Single Mother In The Year 2099 Who Went On To Megafail At Absolutely Everything

things i wish i had known when i escaped my family household and couldn't ask my parents for help

invest in a good mattress early on. there are many other ends you can save on - sleep is not one of them. this is key to how much energy you'll have throughout the day

you don't need a bedframe but you do need a slatted bed base (even if it's just pallets)

opening a bank account is easy

there's youtube tutorials for everything. how to install your washing machine, how to use tools, fixing stuff around the place. channels like dad, how do i? are a godsend

change energy provider as soon as your old deal runs out. you'll get better offers elsewhere and avoid price gouging

assemble a basic first aid kid at home: painkillers, probiotics, alcohol wipes, bandages, tweezers, antihistamine tablets - anything you might need in a pinch

and an emergency toolkit: flashlight, extra batteries, a utility knife, an adjustable wrench, multi-tool, duct tape

set your fridge to the lowest temperature it can go. the energy consumption is minimal in difference and it'll give you +4/7 days on most foods

off-brand products are almost always the same in quality and taste, if not better, for half the price

coupons will save you a lot of money in the long run

there's no reason to be shy around employees at the bank/laundromat/store; most people will be happy to help

vegetarian diets are generally cheap if you make food from scratch

breakfast is as important as they say

keep track of your budget in a notebook or excel file - e.g. rent, phone and internet bills, food, leisure so you'll have an overlook on your spending over the months

don't gamble

piracy is okay

stealing from big stores and chains is also ethically okay

keep medical bills and pharmacy receipts for tax returns

also, file your tax returns early

take up a hobby that isn't in front of a screen. pottery, music, going for a run every now and then, stuff that'll keep you busy and sane

and most importantly... you're allowed to get the stuff you want. treat yourself to the occasional mundane thing. a good scented candle. a bath bomb. that body lotion that makes you feel like royalty. the good coffee beans.

you're free and you deserve to be happy.

homophobia in his eyes

today someone asked me what my favorite even-toed ungulate is… god, who could decide?

I wrote this in response to someone asking for advice, but I think it might be useful as it's own post.

Choosing a budget manual wheelchair

I've been using a wheelchair most of my adult life, and I know a lot of you do get an off-the-shelf manual wheelchair and wanted to lend my experience to help get the most out of it.

Important to know is most off-the-shelf chairs aren't actually made for self propulsion (even though they're labelled self-propelled) so here are good features to look for.

You want one with the axle directly beneath the back end of the seat, this will bring the wheel several inches forward of most off-the-shelf chairs, make self propulsion much much easier and allow you to tip more easily for a wheely (fun, and takes pressure off your spine which is more important than you might think).

If possible you want a low or folding back rest, not an absolute must but this allows you more back flex for more powerful propulsion, this is more desirable as your back and core muscles are strong for extended work and only using your arms can lead to long term shoulder injury.

You want to make sure nothing is in the way of your arms for the most natural movement (we don't want rotation injuries), so if needed ask if the arm rest is removable and how.

I would hope any chair has adjustable length foot rests, but that is really important.

You want at minimum a foam, ideally a gel cushion for pressure care... No cushion means no good, it's worth the extra money to avoid sores and pain from something you're spending all day in. I fully endorse e-begging to help afford a chair that isn't damaging your health.

This is just self care, if you can walk get up every couple of hours and take a few steps, it's good for you.

This is an example of what to look for. Anti-tip wheels will help while learning, arm rests fold away, back rest folds down for more powerful propulsion, looks like a decent cushion, adjustable foot rests. This one is the "Drive Spirit lightweight aluminium wheelchair" but I've seen it advertised under other names too and I'd say it's in the budget wheelchair range ($300-$500) but punching well above its price point in features.

trans people (everyone cheers)