Overheard on Facebook

[druth]

I'm all for making fun of things - but having worked as a professional cinematographer for the past few decades I can say that $200 for a well designed gear bag is not rare at all.  I'll grant that it's a waste of money for someone who doesn't need it, much like I would never think to spend hundreds of dollars on specially designed professional cycling gear.

IDK what she is planning to use it for, but I'm pretty sure it's just normal backpack things.  She is a secretary and a part time actor, not a photographer or anything like that.

[RWD]

Reminds me of when i sold my old car 10 years or so ago (a 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo, asking $5600) and some dumb 18yo kid kept calling me about it insisting he was going to buy it, but needed me to meet at his bank so they could give him a loan for it.  I told him to fuck off until he had cash.  No bank in their right mind would give an 18yo a $5k loan to buy a 17 year old turbo import car, and even if they did there's no way he could afford the insurance/gas/maintenance on that thing.

I sold my 1991 Supra Turbo to a 20 year old in the military who was able to get a $4300 loan from his bank.

[JAYSLOL]

Reminds me of when i sold my old car 10 years or so ago (a 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo, asking $5600) and some dumb 18yo kid kept calling me about it insisting he was going to buy it, but needed me to meet at his bank so they could give him a loan for it.  I told him to fuck off until he had cash.  No bank in their right mind would give an 18yo a $5k loan to buy a 17 year old turbo import car, and even if they did there's no way he could afford the insurance/gas/maintenance on that thing.

I sold my 1991 Supra Turbo to a 20 year old in the military who was able to get a $4300 loan from his bank.

I guess being in the military helped with that, pretty sure the kid that wanted my car wouldn't have gotten the same respect at a bank. Anyway, even if he got the money, I wasn't keen on selling it to him, I baby my cars and got the feeling from him that it would have been wrapped around a tree within 3 weeks after he bought it.  Maybe 3 hours. 

[kayvent]

Reminds me of when i sold my old car 10 years or so ago (a 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo, asking $5600) and some dumb 18yo kid kept calling me about it insisting he was going to buy it, but needed me to meet at his bank so they could give him a loan for it.  I told him to fuck off until he had cash.  No bank in their right mind would give an 18yo a $5k loan to buy a 17 year old turbo import car, and even if they did there's no way he could afford the insurance/gas/maintenance on that thing.

I sold my 1991 Supra Turbo to a 20 year old in the military who was able to get a $4300 loan from his bank.

I guess being in the military helped with that, pretty sure the kid that wanted my car wouldn't have gotten the same respect at a bank. Anyway, even if he got the money, I wasn't keen on selling it to him, I baby my cars and got the feeling from him that it would have been wrapped around a tree within 3 weeks after he bought it.  Maybe 3 hours.

3 seconds if you would have had a tree at the end of your driveway.

[JAYSLOL]

Reminds me of when i sold my old car 10 years or so ago (a 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo, asking $5600) and some dumb 18yo kid kept calling me about it insisting he was going to buy it, but needed me to meet at his bank so they could give him a loan for it.  I told him to fuck off until he had cash.  No bank in their right mind would give an 18yo a $5k loan to buy a 17 year old turbo import car, and even if they did there's no way he could afford the insurance/gas/maintenance on that thing.

I sold my 1991 Supra Turbo to a 20 year old in the military who was able to get a $4300 loan from his bank.

I guess being in the military helped with that, pretty sure the kid that wanted my car wouldn't have gotten the same respect at a bank. Anyway, even if he got the money, I wasn't keen on selling it to him, I baby my cars and got the feeling from him that it would have been wrapped around a tree within 3 weeks after he bought it.  Maybe 3 hours.

3 seconds if you would have had a tree at the end of your driveway.

There was.  Good point.

[zephyr911]

I sold my 1991 Supra Turbo to a 20 year old in the military who was able to get a $4300 loan from his bank.

...making his subsequent failure the bank's problem, not yours xD

[RWD]

I sold my 1991 Supra Turbo to a 20 year old in the military who was able to get a $4300 loan from his bank.

