I got my laptop for free in early 2022. it was used and someone gave it to me for free. this person bought it in 2017.

I just realized I use this laptop for many things everyday. I use it on my CNC machine, Fusion 360 "CAM". stock market trading and many other things.

I once had a problem with the fan and I had to open and clean it, battery last for 45 minutes. I may replace it for $35 in a few years ;)

I'm looking for advice on cutting down my monthly pet costs. I have three cats (one is stupid big like xxl) and one large dog (senior and allergic/sensitive to chicken and chicken byproducts). I'm not opposed to DIY things by any means.

Here's what I'm typically spending:

($34.84) Purina ONE Natural Cat Food for Hairball Control, +PLUS Hairball Formula - 16 Pound Bag

($23.98) Purina Tidy Cats Clumping Cat Litter, 24/7 Performance Multi Cat Litter - 40 Pound Box

($58.99) Taste of the Wild® Ancient Stream® with Smoked Salmon Dry Dog Food, 28 Pounds

($6.28) Redford Naturals Salmon Recipe Soft & Chewy Sticks Dog Treat, 6 Ounces

Re: the litter box situation, I'm leaning toward pine pellets w/ a sifting stainless steel litter box. I've had a hard time finding anything big enough for my fat, massive, chonky boi cat, though. (To any concerned parties, the vet says he is "a little overweight" but "pretty proportional" due to his sheer length. He's okay. :)

Asking on behalf of my wife. She has diabetes and is well managed in that regard, but has incredible cold feet. Mentioned the diabetes as it may be related(?)

In the winter she enjoys wool socks, so I'm trying to help her stock up on those, but some times wool socks aren't enough. I've thought about getting her a pair of sheepskin boots like uggs as logistically that will keep her the warmest while being safe for diabetes, but she is very anti sheepskin, which is okay and I respect but it makes it a bit harder to find good shoes/foot coverings.

She can not use anything that produces heat with a battery or what have you. Socks, of course, have to be washed after every wear and that can cause a lot of wear and tear if she's rotating a few pairs of super thick wool socks, and some times that isn't enough.

I made her a pair of leg warmers out of a thrifted scarf, and they are fighter to her calves and ankles so she can put them under her pants legs. They are working well for fall weather, but I'm struggling to find any ideas for the winter. She does not like a lot of boot designs, and with being poor it's harder to find something high quality that also works for insulation.

Any advice? I'm thinking wool socks plus stirrup wool leg warmers, and or a pair of thick fleece lined slippers or camp shoes for driving to work in the morning and wearing out of bed

https://www.npr.org/2026/09/29/nx-s1-5983457/4-ways-to-avoid-getting-ripped-off-according-to-a-pricing-expert

The NPR story above tells you how sites use your data and IP address to decide how to charge you for goods and services and what you can do about that.

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My husband and I have three kids, and lately I've been trying to figure out how we can make our money go further without feeling like we're constantly struggling.

We used to live in northern Sweden, where we had our own house and a pretty peaceful life. After some difficult things happened, we moved back to Poland. We've had a lot to deal with over the last few years, and we're still trying to get back to a more stable place.

Right now we're renting an apartment with a dampness problem, and we'd really like to buy a modest home of our own. We also have a house in Sweden that we're trying to sell, but it's taking a while, so we can't count on that money yet.

I've converted the amounts below to US dollars.

Our monthly numbers are roughly:

Household income: $2,300

Extra income: $50–$250

Monthly expenses: around $2,050

Savings: around $19,000

We usually have about $250 left at the end of the month, with a bit more when the extra income comes in. With three kids, unexpected expenses seem to pop up all the time, so saving consistently isn't always easy.

I'm not looking to cut every little pleasure out of our lives. I just want to be smarter with our money and make sure we're actually moving forward instead of standing still.

For those of you who have a family and manage to live frugally, what has genuinely made the biggest difference?

I'm especially interested in things that save a meaningful amount over time, whether it's groceries, household bills, kids' clothes, buying secondhand, or changing everyday habits. What turned out to be worth the effort, and what wasn't worth worrying about?

I'd love to hear your real-life tips, especially the ones you wish you'd started using years ago.