People forget how hard basic money management is when you're poor. (Advice thread?)

[F4lconF16]

8. No, but I did save your suggestions :)

I fixed what I could, and took it in for the rest. They were kind enough to get the $17 part, replace it, check over my handiwork (which needed some adjustments), and realign my headset and fork for under $30. That's including $10 I already owed.

My local bike shop is awesome. I've had them build a wheel for me, and I'll buy another when I have the funds. They do basic fixes for free most of the time, and they're great about letting you drop in and get a quick repair. I've had under three hours for some big repairs before and they were able to squeeze me in on a busy day. Their labor charges are reasonable for their high-quality work. They're happy to answer questions from a wannabe mechanic peeking over their shoulders the entire time.

I may need to start making that soup. Got a recipe?