...making his subsequent failure the bank's problem, not yours xD

True. Though I'd like to think it worked out fine for him. He did have access to a shop on base where he could work on the car for free. However, I think his insurance was pretty high...

[Inaya]

The Facebook buy/sell group for my town is a gold-mine for stuff I could post to this site.  Here's one from today,

Someone posted this question

"WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET A LOAN TO BUY AN MOTORCYCLE?  The motorcycle is $800 and I can easily pay it off monthly :)"

I really hope this was a teenager..

Maybe he just wanted a loan to build credit even though he could have paid in cash?

[kayvent]

The Facebook buy/sell group for my town is a gold-mine for stuff I could post to this site.  Here's one from today,

Someone posted this question

"WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET A LOAN TO BUY AN MOTORCYCLE?  The motorcycle is $800 and I can easily pay it off monthly :)"

I really hope this was a teenager..

Maybe he just wanted a loan to build credit even though he could have paid in cash?

You can get a secured credit card for building credit.

[JAYSLOL]

The Facebook buy/sell group for my town is a gold-mine for stuff I could post to this site.  Here's one from today,

Someone posted this question

"WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET A LOAN TO BUY AN MOTORCYCLE?  The motorcycle is $800 and I can easily pay it off monthly :)"

I really hope this was a teenager..

Maybe he just wanted a loan to build credit even though he could have paid in cash?

I don't think so, someone asked if the OP could get a loan from family instead of paying interest to a loan company, but the OP said family loan was out of the question because of family issues.  If they just wanted to build credit, they probably would have said that.  I think they really don't have the $800

[Reynold]

What the renters don't realize, when they complain, is that not everyone is "like them".  You want to know why landlords don't rent to dog owners (it's getting increasingly difficult to find a place that will rent to people with pets)?  Because some renters let their dogs destroy the house.  You are coming up against a lot of really awful people who ruin it for everyone. 

Friends just got a second dog, a puppy, and plan in a few years to get a third, so when one of the dogs passes away, the other two won't be lonely.  I personally suspect it is more the wife's issue than the dogs', but they did post pics of the puppy on FB so qualify for this thread. 

Apparently they have a 1-dog clause in their rental lease for the house they are in, so I asked, and they didn't tell the landlord until they got the puppy, realizing they might have to find a new place on short notice if the landlord kicked them out.  Mind you, they had been on a waiting list for this dog for maybe a year or more, it is from a place run by monks, but they didn't look into housing options.  Fortunately (and wisely IMHO) the landlord is apparently going to just charge a bit more rent, they have been good tenants for years now, and I doubt the place will be any MORE trashed by a second dog than the first, they aren't anything like Grim Squeaker's people, they just aren't super meticulous about cleaning or organizing.  Personally I would have considered negotiating the rent in advance of getting the second dog, when they had a bit more leverage. . .

When DW and I were apartment hunting when we moved a few years back, one place the real estate agent showed us was a small house she owned, and she wouldn't even go in the finished basement because it smelled so badly of a cat which had "health issues".  She said she would replace the carpet if we rented, but no thanks. 

[johnny847]

What the renters don't realize, when they complain, is that not everyone is "like them".  You want to know why landlords don't rent to dog owners (it's getting increasingly difficult to find a place that will rent to people with pets)?  Because some renters let their dogs destroy the house.  You are coming up against a lot of really awful people who ruin it for everyone. 

  Fortunately (and wisely IMHO) the landlord is apparently going to just charge a bit more rent, they have been good tenants for years now, and I doubt the place will be any MORE trashed by a second dog than the first, they aren't anything like Grim Squeaker's people, they just aren't super meticulous about cleaning or organizing. 

Why I do feel like this is going to be the measuring stick for all ridiculous tenants moving forward....

[MgoSam]

What the renters don't realize, when they complain, is that not everyone is "like them".  You want to know why landlords don't rent to dog owners (it's getting increasingly difficult to find a place that will rent to people with pets)?  Because some renters let their dogs destroy the house.  You are coming up against a lot of really awful people who ruin it for everyone. 

