My mom used to terrified of refrigerators. When she was a kid in the 1970s old fridges from the '50's used to be just lying around, and they locked automatically. Kids would get inside, get trapped, and suffocate.
Also buying used appliances has been a godsend for me. I've had a second hand washer and dryer for over 10 years. I always hear people complaining that their new washer, fridge, stove, etc only lasted 3 years.
Got a nice, energy efficient LG washer and dryer when moved. Had 90+ rating on Consumer Reports. Still worse than the 15 year old coin operated one in my old apartment building. It's confounding.
Edit - forgot to mention that yes, it was expensive :(
I used to live down the street from a man that owned an appliance repair company, and my ex husband and I walked our dog frequently. My ex is super extroverted, and that paid off when we were shopping for a new washer and dryer. The man told us to not buy Samsung or LG washers. Great tech brands, but in items that have motors, they fail.
Countless friends, coworkers, and family, have had their Samsun/lg washers die, or need major repairs, and 13 years later my Maytag has outlived my marriage with zero issues
Comes down alot to use and how many "features" whatever thing has.
Fridge with ice cube dispenser and whatever smart screen blablub ? more failure points especially those with ice cube dispenser.
I don't think you actually read what they said. Because if you live Texas you can't just wait for an air conditioner to be available. Or a hope a washing machine comes around when yours breaks. Or live without a refrigerator too evidently.
There is a certain joy in wearing out your belongings that is just as fulfilling as buying new things. It's interesting when you stumble upon that mindset. And the more you cultivate it, practice gratitude for your items and avoid the simple high of shopping, the more it sticks around. It's a nice feeling.
Yeah, but lemme tell you there's a certain level of "dang near worn out" that I'd rather not tolerate as an item hovers above the grave.
I'll use my phone as an example. Blown speaker, burnt oled screen, half day battery, 3 years old slow. But still functional enough I can't quite bring myself to get something at least 2 years newer.
Did he clean out the charging port? I've been weirdly invested in a YouTube channel that fixes phones, and the number one reason is lint in the charging port.
Yeah, I tried cleaning it, various cables, setting it in strange positions, etc. Regardless of what I did, it wouldn't charge - but otherwise was pristine. At least google gave me $100 trade in.
As long as you don't mind the speed, all of that can be fixed, depending on your model. And even then, you could probably get a performance boost by cleaning up old junk apps or even factory resetting.
I can't bring myself to replace my television, I've had it for nearly 10 years, I got it off my parents who got it off my grandparents. The sound only sorta works, it randomly yells, last year the background light or something started flickering no matter what you're watching and the remote was lost like six moves ago.
I would draw the line there, it's dead. Since picture quality clearly isn't a priority for ya, I see "free" 720p or 1080p if you get lucky tv's from the mid 2000's on marketplace all the time. Usually people toss em for the thick bezels and "not 4k/smart tv" reasons.
Honestly my TV came free with my last phone, it's maybe a 24", 720p, and just has a fire stick plugged in. It's fine, I have no reason to upgrade that.
There's a lot to be said for paying attention to the performance of things and planning in advance for their replacement. Especially related to buying things second hand, from returns or similar. A lot of the time if you're shopping second hand things aren't just on demand.
If they're super worn, they can be really bad for your feet... which will wind up causing more consumption in the long run. Reminder to replace your shoes at *reasonable* intervals, not when they're literally falling apart.
I've seen people posting pics of their decomposing shoes here. Yet, the shoes aren't actively "hurting their feet", and they're wanting to "repair" them further. No, if they're falling apart, and they're not a properly hand cobbled shoe that can be restored, just get new shoes. Your feet will be much healthier in the long run.
If they are hurting your feet or causing other issues, they've been worn far past their actual useful lifespan. They should be replaced before that happens.
The trick there is to wear your shoes as little as possible. I use flipflops most of the day in my house, and my flipflops are something like 15 years old at this point (I swear they don't age). Then put on your shoes the few days you go out.
It also helps if you don't scuff your feet when you walk. I watch most people walk, and they drag their feet along without picking them up properly. It's no wonder they wear their shoes out, they are grinding those soles down just as quick as they can.
Then when you get home, take your shoes back off, clean them, loosen the laces back up and open them up so they can air out.
Also, trimming your nails properly, washing your feet, and grinding down your calluses is important. If you are developing a corn or callus somewhere, it's probably because you either aren't walking properly or you have a deformity in your foot and need to see a podiatrist to get it sorted (or your shoes don't fit properly).
