The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Treb3 on October 12, 2018, 02:13:16 PM
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What about looking for them on Craigslist? Or shopping deals/using gift cards? Waiting until Black Friday to see if there are any deals?
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Most thrift stores are FULL of expensive, lightly used appliances. Try there first.
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I fairly regularly see sales on Instant Pots, but am holding out for Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales before I buy one as a Christmas gift for my parents (mom saw ours and really liked it). My husband wouldn’t tell me how much he paid for mine last year, but I know it was a good Cyber Monday deal.
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Instead of the trendy Instant Pot, a decent stainless steel stove-top pressure cooker will last you a lifetime and only set you back around $40-$50 for a brand new one. I've been using mine for around 5 years, nearly every day. Probably my best ever kitchen purchase.
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Yes, I got my Instapot at Goodwill. It probably isnt an especially fancy ome, but I looked it up,and it retailed for over $100.00. I paid $8.
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Instead of the trendy Instant Pot, a decent stainless steel stove-top pressure cooker will last you a lifetime and only set you back around $40-$50 for a brand new one. I've been using mine for around 5 years, nearly every day. Probably my best ever kitchen purchase.
Same here:), although I am tempted by the new Ninja version of an Instapot that lets you crisp up in the same pot, the price tag easily convinces me that really I can live just fine without the Instapot - well, maybe:)
1. Edited to add that I vote for a Black Friday deal on the Instapot unless you have the time to trawl the thrift stores. I live in an area with tons of thrift stores and tons of retirees making thrift stores their new "retirement hobby".
2. Bed Bath & Beyond always has good deals and if you score a 20% off coupon good for any item - it's an even better deal.
3. Local Facebook Group often has new, used or even free items - worth looking into.
@ Neo - damn, $70 at Walmart and the pet edition too. I may have to add that to my Xmas wishlist.
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For seltzer water - co2 tank + regulator + "diy carbonator caps" + recycled 1L or 2L seltzer bottles
You should be able to buy a co2 tank and reg on craigslist from someone liquidating their homebrewing equipment for pretty cheap.
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Don't go with the Roomba brand. We bought a Eufy vacuum on prime day for ~$150, and it works great. I think Roomba is grossly overpriced due to having brand recognition
This is the newer version of the one we got, and it's $199
https://smile.amazon.com/eufy-RoboVac-Suction-Self-Charging-Medium-Pile/dp/B079QYYGF1/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541780833&sr=8-2&keywords=eufy&dpID=41lU2pjpnZL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
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For seltzer water - co2 tank + regulator + "diy carbonator caps" + recycled 1L or 2L seltzer bottles
You should be able to buy a co2 tank and reg on craigslist from someone liquidating their homebrewing equipment for pretty cheap.
You don't need a regulator.
My setup is:
Paint ball Co2 tanks; 2 20oz tanks One was used / craigslist 2nd was from Amazon
ASA valve - Ebay
small pressure gauge - Ebay
1/4" nylon reinforced tubing, 1ft - hardware store
"carbonator caps" stainless steel 2 they screw onto 2L soda bottles - Amazon
ball lock; a quick disconnect use on beer and soda kegs, fits the carbonator caps - Amazon
1/4" fittings; barbed for connecting tubing, T - hardware store
Use:
1.8L of filtered water into a 2L soda bottle ('head' room for the Co2) put on a carbonator cap
Connect the Co2 to the bottle via the ball lock.
Slowly open the asa valve, watching the gauge. Turn off the valve at (about) 60 psi. Disconnect the ball lock.
I lay the bottle on it's side for more surface area
You will probably want to 'top off' the Co2 back to 60 a 2nd time - the pressure goes down as the Co2 is absorbed by the water - I don't like my soda very bubbly
Also - I get my Co2 for cheap by buying dry ice, crushing it in a tyvek envelope with a piece of 2x4 and funneling it into my tanks. I use a digital scale to control how much I crush / put in. I also weight the bottle w/ dry ice before putting the valve back on.
Note: you need a way to clamp the tank and a BIG wrench to get the valve off the tank the first time. I used a 3.5" muffler clamp bolted to a board.
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Yes, I suppose you don't need a regulator. I had one for my brewing setup anyway. OP: If you don't want to futz around with refilling co2 tanks, swapping out a 5lb tank is pretty cheap. $15-$20 and it will make you 25+ gallons of seltzer.
You can make your own carbonator caps pretty easy. Buy 10 tire stem valves on ebay and fit them to the recycled seltzer bottle tops. Then fit a brass tire chuck to the co2 tank.
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Roomba is good. I have a chow that sheds a lot and it surprisingly can keep up. It does pretty fair with our carpet too. You should check it further yourself though. I just noticed that these robots make a very loud noise when they clean, you might not be able to stand it for long.
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(https://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/GUEST_04b34cb6-737a-41ef-b27e-2e05b8e74b5b?wid=488&hei=488&fmt=pjpeg)
(https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dirty-pot-isolated-on-white-260nw-161866163.jpg)
(https://images.megapixl.com/6563/65635050.jpg)
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I'd like to second the Eufy robovac that ontheway2 posted. We also have one that was picked up for $150 on Prime Day and it has been amazing. We have a lab mix that sheds constantly and it keeps up with the dog hair. Totally worth the time savings for a DINK couple with long hours/stressful jobs.
A few notes on the vacuum:
1. It runs in a completely random path. This works surprisingly better than you'd expect.
2. It is quieter than I was expecting. It can be running through the living room with the TV on and I only have to adjust the volume slightly. (It does have a more powerful/louder setting if you want to use it).
3. It can get stuck under pieces of furniture with gaps that are just barely high enough for it to drive under. For this reason I have generally run it while I am home. Still saves a ton of time though. I can cook/wash dishes/do other domestic chores WHILE I'M VACUUMING. We truly live in a magical time.