  Fortunately (and wisely IMHO) the landlord is apparently going to just charge a bit more rent, they have been good tenants for years now, and I doubt the place will be any MORE trashed by a second dog than the first, they aren't anything like Grim Squeaker's people, they just aren't super meticulous about cleaning or organizing. 

Why I do feel like this is going to be the measuring stick for all ridiculous tenants moving forward....

Reminds me of a Smoot.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

What the renters don't realize, when they complain, is that not everyone is "like them".  You want to know why landlords don't rent to dog owners (it's getting increasingly difficult to find a place that will rent to people with pets)?  Because some renters let their dogs destroy the house.  You are coming up against a lot of really awful people who ruin it for everyone. 

  Fortunately (and wisely IMHO) the landlord is apparently going to just charge a bit more rent, they have been good tenants for years now, and I doubt the place will be any MORE trashed by a second dog than the first, they aren't anything like Grim Squeaker's people, they just aren't super meticulous about cleaning or organizing. 

Why I do feel like this is going to be the measuring stick for all ridiculous tenants moving forward....

Reminds me of a Smoot.

They aren't mine. If they were, I'd sell them for the value of what's left of their vital organs.

[horsepoor]

What the renters don't realize, when they complain, is that not everyone is "like them".  You want to know why landlords don't rent to dog owners (it's getting increasingly difficult to find a place that will rent to people with pets)?  Because some renters let their dogs destroy the house.  You are coming up against a lot of really awful people who ruin it for everyone. 

  Fortunately (and wisely IMHO) the landlord is apparently going to just charge a bit more rent, they have been good tenants for years now, and I doubt the place will be any MORE trashed by a second dog than the first, they aren't anything like Grim Squeaker's people, they just aren't super meticulous about cleaning or organizing. 

Why I do feel like this is going to be the measuring stick for all ridiculous tenants moving forward....

I'm pretty sure those people lived in our ex-rental. We've forever sworn off landlording.  They decided to change the rock garden into a fire pit, but at least they held of on the shower parkour.

[Ms Terror]

I just saw something on FB that makes me worry so much about what other are even doing with their lives!
Someone who I know just posted this morning, word for word:

So starting next Weds I'll be without pay for 1.5 weeks as I ran out of leave when I was off for my broken ankle. Anything you can donate to my survival is appreciated!

1.5 weeks!!! How can you not survive for 1.5 weeks without a pay packet?!?! This is a sensible, smart early thirties female, who isn't (obviously, anyway) playing keep up with the Jones'! And to ask on FB. Sheesh.

[irishbear99]

I just saw something on FB that makes me worry so much about what other are even doing with their lives!
Someone who I know just posted this morning, word for word:

So starting next Weds I'll be without pay for 1.5 weeks as I ran out of leave when I was off for my broken ankle. Anything you can donate to my survival is appreciated!

1.5 weeks!!! How can you not survive for 1.5 weeks without a pay packet?!?! This is a sensible, smart early thirties female, who isn't (obviously, anyway) playing keep up with the Jones'! And to ask on FB. Sheesh.

I had a coworker complaining that he couldn't absorb the loss of pay during the government furlough a couple of years ago. Total time off: 4 days. His salary at the time: above $100k. I don't know if he complained about it or asked for help on FB though, so there's that...

[BlueHouse]

I just saw something on FB that makes me worry so much about what other are even doing with their lives!
Someone who I know just posted this morning, word for word:

So starting next Weds I'll be without pay for 1.5 weeks as I ran out of leave when I was off for my broken ankle. Anything you can donate to my survival is appreciated!

1.5 weeks!!! How can you not survive for 1.5 weeks without a pay packet?!?! This is a sensible, smart early thirties female, who isn't (obviously, anyway) playing keep up with the Jones'! And to ask on FB. Sheesh.

I had a coworker complaining that he couldn't absorb the loss of pay during the government furlough a couple of years ago. Total time off: 4 days. His salary at the time: above $100k. I don't know if he complained about it or asked for help on FB though, so there's that...

Not on FB, but related...A government worker told me she tried to get food stamps for the time she would be sequestered.  At the time, she didn't know how long it would be, but it ended up being 4 Fridays in a row.  Total.  After she told me she and her buddies couldn't get assistance, she told me she was putting in for retirement in the next year! 

