Systems & Analysis
AI comparison: I’m testing ChatGPT and Claude side by side to see where each is strongest.
Digital Life / Security
1Password
The problem it solves: Keeps passwords and sensitive life-admin information secure, organized, and accessible.
CURRENT TAKE: LOVE IT — a core daily tool that reduces security risk and mental load.
How I use it: I use it daily for logins, secure notes, and controlled family sharing across my devices.
Cost: $59.85 paid for my 1Password Families renewal on January 31, 2026 (public promotional price).
Current price: $71.88/year
Price last verified: Aug 29, 2026
Use history: Used daily for approximately 10 years. Most recent renewal paid January 31, 2026.
AI / Analysis
ChatGPT
The problem it solves: Helps structure and accelerate complex analysis, coding, research, and drafting.
CURRENTLY TESTING: TESTING — I'm testing whether ChatGPT should remain my primary AI workspace — or whether some kinds of work are better handled in Claude.
How I use it: I use it across Engineering My Best Life for systems design, Wix/Velo work, research planning, financial workflows, and iterative review.
Current price: $20/month
Price last verified: Oct 7, 2026
Use history: Active comparison with Claude began August 2026.
Evaluation updated: Aug 30, 2026
AI / Analysis
Claude
The problem it solves: Provides a second AI environment for challenging reasoning and comparing how different models handle the same work.
CURRENTLY TESTING: TESTING — I'm testing whether Claude earns a distinct role because it catches gaps, challenges reasoning, or handles certain kinds of work better than ChatGPT.
How I use it: I use it alongside ChatGPT to critique drafts, surface gaps, and compare reasoning on important Engineering My Best Life work.
Current price: Monthly $20 · Annual $200
Price last verified: Oct 7, 2026
Use history: Active comparison with ChatGPT began August 2026.
Evaluation updated: Aug 30, 2026
Analysis / Systems
Excel
The problem it solves: Turns messy information into structured analysis I can inspect, test, and reuse.
CURRENT TAKE: LOVE IT — the analytical workhorse behind much of Engineering My Best Life.
How I use it: I use it for models, comparisons, trackers, and financial analysis across Engineering My Best Life.
Money / Financial Analysis
Monarch
The problem it solves: Brings transaction data into one place so I can build a cleaner spending baseline.
CURRENTLY TESTING: TESTING — Valuable for building the baseline; the remaining question is whether it earns the ongoing subscription afterward.
How I use it: I use it to review categories, clean transactions, and export data for deeper analysis.
Cost: $49.99 paid for my first year of Monarch Core on July 1, 2026 (public promotional price).
Current price: $99.99/year
Price last verified: Aug 29, 2026
Use history: Monarch Core purchased July 1, 2026. First-year price paid: $49.99.
Evaluation updated: Aug 30, 2026
Money
Money / Cash Management
EverBank Performance Savings
The problem it solves: Keeps reserve cash productive without giving up access.
CURRENT TAKE: KEEPING IT — EverBank credited $603.11 in interest from May–December 2025, compared with approximately $4.43 at a hypothetical constant 0.03% APY using the same deposits and withdrawals—a $598.68 difference.
See the result
Money / Cash Management
Fidelity CMA
The problem it solves: Lets accessible cash keep earning while I still use the account for bills and cash management.
CURRENT TAKE: KEEPING IT — accessible cash keeps working instead of sitting idle.
How I use it: I hold cash in a money-market fund and pay bills directly from the account.
Money / Investing
Fidelity Investment Account
The problem it solves: Provides a low-friction place to manage investments without routine trading commissions.
CURRENT TAKE: KEEPING IT — straightforward, low-cost portfolio management.
How I use it: I use it to hold and manage investments, including $0 online U.S. stock and ETF trades.
Travel & Rewards
Points / Credit Cards
CardPointers+
The problem it solves: Makes a large credit-card benefits system manageable without relying on memory.
CURRENT TAKE: LOVE IT — About 2.5 hours/week of manual tracking avoided (approximately 130 hours/year when annualized, not a measured yearly total), with $195.45 recovered on my eight cards—$27.46 more than the $167.99 purchase price.
See the result
Affiliate disclosure: I bought and used CardPointers+ independently before becoming a CardPointers affiliate on August 30, 2026. If you purchase through my link, I will receive a commission.
GET CARDPOINTERS
How I use it: I use it to automate offers, track credits and benefits, and choose the best card for a purchase.
Cost: $167.99 one-time purchase · September 11, 2025
Current price: Annual $99.99 · Lifetime $299.99
Price last verified: Oct 4, 2026
Use history: Purchased September 11, 2025. Used independently before becoming a CardPointers affiliate on August 30, 2026.
Travel / Flight Tracking
Flighty Pro
The problem it solves: Keeps flight status, disruptions, upcoming trips, and travel history organized in one place.
CURRENTLY TESTING: TESTING — I love the data and organization; I’m still evaluating whether the $316.94 lifetime purchase earns its value over time.
How I use it: I use it for alerts, inbound-aircraft status, upcoming-flight details, and long-term flight history.
Cost: $316.94 total for Lifetime Flighty Pro, purchased January 28, 2026 ($299.00 + $17.94 tax).
Current price: Annual $59.99 · Lifetime $299.00
Use history: Lifetime Flighty Pro purchased January 28, 2026.
Evaluation updated: Aug 30, 2026
TRAVEL / FARE TRACKING
JetBack
The problem it solves: Finds eligible post-booking fare drops and files for airline credits or refunds automatically.
CURRENT TAKE: KEEPING IT — $1,609.53 in fare credits and refunds as of August 20, 2026, versus a $99.99 annual fee.
See the result
Across 31 flights, JetBack produced 26 credits—22 from Southwest and 4 from United. Some flights generated more than one credit as fares dropped again. My results reflect how often I fly and may not be typical.
Current referral offer: $15 off your first year when you download JetBack through my link.
I bought JetBack and began using it on January 20, 2026. The $1,609.53 result shown here was recorded on August 20, 2026. I became a JetBack affiliate on August 26, 2026. To receive the $15-off referral offer, you must download JetBack directly through my link — not by searching for it in the App Store. If you subscribe through my link, I will receive a commission.
TRY JETBACK — $15 OFF
How I use it: I use it after booking so I do not have to keep rechecking fares myself.
Cost: $99.99 paid on January 20, 2026.
Current price: $99.99/year
Price last verified: Aug 29, 2026
Use history: Purchased January 20, 2026. Affiliate since August 26, 2026.
Rewards / Shopping
Rakuten
The problem it solves: Adds extra rewards to purchases I already planned to make.
CURRENT TAKE: LOVE IT — 610,732 points shown in my Rakuten account as of September 18, 2026; I originally earned cash back, then switched to American Express Membership Rewards after opening my American Express card.
Current referral offer: Rakuten's current offer applies when you join through my link and meet its qualifying-purchase requirements.
Referral disclosure: This is my Rakuten Refer-A-Friend link. If you join through it and make a qualifying purchase, you receive Rakuten's current offer and I will receive a referral bonus.
TRY RAKUTEN
How I use it: I activate Rakuten before an eligible purchase and choose cash back or points.
Use history: Used since March 16, 2014.