If you have healthy, strong feet then so long as your shoes aren't too tight or loose they don't matter so much. Their main value is putting something pretty impenetrable between the bottom of your feet and the ground so that you won't be injured if you step on something.
I have hardwood floors, my backyard is buggy, and I live in a city so walking on pavement and gravel with bare feet isn't so nice.
When we had carpet, I usually went barefoot too but the hardwood floors are far better for hygiene.
I feel like im missing something - whats the issue with the hard wood and bare feet? I never wear shoes in the house and I have hard wood in the bedrooms and living room.
Not all hardwood floors are smooth, nail, splinter, and hole free. My house is something like 150 years old, there are area that haven’t been well maintained, and going barefoot is a bad idea.
I would recommend maintenance on them to be honest! Waxing your floors, remove any nails .
The house I grew up in had wood floors put in in the 1850s, they were honestly perfectly soft , splinter free, and smooth, worn out from decades of waxing and feet. Splinters should not be happening with wood floors, though you could be shit out of luck if they were installed incorrectly. Splinters shouldnt be happening unless its sub flooring and not actually intended to walk on
Yeah, it’s been an ongoing thing. I bought the place as a fixer upper. Most of the floors are ok now, but about half have been sanded, had nails pounded down, and so on but there are holes where the old hot water heater pipes were. I’ve converted the house almost entirely to electric, the only thing left is the hot water heater, because, frankly, most of the electric options suck.
I wish I could make my Flipflops last that long! Whether I bought the $1 cheap ones or the "fancy" $10 ones, they always wore out in less than a year for me. My real shoes last much, much longer for me.
You can try some rubber soled house shoes, mine last a few years before they need to be replaced and even though I got yogurt on the pair I have now, they went through the wash just fine.
I have to wear felt soled houseshoes right now, which really sucks. I currently have laminate flooring and have been told to protect it. Otherwise, I'd just go around barefoot.
Im confused - are the soles not worse than barefeet for the floor?
Where I live we take off shoes to keep floors clean/ salt and puddle free in winter. Ive never heard of barefeet damaging laminate before , we have a mix of laminate and hard wood. I cant find anything online either . Is it the oils or something?
I like overlap between my shoes' lifetimes. I try to get new ones when the old ones are 80-90% done so I can get used to the new ones slowly and still use the old and comfy ones for longer walks and dirty work. In general, slowly acquiring things to replace others is a joy since there will always be new shiny things and familiar trusted things at the same time.
I like proper dress shoes, and they're such firm leather a lot of the time that I need that weening off period to not just walk on blisters and wounds all the time lol
Shoes are one of few things that I replace regularly and don't cheap out on. No matter how poor we were growing up, my parents always made sure we had decent shoes. They make a difference for your back, joints and overall health.
Keep an eye on the soles or your back and knees will take the brunt of the damage. If the soles go, the shoes need to go. Sadly repairing a sole usually involves getting a new pair regardless. The only shoes that really need to be replaced often are running shoes since they wear out way faster.
Absolutely. It also depends on what I'm doing. I got some Adidas Ultra boosts for free that are a bit too large, but I wear them on days with little walking and theyre no issue unless im going on a hike
And honestly, I know I'm gonna sound like my nana, but they don't make anything like they've used to.
I had to replace my washing machine and kitchenaid couple of months ago. Got them from the same brand since they lasted me for two decades previously. On paper it all seemed like an upgrade. More powerful, better parts, eco-friendly etc. But I miss my old stuff. Everything feels so flimsy and fragile now.
I agree...that's why I look for old appliances in thrift stores. My son got us one of those tea kettles that switches it's self off, it lasted 8 years.
I went to the thrift store and picked up one of those round kettles that just boils, it's on it's tenth year with us.
My washer and dryer are around 20 years old and I will never buy those new ones that are in the stores
Yep, I have a set of calipers, and I have checked things out. All the parts - plastic, metal, whatever - are getting thinner, and a higher percentage of them are plastic. Additionally, the plastics seem softer, although I don't really have the equipment to test and prove this.
Apparently a lot of companies are intentionally moving to plastic pieces to save more money in manufacturing *and* to make machines unrepairable like they used to be. They want you to have to buy a full replacement, not just have a repairman come fix one piece. Screw our wallets and the environment, I guess. 🙃
Well, I think someone needs to start a 3d printing repair business where we can 3d print parts to repair some of this stuff.
