Follow-Ups: Cast-Iron Cooking, Gift-Giving, U-Haul Renting, Goal-Making Goodness

Here are some follow-ups on some recent posts:

Cast Iron Skillet: The Ultimate Smart and Frugal Cookware?

• Amazon actually sent it separately by 2nd-day Air, I can only assume to make sure it arrived without damage. But sending a $15 pot by 2nd-day air? Curious.
• I’ve used it twice to cook steaks and then again for some veggies for fajitas. Seared and delicious! My only comment is that the 12″ model that I got is a beast. If I had to do it again, I’d go for the 10″ model or even the 8″ one to reduce the weight. At least I already own a 12″ lid that fits my skillet perfectly.

Merry Christmas Sweetie! I Got You… Nothing.

• I ended up stumbling onto something small but thoughtful that my wife would like. It’s something that I would have bought her anyways even if it wasn’t for Christmas, but it made me feel a tad less guilty. In any case, I still think it’s better to have unexpected displays of affection.

U-Haul vs. Penske Moving Truck Rentals: Share Your Story

• We ended up going with U-Haul for the local move. The U-Haul truck was pretty beat-up, but I carefully recorded all the dings (most were already marked with stickers) on the contract. Brakes were really mushy, but everything was in working order. We only ended up racking up about 32 miles, and it was pretty uneventful. I would use them again for another local move, but I would have gone with Penske for a long-distance move.

What Are We Saving For, Anyways? Our Life Goals and “Retirement” Plans

• I like these goals so much better, that I’m thinking of getting rid of my $1,000,000 status bar on top. Who cares if I’m 1% closer to a million every couple of months anyways? It doesn’t really even motivate me. I just need to think of a way to measure my progress that’s not simply an income number.