we're a very self-selecting group around here. it's a weird combination of above-average iq, below-average conversational filters, above-average professional experience, below-average self-control, and above-average alcohol consumption and presence of women with great personalities and insight. this also makes for a unique place for recommendations. because you know that, to a very high degree; everyone you read from is greatly like you, everything they say they based upon personal benefit from has a greater-than-average chance of benefiting you too. sometimes these recommendations happen out of conversation; sometimes they come out of topical threads. the idea of this thread is simple. no genre and no limit (though keep it reasonable; remember, people want to read/scan it): focus: what do you personally recommend? (we're going for "that a person-of-average finances can afford" here.) why is it of such a value to you that you think someone else needs to have it now? alt focus: what have you purchased on bad recommendations? why'd you do it? what about that decision made it "bad"?
we can expand this a bit as more a of "life pro tips" thing and not just specific items. if you don't have a tool set, get your self a small set of screw drivers with varying sizes of phillips heads and flat heads. they're one of those things where you can never think of a circumstance where you will need one right away, but one day you'll need to fix or loosen something and you'll be glad you had a set. for your car, get yourself a multi-tool. i keep a leatherman in my middle console and i've used it numerous times and its been one of the most useful gifts i've ever gotten. bump.
i carry one of these in my purse: you will be surprised how many times someone says that they wish they had a measuring tape. so i pull it out and then get the "you carry a measuring tape in your purse?" yeah, and aren't you glad i do? i also carry scissors in my purse and use them more than i ever thought i would. and of course, the obligatory flashlight in my glove compartment.
jonathan l howard's books about johannes cabal the necromancer, and the broken empire trilogy by mark lawrence. good dark reads, with some humor thrown into the necromancer series. aprikat beer, brewed here in my hometown by alley kat breweries. that shit has ruined me for other fruit beers.
if you're at all somewhat adept in the kitchen and have access to a smoker, making your own bacon is well worth the minimal effort involved. it just takes time and patience. get yourself an uncut pork belly, some curing salt, and whatever flavoring items you care for (my go to combination is coffee & molasses). rub your meat down, let it cure for 7-10 days, smoke then let cool and enjoy. i promise you it will be better than anything you've ever bought from the store.
a goddamned leatherman tool. put it in your car/bag/shoe or what the hell ever. i can't count the times i've needed to use this very basic tool kit. from opening boxes and beers to changing out a battery on a range rover to changing a tire on a land cruiser. best $20 i have ever spent. i also recommend lechery, sodomy, and debauchery. i know what you're thinking, but it's way more fun using the old words. one of the few blessings i got from the old board was reading robert greene's books. everyone i know has their management-crypto-babble of choice, but these were in bite-sized chunks with a variety of historical settings that got me interested in far more than power, war, & seduction. it's not the best writing, but it is a compelling kick in the ass to analyze your relationships and think strategically. finally, i recommend teaching. it makes you a much better person. you can't take yourself too seriously, you learn to look, dress, and act the part and it forces you to acknowledge your own perspective and shortcomings. it's a hell of a lot better than waiting tables, i dare say.
i recommend learning how to: - install a light fixture and faucet - replace a toilet - fix a hole in a roof - change a tire - patch drywall - fix a leaky pipe ...all are fairly easy, and will prevent some crook of taking advantage of you for easy money.
i recommend that everyone buy a 10 inch diamond sharpening steel to keep their chefs knives sharp, if you can't afford high dollar knives you can at least keep the ones you have sharp. my favorite fish filet knife was 6 bucks but i keep it sharp and it works great and has for 3 years. keeping the knives you use in the kitchen sharp will make life easier for you, it will make your food look and taste better and people will compliment you on how you cook further fueling the raging narcissism you hold deep within yourself. so buy a knife sharpener and learn how to use it.
focus: count me in the leatherman/bucktool group... man they are friggin' awesome when you need them. gotta keep a healthy stash of duct tape on hand at all times. equally handy at times are plastic coffee cans. they're like big tupperware containers you don't have to care about. i use them to store and organize random things in the kitchen and in my workshop, take dog food and water on trips, clean stuff in solvents- stuff like that, and if they are ruined or lost who cares. i agree, and on this subject using a screwdriver too big or small for the screw head is how you strip them out and fuck things up. just don't do that. however if you are already dealing with a stripped screw, putting a strip of rubber band between the screwdriver and the screw can help get just enough grip on the screw to remove it. Spoiler if you're into spending time outdoors for whatever reason, good rain gear and wool blend socks are worth their weight in gold. i think adding this gear to my kit has increased my comfort level on outdoor excursions more than anything else, because being wet and/or cold really sucks. alt-focus: be wary of harbor freight and other cheap import shops. they can be sources for great deals on expendable stuff (brushes, rags, etc) but you get what you pay for- a lot of tools and parts from them are just dogshit quality (in my experience). some are good enough but it's a roll of the dice. i've personally wasted way too much money by trying to save money by buying cheap tools from there and the bottom shelf at home depot rather than just spending once and crying once. if you want cheap yet decent quality stuff, go hunt around garage and estate sales, etc. and check out those old tools. a lot of older-manufactured tools are still better quality than what can be bought for the same price today, but you have to do some looking.
