u/wontubemyneighbours

Hello,

I apologize if these questions have been asked before, but there is so much information about e-bikes out there I’m a little overwhelmed, and was hoping to get some advice.

For reference, this will be my first e-bike. I will be riding it around 10 miles a day round trip to commute to work. I live in a major US city and will mostly be using it on protected bike lanes and bike paths. I am looking for a simple bike, around $500, not a lot of frills and something that is lightweight and low profile. I would occasionally like to use it without the electric assist if that is possible. I am also a petite woman and am specifically looking for a bike made for shorter people.

I found a listing on Facebook marketplace for an Aventon Soltera in small/medium frame which from my research seems to be a solid starter e-bike. The bike is from 2022 and has only 500 miles. The owner said the battery and bike are in excellent condition. It was listed for $600 but I think I can talk him down to $550-500. I am going to test out the bike in a couple of days. He also has the original charger, so I am pretty sure the bike is not stolen. Is there anything I should know/keep in mind before testing or deciding to purchase the bike?

Thank you for any replies and I apologize again if these are tired questions, I just have no idea what I’m doing!!

Current cards: (list cards, limits, opening date)

venture one, $4500 limit, 2021

Chase freedom unlimited, $12000 limit, 2025

Amazon/whole foods, $17000 limit, 2026

FICO Score: e.g. 750

784

Oldest account age

5 years 3 months

I have been an authorized user on a parent’s credit card for 15 years

Chase 5/24 status:

2/24

Income:

70k

Average monthly spend and categories:

dining $300

groceries: $400

public transit/uber $75-100

travel: $400

entertainment/subscriptions: $50

Shopping $300

Misc $200

I pay off my balance in full every month

Open to Business Cards

no

What's the purpose of your next card?

travel. looking to start traveling more often, 2-3x per year with one big international trip per year. Would prefer flight upgrades (international business
/prem Econ only) or base ticket as a redeemable option. I don’t really care much about hotel credit as I often stay with friends and family when I travel or split an AirBnB with a large group, although I would make an effort to use it if the card offered it. Primarily I want flight redemption options. Lounge access would be nice but I don’t think I could justify the $800 a year fee.

Do you have any cards you've been looking at?

chase sapphire preferred

Venture X/venture

Amex gold

United/American airline cards (home airport is ORD but I am not sure if I will be living in Chicago 5-10 years from now. Delta is my preferred airline)

Are you OK with category spending or do you want a general spending card?

category is fine

Thank you!

Hi all,

I’m currently in a bit of a panic as I learned critical new information about the program I am starting this fall. For some background information, my ultimate goal is to go into therapy and I chose my current program for 2 main factors: their mental health track and the lower cost compared to other programs. I chose MSW for the flexibility of the degree, inclusion of education about structural influences on outcomes, and ability to supervise. My goal is to get my LCSW.

I had orientation today and the professor leading orientation announced that because of increased interest in the mental health track, there would be a “lottery” to get in. This was not in any of the application/acceptance materials and she confirmed this. The other specializations are more macro faced and to be honest I would not have chosen this program if I knew my spot in the MH track wasn’t guaranteed. She also said more information about the lottery wouldn’t be available until this October (after we have started class and paid tuition) and was unable to clarify our odds of getting in or any further information. She was unclear as to if specialization affected internship placement. There are limited to no MH elective options my program offers.

I was specifically interested in a MH placement my specialist year and am very concerned that if I do not get lucky with the lottery, I will be a less competitive applicant and also miss out on critical classroom instruction related to my career path. I am starting to wonder if I should drop out of my program and apply to new ones or switch to a Master of Counseling. Again, I would NOT have even applied to this program if I knew it was a lottery system.

Has anyone else had a similar experience or just have any advice to share? I’m feeling very lost, panicked, and that I’ve made a huge mistake choosing this program.