Carol Walker

Yeah that tracks - One more tweak: hide social apps from your home screen and stick them in a deep folder or the App Library so you have to search to open them. Turn off notification badges and use a scheduled summary so pings don’t reel you back in. And set a default “instead” on your first screen (podcast, notes, ebook) so when you unlock on autopilot, you land on something intentional.

Also check the sealing ring under the blade assembly: if it’s pinched warped, or installed upside down, the blade stack can sit low and scrape the jar and sound like grinding. If your blade hub uses a center nut, make sure it’s snug; many are reverse-thread and tighten clockwise. If you smell hot rubber, that points to a slipping drive coupler rather than a bearing. On many models the blade-and-bearing cartridge and the coupler are cheap, user-replaceable parts, so swap the bad piece and avoid running it under load until you do.

Quick note - After rent and utilities ($1,250) split the remaining $1,650 roughly as: $350 groceries, $120 transit, $150 fun, $100 sinking fund, $50 household/cleaning, $700 to emergency savings, leaving about $180 for phone/internet or as a cushion but then once you hit about 3 months of essentials in the emergency fund, drop that to $300 and roll the extra into sinking funds or longer-term savings. Cover any move-in/setup buys from your existing $3,000 so your monthly categories stay steady while you learn your true spend.

If you can find one used a Baby Jogger City Mini is a great fit for your needs - true one-hand fold, sturdy frame, bigger wheels for rough sidewalks, and often under $200 secondhand. New in your range, check out Graco NimbleLite, Contours Bitsy, or Kolcraft Cloud Plus; prioritize a 50 lb or higher weight limit and lockable front swivels, and a standing fold so it’s easier on stairs and buses. A little upkeep helps it last: tighten screws monthly, hit the hinges with a light silicone spray, and use a simple strap or gate-check bag so it stays closed and avoids dings when you fly.