Audiobus: Use your music apps together.

What is Audiobus?Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.

Download on the App Store

Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

Oh god, help. Is it possible to briefly deactivate a mastercard.

Ok so I realize that this is hilarious but I'm also serious.
At the age of 30 I decided I could finally handle having a credit card. In retrospect, I would have been much better with a credit card a few years ago before I crushed all my budgeting skills whilst globetrotting with my (now ex)girlfriend over the last half-decade, but hey.
It arrived in the mail last week. I activated it. I checked my email for the first time in a blue moon to get the activation email. And suddenly. I see all these emails. From all my favourite app and plugin developers.

What's this? That app I've been eyeing up all year is suddenly half off? And what? Drambo is, too? You mean...I can finally Drambo?! With... well, this one's 75%.... and this one... might as well stick that one in there too I can probably Drambo with it... but wait... they're giving away free VST plugins on PluginBoutique... I just need to buy something first... but if I spend more and get a bundle, I'll save even MORE money... and Syntorial's half off!? With... Building Blocks? Sure, what the hell, I need to rehash the basics anyway...

...and so on...

So by the end of Friday I heaved a fat sigh of relief, looked at this entire arsenal of shiny new plugins I've got, did some quick calculations, realized I'm going to have to put in overtime for the next two weeks (I'm on a break from a client's assignment right now) to foot the bill for all these impulse buys... but it was worth it.

So I go check my email to see if the client's got any extra work. And... I see all these emails. What's this? Something called... Cyber Monday? And... even MORE shit is on sale? And the same shit from last week is STILL on sale? So... this means I should buy these generative sequencers so I can have Shiny New Plugin A pumping out rhythms while I tweak Shiny New Plugin B? And Korg's got all their stuff 50% off, too?!

Actually, I forgot about that Korg sale. And I haven't bought anything from them yet... God help me.

Anyway I got about 50% of the way towards maxing out my credit card before I flung it across the room and came here and made this post. And no, I won't tell anyone my max. But.. is it generally possible to temporarily deactivate a mastercard?

[I do realize I could have just googled it. But Google wouldn't appreciate the hilarity of this experience. It'd probably just try and send me another credit card and then drown me in ads for even more cheap plugins]

Comments

  • Google also wouldn't tell you that you may need to learn to keep a strict budget. Write/type out your monthly expenses, see what you can cut, and live within your means. You should be able to pay off the credit card balance over time that way.

    Yeah I'm one to talk, but I've recently had to learn how to budget my money better myself. For instance, I was addicted to ordering food through DoorDash. I've since deleted the app off of my iPhone and quit DashPass for the very reason that I used it way too much and almost went into financial ruin.

    Yeah that got real super quick, but point is...just budget your money mate. :) You'll be better off in the long run.

  • You have to put @ before the name or they won’t know

  • Put all your money in jars on a shelf, then Jar will provide

  • I buy apps strictly via iTunes gift cards. That way I know exactly what my balance is and I need to consciously decide to top up if I want more. It removes a lot of the impulse-buy trap.

  • @Philandering_Bastard said:
    I buy apps strictly via iTunes gift cards. That way I know exactly what my balance is and I need to consciously decide to top up if I want more. It removes a lot of the impulse-buy trap.

    I too was guilty of impulse buying when card was the option. But since past several months, Indian government, for whatever reason, banned use of saved cards in the AppStore. Can’t even re add the card. So we have to top it up from our bank account and then spend. Now have become very conscious.

  • edited November 2022

    Don't fight it. Give in like the rest of us.

  • @BiancaNeve said:
    Put all your money in jars on a shelf, then Jar will provide

    Ah, that is what Bob meant. 😆

  • edited November 2022

    I mean, you got Drambo so any negative consequences are meaningless. ;) DRAMBOOOOOOOO!

  • I feel called out.

  • On the bright side, you did save a lot of money over time. As long as you are able to pay on time to avoid interests, it might have been worth it. :)

  • Cut it up, and reorder one when you really need it? Should only take a day or two to get a new card in most places… actually no, I’m being dumb, I guess it’s registered with Apple or PayPal so will keep working anyway doh 😖

  • maybe get a prepaid card or a debit card? do those exist in the states?

  • @Krupa said:
    Cut it up, and reorder one when you really need it? Should only take a day or two to get a new card in most places… actually no, I’m being dumb, I guess it’s registered with Apple or PayPal so will keep working anyway doh 😖

    Re-order one now so Mastercard cancel the old one, then cut up the new one in the envelope:)

  • Having a credit card is unfortunately one of the important ways to build credit. I treat my credit card like a charge card (like Amex) and never use it on :credit:... This way I build credit but avoid the interest. Using just a debit card doesn't help with credit though it helps with spending.

    I like the idea of only using prepaid apple gift cards so you allot only what you can afford. I'm actually going to buy one now.

    Some ppl freeze their cars in ice and then take it out only when necessary. Gotta wait for the thaw and if the purchase still makes sense after the waiting period, it's no longer an immediate impulse buy. As long as the card info isn't saved with Apple lol!

  • It’s easy to get carried away. On the app side of things I always keep a list of my most wanted apps, along with some possible purchases. I still make a few impulsive purchases, but I try to stick to the apps I need or want, so I don’t get carried away. You live, you learn.

  • What I did was I purposely “lost” my card. Like, I can view it online to pay bills but can’t actually use it for online purchases.

    Pretty useful when handling student debt.

  • I’ve run up a decent amount of debt twice in my life and now live debt free. I pay off all my credit cards weekly so I can never get behind and pretty much maintain a zero balance. Then you get the benefit of the cash back or whatever perks they offer without the chance of getting behind.

  • edited November 2022

    I kept it simple from the outset, with a “debit card”, IOW a fully functional credit card with a limit of zero. Yep, no virtual money. So to speak.

    Have never had any issues with it, not surprisingly. Recommend.

  • Easy solution? Shut down gif all computers and devices capable of enticing you into making anymore purchases.

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