I've cycled barefoot around a neighborhood, but most platform pedals have a lot of texture for shoes to stick to which is uncomfortable on bare feet imo. Maybe if you had calluses from running it wouldn't be so bad. I ride frequently in my sandals without any trouble, so perhaps that's the way to go for barefooters.
Ralphy's Journal
I don't understand the interest in barefoot cycling. In cycling, you want your body to transform into the bike. That's why road shoes have such stiff soles. Mountain Bike (MTB) and commuter shoes are flexible because those activities involve walking. The difference is that MTB shoes still allow for the energy transfer in the upstroke with the [clipless or clip] pedal, where road shoes also provide the upstroke energy transfer and they eliminate inefficient energy transfers via the stiff sole.
I think the appeal of running barefoot is in developing better form as well as increasing the stabilizer muscles used in running.
I think the appeal of running barefoot is in developing better form as well as increasing the stabilizer muscles used in running.
HOUSING
My living quarters are very non-ERE, except for the fact that they're free, which I suppose swings that judgment strongly in the opposite direction. I don't imagine many couples intent on cutting expenses would live in a 4-bedroom, 2-bath apartment, but that's what you have to put up with when it's included in your SO's job benefits (she manages the property). We pay all utilities, which is more than I'd like, given the size of the place, but with no rent, I think we'll manage
What do you do with 4 bedrooms? We have a bedroom for us, a guest bedroom, and a 'play' room for each of us. Mine's pretty spartan - my bike, computer desk, homeade book shelves, and a couple filing cabinets.
One very nice perk of this place - the previous tenants pretty much destroyed it, so it got a very good makeover before we moved in. New paint, carpets, vinyl, new closet doors, all new appliances...I think the toilets are even new. The complex also has a decent fitness center, swimming pool, and game room, though I've barely been to any of those (usually either working or at home).
Biggest pet peeve of such a huge place (besides the utilities)? Every space 'has to' be filled/decorated by something. e.g. we got by fine with one shower curtain in our old 1-bedroom, now we 'have to' have two. Instead of one window covering, now we have several. Etc. I'm sure it's something I'll remember when the day comes to look for a house.
Location? About three blocks from a busy bus stop. Less than a mile from my primary job. GF obviously gets to walk to work, too. Unfortunately, not near much else - we're very much at the edge of town. Library is 5 miles away, as is my favorite grocery store. There's another grocer about 2 mi away that is much pricier.
Question to you - if the apt is paid for via GF's work benefits, would you feel obligated to pay her some nominal rent figure? I should note that when we first lived together, she moved into my 1-bdr place, which I continued to pay for (for a matter of months until we found a different apt, which we split 50/50).
My living quarters are very non-ERE, except for the fact that they're free, which I suppose swings that judgment strongly in the opposite direction. I don't imagine many couples intent on cutting expenses would live in a 4-bedroom, 2-bath apartment, but that's what you have to put up with when it's included in your SO's job benefits (she manages the property). We pay all utilities, which is more than I'd like, given the size of the place, but with no rent, I think we'll manage
What do you do with 4 bedrooms? We have a bedroom for us, a guest bedroom, and a 'play' room for each of us. Mine's pretty spartan - my bike, computer desk, homeade book shelves, and a couple filing cabinets.
One very nice perk of this place - the previous tenants pretty much destroyed it, so it got a very good makeover before we moved in. New paint, carpets, vinyl, new closet doors, all new appliances...I think the toilets are even new. The complex also has a decent fitness center, swimming pool, and game room, though I've barely been to any of those (usually either working or at home).
Biggest pet peeve of such a huge place (besides the utilities)? Every space 'has to' be filled/decorated by something. e.g. we got by fine with one shower curtain in our old 1-bedroom, now we 'have to' have two. Instead of one window covering, now we have several. Etc. I'm sure it's something I'll remember when the day comes to look for a house.
Location? About three blocks from a busy bus stop. Less than a mile from my primary job. GF obviously gets to walk to work, too. Unfortunately, not near much else - we're very much at the edge of town. Library is 5 miles away, as is my favorite grocery store. There's another grocer about 2 mi away that is much pricier.
Question to you - if the apt is paid for via GF's work benefits, would you feel obligated to pay her some nominal rent figure? I should note that when we first lived together, she moved into my 1-bdr place, which I continued to pay for (for a matter of months until we found a different apt, which we split 50/50).
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AlexOliver
- Posts: 461
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:25 pm
The idea of renting rooms out has definitely crossed my mind. This place is ideally set up for that, too - it's basically split up into two 2-bdr, 1-bath units, each are in separate hallways off the living room, so privacy would be a non-issue
Don't know if that arrangement would be frowned on by her employers or not, but I've always envisioned inviting another couple to live with us for well-below-market-rates in exchange for not advertising the specifics of the situation.
Don't know if that arrangement would be frowned on by her employers or not, but I've always envisioned inviting another couple to live with us for well-below-market-rates in exchange for not advertising the specifics of the situation.
Frown shmown! Do it! That is a great perk.
We saw a job opening for renting apartments at a sister site of the one we are at now, and they offer discount rates. Dunno the discount, but it was a thought - I think we would have to move tho, and that isn't in my cards right now...
Favorite Pizza myself is cheese pizza. Or sausage pizza.
We saw a job opening for renting apartments at a sister site of the one we are at now, and they offer discount rates. Dunno the discount, but it was a thought - I think we would have to move tho, and that isn't in my cards right now...
Favorite Pizza myself is cheese pizza. Or sausage pizza.
