What's the stupidest thing you're lusting after right now?

[bobble]

I would love to have an Onyx Boox Max Lumi for the same purpose (but it's not cheaper than $600)

I bought one of these recently and it is working out well. I spend quite a bit of money (and space) on technical books and articles that are often available free as PDF. I download these onto the reader now instead of buying expensive/heavy hardcovers and printing articles. I expect that it will pay for itself within a couple of years.

I haven't tried an iPad Pro though so I can't compare. On the Boox Lumi Max the screen is very comfortable to read but the interface/controls is pretty clunky.

[RobertFromTX]

Sigh...

Patagonia has these buffalo hide boots that have been out of stock forever. I just happened to notice they had a limited quanitty back in stock... $400. I splurged. I rarely buy consumer goods and have a super high savings rate so I suppose its fine just this one time.

[mspym]

It turns out the super cute bike I had been eyeing up isn't a two-stroke but has always been electric. How cute is this? Www.vallkree.com
I saw a matte green one with a white "tank" and chestnut saddle/handlebars and was smitten.

[Frugal Lizard]

I want a stand up desk.  I think it will solve all my problems!  But they are ugly and expensive and where would I put it? 

[GuitarStv]

I want a stand up desk.  I think it will solve all my problems!  But they are ugly and expensive and where would I put it?

Can you just put books under your current desk to raise it?

[sonofsven]

I want a stand up desk.  I think it will solve all my problems!  But they are ugly and expensive and where would I put it?

Can you just put books under your current desk to raise it?

Yes, but use library books; it's the mustachian way.

[Dicey]

I want a stand up desk.  I think it will solve all my problems!  But they are ugly and expensive and where would I put it?

Can you just put books under your current desk to raise it?

Yes, but use library books; it's the mustachian way.

Free library discards. Bonus: they're cellophane wrapped for easy maintenance.

[Frugal Lizard]

I want a stand up desk.  I think it will solve all my problems!  But they are ugly and expensive and where would I put it?

Can you just put books under your current desk to raise it?

Yes, but use library books; it's the mustachian way.

Free library discards. Bonus: they're cellophane wrapped for easy maintenance.

Update:  a large box that arrived with stuff I didn't order is working well for the key board.  Eyes out for a second one for the mouse.  My screens don't quite tilt enough, but I also can't stand all day either.  And it is super quick to change back to sitting position.  Thanks for the ideas! 

[Villanelle]

I have been hitting the house-porn, hard lately.  I want a shiny new house with a shiny new kitchen and an office with teal paint and a wallpapered ceiling and gorgeous mid-century (but not tooooo mid-century) styled brass fixtures.  But also matte black fixtures. 

Really, I just want a house I can move into and make ours, like I can't do as a renter, with furniture bought, over time, to fit that exact space, as opposed to just moving again and again and putting stuff where it it works, and buying mostly crap furniture because we know the movers are going to destroy it anyway.

And I want a custom closet and shelves installed in storage spaces so I an actually maximize the space to suit our needs.

Really, all of this means I want to buy a house.  A semi-dated house, into which we throw a fair amount of money updating it to our tastes.  But I know we are 2-8 years out from settling long enough that buying makes sense.

So I guess I stick to getting my rocks off on Zillow. 

[Taran Wanderer]

Ha-ha, house-porn. We built our dream house and still DW is all over the Zillow house-porn. Be forewarned, it may continue even after you buy!

[Dicey]

I have been hitting the house-porn, hard lately.  I want a shiny new house with a shiny new kitchen and an office with teal paint and a wallpapered ceiling and gorgeous mid-century (but not tooooo mid-century) styled brass fixtures.  But also matte black fixtures. 

Really, I just want a house I can move into and make ours, like I can't do as a renter, with furniture bought, over time, to fit that exact space, as opposed to just moving again and again and putting stuff where it it works, and buying mostly crap furniture because we know the movers are going to destroy it anyway.

And I want a custom closet and shelves installed in storage spaces so I an actually maximize the space to suit our needs.

