Totally feel you on that wet tent misery. A soggy 8-pounder will make you rethink everything real quick.

1994 12 valve here. Tried the same thing once. Never again.

Oh man, you nailed it with the "broad enough but tight enough" part. That's the real secret I think a lot of people miss. I tried the envelope system a few years back and made my categories way too specific - like $50 for "dining out" and $30 for "entertainment" - and yeah, it felt like I was punishing myself every time I wanted to grab a burger with friends. What finally worked for me was having one big "fun money" envelope that covers everything from coffee to movies to pizza nights. If I want to spend the whole thing on takeout in week one, that's my choice, but I know I'm eating at home the rest of the month. The envelope system gives you a physical boundary instead of a digital one, and for some reason that just hits different in your brain.

I used to think paying someone to do my taxes was the smart move, like I was being responsible by handing it off to a pro. But then my old guy forgot to file a form for a side gig I did one year, and I ended up paying $800 in penalties that he wouldn't cover. That really changed my mind about it. Now I do them myself with the free software too, and honestly feeling like I actually understand my own money is worth the few hours it takes.

Yeah the dryness thing might cause them to drink more water which could change their whole mood.