diff --git a/backend/public/src/main.rs b/backend/public/src/main.rs
index c516d01..68d407b 100644
--- a/backend/public/src/main.rs
+++ b/backend/public/src/main.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
-use axum::{http::Method, Router};
+use axum::Router;
 use config::config;
-use sqlx::{postgres::PgPoolOptions, PgPool};
+use fred::prelude::*;
+use sqlx::postgres::PgPoolOptions;
 use std::fs::File;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
 use tokio::net::TcpListener;
 use tokio::signal;
+use tokio::sync::Mutex;
 use tower_governor::{governor::GovernorConfigBuilder, GovernorLayer};
 use tower_http::{
     cors::{Any, CorsLayer},
@@ -84,6 +86,11 @@ async fn main() {
     // grabbing the database url from our env variables
     let db_connection_str = std::env::var("DATABASE_URL")
         .unwrap_or_else(|_| "postgres://postgres:password@localhost".to_string());
+    let redis_url = match std::env::var("REDIS_URL").unwrap().as_str() {
+        // TODO: fix the unwrap ^
+        "" => "redis://localhost:6379".to_string(),
+        x => x.to_string(),
+    };
 
     // set up connection pool
     let pool = PgPoolOptions::new()
@@ -93,7 +100,24 @@ async fn main() {
         .await
         .expect("Failed to connect to database");
 
-    let app_state = AppState { db: pool.clone() };
+    let pool_size = 8;
+    let config = Config::from_url(&redis_url).unwrap(); // TODO: fix the unwrap <<<
+
+    let redis_pool = Builder::from_config(config)
+        .with_performance_config(|config| {
+            config.default_command_timeout = Duration::from_secs(60);
+        })
+        .set_policy(ReconnectPolicy::new_exponential(0, 100, 30_000, 2))
+        .build_pool(pool_size)
+        .expect("Failed to create cache pool");
+
+    if std::env::var("REDIS_URL").unwrap() != "" {
+        // TODO: fix the unwrap ^
+        redis_pool.init().await.expect("Failed to connect to cache");
+        let _ = redis_pool.flushall::<i32>(false).await;
+    }
+
+    let app_state = Arc::new(Mutex::new(state::AppInternalState::new(pool, redis_pool)));
 
     // build our application with some routes
     let app = Router::new()
diff --git a/backend/public/src/routes/authors.rs b/backend/public/src/routes/authors.rs
index 903211d..96dd1c1 100644
--- a/backend/public/src/routes/authors.rs
+++ b/backend/public/src/routes/authors.rs
@@ -5,14 +5,14 @@ use axum::{
     routing::get,
     Json,
 };
+use fred::types::Expiration;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use sqlx::{Pool, Postgres};
 
-use crate::{datasources::authors::AuthorsDatasource, AppState};
+use crate::{datasources::authors::AuthorsDatasource, state::AppState};
 
 use super::comments::Pagination;
 
-#[derive(Serialize)]
+#[derive(Deserialize, Serialize, Clone)]
 pub struct Author {
     pub author_id: i32,
     pub first_name: String,
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ pub struct Author {
     pub image: Option<String>,
 }
 
-#[derive(Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Deserialize, Serialize, Clone)]
 pub struct AuthorGetOneParams {
     pub id: i32,
 }
@@ -33,34 +33,104 @@ impl AuthorsRoute {
             .route("/", get(AuthorsRoute::get_all))
             .route("/:id", get(AuthorsRoute::get_one))
             .route("/:id/posts", get(AuthorsRoute::get_authors_posts))
-            .with_state(app_state.db.clone())
+            .with_state(app_state.clone())
     }
 