[randymarsh]

I just saw something on FB that makes me worry so much about what other are even doing with their lives!
Someone who I know just posted this morning, word for word:

So starting next Weds I'll be without pay for 1.5 weeks as I ran out of leave when I was off for my broken ankle. Anything you can donate to my survival is appreciated!

1.5 weeks!!! How can you not survive for 1.5 weeks without a pay packet?!?! This is a sensible, smart early thirties female, who isn't (obviously, anyway) playing keep up with the Jones'! And to ask on FB. Sheesh.

This is the embodiment of those surveys that say 95% of Americans don't have $1000 for an emergency. Let's assume a salary of 40K. 1.5 weeks of that is $1153 gross!

What's odd is that it sounds like any potential emergency is actually still a few weeks away. If she's on a typical 15th and last day of the month payday, then she just got a full paycheck 3 days ago. Then she worked this entire week and she'll work 2 days next week. So her next paycheck should still be decent.

Besides that though, I cannot imagine asking for donations on FB! That would be mortifying.

[nnls]

just saw this shared on fb, with someone asking if this was any good.

Its a $15 egg cooker... one person replied suggesting using a normal pot, but most people were saying she should buy a more expensive one to ensure the eggs are cooked better

[kayvent]

just saw this shared on fb, with someone asking if this was any good.

Its a $15 egg cooker... one person replied suggesting using a normal pot, but most people were saying she should buy a more expensive one to ensure the eggs are cooked better

In their defence, if this is something they do regularly and either they have only two burners or make a lot, a 'set and forget' device could be worth it.

Or maybe they are bad at it. I have hard-boiled eggs dozens of times but sometimes I just simply mess up.

But in your defence, people do have wayyyy too many kitchen devices.

[Chris22]

We had a Cuisinart one of those, got it for a wedding present, likely a victim of me being overzealous with the "gun thing" while registering. It worked okay, but when we downsized to a smaller house it, ahem, did not make the move. It was good for times when you were having a party and making a lot of deviled eggs.

[MrsDinero]

just saw this shared on fb, with someone asking if this was any good.

Its a $15 egg cooker... one person replied suggesting using a normal pot, but most people were saying she should buy a more expensive one to ensure the eggs are cooked better

In their defence, if this is something they do regularly and either they have only two burners or make a lot, a 'set and forget' device could be worth it.

Or maybe they are bad at it. I have hard-boiled eggs dozens of times but sometimes I just simply mess up.

But in your defence, people do have wayyyy too many kitchen devices.

It took me years to find the perfect hardboiled egg method that peels every single time.  Steam them.  Boil water, put the eggs in the steam basket, steam for 12 minutes.  Done.

[ringer707]

just saw this shared on fb, with someone asking if this was any good.

Its a $15 egg cooker... one person replied suggesting using a normal pot, but most people were saying she should buy a more expensive one to ensure the eggs are cooked better

I actually have one of these that my MIL got for us. We have chickens and fresh eggs will not peel like store-bought eggs do. That little egg cooker is the only thing I've found that will get them to peel correctly. I've tried all the usual tricks of salt or baking soda or whatever else in the boiling water.

[No Name Guy]

What Dinero says - it's straight from Alton Brown Food Network Good Eats.

Super easy peeling every time.

just saw this shared on fb, with someone asking if this was any good.

Its a $15 egg cooker... one person replied suggesting using a normal pot, but most people were saying she should buy a more expensive one to ensure the eggs are cooked better

In their defence, if this is something they do regularly and either they have only two burners or make a lot, a 'set and forget' device could be worth it.

Or maybe they are bad at it. I have hard-boiled eggs dozens of times but sometimes I just simply mess up.

But in your defence, people do have wayyyy too many kitchen devices.

It took me years to find the perfect hardboiled egg method that peels every single time.  Steam them.  Boil water, put the eggs in the steam basket, steam for 12 minutes.  Done.

[solon]

What Dinero says - it's straight from Alton Brown Food Network Good Eats.

Super easy peeling every time.

just saw this shared on fb, with someone asking if this was any good.

