July was hot, humid and busy. Not busy with fun mind you but the thankless stuff that needs to get done or else something dies due to the negligence of other people. I’ll leave it at that.
This month I collected $47.75 worth of bottles and cans. I did less canning this month but it’s high season for people getting plastered so it didn’t matter.
My canning earnings of $47.75 for July 2026.
I also sold some stuff I found in the trash this month. First the stuff sold on eBay.
An AMD Crossfire ribbon cable to connect two graphics cards netted me $4.94.
A set of 15 postcards (1 missing) from the Lord of the Rings movies netted me $6.32.
A pair of Nike Zoom Alphafly Next% 2 in pink and yellow colorway netted me $13.00. This was a tough sale because I actually wanted to keep them (as they were my size) but they were thrown out by someone on my street that I am familiar with and I didn’t feel like dealing with the hassle if he recognized me wearing his shoes. The consolation was that they were ugly as fuck anyway.
I also found a pair of women’s running shoes in my mom’s size. She saw them cleaned up and then seemed more eager to have them once if I told her they came out of a dumpster. They were a pair of Lululemon Blissfeel shoes and she gave me $10 for them despite me just wanting to give them to her again.
The Tools
The only thing I bought this month was a Norco Bush Pilot for $25 from a thrift store.
My thrift store $25 Norco Bush Pilot
The reason I wanted a bicycle was simple. Sometimes I have to go places that would take too long to walk to but I don’t feel like using money on public transportation either. Having a bike would solve that problem. It’s an idea that’s been knocking about in my mind for awhile now but I finally got pissed off enough this month to act on it. I haven’t ridden a bike since I was about 11 years old so I’m working up my nerve to actually get on the thing. I need to do some basic maintenance on the bike and find a helmet before I do though.
I chose the Norco Bush pilot for a couple of reasons. Norco isn’t a department store quality brand and would be an entry level offering you might be sold in a specialized bike shop for several hundred dollars. Even if it’s from the late 1990’s to early 2000’s a hardtail mountain bike from a reputable brand is league’s ahead of the junk that rolls out of the Canadian Tire’s or Walmart’s of the world at $150 a pop currently. I also wanted an angled frame because at 40 years old and fat I can’t swing my leg consistently high over the bar of a normal frame anymore (at least right now anyway).
I find it difficult to write which is why I don’t post often besides the monthly BAJOAT updates on this website. Sometimes I’ll have an idea for a post but by the time I get to write about it that idea isn’t as compelling or I forgot to document parts of a project so anything I write won’t do it justice so I don’t. My perfectionism is really procrastination in the end and has been my life long battle. It’s something I’m aware of and working on – hence this post apropos the bits and pieces of things that have been going on with me this summer that I’m forcing myself to write about.
Shoe Retirement
I’ve been wearing a pair of Brooks Glycerin 15 running shoes when I walk or run to do errands for the last 2 years. I got them for free from my mom who had in turn received them from an elderly person who was getting a new pair of shoes. That elderly man died about 6 months later by which time I had not yet even tried them on. So I always referred to them as my “Dead Man’s Shoes”. They were in used but good condition still and I had never had a pair of Brooks shoes before. They quickly became my favorite pair. They were extremely comfortable and kept cool especially on hot summer days which is important as my feet sweat a lot. They originally retailed at $150 ($175 after tax thereabouts) which explains my lack of experience in regards to Brooks. Overall they were a great pair of shoes that have survived multiple washes and hundreds of miles so if I ever find a similar pair for under $40 (or in the garbage ideally) I will definitely go for that brand again. Sadly they died about a week ago when I finally wore holes (cracks) in both shoes from use.
RIP Brooks Glycerin 15 20XX to mid 2026Yes I did remove, wash and keep the laces. Simultaneous cracks in the soles spelled the end for them.
New “Tablet”
My routine every night before I fall asleep is to watch videos on Youtube (or some similar streaming APP). When the tablet starts slipping out of my grip I know it’s time for bed. Since January of 2021 I’ve been using a Lenovo Smart Tab M10 that I paid $150.80 ($173.38) for that purpose.
I got my use out of it and we said our goodbyes on Ebay.
It fit my needs until about 8 months ago when it really began to show its age. It came with 2GB of ram which is just not enough to run even current mundane applications under Android 9 without substantial lag. It only had 32GB of storage which meant I couldn’t install many programs natively without triggering storage full warnings and had to force developer mode so I could transfer them to an external SD card (but even then problems persisted). The last straw was that the battery started showing inaccurate readings in regards to charging/capacity and would sometimes drop suddenly from 30-50% remaining to 3% then immediately shutdown thereafter. It’s a telltale sign that the battery is going bad so I knew I would have to find a replacement tablet soon.