PIZZA DELIVERY BY THE NUMBERS
In case anyone is curious about the money that can be made delivering pizzas on the weekend, here's a look at some income and expense numbers from my Friday night shift.
Clock in - 6:53 pm
Clock out - 4:38 am
Hours worked - 9.75
Deliveries - 35
Gas comp ($1 per del) - $35.00
Miles driven - 95
Gas cost @ 25 mpg, 3.00/gal = $11.40
Gas cost @ 30 mpg, 2.50/gal = $7.92
Tips - $96.00
Avg tip = $2.74
Wages ($7.25 x 9.75 hrs) - 70.69
Income = $166.69
$/hr = $17.10
THOUGHTS
For 35 deliveries I'd usually expect to drive a few more miles. I was fortunate that I took multiple orders every time I left the store, which racks up more del/mi.
Average tip for the night was right in line with my overall average.
Gas comp and tips paid in cash.
Assuming these numbers held up, I could cover my average expenses with about 5-6 shifts per month.
Now that I've been up for 23 hours, I think it's time for bed
In case anyone is curious about the money that can be made delivering pizzas on the weekend, here's a look at some income and expense numbers from my Friday night shift.
Clock in - 6:53 pm
Clock out - 4:38 am
Hours worked - 9.75
Deliveries - 35
Gas comp ($1 per del) - $35.00
Miles driven - 95
Gas cost @ 25 mpg, 3.00/gal = $11.40
Gas cost @ 30 mpg, 2.50/gal = $7.92
Tips - $96.00
Avg tip = $2.74
Wages ($7.25 x 9.75 hrs) - 70.69
Income = $166.69
$/hr = $17.10
THOUGHTS
For 35 deliveries I'd usually expect to drive a few more miles. I was fortunate that I took multiple orders every time I left the store, which racks up more del/mi.
Average tip for the night was right in line with my overall average.
Gas comp and tips paid in cash.
Assuming these numbers held up, I could cover my average expenses with about 5-6 shifts per month.
Now that I've been up for 23 hours, I think it's time for bed
Just read now the part about barefoot running, and it's amazing how there's a connection between ERE, minimalism and barefoot running.... it really looks like many of us have "walked" the same path
I run a marathon 3 years ago (with shoe) and now I run every now and then with Vibram FF.
So far I did go up to 10K in training, but I'd like to run some events with them.
I run a marathon 3 years ago (with shoe) and now I run every now and then with Vibram FF.
So far I did go up to 10K in training, but I'd like to run some events with them.
@ il-besa - Do you still wear a normal running shoe for most of your runs? I had a hard time going back to what I used to wear after adding in the minimalist running. Seemed like I could feel my old aches and pains in my knee and Achilles when I ran in my traditional shoes, so the Puma Speeders have been a good compromise.
AUGUST EXPENSE REPORT
97 - Food
30 - Rent
82 - Utilities
43 - Car parts/maintenance
167 - Gas
87 - Health insurance
18 - Entertainment
491 - Medical
1,015 - Total
NOTES
Food expenses could always be better if I really worked at it, but I eat most meals at home and get to eat pizza to my heart's content on the weekend, so they usually end up around 100.
In my final analysis, I won't count "Gas" or "Car parts/maintenance" as expenses because my Vehicle Compensation from delivering pizza was around $240, so I just take the $30 net as income. That knocks expenses for August down to $805.
The big 'ouch' for this month was the medical bill, which was paying off the remaining balance from a bike accident earlier this summer. Had I not had to pay for that, expenses could've been all the way down to $313, which would be a pretty big record for me. Of course, it seems that each month there is a new "one-time only" expense - sometimes it's a an expensive car repair, or the tax bill in April, or pre-payment of car insurance premium, etc.
September does not currently have any major planned expenses (besides a $100 or so tune-up to my car), so I'm hoping to finally have that month where everything comes together and I can write about a new record low in a few weeks.
97 - Food
30 - Rent
82 - Utilities
43 - Car parts/maintenance
167 - Gas
87 - Health insurance
18 - Entertainment
491 - Medical
1,015 - Total
NOTES
Food expenses could always be better if I really worked at it, but I eat most meals at home and get to eat pizza to my heart's content on the weekend, so they usually end up around 100.
In my final analysis, I won't count "Gas" or "Car parts/maintenance" as expenses because my Vehicle Compensation from delivering pizza was around $240, so I just take the $30 net as income. That knocks expenses for August down to $805.
The big 'ouch' for this month was the medical bill, which was paying off the remaining balance from a bike accident earlier this summer. Had I not had to pay for that, expenses could've been all the way down to $313, which would be a pretty big record for me. Of course, it seems that each month there is a new "one-time only" expense - sometimes it's a an expensive car repair, or the tax bill in April, or pre-payment of car insurance premium, etc.
September does not currently have any major planned expenses (besides a $100 or so tune-up to my car), so I'm hoping to finally have that month where everything comes together and I can write about a new record low in a few weeks.
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George the original one
- Posts: 5406
- Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:28 am
- Location: Wettest corner of Orygun
>Most cars only last 100-200k if they are not diesel.
Not exactly true... most only last 100k-200k miles because the owners deem them uneconomical to repair. The repairs are perfectly straight-forward to do.
If the desire to own a particular car is high, then a way will be found to afford the repairs. Or one can learn to DIY. In any case, the lifespan of the car can be stretched a long ways.
Not exactly true... most only last 100k-200k miles because the owners deem them uneconomical to repair. The repairs are perfectly straight-forward to do.
If the desire to own a particular car is high, then a way will be found to afford the repairs. Or one can learn to DIY. In any case, the lifespan of the car can be stretched a long ways.