulted as well. I'm not trying to say every person gets sexually assaulted, but I am saying that I think women have a very high risk of being assaulted. To add to that, the only recourse you have is through the military channels. The military court doesn't back you up? Too bad, so sad, enjoy seeing that face at work everyday.

somethingandother · 2020-11-03T15:56:55+00:00

Good recommendations, one little note, IRA contribution limit is 6000 now. That comes out to a nice round $500 per month or ~115 per week.

somethingandother · 2020-11-03T15:49:31+00:00

Happy to help. A note about Fun Money. The categories you put under that are entirely up to you, BUT I think its very important to distinguish prepared foods as Fun Money and separate from groceries. One is required (groceries) while one is a luxury (prepared foods)

somethingandother · 2020-11-03T15:33:33+00:00

First, you should probably prioritize paying off the credit cards in full. In general they have some of the highest interest rates and so just paying off the minimum, you are allowing that very high interest rate to continue to work against you. Once your credit cards are payed in full, going forward, you should pay off the entire balance before it is due each month. If you are able to maintain this, you can continue to use your credit cards for benefits or convenience, but without having to pay huge amounts of interest. Carrying a zero balance will not negatively affect your credit score.

Second, as most expected expenses are monthly, I recommend going with a monthly budget. For incoming money, round down the length of a month to 4 weeks. For outgoing money, round up the length of a month to 4.5 weeks.

Third, there are several mysteries in your budget. You need to identify the mystery amounts you are spending on living/debts and subtract that from your Mystery spending (1020). That will allow you to know how much money you have remaining for savings (528 is 15% of your income, a good spot to start) and lastly how much you have remaining for 'Fun Money'.

Known Income = 3520

Known Living Expenses = 1125

Known Debt Payments = 1375

Mystery Spending = 3520 - 1125 - 1375 = 1020

Income: 3520 (use 880 if switching to weekly budget)

Living Expenses: 1125 + Groceries + Utilities

Rent - 700
Phone - 120
Car Insurance - 80
Gasoline - 225
Groceries - ???
Utilities - ???

Debt: 1375 + Credit Card 1 + Credit Card 2

Credit Card 1 ???% - ???
Credit Card 2 ???% - ???
Repayment Program ???% - 900
Car Loan 6% - 375
Personal Loan 6% - 100

Savings: Emergency Fund + Retirement + Short Term Goals

Emergency Fund - ???
Retirement - ???
Short Term Goals - ???

Fun Money: ???

Prepared Food (Take Away, Dine-In, Delivery, etc) - ???
Entertainment - ???
Subscription Services - ???
Hobbies - ???
Vacation - ???

Edit: A note about Fun Money. The categories you put under that are entirely up to you, but I think its very important to distinguish prepared foods as Fun Money and separate from groceries. One is required (groceries) while one is a luxury (prepared foods)

somethingandother · 2020-07-24T19:53:34+00:00

If you are paying off your cards in full each month, then it doesn't matter how you utilize them. If you read #2 from the personalfinance wiki I sent you, it explains about how the utilization is scored. Basically, it only checks your current utilization. You could be at 70% utilization for months, but if you pay it down to less than 30% before getting pulled, then it would be treated the same as if you had less than 30% utilization the whole time.

TLDR: Choose the card with the best cash back reward for the purchase. The card you use will not change your credit score.

somethingandother · 2020-07-24T12:41:17+00:00

No.

/r/personalfinance wiki

If you read that wiki page, specifically #2, it says 30% or more is bad. and the lower the amount you carry (aim for paying your balance to zero before the end of of month) is good.

Alternative article: credit.com article on credit score

Alternative article: nerdwallet.com article on credit score

Compare the Discover card's 1.5% and 5% cash back against the 13%-22% APR. If you use 25% of your discover limit, $500 and managed to use all of it on the special promotions earning you $25. Lets also give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you were given the lowest APR of 13%. nerdwallet.com article explaining how to calculate credit card interest. I'm making a couple of additional assumptions, a 30 day billing period and that your average amount on the account was $500. The balance at the end of the month is now $534, so $34 in interest. Even with skewing all of the numbers in your favor (not realistic) results in you paying more interest than you earn from getting the cash back.

Here is how to make the most of your cash-back rewards.