I had been shopping around for a few months for a new tablet but there were just no deals that I could find. With the RAM and storage price surges due to A.I. driven demand even lowered spec consumer grade units (without what I consider significant performance upgrades over what I currently had) were outrageously priced.
What finally happened was that I impulsively purchased a Google Pixel 6 pro that was listed on Ebay as untested for $70 after shipping. It was a terrible idea in retrospect since so many things can go wrong with used cellphones besides hardware issues but I had convinced myself I could fix whatever problems the phone had. Plus I was just sick of shopping and it was clear tablets were nowhere to be had anyway.
The impulse purchase
New Kid On The Block
As it turns out the problem with the Google Pixel 6 pro I received was that it had a broken screen and digitizer. Luckily it wasn’t account locked too so I ordered a replacement screen from Amazon to get it functional again. I am now confident that it will the last cell phone screen that I will ever replace because it was a nightmare. The flatflex ribbon cable on the replacement screen was about 1CM shorter that the OEM one so it was almost impossible to install it properly to the motherboard without ripping the cable off the replacement screen. In addition to that you had to secure the cable to the motherboard with 2 micro screws and I managed to drop one on the ground while doing the installation. It took 15 minutes to find that damn screw and in the process I almost had a mental breakdown. When the screen was actually installed I had to secure it to the phone body with some black glue that would create a waterproof membrane while sticking it down. The glue oozed absolutely everywhere and whatever membrane that was supposed to form when it dried sadly did not occur. Luckily the case hides the botched job so you can’t notice it.
Cons & Pros of my new Google Pixel 6 Pro
Cons
The replacement screen I installed did work however it had a greenish tint instead of the proper deep black that was supposed to be displayed on a dark screen. I was thoroughly pissed off but the Amazon seller ended up refunding me the money I paid for the replacement screen because of the error.
I messed up the screen installation so the phone itself isn’t pretty but the case hides it.
It took a few hours to get used to going from a 10″ screen to 6″7 plus the green tint was bothersome at first but now I hardly notice.
Pros
It was inexpensive. The Google Pixel 6 Pro ended up costing me $83 ($70 for the phone and $13 for the case).
Although OS updates/upgrades will end in October 2026 it’s been upgraded to Android 17 which is significantly newer than the Android 9 I had been using on my Lenovo Tablet.
Performance is noticeably better than the Lenovo M10. It has snappy performance and 12GB of Ram which is more than all but the highest end tablets currently on the market. It runs everything I’ve thrown at it without any lag or stutter. It also has 128GB of storage which means I won’t have the bottleneck issues with the OS anymore.
The battery it came with was used but it had a large original capacity (5003 mAh) and I can still get a full day with light use or 8+ hours of streaming on it.
The camera is fantastic (although irrelevant as it’s just a media streaming device currently). This means however that it can serve as a backup for my Google Pixel 6a if something ever happens to it.
Overall I’m happy with the outcome but the lesson to be learned here is that I got lucky and things could have gone wrong any number of ways.
Miscellaneous
Here is where I’m going to do the piddling updates that don’t require longer explanations.
It’s been a little over a year that I’ve been using my Google Pixel 6a and it’s a fantastic phone. I should have gotten a smart phone long ago because it’s proved to be an invaluable tool but my stubbornness not to have a phone got the best of me again.
The MAXWISDOM Model RS320 electric shaver purchased for $16 in October is still working fine. I cleaned the rotary heads this week because they had begun to clog up and it shaves like new again. It’s been 10 months so the cost per month is down to $1.60
I’m still using the Lenovo R500 and it’s had no issues besides being bulky. Linux Mint runs great on it and I’ve not run into any performance issues with the things I’ve done on it. I was hoping to upgrade at some point but things are a mess right now in the used computer market.
Summer is finally upon us as we are in the midst of our first heat wave of the year. Summer is my least favorite season for weather. It’s hot, it’s muggy and the worst kind of people go on and on about how great it is. One of the only good things about the weather is those people who adore it like to drink and throw out their empties which is good for me.
This month I collected $26.15 worth of cans/bottles.