Really, all of this means I want to buy a house.  A semi-dated house, into which we throw a fair amount of money updating it to our tastes.  But I know we are 2-8 years out from settling long enough that buying makes sense.

So I guess I stick to getting my rocks off on Zillow.

Haha, here's some house porn for you. If you have a Redfin account you can see the before pictures. DH and I had two screens open to microscopically pore over compare them. Then we went to the Open House. All the cabinetry is custom and every finish is lovely. Looks w-a-a-a-y better in person. The realtor is an old acquaintance, which is why the listing caught my eye. The realtor said the family is building a new house out of state. It is expected to go for $3.6M. Very pretty, but bat-shit crazy price!

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Danville/105-Mrack-Rd-94506/home/1887468

Fun fact: First thing DH noticed in the kitchen was that there is no pot filler. "Look how far away the sink is!" said he. I love that man...

I know a pot filler sounds like a crazy luxury, but due to extended droughts, CA has severe gallons-per-minute restrictions on faucets and showerheads, so it can take for-damn-ever to fill anything. Pot fillers are not subject to the same GPM restrictions. And no, we do not have one. This house was built just before those measures were enacted. Clearly, DH knows I'd love to have one, hahaha.

[Villanelle]

I have been hitting the house-porn, hard lately.  I want a shiny new house with a shiny new kitchen and an office with teal paint and a wallpapered ceiling and gorgeous mid-century (but not tooooo mid-century) styled brass fixtures.  But also matte black fixtures. 

Really, I just want a house I can move into and make ours, like I can't do as a renter, with furniture bought, over time, to fit that exact space, as opposed to just moving again and again and putting stuff where it it works, and buying mostly crap furniture because we know the movers are going to destroy it anyway.

And I want a custom closet and shelves installed in storage spaces so I an actually maximize the space to suit our needs.

Really, all of this means I want to buy a house.  A semi-dated house, into which we throw a fair amount of money updating it to our tastes.  But I know we are 2-8 years out from settling long enough that buying makes sense.

So I guess I stick to getting my rocks off on Zillow.

Haha, here's some house porn for you. If you have a Redfin account you can see the before pictures. DH and I had two screens open to microscopically pore over compare them. Then we went to the Open House. All the cabinetry is custom and every finish is lovely. Looks w-a-a-a-y better in person. The realtor is an old acquaintance, which is why the listing caught my eye. The realtor said the family is building a new house out of state. It is expected to go for $3.6M. Very pretty, but bat-shit crazy price!

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Danville/105-Mrack-Rd-94506/home/1887468

Fun fact: First thing DH noticed in the kitchen was that there is no pot filler. "Look how far away the sink is!" said he. I love that man...

I know a pot filler sounds like a crazy luxury, but due to extended droughts, CA has severe gallons-per-minute restrictions on faucets and showerheads, so it can take for-damn-ever to fill anything. Pot fillers are not subject to the same GPM restrictions. And no, we do not have one. This house was built just before those measures were enacted. Clearly, DH knows I'd love to have one, hahaha.

So many lovely things in that home.  Tuscan isn't usually my thing, but it is done to tastefully and with restraint and it beautiful!

[partgypsy]

I want a stand up desk.  I think it will solve all my problems!  But they are ugly and expensive and where would I put it?

So, I've been going to a physical therapist (neck shoulder issues, had my last visit) and, she is not a fan of standing desks. What she suggests is making a point to get up every hour even if to stretch, and move around (don't stay in same position all day). There I saved you some money.

Small update, I do not regret buying my new mattress (a 450 zenius). However reading this thread I now want a pair of hiking pants..

[Glenstache]

I want a stand up desk.  I think it will solve all my problems!  But they are ugly and expensive and where would I put it?

Can you just put books under your current desk to raise it?

Yes, but use library books; it's the mustachian way.

Free library discards. Bonus: they're cellophane wrapped for easy maintenance.

Update:  a large box that arrived with stuff I didn't order is working well for the key board.  Eyes out for a second one for the mouse.  My screens don't quite tilt enough, but I also can't stand all day either.  And it is super quick to change back to sitting position.  Thanks for the ideas!

