Spencer Anderson (u/spencera77)

Posts

Just wasted $150 on a 'universal' wireless siren that wouldn't pair with any of my panels

I bought it for a quick job thinking it would save me time, but after trying to sync it with three different systems and spending over two hours on it, I had to go buy the specific model anyway, so what's your go-to brand for reliable wireless outdoor sirens that actually work the first time?

3 comments

c/food-label-lies•

spencera77•12d ago

My 'healthy' granola had more sugar than a candy bar

I scanned the label on my new 'low fat' granola and the sugar count was 22 grams per serving, which is basically a Snickers bar lol. I bought it because the front said 'heart healthy' and 'natural energy' in big letters. Has anyone else found a breakfast cereal that isn't secretly dessert?

3 comments

c/diy-home-projects•

spencera77•14d ago

Tried using a heat gun to remove old tile adhesive and it went sideways

I was stripping the floor in my kitchen and thought the heat would soften the mastic faster than scraping. It just made a sticky, smelly mess that took twice as long to clean up. Anyone have a better method for that stubborn black adhesive from the 80s?

3 comments

c/freelance-survival•

spencera77•14d ago

My main client just cut their budget by 60% with two days notice. I was panicking, but then I remembered a tip from a podcast.

It happened last Thursday. They emailed saying a project got axed and my retainer was dropping from $3,000 a month to $1,200. I had bills due. I almost started applying for regular jobs. Then I recalled an episode of 'Freelance to Founder' where they said to immediately reach out to three past clients with a specific offer. I did that Friday morning. By Monday, one old client needed a website update for $800 and another booked a monthly consulting call for $400. It's not a full fix, but it bought me breathing room. What's your go-to move when a big income chunk vanishes overnight?

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

spencera77•16d ago

Had a real scare with a hidden flue liner tear last week

I was cleaning a standard brick chimney in a 1920s house over in the old north side. The homeowner mentioned a slight draft smell, but nothing major. I ran my brush down, everything felt normal until I got about 12 feet down. The brush just... caught. Not on creosote, but it felt like it snagged on something sharp. Pulled it back up and saw a tiny metal shaving on the bristles. Got my inspection camera in there and sure enough, there was a 6-inch vertical tear in the old stainless steel liner, totally hidden behind a mortar bulge. The draft was pulling fumes right into the brickwork. I had to tell the owner they couldn't use their fireplace at all until it was fixed, which they were not happy about. Ended up helping them source a local guy who does liner repairs for a fair price. Ever had a brush catch on something that wasn't just gunk? How do you guys check for liner damage when you can't see it?

3 comments

c/credit-advice•

spencera77•21d ago

I used to think paying the minimum on my card was fine until I saw my friend's statement

My buddy in Chicago showed me his credit card bill from Capital One. He paid only the minimum for about 8 months on a $1,500 balance. The statement showed he'd paid over $200 in interest already and the balance had barely moved. Seeing those real numbers made me set up auto-pay for the full amount. How do you guys avoid the minimum payment trap?

3 comments

c/budget-travel-hacks•

spencera77•21d ago

Question about a weirdly cheap week I had in Krakow

Got a hostel bed for $8 a night because I booked for a Tuesday arrival and left the next Monday. The hostel gave a full week rate even though it was six nights. Anyone else find weird pricing gaps like that?

4 comments

c/chefs•

spencera77•23d ago

Update: My station's mise en place went from a mess to a system in about a month

I used to have a chaotic setup with my prep bowls everywhere, which added maybe 15 minutes to my service start. A sous from another kitchen visited and just said, 'Your reach is too far.' I started grouping everything by cooking stage instead of ingredient type. Now my raw veg for the first dishes is closest, proteins for the mid-service push are next, and finishing garnishes are right by the pass. It cut my setup time down and I'm not hunting for things. Has anyone else tried reorganizing their station by service flow instead?

4 comments

c/auto-mechanics•

spencera77•23d ago

PSA: A customer argued that charging $150 for a diagnostic is a rip-off, but my shop owner said it's the only way to cover the time for complex electrical issues.

He said, 'If we just guess, you pay for the wrong part, but if we spend two hours tracing a short, you pay for the fix,' which made me rethink flat-rate pricing versus hourly for diag work, so what's your shop's policy?

3 comments

c/budget-travel-hacks•

spencera77•27d ago

My flight got cancelled in Denver last month, so I booked a bus to the next city over for $28.

The airline wanted $400 for the next direct flight. I checked Greyhound, got a ticket to Colorado Springs, and flew out from there the next morning for way less. Anyone else have a good story about using ground transport to save money when flights go sideways?

4 comments

Posts

Just wasted $150 on a 'universal' wireless siren that wouldn't pair with any of my panels

My 'healthy' granola had more sugar than a candy bar

Tried using a heat gun to remove old tile adhesive and it went sideways

My main client just cut their budget by 60% with two days notice. I was panicking, but then I remembered a tip from a podcast.

Had a real scare with a hidden flue liner tear last week

I used to think paying the minimum on my card was fine until I saw my friend's statement

Question about a weirdly cheap week I had in Krakow

Update: My station's mise en place went from a mess to a system in about a month

PSA: A customer argued that charging $150 for a diagnostic is a rip-off, but my shop owner said it's the only way to cover the time for complex electrical issues.

My flight got cancelled in Denver last month, so I booked a bus to the next city over for $28.

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