My canning earnings of $26.15 for June 2026
I also earned a bit of side income this month selling trash that I found. This time it was an old picture book from the 1900’s about a local University that was thrown in a dumpster. It was full of black and white photos of past alumni and how the university used to look. Interesting for the right person I guess. I managed to sell it on Ebay and netted $10.22.
Old book found in the dumpster which netted me $10.22
The Tools
The only thing I bought this month was a 24 piece wrench set branded GRIP (Grand Rapids Industrial Products) from Amazon for $30.43.
These are cheap and nasty wrenches produced in India. I would rate them as on the level of Pittsburgh branded ones from Harbor Freight (but we don’t have that store in Canada) so i went with these instead. My preference would be to put together a wrench set on my own with better quality stuff from garage sales or to wait on Husky branded ones with lifetime warranties to go on sale at Home Depot. The problem is one of time. I need a variety of wrenches to get started on a bunch of projects that have been sitting around and I only have the summer to do them. These projects require both SAE and Metric sizes. I can’t just buy the individual wrenches as needed because it would be too expensive. As it were this set breaks down to about $1.27 a wrench which is less than I would probably pay at a garage sale anyway. I’m under no illusions of what they are and will be replacing them as I go. All they have to do is work and hopefully not bust my knuckles too bad before I get things finished.
Assets
Cash (on hand): $1.91
Revenue
Cans/Bottles: $26.15
Sold Items: $10.22 – Book
Total Amount: $36.37
Expenses
GRIP 24 Wrench Set with tool roll $30.43
Total Expenses: $30.43
Net Revenue: $5.94
Summary
June was rather sedate but things will be ramping up in July with more free time. Until then.
Summer is almost upon us as Spring fades away. Spring is my favorite month because it’s one of hope and change. The environment goes through the desolation and aftermath of Winter and you think to yourself how could anything possibly start again after that? The world is bare but slowly life rebuilds itself one flower at a time until one day the world turns green again.
This month I managed to turns cans and bottles I found into $14.10. I’m happy with the amount as even if it’s not the highest I’ve earned it’s still a step in the right direction.
My canning earnings of $14.10 for May 2026.
I also earned a bit of side income this month. Although I talk about canning and the money I earn that way on this blog I do happen to pick up a lot of trash as well. Sometimes I post about it if it’s something directly applicable to this project (that I can use or gets sold) but the majority of the finds don’t get posted simply because they have an uncertain future. They have no immediate use to me and they may or may not get sold at a future time. There’s no point posting about an object if I just end up donating it anyway. So over the course of months I accumulate a variety of things I find and I hold a garage sale once a year to divest myself of my hoard. Although last year I didn’t post about my garage sale because I held it with my mom and just gave her all the money as she deserved it for putting up with me my entire life.
Anyway, one of the items I found was a pair of Brooks running shoes for women in decent condition. They happened to be my mom’s size and when she saw them she wanted them. So I cleaned them up for her and was planning on just giving them to her but she insisted on giving me what I would have sold them for at the garage sale so I said $5 and then she gave me $10 (despite my protests I might add).
So overall it was a quiet month but I enjoyed it.
The Tools
I ended up buying a few things this month for two future projects that I’ll write about here soon.
The first purchase was a bottle of Weldbond for $12.18 from Amazon. I’ve never tried Weldbond before but it seems to get good reviews and is Canadian as a plus.
The second purchase was a box of 10 SOS steel wool pads from Walmart for $1.12. The cardboard box had gotten damp and dried so it was on clearance.
The third thing I bought was a pack of (50) 3 inch wood screws from Amazon for $7.30. I will need these for my project as it uses scrounged leftover pieces of dimensional lumber from construction dumpsters and standard wood screws won’t be long enough. Carriage bolts would have been better but they are too expensive for the amount I need.
The fourth thing I bought was 2L of vinegar for $2.29 from the local grocery store. I need acetic acid as a rust remover and vinegar is the cheapest method of getting it I know.
The fifth thing I bought was a box of baking soda for $1.58 from Walmart. The baking soda will neutralize the acid once the rust removal process is finished.
The sixth and seventh things I bought came from a flea market I attended at the end of the month. It was a Weller 25W soldering iron for $1.00 and a combo vice grip & clamp (Power Jaws). The Weller will go into my soldering kit and I plan on selling the Power Jaws as they are a gimmicky tool that I have no need of but are quite uncommon. Worst case scenario is I just keep them if they don’t sell but I hope they will.
