Good luck! Magnets always make me paranoid that I won't be able to put the cache back, but maybe it'll work for this one!
Phlogiston
Something like this would probably be my go-to: https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Ball-Retriever-/b?node=3411041
Any area I've cached, there have always been plently of caches that don't require a TOTT -- so no, you don't need one, but it might come in handy, depending on what you want to find.
Around where I live, probably the most common TOTT is a long pole to get caches down from trees. Don't exchange this for a ladder -- a lot of the caches are up in thin spindly trees growing on uneven ground. They're designed for you to get them with a pole, with both feet on the ground. You can buy golf ball retrievers for not too much money at a sporting goods store, these usually work well.
Other TOTTs I've seen are batteries for gadget caches or a UV flashlight. If you read the cache page, you should be able to get a sense of what you need. But every so often, a cache owner will get creative and make you use something you've never thought of before ;)
Had to check it out on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.westnordost.streetcomplete
That looks pretty cool! Love that you can play it like a game as a team. I need to try this out
Yes, there were two others you could get -- one at some low number of points, and another at 100 I believe
Yes! Beach clean-up are always a good time where I am. I've made some pretty strange garbage finds over the years -- keeps things entertaining when you find microwaves, kiddie pools, toilets and more in the woods!
I did not know they offered free trials -- that's awesome, glad you are enjoying it so far!
Cute! Was the cache inside on of the little houses?
Got to get them hooked early on!
I found a nano cache inside of a padlock once. The part where the key would go was drilled out, and replaced with a tiny cache container. Took me ages, awesome find.
I've gotten Tim Hortons gift cards for FTF before, that was pretty nice. Pins are also always cool to find
In a hollow stump. Not actially buried