Its a $15 egg cooker... one person replied suggesting using a normal pot, but most people were saying she should buy a more expensive one to ensure the eggs are cooked better

In their defence, if this is something they do regularly and either they have only two burners or make a lot, a 'set and forget' device could be worth it.

Or maybe they are bad at it. I have hard-boiled eggs dozens of times but sometimes I just simply mess up.

But in your defence, people do have wayyyy too many kitchen devices.

It took me years to find the perfect hardboiled egg method that peels every single time.  Steam them.  Boil water, put the eggs in the steam basket, steam for 12 minutes.  Done.

So the next logical question is, how does it make such perfect eggs, and how can we get that effect for cheaper?

[Dollar Slice]

Q:

So the next logical question is, how does it make such perfect eggs, and how can we get that effect for cheaper?

A:

It took me years to find the perfect hardboiled egg method that peels every single time.  Steam them.  Boil water, put the eggs in the steam basket, steam for 12 minutes.  Done.

I used to do the Julia Child method, and it's terrible for peeling. The key is to cook them quickly (put them in hot steam or boiling water) and not slowly (start in cold water).

[horsepoor]

Yes, I learned the steaming thing a few months ago and want to know:  WHY DIDN'T I LEARN THIS 30 YEARS AGO, AND WHY ISN'T THIS COMMON KNOWLEDGE.

Seriously, it works so well.

[Papa Mustache]

I just learned this today. Here. I'm boiling an egg for dinner tonight dang it!

[Seppia]

It's 12.20 am here in Italy and now I feel the urge to steam an egg

[ender]

Yes, I learned the steaming thing a few months ago and want to know:  WHY DIDN'T I LEARN THIS 30 YEARS AGO, AND WHY ISN'T THIS COMMON KNOWLEDGE.

Seriously, it works so well.

I'm going to try this sometime.

12 minutes seems awfully precise. BUT MAKE IT SO

[geekette]

Instant Pot FTW!

Plus, you can cook both potatoes and hard cook eggs at the same time for potato salad. I've only done it once so far, but the eggs peeled very easily.

[With This Herring]

Egg steaming questions!

First: Cold eggs or room temp eggs?

Second: Do you know what the steaming time is for soft-boiled eggs with a nice, runny yolk?  (We've started eating them a LOT over rice flavored with teriyaki sauce and topped with green onions, and they are a nice addition to miso soup.)

[firelight]

Instant Pot FTW!

Plus, you can cook both potatoes and hard cook eggs at the same time for potato salad. I've only done it once so far, but the eggs peeled very easily.

+1 for instant pot. I make a chicken dinner in the bottom and steam eggs on top. Perfect Everytime!

[RetiredAt63]

Egg steaming questions!

First: Cold eggs or room temp eggs?

Second: Do you know what the steaming time is for soft-boiled eggs with a nice, runny yolk?  (We've started eating them a LOT over rice flavored with teriyaki sauce and topped with green onions, and they are a nice addition to miso soup.)

Yes please give us this info, I have tried poaching them in the microwave (out of the shell in a custard dish) and either the white is still liquid or the yolks are hard.

[MrsDinero]

Egg steaming questions!

First: Cold eggs or room temp eggs?

Second: Do you know what the steaming time is for soft-boiled eggs with a nice, runny yolk?  (We've started eating them a LOT over rice flavored with teriyaki sauce and topped with green onions, and they are a nice addition to miso soup.)

I found cold or room temp it doesn't make a difference.

I'm not sure about soft boiled eggs, because I don't like them.  For a hard-boiled egg I do 12 minutes, so maybe 6-8 for soft?

[Playing with Fire UK]

I have tried poaching them in the microwave (out of the shell in a custard dish) and either the white is still liquid or the yolks are hard.

Have you tried putting a cup of water in the microwave when you are poaching the egg? Not for the steam but to absorb some of the power so that the heat will move through the egg. Or doing four at a time?

[solon]

A few weeks ago an older lady at church mentioned she was having financial troubles. Today she posted a picture of her brand new Buick Encore on facebook.