Assets
Cash (on hand): $4.28
Revenue
Cans/Bottles: $14.10
Sold Items: $10.00 – Shoes
Total Amount: $24.10
Expenses
Weldbond Glue $12.18
SOS Pads $1.12
Wood Screws $7.30
4L Vinegar $2.29
Box of Baking Soda $1.58
Weller Soldering Iron $1.00
Power Jaws Vice Grip & Clamp $1.00
Total Expenses: $26.47
Net Revenue: -$2.37
Summary
I enjoyed myself this month. The weather was nice and I got some canning done and I managed to attend a flew market which was the clear highlight for me. I’m looking forward to June.
April was a frustrating month. I was busy doing other things which didn’t allow for canning and when I did manage to get some done the bins were picked clean. The good spring weather has brought out competition and all sorts of people are canning now. It would be fine if it were just the usual types that NEED to do canning to survive but it now runs the gamut from families with kids to capable clean and well dressed adults. Not to mention one particularly crazed regular always dressed head to toe in safety gear with a long matted beard started screaming and half halfheartedly chasing me down a sidestreet one day. I guess I was on his “territory”. The chance of getting stabbed completely killed my vibe.
Anyway I made $5.80 over the course of April canning. Big whoop.
My canning earnings of $5.80 for April 2026
The rest of my spare time in April was spent once again helping a family member renovate a bathroom. I ended up doing:
Changed out bathroom sink faucet with a new fixture
Changed out bathroom tub/shower faucet with new fixture
Laid down oilcloth (vinyl) on the bathroom floor.
May is shaping up to be more of the same unfortunately for me.
The Tools
The only thing I bought this month was a DeWalt utility knife from Home Depot for $11.48
To install the new bathroom tub fixture (once I had the old one removed) I had to expose the pipes coming out of the wall to get enough room to remove the old compression fittings. Which meant I had to chip away at the old plywood with my $1 utility knife which was a nightmare. It’s a flimsy thing that’s not meant for that type of work so after I finished that night I bought a better and more robust knife.
Assets
Cash (on hand): $9.96
Revenue
Cans/Bottles: $5.80
Total Revenue: $5.80
Expenses
Dewalt Utility Knife $11.48
Total Expenses: $11.48
Net Revenue: -$5.68
Summary
So somehow I’m even poorer than last month so I expect there to be no purchases in May because I don’t have any money left. It’s all so very depressing.
March was busy. I didn’t do much canning because the time I spent on errands was cut substantially. Instead most of that time went towards helping a family member fix a bathroom. Normally I struggle to remember the DIY type stuff I do in any given month but this time I managed to write most of it down.
Fixed bathtub drain pipe that had become detached completely with epoxy.
Changed cartridge and washers in bathroom sink faucet to make functional again.
Changed cartridge and washers in bathtub faucet to make functional again.
There was also other small stuff but it’s not worth writing about (I forgot to write it down basically).
Anyway as for canning I managed to find $9.15 worth of stuff over the course of March.
My Canning Earnings of $9.15 For March 2026
The Tools
The first thing I bought this month was a pair of Showa outdoor work gloves with latex grip for $6.49 off Amazon. I basically needed a pair of shit kicker gloves for use outside and for dirty jobs. These fit the bill.
The second thing I bought was a Stanley Mini Hacksaw for $11.48 from Home Depot. I needed a small saw for metal that could be used in a tight space for the plumbing work and this was it.
The third thing I bought was a Stanley prybar or “Wonderbar” also from the Home Depot for $11.48. I needed this to pull out rotten wood (trim/wall). I could have used the prybar or crowbar I already had but I didn’t want to damage the bathtub porcelain and the “Wonderbar” just works better for this type of job.
The fourth thing I bought this month along with the rest of the stuff from Home Depot was a 15 inch Stanley handsaw for $11.48. I’m going to be making bird & squirrel houses this summer and I need a saw to cut scrap wood. I didn’t have one and now I do.
The last thing I bought was a new (to me) toolbox from a Thrift Store for $6.25. I had actually ordered a different toolbox but it apparently wasn’t in stock anymore so they sent me this one instead. It’s a worst Mastercraft branded box missing a compartment door but it will at least hold the excess tools that would otherwise be laying on the ground. The thrift store has a no returns policy even if they’re at fault so I’ve just got to eat the loss. Whatever.
Thrift store special missing a door.
