One thing we've done is give ourselves each a certain amount of money (we call it our "allowance") that we can use without any sort of reaction from the other person.  This is usually something that we're doing for fun without the other - if I go out to dinner with my friends or if she wants to get some sort of spa experience.  This usually makes us give second thoughts to purchases that might otherwise be made without conscious thought.  And I think the same applies to any of our categories - making the categories separate and as specific as possible makes you think about the purchases more often.  For example, we ate at more restaurants during mother's day weekend, and so we're going to do less eating out the rest of the month to compensate.

Interesting about your cash back cards.  The bank I use does 1% cash back for all purchases, and then 5% cash back for a rotating grouping of categories on a quarterly basis.  It might be grocery stores one quarter and gas stations another.  I agree that those cards seem to have value, and I think every little bit helps.

Recently, I switched almost all of my credit cards to 'cash back' cards (a curious term as you don't actually get physical cash) where certain categories of expenses get a small percentage reimbursed at the start of the new year. Recurring bills  and subscriptions like phone and internet service get 1% back, all grocery store purchases get 2% back, all other expenses get 0.5% back. By my estimate, I'll get about $245 USD back a year, which isn't a fortune but enough for a month of psychotherapy. I also isolated any 'lesiure' spending to one card and all 'essential' purchasing to another card so I can always take an easy but harsh look at the leisure spending to cut things I don't need.

Due to coffee prices, I've started buying whole beans in bulk which, strangely are cheaper: the average cost for 100g of ground coffee in my area is about $2.50 while whole bean comes at $2 for 100g.

I also got a Costco membership which leads to significant savings on bulk purchases of eggs, milk, and supplements like vitamins and over the counter medications.

I'm currently looking at what monthly and essential subscriptions I can switch to an annual plan for a slightly lower rate. I switched my mother to a new annual cell phone plan that amounts to $9 a month for 15GB of data over one year; I'm going to see if I can do the same for myself although I'm presently at $20 for 7.2GB a month and am not sure a lower tier exists for the data I need.

About four years ago, I donated to this GoFundMe.  I am not sure if this is allowed per forum rules (please remove if necessary), but this is as worthy of an individual as I have seen. 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/savejenny

I cannot imagine the daunting task of having to raise $750k on the internet to safe yourself, and five years in, being 37% of that goal.  It always bothers me that billionaires can't just see these fundraisers like we do, and snap their fingers and just end the person's nightmare.

She did this

https://youtu.be/X_Ce50LxkBE?si=3JxpTi06eb7piGyb

She's quite gifted

Compassion isn't just allowed, it's essential.

Thank you for sharing this.

Thanks.  The story is heartbreaking.  It's the most money i have ever given to a stranger on the internet.

She has a youtube btw. https://www.youtube.com/@jenny.rowbory/videos

Thank you for sharing this.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/savejenny

I cannot imagine the daunting task of having to raise $750k on the internet to safe yourself, and five years in, being 37% of that goal.  It always bothers me that billionaires can't just see these fundraisers like we do, and snap their fingers and just end the person's nightmare.

Ginger Mint from Tetley's:
https://tetley.ca/products/soothe-tea

Echinacea and Elderberry from Traditional Medicinals:
https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/p … rberry-tea

My ginseng tea is Uncle Bill's, a Canadian-grown brand, but this is what I saw in the US:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Prince-of-Pe … pe=REGULAR

Thanks

Echinacea and Elderberry from Traditional Medicinals:
https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/p … rberry-tea

My ginseng tea is Uncle Bill's, a Canadian-grown brand, but this is what I saw in the US:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Prince-of-Pe … pe=REGULAR

Echinacea and elderberry: For immune system boosting.

Ginseng and blueberry: For energy.

Ginger mint: Stimulating and soothing.

Thanks.  On these, are there particular brands or sources you get them from?

Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice: A spicy, sweet tea.

Echinacea and elderberry: For immune system boosting.

Ginseng and blueberry: For energy.

Ginger mint: Stimulating and soothing.

QUIET ON SET is a powerful piece of work. I hope you find some time to watch the whole thing. That said, the fifth episode epilogue was quite unnecessary and repetitive.

For me, the whole thing was an exercise: is it possible to empathize with Drake Bell's suffering while still condemning his abuse towards women? Is it possible to condemn Rider and Will's support and cowardice while still empathizing with their fear and weakness and paralysis? Is it possible to regard everyone involved with empathy while still expecting responsibility and accountability? Is it possible to be sympathetic towards a domestic abuser while indicting their actions domestic abuse?

I myself was well beyond the age of Nickelodeon by time Dan Schneider, who I'd only known from Head of the Class, had taken over.  My favorite show was Hey Dude, which was dorky and wholesome.  Now, people like Brian Peck existed long before those shows.  He worked on Growing Pains, and there was disturbing footage from that.  The show runner of GP was convicted of having child porn in 2010.  Should Will and Rider be crucified?  Look, these pedophiles often get away with it for a long time, because they may be completely normal and friendly with 95% of the people who know them.  Often you don't suspect.  Will and Rider had a positive relationship with him, and naively supported Peck.  I understand the victim's family's anger at the time, but I'm not going to vilify them, they weren't the criminals. 

Is this a Hollywood problem?  Well it has been for decades upon decades.  It's simple, there's a lot of under supervised children working in Hollywood.  If you are a pedo, that's where you would wish to be.  As with the long history of child abuse from clergy in the Church, again, those with such depravity, are going to go hang out where they can have access to victims.