Arthur Thompson 🥉

Seconding worsted and if you’re eyeing acrylic blends, pick a multi‑ply (not roving/single‑ply) so it won’t split and will pill less. Knit a quick swatch and launder it the way the scarf will be washed; if it stays soft and doesn’t fuzz, you’re set. For a neat finish on garter or 2x2 rib and slip the first stitch of every row to keep the edges tidy.

In Arizona-level dryness humectant-heavy formulas (hyaluronic acid, lots of glycerin) can make skin feel tighter unless you seal them in - so try a bland occlusive like petrolatum or a mineral oil ointment over your cream at night. If you’re using retinoids, vitamin C, or exfoliants, dial them back for a couple of weeks and keep water lukewarm to let your barrier recover and... a bedside humidifier plus fragrance-free products can also make a noticeable difference.

Good advice. On APS-C, 35/1.8 is the most versatile indoors; 50/1.8 gives stronger blur but can feel tight and 85mm shines outdoors. If you’re on Nikon D3xxx/D5xxx make sure the lens is AF-S or AF-P for autofocus; on Canon, the 50/1.8 STM is the budget pick. For cleaner portraits, keep your subject well away from the background, shoot around f2–f2.8, focus on the near eye, and if all you have is a kit zoom, use the long end and step back for more separation.

Your numbers look solid for buying if you can handle the payments. With 5% down on 195k at 6.6%, your monthly mortgage would be around 1,200, plus HOA, taxes, and insurance pushing it to about 1,700 total and which is a bit more than your rent but builds equity. Factor in your stable job and emergency fund. it's doable, but watch for repair costs since condos can have surprises. If your dog's needs fit and you're set on owning, go for it next year.

Best deals are estate sales and moving fire sales in upscale neighborhoods. Inspect joints, sniff for smoke, and check for bedbugs or roaches. Bring cash and a tape measure. If it's particle board, assume one move before failure.

I stressed over who owed $3.14 for sponges, hated the ping-ping-ping of requests, and then the app tried to charge us to export anything. What finally calmed it down: one person is the bill hub with autopay, we each send a single transfer on the 1st that covers our rent share plus a flat utilities estimate and a small house fund. We true-up utilities quarterly and nudge the estimate so it averages out. Splitwise only logs irregulars like a surprise plunger or mop. One tip that saved fights: set a cap on what counts as "house" so no one buys premium paper towels and blows the fund.

The clean way to compare is to keep the term the same (36 months) and see how much total interest you'd save. Call your current lender for the exact payoff and use your current monthly payment to find remaining interest: payment x 36 - payoff. Ask the new lender for a 36-month quote on a principal equal to that payoff (plus any fees you roll in), then compute new interest: new payment x 36 - new principal. Savings = old interest - new interest - any fees you pay out of pocket; if that number is tiny or negative, skip it. Quick rule of thumb: a 0.7% APR drop over three years saves roughly 1% of your current balance in interest, so you need a fairly big balance for it to matter. For example, if you owe $20,000, you'll save only about $200 total; if fees are $300–$500, it's a net loss. Watch for gotchas: don't extend the term unless you need the lower payment, because that can increase total interest even at a lower rate. Ask about all fees (origination, title/DMV, lien release, overnight payoff) and whether your current loan has any prepayment penalty or per-diem interest you'll pay twice if the payoff date slips. If you have GAP or an extended warranty financed in the old loan, cancelling after payoff may get you a prorated refund, and you'll need to decide if you want new GAP on the refi. Rolling fees into the new loan reduces the small savings and can put you upside-down; paying them cash preserves any benefit. If you plan to sell or pay off early, the savings shrink further because you won't collect the later interest reduction, so a small rate drop often isn't worth the hassle.