Assets
Cash (on hand): $47.99
Revenue Cans/Bottles: $9.15
Total Revenue: $9.15
Expenses
Showa Outdoor latex coated work gloves $6.49
Stanley Mini Hacksaw $11.48
Stanley “Wonder” Pry Bar $11.48
Stanley Handsaw $11.48
Used Mastercraft Toolbox $6.25
Total Expenses: $47.18
Net Revenue: -$38.03
Summary
We’re still working on the bathroom so I expect April to be similar to March. I’ve found it’s satisfying doing this type of work though. I learned and got experience at least. I don’t expect to be buying much in April either since I’m nearly out of money. No money and working for free! Just like the pros do it.
I would describe my February as barely keeping it together. I can’t point out one specific issue but the combination of mental illness and personal responsibilities has me feeling that way. I got through it though and I’ve come to enjoy doing errands as it coincides with canning. I find walking relaxing and if I so happen to find some money (in the way of cans) along the way, all the better. I earned $37.45 this month canning.
My Canning Earnings of $37.45 for February 2026
I found a bunch of stuff in the trash related to the project this month and I remembered to take a pictures too.
The first thing I found was a slightly used Jansport backpack (black). It needed a wash but besides that was in decent condition. I don’t have any pressing need for a backpack but it’s there now if I happen to.
In a school dumpster I found a Stanley 40 Watt hot glue gun (working) and a roll of masking tape. I guess they threw out the hot glue gun because it was missing the little piece of metal that serves as a stand. Maybe I’ll bend a paperclip or find some thin piece of metal and make a new stand for it. I’m not sure why they threw out the tape besides maybe not needing it. It’s Scotch brand too not that cheap dollar store stuff!
The hair from my cats chooses to stick to the roll just for this picture.
At an apartment block I found a small Honeywell oscillating desk fan in a recycle bin. It wasn’t dirty at all and looked as if it hadn’t been used. It was missing the AC adapter though so I guess whoever owned it before lost that and decided to lose the fan as well. At that same apartment in the dumpster this time I found a desk lamp (along with a Great Value LED light bulb still in the socket). The lamp has a pencil eraser sized bit of rust inside the shade so I guess that’s why they threw it out (and the light bulb also had to go as well since it was tainted by that). Both the fan and the desk lamp (and light bulb) all work fine. The fan will come in handy if I need to blow solder smoke away from my face while working. It’s not a fume extractor but it’s better than nothing. The lamp will come in handy as the last lamp I trash picked doesn’t put out enough light for my liking but this one is nice and bright.
The last thing I found was a Garrison branded money box thrown in a recycle bin. It was missing the key so I guess that’s why whoever owned it threw it out. I’ve just been leaving the cash that relates to this project sitting on my desk so now I can be all professional with a money box!
It was actually cleaner in the recycle bin
I still struggled to remember to write down the handy-man type stuff I did this month and quite frankly forgot all of it. I did repair a pair of boots for my mom (re-glued the heels and unstuck the stuck zippers with a birthday candle). She needed them to get through the mucky spring so it was a quick and dirty repair. The only reason I remember that one is because it happened on February 28th. I’ll try again next month.
The Tools
The first thing I bought this month was a set of Eklind SAE Hex keys from Amazon for $11.04. I had purchased a Bondhus Metric set in December so wanted a SAE set to compliment them.
The second thing I bought was a shoe handle wire brush also from Amazon for $4.93 . I need to work on some rusty bicycles this summer and this will do the job I think.
The third thing I bought was a Swanson Speed Square and Combination Square from Amazon for $11.74. I confess that I happened upon a Youtube video about using speed squares one day this month and they looked cool/useful. I don’t actually need them… YET!
My impulse purchase shame
The last couple of things I bought were some 3M medium grit sandpaper from Amazon $3.09, a roll of gorilla tape for $3.58 and a variable power supply from Aliexpress for $6.19 (it now powers that Honeywell fan I found).
Assets
Cash (on hand): $51.11
Revenue
Cans/Bottles: $37.45
Total Revenue: $37.45
Expenses
Eklind SAE Hex Key Set $11.04
Shoe Handle Wire Brush $4.93
Speed/Combination Square set $11.74
Sandpaper $3.09
Gorilla Tape $3.58
Power Supply $6.19
Total Expenses: $40.57
Net Revenue: -$3.12
Summary
I’m honestly too tired to think of what to write here. On to the next month.
January was not a fun month. I had to do and spend a lot of money on things I consider chores. Plus it’s cold. January in Quebec averages around -15C and it goes beyond that when you take into account the wind (which is so well known around here they had a local semi-pro hockey team named after it). Because of the frigid temperatures I only earned $29.70 this month by canning.