if you use gmail, sign up for two factor authentication. email is surprisingly easy to compromise and two-factor nearly eliminates the risk. think that all of your bank account, shipping, personal data, finances, and contacts are likely accessible from one account. print the backup codes and keep them on you, and update your phone when you switch phones. https://www.google.com/landing/2step/ if you're looking for a unique vacation, go to the san blas islands: http://wikitravel.org/en/san_blas_islands they're fairly cheap once you get there, you'll be sleeping in a hut on the sand with very little (read: no) amenities, but you'll love it and it's beautiful (and ~2-4 hour flight). panama is a pretty accessible place even if you don't speak spanish. don't watch mainstream news. i won't go into full-rant-mode but just turn off any form of news for a few weeks and see if it changes your perspective. try going passive news - reading things as you see them/hear them, but not actively watching cnn. if you fly but don't read many books, download the kindle app for your phone/tablet and read a book on a plane. very convenient, addictive, and productive. when you're trying to convince yourself you should exercise, just convince yourself that all you have to do is put on your workout clothes. keep them in one spot, and they're always there. if you can get to step 1, you'll likely go. make step 1 easy. militantly unsubscribe from things. this goes for physical mail and email. once every few months send an email to the customer service department of the company that has sent you physical mail and ask that they never send you mail again (i suggest a throwaway email). i now receive about 4-5 pieces of mail a week, and check it every 2 weeks. same for email, again - i stay at 'inbox zero'.
i was also going to recommend going kindle/kindle app for books. the lack of clutter is amazing when new books take up 0 space. on top of two factor authentication, i recommend something like dashlane or last pass to manage your passwords. despite being the worst looking website ever, this is actually legit for cheap show tickets in vegas; http://www.tix4tonight.com/ if you're in a large dinner group where people want separate checks, but some want them as a couple or trio, etc, just have everyone get their own check. way less chance of screw up and you can always use the same card to pay for more than one check at the end. www.carbonite.com or www.backblaze.com will auto backup your data so if your computer dies you don't lose the most important part it. know what wills, powers of attorney and medical powers of attorney (different names in different states) are and why you should have them. the martian by andy weir is a remarkably well written book. about an astronaut left behind on mars, but with a great sense of humor and will to survive. i literally couldn't put it down. do not argue politics unless you think you can convince the other person. which means it's never worth it. get amazon prime, it's an amazing deal. get a podcast or other appropriate outlet that will allow you to become an amazon affiliate. get everyone you know to use your affiliate link and make 4% of all their purchases. babylon 5 was the best tv i ever saw. back in 1993 they made a show with an actual beginning, middle, and end story designed to last five years and then end. it was groundbreaking, amazing, and wonderfully told. except the first 5 episodes.
i recommend the following books on leadership: oddly, nowhere in either book does it recommend that you grow a moustache.
always have a tube of afterbite. it's cheap, buy a few. you never know if you'll get bitten and/or stung by god knows what. if you get swarmed by mosquitos this stuff will stop you from praying for death. it's been around as long as i remember and it's as reliable a product as it gets.
buy a good pocketknife, carry it daily, and don't lose it. case makes good, not too expensive pocketknives that are easy to sharpen, classic, and respectable. you will use it more than you think. it's also emasculating to other dudes when they're cutting open nodes with their keys and you quietly hand them a good pocketknife.
i totally agree with this. i stopped carrying my knife and switched to the squirt (ps4) leatherman a few years ago, simply because i was always needing pliers or screwdriver, too. i used to carry the juice, but it was a little bulky for my pocket, and i didn't like the belt holster or clip thing.
i'll second this, along with learning how to sharpen it by hand on a stone, case makes great folders. i've been partial to crkt knives lately, spyderco makes good stuff too. the kershaw leek is my go to for anything when i'll be wearing nice clothes, it's perfectly suited for it. i carry a junkyard dog at work every day, it's a big folder that fits my hands better.
i used to carry a pocket knife everywhere, but in my line of work small pocket knives aren't allowed in a lot of locations i go to daily, i've fallen out of the practice. i also have a squirt and some places would let it through, but more than a few wouldn't allow it despite my it's a tool not a weapon argument. i do keep a gerber multi-tool and a folding knife in my truck.