I can't get used to paying for bones either, but basically I am, and lots more than $1/lb, when I buy bone-in meat. Just trying to compare making my own vs buying stock. We use a lot more chicken/turkey stock than beef. Of course I'm still in shock (after how many years of Buffalo Wings?) about chicken wings. I used to buy them in the early 90's for 29-39 cents/lb, "chicken spaghetti' was our cheap meal - I think ground beef was just over $1/lb then. Now I don't even look at chicken wings, and ground beef is $4/lb, as is stew meat. I just buy bottom round or whatever I can get on sale for $3ish, cut that up for stew/chili. We eat a lot of pork - I can usually get that for under $2/lb - and chicken I can sometimes get under $1. My uncle told me the next big thing is chicken feet - I've never bought them (or even gotten them for free), wonder when I'll see those in store and how much. Are more people making stock now, and since you can't find a stewing hen (or rooster) in the store, now they're selling feet? Hmmm, wonder if this farmer will sell some of her older laying hens (she sells eggs @ $6/doz, as well as meat birds)? Or else I have to wait until my uncle or cousin decide some of theirs aren't productive any more...

HOW MUCH ! I wish I would have seen your post before you paid that. The guy @ the shop was full Of S*@%. Sorry for the language but I get very upset when I hear about an unscrupulious/ dishonest Mechanic. If your car came into my shop and we did the same work, You would be out of there for under $ 400.00 and @ that price I'm still making a few bucks. But when one of these so called Pros rips off an unsuspecting consumer, it just gives HONEST MECHANICS another black eye. I've attached a listing for a Catalytic converter ,that fits your car, from one of my suppliers. This is one of 4 suppliers that I can get these from. I am sorry that you where taken for a ride but hopefully it won't happen again. Good luck ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1995 Lexus ES300 Catalytic Converter $155.99 Engine: IMZFE Engine Year Range: 1994 - 1996 Brand: DEC Notes: Direct Fit Catalytic Converter Unit Shipping Options: Overnight, 2-Day or Ground OEM Converters View All Exhaust Catalogs

I leveled the floor in our upstairs bathroom. It was out by 4-1/2 inches over a distance of 7 feet, but I might have left it alone except that the flooring and plumbing needed replacement anyway. I tore up the old subfloor, exposed the joists (which were placed in a pretty haphazard way). I sistered new joists onto those and cut tapered strips which I secured to the old joists, effectively making a 4"x8" joist. This also made it easier to install new plumbing. The most expensive part will be replacing the flooring, because I am using tile instead of the original linoleum. I chose to do this instead of jacking the whole wing of the house because I didn't see much sign that the foundation was still sinking. If there is something going on like rot or a collapsing foundation, that's a different call. The room was small, 7'x9', so nothing was real costly. Aside from my labor, there was probably less than $500 in materials, including the plumbing. Tile will add another $400-$500. Old houses are "old", and you can spend a lot of money trying to make them level and plumb, at which point they are still "old".

I'm sorry to say, no--it doesn't sound like a good idea to mortgage your retirement years to buy a house for your son. I don't know how old you are, but you may not even be able to get a mortgage to buy a second home at this stage of life. Even if you can it doesn't sound as if you can afford the mortgage payments IF he cannot. There are many reasons why he might not be able to keep up with the responsibility of a home--he really doesn't make enough, he makes poor decisions and may end up spending money for luxories before necessities, he could lose his job, the expenses (taxes, insurance, repairs, etc) could increase above his ability to pay. I know you want to help him, but at your stage of life, it's just not practical to take on this kind of financial burden. You really don't want to be stuck working until age 70-80, do you? to pay his mortgage? What are the possibilities of maybe adding a small apt. to your home? Maybe fixing up a garage, or building him his own efficiency out the back? Something with a separate entrance, so that he could feel independent, and you'd reclaim some of your space? Alternatively, I'd really look into possibly getting him qualified--if he can get into government-sponsored housing, his rent would be based on his ability to pay. And that would take into consideration his income, expenses, health, etc. My mom lived in a wonderful senior tower. On the open market, her apt. would have gone for around $1800/month--but she paid only $250/month. There were also a few younger people living in the building who qualified because of their special needs. They were people able to live on their own, but who needed a little extra help. I fear that buying him a house now, could be a decision that bankrupts you in your retirement years. You really don't want to take that chance. You won't have the resources to fix a problem like that at that time. Sit down and brainstorm and see if you can't come up with a better solution that won't have such serious repercussions if things go wrong.