     async fn get_all(
-        State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>,
+        State(app_state): State<AppState>,
         Json(pagination): Json<Pagination>,
     ) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match AuthorsDatasource::get_all(&pool, pagination).await {
-            Ok(a) => Ok(Json(a)),
+        let mut state = app_state.lock().await;
+        let cached: Option<Vec<Author>> = state
+            .cache
+            .get(String::from("authors:all"))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(None);
+
+        if let Some(authors) = cached {
+            tracing::info!("grabbing all authors from cache");
+            return Ok(Json(authors));
+        }
+
+        match AuthorsDatasource::get_all(&state.database, pagination).await {
+            Ok(authors) => {
+                tracing::info!("grabbing all authors from the database");
+                if let a = &authors {
+                    let author_cloned = a.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tracing::info!("storing database data in cache");
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                String::from("authors:all"),
+                                &author_cloned,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(5)),
+                                None,
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                }
+                Ok(Json(authors))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     async fn get_one(
-        State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>,
+        State(app_state): State<AppState>,
         Path(params): Path<AuthorGetOneParams>,
     ) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match AuthorsDatasource::get_one(&pool, params.id).await {
-            Ok(a) => Ok(Json(a)),
+        let mut state = app_state.lock().await;
+        let cached: Option<Author> = state
+            .cache
+            .get(format!("authors:{}", params.id))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(None);
+
+        if let Some(author) = cached {
+            tracing::info!("grabbing one author from cache");
+            return Ok(Json(author));
+        }
+
+        match AuthorsDatasource::get_one(&state.database, params.id).await {
+            Ok(author) => {
+                tracing::info!("grabbing all authors from the database");
+                if let a = &author {
+                    let author_cloned = a.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tracing::info!("storing database data in cache");
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                format!("authors:{}", author_cloned.author_id),
+                                &author_cloned,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(5)),
+                                None,
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                }
+                Ok(Json(author))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     async fn get_authors_posts(
-        State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>,
+        State(app_state): State<AppState>,
         Path(params): Path<AuthorGetOneParams>,
     ) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match AuthorsDatasource::get_authors_posts(&pool, params.id).await {
+        let state = app_state.lock().await;
+
+        match AuthorsDatasource::get_authors_posts(&state.database, params.id).await {
             Ok(p) => Ok(Json(p)),
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
diff --git a/backend/public/src/routes/comments.rs b/backend/public/src/routes/comments.rs
index 53b26df..4a71457 100644
--- a/backend/public/src/routes/comments.rs
+++ b/backend/public/src/routes/comments.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use super::posts::serialize_datetime;
-use crate::{datasources::comments::CommentsDatasource, AppState};
+use super::posts::{deserialize_datetime, serialize_datetime};
+use crate::{datasources::comments::CommentsDatasource, state::AppState};
 use axum::{
     extract::{Path, State},
     http::StatusCode,
@@ -8,33 +8,34 @@ use axum::{
     Json,
 };
 use chrono::Utc;
+use fred::types::{Expiration, SetOptions};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use sqlx::{Pool, Postgres};
 
-#[derive(Deserialize, Debug)]
+#[derive(Deserialize, Serialize, Debug)]
 pub struct CommentInputPayload {
     pub name: String,
     pub body: String,
     pub post_id: i32,
 }
 
-#[derive(Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub struct CommentPathParams {
     id: i32,
 }
 
-#[derive(Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub struct Pagination {
     pub page_number: i64,
     pub page_size: i64,
 }
 
-#[derive(sqlx::FromRow, Serialize, Debug)]
+#[derive(sqlx::FromRow, Deserialize, Serialize, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Comment {
     pub comment_id: i32,
     pub name: String,
     pub body: String,
     #[serde(serialize_with = "serialize_datetime")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_datetime")]
     pub created_at: Option<chrono::DateTime<Utc>>,
 }
 
@@ -46,34 +47,61 @@ impl CommentsRoute {
             .route("/post/:id", get(CommentsRoute::get_post_comments))
             .route("/add", post(CommentsRoute::insert_comment))
             .route("/index", get(CommentsRoute::get_comments_index))
-            .with_state(app_state.db.clone())
+            .with_state(app_state.clone())
     }
 