I built my own stand up desk for $250. I ordered an electric metal frame for the desk that did not include a top from Amazon for ~$200 after taxes. I then bought a half sheet of hardwood plywood ($35 at the time), and cut it to the 4 ft by just over 2 foot size I wanted for my desk space. I routed the edges to round them, dyed it blue (YMMV on how you want it to look) for fun since I was already working with aniline wood dyes for another project, polyurethaned it and assembled it. All in it was maybe 4 hours start to finish with a bit of time aside while the urethane cured. It solved a lot of the ergonomic issues of my prior WFH setup.

[rothwem]

I have been hitting the house-porn, hard lately.  I want a shiny new house with a shiny new kitchen and an office with teal paint and a wallpapered ceiling and gorgeous mid-century (but not tooooo mid-century) styled brass fixtures.  But also matte black fixtures. 

Really, I just want a house I can move into and make ours, like I can't do as a renter, with furniture bought, over time, to fit that exact space, as opposed to just moving again and again and putting stuff where it it works, and buying mostly crap furniture because we know the movers are going to destroy it anyway.

And I want a custom closet and shelves installed in storage spaces so I an actually maximize the space to suit our needs.

Really, all of this means I want to buy a house.  A semi-dated house, into which we throw a fair amount of money updating it to our tastes.  But I know we are 2-8 years out from settling long enough that buying makes sense.

So I guess I stick to getting my rocks off on Zillow.

Haha, here's some house porn for you. If you have a Redfin account you can see the before pictures. DH and I had two screens open to microscopically pore over compare them. Then we went to the Open House. All the cabinetry is custom and every finish is lovely. Looks w-a-a-a-y better in person. The realtor is an old acquaintance, which is why the listing caught my eye. The realtor said the family is building a new house out of state. It is expected to go for $3.6M. Very pretty, but bat-shit crazy price!

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Danville/105-Mrack-Rd-94506/home/1887468

Fun fact: First thing DH noticed in the kitchen was that there is no pot filler. "Look how far away the sink is!" said he. I love that man...

I know a pot filler sounds like a crazy luxury, but due to extended droughts, CA has severe gallons-per-minute restrictions on faucets and showerheads, so it can take for-damn-ever to fill anything. Pot fillers are not subject to the same GPM restrictions. And no, we do not have one. This house was built just before those measures were enacted. Clearly, DH knows I'd love to have one, hahaha.

The house is okay, but jeez that location looks terrible, sprawl central right there.  Looks like you'd have to get in your Range Rover and drive for 20 minutes to get anywhere. 

Maybe I'm just into location porn instead of house porn. 

[Focus_on_the_fire]

I can't help it. This is my latest lust crush: https://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/en/models/urban_mobility/ce04.html.

[sonofsven]

I can't help it. This is my latest lust crush: https://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/en/models/urban_mobility/ce04.html.

I love the ad, there's like three other cars on the road! Must be post apocalypse.

[Focus_on_the_fire]

I can't help it. This is my latest lust crush: https://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/en/models/urban_mobility/ce04.html.

I love the ad, there's like three other cars on the road! Must be post apocalypse.

I know, right? HAHAHA

[Dicey]

I have been hitting the house-porn, hard lately.  I want a shiny new house with a shiny new kitchen and an office with teal paint and a wallpapered ceiling and gorgeous mid-century (but not tooooo mid-century) styled brass fixtures.  But also matte black fixtures. 

Really, I just want a house I can move into and make ours, like I can't do as a renter, with furniture bought, over time, to fit that exact space, as opposed to just moving again and again and putting stuff where it it works, and buying mostly crap furniture because we know the movers are going to destroy it anyway.

And I want a custom closet and shelves installed in storage spaces so I an actually maximize the space to suit our needs.

Really, all of this means I want to buy a house.  A semi-dated house, into which we throw a fair amount of money updating it to our tastes.  But I know we are 2-8 years out from settling long enough that buying makes sense.

So I guess I stick to getting my rocks off on Zillow.