I don't know anything about her finances, but I no longer feel compelled to worry about her.

[KodeBlue]

Instant Pot FTW!

Plus, you can cook both potatoes and hard cook eggs at the same time for potato salad. I've only done it once so far, but the eggs peeled very easily.

+1 for instant pot. I make a chicken dinner in the bottom and steam eggs on top. Perfect Everytime!

I don't microwave my pot, I just roll it and light up.

[MgoSam]

Instant Pot FTW!

Plus, you can cook both potatoes and hard cook eggs at the same time for potato salad. I've only done it once so far, but the eggs peeled very easily.

+1 for instant pot. I make a chicken dinner in the bottom and steam eggs on top. Perfect Everytime!

I don't microwave my pot, I just roll it and light up.

You're missing out, just put some on a graham cracker spread with PB and then nuke it for like 30 seconds.

[MrRealEstate]

A few weeks ago an older lady at church mentioned she was having financial troubles. Today she posted a picture of her brand new Buick Encore on facebook.

I don't know anything about her finances, but I no longer feel compelled to worry about her.

you should congratulate her on her financial windfall that allowed her to buy a new car.

[slugline]

Kroger is a large grocery chain with a rewards system that translates purchases into discounts at their gasoline pumps. A friend posted a Facebook photo of her filling her tank for nearly free with the caption "I love Kroger!" I responded, "The math suggests that Kroger loves you even more!"

[ooeei]

Egg steaming questions!

First: Cold eggs or room temp eggs?

Second: Do you know what the steaming time is for soft-boiled eggs with a nice, runny yolk?  (We've started eating them a LOT over rice flavored with teriyaki sauce and topped with green onions, and they are a nice addition to miso soup.)

I've always simmered them for about 6 minutes, then dunked in ice water.  They seem easier to peel if you leave them in the ice water for 10-15 minutes or so.  It's basically what's outlined here, except I don't measure the water temp.  Once you've done it a couple times you'll figure out whether to add or subtract time.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/10/the-food-lab-science-of-how-to-cook-perfect-boiled-eggs.html

After a couple cartons of eggs, and a whole mess of egg salad, and what initially seemed like an un-winnable shell game, I determined that time to be eggs-actly 6 minutes, delivering the soft-boiled beauty you see above. Since whites set at 155 degrees and yolks set at 158, you have a tolerance of three degrees to work with, which translates to about 15 seconds in either direction. Use a timer!

For best results, heat water to 180 degrees as measured on an instant-read thermometer. After adding eggs, adjust heat to maintain temperature at 180 degrees for duration of cooking time. If you do not have a thermometer, keep the water at the early simmer stage when tiny bubbles are just beginning to break the surface (at high altitudes, the water may be bubbling more vigorously).

[RetiredAt63]

I have tried poaching them in the microwave (out of the shell in a custard dish) and either the white is still liquid or the yolks are hard.

Have you tried putting a cup of water in the microwave when you are poaching the egg? Not for the steam but to absorb some of the power so that the heat will move through the egg. Or doing four at a time?

I had them at power level 5, so not on strong power.  Next time I may separate them, put the whites in for a minute, and then add the yolks.  Or try them at 4. Or both. 

[nanu]

Kroger is a large grocery chain with a rewards system that translates purchases into discounts at their gasoline pumps. A friend posted a Facebook photo of her filling her tank for nearly free with the caption "I love Kroger!" I responded, "The math suggests that Kroger loves you even more!"

Off topic, but if you're into gift cards (buying, liquidating, reselling) you can get gas pretty much for free when they have promotions for extra fuel points on gift card purchases (I don't have a Kroger nearby, unfortunately [nor a car], but I've heard of quite a few people doing this).

[MrsDinero]

Kroger is a large grocery chain with a rewards system that translates purchases into discounts at their gasoline pumps. A friend posted a Facebook photo of her filling her tank for nearly free with the caption "I love Kroger!" I responded, "The math suggests that Kroger loves you even more!"

Off topic, but if you're into gift cards (buying, liquidating, reselling) you can get gas pretty much for free when they have promotions for extra fuel points on gift card purchases (I don't have a Kroger nearby, unfortunately [nor a car], but I've heard of quite a few people doing this).