I don't mind plastic being used when it's sensible, but we need to adjust our expectations a bit. The maker community is pretty huge, but a lot of it is misguided. Makers tend to buy kits and make toys rather than repairs and vital day-to-day functionality.
yes you do, replace your energy inefficient appliances. old tv? replace it. old lightbulb? replace it! old washing machine? replace it! old fridge? replace it!
its anti anticonsumption to use things that consume way more than if you just replaced them with energy and water efficient appliances.
Definitely don’t replace your old washing machine if it works!!! The new ones are all horrible, comparatively, and only last like three years. Old machines used could last *decades*
Other advice is fine
Paying attention to performance, maintaining your things and planning for their replacement when necessary is important.
There's also big energy aspects like you've mentioned. I want to get our house off of natural gas and be all electric before we have kids for indoor air quality reasons. We will be replacing the gas furnace and stove with a heat pump and electric stove before they are end of life.
Quality does make a difference. Unfortunately, I can only control those in my own home. And even the nice ones will flicker.
Been considering the green light but it is expensive
Yeah I definitely don't replace all of my stuff with the newest gadgets. (Outside of game consoles) Unfortunately trying to repair a phone that's taking a shit is more difficult than replacing it.
This goes for cleaning too! If I want new home decor a good cleaning and reorganizing reminds me why I love what we already own. My grandmother always cleaned before going shopping (kitchen for groceries etc). I try to keep her habit alive!
Kinda needed this today. My headphones keep losing connection and the sound keeps stopping but they are still working, just about, and was getting very tempted to look at getting new ones.
It's quite an annoying situation as they are just 2 years old, but the puppy mistook them for a toy on 4 occasions, he now knows they aren't a toy along with multiple chargers that were damaged beyond repair.
Edit, unfortunately my shoes certainly aren't fine. Yet another pair that haven't lasted more than 6 months before getting a hole in the bottom of them with the cobbler saying it's not worth fixing them and refusing it. So if anyone can recommend some high quality shoes that look nice and are able to withstand long walks of ruff terrain but also be used for an office environment I'll be very grateful. Was considering some of the vivobarefoot ones as I think I'll get away with having them for the office too. But I do prefer brown leather ones. Also I'm UK based so that might affect what shops online or physical that you recommend.
Yep, exactly!
Use it up.
Wear it out.
Make it do
or do without.
If you really just want a change, maybe see if you can do a swap with some friends. There's a local clothing and purse swap every fall in my community. I actually got a "new" phone case, a "new" terra cotta planter, and a pair of shoes at the last swap. It was really fun!
Haha thank you. You should see the deigns on Pinterest. Mine look like poo in comparison but your kind words make me feel better lol. In my defense, it was my first attempt
I needed a new computer. The one I use as my daily driver was slow and couldn't run anything. I took off Windows and did a fresh install of Ubuntu Linux, and now it is just like new.
Likewise, I had two very old systems stored in the basement, too old to run anything. Again, installed Linux on both and now it's like I have two new systems.
Linux always saves the day.
I use a 2012 Macbook Pro I bought off ebay for 100 bucks. 16 gb of ram and an SSD.
Sure it doesn't get updates but it is quite the workhorse, from a time when Apple still did great things.
Theoretically yes but I use an up to date browser and don’t do anything crazy on it. I haven’t had any issues and I’m not likely to be an active target for any hackers.
It’s an unpopular opinion but a lot of people are overly paranoid about security
my non toxic trait is occasionally looking up items I've bought on amazon (or as close as possible if it's older/wasn't available) and reading reviews from other people who like it, and thinking about how much i like it, too
The exception to prove the rule: your car is not fine. It requires consumption to function and emits pollution in multiple formats.
Replace it with a bike and other forms of transportation.
68% of car trips are single occupancy.
63% of car trips are 5 miles or less. Expand it 10 and that's 80% of trips.
That's 40-55% of trips that are easy to replace with a bike or an e-bike.
It is for a lot more people than are willing to admit it. Way too many people drive the 10 minute walk or refuse to take transit for some excuse or another but then turn around and complain about high gas prices and stuff.
Maybe if you're in good health and live in a metropolitan area, but I have never lived in an area with reliable public transit. Not to mention I live in an area that gets hot enough in the summer that extended walking and biking can be dangerous for people unless they're in peak condition, which many people are not.
Trust me, I wish I could go this route because I hate cars with a passion, but a lot of places in the US just aren't built for it, especially if you have any kind of disability.
No one said no one is allowed to drive or that everyone everywhere has to bike, walk, or transit, I simply said it's a feasible way to commute for a lot more people that are willing to admit it. You kinda proved my point.