My Canning Earnings of $29.70 from January 2026.
My birthday is also this month and it was spent doing family medical stuff. Woopee! I did receive a gift (that relates to this project) from my mom which I do appreciate. It’s a Husky branded 10 piece pack of pliers & wrenches. I did not have a pair of slip joint or groove joint pliers and the rest of the kit will come in handy as well.
The gift I got from my mom.
The Tools
The first couple of purchases were all made at a thrift store. They’re a crowbar for $5, a pry bar for $3 and mini paint roller handle for $0.50 (for hooking trash bags out of dumpsters). The bars are unbranded as far as I can tell but they say made in Canada so I don’t doubt they have a lot of life left in them.
The next purchase was to make my life easier. When I do work for my mom she has a variety of screwdrivers strewn about in a junk drawer that I have to always sort through to find the type I need. I got sick of doing that so I purchased a multi-bit Picquic screwdriver to leave with her. It came in a pack of 3 so I kept the medium sized one and the small “teeny turner”. The cost of the multipack was $27.90 off of Amazon after tax.
In this vein I also had to sharpen a bunch of kitchen knives for her because they were dull so I purchased a Lansky Blade Sharpener off of Amazon for $15.19. It’s a quick and dirty sharpening method but it gets the job done.
The next was an impulse purchase that was made after assembling a flat pack piece of furniture. It was a Wiha branded magnetizer/de-magnetizer also from Amazon for $13.61. It should be pretty easy to guess why I bought this.
The last thing I bought this month was a set of dental tools from Amazon for $11.89. I don’t plan on doing my own dentistry but I have found myself in need of some of the kit when cleaning recently. Sometimes things like your fingernail, toothpicks or a paint scraper do not work and you require a specialized tool to get into hard to reach places
Assets
Cash (on hand): $99.61
Revenue
Cans/Bottles: $29.70
Total Revenue: $29.70
Expenses
Crowbar $5.00
Pry Bar $3.00
Mini Paint Roller Handle $0.50
Picquic screwdriver set $27.90
Lansky Blade Sharpener $15.90
Wiha Magnetizer/De-Magnetizer $13.61
Dental Tool Set $11.89
Total Expenses: $77.80
Net Revenue :-$48.10
Summary
I spent way too much money this month born of frustration and impatience. I’m also kind of sick of spending money on tools and I would actually like to do some DIY stuff that’s fun, useful or at least interesting to me. I still cannot believe I haven’t done any soldering. It’s like living in a bad dream where something always seems to pop up or has to get done first.
It was now decided that I would buy a laptop and it would be a Thinkpad. Buying new was out of the question as I just did not require the power that current machines provide (but really just because I’m poor) so I started browsing for older models. I turned up nothing locally in the classifieds or through any businesses in my city. That left eBay and I quickly found that Thinkpads hold their value vis a vis other contemporary laptop manufacturers.
Now middle aged I had more knowledge and experience with computers than in my youth so I decided that instead of buying a more expensive turn key machine I would try to buy a parts model and fix it myself to keep costs down. As it turns out despite having more knowledge and experience they did not translate into correctly estimating what it would cost to get an old machine fully operational again.
I settled on (really compulsively) purchased a for parts listing of a Thinkpad R500 with the original Lenovo power adapter for $39.52. The Ebay listing was vague but the laptop seemed to be in good physical shape judging by the pictures and it came from a seller who didn’t currently or have a history of having had any other computer related listings on their account. I thought it more likely to be a seller just getting rid of an old machine and not wanting to deal with any issues that might crop up and as such they had listed it for parts.
Originally when I started I had wanted something like a Thinkpad T400-T420 but there were just none in my price range (under $100) when I was looking. The Thinkpad R500 was a good compromise because while the Thinkpad R series was considered the “budget” model in it’s time because it lacked the rubberized magnesium lid, as such today it didn’t show the age related wear that all other Thinkpads displayed that had this trademark lid (caused by rubber reversion over time). Besides that there was little difference in my eyes between models.
The Thinkpad R500 purchased for $39.52
Specifications
15.4 Inch Screen with 1280 x 800 Resolution
Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26 GHz
2GB DDR3 Ram
320GB HDD
Dead 3rd party battery
When I received the laptop the first thing I noticed that while the cosmetic condition was indeed good the ultrabay latch was broken and as such it always “stuck out”. It’s not really a piece you can replace easily but it isn’t a vital fix either. I ended up just using a piece of tape and sticking it down inside the machine. It’s an inelegant solution but it works and you don’t see it anyway.
