• ralakus@lemmy.world
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          12 days ago

          They also keep your feet from stinking and stay warm even when saturated in water. Also, in the event of a fire or high heat, they won’t melt and fuse to your skin causing catastrophic tissue damage

  • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    Pet jumping spider.

    Honestly 10 star pet. They eat a small bug every other day or so. They look adorable. They will recognize and react to you, and you can even train them to accept handling. They come in a wide variety of colors.

    Downsides are that you’ll probably end up getting more than one (do NOT co-hab them!), or that they only live for 1-3 years. If you enjoy having the spider though, you can look into other arthropods like tarantulas, or vinegaroons (which look scary, but are harmless and have very sweet dispositions).

    • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
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      12 days ago

      Not a pet but a couple weeks ago I had a big fly buzzing around my room and annoying the shit out of me for like 4 hours while I was working from home. Then I heard it buzzing against my window in a weird way and I turn around and there’s a big ass jumping spider just murdering the shit out of it. I’ve never been so happy to see a spider in the house. It hung out in the corner of the window for like an hour after that and then it was gone and I haven’t seen it since.

      • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
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        12 days ago

        You can, but for ethical reasons, I would recommend not doing that. There are plenty of sellers online and at expos who sell captive bred spiders.

  • Converting $20 to local currency, I’d probably go with this:

    This is so-called “Liubao Tea”, a kissing cousin to pu’er tea. I did a review of my first batch(es) and it has rapidly (literally with one round of brews) reached the top of my circulation in teas.

    The depicted tea is one aged from 1991 (the one I reviewed was tea stems from 2003) and is of one of the higher grades. A 100g package will set you back about $15 or so at today’s exchange rate. 100g is about 15-20 servings, and each serving can be brewed multiple times (even my tea stems can be brewed four times without loss of flavour), so it’s quite the bargain.

    Save it for a time when you really need something warm, rich, and comforting. It will last forever as long as you store it in a cool, dry, dark space. And personally I think it’s a bargain at 15 bucks.

  • Libb@jlai.lu
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    14 days ago

    Platinum Preppy fountain pen. Often, it’s less than 10$

    No one needs a fountain pen to write, but writing with a fountain pen is a unique experience. Alas, many fountain pens will cost a little fortune and other will cost a large fortune (what about a 40k$ one?). The Preppy is an exception. It’s not the best fountain pen but it’s very decent, it’s even incredibly good considering its price. For slightly more 25-30$, I would also suggest the Lamy Safari.

    Beside that, I can’t think of many luxury items under 20. I mean, I can think of a few useful luxury things but they cost more than 20.

    • thefartographer@lemm.ee
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      13 days ago

      The Pilot Varsity fountain pen feels cheap in your hand, but the way it writes is exquisite. This pen is shorter than average, yet holding it by the opposite end and dragging the nib across paper, letting the nearly inexistent weight of the pen apply pressure, you’ll be left with a beautiful and consistent line.

      You can usually pick up single Varsity fountain pens at stores such as PoopShelf for less than $3 each, or you can support your local art store by buying them in 3-packs for less than $10. I’ve been using these pens for over a decade and the only pen I’ve ever found that had an equally smooth and delicate writing experience was something I found at Paradise Pen for over $500—back when I could get these fountain pens for less than $2.

      I have to warn you about their cheap construction, though: don’t store them in your pants pocket. They’ll find some way to bend, crack, or otherwise dump their entire reservoir in your pants.

      • Libb@jlai.lu
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        12 days ago

        Never had the opportunity to buy a Varsity, so I never tried one even though my all time favorite fountain pen is one from Pilot (not in the same price range, though ;)

    • folkrav@lemmy.ca
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      13 days ago

      Love Platinum, they’re the only fountain pens I can even consider using, as they’re the only ones I found that can handle my low writing volume without drying out between uses.

      • Libb@jlai.lu
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        13 days ago

        Love Platinum, they’re the only fountain pens I can even consider using, as they’re the only ones I found that can handle my low writing volume without drying out between uses.