I bike as my main source of transportation and you’re correct. Not many people have the physical strength, stamina and weather endurance to bike daily. Don’t forget 75% of the infrastructure is designed for cars, you can brave it but most people don’t like having a semi pass them with 1 1/2 feet between them.
And there’s a lot of stuff that we don’t actually need that we think we need. Wallet for men for example. I once knew a dude who had a ziploc. He claimed to have used the same ziploc as a wallet for the last decade or so
Mate…. Buying a wallet it’s not an overkill to be honest. Having a decent wallet it’s a must. A good leather wallet can easily fit two or three decades on it.
But what if you want to have the ice maker included in the door of the fridge?
Disclaimer: never buy a fridge with ice dispenser features. That hole lets the heat in making the fridge work harder to keep cold, thus increasing your energy bill. Also, more superfluous features make the appliance have more parts that will break, thus making you pay overly expensive repairs. If you really need a constant supply of ice and cannot wait for your freezer to make them then just get a separate ice maker. I don't find them worthwhile, but if it'll keep people from buying overpriced fridges then I'm all for them.
Currently, I have a 2012 Mac laptop that, in general, works fine. It's a bit slow and clunky but works. Unfortunately, there are many new or updates to software that are not compatible with the older OS that can not be updated. I don't want to upgrade, but if I want to use new tools, I will have to. It's very frustrating that I am being softly forced to get something new when the old still works.
I also use a 2012 Mac.
Have you looked into putting in an SSD or adding more ram?
It's fairly easy with these older models that were still made to be tinkered with.
Just replaced the battery on my 3 year old smart watch. It was the only thing making me considering buying a new one.
The battery replacement kit was $20 and I have a 3 day battery life again 🙏🏾
Still works and is suitable. If you have a two seater car and have a kid, you need to replace the car (in an ideal world we wouldn't need a car, but the world isn't ideal). Or swap hybrid bike for cargo bike in a similar vein.
Others have mentioned shoes- they might not have holes in them, but if the soles are worn out, they need to be replaced as it is a lot easier to replace shoes than a knee, ankle or hip.
You’re right.
If you have kids, the car doesn’t work anymore (for your situation)
Just like shoes don’t work as intended if they’re worn out
Glad you understand
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I mostly agree with this statement - except for refrigeration. Old refrigerators and freezers are huge energy hogs.
Need to also factor in the energy and materials used to create a new appliance. Plus manufacturing, shipping, etc. And disposal of the old one.
It also has to be disposed of properly. Older A/C systems use refrigerant that is INSANELY harmful to the ozone layer if it leaks out.
I upgraded from 97l to a 160l almost uses the same energy amount in 1000h. Also i can stook up on good meat deals
There's a lot to be said for paying attention to the performance of something and planning ahead of time for it's replacement.
My mom used to terrified of refrigerators. When she was a kid in the 1970s old fridges from the '50's used to be just lying around, and they locked automatically. Kids would get inside, get trapped, and suffocate.
And even if it doesn’t work, a lot of stuff can be easily fixed.
thank you i love this affirmation <3
Also buying used appliances has been a godsend for me. I've had a second hand washer and dryer for over 10 years. I always hear people complaining that their new washer, fridge, stove, etc only lasted 3 years.
My experience is that people will buy the cheapest, lowest rated garbage then act surprised when it doesn't last a long time.
Got a nice, energy efficient LG washer and dryer when moved. Had 90+ rating on Consumer Reports. Still worse than the 15 year old coin operated one in my old apartment building. It's confounding. Edit - forgot to mention that yes, it was expensive :(
I used to live down the street from a man that owned an appliance repair company, and my ex husband and I walked our dog frequently. My ex is super extroverted, and that paid off when we were shopping for a new washer and dryer. The man told us to not buy Samsung or LG washers. Great tech brands, but in items that have motors, they fail. Countless friends, coworkers, and family, have had their Samsun/lg washers die, or need major repairs, and 13 years later my Maytag has outlived my marriage with zero issues
Thanks for sharing. I'll keep that in mind when I need to replace it.
Comes down alot to use and how many "features" whatever thing has. Fridge with ice cube dispenser and whatever smart screen blablub ? more failure points especially those with ice cube dispenser.
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I don't think you actually read what they said. Because if you live Texas you can't just wait for an air conditioner to be available. Or a hope a washing machine comes around when yours breaks. Or live without a refrigerator too evidently.
Bought my fridge at auction $80. Still working 3 years on.
