I pulled into a TA near Columbus last week for a quick fuel stop and noticed my alternator light flickering. Turned out the fan belt had a crack running through it, and the shop wanted $340 for the belt and labor because they had to order the part from the next town over. What got me thinking is whether paying that premium for on-site service is worth it compared to having a spare belt in the cab and doing it yourself on the shoulder. Has anyone else been stuck paying triple for roadside repairs when you could have fixed it for $30 with a little planning?
I picked up this jacket from a big outdoor retailer three months ago, specifically for light rain on day hikes. Took it out on the Blue Ridge trail last Saturday and it was completely soaked inside after just a short shower. Anyone else found a brand that actually holds up to its claims without costing a mortgage payment?
I used to just toss salt by hand from a bucket and it left bare spots everywhere. Then I picked up a handheld spreader at a garage sale for $5 and tried it during that freeze last week in Pittsburgh. It gets the salt even across the whole surface with no clumps, and I finished the whole driveway in 15 minutes instead of fighting with a bucket for over an hour. Has anyone else switched to a spreader and found it actually makes a difference?
I was at the lake near Austin last summer and bought this heavy duty dry bag for my phone so I could take underwater pics. Spent a whole afternoon sealing it up and getting the air out every time. Then my buddy Marcus just walks right into the water with his phone out and I'm like dude what are you doing. Turns out my iPhone 12 has been IP68 rated this whole time and I never checked. Anyone else buy a gadget that your device already had built in?
Last month a grease fire in my neighbor's unit made me realize how fast paper towels burn. I switched to cotton rags and now use maybe one roll every 3 months for cat messes. Has anyone else changed household habits after a close call like that?
He watched me dump salt into pasta water from way up high and said 'You're missing the pot by a foot, the salt just bounces out.' Then he showed me how he measures exactly 1 tablespoon for every 4 quarts of water and drops it from 2 inches above the surface. Anyone else learn they've been doing a basic kitchen thing wrong their whole life?
I used to put every single number in bold red font so nothing got missed. Then my coworker Janet spent 20 minutes trying to find a monthly total in a 50-row sheet. She said 'this looks like a ransom note, not a budget file.' I switched to just bolding totals and using green for positive numbers. My boss hasn't complained once in 3 months. Anyone else have a work habit they had to kill because someone called them out on it?
I was at Al's Pawn off Route 9 last Saturday looking for a used block plane to clean up some old door frames. The guy had a rusty Stanley for $30 and a newer one with plastic handles for $80. I grabbed the cheap one because I figured I could sharpen it up myself, but three hours of work later it still chatters on every pass. Would I have been better off spending the extra $50 or is this old iron just needing more patience? Anyone else go cheap on a tool and regret it or manage to make it work?
Old guy next door, Jim, he's 72. Told me he's been using the same pack of Duracells in his radio for 2 years. I buy the dollar store ones and they die in a month. Did the math, he spends like $8 a year. I spend $15 every 6 weeks. His way is actually way cheaper. Anybody else notice the cheap stuff ends up costing more in the end?