Haha, here's some house porn for you. If you have a Redfin account you can see the before pictures. DH and I had two screens open to microscopically pore over compare them. Then we went to the Open House. All the cabinetry is custom and every finish is lovely. Looks w-a-a-a-y better in person. The realtor is an old acquaintance, which is why the listing caught my eye. The realtor said the family is building a new house out of state. It is expected to go for $3.6M. Very pretty, but bat-shit crazy price!

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Danville/105-Mrack-Rd-94506/home/1887468

Fun fact: First thing DH noticed in the kitchen was that there is no pot filler. "Look how far away the sink is!" said he. I love that man...

I know a pot filler sounds like a crazy luxury, but due to extended droughts, CA has severe gallons-per-minute restrictions on faucets and showerheads, so it can take for-damn-ever to fill anything. Pot fillers are not subject to the same GPM restrictions. And no, we do not have one. This house was built just before those measures were enacted. Clearly, DH knows I'd love to have one, hahaha.

The house is okay, but jeez that location looks terrible, sprawl central right there.  Looks like you'd have to get in your Range Rover and drive for 20 minutes to get anywhere. 

Maybe I'm just into location porn instead of house porn.

Depends on what you are looking for. To the West, look for Safeway and a high-end grocery/general store (Draeger's) in very easy walking distance. There's a CVS and an Ace Hardware in the Safeway center. The schools are nearby, and a multiplex theater. The same intersection contains the delightful and world-class Blackhawk Museum. The area is surrounded by walking trails leading to amazing Open Space, connecting to Mt. Diablo and more. Tons of great hiking. One wouldn't need to drive much at all once you were there, which is a bit of a haul, IMO. Of course, the parking lots do sport a few Range Rovers, but they're far outnumbered by Teslas. Due to the proximity of the Blackhawk Country Club, there is no shortage of vehicles far more interesting than Range Rovers to ogle. It is expensive AF, but it's surrounded by lush natural beauty. The area is also hugely popular with bicyclists, on and off road.

[iris lily]

Consumer creep happening here.

Having obtained my cute zippy red sports car, a Fiat Spider,  I’m enjoying it greatly. But I tell myself in two more years when I am REALLY old I can get a Mercedes-Benz. I’m looking at SL 550’s. Won’t buy new of course.

[lemanfan]

Consumer creep happening here.

Having obtained my cute zippy red sports car, a Fiat Spider,  I’m enjoying it greatly. But I tell myself in two more years when I am REALLY old I can get a Mercedes-Benz. I’m looking at SL 550’s. Won’t buy new of course.

And I'm considering getting rid of my small Mercedez-Benz convertible (1999 SLK 230) and get an all-year capable car, possible with some slight off-road capabilities.  This is mainly to have an all-year car that can get me the hell out of Dodge in a Ukranian situation....  I'll probably write it on the prepping account in that case and not on hedonism.   I hate to think like this, but I feel I have to.

[Catbert]

Consumer creep happening here.

Having obtained my cute zippy red sports car, a Fiat Spider,  I’m enjoying it greatly. But I tell myself in two more years when I am REALLY old I can get a Mercedes-Benz. I’m looking at SL 550’s. Won’t buy new of course.

I loved my red Fiat Spider back in the 1970s.  So much fun, but not really practical if you only had one car.  In those days Fiat really did stand for Fix It Again Tony.

Edited to add a very critical "not"

[iris lily]

Consumer creep happening here.

Having obtained my cute zippy red sports car, a Fiat Spider,  I’m enjoying it greatly. But I tell myself in two more years when I am REALLY old I can get a Mercedes-Benz. I’m looking at SL 550’s. Won’t buy new of course.

And I'm considering getting rid of my small Mercedez-Benz convertible (1999 SLK 230) and get an all-year capable car, possible with some slight off-road capabilities.  This is mainly to have an all-year car that can get me the hell out of Dodge in a Ukranian situation....  I'll probably write it on the prepping account in that case and not on hedonism.   I hate to think like this, but I feel I have to.

THAT is a gorgeous car! I just looked the model up. It is timeless.