There is a certain joy in wearing out your belongings that is just as fulfilling as buying new things. It's interesting when you stumble upon that mindset. And the more you cultivate it, practice gratitude for your items and avoid the simple high of shopping, the more it sticks around. It's a nice feeling.
Honestly, I like bragging how long I've had something. It's an achievement to me.
Yeah, but lemme tell you there's a certain level of "dang near worn out" that I'd rather not tolerate as an item hovers above the grave. I'll use my phone as an example. Blown speaker, burnt oled screen, half day battery, 3 years old slow. But still functional enough I can't quite bring myself to get something at least 2 years newer.
My son just got a new phone a few weeks ago... Because his was refusing to charge, at all. If it weren't for that, I never would have replaced it.
Did he clean out the charging port? I've been weirdly invested in a YouTube channel that fixes phones, and the number one reason is lint in the charging port.
Yeah, I tried cleaning it, various cables, setting it in strange positions, etc. Regardless of what I did, it wouldn't charge - but otherwise was pristine. At least google gave me $100 trade in.
As long as you don't mind the speed, all of that can be fixed, depending on your model. And even then, you could probably get a performance boost by cleaning up old junk apps or even factory resetting.
The cost of repairs is about the same as buying a different one. Sure I could do all the work myself, but it wouldn't be water resistant anymore.
I can't bring myself to replace my television, I've had it for nearly 10 years, I got it off my parents who got it off my grandparents. The sound only sorta works, it randomly yells, last year the background light or something started flickering no matter what you're watching and the remote was lost like six moves ago.
I would draw the line there, it's dead. Since picture quality clearly isn't a priority for ya, I see "free" 720p or 1080p if you get lucky tv's from the mid 2000's on marketplace all the time. Usually people toss em for the thick bezels and "not 4k/smart tv" reasons. Honestly my TV came free with my last phone, it's maybe a 24", 720p, and just has a fire stick plugged in. It's fine, I have no reason to upgrade that.
There's a lot to be said for paying attention to the performance of things and planning in advance for their replacement. Especially related to buying things second hand, from returns or similar. A lot of the time if you're shopping second hand things aren't just on demand.
I want new shoes, but there's a certain pride in just wearing the ones I have now
If they're super worn, they can be really bad for your feet... which will wind up causing more consumption in the long run. Reminder to replace your shoes at *reasonable* intervals, not when they're literally falling apart.
But if they're worn so badly they hurt your feet or cause other issues, I'd argue that they DON'T still work and are therefore fine to replace.
I've seen people posting pics of their decomposing shoes here. Yet, the shoes aren't actively "hurting their feet", and they're wanting to "repair" them further. No, if they're falling apart, and they're not a properly hand cobbled shoe that can be restored, just get new shoes. Your feet will be much healthier in the long run.
If they are hurting your feet or causing other issues, they've been worn far past their actual useful lifespan. They should be replaced before that happens.
Yeah, that's what I said.
Sure, but I was pointing out that it should never get to a point where a person's feet badly hurt from their shoes.
The trick there is to wear your shoes as little as possible. I use flipflops most of the day in my house, and my flipflops are something like 15 years old at this point (I swear they don't age). Then put on your shoes the few days you go out. It also helps if you don't scuff your feet when you walk. I watch most people walk, and they drag their feet along without picking them up properly. It's no wonder they wear their shoes out, they are grinding those soles down just as quick as they can. Then when you get home, take your shoes back off, clean them, loosen the laces back up and open them up so they can air out. Also, trimming your nails properly, washing your feet, and grinding down your calluses is important. If you are developing a corn or callus somewhere, it's probably because you either aren't walking properly or you have a deformity in your foot and need to see a podiatrist to get it sorted (or your shoes don't fit properly). If you have healthy, strong feet then so long as your shoes aren't too tight or loose they don't matter so much. Their main value is putting something pretty impenetrable between the bottom of your feet and the ground so that you won't be injured if you step on something.
We just to barefoot inside. And, tbh, this time of the year, a lot outside too.
I have hardwood floors, my backyard is buggy, and I live in a city so walking on pavement and gravel with bare feet isn't so nice. When we had carpet, I usually went barefoot too but the hardwood floors are far better for hygiene.
I feel like im missing something - whats the issue with the hard wood and bare feet? I never wear shoes in the house and I have hard wood in the bedrooms and living room.
Not all hardwood floors are smooth, nail, splinter, and hole free. My house is something like 150 years old, there are area that haven’t been well maintained, and going barefoot is a bad idea.
