Ask Lemmy

A new bicycle. But I can fix the one I've got for now.

I want a new gaming computer and a gigantic monitor/tv to plug into. I'm broke to the point of skipping meals currently.

I have been putting off buying new SSDs to replace internal HDDs that I've had for at least 5 years. They're starting to fill up with crap I've been hoarding over the years and quite frankly, I don't want to pay x3 or x4 times the amount for something I know doesn't cost that much.

It's all just flash NAND. That shit is everywhere. They can't tell me it costs $400 to make one 4TB 'cause I know it doesn't. That's utter BS price fixing.

I'm praying to Primus that my HDDs can outlast this hell hole we're in rn and at least give me the chance to replace just one of them.

Don't even get my started on NAS like Synology. That's a whole different rage bait.

A modern PC build. Can’t afford a new GPU or RAM. Mainly so I could actually get some use out of a monitor that isn’t fifteen years old.

The list is long and varied.

Can't afford: New floors and AC in my house (~$20K)

Can't justify: a XGIMI Aura 3 Max 4K 120Hz UST Projector ($2K)

Can't afford: A camper van (~$60K)

Can't justify: A new PC (~$3500)

One thing I did justify recently was $2K on a new bed. My old bed was over 20 years old.

An EV. I have a relatively new gas car that is fuel efficient and fully paid off. I work from home so really only use it maximum 3x a week for errands and extra curricular activities. Ironically an EV would be perfect for my use-case.

To: Santa

A VR headset, an AMD GPU for my PC, a 4TB SSD, an electric car, my own house, a clothes dryer, a dishwasher machine, a recumbent exercise kit, a pull up bar, new shoes that aren't falling apart and don't hurt my feet, a bedframe for my floor mattress, an electric blanket for winter, my $700 per month medications I had to give up, and a partner (they love me).

Kind Regards, Zarobi

Motorcycle. I had my previous one for 17 years and travelled many kilometers with it. However, it has worn down up to the point of the replacement parts being more valuable than what the bike would sell for. In other words, it was a write-off. As I ride my bicycle to work and I have too little leisure time already, I simply cannot justify buying my own motorcycle again.

Fortunately, my FIL has several and will lend me one if I want to.

A Fairphone when I have a fully functioning but old crappy Samsung phone.

Plenty of things, but the first that came to mind was the same as OP. The Steam Frame looks really cool, but at the price it's a whole thing.

Same for other electronics - a Framework laptop, building a new desktop (good luck to me there), a Steam Deck.

Lots of newer video games. It's easy to turn down some of them, because I know I haven't made time to play a lot of what I already have. Likewise for books in general, where money isn't a bottleneck but time and space are.

Pokemon cards - just recently had a mini-convention day here in town with a bunch of collectors/vendors selling. Made me really want to go back and fill out my weak collection of WotC classics, but the price (vs how much I care) is a bit prohibitive.

I'm lucky enough that I can afford some nicer things for myself, like a new ebike. Metallica is one of my favorite bands and I'm looking to go visit the Sphere in Las Vegas one day.

But with all of that said, I can't justify paying a minimum of $500 a ticket to go see Metallica at the sphere. I get the spectacle and Vegas setting brings the price up, but most live music seating to me is not worth more than $200-300 tops per ticket.

I have no disposable income. the list is long. name brand soda. little plastic doodad so it keeps a toilet puck from dissolving in the full tank between flushes. on the high side an electric bike. honestly even when I had income coming in the steam frame is to rich for my blood. I got a steam deck after a year or so when the price decreased and that was when tech part prices went down over time.

Buddy, I think the fact that you forgot the ‘t in your question means you’re asking the exact opposite of what you intend.

I want to spend $120 on glass Christmas ornaments.

I wanna go to Japan and do the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage. D:

Hope you get your steam frame and get to play 40k soon. :)

I have big plans to do a performance build on my fun car, a 1977 Cadillac Fleetwood. The old Cadillac big blocks are well known for shitting out good power and torque without much effort and I just want to see this 19 foot land yacht do stupid speeds.
But I do not have the space or equipment yet to be able to do a full engine-out job, and I'm about to move, and I have 14 other projects lined up in front of it (half of which are projects to keep my daily drivers running). So it sits, still a running car but so leaky that I try not to drive it.

A new roof. Our shingle roof is 18 years old and leaking. Which in New Mexico is not the end of the world. But as we have been having rain every other day for 2 weeks, it has become an issue.

There is no way I can afford it right now, so I will have to continuing I patch it.

First world problems entirely, but I can't justify any of the below:

A UV printer a metal lathe a 20yr old 2nd hand kit car.

5 years ago, I'd be out every night systematically removing flock cameras. I have the skills, the tools, and the experience avoiding getting caught. Instead I told myself these things weren't going to happen and these skills will ever bring me joy. So I cleaned up, got married, finally went to college. I have a career I'm dedicated to and it isn't even dubiously legal.

I see why we aren't out burning things in the streets now. I can't drive 5 over without worrying that a traffic stop will land my wife in alligator Auschwitz for being the wrong color. I can finally afford to buy food for my kid and it's subject to the whim of people who want my kind dead. I don't care about everyone else enough to risk what little I actually have.

My own rocket ship and a yacht that's so big it has another smaller yacht that can fit inside it in case I need to sail into any tight spots.

Nah, just kidding. Could you imagine?

Get into HAM radio. I have wayyyyyy to much hobbies as is.

Literally anything. Clothing. A bed. A UPS so I can safely update my six year out of date BIOS that is causing issues snd the constant, random power outages here don't make me feel safe enough to just do it whenever. A car. Insurance for a car. (Or being able to afford to live in a city with good public transit) Gender affirming care. A place to live. Privacy. Safety.

Oh yeah and my cancer meds that I am forced to live in poverty for and the threat of losing then dangles over my head if I lose my medicaid. Which is possible now.

Buy a classical guitar.

I've been eyeing them for about ten years now but I don't play enough guitar to justify the cost just yet. At some point I'll probably just wake up one morning and buy one and play it plenty and wonder why I waited so long.

I want to upgrade my DSLR into a mirrorless (that weighs less) but lo and behold I’m on an extended sick leave after I dislocated my shoulder and my employer doesn’t pay a cent after the first month.