John Fox (u/john650)

Posts

Switched to a cash envelope system for groceries and it actually worked

I was spending around $700 a month on food for just me, which felt crazy. I started putting $150 in an envelope every Friday for the next week's groceries. After a month, I'm down to $550 and I'm not even trying that hard, I just can't spend what I don't have on me. Anyone else try something like this for a specific category?

2 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

john650•4d ago

My cheap chili night almost ended in disaster

Back in my old apartment in Dayton, I tried to double my mom's chili recipe to freeze some. Forgot to adjust the spices. Used a whole 4oz can of chili powder by mistake. Had to dump in three extra cans of beans and two big cans of tomatoes to save it. Anyone have a good fix for when you over-spice a big pot of something?

3 comments

c/electricians•

john650•5d ago

Can we talk about people using the wrong size wire nuts on 12-gauge circuits?

I keep finding #14 wire nuts on 12-gauge splices in junction boxes, and it's a fire hazard because they don't grip properly and can overheat.

3 comments

c/furniture-finishers•

john650•7d ago

A simple paint drip turned into a three hour fix

I was putting a final coat on a dresser and got a small drip near the leg. Figured I could sand it smooth and touch it up in maybe twenty minutes. The sanding went fine, but matching the sheen on that one spot took forever. I ended up redoing the whole side panel to make it even. Anyone have a better way to blend a spot repair on a satin finish?

3 comments

c/advertising-pros•

john650•9d ago

Just read that 70% of people mute TV ads immediately, which seems like a huge problem we're not talking about enough.

Found that stat in a Nielsen report yesterday and it makes me wonder if we're all just making really expensive background noise.

3 comments

c/forgotten-bookmarks•

john650•18d ago

Found a 1923 train ticket in a copy of 'The Great Gatsby'

I always thought people left boring stuff like receipts, but this ticket was from the New York Central Railroad for a trip from Albany to New York City. It was tucked right in the chapter about the valley of ashes. Makes you wonder who was reading it on that exact route. Has anyone else found something that perfectly matched the book's setting?

3 comments

c/drafters•

john650•19d ago

PSA: I used to freehand all my title blocks on Mylar, but I switched to a custom template in AutoCAD about six months ago.

A project manager in Charlotte pointed out a minor inconsistency, and I realized the template saves me an hour per sheet. Has anyone else found a specific drafting step that took way longer than it should have?

3 comments

c/break-time-banter•

john650•22d ago

I just spent $40 on a good thermos and it saved my whole week

Okay, hear me out. I was always the person who made coffee at home, poured it into a cheap mug, and it was cold by the time I got to my first break. I finally gave in and bought a decent stainless steel thermos for about forty bucks. The first day I used it, I filled it at 7 AM, opened it at 10:30, and the steam that came out almost fogged up my glasses. It was still hot enough to actually enjoy, not just lukewarm. That might sound small, but having a proper hot drink during my morning break completely changed my mood. It made those fifteen minutes feel like a real reset instead of just going through the motions. I didn't realize how much I was missing out on by sipping tepid coffee. Has anyone else found a simple break room upgrade that made a big difference?

3 comments

c/forgotten-bookmarks•

john650•28d ago

Found a 1950s grocery list in a cookbook that taught me a weird trick for keeping ants out of the pantry

I tried the old list's suggestion of drawing a chalk line across the doorway, and it actually stopped the line of little black ants I'd been battling for a week, which makes me wonder what other old household hacks are hidden in these forgotten bookmarks.

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

john650•28d ago

Remember when we used to clean flues with just a brush and rods?

I did a job on a 1920s brick home in Springfield last month and brought my old 6-inch brush setup, but the creosote was like tar. Switched to my newer rotary whip system with the SootSweeper 2000 head, and it cleared the entire 25-foot flue in under an hour. The old way would've taken me half the day and left a ton of gunk behind. Anyone else made the switch and found it saves your back as much as your time?

3 comments

Posts

Switched to a cash envelope system for groceries and it actually worked

My cheap chili night almost ended in disaster

Can we talk about people using the wrong size wire nuts on 12-gauge circuits?

A simple paint drip turned into a three hour fix

Just read that 70% of people mute TV ads immediately, which seems like a huge problem we're not talking about enough.

Found a 1923 train ticket in a copy of 'The Great Gatsby'

PSA: I used to freehand all my title blocks on Mylar, but I switched to a custom template in AutoCAD about six months ago.

I just spent $40 on a good thermos and it saved my whole week

Found a 1950s grocery list in a cookbook that taught me a weird trick for keeping ants out of the pantry

Remember when we used to clean flues with just a brush and rods?

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