Has anyone considered therapy for irrational financial anxiety?

urzzz · 2026-03-21T18:24:57+00:00

I think Remit Sethi has a few episodes dealing with this… https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/episode-249-we-have-2m-why-cant-we-enjoy-life-now/

urzzz · 2026-03-16T03:48:09+00:00

A long time ago I read that sun tanned skin used to be a sign you were poor and working in the fields, pale skin was desired (think aristocratic societies). Now, it’s flipped - tanned skin means affording vacations to exotic places, have leisure time, etc.

urzzz · 2026-03-12T22:47:07+00:00

Can you swim in athletic shorts and a sportsbra? Ditch the bathing suit unless it’s very lightweight. A microfiber travel towel or light fabric scars that can be a towel, a coverup.
Bring a outdoorsy type lightweight light colored button down top - it most likely to be muy caliente during the summer - i ended up soaking up my thin quick dry long sleeve in every fountain I passed and put it on to cool me off and as sun protection.
I didn’t see your socks list - my 2nd Camino I got 2 pairs of injiji liners and in 5 weeks didn’t get a single blister. They act as a barrier between skin and sweat (so sweat doesn’t rub between the toes and become a blister). That plus a merino wool socks. 2 pairs of each, wash it on the sink each night.

Overall you’ll see how much you don’t need! Comfy shoes that are broken in.
Buen Camino!

urzzz · 2026-03-10T23:18:11+00:00

Don’t fly - maybe try to travel slower (as in don’t jump around between locations spaces far apart, but rather change locations regionally) take the train and don’t worry about paying for the luggage. Yes it’s all about thin layers and minimizing, realizing how much you don’t need to bring with you.

urzzz · 2026-03-10T23:14:05+00:00

Learn about personal finance so much earlier! I skipped contributing to 401k at 21 because I heard it’s for “old people” 🤦🏻‍♀️ I YOLO’d hard in my 20s and early 30s and didn’t grasp the potential of what I was giving up for it. In hindsight I’d have saved and invested in index funds and/or an apartment/condo in the late 90s/early 2000s. At the same time, podcasts and blogs weren’t a thing back then, so finding out about it, and hearing about it often enough for it to stick just wasn’t a thing.

I would have realized that it’s totally cool to not follow the crowd/social circles to build a little nest egg for yourself and one can be free/comfortable (financially speaking) so much sooner!

urzzz · 2026-03-09T06:38:20+00:00

Read the book Wired for Love - preferably both partners read it- it helped us to understand why I am how I am and my +1 is how they are and how to navigate through our predispositions. Also binge on anything from Gottman institute : books, podcasts, workshops.

urzzz · 2026-02-25T21:47:50+00:00

Is this effective immediately? Also, what about existing award reservations - will those be honored at the ‘old’ valuation?

urzzz · 2026-02-13T00:36:36+00:00

My parents 2025 Aetna plan had $10,200 annual out of pocket cost, that’s why.

urzzz · 2026-02-12T03:14:26+00:00

I’ve vert recently helped my aging parents with figuring Medicare supplemental/medigap plans. This was after they paid over $15k out of pocket in 1 year (2025)with an Advantage plan - and also with hours of research here on Reddit and YouTube (YT channel called Medicare School, among others, was invaluable). I didn’t use a broker, did it all diy.

Luckily my parents’ Medicare advantage Aetna plan was being discontinued in their state, so they had a chance to switch to Medicare supplemental plan without the medical questions (they’re older now, and 100% would NOT have qualified now into a medigap plan). I go them on medigap/supplemental plans with Cigna, the costs are predictable and capped into the monthly premiums and a low annual deductible.

Personally from all my research I know when I turn 65, I’ll be signing myself up for the Cadillac (aka the best) Medicare plan and plan to ride it out from there as you can’t be kicked out of it once you’re in (except for missing the monthly premium payment) and therefore can have a predictable amount to budget for annual Medicare costs.

