Before I Add a New Thing

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I have a rule I keep coming back to: before I buy something new, I look at what I already pay for.

This started as a money thing. My income is irregular. Some months I get a check from a usability test or a research study, and some months I don’t. I can’t count on a steady paycheck the way a lot of people can, so every subscription has to earn its place. When I need something new, the first question is whether I already have a tool that does the same job.

Budgeting on Lanie: Faith, Tech, and Advocacy

Before I Add a New Thing