     async fn get_post_comments(
-        State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>,
+        State(app_state): State<AppState>,
         Path(params): Path<CommentPathParams>,
     ) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match CommentsDatasource::get_posts_comments(&pool, params.id).await {
+        let state = app_state.lock().await;
+
+        match CommentsDatasource::get_posts_comments(&state.database, params.id).await {
             Ok(c) => Ok(Json(c)),
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
-    //
+
     async fn insert_comment(
-        State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>,
+        State(app_state): State<AppState>,
         Json(input): Json<CommentInputPayload>,
     ) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match CommentsDatasource::insert_comment(&pool, input).await {
-            Ok(c) => Ok((StatusCode::CREATED, Json(c))),
+        let state = app_state.lock().await;
+
+        match CommentsDatasource::insert_comment(&state.database, input).await {
+            Ok(c) => {
+                if let co = &c {
+                    let co = c.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        tracing::info!("update cache if key already exists!");
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                format!("comments:{}", co.comment_id),
+                                &co,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(60 * 15)),
+                                Some(SetOptions::XX),
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                }
+                Ok((StatusCode::CREATED, Json(c)))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     async fn get_comments_index(
-        State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>,
+        State(app_state): State<AppState>,
         Json(pagination): Json<Pagination>,
     ) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match CommentsDatasource::get_index_comments(&pool, pagination).await {
+        let state = app_state.lock().await;
+
+        match CommentsDatasource::get_index_comments(&state.database, pagination).await {
             Ok(c) => Ok(Json(c)),
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
diff --git a/backend/public/src/routes/posts.rs b/backend/public/src/routes/posts.rs
index f5678d6..5dbb94f 100644
--- a/backend/public/src/routes/posts.rs
+++ b/backend/public/src/routes/posts.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 
 use crate::utils::rss;
-use crate::{datasources::posts::PostsDatasource, AppState};
+use crate::{datasources::posts::PostsDatasource, state::AppState};
 use axum::http::{HeaderMap, HeaderValue};
 use axum::{
     extract::{Path, State},
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ use axum::{
     Json, Router,
 };
 use chrono::Utc;
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize, Serializer};
-use sqlx::{Pool, Postgres};
+use fred::types::Expiration;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
+use std::fmt;
 
-#[derive(sqlx::FromRow, Serialize, Debug, Clone)]
+#[derive(sqlx::FromRow, Deserialize, Serialize, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Post {
     pub post_id: i32,
     pub author_id: Option<i32>,
@@ -23,10 +24,11 @@ pub struct Post {
     pub title: String,
     pub body: String,
     #[serde(serialize_with = "serialize_datetime")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_datetime")]
     pub created_at: Option<chrono::DateTime<Utc>>,
 }
 
-#[derive(sqlx::FromRow, Serialize, Debug)]
+#[derive(sqlx::FromRow, Deserialize, Serialize, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct PostFeaturedVariant {
     pub post_id: i32,
     pub author_id: Option<i32>,
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ pub struct PostFeaturedVariant {
     pub title: String,
     pub body: String,
     #[serde(serialize_with = "serialize_datetime")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_datetime")]
     pub created_at: Option<chrono::DateTime<Utc>>,
     pub is_featured: Option<bool>,
 }
@@ -56,63 +59,275 @@ impl PostsRoute {
             .route("/hot", get(PostsRoute::get_hot_posts))
             .route("/featured", get(PostsRoute::get_featured_posts))
             .route("/rss", get(PostsRoute::get_rss_posts))
-            .with_state(app_state.db.clone())
+            .with_state(app_state.clone())
     }
 