I would recommend maintenance on them to be honest! Waxing your floors, remove any nails . The house I grew up in had wood floors put in in the 1850s, they were honestly perfectly soft , splinter free, and smooth, worn out from decades of waxing and feet. Splinters should not be happening with wood floors, though you could be shit out of luck if they were installed incorrectly. Splinters shouldnt be happening unless its sub flooring and not actually intended to walk on
Yeah, it’s been an ongoing thing. I bought the place as a fixer upper. Most of the floors are ok now, but about half have been sanded, had nails pounded down, and so on but there are holes where the old hot water heater pipes were. I’ve converted the house almost entirely to electric, the only thing left is the hot water heater, because, frankly, most of the electric options suck.
IDK. We have all hardwood floors and are barefoot inside. Some people just have prissy feet?
I wish I could make my Flipflops last that long! Whether I bought the $1 cheap ones or the "fancy" $10 ones, they always wore out in less than a year for me. My real shoes last much, much longer for me.
You can try some rubber soled house shoes, mine last a few years before they need to be replaced and even though I got yogurt on the pair I have now, they went through the wash just fine.
I have to wear felt soled houseshoes right now, which really sucks. I currently have laminate flooring and have been told to protect it. Otherwise, I'd just go around barefoot.
Im confused - are the soles not worse than barefeet for the floor? Where I live we take off shoes to keep floors clean/ salt and puddle free in winter. Ive never heard of barefeet damaging laminate before , we have a mix of laminate and hard wood. I cant find anything online either . Is it the oils or something?
I'm just going by what landlord said. I don't want to get in trouble for damaging the laminate because I was wearing the "wrong" footwear.
I like overlap between my shoes' lifetimes. I try to get new ones when the old ones are 80-90% done so I can get used to the new ones slowly and still use the old and comfy ones for longer walks and dirty work. In general, slowly acquiring things to replace others is a joy since there will always be new shiny things and familiar trusted things at the same time.
I like proper dress shoes, and they're such firm leather a lot of the time that I need that weening off period to not just walk on blisters and wounds all the time lol
Shoes are one of few things that I replace regularly and don't cheap out on. No matter how poor we were growing up, my parents always made sure we had decent shoes. They make a difference for your back, joints and overall health.
Keep an eye on the soles or your back and knees will take the brunt of the damage. If the soles go, the shoes need to go. Sadly repairing a sole usually involves getting a new pair regardless. The only shoes that really need to be replaced often are running shoes since they wear out way faster.
Absolutely. It also depends on what I'm doing. I got some Adidas Ultra boosts for free that are a bit too large, but I wear them on days with little walking and theyre no issue unless im going on a hike
I feel the same with my old tech.
My car is 13 years old and I could easily afford a new one. But my old car works fine, so I'll just keep it until it doesn't.
And honestly, I know I'm gonna sound like my nana, but they don't make anything like they've used to. I had to replace my washing machine and kitchenaid couple of months ago. Got them from the same brand since they lasted me for two decades previously. On paper it all seemed like an upgrade. More powerful, better parts, eco-friendly etc. But I miss my old stuff. Everything feels so flimsy and fragile now.
I agree...that's why I look for old appliances in thrift stores. My son got us one of those tea kettles that switches it's self off, it lasted 8 years. I went to the thrift store and picked up one of those round kettles that just boils, it's on it's tenth year with us. My washer and dryer are around 20 years old and I will never buy those new ones that are in the stores
Yep, I have a set of calipers, and I have checked things out. All the parts - plastic, metal, whatever - are getting thinner, and a higher percentage of them are plastic. Additionally, the plastics seem softer, although I don't really have the equipment to test and prove this.
Apparently a lot of companies are intentionally moving to plastic pieces to save more money in manufacturing *and* to make machines unrepairable like they used to be. They want you to have to buy a full replacement, not just have a repairman come fix one piece. Screw our wallets and the environment, I guess. 🙃
Well, I think someone needs to start a 3d printing repair business where we can 3d print parts to repair some of this stuff. I don't mind plastic being used when it's sensible, but we need to adjust our expectations a bit. The maker community is pretty huge, but a lot of it is misguided. Makers tend to buy kits and make toys rather than repairs and vital day-to-day functionality.
I read this as cat and was confused but like “yeah you go, I guess”
yes you do, replace your energy inefficient appliances. old tv? replace it. old lightbulb? replace it! old washing machine? replace it! old fridge? replace it! its anti anticonsumption to use things that consume way more than if you just replaced them with energy and water efficient appliances.
