u/kingofthenerfherders — reddlx

Very basic: Help with documents list prior to advice call

I have lived in the UK for ten years, haven't filed for the last three like a dummy. I worry I had done it wrong previously, as I did it on my own with software.

I have a complimentary meeting with an advisor prior to signing up for an ExPat tax service because at this point I just have no idea what I am doing, and I need to become tax compliant so I can sort out a student loan repayment plan.

I make <$100,000 in the UK, I have no investments here or in the US apart from pensions. I have no other sources of income, passive or earned. I have no pensions in the US. I have a bank account in the US to pay my student loans but there's never more than a few thousand in it.

What documents should I have ready to make this first appointment the most useful? I have access to my P60s for the last few years. Do I need to have copies of my savings/checking statements? Or should I just know certain facts (like a total interest over the year? Or just the largest amount in there each year?). Do I need to have any information about my American accounts if there's no income going into it? Any other information I should have ready?

I know this is just a first chat and they aren't likely to give me any advice, but I don't want to waste anyone's time and so I thought I would be as prepared as possible. I am sorry if this is so basic, but I genuinely am starting from zero and I just wanted to ask. Thank you!

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u/kingofthenerfherders — 4 days ago

▲ 1 r/shokz

OpenSwim Pro- any insider Intel about updates? MP3 questions

Hello! I have been using some knock-offs from Amazon for six months and I love them actually, battery life of about 4 hours and really durable waterproofing so far. But I am considering getting proper Shokz, but I a little cursed with technology. I will save up for a purchase, and then within 6months suddenly there is a new version that fixes all of my gripes!

I can see here and elsewhere online there's been a LOT of customer feedback about the MP3 downloads and the organizational hassle. Does anyone know if that is likely to change in the next year, or if any updates would likely be compatible with the existing technology?

I'm old enough that I have tons of MP3s but I don't really like the idea of having to click 100 times to get to a song I want to listen to.

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u/kingofthenerfherders — 11 days ago

▲ 45 r/Gemology+1 crossposts

Have I cracked my sapphire?

I bought my first loose sapphire from what I hope was a trustworthy source here in Scotland. It came in the post, I was so excited, and then I dropped it immediately upon opening it, like an idiot.

There's a very crack-like structure internal to the stone: it flashes very brightly and is visible to the eye when you look from the side. However I don't see ANY surface cracks with my loupe, though there is a super tiny chip on a different facet. I asked the seller and he said there was definitely a small inclusion on one side. I got the stone for only £250 and so I didn't by any means expect it to be flawless, so if it is an inclusion I don't mind one bit.

bUT if it is a crack, then every time I look at the stone I will be reminded that I am a bit of a tit.

I know it's next to impossible to determine anything from photos, so they here for support not diagnostics;

If it doesn't make it to the outside of the gem surface, could it still be a crack/structural problem? The sources I found said no, it is more likely to be an inclusion, but I was hoping for some advice
If I have just been hoodwinked: could glass stones crack like that, without coming to the surface? It's a parti-sapphire (the light in the photos make it look just awful and swampy but it has some great colour splitting), so if it's a fake it's a good enough fake that I am still happy to wear it around but I won't embarrass myself by talking about my sapphire!
All of the advice is going to be 'take it to a jewellers', I can tell. Would a jeweller be happy to just say 'yes/no, sapphire, yes/no crack' without me having to get it fully appraised/certified? I am happy to pay just to know if it's something they do for £20-30 but I don't think it's worth £150-200 (for this stone, not the service).

Thanks for your help!

u/kingofthenerfherders — 3 months ago

▲ 38 r/Kokedama

Will this kokedama okay?

I grew this from a cutting I got five years ago, last summer it went absolutely crazy with the feet! It's in a rounded pot so the feet have an inch or so of room from the main base.

I thought maybe a kokedama setting with the moss might support the feet and help me keep it misted appropriately. But I really love it (waiting on it regrowing some leaves after a rough winter) and I don't want to accidentally lose it to an experiment.

Thoughts?

u/kingofthenerfherders — 3 months ago