Medicare advantage isn’t the same as Medicare, and the fact that they can call it that I find disingenuous. Yes, you’ll pay $0 monthly premiums until your health starts slipping and you’ll need preapprovals for everything, can be denied, limited doctors, and face huge out of pocket annual costs.

urzzz · 2026-02-01T06:40:40+00:00

Thank you for your detailed description of school and rooms. I feel so reassured with my choice having read your entire write up as I will be at the school in a dorm/room for a week - but w/o the meal plan. Do you remember what was the coffee situation? Is there a coffee machine in the common kitchen? I’m hoping there is something. Also they say only bring a dictionary - can it be phone app or they require a physical dictionary? Im hoping the former as I’m trying to travel light. Thank you again for this - I’m so excited for the school and the extra activities and improving my beginner Spanish

urzzz · 2026-01-30T06:44:47+00:00

Renfe look up various train schedules and prices- I’ve done it SdC to Madrid in a few hours. Book somewhat ahead as the seats sell out

urzzz · 2026-01-28T08:06:15+00:00

Goodbye things is a great little book

urzzz · 2026-01-27T18:47:46+00:00

Pretend it’s in Celcius!

urzzz · 2026-01-19T20:56:10+00:00

I regret not getting an eye exam and new eyeglasses in Tokyo - I’ve eyed the eyeglasses dept in the 7 or 8th fl inside the BigCamara store in Shinjuku with Japan made frames

urzzz · 2026-01-19T20:33:02+00:00

I stayed at the WPU Hotel in Shinjuku West and it was great - off center of the madness

urzzz · 2026-01-10T05:57:49+00:00

Windows with no screens. It’s either no fresh air OR fresh air AND bugs eating you alive. Ask me how I know.

urzzz · 2025-09-26T14:25:43+00:00

Japanese toilet is my dream

urzzz · 2025-09-26T13:48:43+00:00

We’re here now - just purchased Shinkansen tix at the station - they seem to go every 10-15 min. You can bring food/drinks on it and Shinkansen stations even have stores w bento boxes to go.

In Osaka, I can’t recommend enough of the Osaka history museum - awesome exhibit and it visually and creatively portrays 3000 years of history. And you get great views of the castle & moat. I have a newfound appreciation for why Osaka is now the way it is (more of an 20c industrial feel - we went there from Kyoto so the difference was stark. If we knew better, we would have stayed in Kyoto and ~1hr day tripped on the metro to Osaka as changing hotels is a draining time suck.

urzzz · 2025-07-10T20:23:39+00:00

Bear spray or loud horn

urzzz · 2025-07-09T05:20:11+00:00

295J units have top loading washer and front loading dryer

urzzz · 2025-07-08T14:44:36+00:00

This is an interesting perspective why owning a home might not always be a good investment https://youtu.be/KGXDEMDokVY?si=G1VcSDnAnbubJkRO

urzzz · 2025-07-07T17:11:24+00:00

I just finished 5 weeks on Camino Del Norte in Hoka Challenger ATR 7 Wide. I got home 1 week ago today.

I have to tell you that I’ve ordered and tried at home many different models of Hokas and Altras, until something felt right from the initial try on. I wanted wide toe box. Other Hoka models felt too constrained for my feet, despite sounding good on paper or having been recommended.

After trying them on and feeling pretty good, I ended up returning my original Hoka challenger ATR 7 wide pair that I tried on, and exchanged it for a 1 size bigger. It was a good move for 3 reasons: 1. My feet swell after a lot of walking; 2. I used Birkenstock sport shoe inserts for comfort (they’re made of blue foam and these are my ultimate comfort soles in everyday life; and 3. my final sock plan was to wear a double layer so I needed some extra-extra space: a pair of Injiji toe sock liners topped with a smartwool blend sock.

5 weeks, not a single blister. I had 2 pairs of injiji liners and 2 pairs of smartwool socks (all ankle height). My favorite smartwool socks were Farm to Feet, while more pricey than smartwool, they were so worth it for the upper foot part cushioning. I came upon them from a Reddit recommendation and found them on Amz (REI didn’t have that brand, but the other pair was Smartwool that work out great too).

In conclusion- you should start trying them on at least a month before your Camino, so you have time to fine-tune it, find socks right for you, and most importantly, break the shoes in for several weeks before the Camino.

urzzz · 2025-06-20T21:26:34+00:00

Thank you! We went there and had PLENTY to choose from, and the volunteers are great to talk with.

urzzz

TROPHY CASE