DH has a 1979 SL that is what, a 350? 250? i can’t remember the number. So there’s not a lot of time between his vintage car and yours, but yours is very modern looking. I would never guess is 30 years old. Wait —30 years old?? it does not look it!

[RWD]

Consumer creep happening here.

Having obtained my cute zippy red sports car, a Fiat Spider,  I’m enjoying it greatly. But I tell myself in two more years when I am REALLY old I can get a Mercedes-Benz. I’m looking at SL 550’s. Won’t buy new of course.

And I'm considering getting rid of my small Mercedez-Benz convertible (1999 SLK 230) and get an all-year capable car, possible with some slight off-road capabilities.  This is mainly to have an all-year car that can get me the hell out of Dodge in a Ukranian situation....  I'll probably write it on the prepping account in that case and not on hedonism.   I hate to think like this, but I feel I have to.

THAT is a gorgeous car! I just looked the model up. It is timeless.

DH has a 1979 SL that is what, a 350? 250? i can’t remember the number. So there’s not a lot of time between his vintage car and yours, but yours is very modern looking. I would never guess is 30 years old. Wait —30 years old?? it does not look it!

I believe a 1979 would be a 280 SL, 350 SL, or 450 SL. Mostly all the same car with different size engines.

The SLK was introduced in 1996. Not to be confused with the SL, it was a much smaller vehicle. An SL of the same year actually looks a bit more dated because the design had last been updated in 1989.

A 1999 vehicle is 23 years old, not 30. ;)

[iris lily]

Consumer creep happening here.

Having obtained my cute zippy red sports car, a Fiat Spider,  I’m enjoying it greatly. But I tell myself in two more years when I am REALLY old I can get a Mercedes-Benz. I’m looking at SL 550’s. Won’t buy new of course.

And I'm considering getting rid of my small Mercedez-Benz convertible (1999 SLK 230) and get an all-year capable car, possible with some slight off-road capabilities.  This is mainly to have an all-year car that can get me the hell out of Dodge in a Ukranian situation....  I'll probably write it on the prepping account in that case and not on hedonism.   I hate to think like this, but I feel I have to.

THAT is a gorgeous car! I just looked the model up. It is timeless.

DH has a 1979 SL that is what, a 350? 250? i can’t remember the number. So there’s not a lot of time between his vintage car and yours, but yours is very modern looking. I would never guess is 30 years old. Wait —30 years old?? it does not look it!

I believe a 1979 would be a 280 SL, 350 SL, or 450 SL. Mostly all the same car with different size engines.

The SLK was introduced in 1996. Not to be confused with the SL, it was a much smaller vehicle. An SL of the same year actually looks a bit more dated because the design had last been updated in 1989.

A 1999 vehicle is 23 years old, not 30. ;)

Oh sorry,,misread-date as 1990.

I never understand the Benz numbers, or the models for that matter. I know I want some version of the SL” because that means sports car (I want a convertible  2 seater) but outside of that, the models are difficult for me to follow.

[lemanfan]

I never understand the Benz numbers, or the models for that matter. I know I want some version of the SL” because that means sports car (I want a convertible  2 seater) but outside of that, the models are difficult for me to follow.

It is sometimes claimed that the K in SLK is for "Kurz" - that is "short" in German.   The SLK is significantly smaller than the SL. And cheaper. The SLK is perhaps not unlike a Miata in driving feel.

[Arbitrage]

I bought (well, technically was gifted) my fancy fitness watch.  Ended up with a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro, as I was able to get it used for under $300.  Very fun to track everything, and super convenient to have all of the controls, info, maps, right on my wrist.  It's already saved me a few times when out mountain biking and hiking.  Haven't been out kayaking or skiing with it yet due to interferences from life, but look forward to having my ocean location/ski trail maps at a quick glance as well. 

[Siebrie]

A working fruit garden. It's spring now, so what little we have is not even flowering yet, and fruit prices in the supermarkets are insane.

[GuitarStv]

A working fruit garden. It's spring now, so what little we have is not even flowering yet, and fruit prices in the supermarkets are insane.

