Just dropped $80 on a decent power stretcher and it saved my back on a big job

I finally gave in and bought a Crain 6-foot power stretcher after using a knee kicker for years on residential work. Cost me about $80 at a local supplier in Spokane, and the difference is night and day. I had a 12x15 room with some tricky angles near a bay window, and the knee kicker just wasn't cutting it for the final stretch. With the power stretcher, I got the carpet flat in half the time and didn't have to crawl around on my knees as much. Plus, the seams came out way cleaner without me fighting the carpet. I probably should have bought one five years ago instead of trying to save a few bucks. Anyone else been stubborn about buying a tool that ended up paying off fast?

Hit 200 covers in a single hour last Saturday and nearly walked out

I've been on the line for 9 years and never seen a rush like that. We had a 50-top walk in 15 minutes before close plus two birthday parties. 200 plates went out in 60 minutes flat. My station hit 160 degrees and I burned my forearm on the reach-in. Had to step in the walk-in for 2 minutes to cool down. Has anyone else had a service that made them question their whole career choice?

Used to handshake deal everything, now I get it all in writing

For the first 5 years of my concrete business I did everything on a handshake and a smile, lost about $12,000 on a job in Leduc back in 2019 when a guy just stopped paying after we poured his driveway. Now I make every client sign a contract with payment milestones before I even drop gravel, way less headaches. Anyone else have a bad experience that made them change how they do business?

Guy at the hardware store told me to use cheap oil on my chainsaw chain, cost me a bar in 2 months

Thinking about how my 'fancy' dinner last week was just a $3 pack of chorizo and some eggs

Three years ago, I'd have called that a struggle meal, but after seeing prices at the store in Boise last month, I'm just calling it smart cooking now, anyone else find themselves redefining what a 'good' meal is?

Pro tip: I bought a $40 stud finder that actually works and it saved my whole weekend

I was hanging some heavy shelves in my living room and my old magnetic one was useless on my plaster walls. I grabbed a Zircon electronic one from the hardware store, cost about forty bucks. It beeps and lights up when it hits a stud, and it was right every single time I drilled. I got all three shelves up in an hour instead of guessing and patching holes. Anyone have a good trick for finding studs in really old houses with uneven walls?

My big bag of rice split open in the pantry yesterday

I was grabbing a can of beans and heard this weird tearing sound. The whole bottom seam of my 20 pound bag of rice just gave way. White grains went everywhere, all over the floor and even under the shelf. I stood there for a second just staring at the mess. I didn't want to waste it, so I got a big bowl and a dustpan and spent like 20 minutes scooping it all up. I had to check every handful for dust or bits from the floor before putting it into a clean container. It was a huge pain, but that rice is a staple for my meals. Has anyone else had this happen? What's the best way to store a big bag of rice so it doesn't rip again?

I used to think a 3/8 impact was fine for everything until a job in Cincinnati

We were swapping a motor on a 15 story traction unit and my impact just wouldn't break the bolts on the old coupling. My lead handed me his 1/2 inch and said 'try this, you're just heating them up'. Two hits and they were loose. Now I always bring the bigger gun for any coupling or gear work. What's your go-to tool for stubborn hardware on the big units?

My grocery bill used to be $50 a week, now it's $80 for the same stuff

I used to just walk into the store and grab what I needed, no plan. About six months ago, I started checking the store app for digital coupons before I left the house. The first time I did it, I saved $12 on stuff I was already going to buy. Now I won't even go to the store without checking the app first, it feels like throwing money away. Anyone else find they have to work this hard just to get back to last year's prices?

Question about the new dating for the Clovis points found in Texas

Last week, a team from Texas A&M put out a paper saying they used a new method to date some Clovis points found near Gault, Texas. They say the dates push human presence in North America back by about 3,000 years, to around 16,000 years ago. But three years ago, a big study from a site in Mexico argued the oldest solid proof was only 13,000 years old. So now we have two big finds telling different stories. One side says the new Texas dates are solid and change everything. The other side says we need more proof from other sites before we rewrite the textbooks. Which side do you think has the better case right now?