     // get all posts
-    async fn get_all(State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match PostsDatasource::get_all(&pool).await {
-            Ok(posts) => Ok(Json(posts)),
+    async fn get_all(State(app_state): State<AppState>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+        let mut state = app_state.lock().await;
+        let cached: Option<Vec<Post>> = state
+            .cache
+            .get(String::from("posts:all"))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(None);
+
+        if let Some(posts) = cached {
+            tracing::info!("grabbing all posts from cache");
+            return Ok(Json(posts));
+        };
+
+        match PostsDatasource::get_all(&state.database).await {
+            Ok(posts) => {
+                tracing::info!("grabbing all posts from database");
+                if let p = &posts {
+                    let posts = p.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tracing::info!("storing database data in cache");
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                String::from("posts:all"),
+                                &posts,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(10)),
+                                None,
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                };
+
+                Ok(Json(posts))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     // get one post
     async fn get_one(
-        State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>,
+        State(app_state): State<AppState>,
         Path(params): Path<PostGetOneParams>,
     ) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match PostsDatasource::get_one(&pool, params.id).await {
-            Ok(post) => Ok(Json(post)),
+        let mut state = app_state.lock().await;
+        let cached: Option<PostFeaturedVariant> = state
+            .cache
+            .get(format!("posts:{}", params.id))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(None);
+
+        if let Some(post) = cached {
+            tracing::info!("grabbing one post from cache");
+            return Ok(Json(post));
+        };
+
+        match PostsDatasource::get_one(&state.database, params.id).await {
+            Ok(post) => {
+                tracing::info!("grabbing one post from database");
+                if let p = &post {
+                    let post = p.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tracing::info!("storing database data in cache");
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                format!("posts:{}", params.id),
+                                &post,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(10)),
+                                None,
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                };
+
+                Ok(Json(post))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     // get recent posts
-    async fn get_recent_posts(State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match PostsDatasource::get_recent(&pool).await {
-            Ok(posts) => Ok(Json(posts)),
+    async fn get_recent_posts(State(app_state): State<AppState>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+        let mut state = app_state.lock().await;
+        let cached: Option<Vec<Post>> = state
+            .cache
+            .get(String::from("posts:recent"))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(None);
+
+        if let Some(posts) = cached {
+            tracing::info!("grabbing recent posts from cache");
+            return Ok(Json(posts));
+        };
+
+        match PostsDatasource::get_recent(&state.database).await {
+            Ok(posts) => {
+                tracing::info!("grabbing recent posts from database");
+                if let p = &posts {
+                    let posts = p.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tracing::info!("storing database data in cache");
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                String::from("posts:recent"),
+                                &posts,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(5)),
+                                None,
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                };
+
+                Ok(Json(posts))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     // get the top three posts with the highest view count
-    async fn get_popular_posts(State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match PostsDatasource::get_popular(&pool).await {
-            Ok(posts) => Ok(Json(posts)),
+    async fn get_popular_posts(State(app_state): State<AppState>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+        let mut state = app_state.lock().await;
+        let cached: Option<Vec<Post>> = state
+            .cache
+            .get(String::from("posts:popular"))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(None);
+
+        if let Some(posts) = cached {
+            tracing::info!("grabbing popular posts from cache");
+            return Ok(Json(posts));
+        };
+
+        match PostsDatasource::get_popular(&state.database).await {
+            Ok(posts) => {
+                tracing::info!("grabbing popular posts from database");
+                if let p = &posts {
+                    let posts = p.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tracing::info!("storing database data in cache");
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                String::from("posts:popular"),
+                                &posts,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(5)),
+                                None,
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                };
+
+                Ok(Json(posts))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     // get the top three posts with the most comments
-    async fn get_hot_posts(State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match PostsDatasource::get_hot(&pool).await {
-            Ok(posts) => Ok(Json(posts)),
+    async fn get_hot_posts(State(app_state): State<AppState>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+        let mut state = app_state.lock().await;
+        let cached: Option<Vec<Post>> = state
+            .cache
+            .get(String::from("posts:hot"))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(None);
+
+        if let Some(posts) = cached {
+            tracing::info!("grabbing hot posts from cache");
+            return Ok(Json(posts));
+        };
+
+        match PostsDatasource::get_hot(&state.database).await {
+            Ok(posts) => {
+                tracing::info!("grabbing hot posts from database");
+                if let p = &posts {
+                    let posts = p.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tracing::info!("storing database data in cache");
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                String::from("posts:hot"),
+                                &posts,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(5)),
+                                None,
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                };
+
+                Ok(Json(posts))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     // get posts that are featured
-    async fn get_featured_posts(State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match PostsDatasource::get_featured(&pool).await {
-            Ok(posts) => Ok(Json(posts)),
+    async fn get_featured_posts(State(app_state): State<AppState>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+        let mut state = app_state.lock().await;
+        let cached: Option<Vec<Post>> = state
+            .cache
+            .get(String::from("posts:featured"))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(None);
+
+        if let Some(posts) = cached {
+            tracing::info!("grabbing featured posts from cache");
+            return Ok(Json(posts));
+        };
+
+        match PostsDatasource::get_featured(&state.database).await {
+            Ok(posts) => {
+                tracing::info!("grabbing featured posts from database");
+                if let p = &posts {
+                    let posts = p.clone();
+                    let state = app_state.clone();
+
+                    tracing::info!("storing database data in cache");
+                    tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        let mut s = state.lock().await;
+                        let _ = s
+                            .cache
+                            .set(
+                                String::from("posts:featured"),
+                                &posts,
+                                Some(Expiration::EX(5)),
+                                None,
+                                false,
+                            )
+                            .await;
+                    });
+                };
+
+                Ok(Json(posts))
+            }
             Err(e) => Err((StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
     // get rss posts
-    async fn get_rss_posts(State(pool): State<Pool<Postgres>>) -> impl IntoResponse {
-        match PostsDatasource::get_all(&pool).await {
+    async fn get_rss_posts(State(app_state): State<AppState>) -> impl IntoResponse {
+        let state = app_state.lock().await;
+
+        match PostsDatasource::get_all(&state.database).await {
             Ok(posts) => {
                 let web_url = std::env::var("BASE_URI_WEB").expect("No environment variable found");
                 let mapped_posts: HashMap<String, Post> = posts
@@ -154,3 +369,46 @@ where
 {
     serializer.serialize_str(&date.unwrap().to_rfc3339())
 }
+
+pub fn deserialize_datetime<'de, D>(
+    deserializer: D,
+) -> Result<Option<chrono::DateTime<Utc>>, D::Error>
+where
+    D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+    struct DateTimeVisitor;
+
+    impl<'de> serde::de::Visitor<'de> for DateTimeVisitor {
+        type Value = Option<chrono::DateTime<Utc>>;
+
+        fn expecting(&self, formatter: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+            formatter.write_str("an ISO 8601 formatted date string or null")
+        }
+
+        fn visit_str<E>(self, value: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+        where
+            E: serde::de::Error,
+        {
+            match chrono::DateTime::parse_from_rfc3339(value) {
+                Ok(dt) => Ok(Some(dt.with_timezone(&Utc))),
+                Err(e) => Err(E::custom(format!("Failed to parse datetime: {}", e))),
+            }
+        }
+
+        fn visit_none<E>(self) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+        where
+            E: serde::de::Error,
+        {
+            Ok(None)
+        }
+
+        fn visit_some<D>(self, deserializer: D) -> Result<Self::Value, D::Error>
+        where
+            D: Deserializer<'de>,
+        {
+            deserializer.deserialize_str(self)
+        }
+    }
+
+    deserializer.deserialize_option(DateTimeVisitor)
+}
diff --git a/backend/public/src/state.rs b/backend/public/src/state.rs
index ab662a9..cb8140e 100644
--- a/backend/public/src/state.rs
+++ b/backend/public/src/state.rs
@@ -29,19 +29,21 @@ impl Cache {
         T: for<'de> serde::Deserialize<'de>,
     {
         if !self.inmem.is_connected() {
-            return Err(Box::new("Are you connected to the cache?".into()));
+            return Err(Box::new(std::io::Error::new(
+                std::io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                "Not connected to cache".to_string(),
+            )));
         }
 