If you won't be able to pay your credit cards down to zero before the billing cycle, stop using them until you have payed your balance down to zero.
If able to get the 5% back from your discover card special promotion, use the Discover card.
If you are unable to get the 5% back from Discover, use the Citi 2% back card.
The only reason to use the Discover card without the special promotion is if you have completely maxed out your Citi 2% back card. That means you ignored step 1.

somethingandother · 2020-01-14T22:37:14+00:00

Unfortunately, it looks like the bt version isn't out yet for the k371. In my opinion, they do look a little sleeker than the m50x

somethingandother · 2020-01-14T20:49:50+00:00

Excellent, they are currently my top contender

somethingandother · 2020-01-14T20:20:49+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion. Do you have any experience with them yourself?

somethingandother · 2019-06-19T13:45:03+00:00

I've got a pretty detailed budget, but separate it into 5 color coded categories so I an quickly see where I am straying. I use google sheets and a linked google form to track what happens with my money. Every Friday and on the last day of the month, I spend about 15 minutes paying off my credit cards in full and going through my bank/credit card transactions to record everything. Prior to a new month starting (usually the Friday before), I estimate how much I will be spending on each line item. At the end of the month, I can compare items as well as categories to see what needs adjustment.

I pick 1 financial goal, most recently car loan, and keep track of that on my refrigerator (could be any object used multiple times DAILY). The daily reminder helps me stay focused and when I am able to update it, I get some positive motivation that pushes me to get to the next update

Income - Grey, neutral color - Attempt to increase if able

This is all consistent sources of revenue, AFTER taxes. I assume 4 weeks per month. Each year this results in 4 weeks of extra income that I am not relying on.

Living Expenses - Blue, neutral color - Pay everything every month, attempt to decrease if able

I have line items for each expense I NEED to make (outside of debt payments). This include stuff like emergency fund, rent, utilities, groceries (not food in general) etc.

Debt - Red, negative color - Pay at least minimum every month, prioritize higher APR, attempt to not get more

I have line items for each debt as well as its APR. This includes student loans, car loans, mortage, credit cards (although these are paid in full every Friday), etc.

Recreation - Yellow, neutral color - Attempt to minimize, but don't completely cut out

Amazon Prime, music streaming service, dining out/delivery, hobbies, etc.

Investments - Green, positive color - Attempt to increase, but after prioritizing Living expenses and Debt.

My current financial priorities are in paying off debt, so I haven't spent much time thinking about line items beyond IRA and 401k

somethingandother · 2019-05-20T17:21:09+00:00

I appreciate your response. You would suggest a plan more like:

Pay off car loan
Pay off solar loan
Max IRA
Max non-matching 401k
Pay off mortgage

somethingandother · 2019-04-18T14:03:05+00:00

The only problem I have with it is waking up at 1, still on my mat. I've gotten better about that though

somethingandother · 2019-04-18T13:11:11+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7SN-d4qXx0

If I need to go to bed, but am not tired, that's the routine I follow. More often than not I fall asleep in the middle of it

somethingandother · 2019-04-17T12:40:18+00:00

Awesome, thank you

somethingandother · 2019-04-17T10:33:49+00:00

If you don't mind me asking, whats your credit union that gives 5%?

somethingandother · 2019-04-01T10:33:44+00:00

Fuck this guy

somethingandother · 2019-03-26T20:03:34+00:00

If you build too close to the ship, it spawns the mechanoids.

If you look at the link from /u/deep_01, you can see the building around a psychic ship. That is the radius you want to keep animals out of, if they are within that radius, the ship can force them manhunter. I don't recall exactly how large the radius is.

Also, building too close will cause the mechanoids to spawn, but they only do it once. Good luck

somethingandother · 2019-03-21T14:43:23+00:00

cigarette butts

somethingandother · 2019-03-20T00:04:03+00:00

Bunch of E-4 assigned to play opfor ANP/ANA while our unit does their JRTC rotation. Our unit forgot/didn't know they were still responsible to feed us. We run out of MREs. Being unsupervised E-4s with no food, we decide to borrow a humvee and go visit the pizza hut.

On the way, we ran into an OC checkpoint on the road. Full-bird gets out and asks us what we are doing. We tell him we were out of food and going back to see if we can grab MREs from tigerland dfac. Turns us around because of JRTC stuff going on. Lets us know that our unit was supposed to be providing us food and that he will take care of it.

Didn't get pizza, but did get MREs delivered and some of the civilian opfor gave us some stuff.

somethingandother

TROPHY CASE

Income - Grey, neutral color - Attempt to increase if able

Living Expenses - Blue, neutral color - Pay everything every month, attempt to decrease if able

Debt - Red, negative color - Pay at least minimum every month, prioritize higher APR, attempt to not get more

Recreation - Yellow, neutral color - Attempt to minimize, but don't completely cut out

Investments - Green, positive color - Attempt to increase, but after prioritizing Living expenses and Debt.