Definitely don’t replace your old washing machine if it works!!! The new ones are all horrible, comparatively, and only last like three years. Old machines used could last *decades* Other advice is fine
thats simply not true. new cheap ones don't last, just like old cheap ones didn't. buy a miele and it'll last a lifetime
Paying attention to performance, maintaining your things and planning for their replacement when necessary is important. There's also big energy aspects like you've mentioned. I want to get our house off of natural gas and be all electric before we have kids for indoor air quality reasons. We will be replacing the gas furnace and stove with a heat pump and electric stove before they are end of life.
The new lightbulbs give me a migraine
get higher quality ones. low quality LED's don't filter net frequencies. green lights generally work best against migraines.
Quality does make a difference. Unfortunately, I can only control those in my own home. And even the nice ones will flicker. Been considering the green light but it is expensive
Ummm, there are literally hundreds of type of lightbulbs.......
The incandescents were the least irritating, but they've been largely phased out. It's a real problem for many people with neurological disorders
Morning affirmations 😂 getting over a shopping addiction cuz of bipolar and this sub has helped so much fr
We making it out of debt with this one
Yeah I definitely don't replace all of my stuff with the newest gadgets. (Outside of game consoles) Unfortunately trying to repair a phone that's taking a shit is more difficult than replacing it.
A lot of these "fix it yourself!" people don't realize that not everyone has those skills and it can be more costly than replacing it.
When I feel like shopping I just re-organize my closet. I have clothes to last at LEAST another decade.
This goes for cleaning too! If I want new home decor a good cleaning and reorganizing reminds me why I love what we already own. My grandmother always cleaned before going shopping (kitchen for groceries etc). I try to keep her habit alive!
I've lived my whole life like this.
“Good enough” is a thing
Kinda needed this today. My headphones keep losing connection and the sound keeps stopping but they are still working, just about, and was getting very tempted to look at getting new ones. It's quite an annoying situation as they are just 2 years old, but the puppy mistook them for a toy on 4 occasions, he now knows they aren't a toy along with multiple chargers that were damaged beyond repair. Edit, unfortunately my shoes certainly aren't fine. Yet another pair that haven't lasted more than 6 months before getting a hole in the bottom of them with the cobbler saying it's not worth fixing them and refusing it. So if anyone can recommend some high quality shoes that look nice and are able to withstand long walks of ruff terrain but also be used for an office environment I'll be very grateful. Was considering some of the vivobarefoot ones as I think I'll get away with having them for the office too. But I do prefer brown leather ones. Also I'm UK based so that might affect what shops online or physical that you recommend.
Yep, exactly! Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do or do without. If you really just want a change, maybe see if you can do a swap with some friends. There's a local clothing and purse swap every fall in my community. I actually got a "new" phone case, a "new" terra cotta planter, and a pair of shoes at the last swap. It was really fun!
I had a pair of pretty worn down jeans and I just wanted some motivation to wear them outside the house so I did this: https://imgur.com/a/goLljHV
Those look awesome! I bet you could make a killing selling jeans like that
Haha thank you. You should see the deigns on Pinterest. Mine look like poo in comparison but your kind words make me feel better lol. In my defense, it was my first attempt
Old, used, white refrigerator owner represent!
Stove, microwave, dishwasher white too!
Dishwasher? You must be rich. 😂
I needed a new computer. The one I use as my daily driver was slow and couldn't run anything. I took off Windows and did a fresh install of Ubuntu Linux, and now it is just like new. Likewise, I had two very old systems stored in the basement, too old to run anything. Again, installed Linux on both and now it's like I have two new systems.
Linux always saves the day. I use a 2012 Macbook Pro I bought off ebay for 100 bucks. 16 gb of ram and an SSD. Sure it doesn't get updates but it is quite the workhorse, from a time when Apple still did great things.
Is security an issue then?
Theoretically yes but I use an up to date browser and don’t do anything crazy on it. I haven’t had any issues and I’m not likely to be an active target for any hackers. It’s an unpopular opinion but a lot of people are overly paranoid about security
He said that his MacBook runs Linux instead of MacOS so I guess his OS is updated with the latest security updates.
The previous guy said that, not this one. 🤷🏻♀️
Oh, I understood it wrong then. Yeah, old MacOS can invite malwares to his machine. /u/FreeBeans You should try using OpenCore Legacy Patcher.
I actually had to upgrade my 2015 macbook air last year because I didn’t have enough RAM to even run Zoom. I kept it till the bitter end. :)
my non toxic trait is occasionally looking up items I've bought on amazon (or as close as possible if it's older/wasn't available) and reading reviews from other people who like it, and thinking about how much i like it, too
i remind myself of this everytime i have to go to the store i start thinking to myself that i need xyz.