        Yep. As long as you cap it (like with any fountain pen for that matter), they won’t dry. In that regard, they’re among the best at any price range not kidding. But the plastic of the cap is a on the brittle side… which may ends up hindering the tightness of the capping as it won’t sit as tight. Not hate here, that’s only a maybe could happen (happened to me ;), they’re great.

  • eezeebee@lemmy.ca
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    13 days ago

    A beard trimmer. Shaving sucks and irritates my skin, plus I look like a baby without facial hair. But that’s only one benefit.

    I have been using a beard trimmer to cut my own hair for the last 10 years which has saved me probably $2000 worth of haircuts (estimating a $25 haircut + tip every 2 months). Not to mention saving about 1 hour waiting at the barber every time. I only messed up once and had to do a buzz cut.

      • eezeebee@lemmy.ca
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        13 days ago

        So you just buzz cut your entire hair essentially? I did that once and looked like a serial rapist

        Buzz cut was only once because I messed up. Usually I do a trim, short on the sides and back and longer on top. It’s easier than it sounds - I just use a smaller mirror along with the bathroom mirror to see the back.

      • Higgs boson@dubvee.org
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        13 days ago

        It only takes a few minutes of YouTube videos before you can do a passable men’s haircut.

        I cut my own hair during the pandemic and never went back to paying for it.

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        13 days ago

        Don’t get a beard trimmer and also use it on your hair; get a hair trimmer and also use it on your beard. Specifically, get the kind that comes with an assortment of combs up to 1" (and then maybe even buy the 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" combs that are sold separately, too).

      • doc@fedia.io
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        13 days ago

        Only of you do it wrong, or you want to look like a serial rapist.

        If you have a simple cut/style all it takes is a little practice to DIY.

    • Universal Monk@lemm.ee
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      12 days ago

      Agreed with almost every single part of your post. I have done the same thing for last few years. BUT I’m growing my hair out now that I’m retired and I am gonna be a hippie. Still use the beard trimmer daily tho!

    • Otter@lemmy.ca
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      13 days ago

      There are a few brands that make decent backpacks/satchels in the 10L - 20L size, within that price range. They’re very helpful

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      13 days ago

      I’ve got 6 or 8, take one everywhere, even if I already have my purse. I’m addicted to getting them at thrift stores. Just got a sweet, black, tacticool bag with molle loops and velcro for $1.

  • Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    I carry an arch lighter everywhere. It cost me $15 but saves me a ton in lighter fuel, and you’d be surprised by the number of every day situations that a controlled burst of plasma solves. Opening packages, lighting candles, kills mosquitos in the dark, and it’s a fantastic taking piece as mine slots into a zippo.

    Only downside is I can’t use my zippo for light on the off chance I get trapped in a dark tunnel.

    • thefartographer@lemm.ee
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      13 days ago

      Only downside is I can’t use my zippo for light on the off chance I get trapped in a dark tunnel.

      Use your arc lighter to light something else on fire: your shirt, Joe Pesci’s head, that angry bear you didn’t notice at first in the darkness but really hoped it was Scooby-Doo

      • Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world
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        13 days ago

        Exactly, as a non smoker, I don’t use it enough to justify the cost of fuel. That’s why I like the arch lighter insert. All the look and feel of a zippo but I have to fuel it annually instead of hourly and it takes USB instead of oil.

  • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    13 days ago

    If you use your phone a lot (or if your battery is old and you haven’t replaced it), a power bank is very useful.

    A reputable powerbank (such as those from Anker) cost just under $20 USD for 10,000 MAH

  • jet@hackertalks.com
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    14 days ago

    A key wallet ; Keep your keys organized, stops them from jingling, can put smart cards in it too. Easier to hand off to friends to borrow. I hate jingling keys.

  • makeshiftreaper@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    A small USB-C hub. It has a USB-C out on one end then HDMI, 2 USB-A ports and another USB-C in on the other. I use it as my travel dock for my switch and steam deck, I’ve used it as a USB A to C converter, and I’ll use it to test inputs on various TVs. I’ve gotten so much more mileage out of this $15 Amazon purchase than I ever would have expected