Just be aware - fruit brings rats.

[iris lily]

I never understand the Benz numbers, or the models for that matter. I know I want some version of the SL” because that means sports car (I want a convertible  2 seater) but outside of that, the models are difficult for me to follow.

It is sometimes claimed that the K in SLK is for "Kurz" - that is "short" in German.   The SLK is significantly smaller than the SL. And cheaper. The SLK is perhaps not unlike a Miata in driving feel.

This is so very helpful to me because it helps me distinguish between the SL‘s that I look at. I can’t remember which ones are the little ones. I was most interested in a little one although I think they start making them around 2015. Ideally if I was buying one today I would want an SLK that’s no more than three years old.

[lemanfan]

I never understand the Benz numbers, or the models for that matter. I know I want some version of the SL” because that means sports car (I want a convertible  2 seater) but outside of that, the models are difficult for me to follow.

It is sometimes claimed that the K in SLK is for "Kurz" - that is "short" in German.   The SLK is significantly smaller than the SL. And cheaper. The SLK is perhaps not unlike a Miata in driving feel.

This is so very helpful to me because it helps me distinguish between the SL‘s that I look at. I can’t remember which ones are the little ones. I was most interested in a little one although I think they start making them around 2015. Ideally if I was buying one today I would want an SLK that’s no more than three years old.

Time to buy soon then, they ended the SLK line recently with model year 2020 being the last one.  At the moment I think the SL is the only two-seater.  The other convertibles are four seaters.  I think you can expect more changes in the models the coming years as the push for electric and hybrid continues. All of them out of my budget if buying new. :)

Check out  these Wikipedia pages for a decent overview of the two-seaters:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_SL-Class
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_SLK-Class

Do note the name change, the SLK became the SLC in the last few years of production.

The SL is a version of the S-class, their top of the line sedan, with top of the line prices both for purchase and maintenance. Seriously out of my price range.  Seriously.  But don't let that stop you if you feel you can afford it. :)

Edit to add:  Yes, I find the naming weird too.  I can't keep up. 

[RWD]

The AMG GT roadster is a two-seater as well, I think. But those make the SL look like a price bargain...

[Siebrie]

A working fruit garden. It's spring now, so what little we have is not even flowering yet, and fruit prices in the supermarkets are insane.

Just be aware - fruit brings rats.

Pigeons and crows, mainly. Anyway, I bought a Jonagold apple sapling at Aldi for €4,50, which will have paid for itself as soon as it provides 7 apples for us to eat :)

[GuitarStv]

A working fruit garden. It's spring now, so what little we have is not even flowering yet, and fruit prices in the supermarkets are insane.

Just be aware - fruit brings rats.

Pigeons and crows, mainly. Anyway, I bought a Jonagold apple sapling at Aldi for €4,50, which will have paid for itself as soon as it provides 7 apples for us to eat :)

Birds will go for fruit for sure . . . but I worked in pest control for several years.  I can tell you that fruit (pears, apples, peaches, etc.) invariably attracts rats.  They just love the stuff.  It helps to be meticulous about removal of fallen fruit or anything on lower branches.  This isn't always feasible if you've got a good sized number of trees though.

[kathmac2]

Now that we're in a bigger house it's tempting and all the neighbors keep talking about theirs. For us this would be a silly waste of money, there's no good reason that I can't clean my own house other than me feeling lazy.

[zolotiyeruki]

Now that we're in a bigger house it's tempting and all the neighbors keep talking about theirs. For us this would be a silly waste of money, there's no good reason that I can't clean my own house other than me feeling lazy.

Are you talking about a cleaning service?

[Catbert]

Now that we're in a bigger house it's tempting and all the neighbors keep talking about theirs. For us this would be a silly waste of money, there's no good reason that I can't clean my own house other than me feeling lazy.

Are you talking about a cleaning service?

I hope she (he?) isn't lusting after a maid. 

[Villanelle]

Now that we're in a bigger house it's tempting and all the neighbors keep talking about theirs. For us this would be a silly waste of money, there's no good reason that I can't clean my own house other than me feeling lazy.