My friends do this. Anything they buy at the grocery store gives them fuel points, which translates to discounts, sometimes big ones including free fill ups.  So they buy everything there. If they need something from Home Depot, they buy a HD gift card at the grocery store to get the fuel points.

I've been trying to convince them to get a cash back card like AMEX Blue Cash (no annual fee) which give 3% cash back on all grocery stores, but they are reluctant to do that.  In the last year they finally got out of CC debt and don't quite trust themselves with another yet. Which I understand.

[infogoon]

Kroger is a large grocery chain with a rewards system that translates purchases into discounts at their gasoline pumps. A friend posted a Facebook photo of her filling her tank for nearly free with the caption "I love Kroger!" I responded, "The math suggests that Kroger loves you even more!"

Depending on how much effort your friend is putting in, those can be a good deal; through judicious use of coupons and sale shopping, my wife gets "gas points" at our local grocery chain / gas outlet for significantly less than their value. It does require careful planning, though.

[With This Herring]

Egg steaming questions!

First: Cold eggs or room temp eggs?

Second: Do you know what the steaming time is for soft-boiled eggs with a nice, runny yolk?  (We've started eating them a LOT over rice flavored with teriyaki sauce and topped with green onions, and they are a nice addition to miso soup.)

I found cold or room temp it doesn't make a difference.

I'm not sure about soft boiled eggs, because I don't like them.  For a hard-boiled egg I do 12 minutes, so maybe 6-8 for soft?

All right, I finally realized that you were probably not the only one who used this method and that the internet would probably have a definite answer for me.  Thank you for getting me started on this path!

I used this post.  Right now I am eating soft-cooked eggs for lunch that were steamed for 6 minutes and then run under cold* water.  Some of the yolk is a little solid (not perfectly liquid), so I might try five minutes next time.

Peeling was not too bad.  It seemed a little easier than my current method of boil water with vinegar and salt, then drop in cold eggs and simmer for 4 minutes.

* "Cold" in that I used the cold tap on the faucet, but as it is currently summer, the water is not very chilled.

*snip*

I've always simmered them for about 6 minutes, then dunked in ice water.  They seem easier to peel if you leave them in the ice water for 10-15 minutes or so.  It's basically what's outlined here, except I don't measure the water temp.  Once you've done it a couple times you'll figure out whether to add or subtract time.

*snip*

I have long cooked my eggs (hard and soft) via simmering.  However, of every dozen eggs I buy, there are at least a few that have some small weak line or point.  While the other eggs fare well unless I am stupid and drop them too quickly, these weak point eggs crack badly and leak their contents around half the time.  Steam sounded like a good cooking method to improve the chance of survival for those eggs.  And so it seems to be!  Of the two I soft-cooked today, one had a visible line.  After steaming, the line changed to a definite crack, but no white escaped, and the cooking of the egg was unaffected.  Obviously a sample size of one isn't great, but it certainly gives me hope for future eggs.

Also, boiling a half-inch of water takes much less time and electricity than boiling/simmering a full pot.

[Uturn]

I have a friend who buys Kroger gift cards to get fuel points, then uses the gift card to buy groceries and gets the fuel points. 

[geekette]

Kroger is a large grocery chain with a rewards system that translates purchases into discounts at their gasoline pumps. A friend posted a Facebook photo of her filling her tank for nearly free with the caption "I love Kroger!" I responded, "The math suggests that Kroger loves you even more!"

Depending on how much effort your friend is putting in, those can be a good deal; through judicious use of coupons and sale shopping, my wife gets "gas points" at our local grocery chain / gas outlet for significantly less than their value. It does require careful planning, though.

It's a pretty good program, especially if you have monthly prescriptions (50 points each).  My mom and I share an account, and we go on "senior day" for an extra 5% off. She pays for it with her Amex Blue (and I get her discounts).  Then we both go and gas up at the same time, sharing a pump (it's up to 35 gallons for $1 off per gallon).  Since neither of us use much gas (about a tank a month), we generally pay under $15/month for gas now.