To my delight the machine did turn on the first time I powered it but it immediately displayed a Fan Error message on the screen. I was able to bypass this and get into the BIOS where I also discovered the CMOS battery was dead. It was at this point my estimate of how much it would cost to get serviceable again began to be grossly wrong.
Repairs & Upgrades
Long story short I did the following things to get the Thinkpad R500 to be a usable machine again in 2026.
CMOS battery replaced which cost $11.49 on Amazon.
Fan Error = Fan dead = A replacement laptop fan assembly for $12.99 on Aliexpress installed.
Processor changed to a Intel Core 2 Duo T9800 2.9 GHz for $12.83 from Ebay (I upgraded because to change the fan assembly you have to disassemble almost the whole machine anyway and I figured that since I was in the area and was going to repaste the the original processor I might as well do the upgrade at the same time).
Installed 8GB of DDR3 RAM (2 x 4GB) for $10.20 purchased from Ebay (see point above).
Replaced 320 GB mechanical HDD with 120GB SSD purchased from Amazon for $19.53 (see two points above).
Bought a new genuine Lenovo 41++ 6000 mAh battery from Aliexpress for $50.29 to replace the dead 3rd party battery that came with the computer.
Total cost to repair & upgrade: $117.33
Post upgrade bonanza (date code on roll cage reads 2010-03-04)The New 41++ Battery
Final total cost of Thinkpad R500 $156.83
Conclusions
In the end I spent too much money fully refurbishing the computer. I would have been better off spending more time shopping for a different Thinkpad that was turn key and would have likely gotten one better for under the $156.83 I ended up spending. That being said I did learn doing the laptop upgrades and came to enjoy the process despite the associated stress it caused me.
I’ve now been using the Thinkpad R500 for close to a month and can confirm that Thinkpads do live up to the hype they receive. The Thinkpad R500 is the best built laptop I’ve even used and the fact that I was even able to refurbish the computer at all 16 years after its release confirms to me the legendary durability Thinkpads are known for. The design of the machine is big, bulky and black but it has a certain charm to it. The keyboard is a pleasure to use and type on compared to others I’ve used in the past.
The Thinkpad R500 in it’s final form running Linux Mint XFCE
I decided upon and installed Linux mint XFCE on the Thinkpad R500. It’s a lightweight Linux distribution that is user friendly but not overly taxing on older hardware. Linux has come a long way for average users since the last time I used it. Everything pretty much worked out of the box after the initial installation. All the hotkeys, trackpoint and even the Thinklight too. I was afraid that a Core 2 Duo like the T9800 might struggle with modern web browsing in 2026 but it handles websites and video streaming like Youtube at 1080p just fine coupled with 8GB of ram. The SSD means it boots up in under 10 seconds and it is not unlike the experience you would get using a modern day laptop when running an office suite. You won’t be playing the latest games or rendering 4K video on a machine like this but for what I require it just works.
So that’s my new computer. I’m enjoying my experience using it and satisfied overall despite a few setbacks I encountered.
I have not owned a laptop for years but it is now 2026 and I find myself in need of one. There are three broad categories that encompass why that is that I will outline below:
Primary Reasons For Needing A Laptop
I need to have access to a portable computer to be able to do work on.
I need to have access to a computer with a DVD drive to access discs on.
I would like a portable computer that I can watch my physical movie library on occasionally and one that I can digitize my CD collection with.
Secondary Reasons For Wanting A Laptop
I want to divest myself from the Microsoft ecosystem. I used to tolerate Microsoft/Windows but over the last few years they have become insufferable. Their hardware requirements for running Windows 11 are absurd and will result in so much usable hardware being decommissioned and then ending up in landfills. It’s an environmental catastrophe that is entirely avoidable and I shame them for their decisions.
Microsoft is also intent on shoehorning their “Co-Pilot” AI into every piece of software they maintain. From Windows 11 to Microsoft Office and even the lowly Windows Media player (which as of this writing no longer functions to retrieve album information from a CD database when burning a disc and just returns an error message and lists every track as unknown). AI has its purposes and should be heavily regulated but none of its functions are required for me in these instances. I have a brain and the ability to think and reason. I do not want AI shoved down my throat at the expense of degrading or all together ruining the end user experience. Make AI available when it’s needed but don’t force it on me at every occasion.