I am pretty sure I am the only one in my social circle--even the larger drawing of that circle--that cleans my own house.  Granted, I am a shit housekeeper, and also we have no children so that makes a massive difference in available time.  But people are so shocked when they learn I don't have a cleaner.  It's spoken of as though it is a given.  More than once, I've had people ask things like, "What do you tip your housekeeper" or "How will you deal with the dogs when your housekeeper is there", as though having the housekeeper is a foregone conclusion.

I had someone clean my house a few times several years back, and it certainly was nice.  But I can't justify it.  That said, since I am such a shitty housekeeper, I've been considering bring someone in a few times a year to sort of deep clean and catch all the things I just don't notice.  Even that I have trouble justifying, but I may still do it. 

[GardenBaker]

Now that we're in a bigger house it's tempting and all the neighbors keep talking about theirs. For us this would be a silly waste of money, there's no good reason that I can't clean my own house other than me feeling lazy.

I am pretty sure I am the only one in my social circle--even the larger drawing of that circle--that cleans my own house.  Granted, I am a shit housekeeper, and also we have no children so that makes a massive difference in available time.  But people are so shocked when they learn I don't have a cleaner.  It's spoken of as though it is a given.  More than once, I've had people ask things like, "What do you tip your housekeeper" or "How will you deal with the dogs when your housekeeper is there", as though having the housekeeper is a foregone conclusion.

I had someone clean my house a few times several years back, and it certainly was nice.  But I can't justify it.  That said, since I am such a shitty housekeeper, I've been considering bring someone in a few times a year to sort of deep clean and catch all the things I just don't notice.  Even that I have trouble justifying, but I may still do it.

I have someone come a few times a year when I simply get behind. It's nice to start fresh. I'm a good cleaner, but I'm the only cleaner in my house so sometimes other things take priority depending on the season. I don't think a regular housekeeper is the norm, but maybe it's just my social circle. The lady that comes a few times a year actually oils all of our wood cabinets and doors where I just use a dusting spray on a regular basis. It's not a "deep clean," but it's more than a weekly housekeeper would do.

[BlueHouse]

A Blissy pillowcase.  I started getting bombarded with ads for Blissy about 2 years ago, then I showed up at my senile mom's 2 christmases ago, and she had somehow ordered 6 of them (one for each girl in the family).   That may have been the final purchase she made before I took away all of her spending ability.  I was mad at the stupidity.  Each silk pillowcase (standard size) costs about $90.  I couldn't find any of the packaging, and the pillowcases sat in their boxes on a shelf for a month or two before I noticed she had started using two of them.  So I took the rest, intending to send them out to the girls as she originally intended.  Well, I started using mine and really liked it.   Then because I switch between two pillows, I took another one.  Then because I wanted to use them all the time, I took the other two so I'd have an alternate set when sheets get changed.  They are really really good. 

On vacation with family, my sister had a very bad day, so I gave her a nice clean silk pillowcase and she also fell in love.  This was actually meant to be hers anyway.  But now I only have 3 silk pillowcases, and on the few occasions when I use that second pillow, and it's on the off-week when I don't use the 2 silks, my face feels like it's getting "stuck" on the soft Egyptian cotton case that was always a pleasure before I knew what silk cases felt like.

So I did just get a cheaper silk amazon version and I'm deciding whether that is sufficient (about $20/each instead of $90).  We'll see.    I can't believe all of this for a pillowcase, but here I am.

[Arbitrage]

I am pretty sure I am the only one in my social circle--even the larger drawing of that circle--that cleans my own house.  Granted, I am a shit housekeeper, and also we have no children so that makes a massive difference in available time.  But people are so shocked when they learn I don't have a cleaner.  It's spoken of as though it is a given.  More than once, I've had people ask things like, "What do you tip your housekeeper" or "How will you deal with the dogs when your housekeeper is there", as though having the housekeeper is a foregone conclusion.

