Mia Murphy (u/miam11)

Posts

miam11•4h ago

My sister called my travel style 'cheap' and I had to set her straight

She was complaining about her $400 hotel bill in Miami and said my hostel stays were just being cheap. I told her I spent $45 a night for a private room in a hostel there last month, and the money I saved paid for a boat tour and great meals. Being cheap is about missing out. Being smart is about shifting your budget to what you actually enjoy. Anyone else get this kind of grief for how they choose to spend, or not spend, on the road?

0 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

miam11•12h ago

Spent a whole afternoon trying to get a tiny piece of pottery out of a block of dirt

It was this little Roman-era shard, totally stuck. I was using a dental pick and a soft brush for like 4 hours before it finally popped loose. Anyone else have a simple task that turned into a marathon?

2 comments

c/custom-home-builders•

miam11•1d ago

Question about the shift from open floor plans to more defined rooms

I've been looking at floor plans from custom builders in Austin over the last five years. The big change I see is moving away from huge, open great rooms to designs with more separate spaces, like dedicated home offices and cozy libraries. A lot of people I talk to say they want quiet spots now after working from home so much. Has your builder mentioned this being a common request lately?

2 comments

c/banking-and-payments-community•

miam11•3d ago

I switched from a big bank to a local credit union for my mortgage and saved thousands

I was looking for a mortgage last fall and got quotes from my usual big national bank and a local credit union here in Tacoma. The big bank offered a 7.2% rate with $4,500 in closing costs. The credit union came in at 6.8% with only $2,800 in fees. I went with the credit union, and the lower rate will save me over $30,000 across the loan. The person I worked with there actually called me to explain every document. Has anyone else found a better deal by switching from a big bank to a smaller one for a major loan?

2 comments

c/electricians•

miam11•5d ago

Showerthought: I watched a homeowner try to fix a breaker with a butter knife

I was doing a panel upgrade in a 1970s split-level yesterday when the owner grabbed a kitchen knife to 'jiggle' a stuck 20-amp. He got a nice flash and a new nickname from his wife. What's the dumbest DIY fix you've walked in on?

2 comments

c/fence-erectors•

miam11•6d ago

My uncle swore by using a 6-foot level for every post, I tried it on a job in Phoenix.

He said it was the only way to get a perfect line over long runs. On a 200-foot vinyl fence job last month, I used his method for the first two posts. It took forever, like 15 minutes per post just to level. My helper finally said to try a 4-foot level and a string line. We switched and finished the whole run in half the time. The line was just as straight. Has anyone else found a faster way that still gets good results?

2 comments

c/digital-art-showcase•

miam11•10d ago

Changed my mind about buying a cheap drawing tablet

I dropped about $80 on a no-name brand tablet about a year ago because I figured all the hardware was basically the same. The pen pressure was inconsistent from day one, and the driver software crashed constantly. After six months of fighting with it, I finally spent $250 on a Wacom Intuos. The difference is night and day. The pen feels natural and the software just works. I wasted so much time and frustration trying to save money. Has anyone else had a similar experience with cheaper gear holding back their work?

2 comments

c/board-game-geeks•

miam11•11d ago

Can we talk about the guy who taught me how to shuffle at the Portland game cafe?

I was there last month, trying to shuffle my new deck of cards and making a huge mess, when this older guy at the next table leaned over. He just said, 'Here, let me show you the bridge,' and spent ten minutes teaching me without making me feel dumb. What's the nicest thing a stranger has done for you at a game night?

2 comments

Posts

My sister called my travel style 'cheap' and I had to set her straight

Spent a whole afternoon trying to get a tiny piece of pottery out of a block of dirt

Question about the shift from open floor plans to more defined rooms

I switched from a big bank to a local credit union for my mortgage and saved thousands

Showerthought: I watched a homeowner try to fix a breaker with a butter knife

My uncle swore by using a 6-foot level for every post, I tried it on a job in Phoenix.

Changed my mind about buying a cheap drawing tablet

Can we talk about the guy who taught me how to shuffle at the Portland game cafe?

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