Inspired by Steph Ango's [ Quality software deserves your hard‑earned cash](https://stephango.com/quality-software) I've decided to compile a list of software I'm paying for, both as an endorsement of these services and for my own records. ## Tech - [Claude](https://claude.ai/new) - I use Claude every day, and for thing you wouldn't expect. Help with code, sure, but also help with recipes, rephrasing emails, will my drill produce enough torque to drill through concrete, etc. My favorite anecdote is that my wife has started prompting me to "ask Claude" when she has a question that's no longer Google shaped. - [Backblaze](https://www.backblaze.com/) - I think I got YouTube influenced to try out Backblaze quite a few years ago, and I'm not sure if its still the best. However, I used to write music with my friends, and have a 2014 MacBook Pro that has since become my sons toy. That MacBook is backed up to Backblaze so if I ever need to recall an old session I can. It costs me <$2 a month and it's worth every penny. Recently I've noticed that I'm somebody who has "important documents" and storing those in a manilla folder in the garage is probably insufficient. I haven't decided whether to invest further in Backblaze, seek out a competitor like Dropbox, or host a NAS on my network to manage my own backups. - [US Graphics Berkeley Mono](https://usgraphics.com/products/berkeley-mono) - Yeah I paid $75 for a font. Worth every penny. I'm a chronic nvim settings-adjuster and have learned that a tool is truly good when you no longer wish to seek out alternatives. Berkeley Mono has done that for me. I configured it once, downloaded it on both of my devices and have never looked back. ## Fitness - [Boostcamp](https://www.boostcamp.app/) - I like Boostcamp for tracking my lifts. I pay for pro because it's a small project that I'd like to see continue. The app itself is rough around the edges, all the more reason to support the team building it. - [Oura Ring](https://ouraring.com/) - The subscription to the ring allows me to track my sleep and activity. I've found the insights to be quite valuable. The ring has detected when I was sick before I felt symptoms, and recovery/activity monitoring are both things I check in on multiple times a day. - MyFitnessPal - I am not a fan of MyFitnessPal. I do not recommend it. It's here only because I've paid for a full year, and when that subscription ends I'll be trying out MacroFactor - C25K - There are a handful of these apps on the AppStore. I bought the one made by "ZenLabs". Is the app good? No. It has an authentication failure every time I log in. What am I authenticating into? I don't know. Why are obviously internal error messages being surfaced to users? I also don't know. Couch To 5k as a program though is excellent. It made me fall in love with running. So the few dollars I spent for a subscription have been worth it. ## Finance - [YNAB](https://www.ynab.com/) - Long time YNABer. Cannot recommend it enough. Its an app I use everyday, and cures me of being a "spreadsheet guy". The app is easy to use and does exactly what I need it to. Looking up YNAB on reddit you'll see a lot of complaints about cost, around $100/year. I think its worth that, if not more. You'd pay a human several multiples of that, and the cost savings of understanding your cash pays that fee back easily over the course of the year, if not the course of a month/week.