That leaves me to choose between the Apple ecosystem (which besides the wholly ingrained unappealing nature of their hardware also appears to be headed in the AI direction with their software) and Linux. It’s apparent then that some flavor of Linux operating system will be my choice but I have not used Linux for many years. In fact the last time I used Linux was when I requested/received an Ubuntu DVD via the mail. I don’t even remember what version it was and I remember being amateurish in my use of it back then so there will be a learning curve now no doubt.
Tertiary ReasonFor Wanting A Laptop
I want to see if Thinkpad laptops live up to the hype. I’ve seen a lot of Youtube videos praising Thinkpads from creators that I respect. I’ve also read many testimonials expounding their virtues on the internet. I want to see for myself whether these things are true or not.
My Brief Personal History With Laptop Computers
For posterity but also pertinence I guess I have a small history of owning and using laptops
Laptop 1 – Toshiba Satellite A110 (mid 2006 to April 08, 2014)
The Toshiba Satellite A110 (not mine)
Specs
15.4 Inch 1280 x 800 Screen Resolution
Intel Celeron M 410 1.46 GHz Processor
512 MB of DDR2 RAM
60 GB Hard Disc
Windows XP Home OS
I purchased the Satellite A110 for $479 ($550.73 after tax) open box from a Futureshop store in mid 2006 (I can’t remember the exact date). I knew very little about computers at this point in time but I needed something for school with some urgency. Between laptops and desktops it was the cheapest available at any nearby stores since I did not trust buying things online in 2006(LOL).
In retrospect using the Satellite A110 turned out to be a miserable experience but it got me through school which is what counts I guess. It was a big bulky machine that ran hot and slow even under Windows XP. It ran so hot it made the fan grates brittle and they all snapped off by the end of the first year of my owning it. It also almost immediately discolored the grey plastic on chassis where my palms rested to black (with the rest of the plastic on the body discoloring eventually on its own thereafter).
Instead of a regular trackpad with buttons directly underneath it, the Satellite A110 had two large black bars that were part of the bottom chassis that doubled as buttons towards the middle. It was a mushy mess using them and you had to adopt a finger gun pose with your hand to use them properly with the trackpad because of how it was situated. My hands still get cramps remembering how much I used it in this way.
Repairs/Upgrades
Within a month of owning the computer the hard drive developed the “click of death” but I had no what that meant at the time. All I knew was that sometimes the laptop clicked. It took 2 years for the hard drive to die and require replacing by which time I had also decided that since it was unbearably slow to upgrade the RAM to 2GB.
The Upgrades & Repairs to the Toshiba Satellite A110 over the years
The upgraded RAM helped but it suffered from other failures over its lifespan. The AC Adapter died and had to be replaced as did the keyboard which stopped working. Eventually I had to try installing Windows 7 with the end of XP support. After several hours it eventually succeeded but it abruptly shut down forever later that day never to be powered on again. My guess it that all that generated heat over its lifespan eventually wore out a component on the motherboard which failed.
Laptop 2 – HP Mini 1116NR (September 2009 to January 2014)
The HP Mini 1116nr (not mine)
Specs
8.9 Inch Screen with 1024 x 600 Screen Resolution
Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz
1GB DDR2 Ram
16 GB SSD
Windows XP Home
I purchased the HP Mini 1116nr in September 2009 for $199.99 ($229.94 after tax) from Futureshop (online this time!). The reason I purchased the HP Mini was because I wanted an alternative to be able to browse the web and do basic tasks with that was cheap. A computer that was light, usable and with good battery life (essentially the antithesis of the Toshiba Satellite A110). Netbooks were all the rage at the time and when i stumbled upon the computer it had everything I was looking for.
It was surprisingly fast using Windows XP and a SSD. The trackpad was still bad with the buttons on either side of it but it was an upgrade over what I had been using. I adapted to the small screen and keyboard. I also eventually purchased 512MB of extra ram because it was absurdly cheap by that time ($5) and a 6 cell battery that meant I could use it all day if I wanted to without having to charge it (vs. the 1 hour I would get with the Toshiba Satellite).
The HP Mini eventually died in January 2014 when my cat Grizzly knocked it off a table and broke the hinge. Looking back I surprisingly have little to complain about and enjoyed my time with the netbook. It was very underpowered even for the time and had pitiful storage but none of those things mattered to my end user experience which was great.
This post is getting a little long so I’ll continue in part 2.
CatsGamesWhatever 