I had someone clean my house a few times several years back, and it certainly was nice.  But I can't justify it.  That said, since I am such a shitty housekeeper, I've been considering bring someone in a few times a year to sort of deep clean and catch all the things I just don't notice.  Even that I have trouble justifying, but I may still do it.

Likewise, at least with our social circle prior to moving/coast-FIRE.  Every single one, including those who are struggling with money.  I've never had one, though we've also considered the occasional deep clean.  Now that we work part-time, it would be doubly hard to justify such a large expense.  I did have a gardener for several years, since between work and raising young children, I loathed having several hours of my precious, scanty free time each month sucked away on the yard, so I get it.  No such excuses these days. 

[Seamster]

I want this British gold coin.  $2000.  Would be a good buy because I don't think gold will ever go much lower than it is now!

[Seamster]

I wanted an app on my Android phone so I would watch YouTube with no video and screen off - FOUND!  It's called NEWPIPE!


Another thing I really, really want is an all-metal wind-up fan.  I could put this in my oven and turn it into an air fryer!

[GuitarStv]

I want this British gold coin.  $2000.  Would be a good buy because I don't think gold will ever go much lower than it is now!

Pffft.

Buttcoin is going to make gold irrelevant soon.  It has the full backing of intangible math calculations . . . not worthless physical value.

[Luke Warm]

i'm lusting for a nice backpack. at the beginning of the year i planned to take a roadtrip up to birmingham to the rei store to get fitted for a nice backpack so i could get some nice weekend hikes in the springtime. spring is here and the weather is perfect but i've yet to make the roadtrip. by the end of may it's way too hot to do any camping.

[Villanelle]

Currently lusting after a dog/kiddie pool and 1000 balls to fill it.  Totally cost would be around $500.  Pool could also be used for water in the hot summer.

Of course, if I did buy this, there is every possibility my dogs wouldn't like being in the water or would be scared by the ball pit, or some other option that meant both things would be sniffed a few times and then ignored. 

[rothwem]

The stupid thing I'm lusting after right now is a new road bike.  I've been riding and racing bikes pretty seriously since 2002, and while I've had mountain bikes and gravel/cx bikes come and go, I've always had a road bike or two with enough working parts on it to ride.  However, last year during covid, my last road frame cracked and rather than replace it, I decided to strip down and sell the parts on it to try to make my gravel bike into a dual purpose bike. I used the funds from the parts sale to pick up a spare set of wheels, and I put a set of road slicks on. 

It works, but now that group rides have started back up again, I'm finding that my road-ized gravel bike just isn't as good as a real road bike at riding on the road.  The gearing is a smidge short, the handlebars are a smidge high and the handling is a smidge slow.  What I have works...but its just not the same.  I've been sweating this thing pretty hard, but its a hard thing to justify, I feel like I'd be spending a lot of money to be a small amount better than my current state:

[Luke Warm]

The stupid thing I'm lusting after right now is a new road bike.  I've been riding and racing bikes pretty seriously since 2002, and while I've had mountain bikes and gravel/cx bikes come and go, I've always had a road bike or two with enough working parts on it to ride.  However, last year during covid, my last road frame cracked and rather than replace it, I decided to strip down and sell the parts on it to try to make my gravel bike into a dual purpose bike. I used the funds from the parts sale to pick up a spare set of wheels, and I put a set of road slicks on. 

It works, but now that group rides have started back up again, I'm finding that my road-ized gravel bike just isn't as good as a real road bike at riding on the road.  The gearing is a smidge short, the handlebars are a smidge high and the handling is a smidge slow.  What I have works...but its just not the same.  I've been sweating this thing pretty hard, but its a hard thing to justify, I feel like I'd be spending a lot of money to be a small amount better than my current state:

that's a pretty bike!

[Taran Wanderer]

A real road bike is so much better than a mountain bike with slicks. You won’t regret it.

[Sugaree]

A puppy.  Well, I would actually prefer a dog that's between 2.5 and 3 years old and already housebroken and had some manners training.  But I'm not sure that my girl is going to accept another adult dog.  I'm not really sure she'd accept a puppy either, which is why this is a stupid want.