-        let value: Option<Value> = self.inmem.get(key).await?;
+        let value: Option<String> = self.inmem.get(&key).await?;
 
-        let result = match value {
-            Some(x) => match serde_json::from_value(x) {
-                Ok(x) => Some(x),
-                Err(_) => None,
+        match value {
+            Some(json_str) => match serde_json::from_str::<T>(&json_str) {
+                Ok(deserialized) => Ok(Some(deserialized)),
+                Err(_) => Ok(None),
             },
-            None => None,
-        };
-        Ok(result)
+            None => Ok(None),
+        }
     }
 
     pub async fn set<T>(
@@ -53,16 +55,20 @@ impl Cache {
         get: bool,
     ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>>
     where
-        T: for<'de> serde::Deserialize<'de>,
+        T: for<'de> serde::Deserialize<'de> + serde::Serialize,
     {
         if !self.inmem.is_connected() {
-            return Err(Box::new("Are you connected to the cache?".into()));
+            return Err(Box::new(std::io::Error::new(
+                std::io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                "Not connected to cache".to_string(),
+            )));
         }
 
-        let value: Value = serde_json::to_value(contents)?;
+        let json_string = serde_json::to_string(contents)?;
         self.inmem
-            .set(key, value.to_string(), expiration, set_opts, get)
+            .set(key, json_string, expiration, set_opts, get)
             .await?;
+
         Ok(())
     }