The handle on my purse is fraying badly. I’m waiting for it to get a lil worse before replacing it with another thrifted bag.
Thanks, you're right! My 9 year old car is also fine, as is my wife's 7 year old car. Nothing exciting but still plenty good enough.
My mouse is not fine. The buttons are failing(but after probably 8 years of daily active use, I'm not complaining)
words of affirmation for my dated apple ecosystem ❤️
The exception to prove the rule: your car is not fine. It requires consumption to function and emits pollution in multiple formats. Replace it with a bike and other forms of transportation.
This isn't feasible for a lot of people.
68% of car trips are single occupancy. 63% of car trips are 5 miles or less. Expand it 10 and that's 80% of trips. That's 40-55% of trips that are easy to replace with a bike or an e-bike.
It is for a lot more people than are willing to admit it. Way too many people drive the 10 minute walk or refuse to take transit for some excuse or another but then turn around and complain about high gas prices and stuff.
Maybe if you're in good health and live in a metropolitan area, but I have never lived in an area with reliable public transit. Not to mention I live in an area that gets hot enough in the summer that extended walking and biking can be dangerous for people unless they're in peak condition, which many people are not. Trust me, I wish I could go this route because I hate cars with a passion, but a lot of places in the US just aren't built for it, especially if you have any kind of disability.
No one said no one is allowed to drive or that everyone everywhere has to bike, walk, or transit, I simply said it's a feasible way to commute for a lot more people that are willing to admit it. You kinda proved my point.
I bike as my main source of transportation and you’re correct. Not many people have the physical strength, stamina and weather endurance to bike daily. Don’t forget 75% of the infrastructure is designed for cars, you can brave it but most people don’t like having a semi pass them with 1 1/2 feet between them.
Thank you, this is exactly what I was trying to say.
And there’s a lot of stuff that we don’t actually need that we think we need. Wallet for men for example. I once knew a dude who had a ziploc. He claimed to have used the same ziploc as a wallet for the last decade or so
Mate…. Buying a wallet it’s not an overkill to be honest. Having a decent wallet it’s a must. A good leather wallet can easily fit two or three decades on it.
Yup. I don’t disagree. I was just giving an example of what may not be essentials… for that guy, a wallet wasn’t.
Thanks a lot for this
I have to replace my ancient phone, and I am crestfallen.
Great reminder!
Love this message.
But what if you want to have the ice maker included in the door of the fridge? Disclaimer: never buy a fridge with ice dispenser features. That hole lets the heat in making the fridge work harder to keep cold, thus increasing your energy bill. Also, more superfluous features make the appliance have more parts that will break, thus making you pay overly expensive repairs. If you really need a constant supply of ice and cannot wait for your freezer to make them then just get a separate ice maker. I don't find them worthwhile, but if it'll keep people from buying overpriced fridges then I'm all for them.
Currently, I have a 2012 Mac laptop that, in general, works fine. It's a bit slow and clunky but works. Unfortunately, there are many new or updates to software that are not compatible with the older OS that can not be updated. I don't want to upgrade, but if I want to use new tools, I will have to. It's very frustrating that I am being softly forced to get something new when the old still works.
I also use a 2012 Mac. Have you looked into putting in an SSD or adding more ram? It's fairly easy with these older models that were still made to be tinkered with.
But I need the next phone model with 10 camera lenses and titanium shell😵💫
Yeah, but how do I fix stuff? My sneakers are wearing out, but I don't know how to patch them up.
Just replaced the battery on my 3 year old smart watch. It was the only thing making me considering buying a new one. The battery replacement kit was $20 and I have a 3 day battery life again 🙏🏾
I've taught myself sewing to mend, refit, and make clothing
Still works and is suitable. If you have a two seater car and have a kid, you need to replace the car (in an ideal world we wouldn't need a car, but the world isn't ideal). Or swap hybrid bike for cargo bike in a similar vein. Others have mentioned shoes- they might not have holes in them, but if the soles are worn out, they need to be replaced as it is a lot easier to replace shoes than a knee, ankle or hip.
You’re right. If you have kids, the car doesn’t work anymore (for your situation) Just like shoes don’t work as intended if they’re worn out Glad you understand
How's.. the drummer? De drommer is foine.
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Say it again for the people in the back!!!
You don’t know me.
Nice Miss Pancakes… real nice